Books I've Been Reading

Kate Forsyth's book recommendations, reviews, favorite quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists

Books read in January 2011

All these books are by Elsie J. Oxenham, and are part of the Abbey Girls series which were written between 1920 and 1946. I've been collecting these books since I was twelve, and recently decided to read my way through the entire series again, in order, and trying to locate any books in the series that I didn't have. The final three in this list are all books I haven't read before and which I acquired thanks to the kindness and generosity of another Abbey Girls fan. I have quite a few more to read before I reach the end, but it was immensely satisfying to fill in the gaps in the story and see what happens to all my favourite characters!

The Principessa by Christie Dickason

This absorbing historical novel has the firemaster of James I of England as its hero, and is a follow-on from the novel The Firemaster's Mistress, which I read and enjoyed a few years ago. In this story, the firemaster – who is called Francis Quoynt – is sent as a spy to a small Italian state where he has to find a secret document that compromises the safety of King James's secretary of state, Robert Cecil. The task is complicated, however, by the madness of the prince of La Spada and the beauty and cunning of his daughter, Sofia, the Principessa of the title. A wonderful mix of history, suspense, adventure and romance, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend both of them.

The Virgins of Venice: Broken Vows and Cloistered Lives in the Renaissance Convent by Mary Laver

A very readable non-fiction book about Renaissance convents in Venice with some fascinating stories.

Interrupted Aria & A Painted Veil by Beverle Graves Myers

These are the first two books in the 'Baroque Mystery' series, which are set in Venice in the 1730s. Our hero is a castrati opera singer called Tito Amato and the books are full of all sorts of intriguing facts about Venice and the early years of opera.

A Venetian Affair by Andrea di Robilant

This book is sub-titled 'A True Story of Impossible Love in the Eighteenth Century' and is an extraordinary account of two star-crossed lovers and their forbidden affair in the mid-eighteenth century. Andrea Memmo is a Venetian nobleman, and Giustiniana is a beautiful young girl from a family of dubious lineage (her father was an English lord, but her mother was a scandalous nobody who conceived Giustniana out of wedlock). It's a beguiling story, destined to end tragically, which weaves together the lovers' own letters with a narrative that sets their affair in context with the times and places. I was particulrly charmed by the character of Giustiniana, who ended up a countess and a novelist in her own right.

3,096 Days by Natascha Kampusch

Natascha Kampusch is the young German girl who was abducted on her way to school one day and spent the next eight years locked in a dungeon-like room concealed below her kidnapper's cellar. This is her story, told with the help of two journalists, and is absolutely compelling and frightening. I ended up with such admiration for Natascha's courage, intelligence and wisdom, and I so hope she can find peace and happiness in her life now that she has escaped such horror. A very disturbing story.

Seventeen books read in January, plus a lot of research into Renaissance Venice as I'm now working on the Venetian sections of the book I'm writing. Though I feel a little guilty claiming so many books, since eight of them were Abbey Girl books which can be devoured in a single sitting!

Books read in February 2011

The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridas

The tagline for this book reads 'Incest. Poison. Betrayal. Three wedding presents for the Borgia Bride.' This sums up the book really well. It's a real historical page turner, set in Italy in the 1490s when the Borgia family ruled Rome. Although it's a big, thick book I read it in a night, reading way past my bedtime. I have to warn you, some scenes are rather graphic – sex, incest, rape, murder – but we are talking about the Borgias here! Riveting stuff.

Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

Another wonderful historical fantasy from one of my all-time favourite writers. I was a little disappointed – given the title - that the book wasn't actually set at Sevenwaters (the location of many of Juliet's books), but it was lovely to meet some old friends and the story had me guessing almost to the very end. And the love story was quite beautiful.

An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan

Brian Keenan is an Irish teacher who was kidnapped in 1985 while working in Beirut. This is a memoir of his four and a half years as a hostage, enduring torture, beatings, and solitary confinement. A very hard book to read at times – how can humans be so cruel? Yet Brian survived mind and soul intact, an amazing testament to the strength of his spirit.

The Venetian Mask by Rosalind Laker

The story begins in Venice in the 1770s, with a little orphan girl being taken in by the Pieta, and finishes with the fall of Venice to Bonaparte in 1797. It's a novel on a grand scale, with themes of love, loss, suffering, and betrayal. Rosalind Laker is particularly good at the minutiae of life at the time – the clothes, the food, the hairdos. Although romances, her books are really more about female relationships and this is particularly true of this novel.

Vivaldi's Virgins by Barbara Quick

Another book set at the Pieta, the founding school which trained abandoned children to sing and play musical instruments. Antonio Vivaldi is a key character in this book, but the spotlight is mostly on Anna Maria dal Violin, a true life girl whose musical virtuosity was lauded in the early 18th century. And even though she is locked up behind the Ospedale's walls most fo the time, Venice itself comes vividly to life. A really wonderful read.

Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen

These books are great fun! Very frothy, but wonderfully quick-witted and amusing.

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

This is a truly extraordinary book, and one that lingers in the mind for a long time afterwards. The language is astonishingly good – bold, original, unexpected – and the story itself takes all kinds of surprising directions. I really think it's going to be one of the best books of the year (OK, OK, I know it was published in 2008, but sometimes it takes me a while to get to a book!) It's only occasionally that I finish a book with a real sense of awe, but this book delivered me that. If you haven't read it yet, read it now. Then let's talk about it. I'm dying to talk to someone about it!

The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason

The King's Daughter is the story King James I's daughter, Princess Elizabeth. I have never known much about James I - who seems to be largely ignored by the history books - but he was a strange and rather cruel man with all sorts of odd tics and mannerisms and it must have been awful being his daughter. Christie Dickason brings the whole era vividly to life, and I felt enormous sympathy for both Princess Elizabeth and her black slave-girl who teaches her how to trust and how to love.

Lovesong by Alex Miller

This is a book as much about the craft of writing as the actual love story and, as such, was a fascinating read. It's about an ageing writer, Ken, who strikes up a friendship with a younger man, John, who is married to a Tunisian woman, Sabiha. Slowly John reveals the story of his marriage with Sabiha and how her longing for a child led them into betrayal and tragedy. Beautifully told, with a deceptively simple and elegant style.

Nine books read this month – a total of 26 for the year.

Books read in March 2011

The Devil & Maria d'Avalos by Victoria Hammond

I had this book on my shelf for more than three years, and yet never picked it up to read it. I think this is because the book's blurb says "Steeped in the overripe beauty, violence and exoticism of sixteenth century Naples, this is the riveting story behind one of the most famous and terrible murders in the history of the Renaissance ... In 1590, the great and tormented composer Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa, murdered his beautiful wife Maria d'Avalos and her aristocratic lover." It's hard to read a book when you know the protagonist is going to be murdered! It was, however, a really fascinating book that vividly brings the world of 16th century Naples to life. In some ways, the book reads more like a non-fiction book, though it is as gripping as any novel. I really enjoyed it!

In the Company of The Courtesan by Sarah Dunant

I've read and loved this book before and very much enjoyed re-reading it. Set in 16th century Venice, the story is told from the point of view of a courtesan's dwarf, Bucino, one of the most original characters in recent literary history. A wonderful book by a wonderful writer.

The Virgin Blue by Tracey Chevalier

The first novel by Tracey Chevalier, this story is told in parallel between the voices of two women born four hundred years apart. Ella Turner is haunted by dreams which lead her to try and discover the life story of one of her ancestors, Isabella Tournier. Isabella's fate is tragic and heart-rending, but Ella is able to grow in self-understanding as a result of her investigations and ultimately finds happiness. I have read this before, but not for some years – it was great to revisit it.

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais

This book is so vivid and rings so true that at first I thought I was reading a memoir. It tells the story of an Indian-born chef, Hassan Haji, and his journey to winning five Michelin stars. Filled with remarkable characters and some wonderful descriptions of food, it glows with joyousness and a love for life. A fabulous read.

Sorcery & Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

An unusual and amusing book which feels like a cross between Jane Austen and Terry Pratchett. Told in an epistolary narrative (i.e through an exchange of letters), the two heroines are cousins trying to deal with the London season, romance, magic and mayhem. The narrative structure is rather awkward at times, and the arch tone is sometimes a little annoying, but it made me smile, always something to be grateful for.

Game of Patience by Susanne Alleyn

The first book I read on my new Kindle. A historical murder mystery set in Paris after the French Revolution – not as gripping as it could have been but an enjoyable read, and the setting was fascinating.

Titian: A Short Biography by William Michael Rossetti

A biography that assumes you have read all the other biographies on a subject. Which I haven't. It raised more questions than it answered, and sent me in search of better biographies.

Titian's Women by Rona Goffen

An enormous book on the artist Titian, in all senses of the word. Thick, heavy, magisterial, and a little too academic for my taste, it was nonetheless illuminating.

Titian: The Last Days by Mark Hudson

Another biography of Titian, though this one concentrated on his final years and on the author's personal responses to his paintings. A much livelier read than the other two books, and with some illuminating insights into both Venice and Titian's art.

Vampire Forensics by Mark Collins Jenkins

A really engrossing and interesting look at the origins of the vampire myth in various cultures, and how it has changed and grown over various novel incarnations to the present-day fascination with all things fanged.

10 books in March!

Books read in April 2011

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

I've really enjoyed this series from Lauren Willig – light, clever, amusing and romantic. On the lookout for the next in the series.

