I’m back from London and The Continent. I really like the term ‘The Continent’ – far more Henry James than ‘Europe’ and it also reminds me of the eighties when people in Australia talked extensively about their ‘Continental holidays’ – they sounded so glamorous. Note that my two week trip included two visits to The Continent – a day-trip to Paris (as you do) and a few days in Berlin. As a result, I can now talk about ‘my most recent trip to The Continent’ (Berlin) and ‘my previous trip to The Continent’ (Paris). This makes me very happy indeed.

I’m sure I’ll bore you with holiday details in my next Bookish Thoughts post but in the meantime, I’ll share some quick thoughts on the books I read while I was away.

Ten Things I’ve Learnt About Love by Sarah Butler

The fact that I’m still thinking about this book, despite finishing it two weeks ago, is a good sign. It’s one that lingers. Layers of the plot are revealed quietly, gradually and the overall result was a story that I found incredibly sad (not the crying-out-loud kind of sad, more a sentimental, heart-ache kind of sad). There’s lots to ponder about parent and sibling relationships but I really did love the multiple ‘top ten’ lists scattered throughout the text. I really, really love top-ten lists.

3.5/5

The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh

I was expecting something along the lines of Swimming Home or Stealing Beauty but unfortunately this book didn’t even come close. Jenn, the annoying main character, seems to act with little motivation and even less thought. Throw in a few gratuitous sex scenes (not in the least convincing) and the odd convenient plot twist and that’s about the sum of it. Give it a miss.

1/5  (I received my copy of The Lemon Grove from the publisher, Hachette Australia, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review)

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

So this book has been on my reading list for how long? About eleventy-million months. Plus I’ve had lots of friends urging me to read it. It was a great choice to read on the plane – no question that it’s a page-turner. I enjoyed the twists and turns and much of the plot was meticulously detailed. Clever indeed. But, without spoilers, there was one part toward the end which left me thinking “No, Amy would not have done that” and as such, I thought the final chapters really fell apart. For the record, Team Nick.

3/5