THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON : KATE MORTON
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. This debut page-turner from Australian Morton recounts the crumbling of a prominent British family as seen through the eyes of one of its servants. At 14, Grace Reeves leaves home to work for her mother's former employers at Riverton House. She is the same age as Hannah, the headstrong middle child who visits her uncle, Lord Ashbury, at Riverton House with her siblings Emmeline and David. Fascinated, Grace observes their comings and goings and, as an invisible maid, is privy to the secrets she will spend a lifetime pretending to forget. But when a filmmaker working on a movie about the family contacts a 98-year-old Grace to fact-check particulars, the memories come swirling back. The plot largely revolves around sisters Hannah and Emmeline, who were present when a family friend, the young poet R.S. Hunter, allegedly committed suicide at Riverton. Grace hints throughout the narrative that no one knows the real story, and as she chronicles Hannah's schemes to have her own life and the curdling of younger Emmeline's jealousy, the truth about the poet's death is revealed. Morton triumphs with a riveting plot, a touching but tense love story and a haunting ending.

original title: The Shifting Fog


Loved it. I read each page slowly enjoying the authors use of words. Her characters, especially Grace shone and she parceled out bits of information at just the right rate to keep the book flowing.
"Reluctance to begin is quick to befriend procrastination" ..... neat huh!

Her next book, The Forgotten Garden is on my reserve list at the library and can't wait.




STEAL ACROSS THE SKY : NANCY KRESS
Publishers Weekly:
Nebula and Hugo-winner Kress (Dogs) presents a fascinating mystery in classic SF style. The alien Atoners come to Earth with a startling message: some 10,000 years ago, they committed a crime against humanity, kidnapping human beings and establishing colonies on 14 other planets. Now they are asking for 21 human Witnesses to travel to those distant worlds and uncover the nature of their crime. Cam, Lucca and Soledad head to the double planets of Kular A and Kular B, worlds where life is cheap but may not end at the moment of death. The knowledge that they bring back changes civilization dramatically. Though the novel is somewhat marred by an over-hasty conclusion that leaves a number of plot threads dangling, Kress's philosophical explorations will keep readers hooked and thoughtful.

Interesting premise and well enough written to keep me going to the end. I agree about the over-hasty conclusion but I'm not sure how she could have done it any differently without dragging it on too long.


We'll Always Have Paris: Ray Bradbury
A collection of short stories that I found myself flipping through. I am not a fan of short story collections but I always try anything Bradbury puts out. He was one of the first sci/fi writers I read and I feel a certain loyalty to him.

Gate of Ivrel by CJ Cherryh : ho hum til near the end. I have the next 2 books but I'm not rushing to read them. So did Stargate steal the idea of gates from her or.......

The Pride of Chanur by CJ Cherryh : decent enough featuring alien races but again the next few novels will have to wait til I get desperate.