The Yeovil Literary Festival – An Author’s Perspective By Kate Kelly

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Margaret Graham

If you braved the rainclouds and ventured into Yeovil in the first weekend in November you might have noticed large green banners flying outside a number of venues, for this was the weekend of the Second Yeovil Literary festival. The first Yeovil Literary Festival took place last September, and this year I was delighted to be taking part again.

Liz Pike, one of the festival organisers.

I was in fact involved in three events across three of the festival venues. They were three very different styles of event, and were only a tiny fraction of what the festival had to offer.

The first event was the Yeovil Prize Winners event on the Friday Morning. The Yeovil Prize was founded by bestselling author, Margaret Graham, with James Mitchell to raise funds for the arts of the area. When Margaret moved from Yeovil, crime writer, Penny Deacon took her place until handing over to Margaret’s ex-student, Liz Pike and her team. It is now in its 11^th year and continues to grow. It is an internationally renowned competition, and since its earliest days it has been watched closely by both editors and agents, and as the list of success stories continues to grow it is clear why.

I am one such author – Red Rock was Highly Commended in 2010 and I’m convinced that this helped tip the balance with the agent who was considering it at the time. This year it was lovely to have a number of winners in the poetry category in our midst. We took turns to read our winning entries and talked about what the Yeovil Prize has meant to us.

The Yeovil Prize Winners Panel.

If you are interested in reading some of the poetry and fiction that has been shortlisted over the past couple of years, then the Yeovil Prize Anthology is now available.

Marcus, manager of Yeovil Waterstones with copies of the Yeovil Prize Anthology.

That evening I was honoured to host “In Conversation with Jason Hewitt”. Jason is a debut novelist and The Dynamite Room was published earlier this year. It is a World War 2 story, but one with a difference and is absolutely superb. Set on the Suffolk coast in July 1940, a German officer swims ashore and breaks into a boarded up house. There he finds Lydia, and 11 year old escaped evacuee hiding in the attic. Over the next five days Lydia is held hostage in her own home – but there is more to the German that meets the eye – for how is it that he knows her name?

In Conversation with Jason Hewitt.

I really enjoyed meeting Jason and chatting to him. The ‘In Conversation’ style of event was a lot of fun, very relaxed, and Jason had so many interesting things to tell us that the time simply flew!

Jason Hewitt and “The Dynamite Room

The following day was my third event, and quite a change from what had gone before. This time I was in the Yeovil Library running a writing workshop for children.

Outside Yeovil Library.

The event was well attended and I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of kids to work with. They were all so enthusiastic and imaginative and half an hour after the event had ended were all still sitting scribbling away. I suspect there might have been some budding authors in their midst.

Of course, these were only three events in a packed programme. The organisers have really built on last year’s success and I can’t wait for next year.

A Day In The Life of An Indie Bookshop By The Chorleywood Bookshop

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Margaret Graham

Some people have the rather quaint idea that an independent bookshop is a rather dusty place, run by an elderly woman who spends all her time with her feet up, stroking a cat and reading. Others imagine it like the bookshop in Notting Hill, a rather more boutique-style place which sells coffee table books and travel guides.

If there were shops like this they would have closed by now. To be a successful independent bookshop in 2014 you need to be so much more than just a bookshop.

At Chorleywood Bookshop the owner, Sheryl Shurville, opens up at the crack of dawn, invoicing schools with their orders and organising the first of the deliveries. On the way she’ll be picking up a children’s author from the station to take to the school for an event.

Back at the shop a team of three will be unpacking boxes of books. Some will be for a literary lunch, others will be for customers who have ordered them the day before and others will be temporarily displayed in the window ready for the upcoming literary festival.

Along with our customers the staff meet so many authors and it’s like kids being let loose in a sweet shop. We love it. Here’s our owner, Sheryl Shurville with Ben Collins, The Stig.

The shop is busy with customers, many have come to buy greetings cards, others will be buying their tickets for the literary festival and some, of course, are just browsing the new titles.

Behind the scenes, one of the staff is now writing an article about an author event for the local magazine, someone else is pricing a box of children’s toys and gifts and the third member of staff is back and forth serving customers at the till, while working her way through a batch of books to be returned to the publishers and researching an out of print book for a customer who wants a second hand copy.

Sheryl returns and sorts out the banking and float for the author event later that day. Then she begins work on her introductory speech, sandwich in hand. No one stops to eat for more than 10 minutes, there simply isn’t time.

More customers orders placed, more cards sold, more personal book recommendations given-cups of tea are made and left to go cold.

