Absent in the Spring by Agatha Christie was published under a pseudonym, Mary Westmacott. It is not a murder mystery though. I like her mysteries, but not the ones with Hercule Poirot. She wrote 6 books like this one, unrelated, and romance-kind of books. I…
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is the second book I read by her. I liked it a lot, really nicely made. I saw a movie based on the book, but it was many years ago and I forgot who was the killer.…
My Ántonia by Willa Cather is the final novel in the Great Plains trilogy, a book published over 100 years ago, a classic. This can be read as a stand alone novel even if it’s part of a trilogy. The story takes place at the…
The Plague by Albert Camus is a modern classic and, after reading it, I can easily understand why. It is a beautifully written book, not very long either. The location for the book is Oran, a coastal town in North Africa, where Camus lived for…
The Open Door by Latifa al-Zayyat is a novel. It starts in 1946 when Cairo is engulfed by demonstrations against the British rule. The protagonist of the novel is Layla and her brother Mahmud, who is involved in those demonstrations. He comes home wounded, which…
1984 by George Orwell is a book Kelly and I decided to review today, read her review on her blog. It was just the nudge I needed to pick up this book. I’ve read other books by Orwell and loved them, so I was sure…
I got Le voci della sera by Natalia Ginzburg because I wanted to read something in Italian, in preparation for my trip to Italy. I read a book in Italian last year, a biography of Michael Schumacher. It is a short book, of only a…
My Uncle Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad was recommended by my Middle East tutor. It is the first novel I read by an Iranian author. In true Iranian style, the novel is best enjoyed by those with a bit of knowledge of history, as it is…
I was eager to read The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. As you know if you’ve followed my blog, I am keen on Regency romantic novels and Georgette Heyer is one of the best known writers. Sophy is left with her cousins in London as…
Storytellers by Bjørn Larssen* is a novel taking place in 1920 Iceland, the story of blacksmith Gunnar who lives alone. He takes Sigurd into his home, a stranger with a broken ankle who needs help to recover, but who also has a lot of money…
Snow by Orhan Pamuk is a novel set in Trukey. Ka, a journalist, goes to a remote city on the Turkish border to investigate what appears to be a suicide epidemic of young women. The novel touches of complex issues, such as religion, Western views…
Snow-Kissed Proposals by Jenni Fletcher & Elisabeth Hobbes* is a collection of two short stories happening at Christmas-time in the Victorian age. The stories are not related to each other. First is The Christmas Runaway by Jenni Fletcher, followed by Their Snowbound Reunion by Elisabeth…
I didn’t intend to read Mystique by Amanda Quick, I had a hardcover that I wanted to read, but the light near the bed at the hotel was not suitable for reading. So I had a look and saw that I had this book on…
Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight by Jenni Fletcher seemed like a great story. Constance and Matthew married when she was 14 and he left without even a word. After five years he turned back and now they had to start from the beginning. I liked…
Animal Farm by George Orwell is a historically accurate depiction of the Soviet regime under Stalin. I gave it a very well deserved 5 stars! Its subtitle is a fairy story, which is ironic and interesting at the same time. The book was banned during…
The Secret Agent by Elisabeth Hobbes was a disappointment. I’ve read many (maybe all) of her books and I had high expectations about this one. Well, it was not great at all. Hobbes usually writes historical fiction in the medieval period and those worked nicely.…