Miss Read

As a country dweller, Miss Read writes with a great love of nature, flowers plants and birds. She brings to life so vividly The Cotswold Villages of Fairacre and Thrush Green in the ongoing saga of the lives of the people who live there.

To pick up a Miss Read book is like coming in from the cold to a lovely glowing fire and a warm drink.

Joan

Manx Litfest - Thurs 26th - Sun 29th September 2013

Keep the dates free for this year's Manx Litfest, and don't miss the chance to get together with top writers and book lovers - right here on the Isle of Man. Litfest got off to a cracking start in 2012, and with Andrew Taylor already announced for this year's line-up, there will be an exciting programme of events to look forward to. Keep up to date with all the news at Manx Litfest and find out more about becoming a friend of Manx Litfest here: manxlitfest@gmail.com

Manx Litfest Reading Club

Join the Manx Litfest Reading Club and explore some of the books and writers that will be featured in September. The first writer is the award winning Andrew Taylor, renowned for his intriguing mix of crime and  history. Find out more and share your views with other readers here Manx Litfest Blog

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The writing in this book is magical, especially in its description of the Alaskan Wilderness in the 1920s. Jack and Mabel look to escape from society and hurtful reminders of their childlessness, and stake everything they own on a homestead in Alaska. But they had no idea how hard the life was going to be. They’re both right on the edge when they are befriended by some neighbours. Shortly afterwards, a mysterious feral child appears, and they lose their hearts to her, and to their life in Alaska. This novel is based on a Russian Fairy Tale, and you’re never really sure what may be real. A very different book that stays with you long after you've finished reading.

A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly

A beautifully written debut novel about a young woman named Mattie living in two worlds. There’s her home in New York State, where Mattie is torn between caring for her younger sisters after the death of their mother, and following her dreams to go to College in New York City and become a writer. Her father seems a harsh task master, but he’s working himself to the bone to hold the family together, and living with grief and guilt following his wife’s death. Mattie’s other life is at The Glenmore Hotel, where she works for some extra money. A young guest, Grace Brown, is drowned, and Mattie has been given her letters. The letters reveal a girl Mattie relates to, and prompts difficult decisions. Mattie’s keen observations echo ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ in many ways, and the letters are from a true murder case in New York State.