Book Review: The Paris Collaborator by A. W. Hammond

The Paris Collaborator

by

A. W. Hammond

He’ll do anything to save her … even work for the enemy.

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th May 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 309

Format read: Uncorrected proof copy

Source: courtesy of the publisher

About the book

August, 1944. In German-occupied Paris, former schoolteacher Auguste Duchene has stumbled upon an unusual way to survive: he finds missing people. When he’s approached by the French Resistance to locate a missing priest – and a cache of stolen weapons – Duchene initially refuses. But the Resistance offer him no choice. Within hours, he’s also blackmailed by a powerful Nazi into searching for a German soldier who’s suspected of deserting.

To fail at either task will have deadly consequences for Duchene – and for his daughter Marienne.

So begins a frantic race against time. As forces close in on Paris, Duchene has only 48 hours to locate the missing priest and soldier, or lose the only person he loves…

My review

A war torn Paris during the German occupation was deftly portrayed as Hammond includes the devastation of the area and also the divide the occupation caused between the Parisians themselves. Where every move was watched by all and you had to be careful not to be seen as a resistant or a sympathiser with accusations of collaboration being a precursor to ostracization.

Duchene was a finder of people. He was mainly called upon by parents who had lost a child. His special skill is brought to the attention of the Resistance and the Germans. Both parties give him a deadline to find their person of interest and a deadly price to pay if he doesn't succeed.

What I liked was that Duchene was an ordinary citizen caught up in the war. He wasn't particularly brave, he was ageing and tired, but he was smart. It was fear that motivated him.

Throughout the story we meet a few other citizens of Paris who are doing what they need to do to get by. Hammond explores the grey area of morals during wartime as Duchene and other  French citizens find themselves working with or for the Germans simply to survive. He also includes, through the character of Lucien, an opportunist who sees the war and people's suffering as a way to make money.

There are a couple of mysteries being played out throughout the story which made for some clever plotting and lots of action. I never knew what would happen next and I was eager to see how events would pan out.

The Paris Collaborator is a tension filled story that had me hooked from start to finish.

4 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

A.W. Hammond was born in South Africa and emigrated to Australia as a child. He currently works at RMIT University and lives in Melbourne with his wife and daughters.

Challenges entered: Aussie Author Challenge #AussieAuthor21

                                 Historical Fiction Challenge #HisFicReadingChallenge

Book Giveaway: Mirror Man by Fiona McIntosh

Thanks to the generosity of The Reading Nook online bookstore I have a great #giveaway today for 1 of 2 paperback copies of:

  Mirror Man 

by 

Fiona McIntosh.

Blurb

On the streets of England, a hunter is on the loose.

The highly anticipated new crime thriller in the DCI Jack Hawksworth series.

‘There is a connection, Jack. Find it, or you’ll never find him.’Police are baffled by several deaths, each unique and bizarre in their own way – and shockingly brutal. Scotland Yard sends in its crack DCI, the enigmatic Jack Hawksworth, who wastes no time in setting up Operation Mirror. His chief wants him to dismiss any plausibility of a serial killer before the media gets on the trail.

With his best investigative team around him, Jack resorts to some unconventional methods to disprove or find a link to the gruesome deaths. One involves a notorious serial killer from his past, and the other, a smart and seductive young journalist who’ll do anything to catch her big break.

Discovering he’s following the footsteps of a vigilante and in a race against time, Jack will do everything it takes to stop another killing – but at what personal cost for those he holds nearest and dearest?

Giveaway:

Enter via the form below. (Open to Australian addresses only). Entries close at midnight on 25th July 2021.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winners were announced HERE

Mailbox Monday - 12th July 2021

 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.

Happy Monday!

We are in lockdown here in Sydney, Australia which makes me realise how lucky we have been here in Australia with the whole Covid-19 pandemic. This is only the second hard lockdown we have had in Sydney over the last eighteen months.

I had my grandchildren over the school holidays and even though it is winter in Australia the days have been sunny and I discovered we have lots of fun parks in the local area. With a new one opening just a few minutes walk from my house. And even though we didn't get to go shopping or go to Vinnies (a charity shop), two of Dot's favourite things, we had lots of fun crafting and baking. They have now been packed off home to be homeschooled by their parents.

Feeding the ducks and one swan at the lake

I have a terrible  fear of heights which Jay apparently didn't inherit as he is standing at the top of this structure with me underneath, with hands sweating, calling for him to please sit down 

Books I've received and purchased over the last month

Purchased

Dinosaur Roar by Peter Curtis

Dinosaur Munch by Peter Curtis

 Won

Dream Horse by Janet Vokes

For review

What Would LaVonda Robinette Do? by Kirsten Maron

The Last of the Apple Blossom by Mary-Lou Stephens

Loving Lizzie March by Susannah Hardy

The Wattle Seed Inn by Leonie Kelsall

The Curlew's Eye by Karen Manton

The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee

I have new exciting giveaways coming soon. Stay tuned!

Spotlight: Red Earth Diaries by Jason Rebello

Red Earth Diaries: A Migrant Couple's Backpacking Adventure in Australia

by

Jason Rebello

 

A one-way ticket to Australia...two months of travel...and a shoestring budget.

