Flamstead Book Festival 20 & 21 May 2016

Flamstead Book Festival 2016

   
The Flamstead Book Festival (Flamstead, Hertfordshire)– Books in the Belfry – ran for the first time in June 2014 and was judged by all to be a great success. It ran for the second time in June 2015, with the event featuring Jane Hawking a sell-out in advance. It has a fantastic line up for 2016 including a talk from the thrilling Renee Knight, a Writing Boot Camp Session and Story Telling for younger bibliomaniacs! There is a whole programme of events available from their website. 

http://www.flamsteadbookfestival.com

Come along to hear the author's discuss their books and maybe ask them a few questions, get your book signed, buy featured books from the Waterstones stand and also to enjoy the two best ingredients for a relaxing summer weekend - books and a pretty village surroundings!

The Flamstead Book Festival is run for the benefit of the Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead (FOSL) to raise funds for restoration and conservation of the village church and its surroundings. Funds are urgently needed to repair and conserve the church and its surroundings, in particular the roof above the North aisle, which was recently stripped of its lead and the unique mediaeval wall paintings, second in Hertfordshire only to St Albans Abbey. The building and its grounds are used for concerts and other events, and now for the Book Festival. For 800 years it has been the centre of Flamstead's community but now it needs help in order to maintain it's vital role within the village. 

The organisers also love books and want to enable others, young and old, to discover new books and to meet their authors in the beautiful surroundings of our historic church in the picturesque village of Flamstead. The main organisers are Vikki Orvice, Mary Jenkin and Mark Jenkin and the event is supported by Waterstones.

Here are some of the highlights of the weekend:

DEBI ALPER
Book Writing Boot Camp

Debi Alper is the author of six novels, the first two of which were published by Orion and are also available as e-books under her own Nirvana Publishing imprint. For the last ten years, she has been helping authors perfect their novels through critiques, mentoring, Book Doctor sessions and creative writing workshops, as well as running an online self-editing course. She edits in all genres and many authors she has worked with have gone on to be published.

RENÉE KNIGHT
Disclaimer

Renée Knight worked for the BBC directing arts documentaries before turning to writing.

She has had TV and film scripts commissioned by the BBC, Channel Four and Capital Films. In April 2013 she graduated from the Faber Academy “Writing a Novel” course, which is sponsored by the famous publisher and known for nurturing breakthrough talent.

Disclaimer, which catapulted into the top 10 best-selling fiction lists earlier this year, is Renée’s first novel and the film rights have already been sold to 20th Century Fox.

Likened to the domestic noir thrillers ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘Girl on a Train’ it has a brilliant central premise: Imagine you had a terrible secret that you’d never told a living soul. Then imagine casually picking up a novel and discovering that your terrible secret is the plot of the book in your hands. What would you do?

Renée is currently working on a second novel in her writing shed in the garden of the London home she shares with her husband and two children.

DERMOT TURING

Alan Turing: Decoded

Dermot Turing – or Sir John Dermot Turing to give him his full title – is the nephew of legendary mathematician, computer scientist and code-breaker Alan Turing.

Having followed his uncle to Sherborne and King’s College, Cambridge he spent his career in the legal profession, most recently as a partner of Clifford Chance.

As a family member and also a trustee of Bletchley Park, he had access to many previously unpublished papers and photographs for his biography “Prof: Alan Turing Decoded” including Alan’s own notebook and diaries.

The book which draws on personal insights and family sources explores the impact of Alan’s codebreaking work at Bletchley Park and the tragedy of his early death in the wake of his conviction for gross indecency in 1952. Along the way Dermot presents a portrait of Alan the man – his friendships, his loyalty and his extraordinary achievements.

CLIVE HAYWARD
Start the Day with a Story
With Great Pleasure

Clive Hayward trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Newton Blick Award.

His theatre work has involved numerous West End and National Theatre appearances including Horace Hardwick in Top Hat; Ted Punch in Ducktastic, directed by Kenneth Branagh; Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing, alongside David Tennant; Bernard Woolley in Yes Prime Minister; Aeschylus in Frogs and Earl Haig in Oh What A Lovely War.

