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SUMMER HOLIDAY NOVELS

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”—Dr. Seuss

As our thoughts turn to holidays and lovely warm weather, it's time to give some attention to all those books we've been meaning to read all year, or perhaps to finding something completely different to our usual favourites. Holidays are a great time to relax and read, guilt-free and undistracted.  Here are some suggestions to pop into your suitcase....

Boy Swallows Universe. Trent Dalton

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An award-winning debut novel based on the author's childhood. Eli and his brother Gus live with their mother and stepfather in a rough part of Brisbane. His mother is a drug addict and his stepfather a drug dealer.  When their mum goes to prison and their stepfather disappears. the brothers end up living with their estranged father. In spite of all this, Eli is full of love for his family and wants to grow up to be a good man. A compelling coming-of-age story.

Greenwich Park. Katherine Faulkner

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Helen's seemingly idyllic life begins to change when she attends her first ante-natal class and her husband doesn't show up.  At the class Helen meets Rachel, a single mother-to-be who doesn't seem at all maternal. They become friends but Rachel's increasingly erratic behaviour becomes noticeable to Helen's family and friends and some suspect that she may be linked to their shared history in some way. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime it would appear that there are many secrets lurking in Helen's family.

Bright Burning Things. Lisa Harding

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Sonya is a single mother bringing up Tommy, her four-year-old son in the suburbs of Dublin. Sonya was an actress, performing Chekhov and Ibsen on the London stage.  Now she is battling alcoholism and is behaving recklessly with Tommy.  Her father and a nosy neighbour are constantly checking up on her, seeing her as an unfit mother.  She eventually ends up in a rehab centre. Sonya now lives in constant fear that she will not get Tommy back.

Afraid of the Light. Douglas Kennedy

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Brendan, a man in his late fifties who lost his job as a salesman, is now driving for Uber in Los Angeles. A retired professor named Elise asks to be dropped off at an abortion clinic. They arrive at the same time that someone has set off a bomb inside the clinic.  Brendan's life is changed irrevocably after this incident as he questions his choices,  and he and Elise form a friendship. A portrayal of conflicting moral issues, loyalty and the harshness of life for the less fortunate in Los Angeles.

Beautiful World, Where Are You? Sally Rooney

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Prize-winning writer Alice and her university friend Eileen are both on the cusp of turning thirty. Alice meets Felix who works in a distribution centre and asks him to accompany her to Rome for a book event.  Eileen hooks up with Simon, a childhood friend.  The story centres around the dynamics between the two couples and is largely told in the form of texts.  The four friends discuss politics, global warming, philosophy and their own personal relationships, as they desperately try to find beauty in their everyday lives.

The Cellist. Daniel Silva

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Book 21 in the Gabriel Allon series, but is also a standalone novel.  Wealthy Viktor Orlov who has long been on Russia's hitlist, is found dead in his London mansion, which is protected by armed bodyguards.  He has succumbed to novichok poisoning found in some documents which had been hand-delivered. Gabriel Allon, Israeli Intelligence Officer, who owes his life to Viktor Orlov, determines to find the truth behind the killing. His quest takes him to Amsterdam and Geneva and he enlists the help of old associates.  Very topical storyline, including the global pandemic, money laundering and the January 2021 attack on the Capitol building in Washington DC.

SEE ALSO:

A Slow Fire Burning. Paula Hawkins
Klara and the Sun. Kazuo Ishiguro
Count the Ways. Joyce Maynard
The Magician. Colm Toibin
Harlem Shuffle. Colson Whitehead
The Recovery of Rose Gold. Stephanie Wrobel