chance
28-07-2005, 00:14
Sisters Avenue by Louise Candlish £6.99
Hannah relishes life as a newlywed, enjoying her new status as wife of Michael - a handsome and prosperous solicitor with a penchant for a pretty face. She's so excited about creating the perfect family nest that she doesn't realise how far she's drifted from her sister Juliet - once her closest confidant. Meanwhile, Juliet, haunted by the death of her lover is going through her own private turmoil. Unable to deal with her grief and find closure, she finds solace in weeknight drinking binges and casual sex, which she's often too drunk to even remember. If she carries on like this, she stands to lose her job and destroy the meaningful relationships in her life. Yet within the space of a few months Hannah's picture-perfect marriage and Juliet's downward spiral take completely different turns.
Brilliantly written, Sisters Avenue examines the fragility of human relationships and how easily seemingly perfect situations can change. A clever and extremely well observed page-turner.
Where Have All The Boys Gone? By Jenny Colgan £6.99
PR girl Katie is fed up with the lack of eligible men in London. When she reads a newspaper report saying women outnumber men in the capital by 180,0000 and gets mugged in the same week, she decides something must change. She embarks on a new life working for the Forestry Commission in Fairlish - a tiny Scottish village with little to offer, but a surprisingly high proportion of men. But things are never simple. Katie's not exactly a natural when it comes the great outdoors, she's living at the worst bed and breakfast ever, and Iain, the dour and sexy reporter she's developed a crush on, is at odds with Harry - her gruff and charmless boss - over his plans to develop the surrounding locale.
Jenny Colgan is on top form with this her fifth novel, bringing to life flawed but loveable characters with bright and witty dialogue. Her accounts of Katie's adjustment to life away from the sanctity of the city will have you in stitches while her depiction of the changeable Scottish weather will make you appreciate the poolside sun-lounger and pina colada even more.
The Time Traveler's Wife By Audrey Niffenegger £6.99
Henry suffers from a rare condition, in which his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled into his past or future. Aged 36, he manages to meet his future wife Clare when she is only six years old . Yet they marry when he is 30 and she 22. It would all be very confusing were Niffennegger not such a skilful writer. She seamlessly transports the reader to and from Henry and Clare's past, present and future, depicting events that have - or have yet to - shape their lives and relationship. Her literary time-machine, explores complex themes of family, love, loss, marriage and children with enormous clarity.
The Time Traveler's Wife is an engrossing love story with a twist that you'll want devour in one sitting. Just remember to put it down and apply sunscreen between chapters!
The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud by Ben Sherwood £6.99
As a boy, Charlie St Cloud narrowly survived a car crash that killed Sam, his little brother. Charlie, who was driving the car, finds it impossible to shelve the guilt about his brother's death. In an attempt to atone for his sins and remain close to his beloved sibling he takes a job tending lawns at the cemetery where his brother is buried. When he meets Tess Carroll, a beautiful and fearless young yachtswoman who is training for a solo sailing trip around the globe, his life gradually changes. Tess awakens something in Charlie forcing him to choose a path for himself and decide once and for all whether to leave the past behind him and embrace the future. When Tess is in danger, only Charlie can save her and in so doing, save himself.
The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud is a moving tale about the healing power of love. Pop a hankie in your beach bag though, you'll need it.
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh £7.99
If you're after a literary read, Amitav Ghosh's The Hungry Tide will certainly float your boat. Piya, a young ecologist, is in the archepelago of islands off the Bay of Bengal known as the Sunderbans to conduct a survey on dolphins. Born and brought up in the US, she doesn't speak the local language despite having roots in Bengal. Dramatic circumstances lead our smart and focused young heroine to become dependant on a local boatman who takes on the role of guide and protector in these harsh new environs. She also meets Kanai, a young man visiting the area on family business. Ghosh's tale of the friendship that develops between the three characters brings up a number of interesting themes including, migration, ecology and love.
Ghosh captures the savage and terrifying nature of the environment and wildlife of the Sundarbans in an engaging and thought-provoking novel.
