Showing posts with label Strong Women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strong Women. Show all posts

Friday 8 March 2024

Book Review: The Accident by Fiona Lowe

The Accident

by

Fiona Lowe

She thought their life was perfect.  She was wrong.
 
Publication date: 6th March 2024
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Pages: 480
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Accident

Trying my best at a spoiler free review here as it's best to go into this story with a limited idea of what unfolds. 
 
I was pulled into the story right from the prologue. The Accident opens with a tragic car accident but the reader is left in the dark as to who is in the accident and the details.
What ensues is a heart-wrenching and thought-provoking story rich in female-centric and emotive issues such as; posthumous IVF, women's choice to have, or not to have children, the many ways childless women are judged and child neglect.
 
Freya & Ryan and Hannah & Jamie are the best of friends however when one of them dies those left behind start questioning their own lives and each other. Lies and secrets surface and all their lives are irrevocably changed.
 
The Accident is a page-turning and thought-provoking story. Fiona Lowe thrusts her characters into moral dilemmas. The plot had me on a roller-coaster of emotions, tears, anger, a what would I do moment and delight. 
 
The Accident is a taut and absorbing mystery that is sure to be a huge hit with Fiona Lowe's fans and also with readers who enjoy Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth. 
 
My rating 4 /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Saturday 6 January 2024

Book Review: The Milliner of Bendigo by Darry Fraser

 The Milliner of Bendigo

by

Darry Fraser

Trouble with the law. A missing sister. Evie Emerson has a dangerous adventure ahead of her ...
 

Publication date: 29th November 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 432
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Milliner of Bendigo

Right from the start I was invested in the characters in this story and having characters from a previous book pop into the story gave an added level of connection.
 
Evie is a fabulous character, headstrong and intelligent. She finds herself unduly coerced by her current date who is pushing her to marry him. When Evie says no he sues her for breach of contract and proceeds to sully her reputation.
 
The Milliner of Bendigo is chock full of wonderful characters and one or two not so wonderful. My favourites were; the strong and determined Evie who works for Lucille Downing in her milliner shop, The affable David Kingsley who has his eye on the widow Downing, Fitz the roving reporter who is always after the next big story, and the shy and gallant Raff. 
 
The Milliner of Bendigo is fast paced and rich in mystery and drama. Told through multiple points of view I was totally invested in all the characters' stories and raced through the book.
 
Darry Fraser keenly evokes the atmosphere of the old gold mining towns of country Victoria and her vivid descriptions of the drought conditions left me well imagining the heat and dust. 
 
Set on the verge of federation, themes of water rights, corruption, cover ups and murder make The Milliner of Bendigo a must-read for historical fiction fans.
 
This is my second book by Darry Fraser and I am now keen to read her backlist.
 
my rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
 

Wednesday 29 November 2023

Book Review: The Goldminer's Sister by Alison Stuart

The Goldminer's Sister

by

Alison Stuart

Gold is a fever. Will it lead her to love ..... or death? 
 
Publication date: 8th July 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 381
RRP: $29.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

Review: The Goldminer's Sister

In The Goldminer's Sister, Alison Stuart deftly evokes the attitudes and nuances of 1800's Australia.
Set in the goldfields of country Victoria, Stuart depicts the small towns of the late 1800's with startling clarity.
 
Eliza sails from the UK to Australia, after her mother's death, to be with her brother, Will. It isn't until she arrives in Maiden's Creek that she learns of her brother's accidental death and her Uncle offers her lodgings.

Eliza's curiosity over her brother's death starts to mount as she gets to know more people in the town and she begins to wonder why her uncle is so keen to be rid of her.
Mysteries start to appear right from the start of the book and as the story progresses the mysteries deepen and an element of suspense is added. The Goldmines are a dangerous place for women however Eliza will not back down, she is outspoken and feisty. Stuart's characterisation is perfect, Eliza is well formed and believable.
The introduction of Alec, a man of honour, Will's friend and mine manager, gives a good balance to the other lecherous men and introduces an element of romance.
 
The Goldminer's Sister is a fabulous read, rich in mystery and danger, theft and deception, showing how profit quite often came before people's lives.
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
Challenges: Mount TBR challenge


 
 

Sunday 29 October 2023

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.

