Book Review: The View from the Balcony by Janette Paul

I loved Janette Paul's The Summer Place so I was really looking forward to another story with relatable themes, burgeoning friendships and character growth and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. The View from the Balcony had all this and more.

 

The story is narrated by three women, Coral, Andie and Mara, who are visitors to patients of Hepburn House Rehabilitation Hospital. The turning point in the story is the balcony that connects the three rooms and overlooks a beautiful beach and is used by visitors and patients as a place to have a coffee and air their frustrations.

Coral is at the pinnacle of her career, looking forward to a conference in New York which will also allow her some much needed me time. Whilst working full time Coral also cooks meals for her elderly mum, drops in and cleans her house, helps out her pregnant daughter with a toddler and organises inspections for her son's apartment. I was exhausted just reading Coral's schedule. 

She is now visiting her mother in rehab after a fall.

 

Andie is visiting a stranger in rehab. Ben had pushed her out of the way of an out of control car, and possibly saved her life. She feels the least she can do is give him some company.

 

Mara is assigned to work closely with her boss Estelle, who is in rehab after a fall down some stairs. Estelle is bitter and critical of Mara but Mara is determined this hostile woman won't get the better of her.

 

The View from the Balcony is a wonderful story of friendship and family, of strangers becoming friends in unlikely circumstances. It's about looking after yourself, burnout, PTSD, grief and standing up for yourself. Janette Paul includes these themes and many more without the story ever feeling contrived. This shows a plot that is expertly executed.

 

Although the three visitors, Coral, Andie and Mara, are the main characters and we see the most growth in their lives the three patients, Ben, Estelle and Val also feature heavily as they are thrown together with strangers and with time to talk and get to know each other they find themselves opening up and having their lives changed as well.

 

A lovely intergenerational friendship evolves from the three women supporting each other inside the hospital and later outside that enclosed world.

 

If you are after a story that is heartwarming and touching The View from the Balcony will not disappoint.   

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 25th March 2025

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Pages: 391

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 My review of The Summer Place by Janette Paul

Book Review: Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell

Nesting is the heartrending literary debut by Irish author Roisin O'Donnell. 

I've read a few books featuring down-trodden women with overbearing, gaslighting husbands and I feel that Roisin O'Donnell has the emotion and uncertainty just right.

 

Ciara is contemplating leaving her husband. He has made her leave her job, cut off all her friendships and criticizes her family to the extent she rarely sees them. 

Some readers may feel Ciara is pathetic. Why doesn't she just leave Ryan? Why does she keep returning to him? This is where O'Donnell adeptly shows the hold these men have on their partners. Ciara loves him, he promises to do better, he loves her and can't live without her, he's wonderful with the children and they love him. 

These are the thoughts, and manipulations by Ryan, that possess Ciara when she keeps returning to her marriage.

 

There is a continuous foreboding feel all through the novel which kept me glued to the pages.

O'Donnell's writing is beautiful and evocative. I could feel Ciara's fear, indecision and hopelessness. I was rooting for her to stay strong and survive through even the worst times of homelessness and hunger.

 

O'Donnell shows how a controlling male can slowly take over your life until you don't know who you are anymore, there is no beyond being his wife.

 

Nesting highlights the need for more social housing and refuges for women. It's not all gloom though there are unexpected friendships made and women banding together and helping each other.

 

Nesting is a beautiful story of motherhood and resilience. It's a hard read but so rewarding in its depth of characters and emotion.

 

Content: Coercive control 

               Emotional abuse

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Imprint: Scribner Australia

Publication date: 29th January 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 400

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

 

 

Book Review: The Promise by Arnold Dix

How an Everyday Hero Made the Impossible Possible 

Arnold Dix usually worked with no fuss and no fanfare until 2023 when a single catastrophe, on the other side of the world, changed his life forever.

 

Dix, a unique blend of geologist, barrister, scientist, farmer, engineer and truck driver, captured the world's attention for his role in the rescue of forty-one men trapped in a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayas. 

