Review: A New World Rises: Tales of a Lego® Future by Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler

You've seen the Relics Exhibition at the Australian Museum, Sydney? Now get the book!

 

Haven't been able to get to the exhibition? Get the book! 

 

A New World Rises: Tales of a Lego® Future is the unauthorised Lego® masterpiece by Lego® Masters winners Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler with children's author and illustrator, Cristy Burne.

The year is 2130, it's a post-human world and Lego® minifigures have risen to build intricate civilisations inside discarded objects. Each new city is inspired by the relics' original use.

 

Through A New World Rises: Tales of a Lego® Future Harvey and Towler hoped to inspire families to get out their Lego® collections and see what their imagination can build.

 

The new minifigure worlds have been built inside everyday items such as an old car, piano, refrigerator, ATM, jukebox, bookcase and many more.

 

The hardcover book features 184 pages of amazing photos with a full shot of the setup and close up shots of each part of the setup, which gives a clear insight into the hours and thought that has gone into each build.

 

Each page includes fun and playful text combining to give a picture of a new world rising from the debris. A world that focuses on recycling and sustainability.

 

A New World Rises: Tales of a Lego® Future is a 'must have' for every Lego® enthusiast, young and old. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 5th August 2025

Genre: Fiction / Art

Pages: 184

RRP: AU$44.99 (hardcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Review: The Bearcat by Georgia Rose Phillips

I requested a review copy of The Bearcat thinking it was a story based on the infamous Australian cult The Family. I am fascinated by the premise of a cult. How do they draw people in, brainwash them? However The Bearcat wasn't about The Family per se but about the life of Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the yoga teacher who became the leader of The Family.

 

Inspired by real events however the author has used creative license and prioritised narrative over history to enhance the story.

"The cult started with Anne's women, her chosen ones; them finding each other between the crevices of their private worlds. It started with a loose constellation of bodies scattered across a modest community hall."

 

Georgia Ros Phillips prose are lyrical painting a distinct picture of the setting and atmosphere throughout the book.

 

The story opens in 1987 with ex-members of the cult talking to a detective. The narrative then goes back to 1921 when Evelyn/Anne is born. She cried a lot and her mother, Florence, found it hard to connect with this demanding, screaming baby.

 

The Bearcat explores the idea of nurture versus nature. Was Anne's actions the result of her upbringing or was she predestined to be the charismatic and manipulative leader of women?

We get a picture of a difficult child brought up by a mother with mental health issues and an indifferent father. Anne wasn't so much neglected, as forgotten. 

I did think it strange that there is only a brief mention of Anne's six younger siblings. Having them taken away may have triggered her desire to collect children. 

 

The book jumps around a lot in time, back and forward over a seventy year period. I found it very hard to connect with the story as it kept moving back and forward in time with no real sense of connection.

 

The story delves deep into the characters' feelings. How they feel about each other, how they feel about their current situation in life and their hopes and dreams.

 

Georgia Rose Phillips takes the reader behind everyday activities to relish in the lights, sounds  and movements that surround us.  

 

Whilst I found The Bearcat intriguing it didn't really hit the mark. I would recommend it to readers of literary fiction, anyone interested in the psychology of man and those who like to immerse themselves in lyrical prose.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Picador

Publication date: 29th April 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction / Historical

Pages: 320

RRP: AU$34.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 

Review: The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith

I loved The Wedding Vow by Dandy Smith. It was addictive and fast paced full of red herrings and jaw dropping twists. The Wrong Daughter is every bit as addictive. I read it in one cold, wet, rainy day.

 

Smith pulls her readers straight into the mystery with a prologue showing how 13 year old Olivia is taken from her bedroom.

 

One plot line follows Caitlin sixteen years after Olivia's kidnapping. Caitlin is now twenty-six and she still isn't coping with the loss.

 

A second plot-line follows Elinor and Heath living on a secluded country estate. This plot has an overriding foreboding feeling that something isn't quite right. I was intrigued to see how these two very different plots would connect.

 

When Olivia suddenly shows up at their parents door Caitlin is ecstatic but as the weeks pass she is more and more convinced this woman is not Olivia.    

