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Review: The One That Got Away – Karly Lane

The One That Got Away
Karly Lane
Allen & Unwin
ISBN:9781761066139
RRP $32.99

Description:

A delightfully entertaining new rural romance from Karly Lane, the bestselling author with over 550,000 books sold.

Alex Kelly’s future is nearly sorted: she has a life she loves in London, a dream job, and plans to buy a cute cottage in the English countryside. There’s just one last step: selling the family home her father left her in the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads. The place Alex has spent almost two decades trying to forget.

Alex hopes to get in and out again as quickly as she can, however word that she’s back in town instantly spreads . . . along with old gossip and dangerous grudges. Sully McCoy has spent the last twenty years distancing himself from his father’s reputation and has made a good life for himself and his daughter in Rockne Heads. Yet now Alex Kelly is back in town and somehow still turning his life upside down.

He thought he’d never see her again. And Alex is making it perfectly clear that she’s not here to relive old memories—she’s here to end them once and for all.

As old wounds reopen, Alex fears the secret she vowed to take to her grave will be exposed. And this time, she won’t be able to run.

My View:
If you are looking for a read in one session, coming of age/second chance, rural romance with a dash of mystery then this read has it all!

I don’t know how Karly Lane does it; Karly is a prolific writer, her books always have a really good sense of place and capture the nuances of small town characters and life.

Read on the plane, train or beach side holiday – the perfect easy read for you.

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Review: Red River Road – Anna Downes

Red River Road
Anna Downes
Affirm Press
ISBN:9781922863751

Description:
Anna Downes’s extraordinary next thriller follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback.

Katy Sweeney is determined to find her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo van life trip, free-spirited Phoebe vanished without a trace on Western Australia’s remote and achingly beautiful Coral Coast. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up.

Using Phoebe’s social media accounts as a map, Katy starts to retrace her steps, searching for the clues that the police have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and what danger did they pose? Was she as happy as her sun-bleached, lens-flared photos seem to suggest?

Then Katy’s path collides with that of Beth, a young woman on the run from her own dark past—and very recent present. And as Katy realizes that Beth might be her best and only chance of finding the truth, the two women form an uneasy alliance to venture forth into increasingly wild territory to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this breathtaking but maybe deadly place, and how her fate connects them all.

Anna Downes takes us on a twist-filled journey into the dark side of solo female travel, in this gripping novel that explores what drives us to keep searching for those we have lost, the family bonds that can make or break us, and the deception of memory.

My View:
This book “reads” like one of the horror stories you used to watch on tv – with hand over your face, peaking through your fingers as you didnt really want to miss anything.

I nearly gave up….the fear factor escalated with my connection to “van life”, it’s no secret we have a caravan …and we have travelled the route of Katy’s road trip many a time. I put the book down and had a restless night’s sleep.

The next day I resumed reading – and was so glad I did!

What an perfect sense of place, of van life, of travelling up the west coast of Western Australia, of adventure… of fear. And then we have the pitch perfect insight into relationships gone very wrong.

This is a five star read from me.

If you will be in the Margaret River region in June, Anna Downes will be hosting a book event as part of the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival. Lucky us! https://mrrwfestival.com/in-conversation-with-anna-downes/ Hope to see you there.



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Review: A Woman in Sardinia, Valeria Usala

A Woman in Sardinia
Valeria Usala
Translator: Katherine Gregor
Text Publishing
ISBN:9781922790668

Description:
Based on a true story, a tale of generations of Sardinian women searching for independence in the face of prejudice and superstition, for fans of Elena Ferrante

A story of three generations of women, their courage and search for independence in the face of superstition and prejudice, in the spirit of Natalia Ginzburg and Elena Ferrante. In this striking debut, based on a true story, Valeria Usala bears witness to an age-old story of violence against women and takes us into the heart of rural Sardinia, where superstitions and cruelty coexist with the joys and companionship of a tight-knit community.

Teresa runs a shop and a tavern. But not even the family she has created with the man she loves can protect her from the malicious gossip of jealous locals, who are threatened by her independence. Her own mother, Maria, was made an outcast, and now Teresa is in turn forsaken by the villagers. Will she pay for her success with her life? Is she like a character in Greek tragedy, whose destiny is inevitable? Valeria Usala gives voice to the forgotten women of Sardinia-and to the courage of women everywhere

My View:
Everything about this book says – “elegant”, the writing, the translation ( faultless), the cover art….

