Reviews

Set in Ulster in the early 20th Century, this is the tale of the “Irish issue” from the perspective of the O’Neill family – Eileen in particular. Her father raised her to be a warrior, and she had to fight for her family, her homeland, her job and her love.

In her memoir of early life with photography icon Robert Mapplethorpe, Godmother of Punk Patti Smith has crafted an evocative tale of how two kids from New Jersey and Long Island, once factory workers and hustlers, rose to the upper echelons of the art world.

This book should be a mess, with it's elaborate alternate history and mash-up of genre bits, but Elliott handles it all with incredible precision. There's Jane Austen-esque romance, swashbuckling adventure, sharp dialogue, weird magic, mystery, intrigue, and several stunning plot twists.

As a confirmed Anglophile who enjoys period pieces I find Kate Morton’s mix of modern day and “old England” to be very engaging. Her latest book story begins with Edie’s visit to Milderhurst Castle where the sisters Blythe have lived in seclusion all their long lives.

City of Bones tells the story of a fifteen-year-old girl, Clary, trying to make sense of her world when it is turned upside down.

Set in 1941, The Lost Garden is a beautifully written story about a thirty-five-year-old English woman who volunteers for the Women's Land Army, an organization devoted to growing crops for the war effort.

The author chucked a lucrative professional career (he was head of an international NGO at the time) as he began to feel increasingly isolated from whatever it was his efforts were supposed to be producing.  He knew the organization was important, and he understood that it accomplished valuable goals.

If you read any of the Bartimaeus books, be prepared for a whole different kind of story in Heroes of the Valley. It isn't entirely clear from the outset whether this book contains any myth or fantasy, or if it is just a straight up tale of a boy growing up in a small, isolated community.  There are plenty of tall tales in the story - it's just that they deal with person and events in the past.

When preparing for the holidays next year, consider checking out Nigella Lawson's Nigella Christmas to help you out.  This book is packed with everything one needs to entertain a crowd or feed your family.  Chapters cover catering parties, hot

This mother and son writing team may be from the U.S.