Hobbies and Crafts

2 each as usual. Tess is not making suggestions this month as she has difficulty finding the books suggested and is behind with reading.
In the vote list I have put the price for Kindle books on Amazon.


Review 14 November

The Child Garden by Catriona McPherson 5.99
The Secret by Kathryn Hughes 99
Jumping to Conclusions by Sarah Challis. 5.99
Ten Days by Gillian Slovo 4.74
The Darkest Hour Barbara Erskine 3.99
The Secret Wife Gill Paul 99
A Reason to Kill by Michael Kerr 00.00
The Windermere Witness by Rebecca Tope 2.29
The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club 1.00
Hour of need by Melinda Leigh 1.00

Hello

My choices are

The Windermere witness and
The darkest hr.

Hello

My choices are

The Windermere witness and
The darkest hr.

from Persie
The Windermere Witness by Rebecca Tope

The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club
by Duncan Whitehead

I vote

Windermere Witness by Rebecca Tops

The Secret Kathryn Hughes

The Secret by Kathryn Hughes

and

The Secret Wife by Gill Paul

Sorry had to go shopping

Hour of need
Jumping to conclusions.

The Child Garden by Catriona McPherson
The Secret by Kathryn Hughes 11
Jumping to Conclusions by Sarah Challis. 1
Ten Days by Gillian Slovo
The Darkest Hour Barbara Erskine 1
The Secret Wife Gill Paul 1
A Reason to Kill by Michael Kerr
The Windermere Witness by Rebecca Tope 111
The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club 1
Hour of need by Melinda Leigh 1


So the winner is:

The Windermere Witness
and second is:
The Secret

Review 14 November.

Thanks Ann

Confession time. ??. I had difficulty getting suggested books this time. The library only had one of them, but I was on a waiting list.
However, I remembered that someone had read and reviewed a book I had recommended this time, so I decided to do the same while I was waiting for "Last Voyage of the Valentina" to become available. (I have now started reading "Last Voyage).
So I read, and then wrote a review in my note book for " Bye Bye Blackbird," by Patricia Wendorf. Just checked to see who had read it previously, as I wanted to include her name in my review. Disaster! ?? ?? . I've read the wrong book! The correct one included "Rabbit Stew" in the title. My excuse is that both books are about or mention Gypsy culture.
Anyway, here is a review of the book that has not been suggested by anyone.

The author of "Bye bye Blackbird", Patricia Wendorf, was born in Somerset, Blackbird is the third book in her " The Patterns Trilogy" which is based largely on her family history.

I haven't read either of the other two books (Larksleve and Blanche), and although in the story, quite a lot of reference is made to pervious family events and interaction between both families - Greypaull and Carew - it can still be read as a stand alone story.
I was though puzzled that dome of the Greypaull sisters could read and write while the other two were illiterate.

If I had recommended this book the blurb would have read. "They are destined to meet-the gentle, beautiful Eve Neville and the striking red-haired Srv Carew. His grandmother, the gypsy Meridians, predicts it; it is these two who will finally heal the rift between herself and her girlhood friend, Eliza Greypaull.

It is in Staunton that Eve first sees Sev He is a soldier, handsome in his walking-out uniform, on leave from Staunton barracks. Eve, pretty as a picture in her powder-blue costume, cat he's his eye. From that day on he never forgets her. Posted to India, haunted by her sweet-smiling face, he vows to return one day -, to Staunton, and to Eve. Ignorant of his grandmother's prophecy, he doesn't know that the future has long ago been settled, the Romany oatteran laid down.

The story starts just before the birth of Sev and Eve. It swaps between Greypaull and Carew familes quite often, which I sometimes found briefly confusing, especially as both families were involved in the glove making industry.
The Greypaull and Carew families has ceased to have any interaction, but Jye, the son of Meridiana and Blanche, the daughter of Eliza Greypaull had never forgotten each other, after meeting in London, in their youth.
Eve and Sev did not know anything about the shared family history. We follow both of them through their (very different ) childhoods, and their experiences of WW2.

I was more interested in Sev once he left home and spread his wings. His time as a serving soldier in India was informative. Eve's story, as a young woman was informative about fashions, entertainment, music etc.
I thought that the book was interesting and informative, if not gripping. It wasn't the dort of story that you could guess what would happen next (except for Eve and Sev getting together) so didn't set my brain cells working
Pleased that I read it ( a purchase from a charity shop) but wouldn't to spend a lot of money on it. Might though check yo see if the library have any other books by Patricia Wendorf.

Now where did I put that "Rzbit Stew" book??

Off to finish "Last Voyage"

Sorry that I've made such a silly mistake.

Have now got, and am reading The Windermere Witness.

Will be collecting. The Darkest Hour by Barbara Erskine tomorrow.

The Secret by Kathryn Hughes not available at the moment.