Book Review: Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick De Semlyen

 Wild and Crazy Guys

by

Nick De Semlyen

How the Comedy Mavericks of the 80's Changed Hollywood Forever

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Imprint: Picador

Publication date: 11th June 2019

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 336

RRP: $12.99AU (eBook)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Wild and Crazy Guys

I'm sure Wild and Crazy Guys will be enjoyed by anyone interested in celebrity and film trivia.

 

The book follows the careers of well-known Hollywood stars Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy and John Candy from the early days of Saturday Night Live (SNL), an American live television sketch comedy variety show, to the many movies the actors appeared in.

 

Nick De Semlyen provides a no holds barred behind the scenes look at the friendships, the rivalries, the bust-ups and the tantrums as the book covers their careers during the 70's and 80's.

I didn't know any of the 70's movies mentioned but I did know the actors and the 80's movies they starred in and it was interested to learn how the ideas came up for these movies.

The author describes the inspiration behind many of the movies and comedy acts, detailing not only the successes but also the flops. Many of which were conceived in a drug-fuelled haze.

The book is set out like a documentary, with interviews from the stars themselves, flashbacks and pages of colour-plate photos.

If you are after a bit of nostalgia or are just curious to find out what the comedy of the 80's was all about, Wild and Crazy Guys will not disappoint.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Challenges: Non-Fiction reading challenge

                    TBR challenge

Book Review: Out of Breath by Anna Snoekstra

 Out of Breath

 by

Anna Snoekstra

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 6th July 2022

Genre: Suspense / Thriller

Pages: 320

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Out of Breath

Out of Breath fell a little flat for me. There were a lot of scenes were a sense of foreboding built and then everything was fine. I felt maybe the author was trying to tease the reader with suspense building throughout the novel but it didn't really work for me.

 

The pace was slow however I did find the plot intriguing. Jo is on a working holiday in Australia and to maintain her Visa she must work as a fruit picker in the outback for a specified number of weeks. When the charismatic Gabe suggests she find the commune he is living on she leaves the farm but Jo soon finds she is in way over her head and she doesn't know who she can trust.

Reader empathy for the main character, Jo, is built up early in the novel and I found myself interested in her journey and wanting her to find peace within herself.

 

There are many wonderfully described moments throughout; with time on a mango farm, a trip through the Australian outback and deep diving for oysters. I think it was these moments, and the excellent sense of place that Snoekstra evokes, that saved the novel for me.

 

Out of Breath is an evocative read if you want to experience the remoteness of outback Australia, but I wouldn't really call it a thriller. 

3.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐½

About the author

Anna Snoekstra is the author of Only Daughter, Little Secrets and The Spite Game. Her novels have been published in over twenty countries and sixteen languages. She has written for The Guardian, Meanjin, The Griffith Review, Lindsay, LiHub and The Saturday Paper.

Book Review: The Sunday Story Club by Doris Brett & Kerry Cue

 The Sunday Story Club

by

Doris Brett & Kerry Cue

An anthology of stories from the heart

 

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 25th June 2019

Genre: Non-Fiction / Anthology

Pages: 272

RRP: $32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: The Sunday Story Club

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of stories that have evolved from a real life face-to-face gathering of women where through contemplative questions the group have deep and structured conversations about things that really matter.

 

Doris, a psychologist, author, poet and psychotherapist and Kerry, an author, journalist and mathematician came together to organise a salon at which people could engage in meaningful, in-depth conversations but instead of discussing weighty topics of the day they would discuss their own inner worlds.

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of fifteen questions and ensuing short stories that have been explored at some of their meetings.

I didn't expect to be quite so moved by the stories shared in this book. Each story was unique showing vastly different circumstances but all highlighting resilience, bravery and hard-won wisdom. There are stories included with themes of bullying, dysfunctional families, anorexia, cancer, infertility, depression and self-image; each woman speaks from the heart about her life experiences.

In this busy technical age of emails and texts The Story Book Club is a book to remind us of the power behind real face-to-face conversations to enlighten and heal.

Brett and Cue have also included notes on starting your own story salon and sample questions to steer the conversations.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the authors

Doris Brett is a clinical psychologist as well as multi-award winning author. She his published books in a variety of genres ranging from novels to poetry to memoir, to narrative therapy for children and even a book on bread-baking. She lives in Melbourne with her husband.