The following excerpt succinctly speaks to women’s place in society. This feminist narrative is heartbreaking. Such courage and independence juxtaposed against a system that defeats and wears down strong women… I ask, has much changed?

Teresa responding to criticism from a village woman ” p202 “It’s nothing to do with hate. And it’s pointless apologising. You think you are doing the right thing, but you are controlled from a distance, like all the other women. On a leash, like a dangerous animal. It’s not your fault….They have brought us up to be respectable women at a reasonable price. Perhaps that’s the only thing we’ve become expert at. And if men don’t tell us off, then we make sure we do it to each other.”

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Review: We All Lived in Bondi Then – Georgia Blain

We All Lived in Bondi Then
Georgia Blain
Scribe
9781761380730
RRP $29.99

Description:

From the author of the multi-award-winning bestseller Between a Wolf and a Dog, a powerful collection of previously unpublished stories.

A sister is haunted by the consequences of a simple mistake. A daughter searches for certainty as her mother’s memory degrades. An encounter at a house party changes the course of a life.

In We All Lived in Bondi Then, beloved Australian author Georgia Blain returns to her resonant themes of relationships and family, illness and health, love and death. Composed in Blain’s final years, these nine stories grapple with large questions on a human scale, brimming with her trademark acuity, nuance, and warmth.

My View:
This is not just a book for those who enjoy the short story genre. This is a book for those who love great writing, emotive and evocative prose and a fabulous sense of place, even if that place maybe somewhere buried deep in side you.

This read is not melancholy but I grapple to find the words to explain just how deeply personal yet relatable these words are. Bitter sweet…yes a touch of bitter sweet, a touch of sadness…a touch of hope, words reaching out to your heart.

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Review: Greater City Shadows – Laurie Steed

Greater City Shadows
Laurie Steed
UWA Publishing
ISBN: 9781760802691

Description:
A man treads water in the Swan River, hoping to bring his friend back to shore. Three siblings gaze skyward seeking a comet among the stars. A mother and daughter grapple with their fraught relationship and an inappropriate birthday cake. Bushfires sweep a Perth suburb while a woman, still burnt from a previous relationship, lessens the divide between an individual and their community. In Greater City Shadows, Laurie Steed shines a light on the tremendous complexity and beauty of everyday relationships. From unrequited first love and burnt flames of the past to early parenthood stresses and tense friendships. These short stories are vulnerable and tender — a captivating collection reminding us that to be connected is to be human.

‘Evocative and engaging, Greater City Shadows shows how the short story form, in the hands of a skilful writer, can offer profound insights into people’s inner and outer lives.’ — Susan Midalia‘Timely, tender and true, Greater City Shadows is a superb collection of stories.‘ — Ryan O’Neill

My View:
I don’t know what else I can add to my review that hasn’t already been said; “though provoking, tender, profound insights into people’s inner and outer lives, evocative…”

Perhaps I will just add; moments that make you pause and think…make you feel, moments you can relate to, I see a little of this writer’s soul in every short story and I like it.

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Review: How to Find a Rainbow – A Reena & Rekha Story by Alom Shaha Illustrated by Sarthak Sinha

How to Find a Rainbow
Alom Shaha
Illustrated by Sarthak Sinha
Scribble
ISBN: 9781761380372
RRP $24.99 (Hardback)
Ages 3-7 yrs


Description:

Reena hates rainy days. She hates the way the dark clouds make everything look so dull.

Rekha loves rainy days. She loves the way the rain makes the earth smell.

When Rekha spots a rainbow, she rushes indoors to tell her sister about it. Reena will want to paint it, for sure!

But when the sisters go outside to find it, the rainbow disappears. Where could it have gone? 

A vibrantly illustrated tale about finding light even in the gloomiest of times, How to Find a Rainbow will warm your heart — and give you a handy guide to making your own rainbow, too!

My View:
Heart warming and beautifully illustrated. This delightful book has themes of friendship, sisters, nature, and of course rainbows and there is even instructions on how to create your own rainbow in a backyard puddle (last page). This is sure to be a popular activity on a sunny day with the backyard hose and the puddles created.

This book comes complete with printable online Teacher Notes – always very useful.

