Books I've Been Reading

Books read in December 2009

'Remarkable Creatures' by Tracey Chevalier. Tracey Chevalier simply cannot write fast enough to keep me happy. I'd queue up overnight to get one of her books (well, almost). Remarkable Creatures tells the story of Mary Anning, the young woman who first discovered the fossils of dinosaurs in her home town of Lyme Regis. Because she was a working class woman, she was virtually ignored and certainly made no money out of the fortunes paid for dinosaur fossils. The novel is told from the point of view of Mary, and of her well-bred and unconventional friend, Elizabeth Philpot. Chevalier manages the two different voices with great aplomb and creates a vivid and evocative story. I just wish I didn't have to wait another year or more for another Tracey Chevalier story.
'The Seduction of the Crimson Rose' by Lauren Willig. A sparkling romantic romp which made me laugh out loud. Gorgeous fun.
'Madensky Square' by Eva Ibbotson. I bought this copy in a second-hand shop as I love Eva Ibbotson books and had not heard of this one before. A bittersweet love story set in Vienna before the war, it was written for adults – as were many of her other titles that have since been re-released as YA titles, something I had not realized. As always, her minor characters are a delight and her humour is light and sweet. The romance is a little darker-edged, though, which probably explains why it has not been reissued as YA.
'The Wild Hunt of Hagworthy' by Penelope Lively. An old favourite from my childhood. Penelope Lively is one of those authors that first began my fascination with books filled with folklore and history. I read this in 1979, and have long remembered its strange eerie power. Reading it again as an adult, it doesn't have quite the same magic – but is still worthy of its place on my shelf of childhood favourites.
'Shiver' by Maggie Stiefvater. I had heard a great deal about this book and so I grabbed it as soon as it finally arrived in Australian shores. I read it in a single setting – it is a small, simple, elegant story – with a sense of brooding melancholy and bittersweet longing. Essentially a tale of first love, it is beautifully told and I rate it much more highly than any other paranormal romances for teenagers that I've read this year. It is true that there are no surprises, but that is true of the genre as a whole, I think. Teenage girls (or anyone else) do not read paranormal romance for twists and turns and switches and surprises – they read it for the sense of strange and wonderful in the midst of the real experiences of first meeting someone who stirs you, and of the real fears and problems we all face as we grow into adulthood. They read it longing to find love like that for themselves. Structured in very short chapters alternating between the points of view of Grace, the teenage heroine, and Sam, the mysterious wolf-boy, the book moves at an elegiac pace. Much of the pleasure in it comes from Stiefvater's lyrical use of language, and especially for me, by the use of one of my favourite poets, Rainer Maria Rilke. Also, the characters are carefully and lovingly drawn. Sam quickly became a favourite of mine, because he has the good taste to love Rilke, and because he composes songs in his head which made him a far deeper and more interesting character that is usual in YA paranormal romance. I liked Grace too. She was strong, intelligent and capable, and the romance between the two was delicate and rather lovely. By the time I finished the book I was completely enchanted.
'Where Serpents Sleep' by C.S. Harris. The 4th in the Sebastian St Cyr series, this book revolves around the murder of eight young prostitutes near Covent Garden. Sebastian is brought on to the cast by Hero Jarvis, a strong-minded young lady who ignores social convention by working among London's poor and needy. She has always been one of my favourite characters in this series and so I was really pleased to see her given a more active role. I think this is a series that just keeps on getting better.
'The Angel's Game' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. His earlier book, The Shadow of the Wind, is one of my favourite books and so I was looking forward to The Angels' Game. I enjoyed it immensely, but it isn't anywhere as good as his first book. Though perhaps that's because I've read many books with a similar premise i.e. Lucifer the fallen angel on earth. Still a vivid, compelling read, though.

