Book Review & Giveaway: The Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast by Christine Sykes

The Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast

by

Christine Sykes

 

A moving, heartwarming story of secrets, love and friendship

 

Publisher: Ventura Press

Publication date: 3rd August 2022

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 300

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPRMedia 

 

My review of The Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast

 

Inspired by her own experience of taking up tap dancing on retirement, Christine Sykes has written a heartwarming story of friendship and ageing.

 

The story follows two women, friends since primary school, who join the seniors tap dancing group, but when the group decides to enter the Senior Superstars State Competition and the other member from their schoolyard trio arrives back in Australia after 35 years in New York, secrets are revealed and cracks begin to appear in the friendship.

 

I loved this story set on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. Christine Sykes explores life-long friendships and throws in a few hurdles to see how the women will cope. There is a mind-blowing secret revealed, infidelity and a metoo moment.

There is also another very emotive theme running through the novel but that's a spoiler, so no mentions here!

 

Sofia is quiet, the peacemaker who loves to cook and cares for everyone - by far my favourite character.

Carol is driven, very bossy and wants to win. She has trouble seeing other people's point of view.

Bonnie is outspoken and a bit rude. She has had a lot of heartbreak in life.

Even though these women were so close growing up, they each have trauma they are keeping from the others.

 

I've made this sound a bit overwhelming but it's  actually a fun story and I loved the tap dancing! I challenge you not to get up and give it a try whilst reading this book. I did!! 😂 

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author 

 

Christine Sykes is a community worker and senior public servant, now retired, who lives on the NSW South Coast. She published her acclaimed memoir Gough and Me: My journey from Cabramatta to China and beyond in 2021 and her award-winning novel The Changing Room in 2019.

As well as writing and tap dancing, Christine loves to walk and have coffee with friends, when she’s not visiting family on the Sunshine Coast, Central Coast, Sydney and Melbourne. The Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast is her third book, inspired by her and her aunt’s experiences taking up tap dancing later in life.

 

 

 

Giveaway

With thanks to Ventura Press and DMCPRMedia I have one paperback copy of Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast to give away.

 Enter via the form below. (Open to Australian addresses only). Entries close at 6pm (AEST) on Friday 19th August 2022.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced HERE

Book Review & Giveaway: A Recipe for Family by Tori Haschka

 A Recipe for Family

by

Tori Haschka

 

Things are about to get messy..... 

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

 

Publication date:  3rd August 2022

 Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 400

 

RRP: $29.99AUD

 

Format read: Uncorrected paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of DMCPRMedia

 

My review of A Recipe for Family

 

Tori Haschka asks, in A Recipe for Family, what makes a family? Can you bring in a total stranger and make them a family member? 

This is a story about working mother's and the pressure of working two jobs, that of mother and employee, and trying to do it all under the burden of guilt and judgement.

Tori Haschka includes situations and circumstances we may have found ourselves in at times and gives them a humorous twist.

Life is messy and brimming with disasters and Stella and her friends are full of advice for each other. Everyone keeps telling Stella an au pair will solve all her problems. 

A Recipe for Family is a modern story, for our time, where both parents need to work to survive financially. The story follows a group of mums living on Sydney's Northern Beaches but I think mothers everywhere will relate to the theme, and the characters, in some way or another.

I liked the addition of the social media posts in a local Facebook group asking for advice under an anonymous guise, although others new exactly who the posters were. This was funny in its truth. 

I loved all the mentions of food as it brought people together and was used to remember a loved one. I was delightfully surprised, after reading about all those wonderful dishes, that the recipes are all there in the back of the book.

I enjoyed Stella's final reflection that she needed to open up more and I felt her and her peers finally became friends rather than competitors by the end of the novel.

The story is told through the eyes of Stella, Elise, her mother-in-law and Ava, The 18yo au pair. I feel each of these characters will be viewed differently depending on the readers age and circumstances.

A Recipe for Family is an observant novel. A satirical look at family and mothering.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

(c) Snippets Photography

Tori Haschka is a Sydney based author, food writer and mum of two. Her articles have featured in Grazia, The Times, the Guardian, Mammamia and the Sydney Morning Herald and her blog eatori.com was ranked by Saveur as one of the five best food and travel blogs in the world. Grace Under Pressure is her first novel.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 Giveaway

With thanks to Simon & Schuster and DMCPRMedia I have one paperback copy of A Recipe for Family to give away.

 Enter via the form below. (Open to Australian addresses only). Entries close at 6pm (AEST) on Friday 12th August 2022.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced HERE

Book Review: Lily Harford's Last Request by Joanna Buckley

Lily Harford's Last Request

by

Joanna Buckley 

 

She's always made her own decisions.... why stop now? 

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Imprint: HQ Fiction 

 

Publication date: 2nd February 2022

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 352

 

RRP: $29.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Lily Harford's Last Request

 

Lily Harford's Last Request is a poignant story on ageing, dementia and euthanasia.

