Book Review & Giveaway: The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer by Ilsa Evans

The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer 

by

Ilsa Evans

 

Two grandmothers. They both love Avery. Shame they can't stand each other.

 

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia

Imprint: HQ Fiction AU

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 480

 

RRP: $ 29.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback (Uncorrected proof)

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

Beth's daughter Cleo and Shirley's son Daniel used to be married. Now Cleo is in gaol for supposedly contravening a family violence order, and Daniel has full-time care of their four-year-old daughter, Avery.

When Shirley suspects that Daniel is harming Avery, she enlists Beth to abduct their own granddaughter, even though the two women can't stand each other. They are joined on the run across country Victoria by Winnie, Shirley's own 89-year-old tech-savvy mother, and Harthacnut, Beth's miniature schnauzer.

The abduction gives rise to crises both personal and social, as Shirley's large and interfering family - including her toxic son - struggle to come to terms with her actions, amid a whirl of police investigation and media excitement. This heartfelt, wise, witty and wholly original novel explores of the lengths we may go to for those we love, and the unintended damage folded into daily life. 

 

My review

 

In The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer Ilsa Evans explores the conundrum faced by grandparents to intervene or not when they fear their grandchild may be being neglected or abused.

 

Shirley Conifer has been noticing bruises on four year old Avery. She confronts her son, Daniel, and he retaliates by not allowing her to see Avery. When the next time Avery is dropped off she sees more bruising she can't not interfere, deciding she must hide Avery until she can talk Daniel into getting help. With her eighty-nine year old mother and four year old Avery she goes to see Beth, Avery's other grandmother, and they hatch a plan to keep Avery safe.

 

Child abuse is a difficult subject however it is handled sensitively and offset with humour as the two grandmother and great-grandmother try to get along for Avery's sake.

This is a story about family; mother's and their children. Daniel is a narcissist, charismatic and a good manipulator and the idea of nature or nurture is explored as Shirley feels all the guilt over his behaviour. Beth's daughter Cleo is serving a four month prison term for breaching an IVO,  Beth wonders where she went wrong.

As the women hide out they slowly start to understand each other. Beth is self-righteous and hilariously judgemental whilst Shirley is meek, always apologising. I felt 89 year old Winnie was the star of the story. Sharp as a tack and totally tech savvy. Winnie was happy to be ignored. She could do all sorts of things, being ignored was her super power. Winnie's antics had me laughing again and again. Whereas this feeling of invisibility was upsetting to Shirley.

"In some ways it was to her benefit if people underestimated her. Or even thought that she was senile" - Winnie

Ilsa Evans smashes the ageist stereotypes in this book.

Told from multiple points of view, thirteen in all. However each character is gradually introduced so it doesn't overwhelm. I did notice though that they were all women. The males in the book were generally backseat observers.

I really enjoyed this family drama filled with laugh out loud moments and characters I could truly connect with. Ilsa draws on her experiences on the board of a women and children's refuge to create real characters in compelling situations.

I also enjoyed the exploration of the relationship between the two grandmothers and the different mother / daughter relationships taking place throughout the novel. Even the subtle look at DS Elsa Kaltenbrunner's relationship with her mother.

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo:Studio3 Photography

Ilsa Evans has published fourteen books across a range of genres, from light fiction and short stories to memoir, murder mystery and YA fantasy. Two of her books have been shortlisted for the prestigious Davitt (Sisters in Crime) Awards, while her novel about domestic violence, Broken, was an Australian best-seller and selected as Women's Weekly Book of the Month. Ilsa also teaches creative writing students, writes social commentary, and has been published in several newspapers and online journals. In 2011, she received the Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVA) Award for online journalism. 

            

 

GIVEAWAY:

 

 

 

 

 Thanks to The Reading Nook online bookstore you can win 1 of 2 paperback copies of The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer 

 

Enter via the form below (open to Australian addresses only) Entries close at midnight on  27th September 2021.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winners were announced here.

