tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545411751613289402024-03-06T04:27:11.578+11:00In The Good Books BlogIn The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-62630691846836629452023-02-04T09:04:00.003+11:002023-02-04T09:04:25.022+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review and Bookstagram Tour: Crows Nest by Nikki Mottram </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquLHGNH6VGF2V_jtHJTVYCem5vWAspMdgNSBSPWvqWBQecAcZmA8WNcUGJi5Vqwb4BDcFclSCdsDw6XwrUkdI9YQdoOI_4V23j-VXzXm9zGihE4iMSmqPNrBDT-65LdU8lsYB6TQCjIug9eg8zjEenKcdONkcYlvHcAFmdcYg7HXZoAqF4JLxVfsWJg/s598/CrowsNest-400x598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquLHGNH6VGF2V_jtHJTVYCem5vWAspMdgNSBSPWvqWBQecAcZmA8WNcUGJi5Vqwb4BDcFclSCdsDw6XwrUkdI9YQdoOI_4V23j-VXzXm9zGihE4iMSmqPNrBDT-65LdU8lsYB6TQCjIug9eg8zjEenKcdONkcYlvHcAFmdcYg7HXZoAqF4JLxVfsWJg/s320/CrowsNest-400x598.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Crows Nest is a fictional crime story set in the Queensland town of Toowoomba. It is a debut novel for Nikki Mottram, who has a background in child protection services. This is clearly evident as the main character in Crows Nest is also a child protection services officer named Dana Gibson.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story begins when Dana is offered a position in Toowoomba and makes the journey from her home in Sydney to the small town, leaving behind her husband Hugh, along with their marriage issues.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dana's first house call is to a property in the nearby town of Crows Nest, where she is required to assess the children of a woman named Sandra Kirby. But it doesn't quite go to plan, and it isn't long before Dana realises that the city rules certainly don't apply in this new environment. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Sandra and her best friend, Debbie Vickers are found dead, shot at close range, the deaths are initially treated as suspicious but it appears that there are no leads. Dana is drawn into the investigation and wants to uncover the truth about the deaths of the two women, as well as prioritising the safekeeping of Sandra's children, but how far are the locals prepared to go in order to keep Dana from uncovering the secrets, corruptions and truths of what happened? </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought that this was a great read. Nikki is able to draw on her past experience in the child protection industry to make this story realistic and believable. I also liked her visual and sensory descriptions as this added depth to the novel. I look forward to reading Nikki's next novel featuring Dana titled Killarney, which is coming soon. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Crows Nest is available now through UQP, RRP $32.99</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">With thanks to DMCPR Media and UPQ for the opportunity to be involved in this bookstagram tour! Stay tuned for a giveaway I'll be running soon where you could win a copy of Crows Nest! <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-12582131385623312072022-10-05T12:52:00.000+11:002022-10-05T12:52:23.631+11:00<p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Book Review: Runt by Craig Silvey</span></span></b></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6561WE51Wc8BA93yT0TuGyMNi8_CJ_ShjA5SKbri7l0d3e3iUZh7QWngfF8VnQNY_XA0de4kaCHfUS9-IelJpok-nN6zm55G23csoBfeOoP0QtSGnVKFVnhTkbYwfv4nWR2xaDSU_mr8UyRBHlPCO7IQTgFTexio4Hw3ejzCielHkJaCB1TWoyy3Cg/s603/Runt-400x603.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6561WE51Wc8BA93yT0TuGyMNi8_CJ_ShjA5SKbri7l0d3e3iUZh7QWngfF8VnQNY_XA0de4kaCHfUS9-IelJpok-nN6zm55G23csoBfeOoP0QtSGnVKFVnhTkbYwfv4nWR2xaDSU_mr8UyRBHlPCO7IQTgFTexio4Hw3ejzCielHkJaCB1TWoyy3Cg/w265-h400/Runt-400x603.jpeg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm sure that you have an author (or authors) that you consider to be a favourite; one that when they release a new novel, it becomes automatically added to your list of books to read. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">For me, Craig Silvey is one of those authors. The first book of Craig's that I read was Jasper Jones, and when he released Honeybee (which was Dymocks Book Of The Year in 2020), it became one of my favourite novels ever. So I was very excited to be given the opportunity to receive a copy of his newest story, Runt. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">And what can I say? This is such a sweet, feel-good story and I adored it!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main character is 11 year-old Annie Shearer, who lives with her parents, Bryan and Susie, her 13 year-old brother Max, and her grandmother Dolly in the country town of Upson Downs. Annie doesn't have any friends except for her dog Runt. Nobody knows where Runt came from as he was a stray and would often be seen around town, until Annie took him in and adopted him. The two are inseparable and share a very special bond.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Runt's years of scavenging for food and roaming the town whilst trying to evade capture from the local copper and ranger, Constable Duncan Bayleaf, have made him exceptionally agile and fast; ideal for herding runaway sheep.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But when the owner of the neighbouring farm, Earl Robert-Barren puts the Shearer's family home at risk, Annie is determined to fix the situation. She decides to enter Runt into the Agility Course Grand Championship at the Krumpets Dog Show in London in the hopes of taking out first position and the grand prize. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But Annie knows that Runt will only follow her commands if nobody else is around to spectate, so how can they beat the odds and the fastest dogs in order to save the family farm?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Runt is such a beautifully written story and although it is targeted as a children's book, it definitely can be enjoyed by older readers like myself. It has a great cast of characters, a really feel-good story, and an important message of being true to yourself and bringing out the best in others. I would highly recommend Runt to readers of all ages, and I would love to see Runt made into a movie down the track! <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Runt is available now through Allen & Unwin Australia.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-22094610274654419772022-07-14T05:57:00.003+10:002022-07-14T05:57:53.610+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? Series Review & Giveaway!</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMo2_2dheqivLc5c4Gl376kXuGAKfNmaT-b3E068PN_qdpHFwDMiaJh0Pj1cyHuKcV4um7pCixsLXctb6bYzzt2xvBnWQcX5Yh82tsGC8RwKL1J8-7hNR_KItpidSxA_ohjL_h0v24bPj_5MSrFEaDwUHjR0MYXG8EnHVjRQwoxci1dgt_eeO7AiGww/s500/timeout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMo2_2dheqivLc5c4Gl376kXuGAKfNmaT-b3E068PN_qdpHFwDMiaJh0Pj1cyHuKcV4um7pCixsLXctb6bYzzt2xvBnWQcX5Yh82tsGC8RwKL1J8-7hNR_KItpidSxA_ohjL_h0v24bPj_5MSrFEaDwUHjR0MYXG8EnHVjRQwoxci1dgt_eeO7AiGww/w170-h266/timeout.jpg" width="170" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsxtzneivN-EhgYhyKF9Zcn1FQ_8yn5OJUtYWr6h5uM8L6ux-RHlC5zHDE0Iv2Ild7xfDBDlSUBCmPCjy2ItMtTlq46VdE99MANfbP7kDk9xP5ynwyhzJREIIfaXVQBWFTfeKn3M6x7GGB1mIBa0SHzINUe8qvYOoezNw4ftT26DZAdJtC_Ht3zKrXw/s500/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsxtzneivN-EhgYhyKF9Zcn1FQ_8yn5OJUtYWr6h5uM8L6ux-RHlC5zHDE0Iv2Ild7xfDBDlSUBCmPCjy2ItMtTlq46VdE99MANfbP7kDk9xP5ynwyhzJREIIfaXVQBWFTfeKn3M6x7GGB1mIBa0SHzINUe8qvYOoezNw4ftT26DZAdJtC_Ht3zKrXw/w167-h259/team.jpg" width="167" /></a></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmwpUs57ezsfdsUYygRrTTC4vQXfAkU_gz7E5c1Zi1RB1ZpheDmf6hr0cTBJQEjAn2WYqi5ICvlF5KY2R7Bq_kYajPPPEIixo4kjudIeiIaXdq5oUp5kJ8qHhN4jBVtdse8lnDDOEYZG6Xrp0kCpTn_VAdgT7gw_azR0_FZuqiod3A-lklz5B3bDr1A/s500/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eddie Woo is known as Australia's favourite Maths teacher, with over 1 million subscribers on his 'Wootube' channel, and over 100 million views of his videos. He is also the presenter for the ABC tv show Teenage Boss (which I love to watch!), and was named Australia's Local Hero of the Year in 2018.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eddie is also a bestselling author, and he is back with a new series for middle-grade readers. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? Time Out! and Team Trouble! are the first two books in the series, and with thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia, I have one copy of each to give away! Read on for how to enter!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Time Out features Kid Super Sleuth Eddie Woo as he uncovers a potential clue to a century's old treasure hunt, along with his best friends Rusty and DT. They must crack the clues, scale a lighthouse, discover a cave behind a waterfall and navigate hidden tunnels to ensure that the treasure doesn't wind up in the wrong hands. But they aren't the only ones searching for the treasure...<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Team Trouble, Eddie is back and this time he receives a cryptic message from Mr Appleby, a family friend and resident of the Sunny Side Aged Care facility. Eddie is soon on a mission to thwart the evil plans of smugglers as he cracks the clues whilst improving his skateboarding skills so that he can enter the annual school Triple Threat Quest with Rusty and DT. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The books feature large font, short chapters and lots of illustrations, making them ideal for reluctant readers, and/or young readers. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">To win a copy of Time Out & Team Trouble with thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia, you need to: </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Be following either my blog, facebook page or Instagram page, and </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Answer the following question:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">What was your favourite subject at school and why? <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> T & C's: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Failure to complete the above two steps will result in an ineligible entry. </span></span></span>Winner
