Monday, 18 March 2019

Mailbox Monday - March 18th


Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog. Head over and check out other books received during the last week. 



 

Review Titles:

The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V. Snyder
Publication date: 17th June 2019
 Shyla is a researcher who resides in the underground desert city of Zirdai, which is ruled by the wealthy Water Prince and brutal Heliacal Priestess. Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps, and obscure historical documents. Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah: legendary gemstones that bestows great magic to its wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city.

But chaos erupts when The Eyes are stolen soon after they're found - and Shyla is blamed for the theft. Forced to flee, with the Prince's soldiers and the Priestess' deacons on her trail, Shyla must recover the jewels and clear her name. A quest that will unearth secrets even more valuable than The Eyes of Tamburah themselves...


The Chocolate Maker's Wife by Karen Brooks
Publication date: 18th February 2019

Growing up in an impoverished household with a brutal family, Rosamund Tomkins is both relieved and terrified when her parents all but sell her in a marriage of convenience to a wealthy nobleman, Sir Everard Blithman. Though Rosamund will finally be free of the torment she’d become accustomed to in her childhood home, she doesn’t know if she’s traded one evil for another. But much to her surprise, Rosamund soon discovers that her arranged marriage is more of a blessing than curse. For her new husband recognizes not only Rosamund’s unusual beauty, but also her charm and vibrancy, which seem to enchant almost everyone who crosses her path.

Sir Everard presides over a luxurious London chocolate house where wealthy and well-connected men go to be seen, exchange news, and indulge in the sweet and heady drink to which they have become addicted. It is a life of luxury and power that Rosamund had never imagined for herself, and she thrives in it, quickly becoming the most talked-about woman in society, desired and respected in equal measure. But when disaster strikes, Rosamund stands on the brink of losing all she possesses. Determined not to return to poverty, Rosamund makes a deal with the devil that could preserve her place in society—or bring her the greatest downfall.
 

Gravity is the Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty
Publication date: 26th March 2019

Abigail Sorensen has spent her life trying to unwrap the events of 1990.

It was the year she started receiving random chapters from a self-help book called The Guidebook in the post.

It was also the year Robert, her brother, disappeared on the eve of her sixteenth birthday.

She believes the absurdity of The Guidebook and the mystery of her brother's disappearance must be connected.

Now thirty-five, owner of The Happiness Café and mother of four-year-old Oscar, Abigail has been invited to learn the truth behind The Guidebook at an all-expenses-paid retreat.
What she finds will be unexpected, life-affirming, and heartbreaking.
A story with extraordinary heart, warmth and wisdom.

In a Great Southern Land by Mary-Anne O'Connor
Publication date: 18th March 2019
 
From the soft green hills of Ireland to the wild Shipwreck Coast of southern Victoria, the rich farm lands of New South Wales to the sudden battlefields of Ballarat, this is an epic story of the cost of freedom and the value of love in a far-flung corner of the world where a nation sows its earliest seeds. 1851: After the death of her father, young Eve Richards is destitute. Her struggle to survive sees her deported in chains to the colony of New South Wales, penniless and alone. But here in this strange new world fortune smiles on the spirited, clever Eve in the shape of a respectable job offer that will lead to a quiet, secure life. Then the fiery and charismatic Irishman Kieran Clancy crosses her path...

For Kieran Clancy, the kindest man on earth, and his brother Liam, the promise of free passage and land in this brave new world is a chance to leave the grief and starvation of County Clare behind. But while Liam works to farm their land, Kieran has the fire of gold-fever upon him and is drawn to the goldfields of Ballarat. As tensions grow on the goldfields, and with the blood of an Irish rebel still beating through his heart, Kieran finds himself caught up in the cataclysmic events at the Eureka Stockade and faces the decision of a lifetime: whether or not, when it comes to love, blood will remain thicker than water...

Home at Last by Meredith Appleyard
Publication date: 18th March 2019
 
Flying solo can be harder than it looks ... A warm-hearted rural romance about finding your way home. Flying solo for the first time had been the greatest high of Anna Kelly's life. So when the chance of a dream job as a pilot with the Royal Flying Doctor Service comes up she takes it, even though she has to leave her home in Adelaide and move to remote Broken Hill - a place she had hoped she would never see again.

The bad memories the town provokes remind Anna why she keeps men at arm's length but as her work proves fulfilling, her housemate becomes a friend and a warm community grows around her, Anna is surprised to discover that Broken Hill is starting to feel like home.

But there is no such thing as plain sailing and with errant mothers, vengeful ex-patients and determined exes on the prowl, life is becoming increasingly complicated. More than that, the distractingly attractive Flight Nurse Nick Harrison seems keen to get to know her better, and he has a way of finding a path through her defences. But will he still want her if the truth comes out?
 

Books I've purchased:

I had some credit on my Dymocks loyalty card so I purchased this book after reading many rave reviews. 

