Autumn is in the air, and even those of us who have been in late summer reading ruts have returned the delight and comfort of reading now the weather is on the turn. Having a good book to hand makes a chilly, rainy weekend a pleasure.
Here is what the Willoughby Book Club team have been reading recently. What about you? Have you read anything interesting recently?
A debut by the French-Algerian writer Nina Bouraoui, All Men Want to Know is a bold piece of autofiction which explores the writer's relationship to her dual family heritage, in conjunction with her life as a newly-emerged lesbian in 1980s Paris. Told in short, sharp chapters, Bouraoui pieces together the fragments of her childhood and that of her mother, as well as the painful history of Algeria in the shadow of French colonialism. Having very little knowledge of Algeria's history, this was a really interesting insight into one family's experiences and I am keen to continue reading on the subject!
- Olivia
Zarela Zalvidar, an 18 year old Flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous dragonador in Hispalia faces disaster as her father is fatally injured during their 500 year anniversary show. With the Dragon Guild on her back and wanting to hand out some punishment, Zarela must find a way of saving her ancestral home, arena, and her inheritance from their greedy hands.
With the help of a disagreeable yet handsome dragon hunter, mystery unfolds. Someone is out to ruin the Zalvidar name and reputation. Can she figure out who is behind it all, before it’s too late?
This was a really enjoyable read! Full of mystery, romance and dragons, it’s very easy to fly through and you'll quickly want to turn the page. Zarela is a great character and you want her to succeed, especially against the elders of the Dragon Guild who ‘know best’. I’m looking forward to picking up more from Ibañez for an entertaining read!
- Alisha
I loved this book! It was a Christmas gift from my brother and was the perfect gentle read for getting me out of my recent reading slump.
This is a story about a young lady in Japan who, after a bad break up and losing her job, finds herself without motivation or purpose. With nothing else to do and no 'life', she finds herself moving out to work and live at her uncle's bookshop. It's a lovely, gentle, slice-of-life story of a women discovering her love of books, as well as companionship with the visiting customers. While nothing is magically fixed, we do get to discover her finding her own way again, which is lovely to read!
- Aishah
This was Saki's final work before his untimely death in World War One. It's a collection of short stories, mostly, but not exclusively, on the theme of animals.
I was confined to the couch recently, and was longing for PG Wodehouse, but couldn't find any of my personal copies. Instead I found Saki, and the acerbic, biting tone of these very funny, very short stories was just the tonic. This is the perfect book to dip into when your concentration is not up to much. These are dark, witty skewerings of social class.
Clovis Sangrail, who features in Saki's earlier works appears in these stories, as do rascally children, those with an overabundance of romantic imagination, bachelor sons and bothersome aunts. It's easy to see the influence Saki had on PG Wodehouse, and while I love both I'd prescribe Saki to someone irascible, and PG Wodehouse to, well, absolutely everyone.
- Marianne
This story follows Lucy Chase, as she returns to her hometown as the prime suspect in her best friend's murder five years ago. Found wandering the streets covered in Savvy’s blood, Lucy can’t remember any events from the night it happened.
Ben is a true-crime podcaster and decides to investigate the cold case. In a small town full of gossip, he interviews Lucy’s friends and family and tries to piece together what happened the night Savvy was killed.
I enjoyed the alternating chapter style, which go back and forth from the present day, to flashbacks of the night of the murder. The clever use of podcast scripts too was really interesting too.
A twisty, cold case murder, with some elements of dark comedy, it would be perfect for fans of the Sweetpea series.
- Chloe
The Midnight Library is one of my favourite books so I was really looking forward to reading this new one.
When retired maths teacher Grace Winters inherits a run down house in Ibiza from a long-lost friend, she buys a one-way ticket and leaves her life behind. Making some unexpected friends along the way, she searches for clues as to why she was left the house by someone she’d lost touch with years ago. What she stumbles across there challenges her beliefs and views of the world.
I will admit it took me a while to get into this book and at first I was hesitant, after enjoying The Midnight Library so much, but it wasn’t long until I couldn’t put it down. The gorgeous descriptions of Ibiza made me long to be there.
It was beautifully written, original, and completely absorbing!
- Chloe
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