 

Kerry Cue is a humourist, mathematician and journalist who has written for every major newspaper in Australia. Kerry is also the maths blogger, Mathspig. She studied Science/Engineering at Melbourne University and taught maths and science for ten years before becoming a bestselling author of twenty humorous and education books.

Book Review: The Last Line by Stephen Ronson

 The Last Line

by

Stephen Ronson

Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

Publication date: 16th November 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction / Crime

Pages: 341

Price: $16.99AU (kindle edition)

Will be out in paperback in Australia on 13/2/2024

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

Review: The Last Line

I have to say I love to read any stories set during WWII. I have read many and they have all been diverse in the area of the war the stories are centred on.

 

The Last Line is set in country England on the outskirts of the war zone but the citizens are still very much aware that the Germans could arrive at any minute.

 

The protagonist John Cook is a farmer but he has fought in WWI and Afghanistan. He is a trained killer.

When a young woman is found murdered on his land he is the prime suspect to a lazy police force. Knowing the murder won't be investigated further, John turns vigilante and starts his own reconnaissance work, never expecting the level of corruption he will become embroiled in.

The Last Line is a fast-paced mystery thriller written in a crime noir style narration. It is hard not to barrack for John, he is a marvelous anti-hero. There is a lot of violence throughout the novel and the main subject is quite confronting. However, I loved all the intrigue and the character of John was very believable. He made mistakes and took them badly.

The setting is fabulous - distanced from the war yet right there amongst it with children being evacuated from London and billeted to country families, whilst underground groups are setting up defence tactics if the Germans reach them.

The Last Line is a great read! I'm looking forward to another John Cook novel and wondering where he will go from here.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Stephen Ronson grew up in Sussex, and spent a large part of his childhood exploring the woods and fields around Uckfield, many of which were still dotted with reminders of WW2 - pill boxes, tank traps, nissen huts, and graffiti left by soldiers awaiting D-Day.

He is a passionate student of local history, and when he learnt about Auxiliary Units - groups of men who were instructed to lay low during the predicted nazi invasion and lead the fight back, he knew he had to write about a Sussex farmer, one with a love of the land, and a natural desire and ability to get the job done.

Many of the locations and characters in the John Cook series are inspired by real places and real people. In particular, Stephen was inspired by his grandparents, Eric, Bessie, Peter and Vera, each of whom did their bit on the home front.

Book Review: Loving Lizzie March by Susannah Hardy

 Loving Lizzie March

by

Susannah Hardy

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 29th June 2021

Genre: Rom-Com

Pages: 368

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Loving Lizzie March

I absolutely loved Lizzie March! She was such a ditz and a lot crazy.

Lizzie is desperate to find 'the one' but she always focuses on the wrong guys and rushes in to one night stands then goes all stalkerish calling them and following them.

 

Lizzie is all brazen and out-going on the outside but underneath she lacks self-confidence.

Her life goes from bad to worse before she gets a wake-up call from best friend Clem. Lizzie did make a terrible best friend, everything was always about her, and I was so glad when Clem finally stood up to her.

It was easy to feel empathy for Lizzie. She followed the old adage - know your dream and go for it - instead of just letting life happen she kept pushing for that perfect relationship.

Loving Lizzie March is a lighthearted rom-com that had me laughing quite often throughout the novel. I was glued to the pages wanting to know how Lizzie would turn her life around.

I enjoyed the character development of Lizzie and Clem's dedication to their friendship. It was clearly hard work for her but she was a true friend.

If you are after a story with a great balance of laughs, heartache and romance grab a copy of Loving Lizzie March and settle in for an entertaining read.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Trigger warning (spoiler ahead)

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Miscarriage

About the author

Originally an actor, Susannah Hardy completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of NSW before running away to study acting in Paris. Back in Australia, her work has involved anything from film and television roles to being one of two singing/rollerblading Carmen Mirandas, Tutti & Frutti, and creating sketch comedy for Foxtel. During this time, Susannah discovered a passion for writing, and fourteen years ago, started working freelance, creating feature articles and copy for print and online publications. However, in between writing on parenting and home interiors, Susannah pursued her love of women's contemporary fiction, and now enjoys creating stories about the more comic side of life and love.

Susannah lives in Sydney's inner west with her husband, two young daughters and recently acquired puppy.

