Shopaholic Abroad by Sophie Kinsella

Who can't love Rebecca Bloomwood and her shopping addiction? Haven't we all got a bit of the Bloomwood shopping-bug in us? Well I certainly can relate to her!!

She back and she is off to New York! Credit Card - Check, Luke Brandon the gorgeous boyfriend - Check, Lots of spare empty cases - Check....off she goes.

After the first world wind book I was excited to read Shopaholic Abroad to see what Rebecca could possibly get up to next and in true Kinsella fashion I was laughing all the way to the last page.

Once in New York Rebecca discovers designer sample sales, Bloomingdales, Tiffany's not to mention her small denial that spending a $ is actually more like spending monopoly money...it just isn't real right?

Unfortunately while spending frantically in the big apple, the media back in good old Britain have been keeping a close watch on their daytime TV financial advisor and Rebecca gets busted big time for her shopping addiction and her debt. Losing Luke, New York and her job Rebecca thinks she has lost it all, but in her usual resilient style she makes a smashing come back.

Not to be missed by anyone who is a fan of Kinsella's wit and fast paced comedies.

9/10

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

After reading and thoroughly enjoying The Kite Runner, I was intrigued to see if this book could out do it. It did. What an amazing book. The complexity and depth put into the characters is fabulous and as I was reading I felt totally engrossed in the sights and smells and feelings i was reading about.

Following the trials and tribulations of two Afghan women, bonded under tragic circumstances, love and sisterhood shine through in a Male dominated world. Breath-takingly graphic at times the reader is forced to face the horrors that Afghanistan have had to endure, especially the women and children whose stories we hear so rarely.

With tragic twists and turns through out I found I couldn't put it down.

9/10

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This book was Hosseini's first publish novel and has since been made into a film.

Told from the viewpoint of Amir, born and bred with his father's Hazara servants son, Hassan.

The book covers the period just before, then during the fall of the Afghan monarchy, the Soviet invasion and finally the rise of the Taliban later in the novel.

During a much loved kite running tournament the ever faithful Hassan vows to catch the winning kite for Amir but after he chases away Amir can't find him. After looking for Hassan and receiving no help he comes across the local bully Asef raping Hassan. Amir turns and runs leaving Hassan without defending him like Hassan does blindly for him.

The friendship changes in Amir's eyes although Hassan tries to keep it alive and eventually Amir manages to trick his father into getting rid of his servant and Hassan. His father is devestated to loose them much to Amir's surprise, aren't they only Hazaras?

In the future Amir and his father travel to America and make a life for themselves there.

Amir marries and begins a life of his own unable to have children with his wife. His father dies of cancer and Amir feels all is lost however after a phone call from an old friend Amir has a chance to redeem his past sins.

Back in his home country Amir discovers that Hassan was really his half brother and was killed by the Taliban after trying to protect his family. Amir sets off to Kabul to find Sohrab, Hassan's son.

To cut a long story short, and not to ruin the story, when he finds Sohrab he is dressed in girls clothes being made to dance for no other than Asef the man who had raped his father.

Amir sets right what he should have done many years before for Hassan and saves Sohrab and takes him back to America after a struggle.

Although he is damaged and abused and afraid Sohrab begins to rebuild his life and trust in people with the help of Amir and his wife Sonya. The final kite flying session between Amir and Sohrab seems to mark their new beginning.

Very complex and covering a long and complicated period of time in a turbulent country this book makes us face issues few of us will face.

8/10

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

The year is 1570. The setting is Santa Caterina Convent in Northern Italy. Tranquil, serene, holy...think again. After Serefina, the unwilling addition to the convent arrives she begins unravelling the very bonds of the women in there. Zuana, the daughter of a dead doctor, who studied his craft so well she is now the convent medic, takes Serefina under her wing and becomes more attached to her than she ever thought possible after the lonely life she has led.

16th Century feminism starkly reflects that of today, with a strong community of women working for themselves, unheard of in that era. Sacred Hearts delves into convent life with no apologies for creating a raw and honest look at motives and desire within the blessed walls.

Bonds, love and rivalry all compete in this book making it an interesting and different read.

I enjoyed the book, but unfortunately the slow pace bored me slightly. Maybe this was to reflect convent life, but I felt that the storyline lacked that little something special.

5/10 For me there was just something missing.