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C W Gortner

An absolutely fabulous historical novel told from the point of view of Catherine de Medici, one of the most maligned women in history. This novel makes her seem sympathetic without white-washing some of her more dastardly deeds, and indeed illuminates and explains some of the most dramatic events of her life, for example the St Bartholomew's massacre in France. I loved C W Gortner's last book The Last Queen; this is even better!

The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown

This novel tells the story of three young women who fly planes for the airforce during the Second World War. It's based on fact; women really did fly planes during the Second World War, risking their lives to help the war effort. This is a great book, with vivid characters and a storyline filled with drama, romance, and intrigue.

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie, Ten Little Niggers by Agatha Christie & Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie

I spent Easter in a villa in Provence and they had a fantastic book collection, including a whole row of old Agatha Christie books. I read my way through three of them in a row. Why Didn't They Ask Evans is an old favourite, The Secret Adversary is one I haven't read in years and enjoyed meeting again, Ten Little Niggers is one of her worst, written by her as an exercise in an unsolveable mystery.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

'The Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follett was one of my favourite books last year, so I was looking forward to this with great anticpation. I have to say I was disappointed.

It was readable, and interesting, and I came away with a much deeper and richer understanding of the causes and effects of the First World War, but ... I didn't laugh or weep or catch my breath in surprise or feel my pulse accelerate as I turned the pages faster and faster, desperate to find out what happened. It was simply too big. Too many characters, and not enough time spent with each one? Too much research and not enough story? A shame.

Ice Station Zebra by Alastair Maclean

Picked this up in a second-hand bookstore in Venice – I've read it before but always happy to read an Alastair Maclean again.

Books read in May 2011

The Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman

'A tale of poison, bloodshed and passion', the front cover tells me. Sounds just like my kind of book! I thought. And since I had read and enjoyed Mary Hoffman's Stravaganza series, which features modern-day teenagers travelling backwards (or sideways) to an alternative Renaissance Italy, I grabbed it off the bookshelf right away. I was not disappointed. The Falconer's Knot tells the story of Silvano, a young man who falls in love with the pretty face of a married woman. When her husband is found murdered, with Silvano's knife in the body, he has to flee or face being hanged for the deed. He takes refuge in a friary, and meets a beautiful young novice-nun called Chiara.

Soon a friar is murdered too and once again suspicion falls on Silvano. It seems he is being stalked by tragedy. He and Chiara – who have met in their work grinding pigments for artists – decide to try and solve the mystery. A convoluted plot follows, though so simply and beautifully told it is a pleasure to read, and the murderer is at last unmasked. A fabulous book, and one I can highly recommend.

In the Shadow of the Sun King by Golden Keyes Parsons

A historical novel with a strong thread of faith running through it, In the Shadow of the Sun King was based on the writer's own family history. It tells the story of a Huguenot family suffering persecution at the hands of the Sun King, Louis XIV. I felt some trepidation reading this book because Golden Keyes Parsons describes herself as: 'A Speaker and Author who issues the challenge: Dare to take God seriously!'

I wanted to read it because the heroine of the novel I am writing is a Huguenot at the court of the Sun-King and so I have been reading anything I could get my hands on about French Protestantism. I was afraid the book would be virtually unreadable – a religious rant described as literature - but to my pleased surprise, it was a vivid and interesting story that truly illuminated the plight of the beleaguered Huguenots in France at this time.

Elizabeth of the Garret Theatre by Gwendolin Courtney

Published in 1948, this is a children's book about a family of four girls whose author-father remarries, and the step-mother's struggle to win the hearts of her new step-daughters. It's quite charming, in an old-fashioned way, and full of literary allusions that most children today simply wouldn't get, which is a shame.

The Tudor Secret by Christopher Gortner

I loved this book! It's a fast-paced historical thriller set during the last days of Edward VI, the teenage son of Henry VIII and the younger brother of Princess Elizabeth. I had thought the Tudor period had been milked dry, but this book brings in all the major players and still manages to be fresh, surprising, and a real page-turner. I stayed awake long past my bedtime to finish it, and was excited to learn it's the first in a series called 'Elizabeth's Spymaster'. I'll be buying the next one before the ink has a chance to dry on its pages!

The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella

I loved this book too! What a delight. The story of a love affair between a British officer and his tempestuous Italian cook in the final years of the Second World War, it would make a wonderful movie. I'd pay to see it, for sure. I've read two earlier books by Anthony Capella, The Food of Love and The Empress of Icecream, and like them, this book is full of fabulous descriptions of food. I cooked my family an Italian feast once I'd finished this book, though I had to look up some of the recipes on the internet. I can't believe this book is not better known – it should be. One of the best books so far this year.