Saving You by Charlotte Nash
Publication date: 29th January 2019

In their tiny pale green cottage under the trees, Mallory Cook and her five-year-old son, Harry, are a little family unit who weather the storms of life together. Money is tight after Harry's father, Duncan, abandoned them to expand his business in New York. So when Duncan fails to return Harry after a visit, Mallory boards a plane to bring her son home any way she can.

During the journey, a chance encounter with three retirees on the run from their care home leads Mallory on an unlikely group road trip across the United States. Zadie, Ernie, and Jock each have their own reasons for making the journey and along the way the four of them will learn the lengths they will travel to save each other - and themselves.

 
 What am I looking forward to reading? 

This week my top pick is Gravity is the Thing. I think the catch  phrase 'a story with extraordinary heart, warmth and wisdom' pulled me in. I'm looking forward to this heart-felt read.

What Books did your postman deliver this week?

Post a link to your Mailbox Monday or simply list your books in the comments below.
 
 
 

 



 
                                                                                                                    
 

Sunday, 17 March 2019

Storybook Corner Book Review: The Go-Away Bird (Children's Picture Book) + related children's craft


The Go-Away Bird
by 
Julia Donaldson
illustrated by Catherine Rayner

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 26th February 2019
Pages: 32
RRP: $24.99
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

‘The Go-Away bird sat up in her nest, With her fine grey wings and her fine grey crest.’ One by one, the other birds fly into her tree, wanting to talk or to play, but the Go-Away bird just shakes her head and sends them all away. But then the dangerous Get-You bird comes along, and she soon realizes that she might need some friends after all . . .

The Go-Away Bird combines brilliant rhyming verse from much-loved children’s author Julia Donaldson, creator of the bestselling picture books The Gruffalo and What the Ladybird Heard, with stunning illustrations from the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal-winning Catherine Rayner.  



Julia Donaldson’s name is always synonymous with delightful picture books for children and she doesn’t disappoint with her latest offering The Go-Away Bird.

The Go-Away Bird is a beautifully crafted hard cover picture book with blue foil lettering and highlights on the birds wings on the cover, giving it additional shelf appeal.

On the title page the star of the story sits alone, just how she likes it, in an exquisitely illustrated tree.
Different birds drop by to engage the Go-Away bird but each time she shakes her head and with a few mean words tells each little bird, not too kindly, to go away. Then a very large Get-You bird comes by and he doesn’t listen to the Go-Away bird, instead shouting “I’m going to get you, get you."  The Go-Away bird was getting very scared now until one little bird called for all the other birds to come back and together they chased the big bird away.

Sometimes you feel like being left alone but you shouldn’t be mean and  hurtful to others, it’s always good to have friends close by when you are feeling scared. There is also a lesson on forgiving someone who is angry and mean and giving them a second chance.

Dot loved this story of friendship and working together and is happy to have it read over and over joining in with the story.

The watercolour illustrations are bright and engaging. The rhyming is fun and the prose flow seamlessly. The repetition of key words makes it easy for children to join in which in turn makes the story more engaging.

Dot’s favourite bird was the Chit-Chat bird. The other birds having equally delightful names; the Peck-Peck bird, the Flip-Flap bird and the Come-Back bird.



Dot and I decided to make our own birds using the colours in the book as inspiration. The Go-Away bird is sitting on a branch looking suitably annoyed by all the birds flying down to play with her. All the birds are simply made from coloured carded paper and feathers.


 Rated by Dot  5 / 5  🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦




Julia Donaldson is the author of some of the world's best-loved children's books, including the modern classic The Gruffalo, which has sold over 17 million copies worldwide, and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard adventures. Julie also writes fiction, including the Princess Mirror-Belle books illustrated by Lydia Monks, as well as poems, plays and songs - and her brilliant live shows are always in demand.






About the Illustrator 

Catherine Rayner studied illustration at Edingurgh College of Art. Catherine won the Best New Illustrator Award at the Booktrust Early Years Awards for Augustus and His Smile and has been awarded the prestigious CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. Catherine's other title for Macmillan include the critically acclaimed Solomon Crocodile and the award-winning Smelly Louie.




 

Saturday, 16 March 2019

Book Bingo - Round 6 #bookbingo2019

Book Bingo is a reading challenge hosted by Theresa Smith Writes , Mrs B’s Book Reviews and The Book Muse. Every second Saturday, book bingo participants reveal which bingo category they have read and what book they chose. 


Well here it is book bingo Saturday again. This week I will be marking off the 'author under 35' and 'themes of fantasy' categories.



Written by an author under the age of 35:
For this  category I have gone beyond my usual reading genres and read Baby, a book that was a little out there, quite dark and strange but at the same time compelling.
You can read my review here
Themes of Fantasy:
I love fantasy and I was eager to read The Ruin of Kings, the start of a new fantasy series.  The world building was huge, the characters well drawn and the action was non stop in this epic fantasy.
You can read my review here

#BookBingo2019