What’s on your bookshelf: March

Thistles and Kiwis

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She has written three unpublished novels and is desperate for her latest, a #metoo story, to find a publisher.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

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Loves summer, sunshine and cats. Beginner gardener, likes eating, cooking and reading about food

44 Comments

  1. How cool to feature a bookstore in your temporary neighbourhood! You are right – those book covers are garbage. I am glad you enjoyed Philly just as much as I did. I doubt I could get that New Zealand author on my library card but will try. Thanks for linking up Barbara.

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  3. I love Richard Coles books & understand they’re being made for telly. Philly is thrilled you joined her and Robbie in the Dales.

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  6. Re: book design. I’m a graphic designer, and I’ve designed book covers, logos, posters, newsletters etc. I think most contemporary book covers are just awful. Maybe it is AI, I don’t know, but there is so much sameness: a background picture with a very aired-out sans serif font. So boring!!

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  8. Sometimes light reading is exactly what is needed. I remember feeling that way for the first year of the pandemic. Nothing very heavy, thank you very much. Couldn’t even watch the second season of Succession, even though we liked the first season.

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  13. I’m always grateful for your forthright and insightful book reviews! And thanks for including a photo of your (temporary) neighborhood bookshop. I love them, even when I cannot read what they sell!

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      1. Always a good choice. Bookstores stock a variety of items — which allows those of us with books teetering in every household corner to still patronize them! Our local bookstore stocks wine & chocolate!

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  14. you’re right. disgusting covers. i had a book once that was brown and ugly and i just couldn’t bring myself to read it … :=)

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  15. Your murder mystery picks this month are so good — there’s something about the snowed-in country house setup in Philly Barker that taps into that primal locked-room claustrophobia where everyone becomes a suspect just by proximity. And I completely agree about Murder Before Evensong losing something in the TV adaptation. Book-to-screen translations of mysteries so often flatten the humor because directors treat the crime as the story when really the community around it is what makes you care. Vanda Symon is such an underrated voice in NZ crime fiction too — The Ringmaster sounds like it leans into the circus atmosphere in a way that adds a layer of performance and misdirection. Are you planning to read more of her series?

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    1. Yes I am planning to read more Vanda Symons. Luckily I can get them through our library. Murder Before Evensong, the book, was so much better than the TV series I agree.

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      1. Oh wonderful, you’ll love more Vanda Symon! And completely agree about Murder Before Evensong — the book had so much more heart and humor. It’s one of those adaptations where the charm just didn’t translate to screen. Happy reading!

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  16. Thanks for joining us for #WOYBS Barbara, I hope the travels are going well. Jo’s books and Philly Barker in particular is always a good read aren’t they? I’m off to look up the Murder before Evensong.

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  18. I’m impressed you’re able to keep up with reading while you’re on the go so much. I’ve just started reading The Princess Bride. It’s been a favourite of my daughter’s for many years and I thought it was about time I read it too. So far so good.

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  19. Ah my beginner German got some practice reading the words about the bookshop window. I do like the sound of the Masizes’ Fiction book, I am going to seek that one out. Thanks for sharing.

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  20. One very nice thing about eReaders is the ability to change the font size and the way it’s backlit. I love that we have that technology.

    Too many book covers look so much the same, and not in a good way. In a very formulaic way, which I suppose makes sense if they are being produced with AI. Maybe they just need better prompts. LOL

    A couple of these reads do look good – I like mysteries and humor, and if I can get them together in one book, that’s a win.

    Sorry I’m so late in visiting from WOYBS!

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    1. I had fought against using my iPad and/or phone but am now used to it and just borrowing lots of books through Libby. I can’t remember which book prize it was here in NZ but a book was rejected because the cover was done with AI – good I say!

      The Vanda Symon books are proper detective novels but with humour – very easy reading so good if you are in a reading slump.

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