Storybook Corner Book Review & Giveaway: Afloat in Venice by Tina Wilson

Afloat in Venice

Monkey's Great Adventures

by Tina Wilson

Music by Matt Ottley Knitting by Joan Wilson

 

Publisher: One Tentacle Publishing

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021

 

Series: Monkey's Great Adventures #1

 

Genre: Children's Picture Book

 

Pages: 40

 

RRP: $27.95AUD

 

Format read: Hardcover + CD

 

Source: Courtesy of the author

 

About the book

In Monkey’s first adventure, Afloat in Venice, Monkey wakes to find he has been given a brand new camera. He can’t wait to use it during his holiday in Venice ... but after he is separated from his camera and he becomes lost, he discovers something more precious than sightseeing. This book includes original music composed by the highly acclaimed, Matt Ottley and an additional version specifically narrated for the visually impaired.

 

About the series

Imaginative, nostalgic and quirky, the Monkey’s Great Adventures series, with bespoke hand-knitted toys, is beautifully photographed in locations around the world and captures the innocence of childhood. Monkey, an endearing soft toy, finds himself in all sorts of scrapes where he learns about himself and the world around him. In this first book, Afloat in Venice, Monkey is entranced by a “magical floating city that seems to grow straight out of the sea.” The book includes original music composed by highly acclaimed artist, Matt Ottley, with text narrated by the author. There is an additional version of the music specifically narrated for the visually impaired.

 

My review

 

Monkey is off on a holiday and he is given a camera as a special gift. There are relatable photos of monkey  packing and the items you would take on a trip which opens discussion on holidays and travel. Wilson includes humorous shots that will appeal to children with monkey sitting in a drawer. A photo of monkey with his shorts on his head elicited a few laughs.

He goes on a long plane ride and meets a cat named Clarabella who offers to show him around. A very adventurous day ensues with lots of sightseeing, climbing and a trip on a gondola. Monkey loses his camera and then can't find Clarabella. He wanders around asking all the animals if they have seen her. Sad and lonely he starts to cry. Then Clarabella turns up; She had found his camera. Monkey was so happy to have found a new friend.

 

 Afloat in Venice is a picture book illustrated with photos which gives children the opportunity to perceive a story through realistic images. Tina Wilson uses clever staging and beautiful photography in this sweet story teaching children about the world around them, travel and friendship. The photographs and simple text show the excitement and adventure of travel abroad.

The pictures have a certain charm about them with the warmth of hand-knitted toys and props showing everyday items that children will relate to.

The photographs of the Venice scenery are stunning and make a good talking point for older children about the different way people live and travel around the world.

The accompanying CD has a narration of the story with narrative music which enhances the story telling with changes in tempo and pitch. I really enjoyed this added element to the book.

 

We are looking forward to more of Monkey's adventures.

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Dot's Review

 

I liked that it was knitted characters and you could spot Monkey's friends in the background. I want to learn how to knit the patterns in the back of the book.

 

I thought it was fun, cool and cute.

 

Dot's rating

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the author

Tina Wilson is a freelance artist moving between painting, drawing, curating, writing and illustrating books. Tina founded the Lester Prize (prev. Black Swan Prize for Portraiture) and
was its executive director for ten years.

 

About the composer

Matt Ottley is an internationally acclaimed award winning author, illustrator and composer. He is an Endorsed Yamaha Musician, plays flamenco guitar and piano and composes music for picture books.

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21 

  

GIVEAWAY

 

The author has kindly sent me an extra copy of the book to Giveaway.

Giveaway closes at Midnight on 25th September 2021 (Australia only)

 

This giveaway has now closed and the winner was announced here.

Book Review: Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

 Apples Never Fall

by

Liane Moriarty

The no. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies & Nine Perfect Strangers

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

 

Publication date: 14th September 2021 

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 496

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

From the outside, the Delaneys appear to be an enviably contented family. Even after all these years, former tennis coaches Joy and Stan are still winning tournaments, and now they've sold the family business they have all the time in the world to learn how to 'relax'. Their four adult children are busy living their own lives, and while it could be argued they never quite achieved their destinies, no-one ever says that out loud.

But now Joy Delaney has disappeared and her children are re-examining their parents' marriage and their family history with fresh, frightened eyes. Is her disappearance related to their mysterious house guest from last year? Or were things never as rosy as they seemed in the Delaney household?

 

My review

 

After I thought Nine Perfect Strangers was a tad over-dramatic and unbelievable I was interested to see what road Moriarty would take next. I'm happy to say Apples Never Fall is fabulous! A superbly written family drama that has all the elements of a true page turner. 

