Book Bingo - Round 8 #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. 
This week I have chosen the category 'A book set in the Australian Outback'

A book set in the Australian Outback:

Home At Last was my first medical based romance and also my first book about the Royal Flying Doctor Service. I really enjoyed all the details about the different cases they are called to and the difficulties with medical help in really remote areas. The RFDS is a valuable life saving service and Appleyard brings to the fore some areas we don’t often think about such as the difficulties of shift working, the long shifts and the lack of adequate staff. 
I loved this story and it really highlighted for me the remoteness of the Australian outback.

 You can read my full review of Home At Last here

#BookBingo2019 


 

Book Review: The Bloodstone Key (Fantasy)

The Bloodstone Key

by

Jenni Boyd

Publisher: Jenni Boyd Books
Publication Date: 21st December 2013
Pages: 362
Format Read: ebook
Source: Courtesy of the author

 

It is Medieval times where the word of the King or Queen is law and a knight swore upon an oath, a code of chivalry to guard the Sovereign and protect the weak. The land is called Zanna, a place where mythical creatures and sorcerers of great power exist, a power used for both good and evil.
The Queen is dying, a secret closely guarded to protect the Princess, heir to the throne. The Royal Duke, the Queen's cruel and sadistic nephew believes the crown is rightfully his and will do whatever it takes to become King.
As a dark shadow of evil spreads across the land, whispers arise of an old legend passed down through the generations about 'The Child of the Gods', a child born to save the Kingdom from absolute terror!
A beautiful young woman with hair like liquid silver, finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings, with no recollection of her name or her past, but when the plight of the people of Zanna come to her attention, she defies all odds to stand up against the terror inflicted upon them, armed with nothing but her unique bow and arrows, earning herself the name 'The Silver Angel'.
A mysterious man aids her in her quest, telling her he knows her true identity and that she must seek a hidden object, one that possesses great power, but only she holds the key and the knowledge of its secret location. He insists it is imperative she find it in order to save the people. The Silver Angel questions his motive for helping her, for he hides behind a mask, refusing to reveal his face.
Despite all warnings and increasing suspicions as to his true identity, she falls in love with him, putting her life in great danger.

 

I originally read this book back in 2015 when the author gifted me with an ebook. I loved the story then and still remember the compelling mystery and startling twist. I was very pleased when the author offered to send me a print copy recently as she was thrilled that I loved her story so much.

Thank you Jenni Boyd, you are so very generous.

Below is my original review from 2015.

The Queen and her only living heir, Princess Felicia, have been murdered. The Queen’s nephew, the evil Terric, has taken the throne and now rules by fear and death. For the people of Zanna their only hope is a myth, passed down through the generations, that the “Child of the Gods” will one day free them from Terric’s rule.

Low Fantasy would have to be one of my favourite reads and “The Bloodstone Key” didn’t disappoint.
Other reviewers have mentioned that the start of the story is confusing and I will have to agree. It’s like “hang on, what just happened?” But this is all part of the mystery. The Bloodstone Key is full of mystery and the full explanation of what happened on that fateful night comes later in the story. So don’t despair if you feel a little lost, all will be revealed.
The Bloodstone Key is shrouded in mystery, romance, suspense and danger. The characters are likeable and well developed which makes you want them to survive and prosper. My favourite characters being little Henry, Matthew, Hamond, Edwin and David.
I found the violence is kept to a minimum with more telling than showing as the main theme is kept to one of hope and courage.
There are brief appearances of mythical creatures and minimal magic, so maybe not for High Fantasy fans.
A wonderful story for fans of good overcoming evil and love overcoming adversity.

My rating   5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

I was born in Australia and currently reside in Tropical Far North Queensland with my partner.

My early childhood years were spent constantly on the move, and at times places remote and so isolated I used my imagination to create friends and another world. My family eventually settled in Rural Northern NSW, and a part of my life where my real need to write came to me, secretly writing down my stories for only me to see.