will be selected by random draw on 20th July 2022 from eligible
entries. AUS residents only. Winner will receive one copy of Time Out! and one copy of Team Trouble,
RRP $14.99 each. Prize will be sent directly from the publisher. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><b> <br /></b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /></span></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-82111132042101132412022-07-06T08:32:00.001+10:002022-07-06T08:36:32.772+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review & Giveaway: Criminals by James O'Loghlin</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPyAT4of1_2x2Prj55KhcBQ20XESg1FeYDxkhhgDvvsK4ygJJ914CHHBSwDzCyDVP4JneQygJNFZOfFd2Y_1ShVe9pNEc1M6HyfACyoQRR24yWe1siACtGa0POuJEvZaIIPAIOyqmeIHKHcJmmryH1kK1-c07A7NebSb-UjeQqu3yBZSCnGjrefQXLw/s1280/IMG_9920.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPyAT4of1_2x2Prj55KhcBQ20XESg1FeYDxkhhgDvvsK4ygJJ914CHHBSwDzCyDVP4JneQygJNFZOfFd2Y_1ShVe9pNEc1M6HyfACyoQRR24yWe1siACtGa0POuJEvZaIIPAIOyqmeIHKHcJmmryH1kK1-c07A7NebSb-UjeQqu3yBZSCnGjrefQXLw/w400-h400/IMG_9920.JPG" width="400" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll get right to it and say that this was an excellent book! I loved this story, and it is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far. And I am so glad that thanks to Echo Publishing, I am able to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a copy! Read on for entry details.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the first novel that comedian and award-winning author James O'Loghlin has written for an adult audience, drawing on his previous role as a criminal lawyer to bring this story to life.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a nutshell, there are three main characters - Dean, Sarah, and Mary.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dean Acton is 23 years-old and a small-time thief with a drug addiction looking for his next hit. He decides to stage an armed robbery at the local leagues club in Blacktown, but his plan isn't as smooth sailing as he hopes.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sarah Hamilton, also 23, is a junior policewoman on extended leave for stress, and is working the bar when Dean and his accomplice storm in.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Wallace, aged 45, is a former school teacher and an alcoholic with severe depression who is drinking at the bar when the robbery occurs, and she refuses to give in to the robbers' demands. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">What follows is a journey that will make the reader wonder just what makes someone a criminal, and are there good guys and bad guys, or are we all just a bit of both?</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't want to say much more than that so I don't spoil this book for others, but Criminals is a highly entertaining and enjoyable read. It has a lot of emotion and is very cleverly written. I love a story that makes the reader think outside of the box, and James has achieved that with this book. <br />Each chapter is told in alternating perspectives from Dean, Sarah and Mary, and with each passing chapter, a little more of their character is exposed, and another layer of their personality and history is shown. The reader discovers the underlying reasons why each character make the choices they do, and by the end, Criminals asks just what it means to break the rules.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I would highly recommend Criminals, which is available now through Echo Publishing, RRP $29.99 </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">And now for the giveaway! To win a copy of Criminals, you need to </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Be following either my blog, facebook page or Instagram page </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Answer the following question:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">What has been your favourite read of the year so far?</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> T & C's: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Failure to complete the above two steps will result in an ineligible entry. </span></span></span>Winner will be selected by random draw on 14th July 2022 from eligible entries. AUS residents only. Winner will receive one copy of Criminals, RRP $29.99. Prize will be sent directly from the publisher. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><b> <br /></b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-21691268813809962132022-06-02T13:41:00.001+10:002022-06-02T13:41:38.945+10:00<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> Book Review: A Dolphin Called Jock by Melody Horrill</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZHwAvxrJWSKxYXOJtClaxpdHtCmAEsFtikJ0L9K2Xjtcl15e3ZzRt1JzOuX6Nzd0H_Tq8ckAXGtZerUF96uE_YIcNpGwMsL9zG0sjbbc1D0G4CXrOnqet0rXrqb7WR34jWI4JjXrsTzZCfIgskU_e1yrh3SuE4pjQsLD_HoUkqa1b-YCcwuWafXcyg/s1280/IMG_9686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZHwAvxrJWSKxYXOJtClaxpdHtCmAEsFtikJ0L9K2Xjtcl15e3ZzRt1JzOuX6Nzd0H_Tq8ckAXGtZerUF96uE_YIcNpGwMsL9zG0sjbbc1D0G4CXrOnqet0rXrqb7WR34jWI4JjXrsTzZCfIgskU_e1yrh3SuE4pjQsLD_HoUkqa1b-YCcwuWafXcyg/w400-h400/IMG_9686.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b><span style="font-size: large;">A Dolphin Called Jock is a beautifully written memoir that is filled with emotion, heart, and hope. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Melody Horrill was born in England and later migrated with her family to Australia. Her childhood was filled with emotional and physical trauma at the hands of her father. Her parents often argued and were physically violent towards each other, and Melody felt ashamed, embarrassed and different to others.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Melody began studying at the University of South Australia, she was a very lost and tormented woman. She tried to keep her past hidden as she still felt shame and hurt.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">One day Melody volunteered to help her university lecturer Dr Mike Bossley to monitor pods of river dolphins in the Port Adelaide waters. There, Melody first encountered Jock, a dolphin with a maimed fin, living apart from the other dolphins. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> She formed a very special bond with Jock, and by doing so, she slowly learned how to free herself from the demons of her past. This bond with Jock was the start of a long-term mission for Melody to help save the river dolphins. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
story reverts back and forth through time, as the reader gains an
in-depth understanding of her troubled childhood and teenage years, and
also the present day. </span></span></span>This was a very touching story and I really felt for Melody. I was saddened to read about what she had to endure in her younger years, and I admired her courage and determination to live in hope and to find peace within. I highly recommend A Dolphin Called Jock, which is available now through Allen & Unwin. </span></span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-24322762697347082732022-05-31T06:30:00.000+10:002022-05-31T06:30:51.461+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: Paperbark Hill by Maya Linnell</b></span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzBTqPIjciGfW35utIrpfqr8APTYAXvj3WB3MZcXg5Jpjs3ixEgcYXJlD5p38QcawKEUmFbUwWKtEUA-EjhR_SSHaTQzpLkILs2FyGqOjvwQkJVCkNfnv0uq6Mk2sVlSDCelUWh_bGraUMaNHQMFpGCbtoyPuyLdSO17dAeBcQog7z5nUDGsn5qjbKA/s1280/IMG_9684.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzBTqPIjciGfW35utIrpfqr8APTYAXvj3WB3MZcXg5Jpjs3ixEgcYXJlD5p38QcawKEUmFbUwWKtEUA-EjhR_SSHaTQzpLkILs2FyGqOjvwQkJVCkNfnv0uq6Mk2sVlSDCelUWh_bGraUMaNHQMFpGCbtoyPuyLdSO17dAeBcQog7z5nUDGsn5qjbKA/w400-h400/IMG_9684.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was fortunate to receive an early copy of Paperbark Hill with thanks to Allen & Unwin, and was excited to read it as I am a fan of Maya's stories, having read the other three books in the McIntyre family series (Wildflower Ridge, Bottlebrush Creek, and Magpie's Bend).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought that this was a beautiful story, and as warm and comforting as a cup of tea (and a scone or two!) Maya has a real talent for writing about families, and the idyllic rural setting compliments her tales. Throw in a sprinkling of romance and its the perfect combination for a good book!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This fourth installment in the series centers on Diana McIntyre, who is a widower and mum to four boys. The past 18 months have been tough on them all, but thankfully the love and support of their family has helped them through it. Diana dreams of starting a flower farm and seeks help from an elderly friend named Colin Gardiner who is an expert at growing dahlias.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But when Colin suddenly passes away, his son Ned returns to the farm with his two young children in tow to sort out Colin's affairs. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ned is soon introduced to Diana and they become friends. He offers to help her on the farm, and she welcomes him into the community by introducing him to the locals, including her sisters and her father, Angus.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although Ned hasn't called Victoria home in years, he is drawn to the countryside, and wonders if it would be best to provide some stability for his children, even though he didn't have the best childhood on the farm.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can Ned make peace with his past, as well as with his estranged mother? And can Diana juggle raising her boys whilst making her dream of opening the flower farm come true? <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was my favourite book in the McIntyre series. I felt a connection to Diana as we share similar interests including baking and a love for dahlias. The McIntyres are a close-knit family much like my own, and the characters are lovable and relatable. I would definitely recommend Paperbark Hill (and the other titles in the series). <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paperbark Hill is available now through Allen & Unwin, RRP $29.99 <br /></span></span></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-43371389116240223942022-05-04T14:01:00.000+10:002022-05-04T14:01:41.901+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: The Cult Of Romance by Sarah Ayoub</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLvxBA-mtgKRac6c_2vAko7iV3ytsfKGpO54CqAf30lVSUek5rF9QEEzo69N_KpVxm3dTN2dNCnpbKDrqCeDI_PSFSd7FcS0abuESxrFe_ObYjhWK8gzXyqH3N3V-6kar9gJS_qGLtg4UXYv6Q8EnAHBthWjHo9AFZ3WV5-chtGXTPopfNg0mTscfLQ/s447/x293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="293" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLvxBA-mtgKRac6c_2vAko7iV3ytsfKGpO54CqAf30lVSUek5rF9QEEzo69N_KpVxm3dTN2dNCnpbKDrqCeDI_PSFSd7FcS0abuESxrFe_ObYjhWK8gzXyqH3N3V-6kar9gJS_qGLtg4UXYv6Q8EnAHBthWjHo9AFZ3WV5-chtGXTPopfNg0mTscfLQ/w263-h400/x293.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I haven't read any other novels by Sarah Ayoub, but was recently given the opportunity to read her newest novel, The Cult Of Romance, with thanks to HarperCollins Australia. It</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> is classified as a YA book, and although I am far from being a young adult, I really enjoyed it.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main character is a young woman named Natalie, who lives in suburban Sydney with her father and her Tayta (Lebonese for grandmother). Natalie's mother left when she was a little girl, and all that Natalie knows about her is that she suffered post-natal depression and had to leave. The subject of Natalie's mother is one that her Lebonese family avoid talking about at all costs, so Natalie doesn't know all of the details surrounding her mother's ill health.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Natalie is a professional babysitter, and is in the process of starting up a business selling desserts with her best friend Janet. The two have been inseparable from a very young age and know everything about each other. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But when Janet returns from a trip to Lebanon, Natalie finds out that Janet is engaged to be married. At only 19 years old, Natalie thinks that it's way too young for Janet to get married. Where will Janet live once she ties the knot? What will happen to their friendship and their dessert business? And who is the guy that swept Janet off her feet?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The opportunity to find out occurs when Janet asks Natalie to be her maid-of-honour, and although Natalie isn't thrilled with the responsibility, she accepts, and sets of for Lebanon where the upcoming wedding is to be held.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Upon her arrival, Natalie has to juggle the cultural traditions, the judgemental relatives, as well as the</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> talk that her mother may be looking for her</span></span>. Not to mention meeting the annoyingly good-looking best man, George, all whilst trying to be supportive to Janet and her fiance Michael. But will she be able to help pull off the wedding without any trouble, and can she avoid falling in love herself?<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This book has a lot of heart, and I enjoyed learning about the Lebanese culture and traditions. It also has explores the themes of family, friendship, acceptance and of course, love.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Cult Of Romance is available now, RRP $19.99<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-81534847029491681102022-03-28T12:17:00.002+11:002022-03-28T12:17:49.780+11:00<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Book Review: In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cP6yZIWuU98H1pT5cjWAa1hmKdb7Yg-XO-0Y7_Cx4XS-m7tSfOuLyTMndZ2iImxH3Ng7FZ030nLKRqdo1SA3W1hvyFi-mfkJ1y6Sx0nlbrbDAUbdpEFsIpBNfkaph3ojykd0qpbd5qADUVQPFNS6g3KzxVvU7iaPhWLe6EP1qkZ4A8V29O5hlZ62Zg/s1280/16A2F53C-DCBF-467A-812E-B58D05438480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cP6yZIWuU98H1pT5cjWAa1hmKdb7Yg-XO-0Y7_Cx4XS-m7tSfOuLyTMndZ2iImxH3Ng7FZ030nLKRqdo1SA3W1hvyFi-mfkJ1y6Sx0nlbrbDAUbdpEFsIpBNfkaph3ojykd0qpbd5qADUVQPFNS6g3KzxVvU7iaPhWLe6EP1qkZ4A8V29O5hlZ62Zg/w400-h400/16A2F53C-DCBF-467A-812E-B58D05438480.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do you find that your mood or current life situation effects what books you read? I've definitely become more aware of this over the last few years. When I have a lot going on, I tend to go for books that are more light-hearted, easy, and entertaining. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thankfully, I got the opportunity to read a book that ticks all those boxes; the debut novel In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer, which is released this week through Pan Macmillan Australia.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a romantic comedy that is set, as the title suggests, in New York. It begins with a woman named Franny who is fired from her job, and whilst she is heading back home on the subway, complete with cardboard box filled with her personal belongings, her dress gets caught in the subway doors and rips all the way up. Franny is mortified that her dress now resembles a hospital gown and scrambles for something or someone to come to her rescue.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Enter businessman Hayes, who kindly gives her the suit jacket he is wearing. Franny is extremely grateful, and wants nothing more than to put the entire embarrassing episode behind her. However, unbeknownst to Franny and Hayes, a fellow commuter has captured the entire incident and shared the video across her social media platforms, dubbing the couple as the '#Subway QT's'.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The couple are given the opportunity to meet again, this time on live television after the clip starts going viral. Franny just wants the opportunity to thank Hayes again and put it all behind her, but it doesn't quite work out that way...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought that this book was a great read with a decent cast of characters, including Franny's two best friends, Cleo and Lola. The romance wasn't overdone, which is a win for me. I also enjoyed reading about all of the New York landmarks, foods, etc as it really helped set the scene and gave the story and extra layer of depth.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story is told in alternating chapters from Franny and Hayes' perspectives, and I particularly liked Franny. I would recommend this novel for those looking for a fun and easy read, and for those who enjoy romantic comedies.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">In A New York Minute is available through Pan Macmillan Australia, RRP $26.99</span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-57252631060153651812022-03-04T10:24:00.000+11:002022-03-04T10:24:35.705+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: This Is My Dad by Dimity Powell & Nicky Johnston</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGu813Gi_3G-eBk2l3MI5xDEDXoV2I9uK5t3U8R4RgSS2Vs-PJyb4Cnc9PCtDuxm_15ap744lWB2-C6LBcSRqT4FLttT4W07BMnALwqQLBr-IlVUxJRkTvDxSX9KDBQeiWrtLELBoRMwFiovAqoTcgGm5z3L9E86IXLeFS5BHaXUZuGx_wUVJwqz3kkQ=s300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="300" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGu813Gi_3G-eBk2l3MI5xDEDXoV2I9uK5t3U8R4RgSS2Vs-PJyb4Cnc9PCtDuxm_15ap744lWB2-C6LBcSRqT4FLttT4W07BMnALwqQLBr-IlVUxJRkTvDxSX9KDBQeiWrtLELBoRMwFiovAqoTcgGm5z3L9E86IXLeFS5BHaXUZuGx_wUVJwqz3kkQ=w400-h373" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Families come in all different shapes and sizes. Some have two parents, and some don't. This Is My Dad came about after the author drew inspiration from teacher-librarians who noticed that there were a lack of stories reflecting children who have never known a father figure in their life. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story is about a young boy named Leo who loves Show and Tell at school, but when he finds out the latest topic - Tell Us About Your Dad Day, he is filled with concern. Leo has never met his father, so how can he celebrate along with his classmates? Leo doesn't have a courageous, smart or cool dad, or any dad at all. Or does he?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leo lives with his mother, who is an author of children's books and spends her days (and some of her nights) using her imagination to come up with stories. Is she the solution to Leo's dilemma? <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This book acknowledges single parents and the important roles they play to their children. It celebrates families of every shape and size, and highlights the fact that whilst the presence of a male role model is helpful to a child's upbringing and well-being, it is not always possible or realistic, and there are many other carers that are equally as worthy of celebrating.