Refreshments for customers are packed, shop signs and books loaded in the back of car, a bouquet for the author collected and on to the evening event… See Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman signing copies of A Very Pointless Quiz Book.

This may sound like exaggeration but this is exactly what it’s like at an indie bookshop, well, unless it’s Halloween,Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day….when it gets a whole lot busier.

Chorleywood Literary Festival November 10 – 16^th. http://chorleywoodbookshop.co.uk/chorleywood-literary-festival-2014

Christmas Gift List For Book Lovers

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Frostie

Who doesn’t love a good book? Not many people and why the hell would you be friends with anyone who didn’t? Good question. Here are our picks.

The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau

This book is perfect not only because it is a great idea brilliantly executed, but also because after Christmas comes New Year and we all need a little bit of help and motivation then. Written by Chris Guillebeau, the New York Times bestselling author of $100 Startup. The book helps you to find purpose in work and life by committing to a life-changing quest.

Chris himself has undertaken a successful quest of his own, having visited nearly every country in the world by age 35. The Happiness of Pursuit offers inspirational and practical advice to help you bridge the gap between ‘impossible dream’ and ‘everyday reality’. But a quest doesn’t need to involve travel at all; what’s needed is commitment and progressive accomplishment, losing oneself in a task – whether it be a physical journey, an artistic enterprise or a philanthropic feat. Chris has surveyed thousands who’ve undertaken such pursuits, (from going on 50 dates in all 50 states, becoming fluent in five languages, to cooking a meal from every country in the world), and has recorded 50 case studies in his new book. Excellent stuff.

The Happiness of Pursuit: Find the Quest that will Bring Purpose to Your Life

Dark Witch By Nora Roberts

Book one of the cousins of O’Dwyer trilogy. Bestselling writer Nora Roberts sold 1.2 million copies in 2013 alone. Very impressive. The author of over 200 novels and the third bestselling author of the 21st century, you can’t go wrong with a Nora Roberts book.

Iona Sheehan has always felt a powerful connection to Ireland. So when her beloved grandmother confesses an extraordinary family secret, she can’t resist visiting County Mayo to discover the truth for herself. Arriving at the atmospheric Castle Ashford, Iona is excited to meet her enigmatic cousins, Connor and Branna O’Dwyer. And when she lands a job at the local riding school she is soon drawn to its owner – the charismatic, fiercely independent Boyle McGrath. Perhaps she has found her true home at last…

But Iona’s arrival is no accident. The three cousins have each inherited a dangerous gift from an ancestor known as the Dark Witch. And they are about to discover that some old legends can return to haunt the present.

Dark Witch (The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy Book 1)

Circle of Blood. A Witch Hunt Novel by Debbie Viguié

Grippin, intellectual and scary. Buffy The Vampire Slayer meets Charmed. Perfect for lovers of horror or thrillers.

Samantha Ryan—cop by choice, witch hunter by necessity—is about to confront the witch who has been secretly manipulating her life. But her search for the truth about her past may end in her death.…

All her life, Samantha Ryan has been haunted by a circle of blood, which she has tried to keep at bay—ever since she escaped a vicious Salem coven of witches as a child. But now her carefully constructed life has given way to the darkness she might have embraced, had she not run away.

Angry, focused, and more than willing to use her powers on anyone who gets in her way, Samantha travels to New Orleans to confront Lilit.

Circle of Blood: A Witch Hunt Novel (Witch Hunt Trilogy 3)

A Nightingale Christmas Wish By Donna Douglas

More from the bestselling Nightingale series. This time to put you in the festive spirit. Perfect for Call The Midwife fans.

As Christmas 1938 approaches, the staff at the Nightingale Hospital have their own wishes for the festive season.

Ward sister Frannie Wallace is hoping she won’t have to live through another war like the one that claimed her beloved fiance. But with bomb defences going up all around London, it seems as if her hopes are in vain.

Staff Nurse Helen Dawson wants to find happiness again after the death of her husband Charlie. A handsome stranger seems to offer the chance she wants. But is she looking for love in the wrong place?

Matron Kathleen Fox struggles to keep up morale amongst her nurses as the hospital faces the threat of evacuation. But while everyone else worries about the future of the Nightingale, it’s for her own future that Kathleen truly fears.

As the country prepares itself for war, one thing is for sure – by the time next Christmas comes, nothing at the Nightingale Hospital will be the same again…

A Nightingale Christmas Wish

Cat Out of Hell by Lynne Truss

Funny, entertaining and addictive. From the author of the brilliant Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

The mesmerising tale of a cat with nine lives, and a relationship as ancient as time itself and just as powerful.

