The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

The Snow Child has been on my TBR for a while now. If you haven't gathered already, I love a folklore/fairytale retelling and whilst this didn't technically meet my Christmas read criteria - the Snow element definitely meant I was going to allow the tedious link.

Mabel and Jack have moved from their somewhat comfortable surroundings to Alaska. It's 1920 and they have no idea what they are coming up against. The harsh Alaskan winters are not for the feint hearted but after suffering with what would have been called "melancholy", Mabel wants a fresh start.

Whilst no accurate ages are given, I see the couple as being middle-aged (perhaps early 50's) and as a result, the cruel cold backdrop is a challenge for them physically. On top of this, Mabel thoughts lead us to understand that she is still grieving after a loss years prior.

I wouldn't want to give too much away so I'll leave my synopsis there. This book was an unexpected love for me though - around 50 pages in, I was concerned it would become a DNF for me because I found it slow paced and American wilderness is not for me. But I stuck with it and I found it to be a truly beautiful book.

The writing is stunning, the feelings and thoughts portrayed are heart felt and the real life challenges that would have been experienced are carefully laid out.

Comments

A Merry Little Meet Cute - Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

What a bloody lovely Christmas beaut this was! If you're venturing into spicy romance books and have been on Instagram or TikTok recently, it's likely that you would have seen this little gem doing the rounds. Bee is a content creator for ClosedDoor (think.. OnlyFans) and Nolan is an ex-boyband bad boy that are both cast in a Hope Channel (think... Hallmark) Christmas movie, Duke The Halls. Nolan is reinventing his career and trying to rid himself of the bad boy image whereas Bee is brought in last minute because the Lead Actress has been taken ill. The best part? Bee was a massive fan of Nolan in her teenage years and Nolan has been following Bee on social media for a while. And they're getting paid to get to know each other. I adored this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and is perfect for those of us who love a Hallmark Christmas movie but wished there was a bit heat in the romances. the positive message around Bee's work is brilliantly handled, not to me...

Looking Out for Love - Sophia Money-Coutts

Looking Out For Love is the latest novel by Sophia Money-Coutts and promises a laugh-out-loud and heartwarming read. We follow Stella, unlucky in love and searching in all the wrong places until she meets mysterious Fitz. Falling head over heels in lust, she has unanswered questions whilst doing her best to support her best friend Billie, who is going through the worst time imaginable. Is Fitz everything she wants and needs him to be? For me personally, Stella’s quest for Mr Right was totally relatable but she came across as extremely one dimensional and selfish. So much more could have been down with the story and characters - Billie’s storyline could have proven an opportunity for Stella to grow and develop, but instead she acted with only herself in mind. I loved Jez - he was exactly what you'd expect the boyfriend of your best friend to be - irritating but worthy. He could have provided a lot more comic relief especially in the more sensitive parts of the plot As an easy r...

The English Fuhrer - Rory Clements

There's something about an alternative Second World War or a "What If?" that intrigues me. After my somewhat disappointing experience with The Man In The High Castle a few weeks ago - I was hesitant that this would also miss the mark slightly but thankfully - it hit all the right spots. A few months after the end of the War, Tom Wilde is back from his OSS placement and is settling back into academia at Cambridge. But a visit to a sick friend lands him in the midst of a biological attack on British Soil and he's called up on by his previous colleague to investigate. I really enjoyed this story. I didn't realise that it was part of a series of novels based on the central character, Tom Wilde but that didn't stop my grasp of what was going on. The departments and fractions of military were easy to pick up though there are a likely a few backstories that would have been useful to piece things together quicker. My only criticism is that Clements' writing s...

The Little Library Project

Search This Blog