Books read in November 2009

'Death of a Stranger' by Anne Perry. This is one in a series of Victorian murder mysteries featuring Inspector William Monk and his wife, Hester, who was once a nurse in the Crimea War. These are intelligent and complex thrillers which bring the Victorian world vividly to life. Many of Perry's plots have unexpected twists and turns in them, which is something I always love – so few writers can truly surprise the reader. Something which not many people know – Anne Perry is actually a non-de-plume. Her real name is Juliet Hulme, and she is one half of the infamous Parker-Hulme murder case in New Zealand which was filmed in 1994 as Heavenly Creatures (Juliet Hulme was played by Kate Winslet, Peter Jackson was the director). You may remember the story – two teenage girls bludgeon the mother of one to death to avoid being separated. They were convicted and spent five years in gaol. I had read most of Anne Perry's books before I discovered this, and it's hard not to feel an extra degree of fascination with her insigt into the mind of murderers when you know she's a convicted murderer herself.
'The Slap' by Christos Tsolkias. An Australian contemporary novel set in Melbourne, this book tells what happens after a man slaps a child who is not his own at a suburban backyard BBQ. Told from eight differing points of view, the book shows the way this single act of (justified?) violence ripples out through the circle of friends and family. Most of the characters were extremely unlikeable, obsessed with sex, and engaged in illicit drugs and/or illicit affairs. My suburb is totally not like this. Or is it? Not a book I particularly enjoyed reading, but I've had more conversations about this book than any other work of fiction I've read all year.
'Passion of Artemisia' by Susan Vreeland. I just loved this book! It tells the story of Artemisia Gentileschi, a woman painter in the Renaissance. She was raped at 18 by her father's colleague and had to endure a trial in which she was tortured to see if she was telling the truth. She went on to paint some extraordinary paintings, and to become the only woman ever to be accepted into the Florence salon. Brilliant!
'Island to Abbey – Survival and Sanctuary in the books of Elsie J. Oxenham 1907 to 1959' by Stella Waring & Sheila Ray. I've been collecting books by Elsie J. Oxenham since I was about 11, and I do like to read books about writers and their work. This was quite fascinating, especially since it filled in many of the gaps in my collection. A must for Abbey Girls fans.
'The Midnight Disease – The Drive to Write, Writer's Block and the Creative Brain' by Alice. W Flaherty. This is my absolute top pick for the best non-fiction book of the year. It examines why some people (like me) are compulsively driven to write and what can sometimes cause that compulsion to run dry, using examples from literary history and medical case studies. Like Oliver Sacks, the author is a neurologist but she is also an exquisite writer and the examples from her own life are compelling and heart-breaking. It was so good that as soon as I had finished, I turned back to the beginning and read The Midnight Disease through again. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
'A Beautiful Blue Death' by Charles Finch. Another Victorian murder mystery, rather slow, rather cozy – but I liked the hero, a gentleman with a Sherlock Holmes-like ability to notice and process obscure information in order to make his case. And the murder was clever.
'The Blackstone Key' by Rose Melikan. Another historical mystery, this time set in 1795. This is really more of an adventure thriller, with smugglers, spies, gunpowder plots and a rather clever secret code (I do love a book with secret codes!). Our heroine, Mary Finch, is clever, bold and resourceful, and the minor characters are all vivid and believable. There's even a touch of romance. All in all, a great debut novel and a writer I'll be reading again.
'Heart's Blood' by Juliet Marillier. I just love Juliet Marillier! Her books are gorgeous. She is the undisputed queen of historical fantasy in my mind. If you love tales of far, far away and long, long ago, tales filled with romance and danger and magic, then you must read Juliet Marillier!
'Why Mermaids Sing' by C.S. Harris. I've describe this series before as being like Georgette Heyer with a darker edge – murder mysteries set in Regency London, with a brooding viscount playing at detective, a beautiful doomed romance, various fascinating minor characters like the viscount's best friend, a crippled surgeon addicted to opium, and an aristocratic early suffragette who despises men. This is one series where I'm always eagerly looking forward to the next book.

Only nine books read this month, but I did read The Midnight Disease twice! Can I count that as ten?