Book Review: A Country Vet Christmas by Alissa Callen

A Country Vet Christmas

by

Alissa Callen 

Pamela Cook   Penelope Janu

Lily Malone     Stella Quinn

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 4th October 2023

Genre: Rural Romance

Pages: 640

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of Alissa Callen & the publisher

 

Review: A Country Vet Christmas

Five fabulous country Christmas stories written by five of my most loved Aussie authors.

Each story features a country vet and has an element of romance. I loved that the stories were light on the romance and big on community and rural charm.

 

All the stories have the main themes of vets, romance and Christmas however each author brings their own style of writing to the mix making each story unique.

 

I loved revisiting characters from previous books I have read by the authors, especially Trent and Aubrey from Alissa Callen's Snowy Mountains Series and Isabella from Lily Malone's A Country Vet's Holiday.

Snowy Mountains Mistletoe - Alissa Callen

City girl Aubrey is in Bundilla to visit her friend Grace and have some much needed timeout. She's not interested in a relationship and neither is local vet Trent but the ladies of the local quilting club have other ideas. 

A Countdown to Christmas - Penelope Janu

Small town Vet Amber meets big city blow in Jasper he vows to prove to her that he can embrace Christmas in a non commercial way. I loved this countdown to Christmas with gifts from the heart with no commercial value.

A Cattle Dog for Christmas - Stella Quinn

Traveling vet Elliot comes to town as a locum for the Christmas period. Single mum Sandy doesn't have time for any man and she certainly wouldn't pick a man that wasn't sticking around. As Elliot and his cattle dog capture the hearts of her children she worries that they may all be heading for heartache. 

A Country Music Christmas - Lily Malone

No one in the small town of Chalk Hill would know that the new vet in town is actually a famous country music star. Jolene has spent most of her life trying to outrun scandal but can Reuben get Jo to open up, stand up for herself and leave her past behind.

A Christmas to Remember - Pamela Cook

Darcy is back in her hometown to help her aging parents but she has no intention of staying long. She prefers to travel the world working in wildlife refuges. But when a fire threatens the town and the local wildlife could the charismatic Chad entice her to stay and use her expertise to help local wildlife.

A Country Vet Christmas is such a treat and at just over 100 pages each story they are all quick, feel good reads with mandatory happy endings that will have you smiling. A must read this Christmas and perfect for giving!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Book Review: Grandparents by Michael Carr-Gregg

 Grandparents

by

Michael Carr-Gregg 

A practical guide to navigating grandparenting today

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 3rd October 2023

Genre:  Non-Fiction 

Pages: 305

RRP: $29.99AU (C format paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Grandparents

When my children were young I found Michael Carr-Gegg's advice was always quite reassuring and grounding.

 

I found Grandparents was a book full of sound advice. Some areas weren't relevant to me at this stage however Grandparents is a book you can go back to and read relevant chapters when needed.

 

I think the book would be particularly beneficial to those who haven't had a baby in the house for decades. Having worked in childcare I don't have that feeling of starting anew.

 

I loved the following quote and I think it is very apt.

  "Grandkids above all will remember your sense of fun."

This is a book to read before the baby is born as it has sections on communication, preparing for the grandchild, the birth and the first few weeks. There is also a section on how you should react to the news of a pregnancy (okay, I thought that was a bit strange).

 

I do think the expectant parents could benefit from reading the book before handing it to the grandparents.

 

Take from the book areas that relate to you and your family dynamics - don't expect the entire book to resonate. 

 

Just as many of today's grandparents attended playgroups as young mums to connect and chat to other mums, playgroups are still a vital area for connection. As more and more grandparents are minding their preschool aged grandchildren the opportunity to discuss concerns and swap ideas with other grandparents is vital. I run a grandparents' playgroup in my local area where we support each other, talk about local facilities for children and connect in a relaxed atmosphere.

 

My rating 3 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Dr Michael Carr-Gegg is an adolescent psychologist, a well-respected speaker and one of Australia's leading authorities on teenage behaviour. In 1985, he founded CanTeen, the acclaimed cancer patients' support group for teenagers in New Zealand and Australia.

 

He has written several bestselling books on parenting. he has also worked with organisations including Reach Out and Beyondblue and was the resident parenting expert on Sunrise. He has won many awards for his work.