Book Review: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Blurb: Oscar Wilde's madcap farce about mistaken identities, secret engagements, and lovers entanglements still delights readers more than a century after its 1895 publication and premiere performance. The rapid-fire wit and eccentric characters of The Importance of Being Earnest have made it a mainstay of the high school curriculum for decades. Published: 14 February 1895 Favourite quote: …

Book Review: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

Blurb: A haunting Orwellian novel about the terrors of state surveillance, from the acclaimed author of The Housekeeper and the Professor. Published: 13 August 2019 (first published in 1994) Page length: 274 Review: The Memory Police is a dystopian novel about an island where things keep disappearing. Things like birds, emeralds, perfume, roses, fruits, calendars, and then finally …

Book Review: Suncatcher by Romesh Gunesekera

Blurb: 1964. Ceylon is on the brink of change. But Kairo is at a loose end. School is closed, the government is in disarray, the press is under threat and the religious right are flexing their muscles. Kairo’s hard-working mother blows off steam at her cha-cha-cha classes; his Trotskyite father grumbles over the state of …

Book Review: It’s not about the burqa by Mariam Khan (Editor)

Blurb: When was the last time you heard a Muslim woman speak for herself without a filter? In 2016, Mariam Khan read that David Cameron had linked the radicalization of Muslim men to the ‘traditional submissiveness’ of Muslim women. Mariam felt pretty sure she didn’t know a single Muslim woman who would describe herself that …

Book Review: The sleeper and the spindle by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell

Blurb: A thrillingly reimagined fairy tale weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish. Published: 28 November 2019 Page length: 72 Review: The sleeper and the spindle is a pretty short book, only 72 pages so it was a …

Book Review: Child’s play by Danielle Steel

Blurb: The lessons our children teach us are the hardest ones. What do we do when our children don't pursue our hopes for them? In this riveting new novel, Danielle Steel explores how families can evolve and grow in unexpected ways. Sometimes the surprising choices our children make are the right ones... better than what …

Book Review: A season of shooting stars by Dhaval Rathod

Blurb: A season of Shooting Stars is a constellation of verses pulled together to adorn the night sky of our lives and affect our souls in a positive and empathetic manner. The poems explore an array of deeply felt emotions like love and its light, heartbreak and dealing with it, and healing. They also address …

Book Review: The Shining by Stephen King

Blurb: Jack Torrance's new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he'll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more …

Book Review: Beauty sleep by Kathryn Evans

Blurb: Who am I? What am I? When am I? Laura can't remember who she is. But the rest of the world knows. Because Laura is famous - a dying girl who was frozen until she could be cured. A real-life Sleeping Beauty. But what happens when you wake up one day and the world has …

Book Review: The space we’re in by Katya Balen

Blurb: Ten-year-old Frank has trouble navigating his relationship with his younger brother Max who is autistic. Frank loves soccer, codes, riding his bike, and playing with his friends. His brother Max is five. Max only eats foods that are beige or white, hates baths, and if he has to wear a t-shirt that isn't gray …