Oops, I forgot about The Endless Forest.

I was just skimming over my posts, and realised that I had forgotten to mention the book I read before The Colour. One of my favourite authors is Sara Donati, who has written a series of books set in early America (similiar to Diana Gabaldon style of Cross-stitch).

Anyway, The Endless Forest is the final (and sixth) book in the Wilderness series. This book takes us back to Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner who we met int he original book, Into the Wilderness. It is a tough time in 1824 when the village Paradise is nearly totally destroyed by flooding. However, it is also a joyful time, where elizabeth and Nathaniel are reunited with their family.

The joy does not stay long, when Jemima Southern (a nasty schemer and murderer!) returns to Paradise to create havock.

A whole lot of chaos, tears, happiness and surprise follows.

Meanwhile I have managed to score two Jodi Piccoult books to read. I was wandering through Whitcoulls when I spotted Handle With Care on special ($20)! Plus, my mum came up to visit this weekend, and has left me a copy of House Rules to read too. Brilliant!

The Colour

My friend, Jenny Pringle, lent me this book by Rose Tremain. It was a marvelous read, and I found it hard to put the book down.

In The Colour, Joseph and Harriet Blackstone are newlyweds from England, but have come to New Zealand in search of new beginnings and prosperity. It is soon evident that the marriage is one of convenience and that both man and wife barely even like each other. They buy a little bit of land near Christchurch and build a shack to live in. When Joseph finds some gold, called "the colour," in the creek by the farm, he hides it with without telling Harriet. When he can't make a living from the farm, he heads for the gold fields on the other side of the mountains, leaving Harriet behind. After a series of mishaps at the farm, Harriet takes the dog and sets off in search of him. The reader is certainly given a peek at the harsh and bleak conditions one must have gone through during the gold rush times in New Zealand.

I am now a fan of Rose Tremain, and am looking forward to reading her other books (Music and Silence, Sacred Country, Restoration and The Colonel's Daughter). IF any of you have enjoyed books by Jenny Patrick, then I am sure you will enjoy this book.