Books read in October 2009

'Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight' by Alexander Fuller. In my determination to widen my reading, after a month or two dominated by historical murder mysteries and children's fantasy, I picked up this memoir of an African childhood which has been on my shelf for so long I forget who gave it to me. Alexandra Fuller was born in England, but both her parents were white Rhodesians in the days when Zimbabwe was still ruled by the British. Alexandra and her family lived through the turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s, as Southern Rhodesia first declared its independence from Britain, then became embroiled in a lengthy civil war that saw Mugabe seize power. It's a fascinating book, at times quite shocking and confronting, fearlessly honest and uncompromisingly unsentimental. If you're interested in Africa at all, read it!
'The Lost Symbol' by Dan Brown. This was my Book Club choice, and for once we read a hardback book because we could all buy it so cheaply at the discount department stores (not something I usually do, on principle). My Book Club had all read and enjoyed 'The Da Vinci Code' when it came out, and so I was quite looking forward to this book, partly out of curiosity to see what rabbit Dan Brown would pull out of the hat. I must admit I was not impressed. I love thrillers, but thrillers need to be action-packed and fast-paced, and this one was slowed down by a great deal of description and explanation. The dialogue was leaden and unnatural, and although all the stuff about Masons was interesting, it didn't seem important enough to justify the plot. Brown is very good at building suspense, and so there were a lot of chapter cliffhangers and switches, but all in all, I thought it was a disappointment. However, the man has all my sympathy. It can't be easy to meet such a load of expectation, and he was writing about Washington and so must have been limited by his natural desire to give his capital city some kind of reverence.
'A Corpse in Shining Armour' by Caro Peacock. This is the third in a brilliant historical murder mystery series, set in the early days of Victoria's reign, and starring the independently minded Liberty Lane. Excellent period detail never slows down the action, and Liberty Lane is a beguiling heroine, intelligent, observant, and doing her best to live her own life amidst the strictures of early Victorian society. Basically, this is a series I gobble up as soon as the latest book hits the shelves. Wonderful!
'Desperate Duchesses' by Eloisa James. What can I say? The kids were on school holidays, I had worked myself half to death finishing my own book before they broke up, I was tired and not very well, and I wanted a book to curl up with for a morning in bed while the kids watched TV. And I didn't really pay much attention to the title or the tagline which reads, 'Games in the bedroom!' The exclamation mark is the book designer's, not mine. What I did notice was the gorgeous frock and a woman's hand holding a chess piece, and so on impulse I grabbed the book (along with a pile of others, planning to have a feast of reading while waiting for my own manuscript to come back from my editor). When I did pay attention to the title, my heart sank. Oh, no. The reference to 'Desperate Housewives' was obvious to anyone paying attention, and the dress was topped by a rather impressive décolletage. Oh, well. I was tired, I was sick, it was raining & the kids were happy. I plunged in. What a pleasant surprise! A bodice-ripping historical romance it is, without a doubt, but also warm, funny, and rather clever. I was completely captivated for a couple of hours, and was interested enough to google Eloisa James afterwards. Turns out she's a Shakespeare professor by day, and a New York Times best-selling author by night. I might even read her again.
'Murder at Madingley Grange' by Caroline Graham. This book has as its taglines: 'From the creator of the Midsomer Murders' and 'A classic whodunit from a master storyteller'. Now I love the TV series of the Midsomer Murders, mainly because of the gorgeous countryside and the old manor houses used in the shoots, and I love a classic whodunit, so I grabbed this as soon as I saw it. It was a big disappointment. Badly written and at times incoherent, it jerked and jarred its way through to the (unsatisfactory) end, and makes me want to never read a book by this author again. It makes me wonder about the glowing quotes on the back cover – one of which says she is the best detective writer since Agatha Christie. Did they read the same book? Or are her other books better? Or is she friends with all the journalists? It's a mystery.
'The Dark Vineyard' by Martin Walker. A murder mystery set in the Perigord region of France, and featuring small town policeman Bruno, this book was a real discovery. The murder was intriguing, the descriptions of small town French life were fabulous (making me want to move there right now!), the characters charming and well-developed, and the writing fluid and at times lyrical. An author whose books I'll definitely be looking out for!
'The Masque of the Black Tulip' by Lauren Willig.
'The Deception of the Emerald Ring' by Lauren Willig. I met Lauren Willig when I was at the Historical Novel Society conference in Chicago, and grabbed her first book 'The Secret History of the Pink Carnation' to read on the plane home. I enjoyed it so much I ordered the next two in the series from the US and settled down to enjoy them as soon as they arrived. Willig had taken the Scarlet Pimpernel as her inspiration, and created a whole battalion of French and English spies going by ridiculous flower names, fighting, frolicking and falling in love during the time of Napolean's regime. Framing these spy stories is the modern-day story of Eloise Kelly, a Harvard grad student who is so busy researching the flower spies that she almost fails to notice the very handsome British descendant guarding their secrets. Frothy, funny, romantic and clever, these books are charming and deftly written.
'The Ropemaker' by Peter Dickinson. I read and loved many of Peter Dickinson's books as a teenager, in particular 'The Dancing Bear' and the Weathermonger series. This novel is was short-listed for the Carnegie Medal and was a Printz Honor Book. It is a clever, thoughtful and demanding fantasy novel for Young Adults, and may not appeal to teenagers used to quick and ultimately forgettable reads. It has a quartet of unlikely heroes, being a girl and her grandmother, and a boy and his grandfather, and at times the action is rather slow and deliberate. However, it has lingered in my mind for a long time since reading it, and I think will become a classic of children's fantasy. Highly recommended.
'Zorro' by Isabel Allend. A wonderfully rich and evocative historical adventure tale imagining the birth and life of the legendary Zorro. Isabel Allende does a wonderful job, though this book is nowhere near as poignant and beautiful as some of her other books. I enjoyed it, but much prefer House of Spirits or Love and Shadows.
'Cupid's Arrow' by Isabelle Merlin. This is the third in a series of fresh, fast-paced YA suspense novels which I have been really enjoying. Each novel stands alone, with new characters and situations, yet they are linked by their French settings, their gentle romances, a twist of the eerie or supernatural, and their use of the newest technologies, such as google, blogs, and so on. In 'Cupid's Arrow', an Australian teenager Fleur travels with her mother to Avallon, meant to be the 'true' resting place of King Arthur. She meets a lovely French boy called Remy, but soon finds herself caught up in a murderous mystery. The romance is romantic, the suspense is suspenseful, and the writing style is easy and natural and very readable. Definitely recommended for teenage girls!
'Silent in the Grave' by Deanna Raybourn. This novel is the first in the series of Lady Julia historical mysteries, and was recommended to me by a cyber-friend in the UK who knows I love the genre. It's a clever book, strong on atmosphere but rather slow on action, which brings the world of 1886 London vividly to life. The characters are all appealing and well-developed, and the murder itself is intriguing and difficult to solve (like all lovers of murder mysteries, I like to try and guess the murderer on my own!) I'd have liked the pace to have been a little racier, but all in all a very enjoyable and clever murder mystery by an author I'll be reading again.
'Black Ice' by Anne Stuart. Anne Stuart was recommended to me by a reader on Shelfari who read a post I'd made about wanting to read some good romantic suspense a la Mary Stewart. She is an American author who has won just about every romance award it is possible to win, and moves easily between gothic romances, romantic suspense and historical romance. The novel is about a rather silly girl who finds herself caught up a situation with arms dealers, and gets rescued by an undercover agent. I must admit I was not really swept away by this book, and didn't warm to either the hero or the heroine or the romance itself, si I'm not rushing out to buy more in this series.

