OH DEAR SILVIA

By Dawn French   (STAFF)  LWH

What an interesting read and an unusual setting. Silvia Shute has fallen from a balcony and is in hospital in a coma. She has led, what seems to be, a selfish life... or has she?

After many years of marriage she has left her husband, cut herself off from her children and only grand child and has taken up a relationship with another women. Now in a coma, just lying there, she is unable to spit venomous words to her family and friends that have come to rally around her in her time of need. Each one has their individual time with her and although at first they speak words of encouragement and try to bring her out of her coma, little by little, true feelings come out and they can't resist telling her what they really think of her, particularly while she is 'out of action'.

But maybe there is more to Sylvia than everyone thinks. Each chapter is describing what is going on behind the closed door while each character has their time with Sylvia. At times it is quite funny, particularly what bizarre antics her sister gets up to to bring her back to reality. As you read further in this book it unravels more mysteries and everything will fall into place in a very unexpected way. Well worth a read.

THE FITZOSBORNE'S AT WAR

by Michelle Cooper  (STAFF)   LWH

What a fabulously captivating historical fiction, which is the last in a trilogy by Michelle Cooper. In this book Sophie and the rest of her family, the royal family of Montmaray, escape their remote island home when the Nazis attack, and flee to England, where they think they will be safe.


Written as Sophie's personal journal, the writer takes you on a ride of emotions as Sophie shares her very private secrets, her heartbreaks and fears during the six years of World War II, and what it was like living through this terrible time as a young adult. Losing family and friends, coping with the bombings and destruction in London, the rationing of food, and even the political events that were all part of this horrid time. There are so many historical facts written into this story yet it flows beautifully. I really connected with Sophie and felt her frustration and loss.


Even though I've read this trilogy out of order I think I'll seek out the other two and complete the journey.

TORN PAGES

by Sally Grindley   (LWH)

Orphaned, poor, living in Africa, and a grandmother that hates her, Lydia has the odds stacked against her as she must take on a mother's role and care for her sister and brother, trying just to survive.

This is a wonderful heart wrenching story, that is beautifully told by Sally Grindley. Things are very tough for these children as they try to come to terms with the recent death of their mother to AIDS. Lydia is forced to stay  home from school and work for her horrid grandmother, whose only desire is to cause pain to her grandchildren and take over their home. The every day chores they must undertake just to survive certainly made me realise how much we take for granted living in Australia.

I will certainly be reading more of Sally's lovely books.

SISTER

SISTER

by Rosamund Lupton   (STAFF)   LWH

It took me a while to start to enjoy this book I will admit. The story is told as a letter from one Sister to another which I didn't like at first, but then came to see the layers being peeled away as Beautrice writes to her sister, Tess, who has gone missing, and reveals her inner thoughts and fears.

Living in New York, Beautrice, a successful art designer, gets a message that her sister living in London has gone missing. Single, pregnant, a struggling art student, Tess has been reported missing by the landlord. Was she a runaway, has she suicided or been murdered? ... you will find out as the mystery unravels. Although the Police believe one of these, Beautrice wont stop until she finds out what has really happened to her sister in the lead up to her disappearance.

A gripping story that has a giant twist that I didn't reallly see coming, with a story that is far more complicated than first thought. Throughout the book we see a change in the perfect and well organised Bee until she transforms little to little to be more like her sister than she ever thought possible. There is a connection with her younger brother who died at an early age from Cystic Fribrosis and the disappearance of her sister that will be revealed.

Well worth the a read.

IF I STAY

IF I STAY  by Gayle Foreman    (LWH)

Imagine if all your choices were gone… except one… and it’s the only one that really matters.

17 year old Mia has a happy family, a would-be rock star boyfriend and a great musical talent. All seems to be going well for her when her world is turned upside down. A car accident on a family outing leaves her in a coma in hospital. She can see and hear what is going on around her from above them but she can’t seem to communicate with them. Where are her parents and her little brother and why aren’t they telling her what really happened? She has to decide if she is to wake up and lead a life far more difficult than she ever anticipated, or to slip away and die. Adam, her boyfriend, is by her side throughout but whether this brings them closer together I won’t say as you will have to read this book to find out.

This was a heart wrenching book that drew me in page by page. I was experiencing Mia’s difficult decision along with her. It certainly was a thriller as either decision she made seemed to be difficult.

WHERE SHE WENT  by Gayle Foreman   (LWH)

 

This is the sequel to ‘If I Stay’ and is set three years after Mia’s accident. The story is told from Adam’s point of view, which brings a different perspective of what happened through his eyes. Adam and Mia are living on opposite sides of the country now and he is leading a ‘rock star’ life like he wanted, but maybe it isn’t what he thought it would be. By chance he is reunited with Mia in New York and they only have one night together before they must go their separate ways.  Adam is searching for the answers to his many questions, mainly what he did wrong and where she went. They’ve both changed in the past three years and this book fills in the gaps. It was good to get closure with this second book.