 

The Wrong Daughter is an addictive story of manipulation. Filled with adrenaline inducing suspense, a compelling mystery, and a few red-herrings to sift through. I thought I had it all worked out but, of course, I was wrong, and I love that!

 

The Wrong Daughter is definitely a roller coaster ride. It had me gripped right until the thrilling ending.

 

my rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 3rd June 2025

Genre: Crime / Psychological Thriller 

Pages: 368

RRP: AU$22.99 ( B format paperback) 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of The Wedding Vow: 

 https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2025/05/book-review-wedding-vow-by-dandy-smith.html

 

 

Spotlight: Behind the Mask by Josh Piterman

Josh is a multi-award winning musical theatre performer who has played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and the most coveted role in the West End, the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera.  

 

A note from the author:

My intention is not only to give you a backstage VIP tour of my musical theatre world, but also to provide you with some useful tools to help navigate life, find deeper meaning, explore a growth mindset, and ensure it's all done with a touch of humour.

 

Ultimately, I would like to help you step out from behind the masks you wear, the persona you have created. I want to give you the strategies and the confidence to understand and accept who you really are - because until you ditch the distractions and learn to love yourself as 'nobody', you will never truly love yourself as 'somebody'. You need to understand who you always were before you can realise who you might become. 

 

About Behind the Mask by Josh Piterman:

In Behind the Mask Josh covers anxiety disorders, panic attacks and fear of failure in a time where mental health discussion is of the utmost importance and sought out by many.

Behind the Mask also includes guidance gathered from an array of coaches, teachers, gurus, guides, mentors, therapists and philosophers.

 

What people are saying about Behind the Mask:

 

Well written and engaging, I recommend this to his fans, and I'm interested in checking out his podcast now. - Suz (Goodreads)

 

Humour, sound advice and personal triumphant moments coupled with low blows life throws makes this a book that could be picked up multiple times when needed. - Craig and Phil (Goodreads)

 

What a beautiful soul. Written with so much honesty and reflection. Everyone should read this book to connect back with the wisdom of the soul. - Mrs Cricket (Amazon)

 

What I appreciate most is how this book doesn’t just speak to the mind but speaks to the heart. It’s reflective and practical. - Jason (Amazon)

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 29th April 2025

Genre: Self Help

Pages: 224

RRP: AU$29.99 (B+ paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Review: The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot

The Lies We Tell Ourselves is a deeply affecting story about body image, self esteem, grief and friendship. 

 

Maura Pierlot exposes the fragility of the teenage years in this heartfelt story that reflects on the societal perceptions of being thin.

 

When new student Carter starts year 10, Harley decides this is the year she will reinvent herself hoping to catch the attention of the new boy in school.

Harley's nan had always been her confidante and confidence booster. Ever since she died nothing is making sense.

 

Harley makes a new-year wish list; get a job, get a boyfriend, get a life.

But after being relentlessly bullied at school for her weight she changes her wish list to; get skinny, get a boyfriend, get a life.

Harley feels if she was skinny she would be in with the cool girls and all life's problems would be solved.

 

I'm sure we all remember being 15 and how important friendships were in our life, and the ups and downs of those friendships. Teenage girls can be nasty sometimes! 

 

In The Lies We Tell Ourselves Maura Pierlot brings all the angst and torment to heartbreaking life on the page as Harley starves herself, dismisses her true friendship and alienates her family, all in the pursuit of a utopian goal that is undermining her mental health.

 

The Lies We Tell Ourselves is a must-read for teenagers 13+ and the perfect conversation starter for talks on body image, photo sharing and your online presence.

 

I quite often comment about books being overly dramatic however with The Lies We Tell Ourselves I truly think the drama could have been hyped up, especially where Talia's photo sharing was concerned. She seemed to shrug it off too easily.

 

The Lies We Tell Ourselves is timely and timeless: a story that will be relevant as long as there are teenagers.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Big Ideas Press

Publication date: 1st August 2025

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 352

RRP: AU$22.99

Source: Courtesy of the author 

 

 

Book Review: Saturation by William Lane

Saturation is the latest novel by acclaimed author William Lane.