Clive has just finished filming an episode of a new sitcom, The Windsors, playing George VI. Other TV credits include Eastenders, Silent Witness, Law and Order, Utopia, Prime Suspect VII, Doctors and Afterlife.

In 2014 he was a full-time member of the BBC’s Radio Repertory Company for which he recorded over 30 radio plays. He has voiced numerous factual programmes for Radio 4 and the World Service.

Clive has written an adaptation of Billy Budd with the composer, Paul Knight, and he has written and directed five traditional pantomimes for the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Clive lives in Flamstead, and with two youngsters of his own he is well-rehearsed in reading children’s stories.

Tickets and further information are available from the website: http://www.flamsteadbookfestival.com

"Stalker" Lars Kepler

I was delighted to win a copy of this from Killer Reads after entering a competition where you had to say which book had scared you so much you couldn't sleep. First I listed "You" by Caroline Kepnes  but then had to add that actually, it's "The Woman in Black" by Susan Hill- even writing the title makes me shiver!

This is the fifth book in the Joona Linna series. I have only read one other ("The Hypnotist") but for me, I don't think it detracted from the plot although from what other reviewers have said, I probably would have gained a little more had I been more familiar with some of the finer details of the back story and past events.

This novel is immediately intriguing and it is obvious from the very first page that this book is going to unsettle and disturb even the most fearless amongst us! The reason I entered the competition was because I thought the front cover was so sparse and so bleak, it was in itself scary enough to stop me from sleeping! It opens with a definition of a stalker:

"A stalker is someone who suffers from obsessive fixation disorder, an unlikely obsession with monitoring another individuals activities ........the pathological obsessiveness of the stalker brings with it a self generating potential for danger...can suddenly become extremely violent." 

The final words of the definition above show why stalking is always taken seriously by the police. The explanation of how an obsession can escalate into danger and violence sent another chill down my spine. It then states that 10% of the population will be subjected to some form of stalking in their lifetime and I think that is what makes this book so unnerving - it is a situation that any of us could find ourselves in. This crime is perhaps more easy to relate to than some of the other situations featured in crime fiction. It's possible lots of us have had slightly uncomfortable experiences of someone invading our "personal space" a little too much and surely the more imaginative (imaginative, not highly strung you understand!) amongst us have wondered that great questions all good authors start their writing with...."What if...."

The novel hurtles straight into the action with the police receiving a video clip of a woman who has secretly been filmed through her window. The next day she is found dead. Then they receive another clip but there is so little evidence about location, time, place and person on it that the Criminal Investigation Team feel helpless: "We can see right into her life but we can't find out who she is until she's dead and someone finds her body." This sense of foreboding failure and helplessness from the very people we rely on to keep us safe and solve the mysteries is a great way to open a book.

What is brilliant about the opening is that one moment we are with the investigation team watching a video of the woman - who is unaware of anyone filming her as she moves around her house-  and the next minute we find ourselves in the woman's house, living the moments again, knowing that she is being filmed by a potential murderer. This switch of narrative perspective was really clever and I must admit I read this whole section without remembering to breathe. It could have been me in my house, forgetting to shut the back door as it's a warm evening, walking around without drawing the curtains....scaring myself as I hear little noises which seem to be nothing....thinking I catch a glimpse of something in the window.... The use of lights, reflections and windows was very clever and definitely peppered the section with constant moments of high tension and unease. It was also very filmic and so well captured it must be one of the most nerve wracking passages I have ever read!

Tension is effectively created throughout the novel. Things are well described, characters very realistic and the various different threads of the story are woven together in a very controlled and satisfying way. The chapters are short, moving between different voices and characters so the reader is always wanting to read on. It is easy to lose track of time as you try to fit in "just one more bit." The novel is written with a lot of short sentences and short paragraphs. This creates further tension and suspense as well as making it a very readable and accessible novel although for me, I did find it a little jerky and jarring at times.

