Tag: fiction

The Bodysurfers – Book Review Author: Robert Drewe Genre: Short stories, Australia, classic My rating: ★★★☆☆ Release Date: Published 29th June, 2009 by Penguin Group (Australia) Format: Paperback, 168 pages What did I think? Drewe’s short story collection was printed in the eighties and I could tell. It reminded me in style and characters of…

Siren – Book Review Author: Tara Moss Genre: Mystery, thriller, Aussie My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 28th June, 2011 by Bolinda Publishing Format: Audiobook, 11 hours, 31 minutes Yes, I’m back. You’d think that Covid-19 would give me more time to read (and write) but instead it upset my routine. Oh well, no harm,…

If I Had Your Face – Book Review Author: Frances Cha Genre: Contemporary, women’s fiction My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 21st April, 2020 by Penguin Books, UK (Viking) Format: Kindle, 272 pages What did I think? Frances Cha’s debut novel introduces you to the lives of five women in modern day Seoul with their…

The Animals in That Country – Book Review Author: Laura Jean McKay Genre: Australian, contemporary, literary fiction, speculative fiction My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: March 31st 2020 by Scribe Publications Format: Paperback, 288 pages What did I think? I’m not going to lie. McKay’s The Animals in That Country is an odd one. Odd, yet…

The Secrets of Strangers – Book Review Author: Charity Norman Genre: My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 3rd March, 2020 by Allen & Unwin Format: Paperback, 352 pages What did I think? I have given Norman’s The Secrets of Strangers five stars – it probably would have been a 4.5 if there were such a…

Death in the Ladies Goddess Club – Book Review Author: Julian Leatherdale Genre: Mystery, Australian My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Expected 3rd March, 2020 by Allen & Unwin Format: Paperback, 400 pages What did I think? Death in the Ladies Goddess Club is a complex murder mystery set in Kings Cross in the 1930s. Leatherdale’s…

Three Apples Fell from the Sky – Book Review Author: Narine Abgaryan Genre: Fiction, fable My rating: ★★★★☆ Expected Release Date: 5th March, 2020 by Oneworld Publications Format: Kindle, 256 pages What did I think? Author, Narine Abgaryan, gave me plenty to enjoy in this fable detailing the difficulties facing Maran, a small mountain village…

Good Dogs Don’t Make It to the South Pole – Book Review Author: Hans-Olav Thyvold Genre: Fiction but it’s a tricky one My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Expected 4th February, 2020 by Allen and Unwin Format: Paperback, 304 pages What did I think? (Edit (25/01/20): I think this book had a much darker ending that…

Charlotte Pass – Book Review Author: Lee Christine Genre: Murder mystery, Australia, romance My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Expected publication: 4th February, 2020 by Allen & Unwin AU Format: Paperback, 320 pages What did I think? My third novel for this year is another good mystery (after A Murder at Malabar Hill). I was hooked…

My Sister the Serial Killer – Book Review Author: Oyinkan Braithwaite Genre: It’s tricky -read on My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 28th November, 2018 by Atlantic (first published July 17th 2017) Format: Paperback, 226 pages What did I think? When I finally began this book, which I had been looking forward to for many…

A Murder at Malabar Hill – Book Review Author: Sujata Massey Genre: Mystery, historical fiction, India My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 7th January, 2020 by Allen & Unwin Format: Paperback, 385 pages What did I think? Perveen Mistry is Bombay’s first female lawyer, working in her father’s office, Mistry Law. This was a terrific…

Miracle Creek – Book Review Author: Angie Kim Genre: contemporary, mystery, court drama My rating: ★★★★☆ Release Date: Published 25th July, 2019 by Hodder & Stoughton Format: Paperback, 368 pages What did I think? This was a beautifully written story with a plot so complex that I was truly in awe of Kim’s skills. She…

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- 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…

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 – 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…

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Book Review Author:  Gail Honeyman Genre: Contemporary, literary, women’s My rating: ★★★★★ Release Date: Published 5th June, 2018 by Penguin Books Format: Paperback, 325 pages What did I think? “I simply didn’t know how to make things better. I could not solve the puzzle of me.” – Gail Honeyman…

Normal People – Book Review Author: Sally Rooney Genre: Contemporary, literary, award winner, ireland My rating: ★★★☆☆ Release Date: Published 28th August, 2018 by Faber & Faber Format: Paperback, 269 pages “She shrugs. She knows a confrontation is coming now, and she can do nothing to stop it. It’s moving towards her already from every…