The scene: a cottage on the coast on a windy evening. Inside, a room with curtains drawn. Tea has just been made. A kettle still steams.

Under a pool of yellow light, two figures face each other across a kitchen table. A man and a cat.

The story about to be related is so unusual yet so terrifyingly plausible that it demands to be told in a single sitting.

The man clears his throat, and leans forward, expectant.

‘Shall we begin?’ says the cat …

Cat out of Hell

The Wolves of Midwinter By Anne Rice

Anne Rice is the bestselling author of The Vampire Chronicles. She has written over 30 best-selling books. This is a splendid and creepy read. A great present that will give hours of pleasure.

It is the beginning of December and it is cold and grey outside. In the stately flickering hearths of the grand mansion of Nideck Point, oak fires are burning. The Morphenkinder are busy getting ready for the ancient pagan feast of midwinter. Everyone is invited, including some of their own who do not wish them well…

Reuben Golding, the newest of the Morphenkinder, is struggling with his new existence as a Man Wolf, struggling to learn to control his desires and bloodthirsty urges. His pure, luminous girlfriend Laura seems all set to join him in this new way of life, but Reuben is not at all certain he will love her if she becomes as he is. Beyond the mansion, the forest echoes with howling winds, which carry with them tales of a strange nether world, and of spirits – centuries old – who possess their own fantastical ancient histories and taunt with their dark, magical powers.

As preparations for the feast gather pace, destiny continues to hound Reuben, not least in the form of a strange, tormented ghost who appears at the window, unable to speak. But he is not alone: before the festivities are over, choices must be made – choices which will decide the fate of the Morphenkinder for ever.

The Wolves of Midwinter (The Wolf Gift Chronicles)

Easterleigh Hall by Margaret Graham

An excellent book from best-selling author Margaret Graham. Reviewed here. Two more are on their way. Even more fun than Downton Abbey.

A compelling new series set in County Durham just before the First World War. Perfect for fans of Longbourn and Downton Abbey.

When Evie Forbes starts as an assistant cook at Easterleigh Hall, she goes against her family’s wishes. For ruthless Lord Brampton also owns the mine where Evie’s father and brothers work and there is animosity between the two families.

But Evie is determined to better herself. And her training at the hall offers her a way out of a life below stairs.

Evie works hard and gains a valued place in the household. And her dream of running a small hotel grows ever closer.

Then War is declared and all their lives are thrown into turmoil.

Easterleigh Hall

Last but not least:

How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur By Catherine Balavage

Our editors book is perfect for all of the actors or budding actors in your family. It has had good reviews and is selling well on both sides of the pond. We’re not being biased. Honest.

A book that cuts to the truth of the acting industry- written from an outsider’s point of view. Catherine Balavage grew up in a small Scottish town without either the proper training, or industry contacts prior to her career. The book includes advice from casting directors Amy Hubbard and Richard Evans, actor Andrew Tiernan and an exclusive interview with Spotlight amongst interviews with countless other industry professionals. It is an essential for anyone who wants to be an actor.

How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur

What will you choose?

Triskele Books | Self Publishing

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Margaret Graham

Triskele Books is an author collective, a group of five writers from three countries who edit, proof, consult, advise, co-promote and market their books on a shared platform. Each works as an independent entity but all benefit from mutual support. From time to time they also take on associates who fit the Triskele ethos.

Between them, they have now published seventeen novels and offer advice on the process via The Triskele Trail, a warts-and-all story of how they made some mistakes and some smart decisions, discovered opportunities, found friends and dodged predators in the independent publishing jungle.

They have an informative blog, including a Toolbox with practical advice, a Bookclub with reviews and author interviews, and a Writers’ Services section, showcasing approved providers.

Core members are Gillian Hamer, JJ Marsh, Liza Perrat, JD Smith and Catriona Troth. Current associates are JW Hicks and Barbara Scott Emmett.

This autumn Triskele Books celebrates five new releases:

Crimson Shore by Gillian Hamer

A half-naked woman dead in a ditch. A disappearing pathologist. A teenager run off the road. For a peaceful island, Anglesey is experiencing abnormal levels of crime. What’s the connection? Crimson Shore is the first novel in The Gold Detectives series set along the North Wales coast.

