Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

I struggled with this book. I have tried several times to get beyond the first 60 pages, but can't. A huge shame, but there is something about the way the author writes that I struggle with. I had similar feelings with another novel by the same author.

Blue Slipper Bay by Wendy K Harris

Started this book, while sitting in the departure lounge at Bristol airport sipping a iced mocha from Starbucks, complete with cream, to cheer me up for a delayed flight. That was Tuesday evening and by Wednesday night, in Leeds I had finished the book. It certainly helped by heartburn from having dinner on Tuesday night so late!

The book was lovely, a very gentle story and one that I really enjoyed. My only disappointment was that I had not read the first book, but no matter. The characters were warm and felt very real, and the emotions displayed in the book by Sophie & Nick could easily be identifiable.

Looking forward to reading the next in the trilogy.

Welcome to the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvik

I wasn't convinced that I was enjoying this books, then all of a sudden I was caught up in the depths of the book, enjoying as a Geneva starts to bond and feel comfortable with her Nephew Rick. Like , I found that there were a few laughs and tears.

The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank: A Novel by Ellen Feldman

This book was a work of fiction based upon a true event, and I was mid way through the book before I re-read the dust jacket. The families of Peter and Anne went into hiding in Holland during World War Two. During that time Anne kept a diary and both amazingly and sadly the book survived the horrors of the War, whereas the only surviver of the two families was infact Anne's father.

In the book, we follow the life of Peter. How he would have coped and rebuilt his life; and found someways of dealing with being the survivor, when all his loved ones did not. In the book, Peter is wrestling with his inner self; he pretends that he is not Jewish, builds a wall of silence that even his wife and business partner can not break through.

This is a well pulled together, thought provoking book and one based on the word IF.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

The gentle story of Georgia and her daughter Dakota. Georgia is a single mum. James, Dakota's father moved from the USA to France and Georgia was left to raise their baby alone. Through a meeting with a lady in the park she starts Walker and Daughter a yarn shop, which is the venue for the Friday Knitting Club. Life is calm and progressive, until James re enters their lives and wants to get to know his daughter. Just as things start to develop between Georgia and James, something dreadful happens, which leaves the family and friends of Georgia devastated. A really good book, interspersed with knitting pattens and recipes. This is the story of determination, friendship and love.