So, thirteen books read in September, a sign that I was not tied up writing like I have been the previous few months. A lot of frivolity and not much serious reading, but some great new authors discovered with – even better! – backlists. So I need not fear having nothing to read for a while.

Books read in September 2009

'The Shakespeare Secret' by J.L. Carrell. This is an absolutely brilliant, compelling and intelligent thriller that moves at breakneck speed from London to Boston to the Arizona desert, with flashbacks to the days of Shakespeare himself. Filled with utterly fascinating tidbits of information about the mysterious playwright himself, it nonetheless doesn't lose pace for a second. The best thriller I've read in a long time, and definitely one of the best books I've read this year.
'The Bee's Kiss' by Barbara Cleverly. A murder mystery set in 1920s London, this book will inevitably be compared to Agatha Christie. I don't think it stands up to the comparison, unfortunately. This one should have been great – it has a clever plot, interesting characters and she has a readable style. However, it just didn't seem to get it quite right. Perhaps because she telegraphed one of the biggest 'surprises' in the opening sequences … or perhaps because too many of her narrators lied to the reader ... or perhaps just because it didn't seem to bring any new insight into the historical period. I have enjoyed earlier books of hers, perhaps because the India setting made them feel fresh, but I won't be chasing down any other of her books.
'Die in Plain Sight' by Elizabeth Lowell. I've been looking for some romantic suspense novels, having so enjoyed my re-visit to my favourite Mary Stewart books earlier in the year. Elizabeth Lowell was recommended to me, but I found it hard to get into this book. It took me a couple of tries, but I did enjoy it once I read it. Very American in tone and style and setting, and the mystery was not too hard to guess, but a pleasant enough way to while away the time.
'Death by Water' by Kerry Greenwood. One of my favourites of the Phryne Fisher series. Clever, quirky, sexy and very enjoyable.
'Death in Kashmir' by M.M. Kaye. I picked this up at a second hand book stall for 20c and never was 20c better spent. M.M.Kaye is the author of 'The Far Pavilions' which I read and adored in my teens. I didn't know she also wrote a series of romantic suspense novels, of which this was the first. Just delightful, with a perfect combination of romance, suspense, mystery and an exotic location – very like Mary Stewart and just what I was looking for. I must hunt out her others.
'Speak Daggers to Her'
'Book of Moons', both by Rosemary Edghill. Murder mysteries set in New York, with the amateur detective being a Wiccan priestess. Edgy, dark, funny, and clever, they're really very good. I think a tighter edit wouldn't have gone astray, but very readable and I love the Wiccan angle.

That brings my total of books read so far this year to 80, which is fairly respectable. That's an average of eight and a half a month. A lot of historical crime and children's books, as always. I must try and read some contemporary literary fiction!