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This Is My Dad is available now through EK Books, RRP $24.99, for readers 4-8 years old.<br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-10950484795533353612022-03-02T09:59:00.003+11:002022-03-02T09:59:57.993+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review & Giveaway: The Tricky Art Of Forgiveness by Meredith Jaffe</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYQ0CFwG-TSd5jNZBX_60oYu_1s4PjQmT6dRDLlMw-mmFLrZ-Xil4S5-lOeXKCjND1TcSywzWIGr0jlN2HgVJ0k2bZpmN1dbpn05FSdxgIzvQoq5d0TtzeezWD4Sl02aDvkoe-65PaZ8a9mVtQV-JexAUj4hL0T_DjqI3GIITkQO-Hgr2W6oGyEQwGGw=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYQ0CFwG-TSd5jNZBX_60oYu_1s4PjQmT6dRDLlMw-mmFLrZ-Xil4S5-lOeXKCjND1TcSywzWIGr0jlN2HgVJ0k2bZpmN1dbpn05FSdxgIzvQoq5d0TtzeezWD4Sl02aDvkoe-65PaZ8a9mVtQV-JexAUj4hL0T_DjqI3GIITkQO-Hgr2W6oGyEQwGGw=w263-h400" width="263" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have read a couple of Meredith's other novels, including The Fence (released in 2016) and The Dressmakers Of Yarrandarrah Prison (released last year) and I thought that they were both excellent books, so I was looking forward to reading her new novel, The Tricky Art Of Forgiveness. I recently got the opportunity to do so, with thanks to Harper Collins Australia, and they have generously given me an extra copy of the book to give away! Read on for how to enter! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Diana and Will Forsyth are approaching their 30th wedding anniversary, and also Will's 60th birthday. Diana is throwing a big party, and their two adult children, Aiden and Persephone, are flying in to celebrate the milestones, along with friends and family.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Diana and Will have recently downsized from their family home, and it is whilst Diana is unpacking their things that she discovers a torn piece of paper with the message 'I forgive you' written in Will's handwriting. Unsure what to make of it, Diana is left with a lot of questions about her husband, and she isn't entirely sure she wants to know all of the answers. But as the story continues, it becomes evident that Diana has her own secrets to hide. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story reverts back and forth through time from the early days of their relationship to present day, and it deeply explores their marriage. The reader finds out that there have been a lot of highs and lows that have shaped their relaionship. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story explores what it means to forgive, how to let go of resentments, and how the choices we make impact the course of our lives. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Tricky Art Of Forgiveness is available now through Harper Collins Australia, RRP $32.99</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>*** GIVEAWAY *** </b><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">To win a copy of The Tricky Art Of Forgiveness, you must be a follower of either my blog, Instagram page or Facebook page (@Inthegoodbooksblog) and answer the following question:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who is your favourite celebrity couple and why?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Winner will be chosen randomly from eligible entries on 10th March 2022, Australian residents only. </span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-57669406287035447752022-02-09T14:18:00.000+11:002022-02-09T14:18:19.273+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: The Maid by Nita Prose</b></span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span> <br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9TQ6cBLGZGLoiKJ8kyzAlco-bIvIHWWS70AtKpthXn5iT0_4t-DkjKhzkPlxr3OGdamUvmCUz4ugHkEdQRM-mN_zsOfS72KKXn2tbteWVB40zZVAU3UbUeG7-tlk48q-V9PlhwemO5KL7MmYn1HNWEMBblEqE9ZgfprrRjNlwMZkTVxwrJgnh3bSvWA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9TQ6cBLGZGLoiKJ8kyzAlco-bIvIHWWS70AtKpthXn5iT0_4t-DkjKhzkPlxr3OGdamUvmCUz4ugHkEdQRM-mN_zsOfS72KKXn2tbteWVB40zZVAU3UbUeG7-tlk48q-V9PlhwemO5KL7MmYn1HNWEMBblEqE9ZgfprrRjNlwMZkTVxwrJgnh3bSvWA=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I received a copy of this book months before its release date and I hadn't heard much about it, so I wasn't quite sure what expect. Well, I must say that from the first page, I was hooked! To say I loved this book would be an understatement! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main character is 25 year-old Molly, who works as a maid at The Regency Grand Hotel, which is a 5 star establishment. <br />Molly is socially awkward and interprets things differently to those around her. She was raised by her beloved grandmother who always made sense of things for Molly, but since her grandmother's recent passing, Molly now resides alone in a rundown apartment block. She has no friends and enjoys jigsaw puzzles and ice-cream. She also loves having everything spotless and in order.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Molly takes pride in her job as a maid, and thoroughly loves what she does, and whilst many of her co-workers think she is weird, there are thankfully some that like her, including the doorman, Mr Preston.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">One day when Molly is on her rounds cleaning various hotel suites, she enters the room of an infamous guest named Mr Black, and makes the gruesome discovery of finding him dead in bed. Before she can make sense of things, Molly is targeted as the prime suspect of the crime!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Molly needs to find a way out of this mess, but isn't sure who can she turn to. Who can she trust to help her? You will have to read it and see.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Maid is a spectacular debut novel; highly engrossing and entertaining, and I adored Molly so much. Her 'voice' makes the story what it is, and I was cheering for her all the way and wanted to give her a cuddle so many times throughout the story. I highly recommend The Maid (and I was also thrilled to discover that this will be adapted to a movie as I look forward to seeing how the two compare). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Maid is available from Harper Collins Australia, RRP $29.99</span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-79880016671726933362022-02-04T10:46:00.000+11:002022-02-04T10:46:38.608+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: The Islands by Emily Brugman</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjinWnRlzcFrKgrTSe0xQc1ggp1LWikgj6Zh-qqM8F0pU3nBsIxGvg1FEEWcIGYYWZ2PG6XsNii0n_qdnaHZulFmWL9kI4alY9o1hyXnxRTa2PZeNfWeG5MFMQqP8KhZIaiUkgW9syWSJLmsEk_nzh4OHHipsmwvA6Xs8q1yXgFBB1PbBWXUrgrqcAvrQ=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjinWnRlzcFrKgrTSe0xQc1ggp1LWikgj6Zh-qqM8F0pU3nBsIxGvg1FEEWcIGYYWZ2PG6XsNii0n_qdnaHZulFmWL9kI4alY9o1hyXnxRTa2PZeNfWeG5MFMQqP8KhZIaiUkgW9syWSJLmsEk_nzh4OHHipsmwvA6Xs8q1yXgFBB1PbBWXUrgrqcAvrQ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was recently given the opportunity to read The Islands with thanks to Allen & Unwin. This was a different style of story to what I have read lately, and it was told very well and with a lot of heart. The author has researched the topic of migration in detail, and has drawn on her family's own personal experience which added another level of depth. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story begins on the coastline of Western Australia where Finnish migrants Onni and Alva Saari, along with their baby daughter Hilda, set up camp on a tiny island known as Little Rat to begin their lives as a fishing family, in particular, fishing for crays. It is the mid 1950's and the decision to migrate is made once Onni receives some sad news about his brother Nalle. It isn't long before Onni is hooked in by the exquisite landscape. As the story unfolds, it spans over the years, and we learn about each of these three characters more.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Onni is an ambitious young man who aims to provide for his family. He works hard and wants to make a great future for his wife and daughter.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alva is a quiet yet determined woman who has had to deal with her share of tragedy from a young age. She struggles to fit in and make friends as she has a hard time of communicating with people in English.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">As Hilda grows into a young woman, she learns about life near the coast, and dreams of becoming the skipper of her own fishing boat. She can be complicated at times, but it is all part of growing up.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Together, they face many struggles but they do their best to make things work. Like the other families that have migrated there, they slowly adapt to their new life and eventually make friends within the community.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The book is told in two parts, first, when the family is in the West and then when they travel back to the East where Onni gets a labouring job in the Australian Capital Territory.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">It reverts back and forth through time and I felt that it may have benefited from a date being included at the start of each timeline change, or some sort of indicator that the story had shifted in time as it confused me (briefly) on more than one occasion. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whilst this story is fictional, it captures the real story of the migratory path that Finnish people took (including the author's grandfather). It was interesting to learn about their journey, as I wasn't aware of it prior to reading this book. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Islands is available through Allen & Unwin, RRP $29.99 </span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-79489868871993052972022-02-02T13:30:00.000+11:002022-02-02T13:30:20.432+11:00<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Happiness Trap (2nd edition) by Dr Russ Harris</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRgE3lNpl_pyMCkfV1pl4TvOo3x23Kg7pE8keVxy8upytTF1_hAO-X6vel3YvaEy_bt2ZPAkJd2NfMaVCcySmr2LG7PD92e9NycS7y7WekyZDZF0NMB2GGi97W-n_XAiRtaVpk5qgyzv_jxkJpeYcWd9nn4Ql_KZJSYZ4DAQGh8BJIjx08BOPuiXkIiA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRgE3lNpl_pyMCkfV1pl4TvOo3x23Kg7pE8keVxy8upytTF1_hAO-X6vel3YvaEy_bt2ZPAkJd2NfMaVCcySmr2LG7PD92e9NycS7y7WekyZDZF0NMB2GGi97W-n_XAiRtaVpk5qgyzv_jxkJpeYcWd9nn4Ql_KZJSYZ4DAQGh8BJIjx08BOPuiXkIiA=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first edition of The Happiness Trap sold over 1 million copies and has been translated into more than 30 different languages. In this new updated and expanded edition, there are many tips and lots of useful information for anyone who may be suffering with anxiety and depression, battling an illness, coping with grief or loss, or being in a high-stress situation, including at work.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dr Russ Harris is a medical practitioner, psychotherapist, and bestselling author, and he uses the scientifically-proven model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (a practice which is now recommended by the World Health Organisation). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I, like so many others, have anxiety, and over the years, I have tried many things to help. I am now able to manage it a lot better, but am always on the lookout to educate myself further and to find ways that may help even more. It sometimes isn't easy, especially when you are not used to making time for yourself or putting yourself first, but it is achievable. Books such as this one can be helpful for those people like myself who want to improve their mental health and wellbeing.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">In The Happiness Trap Dr Harris explains that when we want to increase our happiness, we often try hard to avoid or eliminate unwanted thoughts, but by putting in the effort to do so, it has an adverse reaction and leads to creating more difficult thoughts and feelings. He explains how to deal with 'emotional storms' by noticing and naming our feeling and thought processes. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dr Harris also explains how we tend to get hooked on negative thoughts and emotions, and implements strategies to help with it so that we respond to those negative things differently. He also points out ways that our emotions help us and serve three main purposes - communication, illumination and motivation. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The topic of mindfulness is also explored and explained, and there are tips on being more present in our day-to-day lives (this is something that I need to work on). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Books like this one offer hope and encouragement, and if you put in the time to follow the techniques, it can really be beneficial. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The format of this book is easy to follow, and it is set out in 30 chapters. It can be read from cover to cover, or you could even break it down and read it over time and refer back to it as needed. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Happiness Trap is available through Exisle Publishing, RRP $34.99 </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-19074801220225964322021-11-17T12:32:00.000+11:002021-11-17T12:32:00.242+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Children's Picture Book Reviews: Toy Mountain and Cookie </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQwj9jf3-XkHyMB1M7C3ZIubAdXqMHBRzZANDUAFq_8mV9nT6-iJj9_4EDMRaqRnMUe5fftZXozBODP0dtnZhea2_MI0MU83cqwB_FxAEipPqBFYN1CBxoVAGweEYd3NPF6yysKM3R2h-/s1280/IMG_8326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQwj9jf3-XkHyMB1M7C3ZIubAdXqMHBRzZANDUAFq_8mV9nT6-iJj9_4EDMRaqRnMUe5fftZXozBODP0dtnZhea2_MI0MU83cqwB_FxAEipPqBFYN1CBxoVAGweEYd3NPF6yysKM3R2h-/w400-h400/IMG_8326.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /> </b><span style="font-size: large;">Toy Mountain and Cookie are recent releases from EK Books, a publisher which produces picture books that have meaningful messages and important topics.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Toy Mountain features a boy named Sam, who wishes that he had some new and exciting toys to play with. When he is given the opportunity to be a toy tester and receive the latest toys on the market, Sam is thrilled! </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, it isn't long until he realises that it may not be necessary to own so many toys after all when his beloved old toys get buried under a mountain of new ones. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This book teaches children about sustainability and the importance of protecting the environment and using only what we need, not want.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cookie is a story written by Isabelle Duff when she was 18 years old, and is inspired by her border collie Saffy.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cookie and Girl have an unbreakable bond and bring joy to each other's lives. Even when Girl feels sad, she knows that she can depend on Cookie to cheer her up. He brings light to her dark days and cheers her up with his antics.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is lovely story that touches on the importance of pet ownership and the love that a pet provides.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both books are available now through EK Books. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-2648489969422245262021-11-14T09:07:00.000+11:002021-11-14T09:07:10.817+11:00<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7POVB4e_oPGuDB0949aOHg_70XcO1VvLgE90XNn_MxzlbQu6qSz1TgJeiyuCJ93H4b0gzcAx3dwZnC4KqtxgjzFiFGw2LkoEwE8o7GGL1gRIRs-naiT4iZhNlx3L6s5dG9j2T6lpYnKjs/s1224/The-Dark-Hours-AUS-800x1224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7POVB4e_oPGuDB0949aOHg_70XcO1VvLgE90XNn_MxzlbQu6qSz1TgJeiyuCJ93H4b0gzcAx3dwZnC4KqtxgjzFiFGw2LkoEwE8o7GGL1gRIRs-naiT4iZhNlx3L6s5dG9j2T6lpYnKjs/w261-h400/The-Dark-Hours-AUS-800x1224.jpg" width="261" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b><span style="font-size: large;">I haven't read many crime novels this year, so when I was given the opportunity to read the latest release from the number one bestselling crime writer Michael Connelly, with thanks to Allen & Unwin Australia, I was interested in being involved.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the fourth Connelly book that stars the leading female character Renee Ballard, and although it was a first for me, I became an instant fan of hers.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Renee is a detective for the LAPD and loves working the graveyard shift. The story begins on New Years Eve, heading into 2021, as she waits out the traditional rain of bullets as revellers welcome in the new year by shooting their guns into the air. Just a few minutes after midnight, Ballard is called out to a scene where a hard-working auto shop owner named Javier Raffa has been found dead after being hit by what appears to be a falling bullet at a street party. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Renee soon discovers that Raffa was an ex-gang member and that his death isn't accidental. She also concludes that the bullet that was used to kill him is linked to another case of an unsolved murder, which was worked on by Detective Harry Bosch some years back. She contacts Bosch and the two of them begin working together to solve the mystery surrounding the two cases.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">But it doesn't stop there for Renee. She is also on the hunt for a pair of serial rapists, dubbed The Midnight Men, who have been terrorising women in the local community, and leaving no evidence behind. To say that she has her work cut out for her is an understatement, and with such low morale amongst the police department due to the pandemic and recent social unrest, she feels even more responsibility to step up and find out who is to blame for these crimes.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Renee Ballard is such a determined and feisty character, and I admired her relentless energy to get things done, and to take risks, no matter what the consequence may be. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is an action-packed story that is very well told, and Connelly ties in current issues including the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests, which made it all the more realistic.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you're a fan of crime and/or action-packed thrillers then I am sure you will enjoy The Dark Hours.