I don't know where to start with this near future dystopian novel. The reader gets a small view of this future world as the story is mainly about the characters and how they negotiate this new normal. 

 

I found Saturation to be mesmerizing. I was fascinated with the concept and couldn't get enough of Ursula and Ambrose's world and how they fit themselves into that world.

Lane builds a world gripped by rising waters, relentless  rain, plagues and apathy. It was the apathy that got to me the most.

 

People's lives are ruled by an AI named Yoremind. It interacts by text message and points are awarded, for ever increasing acts of violence, to earn days off work and holidays. The world is deemed as being so bad no one is having children. The past has been forgotten and with no need to think or learn people have forgotten how to do the simplest things. 

 

I came across so many wonderful quotes but I'll just add a couple. One highlighting the acceptance of circumstances and the other the loss of memory.

 

'Simply do what it says, or suggests - at least sometimes'.                                                               'And if I dislike what it suggests?' 'This is life!' she cried. 'This is how things are and always have been, in case you haven't noticed.' 

 "I'm struggling to remember my password or user name. For some reason I can remember my old password and phone number, but not the latest one." Ambrose - Saturation

How true is that statement! I can clearly remember my childhood phone number and all my friends' home numbers but I don't know my husband's or children's mobiles. Everything is remembered for us. We even drive with GPS without having to remember a route.
 

Ambrose is the one to strike out and rebel. He is determined to save the books knowing that history and information is the only way to move forward and build a better world.
 

Lane's world is not so unbelievable! Country residents blame city dwellers as the bearers of all diseases. When a dictator, Bottrel, takes over Yoremind he thrives on fear and terror. Step out of line and you will be killed. Education is banned, libraries burned. Bottrel vilifies country people causing more unrest. People doing as they're told and losing the ability to think, reason and remember. Anyone trying to better society is hunted down. Saturation feels eerily presentiment. A unique narrative perfect for readers of 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge Press

Publication date: 1st May 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction / Dystopian

Pages: 288

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Bridge to Always by Lynda Marron

I loved this book so much!! But then I do love real, flawed characters that make big messy mistakes in their lives.

 

The Bridge to Always is told in multiple points of view. We get to hear from everyone, even nine-year-old Emer. 

 

After the death of her mother Maeve moves to a small town in Cork hoping to rekindle a romance with Tim, the father of her nine-year-old daughter Emer.

 

Tim is now married but is tempted by the vivacious Maeve. He goes to see her and is shocked to find out he has a daughter.

 

Maeve is a totally unlikeable character and at times I felt like screaming at her. She is the most frustrating character I've read for a while. Maeve loves her daughter fiercely but the child is sorely neglected in her quest to win Tim back. She is very delusional and has an unrealistic dream of life.

Agnes and Malachi, who live on properties nearby, try to help Maeve as they can see she is struggling, however she is rude and dismissive of them.

 

I feel that Lynda Marron has taken a gamble creating a main character who is self-centred, morally challenged and unlikeable. Although, for me, it paid off. 

 

The story moves back and forward from now, with Maeve living in Drohid, Cork to ten years ago when she first met Tim. 

 

As with her previous novel Last Chance in Paris Marron writes about people's lives crossing and how a brief moment in time, a brief encounter, can change your life forever.

 

In The Bridge to Always I was quickly drawn into the immersive tale of the citizens of Drohid, where even the most well meaning of people still, on occasion, looked out for themselves first. 

 

I would recommend this affecting and moving novel to readers who enjoy stories on love, identity and finding yourself.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 29th April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 340

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 

Book Review: The Florence Sisters by Tessa Harris

The Florence Sisters follows a group of English women living in Florence during the second world war.

 

Tessa Harris bases The Florence Sisters on the true events of the German army taking great works of art from museums, in countries they invaded, and keeping them to build a super collection of renowned art.

From this, Harris builds a fictional story filled with danger and intrigue. 

 

Angelina's love of art led her to obtaining an arts degree. When she is asked to help label and hide great works of art from the Germans she enlists the help of her great-aunt Agatha and the English Ladies Arts Appreciation Society, a sisterhood of elderly English women who gather together to study and talk about great works of art.

