Category Archives: Book reading

June 7, 2021 · 8:40 am

Book Review of the Month ~ Secrets of the Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford

Today I am reviving my monthly book review, but this time I will post it on my blog before adding it to my rolling reviews on my Book of the Month Page.

Why did I choose this book?

I was drawn to Secrets of the Sea because:

I have visited Harris, Lewis and Uist and was drawn to the landscape; wild and rugged in contrast to the great expanse of machair, with wild flowers almost hidden by flowing grasses, a reflection of the sea and long sandy beaches.
I enjoy historical fiction and yet …
I also love reading novels in parallel time scales. I love the way they are woven to overlap and yet they are two stories in one, bringing history into the present day.
I have been inspired by local folklore in Scotland and Selkies intrigue me!

Did you feel empathy with any particular character?

Oh yes. Ruth’s struggles to shed her past memories. Memories are a bit like witness statements ~ it’s surprising how inaccurate they can be, especially those from childhood, and yet Ruth has resilience and a good man watching out for her.

Is there a lasting thought or memory of the book which remains with you?

Oh yes. I want to know more about the research and history behind the theory of where Selkies come from and I yearn to visit the islands again, especially Harris, North Uist and Benbecula, which we visited only briefly. I need more time to explore and absorb the essence of those places.

May Book Blogger Hop

Hey, I’m a bit late for last week’s Book Blogger Hop but here’s my answer to:

What book character do you think you are most like and why?

Like Harriet (Hetty) Deveraux, from Sarah Maine’s House Between Tides, I have ancestry from a small island. In my case my great grandmother was Harriet Renier who was born on the island of Alderney.

Hetty is drawn to her ancestral home, as I have always been to Alderney. I now live in Fife where there are so many similarities between here and The Channel Islands, especially to Alderney. The pace of life, sense of community, the seascapes and landscape too. (although not so many forts, castles abound!)

Hetty is inspired and interested in history, as I am. If there is a mystery she wants to discover the truth. I love to research and ‘dig’ into the past, and so Libby from Sarah Maine’s Women of the Dunes also resonates with me.

What character in a novel you’ve read recently are you most like?

Earth Day 2021 ~ How to Value a Skylark Giveaway

I love today’s Google Doodle and it brings to mind fellow author Brian Kerr’s recently released book

HOW TO VALUE A SKYLARK

The Countryside in a Time of Change

Brian Kerr

In it he reflects on climate change and it’s immediate effect on our countryside, predominantly in the UK. Brian:

evaluates the current trends in making amends
looks in a balanced way on the impact on livelihoods and our countryside
makes further suggestions

and in short asks two questions

1. Can we put a value on what we treasure in our countryside? ie a skylark or a bluebell wood
2. Can we hesitate any longer?

Brian is offering two of his paperback books, currently marketed in Amazon at £19.99 but can be bought on Waterstones, Blackwells and Hive books or through the author or directly through the publisher Eventispress.

Brian asks only for two things;

What is your interest as a reader in issues of this climate emergency?
Would you be willing to give an honest review for publicity purposes?

Please respond to eventispress@outlook.com if you are interested.

Brian Kerr is a soil scientist and Fellow at Cranfield University. He is a hands on author who sells a great deal of his books locally through Waterstones, other independent booksellers and at author talks. This book is his most ambitious so far and reaches far beyond Bedfordshire, his usual focus in his writing.