
I haven't read a travel journal or travel memoir before so this was a new one for me. Cate brings us into her world working as a volunteer in Mexico for three years.
Usually you think a memoir as someone telling you about themselves, yet in this memoir Cate focuses her lens on Mexico and she becomes the conduit through which we learn about this amazing country and its generous people.
She shares how her experiences shaped and influenced her and what we have to learn from countries and people that we view as impoverished. In the end we have to wonder which people are the truly impoverished. Whilst we might have the material goods, there is a lot we lack such a generosity of spirit.

This is a really valuable book for any woman, but especially those looking for resources as they prepare for their own birth.
By reading about other women's experiences you can prepare for your own, and most importantly learn about the reality of birth. That there are no guarantees, that you cannot predict anything, and you just have to surrender and hope for the best.

I love reading short stories by dipping into them over time and that's what I did with this collection.
My favourite is probably Seventy-Two Derwents told from the point of view of a child. There is such a sense of menace and tension in this story and I was entranced by the ending.

There is intrigue, high society, coming out and potential love interests.
Cooper examines the political events leading to World War II and captures a snapshot of the times.

This was probably my favourite book of the series. Cooper has meticulously brought to life the reality of living in London during the Nazi bombings.
I can see this book being a real gem in the classroom and getting students to learn about history by living it through Sophie's eyes.
I've loved this whole series and it has been an absolute pleasure reading all of the books, as attested by the fact that I inhaled all three books in a couple of months.

This was a story with real heart and some laugh out loud moments. Paddy beautifully captured the quirky characters of a small country town with authenticity.
Even though this is a light-hearted read, there is real depth to the story she tells and Loretta's journey.