Aussie Author Challenge for 2018

This year I will be joining the annual Aussie author challenge hosted by Book Lover Book Reviews

 The challenge has three levels as listed below. I will be trying my best to attain WALLAROO level.

 WALLABY
Read and review 3 titles written by Australian authors, of which at least 1 of those authors are female, at least 1 of those authors are male, and at least 1 of those authors are new to you; Fiction or non-fiction, any genre.
WALLAROO
Read and review 6 titles written by Australian authors, of which at least 2 of those authors are female, at least 2 of those authors are male, and at least 2 of those authors are new to you; Fiction or non-fiction, at least 2 genre.
KANGAROO
Read and review 12 titles written by Australian Authors of which at least 4 of those authors are female, at least 4 of those authors are male, and at least 4 of those authors are new to you; Fiction or non-fiction, at least 3 genre.

Stay tuned to hear about some great reads by Australian authors.

Book Review: Jorie and the River of Fire by A.H. Richardson

 

Jorie and the River of Fire by A.H. Richardson
Series: Book 3
Publisher: Self Published
Publication date: 1st August 2017
Pages: 288
Format read: paperback
Source: Author via Book Publicity Services


                                                  Blurb

 When Jorie and Rufus are reunited after a year, each one having gone abroad to France and Germany to study language, they are summoned to help their beloved friends below the Tarn to rescue the Great Wizard, who has been kidnapped. With no idea where he has gone, the children dive back into the Tarn, back to the land of Cabrynthia. Taking the Magic Stones with them, they set out immediately to find the Great Grootmonya, soon learning that he has been imprisoned in a cell atop a steep mountain in the evil land of Shyloxia. Their mission is fraught with fierce fights and entanglements as Rufus learns that his beloved dragon, Chook, also has been kidnapped. How does one kidnap a dragon? It isn't easy, but their wicked adversary, the grim and gruesome Lord Fodomalk, is very resourceful. The children encounter many frightening adventures in a terrible inferno fraught with belching volcanoes and the terrifying River of Fire. And don't overlook some angry creatures and the poisonous butterflies. It is a race against time. Can the duo get to the Wizard in time, as he grows weaker with each passing hour? How do they cross the fiery River? And where is Chook? Throughout all of this, Jorie and Rufus soldier on, desperately and bravely, using their magic Stones and their warmth and affection for one another shining like a steady beacon. Join this brave pair and enjoy their adventurous journey through a magical kingdom under the Tarn.


                                                         My thoughts

 
I was very excited to receive the latest edition in the Jorie series.

Jorie and Rufus are now 13 years old and even though Aunt Lettie says she’s a young lady now and should be putting all thoughts of dragons behind her Jorie is still eager to see Rufus again and start on a new adventure.

Jorie and the River of Fire is the third book in the Jorie series and I’m saying “series” here because I’m hoping this isn’t a trilogy. I’m not ready to let go of Jorie and Rufus just yet.

The Lord of Cabrynthius, Grootmonya, is missing believed held captive by the evil Lord Fodomalk in the land of Telanzid to which only access is across the river of fire. Telanzid is a new land introduced in this book. A land on the far side of Shyloxia that is hot, dry and arid with fires burning and active volcanoes. These other worldly lands are accessed via a Tarn on the land of Jorie’s Aunt Letitia. The children enter the Tarn say the magic words and are whisked away to the new worlds.

Jorie is still cheeky, lively and talkative as ever but she is always polite. Jorie and Rufus work together for a common goal as they embark on this dangerous and unpredictable journey unaware of the perils that lay ahead, the unexpected dangers, the creatures they might meet, the good and the bad. Lord Fodomalk with calculated cunning will do everything in his power to thwart the children’s plan to rescue the Great Wizard.

The children come across Trovods (rat like people), trolls, elves, shape shifting dragons, the egg shaped people of Doonian and the deadly Daggadi (a huge metal butterfly with jaws of iron).

The imagery is vivid and the story moves smoothly between the world of the Tran and the real world. Aunt Letitia , Colonel Horsfall and housekeeper, Bessie, feature more in this book and make for some amusing moments and add old world charm as a little romance starts to develop between Letitia and the Colonel.

Jorie is the heroine of the series but it’s not all about Jorie. Rufus has his fair share of smart ideas and brave moments.

The Jorie series is one of the best 6 years+ children’s series I’ve read.
If your child only reads one book this year make sure it’s from this series!
I received a review copy via Book Publicity Services.