Rats by JW Hicks

In one world she is Bitch Singer—fighting a dictator, guerrilla style. In another, she is Dorrie Hart, housewife and mother—carer to a speech-impaired child. Which world is real, which life is true? And why does she wake each morning crying for a lost lover—a lover she is determined to find?

Cold Pressed by JJ Marsh

When an elderly British tourist falls to her death from a Santorini cliff, one witness claims it was no accident. Hellenic Police ask for international assistance from DI Beatrice Stubbs. As she tracks the killer from the Cyclades to the Dodecanese, Beatrice discovers two surprising things. One is a fifty-year old secret. The other is her inconstant heart.

Delirium: The Rimbaud Delusion by Barbara Scott Emmett

“How many times had I dreamt of coming across the yellowing manuscript of La Chasse Spirituelle? Inside an old book on a stall in Paris, perhaps. Or in the attic of some befriended ancient…” The intoxicating hunt for a lost poem by Rimbaud.

The Fate of an Emperor – Overlord II by JD Smith

My name is Zabdas: a brother, protector, soldier and sacrifice. I am a defender of Syria. I shall tell you the story of my beloved Zenobia: fearless woman, determined wife, Warrior Queen of Palmyra …

Crushed between two warring empires, Zenobia and Zabdas are ordered on another mission, deep into enemy ranks, to deliver terms to the King of the Persians, and pray they will not be flayed alive.

But all is not what is seems. More than one person is intent on betrayal …

Triskele Books will be launching these five titles at Barton’s Bookshop in Leatherhead on 15^th November. The following day, they will co-hosting the Indie Author Fair at the Chorleywood Lit Fest.

Christmas Books For Young People | Christmas Gift List

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Frostie

It is never too early to get a child into books. Hopefully it will become a life-long habit. These are a great selection for tots to teens.

Deadly 2015 Annual Steve Backshall Out 6 November, HB £12.99

This is a brilliant book to get your child interested in nature and the wider world. Steve Backshall’s Deadly team travel to all corners of the world to film, visiting the driest deserts, the steamiest rain forests, the highest mountains and the snowiest forests in search of the most awesome wildlife. This annual is full of amazing pictures and facts about these incredible places and the animals that spend their lives there. There is also plenty of puzzles, pictures and fun stuff to enjoy.

Deadly Annual 2015

The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager

A great idea for a book. Becoming a teenager can be as hard as living with one. This brilliant book is a guide to starting the journey to an ideal life as a teen. It helps support young people to become the very best version of themselves—and shows them how to figure out who that is, exactly. Written by experts in the art of happiness and positive psychology, this new book will help teenagers become brilliant at school, work and life in general. They will learn to stay cool under all the pressures they’re facing and plot a map for the future that takes them wherever it is they want to go.

This is a book for ambitious teens who are ready to become proactive, determined, successful and most importantly: happy! And for parents and teachers desperate to turn a down-beat teenager into a ray of positivity and delight

The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager

Adventures in Raspberry Pi by Carrie Anne Philbin

This is a great book to give your child a head start in life. Computing knowledge is a must and learning how to program will seriously boost their future career prospects. Assuming no prior computing knowledge, Adventures in Raspberry Piuses the wildly successful, low-cost, Raspberry Pi to explain fundamental computing concepts.

The Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized computer that, when plugged into a screen and a keyboard, can do many of the things that a desktop PC. Users can experiment by connecting up electronics circuits, learn to program in Scratch and Python, learn to manage programs and files with Linux and much more.

Written by Carrie Anne Philbin, a high school teacher of computing who advises the UK government, the book contains nine fun projects that young people will be able to use to learn basic programming and system administration skills. Starting with the very basics of how to plug in the board and turn it on, later chapters (called Adventures) cover areas including Programming Shapes and Building a Raspberry Pi Jukebox. Each project includes a link to a lively and informative video to reinforce the lessons, making it perfect for young, eager self-learners and their parents.

Adventures in Raspberry Pi

Tinder Sally Gardner

A great novel for teenagers (and adults) go sink their teeth into: Otto Hundebiss is tired of war, but when he defies Death he walks a dangerous path. A half beast half man gives him shoes and dice which will lead him deep into a web of dark magic and mystery. He meets the beautiful Safire – pure of heart and spirit, the scheming Mistress Jabber and the terrifying Lady of the Nail. He learns the powers of the tinderbox and the wolves whose master he becomes. But will all the riches in the world bring him the thing he most desires?

Fairy tales are often the cruellest stories of all; in this exquisite novel Sally Gardner writes about great love and great loss.

