Book Review: Beam of Light by John Kinsella

John Kinsella's Beam of Light is a collection of 29 short stories emphasising his unique voice and writing style. Little vignettes of life, a snapshot in time.

Beam of Light has a subtle theme of fitting in and belonging. Most of the stories are set in country areas where poverty, isolation and drugs are at the forefront. Kinsella highlights pivotal moments in his characters' lives, a turning point or awakening.

 

I feel it can be very hard to achieve any character development in such few pages, however Kinsella has managed to accomplish a reader to character connection in many of his stories. I felt a real empathy for them as most were unsettled, nuanced characters facing dysfunctional relationships, environmental issues and feeling of disconnect.

 

Some stories went over my head, others made me laugh and some were heart-wrenching. I found there to be a great mix for any reader and if I didn't connect with one story it was only a few pages until the next one. That's the joy of short stories!

 

John Kinsella has written stories that will move, fascinate and delight you. Beam of Light is a great introduction to newcomers to his work.

 

My rating 4.2 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (averaged over 29 stories)

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge

Publication date: 1st September 2024

Genre: Short Stories / Literary Fiction

Pages: 272

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 

Book Review: Clamour and Mischief by Narrelle M. Harris

 Clamour and Mischief

Edited by

Narrelle M. Harris

Publisher: Clan Destine Press

Publication date: 1st December 2022

Genre: Anthology / Fantasy

Pages: 248

RRP: $36.95AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Clamour and Mischief

Clamour and Mischief is an anthology of short stories with the connecting theme of birds, or more precisely corvids (birds from the crow family).

 

I do love anthologies as the stories are short, giving instant satisfaction, and can be picked up and put down without fear of losing the plot line. 

 

Corvids have been used prolifically in novels. Just read any fantasy where ravens are the harbingers of bad news and death, even transforming into demons.

 

Clamour and Mischief includes 16 short stories with very diverse themes such as doom, death, superstition, manipulation, myth and kindness. Something for every reader's taste.

 

Two of my favourite stories were The Jackdaw Maiden by Katya de Becerra and Kupara and Tekoteko by Lee Murray. 

The Jackdaw Maiden is an atmospheric tale of a young princess who was born with feathers and blamed for all the village ills, she befriends the birds and goes on to save the life of her sister.

Kupara and Tekoteko is a story of kindness and friendship set in New Zealand. Tekoteko oversees the village and asks Kupara (the raven) to help him do acts of kindness, to relieve the suffering of people living around them, as Teketeko is carved from wood and cannot move.

 

I hadn't previously come across any of the 16 authors featured in the anthology however I now have a few names I will be researching past works.

 

Some of the stories in this anthology were a bit too gruesome for me but the thing with anthologies is if one story doesn't suit you can move onto the next as it just might be the discovery of a new author you love.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (averaged over 16 stories)

Book Review: The Sunday Story Club by Doris Brett & Kerry Cue

 The Sunday Story Club

by

Doris Brett & Kerry Cue

An anthology of stories from the heart

 

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 25th June 2019

Genre: Non-Fiction / Anthology

Pages: 272

RRP: $32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: The Sunday Story Club

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of stories that have evolved from a real life face-to-face gathering of women where through contemplative questions the group have deep and structured conversations about things that really matter.

 

Doris, a psychologist, author, poet and psychotherapist and Kerry, an author, journalist and mathematician came together to organise a salon at which people could engage in meaningful, in-depth conversations but instead of discussing weighty topics of the day they would discuss their own inner worlds.

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of fifteen questions and ensuing short stories that have been explored at some of their meetings.

I didn't expect to be quite so moved by the stories shared in this book. Each story was unique showing vastly different circumstances but all highlighting resilience, bravery and hard-won wisdom. There are stories included with themes of bullying, dysfunctional families, anorexia, cancer, infertility, depression and self-image; each woman speaks from the heart about her life experiences.

In this busy technical age of emails and texts The Story Book Club is a book to remind us of the power behind real face-to-face conversations to enlighten and heal.

Brett and Cue have also included notes on starting your own story salon and sample questions to steer the conversations.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the authors

Doris Brett is a clinical psychologist as well as multi-award winning author. She his published books in a variety of genres ranging from novels to poetry to memoir, to narrative therapy for children and even a book on bread-baking. She lives in Melbourne with her husband.