Books read in August 2009

'Dancer's Luck' by Lorna Hill. A lovely first edition, bought in The Children's Bookshop in Edinburgh, and posted home. This one is set in Scotland, and is very charming. A classic girls' ballet story and one that I am sure my daughter will enjoy one day.
'Bring Out the Banners' by Geoffrey Trease. A first edition of one of his later books, written in 1994, sixty years after the publication of his first book and four years before he died at the age of 89. This novel is all about Mrs Pankhurst and the Suffragettes and although it doesn't have quite the verve of some of Geoffrey Trease's earlier books, it is still absolutely fascinating and made me want to know a lot more about the fight for women's liberation.
'Danger in the Wings' by Geoffrey Trease. Another first edition, bought like the previous two at The Children's Bookshop in Edinburgh, an absolute treasure trove for collectors of classic children's books. This one was his last book, published in 1997, the year before he died. What a brilliant writer he was! Writing at 88, he still has all his trademark charm, wit and adventure. I just hope I'm still writing as well at 88!
'Leonardo's Swans' by Karen Essex. A lovely signed copy, bought at the Historical Novel Society's conference in Chicago, where I met the author, a statuesque and strikingly beautiful woman whose intelligence shone out with very word she spoke. Set in Renaissance Italy, the book charts the lives, loves and marriages of two sisters. Isabella and Beatrice, and their relationship with Leonardo da Vinci. This is historical writing at its best, vivid, alive, crackling with sexual and political tension, and uncompromising in its reality. I'd recommend this one highly! By far the best book of the month.
'The Corinthian' by Georgette Heyer. Since I am writing a book where my heroine pretends to be a boy, I thought I'd re-read this old classic to see how the mistress of gender-bending adventure manages it. I have reads this book so often it's in tatters, but I still enjoyed it immensely.
'The Silver Blade' by Sally Gardner. I was really looking forward to this book, having enjoyed her previous two books, 'I, Coriander' and 'The Red Necklace'. This one was a little disappointing, however. Maybe I read too many Scarlet Pimpernel novels as a teenager, or maybe the gruesome twists seemed a little too much like window-dressing.
'The Angel's Game' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. 'His earlier book, 'The Shadow of the Wind' is one of my all-time favourites, and so I was really looking forward to this too. Again, it was a little bit of a disappointment. I think he writes beautifully, and his Barcelona is as vivid and fascinating as ever. I really connected with the hero, a young writer struggling to be true to his art, yet … yet … perhaps it was the whole dark angel thing, which seemed a little trite or predictable … I love 'The Vintner's Luck' by Elizabeth Knox and 'Angel of Ruin' by Kim Wilkins, both of which use the same idea but so much better.
'Twilight' by Stephanie Meyer. Yes, I finally gave in and read it, after months of being asked my opinion and having to admit I knew all about it but couldn't judge because I hadn't read it. My impressions? A rather flimsy teenage romance with vampires. Competently written, utterly predictable, and rather trite. Some disturbing undercurrents about sexual politics, but no worse than a million other romances. I felt I had read it all before, but would I have felt differently without the hype? It's not as if I came to the story fresh, and I always knew that vampire romance is not at all the kind of book I like to read. It did seem, however, rather thin and shallow. There was none of the deepness and richness and complexity of character and plot that I like in a book. However, ultimately it's a romance and I think that the longing for romantic happiness is a deep human need that shouldn't be mocked. And it's a book for teenagers, and when I think of other fare they could be reading, like Sweet Valley High, well, it's not so bad.
'Magic Flutes' by Eva Ibbotson. Another teenage romance, by one of my favourite authors. A perfect antidote to the gloom and dankness of Twilight. Just as predictable, but filled with life and vitality and charm, with all sorts of fascinating tidbits about Vienna and opera and music, and filled with Eva Ibbotson's trademark cast of eccentric and lovable minor characters. I don't remember the names or personalities of any of Twilight's minor characters, while the Littlest Heidi, the Bulgarian Boris and his flocculating yoghurt, Prince Maximilian and his dogs, Bubi and all the rest just leap off the page and dance around the room. A delight, as always.

Books read in July 2009

'The Gimlet Eye' by James Roy. The first ever children's fantasy by this Australian author, better known for his YA social realism. This book is part of the Quentaris 'shared world' fantasy series, in which different Australian authors write adventures all set within the same world, which was first developed by Paul Collins and Michael Pryor in 2003. Although the quality is sometimes uneven, due to the range of different writers working in the world, this one is a lot of fun, with an assassination plot, a creepy half-child, half-old woman, and a melodramatic actor who steals the show.
'The Woman In the Fifth' by Douglas Kennedy. This book had been recommended to me by a friend and so I bought it, even though the melodramas of a middle-aged American academic is exactly the sort of book I normally try to avoid. It is beautifully written, in a very simple yet gripping way, and has an extraordinary twist to it that I simply did not see coming. Books very rarely surprise me anymore, as I read so much, but I was quite flabbergasted by this one. My overall impression – intriguing, clever, but perhaps a little too clever. Not sure I want to sample another of his books – but then again, it was bracing.
'City of Flowers' by Mary Hoffman. I love these Stravaganti books! YA historical fantasy, about a group of modern day teenagers who travel back in time (or perhaps sideways to an alternative universe) to a medieval Italy with flying horses and other magical things. I wish I'd thought of stravaganting.
'Blood of Love' by Susan Parisi. I wanted to love this book. Venice, murder, opium, romance – it should have been just my cup of tea. But unfortunately I found the style so florid and overwrought, I put it down without finishing it – something I rarely do. A disappointment.
'Operation Typhoon Shore – Book 1' by Joshua Mowll. A YA historical adventure, with lots of fascinating footnotes and illustrations. I enjoyed it immensely.
'The Wave Runners' by Kai Meyer. A YA historical fantasy, filled with action and adventure, pirates and pollywiggles, it was a lot of fun.
'Revelation' by C.J. Sansom. This is just the most brilliant series of historical murder mysteries. Absolutely compelling and fascinating, I recommend them highly. This one is a fascinating look at Bedlam and religious madness. I'll be very interested to see where C.J. Sansom goes next.