 

The Florence Sisters is an intriguing story that highlights the vulnerability of the Englishwomen living in Italy during the time of the war and showcases the strength and determination that went into protecting the art works from the Germans.

 

Harris writes about ordinary people risking their life for what they believe in and I loved how tough and resilient the older women were, never giving up when the odds were against them.

I enjoyed Angelina's story as she put her life in danger to protect these precious artworks ensuring they would not be lost to the world.

 

I was totally invested in the brilliantly conceived plot rich in danger, tenacity and determination, all wrapped around the world of fine art.

 

The Florence Sisters is highly recommended for lovers of art and readers of WWII fiction. The foreboding atmosphere throughout the book makes it hard to put down.

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 30th April 2025

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

 
 

Book Review: The Reunion by Simone Van der Vlugt

The Reunion is a compelling mystery with an unreliable narrator at its centre.

 

I couldn't find my edition of this book, borrowed from a friend, anywhere on the internet. However, if you are interested enough to want to read it there are many options to buy other editions on eBay. 

 

The story is narrated by Sabine whose best friend Isabel went missing when they were 15 years old. Sabine has memory loss and can't remember anything about the day Isabel disappeared.
 

Nine years later the announcement of a high school reunion and a visit back to her old hometown triggers flashes of memory but Sabine can't make sense of them.

 

The Reunion is the classic unreliable narrator, think The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. She has psychotic episodes, alcohol dependence, PTSD and repressed memory.

 

The story goes back and forward between the present, where Sabine is trying to unravel her memory flashes, and nine years ago, when Sabine was relentlessly bullied at school.

 

The Reunion is a compelling mystery. I could feel the tension mounting as the story unfolded. I kept jumping back and forward with who I thought was involved in Isabel's disappearance. Plenty of red herrings kept me guessing right until the end. 

 

You may have to suspend your disbelief, around the police investigation, however this didn't spoil my enjoyment of the novel.

 

Exquisitely translated from Dutch by Michele Hutchison.

 

Content: underage drinking, alcohol dependence, bullying

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

 

Publisher: Text Publishing

Publication date: this edition 2008

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Pages: 295

Source: Borrowed copy 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao

Sgt Akal Singh is back again in Nilima Rao's second novel, A Shipwreck in Fiji. I thoroughly enjoyed A Disappearance in Fiji and her latest novel is just as enjoyable. 

 

 A Shipwreck in Fiji set in 1915 during WWI sees Nilima Rao draw on real life events surrounding German Naval officer Count Felix von Luckner and expand on this using fictional outcomes.

 

Akal is still finding it hard to fit-in in Fiji as Indians are perceived as second class citizens. However, he has good friends in Const Taviti Tukana and Dr Holmes.

His superior is still not on board and sends him away to babysit two Australian visitors and also follow a wild goose chase about sightings of Germans on Levuka.

 

I love how Nilima Rao takes a true event and expands on this to make a fictional story that is entertaining and compelling.

This installment has Akal unexpectedly investigating two murders. He is very guarded as he is still haunted by his mistake of letting vital information get into the wrong hands.

 

 

There is quite a bit of backstory which for me slowed the story down. However, if you haven't read A Disappearance in Fiji this backstory is quite beneficial as it explains why Akal is stationed in Fiji and his reticence.

 

I enjoyed the addition of indigenous Fijian culture and traditions and the way Rao portrayed the clash between traditional Fijian and British laws and also how Taviti struggled with being caught between these two cultures. 

 

Beautifully described scenes of Suva and some of the villages made it easy to visualise how Fiji was in the early 20th century.

I've really warmed to Sgt Akal Singh over the last two books. He is calm, passive and a little naive but always believes in doing things the right way not the easy way. 

 

A Shipwreck in Fiji is an astounding historical mystery read which reads well as a standalone.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 29th April 2025

Series: Akal Singh #2 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery

Pages: 272

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of the first book:

A Disappearance in Fiji 

Book Review: Misfit: the unravelling of Samantha X by Amanda Goff

I really struggled through Amanda Goff's memoir Misfit: The unravelling of Samantha X.