The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley

This novel is set in 17th century France, during the reign of the Sun King, and has at its heart the shocking Affair of the Poisons which scandalised French society and saw many hundreds put on trial for murder, sorcery, abortion and satanic rites. I've been studying the period for the book I'm now writing and so it was very interesting to read another novel drawing on the same events. The Oracle Glass is a thick, dense, and rather strange book, jammed full of reflections on philosophy and religion. Judith Merkle Riley taught political science at Claremont McKenna College in California, and her intelligence – and that of her intriguing heroine, Genevieve – shines forth on every page. I say 'taught' instead of 'teaches' because sadly Judith died last year from ovarian cancer.

The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

A great title and a fantastic idea – a girl who is the thirteenth child born into a family of magic-makers and a world that believes birth order matters. Her twin brother is the seventh son of a seventh son, and so lauded from birth as someone special. The heroine, who has the dreadful name of Eff, is expected to turn to the bad, however, and so she learns to fear her own destiny. Set in a world that rather oddly combines the Wild West with creatures like steam dragons and mammoths, this book is a most unusual children's fantasy that chooses the small and domestic over thrills and chills.

Seven books read in May, bringing me to a total of 51 for the year so far.

Books read in June 2011

Troll Blood by Katherine Langrish

This is the third in Katherine Langrish's Troll trilogy, which I have absolutely loved! The books are set in the world of the Vikings, a place where trolls skulk in the hills and Granny Green-teeth lurks at the bottom of the millpond. Katherine is a wonderful lyric writer who brings this world vividly to life without ever once letting the compelling pace flag. The three books are currently available in Australia in an abridged form as one complete book called West of the Moon. I'd recommend these books to anyone!

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks is one of my top 10 favourite writers, and so I was very keen to get my hands on her latest book. I just love the way she enters into the heart and imagination of a girl who lived so long ago, and brings that historical past so vividly alive. It's a truly fascinating story too – told from the point of view of young Bethia, it details the events which led her Wampanoag friend, Caleb, to study at Harvard in the 1660s, becoming the first Native American to matriculate there. I really loved this book, though it was very sad in parts.

The Assassin's Prayer by Ariana Franklin

This is a brilliant series of medieval murder mysteries featuring the intelligent and difficult Mistress of the Art Of Death, Adelia Aguilar, who is an early (very early) forensic investigator. In this book, Adelia is sent to accompany the king's daughter, Joanna, on her lavish thousand-mile journey to marry the King of Sicily. Travelling in the same train is a sadistic killer who seeks revenge on Adelia for a former mystery she solved. The killer's only aim is to see Adelia burn as a witch, and given the state of religious intolerance in Europe at that time, he may well succeed ... I'd really recommend these books to anyone who likes a good hefty medieval murder mystery!

The Sun King by Nancy Mitford

A classic biography of Louis XIV by Nancy Mitford, most remarkable for its racy style and personal comments (for Example, she calls The Marquie de Montespan, one of the king's mistresses, 'a grubby woman'). Beautifully illustrated, but feels a little dated now.

Eon by Alison Goodman & Eona by Alison Goodman

First published as Two Pearls of Wisdom, Eon is the first book in this wonderful fantasy duology by Melbourne writer, Alison Goodman, with Eona being the second. The books are set in a world that feels like medieval China, with a fascinating and rich culture all of its own. Compulsively readable, the book tells the story of Eon, a girl pretending to be a boy, who must navigate the treacherous waters of life at court in her bid to become a Dragoneye Lord, and so one of the most powerful people in the land. Book 1 won a swathe of awards and I can see why – they are vivid, action-packed, and beautifully written – highly recommended.

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

A lovely romantic romp with lots of intrigue and humour – if you love Georgette Heyer, then I think you'd enjoy Lauren Willig.

The Unquiet Bones: the first chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon, by Melvin R. Starr

A quiet, but charming, medieval murder mystery with a strong sense of the times (14th century England). Wouldn't mind reading more.

Eight books read in June, bringing me to a total of 59 for the year!

 

Books read in July 2011

Tuscan Rose by Belinda Alexandra

This novel had a subtitle 'Passion, longing, secrets, and a dangerous time' and is set in wartime Italy so it sounded just like my kind of book. Yet, despite its readability, I have to admit I was disappointed. I'm not sure exactly why. I should've loved sensitive Rosa, and I really adore romantic books set in wartime Italy ... yet ... I think it was too long, or the writing was simply too pedestrian, or because I never got to really like either of the two men Rosa falls in love with ... too much telling, not enough showing ...

The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse

This is a beautiful but slight book from Kate Mosse, author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', two historical novels I really enjoyed. I understand it was originally written as a short story and then expanded, and I think this shows. It is, nonetheless, a beautifully written tale of loss and grief and murder which vividly evokes the winter landscape of southern France – quite haunting.