The Promise is more a memoir of Dix's life than simply a story of the tunnel rescue. We learn what makes Arnold Dix the person he is and the life that led up to him orchestrating the tunnel rescue.

 

Dix writes with compassion and enthusiasm for everything he has undertaken in life. He comes across as intelligent, down-to-earth and unpretentious. His confidence, passion and charm draw people to him. He believes in uplifting his fellow man and treats everyone with respect and reverence. Arnold's compassion led him to assist thousands of migrant workers in Qatar, putting his own life in danger.

 

"We should lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. We should individually play our part to bring a little joy, a little kindness, to our surroundings. Collectively, those small acts of kindness will combine to leave a lasting mark." - Arnold Dix (The Promise)

 

Arnold Dix shares precious family photos and scenes from the rescue through colour plate inserts.

 

I would have liked more information on the women that came forward to clear an access road, by hand, on the mountain.

 

The Promise is an unforgettable story of a life lived to the fullest through selfless acts of kindness and bravery. This outstanding memoir will restore your faith in humankind. There are some truly selfless people in our world.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 29th January 2025 

Genre: Non Fiction / Memoir

Pages: 303

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: After the Great Storm by Ann Dombroski

In After the Great Storm Ann Dombroski has created a dark apocalyptic world with violent storms that lash Sydney's CBD. 

Alice's husband Daniel is in prison charged with causing a derailment on the city's transport system resulting in lives lost. Anna believes Daniel is innocent and is gathering information to prove his innocence. 

I was immersed in a world where Alice is not only battling the catastrophic weather she is also trying to manage the mounting bills alone whilst contacting lawyers and gathering information about the faulty transport system. I could feel her desperation as she came up against corruption everywhere she looked for help. The number of people Alice could trust was shrinking fast.

 

When a woman arrives on her doorstep on the brink of death Alice can not turn her away and finds herself embroiled in the murky world of human experimentation. 

 

Set in 2075, After the Great Storm is a speculative fiction novel with an environmental lean. It is never explained why the violent storms are destroying the city and it appears that country areas were not affected. I would have liked more information on why this was happening.

 

I found the different plot-lines didn't feel cohesive although they did eventually come together.

 

The world of After the Great Storm has many areas of moral ambiguity as Alice chides a doctor for accepting bribes then offers him a bribe to perform her IVF procedure whilst her husband is in prison. 

With themes of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, human experimentation, biomimetic material for organ transplants, self drive pods and companion robots, it is a future world that is not unbelievable.

 

The beautifully described scenes and foreboding suspense kept me reading, eager to see how Alice would get her life back on track. 

After the Great Storm is the perfect read for fans of science fiction and apocalyptic novels.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge

Publication date: 2nd February 2025

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 304

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher  

Book Review: Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict

ONCE UPON A TIME LIKE YOU'VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE ..... 

 

Little Red Death by A.K. Benedict pulled me in right from the sinister sounding prologue.

 

There is not much I can say about the plot without giving spoilers and this is one story you need to go into without any spoilers. 

 

DI Lyla Rondell is investigating a series of murders that appear to be based on Grimms fairy tales. As the murders mount up the clues all lead back to the unsolved disappearance of Lyla's best friend 25 years ago.

I really don't like horror stories but I was so hooked on the mystery that when the gruesome murders started I couldn't stop reading.

 

I read The Complete Grimms Fairy Tales as a buddy read in 2023 and I remember how dark and gruesome they were. A. K. Benedict has used these pre-disneyfied fairy tales as the basis for the murders.

 

Little Red Death is a genre mash-up of fairy tale retellings, mystery, crime, horror, supernatural and locked-room thriller with twist upon twist upon twist.

 

Did I say I couldn't put this book down!!

 

I did have an inkling where the story was heading but I was totally unprepared for the jaw-dropping final few chapters.

 

Fans of twisty crime mysteries will love this dark, addictive crime thriller.