The prologue pulls the reader straight into a mystery.

 

The story is told in present day where Joy Delaney is missing and then back over the previous five months that led up to Joy's disappearance.

In the present day: the four grown Delaney children are trying to sort out their own feelings and the rising fear that maybe their father has harmed their mother. As police interview each family member it's  clear everyone is holding something back and the circumstantial evidence against their father builds.

 

Previously: recently retired Joy and Stan Delaney find that time on their hands leads to resentments, unspoken grievances and regrets.

When a young woman arrives on their doorstep clearly distressed Joy invites her to stay. Suddenly Joy has meaning to life as she cares for Savannah.

Savannah also gives Joy the attention that has been lacking from her children. But cracks start to form and everyone starts to wonder what Savannah's true agenda is. 

 

Moriarty engineers a complex breaking down of each characters thoughts and dreams and we see everyone is holding something back. The mysteries are layered and compelling.

 

Apples Never Fall is a keenly observed family drama with finely nuanced characters. Underlying themes of domestic violence, anger and child abuse give a chilling look at parents in competitive sports.  

 

In Apples Never Fall Moriarty depicts marriage and family in all its love, rage, passion, grievances, regrets, dreams, resentments and splendid dysfunctionality.  Above all this is a story of the complexity of family and all things that are left unsaid.

 

My rating 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

 About the author

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Liane Moriarty is the Australian author of eight internationally bestselling novels, Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist's Love Story and the number one New York Times bestsellers The Husband's Secret, Big Little Lies and Truly Madly Guilty and most recently Nine Perfect Strangers. Her books have sold over twenty million copies worldwide, including three million in Australia and New Zealand.

Liane lives in Sydney with her husband, son and daughter.

 

 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

 

 

 

Book Review: The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs

 The Bone Code

by

Kathy Reichs

 

A Temperance Brennan Novel

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

 

Publication date: 21st April 2021

 

Series: Temperance Brennan #20

 

Genre: Crime / Mystery

 

Pages: 368

 

RRP: $ 32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

When a hurricane hits the Carolinas it uncovers two bodies, sharing uncanny similarities with a cold case in Quebec that has haunted Temperance Brennan for fifteen years.

 At the same time, a rare bacterium that can eat human flesh is discovered in Charleston. Panic erupts and people test themselves for a genetic mutation that leaves them vulnerable.

 

With support from her long time partner Andrew Ryan, Temperance discovers the startling connection between the victims of both murder cases - and how both the nurders and the disease outbreak have a common cause.

 

My review

 

The Bone Code is book #20 in Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan series. Even though the book follows one case that Tempe is working on, and the book in theory works as a stand alone, I still felt like I was late to the party. Not knowing any of Temperance's backstory made it hard to connect with her as a person.

 

Temperance is called to do a forensic analysis of bones of two people found washed ashore in a hazardous waste container. The more she worked on the bones the more a similar case fifteen years ago came to mind. Tempe is convinced they are linked and what ensues is a details and lengthy investigation.

 

I liked Tempe's empathy for the victims, this was more than just a job to her. The story is set post Covid and people are in a panic over a new disease that is coming from family pets.

 

Reichs gives her readers a complex plot with detailed forensics and a large cast of characters. Small pieces of information are pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle to finally reveal the bigger picture.

 

Advances in DNA collection, forensics and pathology are shown between the present case the the cold case of fifteen years prior. Societies penchant for having their DNA anylised and stored is also a major factor in this mystery.

 

The Bone Code is narrated in a relaxed style and is well paced with each chapter ended on a little cliff hanger. Reichs delivers a very compelling mystery that builds as the story progresses.

I found the technical explanations of forensics and genetics and the constant use of initialism and acronyms quite confusing and caused me to lose focus.

 

The Bone Code would be a great read for those interested in forensics and science and followers of the TV series, Bones.

 

My rating 3 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐

 

 About the author 

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. She is one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A professor of anthropology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.