White As Snow by Tanith Lee

An extraordinary retelling of the Snow White fairytale – dark and sensual and strange and rather frightening – with some astonishingly good writing. I have never read anything by Tanith Lee before but I will be hunting down her other books for sure. I'd be very careful about giving this to children to read, though – it is very confronting and even shocking in parts.

Charlie's Dream by Jamie Rowboat

Jamie was inspired to write this book after the son of friends of his was in a car accident and was locked in a coma for years. It imagines a boy in a coma who wakes up to find himself in the world of the elves and who learns about their work to save the natural world. It is a YA fantasy – though it has some quite sexy scenes in it. I launched it for him at Berkelouw Books in Glebe

The Understudy's Revenge by Sophie Masson

Set in the days of Dickens, The Understudy's Revenge tells the story of Millie Osborne, who works for The King's Company, a famous troupe of actors who have fallen on hard times following the death of its lead actor and director. The new manager is both the brother of the dead director and newly married to his widow. Perhaps recognising the thematic links to Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', he decides to put on a performance of the tragedy. A young actor called Oliver Parry is given a role in the play, but arouses Millie's suspicion because of all the questions he asks. One day she follows him to Seven Dials, one of the most dangerous places in London, and finds herself catapulted into an exciting mystery that soon sees her and her friend Seth facing danger, intrigue and murder.

I enjoyed The Understudy's Revenge immensely. It reminded me of some of my favourite writers including Agatha Christie and the UK children's writer Julia Golding who has written a great series of historical mysteries set in a Drury Lane theatre (The Cat Royal series). I'd really recommend The Understudy's Revenge to anyone who loves a quick-paced historical mystery.

The Various Flavours of Coffee by Anthony Capella

I had enjoyed Anthony Capella's last two books so much I bought this to read on my Kindle, but I have to admit I didn't enjoy this as much. The opening chapters are hard to read because the primary character is so unlikeable – his tone is arch and artificial, and he spends most of time tossing off unpleasant comments and frequenting brothels. The only interesting part is the descriptions of coffee – which I didn't really respond to because I don't like coffee. However, perseverance paid off – our unpleasant hero is sent to Africa where he is taught some hard life lessons and loses his aphoristic tone. The chapters set in Africa are vivid and sexy and alive. Once our hero Robert returns to London, however, the writing changes gear once more and becomes a quite moving account of the suffragette movement. So the book has its rewards for those who persevere, but it doesn't have the vivid energy of The Food of Love, or the romantic joyousness of The Wedding Officer, or the warmth and charm of The Empress of Ice Cream. I'd choose to read all of his other books first.

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland

Wow! What an amazing read. From the very first page, I was unable to put this book down, reading late into the night and sneaking back to it during the day when I had many other things to do. It is so full of menace and atmosphere, and the characters are truly fascinating. Although it's very clearly a medieval murder mystery, it has the page-turning compulsion of the best thrillers and the depth and vividness of the best historical novels. One of the best books of the year so far!

The Lady Tree by Christie Dickason

Subtitled 'A Novel of Intrigue, Passion and Tulips', this novel is set in England and Holland in 1636 and is filled with a deep love of gardens and trees and flowers. Hawkridge House, the home of the hero John Nightingale, is created with such loving care that it feels as if it must be real. The novel isn't just about gardens, though. There's a murder mystery, blackmail, a love affair and a romance, and all the fever of tulip mania in 17th century Holland. A wonderful book.

Clever Maids: The Secret History of the Grimm Fairy Tales by Valerie Paradiz

A fascinating and very readable book about the women who told the Grimm brothers most of their stories.

The Brothers Grimm: From Enchanted Forests to the Modern World by Jack Zipes

A collection of academic essays on the Grimm Brothers by one of the world's best known fairytale scholars.

The Brothers Grimm: Two Loves, One Legacy by Donald R. Hettinga

A fabulous, brief biography of the Grimm Brothers with an emphasis on their daily lives and work. Lots of lovely illustrations.

Eleven books read in July – and a total over the year of 70.

Books read in August 2011

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

An elegant but rather slow moving historical mystery, this book is told from the point of view of Lady Emily Ashton, who married her husband to escape her overbearing mother only to have him killed while on safari in Africa. The discovery of his journals make Emily realise she hardly knew her husband at all. Normally I love this kind of novel, but I must admit I found it hard to warm to Emily and I found her 'intellectual awakening' through long-winded discussions of Homer rather boring.

Daughter of Siena by Marina Fiorata

Filled with romance and suspense, this lush historical novel set in 18th century Siena is a fabulous read, with a perfect blend of action, mystery and love. The primary character if the 19 year old Pia Tolomei, who is married against her will to a cruel and vengeful man who is involved in a plot to overthrow the Duchess of Siena, Violante de' Medici. Pia, however, is in love with a handsome but poor horseman, Riccardo, who sets out to tame a battle-maddened stallion to ride in the Palio, Siena's famously dangerous horse race. This is the third book by Marina Fiorata that I've read, and each has been even better than the one before. I think she's made the leap to one of my favourite authors.

