by Jennifer Egan (Corsair) ISBN: 9781780330969 Sometimes you read a book and you wonder. In a good and a bad way. A Visit from the Goon Squad is like reading a gritty version of the film Love Actually. It is an ensemble piece. Vignettes of lives…
by John Ajvide Lindqvist (Quercus) ISBN 978-0-85738-511-6 Whether I wanted to or not, I couldn't put this unusual book down. I needed to find a point from which I could unravel the author's thoughts. A corner of a plastic bag moves in the snow. It…
The Australian Women’s Weekly - Christmas and The 12 days of Christmas (ACP Books) ISBN 9781742450490 and ISBN 9781863969017 When I run out of Christmas dinner and decoration ideas and can’t find what I like in magazines, I know I’ll succeed with the Australian Women’s…
by Elizabeth Noble (Penguin) ISBN 978-0-141-04311-1 The cover of this book and its title may trick you into thinking this is a love story that follows a similar formula to a Mills and Boon novel. Do not be fooled. This is a more realistic story,…
Visual Feast of Food, Friendship and Festivities on a South African Farm by Maia Du Plessis & Simon Scarboro (Human & Rosseau) ISBN 978-0-7981-5141-6 This recipe book is a sheer joy and should be kept for the next generation. When the red star adorns the…
by Bill Granger (Murdoch Books) ISBN: 978 1 7426635 1 7 R349.99 Self-taught Ozzie chef Bill Granger may not be as famous as cheeky Jamie Oliver or as sexy as Nigella, but he’s one of my favourites.Firstly, his food is unpretentious, easy-to-prepare and delicious. Granger…
The floral art of Alyson Kessel by Alyson Kessel (Struik Lifestyle) ISBN 9781770078512 I was blown away by the detailed photography of each arrangement. The most useful thing about this book is that it is like an easy step by step recipe book for arranging…
Fresh & Easy by Michele Cranston (Murdoch Books) ISBN 978 1 741965490 Celebrate seasonal ingredients and humdinger flavours with the Fresh & Easy cook book. The soft cover, full colour publication flaunts many healthy and simple ways to spice up your meals. The juicy images…
The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper (Ebury Press) ISBN 978-0-0919-4041-6 Kat Ashley comes from a humble background, but is placed with the Champernowne family and this makes her acceptable at court. Never in her wildest dreams does she think she would land up living as a…