Luke is reading Henry V by Dan Jones
Henry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months and died at the age of just thirty-five, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt, he is remembered as the acme of kingship, a model to be closely imitated by his successors. William Shakespeare deployed Henry V as a study in youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship. For one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, “the greatest man who ever ruled England.”
“Simply, this is one of the best history books I have read in several years. The book and title character reads like an historical thriller, so many twists and turns. Real life danger lurks at every corner. 5 stars!”
Tayla is reading Stolen Tongues by Felxi Blackwell
A romantic cabin getaway doesn’t go exactly as planned. High up on the windswept cliffs of Pale Peak, Faye and Felix celebrate their new engagement. But soon, a chorus of ghastly noises erupts from the nearby the screams of animals, the cries of children, and the mad babble of a hundred mournful voices. A dark figure looms near the windows in the dead of night, whispering to Faye. As the weather turns deadly, Felix discovers that his terrified fiancée isn’t just mumbling in her sleep – she’s whispering back. Originally a contest-winning story on reddit.com’s horror community NoSleep, Stolen Tongues has received widespread acclaim and has been optioned for film.
“This is the scariest book I have ever read! I wanted to be freaked out, and I picked up this book with a hunch that it would do just that.
If you want to be scared and don’t mind reading with every light on in the house, give this book your attention! I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.”
Catherine is reading When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin
1941. The wealthy Tang family has settled in Hong Kong after fleeing Shanghai. As the First Wife of the family, Mingzhu leads a glamorous but lonely existence – mothering the son of her husband’s concubine, overseeing her daughter Qiang‘s education, and directing their household of servants, including her long-time confidante, Biyu.
When the Japanese invade the island, the three women’s paths wildly diverge. Mingzhu’s affinity for languages spares her physical labour but she’s coerced into serving an enemy captain. Qiang and Biyu suffer brutal factory work and food rations until an encounter with the East River Column Resistance fighters separates them. As war rages around them, each woman holds onto the hope that the others are alive. Can they fight for their freedom and still find their way back to each other?
A beautifully written debut novel that follows three women who face love and loss while surviving the brutal Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during the second World War.
If quietly powerful and well-researched historical fiction appeals to you, then I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list.