 

 

Publisher: Evolving Wordsmith

Publication date: 8th July 2021

Genre: Non Fiction / Travel

Pages: 214

Format available: paperback and eBook

Price: $24.19, $5.99AUD

 

About the book

 

In Red Earth Diaries we meet Jason and Ambika, a newlywed couple who migrated to Australia with the hope of a fresh start. However, unlike most migrants, they made a bold decision to postpone their settlement plans, throw caution to the wind and backpack in Australia on a shoestring budget.

Their intention was to learn about the country and its people first-hand ... a land they would someday call home.

Swimming with sharks, cuddling cute koalas, chartering private helicopters, venturing deep into ancient rainforests, and getting to know plenty of locals – the couple had incredible experiences in this stunning country.

Their travel story is interwoven with snippets of history and provides the reader with a glimpse of Australia as viewed through the eyes of newly arrived migrants.

Join Jason and Ambika on their spectacular journey of discovery.

'Red Earth Diaries' is founded on four primary pillars: a migrant’s journal, a travelogue, a glimpse into Australian history, and an inspirational tale. The central message of the book is for everyone to chase their dreams - however distant and impossible they may seem.

 

About the author

 

Jason Rebello was born in Mumbai, India, and went to sea at the early age of seventeen. He spent many years sailing across the world on modern ocean liners, eventually rising to the rank of a ship’s Captain. His sea career was interspaced with a healthy dose of backpacking and intrepid travels and as a result, he was firmly hooked on a life of adventure and uncommon living. His travel blog www.theevolvingbackpacker.com was born out of his passion for travel. He has also written several self-help books in the ‘Migrant Ninja’ series.

Jason, with his wife and two children, is now settled in Australia. 

 

Author socials:

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theevolvingbackpacker/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheEvolvingBackpacker
Author Website - www.evolvingwordsmith.com 

Blog - www.theevolvingbackpacker.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Good Indian Daughter by Ruhi Lee

Good Indian Daughter

by

Ruhi Lee 

 

How I found freedom in being a disappointment

 

Publisher: Affirm Press

Publication date: 25th May 2021

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 336

RRP: $32.99AUD

Format read: Paperback

Source: Better Reading Preview

 

About the book

 

Long before Ruhi fell pregnant, she knew she was never going to be the ‘good Indian daughter’ her parents demanded. But when the discovery that she is having a girl sends her into a slump of disappointment, it becomes clear she’s getting weighed down by emotional baggage that needs to be unpacked, quickly.

So Ruhi sets herself a mission to deal with the potholes in her past before her baby is born. Delving into her youth in suburban Melbourne, she draws a heartrending yet often hilarious picture of a family in crisis, struggling to connect across generational, cultural and personal divides.

Sifting through her own shattered self-esteem, Ruhi confronts the abuse threaded through her childhood. How can she hold on to the family and culture she has known and loved her whole life, when they are the reason for her scars?

 

My review

 

Ruhi Lee writes with candour and humour. Her memoir, written as she awaits the birth of her first child, is a journey into a life lived with an underlying guilt for not being the daughter her parents had envisaged.

Good Indian Daughter is an engaging read. with Ruhi Lee’s relaxed style of writing I found myself fully immersed in her story. Many areas of Ruhi’s story will resonate with readers, even those not of Indian descent.

Ruhi Lee is a strong voice for girls and women everywhere who are being subjugated and unheard. She speaks openly on bullying, body image problems, religion, misguided advice, depression, anxiety, racism and abuse.

Reading Ruhi’s story made me sad, angry and overwhelmed but Ruhi’s humour throughout also gave me a few laughs which lightened, although didn’t lessen, the overall feel of the book.

Good Indian Daughter is a brave and open story of shedding the guilt and living your own life. 

 4 / 5 stars    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author 

 

Ruhi Lee's articles, poetry and book reviews have been featured in The Guardian, ABC Life, SBS Voices, South Asian Today and The Big Issue among other publications. In 2019, she was a recipient of the Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund and her manuscript was shortlisted for the Penguin Random House Write It Fellowship. In 2020, she was one of the commissioned writers for the Multicultural Arts Victoria's Shelter program. Good Indian Daughter is her first memoir. She lives in Victoria. 

 

 

Challenges entered:  Australian Women Writers Challenge #AWW2021

                                 Aussie Author Challenge #AussieAuthor21

                                 Non Fiction Challenge #2021ReadNonFic 

 

 

 

Book Review: Take Me Home by Karly Lane

Take Me Home

by

Karly Lane

 

Sometimes you need to get a little lost to find your way home.

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 4th May 2021

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 344

RRP: $29.99AUD

Format read: Paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty & Lace Book Club

 

About the book

 

In the space of a few days, Elle loses her job and her home and faces moving back in with her parents-where she knows she'll hear a lot about how she is wasting her life, unlike her three siblings . . .

Then Gran's will is read and everything changes.