Tuesday 26 September 2023

Book Review: A Jewish Girl in Paris by Melanie Levensohn

 A Jewish Girl in Paris

by

Melanie Levensohn

Adapted from a translation by Jamie Lee Searle

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 9th August 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 448
RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: A Jewish Girl in Paris

A Jewish Girl in Paris is a must read for all historical fiction fans. Moving from war torn Paris in the 1940's to Washington DC in the early 2000's.
 
On his death bed in 1982 Jacobina's father confesses to having another daughter, Judith, who he left  behind in Paris after divorcing her mother. Over two decades later Jacobina confides in volunteer care-worker Beatrice that she promised her father she would find out what happened to her half-sister. Beatrice offers to help her and a friendship sparks between the two women.
 
1940's Paris, and Judith is attending University, working in the library and falling in love with the handsome Christian. Life is perfect! But the German occupation is increasing and the Jews are being vilified more and more.
 
A Jewish Girl in Paris is a beautiful story that I didn't want to end. A fictional tale of courage and resilience, inspired by real events and circumstances.
I loved Judith's naivety and her thoughts that everything will be fine. It came across as very realistic.
The story follows Judith's life leading up to her being sent to Auschwitz. Showcasing her bravery, and Christian's determination to save the woman he loved. 

Beatrice works for the World Bank but her character really evolves when she volunteers as a care-worker and meets Jacobina and the search for information on Judith starts.

There are a few "sliding door" moments, when key characters miss each other by mere moments, which I thought were an ingenious addition to the story.

A Jewish Girl in Paris has a tantalising blend of danger, romance, mystery and historical events.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ + an extra ⭐ for a character named Veronica 💖

About the author

Melanie Levensohn studied international relations and literature in France and Chile. She earned her master’s degree from Sciences Po in Paris. She later became a spokesperson for the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, reporting from countries in crisis round the world. From 2006 to 2013 Melanie worked as a communications at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., managing corporate external relations for the Caribbean region. She now lives in Geneva.

Thursday 21 September 2023

Book Review: The Magpie's Sister by Kerri Turner

 The Magpie's Sister

by

Kerri Turner

Publisher: Echo Publishing
Publication date: 2nd May 2023 
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Pages: 336
RRP: $32.99 (Trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Magpie's Sister 

Who doesn't love a circus! The Magpie's Sister is an evocative and moving story about an Australian circus and the performers' lives.

The Magpie's Sister focuses on two main characters, both given to the circus, under different circumstances, at a young age. The story is told in the dual narration of Maggie, who suffers from a facial deformity, and Charlotte, the beautiful tightrope walker. The pair start to become friends but lies and deceit will test the delicate line of trust they have developed.

Set in Australia in 1911 I found it heartbreaking at how cruel people could be. This was a time when the circus was the only place people with a deformity could live some semblance of a normal life. Not all circuses were as kind and benevolent as the one Kerri Turner depicts in The Magpie's Sister.

I loved all the descriptions of circus life, the moving from town to town, and the fact that not everyone was happy to have the circus in town. It was a hard life.
The story brought back many happy memories of attending circuses when I was young and also attending with my own children.
 
Kerri Turner has written a fascinating and heartfelt story of friendship and letting people in. Family is not always the one you are born into!
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Kerri Turner is an Australian author of historical fiction. Her books and short stories focus on female roles throughout history that have been largely overlooked or forgotten, and often include elements of the performing arts. Her short stories have appeared in several national and international publications. With a Diploma of Publishing and an Associate Degree (Dance), she splits her time between writing, and teaching ballet and tap dancing to seniors.


Saturday 2 September 2023

Book Review: The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal

 The Doll Factory

by

Elizabeth Macneal

Freedom is a precious thing

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Imprint: Picador
Publication date: 30th April 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction / Gothic / Thriller
Pages: 336
RRP: $29.99 (Trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Doll Factory

The Doll Factory is a gripping and bone-chilling gothic thriller. A tale of love and obsession set mid 19th Century London.
 
Macneal thrusts her readers into the streets of 1850's London detailing the filth, poverty, pick pockets and prostitution. The story is very confronting however Macneal delivers it all without judgement.

Women were expected to marry and have children but for those without marriage options life was an endless slog of backbreaking work. When Iris is asked to model for an artist her family disowns her however she is now open to a whole new world of art and freedom. A world where one man's obsession and delusion will put her in grave danger.
 
Macneal's characters are beautifully rendered and come to life slowly on the pages as their descriptions are layered throughout the narrative.
 
The Doll Factory would have to be one of the creepiest books I have read. An ominous feeling hangs in the air and even though I knew what was coming, when the scenes unfolded they were disturbingly unsettling. 

About the author

Elizabeth Macneal was born in Scotland and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at Oxford University, before working in the City for several years. In 2017, she completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA where she was awarded the Malcolm Bradbury scholarship. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth's debut novel, won the Caledonia Novel Award 2018.

Challenges: Mount TBR challenge.

Thursday 31 August 2023

Book Review: The Summer Place by Janette Paul

 The Summer Place

by

Janette Paul

Three women, lives adrift, and a life-changing beach

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 26th April 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 384
RRP: $34.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Summer Place

The Summer Place is a thoroughly enjoyable, heartwarming story about love, healing and friendship.
 
Told through the perspective of three women, each broken in different ways. I like that Janette Paul portrayed each woman's obstacle with equal importance because for each of them their hurt was equally debilitating.
 
Erin is recovering from a near-fatal accident, holding tight to all her grief and anger. She is constrained by her PTSD and the scars that riddle her body.
Cassie, recently widowed, cannot seem to move on from her grief and regrets. 
Jenna has been secretly in love with Blake for years, and now she has been invited to his wedding.
 
All three women have been invited to a wedding at Hope Head, a place that holds memories, in much happier times, for each of them.
I loved every character in this uplifting story. The three main characters' problems all came across as real and the supporting characters were just that; supportive and honest, edging Erin, Jenna and Cassie to make decisions towards happiness and healing. 
 
The fictitious Australian town of Hope Head on the mid north coast of New South Wales was beautifully described and a fitting location to have an epiphany on life and moving forward.
 
The Summer Place is sentimental and sweet, with HEAs all round, it filled my heart with joy.
 
The Summer Place is the perfect beach read.
 
My rating 5 happy stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
 
About the author
 
Janette Paul is an internationally published author of contemporary women's fiction and romantic comedy, and is the alter ego of award-winning suspense author Jaye Ford. Her first novel won two Davitt Awards for Australian women crime writers and her books have been translated into nine languages. She is a former news and sports journalist, and ran her own public relations consultancy before turning to fiction. She now writes from her home in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Friday 28 July 2023

Book Review: Don't Make a Fuss: It's only the Claremont serial killer by Wendy Davis

 Don't Make a Fuss

It's only the Claremont serial Killer

by

Wendy Davis

Publisher: Fremantle Press
Publication date: 1st June 2022
Genre: Non-Fiction (memoir)
Pages: 216
Source: own copy
 

Review: Don't Make a Fuss: It's only the Claremont Serial Killer

Don't Make a Fuss is a brave and courageous memoir highlighting the ongoing culture of women's unimportance and  suppression.
 
Wendy was attacked at her workplace by Bradley Edwards. Wendy's attack was minimised and her account ignored by both police and authorities. Edwards went on to murder two, possibly three, women in the Claremont area which sparked a police investigation spanning decades.

Wendy Davis tells her story in this important novel broken up between present-day and the current investigation, and at the time of the attack 30 years ago and how it affected her.

I was appalled how the initial attack on Wendy had little consequence for the perpetrator, brushed under the carpet. However, it affected Wendy's life for years to come.
The story made me angry how crimes against women are being downplayed and because Wendy had a strong personality her trauma was devalued. She was expected to just get on with it.
I can't even fathom the monumental stress she has had to live with during the dragged out court case with years passing from arrest to sentence of this evil man.

I do hope that writing this book has been cathartic for Wendy. However, I am sure that the events of 1990 will be with her forever.

Thank you Wendy for this insightful memoir. We need to make a fuss and not only be heard but also actioned upon appropriately 

4 /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐



Tuesday 25 July 2023

Book Review: The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street by Marlish Glorie

 The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street

by

Marlish Glorie

Publisher: Fremantle Press
Publication date: 2nd May 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 304
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty and Lace Book Club
 

My review of The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street

The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street was originally published in 2009 and has been re-released by Fremantle Press with a new, modern updated cover.

The book opens on quite a dramatic scene as Helen has  had enough of her husband's hoarding and living with dead people's belongings, she drags her bed outside and attacks it with an axe.

Helen, hoping to start a new life, eventually leaves her husband and with the help of her long-time neighbour, Astrid, she buys an old rundown bookshop. 

I quite enjoyed this quirky and poignant story about the messiness that is family. Glorie shows how serious hoarding can destroy relationships. Helen and Arnold's two sons had left home to get away from the mess and they very rarely saw them but when they heard their mother had actually left their father, both boys found their way home.

Marlish Glorie's writing is witty and candid. I felt this story was a bit of a tragi-comedy. It's a story of love, loss and grief, of second chances and doing the best you can. I loved the finely nuanced characters, all inexplicably tied to each other. The story is funny at times and at other times quite profound.

I'm a bit of a hoarder myself, not to the extent that Arnold hoards, but I love teacups and teapots. And of course books!

This quote in the book had me in stitches, because this is exactly what I tell my children. 🤣🤣

"One day, all this will be yours. And Vivian's. It's your inheritance. I've been thinking about your future."

 The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street may not be to everyone's liking, but I loved it!

5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Marlish Glorie is a novelist, short story writer, mentor and teacher of creative writing. Her short stories have been published in national anthologies. Marlish lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband. She is currently working on another novel, and also volunteers at Trillion Trees.
 

Thursday 20 July 2023

Book Review: The Unbreakables by Lisa Barr

The Unbreakables

by

Lisa Barr

When your life falls apart.......  create a new one 
 
Publisher: Welbeck Publishing Group
Publication date: 2nd May 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 352
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: The Unbreakables 

Who could ever forget the big Ashley Madison blow-up! Author Lisa Barr has used this as the inspiration behind her latest novel, The Unbreakables.
Three couples, best friends, all happily married until one couple finds the husband's infidelity splashed  all over the internet.
Sophie is shattered, her perfect life and perfect friendships all collapse in one devastating night. Sophie flees to Paris to be with her teenage daughter and to ponder what she really wants from life.

The Unbreakables is a wonderful story about finding yourself and rebuilding your life. Sophie had spent the last twenty years looking after her husband and daughter, neglecting herself and her own needs. She thought she was happy but when it all fell apart she could see that they were willing to take all of her and give nothing in return.

I loved the backdrop of Paris! If you are going to nurse a broken heart, Paris is the place to do it.
The "finding yourself threesome" may be a bit cliched but there are lots of gems of wisdom dispensed throughout the novel.

Barr highlights how easy it is for women to get lost in wifedom and motherhood, leaving their career, and often their true self is squashed, hidden under their duty to others.

The Unbreakables has all the ingredients of an on screen drama; conflict, setting, pace, drama, gas-lighting and eclectic characters.
I liked that the book was set in parts and each part focused on a portion of Sophie's journey from the betrayal, running away, the release, the awakening to acceptance and closure. 

4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Lisa Barr is the New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire, The Unbreakables and the award-winning historical thriller Fugitive Colours, which won the IPPY gold medal for Best Literary Fiction 2014 and first prize at The Hollywood Film Festival (Opus Magnum Discovery Award).
Lisa served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, managing editor of Today's Chicago Woman, managing editor of Moment magazine, and as an editor/reporter for Chicago Sun-Times.
In breaking book news: Actress Sharon Stone is set to produce and star in the film adaptation of Woman on Fire.

Sunday 2 July 2023

Book Review: The Stolen Hours by Karen Swan

 The Stolen Hours

by

Karen Swan

A reluctant bride. A forbidden romance.
 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 26th April 2023
Series: The Wild Isle #2
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 415
RRP: $34.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: The Stolen Hours

The Stolen Hours is the second book in The Wild Isle series and is just as fabulously intriguing as the first. I love that Karen Swan has added a note to the reader in the front of the book giving a quick recap of the first book, The Last Summer.

I thought I had it all worked out at the end of the first book however this startling new story, set over the same time period, only from a different character's POV, left me with more questions and serious doubt as to my previous thoughts.

The Stolen Hours is from Effie's good friend Mhairi's point of view. Mhairi takes a trip to the island of Harris to meet a farmer in need of a wife. Whilst away from her family Mhairi falls in love; but not with the man she is now obligated to marry. Christianity and God's wrath weigh in heavily in this novel and Mhairi's concerns for her virtue are real. She feels like a fallen woman, through no fault of her own, and these feelings go on to manufacture the course of her last few months on St Kilda.

I loved seeing Effie from a different point of view and since this book's focus is on Mhairi I was feeling a compulsion to reread The Last Summer to see what hints I had missed about Mhairi's life.

Even though this book is set over the same time period with the same characters it is a whole separate story. So don't think this will be a rehash of a plot you have read before.
A bitter winter in a harsh unforgiving land and a village that works as one; betrothals, secrets, death, superstitions, loyalty and friendships, The Stolen Hours is a must read.

I finished this book eager for more!

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author of twenty-four books and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year - one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. 
Previously a fashion editor, she lives in Sussex with her husband, three children and two dogs.
The Stolen Hours is the second of a five-book historical series called The Wild Isle, based on the dramatic evacuation of Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.

Thursday 1 June 2023

Book Review: Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory

 Dawnlands

by

Philippa Gregory

A King in trouble. A country divided. A woman determined.
 
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
 
Publication date: 15th November 2022
 
Series: The Fairmile #3
 
Genre: Historical Fiction
 
Pages: 544
 
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback) 
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of Dawnlands

Dawnlands, set in 17th century England, is the third book in The Fairmile series.
Dark Tides ended with Alys and Alinor settled in their merchant business on the wharves in London and Alinor's brother, Ned Ferryman, living in America.

As with the previous two books there is a large gap of time between this book and the previous book. Having the books set in different time frames allows them to be read well as standalone.

Ned is leaving America to join the rise against King James II. The native American Pokanoket people have been enslaved and are being sent to the sugar farms in Barbados.

I love how Gregory mixes history and fiction and as you read it on the page it feels like her characters are real and were part of the downfall of James II.
Livia is back and scheming her way into the young Queen's favour to garner position for herself and her son. The character of Livia will not disappoint! She is beautiful, charismatic and evil. No act was too low for her if it meant bettering her position in life.

Dawnlands is a story of tyranny, greed, slavery and the fight for equality and freedom. The slavery and conditions on the sugar farms was an eye-opening addition to the story, showing the greed and cruelty of plantation owners. Apart from the cruelty we also get the thoughts of 'good white folk' who thought slavery was fine as long as you treated them well, thinking they were actually doing these people a favour.

Gregory states that Dawnlands took three years to write and I think it was well worth the wait. Her writing is captivating and it flows effortlessly from one scene to the next with each point of view being just as interesting as the last.

An extensive bibliography shows that the novel was thoroughly researched.

Bringing a new generation into the story with Alys's granddaughters and Rob's daughter makes me feel like this series won't be ending here!

Trades done, deals made, slaves entrenched, intrigue abounded, loves lost and a King overthrown; Dawnlands is a must read!
 
My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Philippa Gregory is the author of many New York Times bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, and is a recognised authority on women's history.
Many of her works have been adapted for the screen.

Reviews of other books in this series:
 
 
 

Saturday 13 May 2023

Book Review: A Woman's Work by Victoria Purman

 A Woman's Work

by

Victoria Purman

Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
 
Imprint: HQ Fiction
 
Publication date: 5th April 2023
 
Genre: Women's Fiction / Historical
 
Pages:  358 
 
RRP: $32.99AU (Paperback) 
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of A Woman's Work

A Woman's Work is a poignant look at the expected role of married women post WWII Australia.
 
Set in 1950's Australia when the chance of winning a cash prize in a cooking competition could open up a wealth of opportunity.
Told through the dual narrative of two Australian mothers; Ivy Quinn, war widow and single mum to 12yo Raymond, and wife and mother of five, Kathleen O'Grady.

Victoria Purman knows how to immerse her readers into the lives of others. We get a very personal view of both Ivy and Kathleen's lives; their dreams, internal conflicts and despair.

Ivy is a single working mum, she constantly worries if she is doing enough for Raymond, he has no father figure and she is concerned this may have a negative effect on him.
Kathleen, a SAHM of five, finds her days overwhelmed with washing, cleaning and cooking. Her and her husband have grown apart and she feels lost.
 
Both women find a new purpose and confidence when they decide to enter the Australian Women's Weekly recipe competition with a  cash prize of £600.

I immediately connected with Ivy and her son Raymond. Kathleen took me longer to work out. I didn't like her at all until the penny dropped and I realised she had severe depression (sometimes I need these things spelled out to me).

I loved all the cooking and recipes and whilst reading I had so many things I would have liked to ask my grandmother about. I also enjoyed all the nostalgia Purman invokes with the inclusion of rationing, movies of the time, fantales, the Melbourne Olympics and Bex powders.

A Woman's Work is a truly engaging read, and even though set in the past is perfect for contemporary fiction readers.

My rating 4 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Victoria Purman is an Australian top ten and USA Today bestselling fiction author. Her most recent book, The Nurses' War, was an Australian bestseller, as were her novels The Land Girls and The Last of the Bonegilla Girls. Her earlier novel The Three Miss Allens was a USA Today bestseller. She is a regular guest at writers festivals, a mentor and workshop presenter and was a judge in the fiction category for the 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature and the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for an unpublished manuscript.

I'm off to make some cheese and gherkin scones! 😀

Sunday 2 April 2023

Book Review: Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie by Fin J Ross

 Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie

by

Fin J Ross

Publisher: Clandestine Press
 
Publication date: 22nd June 2020
 
Genre: Historical Fiction
 
Pages: 278
 
RRP: $24.99AU (Paperback)
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie

Fin J Ross is a remarkable wordsmith and Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie is filled to the brim with eloquent writing and fun alliterative verse.
 
You don't need to be a true logophile to enjoy Ross's writing as it's written in a light-hearted, fun way. However, if you are a lover of words this is the book for you.

It's very easy to love nine-year-old Fidelia Knight, a small girl with a big vocabulary, she is bright and full of life. Fidelia's father is a lexicographer and the family journeyed from England to Australia where he was to take up a position at Melbourne University. Suddenly orphaned on the long trip to Melbourne, Fidelia is taken to an orphanage. She refuses to believe her father is dead and dreams they will be reunited one day. Fidelia satiates her love of words by hiding in a bookstore and reading all the books she can.

Fidelia changes the lives of everyone she meets with her positive attitude and insight well beyond her years. At the ripe old age of 10 she acquires her dream of becoming a teacher when she is asked to tutor two illiterate women, one being Billings' wife, and two orphaned boys.

Billings Better Bookshop & Brasserie is a delightful read with themes of bettering yourself and believing everyone has a talent, you  just need to tap into it.
Set in 1870's Melbourne the area is brought to life through Ross's beguiling descriptions of the streets and buildings visited by her characters.

Each chapter, one for each letter of the alphabet, is headed by an alliterative poem. There is also an appendix of rhymes found in the story and a glossary of all those remarkable words you will be curious to know the meaning of. 

Follow Fidelia Knight, a most extraordinary young girl, from the tender age of nine, as she sets out to forge the way for women of the future.

Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie is a delightfully uplifting story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Fin is a journalist and creative writing teacher who runs a boarding cattery in East Gippsland and breeds British Shorthair cats.
She is co-author, with her sister, of the true crime anthologies, Killer in the family and Murder in the Family (not their family). Her first novel AKA Fudgepuddle is the journal/memoir of the oh-so-true adventures of a demanding cat called Megsy.
Fin has won eight category prizes in the annual Scarlet Stiletto Awards for crime and mystery short stories. The competition has been run by Sisters in Crime Australia since 1994.
In her spare time Fin compiles cryptic crosswords.

Friday 17 March 2023

Book Review: Becoming Mrs Mulberry by Jackie French

 Becoming Mrs Mulberry

by

Jackie French

Publisher: Harlequin Australia
 
Publication date: 8th March 2023
 
Genre: Historical Fiction
 
Pages: 512
 
RRP: $32.99AU (Paperback)
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of Becoming Mrs Mulberry

Becoming Mrs Mulberry, set in the picturesque Blue Mountains region of NSW post WWI, is a story of compassion and the healing power of nature.