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Available now thorough Allen & Unwin Australia, RRP $32.99 <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-66826345951821034192021-09-02T08:43:00.000+10:002021-09-02T08:43:04.472+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: The Housemate by Sarah Bailey</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhan6FvG8Ak0Rcver_6iNitqX8IARPNrlWFr47CJexK7yntLEBQkFoRsLidqUGv7TihWX5RYfTxx2pAI6TjjURzmNv0x-NIJ0Gn_9ssLvbJBiPpXGs0s9WkEgDR_4u007AvQKY9FSJgAoOy/s2048/housemate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1339" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhan6FvG8Ak0Rcver_6iNitqX8IARPNrlWFr47CJexK7yntLEBQkFoRsLidqUGv7TihWX5RYfTxx2pAI6TjjURzmNv0x-NIJ0Gn_9ssLvbJBiPpXGs0s9WkEgDR_4u007AvQKY9FSJgAoOy/w261-h400/housemate.jpg" width="261" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b><span style="font-size: large;">It's been a while since I've read a thriller even though it is one of my favouite genres to read, so I was keen when I was given the opportunity to read Sarah Bailey's latest thriller novel The Housemate, which was released this week. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story is mainly set in 2015 but it reverts back in time to 2005 when the Housemate Homicide took place. Back then, Melbournian-based Olive (Oli) Groves was a junior reporter and became fascinated with the case in which a young woman, Evelyn Stanley, was murdered. One of Evelyn's housemates, Alexandra Riboni, was charged with Evelyn's murder, and her other housemate, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nicole Horrowitz went missing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, ten years later, Nicole has been found dead on a remote property, and Oli is assigned to the case yet again. As she digs into the case, she uncovers a lot of secrets and questions that need answering. <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oli is a great protagonist; she's capable, determined, and passionate - all great qualities to possess. The story unravels at a decent pace, with a lot of mystery interspersed throughout. There are a lot of characters in the story and it took a while for me to get my head around them all. My favourite by far was Cooper Ng, who is partnered up with Oli to help crack the case. He's fun, inquisitive, and adorably annoying. As I don't want to spoil the story for others, I will only say that I really disliked the road Cooper went down. You'll need to read it to find out!</span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought that this was a well-written whodunnit, and </span></span></span>I found that I connected with the setting of the story, being based in Melbourne. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I would recommend The Housemate for fans of crime/thriller novels. </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">* Worth mentioning, there are some heavy themes in The Housemate, including child abuse, which may be triggering for some readers.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />The Housemate is available through Allen & Unwin RRP $32.99<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></span></span></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-48683807326021807312021-09-01T08:14:00.000+10:002021-09-01T08:14:00.521+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang</b></span></span></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdHh7XfsG8QWjobuwX-4F1f8TqwS38BK7UDk2oaAERnkR8wa32zqree2-urNOVbNgd3zQAfDugl-yhMUpAx7wPujeEap4yQh3oIASo1KO_4AfgoM95PznEam1G5PTUdnuHhx_bmavxlaY/s1280/IMG_7764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdHh7XfsG8QWjobuwX-4F1f8TqwS38BK7UDk2oaAERnkR8wa32zqree2-urNOVbNgd3zQAfDugl-yhMUpAx7wPujeEap4yQh3oIASo1KO_4AfgoM95PznEam1G5PTUdnuHhx_bmavxlaY/s320/IMG_7764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is Helen Hoang's third novel. Her first, The Kiss Quotient, is a New York Times bestseller, and her second, The Bride Test, was released in 2019.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have read both of her other books, so I was happy to be offered the opportunity to receive a copy of The Heart Principle, which is due for release through Allen & Unwin Australia.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was so much more than just a romantic novel. I read this book within a couple of days and really enjoyed it. I would say it is my favourite of the three.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Violinist Anna Sun is in a long-term relationship with Julian, and she is always putting other people's feelings before her own. She finds it difficult to say no, and to listen to her inner voice. After achieving success with a YouTube video that went viral, Anna struggles to replicate the same standard of violin playing and gets burned out.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Julian suggests that they switch to an open relationship before deciding if he wants to make a final commitment, Anna is angry and hurt, but again finds it difficult to say no, so she agrees.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">She sets up a dating app and vows to embark on a string of one-night stands.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Enter Quan Diep - covered in tattoos and a motorcycle rider, not to mention, deliciously handsome! Their first try at a one-night stand turns into a failure, but they see each other again (and again!). They start to date and Anna finds that she can be more of herself around Quan, something she has always struggled to do. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But when tragedy strikes Anna's family, she is thrust into a role that she isn't suited for, and which threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan want to be together, but they need to find themselves first. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't want to add too much more so as not to spoil this book for others, but I recommend this book highly.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story is told in alternating chapters, which I like as it offers an insight into both Anna and Quan's personal lives. For those who have read The Kiss Quotient, you may recognise Quan as he is the cousin of Michael, one of the leading characters in that book. There are some similarities in all of Helen's three books in that they all have a leading character with autism, and issues with love, but for the most part, each story is told well.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> This story touches on a lot of sensitive topics - illness, autism, burnout, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, hospice care, death and more. Knowing that Helen has described this to be 'half memoir' makes me even more fond of the story.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Heart Principle is available now through Allen & Unwin Austr</span><span style="font-size: large;">alia, $29.99</span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-48680426483752792452021-07-14T10:39:00.000+10:002021-07-14T10:39:37.398+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: 138 Dates by Rebekah Campbell </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNxJteO248VjMpHTaMvmNoj8iV8cuIwC4y8VXm18CM7BUwEn2ystkNQS5S7e_3xVKXBd_EJiyZNiNrnH_wbmF-ynKqkeqT0uHt6O-CdDBMXr473sgzThGmSKd1e-QFH9Gcz4Uit7bHU3y/s487/138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="345" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNxJteO248VjMpHTaMvmNoj8iV8cuIwC4y8VXm18CM7BUwEn2ystkNQS5S7e_3xVKXBd_EJiyZNiNrnH_wbmF-ynKqkeqT0uHt6O-CdDBMXr473sgzThGmSKd1e-QFH9Gcz4Uit7bHU3y/w284-h400/138.jpg" width="284" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was recently given the opportunity to receive a copy of the newly released book 138 Dates by Rebekah Campbell, and although it isn't a genre that I usually go for, I agreed as it sounded interesting. I'm glad I did, as it's a pretty good read. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The book is a true story about businesswoman and entrepreneur Rebekah Campbell, and her journey to find love. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story is set in 2012, when Rebekah is aged 35. Outwardly, it appears that Rebekah has it all, including a successful company called Posse.com, and a popular blog. However, the truth is that she is very lonely. She hasn't been on a date in ten years, and she feels as though it is time to put herself out there in the hopes of fulfilling her dream of finding love and starting a family.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Using her business experience and knowledge, she applies these tactics to help find a man. What follows is a wild roller-coaster of the dating world! 138 dates with different men from Sydney, San Fransisco and New York, all whilst trying to launch a company!<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rebekah doesn't shy away from telling her story, and really keeps it real in the retelling of her experience. I am sure that there are many out there who can relate to the effort and pressure of dating. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I really enjoyed her honesty in sharing her dating experiences</span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">, and her vulnerability was endearing. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also liked finding out about her family (her mum certainly is a character!), and about her earlier years and first experience with love, which set the benchmark for her relationships. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> 138 Dates is well worth a read, and is available now through Allen & Unwin, RRP $29.99 <br /></span></span></span></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-12088984490440886852021-07-02T09:28:00.000+10:002021-07-02T09:28:50.671+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: The Wattle Seed Inn by Leonie Kelsall</b></span></span></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CxDOhjO1EcgrhHm9naFE4tqwuEZOFYpFPcW89r-1KI73cTbLsSPP3z9PmadEcsyQ-uMzfRyb49Wh8LEHTg6KRfivmQnM0Ew_t6Se5VJpDarxePvwKQbbpAT24LrRm9pBnkeYoTvASmXC/s1280/IMG_7462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CxDOhjO1EcgrhHm9naFE4tqwuEZOFYpFPcW89r-1KI73cTbLsSPP3z9PmadEcsyQ-uMzfRyb49Wh8LEHTg6KRfivmQnM0Ew_t6Se5VJpDarxePvwKQbbpAT24LrRm9pBnkeYoTvASmXC/s320/IMG_7462.