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