Jackie French, through Agnes, highlights the fight women endured to become doctors. Agnes had to study and qualify in Edinburgh before she could return to Australia and join her father in general practice.

At the plea of her best friend Hortense (Puddin' to her friends), Agnes forgoes her career and marries Puddin's shell shocked brother to save the family fortune from their greedy uncle. Douglas was to be declared insane and committed to an asylum.

Agnes and Douglas move to his property in the secluded Blue Mountains region of Australia. The quiet surroundings and the natural environment, along with Agnes' care, see Douglas slowly heal. Agnes uses her new found wealth to supply a calm and accepting escape for the men and women disfigured by war.

I was totally shocked by the way returned soldiers, greatly disfigured while fighting for their country, were locked away and treated badly, called freaks and misfits, completely disregarding their physical and mental suffering.

Becoming Mrs Mulberry is both heart-wrenching and up-lifting. Agnes' humility and compassion brought tears to my eyes, more than once.
Agnes was taught to look for people who were suffering and try to help them. Money brings power - it's how you use that power that counts.

It's not all heart-wrenching scenes; there are plenty of humorous moments with characters like Private Private, the naturist who discarded society and his clothes, also the appearance of a wombat who has a knicker fetish.

Becoming Mrs Mulberry also has an interweaving story about a young child who Agnes saves from a circus freak exhibition. The child is grossly deformed however Agnes feels she can cure her. The circus owners call the child Dingo, saying she was brought up by dingoes.
 
If you have ever attended a talk by Jackie French you will know she is a passionate person and that passion shines through in her writing.  
I truly think Becoming Mrs Mulberry will be one of my top reads for the year. If you only read one book this year - make it this one!

My rating 5 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Jackie French AM is an award-winning author, historian and ecologist. She was the 2014-2015 Australian Children's Laureate and the 2015 Senior Australian of the year. In 2016 Jackie became a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant contribution to literature and youth literacy. She is regarded as one of Australia's most popular authors with her vast body of work crossing from fiction, non-fiction, picture books, ecology, fantasy and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction.
 
 


Wednesday 15 March 2023

Book Review: The Tower by Carol Lefevre

 The Tower

by

Carol Lefevre

Publisher: Spinifex Press

Publication date: 4th October 2022

Genre: Women's Fiction

Pages: 256 (Paperback)

RRP: $32.95AU

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via RM Marketing 

My review of The Tower

I had previously enjoyed Carol Lefevre's novella Murmurations so was looking forward to reading her latest offering.
 
The Tower is an eclectic collection of short stories that are connected and bound together by themes of grief, betrayal, ageing and a need to belong. Carol Lefevre writes heartfelt stories about strong women who battle through adversity.
 
Widowed after a long marriage, Dorelia sells the family home and buys a house with a tower; a place to unwind, find peace and rewrite the stories of older women treated poorly by literature. Her three grown children, although busy with their own lives, feel the need to advise Dorelia on how to live her life.
 
This collection has stories of love, loss and the highs and lows of motherhood, all wrapped around themes of ageing and finding inner peace.
Every alternate story features Dorelia, her move to the tower, her battles with her well-meaning daughters and reminiscences of her younger years.
 
When I first started the book I didn't feel the connection between the stories, other than the theme of motherhood and loss, but as I read on and names from one story appeared in another the connections between the characters became clearer and the stories became more cohesive.
 
The Tower, although a collection of short stories, reads a lot like a novel and even has a few twisty surprises throughout.
 
Deeply imagined and vividly portrayed The Tower is a book that will speak to your heart.
 
My rating 4 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐  
 
About the author
 
Carol Lefevre holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide, where she is a Visiting Research Fellow. Her novel Nights in the Asylum, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, won the Nita B. Kibble Award for Women Writers, and the People’s Choice Award. If You Were Mine (2008) was published by Vintage. She has published short fiction, essays, and journalism, and a non-fiction book, Quiet City: walking in West Terrace Cemetery (Wakefield Press, 2016). She has written two books with Spinifex Press - The Happiness Glass and Murmurations.