Nothing To Envy - Barbra Demick

Nothing To Envy brings us the true accounts of North Korea. If you were to google a night map of the country you will notice their are no lights.  Their is no internet, and books like gone with the wind are banned.  All television and phone calls are screened, and the education system only teaches children what the government wants them to hear.  The country is poor and people are rationed like the war.

I Miss Mummy

I Miss Mummy is the story of Alice, a four year old girl that comes to Cathy's home as her foster child.  She is well kept, well behaved and very sweet, not your obvious care child.  She doesn't understand why she can't stay with her grandparent's and nor does Cathy, it doesn't make sense.

Notes From An Exhibition - Patrick Gale

When Rachel dies in the attic, the family are distraught. Rachel crippled by mental health, and a mother of four, looses her self in her art. She is an enigma to her family, no one knowing her past or who she really is.  After her death they slowly uncover the truth, as well as finding out about the lives of her children.

Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall brings the brutal life of the Tudors to the forefront. We mostly follow the rise of and fall of Thomas Cromwell and follow Henry VIII and his courtiers.  The key events of the story take place over just less than a ten year period from the 1520s to the 1530s. Mantel has taken what is, supposedly, Britain's best loved history topic, Henry VIII and his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, marriage to Anne Boleyn and the resulting split with Rome.

Message In A Bottle - Nicholas Sparks

When Theresa finds a message in a bottle washed up on the beach, she is curious of the author. She manages to track him down and goes to meet him. Theresa, weary of love, after a messy divorce finds herself drawn to him.  

       (Spolier Alert)

Lucky - Alice Seabold

Lucky is Alice Seabold's memoir focusing on the day which transformed her life. She was brutally raped just outside of campus at the age of 18.  This book focuses on what happened, and the trial following, and her struggles following the incident. How people around her didn't know how to act or respond and how her strength got through it. 

The Quickening Maze- Adam Foulds

Set in Epping Forest in 1840 this novel centres on the Poet John Clare.  Due to struggles with alcohol and depression he ends up in a Private Asylum.  At the same time another poet Alfred Tennyson moves nearby and becomes entangled in the life of the Doctor Matthew Allen.  This novel follows John Clare through episodes of Insanity towards his final madness.

East Of The Sun - Julia Gregson

East of the Sun, is a story of three women in the Late 20's who travel to India. One is betrothed to solider, her best friend and bridesmaid, who has to marry or leave shortly after the wedding. And the more main character Viva their chaperone, who is returning to India after growing up their as a child and moving to Britain.  We follow their lives and how they twist and turn as they all prepare to live their lives in India. 

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Its 1939 Nazi Germany and death has never been so busy.  This novel focuses from the view point of Death who follows the life of a book thief. Liesil is nine year old girl who gets left with a foster family during the war. She steals books.  We follow her life through War ridden Germany, her foster family, her best friend and neighbour Rudy, and the Jew living in the basement.  A poignant tale about the life's of one family and how they were affected by the war.  

A Fantastic Book 

Scott Pilgrim Series - Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim Series, is a set of Six novels, each one depicting Scott Pilgrim and his friends and his journey to conquer his new girlfriend Ramona's Seven Evil Ex's.  Scott is a 23 year old, he has no job, he lives with his Gay flatmate, and he plays in a band Sex Bob-omb.  We follow his life whilst he's defeating these ex's and we get to meet all his friends and even some of their friends in this humorous comic.