Tinder

Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and Changed The World

The girl of the moment. Nobel Peace prize winner Malala has finally told her story. A wonderful gift to give children of either gender. A testament to how important education and equality is. Written in collaboration with critically acclaimed National Book Award finalist Patricia McCormick. Malala tells her story – from her childhood in the Swat Valley to the shooting, her recovery and new life in England.

Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

Best Friends Bakery A Spoonful of Secrets By Linda Chapman

A Spoonful of Secrets is a fun and enjoyable read. This is the second book in the series. A great story about friendship, fun and baking. After a difficult beginning, things are starting to look up for the Sugar and Spice Bakery. Business is good, and Hannah is excited about starting school with her new friends. But as school starts, Mia is acting strangely, and it looks as though things aren’t going to be as easy as Hannah had thought…

A Spoonful of Secrets (Best Friends’ Bakery 2)

Mariella Mystery Investigates The Spaghetti Yeti By Kate Pankhurst

Book five in the series. A fun and engaging book for your child.

“Mariella Mystery (That’s me!) – totally amazing girl detective, aged 9 and a bit. Able to solve the most mysterious mysteries and perplexing problems, even before breakfast.

Is there really a spaghetti-loving yeti stalking the woods next to Limpet Rocks Campsite? Mariella and the Mystery Girls are determined to find out.”

Mariella Mystery Investigates the Spaghetti Yeti (Mariella Mysteries)

The Beaver and the Elephant by Keith Lemon

We were quite surprised that the same person who does the crude TV show Celebrity Juice had written a children’s book, but apparently it is true. A hilarious prequel to the bestselling Being Keith, Little Keith Lemon is a no-holds-barred memoir of Keith’s early life in Leeds. Keith lifts the lid on all the experiences that have led him to become an international ladies’ man and national treasure – from honing his entrepreneurial skills while organising a topless jelly wrestling competition to turning his back on a breakdancing career. This first book, containing three short stories, brings Keith’s distinctive style to the page and follows the adventures of the bossy Beaver and the bumbling but loveable Elephant – whether they are shopping for shoes, splashing around in the sea on holiday or getting into the Christmas spirit. You might even spot a strawberry blonde Northern businessman in there too.

The Beaver and the Elephant is available here.

This Is Bacon & This Is Gauguin Art Book Review

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Art lovers rejoice: Laurence King Publishing has launched a major series on great artists. We were lucky enough to be sent two of their books to review. This Is…Bacon and This Is…Gauguin. They present art history in a visual and accessible manner. The life and work of each artist is told by leading art historians and accompanied by specially commissioned illustrations, alongside representations of their most famous works. Design of the series has been overseen by Pentagram; with each title featuring vivid fluorescent spines and cut-flush binding, making each book the perfect gift for any art lover. Perfect for Christmas and beyond.

The books have it all: a great biography of the artist and wonderful art work. An art lovers dream. Well written and beautiful.

This is Gauguin

George Roddam
Illustrated by Slawa Harasymowicz

This is Gauguin by George Roddam is a new instalment in a major new art series that rethinks art history and presents it in a highly visual, vivid and engaging way. In this book the story of Paul Gauguin’s life and work is brought to life through Slawa Harasymowicz’s specially commissioned illustrations.

Paul Gauguin created some of the most advanced art in a brilliant generation of artists – all of whom struggled against the stifling conformity of the late 19th century’s artistic mainstream.

He created paintings whose radically simplified lines and colours echoed the unschooled art of the rustic and native cultures he loved. After his famously disastrous stay with Vincent van Gogh in southern France, Gauguin escaped European civilization for the Polynesian islands. Immersing himself in the culture, he produced a series of radiant canvases and powerful sculptures – his last great works.

From his childhood in Peru to his experiences in Tahiti, the story of Gauguin’s life is recounted in authoritative text by an expert on the Post-Impressionists and compelling imagery by an award-winning illustrator.

As well as Slawa Harasymowicz’s unique illustrations, Gauguin’s art is shown throughout the book. Works featured include: Sleeping Child (1884), Van Gogh Painting Sunflowers (1888), Christ in the Garden of Olives (1889), Manao tupapau (The Spirit of the Dead Watching) (1892) and Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? (1897-98).

George Roddam has taught art history at universities in the UK and US. His research focuses primarily on European modernisms. He lives in southeast England with his wife and two sons.

Slawa Harasymowicz is a Polish artist based in London. Following the release of the graphic novel The Wolf Man, she had a solo
exhibition at The Freud Museum, London. She was a member of the V&A Award’s jury in 2010.

