Goodreads Blurb: It’s America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. The few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In San Francisco, the I Ching is as common as the Yellow Pages. All because some twenty years earlier the United States lost a war — and is now occupied by Nazi Germany and Japan.
Goodreads Review: I think what struck me most about this book is how small and sad everyone’s lives seemed. Even the brief moments of joy in the characters’ lives are wrung out and stripped of all meaning under the steel boot of this terrible world they must live in. Though I suppose that’s the point – meaning dies while tyranny reigns.
Goodreads Blurb: In a nightmarish ruined world slowly awakening to the light after sleeping in darkness, the infant rediscoveries of science are secretly nourished by cloistered monks dedicated to the study and preservation of the relics and writings of the blessed Saint Isaac Leibowitz. From here the story spans centuries of ignorance, violence, and barbarism, viewing through a sharp, satirical eye the relentless progression of a human race damned by its inherent humanness to recelebrate its grand foibles and repeat its grievous mistakes.
Goodreads Blurb: Richard Adams, the author of Watership Down, creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, Snitter and Rowf.
After being horribly mistreated at a government animal research facility, Snitter and Rowf escape into the isolation, and terror, of the wilderness. Aided only by a fox they call ”the Tod,” the two dogs must struggle to survive in their new environment.
River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Road by Cat Jarman
Goodreads Blurb: A brilliant new history that dramatically reassesses how far the Viking world extended. Dr Cat Jarman exposes the unexpected routes that Viking travel and trade took – and how these kings of the river were frequent travellers of the Middle East and the Silk Road.
Goodreads Blurb: The Godfather—the epic tale of crime and betrayal that became a global phenomenon.
Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. A searing portrayal of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and their powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor. The seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and the allegiance to family—these are the themes that have resonated with millions of readers around the world and made The Godfather the definitive novel of the violent subculture that, steeped in intrigue and controversy, remains indelibly etched in our collective consciousness.
Goodreads Review: I’ve a feeling I may not be supposed to root for these people as much as do – and I would feel guilty about that, but on the other hand the world is a very stressful place right now so … Wooh! Go Michael! Go Michael! Let’s get your Don on!!
Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior by Catherine Hanley, Matilda Blois
Goodreads Blurb: Matilda was a daughter, wife, and mother. But she was also empress, heir to the English crown—the first woman ever to hold the position—and an able military general. This new biography explores Matilda’s achievements as military and political leader, and sets her life and career in full context.
Goodreads Review: And the Empress Matilda dared to ask the Almighty then – could a woman be King in England? And he did turn to his Angels and said in a voice that only they could hear. “Well, obviously the answer is going to be ‘not yet, dear’, but man is it going to be fun to see her try.”
The Lucky Prepper: A Gardener’s Story of Surviving a Pandemic by Emma Zeth
Goodreads Blurb: What do you eat when the shops run out of food?Zoe loves teaching science, she loves her garden, and most of all she loves her quiet peaceful bungalow. Then at school, people start falling ill.The virus is airborne and highly infectious. It starts with flu symptoms, confusion and sleepiness, which worsen until one day they just don’t wake up. It decimates the population and leaves chaos in its wake.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne
Goodreads Blurb: When an unidentified “monster” threatens international shipping, French oceanographer Pierre Aronnax and his unflappable assistant Conseil join an expedition organized by the US Navy to hunt down and destroy the menace.
Goodreads Review: A good book, with a fascinating look at underwater life and the human psyche, well worth the read – just let down by the fact that because it’s such an old book, it’s a bit racist. Giving the time it was written in that’s to be expected, but I think it’s important to know exactly what you’re gonna get when you pick it up.
Goodreads Blurb: One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn is also one of the most captivating characters in the Star Wars universe, from his introduction in bestselling author Timothy Zahn’s classic Heir to the Empire through his continuing adventures in Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, and beyond. But Thrawn’s origins and the story of his rise in the Imperial ranks have remained mysterious. Now, in Star Wars: Thrawn, Timothy Zahn chronicles the fateful events that launched the blue-skinned, red-eyed master of military strategy and lethal warfare into the highest realms of power—and infamy.
She loves the pool in the woods by the castle. The descriptions of this pool in my books (it’s there in the 1stcentury, 16th century and modern day) are all inspired by the small loch that I live beside.
Excerpt: The pool looks amazing! Thick mist is swirling across the surface, so white, like heaven come to earth. Wow. I jump out onto the rock in the water and sit down on it and am immediately absorbed into the atmosphere of the place. The mist touches me and I breathe it in, becoming one with it, the cold of it, the white of it, the beauty of it. Warm clothes can’t keep it out; I’m inhaling it all right into my body.
Bubbles: Dancing Through History
It’s going to be the most boring year of her life. That’s what Bubbles has decided. This, her second year at the castle school, will involve no naked dancing, or television appearances. No fires in stone circles. No meltdowns. No hospital stays. You know, not like last year.
As she walks up the tree-lined drive towards the castle, she is immediately surrounded by TV reporters. Next she encounters the enigmatic and charming new boy, American student Aiden, and finds herself in an instalove situation. Being cast as the lead in a historical documentary is altogether too exciting and fun, as are the night-time visits to caves and underground chambers.
As Bubbles navigates her difficult home life, the complexities of her mental health and various intense experiences at the castle, she struggles to maintain equilibrium.
Will she be able to find balance amidst the chaos, or will her carefully laid ‘boring’ plan unravel completely?
Dive into this captivating coming-of-age tale filled with drama, romance, and self-discovery.
The Wee Writing Lassie 