Books read in June 2009

'Cocaine Blues' by Kerry Greenwood. I have read most of the books in the Phryne Fisher mystery series, but always enjoy them. This is the first in the series, introducing the flapper-turned-detective, the Divine Miss Phryne. Clever, witty, and fun, these books are always a delectable diversion.
'The Sanctuary Seeker' by Bernard Knight. Historical murder mysteries with a strong emphasis on gritty realism. Enjoyable.
'Mary, Queen of Scotland and the Isles' by Margaret George. A thick, magisterial fictive biography of the tragic queen from birth to death. Brilliantly imagined and told, and highly illuminating.
'The Secret History of the Pink Carnation' by Lauren Willig. A wonderful concoction blending historical romance and chick lit – I loved it!
'The Nostradamus Prophecy' by Therese Breslin. An absorbing historical adventure for children featuring a wonderful leopard and his trainer, and a minstrel's headstrong daughter.
'The Serpent in the Garden' by Janet Gleeson. A historical murder mystery set in 1795, and filled with fascinating details about growing pineapples. Rather slow, but interesting.
'Flying Too High' by Kerry Greenwood. The second in the Phryne Fister mystery series.

That brings my total for the first six months of the year to 48 books, which is not very many for me. I'm sure I must have forgotten a couple! It has been a very busy six months though.

Books read in May 2009

'Madam, Will You Talk?' by Mary Stewart. An old favourite of mine, found when unpacking boxes of books, and fallen upon with joy. What a wonderful writer she is! Why doesn't anyone write books like this anymore? A perfect blend of suspense and romance, with a beautiful, clear, lyrical style.
'Nine Chariots Waiting' by Mary Stewart. Another old favourite about a governess who falls in love with the heir to the chateau but suspects him and his father of seeking to murder her young charge. A lovely romantic suspense novel.
'Touch Not the Cat' by Mary Stewart. Haven't read this one in quite a while. Touches of ESP enliven a story about a girl whose family house is slowly crumbling into ruin.
'The Magician's Apprentice' by Trudi Canavan. A fantasy novel by one of Australia's top-selling fantasy authors. She writes persuasively and well, though this book seems a little jaded.
'The Alchemy of Murder' by Carol McCleary. A historical murder mystery with a fantastic bluestocking detective – Nellie Bly, the world's first female reporter. With cameo roles by Oscar Wilde, Jules Verne, and Louis Pasteur, this is set in Paris in 1889 and is, I hope, the first in a long series.
'The Case of the Diamond Shadow' by Sophie Masson. A great old-fashioned mystery filled with humour and glamour! I really enjoyed it.
'A Wicked Gentleman' by Jane Feather. Another Regency romance, with spies and murder thrown in. I enjoyed it. Perfect reading for a busy, busy month.
'Dark Fire' by C.J.Sansom. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Historical murder mysteries set in the days of Henry VIII, and featuring a hunchback lawyer called Matthew Shardlake as the detective, these books are rich and thick and complex and clever and compulsively readable. Wonderful!

Books read in April 2009

'The London Eye Mystery' by Siobhan Dowd. A lovely little book that worked like clockwork – not one unnecessary word or sentence. It deserves to be as big a success as 'The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time', which has a similar plot device but is not nearly as clever.
'Surviving with Wolves' by Misha DeFonseca. An extraordinary story of the wartime survival of a seven year old girl who trekked across 3,000 miles of Nazi-occupied Europe, and was at one time taken in by a pack of wolves. A very affecting story.
'Friends in High Places' by Donna Leon. One of a series of murder mystery novels set in Venice, by one of my favourite contemporary crime novelists. Consistently good.
'Temptation and Surrender' by Stephanie Laurens. A torrid Regency romance that made me blush once or twice. Georgette Heyer never told it like this. Could have done with a good cut, but better than usual romance fare.
'The Priestess and the Slave' by Jenny Blackford. A novella set in Ancient Greece comparing the lives of a priestess of Apollo and a slave girl. Lovely historical detail.
'Thunder of Valmy' by Geoffrey Trease. I was thrilled to discover this old out-of-print gem down in Bowral, and read it in a single sitting over lunch. Classic Trease!
'The Swetness at the Bottom of the Pie' by Alan Bradley. I loved this book! A quirky and charming murder mystery with an odd ten year old girl as the detective. I'll look forward to more books by this author.
'The Abbey Girls on Trial' by Elsie J. Oxenham. Found this in a second-hand bookshop and snaffled it up. I have it already but not such a beautiful old one. Features my favourite Abbey girls, Rosamund and Maidlin.