This is Gauguin is available here and from from thebookpeople.co.uk

This is Bacon

Kitty Hauser
Illustrated by Christina Christoforou

This is Bacon by Kitty Hauser. In this book the story of Francis Bacon’s life and work is brought to life through Christina Christoforou’s specially commissioned illustrations.

Francis Bacon was one of the giants dominating the artistic landscape of the mid-twentieth century, and served as the inspiration and launching point for much of the figural and abstract art that came after him.

This highly illustrated book features 19 of the artist’s major works. In stunning original colour illustrations it portrays the events of his life and the circle of friends and associates with whom he formed a louche, brazen gang that cut open the belly of the old propriety. The major periods of Bacon’s life on the edge, such as his time spent in Berlin, Paris and the seedy milieu of post-war London, are portrayed, along with the influential figures, such as Peter Lacey and George Dyer, who shaped both his personal life and his art.

As well as Christina Christoforou’s unique illustrations, Bacon’s art is shown throughout the book. Works featured include: Three Studies for a Crucifixion (1962), Portrait of Isabel Rawsthorne (1966), Lying Figure (1969), Triptych, May-June (1973) and Sand Dune (1983).

Kitty Hauser is the author of Stanley Spencer, Shadow Sites: Photography, Archaeology and The British Landscape 1927–1955 and Bloody Old Britain. She lives in Sydney where she writes a regular column for The Australian.

Christina Christoforou is a London-based illustrator and artist. She started her career as an art director in Greece before gaining an MA at Camberwell College of Arts in London.

This is Bacon is available here and from thebookpeople.co.uk

Easterleigh Hall by Margaret Graham Book Review

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The perfect novel is a truly wonderful thing: a key to take you away from your life. It transports you to another world and you can lose yourself and all of your problems for hours at a time. I read most of Easterleigh Hall on a glorious Autumn Sunday while the rain poured outside. I was grabbed straight away, the characters are so well-written and fascinating. Evie Forbes is a fantastic heroine: a ballsy, decent and ambitious young woman. She is smart and is willing to sacrifice and work hard to get what she wants.

Set in County Durham just before the First World War, it is almost impossible to review Easterleigh Hall without mentioning the success of Downton Abbey, and this book would make a similarly amazing TV series. It has its villains in Lord Brampton and a valet called Roger, every great novel needs someone to hate. Most of the rest of the characters, and especially the Forbes family, are impossible to not love. Things are not always what they seem and even those ‘upstairs’ come into their own.

Margaret Graham is a very versatile writer. Her other books are also amazing. Her historical books like this one are always well researched. You are taken into the past and you always learn something too. So not just entertaining.

Evie starts work as an assistant cook at Easterleigh Hall against her family’s wishes. Her family do not like Lord Brampton as her father and brothers work in the mine that he owns. But Evie wants to run a small hotel and her training will give her a way out. Little do they know that the world is on the brink of war. The book does not rush. It allows the story and the characters to grow, to really get into the story. I love this, you really feel like you know these people. This is a glorious read and one I will be recommending to friends. Luckily there are another two books in the series which will take us up to the Second World War. I can’t wait. It is out on October 9th. Read it, buy it or steal it. Okay, maybe not the last one.

Easterleigh Hall is available here.

http://www.margaret-graham.com

Sophie Duffy The Generation Game Book Review

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The Generation Game is Sophie Duffy’s debut novel. And what a debut. This book truly is unputdownable. Wonderfully written, fresh, relatable and with enough surprises to keep you hooked. It captures family life and human emotion perfectly. In fact, it is now one of my favourite books and I will recommend it to everyone I know. The novel is inspired by Sophie’s childhood growing up in a sweet shop in Torquay

Philippa Smith is in her forties and has a beautiful newborn baby girl. She also has no husband, and nowhere to turn. So she turns to the only place she knows: the beginning.
Retracing her life, she confronts the daily obstacles that shaped her very existence. From the tragic events of her childhood abandonment, to the astonishing accomplishments of those close to her, Philippa learns of the sacrifices others chose to make, and the outcome of buried secrets.

Philippa discovers a celebration of life, love, and the Golden era of television. A reflection of everyday people, in not so everyday situations.

Sophie won the 2010 Luke Bitmead Writers Bursary and the Yeovil Literary Prize 2006. She has another novel that I will definitely be reading soon called This Holey Life.

I highly recommend this book. It is a stunning debut.

The Generation Game is available here.

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Category Archives: Book Reviews