Bookish - All The Beautiful Strangers

Kia ora,

All these Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth is another one that has recently popped to the top of my to-read pile.

The book follows Charlie Calloway, the one and only, heir to the Calloway fortune and unfortunate child whose mother disappeared 10 years ago. Charlie is back at Knollwood Augustus Prep School for another year, living her perfect life, only this year she's received a mysterious and coveted note from the As.

Will she manage to get through the difficult, demanding and dangerous initiation period or will she see her dreams, and possibly her school career in jeopardy? As her story unfolds things become much more sinister and the story of her mother begins to break into her life now.

This novel moves at a pace and has a strong thriller element to it. There were a couple of moments when I was sorely tempted to jump ahead just to make sure things would come right - I resisted of course, I'm not that kind of reader!

Some unexpected plot twists and another excellent YA novel that is filled with strong, get it done female characters. All These Beautiful Strangers is Klehfoth's first novel and I look forward to reading more from her.

Details - Penguin Random House, 16 July 2018 RRP$23.00

love you more than a paisley travelling case xxx

Bookish - The Emerald Sea

Heya Readers,

It's winter holiday time here and I've just returned from four beautiful days in the central South Island (Te Waipounamu) with the people I love best.

While away I read 3 and 3/4 books which feels like the measure of a good holiday!

One of these was The Emerald Sea by Richelle Mead.

Mead is a very successful author with several series under her pen. This one is part of the 'Glittering Court' novels. It's the first title I've read by Mead and I'd been keen to read other things she has written.

The book covers Tamsin's quest to make it to the New World and secure the best husband meaning she, her family and her secret will be secure. At the Glittering Court school no one has worked harder than Tamsin to make sure she is at the top of her game. On the way to the New World disaster strikes though, and the plans that she and the other young women had are faced with the bleak realities of what might be.

No matter what difficulties lie ahead and what new cultural paradigms are thrown at her Tamsin's determination never wavers. Nothing, not even her own desires are allowed to get in her way. Will determination, destiny or desire win out in the end?

I really enjoyed this book. It's long enough to let the characters really develop and for there to be several interesting shifts in the narrative. The main character is strong and gets things done and there are a couple of other female characters that are the same. I appreciate that even in romantic moments the female characters don't abandon their personality in favour of simpering and eye-lash fluttering.

A perfect holiday read.

Details - Penguin Random House, July 2018 RRP $30.00

love you more than a makeshift shelter in a blizzard xxx

Bookish - The Visitor

Hey friends,

One of the things I love about Gecko Press is how selective they are in the titles that they publish. All of their books have some kind of unexpected or quirky way of seeing the world or telling a story.

The Visitor by Antje Damm is no different.

The story is about Elise who is frightened of everything so her life exists only in the four walls of her home. Until, one day, quite unexpectedly there is a knock on the door and her little visitor will change everything for her.

This is a beautiful story, gently told, about the power of small people to just be themselves and bring love and colour into the world.

The pictures are 3 dimensional sets that the author has created and have a doll's house like quality to them.

A book to treasure.

Details - Gecko Press, July 2018 RRP $29.99 HB (follow the link for a peak inside at the illustrations)

love you more than a paper aeroplane at just the right moment xxx