Books read in March 2009

'The Lost German Slave Girl' by John Bailey. This is an truly amazing book â€“ as readable and compelling as a novel, yet bursting with extraordinary facts about slavery in the New Orleans before the Civil War. I was shocked, horrified, entranced, and moved to tears â€“ and quite amazed that I hadn't heard so much more about his incredible book. It should be an international bestseller.
'Blue Castle' by L.M. Montgomery. I was having a virtual conversation about this book with another writer, Sally Odgers, and coincidentally that week came across it as I was unpacking boxes of books. I sat down at once and began to read it (making my husband rather cross as I was supposed to be putting books on the shelves). I remember reading it as a child and it still has a lot of charm. A book about seizing the day.
'The White Tiger' by Aravind Adiga. I was rather reluctant to read this book as I haven't enjoyed a Booker prize winner in years. I didn't hate this, but I didn't love it either. It had a strong voice and a strong sense of place, which I've decided is what the judges are looking for, but it seemed very predictable to me â€“ I felt like I'd read it all before.
'Camelot's Blood' by Sarah Zettel. Not as good as some of her earlier books, but still beautifully written historical romance.
'The Remarkable Secret of Aurelia Bonhoffen' by Deb Abela. I loved this book! Quirky, funny, filled with mystery and mayhem, its just the sort of book I would have loved as a 10 year old.
'Zarconi's Magic Flying Fish' by Kirsty Murray. A children's book about an Australian travelling circus, this book is filled with a sense of the magic of everyday things.
'The Murder's Club' by PD Martin. A genuinely creepy and all too believable crime thriller, about an FBI profiler who has ESP. Definitely have to read more in this series, I couldn't put it down (almost missed my plane because of it!)
'The Art of Love' by Elizabeth Edmondsen. This is a charming, slow, atmospheric historical novel, set in the 1930s in London and France. Although it has a mystery at its heart and a simmering romance, neither of these plot elements are nearly as important as evoking a wonderful sense of the time and the place and the characters. Certainly a writer I'll read again.
'Pop Princess' by Isabelle Merlin. Romantic suspense for the teenage market, this book is extraordinarily fresh and funky, crammed full of popular culture references and a modern sensibility. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as 'Three Wishes', the earlier book by Isabelle Merlin, but that's just because being the bestie of a pop princess is not one of my dreams, while discovering I'm heir to a French chateau most certainly is.
'Locket of Dreams' by Belinda Murrell. This is written by my beautiful, talented sister Belinda and is a wonderful story that slips between contemporary Sydney and 1840s Scotland and outback Australia. I enjoyed reading it so much, and think its got success stamped all over it.

Books read in February 2009

'Badger Valley' by Monica Edwards. Published in 1976, this is the true story of the writer's bid to observe and help the endangered badgers of England. It is part of a series of non-fiction books she wrote about the farm in which she lived with her husband, who was severely hurt in a tractor accident in 1968. Filled with charming details of badgers and other wild animals, this is really a book only for badger-fans or Monica Edwards-fans (of which I am both)
'Heir to Sevenwaters' by Juliet Marillier, who is one of my absolute all-time favourite waters. This is part of the popular Sevenwaters series, though like them all, can stand squarely on its own feet, and is filled with magic, wonder, and romance. I was so pleased to return to Sevenwaters and would love it if Juliet would write more in this series.
'The Museum of Mary Child' by Cassandra Golds. This is an extraordinary book about the power of love to transform the world. With a fairy-tale, out-of-world quality, it reminded me of books by Elizabeth Goudge and Joan Aiken, writers who I love. Delicate and yet riveting, timeless and yet surprising, tender and yet sad, it's a truly beautiful book.
'The Murder Stone' by Louise Penny. A clever murder mystery with a few surprises along the way, this book adds a fresh feel to the classic manor house mystery. I started reading these books after I heard Louse Penny being compared to Agatha Christie, and she certainly can weave a good tale. Looking forward to reading more.
'The Lighthouse' by P.D. James. I haven't read this author for quite some time so I enjoyed revisiting her. This is not an action-packed book, but she writes so well it doesn't matter. She has a clever, vivid, supple style, and respects the intelligence of her readers.
'The Book of Unholy Mischief' by Elle Newmark. I loved this book! No, that's not strong enough. I adored this book. A novel about love, food, the power of books and words, and set in Venice, one of my all-time favourite cities, this book had it all for me. Definitely leaping on to my list of all-time favourites.
'Skin & Bone' by Kathryn Fox. An Australian writer giving Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwall a run for their money, this is a tightly-plotted forensic thriller with a fresh feel thanks to its Sydney setting. She certainly deserves to be as widely read as her competitors.
'Death Of A Dancer' by Caro Peacock. This is the second book in the Liberty Lane series of murder mysteries set in Victorian England. I really enjoyed both of these and hope the author keeps on writing. Clever plots, an engaging heroine, fluid writing and lots of fascinating historical detail - a lovely package all round.
'The Book Thief' by Marcus Zusak. I've read this book but felt compelled to read it again, always a sign of true love with me. Such a wonderful book, so sad and yet filled with such hopefulness. If you haven't read it, you really really must.