 My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Age level: 6 years +

Read my review of Jorie and the Magic Stones here

Read my review of Jorie and the Gold Key here

                                                  About the author
  A. H. Richardson is a treasured storyteller, whose unlimited imagination conjures up challenging and unforgettable characters, both good and evil, daring children everywhere to delve into their imaginations and learn to rely on courage and bravery to win the day.
Born in England (yes, there are dragons there too), the author has always loved tales of flying and mythical magical creatures. She once tried to pin wings on her pony, quite sure that he could then fly!
She is the daughter of the famous composer, Clive Richardson, who always encouraged her to wite, even as a small child. She paints and sculpts, plays guitar, trained dressage competitions, is a linguist and acted on stage, film and television.

Book Review: White Roses in Winter by Barbara Meyers

 

White Roses in Winter by Barbara Meyers


Publisher: Self published

Publication Date: 1^st November 2017

Pages: 372

Format: Kindle

Source: eBook from author

                                                 Blurb

 The princess. The pauper. And a shotgun…
The only thing Jason is focused on is getting through his last year of college. But the instant attraction between him and Kerrie leads to one unforgettable night together.
When Kerrie’s wealthy, overly-protective father learns she is pregnant, he arranges a temporary marriage to teach her a lesson about choices and consequences. Jason reluctantly agrees to keep his participation in the plan a secret, because it’s the only way he can safeguard his future and his family.
Kerrie is blinded by her romantic fantasy and doesn’t suspect she’s been set up. Meanwhile, Jason guards his heart and vows that when Kerrie leaves with their baby, he won’t beg her to stay.
Just when it seems a future together is possible, lies, betrayal and deceit threaten to separate Kerrie and Jason forever. Faced with losing each other and their baby, will their fragile bond be strong enough?

                                          

                                            My thoughts

White Roses in Winter is a modern take on a shotgun wedding crossed with a rich girl meets poor boy trope.
It’s insta love when Kerrie first meets Jason at a party hosted by her friend Tiffany. After a romantic night on the beach she can’t stop thinking about him. However Jason learns that Kerrie is the daughter of the rich and powerful Kenneth Huddleston and realises he will never be good enough for her so doesn’t pursue the relationship. A guy from the wrong side of the tracks that doesn’t have a dime! When Kerrie finds out she is pregnant and her dominating father demands they get married Jason knows it will all be over once the child is born in wedlock but he was never someone to shirk his duty.

This is a love story with a difference. The couple had only known each other for a day with no further communication until they were forced to get married. Kerrie has been over protected by her parents and has no idea of the real world. She thinks that the marriage will be fun. The two of them together bringing up their child. Jason has done life tough, money is tight and he studies during the day and works during the night. He knows this is going to be hard but he will do his duty until the inevitable happens and Kerrie leaves him.

There is lots of anguish in this book as Kerrie and Jason fail to communicate and each worries continually as to the others intentions.
Jason has past demons that also need to be addressed and Kerrie’s over protective parents throw kidnapping and claims of abuse into the mix. Bring in Kerrie’s drug taking, party girl best friend Tiffany, who thinks Jason should have been hers and there is never a dull moment in this romantic suspense.

The only things that reduced my star rating was that it was told in too many POVs , sometimes changing mid page, also I’m not a big fan of internal monologue and this was used often throughout the book.

White Roses in Winter is a coming of age romance full of strong characters and complex relationships. The characters are engaging and well developed.

I would like to thank the author for my copy to read and review.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
 
                                   About the author

 
 Barista by day, romance novelist by night: When not writing fiction, Dr Suess-like poetry (for adults) or song lyrics, Barbara Meyers disguises herself behind a green apron and works part-time for a world-wide coffee company.
Her novels are a mix of comedy, suspense and spice and often feature a displaced child.
Barbara is still married to her first husband and has two fantastic children. Originally from Southwest Missouri, (she blames her roots in the Show Me state for her somewhat skeptical nature) she currently resides in Central Florida.

Book Review: Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra

 

Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra

Publisher :Mira Books
Published: 17th October 2017
Pages: 332
Series: no
Source: Ebook from Netgalley

                                                          Blurb:

 What happens when ambition trumps the truth?

A town reeling in the wake of tragedy

An arsonist is on the loose in Colmstock, Australia, most recently burning down the town's courthouse and killing a young boy who was trapped inside..

An aspiring journalist desperate for a story

The clock is ticking for Rose Blakey. With nothing but rejections from newspapers piling up, her job pulling beers for cops at the local tavern isn't nearly enough to cover rent. Rose needs a story-a big one.

Little dolls full of secrets

In the weeks after the courthouse fire, precise porcelain replicas of Colmstock's daughters begin turning up on doorsteps, terrifying parents and testing the limits of the town's already fractured police force.

Rose may have finally found her story. But as her articles gain traction and the boundaries of her investigation blur, Colmstock is seized by a seething paranoia. Soon, no one is safe from suspicion. And when Rose's attention turns to the mysterious stranger living in the rooms behind the tavern, neighbor turns on neighbor and the darkest side of self-preservation is revealed.

                                                         My thoughts: 


Anna Snoekstra has written a complex and riveting novel with a clearly manipulative and unlikeable protagonist.
Straight up Rose starts to manipulate the reader. I initially felt sorry for her but the more I read the more I learned that she was selfish and unscrupulous.

Set in a small country town where unemployment is high and drug use is on the increase you could feel the oppression. Rose’s only ambition is to become a journalist and leave Colmstock behind.

As in “Only Daughter” Snoekstra has again given us a whole load of messed up characters and in “Little Secrets” has placed them in a small town where they can do nothing expect destroy each other.

Many plot lines run through the novel and in a town where everyone has a secret to keep I couldn’t possibly guess the outcome with any of them.

I hated most of the characters, they made me angry, sad and disgusted. All emotions I think the author was trying to evoke.

Little Secrets was a great read! Full of surprises!

Content- Frequent coarse language F –word C-word
Sex scene
Graphic violence

                                                  About the Author 

 
  Anna Snoekstra was born in Canberra, Australia in 1988. She studied Creative Writing and Cinema at Melbourne University, followed by Screenwriting at RMIT University.

Anna's short films and music videos have screened around the world. She has written an array of published and award winning short fiction. Her debut novel ONLY DAUGHTER was published in September 2016 (Mira). Her second novel LITTLE SECRETS will be published November 2017 (Mira).


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Review: The Bridesmaid's Royal Bodyguard by Liz Fielding

 

The Bridesmaid's Royal Bodyguard by Liz Fielding

Series: The Royal Wedding Invitation Series Book 3

Published: 18^th October 2017

Publisher: Tule Publishing Group

Pages: 159

Source: own read eBook.

                                                              Blurb:

 After being sacked from her job on the gossip magazine Celebrity, Ally Parker is forced to return home to Combe St. Philip with her tail between her legs. She is given a fresh start when her childhood friend, Hope, asks her to work PR for Hope’s marriage to Prince Jonas of San Michele.

When Count Fredrik Jensson, head of security for the royal family, arrives to check out the village, he makes it clear that her past employment makes her unfit for the role. The fact that there’s a sizzle between them from the moment they meet only makes everything worse.

Forced together on a trip to San Michele for the official announcement of the wedding, Fredrik and Ally find themselves stranded overnight in his mountain retreat. Their sizzle flares into an inferno. However, their night of passion sours when he sees her with her ex-boss. Believing that Ally is about to buy back her job with wedding secrets, Fredrik turns back to ice. What will it take to see the person she truly is and a thaw to set in? 

                                                    My Thoughts:

                                            

Liz Fielding’s The Bridesmaid’s Royal Bodyguard is book 3 in The Royal Wedding Invitation series which consists of four novels written by four different authors. Each book focuses on the romance of a different couple.
The Bridesmaid’s Royal Bodyguard gives us the romance between Ally and Fredrik. Ally is to be her bestfriend Hope’s bridesmaid. Hope is soon to be marrying Prince Jonas (but that’s another book). Ally will also be doing all the publicity for the wedding. Fredrik is head of Royal Security and must liaise with Ally concerning the wedding preparations.
Sparks fly between the pair as they have differences of opinion but neither can deny that there is also an attraction between them.

The Bridesmaid’s Royal Bodyguard is a feel good story about building trust and bonding, it’s about misunderstandings and opening your heart to love. Ally and Fredrik had a mistrust of each other fueled by misunderstandings and at times the actions of the residents of the village. Lovely descriptions of the village bring the story alive.
As the story is written in both Ally's and Fredrik's Point of view it was easy to become attached to both characters.
A startling revelation from Fredrik gives the reader a real insight into the reason for his aloofness.
The story was a little slow at times for me but this was only because of my impatience to have the characters connect with each other.

Ally is a great protagonist, honest and upfront, charming and outspoken – an ex gossip columnist- she knows how to charm people but when it comes to Fredrik she is at a loss to understand him.

This is a fun HEA romance read and stands alone well. However I am now eager to read the stories behind the other characters in this book.

Book 1 – The Prince’s Bride (Jonas & Hope) by Sophie Weston
Book 2 – The Baronet’s Wedding Engagement (Flora & Max) by Jessica Hart
Book 3 – The Bridesmaid’s Royal Bodyguard (Ally & Fredrik) by Liz Fielding
Book 4 – The Best man’s Bride (Jack & Celina) by Anne McCallister


Content: no coarse language – implied sex only.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

                                         About the Author:
 
 Best-selling author, Liz Fielding, has more than 15 million books in print. Nominated seven times for RWA's prestigious RITA award, she won with The Best Man & The Bridesmaid in 2001 and The Marriage Miracle in 2006. A Family of His Own won the RNA's Romance Prize, and was named Reviewers' Choice Best Harlequin Romance by Romantic Times BOOKreviews in 2005. She has also been given a Lifetime Achievement Award by Romantic Times.