(ivillage)
Hannah relishes life as a newlywed, enjoying her new status as wife of Michael - a handsome and prosperous solicitor with a penchant for a pretty face. She's so excited about creating the perfect family nest that she doesn't realise how far she's drifted from her sister Juliet - once her closest confidant. Meanwhile, Juliet, haunted by the death of her lover is going through her own private turmoil. Unable to deal with her grief and find closure, she finds solace in weeknight drinking binges and casual sex, which she's often too drunk to even remember. If she carries on like this, she stands to lose her job and destroy the meaningful relationships in her life. Yet within the space of a few months Hannah's picture-perfect marriage and Juliet's downward spiral take completely different turns.
Brilliantly written, Sisters Avenue examines the fragility of human relationships and how easily seemingly perfect situations can change. A clever and extremely well observed page-turner.
Where Have All The Boys Gone? By Jenny Colgan £6.99
PR girl Katie is fed up with the lack of eligible men in London. When she reads a newspaper report saying women outnumber men in the capital by 180,0000 and gets mugged in the same week, she decides something must change. She embarks on a new life working for the Forestry Commission in Fairlish - a tiny Scottish village with little to offer, but a surprisingly high proportion of men. But things are never simple. Katie's not exactly a natural when it comes the great outdoors, she's living at the worst bed and breakfast ever, and Iain, the dour and sexy reporter she's developed a crush on, is at odds with Harry - her gruff and charmless boss - over his plans to develop the surrounding locale.
Jenny Colgan is on top form with this her fifth novel, bringing to life flawed but loveable characters with bright and witty dialogue. Her accounts of Katie's adjustment to life away from the sanctity of the city will have you in stitches while her depiction of the changeable Scottish weather will make you appreciate the poolside sun-lounger and pina colada even more.
The Time Traveler's Wife By Audrey Niffenegger £6.99
Henry suffers from a rare condition, in which his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled into his past or future. Aged 36, he manages to meet his future wife Clare when she is only six years old . Yet they marry when he is 30 and she 22. It would all be very confusing were Niffennegger not such a skilful writer. She seamlessly transports the reader to and from Henry and Clare's past, present and future, depicting events that have - or have yet to - shape their lives and relationship. Her literary time-machine, explores complex themes of family, love, loss, marriage and children with enormous clarity.
The Time Traveler's Wife is an engrossing love story with a twist that you'll want devour in one sitting. Just remember to put it down and apply sunscreen between chapters!
The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud by Ben Sherwood £6.99
As a boy, Charlie St Cloud narrowly survived a car crash that killed Sam, his little brother. Charlie, who was driving the car, finds it impossible to shelve the guilt about his brother's death. In an attempt to atone for his sins and remain close to his beloved sibling he takes a job tending lawns at the cemetery where his brother is buried. When he meets Tess Carroll, a beautiful and fearless young yachtswoman who is training for a solo sailing trip around the globe, his life gradually changes. Tess awakens something in Charlie forcing him to choose a path for himself and decide once and for all whether to leave the past behind him and embrace the future. When Tess is in danger, only Charlie can save her and in so doing, save himself.
The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud is a moving tale about the healing power of love. Pop a hankie in your beach bag though, you'll need it.
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh £7.99
If you're after a literary read, Amitav Ghosh's The Hungry Tide will certainly float your boat. Piya, a young ecologist, is in the archepelago of islands off the Bay of Bengal known as the Sunderbans to conduct a survey on dolphins. Born and brought up in the US, she doesn't speak the local language despite having roots in Bengal. Dramatic circumstances lead our smart and focused young heroine to become dependant on a local boatman who takes on the role of guide and protector in these harsh new environs. She also meets Kanai, a young man visiting the area on family business. Ghosh's tale of the friendship that develops between the three characters brings up a number of interesting themes including, migration, ecology and love.
Ghosh captures the savage and terrifying nature of the environment and wildlife of the Sundarbans in an engaging and thought-provoking novel.
(ivillage)