Dwell - Simon Armitage

A lovely book of poems inspired by the Lost Gardens of Helicon in Cornwall, each featuring a creature's 'dwelling place'. Some very short, like Warren and Web (which I particularly like!) and others much longer and very witty, such as the brilliant and very funny Insect Hotel. This was out and out my favourite poem in the book!

Interspersed with gorgeous illustrations by Beth Munro, this is a beautiful slim volume, perfect to dip into, or to give as a gift. My copy was a Christmas gift from a friend, and it is definitely a keeper.

Chase the Light - Suzanne Woods Fisher

There is a LOT going on in this book and the character list of 'who's who' which the author includes is sometimes needed!

The three central figures are Scout Johnson, passionate about her work as a ranger in the National Park Service (NPS) and unfortunate enough be named Magnolia Pearl by her dynamic and totally different personality type mother Lucille.

Naki Dana is a Native American of the Penobscot Nation.

And then we have Chase Fletcher, who runs the Bar Harbor Gazette, a local newspaper which is barely hanging on by a thread to avoid going under. 

And so we have an awkward sort of love triangle, where Chase seems convinced that Scout is interested in him, despite myriad indications that she isn't. (Although there's one bit where he puts his arm around her and she lets him, which I found very odd, and another point where he does something which made me write 'what a nerve!' in my notes!) On the other hand Scout IS immediately but almost unwillingly attracted to Naki. 

When Scout is left behind at a remote lighthouse by irresponsible teenager Frankie, she finds a note which hints at lost treasure. This news proves impossible to keep secret, which means that Scout, Naki and Chase - with the 'help' of Frankie and Maisie (a complicated young woman who is VERY keen on Frankie despite him taking almost zero interest in her) - have to solve a series of clues to find the treasure before the park is overrun with Treasure Hunters.

I absolutely love Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels, so I was surprised to find this one a little hard to get into. My book notes read '47 pages in and I like barely anyone'! But it's worth persevering, even though Frankie's character seems to have become a million times more irritating since the opening book in the series (which, by the way, it is not essential to have read before this one, although it gives background to some of the characters in this), and Chase is doubly annoying in terms of his desperation for the Gazette and his interest in Scout. It soon feels much more like Chase is competing with Naki for Scout's interest, rather than him really being interested in her. 

Naki is an intriguing character with an interesting cultural background, and he is keeping a big secret of his own. I was completely unaware of the Penobscot Nation and I found this fascinating. The treasure hunt and its associated clues is very well done and definitely draws the reader in.  I really enjoyed this element of the story, both in terms of the clues, and the way they were solved. The descriptions of the scenery are fabulous, too - you could almost be standing there yourself. 

There are several excellent plot twists. I think I liked the last one the best! All the way through there is plenty of interest and intrigue alongside the main characters and story. Suzanne Woods Fisher is an author who writes complex, realistic and relatable characters and is not prone to making her peripheral characters 'thin' and uninteresting. In this book we have several 'supporting characters' who also have their own issues, hopes and loves which are well woven into the story in more than merely a passing way.

This is a tale with a strong message about seeing people as they are, not what you may first think about them, or how we think they should be. And it's about trying not to view them as we are ourselves, either personally or through the lens of our own cultural experience. For me, that meant learning a bit about Frankie, as well as considering these factors in real life terms. It's  a book about trust, which must be earned and cannot be assumed. It's about second (and third, and fourth) chances, reconciliation, forgiveness and family reconnection and restoration - yet without too many hearts and roses! Faith elements are strong, but appear rather randomly throughout the story.

I could have been put off of this book very early, but I'm glad I stuck with it. A brilliantly clever and entertaining 'treasure hunt' mystery, it turns out there's not merely physical gold to find between its pages.

NOTE: I read a pre-publication version supplied by the publisher. No review was required. All comments and opinions above are entirely my own.

Whispers at Painswick Court - Julie Klassen

Julie Klassen is one of my 'read everything she writes’ authors! She has a gift for writing interesting, believable characters, wonderful settings which you can see in your imagination’s eye as you read, dropping in interesting historical facts and details, adding nods to elements from Regency classics, and often giving a good dose of mystery too. The latter I especially appreciate, since I’ve been a big fan of cozy mysteries ever since discovering Agatha Christie’s novels while I was a schoolgirl.

Whispers at Painswick Court has all of the above, in spades! Anne Loveday has a tricky relationship with her father’s new young wife Nancy who is very eager to marry Anne off. But Anne is uninspired by her stepmother’s life of baby after baby, and misses her own mother as well as her married sister Fanny. Fanny married a kind man after her heart was broken and although her husband is clearly smitten, Fanny still frets over her lost first love. The unequal nature of her sister’s marriage is another reason why Anne wishes to avoid the married state. 

Anne escapes her family by accepting an invitation to visit an old friend in Painswick, the Cotswold town where she and her sister spent many happy summers. However, her friend has ulterior motives for inviting Anne to visit and Anne finds herself acting as a nurse to Lady Celia Fitzjohn, who lives in the large and beautiful Painswick Court with her daughter who has ‘indifferent’ health, the household staff and a mysterious maid. Lady Celia is a lady who has very strong opinions and isn’t slow in expressing them, and she is not someone upon whom Anne looks favourably, believing her to be responsible for ruining her sister’s chance of happiness by forbidding the match between Fanny and her nephew Jude, Fanny’s ‘lost love’. Nonetheless kind-hearted Anne agrees to help. 

The house is rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of Charles I. But it’s soon clear that she has more immediate and physical threats to worry about when Lady Celia is poisoned, and it appears that everything she thinks she knows about the residents of Painswick Court may not be as it seems. Then there’s the complication of her growing interest in a local doctor who has barely concealed secrets of his own.

I really enjoyed this novel. I liked the two Ann/es, and I also liked Miss Fitzjohn and her determination not to be seen as ‘frail’ – which she certainly achieves! There are lots of nice details, like the use of a goose feather in a lock to indicate ‘do not disturb’ and there are plenty of family complications, but though these are many they are not overpowering. 

There are lots of nods to Austen influences, but they never seem heavy handed and it’s fun to spot them. The mystery keeps you guessing, and the suspicions shift from person to person throughout. The house feels gothic and mysterious, with tight staircases and conversations in the shadows by candlelight. The medical elements are fascinating. (The story includes two doctors, and Anne is a surgeon-apothecary’s daughter who has learned much from her father in terms of medicines.) The romance is light, sweet and engagingly done and it was nice to see how other relationships such as those between Anne and her stepmother, sister and Lady Celia were developed throughout too. Throughout, there are quite a few reminders that things in life may not be as they appear, and we’re shown that while things may not end up being as we’d thought or dreamed, there is still beauty to be found. Oh, and I love the way Katherine's own story unfolded!

I read a pre-publication version supplied by the publisher. No review was required. All comments and opinions above are entirely my own. (And it was nice to remember an evening  dinner in Painswick last year, and the walk among the yew trees in the churchyard beforehand.)

A Sea View Christmas - Julie Klassen

I'm a sucker for Christmas stories and read them year round, which is why I read this one in February! I'm also a big fan of Julie Klassen's Regency romances, and have enjoyed the earlier books in the On Devonshire Shores series. All of which can be read individually, in case anyone worries about not having read them in order. That said, the reader will benefit from having read the earlier stories and found out more about Sarah Summers and her sisters. Especially, in relation to this book, I would recommend reading The Sisters of Sea View first, since in that book we first meet Callum Henshall and his stepdaughter Effie.

This book starts with Sarah promising her youngest sister Georgiana a Christmas to exceed all expectations, but will Sarah's own hopes and dreams come to fruition? At first it seems not - but then a little bit of Christmas magic is sprinkled into the story...

I enjoyed this story with it's large cast of captivating characters and I liked the way it wove new important relationships into the tale, as well as dealing with Sarah and Callum's romance. (This really ISN'T a spoiler!) I did at times find Sarah's endless worrying about her family and home in Sidmouth a bit frustrating, but I also understand how it's so easy not to take a risk to follow your heart and dreams because the 'stuff' that is right in front of you seems overwhelming. Sarah's journey from being the anxious 'busy, controlled, sensible sister' to learning to let go and step into something new is one which I think very many readers will relate to. I liked the way that Sarah's family, especially her mother, helped her to break free of her self-imposed limitations, and I liked the light faith touches which are perfect for the book's time period, but would not be off-putting to an agnostic reader. Callum is a wonderful character and it's just as well that he is patient and forbearing as well as kind and loving! 

Young Georgiana's friendship with Colin Hutton is a delightfully written 'friendship to more?' bonus storyline. She is energetic, kindhearted and independent-minded, enjoying playing football with the local schoolchildren even if it means her hems become muddy, and she is not above climbing trees even at the age of seventeen! Colin on the other hand is her polar opposite in many ways, being VERY aware of smart clothes and shoes bought for style rather than comfort or practicality. Despite this, he too has a kind heart and a willingness to get into scrapes alongside Georgiana at times, and he is the kind of person it would be easy to underestimate by those who may then be surprised to find that there is substance beneath his polished exterior. To Georgiana's initial confusion and increasing dismay however, as well as his appearance Colin also appears to be becoming increasingly aware of the elegant Eliza Marriott and Eliza is certainly interested in him!

A gently told and wonderfully satisfying Christmas story, with lots of details of the unfolding of a Regency Christmas season, I recommend this as a cosy read for any time of year. Oh, and I loved the clever closing of the series circle at the end of the last chapter!

The Brunswick - Callie Murray

The story begins in Austria in 1938, where 10 year old Charlotte's happy life is destroyed when Nazi officers requisition her family's home and take her father away at gunpoint.

In small town Georgia, Cora Cain struggles with running her family's business The Brunswick. Now a general store, it was once a smart hotel, but debts and a heavy workload pile the stress onto Cora. As well as trying to maintain the business, she is also caring for her war hero father. But far from helping, he has sunk into a dark place which becomes ever darker and he is more and more withdrawn from everything and everyone, including his daughter.

The sudden arrival in town of Thomas Watkins changes Cora's life. She employs him to help out at The Brunswick, giving her the breathing space and support she's not had for far too long, and it's not long before they're aware of a strong mutual attraction. The deepening of their friendship, and the onset of some worrying medical symptoms for Cora are complications enough, with even more challenges to be faced when Cora is asked to open The Brunswick's rooms to provide housing and care for Jewish children fleeing Germany.

Unexpectedly, Thomas leaves for Germany to help with the children, one of whom is Charlotte. But the ring he wears, left to him by his German mother, attracts dangerous attention.

This is a story inspired by actual events, and it makes for jarring reading at times, especially given the situation in today's America as I write this in February 2026. Reading about the hostility towards refugees and those with 'unwelcome' backgrounds is uncomfortably topical. Thomas, writing to Cora, says 'It's much scarier here than I imagined. I think what's most scary is how normal life is for some and how terrifying it is for others.' He also says 'Think about what one life means. You are just one life, Cora, but to me, you are the world.' Sometimes when overwhelmed by things in life, being reminded that 'one life' can make a difference is important. I also very much liked the use of the owl, and the phrase 'have hope in the face of adversity'.

There is lots to like in this story. It's very well researched, with an excellent cast of characters and lots of ebb and flow in the telling. And it felt complete in the ending, too. Something which a few of my recent reads haven't. 

Highly recommended for anyone interested in 'less usual' wartime topics, fostering, or anyone wanting a gentle romance against a serious storyline. The romance is nicely developed and is my favourite in a novel for some time! This isn't a 'fluffy' romance novel but a story of depth and substance, with loss, heartache and struggle as well as joy, and it is very well worth the reading.

I read a pre-publication version supplied by the publisher. No review was required. All comments and opinions above are entirely my own. 

The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware

Journalist Lo Blacklock isn't in the best frame of mind to take up her potentially career-advancing opportunity of a luxury press-launch trip on board the luxurious boutique cruise yacht Aurora Bourealis after her flat is broken into while she is at home just before the trip is due to begin. Given the chance to cancel, she instead decides that it will be a chance to recover from the trauma and is determined to go. Except it turns out that a peaceful luxurious voyage is far from what actually happens. Woken in the night by screams from the adjoining cabin, Lo sees a body thrown overboard. But no-one believes her, and the ship's records show that no-one is missing. 

Lo isn't persuaded, however, and she continues to ask questions. A dangerous path to follow for someone on a small ship with a murderer.

I'd not seen the Netflix film before reading this book. In fact, I picked it up in a shop and read the first chapter before having to buy it! It's very well written. The tension and sense of claustrophobia increases throughout and the author is an absolute master of keeping the reader guessing. I had no idea how things would end up! The little interspersions of 'social media' and news reports are very cleverly done too.

The problem, for me at least, is that the heroine is not very likeable for about the first three quarters of the book. Yes, she's been burgled and that would jangle anyone's nerves, but she is permanently exhausted (as we are frequently told), drinks ridiculous amounts (to a point which surely no sane person would be doing on a work cruise this important to their career), and - talking of career - doesn't do the most basic things in terms of preparation for the trip, and seems awkward, gauche and spiky around most of those she meets, which shows people skills which seem seriously lacking for someone in her profession. She really doesn't come across as someone who is a high flyer, with ambition, at the top of her game. Even when making allowances for the break-in at the start.

The book carries the endorsement 'The Agatha Christie of our generation', and although I would personally disagree with this as it's much more 'thriller' than 'cosy mystery' and the heroine certainly doesn't have the sharpness or intelligence of one of Christie's leads, it is however a page turning read which I was eager to pick up whenever I had time to spare.