 

My rating 4.5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Publication date: 5th March 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 384

RRP: AU$34.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: Tuesday Jocks and other stories by Fin J. Ross

I thoroughly enjoyed Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie by Fin J. Ross so I was eager to read more of her work and I was delighted to receive a copy of Tuesday Jocks and other stories to read. 

 

Tuesday Jocks and other stories is a diverse collection of crime stories with Ross's trademark touches of humour. 

Fifteen short stories to suit all reading tastes; vigilantes, bushrangers, science fiction, historical, revenge and body in the library. Many of the stories have a feminist lean, but the women aren't always the victim here.

 

With lots of light-hearted humour and a few twists included, I found Tuesday Jocks and other stories a fun read. It's a book that is easy to pick up and read a few short stories whenever you have a break. 

 

My favourite story was What's a Girl To Do which had a spectacular twist that had me going back and reading the story again to see if I could pick up any clues.

 

Tuesday Jocks and other stories would make the perfect gift for someone that you aren't sure of their taste in books. It definitely has something for everyone. 

 

My rating 4.3 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (averaged over the 15 stories) 

 

Publisher: Clandestine Press

Publication date: 1st November 2024

Genre: Crime

Pages: 253

RRP: AU$32.95 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 
 

Book Review: The Big Book of Australian Yarns by Jim Haynes

Jim Haynes' The Big Book of Australian Yarns and amazing true stories is a fabulous collection of little known Aussie historical events and a fun look at some of the people who made Australia the country it is today. Daredevils, larrikins, legends, rule-breakers, entrepreneurs, the charismatic and the down-on-their-luck, all have a story and Jim Haynes brings those stories to life.

 

Jim Haynes himself has been well travelled, and well lived, and I can only imagine the extensive amount of research that went into this knowledgeable book as it is filled with names, dates and quotes from real news articles. 

 

I learnt so much about Australia's unknown history and also history in general. Looking back over events mentioned in the book I can see how times have changed. An aerial display from a hot-air balloon set to take place in Townsville caused a scandal and was later debated in parliament as the women were deemed to be too scantily-clad and also the performance being on a Sunday was said to be assisting the desecration of the sabbath. And who knew parachutes were invented before aeroplanes!

 

A story that really shocked me was, the Army riot in 1916, when Army recruits mutinied, defied orders, marched into Liverpool, took over the town and wrecked the hotels. Thousands then took the trains into Sydney and terrorised the city. I honestly can't imagine this happening today.

 

I liked that the book was set out in sections with each group of stories in that section relating back to the main topic. This meant I didn't need to read the book straight through, cover to cover. I could just pick a topic to read when I had time. 

 

I recommend The Big Book of Australian Yarns to everyone. It is chock full of nostalgia, humour and wow moments. Legends, larrikins, eccentrics, bizarre and unconventional characters, Jim Haynes has included them all.

 

The Big Book of Australian Yarns is entertaining and enlightening, a remarkable history of unknown and forgotten Aussie characters. 

 

 My rating  5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 29th October 2024

Genre: Non Fiction / History

Pages: 544

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 
 

Book Review: Exiles by Jane Harper

I've read and loved the first two books in the Aaron Falk series, The Dry and Force of Nature, however I found the plot of Exiles felt a bit tired. It was like Harper was already over the series before she had written this third book.

 

The story involves the mysterious disappearance of a woman after abandoning her young baby at the local festival. Aaron was in the town, to attend his friend's son's christening, when this happened. The Christening was cancelled. Twelve months on and everyone has gathered again to attend the Christening. It gives the townsfolk a chance to go over the details of the disappearance and ask for any new information. 

Exiles has a slow, drawn out mystery and there is lots of backstory on Aaron Falk's life included as he thinks back over events in his life. However if you've read the first two books there is nothing new here.

 

The concept of the story was very clever, "we see what we think we should see", however the execution was slow.