For news and excerpts of her latest releases, visit Liz's Web site at http://www.lizfielding.com.

 

Book Review: Redemption by Tracie Griffith

 

Redemption by Tracie Griffith
Publisher: self published
Publication Date: 9th July 2017
Pages:307
Source: paperback from the Author



                                                   Blurb:

 'There were no waves; just a gentle lapping at the shoreline. He stared at the inert body of water curiously. The stillness and silence were eerie, as though this was somehow the calm before the storm - a warning, rather than a respite.'

After nearly two decades in prison, Mark Wilson is given a second chance when his estranged aunt offers him a home in the coastal township of Port Fairy and a job on a dairy farm. While the close-knit rural community struggles to accept the presence of a convicted killer, Mark discovers friendship, warmth and an unexpected feeling of belonging. When love strikes from out of nowhere, he can't believe his good fortune. Has he escaped both his reputation and his crimes? Or is he really a man that no one should love?

As Mark finally allows himself to believe in his capacity for renewal, he discovers the awful truth...

In a small town there's nowhere to hide

                                                  My Thoughts:

Redemption is the debut novel of Australian author Tracie Griffith.

Redemption centres on the life of Mark Wilson recently released from prison after 18 years. With the help of his elderly aunt, Margaret, he starts a new life in the quiet Victorian coastal town of Port Fairy.
Mark tries to build a new life as he fights against distractions and prejudice, occasionally going off the rails but always in the back of his mind is the hope that he will find love.

I love books with a distinct Australian feel and the setting of the small town of Port Fairy was perfectly painted by Griffith’s descriptions. The day to day life on a dairy farm and it’s demanding lifestyle was interesting reading and well depicted.

The pace of the story is slow and none of the characters are particularly endearing, besides Aunt Margaret, however Griffith does an excellent job of conveying her character’s introspection through much soul searching and angst which gives the reader real empathy for Mark.

As mark comes to grips with his freedom he is befriended by his new boss and his wife although nothing comes easily to an ex con as friendships are abused and the local police try every trick to run him out of town.

Mark finds he cannot escape his past and the road to redemption is never easy.

Some readers may not like the ending but I felt it was very realistic.

I received a copy from the author through Goodreads giveaways.

 My rating: 4 of 5 stars

                                            About the author:

Debut author with a paperback and ebook to sell. Etc, etc, etc.

Paperback available from my website within Australia (price includes GST and postage).
Ebook currently available from Amazon/Kindle.
   

Product Review: Vatea Skin Care Range

We as consumers are becoming to understand that the chemicals and additives in beauty products that claim to make us more beautiful and youthful are in fact destroying our skin.

A new age has dawned where we, and beauty companies, have come to learn that we need to care for our skin and our planet in a natural way leaving our bodies with a natural healthy glow and importantly leaving our planet unscarred by chemical waste.

Over the years I have tried every new product claiming to reverse the signs of aging, repair years of damage caused by sun exposure and make me look ten years younger. All this exposure to different additives has resulted in my skin becoming extremely sensitive and developing dermatitis. So it was back to basics; soap free cleansers and QV moisturisers.

Vatea have produced an all natural sulphate and paraben free, vegan friendly product with no animal testing. But do these products deliver the goods?

I was very happy to receive a small range of products to review.

Vatea kind shampoo – firstly the product had a beautiful tee tree smell. I poured a 20 cent piece size into my palm (this is how much I use with my normal shampoo). The lather was very good and had me thinking I could have used less product for the same result.

Vatea nurturing conditioner – my hair is very dry so I use a lot of conditioner. Two 20 cent piece size in my palm. This amount worked well. The real test is the next morning. My hair is dry and I wake up with it sticking out everywhere and then apply masses of leave-in conditioner. I was pretty impressed with the next morning look and still used a small amount of leave-in conditioner.

Vatea nourishing body wash – this product also smelt great and after using a soap free wash for months it was heaven to have a product that lathers.

Vatea pure body oil – this is by far my favourite product. A soft luxuriant oil that soaks into the skin but leaves a lovely sheen. I could dress straight after using it and it didn’t leave any greasy residue on my hands. A real winner!!!!

I would like to thank Vatea and Beauty and Lace for the products to sample.

This review first appeared on the Beauty and lace website