So, nine books this month and once again, many of them historical in nature. My picks for the month are definitely Cassandra Golds and Elle Newmark 'The Book Thief' is already on my list of favourites so can't be picked again!

Books read in January 2009

'Sovereign' by C.J. Sansom. This is just an extraordinary book! Set in the time of Henry VIII, it follows a hunchbacked lawyer's investigation of the murder of a glazier. I read the first in this series, 'Dissolution' and loved that as well. Incredibly rich, vivid, compelling and suspenseful, this is historical mystery writing at its absolute best.
'The Sunken Kingdom' by Kim Wilkins. An omnibus of four titles published under the 'Fantastica' imprint, 'The Sunken Kingdom' follow the adventures of Princess Asa and Prince Rollo as they struggle to fight against the cruel Emperor Flood who has drowned their kingdom. A rollicking read for upper primary kids.
'Wine & War' by Don & Petie Kladstrup. Subtitled 'The French, the Nazis, and France's Greatest Treasure,' this is a completely fascinating and readable account of what happened to France's vineyards during the German occupation. I loved it!
'The Spice Box' by Lou Jane Temple. This is a murder mystery set in 19th century New York, and the detective is a young Irish cook called Bridget Heaney. Filled with appetising descriptions of food and cooking, and vivid details of New York in the 1860s, plus a truly puzzling murder mystery, this was my kind of book.
'In Camelot's Shadow' by Sarah Zettel. I enjoyed this Camelot romance, though not as much as others in this series, perhaps because it featured Sir Gawain, and I've read so many other re-tellings of his tale. Sarah Zettel writes beautifully, though, and weaves a magical tale.
'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Bronte. One of my all time favourite books, which stands up to regular re-readings. I love the passionate writing, the suspenseful tale, the weaving of sorrow and love and redemption, the touch of the supernatural.
'The Secret Of Grange Farm' by Frances Cowan. Published in 1970 and awarded in that year to Lyndell Yates of St Paul's Sunday School, Gloucester, I bought it for 10c at the church sale. A conventional suspense story with an old-fashioned feel.
'The Rule of Four' by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomasin. This is a murder mystery crossed with an intellectual thriller, and apparently sold squillions. The details of the ancient book and the working out of the codes hidden within it were fascinating and believable, but the framing device of the murder mystery at Princeton was a little less well done. I found it hard to care as the characters were rather flat, but other than that, I thought it very clever and a good read.
'The Cruellest Month' by Louise Penny. I have not read any by this author before, but she was called the modern day Agatha Christie in a review I read and so I rushed out straightaway to find her. I really enjoyed this, though it took me a while to get into the book and to keep the characters straight. I had the feeling I should have read the other books in the series first. I will be reading more, though.
'The Castle of Yew' by Lucy Boston. Another 10c buy at the church sale, I was pleased with this as I love Lucy Boston and have never read this one. A first edition copy, published in 1965, and with her trademark charm and whimsy. A good buy.
'The Interpretation of Murder' by Jed Rubenfeld. A murder mystery set in New York in 1909, this novel has the unusual distinction of having Sigmund Freud as a major character. I just loved it. Clever, suspenseful, and tricky, and filled with surprises and reversals, I could not put it down. Highly recommended.
'The Mystery of the Silver Circle' by Molly Chappell. Another 10c buy, and quite an engaging read.
'Looking For Enid â€“ The Mysterious and Inventive Life of Enid Blyton' by Duncan McLaren. A rather odd memoir of reading and loving Enid Blyton, it has some interesting insights and facts about this most prolific and loved children's author, as well as far too much fandom. I could have done without the pastiche, but otherwise found it fascinating.
'Princess Academy' by Shannon Hale. I loved 'The Goose Girl' and so was looking forward to this book eagerly. It was fresh and different and beautifully told, but did not have quite the same level of enchantment as her earlier books.
'Three Wishes' by Isabelle Merlin. I loved this book! I would just love to discover I was the long-lost granddaughter of a French count and heir to a chateau ... Very cleverly told, filled with romance, suspense, mystery and a pair of silver shoes (I just happen to own six pairs of silver shoes myself).