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Review- Bird Life, Anna Smaill

Bird Life
Anna Smaill
Scribe
ISBN: 9781761380112
RRP $29.99

Description:

The second novel by Booker Prize-longlisted author Anna Smaill. A lyrical and ambitious exploration of madness and what it is like to experience the world differently.

In Ueno Park, Tokyo, as workers and tourists gather for lunch, the pollen blows, a fountain erupts, pigeons scatter, and two women meet, changing the course of one another’s lives.

Dinah has come to Japan from New Zealand to teach English and grieve the death of her brother, Michael, a troubled genius who was able to channel his problems into music as a classical pianist—until he wasn’t. In the seemingly empty, eerie apartment block where Dinah has been housed, she sees Michael everywhere, even as she feels his absence sharply.

Yasuko is polished, precise, and keenly observant—of her students and colleagues at the language school, and of the natural world. When she was thirteen, animals began to speak to her, to tell her things she did not always want to hear. She has suppressed these powers for many years, but sometimes she allows them to resurface, to the dismay of her adult son, Jun. One day, she returns home, and Jun has gone. Even her special gifts cannot bring him back.

As these two women deal with their individual traumas, they form an unlikely friendship in which each will help the other to see a different possible world, as Smaill teases out the tension between our internal and external lives and asks what we lose by having to choose between them.

My View:
Literary fiction at it’s finest!

Greedily, I devoured this book in one sitting, then regretted turning over the last page. This book is a gentle, intelligent, thought provoking discussion on love, grief, family, mental illness and “fitting in”.

This is an amazing read and I highly recommend it. I predict awards in its future

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Review: The Housemate -Sarah Bailey

The Housemate
Sarah Bailey
Allen & Unwin Aus
ISBN:9781760529338

Description:
Three housemates.
One dead, one missing and one accused of murder.

Dubbed the Housemate Homicide, it’s a mystery that has baffled Australians for almost a decade.

Melbourne-based journalist Olive Groves worked on the story as a junior reporter and became obsessed by the case. Now, nine years later, the missing housemate turns up dead on a remote property. Oli is once again assigned to the story, this time reluctantly paired with precocious millennial podcaster Cooper Ng.

As Oli and Cooper unearth new facts about the three housemates, a dark web of secrets is uncovered. The revelations catapult Oli back to the death of the first housemate, forcing her to confront past traumas and insecurities that have risen to the surface again.

What really happened between the three housemates that night? Will Oli’s relentless search for the murderer put her new family in danger? And could her suspicion that the truth lies closer to home threaten her happiness and even her sanity?

A riveting, provocative thriller from the bestselling author of The Dark Lake, Into the Night and Where the Dead Go.

My View:
Friday night I decided to do a little reading before bed, around 3.30am I turned over the last page….ahhhh…what a FANTASTIC READ!

Do yourself a favour, pick up any book by this author, you will not be disappointed.

PS Sarah Bailey has a new book coming out next month, Body Of Lies, another in the DS Gemma Woodstock series, I cannot wait for this.

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#FridayFreebie: For Once In My Life – Karly Lane

For Once in my Life
Karly Lane
Allen & Unwin
ISBN:9781761066122

Description:

Jenny thought she was done with men and relationships . . . her kids, however, had other plans. A delightful, entertaining and funny rural romance from Karly Lane, the bestselling author with over 550,000 books sold.

Jenny Hayward cannot believe that she’s fifty years old and a grandmother with adult children! When did that happen? Not that long ago her three daughters were in school and Jenny was following her dream of becoming a nurse.

In the two years since her husband walked out, Jenny has been absorbed in her family and work, until her daughters and her best friend secretly set her up with a profile on a dating app and she is thrust unexpectedly into the world of dating.

However, as the dates keep coming, Jenny wonders how the people she loves the most in the world have managed so impressively to pick the wrong men for her.

The annoying barman watching on is much more enjoyable company. The barman who is more than a decade younger than her. Yet Nick doesn’t seem to notice her age at all . . .

Is Jenny’s next date the date of her dreams?

363 pages, Paperback

#Giveaway# Thanks to Allen & Unwin and the author, I have 2 copies of the contemporary, heartwarming, rural romance to give away. It’s easy (must be an Australian resident), in the comments list any of Karly’s other novels. I will randomly select the 2 winners on 8th Of December. Good luck.