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James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

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GENRE - Children's fiction (9-11 years), adventure, fantasy.  FIRST PUBLISHED - 1961 PUBLISHED BY - Alfred A Knopf (Our version published in 2016 by Puffin Books) THEMES - Friendship. Magic. Adventure. Child neglect/abuse. Bereavement/parent loss. Isolation. Acceptance. Travel.  PLOT - At four years old, James lost his parents, who were eaten by a rhinoceros that escaped from London zoo. An orphan, he goes to live with his horrid aunts who keep James a prisoner in their house, making him do chore after chore. They do not allow him to go anywhere, not even to school. James is sad and lonely.  One day, after three years of living with his aunts, something magical happens and James is filled with hope. A giant peach begins to grow in the garden, and inside it live giant bugs, who are ready to escape with James, far away from his mean aunties. James begins a magical adventure of friendship, wonderous discoveries and dangers he must use bravery and creativity to champion....
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The Party by Tessa Hadley

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GENRE - Coming of age, historical fiction, novella. FIRST PUBLISHED - 31/10/2024 PUBLISHED BY -  Jonathan Cape, London THEMES -  Coming of age, status, post-war Britain, social class, society, relationships, parents, romance, parties, youth, marriage, patriarchy, male vs female. PLOT -  The setting is post-war Bristol. It's winter time, and sisters, Moira and Evelyn go to a party at a dockside pub where they meet the equally sophisticated and irritating, Paul and Sinden. Sinden later invites them to Paul's mansion which he shares with his brother and sister. Evelyn is reluctant but agrees to go for Moira, who is eager to show off her design work and make an impression. The party ends in an unexpected way for the sisters and they leave a little differently to how they arrived. MY REFLECTIONS -  This is the kind of book that may feel as if nothing much is happening plot wise, however,  emotionally, psychologically, a lot is going on. Fans of Virginia Woolf's writi...
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A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

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GENRE - Non fiction. Spirituality. Psychology. Self-help.  PUBLISHER - My version, Penguin Random House, 2018. First published by Penguin Books in 2016. First published by Dutton in 2005. BLURB - An international bestseller about reaching a high level of consciousness and living a more spiritual existence. Tolle discusses how we can overcome the fears of our egos in order to obtain true happiness for ourselves and society.  MY REFLECTIONS - I read this pretty quickly because I found it very interesting. Many of Tolle's words resonated deeply. At times it felt abstract, perhaps because I am not as spiritually advanced as Tolle . It has obviously resonated with many readers, as it is an international bestseller, and it was Oprah's Book Club pick of 2008.  A favourite quote - "You can only lose something that you have, but you cannot lose something that you are". You do not have to believe in god to appreciate this book, certainly not in a 'traditional' sense. If...
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Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl

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GENRE - Children's literature  PUBLISHER - Puffin, Penguin Random House, 1974 (my version 2016). First published 1970 by George Allen and Unwin.  THEMES - Animals, farmers, animals vs humans, nature, survival, food.  BLURB - Farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, plot together to kill the fox who has been stealing from their farms - the fox is Fantastic Mr Fox. Mr Fox must outwit the farmers to save his own life and the lives of his family and animal friends. Who will win?  MY REFLECTIONS - A fun read. I read this with my seven year old son who gave it 9/10.  I enjoyed the creativity - the character names for instance, my favourites being Boggis, Bunce and Bean (I appreciate the satisfying alliteration). I also liked the song the children sing about him, and couldn't help singing it a la Wes Anderson. By the way, I did enjoy the film more than the book, although I did like the book.  Jack's favourite part of the story was Mr Fox having his tail shot off (a little...
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling

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Genre - Fantasy. Children's/young adult.  Published by - Bloomsbury  Purchased at - Asda Themes - Magic. Family. Friendship. School. Death. Good/evil. Right/wrong. Rules and rebellion. Secrets. Bullies. Plot - Harry lives with his cruel aunt, uncle and cousin, where his bedroom is the under stairs cupboard. On his 11th birthday he receives an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, because, as he discovers, he is no ordinary boy. We follow Harry on his journey of magical adventures as he learns about himself, his family history and the secrets surrounding Hogwarts.  My reflections - I read this with my 7 year old, who gives it 9/10. I think a lot of it went over his head, but what he absorbed he enjoyed. I think he is a little too young for HP.  For me, it was overall an enjoyable read. I felt a little underwhelmed after the years of hype. I've seen the film, and, this is a rarity - I like it better. There are parts of the book that stand out...
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The Invention of Charlotte Bronte by Graham Watson

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Genre - Biography Due to be published - June 6th 2024 Reading Time - Approximately 9 hours, 30 minutes Arc received from The History Press May 2024 Blurb - A detailed biography regarding the events and occurrences of Charlotte Bronte's life which influenced the creation of Elizabeth's Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Bronte. The troubles and tragedies of Charlotte's life are told through factual accounts and letters of Charlotte herself and those she knew and met, including Elizabeth Gaskell herself.  My Reflections - The attention to detail in this work is admirable. Watson manages to provide a careful and painstaking record of facts in relation to Charlotte Bronte's relationships, her personal life and her time as a published author. In turn, the actualities, with shrewd observation, enable an impression of Charlotte's character to form.  Those who have not read Elizabeth Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Bronte will most likely wish to do so following on fro...
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A Person Is A Prayer by Ammar Kalia

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  GENRE  Literary fiction FIRST PUBLISHED May 2024 ARC RECEIVED FROM Oldcastle Books THEMES Life. Death. Parenthood. Family. Culture.  READING TIME Approximately 6 hours PLOT The book begins with an arranged marriage between Bedi and Sushma, who we follow into their future together and learn what has become of the hopes and dreams they had when they first met. The story goes further into the future, following the lives of their children, and their hopes and dreams. Their  thoughts and feelings about themselves and about life, echo those of their parent's and there are apparent ripples and repetitions of family history.  MY REFLECTIONS Oh this book. It is beautiful and I love it. I urge you to read it. I will do my best to express what an absolute masterpiece of a debut novel this is. This is a moving novel that conveys how beautiful, fragile and bittersweet life is, and about how our choices and actions influence our own lives and the lives of others. It is a se...
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