Been doing a lot of reading lately, and a lot of writing – mostly short fiction for my Masters. Admittedly this has led me to be somewhat remiss on the reviewing front. (Sad face.) A quick recap, then, of some of the books I’ve read in the past few weeks: The Fifth Child by Doris [...]
Vital stats: Author: Ethel Turner Publisher: Penguin Format: Paperback RRP: $17.95 (AUD) My rating The story: Set in 1880s Sydney, Seven Little Australians follows the quarrels, fights, adventures and love of the seven mischievous Woolcot children, their strict father Captain Woolcot and his lovely, young new wife Esther. How I liked it: I’ve grown up hearing references to [...]
Vital stats Author: Susie Boyt Publisher: Hachette Format: Hardback RRP: $39.99 (AUD) *This book was provided for review by Pages & Pages Booksellers. This has not affected my opinion of it.* My rating The story: The story opens on Harriet Goodman - tall, awkward, neurotic, lonely and charming - coming to the end of decades of therapy. Estranged from her [...]
Vital stats: Author: J.K. Rowling Publisher: Hachette Format: Hardcover RRP: $39.99 (AUD) My rating The story: When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in the quaint English village of Pagford, his seat on the local council goes up for grabs. Council chair Howard Mollison wants to use the ‘casual vacancy’ to exorcise Barry’s pet project - council housing estate ‘the [...]
Vital stats: Author: Louis Nowra Publisher: Allen and Unwin Format: Paperback RRP: $19.99 (AUD) *This book was provided by the publisher for review. This has not affected my opinion of it.* Giveaway: Leave a comment to WIN one of 3 free copies of Into That Forest, courtesy of Allen and Unwin. Details at the bottom of [...]
Vital stats: Author: Hilary Mantel Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Format: Paperback RRP: $32.99 (AUD) My rating The story: Bring up the Bodies is the sequel to Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning novel Wolf Hall. It follows the continued rise of the career of Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to the charismatic and changeable King Henry VIII. It’s 1535 and Henry is three years [...]
So everyone’s talking about the 50 Shades of Grey series by E.L. James, and today I’m no different. Despite the many reviews and comments I’ve seen on this series, I too want to weigh in. So here’s my take: “50 Shades of Grrr” – so-named because there were so many things about this series that, [...]
The Virgin Suicides Author: Jeffrey Eugenides Publisher: Bloomsbury Format: Paperback RRP: $19.95 (AUD) My rating The story In a sleepy suburb in 1970s Detroit, a group of teenage boys watch with an obsessive awe the five Lisbon daughters who live across the road. Beautiful, eccentric, stifled, hidden; the girls cause a neighbourhood uproar when 13-year-old Cecelia, [...]
Vital stats: Author: Kate Forsyth Publisher: Random House Australia Format: Paperback RRP: $32.95 (AUD) My rating The story: Born with a good name, a plain face and an empty purse, Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force dreams of a life where she might be free to use her gift with words, unburdened by the shackles [...]
Vital stats… Author: Nicholas Sparks Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group Format: Paperback RRP: AUD $22.99 My rating What it’s about… Brittle with age, an elderly man reads to an elderly woman the story of first love between teenagers from the opposite sides of the tracks, who are offered a second chance at happiness after 14 [...]