Violet for Bonaparte by Geoffrey Trease

I've been collecting Geoffrey Trease's novels since I was a kid, and it's always a pleasure to find a new one. He is definitely one of the great children's historical writers and should be more widely known. Violet for Bonaparte was written in 1976, and tells the story of an English boy Ben, who travels to Europe in 1814 during a lull in the Napoleonic Wars, with Napoleon himself having been confined to the island of Elba. Curious, Ben and his employer travel to Elba to see Boney with their own eyes, and there Ben meets a pretty and spirited American girl who hero-worships the deposed French emperor. Before they know it, Ben and Fanny are caught up in a dangerous situation as Napoleon escapes Elba and gathers together his army once more. This is not Geoffrey Trease's best book, but any book by Geoffrey Trease is very readable and he always manages his plot and the historical period with enviable lightness.

The Graveyard Book by Nail Gaiman

I've had this book on my TBR shelf for more than 2 years and for some reason never picked it up. I'm glad I did, for it's a true beauty of a book, pitch-perfect in every way. It deserves every prize it won. It reminds me in some ways of Nicholas Stuart Grey, and other great writers of the 40s and 50s, the "golden era of children's literature" – a perfect balance of beauty and pathos, terror and joy, and so beautifully written.

Five Bells by Gail Jones

A dense, poetic, beautifully written novel set during one day in Sydney, Australia, Five Bells is one of those novels that is read more for its lyrical language than for a compelling story. Not much really happens at all, other than the thoughts and feelings of four adults – three women and a man – whose paths cross, or fail to cross, at Circular Quay, under the arches of the Sydney Opera House. However, the inner life of those four adults is so well-imagined that the novel has its own compulsion, and the language is often so lovely it's a pleasure just to read and re-read it, rolling the words over your tongue.

Storm Peak by John A. Flanagan

This is an intriguing murder mystery set at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, featuring a serial killer who takes pleasure in killing right under the noses of the local police. Lee Torrens, the sheriff of Steamboat Springs, asks her old friend and ex-lover Jesse Parker to help her, for he was used to work as a detective in Denver, having given up police work with the death of his partner. Matters are complicated by the arrival of Jesse's ex-wife and the fanning of the embers of old feelings between Lee and Jesse.

The Seventh Swan by Nicholas Stuart Gray

Oh I loved this book so much! Nicholas Stuart Gray is truly a magical writer. I loved his books as a child and I think I love him even more as an adult, because he writes in such an effortlessly enchanting way, and I know now just how difficult that is. I've wanted to read this book for many years and at last ordered it over the internet – I'm so glad I did. It makes me want to track down more of his books.

Mourning Dress – A Costume and Social History by Lou Tayor

A fascinating look at the history of mourning dress - I read this book as research into the 19th century and really enjoyed it.

Pride and Prescience (Or a Truth Universally Acknowledged): A Mr & Mrs Darcy Mystery by Carrie Bebris

I'm not sure how I feel about this book, which is a historical murder mystery where the newly married Mr and Mrs Darcy feature as the amateur detectives. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if it had been the same story with a whole other cast of characters. I love historical mysteries and I love Jane Austen, and I'm certainly no purist – I think perhaps its simply that comparisons are odious. Although the author Carrie Bebris manages a fair approximation of Austen's style, it only ever feels like a poor copy. Sorry, Carrie.

Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross

Another historical murder mystery (I really do love them!), this one was actually very good. The amateur detective in this case is Julian Kestrel, a dandy who seems more concerned with the cut of his coat than with anything else. He is, however, a dandy with more a quick wit and a warm heart, though he does the best to keep both of these hidden. Staying at a country estate, he is confounded to find a dead girl in his bed. What follows is a really intriguing mystery with lots of twists and turns, and some interesting characters. I enjoyed it immensely.

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees

The blurb for this book begins: "Six weeks ago, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart told his wife he had been poisoned. Yesterday, he died." The heroine is Mozart's sister Nannerl, who has been estranged from him for years. However, hearing of her brother's death, she travels to Vienna to investigate. Soon she finds herself caught up in secret Masonic plots, her life in danger. I really enjoyed this book. It's a little like The Da Vinci Code in some ways, with its emphasis on secret societies and symbolic codes, but warmer and more engaging because of Nannerl, who is very easy to sympathise with. A great historical thriller.

