Cliff

Review: The Lincoln Highway

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  A road trip in 1950’s America is fraught with diversions and distractions in this fantastic and immersive read. Returning home from juvenile jail, where he has served time for accidentally killing a boy, Emmett intends to take his brother and set off across the state line to make a new life for them both. However his past is never far away, and threatens to ruin their future before they even get started building it. What could be a long … Read more

Annette’s Devon Summer Bookshelf

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Annette Shaw is a freelance journalist with 30 years of experience, and has a regular column in Devon Life, sharing her pick of brilliant books with Devon connections. With her reputation for championing books and authors around the county, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to showcase her reviews here. Wild Swimming Walks: Dorset and East Devon by Sophie Pierce and Matt Newbury It takes your breath away. By that I mean the scenery, as well as the cold water. And … Read more

Review: The Circling Sky

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  A beautiful, balanced account of a year exploring the natural history of the New Forest, revisiting places first discovered 40 years ago, how they have changed and reflections on what Ansell has learnt in between.  Neil Ansell has shown in his previous books, Deep Country and Last Wilderness, a special talent for immersing himself in a landscape. In clear, descriptive prose The Circling Sky conveys his experiences of 30-odd walks throughout all seasons of the Forest – the sights, … Read more

Better Verse Novels For Young Adults

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Our superb volunteer Belinda explores the world of verse novels and makes some recommendations… I have to confess to a slight sinking feeling when I picked up my first verse novel, One by Sarah Crossan.  I was interested in the story line but was sceptical about the verse format.  How could the details and subtleties of the story be conveyed when the word count was so much lower than a novel written in prose?  How wrong I was!  The sparseness … Read more

Review: The Land Of Maybe

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  A remarkable portrait of this unique archipelago, its amazing natural history, its rich culture and mix of modern and traditional society.  Tim Ecott first visited the Faroes 10 years ago and was captivated by the landscape, people and wildlife. He returned many times forging lasting relationships with farmers, fishermen,  environmentalists and historians who have shared their knowledge and invited him to experience life on the islands, participating in the hunting, harvesting and celebrations, giving him a true insight and … Read more

Small Press Focus: Old Street Publishing

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We’re rooting out some great but less well-known small publishers and finding out what makes them tick. This month’s small press is Old Street Publishing – founded in 2006, Old Street is an independent British publisher of fiction and non-fiction who might be recognisable from their excellent ‘Shortest History’ series. Ben Yarde-Buller kindly gave us some of his time to fill us in with all things Old Street: Q: What is Old Street Publishing’s origin story? I wish we had … Read more

Review: The Shortest History Of Greece

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  A hugely entertaining romp through the history of Europe’s oldest civilisation. From the popular ‘Shortest History’ series, this latest focus is of Greece and it’s surrounding islands. In a brief but detailed format which includes photographs and illustrations, it traces the odyssey of the Greeks from ancient past all the way up to their complicated present. Ex-Ottakers boss James Heneage – currently residing in Greece – gives us all we could ask for and more with this deep dive … Read more

Sarah’s Five Favourite Devon Things!

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Fantastic Bookshops! I love the personalised nature of the shops I’ve visited here in Devon, they’re really working with their local communities and schools to make sure everyone has the books that are right for them. And it’s such a rush, seeing my own handwriting right on the shop front of The Bookery in Crediton, where I helped them with their new branding and lettering. I’m thrilled to be their new Patron and hope I can give them a boost! … Read more

Review: The Birdcage

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An atmospheric Cornish setting with secrets galore make this an engrossing and intriguing story.

Three half-sisters, Flora, Kat and Lauren all have different mothers and the same father Charlie Finch. Charlie is an artist and his mother owned a house in Cornwall called Rock Point. They used to visit their Granny and Father in the summer holidays and the last time they all stayed at the house was the summer of 1999. Now in the present day, Charlie has called them all to the house as he has news to share with them all.

From the outset of this book, you know something big happened to the family that year. It was also the summer that Charlie painted his famous piece ‘The Girls And The Birdcage’. Fractured family relationships are prevalent in this novel, and Rock Point is a formidable setting with its cliffs, a turbulent sea and secluded truths. The use of the dual timeline flows really well, effortlessly switching between the past and the present.

The author’s previous novels have been well-written and entertaining, and this one is no exception.

(Review by Karen)

The Women’s Prize 2022

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The Women’s Prize for Fiction is the UK’s most prestigious annual book award celebrating & honouring fiction written by women. This year’s winner was announced as The Book Of Form And Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. Our review is below, along with the rest of the very strong shortlist from this year. Ozeki’s latest breathtaking novel encapsulates grief, mental illness and Zen Buddhism in an engrossing story about the connections we make to people and the world around us. Following the … Read more