The Self-Made Saint by Alexandra Addams - #bookreview #blogtour

"Best get on with it before you go under it."

The Blurb

Judith Drainger has always played life by her own rules. But these days life seems to be playing her right back.

Divorced, orphaned and forcibly retired, 59-year-old Judith is determined to seize the opportunity to leave her broken home in London and move across the world to Australia. Here she reunites with her estranged adult daughter Cassandra – only to land smack bang in the emotional quagmire of her daughter’s anger and abandonment issues. To make matters worse, Judith can see her new granddaughter Emily has a serious health issue, but her offers of help are ignored and rejected.

When an accident knocks her off her feet, Judith is swamped by the kindly care of her nosy new neighbours. Yet, when given a chance to become a part of their community, Judith shocks even herself by making a series of unforgivable blunders. Realizing if she’s to have any hope of reuniting her family, well-meaning but stubborn curmudgeon Judith must learn the power of saying ‘sorry’ - and what it actually means to be a good person.

My Review

Hidden between the covers of this book is a real gem.

The main character is Judith. She is bad-tempered, curmudgeonly and irascible. She has left England and gone to live near her daughter, Cassandra, and baby granddaughter, Emily, in Australia, in order to rescue her from an unhappy relationship and take her and Emily away to live with her. However, the reality is that Cassandra is very happy in her relationship and has no intention of going anywhere - let alone with the mother with whom she has abandonment issues. 

Judith was a fabulous character.  She is complex and flawed, and it made her such an interesting character to spend time with. She is also highly relatable. I think most readers, especially those of us who have adult children, will find a little of themselves in Judith.

The author demonstrated real skill in her depiction of the characters and their various interactions. They all came very much to life on the page, from the handsome man next door to the dog walker who allowed his dog to toilet by Judith's house. Even the minor characters are well-nuanced.

I enjoyed being immersed in the environment and the characters, both Judith and those around her. The Australian setting was perfect and well portrayed. This was a fabulous book to read. Despite Judith's irascibility, it was impossible not to like her, and I loved observing how her character developed through the book.

This is a fantastic debut novel and I can't wait to see what the author brings us in the future. If this novel is anything to judge by then she is definitely one to watch.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1962931175

Publisher:  High Frequency Press

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  266 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Blackwells

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

You can also find Alexandra at:

Instagram

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(ARC and media courtesy of the publicist)

(all opinions are my own)

Cover the Bones by Chris Hammer - #bookreview

 

The irrigation canal stretches into the distance, perfect for waterskiing: two kilometres long, ten metres wide, ruler-straight, almost as large as Yuwonderie's main canal. There's a gentle breeze wafting in from the north, enough to ripple the surface. Eggs splashes water onto his face, then eases himself into the canal, feeling its sun-warmed embrace. It's Sunday, and his supervisor at the Wholesalers has let him off early. The others were already here waiting, preparing...

***

NO ONE IS EVER INNOCENT IN PARADISE.

A small town.

A closely guarded secret, stretching back decades.

And blood in the water.

A body has washed up in an irrigation canal, the artery running through Yuwonderie, a man-made paradise on the border of the Outback.

Stabbed through the heart, electrocuted and dumped under cover of night, there is no doubt that detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan are dealing with a vicious homicide.

The victim is Athol Hasluck, member of one of the seven dynasties who have controlled every slice of bountiful land in this modern-day Eden for generations.

But this is not an isolated incident. Someone is targeting the landed aristocracy of this quiet paradise in the desert. Secrets stretching back decades are rising to the surface at last - but the question remains, who stands to gain most from their demise?

Can Ivan and Nell track down a killer before the guilt at the heart of these seven families takes the entire town down with it?

***

I was very excited about reading this book as I had previously read and enjoyed Dead Man's Creek (you can read my review by clicking here). This book is part of the Ivan Lucic and Nell Bucanan series. The previous book focused on Nell but this book focuses more on Ivan.

Initially, I found it difficult to get into, and I cannot really blame the book for that. I had a houseful of guests over the festive period, and this just was not the right book to start at that time. It is a book that deserves to be read in decent sized chunks rather than trying to grab a quick few pages at bedtime before I fell asleep from the exhaustion of entertaining.

Once I got into it though (and life had quieted down) it made for a gripping read. It had three timelines running throughout the book; a series of letters initially written in 1913, along with narratives of 1993 and the present day. Each of these is interspersed throughout the book, and the author skillfully merges them altogether at the conclusion of the book.

The book deals with themes such as environmental issues, wealth, greed, power, and the lengths people will go to in order to protect their own power.

Mr Hammer describes the environment in which the book is set excellently. His depiction of small town  Australia enabled me to get a real sense of place. I found it thought provoking to consider how much the fear of drought had on the lives of the town's residents. Sitting here in rainy old England, drought is something which we rarely have to think about and the book made me grateful for that.

