Love Letters

Author: Katie Fforde Publication Date: 2009 Category: Romantic Fiction Who'll want to read it? People who need a lovely romantic escape. Point of no return: I thought the decication sounded quite promising: "To Ireland and Irishmen, this is for you!"

Classic line: "Listen, if you don't want to find out, with demonstrations, exactly what the Blarney Stone and meself have got up to, I'd go to the shop in double-quick time." pg 231

What's it all about? Laura works in a bookshop which will be closing in a matter of weeks. She soon finds herself thrown into a different world, helping to organise a literary festival and traipsing across Ireland to personally ask famous recluse Dermot Flynn to be their star attraction. There's love, friendship and seduction. There's also conflict and confusion, but not without the inevitable reconciliation. If you are a Katie Fforde fan you will know I'm not giving anything away there. Yay! it's another fabulous book you'll find yourself wanting to read until 2 am. Publisher: Century

The Graveyard Book

Author: Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Chris Riddell Publication Date: 2009 (I read the paperback version) Who'll want to read it? Anyone who is not afraid to read a children's book, no matter how old they are, because those that take the chance will discover a world of incredible stories that have so much depth and beauty and so many wonderful intricate details to enjoy.

What's it all about? Nobody Owens lives in the graveyard at the top of the hill, he has lived there for as long as he can remember, discovering the ins and outs, the hidden secrets, learning to fade into nothingness and making friends with ghouls and long departed people of the town. However, Nobody Owens is not dead, he is very much alive. Publisher: Bloomsbury

The Infernal Optimist

Author: Linda Jaivin Publication Date: 2006 Category: Australian fiction Who'll want to read it? Adults Point of no return: Page 1: "There she was, waiting for me - Marlena, me own little Version a Heaven. She Who I Love, Honour and Try to Obey. She Who I Call She Who For Short, what she is, being even shorter than me." Classic line: " 'Nothing behind the razor wire is lovely,' he said again, like she hadn't heard it the first time. 'Except present ladylike company,' I go. 'You yourself are looking particulately lovely today, April.' Her lips moved briefly in the direction of up. 'You've got a way with words, Zek,' she goes. I couldn't think of anything to say to that." pg 175 What's it all about? Zeki gets out of his latest stint in jail only to find himself thrown into Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. It turns out Zeki, born in Turkey and raised in Australia, never became an Australian citizen because he couldn't be bothered waiting in line. With his criminal record and his perceived "bad character" this makes him a "five-o-one" awaiting deportation. Some of what Zeki sees, hears and experiences in Villawood will make you laugh, but will probably mostly make you cry. Zeki seems to be a bit of a dummy, but his innocent yet somehow perceptive insights cut right through the core of the injustices occurring in detention centres at the time this book was written. Through all of the humour, you just know things are going to go so very badly for many of the inmates. It's a well written book that gives faces and emotions to the people we may only hear about in the news. Publisher: Fourth Estate