Of course not. Let’s get that out of the way right now. And what exactly do we mean by “good” anyway? Usually a book that’s considered a classic or a modern masterpiece. Sometimes with a strong following, critical acclaim, or, in the case of some modern works, strong celebrity endorsement. Sometimes people might feel the urge to read a work such as this but I would argue that we shouldn’t have to feel shoehorned into…
(more…)-
Run Like Duck by Mark Atkinson – Book Review
Sports
I’m not a runner. At least not currently one so how a book about running could hook me in was pleasantly surprising. Our author, Mark Atkinson, takes us on his running journey from his first short run to joining the 100 Marathon Club. With tongue in cheek humour he is upfront about his not quite perfect health in the beginning and the humour stays with…
(more…) -
Short Story: The Groundskeeper by J. Kyle Turner
Crime-Fiction / Whodunnit?
This is a guest post by J. Kyle Turner. Please see the author’s links if you enjoyed this piece.
Dunstan Harrows sat in the near darkness of the groundskeeper’s cottage while the setting sun glared through the window behind him.
He often came here in the evening to shed the heat of the day while his callouses hardened and the mud dried to dirt under…
(more…) -
Thoughts #7: Do Book Covers Matter To You?
We all know the adage “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” yet sometimes it feels hard to tell ourselves that when we hold a book in our hand. My own personal pet peeve is when publishers take a classic novel and use a famous painting for the front cover that bares no relation at all to the contents of the novel. There are those books that undeniably have a budget in mind that have a human or non-human…
(more…) -
Short Story: The Iowa Witch by George Alger
Time Travel
This is a guest post by George Alger. Please see the author’s links if you enjoyed this piece.
“Thou hast not the look of any Christian man.”
“I’m beginning to believe you.” Jason slumped against the rough timber of the witness stand. Beyond the open shutters, a rough-hewn gallows stood against the grey Massachusetts sky. He was too exhausted to…
(more…) -
The Guest List by Lucy Foley – Book Review
Crime / Murder Mystery
A murder mystery on a closed off location, in this case a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, rarely fails to elicit our interest and The Guest List is no exception. The remoteness, the difficult accessibility by boat, the island’s past history, all come together to create an atmospheric backdrop for our characters who are all thoughtfully and carefully…
(more…) -
Short Story: It’s Never Been About How Long You Stay by Lauren D.
Travel
This is a guest post by Lauren D. Please see the author’s links if you enjoyed this piece.
I used to think slow travel meant fewer stamps in a passport. Staying places for weeks at a time. But I’ve realized that you could spend five days in one city and still consume it the same way you’d rush through three countries in five — checklist in hand, camera up, moving from…
(more…) -
Thoughts #6: What Makes A Good Bookseller?
Following on from last week’s thought I decided to ask myself what it is about some booksellers that we appreciate. They can all be quite exceedingly different in person but, usually, have a genuine interest in their work. When you ask some of them for book recommendations you can sometimes even see their eyes go up and to the side in thought. All the more so if you’ve asked about a particular genre…
(more…) -
Short Story: Crisp Lines by A. J. Evley
Crime Fiction / Murder Mystery
This is a guest post by A. J. Evley. Please see the author’s links if you enjoyed this piece.
The phone rings at twenty past eight while I’ve got my arms elbow deep in the washing up. I tap the loudspeaker with my driest finger.
“Marion Turner?”
“Speaking.”
“DC Dana Hartfield, Thames Valley cold case unit. Sorry to call so late…
(more…) -
Barbarossa by Jonathan Dimbleby – Book Review
Military History
In this in-depth and well written history of Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany in 1941) we are taken not just through the key events and military movements that occurred at the front but also through the background leading up to Barbarossa and the political decision making behind the scenes. It would be so easy to make…
(more…) -
Short Story: Towards The Light by Jun
Non-fiction / City Life
This is a guest post by Jun. Please see the author’s links if you enjoyed this piece.
In the city at night, there are lights both familiar and unfamiliar.
Halfway down a narrow alley, a small shop stood as if cut out of the night.
Outside the shop, a solitary figure stood beside a motorbike. Was he about to go in. Was he simply looking at the menu. Or was he…
(more…) -
Thoughts #5: What Makes A Good Bookshop?
Think back to the last time you entered a bookshop. What appealed to you? What did you like and dislike?
When you’re still outside there might be a window display. Books arranged carefully and neatly proclaim best sellers, local writers, or ones the proprietors have simply quite enjoyed. It’s wonderful to…
(more…)