What’s on your bookshelf: March

I feel like it was yesterday that I wrote February’s bookshelf post…but then so much has happened time is sort of floating by at the moment (but at least I know it is Friday 20 March today). Anyway, I am getting used to reading on my iPad, and enjoying changing backgrounds and font sizes – is that a sign of age? So to what I have been reading.

Can someone tell me why there are so many ugly covers around at the moment? Are they all AI generated or something, as we all know AI cannot do good art work of any sort. Anyway, I did enjoy reading both of these books despite the covers. First up, Work Horse by Caroline Palmer which came to me courtesy of Bookity Book Books.

Editorial Assistant Clodagh “Clo” Harmon wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world’s most prestigious fashion magazine. But there’s just one problem: she doesn’t have the right pedigree.

But Clo makes friends with the right people, does things that cross boundaries (stealing, borrowing, lying) to get to where she wants. Now, that sounds quite an unpleasant story but it isn’t at all. It is about a young woman trying to make her way in a world that she isn’t that sure she really wants to be part of. I really enjoyed this book and I might not have picked it up had I not had my subscription.

Next up is A Complete Fiction by R.L. Maizes. This was another book I really enjoyed that also had flawed characters but where things worked out at the end. P.J. Larking drives for a fictional version of something like Uber.

She has written three unpublished novels and is desperate for her latest, a #metoo story, to find a publisher. Her agent has sent it to George Dunn, editor at Peapod Press, but he rejected it. George has just sold his own novel for a million dollars. But wait- did he steal P.J.’s novel?

At least that’s what P.J. imagines and posts on a lightly disguised but imaginary version of Twitter about George’s book. Of course, poor George is now embroiled in a scandal, his job and book deal in jeopardy. Amid the publicity, P.J.’s novel is snapped up by another publisher, but her sister’s secrets are exposed in the book and she is not happy. It was a great read with quite a lot of humour in it, and worth picking up.

Next up three books I have read on my iPad and phone. First up, Joanne Tracey’s Philly Barker and the Murder at Deverell Grange which was the perfect ‘comfort’ read flying to Auckland and flying from London to Hamburg. Her books are always fun, and always have wonderful descriptions of food too. There are murders in a stately home and people are trapped there due to heavy snow, but Philly and Robbie get down to solving the crimes.

I’m not in the mood for anything too heavy at the moment, so am working my way through New Zealand crime fiction writer Vanda Symon’s back catalogue. I had read the first book a while back, so borrowed from Libby book number two The Ringmaster. Her books are set in Dunedin, and have a lot of humour in them as well as of course murders to solve. This one involved a circus (hence the elephants and title) and a serial killer academic. I am about half the way through number three in the series.

Finally, Richard Coles Murder Before Evensong which I loved. Great story, great characters and lots of very funny references (the mention of Celine Dion at the Eurovision Song Contest had me in fits). The recent TV adaption I don’t feel captured the real essence of the book which was so much funnier and a much better story too.

Ratings this month:

• Caroline Palmer Work Horse 4 fashion magazines
• R.L. Maizes A Complete Fiction 4 novels
• Joanne Tracey Philly Barker and the Murder at Deverell Grange 4 snowy days
• Vanda Symon The Ringmaster 4 elephants
• Richard Coles Murder Before Evensong 5 English churches

The featured image at the top of the post is of a bookshop in our neighbourhood.

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer and good food. Thistles and Kiwis can be found on Facebook and Instagram @thistlesandkiwis