The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland

I absolutely loved this book! Even though its 550 pages long, it was so compelling I read it in only a few bites. A historical novel that reads likes an intelligent thriller, it is dark, chilling, atmospheric and absolutely impossible to put down. It tells the story of a community of Beguines in the English countryside who find themselves challenging a cruel pagan sect of men who call themselves the Owl Masters. I have read about Beguines before – groups of women who neither wish to marry nor take the veil as nuns set out to make a community of sisters who work and pray together. Of course, they were branded heretics and many of them burned. This novel has elements of supernatural horror in it as well as the terror of what humans can do to each other – an absolutely brilliant book and one of the best reads of the year.

Books read in September 2011

Twilight Robbery by Frances Hardinge

Frances Hardinge is one of the most unusual and inventive writers of children's fantasy today. I loved her first book, Fly by Night, which featured the adventures of the feisty, foul-mouthed Mosca Mye and her bad-tempered goose. Mosca and her goose, Saracen, are back in Twilight Robbery, this time getting themselves into trouble in the strange and perilous town of Toll-by-Day ... which is a very different place at night. A brilliant, fresh, funny and right-minded fantasy for reads 12+, this is possibly the best children's fantasy I've read all year.

The Apple-Stone by Nicholas Stuart Gray

Ah, The Apple-Stone. One of my favourite books from my childhood. Why does no-one write books like this anymore?

Sins of the Wolf by Anne Perry

All I really need to say about this book is I finished it, went straight to the computer, and ordered more books by Anne Perry. Although I've read other books by her in the past, this really is a humdinger – interesting, complex characters, a really puzzling plot, lots of surprises, and a real sense of danger.

The Edinburgh Dead by Brian Ruckley

I really bought this book because its set in Edinburgh, one of my all-time favourite cities in the world and a perfect setting for a Victorian mystery novel. And perhaps it was because I had just finished reading Anne Perry's book, Sins of the Wolf, which was also set in Edinburgh, and had enjoyed it so much. The Edinburgh Dead is a quite different book altogether, having a large dose of supernatural terror to it, but I absolutely loved it. The tagline should probably have prepared me; it reads: 'There is a law against murder. But there are no laws for the dead.' However, the horror elements came as a complete surprise to me, but not unpleasantly. I love books that mix elements of different genres together, and this book does it particularly well.

Liberator by Richard Harland

Liberator is the sequel to the fabulous steam-punk adventure, Worldshaker, which I read and enjoyed immensely last year. Richard Harland really knows how to construct a page-turner. The books are set on board a giant metal juggernaut that rolls over the world, carrying an entire city on its back. In Book 1, the juggernaut was driven by down-trodden and maltreated menials called Filthies. With the help of Col, one of the Upper Deck aristocrats, they rise up and seize control of the juggernaut. Liberator tells what happens next, with an intoxicating mix of suspense, humour, romance and action.

The Kingdom of Carbonel by Barbara Sleigh

A classic children's fantasy written in 1960, this book is the sequel to Carbonel which I read and loved as a child. Carbonel is a cat, but not just any cat. He's the King of the Cats. In the first book, he has been imprisoned by a witch but with the help of Rosemary and her friend John, manages to escape and resume his rightful place ruling the rooftops of the city. In this book, he comes to Rosemary and John for help – he wants them to guard his kittens for him while he's away. A charming domestic fantasy.

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is the Spanish author of The Shadow of the Wind, one of my all-time favourite books, and so I had to buy this when I saw it. Originally published in 1994, it has been translated and published in English, presumably to take advantage of his international popularity. Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, it's a rather odd book, and ultimately very sad. It tells the story of twins separated at birth and hidden to protect them from supernatural danger – a man who does not die when he is shot and who can burn people to death with flames from his hands. The twins grow up – the boy in an orphanage where he makes a group of friends and the girl living a lonely existence on the run with their grandmother – but when they are sixteen the man in black comes after them once more. I really wanted to like this book – it sounded just the kind of book I would like – but my abiding reaction is one of sadness and even disappointment.

A Childhood at Green Hedges: A Fragment of Autobiography by Enid Blyton's Daughter by Imogen Smallwood

I remember when this book was first published in 1989. I read a review of it in the newspaper, and was in tears. My mother comforted me, thinking that I was distressed because I had not realised that Enid Blyton, one of my all-time favourite authors, was dead. The true reason for my distress, though, was realising that the perfect writer's life that I imagined Enid Blyton to have (heavily influenced by her autobiography, My Life) was in fact really a lie. In My Life she describes her beautiful old house with its magnificent garden, filled with hedges and roses and waterlilies, her playful dogs, her loving daughters, her husband who bought her a beautiful statue of a little girl reading, her daily routine of writing and reading, and I wanted that life. To read that she used to beat her daughters and locked them away in the nursery and sent them to boarding school against their will so they grew up to hate her shook my own dreams of how I wanted my life to be. So I always wanted to read the autobiography of her daughter Imogen, and one day, seeing it in a second-hand shop, I bought it. In a way, I'm glad. Imgon does not come over well in her autobiography. It's clear it can't have been easy for Enid either. And I certainly understand the frustrations of trying to write and bring up a young family.