I have to say first that I don't understand mental health issues but I don't judge people who have mental health problems.

 

In my review I am not judging Amanda as a person. Her choices in life are hers and I did feel for her struggle with self acceptance.

What Amanda tries to explain in this memoir is how her struggle with bi-polar shaped her life, causing bad decision making, addiction and self destruction.  

 

In this raw and honest autobiography Amanda Goff opens up about her life as Australia's most famous escort, her battle with bipolar, alcohol and depression.  She explains the conflict she endures every day as she tries to leave behind a major part of her life. A time when she was both happy and confident and struggling with self-hate and regret. 

 

I am sorry to say I found the book repetitive, often confusing and a bit boring. 

I wasn't sure if Amanda was proud of Samantha X or hated that part of her life. Maybe both.

The writing jumps back and forward between 'everyone's judging me' to 'I don't care what anyone thinks about me'.

 

I can only hope writing this memoir was cathartic and it will help Amanda leave Samantha behind and start enjoying life.... as herself. Stop telling people she meets who she used to be and just be herself.

 

My rating 2.5 / 5 ⭐⭐½

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th March 2025

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 224

RRP: AU$34.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe by Catherine Greer

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is an easy read. Engaging and fun! This is a story of resilience and starting over and I love that with romance books you are always guaranteed a happy ending. 

 

Just when Audrey thinks she's in line for that big promotion at work she is blindsided and replaced by a younger woman. Devastated and angry, she goes home to find that her husband has been having an affair and asks her to move out of the marital home.

 

After losing her job, her husband and her home, Audrey flees to Whitehaven Bay, a place that holds happy memories of holidays with her mother.

 

The whole life imploding and fleeing to a quiet, small town is a well worn trope but I always love these stories of women being resilient and courageous in the face of adversity.

If you read enough contemporary romance you will come across this popular trope. I've read similar books before and always loved them. The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is no exception - different people - different towns - and it's the differences that add a level of uniqueness to each story - same but different - and totally enjoyable. 

 

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is a bittersweet story of starting over (see what I did there). 😉 What starts as a short holiday for Audrey soon becomes the catalyst of a long held dream. Audrey loves to bake and has always dreamed of running her own bakery.

 

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe has a wonderful cast of eclectic characters that make up the small coastal town of Whitehaven Bay. I loved them all, especially Buddy, the octogenarian who liked to swim naked, Billie the rebellious, non-binary teen, Chez, entrepreneur, party planner and Zen master and I can't forget the Coffin Cheaters bikie gang. There is a heartfelt age-gap friendship between Buddy, Audrey and Billie.

 

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is chock-full of laugh-out-loud moments with plenty of drama and setbacks through themes of ageism, alcohol abuse and domestic abuse, as Audrey rebuilds her life with sugar, flour, butter and love. Fabulous feel-good fiction and a must read for contemporary romance readers. 

 

And if Audrey's recipes make your mouth water they are all there in the back of the book just waiting for you to try them. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 4th March 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 384

RRP: AU$32.99 

Source: Uncorrected proof won 

 

 

 

Book Review: My Hot Housemate by Susannah Hardy

My Hot Housemate was everything a RomCom should be; funny, smart and engaging, with a touch of spice.

 

After a disastrous break-up Indie decides to put her acting career on hold in America and return home to Australia to spend time with her parents and dog-sit her best friend Jazz's fur baby.  However, Jazz's husband has also asked Jem to stay and look after George. Jem, the hot guy she kissed at Jazz's wedding, and never saw again!

Indie doesn't know why Jem hates her but she decides it's best if she just avoids him as much as possible. But sometimes that's near impossible.

 

My Hot Housemate is such a fun story. Indie is so awkward and gets herself in lots of hilarious situations. I loved her relationship with her parents. It was very sweet.

 

There is loads of fun banter, misunderstandings, cute doggy antics, a brooding male lead and a touch of spice in this slow burn enemies to lovers story set in Bondi and surrounds.