 

Not my favourite Jane Harper book but still worth a read.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Macmillan Australia 

Publication date: 20th September 2022

Series: Aaron Falk #3

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 407

Source: Own copy

 

Book Review: The Sugar Palace by Fiona McIntosh

 I thoroughly enjoyed this Historical Fiction, set in the 1920's, by prolific Australian author Fiona McIntosh.

I think that the setting of Sydney CBD enhanced the story for me and gave me an added connection to the characters, as being my home town, all scenes were easily imagined. 

 

Grace Fairweather works in her parents' grocery store however she has dreams of one day owning her own confectionery store.

When she meets the charismatic Alfie Sweeting she is immediately smitten. Alfie encourages her to reach for the stars and pushes her to realise her dreams but all is not easy going as Alfie has ties to the dark underbelly of Sydney and those ties are not easily broken.

 I loved all the mentions of the sweets that Grace was making and how they came up with names and marketed the business.

There is lots of tension as the seedier side of Sydney is prevalent in Alfie's life and McIntosh adds an element of reality by including some of the more infamous characters from that era.

 

I was barracking for Grace to succeed. She was strong and determined. She spoke her mind and didn't judge people less fortunate than herself.  

The Sugar Palace was an engaging tale of double crossing, crime, drug dealing and extortion wrapped around toffee apples, fairy floss and chocolates.

 

I am so glad that The Global Girls Online Book Club picked The Sugar Palace as their monthly read.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia 

Publication date: 10th October 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 382

Source: Own Copy

 

 

 

 

Book Review: One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

 One Dark Night was my first read by English/Australian author Hannah Richell and I'm pleased that she has a great backlist that I can catch up on.

 

It's the night of Halloween and a group of teenagers meet in the woods near an area that is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a girl in a white dress. The next day one of the teens is found dead.

 

As the investigation gets underway we can see a lot of the teens are lying, and seem to be hiding something.

DS Ben Chase is leading the case and the story includes some of his tumultuous personal life.

 

Richell incorporates plenty of red herrings steering the reader this way and that. There was an ever growing list of suspects and I was sure I had picked the murderer many times. I love a thriller where I can't make up my mind whodunit, and it has me jumping to conclusions.

 

One Dark Night is a fabulously creepy and atmospheric thriller with the perfect setting that creates chills up your spine, a superb cast of characters and a final reveal that took me totally by surprise.

 

One Dark Night is a must-read for thriller fans, one that will keep you up late into the night.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Publication date: 1st January 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 432

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 

Book Review: Present Tense by Natalie Conyer

After reading and loving Shadow City I was delighted  to receive a copy of Present Tense, Natalie Conyer's debut novel.

 

Present Tense is the first book featuring South African Detective Schalk Lourens, named by his literary father after Oom Schalk Lourens, the main character in Herman Charles Bosman's novels. I loved that there was that tiny bit of humour as Schalk's namesake is mentioned by everyone he meets.

Present Tense is a dark and atmospheric political thriller set during the explosive time preceding an election.

Having read book 2, Shadow City, first I did know some outcomes but it didn't spoil the story for me.

 

Schalk is a flawed character, some of his decisions aren't the best, but he is trying to do the right thing in a country shrouded in corruption, cover ups and murderous acts of revenge.

 

Conyer expertly renders the civil unrest in South Africa but lightens it with the beauty and majesty of a beautiful land, showing how fiercely loyal South Africans are to their country. 

 

Keenly plotted with wonderful support characters, Present Tense will delight fans of hard-boiled police procedurals. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 3rd December 2024

Series: A Schalk Lourens Mystery #1

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 296

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of SHADOW CITY

 

 

  

Book Review: The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser

 The Night on the Darling River is a wonderfully immersive historical fiction set in 1894 Australia, during the rising tensions of the shearers' strikes.

 

Whilst most of the story is set in Echuca on the Murray River, it was the night Tess spent on the Darling River that changed her life forever.

