The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

So it's Christmas Eve in New Zealand and I'm writing a book review but I wanted to write it now as I've just finished this beautiful book that has taken me too long too read. The reason it has taken so long is because of work, study and Christmas commitments, not because there's anything wrong with the book.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is written by Phaedra Patrick. It tells the story of 69-year-old soon to be 70-year-old Arthur Pepper. It's the one-year anniversary of the death of his wife Miriam who he had been married to for more than 40 years. 

Arthur decides it's time to start going through Miriam's wardrobe and he finds a gold charm bracelet. He's never seen it before and he sets out on an adventure to find out where all the charms on the bracelet have come from. He finds out some beautiful things about his wife and some things that may be best left in the past. 

Along the way Arthur meets some interesting characters and finds out a lot about himself as well.

A delightful debut from Phaedra Patrick!

Best Fiction for 2017 - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Have you ever loved a book so much, you didn't want it to end?  

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was that book for me. It's the best work of fiction I've read in 2017. 

This is the debut novel for Honeyman and it's easy to see why she has been getting accolades for the best debut novel of 2017.

The book's main character is Eleanor Oliphant. She is a woman who has had a tough life. She lives alone, goes to work each day, talks to her mother once a week and has her set way of doing things. 

As the back of the book says she has learned how to survive - but not how to live. 

That is until she meets the IT guy at work and an elderly man who the IT guy and Eleanor help after he collapses on the street. Friendships develop between the trio leading Eleanor to experience a better life. However, she still has her past to deal with. 

Eleanor has her quirks and by the end of the book you will want to read more about her. It would be great if there was a sequel. 

The book is funny and also does a great job of covering areas like loneliness and friendship. However, I admit there were one or two chapters I found hard to read but they were part of the story.

This is a hard book to review without giving too much of the story away so I will leave it there except to say - Go read this book, you will be glad you did!