Told through the eyes of Lily, in her mid 80's, Pauline, her daughter, and Donna, an aged care worker, the reader receives a well rounded view of how ageing affects all concerned with the person's care.

Joanna Buckley raises the dilemma of an ageing parent and explores this through Lily's slow fall into dementia. Lily is at a stage where she knows her memory is failing and she is terrified of the inevitable outcome. She would rather be dead!

Pauline is trying to help her mother, keep up with her job and see her grandchildren. Multi-tasking as daughter/wife/mother/grandmother. Something has to give!

Donna an aged care worker has a troubled past. She loves her job however is belittled by family members who think her work is demeaning.

Lily Harford's Last Request is an emotional read. The highly emotive topic of euthanasia will open up some heated discussions.

I feel Joanna Buckley approached the subject in a sensitive way although I think some situations may have been over dramatised. 

The flashbacks on Lily's life gave the reader a perfect insight into the woman that she was. It was hard to think that this frail old lady was once strong, determined, capable and confident.

A few wonderful and unexpected twists made this exceptional debut a story to remember.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Joanna Buckley is an author based in Melbourne. She has a background in creating short stories, poetry, social media content and educational materials, she has also worked as a copywriter and editor. Joanna is a mother of three and part-time careers counsellor, and Lily Harford's Last Request is her first novel.

 

 

Book Review: The Way it is Now by Garry Disher

 The Way it is Now

by

Garry Disher

 

Publisher: Text Publishing

 

Publication date: 2nd November 2021

 

Genre: Crime Fiction

 

Pages: 384

 

Format read: eBook

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

My review of The Way it is Now

 

The Way it is Now is a stand alone mystery / thriller. The story opens in January 2000 with Charlie Deravin and 20 other probationary officers looking for a young boy who has gone missing from his school camp. Charlie's mother also mysteriously goes missing the same day. Neither is found and no-one is charged.

 

Twenty years later and on the cusp of the covid pandemic Charlie is back in his childhood home on the Victorian Mornington Peninsula. He has been suspended after attacking his superior officer. Now with his marriage in tatters and time on his hands Charlie becomes obsessed with  finding out what happened to his mother and spends his time interviewing people who lived in the area at the time.

Garry Disher effortlessly evokes the feel of a small town community where everyone knows each other and old secrets are buried deep. The timeline of the pre-covid pandemic is well portrayed when we were all so naive and it was just something happening somewhere else.

 

The mystery was well played out with plenty of twists. I had no clue as to what had happened to the victims.

Disher includes themes of jury tampering and victim blaming around a sex crime case.

 

Overall I enjoyed The Way it is Now although the ending wrapped up abruptly and I had the feeling it needed a few more pages. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo: Goodreads

Garry Disher was born in 1949 and grew up on his parents' farm in South Australia.

He gained post graduate degrees from Adelaide and Melbourne Universities. In 1978 he was awarded a creative writing fellowship to Stanford University, where he wrote his first short story collection. He travelled widely overseas, before returning to Australia, where he taught creative writing, finally becoming a full time writer in 1988. He has written more than 40 titles, including general and crime fiction, children's books, textbooks, and books about the craft of writing.

 

 

 

Book Review: Super Easy Knittting for Beginners by Carri Hammett

 Super Easy Knitting for Beginners

by

Carri Hammett

 

Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group

 

Imprint: New Shoe Press

Publication date: 2nd August 2022

 

Genre: Craft / Hobbies

 

Pages: 144

 

RRP: $14.99USD (paperback)

 

Format read: eBook

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

My review of Super Easy Knitting for Beginners

 

I have been knitting for a few decades now but I approached this book as if I was a complete beginner.


The book takes you from simple basic stitches to more advances techniques. It starts with the basics of knitting with crystal clear step by step instructions and lots of tips and helpful photos. It includes everything you need to know before you start including yarns, tolls and handy extras. There is so much in this book that I would have loved to know when I started knitting! 

All projects state what you will learn and what you will need at the start of each pattern.
 

Each new chapter builds on previous skills learned and adds additional skills so you are advancing your knitting prowess. There are chapters on stripes, colour blending, stranded knitting and adding beads. You won’t just be knitting scarves and beanies.
 

Hand knitting is making a comeback with online groups to give a helping hand, charity groups and face to face groups popping up everywhere.
 

I liked that needle size is given in US sizing and mm, as sizing is different in Australia. Google did come in handy with some of the wool weights.
 

Super Easy Knitting for Beginners is a comprehensive and well explained guide to knitting that I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn the craft.  

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am knitting this gorgeous little baby blanket from a pattern in the book. Perfect for beginners with a simple knit and purl stitch. The wonderful thing about a blanket is you don't have to worry about size, just match your needles to the wool you are using and knit away. I used an 8ply pure cotton.