 

Tess has finally summoned the courage to leave her abusive husband, stealing away in the dead of night, only to find herself hiding on the wrong boat. She is inadvertently caught up in the violence between union and non-union shearers and ends up wounded and stranded on the banks of the Darling River. Tess finds friendship in Ava, a young woman deserted by her husband.

Darry Fraser brings to life the tent cities on the banks of the Darling where women have the choice of following their husbands from town to town or staying put and praying they will return.

 

I was totally addicted to Tess's story and the action and danger never let up. Fraser has created some marvelous characters; strong women banding together, kind generous men and there are always those we want to see get their just deserts. 

I love Australian Historical Fiction and The Night on the Darling River did not disappoint. Darry Fraser has given her readers a story that is rich in danger with a light romance thread dispersed throughout. Fraser highlights the plight of women during this period of history and the devastating effects of flooding on the riverside towns and their residents.

 

I'm excited to read more of Darry's backlog!

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content: domestic violence

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 4th December 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 416

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

Other books I've read by Darry Fraser:

The Milliner of Benigo

The Last Truehart 

 

Winner of a copy of My Name is Gucci announced!!

 

A huge thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for a paperback copy of My Name is Gucci by Sun Jung.  The giveaway closed on the 21st March 2025 and the winner was randomly selected (using Wheelofnames) from all correct entries. 

Congratulations to........ 

 

 

The winner has been notified and has seven days to provide a mailing address.

 

Thank you to Transit Lounge Publishing for sending me an extra copy to give away.

 

Please check under the Giveaway tab for more great giveaways! 

Book Review: Ten Ways to Find Love ... and how to keep it by Dr Lisa Portolan

I'm probably not the best person to review Ten Ways to Find Love as I've been married for 40 years and the dating scene has changed a lot since I met my husband. However, the "How to Keep It" part may be of interest to those in relationships AND those looking for love. 

Dr Lisa Portolan has a PhD that relates to dating apps and how intimacy is navigated and negotiated through digital landscapes. This makes me think that Lisa is well equipped to write a thought provoking book on love. 

The book is written in two parts with part one being Ten Ways to Find Love.

1. Date like you're on holidays 

2. Turf the little white lies

3. Sharing

4. Kindness

5. Get rid of the shopping list

6. Accept yourself as perfectly flawed

7. Invest in yourself

8. Get beyond the chitchat

9. A delicate balance

10. Positivity

I agreed with Lisa's 10 key headings, they all seemed pretty straightforward. However when she gets into case studies it's all about hook-ups, fakeness online and unrealistic expectations. It's little wonder people can't find a real lasting relationship.

 

Part two is ten ways to keep love. Again with ten key headings.

1. Love as work

2. I choose you

3. Use your words

4. Once upon a time in love

5. Physical touch and passion

6. Create a relationship that's right for you

7. The individual and the team

8. Kindness

9. Breaking the rules

10. Fun

Part two also includes case studies and quotes from people who have been in long term relationships.

 

"Complicating the issue is our consumer culture's fixation on the disposable and the new. When it comes to finding love, many of us become stuck in a cycle of looking for the next, even better relationship. Ironically, while we are on this quest for romantic novelty, we may also be craving long-term partnerships, feeling like failures if we don't achieve them." 

Although I didn't really find anything to connect with in this thought provoking book I think it will be of interest to readers who enjoy self-help books.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th February 2025 

Genre: Non Fiction / Self Help

Pages: 272

RRP: AU$29.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 

Book Review: The Dressmaker's Secret by Michelle Vernal

I was pleasantly surprised by The Dressmaker's Secret as I had no idea it was a timeslip story. I do love a time travel trope!

 

The pull of a mystery had me intrigued right from the prologue when a woman loses her 3 year old daughter.

 

Eighteen years later it's 1981 and Sabrina is living with Evelyn who had found her outside her bridalwear shop and had brought her up as her own.

The story follows Sabrina and best friend Florence as they go about their daily lives. When Sabrina meets Adam she realises she still has unresolved abandonment issues and needs to find out why her mother left her before she can have a meaningful relationship.

 

The story moves to 1928 when Sabrina moves through a timeslip. The 1928 timeline is narrated through Jane's point of view. Jane is a young housemaid in the manor where Sabrina finds a job. The more outspoken Sabrina helps Jane with her fledgling romance.

Vernal compares the everyday life and societal expectations of young women in each era.

The Dressmaker’s Secret is a light, easy and enjoyable read. I read it in a day! Filled with likeable and engaging characters with an intriguing mystery at the centre of the story. This is the first book in a series so the key plotline is left unresolved.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 18th March 2025

Series: Brides of Bold Street #1

Genre: Historical Fiction / Time Travel

Pages: 309

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley 

 

Book Review & Giveaway: My Name is Gucci - A Dog's Story by Sun Jung

 My Name is Gucci is a poignant exploration of connection, past traumas, and the profound impact animals have on our lives.

Sun Jung's novel, narrated from the unique perspective of Gucci, a rescue dog, masterfully unravels the secrets that bind him and his owner together.

 

Gucci, a cross dalmatian bitzer, lives in a Singaporean animal shelter until he finds himself transported to Sydney, Australia after being adopted by an unnamed writer. The story delves into the interwoven destinies of Gucci and his adopter.

Gucci's owner's past traumas are revealed through Gucci's memories of past lives as Jung skillfully shows how lived experiences can haunt our present, shaping our fears and influencing our actions.

 

The recurring theme of reincarnation suggests an almost spiritual connection between dog and owner that transcends time.

 

Told with warmth and wit My Name is Gucci is a compelling read for anyone who has experienced the unconditional love of an animal.

 

I quickly fell in love with Gucci and became totally caught up in his story. He has an intuitive sense of how those around him feel. Gucci is timid and anxious, yet brave, and fully committed to helping his owner overcome her traumas.

 

My Name is Gucci: A Dog's Story is a beautifully written, poignant and heart-wrenching story. I found this lovable and quirky read hard to put down. 

Content: dog fighting, allusion to suicide, puppy farms.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge Publishing

Publication date: 1st November 2024

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 272

RRP: AU$32.99

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

GIVEAWAY

 

With thanks to Transit Lounge I have two paperback copies of My Name is Gucci to give away.

One here on my blog and one on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theburgeoningbookshelf/  

This giveaway is open to Australian addresses only and ends at 6pm AEDT on 21st March 2025

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced here: https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2025/03/winner-of-copy-of-my-name-is-gucci.html

 

 

Book Review: Murder at the Loch by Dee MacDonald

Murder at the Loch is book 2 in Dee MacDonald's Ally McKinley Mystery Series.

 

Murder at the Loch is another fun cosy mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. If you've read the first book, Murder in the Scottish Highlands, you will already know all the delightful residents of Locharran. However if you haven't, MacDonald includes plenty of backstory on everyone, so you will know exactly who is who.

Murder at the Loch involves two murders, seemingly unrelated, but when Ally finds herself on the suspect list she is determined to find out who did  the killings.

 

Murder at the Loch is an easy read. The story mainly focuses on the quirky characters, and I loved them all. Lots of red herrings had me guessing then back tracking as a few people had plausible motives to murder the women. 

The Ally McKinley Mystery series is an enjoyable series. Ally is a likeable protagonist as are all the supporting characters. I am eager for the next book.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 3rd March 2025 

Series: Ally McKinley Mystery #2

Genre: Cosy Crime 

Pages: 252

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Book Club & Other Stories by Natalie Conyer

 The Book Club & Other Stories is a collection of nineteen crime stories by Australian author Natalie Conyer.

 

I loved Shadow City and I was excited to read a collection of short crime stories written by the same author.

The Nineteen stories cover many different crime scenarios; there is murder, mystery, the supernatural, scammers and twists galore.