 

If you like to read RomComs I highly recommend My Hot Housemate. It's a charming, witty and memorable read filled with lovable characters and delightful chaos.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Hawkeye Publishing P/L

Publication date: 13th April 2025

Genre: Romance / RomCom

Pages: 330

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley 

 

Other books I've read by Susannah Hardy

LOVING LIZZIE MARCH 

 

 

Book Review: Needle in a Haystack by Karly Lane

I love Karly Lane's novels. They are filled with country heart and relatable, fun characters.

Every one of Karly's books has been an absolute pleasure to read and she has done it again with her latest rural fiction novel, Needle in a Haystack.

 

Lottie returns to her hometown of Banalla to take over the running of the family's antique shop. An amateur lover of history Lottie is writing a book on her family's history and the rumour that they may be related to the infamous bushranger Jack McNally.

Damian is an expert on colonial history and has been asked to be keynote speaker at Banalla's upcoming festival. He has decided this is the perfect opportunity to combine this trip with research on the mysterious disappearance of Catherine Compton in the 1800's.

 

I loved the different personalities of the residents of the town of Banalla. They were an eclectic mix of flamboyant and stalwart and each character added a layer of richness to the story. 

 

The mystery of Catherine's disappearance was well plotted as Lottie and Damian pieced together snippets of information from old letters and newspapers as they navigate both their relationship and the mystery they're trying to solve.

 

Karly Lane brings the two separate plots of the heirloom opal ring Lottie's mum believed to be cursed and the disappearance of Catherine together in a believable way with a few chapters in bushranger Jack's point of view to clear up the mystery.

 

Have you ever read a book that while you can't turn the pages fast enough you also don't want it to end? Needle in a Haystack is that kind of book!

 

Needle in a Haystack is an engaging rural fiction with a heartwarming romance woven within a compelling mystery read.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 29th April 2025

Genre: Rural Romance

Pages: 372

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: Shadows of Tehran by Nick Berg

FORGED IN CONFLICT: FROM IRANIAN REBEL TO AMERICAN SOLDIER

 

Shadows of Tehran would have to be the most amazing and terrifying story I've read for a long time.

 

Shadows of Tehran is a fictional tale inspired by true events from the author's lived experiences.  Nick Berg uses creative license with dialogue and thoughts of real characters.

 

My heart broke many times while reading Shadows of Tehran. It is a fascinating and timely story about fighting for what you believe in, even when the odds are stacked against you.

The story follows the life of Ricardo, born in Tehran to an Iranian mother and an American father, he never felt like he truly belonged to either culture. Abandoned by his father at a time when Iran was going through major political upheavals, Ricardo feels he must now become the head of the family, protecting his mother and younger sister.

 

At the age of 15 Ricardo joins a band of freedom fighters as the Revolutionary Guards take over Tehran with a reign of terror.

 

Shadows of Tehran is an astonishing tale of one man's will not to be broken. I'm not sure how much Nick Berg fictionalised Ricardo's story or if Ricardo is a combination of people. Either way it is a truly harrowing story of survival and the fight for a better life.

 

After capture and torture Ricardo escapes Iran and finds his way to America where he immediately joins the US Army. His knowledge and experience make him an invaluable member of his unit. However, his fight for freedom in his home country doesn't stop here.

 

Berg's writing shows the strength of courage and the power of hope that keeps people fighting for freedom against insurmountable odds. 

 

Shadows of Tehran is a must read. It's a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

 

Content: war, torture, child abuse, death. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Fortis Publishing

Publication date: 22nd April 2025

Genre: Fiction / Autofiction / Military Thriller

Pages: 300

RRP: AU$11.99 (Kindle edition)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Smith Publicity 

 

 

Book Review: Out of the Woods by Gretchen Shirm

Out of the Woods is the thought provoking novel by Gretchen Shirm based on the 1995 massacre of thousands of civilians in Srebrenica and the ensuing trial of a former military man charged with war crimes.

 

In 2000 Jess travels from Australia to the Hague as secretary to an Australian judge who has employed her to transcribe the trial of a man charged with war crimes.

I was expecting Out of the Woods to be a lot more harrowing than it was, with descriptive witness statements of the genocide and brutality. However the short extracts of statements were more about what impact witnessing these acts had on their lives.

