Tea With Tales Top Reads for June

A week later due to King’s birthday we enjoyed hot drinks and cheese scones while we shared books and movies we had read or watched more than once.

We started with a short reading from American Dirt by Jeanne Cummins. Mexican bookseller, Lydia and her young son Luca are trying to escape a drug cartel and find safety in America. The story centres on the dangerous journey and is an edge of your seat read.

The books we read in the last month included more adventures for Janet Evanovich’s heroine Stephanie Plum, and Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt who is still trying to save the world. Harlan Coben, an author whose books have been dramatised on Netflix was a recommendation for those who enjoy a good thriller. One member observed she would rather watch a scary movie than read a scary book.

The storyline of Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden held our reader’s attention although she struggled with the Australian author’s interpretation of English life. The Bookseller at the End of the World written by New Zealander Ruth Shaw was really enjoyed and our reader is looking forward to her new book Bookshop Dogs.

The book that got the most discussion this month was State of Denial by American investigative journalist Bob Woodward. Woodward examines the American involvement and in particular George W Bush in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and their search for the weapons of mass destruction. We talked about the use of propaganda in war and compared it to previous world wars. Carrying on the war theme was the true story of Pippa Latour. Co written by Jude Dobson The Last Secret Agent; the untold story of my life as a spy behind Nazi enemy lines makes you feel that you are right there with her.

Through letters written to her from her recently deceased friend Greta is set a challenge to travel the world in Fiona Sussman’s Addressed to Greta. This New Zealand author really connected with our reader and she strongly recommends this book. However whilst Poor People with Money by New Zealand author Dominic Hoey kept our reader engaged she found the ending not to her liking.

12 June 2024

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