This is a very solid crime novel and will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy thrillers. It will have a wide appeal as the behaviour of stalkers always seems to interest people - maybe because it could happen to anyone and is something that can spiral out of control quickly. As the opening definition explains, is something that starts as an obsession, becomes fanatical and then dangerously violent.

I'm glad I had the chance to read this novel just as it was published (5th May 2016) as it would definitely have been on my "To Read" list! It was a great prize and my thanks to Killer Reads for sending it on! I will be looking out for future competitions as well as forthcoming recommendations from them! You can follow them on Twitter @KillerReads or Facebook.

For further recommendations and reviews from me, look me up on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or subscribe to receive future posts via email.

"The Girl of Ink and Stars" Kiran Millwood Hargrave (YA)

Synopsis:
Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped.
When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart.But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.

Age 10+

This is Waterstones Children's Book of the Month for May 2016 and currently The Times Children's Book of the Week. It is the author's debut novel which I found incredible as it is so magical, imaginative and very well conceived. It's an ambitious novel; immensely creative and the sort of book I would have really found inspirational as a young adult - and probably would have spent the months after finishing it inventing my own maps and fantastical islands - I'm sorely tempted even as an adult!

The cover is stunning, the pages are stunning (full of little images and symbols- printed on white paper), the title pages and sectional headings are stunning. It's a lovely book to just hold and look through, let alone read! The story is a captivating and magical as the front cover suggests. Even the names of the character's and places are attractive arrangements of letters and like pictures themselves, matching the artistic feel of the whole novel. It is clear that Millwood Hargrave has drawn on her background as a poet and playwright to pool all her literary knowledge of language into creating something rather special.

It is a story of myths, legends, adventure, travel and stars. It is fantastical and set in a parallel world but explores themes of friendship, loyalty, love, friendship and dreams. It will appeal to readers who enjoyed Phillip Pullman's "Northern Lights" trilogy - or even has a slight feel of Narnia maybe. It is a great new voice in Children's Fiction and it's great to see such an imaginative and original title being chosen by the bookshops as their recommended read.

There is a fantastic clip on You Tube by the author which is what made me go and by the book so I
would recommend you take a look so you can hear what they have to say and get a little more information about the book (search "introducing THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS by Kiran Millwood Hargrave") Definitely an author and book to watch out for in the future!

For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up to receive future posts by email.

"Murder Ring" Leigh Russell

Synopsis:

Hearing footsteps pounding along the street behind him he glanced back, fleetingly worried, then laughed because the street was deserted. All the same, he felt uneasy. Everything looked different in the dark. Then he heard more footsteps approaching, and a hoarse voice called out. Turning his head, he made out a figure hovering in the shadows and as it raised one arm, the barrel of a gun glinted in the moonlight… The dead body of unassuming David Lester is discovered in a dark side-street, and DI Geraldine Steel is plunged into another murder investigation. The clues mount up along with the suspects, but with the death of another man in inexplicable circumstances, the case becomes increasingly complex. As Geraldine investigates the seemingly unrelated crimes, she makes a shocking discovery about her birth mother. 

This is the 8th book in the DI Geraldine Steel Mystery Series. It is only the 2nd one I have read - I fully intend to rectify this but as far as I can tell, these books work equally well as stand alone crime thrillers.

Geraldine is an appealing character. She is considered, professional, successful but also human; "she had investigated so many murders...she remembered them all." She is also in deep emotional turmoil herself following the death of a colleague in the previous novel. There is a contrast between her personal and professional self. She is able to shut off her personal problems and emotions, focussing so wholly on her work that no one suspects how fragile things behind the facade really are. There is a clever "drip feed" of information about her birth mother -just enough to intrigue the reader but not to distract from the main crime or over complicate the novel with too many contrived sub plots. Russell has established a good balance. The reader is empathetic towards her. She appears to be a hard police woman but has her own weakness and vulnerability. She is lonely, a little isolated and struggling to work through her own grief. She generates sympathy but also interest and respect. The reader wants to learn more about her.

