White Houses was my latest book club pick, chosen by me. I felt a weird sense of pressure to enjoy the book on that account. But the best I could summon up in the end was a mild kind of appreciation.It took me a while to pinpoint my disconnect. The first person narrative was a start. I'm … Continue reading White Houses by Amy Bloom
Things a Bright Girl Can Do is a YA story that grabs its title from a much older book called Three Hundred and One Things a Girl Can Do. Published in 1911, it included things like how to decorate a church, make coloured fires, the rules of croquet, how to pitch a tent, do magic … Continue reading Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls
Last week Mr Books and I went to the movies for the first time this year!I know! How did that happen? How can our life be so busy that we don't make time to go the movies anymore? Surely having adult children living at home means less work and running round? And more to time … Continue reading The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
For four days I've been trying to write a review that would do this rich, engrossing, mosaic of a book due justice.It wasn't so much writer's block as writer's muddle.There was soooo much to say! I couldn't even decide which lens or which perspective to choose?Because I was enjoying Do Not Say We Have Nothing … Continue reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
One of my good friends has adored Inga Simpson's previous two books, Nest and Mr Wigg, so when Simpson's third book hit the stands recently, I knew it was time for me to see what it was that Anne loved so much about Simpson's writing. Where the Trees Were appealed to me for lots of … Continue reading Where the Trees Were by Inga Simpson
Usually, I prefer to read the book before I see the movie, but in this case, our long hot summer got the better of my good intentions.I recently escaped the heat by watching Brooklyn and Carol back to back in our local cinema.Both movies were fabulous for very different reasons and I came away determined to … Continue reading Carol by Patricia Highsmith
It has been ages since I read a book in manuscript form.Its kind of fun.There are no cover distractions, author bio's or quotes from other well-known authors.It's all about the words on the page.And the words that make up the story of Freya by Anthony Quinn are very well-chosen ones indeed.Quinn gives us Freya's coming … Continue reading Freya by Anthony Quinn
I began Reckoning knowing about all the rave reviews.This can be a good thing or a very bad thing. Expectations are high and it can be hard to meet them.However, in this case, there was nothing to fear.From the very first sentence I was in wow! mode.I was impressed; I was enthralled.Szubanski has written a … Continue reading Reckoning by Magda Szubanski
One of the things I love about the new Stella Prize is that it encourages me to read authors & books that I might otherwise overlook.Heat and Light had slipped under my radar last year, but when it was shortlisted I did a little research and found some very interesting reviews.I dived in with great … Continue reading Heat and Light by Ellen Van Neerven
El Dorado (2007) was the final verse novel written by Dorothy Porter before her death in 2008. It's another dark crime story with a psychological twist, but unlike Monkey Mask, her earliest work, this one is set in Melbourne.We follow Detective Inspector Bill Buchanan in his attempt to solve a spate of child killings. He … Continue reading El Dorado by Dorothy Porter
Another day; another verse novel. This time set in Queenland with more of a YA feel to it.Gap won the 2013 Queensland Literary Award for Jessen as Best Emerging Author.A few years ago I would never have thought that verse novels were my thing. But thanks to some fabulous Aussie children's writers like Steven Herrick … Continue reading Gap by Rebecca Jessen
After rereading some of my Porter poems for a recent post, I felt a very strong desire to read one her verse novels. But I had none to hand.However I did have a copy of Rebecca Jessen's verse novel Gap on my TBR pile.I thought, that will do for now.But for some unknown reason, I … Continue reading The Monkey’s Mask by Dorothy Porter
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