It is an excellent story with plenty of twists and turns, and an ending which I did not see coming. All in all it is a superb book which I highly recommend.

ISBN:  978 1472295712

Publisher:  Wildfire

Formats:  e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages:  512 (hardback)

About the Author:

Chris Hammer is a leading Australian crime fiction novelist, author of the internationally bestselling Martin Scarsden series: Scrublands, Silver and Trust.

Now Chris has started a new series, beginning with Treasure & Dirt (Australia & New Zealand) / Opal Country (UK & international) and followed in 2022/23 by The Tilt/Dead Man’s Creek.

Scrublands was an instant bestseller upon publication in 2018, topping the Australian fiction charts.

It was shortlisted for major writing awards in Australia, the UK and the United States. In the UK it was named the Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Year 2019 and won the prestigious UK Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award.

Scrublands, Silver and Trust all feature troubled journalist Martin Scarsden and his partner Mandalay Blonde, while Treasure & Dirt follows homicide detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan.

All of Chris’s books have atmospheric Australian settings, a range of colourful characters, intricate plots, descriptive language and emotional depth.

Before turning to fiction, Chris was a journalist for more than thirty years. He reported from more than 30 countries on six continents for SBS TV. In Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, senior writer for The Age and Online Political Editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Chris has written two non-fiction books The River (2010) – winner of the ACT Book of the Year – and The Coast (2012), published by Melbourne University Press.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master’s degree in International Relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra, Australia with his wife, Dr Tomoko Akami. The couple have two children.

His latest novel, Cover the Bones is also published under the title, The Seven.

(author photo and bio info courtesy of the author's own website)

(ARC courtesy of the publisher)

 

The Notekeeper by Hannah Treave - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

The lights of the runway dazzled up ahead. It was as though the twinkling blue and white lights had been arranged especially for her - a reminder that she had made the right choice. As the twin engines roared into life, she took a deep breath. The rumble of power beneath her would carry her thousands of miles away. This was it. No going back.

As the aircraft accelerated, she fixed her gaze on the lights. They flashed past so quickly they looked like one great line rather than individual dots. And then they were up, the plane soaring into the Australian night sky with all the grace and elegance of a leaping ballet dancer. She let out a loud gasp, the realisation of what she had done hitting her with such force she disturbed the sleeping passenger beside her.

***

In order to love again, first she’ll need to learn how to live again...

Following a tragedy, Zoe flees Australia and makes a life for herself in the UK. Two years later, working as a care nurse in Bath and knowing just how much comfort last words can bring, Zoe has taken it upon herself to become a notekeeper - writing down the final thoughts of her patients and delivering them to their loved ones.

Zoe’s new boss, Ben, isn’t happy about her getting so involved in the patients’ lives. Even as they clash, they both begin to realize that facing one’s past is the only way to move on. But life is never straightforward, especially for Zoe. In finally opening up her heart after all these years, is she about to have it broken all over again?

***

I enjoyed reading this book very much and becoming aquainted with the cast of characters.

The main character, Zoe, is multi-faceted and her journey to healing is a heartfelt and moving one. Running away from grief, and working as a nurse in a hospice she is constantly reminded of her own loss. However, this is not a depressing book but is thoughtful and sensitive, although many readers may do well to have a handkerchief tucked into their sleeve. 

The author handles the subject matter carefully and skillfully. The main theme in the book is that of dying and bereavement but ultimately it is an uplifting and hopeful novel. There were many joyous moments in the book, with the other characters playing a vital, and meaningful role. I particularly liked Miles, Zoe's colleage and fellow Australian. He brought humour and fun to the story.

Written in a light and accessible style this is a book that can be read in a two or three sittings. I certainly found myself being lured back to it when I had to put it down and I definitely read past my bedtime.

I will read other books by this author. This is the first book published under the pseudonym of Hannah Treave but she has released several books under the name of Fiona Ford, of which I soon hope to become acquainted. 

ISBN:978 1804361290

Publisher: Canelo

Formats: e-book, audio, paperback

No. of Pages: 352 (paperback)

Triggers: Death of a child, dying, grief, bereavement, cancer.

About the Author:

Hannah Treave is the pseudonym for Fiona Ford, an experienced freelance journalist and prolific novelist. She has written for the national press for many years (far too many to count) and is the author of the bestselling Liberty Girls series published by Penguin Random House. She lives in Berkshire with her husband and two cats and when she's not writing can be found in the gym desperately trying to exercise her way out of diet that is filled with just a little bit too much cake.

(ARC courtesy of Love Book Tours)

(author photo courtesy of Blake Friedmann)

(author bio courtesy of Amazon)

Dead Man's Creek by Chris Hammer - #BookReview

 

She moves through the night, the forest dark, the trees gathered and whispering support. She passes through them, relying as much on memory as the shielded light from her torch. Her mind is alive, her senses alert. A brief hesitation, then the decision to take a shortcut, leaving the ridge and cutting across a small lagoon, now empty, following a wallaby path. Above the trees the sky is dark, clouds skimming low and quick, as if infused with her urgency. An owl swoops, a flash of white against the grey-black, and is gone, She stops, turns off the torch, feels the blackness move in, enfold her. Comfort her. She breates it in, the smell of it, the odour of this world. She can feel its desire, its thirst, the longing for water. She closes her eyes, then opens the again...