There is clearly a back story with Geraldine which has obviously been gradually established over the previous 7 books but the reader is brought up to speed quickly and neatly with any necessary details. This will not be boring or repetitive for those who have already read the other titles but will probably help refresh everyone's memories over what is important as we move forward into the next "chapter" of Steel's life. As I said, this works as a stand alone novel but actually, I liked Geraldine a lot and would like to learn more about her backstory.

The chapters are short, full of pace and deftly switch between the different characters who are either involved in the investigation or a potential suspect. It is impossible not to be drawn straight into the action and finding yourself turning the pages to find out more about the story line you've left behind or intrigued by the new developments presented from the range of characters and the various subplots which Russell swiftly sets in motion and effectively controls in a way which ensures tension and suspense are well maintained throughout the whole book.

The ending is good. There is a clear resolution and conclusion but also a few seeds are sown for the next instalment. I must admit, I am a little hooked! I didn't solve the crime, I fell for all the red herrings -Russell is too clever for me! My attention was held until the last page and I liked the fact that the revelations were held until the very ending of the book. It's an enjoyable, satisfying, easy read. Russell has clearly researched police procedure well and it is not a gratuitously graphic or violent crime novel. The reader is captivated by the characters - their motivation and deception, the tangled web that people spin through greed and opportunism.

This has all the key aspects of a great detective novel. It has multiple characters who are all authentic and convincing. There is good dialogue, plenty of action, a great pace and the plot is well structured. There are complications and revelations which ensure the reader is kept guessing. It is very readable and written in a very fluent style.

"Murder Ring" is published on 26th May. She is hailed as "one of the most impressively dependable purveyors of the English police procedural" by The Times and greatly admired by bestselling author Lee Child.

I am participating in the "Murder Ring" Blog Tour this May so look out for my post on the 23rd May!


For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up to receive future blog posts by email.

"The Hand That First Held Mine" Maggie O'Farrell

I chose to read this book as it was on offer on Kindle and I have read a few other Maggie O'Farrell's and have always found they are a reliable read. However, I do think this book was more than "reliable". For some reason it struck a deeper cord and I was surprised how quickly I engaged with the writing and how reluctant I was to put it down. I think it is the style which I found so appealing. O'Farrell chooses an omniscient, anonymous narrator for this novel, and blended with her clever use of metaphor and description it is quite a mesmerising voice. The opening lines are so gentle but as intriguing and beguiling as the opening of a thriller.

Listen. The trees in this story are stirring, trembling, readjusting themselves. A breeze is coming in gusts off the sea and it is almost as if the trees know, in their restlessness, in their head-tossing impatience, that something is about to happen. 

We begin on the border of Devon and Cornwall in the mid 1950s. It is late summer and 21 year old Alexandra is at home having been sent down from University for leaving through the door marked for men. She is cross. She is frustrated. She despises her family - her mother in particular. She sits under the tree and reads. Then a man, Innes Kent, passing in his car, spots her and is immediately entranced by the beautiful composition she makes, a "rural madonna." "Life," as Alexandra knows it, "is about to begin."

We then move about 50 years forward to the present day and the story of Elina, a Finnish artist living in England who had a baby 4 days ago but has lost all memory of it. The birth was problematic, traumatic and involved operations and a blood transfusion. She now finds her self weak and frequently falling asleep; these "lapses as she likes to think of them, are like the needle on a record player...leaping from one song to another," or that her life has "sprung 400 holes." I found the descriptions of Elina really entrancing. O'Farrell captures the fugue like moments and evokes the confusion, tiredness, dreamlike mental state really effectively in a way that mimics Elina's mind. Her mediative reflections about what is happening to her were well written. Elina describes her voice as "drowsy, vague as if at any moment it might wander out of the range of sense." I think this is one of my favourite lines in the whole book. It truly encapsulates the first few days of motherhood (and possibly the next decade!) but also the internal struggle that Elina is enduring as she tries to reconcile herself with who she has become and tries to remember or reconnect with her previous identity. She feels so removed from her life before the baby; she wishes she was still pregnant, still complete.

