His children are falling from the sky. Part of my desire in (re)reading Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies was to refresh my memory, so that I could have it all front of mind for my very first reading of The Mirror and the Light. As I started BUTB, I realised that Mantel helps … Continue reading Bring Up the Bodies | Hilary Mantel #Readalong
So, novellas.November is not only AusReadingMonth and Non-Fiction November, it's also Novellas in November. Given my hectic life and work schedule, novellas seem like a pretty good option at the moment, but what exactly IS a novella?In the spectrum of written words how does one define a short story, a novelette, a novella or a … Continue reading The Water of Life by Mary-Rose MacColl
Strong in the Rain: Surviving Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster was not exactly what I was expecting.Before visiting Japan for the first time last year, I read Richard Lloyd Parry's Ghosts of the Tsunami. Parry, like his American counterparts, was (and still is) an (English) journalist based in Japan. His book focused on … Continue reading Strong in the Rain by Lucy Birmingham & David McNeill
I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to get my thoughts together about The Song of Achilles, but sitting down to write about my response to this amazing story is probably a story in itself!It was during my early high school days that my love of history developed. My first history class … Continue reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
I loved Book #1 by Andrew McGahan, 'The Coming of the Whirlpool'. And I love, love, love Book #2 'The Voyage of the Unquiet.' It's as simple as that! It's beautifully written and constructed.It deals with the big themes of identity, belonging and coming of age stuff.Dow Amber is a believable, likeable hero.The world of … Continue reading The Ship Kings #2 The Voyage of the Unquiet Ice | Andrew McGahan
Shadows is book two in the Ashes trilogy. I enjoyed the first book immensely. It raced along with lots of action, suspense and left us with a fabulous cliff-hanger ending. I was looking forward to Shadows release date with great anticipation.And... well... it's okay.Sorry, that's the best I can do.Shadows is so full of action and drama and … Continue reading Shadows | Ilsa J. Bick
Gone Girl took me a while to get into.The main reason for this procrastination was my serious dislike of both Amy and Nick Dunne right from the word go. They were selfish, thoughtless and oh so fake.It took me a little while longer to realise that just because I didn't like them didn't mean I couldn't enjoy watching … Continue reading Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn
It was with much anticipation that I took Kate Morton's latest book on holiday with me recently. I loved The Distant Hours and I was expecting another gothic mystery. The cover looked inviting and appealing in an historical fiction kind of way.I started The Secret Keeper on the plane flight expecting to be whisked away … Continue reading The Secret Keeper | Kate Morton
It has taken me a while to finish Quiet. Not because I wasn't interested, but as is my way, I'm reading several books at once. The non-fiction titles tend to take a backseat. Especially at the moment with the classics taking up so much of my reading, thinking and blogging space. But on Friday night, I … Continue reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking | Susan Cain
Just so you know that I'm not approaching this from a literary snob point of view, I read and enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith a few years ago. That is, I laughed at the absurdity of it for about half the book, then I got tired of the joke and … Continue reading Jane Eyre Laid Bare or The Things We Do For Friends
Having read (or partly read) so many ordinary teen and YA books in recent times, I have made a promise to myself.From now on I only read stuff I like, am interested in or that moves me. If it's uninspiring, poorly written, ill-conceived or completely lacking in humour, intelligence and authenticity, then I will leave … Continue reading Friday Brown | Vikki Wakefield
OMG!!! Wow! Wow! Wow! Warning! This is going to be a rave review complete with gushing, exclamation marks! and declarations of love. Okay....deep breath! To start - for my day job, I end up reading (skimming) through a lot of YA and teen books. Sadly, a lot of it is dross. I usually don't bore … Continue reading A Corner of White | Jaclyn Moriarty
In some people's eyes, Mem Fox can do no wrong. In other's, she can do no right. My opinion has always landed somewhere in the middle - I love and adore some of her books, while others fall flat. I will always remember being introduced to her work for the first time at uni via … Continue reading Good Night, Sleep Tight | Mem Fox
Australian author/illustrator Gus Gordon has presented us with another quirky, heart-warming tale in Herman and Rosie. There are, however, no chickens in sight. Herman is an oboe playing, wild boysenberry yoghurt loving crocodile. Rosie is a jazz singing, toffee loving deer. They live in opposite apartments in New York but have never met. They are … Continue reading Herman and Rosie | Gus Gordon
Love and Hunger caters to my current food obsession perfectly.It provides elements of the Slow Food movement, the common sense of Michael Pollan and the appreciation of good food and cooking as a way of living life to the full.Charlotte (notice I use her first name familiarly! Having shared a High Tea with her last … Continue reading Love and Hunger (and High Tea) | Charlotte Wood
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