Very few of my friends were aware of my desire to become an author, and as my family grew, so did my desire to write, until eventually taking the bold step to publish my first book, 'Natalia'.

I love the great outdoors, hitching up the camper trailer and travelling to far and remote places, some so vast you could disappear without a trace, but none the less beautiful.
I love anything that allows me to use my imagination and the freedom to be creative; writing, sewing and gardening.

 

Mailbox Monday - April 8th

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. 

Books received for review:

How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox
Publication date: 23rd April 2019


Biz knows how to float.

She has her people, her posse, her mum and the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who tells her about the little kid she was, and who shouldn't be here but is. So she doesn't tell anyone anything. Not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And she doesn't tell anyone about her dad. Because her dad died when she was seven. And Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface - normal okay regular fine.

 

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal
Publication Date: 30th April 2019


London. 1850.

The greatest spectacle the city has ever seen is being built in Hyde Park, and among the crowd watching two people meet. For Iris, an aspiring artist, it is the encounter of a moment – forgotten seconds later, but for Silas, a collector entranced by the strange and beautiful, that meeting marks a new beginning. 

When Iris is asked to model for pre-Raphaelite artist Louis Frost, she agrees on the condition that he will also teach her to paint. Suddenly her world begins to expand, to become a place of art and love.

But Silas has only thought of one thing since their meeting, and his obsession is darkening . . .

What am I looking forward to reading? 

Both books I received this week are equally compelling. 
How It Feels to Float arrived with a heartfelt letter from the author explaining that the book was written after her battle with mental illness and this story comes from her heart.
The Doll Factory has the most beautiful cover, the photo doesn't do it justice, and I'm hoping the story inside is as beautiful as the cover.

What Books did your postman deliver this week?

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

 

Book Review: The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

The Mother-in-Law

by

Sally Hepworth

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia 
Publication Date: 29th January 2019
Pages: 352
RRP: $29.99
Format read: Trade paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Someone once told me that you have two families in your life - the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don't choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all.

From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they'll never have the closeness she'd been hoping for.

But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something...

 

In The Mother-in-Law Hepworth navigates the tricky in-law relationship fraught with misunderstandings and anguish.

I loved this story. It was a little depressing but also a fabulous read. Right from the onset we know Diana, the mother-in-law is dead. But did she commit suicide, a note was found, or was it murder? Hepworth keeps you guessing, jumping between the notion of suicide and murder. And if she was murdered, who would have the want to murder her? Everyone, so it seems.

The story is told in both Lucy and Diana’s POV which gives the perfect insight into both women. Lucy lost her mother when she was 13. She wanted nothing more than to be close to Diana. More like mother and daughter than MIL and DIL. However their relationship was strained. Diana and Tom were very well off however she believed that her children, Ollie and Nette, should not be given handouts, they should make their own way in life. This was quite often misunderstood as being mean spirited. Diana was an introvert and didn’t like to make a fuss and her actions were misinterpreted by Lucy.

Hepworth explores many themes beyond the in-law relationship such as being pregnant and single in the 70’s, the plight of refugees starting over in a new country, infertility and the age of entitlement.

The Mother-in-Law is a touching, moving and heartbreaking story of how an ordinary family can fall apart so easily. Hepworth imbues this family saga with mystery to make it a thoroughly compelling read.

My Rating  5/5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

*this review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie author challenge

and book #9 in the Australian Women Writers challenge

Letter 'M' in the 2019 A-Z challenge

 

Sally Hepworth is the bestselling author of The Secrets of Midwives (2015), The Things We Keep (2016) and The Mother's Promise (2017), and The Family Next Door (Feb 2018). Sally's books have been labelled “enchanting” by The Herald Sun, “smart and engaging” by Publisher’s Weekly, and New York Times bestselling authors Liane Moriarty and Emily Giffin have praised Sally’s novels as “women’s fiction at its finest” and “totally absorbing”.

Sally's novels are available worldwide in English and have been translated into 15 languages.
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Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three children.