Five book characters I’d love to actually meet up with!
from The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg.
Arthur an elderly man and a great appreciator. He loved his wife Nola and goes to visit her grave each day and remembers the wonderful loving life they had together. He is open to eighteen year old Maddy, who wears a ring in her nose, lost her mother at a very early age and has a father who is rather poor at being a father. But he looks with eyes of acceptance at Maddy and is willing to step up for her. He is caring for his elderly neighbour Lucille, especially in her time of great need. Arthur has a lot to teach me about life.
Sunshine. – from A Bad Day for Sunshine and a Good Day for Chardonnay. I’ve had two book dates with Sunshine in 2020, I can’t wait to make one in 2021. Sunshine is the sheriff of a small town, she has a delightful daughter and two supportive parents. A great love in her life although that’s complicated but developing. Sunshine is the best of mothers, a fair boss with an eye for great additions to the police force in town. She really goes the extra mile, she really cares. And she solves crimes!
Sophy from the Grand Sophy. Most likely Sophy is like many of Heyer’s heroines, but she sure is something. Things happen when she is around. She goes places women don’t, she drives and rides horses as well as any man. She is outspoken and speaks up and out. Vibrant and irrepressible. She is very caring and will risk herself for others when they need it. She can spot someone who is insincere. She mightn’t look perfect to the hoity toy, but I just thought she was a total delight.
Lt Sam Holland from Marie Forces series First Family a spin off from Fatal Affairs. Sam is a detective in charge of a homicide team. She is good at what she does, she follows up, goes the extra mile to solve the case. And… she supports her husband who has just landed the biggest job in the land. She is a great Mom to her found family, and very supportive of her friends.
Helen from a Home Like Ours. She is in her mid fifties and is now in charge of a community garden. At one point she was homeless in spite of being well educated. She is spiky, tough talking and a no nonsense kind of person. Most of all I really like her for the way she invites a group of refugee women to take part in the garden and learn how to feed their families. Most of all I really was impressed by how she stood up for what was right and was ready to fight injustice.
I read this back in February. It is by Australian author Fiona Lowe. I thought the issues she explored, and the eclectic cast of characters and the challenges they faced were very relevant. One I will most certainly reread. When I can still remember a book I read back in February its a good sign!!
Different but so entertaining. I thought ‘really weird’ as I began but soon I was really cheering for all the wacky characters. Plenty of family drama and little surprises. Sunshine and her daughter Auri are just beautiful. Quincy and Levi giving them a shout out too. The whole town actually and the mystery of the missing deputy – priceless. Really looking forward to reading the next one which publishes soon.
Well this is a new tack in a series I’ve loved and I love the new adventures. It’s full of great characters, political shenanigans, (notice the cover – The White House) police procedural and family love. Look I’ll say it simply – I am addicted. I wanted to avoid putting in my top five because I am so addicted, but … it has to go in!
And my top historical read of the last six months. It is a beautifully written story of wartime London and the people who faced such hard times during all the bombing that went on. And a bookshop – don’t forget a bookshop!
I tossed up between this book The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews and The House Guests by Emilie Richards. But because I have just reviewed the latter five star read I choose The Newcomer. I like most books when someone is on the run with a child in tow. ( I was going to write toe but didn’t seem right until I got the visual). Anyway there is mystery and suspense, eclectic characters and just a good read.
Dance Away With Me I had pre-ordered from Amazon USA months ago. And then to be sent my CC had to be changed to pay for it and whatever I did, didn’t work. So.. after about an hour I decided to cancel it and re-order. Bingo – back in business. And imagine my surprise when it turned up on my doorstep a week later. Of course the postage cost was a big ouch. No… a huge ouch. How did that happen. Just looking again. No wonder it came in a week. It cost way more than the hardback book itself. Did I tick a wrong box!! I do need my head examined. Just pretended to buy another book. No! No box to tick, they just put in the one way of sending. Oh well a bit wiser now! Okay I’ll tell you $30.98 USA. That’s about $55 NZ. Looks like I may have to part ways with more than my money. Bye bye books from Amazon by post.
Alpha Night I had pre-ordered here from online shop Mighty Ape. There was a lag because the publisher was having trouble getting things transported. I know because I asked them on Twitter! Anyway it landed on my door on the same day as Dance Away With Me. Cost of courier was I $3.90. Out of the five books that arrived this week, this was the one I am choosing to read first. It’s one of my favourite series and well Nalini Singh lives in NZ.
The following post My Pear Shaped Life was sitting there. This is by an Irish author that I am now obsessed by and this is her latest book. I’d ordered it from the Book Depository UK months ago but there were problems and then they couldn’t post the version I had pre-ordered. So then… I ordered another one and after a long lag this one began its journey across the world. Just so happy to have it now to even look at happily. Cost of book $30.51 NZ
Just when I thought book life couldn’t get any better this one turned up yesterday. From Mighty Ape NZ so cost $3.90 by courier. Cost of paperback in NZ dollars was $36. Books are expensive here. That’s pretty normal for a paperback. $30 if you are lucky to buy it on a slightly dropped price.
