The latest issue of Shiny New Books is now up on the web so do take a look at it. This is the wonderful new online book review Magazine boasting four of the best bloggers around as editors, Simon of Stuck in a Book, Harriet Devine, Annabell Gaskell and Victoria Best who blogs as Litlove. I have been following their blogs for years and I am delighted and privileged to be able to review books for them.
This issue has two reviews from me - both reprints of titles by Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Lost Prince and Lady of Quality. The first is one of my most favourite books and I have lost count of the number of times I have read it. The second, Lady of Quality, is a first for me and I find it interesting more than lovable as it is FHB outside her normal historical period. It is a one off and I get the impression she had enormous fun writing it.
I ended up the review by saying it was not my favourite but it might be yours, so do nip over and check it out.
Also do check out a simply marvellous book by Sybil Brinton: Old Friends and New Fancies, written in 1916 and the first Jane Austen sequel. The author takes the view that all the characters in all of Austen moved in the same circles and would know each other and they do and it makes for fun reading and is witty and spot on. Also in the reprints section and another gem from Hesperus Press as are the two Burnetts above.
I remember when bloggers first started appearing on the web how dismissive critics were of their abilities and, what is more, their right to express their opinions on books. I remember the Guardian being particularly toffee nosed about it. My how things have changed and Shiny New Books demonstrates this perfectly.