 

What I loved about these stories is although most involved a murder it wasn't overly descriptive and the humour in each story far outweighed any gruesomeness. The stories were all so different in character, setting and plot which made each one feel like a whole new adventure.

 

The Book Club & Other Stories features nineteen highly engaging stories. It is a book you can pick up and put down at will or you can simply read it all the way through, like I did.

 

My rating 4.42 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐(averaged over 19 

 stories)

 

Publisher: Clan Destine Press 

Publication date: 1st November 2024

Genre: Crime / Short Stories

Pages: 229

RRP: AU$32.95 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 My review of Shadow City

Book Review: The Lost Recipes by Ross Dobson

 Losing yourself in nostalgia is like a balm. Ross Dobson brings his readers The Lost Recipes, forgotten recipes, steeped in nostalgia. Recipes that have been overlooked, disregarded and barely noticed.

 

If you love cooking, nostalgia and all things Australia, you will love The Lost Recipes. Honestly, even if you hate cooking you will love this book! Filled to the brim with simple, delicious and easy to make recipes, with a huge dollop of nostalgia.

The recipes are set out in four sections:

• Fruit & Veg
• Meat & Seafood
• Baking
• Sweets

Each recipe is headed with the source; town and date.

Some recipes are from as early in Australian Colonial history as 1876 to 1952. Some recipes include a few words from Ross about techniques and his memories.

 

The book includes an extensive bibliography of the newspapers and magazines he found the recipes in, most of which no longer exist although can still be read through Trove.

 

I remember The Commonsense Cooking Book used in school Home Economics classes and I feel Ross Dobson has taken common sense cooking to a whole new level.

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 29th October 2024

Genre: Non Fiction / Cooking

Pages: 240

RRP: AU$34.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: Lemons are a Girl's Best Friend by Janet Hayward

With girls using beauty products at a younger age Lemons are a Girl's Best Friend is a fabulous tool to empower girls to look for all natural treatments for skin, body, hair and nails. Treatments that you can make at home.

 

This cute little pocket sized book gives us 30 inexpensive and natural beauty treatments and 30 healthy treats to nourish your body from the inside and outside.

 

DIY Beauty is huge with #diybeauty and #diyskincare garnering millions of views on Tiktok.

 

Lemons are a Girl's Best Friend has a list of 30 ingredients; fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, with some facts about the benefits of each ingredient, and recipes to make delicious food and drinks with each ingredient plus how each ingredient can be made into a beauty product for skin or hair. 

I loved this little pocket book that extols healthy habits in a fun and fresh format.

 

Lemons are a Girl's Best Friend is the perfect gift for tweens and teens. It would be a great alternative to chocolate this Easter.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 30th October 2024

Genre: Non Fiction / Beauty

Pages: 128

RRP: AU$24.99 (hardcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: A Santorini Secret by Rose Alexander

A Santorini Secret is a brilliantly conceived novel combining fact and fiction to deliver a deeply moving story of heartbreak and heroism narrated through a dual timeline.

 

2024 - Carrie has uncovered a sketch of a woman amongst her deceased uncle Sol's belongings, the sketch seems to be connected to a mission he was on in Santorini during WWII. Carrie is intrigued to find out more and a trip to Santorini to visit her friend Xanthe is the perfect opportunity.

1944 - A group of British Commandos are hiding on the island of Santorini ready to strike down the German camp. Vassia is asked by her father, the mayor, to take them food and water, under cover of darkness.

 

Both timelines were seamlessly delivered and although I enjoyed the mystery of Carrie uncovering the events involving her uncle, I found Vassia's story much more compelling. I loved Vassia's spirit and tenacity, and the evolving love story between Vassia and Sol.

I found the character of Carrie a bit melodramatic but that is a very minor gripe in this overall fabulous story.

 

A Santorini Secret is an emotionally charged dual timeline story of courage and love.

 

My rating: 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 25th February 2025 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 394

RRP: AU$4.99 (Kindle edition)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley