feather_ghyll

The Enigma Game: Elizabeth Wein Bloomsbury, 2020

In the author’s note at the end, Wein herself describes her books as World War Two thrillers, I suppose I’d just add the descriptor ‘young adult.’ This is the fourth book in the Code Name Verity Cycle, following ‘The Pearl Thief’ chronologically, and about events that precede ‘Code Name Verity’ and ‘Rose Under Fire’. I don’t believe you have to have read all the others to appreciate this, but knowing about various characters and relationships mentioned in passing and what’s coming for some of the characters added depth to me. Also, if you have read all those (excellent) books, you will know that the ‘game’ in the title is a misnomer, really. ( Read more... )

Oops, it's quite late for my first review of a book read this year, or, in this case, a reread of a book I read as an adolescent.

Gaal the Conqueror: John White, Eagle, Inter Publishing Service 1992

This is subtitled ‘Book 2 of ‘The Archives of Anthropos’ and follows The Sword Bearer chronologically, filling in gaps between that book and The Tower of Geburah, but it was published fourth in this series. There was a teaser for a further sequel, which led me to discover that two had in fact been published, after the family member who’d bought me my copies of books in this series thought I’d aged out of reading them, so I hadn’t known about them before. I’m feeling reluctant about paying too much out to read them now after this book, and the diminishing returns of this series, in all honesty.

I found this book less satisfying than the earlier books, ( Read more... )

Manners & Mutiny, Finishing School Book the Fourth: Gail Carriger. Atom, 2015

And so the finishing school series ends, ( Read more... )

I've changed the style of the journal. Who knows if it will stick, although I can be very lazy!?

I feel the need to emphasise that this is not about the Olympics or any sports.

Crooked Sixpence: Jane Shaw. Girls Gone By Publishers, 2021

I’ve read most of the Penny books, but out of sequence and over a period of many years, so I didn’t really remember much about them. As a result, ( Read more... )

Two Joans At The Abbey: Elsie J. Oxenham Collins. This reprint 1949.

The two Joans are of different generations, and I will say that one of the strengths of this book is that it has time for all the generations of ‘Abbey girls’, from one of the original ones, Joan, to Joy’s twins, Elizabeth and Margaret. I suppose that I should also note that I’ve read books in the series set after this one (as you can see if you click on the tags), and will reference some events from the latter in this review.

( Read more... )

Treasure at Amorys: Malcolm Saville. Collins, 1969, revised edition.

This is a reread because I bought this without realising I already own a copy. On the one hand, that was annoying – I’m going to make more of an effort to acquire the Lone Pine books I haven’t read and/or got – but on the other, this is a hardback, and the copy I already own is a paperback.

This book is full of ( Read more... )

Barefoot on the Wind: Zoe Marriott, Walker Books, 2016

We meet Hana, the teenage heroine, successfully hunting for her family. But she is hunting alone, which is rare for the hunters of her village, and we slowly learn that ( Read more... )

[Lightly edited 5/4/25.]

I hope you're having a joyous Christmas, to translate what I've been saying all day. The book below was read earlier this month, but this evening I got a chance to finish off my review.

A Town Like Alice: Nevil Shute (my copy is the fifteenth printing of the paperback edition)

I daresay I had the realisation, ’Oh, a town LIKE Alice’ at the same time when I last reread this. Back then, I’d have been was closer in age to Jean Paget, the heroine, than I am now. ( Read more... )

Waistcoats and Weaponry: Gail Carriger
Finishing School Book the Third, Atom, 2004

As I’ve said before, I enjoy this series, following Miss Sophronia Temminnick of Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing School in a streampunk Britain with supernatural elements. I have to admit that ( Read more... )

I am currently reading ‘Barbara – Called Binkie and other stories of school life and adventure’ by various writers, most of whose names I don’t recognise. ( Read more... )

I may or may not keep you updated on the further stories of school life and adventure!

I also read ‘The Mystery of Old Beams’ by Jessie Leckie Hebertson. It started off promisingly ( Read more... )