About the author

Carri Hammett is the original owner of Coldwater Collaborative, a gem of a yarn shop in Excelsior, Minnesota. Carri loves to collaborate with both her customers and her readers as together they express their love of knitting and expand their knitting knowledge and skill. She is the author of Mittens and Hats for Yarn Lovers; Scarves and Shawls for Yarn Lovers; Ready, Set, Knit Cables; and Knitting 101.

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Bad Habits by Sarah Evans

 Bad Habits

by

Sarah Evans

 

Publisher: Clan Destine Press

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021

 

Genre: Crime / Humour

 

Series: D.I. Eve Rock #2

 

Pages: 264

 

RRP: $29.95AUD

 

Format read: paperback

 

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Bad Habits

 

Grisly crime, romance and comedy all in one. And it works!

 

With D.I. Eve Rock Sarah Evans has created a likeable and complex character. She is sassy and full of spirit, very feminine but also likes the occasional cigar with her glass of wine.

Eve is currently on leave recovering from injuries sustained when her house and car were blown up and with no place to stay she is lodging at her mother Sister Immaculata's boarding school.

Eve can't stay away from the office for long, it's a good excuse to avoid Christmas lunch with her dysfunctional family, and she is soon back into the thick of it. New cases are mounting up; body parts found in a freezer, a major jewellery heist and an upmarket art gallery theft.

As the team start investigating the body count mounts and her mother, an ex sex-worker turned nun, has been acting very strangely. 

 

Bad Habits is a story rich in humour. Sarah Evans' writing is witty and entertaining. There is a lot going on and Eve is always in the midst of it. Eve Rock attracts trouble, it follows her around. This is the cause of lots of friendly ribbing between workmates, mostly at Eve's expense and she takes it all in her stride.

It's not all laughs, Bad Habits is a grisly tale of murder and butchery however the constant humour lightens an otherwise gruesome tale.

 

The multiple mysteries kept me turning the pages and the sweet romance between Eve and workmate D.I. Quinn Fox had me eager to see where it would go. Quinn is another likeable character, he seemed resigned to Eve's flightiness.

 

Bad Habits is the second book featuring D.I. Eve Rock and there is some backstory included making it read well as a standalone. It did leave me keen to read book 1, Operation Paradise.

 

A gruesomely good story for those that need lots of action in their books!

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

About the author

 

Sarah Evans, an English ex-pat journalist and former home-schooling mum, is the author of a lifestyle / recipe book Seasons and Seasonings in a Teapot, romance and crime novels, novellas, short stories and poetry.

She gives author talks and teaches memoir, creative writing, poetry and song-writing. She lives on a 20-acre hobby farm in rural Western Australia with her family and a menagerie of fur and feather and has added granny duties to her repertoire.

 

 

 

Book Review: The Bellbird River Country Choir by Sophie Green

 The Bellbird River Country Choir

by

Sophie Green

 

Publisher: Hachette Australia

 

Publication date: 27th July 2022 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 432

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Uncorrected Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Better Reading Preview

 

 

My review of The Bellbird River Country Choir

 

Set over the twelve months of 1998 Sophie Green’s latest novel, The Bellbird River Country Choir is a totally immersive read about the importance of female friendships.
 

Five women from different backgrounds and age groups become unlikely friends when each of them, for different reasons, join the local country choir.

 

At first the women are quiet and even a little judgy however they soon start supporting each other to face their challenges allowing them to grow in self-confidence. 

 

Single mother Alex, who has moved to the country from the bustle of the city to spend more time with her young daughter, joins the choir to make friends.

Janene has lived in the town all her life. She works in her parents bakery and the choir is her social outlet.

Debbie, who is a house-keeper and nanny on a local farm, is encouraged to join the choir to foster some self-confidence.

Famous opera singer Gabrielle is back in Bellbird River staying at cousin Victoria’s family home. She needs to rebuild her confidence after surgery affected her singing voice.

Victoria, a stalwart in the local community, joins the choir, not due to loneliness since her husband left her but to support her cousin Gabrielle.

Each of the women are at a cross-roads in their life and find that confiding and trusting in one another gives them the confidence to move forward.

Sophie Green includes themes of single parenthood, life after prison, mental illness, bullying, gaslighting and regaining self-confidence. These themes flow around a centric topic of love; for children, in marriage, forbidden love, self love, love for family and friends.

 

The Bellbird River Country Choir is an easy read with likeable characters with relatable problems and realistic solutions. Well worth a read!

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 About the author

 

Credit: Goodreads

Sophie Green is an author and publisher who lives in Sydney. She has written several fiction and non-fiction books, some under other names. In her spare time she writes about country music on her website, Sunburnt Country Music. She has been practising yoga since 1993 and teaching since 2002. Sophie's debut novel, THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FAIRVALE LADIES BOOK CLUB, was a Top Ten bestseller and was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards for General Fiction Book of the Year 2018, and longlisted for both the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year 2018 and the Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction 2018.