 

 

Challenges entered: Cloak and Dagger Challenge 

 

 

Book Review: The Trials of Adeline Turner by Angela Terry

The Trials of Adeline Turner

by

Angela Terry

 

Publisher: Girl Friday

Publication date: 19th October 2021

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

 

Pages: 384

 

Format read: eBook

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

About the book

 

Thirty-three-year-old corporate attorney Adeline Turner has built her adult life around stability. Her professional life is thriving, but her personal life . . . not so much. Deep down she wants more, but finds it’s easier to brush aside her dreams and hide behind her billable hours. That is until a new client and a chance encounter with her high-school crush have her taking leaps she never planned. Suddenly unadventurous, nose-to-the-grindstone Adeline finds herself moving across the country from her predictable life in Chicago to San Francisco, falling into messy romantic situations, and trying to unravel an office-sabotage plot before it ruins her career.

Without the safety net of her old life in Chicago, Addie must become her own advocate and learn that people aren’t always who they seem. Which makes her wonder if the key to having the future she desires lies in uncovering the truth of the past.

 

My review

 

The Trials of Adeline Turner is a light and easy Rom-Com

The story follows the very likeable thirty-three year old Adeline as she navigates her life. Thinking that if she wants to find 'the one' she needs to get out and date. After joining a dating app she goes on a few not so great dates but when she does start seeing someone seriously she always seems to be the one not committing. 

 

Adeline is a career driven woman but would also like to find that special someone. Adeline goes through many ups and downs as she reconnects with her high school crush, is sabotaged at work right when she was due for a promotion, reaches out to the mother she  hasn't seen for twenty-one years and realises 'the one' might be the person right in front of you.

 

I really enjoyed reading The Trials of Adeline Turner and following Adeline's growth and reconciliation with her past. The story line was rather predictable but isn't that what you want from a romance read? Happy endings guaranteed!

 

My rating 3.5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐½

 

About the author

 

photo credit Goodreads

Angela Terry is an attorney who formerly practiced intellectual property law at large firms in Chicago and San Francisco. She resides in San Francisco with her husband and two cats, and enjoys throwing novel-themed dinner parties for her women's fiction book club. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The French Gift by Kirsty Manning

The French Gift

by

Kirsty Manning

 

A story of female friendship, longing and sacrifice.

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 30th March 2021

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Pages: 328

 

RRP: $32.99

 

Format read: Paperback (uncorrected proof)

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

A forgotten manuscript that threatens to unravel the past…

Fresne Prison, 1940: A former maid at a luxury villa on the Riviera, Margot Bisset finds herself in a prison cell with writer and French Resistance fighter Joséphine Murant. Together, they are transferred to a work camp in Germany for four years, where the secrets they share will bind them for generations to come.
 

Contemporary Paris: Evie Black lives in Paris with her teenage son, Hugo, above her botanical bookshop, La Maison Rustique. Life would be so sweet if only Evie were not mourning the great love of her life.

When a letter arrives regarding the legacy of her husband’s great-aunt, Joséphine Murant, Evie clutches at an opportunity to spend one last magical summer with her son. They travel together to Joséphine’s house, now theirs, on the Côte d’Azur. Here, Evie unravels the official story of this famous novelist, and the truth of a murder a lifetime ago.

 

My review

 

The French Gift is an interesting historical fiction narrated over multiple time lines.

1940's Paris: a friendship is formed when Margot Bisset, a maid, accused of murder and Josephine Murant, trialed as a Resistance fighter, share a cell in a French prison.

When Paris falls to the Germans the women are sent to a German work camp and are forced to work endless hours in a factory with horrific conditions. Josephine is charming, witty and defiant and she infuses Margot with her fire and determination.

 

Present day Paris: Evie Black and her teenaged son Hugo, mourning the death of their beloved husband and father, agree to assist in the collection of information and artifacts to go into an exhibition to honour the legacy of Josephine Murant, her husband's great aunt, who had become an accomplished crime writer. There are also rumours of an unpublished manuscript which has Evie searching the villa.

 

Kirsty Manning has written a compelling story of friendship, perseverance and acts of kindness. The chapters on the German rayon factory were heartbreaking and were written with great reverence for the women that endured these horrific conditions.

I enjoyed the added mysteries of the false murder charge, the search for the manuscript and the added information and secrets that were unearthed during the assembly of the exhibition.

 

The multiple time line format didn't quite work for me with the dates continually jumping around. I would have preferred two straight time lines.