Her husband Ted is also haunted by memories. The memories his mother speaks of don't seem connected to him. His childhood was one of "absent parents" and completely different to that of Elina's past of freedom and adventurous outdoor games. He vows to be a better father to his child. Both characters in this storyline are used to explore themes of memory, forgetfulness and dreams, and both characters feel like they are trapped within some kind of trance from which they have to be released.

There is some beautiful writing in this novel. I found the passages about Elina quite soporific. I liked sentences such as "there are better things to do with your life. If only she could remember what they are." How she feels she could "float up and disappear into the clouds" but another part of her is "tethered to the house." I loved the descriptions of their house and life with a brand new baby:

"there isn't a surface that isn't covered with the flotsam and jetsam of the day; nappies washed up all over the floor, coffee cups on tables, a breast pump on the television." 

O'Farrell's attention to the minutiae is so convincing that it is incredibly easy to visualise everything. She subtly conveys character and emotions to the reader through the details she chooses to draw to our eye. When Elina first returns to her studio to paint and her mother in law barges in, completely oblivious to the sacrosanct space and organisation of the room - not to mention the significance of the fact Elina finds herself able to paint again - the tension and emotion of each character is very well caught. There is such power in what is left unsaid; what is implied, what we can see going on underneath the surface. The scene is depicted with such clarity and thoroughness that is vivid- full of colour and noise. O'Farrell's writing is not arduous or prolonged, or overwritten, but it is perceptive and shows someone who is full of experience in making excellent observations of people and life. Another wonderful scene is the description of the Blue Lagoon Cafe:

"Cups and glasses stand inverted on the draining board, tepid water slides off them to pool in circles around their rims. the floor is swept but not very well...there is a focaccia crust under table 4 dropped by a tourist from Maine;....the cafe listens attentively.....as if sensing the night time calm, the refrigerator obligingly shudders into silence." 

Oh yes, the English Teacher in me was desperate to photocopy and present to students, to all get out our highlighter pens and pull some of these paragraphs to shreds. What a luxury to just be able to appreciate exquisite imagery and lovely writing.

There are many references to film in the story. There is a great passage when we actually watch Alexandra - or Lexie as she becomes- life rewind back in slow motion to the point at which we left it. There is a moment when Ted "rolls the film forwards and backwards" during work editing a real film reel but metaphorically this shows the lack of control in his own life and how he teeters between decisions and paths. The use of film as a metaphor also puts the reader in the position as an observer. The narrator often refers to "we" which encourages a relationship between reader and narrator but also the sense that we are both watching a film or play unfold in front of us. We are detached but involved. Similar to film there is a continuous reference to the sea. Both metaphors perhaps encapsulate the sense of fluidity, movement backwards and forwards, a trance like- hypnotic swaying as we are carried along through life. The two story lines work well together as one is reflects on a life lost, one on a life found. Both about new life. It is not lost on me that in one scene a magazine was left open at a headline "How to Become Someone Else".

Lexie's storyline is much more active and action packed than Elina and Ted's narrative and this also provides a good contrast. It is impossible not to like Lexie. She is ruthless, irksome, prickly and a workaholic. She is feisty, bold, inspiring, ambitious. Her sections are often wry and full of character in a way the other storyline is more placid and passive. But she is sensitive and caring. She is flawed but easy to empathise with. I loved the sentence describing her leaving for work and leaving her son behind for the day:

"As she walks away through the streets she is aware of the thread between her and her son unspooling, bit by bit. By the end of the day she feels utterly unravelled."

The ending is emotive, evocative and powerful. It is gentle but still full of drama. There is suspense and tension but understated. The reader is completely caught up in the atmosphere of the novel. It is a book to read slowly and to savour. The voices of the characters are exceptionally well captured and it is sad but not sentimental. It was like watching a play.

Although the two story lines do converge and connect, which is enlightening and adds further depth to the characters, for me it was not really what the story was about. For me, I was motivated to keep turning the page because of the believable, troubled characters each searching for who they are, their lost self, how they were going to define their role as a mother, a wife -a lover. How each of them, the women and the men, were on a journey of self discovery and to become reconciled with their own true identity.

I would recommend this book. It's a 4/5 star rating from me.

