A few good books
In the lead-up to Christmas, I thought I���d list a few of the best reads I���ve recently enjoyed. All of these books, by one male and three female authors, are by independent authors, though it wasn���t my specific intention to pick them out as such. They could as easily have come through one of the ���big five��� publishers. Three of these books I purchased at their full price on Amazon. One I received free on signing up to a mailing list. Two of the authors are known to me personally, though neither of the latter asked me to leave a review nor even knows I am writing it. I have not been supplied with advanced reader copies nor done a deal to swap reviews. Neither am I receiving payment, in-kind or otherwise, for these words.
Gift of the Raven by Catriona Troth
Gift of the Raven by Catriona Troth
An emotionally raw tale of an outcast, abused and orphaned boy���s quest for a father whose ���hair is black like night, and [whose] skin is the colour of Auntie Jean���s strong tea. I���ve never seen anyone who looks like me but that���s okay because I belong here anyway���. This story about a budding relationship between a father and son touched a deep emotional chord for its sincerity and the delicacy of its prose. One of those books that affected��me deeply.
House of Silence by Linda Gillard
House of Silence by Linda Gillard
A young woman for whom family signifies betrayal and abandonment, and who has learnt to maintain her emotional isolation, falls for a seductive young actor whose sprawling web of relatives she welcomes as icing on her romantic cake. Yet invited for Christmas at their chilly old mansion presided over by a flighty matriarch, cracks in the family���s happy fa��ade cause her to question the enigmatic past of this apparently idyllic family. Steering skilfully between the genres of romance and mystery, Linda Gillard has written a captivating read that will keep you guessing till the end.
One Night at the Jacaranda by Carol Cooper
One Night at the Jacaranda by Carol Cooper
In search of love, a delightful miscellany of contrasting London types sign up for a night of speed-dating at the Jacaranda pub. Following the trials and tribulations of an undercover journo desperate for a feature, a GP with custody issues, a single mother, a terminally ill cat-lover, an obsessive misogynist and an ex-con, among others, Carol Cooper has written a light, witty and enjoyable book about the perennial quest for one���s better half.
Thoreau in Love by John Schuyler Bishop
Thoreau in Love by John Schuyler Bishop
Pages torn from Thoreau���s personal journal inspired this fictional account, postulating on the idea that the missing pages, covering his youthful sojourn in New York, would reveal a gay dalliance, were they extant today. Suffice to say I adored this book. It is wholeheartedly a romance in the rough, passionate, slightly bawdy and infinitely tender way of two young men in love. Above all it is an intelligent book, one which appears well researched and which seems to pay deep respect to Thoreau���s character.