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the first novel of Leonie's that I have read, and even before I'd finished it, I had placed a reservation from my local library for her first novel, award winning The Farm At Peppertree Crossing. I really enjoyed The Wattle Seed Inn and knew that I wanted to read more of the Australian writer's work. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the opening pages of The Wattle Seed Inn, the reader is transported to the beautiful rural town of Settlers Bridge, where PR executive Gabrielle Moreau takes sole ownership of the dilapidated Wurruldi Hotel and its surrounding properties after her relationship with her business partner and now ex-fiance Brendan, turns sour. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gabrielle plans on renovating the hotel, and even though money is no issue for her, she wants to prove that she is capable and successful without having to fall back on her privilege. When she heads to the local pub on her first night in town, she is befriended by the lovely red-headed dairy worker, Sharna, who introduces her to a few of the locals, including Hayden Paech, or Weaty as he's better known.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Their meeting is rather odd and uncomfortable as Gabrielle is a little overwhelmed by the reserved nature of Hayden, and she can't help but wonder what he is hiding. But when Sharna finds out that Gabrielle plans on renovating the ramshackle hotel, she knows that Hayden, being a stonemason, should be able to lend a hand.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, Hayden has his reasons for holding back. Up until eighteen months ago, he was happily enjoying life surrounded by great mates and a loving family. But one tragic experience changed his life forever, and the struggles continue to plague him. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">When he spends some more time with Gabrielle, he knows that he wants to assist her with the renovations, but will be able to open up and allow himself to care for her, or will his past continue to drag him down?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was a highly enjoyable and entertaining story with a rich sense of community and a great cast of characters. The meticulous descriptions of the stunning rural landscapes provided the perfect cherry on the top! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Wattle Seed Inn is available now through Allen & Unwin. <br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-29875744208151369622021-06-02T09:00:00.002+10:002021-06-02T09:00:35.594+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: Nancy Business by R.W.R. McDonald</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipU_6DO5ceXMq2nqttwzTd1LFiPPeF8e3PFM38zD4wdb0l9f3d3ttpzsXlHGwOGAbUVBSw5z30sk20rsiudIiSxeifSJjfX6JmYW09b7L6X84R3EWrXPaKbmjb9ftZ9txUeYaErT-Nkt8w/s1280/IMG_7351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipU_6DO5ceXMq2nqttwzTd1LFiPPeF8e3PFM38zD4wdb0l9f3d3ttpzsXlHGwOGAbUVBSw5z30sk20rsiudIiSxeifSJjfX6JmYW09b7L6X84R3EWrXPaKbmjb9ftZ9txUeYaErT-Nkt8w/w400-h400/IMG_7351.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /> </b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b>I finally got round to reading The Nancys about a month ago after hearing lots of good things about it. I thought that it was such a witty and funny novel with a cast of unique characters, and was really glad when I found out that they would be back for more in the sequel titled Nancy Business. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I had the opportunity to read Nancy Business, which is released this week, and loved it just as much. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The protagonist is 12 year-old Tippy Chan. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tippy is an adorable character with a great attitude to life, and is also really brave. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></span></span>Tippy has had to deal with a lot in her short life, including the death of her father. She loves Nancy Drew novels (especially the hand-me-down copies that her Uncle Pike gave her), and she loves solving mysteries. Along with her Uncle Pike and his partner Devon, they form 'The Nancys', a secret amateur detective club. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In Nancy Business, Pike and Devon revisit Tippy and her mum to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Tippy's father's death. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When an early morning explosion rocks the small town where Tilly lives, three people are killed and the town hall is destroyed.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Nancys decide to go against the advice of the local police and work together to find out who detonated the bomb, and try to work out whether the town is still under threat. Only this time around, Pike and Devon can't see eye to eye, and Tippy finds out some truths that she would have rather not known. Can they solve the mystery before it's too late? You'll have to read it to find out!<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nancy Business is highly entertaining and just a really fun read. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Whilst there are some heavier topics like death and grief, they are written in a gentle, sensitive manner</span></span></span></span>.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Uncle Pike and
his partner Devon are hilarious and I love them both! Their unwavering love for Tilly is clearly evident, and they do their best to support both Tilly and her mum. They have great
personalities and bring a lot to the series. Add in Tilly with her can-do look on life and it's the perfect trio. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'd highly recommend both of R.W.R McDonald's novels if you're after light-hearted, fun and fabulous stories. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nancy Business is available now through Allen & Unwin, RRP $29.99<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-18209526653721410182021-06-01T08:40:00.000+10:002021-06-01T08:40:21.306+10:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Book Review: Magpie's Bend by Maya Linnell</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTUpgbxjku7ZpCKdJ3DRbsejqx57h0WPZRVUfZtkZBw7fxJv4f-OmdthFcvaiKajKvjFmlj3JWTJ3SuUZwKLbp_0ejCqlaQkocEF48MgAf0d0G-yisVhg357B4a3yeai5ZzcLqS5twRti/s1280/IMG_7346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTUpgbxjku7ZpCKdJ3DRbsejqx57h0WPZRVUfZtkZBw7fxJv4f-OmdthFcvaiKajKvjFmlj3JWTJ3SuUZwKLbp_0ejCqlaQkocEF48MgAf0d0G-yisVhg357B4a3yeai5ZzcLqS5twRti/w400-h400/IMG_7346.JPG" width="400" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have read both of Maya's other novels and she has come to be one of my most enjoyable rural fiction novelists, so I was happy to be given the opportunity to read her third novel, Magpie's Bend.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">For those that may not be aware, Maya's previous two novels feature the McIntyre family; a family of four sisters, Angie, Penny, Diana and Lara, and their father Angus. Whilst the books don't need to be read in any particular order as they make great stand-alone novels, I would recommend reading Maya's other two novels if you can find the time as they are well worth a read, particularly if you enjoy stories with a lovely sense of community, belonging, family and a little love thrown in!<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Magpie's Bend, the reader is back in Bridgefield, a small rural town, and this time Lara is the family member that the story centres around.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lara is a bush nurse and single mother to her teenage daughter Evie. She was once married to a man named Sam but it ended in disaster, and she has been wary of wearing her heart on her sleeve ever since. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Toby Paxton is a new resident to the town; he is a journalist that has been sent to Bridgefield to run the local newspaper. He's also divorced and a father to a teenage daughter named Holly.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">When an accident occurs at Bridgefield's general store, Toby is introduced into Lara's life as she uses her nursing training to provide first aid to the store owner, Mrs Beggs. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the town comes to realise that the store may have to be sold, Lara makes it her mission to save the shop from being sold to out-of-towners who want to revamp it. But she soon realises that she won't be able to win the fight on her own.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The community rallies around whilst Lara, along with the McIntyre family and Toby, come up with fundraising ideas to save the store. As she spends more time with Toby developing ideas, she soon realises that her feelings for him are growing. But will she be able to trust a man again? And will they be able to save the store?<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The cast of characters in Magpie's Bend make the story what it is. Their can-do attitudes and resilience shine through. There is a real sense of community and support for each other.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Add in the beautiful descriptions of the rural landscape, plus mouth-watering desserts interspersed throughout the story and you can see why this is a book that will certainly entertain. I look forward to reading more novels from Maya.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Magpie's Bend is released today through Allen & Unwin. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-88451178701323047912021-05-13T10:37:00.000+10:002021-05-13T10:37:11.288+10:00<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Book Review: How To Mend A Broken Heart by Rachael Johns</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJp9auDoypulwP55zD1NF2KoodEhIa5ltApAVPB9JtrDSrPnrRzDqTttaceaAKCt0rHvSa9OVd4hLSuVpJQqLBCimY_v08VmTvMLbeDoOEPcJ44Keo5HI0wh92F0Fs6uqJn_9ZdIgLXr1/s1280/IMG_7206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJp9auDoypulwP55zD1NF2KoodEhIa5ltApAVPB9JtrDSrPnrRzDqTttaceaAKCt0rHvSa9OVd4hLSuVpJQqLBCimY_v08VmTvMLbeDoOEPcJ44Keo5HI0wh92F0Fs6uqJn_9ZdIgLXr1/w359-h359/IMG_7206.JPG" width="359" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I have read quite a few of Rachael's novels, and must say that this one is my new favourite of hers!<br />Having read The Art Of Keeping Secrets a while back , I was already familiar with the main character Felicity and her friends and family. I really enjoyed how the reader gets to experience more of Felicity in this book. Whilst How To Mend A Broken Heart is not a sequel, the two books are linked, and I liked having that familiarity and the back story, so I do recommend reading The Art Of Keeping Secrets to gain further insight into Felicity's life and enjoy more of her, even though this makes for a perfectly entertaining stand-alone novel.<br />As mentioned, Felicity is the main character, and she has been separated from her husband for 4 years. She has two adult children, and enjoys a career as a taxidermist. <br />When she discovers that her ex has a new partner, Felicity feels as though she needs a change in her life, so when the opportunity arises for her to travel to New Orleans to work in a taxidermy store, she seizes it. Felicity isn't used to being so spontaneous, but realises that this change to her daily routine is just what she needs. It isn't long before she falls in love with the New Orleans way of living.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Meanwhile, Felicity's daughter, Zoe is happily married and hoping to start a family, but her world is shattered when she finds out that her husband is cheating on her. On a whim, she quits her job and follows her mother to New Orleans, unbeknownst to Felicity.<br />What follows is a journey of self-discovery for the two women. They make some great relationships, and experience some fantastic opportunities in New Orleans.<br />I love how Rachael really bought the surroundings of New Orleans to life. I feel as though I know so much more about the culture, cuisine, jazz music, nightlife and traditions of this city. <br />I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and am giving my followers the opportunity to win a copy of it, along with another great book. Head to my Instagram or Facebook post for further info. </span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-90453229250332261152021-03-03T09:34:00.003+11:002021-03-03T09:34:28.833+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: Driving Stevie Fracasso by Barry Divola </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMItgQN7IQleuROpTNjCgOcFQGNLmL4LkUD4vQ30rHtQ4N1s2itpw_hf3rOzF45FLIBTliliZ84EaDB4FeNsESJoL7qgj8b93b3jRxf0oCfW6YwUzVEPE4L-XstgrV4mzef-amI8Lk-thC/s640/FEE4C752-B9DE-4459-918F-B181DCE273E7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMItgQN7IQleuROpTNjCgOcFQGNLmL4LkUD4vQ30rHtQ4N1s2itpw_hf3rOzF45FLIBTliliZ84EaDB4FeNsESJoL7qgj8b93b3jRxf0oCfW6YwUzVEPE4L-XstgrV4mzef-amI8Lk-thC/w400-h400/FEE4C752-B9DE-4459-918F-B181DCE273E7.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I finished this book recently and I loved it!!! It is one of my favourites of the year so far.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />The story begins with 40 year-old music journalist Rick McLennan, who loses his job and breaks up with his long-term partner Jane on the same day. As a result of the break up, he also loses his apartment. <br />But luck turns his way when he is given the opportunity to write a book about Stevie Fracasso, former rock star and lead singer of the band Driven To Distraction, who is doing one last performance in New York, where Rick lives. <br />The only catch is that Stevie doesn't like to fly, so would need to be picked up and driven from his home in Austin, Texas, to New York, with Rick interviewing him for the book along the way.<br />But there's a problem. Rick and Stevie are brothers. And they haven't seen each other in over thirty years!<br />Rick doesn't want to take the job but he's fresh out of choices, so he 'borrows' Jane's 1985 Nissan Stanza and heads towards Stevie's home.<br />What ensues is a fun and fabulous journey as the reader begins to find out why the brothers have been estranged for so long. This story had a mix of everything - I laughed out loud in many parts, and was really moved in others. The story has a great cast of characters too, and the musical soundtrack added a great touch! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I would highly recommend getting your hands on a copy. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is available from today through HarperCollins Publishers Australia, RRP $32.99 </span></span><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-13816129606736488942021-02-24T12:39:00.000+11:002021-02-24T12:39:01.654+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOFJvPwDspr0PDrE0CgqMpiV4cxjzJ7Z7fTwAqIlJIC3je2owUwgfyswqwcEmMATxVrIuRNju6gKyl04lg9l6l0r-ln4epnRpdd6pPN_fiqrSc5tHy4q7lhGEe20kTpvW2USzf3jvvOwn/s512/crookedtree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOFJvPwDspr0PDrE0CgqMpiV4cxjzJ7Z7fTwAqIlJIC3je2owUwgfyswqwcEmMATxVrIuRNju6gKyl04lg9l6l0r-ln4epnRpdd6pPN_fiqrSc5tHy4q7lhGEe20kTpvW2USzf3jvvOwn/w250-h400/crookedtree.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I recently finished reading A Crooked Tree and thought that this is a great coming-of-age story.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main character 14 year-old Libby Gallagher, lives with her mother Faye and four siblings, 17 year-old Marie, 16 year-old Thomas, Ellen, aged 12, and Beatrice who is 7 years old.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Their Irish father passed away not long ago and they are all still greatly affected by his loss. Even though he was divorced from Faye, the kids loved their dad and miss him a lot.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">One night when they are returning to their suburban Pennsylvania home, a snide remark made by Ellen causes Faye to make the snap decision to leave her by the side of the road and get her to walk the remaining 5 miles home on her own. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Ellen doesn't return in a couple of hours, the siblings are all concerned. What happened to Ellen? Where could she be?<br />We slowly discover the events of the night through Libby's voice. It is clear that what happened that night sets the marker for a summer in the '80's with a lot of change. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I read this book in a couple of days. I was drawn to the characters and story. It isn't a thriller, but it does have elements of mystery, secrets and lies involved. It's one to add to your reading pile for sure! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Crooked Tree is available now, RRP $27.99 </span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-754541175161328940.post-16538857195393246212021-01-16T10:30:00.000+11:002021-01-16T10:30:28.447+11:00<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Book Review: The Promise by Lucy Diamond</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hioTLhYjSVifHvDiPEi6NEdQ4_TefNHWC4bS6RBpuYZ5QpMQReqLcskCpAsouY71CMx66TLEjdIY2_jBcxFMfPQT8KSFuYsBtW6HQWJE38NhvizbxT90kI787zhJEeNxlGHelT-puqYT/s2048/promisebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hioTLhYjSVifHvDiPEi6NEdQ4_TefNHWC4bS6RBpuYZ5QpMQReqLcskCpAsouY71CMx66TLEjdIY2_jBcxFMfPQT8KSFuYsBtW6HQWJE38NhvizbxT90kI787zhJEeNxlGHelT-puqYT/w250-h400/promisebook.jpg" width="250" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have read a few novels by Lucy Diamond, and recently finished her latest one titled The Promise. I quite liked this one, and although it wasn't my favourite book of Lucy's, I would still recommend it, especially for those that enjoy family dramas.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Zoe Sheppard is a recent widower after her husband Patrick, aged just 42 years old passes away one night. She is now the sole carer for their three children, Ethan, Gabe and Beatrice.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Patrick was well loved and had a business that was thriving, but Zoe is still coming to terms with his death. One day, her brother-in-law Dan offers his support. Dan feels guilty for not stepping in sooner, and before long, he comes up with a plan to help pick up the pieces and bring some happiness and normality back to Zoe and the kids.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He offers to drive the children to school and activities, and even tries to help with Patrick's family real estate business, fixing damaged properties and helping tenants. However, when he does, he uncovers some secrets that Patrick had, and Dan is shocked that his brother wasn't the man he thought he was. Dan is then faced with the tough decision of whether to tell Zoe what he has found out, or whether he should keep it to himself. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This was a nice family drama that unfolded at a good pace. I enjoyed the characters, especially the children and Dan too. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Promise is available now through Pan Macmillan Australia, RRP $32.99 </span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>In The Good Books Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117597052289647895noreply@blogger.com0