I would also recommend "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox" and "Instructions for a Heatwave". Her latest book "This Must be the Place" has also received fantastic reviews.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or subscribe by email to receive future posts.

The Sun is Out, The Sky is Blue, Let Me Choose A Book For You!

    

Escape to Another Country
These books are all perfect for relaxing with either while you are on holiday or while you daydream of where you might go on holiday. Set in France, England, Ceylon, Africa, Arabia and America these stories are about adventurous, brave, pioneering women; women starting new lives in new countries, women in love, women on a road trip and others who face a journey of self discovery. They are all well written, easy and entertaining reads which will help you to relax as you travel into another world full of interesting, eccentric, sometimes troubled-but mostly, mesmerising characters.

   
 
Edge of Your Plane Seat / Sun Lounger Reads
There are an incredible amount of very good psychological thrillers around at the moment and here are just a few that I've enjoyed reading recently. Many are available at bargain prices on Kindle so are prefect for stacking up with before you go away. I've chosen these as they are either set in hotels, swimming pools, holiday locations or during the summer. Hopefully it won't give you too many bad dreams while you are trying to unwind at the beach!


For the Long Haul or Short Distance Traveller
"The Reader on the 6.27" is a delightful read and only 190 pages and "The Doll Master" is a collection of short stories so these would work well if you prefer something shorter or something to dip in and out of. If you prefer getting stuck in to a "series" try Marnie Richies trilogy of novels about criminologist Georgia McKenzie, or Leigh Russell's series of 8 novels based on DI Geraldine Steele.


Additional Baggage
I would really recommend this collection of short stories for children aged 11+. They are all detective and mystery stories written by the most talented contemporary children's authors. An entertaining collection for curious minds and a great way to discover a whole host of new writers - each have a plethora of titles to enjoy if you find one particularly appealing!

I hope this helps you find something to read over the summer! For more recommendations and reviews of all the books listed above please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or check out bibliomaniacUK.blogspot.com

"The Reader on the 6.27" Jean-Paul Didierlaurent

I was recommended this novel by my local book shop, Harpenden Books who have currently based their window display around this title. It is also the Book of the Month for Waterstones. It is a slim volume of 190 pages and as the manager Ines Freitas said, it is a book you can easily read in one sitting. Although, I must say I didn't really want it to end and think it's definitely a book I'll reread again. Maybe even aloud on my next train journey!

Guylain Vignolles, who hates the fact his name is a spoonerism of Vilan Guignol - ugly puppet - works in a book pulping factory. His only pleasure is reading aloud to the commuters on the 6.27 train every morning from random pages he has saved from the thrashing jaws of the pulping machine, otherwise referred to as "The Thing".  Passengers show him the "indulgent respect reserved for harmless nutters" and Guylain's motivation is that he believes by reading to them he is allowing them to "forget the tedium of their lives." He reads one or two pages at a time, all from different books of any genre or type and no two extracts are ever connected. Guylain has no interest in the content of the books, it is the act of reading that matters: "He enunciated words whatever they were with the same passion and dedication....and the magic worked." He loves books even though he spends most of his life destroying them; he loves the power of books to "make colours brighter, things less serious, winter less harsh...the ugly less ugly ....life more beautiful."

I loved the personification of "The Thing". There is a whole ritual connected with setting it up in the morning and then it "burped, gasped, sounded reluctant to get going but once it had gulped down the first mouthful of fuel, The Thing went into action." Words like "armageddon" and "genocide" are used to describe it as well as some fantastically fearful images like "temperamental ogress" who frequently becomes congested as she is a "victim of her own greed." It makes Guylain miserable to see books pulped - even though they are they recycled into new books - and he loathes his position in the factory despite being surrounded by gently eccentric characters.

