Readers' reviews

If Quick Reads have helped you get back into the reading habit, we would love to hear from you.

Use the review form to tell us about your experience with Quick Reads and to send us your opinion on the books.

Read Previous Reviews:

The Cave – Kate Mosse

My mum hasn't read a book for many, many years. She says she can't concentrate on books for long enough - I think they are too daunting for her - "over-facing" her. The upshot of this is that she hasn't read for 10-15 years. I brought three of the Quick Reads home from our library for her and gave them to her this morning. She is reading The Cave by Kate Mosse - and has devoured it! "I'm up to chapter 14 and I can't wait to find out how it ends...but I'm not looking!" she just said....and has promptly stuck her nose back in the book again! This is so wonderful for me to see - as someone whose family are avid readers I know the power of a good book. Thank you so much for bringing these books to my mum - they have given her back her confidence - its just astounding!

Quick Reads – All Authors

During the last academic year two groups of students met on a weekly basis to read the Quick Reads. The students gave comments about the books and I created a display in the learning resource centre of photographs and thoughts about the books. The students thoroughly enjoy the relaxed environment to meet and the learning resource centre provided refreshments and biscuits. Two new groups of students are about to begin to read the Quick Reads for this new term, meeting again on a weekly basis.

Happy Families – Adele Parks

A lovely read for the bath or the bus, but more than that a great introduction to chick lit. I work in a FE College library and one student last year told us it was the first book she had ever read because the story was something she could relate to herself - not like many chick lits - this story was like a real person curling up with a cup of tea and telling you about their day, lovely.

Quick Reads – Various Authors

Before starting my Move On English course I had basically given up on reading novels. But Quick Reads are small enough to get started again and yet also contain all the interesting information inside to make them enjoyable. I now love losing myself in a book and enjoy sharing the ideas with others. I hope this is the start of reading again for me, and I am now exchanging books with friends and discussing other books and authors. Quick Reads are an ideal opportunity to get back into reading without being put off by the size of a novel, or in my case, feeling guilty for not doing something more productive.

Girl on the Platform – Josephine Cox

I thought the girl on the platform was very interesting, I liked how the story flows. It was a good story and I liked the characters - Maggie was a good character because she was exciting. I liked the ending and how the story pans out. It was a story I could get my teeth into.

One Good Turn – Chris Ryan

I have read my first book at the age of 47 as I am dyslexic. It is called One Good Turn by Chris Ryan, I love this book. Thank you to my college who told be about Quick Reads. I will now go out and look for more Quick Read books to read. Thank you.

Hello Mum – Bernardine Evaristo

A sad, realistic and very emotional story, written in street language. It is about young adults and gang culture. It would be good for both parents and teenagers to read as it would help them all express their real feelings and then lead to them understanding each other better. It would also be a useful book for teachers.

Jack and Jill – Lucy Cavendish

I love this book; and the way it spoke in the voice of the little girl it helped me to live this story through her eyes, her inquisitiveness. She showed that despite the fact that there was a secret in the family she was not silly and that was the reason for her wanting to know more and more.

Last Night Another Soldier – Andy Mcnab

A very well written book, with real characters that made me feel very connected. Although the book was in some ways quite masculine, Andy McNab has also managed to portray emotion and he gives the reader a real feeling of what life must be like in war-time Afghanistan. I shall definitely be wanting to read more of his books in the future.

Man at Work – Mike Gayle

As a light book this worked well and the size of the book is also attractive. It is a nice story and would be appropriate for the young adult or young at heart. It could be described as chick lit but I would be happy to give it to guys or girls. It is also good to know there are books around just for an enjoyable read without any hidden or dark message, easy language and well paced. Definitely one for the library shelf.