Healing the Trauma of Domestic Violence – Book Review Author: Edward S. Kubany, Mari A. McCaig, and Janet R. Laconsay Genre: Psychology, self-help, non-fiction My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 15th August, 2004 by New Harbinger Publications Format: Paperback, 216 pages What did I think? What you should know: I was torn between giving 3…
The Best Kind of Beautiful by Frances Whiting
The Best Kind of Beautiful- Review Author: Frances Whiting Genre: Contemporary My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 29th October, 2019 by Macmillan Australia Format: Kindle Edition, 259 pages What did I think? ‘The Best Kind of Beautiful’ is a novel about quirky people from quirky families. Mainly Florence Saint Claire, who is an ex child-performer,…
Split by Tara Moss
Split (Book two of Makedde Vanderwall series) – Audiobook Review Author: Tara Moss Genre: Thriller, mystery, serial-killer, contemporary My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 9th January, 2009 by Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Format: Audiobook, 7 hours and 55 minutes What did I think? This was a serial-killer mystery read that that was quick, easy, and…
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K.Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Author: J.K. Rowlings (Book three) Genre: Young adult, fantasy, supernatural My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 20th November, 2015 by Pottermore from J.K. Rowling Format: Audiobook, 12 hours and 30 minutes What did I think? There is so much to love in book three. I enjoyed that this…
How to Be Second Best by Jessica Dettmann
How to be Second Best- Book Review Author: Jessica Dettmann Genre: Contemporary, Australian, women’s, humour My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 17th December, 2018 by HarperCollins Format: Paperback, 362 pages What did I think? “I should have a slogan: Emma Baker – she’s what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” How to be Second…
Silver by Chris Hammer
Silver – Did not finish Author: Chris Hammer My rating: Unrated – did not finish Genre: Mystery, Australian Release Date: Published 1st October, 2019 by Allen & Unwin Format: Paperback, 576 pages This is not a review; just a few notes on what I did read of this copy (provided, thank you, by Allen &…
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Boy Swallows Universe – Audiobook Review Author: Trent Dalton Genre: Literary, magical realism, crime, historical fiction, faction My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 24th June, 2018 by Bolinda/HarperCollins audio Format: Audio, 16 hours, 42 minutes What did I think? A New York Times article said that the book is a “50-50” mix of fact and…
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sing- Book Review Author: Delia Owens Genre: Historical fiction, mystery, crime, southern My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 14th August 14th, by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Format: Paperback, 384 pages What did I think? I’m ever careful about seeing reviews prior to reading a novel. I might scan them, looking at ratings (particularly…
Goodreads gone wrong – take 2
I can’t help it when I see recommendations like this – it’s so funny. How? Really.
A Pie to Die For by Stacey Alabaster
A Pie to Die For (first book in the Bakery Detectives series) – Book Review Author: Stacey Alabaster Genre: Cosy mystery My rating: ★★★☆☆ Release Date: Published 19th March, 2016 by Fairfield Publishing Format: Kindle ebook, 161 pages What did I think? A fun cosy mystery that I read in one sitting (it’s on the…
A Ghost of a Chance by Morgana Best
A Ghost of a Chance (first in The Witch Woods Funeral Home series) – Did not finish Author: Morgana Best Genre: Cosy mystery, paranormal, australia My rating: Unrated Release Date: Published 15th November, 2015 by Ghost Books Publishing Format: Kindle book, 254 pages Why didn’t I finish it? Not a review, just a few thoughts….
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets (second book in the series ) – Audiobook Review Author: J.K. Rowling Genre: YA, children, fantasy My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 20th November, 2015 by Pottermore from J.K. Rowling Format: Audiobook, 10 hours and 8 minutes What did I think? Turns out The Chamber of Secrets, book…
Southern Spirits by Angie Fox
Southern Spirits – First book in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series – Book Review Author: Angie Fox Genre: Cosy mystery, supernatural, paranormal, urban fantasy, romance My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 13th January, 2015 by Angie Fox Format: Paperback, 256 pages What did I think? Verity is a bright, plucky southern gal in danger…
Heal Your PTSD: Dynamic Strategies That Work by Michele Rosenthal
Heal your PTSD – Book Review Author: Michele Rosenthal Genre: Psychology, trauma, non-fiction, self-help My rating: ★★★☆☆ Release Date: Published 1st September, 2015 by Conari Press Format: Paperback, 256 pages What did I think? Rosenthal had Post-traumatic Stress Disorder herself and believes herself to be one hundred percent healed from symptoms. I wouldn’t like for…
What I love most about reading
Let me say first that while I have always been a reader, I have never been voracious. When I was younger, it was never something I would have listed as a main hobby (unless pushed). Once I became a teen, I was usually reading non-fiction, following my interests, and I continued like that for…
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Little Fires Everywhere – Book Review Author: Celeste Ng Genre: Contemporary My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 12th September, 2017 by Penguin Press Format: Paperback, 272 pages What did I think? A terrific story, well-written. Ng reminds me of Liane Moriarty in that way, and both Ng and Moriarty are easy to read – meaning…
The Terror by Dan Simmons
The Terror- Audiobook Review Author: Dan Simmons Genre: Historical fiction, horror, fantasy, thriller, audiobook My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Released 4th July, 2018 by Transworld Digital Format: Audiobook 28 hours, 28 minutes What did I think? The HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were actual ships, and the book is a fictionalised account of an actual…
A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine
A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy – Book Review Author: William B. Irvine Genre: Philosophy, self-help, Stoicism My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 1st November, 2008 by Oxford University Format: Hardcover, 326 pages What did I think? The book has an old-fashioned feel that I’ve felt before while reading…
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History – Book Review Author: Donna Tartt Genre: Mystery, college students My rating: ★★★☆☆ Release Date: Published 13th April, 2004 by Vintage (originally published 1992) Format: Paperback, 658 pages What did I think? Upfront I want to say I think this was a great book that simply wasn’t quite my cup of tea….
The Rip by Mark Brandi
The Rip – Book Review Author: Mark Brandi Genres: Contemporary, mystery, crime, Australia Rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 26th of February, 2019 by Hachette Australia Format: Paperback, 272 pages What did I think? “I’ve never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A…