 

Kerry Cue is a humourist, mathematician and journalist who has written for every major newspaper in Australia. Kerry is also the maths blogger, Mathspig. She studied Science/Engineering at Melbourne University and taught maths and science for ten years before becoming a bestselling author of twenty humorous and education books.

Book Review: A Country Vet Christmas by Alissa Callen

A Country Vet Christmas

by

Alissa Callen 

Pamela Cook   Penelope Janu

Lily Malone     Stella Quinn

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 4th October 2023

Genre: Rural Romance

Pages: 640

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of Alissa Callen & the publisher

 

Review: A Country Vet Christmas

Five fabulous country Christmas stories written by five of my most loved Aussie authors.

Each story features a country vet and has an element of romance. I loved that the stories were light on the romance and big on community and rural charm.

 

All the stories have the main themes of vets, romance and Christmas however each author brings their own style of writing to the mix making each story unique.

 

I loved revisiting characters from previous books I have read by the authors, especially Trent and Aubrey from Alissa Callen's Snowy Mountains Series and Isabella from Lily Malone's A Country Vet's Holiday.

Snowy Mountains Mistletoe - Alissa Callen

City girl Aubrey is in Bundilla to visit her friend Grace and have some much needed timeout. She's not interested in a relationship and neither is local vet Trent but the ladies of the local quilting club have other ideas. 

A Countdown to Christmas - Penelope Janu

Small town Vet Amber meets big city blow in Jasper he vows to prove to her that he can embrace Christmas in a non commercial way. I loved this countdown to Christmas with gifts from the heart with no commercial value.

A Cattle Dog for Christmas - Stella Quinn

Traveling vet Elliot comes to town as a locum for the Christmas period. Single mum Sandy doesn't have time for any man and she certainly wouldn't pick a man that wasn't sticking around. As Elliot and his cattle dog capture the hearts of her children she worries that they may all be heading for heartache. 

A Country Music Christmas - Lily Malone

No one in the small town of Chalk Hill would know that the new vet in town is actually a famous country music star. Jolene has spent most of her life trying to outrun scandal but can Reuben get Jo to open up, stand up for herself and leave her past behind.

A Christmas to Remember - Pamela Cook

Darcy is back in her hometown to help her aging parents but she has no intention of staying long. She prefers to travel the world working in wildlife refuges. But when a fire threatens the town and the local wildlife could the charismatic Chad entice her to stay and use her expertise to help local wildlife.

A Country Vet Christmas is such a treat and at just over 100 pages each story they are all quick, feel good reads with mandatory happy endings that will have you smiling. A must read this Christmas and perfect for giving!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Book Review: Undefendable by Sulari Gentill & Sarah Kynaston

 Undefendable

Edited by

Sulari Gentill & Sarah Kynaston

The story of a town under fire

 

Publisher: Clan Destine Press

Publication date: 26th November 2022

Genre: Non Fiction

Pages: 178

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Undefendable: The Story of a Town Under Fire 

As we approach another dry, hot summer who can forget the summer Australia burned.

 

In the summer of 2019/2020 the township of Batlow in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains was declared ‘undefendable’ from the fire megafront. While most evacuated, many stayed to fight. In the end, the undefendable town was saved by volunteers – by farmers, teachers, electricians, retirees, and boys barely out of high school.

Sulari Gentill and Sarah Kynaston have delivered a heart-warming collection of poems, recollections and photographs from the very people who were on the ground during the fires of the summer of 2019/2020.

Sulari Gentill is herself a resident of the small close-knit community of Batlow - the town that was declared undefendable against the fires.

With a united front the residents, the Bush Fire Brigade and the Town Brigade banded together to do everything possible to save their town. They took on the fire and they won!

Everyone tells the story of their own personal experiences during that time. Most of the stories are in a conversational tone and told almost two years after the fires the awe and pride the story tellers feel comes through in the prose.

I really enjoyed Edmund Gentill's recollections. His writing is eloquent and with the resilience of youth his words are laced with humour.

Undefendable is a heart-felt anthology that showcases a town united, coming together and surviving when all odds were against them.

My rating 5/ 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the editors

 

Sarah Kyneston is a berry grower, beekeeper and (as Sulari says) the person in Batlow who knows everyone.

Sulari Gentill is also the author of the 10-book Rowland Sinclair mysteries series, The Hero Trilogy (YA); and two standalone crime novels, Crossing the Lines, and The Woman in the Library.

 

Book Review: Dark Deeds Down Under - A Crime & Thriller Anthology

Title: Dark Deeds Down Under

Author: Various 

Editor: Craig Sisterson

Publisher: Clan Destine Press 

Publication date: 1st July 2022

Genre: Crime / Anthology

Pages: 340

RRP: $11.99AU (eBook)

Format: eBook

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Dark Deeds Down Under

 

Dark Deeds Down Under is an anthology of fictional titles of mystery, murder and mayhem. Twenty-one short stories from some of the top names in Australian and New Zealand crime fiction.

"a stunning smorgasbord of stories, styles and settings" - Craig Sisterson editor

 

Many of the authors I had read before and I enjoyed their familiar writing style and the use of characters from well known series.

I love that anthologies have something for everyone and Dark Deeds Down Under is no exception, there is mystery, suspense, edge of your seat drama, humour and unexpected twists. Twenty-one short stories that can be enjoyed at your leisure - perfect holiday reading.

I was amazed how, even in these short stories, some authors managed remarkable characterisation. I had a few favourites and among them were Fiona Sussman's Hiding Something; where a grieving dad picks up a hitchhiker, a chance meeting that will change both their lives and Mr Pig by Stephen Ross; narrated by a friendless thirteen-year-old girl left with her curmudgeon father after her mother goes missing. The twists in these two stories really appealed to my sense of humour.

Dark Deeds Down Under is a superb showcase of Australian & New Zealand crime fiction with something for every taste.

 

My rating 4.3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⅓ (averaged over 21 stories) 

Authors included in this anthology

Alan Carter ~ Nikki Crutchley ~ Aoife Clifford ~ Garry Disher ~ Helen Vivienne Fletcher ~ 
Lisa Fuller ~ Sulari Gentil ~ Kerry Greenwood ~ Narrelle M Harris ~ Katherine Kovacic ~ 
Shane Maloney ~ RWR McDonald ~ Dinuka McKenzie ~ Lee Murray & Dan Rabarts ~ 
Renee ~ Stephen Ross ~ Fiona Sussman ~ Vanda Symon ~ David Whish-Wilson

 
 

Book Review: The Furphy Anthology 2021

 Selected Short stories from 

THE FURPHY LITERARY AWARD

 

Title: The Furphy Anthology 2021

Author: Various

Publisher: Heads & Tales

Publication date: 1st December 2021

Genre: Various

RRP: $35.00AU

Pages: 216

Format: Hardcover

Source: Courtesy of DMCPRMedia

 

My review of The Furphy Anthology 2021

 

I loved the cover of this anthology; Sixteen jewels from the literary world.

 

These sixteen quintessentially Australian short stories with coastal, rural, desert and small-town settings are like a snapshot in time; leaving the before and after up to the readers imagination. 

I really enjoy anthologies and find most have a connecting theme that help the stories to  flow into each other. Although I don't think these short stories had a suggested theme they all felt connected in their Austalianness. There is something about each story that screams Australia, whether it be the seclusion of location, the atmosphere, the language, or the characters themselves, it seemed to permeate each story without being openly stated.

 

There are stories of young people feeling trapped, neglected children, test-tube meat, love, loss and disconnectedness. 

My favourite story was about a teenaged boy wanting to escape a small country town filled with racism, bigotry, dysfunctional families and drugs but family obligations keep holding him back.

"Everyone thinks everyone else is the problem; everyone gives their opinion; and everyone thinks someone else should fix it."

 

With stories from a wide variety of genres I am certain there will be something in this collection that will resonate with all readers. 

Beautifully presented in hardcover format The Furphy Anthology 2021 would make an excellent gift idea. 

 

My rating 4.31 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⅓ (averaged over the 16 stories)

 

About the Furphy Literary Award

 

The Award is named in honour of Australian writer Joseph Furphy, who wrote under the pen name Tom Collins and published Such is Life in 1903. Originally established in 1992, the Furphy Literary Award was relaunched as a national prize in 2020.

The Open Category is for short stories 5000 words or less with $20,000 prize money up for grabs. There are also four Junior/Youth categories, open to people from the greater Shepparton area in Victoria.

Visit their website to learn more about the awards: https://www.furphystory.com.au/furphy-literary-award/

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Night Fisher Elegies

 The Night Fisher Elegies

by

Dean  Mayes

 

Stories, Verse and Reflections 

 

Publisher: Hambeldown Road Imprints

Publication date: 1st September 2022

Genre: Anthology

Pages: 226

Format read: eBook

Source: Courtesy of the author

My review of The Night Fisher Elegies

 

Dean Mayes' The Night Fisher Elegies is an emotive and candid collection of essays and verse

 

An elegy: a pensive or reflective poem that is usually nostalgic or melancholy 

 

Mayes' writing is beautifully descriptive, at times calm and heartfelt whilst at other times emotional, confronting and raw.

 

Through these short stories and verse Mayes reflects on feelings of disconnection, loss, suffering and grief. There are also nostalgic memories from is childhood filled with love and life changing moments.

 

Dean Mayes is an extremely talented and diverse writer and I found his latest, The night Fisher Elegies, to be a powerful and reflective read.

 

content warning: suicide

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Dean Mayes is an Intensive Care Nurse who is fascinated by philosophy and paranormal, so his stories weave an element of magical realism with deep humanism. His first novel The Hambeldown Dream was published in 2010 by Central Avenue Publishing and his subsequent novels Gifts of the Peramangk, The Recipient & The Artisan Heart continue his relationship with Central Avenue Publishing.

He grew up in Melbourne, Australia and now lives in Adelaide with his wife, Emily, his children, Xavier & Lucy, and his writing partner - a 10 year old spaniel named, Sam.

Dean loves outdoor cooking, anything to do with Star Wars and (insanely) long-form podcats.

 

 

Spotlight: The Kindness of Birds by Merlinda Bobis

The Kindness of Birds

by

Merlinda Bobis

 

Publisher: Spinifex Press

 

Publication date: 4th May 2021

 

Genre: Literary Fiction

 

Pages: 256

 

Format: Paperback

 

RRP: AU $26.95 / NZ $33.95 / US $24.95

 

About the book

 

An oriole sings to a dying father. A bleeding-heart dove saves the day. A crow wakes a woman’s resolve. Owls help a boy endure isolation. Cockatoos attend the laying of the dead. Always there are birds in these linked stories that pay homage to kindness and the kinship among women and the planet. From Australia to the Philippines, across cultures and species, kindness inspires resilience amidst loss and grief. Being together ignites resistance against violence. We pull through in the company of others.

 

An anthology of 14 linked short stories that readers will find deeply moving and heartfelt.

 

Merlinda Bobis is an utterly distinctive voice in Australian letters. In our ironic and cynical times, here are stories of heartfelt feeling - fulsome, tender and unabashed - in which grief and hope are equally things with feathers - Gail Jones, award-winning novelist. 

 

About the author

 

Award-winning writer Merlinda Bobis has had four novels, six poetry books, and a collection of short stories published, and ten dramatic works performed. Her novel Locust Girl, A Lovesong received the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the Philippine National Book Award. Her poetry collection Accidents of Composition was Highly Commended for the ACT Book of the Year Award. For her, writing is homecoming: a return to roots, a retrieval through memory, and a reckoning with loss hopefully with care and grace. 

 

 

 
 

Book Review: Who Sleuthed It? Edited by Lindy Cameron

 Who Sleuthed It?

edited by Lindy Cameron

 

Fingers and feelers and paws and wings,

Solving thrillers and chillers and secretive things!

 

Publisher: Clandestine Press

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021 

Genre: Crime Anthology

 

Pages: 340

 

RRP: $29.95 AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

 

My review

 

I do enjoy anthologies! I like that I can read a short story here and there and it's instant gratification.

 

Who Sleuthed It? is a collection of stories connected by the theme of animal sleuths. 

 

It did include a wide range of sub-genres within the crime genre and I am not a fan of paranormal however there were 19 stories in all so don't be put off by the fact some may be a genre you don't read. A short story may also be a good way to give something different a try.

 

All stories had a mystery at their core. I enjoyed more the stories where the animals retained their animal mannerisms, but could communicate with each other, over the stories where the animal characters took on human mannerisms.

Many of the stories included an element of humour which always appeals to me. Because the stories are so short it is quick to move on to the next one if one doesn't appeal.

Overall my rating averaged out to 4 stars over the 19 stories and there were plenty of 5 star reads in there.

 

Who Sleuthed It? is a fun collection of stories that will appeal to animal lovers and crime readers alike. I also discovered a few new authors that I am now keen to seek out their full length novels. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the authors

 

List of contributing authors. There may be a few names here you already know.

Louisa Bennet - Australian

Lindy Cameron - Australian

Kat Clay - Australian

Livia Day - Australian

Jack Fennell - Irish

David Greagg - Australian

Kerry Greenwood - Australian

Narrelle M. Harris - Australian

Craig Hilton - Australian

Meg Keneally - Australian

C.J. McGumbleberry - American

Chuck McKenzie - Australian

Atlin Merrick - American

Dr. L.J.M. Owen - Australian

GV Pearce - British

Vikki Petraitis - Australian

Fin J Ross - Australian

Tor Roxburgh - Australian

Elizabeth Ann Scarborough - American 

 

Book Review: Nothing Good Happens After Midnight by Jeffery Deaver

Nothing Good Happens After Midnight 

edited by Jeffery Deaver

Publisher: Suspense Publishing

Publication date: 17th November 2020

Genre: Suspense / Mystery / Thriller

Pages: 338

Format read: eBook

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

About the book

 

The sun sets. The moon takes its place, illuminating the most evil corners of the planet. What twisted fear dwells in that blackness? What legends attach to those of sound mind and make them go crazy in the bright light of day? Only Suspense Magazine knows…

Teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled: “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.” This thrilling collection consists of thirteen original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.

Readers’ favorites come together to explore the mystery of midnight. The ‘best of the best’ presenting these memorable tales, include: Joseph Badal, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Shannon Kirk, Jon Land, John Lescroart, D. P. Lyle, Kevin O’Brien, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.

 

My Review

 

I love anthologies! You get a quick short burst of whatever the theme is, be romance, fantasy, thriller or suspense. My love started with Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl which has since become my benchmark for anthologies.

 

Nothing Good Happens After Midnight as the title suggests has a common theme of grisly events happening just after midnight. As with any anthology some stories will be liked more than others. I rated each story to my enjoyment. Some were three star, some four and some five star reads. I averaged the book out to four stars overall.

 

I did initially worry that these might be horror stories but they were mostly entertaining tales, some with a chilling twist and some I found quite amusing.

 

My favourite five star stories were Linwood Barclay's Night Shift and Shannon Kirk's Tonight is the Night, both authors used revenge as a plot line. Jon Land writes an eerie but uplifting tale using magical realism in ATM. Whilst Kevin O'Brien's Cell Phone Intolerant is a humorous and cautionary tale starring a curmudgeonly vigilante. Jeffery Deaver's A Creative Defense was another five star read.

 

Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is an anthology of thirteen short stories, from the masters of suspense, that will have you glued to the pages until well after midnight. 

 

4/5 stars  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Meet the authors

 

Joseph Badal - Joe is a #1 bestselling author, with 16 published suspense novels. He has been recognised as "One of The 50 Best Writers You Should Be Reading."

 

Linwood Barclay - A New York Times bestselling author with nearly 20 novels to his credit. His books have been translated into more than two dozen languages.

 

Rhys Bowen - is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of two historical mystery series, as well as three internationally bestselling standalone novels. Her books have won multiple awards. 

 

Jeffery Deaver - is an international number-one bestselling author. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists around the world. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into twenty-five languages.

 

Heather Graham - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She has written over two hundred novels and novellas. She has been published in twenty-five languages.

 

Alan Jacobson - is the award-winning USA Today bestselling author of fourteen thrillers. His books have been translated internationally and several have been optioned by Hollywood. 

 

Paul Kemprecos - is the author of eight novels in the Aristotle Socarides private detective series. Paul became the first fiction co-author to work  with Clive Cussler. He has received many awards for his writing.

 

Shannon Kirk - is a contributor to the International Thriller Writer's Murderers' Row. She is a practicing litigation attorney and former adjunct law professor.

 

Jon Land - is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 50 books, including the award-winning, critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series. He has also penned six novels in the Murder, She Wrote series.

 

John Lescroart - is the author of twenty-nine novels, nineteen of which have been New York Times bestsellers. Libraries Unlimited places him among "The 100 Most Popular Thriller ans Suspense Authors." With sales of over twelve million copies, his books have been translated into twenty-two languages.

 

D.P. Lyle - is the Amazon #1 bestselling and award-nominated author of 18 books. both non-fiction and fiction. He was co-host of Crime and Science Radio and hosts the podcast series Criminal Mischief.

 

Kevin O'Brien - Is the author of twenty-one internationally-published thrillers, he won the Spotted Owl Award for Best Pacific Northwest Mystery.

 

Hank Phillippi Ryan -  is on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH_TV, winning 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honours. She is a USA Today bestselling author of twelve thrillers. Critics call her "a master of suspense."