On An Outgoing Tide by Caro Ramsay

As with any book series, unless you have read the previous books it can be a little like wading through pond weed in the fog...

...by this I mean you get caught off guard by the many references to backstories, leaving you a little irritable and lost.

Now don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the antics of Detective Anderson and Costello, and their team of interesting characters, however sometimes less is more...

...except when it comes to books!

Therefore I did feel the constant referring to situations from previous storylines was distracting and at times confusing, however even with these slight annoyances, Ramsay does know how to write a good police procedural.

The Library Enthusiast on Why do you Read so Many Books....

 

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

 This is my first historical fiction read, and I chose it for two reasons...

1-Minette Walters is one of my favourite authors

&

2- It is set in Dorset, in the UK, which is where I grew up

Now I'm embarrassed to admit I knew very little about the English Civil War, but what Walters does so well, is give us a richly authentic novel, brimming with historical details, that do not make for heavy reading...

...we have interesting characters, some intense drama and an opportunity to understand a little bit of English history.

The Library Enthusiast & Reading...

Other People's Houses by Kelli Hawkins

 

This one is all about obsession, triggered by tragedy...

...we are literally thrown into Kate's world, a world of self-neglect and self-loathing, it isn't a pleasant place to be and Hawkins slow burn of a novel, makes sure we feel uncomfortable with each turning page.

Having said this, Other People's Houses manages to explore the workings of a damaged psyche, whilst offering an insight into the subtleties of relationships that are controlling and abusive...heavy stuff I know.

Unfortunately for me the ending didn't work...

The Library Enthusiast on not being childish...

Fragile by Sarah Hilary

 

I was excited to read this standalone tale from Hilary, it' a psychological thriller written with a beauty that pierces...

...Nell is an intricately woven character that we feel connected with straight away, we want to know the

why's

what's

and 

how's

...this is what Hilary does so well, she builds an atmosphere that grows darker and more intense with each turn of the page.

Fragile isn't a book you enjoy, it is a heartbreakingly sad story written beautifully...

The Library Enthusiast on Love & Knowledge...

The Silent Conversation by Caro Ramsay

Not sure how I feel about this one...

...there is an awful lot going on and if I'm honest how Ramsay chose to tell this story didn't gel with me.

I felt cheated,...

...there are so many characters with very little focus on any of them. 

For me this meant it was a struggle to remain connected with them, and actually be bothered about what happened to them....

...it left me somewhat puzzled and annoyed!

The Library Enthusiasts plans...

The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean

This is an absolute must read in my opinion, I haven't read such a thought provoking book in an awfully long time...

...The Last Thing To Burn will stay with you long after you close its pages...

...it is a story that gets under your skin, it will hold you in a space where you sense the very essence of Dean's characters, there is a tension and beauty in how he creates them and the setting in which they live, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the narrative as a physical experience...

...it is truly a stunning book.

The Library Enthusiasts Thought on Books We Love....