Books & Reviews – Melanie Underwood Editor

Oct

06

2022

October 6th, 2022 by Melanie3101

Since becoming an editor several years ago, I’ve found reading for pleasure less enjoyable as it’s impossible to turn off fault-finding mode in my brain. The solution to this is the wonderful audiobook and after developing an eye infection recently, I’ve taken advantage of the unused credits for my Audible subscription to catch up with some favourite authors.

Initially, I chose the more recent of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series which I’d not yet read, followed by those of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series both of which were excellent as always but then I remembered the wonderful Mark Gimenez. Some years ago, I discovered his books and loved those that had been published at that time; all gripping page-turners.

I’d read the first in the Scott Fenney series The Colour of Law and decided to listen to the second and third, both narrated by the brilliant Jeff Harding who’d also narrated the Reacher stories. They did not disappoint!

Posted in Books & Reviews Tagged with: Lee Child, Mark Gimenez, Michael Connelly

Jun

24

2019

June 24th, 2019 by Melanie3101

A favourite poem of mine from childhood. It was one of many lovely poems in the first volume of poetry I owned, For Your Delight, a gift from my mother.

The foxglove pictured is in my garden.

Four and Eight

by Ffrida Wolfe

The Foxglove by the cottage door
Looks down on Joe, and Joe is four.The Foxglove by the garden gate
Looks down on Joan, and Joan is eight.“I’m glad we’re small,” said Joan, “I love
To see inside the fox’s glove,

Where taller people cannot see,
And all is ready for the bee;
The door is wide, the feast is spread,
The walls are dotted rosy red.”
“And only little people know
How nice it looks in there,” said Joe.
Said Joan, “The upper rooms are locked;
A bee went buzzing up—he knocked,
But no one let him in, so then
He bumbled gaily down again.”
“Oh dear!” sighed Joe, “if only we
Could grow as little as that bee,
We too might room by room explore
The Foxglove by the cottage door.”

The Foxglove by the garden gate
Looked down and smiled on Four and Eight.

Posted in Books & Reviews, Miscellaneous Tagged with: Favourite Books

May

11

2019

May 11th, 2019 by Melanie3101

Another brilliant novel by Tony Harmsworth—a gripping page-turner that kept me reading until one thirty this morning!

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Posted in Books & Reviews Tagged with: Tony Harmsworth

Apr

14

2019

April 14th, 2019 by Melanie3101

Not a genre I would usually choose as a first preference, but this was recommended to me by a member of a book group and I’m so glad it was. A fascinating read, raising complex and very real issues about our planet and our future.

A well-constructed story written from an interesting point of view, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel from start to finish.

The Uninvited – Liz Jensen – Amazon