Book Review: A Yorkshire Lass by S. Bavey
A glimpse into the life of farm girl Elizabeth Isle
Farm girl Elizabeth Isle’s childhood is fairly idyllic, set in the beautiful countryside of Yorkshire, England, but before long the Second World War breaks out. Now she must become accustomed to the terror of hiding under the stairs when a bomb siren goes off, the hardship of food rationing, and soldiers trying to steal the family car or falling asleep at the wheel, smashing the farm trailer to smithereens in the process. When war is over a relieved Elizabeth goes to boarding school and thereafter settles into a mundane career. Little does she know that once the war ends, her spirit for adventure will bring about a very different sort of excitement.
A Yorkshire Lass: The Early Years is the prequel to Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos: A Yorkshire Lass Down Under in the '60s.
GENRE: Memoir
PURCHASE LINK: Free Download
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sue is a British mother of two teenagers, now living in Franklin, Massachusetts, having moved to the US in 2003.
Writing as S. Bavey, she's the author of Lucky Jack (1894 – 2000), her grandfather’s biography, which she wrote during the COVID lockdown. She also collected and edited her late father’s memoirs and poems and published them in a collection called Daydreams & Narcoleptic Nightmares. She has a number of non-fiction stories published in various anthologies.
Review
Memoirs aren't part of my usual reads. But I was looking for short stories to cleanse my palette, so I looked through my Goodreads TBR for what I felt like tackling. Having recently read Adiel and the Führer, a WW2 story, I thought I'd give this book a try.
True enough, it was a quick, easy read. Sue's writing just draws you in. There are also pictures scattered throughout the chapters, which is such a wonderful insight into those times. It's really quite refreshing to read about real people after having been neck-deep in fiction for so long, and the anecdotes are told in such a charming way that it feels like Elizabeth is actually talking to me.
And having lived in the UK for nearly two years now, I'm now more able to appreciate the places mentioned and the British-isms. Never having been to Australia and New Zealand—but being fond of travel myself—I'm looking forward to Elizabeth's journey in Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
Read on for the synopsis of the sequel Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos: A Yorkshire Lass Down Under in the '60s.
Fueled by her spirit for adventure and with her £10.00 ticket in hand, Elizabeth Isle leaves 1960s England, determined to see it all, not just Australia and New Zealand, but as much as she can on the way, too. She surrenders her passport to the Australian government and must find work to support herself on the other side of the world from her family and friends. There can be no going back for two years. Join this intrepid young woman on the adventure of her lifetime. Share her amazing experiences, discover what exotic animals await, get travel tips and meet her new friends through her letters home and over plenty of cups of tea. Beware – the travel bug might prove infectious!
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Hi! I'm Marie, a Filipino fantasy author and book reviewer currently based in the UK. I’m the co-author of The Prophecies of Ragnarok, a Norse myth new adult urban fantasy trilogy, and I also have several short stories published in anthologies and literary journals.
You can find more info about me and my books, and also subscribe to my newsletter for more content, here. And if you like what I do, please also consider supporting me on Ko-fi! 🩷 https://ko-fi.com/mariesinadjan
Also check out my upcoming release, Among Thorns and Stardust ✨
About the Creator
Marie Sinadjan
Filipino spec fic author and book reviewer based in the UK. https://linktr.ee/mariesinadjan • www.mariesinadjan.com
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