 

Whilst Shirm uses real witness statement extracts and the trial of a former General by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was a real trial the character of Jess is fictitious. 

 

Out of the Woods focuses mainly on Jess and her mental health, having to listen to the statements day after day, her conflicting thoughts on the case and how hard it was for her to disassociate herself from the case.

 

Jess is very hard to connect with. She is awkward and so uptight, always looking for hidden meaning in people's actions and words. It was hard work being in her headspace. We follow Jess's journey through a complex round of emotions as she navigates her divorce, her relationship with her mother, making new friends and opening herself up to romance.

 

Even though Jess was a complex character, the concept of how listening to crimes can affect a person's mental health is intriguing and offers some thought to people who have to sit on juries. 

 

Shirm's writing is beautifully descriptive, almost poetic, and we get some lovely scenes as Jess plays tourist in the area on her days off.

 

Out of the Woods is thought provoking and topical. I was compelled to google the 1995 massacre to find out more information.

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge 

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 352

RRP: AU$34.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media 

 

  

Book Review: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

I enjoyed We Solve Murders more for the fabulous mix of characters than the mystery. The short chapters kept the plot moving along at a good steady pace.

 

Amy works for a private security company and is currently protecting world renown author Rosie D'Antonio after she has received a death threat. When it starts to look like Amy is being set up for a number of murders, she calls on her father-in-law, retired police officer Steve Wheeler, to help her find out who is behind the murders.

Not being able to leave Rosie unprotected, she takes her along as they investigate the murders. 

The vast number of characters introduced at the start of the book made it hard to keep up with and remember who was who.  However it soon settled into a rhythm and the connections became easier to keep track of.

 

We Solve Murders is an easy read. The plot is uncomplicated, there is plenty of humour and you don't have to think too deeply about the mystery.

 

You may have to suspend your disbelief at times but it is its absurdness that makes it so funny.

 

We Solve Murders is perfect for those who like their murder mysteries with a dose of humour and heart. 

With over 129,000 ratings on Goodreads already, and 78% being 4 & 5 stars, it looks like Richard Osman is on another winner with this series.

 

My rating 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

 

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Imprint: Viking

Publication date: 17th September 2024

Series: We Solve Murders #1

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 444

Source: Own Copy

 

 

Book Review: An Invisible Tattoo by Suellen Dainty

 An Invisible Tattoo is a powerful story of female friendship, long held secrets and the ongoing battle for equality for women.

 

Narrated by both Ruth and Kate in Contemporary Sydney and a second timeline of Somerset 1972 is narrated through Ruth's reminiscence. 

Ruth is housebound suffering from severe arthritis and the after affects of a stroke and battles with cancer.

Kate, a young journalist, is hoping, through Ruth, to get the scoop of a lifetime.

 

There is a lot to unpack in An Invisible Tattoo. The title refers to the imprint friendships leave on us, an impression, although invisible, that is carried within us forever.

 

1972 - Ruth's friendship with Adela takes her to Somerset, where Adela is married to famous singer songwriter James Bennett. Here we delve into the hedonistic, bohemian days of the early 70's. Drugs, alcohol and sexual freedom. It was a huge time for feminists however, Dainty points out that the freedoms of the time still seemed to be ruled by men. 

 

Present day - Kate is wily and uses her charms to get Ruth to open up and spill the beans about Adela and James' relationship and more importantly about the night he died. Everyone else living in the house at the time have died and the discovery of new songs, hidden in an attic, has the world eager to find out what happened on that fateful night. 

 

I loved that we got both Ruth and Kate's point of view. They are very similar in personality. Ruth shows that old and frail doesn't necessarily mean senile. She's stringing Kate along and knows exactly what she's doing. She enjoys the company and she wants to prolong Kate's visits.

 

An Invisible Tattoo has an underlying mystery surrounding Bennett's death. It is also a story about working out what you want in life and Dainty throws in a moral dilemma for Kate to ponder. I enjoyed Kate's character growth.

 

The twist at the end was unexpected and certainly added weight to the themes included. 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 309

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher