Book Review: Laugh Your Head Off 4 Ever (Children's/Middle Grade)

Title: Laugh Your Head Off 4 Ever
Author: Various
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Aus
Publication Date: 30th October 2018
RRP: $19.99 
Pages: 208
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: Courtesy of Publisher

 Just when you thought you were safe.....nine of Australia's favourite kids' authors are ready to get heads rolling - again.

9 authors
9 stories
to make you laugh your head off 4EVER

A runaway pram + an artsy alien + a cereal monster +a word-stealing curse + one dancing dad + three feral fairies + an evil genius + a hairy birthday + a super-duper pig = one hilarious book. 

Filled with delightfully quirky illustrations by Andrea Innocent, Laugh Your Head Off 4 Ever will appeal to both girls and boys, from middle to upper primary. 

This is another hilarious anthology of silly and fun stories by some of Australia’s best children’s authors.

Nine short stories perfect for bedtime that can be read alone or read out loud.

Runaway Pram by Andy Griffiths

A baby pram, a dog, a train, a trampoline and a backyard pool makes for the most terrifying ride of Andy’s life.

Harriet’s Spacey Friend by Lisa Shanahan

Harriet’s parents can’t seem to see that their new visitor is an alien, and things keep mysteriously disappearing. But when Gran disappears Harriet decodes it’s time for action.

I Hate Bananas by Marcus Emmerson

A mallowman cereal monster, a warrior dwarf with a Scottish accent and the threatening apocalypse will have readers holding their breath with this story.

Use Your Words by Penny Tangey

When Darcy becomes frustrated with his little sister, Freya, he puts a curse on his mother that impairs her speech. He needs to work closely with Freya to find the spell to lift the curse before his mother is operated on. He realises that Freya is not so bad after all.

Dad Dancing by Felice Arena

Hamish’s dad decides to bust a move on the dance floor at the school dance and now everyone is laughing at Hamish. That is until the other dads join in. They are having so much fun all the kids end up joining in too.

The Feral Fairies of Foggarty’s Field by Katrina Nannestad

These are the fairies that no one talks about, the not so sweet feral fairies, causing mischief and mayhem everywhere.

Evil Genius by James Roy

A family road trip and mum’s sneaky bribe to stop the children complaining in the back seat. Score one for the mum’s with this story. My favourite!

Eleventy-Five by Yvette Poshoglian

This story has a bit of a Freaky Friday theme. Sam is staying with his Grandad and as the day goes on Grandad is feeling more energetic and spritely but Sam is suddenly getting older. He is getting grey hairs and needs to take a nap. What can Sam do to reverse this change?

An Absolutely Definitely True Story by Matt Stanton

An absolutely true story about a super-duper pig and a frog who need to help save the Prime Minister.

Perfect for reading alone or aloud, this gorgeous hardback is sure to bring laughter and joy into your household.

This collection of crazy, silly and addictive stories by some of Australia’s best known children’s authors would make the perfect Christmas gift.

 Suitable for ages 5 - 14 years and beyond.

My Rating  5/5      🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 
This review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie author challenge

Andy Griffiths: author of the best selling and award-winning Treehouse series.

Felice Arena: author f the best selling and award-winning Specky Magee series.

Yvette Poshoglian: author of the fabulous Frankie Fox Spy Girl series.

Marcus Emerson: author of the immensely popular Diary of a Sixth Grade Ninja series.

Matt Stanton: best selling author and illustrator of the Funny Kid series.

Katrina Nannestad: award-winning author of The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome.

James Roy: acclaimed author of the Edsel Grizzler series.

Lisa Shanahan: author of the hilarious My Big Birkett.

Penny Tangey: comedian and author of Clara in Washington.

Featured in the back of the book is a little about each author and their books. Each author also answers the Question; What makes you laugh?

 

Book Review: Kat: The Legend of Gnawbonia by Nick White

Title: Kat; The Legend of Gnawbonia
Author: Nick White
Illustrator: Nick White 
Series: Volume 1

Publisher:Bonobo Books
Publication date: 2017
RRP: $50.00
Pages: 168
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: Courtesy of author

In the great city of Catifornia, the Meofia are by far the most feared of all the felines. At home, their baby sister Kat is enslaved under lock and key. Done with the constant abuse, she escapes, embarking on a perilous journey far beyond the land of cats.

Lost at sea, Kat is captured by a ruthless gang of notorious pirate dogs and forced to the depths of the ocean in search of treasure; where she discovers an ancient city, lost in time.

Here, Kat comes to terms with who she truly is – gaining the courage to fight for her life and freedom, to fulfil an ancient prophecy that she inevitably finds herself entwined with...

A new style of book, a fusion of various parts. Adventure novel, graphic novel and picture book.

Anyone that follows me will know that I don’t usually rave about, or even mention, the covers of the books I review; even though some of them are stunning. However this book’s cover and packaging is so gorgeous I just have to rave about it a little. The book is bound in hardcover in a brown leather look with scrolling and the title text printed in silver. It also has a red ribbon bookmark. It comes in a white slipcover which also has the text in silver. It’s a book you just can’t help but pick up and admire.

Kat lives on the island of Catifornia. She is a slave to her seven brothers, all members of the much feared Meow Meow Meofia. Kat is never allowed to leave her house, only to catch fish for her brothers’ dinner. When Kat dares to defy them they beat her. She spends her time watching Loose Flea movies and reading an old book given to her by her mother. The book was about an ancient city called Purtopia and it was the land of Kat’s ancestors.

Kat gathers the courage to escape along with her best friend, a rat named Pea. Kat soon learns that the world is a dangerous place and she can’t trust anyone. Her only escape is to leave Catifornia and travel across the sea. After many harrowing weeks on the ocean they are picked up by a band of pirate dogs. The dogs were from the island of Gnawbonia which was in a bad state and the dogs were starving. Kat uses her wit and expert Kung Fu moves to save her and Pea’s lives as she fights the pirates, goes under water to discover the lost city of Purtopia and fights a giant squid.

She may just be the one to save the dogs on the island of Gnawbonia.

This is a memorable tale of good triumphing over bad and of long held prophesies fulfilled. A story of being brave in the face of adversity.

There is animated violence and plenty of breath-holding adventure. The occasional toilet humour will have readers giggling.

The book is written and illustrated by Nick White and the beautifully illustrated pages are something to behold. My granddaughter had much fun finding the little mouse hidden on each page.

The story is easy to follow and would be enjoyed by readers 10+ years.

I’m eager to see what adventures White has in store for Kat and Pea in Volume 2.

You can see more of the illustrations on the author’s website, where you can also order the book. This would make a beautiful Christmas gift. However you will need to be quick as this is a limited edition.

                       www.legendofkat.com

Kat is an advocate for animal rights and 10% of all profits from sales of the book goes to animal charities. 

My rating  5/5    🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Content: animated violence

Age level: 10+ or mature readers 6+

This review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie Author Challenge

Nick is originally from Sydney, Australia, and has spent the last 18 years as a commercial artist, lending a hand to some of the biggest ad and design agencies in the UK, NZ and Australia.

 
  

Book Review: Absolute Proof by Peter James

Title: Absolute Proof
Author: Peter James
Publisher: Pan Macmillan 
Publication date: 25th September 2018
RRP: $29.99
Pages: 576
Format Read: Trade Paperback
Source: Courtesy of publisher

Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn't answer the phone call that would change his life - and possibly the world - for ever.

"I'd just like to assure you I'm not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I've recently been given absolute proof of God's existence - and I've been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously."

What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences?

The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life's work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world's major religions are all under threat. If Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence...

Out of the blue investigative reporter Ross Hunter gets a phone call from a man claiming he can show him absolute proof that God existed. This man was given Ross’s name as the person to help him find the evidence and broadcast it to the world. Ross thinks the guy is probably some crack-pot but his journalistic instincts override common sense and he agrees to meet the man. Hunter realises this could be the story of a life time, one that could set him up for life.

What follows is a compelling story of murder and mystery told in multiple plot lines running parallel to the main story then diverging with a race against time that ends in multiple deaths.

Born again evangelist Wesley Wenceslas has built a multi-million dollar business around his style of religion, preaching all over the world. Would Hunter’s discoveries ruin his empire and show Wesley as a phoney?

Dr Bloor is experimenting with monkeys and a keyboard. He believes it is only a matter of time before a monkey will type a readable sentence and prove that everything happens by random chance.

Cousins Angus and Pete live in separate monasteries but both live a life of silence, solitude and devotion to The Lord. They need no ‘proof’ to hold onto their faith.

Hunter must first decipher the clues given to him before he can find the ancient relics however there are people willing to kill to get their hands on the items and his every move, every conversation is being monitored. His quest to find absolute proof will take him from England to Egypt then LA and place him, his wife and unborn child in grave danger.

James brings up a lot questions about God’s existence and his motives. If God’s existence was proven would it unite the world or divide it even further? You will not find the answers in this novel only speculation as it is more action/adventure than philosophical.

James doesn’t do a lot of theorising but there is enough, amongst all the action, to make the story interesting and cause the reader stop and think.

“And the irony is that science is asking questions that only religion can answer, but to accept those answers would mean admitting defeat for the scientists.”

Go into this story with an open mind. Some of the plot is convenient, especially the DNA matches. But I’m no DNA expert so maybe it is feasible. I loved the complex plot and the race against the large corporations.

There was no neat wrap up and I was left with a few questions unanswered.

My Rating 4.5/5    🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

courtesy of Pan Macmillan - credit James Clarke

 Peter James is one of the UK's most treasured crime and thriller novelists. His Roy Grace detective novels have sold over one and a half million in the UK alone and five million worldwide in total. The series is now translated into 33 languages. He has developed a close working relationship with the Sussex Police over many years, spending an average of one day a week with them and his writing reveals a unique insight into the reality of modern day police work. He has also carried out extensive research with police in Moscow, Munich, Paris, Melbourne, Sweden, New York and Romania, as well as attending international police conferences to ensure he is at the cutting edge of investigative police work. Peter, an established film producer and script writer, has produced numerous films, including The Merchant Of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. A TV adaptation of the Roy Grace series is currently in development, with Peter overseeing all aspects, including the scriptwriting. In 2009 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton in recognition of his services to literature and the community.

Peter is now a member of the Sussex Police Rape Prevention Team and writing and producing a video for them for schools and YouTube that will warn teenage girls of the potential date rape situations they could find themselves in. He did a lot of research with Lifecentre - for further information on Lifecentre visit their website at www.lifecentre.uk.com
Born and brought up in Brighton, Peter divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill, London and on the South Downs near Lewes in Sussex.





 

Book Review: Scrublands (Crime Fiction)

Title: Scrublands
Author: Chris Hammer
Publisher: Allen & Unwin 
Publication date: August 2018
RRP: $32.99
Pages: 496
Format Read: Uncorrected Proof Copy
Source: Courtesy of Publisher

In an isolated country town brought to its knees by endless drought, a charismatic and dedicated young priest calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners before being shot dead himself.

A year later, troubled journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend to write a feature on the anniversary of the tragedy. But the stories he hears from the locals about the priest and incidents leading up to the shooting don't fit with the accepted version of events his own newspaper reported in an award-winning investigation. Martin can't ignore his doubts, nor the urgings of some locals to unearth the real reason behind the priest's deadly rampage.

Just as Martin believes he is making headway, a shocking new development rocks the town, which becomes the biggest story in Australia. The media descends on Riversend and Martin is now the one in the spotlight. His reasons for investigating the shooting have suddenly become very personal.

Wrestling with his own demons, Martin finds himself risking everything to discover a truth that becomes darker and more complex with every twist. But there are powerful forces determined to stop him, and he has no idea how far they will go to make sure the town's secrets stay buried.

Journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend, a town traumatised by tragedy, to write a piece on how the residents are coping one year on from a mass shooting. However as he talks to more and more locals, the reason for the shooting doesn’t seem to fit the perpetrator. With his journalistic instincts propelling him on, Martin’s focus begins to shift and he becomes further embedded in the lives of the residents. But not everyone is happy about him being there as slowly one by one the town’s secrets are disclosed.

What originally looked like an open and shut case turns into a compelling mystery filled with assumptions and lies.

Hammer throws his readers straight into the height of an Australian summer with his vivid descriptions of the unrelenting heat, the diminishing rural town and the ever present threat of bushfires.

Four different crimes, all taking place in and around the same drought-ravaged town, all separate but all inter-linked, driven by greed and hate, guilt and hope.

Scrublands is a taut thriller with well developed characters and multiple plot lines that will keep you turning the pages.

The mystery had me completely baffled and my head was whirling as each new revelation was revealed. I was totally immersed in the characters and their stories.

A compulsive thriller that will haunt you long after you have turned the final page.

A must read for fans of Jane Harper.

Content: minimal coarse language

                Minimal violence (well it is a crime thriller)

                Road kill (a sad but unavoidable part of rural Australia)

My Rating 5/5     🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

 Chris Hammer was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his career between covering Australian federal politics and international affairs. For many years he was a roving foreign correspondent for SBS TV's flagship current affairs program Dateline. He has reported from more than thirty countries on six continents. In Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, current affairs correspondent for SBS TV and a senior political journalist for The Age.

His first book, The River, published in 2010 to critical acclaim, was the recipient of the ACT Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Walkley Book Award and the Manning Clark House National Cultural Award.

Chris has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra with his wife, Dr Tomoko Akami. The couple have two children. 

This review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie Author Challenge