Book Review: The Maid by Nita Prose

 

 

 

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! 

The main character is 25 year-old Molly, who works as a maid at The Regency Grand Hotel, which is a 5 star establishment.
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.

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.

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!

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.

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).  

The Maid is available from Harper Collins Australia, RRP $29.99

Book Review: The Islands by Emily Brugman

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

The Islands is available through Allen & Unwin, RRP $29.99

The Happiness Trap (2nd edition) by Dr Russ Harris

 

 

 

 

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.

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). 

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.

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. 

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. 

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). 

Books like this one offer hope and encouragement, and if you put in the time to follow the techniques, it can really be beneficial.

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. 

The Happiness Trap is available through Exisle Publishing, RRP $34.99

 

 

 

 

 Children's Picture Book Reviews: Toy Mountain and Cookie 

 

 

 Toy Mountain and Cookie are recent releases from EK Books, a publisher which produces picture books that have meaningful messages and important topics.

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! 

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. 

This book teaches children about sustainability and the importance of protecting the environment and using only what we need, not want.

 

Cookie is a story written by Isabelle Duff when she was 18 years old, and is inspired by her border collie Saffy.

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.

This is lovely story that touches on the importance of pet ownership and the love that a pet provides.

Both books are available now through EK Books. 

 

 

 The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly  

 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

If you're a fan of crime and/or action-packed thrillers then I am sure you will enjoy The Dark Hours.

Available now thorough Allen & Unwin Australia, RRP $32.99 

 

 Book Review: The Housemate by Sarah Bailey

 

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. 

 

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, Nicole Horrowitz went missing.

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.

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! 

I thought that this was a well-written whodunnit, and I found that I connected with the setting of the story, being based in Melbourne.  

I would recommend The Housemate for fans of crime/thriller novels.

* Worth mentioning, there are some heavy themes in The Housemate, including child abuse, which may be triggering for some readers.

The Housemate is available through Allen & Unwin RRP $32.99

 

 Book Review: The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

 

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

She sets up a dating app and vows to embark on a string of one-night stands.

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. 

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. 

I don't want to add too much more so as not to spoil this book for others, but I recommend this book highly.

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.

 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.

The Heart Principle is available now through Allen & Unwin Australia, $29.99