It seems simple: a road trip across Scotland, a country Gran loved, to locate the family castle; meet some long lost cousins; oh, and work out what she wants to do with the rest of her life before returning home. Not a problem.

That is unless the family castle is a ruin that has pretty much been lost in time; the family Elle has never met seem to be hiding a mysterious secret; her over-achieving parents are breathing down her neck, and she's running out of time to make a decision about her future.

Take Me Home is a glorious lesson in life, love and finding your true destiny.

 

My review

 

Karly Lane has long been one of my favourite authors with her romance novels set in rural Australia.

With Take Me Home, inspired by her own ancestry, Karly Lane has written her first contemporary novel which moves from Australia to the Scottish Highlands.

Elle’s much loved grandmother dies with the bucket-list they had compiled together, unfulfilled. Homebody Elle was comfortable in the small rural town she had grown up in and her job in the local supermarket, even if her lack of ambition was a bone of contention with her mother. However after the reading of her grandmother’s will that requests Elle take the trip to Scotland and visit the castle that Iona had loved as a child and scatter her ashes there Elle gets to live the dream her and her gran had never quite got around to doing.

Take Me Home was such a fun read. Elle was very easy to connect with and I adored Elle and her gran’s relationship. Even though we read about it after Iona’s death we can clearly see how close they were. I just loved Iona’s determination and spark, she had a great sense of humour.

I enjoyed the armchair travel through Scotland to all the tourist spot and the little snippets of history about the places. I also loved the Outlander tie in.

Karly Lane has added a cheeky paranormal element in the story and a tiny touch of magical realism or maybe that was just Elle’s imagination. You decide.

Take Me Home is a story of self discovery as Elle meets her Scottish family, including her arty cousin, she feels right at home. She can now see where not only her looks come from but also her artistic talent.

A Scottish castle, a legend, a prophecy, family secrets and a fledgling romance made Take Me Home a story I did not want to end.

Karly Lane has proven herself time and time again in the rural romance genre and now she has smashed the contemporary fiction genre with Take Me Home.  

5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Karly Lane lives on the mid north coast of New South Wales. Proud mum to four children and wife of one very patient mechanic, she is lucky enough to spend her day doing the two things she loves most - being a mum and writing stories set in beautiful rural Australia. Take Me Home is her first book set beyond the rural Australian landscape.

This review first appeared on the Beauty & Lace website

Challenges entered:  Australian Women Writers Challenge #AWW2021

                                 Aussie Author Challenge #AussieAuthor21

  

 

 

                                   

 

                              

Book Review: Dinosaur Snap and Dinosaur Flap by Jeanne Willis & Peter Curtis

 Dinosaur Snap!

The Spinosaurus

by

Jeanne Willis & Peter Curtis

 

Dinosaur Flap

The Oviraptor

by Jeanne Willis & Peter Curtis

 

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Imprint: Macmillan Children's Books 

Series: The World of Dinosaur Roar

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Publications date: 11th May 2021

Pages: 24

RRP: $14.99AUD

Format read: Board Book

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the books

 

Meet Dinosaur Snap, a mean Spinosaurus, and Dinosaur Snap, a nervous Oviraptor, in these brilliant rhyming stories, part of the collectable The World of Dinosaur Roar! series, in association with the Natural History Museum.

My review

Dinosaur Flap and Dinosaur Snap are part of a collection of board books inspired by the classic picture book, Dinosaur Roar.

Each book features one dinosaur highlighting their unique features and personality.

Dinosaur Flap is in a flap. She can’t relax, worried about her eggs being trampled. She scares away Stomp and Bash when they venture near but Honk with her loud honking would make a good guard so Flap asked her to stay and sound an alarm when someone comes near. Now Flap can get some much needed sleep.

Dinosaur Snap is fierce with a big snapping jaw. Whack has his spiky tail to protect him and Whizz is so fast Snap can’t catch him. Snap thinks little Squeak would make a tasty treat but Roar is always there to protect his little friend.

Other dinosaurs in the series pop in and out of each story, sometimes helping and sometimes causing havoc.

Jay loves these books and we have read them over and over. When the next two in the series arrived he let out a squeal of delight. We have since purchased a couple more in the series and have our eye on the next ones we want to buy. Yes, WE! I enjoy these stories too. So much fun!

I like how each dinosaur has a name that relates to their personality. They are like a little community. Jay can name them all and points them out as they appear in each other’s books.

We have always been big fans of Dinosaur Roar and Ten Terrible Dinosaurs and this new collection adds to the delight by naming the dinosaurs and giving them personalities.

The front of each book has the correct pronunciation of the dinosaurs scientific name. Which is very helpful as some are quite a mouthful. The rear of the book points out specific features of that dinosaur.

With bright illustrations and rhyming text these board books are sure to appeal to little dinosaur enthusiasts and their parents.

 

5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the authors

 

Peter Curtis is a welsh-born author, creator and producer of children's characters, books and television series, with over twenty five years experience in children's media.

 

Jeanne Willis is an internationally renowned, full time writer and has published over a hundred books - ranging from picture books including The Bog Baby and Who's in the Loo?, to YA, poetry and fiction.