I did like that Kirsty Manning has come up with a fresh idea for a novel set during WWII and I was completely engrossed in the narrative. The mention of French cuisine and wines helped to give an overarching sense of place.

 

The French Gift with its clever twists is sure to please historical fiction fans.

 

My rating   4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Kirsty Manning grew up in northern New South Wales 

A country girl with wanderlust, her travels and studies have taken her through most of Europe, the east and west coasts of the United States and pockets of Asia. Kirsty's first novel was the enchanting Midsummer Garden, published in 2017. Her second book, The Jade Lily, was published in 2018, and her third The Lost Jewels, in 2020. Kirsty is a partner in the award winning Melbourne wine bar Bellota, and the Prince Wine Store in Sydney and Melbourne. She lives in Melbourne, Victoria.

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

                                  

                                   Historical Fiction Challenge 

 

 

Book Review: The Last of the Apple Blossom by Mary-Lou Stephens

The Last of the Apple Blossom

by

Mary-Lou Stephens 

 

Deep in the Huon Valley - two orchards, two women and the secret that binds them.

 

 

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia

 

Imprint: HQ Fiction

 

Publication date: 28th July 2021

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Pages: 464

 

Format read: Uncorrected Paperback 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

February, 1967. Walls of flame reduce much of Tasmania to ash.

 

Young schoolteacher Catherine Turner rushes to the Huon Valley to find her family's apple orchard destroyed, her childhood home in ruins  and her brother dead. Despite her father's declaration that a woman will never run the orchard, Catherine resolves to rebuild the family business.

 

After five sons, Catherine's friend and neighbour, Annie Pearson, is overjoyed by the birth of a much longed-for daughter. As Annie and her husband Dave work to repair the damage to their orchard, Dave's friend Mark pitches in, despite the fact that Annie wants him gone. Mark has moved his family to the valley to escape his life in Melbourne, but his wife has disappeared leaving chaos in her wake and their young son Charlie in Mark's care.

 

Catherine becomes fond of Charlie, whose strange upbringing has left him shy and withdrawn. However, the growing friendship between Mark and Catherine not only scanadlises the small community but threatens a secret Annie is desperate to keep hidden.

 

My review

 

The Last of the Apple Blossom opens with the devastating fires of 1967 in Tasmania's Houn Valley.

Mary-Lou Stephens immediately plunges her reader into the fear, heat and danger that surrounds a bush fire.

 

Catherine returns home to find the family apple orchard burnt to the ground and her brother dead. Catherine is a girl before her time. She has no interest in marriage and children, her big dream has always been to run the family orchard. But the sixties were still a time of subjugation for women and there was no way her father was going to let her run the orchard. Women worked in the packing shed.

I loved Catherine's  passion for the orchard and I could see that it caused a great rift between her and her father and bitter words were flung around. Catherine showed a real maturity and mostly let the hurtful comments bounce off her.

 

Catherine's neighbours Annie and Dave are busy with their six young children and their orchard. Dave has good friend Mark helping out on the orchard. Mark is enjoying the quite country atmosphere in contrast to his usual busy life.

 

I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the apple orchards and the day to day lives of the owners. The hustle and bustle of the children and the hectic picking and packing season was well portrayed. It came across as grueling work but you could also see how satisfying it was to finish a good crop. A successful apple season is totally reliant on so many outside influences such as fire, drought, farmyard accidents, transportation and waterside strikes. The story spans a large time period and over time we see the need to diversify and evolve to keep up with changing markets

 

There are a couple of love interests introduced for Catherine. The fun loving Tim and the dark and broody Mark add a light romance element to the story.

 

The Last of the Apple Blossom is a story of passion for the land, heartbreak, perseverance, secrets, lies, family, love and longing. The characters travel a rocky road to forgiveness and healing. 

 

My rating  5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Mary-Lou Stephens was born in Tasmania, studied acting at The Victorian College of the Arts and played in bands in Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney. Eventually she got a proper job - in radio, where she was a presenter and music director, first with commercial radio and then with the ABC.

She received rave reviews for her memoir Sex, Drugs and Meditation (2013), the true story of how meditation changed her life, saved her job and helped her find a husband.

Mary-Lou has worked and played all over Australia and now lives on the Sunshine Coast with her husband and a hive of native bees.  

 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

                                  

                                   Historical Fiction Challenge