Books read in October 2011

Hornet Flight by Ken Follett

This is the first Ken Follett thriller that I've read and I really enjoyed it. A spy thriller set in Denmark during World War II, it was fast-paced, with a few unexpected twists and the setting was fresh and unusual.

The Widow Cliquot: The story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman who Ruled It by Tilar J. Mazzeo

A fascinating and very readable biography of Barbe-Nicole Cliquot Ponsardin, the woman behind the famous champagne. She lived during Napoleonic times, when women were being repressed even more firmly than before, and yet she was able to save her family from financial ruin after the death of her young husband and founded an extraordinary empire of her own.

The House of the Winds by Titania Hardie

A story told in parallel between a modern-day American woman called Maddie and a 14th century Italian girl called Mia, this book centres on the mysterious House of the Wind which was destroyed – perhaps by magic – many centuries before. It's a rich and densely woven novel, with some wonderfully evocative scenes. I found myself much more interested in the historical thread, and occasionally wished for a quicker pace, but there is a lot of beauty in this book and a lot of heart and spirit.

I am Drinking Stars! History of a Champagne, edited by Gerhard Steidl

This book is a history of Dom Pèrignon, which would be my favourite champagne if I could afford to drink it. I have enjoyed a bottle or two in my time, but my primary reason for loving this champagne is the myth about the young Dom Pèrignon who, when he first tasted the sparkling concoction he had made, called, 'Brothers, come! I am drinking stars!' Although wine historians believe this story is probably apocryphal, I choose to believe it – it's too beautiful a tale to dismiss out-of-hand. A slim book, and a trifle sycophantic, its nonetheless an interesting look at the champagne brand over the centuries.

An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer

What a pleasure to curl up with a tattered old copy of a Georgette Heyer book on a rainy weekend. I've read this a few times before, and it's not her best book by far – but its set during Napoleonic times and so counts as research for the book I am working on (The Wild Girl).

Dragon's Lair by Sharon Kay Penham

Medieval murder mysteries, written by one of the most respected historical novelists of this era – I settled down with a sigh of anticipation from the very first word. I wish I had started with Book 1 – the early chapters talked a lot about characters I didn't know – but once the action moved to Wales, it was excellent. Ordering Book 1 now.

The World in 1800 by Olivier Bernier

A big thick historical book which did an excellent job of bringing the world of 1800 to life. Read for research for the new book I plan to write (The Wild Girl), but very readable for anyone interested in the era.

Napoleon & Josephine: An Improbably Marriage by Evangeline Bruce

I read this for research but hugely enjoyed it – I never really understood how Napoleon got to be Emperor before, or how he was then thrown down, but now I feel like I'm an expert on the subject. Very well written – clear, simple, evocative – and very, very useful to me.

The Mistaken Wife by Rose Melikan

A historical thriller set during the Napoleonic Wars, this is the third in a series that began with The Blackstone Key and continued with The Counterfeit Guest. I've enjoyed each of them, and found them amusing and engaging ... I'm not completely swept off my feet by them, though. The first was the cleverest, the second was the funniest, the third was action-packed ... I'm hoping the fourth will combine all these elements and be a real humdinger.

The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland

I absolutely adored this book! Susan Vreeland never fails to enchant, surprise, and illuminate. Her style is subtle yet powerful; the character of the Canadian painter Emily Carr was brought fully to life, as was her world. I had never heard of Emily Carr before I read this book. Afterwards I was googling her paintings and could not believe that this feisty, strong-willed, pig-headed and vulnerable woman was not more widely known. Her paintings are extraordinary - bold, unconventional and filled with light and mystery. Susan Vreeland's wonderful book is a wonderful introduction to her art, and to the world of the indigenous people of British Columbia.

The Golden Day by Ursula Duborsarky

A slight yet exquisitely rendered book about the mysterious disappearance of a girls' school teacher, and the ripples of unease that spread out across the lives of her young students. Beautifully written, with some striking metaphors and images, the book is haunting in its strangeness.

A Plague on Both Your Houses by Susannah Gregory

This is a medieval murder mystery with an unorthodox physician acting as amateur detective as dead bodies pile up all around the University of Cambridge. The story is at times incoherent, with so many characters and plots and sub-plots crossing and re-crossing that it is easy to become confused. However, some of the historical detail was very well done and any book that deals with the Black Death cannot help but be filled with ghoulish appeal. This is the first book in the long-running Chronicles of Matthew Bartholomew and I have been assured the books get better as they go on. It was readable enough that I'm willing to test this hypothesis.

12 books this month, bringing my total to 102 this year.