Hosted by Lypsyy Lost & Found my Wednesday post gives you a taste of what I am reading this week. A similar meme is run by Taking on a World of Words
I am currently reading The Whicharts by Noel Streatfeild a book from my 20 Books of Summer 2015! challenge
Blurb
She never doubted for one moment that once she had the necessary training she would find the work. She knew with her whole being that she was a born mechanic. In what way she would have a chance to prove this she didn’t know, but her prayers always finished: “And oh God, if possible, let me fly”.
1920s London: three adopted sisters train for the stage and support the household.
Maimie, Tania and Daisy Whichart have self-reliance thrust upon them. The Whicharts is the story of their dreams, friendships and loves. The drudgery of stage-work is set against their passion for family ties and realising their dreams.
Out of print since the 1930s, Noel Streatfeild’s rare first novel is an exuberant portrayal of London cultural life in the inter-war years.
Streatfeild used parts of this first novel to develop the classic ‘Ballet Shoes’ Goodreads
I have just finished After The Fire by Jane Casey
You can read the blurb and opening paragraph in yesterday’s post
My review will follow shortly
Next I plan to read The Bones of You by Debbie Howells
Blurb
I have a gardener’s inherent belief in the natural order of things. Soft‑petalled flowers that go to seed. The resolute passage of the seasons. Swallows that fly thousands of miles to follow the eternal summer.
Children who don’t die before their parents.
When Kate receives a phone call with news that Rosie Anderson is missing, she’s stunned and disturbed. Rosie is eighteen, the same age as Kate’s daughter, and a beautiful, quiet, and kind young woman. Though the locals are optimistic—girls like Rosie don’t get into real trouble—Kate’s sense of foreboding is confirmed when Rosie is found fatally beaten and stabbed.
Who would kill the perfect daughter, from the perfect family? Yet the more Kate entwines herself with the Andersons—graceful mother Jo, renowned journalist father Neal, watchful younger sister Delphine—the more she is convinced that not everything is as it seems. Anonymous notes arrive, urging Kate to unravel the tangled threads of Rosie’s life and death, though she has no idea where they will lead.
Weaving flashbacks from Rosie’s perspective into a tautly plotted narrative, The Bones of You is a gripping, haunting novel of sacrifices and lies, desperation and love. NetGalley
Have you read any of these? What did you think?
What have you found to read this week?
See what I’ve been reading in 2015 here
Cleopatra Loves Books 
I had never heard of that Noel Streatfield book before – and I was crazy about all of her books when I was a child. I think the message I particularly liked was the one about ‘hard work’ and ‘making do with little’ rather than the success and fortune hunting aspect of it. I don’t know if the children of today would accept those messages though…
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Haha – I used to have many of her books out on rotation from the library – Thursday’s Child was my favourite (sparked mainly because I was born on a Thursday) which has the same sort of theme that you mention. My daughter loved them too although she was never going to be a ballet dancer (she inherited her mother’s lack of grace) the message certainly doesn’t hurt even if it isn’t completely absorbed.
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I liked White Boots because I did skate when I was a child (not competitively, just for fun). I thought Lalla was just like German skater Katarina Witt, who was my favourite skater at the time.
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I read that one too – I did skate a little as a child – Such a talented writer and her books accompanied me through childhood right up to the more ‘grown-up’ The Vicarage Family and the series about Gemma!
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I still have my childhood copies of White Boots and Ballet Shoes on the shelf waiting for my son to read them! (I had a bit of an obsession with White Boots if I remember correctly but had to give up the dream when I realized I’m rubbish on skates!). I hadn’t heard of The Whicharts either and will look forward to hearing what you think of it. 🙂
Here’s my WWW: http://clairehuston.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/www-wednesday-10-june-2015/
Happy reading!
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Haha – I have no coordination so lived my dreams through both these books… Thanks for visiting and leaving your link
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i loved Noel Streatfield’s books when I was a child too!
And I’m itching to read After the Fire – I’ve just finished reading The Kill this morning. Jane Casey’s books just get better and better!
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Jane Casey’s books do get better – I loved After The Fire but sad because now I’m back to waiting for the next one.
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I’d never heard of Noel Streatfeild until I watched You’ve Got Mail! I like the sound of The Whicharts though; will wait to hear what you think Cleo 🙂
https://bookboodle.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/www-wednesday-june-10th
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I was a huge Noel Streatfeild fan as a child and am delighted with The Whicharts. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your link 🙂
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Ooh I’ll soon be reading The Bones Of You as well, looking forward to seeing what you think of it! 🙂
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Oh excellent news – we can compare notes 🙂
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I haven’t heard of any of these but ‘The Whicharts’ looks interesting. I love a good historical fiction. Happy reading!
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Thank you Sam 🙂
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The Whicharts sounds like such an interesting window into that era, Cleo! I’m always interested in what writers of a given time have to say about their own times. And I am looking forward to your review of the Casey 🙂
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I’m loving comparing it to the book I loved so much as a child. What can I say about After The Fire, Jane Casey just keeps getting better…
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Will be excited to hear your experience with the new Jane Casey. And I’ve seen a couple of things about The Bones of You. Am interested in that one too. Also, like bookboodle above, I had never heard of the Streatfeild books until I saw You’ve Got Mail. Isn’t it funny that books that so well known in one part of the world as childhood favorites are not as well known other places.
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I’ve been so surprised by the comments of people who didn’t meet Noel Streatfeild in childhood but in other ways it’s unsurprising as she wrote books which are very English in nature.
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Brilliant books as always Cleo! 🙂 Happy Reading!
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Thank you Chrissi.
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I recently read The Bones of You and really liked it. It was a different read for me since it had some of my biggest pet peeves that turned out to be a good thing as for as this book is concerned. I look forward to seeing what you think of it.
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I’ve been over to read your review as I’ve just started this now – totally agree on the pace but it grew on me remarkably quickly – I hope to remain as engaged as I read the rest of the book.
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I have been on the fence about The Bones of You…but now I must have it! Thanks! Here’s MY WWW POST
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I’ve started The Bones of You and I have to say I wasn’t sure at first but it has definitely grown on me!
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After the Fire still sounds the most interesting.
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After the Fire is a superb read – thanks for visiting!
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I don’t know any of these, but I hope they are good or were good if you finished them. I’m reading Eeny Meeny right now and it’s so so good.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
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Oh I have heard brilliant things about Eeny Meeny but haven’t read it myself. Thanks for visiting Lauren.
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Now I think that you and FleurInHerWorld are in cahoots with each other, both of you, in a very short space of time promoting books I’m salivating for which seem to be out of print. I think I will just have to visit the children’s library and see if I can find a copy of Ballet Shoes to re-read, and try to imagine that version for grownups. I love that quote about being a born mechanic, it’s so clever and un-precious, as it’s something you normally think of as being applied to ‘artistic callings’
And, you know, it raised faint glimmers…………I wonder whether I DID read this, years ago, as it seemed familiar? unless there was something similar in Ballet Shoes.
I shall look forward, with pain and delight, to your review (unless of course synchronicity draws a copy to the charity shop, in which case it will be delight and delight!)
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I had to pop over and check out what Fleur had tempted you with 🙂 My review will be up soon – you’ll see from that the similarities and differences that I recall but I really think I need to read Ballet Shoes again to do a true comparison some time.
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At least I found another book of Sylvia Townsend Walker’s short stories, pages well faded and clearly loosened by much thumbing, on my bookshelf, so am delicately and enjoyably tasting her sharp and at times dark take on ‘Kingdoms of Elfin’ Sweet, twee tales these are not, but they are very funny, and at times, very nasty.
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