One of the workers, Giuseppe, suffers a tragic accident at the plant, losing both his legs in the machine. Giuseppe then begins a search for his legs by finding out what book was printed using the pulped pages and trying to seek out every one of the 1,300 copies so that he can be reunited with his legs! Brilliant! The actual title of the book and the fact that it is was an unimportant work of "Jean Wotsit Thingummyjig" do not matter to Guiseppe, "you can't choose your children". What is important to him, as he gazes at the empty shelves waiting for the further 600 copies he is yet to locate, is that he is gradually returning and restoring himself. In this novel, books are a lifeline; a healing power, a way of bonding with people and a way of developing friendships.

Guylain is a gentle, appealing, sensitive and intelligent character who the reader warms to with ease. He shows such kindness towards Giuseppe by searching out as many copies of "Gardens and Kitchen Gardens of Bygone days" (which stole his legs- the English Teacher in me is sure that fact it's a book about growth, new life and plants which provide food, colour and flavour is significant and metaphorical!) and keeping a secret hoard aside ready to "discover" whenever Giuseppe becomes depressed and grinds to a halt in his searching. I loved the description that the "bookshelves ate up an entire wall in the living room." I also liked the description of the relationship between the two men: "The Thing had make them very close, a closeness that only trench warfare is capable of forging between soldiers who have shared the same shell hole." Didierlaurent has an incredible skill for creating effective and evocative imagery. He has a subtle yet masterful and imaginative use of language. Although it is a very simple, accessible, fluent and light read, the novel is full of phrases which deserve a deeper analysis and appreciation of the way the writer skilfully uses words. The tale is about people celebrating the power of words, and this book in itself is an example of how powerful language can be in the right hands.

One day the Delacote sisters stop Guylain on the station platform to let him know how much they enjoy his reading on the 6.27 every day. They sit nearer too him to "drink in his words" as Guylain pulls the first "live skin" from his bag - a recipe for a farmhouse vegetable soup. They invite him to read to them on a Saturday morning and when he arrives, finds himself at a nursing home, ushered into a room of at least 20 people, "each older than the other, the room as hot as a pizza over minus the aroma, all staring at him through their cataracts or incipient cataracts." Fantastic! This is writing that makes you smile and is heartwarmingly humorous.

Guylain is searching for meaning in his life. He is searching for something deeper and more satisfying or rewarding. His reading at the care home helps him on his journey and once again, shows us what a caring character he is; unmotivated by the usual pursuits and commodities, seeking fulfilment from bringing the pleasure of literature (or non literature!) to all. The effect of his reading on the guests at the care home is equally heartwarming. They stimulate discussion, "colour in their cheeks and a sparkle in their eyes." Didierlaurent's choice of adjectives to describe the effect of the extracts highlights the magical impact of reading with words like "burst" "feeling alive" and an "infant that had drunk its fill of milk". It takes one bibliomaniac to know another and here I have found a kindred spirit!

Guylain then discovers a memory stick which turns out to be a diary of a lavatory attendant. He begins to read it and it has a profound affect on him. The next day "everything glistened and twinkled" (maybe like a sparklingly clean bathroom?!). And so begins his real journey - a journey for love and happiness - as he falls in love with the anonymous author. I won't spoil the rest of the story but it is as captivating, warm and tender as the rest of the book.

I would describe this book as enchanting, simple and short yet richly rewarding and full of exquisite writing. The characters are charming, endearing and entertaining. The messages of love, hope, happiness, purpose and healing create an affirming and optimistic atmosphere. The affectionate celebration of books and words will appeal to any reader and fellow bibliomaniac. Other reviewers have called it a "beautiful testimony to the universality of the love of books" and some refer to it as a fable about the "power of literature to elevate our lives." This is a great read for Waterstones to nominate as its book of the month as it is such a short, fluid, amusing and well written novel but a little bit different and quite refreshing from a lot of the other current chart toppers. I really enjoyed it and it was a welcome breath of fresh air which transported me to a different place, and even different pace, of life for a while. I really do recommend it!

Thank you to Harpenden Books for chatting with me so enthusiastically about this book while I browsed your display table unable to make a choice  - with your help, I know I bought the right one!

If this sounds like your kind of book, I would also very highly recommend "The Little Paris Cafe" which I have also reviewed on this site for an equally heartwarming story about books.

For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or subscribe to receive future posts via email.