***

Newly-minted homicide detective Nell Buchanan returns to her hometown, annoyed at being assigned a decades-old murder - a 'file and forget'.

But this is no ordinary cold case, her arrival provoking an unwelcome and threatening response from the small-town community. As more bodies are discovered, and she begins to question how well she truly knows those closest to her, Nell realises that finding the truth could prove more difficult - and dangerous - than she'd ever expected.

The nearer Nell comes to uncovering the secrets of the past, the more treacherous her path becomes. Can she survive to root out the truth, and what price will she have to pay for it?

***

Dead Man's Creek, which has also been published under the name, The Tilt, is the second book in the Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan series. As much as I like to read a series in order, this worked perfectly well as a standalone novel.

Set in Tulong, Australia this novel is richly atmospheric and the author describes the environment of rural Tulong perfectly. It is every bit as important as the characterisation and is integral to the book.

There are multiple threads running throughout this book. Dotted throughout is the continuing police statement of James Waters. It is not evident at the beginning how this will tie in with the rest of the book but it does all fall nicely into place.

Running alongside this we witness events from the perspective of Tessa in the 1950's. Tessa is the mother of the main character, Nell, who has returned to her home town as part of an investigation. The majority of the story is told from Nell's point of view and she is an excellent, likeable and well rounded character

In the front of the book, the author has helpfully provided a map of Tulong, along with the family tree which links all of these characters together, and which I found enormously helpful.

The author has a real gift for storytelling, and this book had me gripped throughout. He has skilfully woven the various threads together and produced a well plotted and cohesive novel.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written crime thriller.

ISBN: 978 1472295668

Publisher: Wildfire

Formats: e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages: 496 (hardback)

About the Author:

Chris Hammer is a leading Australian crime fiction novelist, author of the internationally bestselling Martin Scarsden series: Scrublands, Silver and Trust.

Now Chris has started a new series, beginning with Treasure & Dirt (Australia & New Zealand) / Opal Country (UK & international) and followed in 2022/23 by The Tilt/Dead Man’s Creek.

Scrublands was an instant bestseller upon publication in 2018, topping the Australian fiction charts.

It was shortlisted for major writing awards in Australia, the UK and the United States. In the UK it was named the Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Year 2019 and won the prestigious UK Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award.

Scrublands, Silver and Trust all feature troubled journalist Martin Scarsden and his partner Mandalay Blonde, while Treasure & Dirt follows homicide detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan.

All of Chris’s books have atmospheric Australian settings, a range of colourful characters, intricate plots, descriptive language and emotional depth.

Before turning to fiction, Chris was a journalist for more than thirty years. He reported from more than 30 countries on six continents for SBS TV. In Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, senior writer for The Age and Online Political Editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Chris has written two non-fiction books The River (2010) – winner of the ACT Book of the Year – and The Coast (2012), published by Melbourne University Press.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master’s degree in International Relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra, Australia.

(author photo and bio info courtesy of the author's own website)

(ARC courtesy of the publisher)

My Top 12 Books of 2022 - #ReadingRoundup

 

As the end of 2022 approaches I am looking back over the past year, and what a mixed year it has been.

Here in the UK we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of our Queen, and then only three months later, we mourned her passing. We have seen the succession of a new monarch and have endured a record breaking heatwave in the summer.

On a personal note, I have welcomed a new grandson to the family, and I could not be more proud.

At the time of writing I have read 110 books this year. When I checked on my Good Reads page I had eighteen five star books, and thus it has been extremely difficult to whittle it down to just twelve.

Here are my favourite twelve in no particular order.

A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville

It is 1788. Twenty-one-year-old Elizabeth is hungry for life but, as the ward of a Devon clergyman, knows she has few prospects. When proud, scarred soldier, John Macarthur, promises her the earth one midsummer’s night, she believes him.

But Elizabeth soon realises she has made a terrible mistake. Her new husband is reckless, tormented, driven by some dark rage at the world. He tells her he is to take up a position as Lieutenant in a New South Wales penal colony and she has no choice but to go. Sailing for six months to the far side of the globe with a child growing inside her, she arrives to find Sydney Town a brutal, dusty, hungry place of makeshift shelters, failing crops, scheming and rumours. 

All her life she has learned to be obliging, to fold herself up small. Now, in the vast landscapes of an unknown continent, Elizabeth has to discover a strength she never imagined, and passions she could never express.

If you would like to read my review of this book then please click here. 

Mr Peacock's Possessions by Lydia Syson

Oceania, 1817

For two years the Peacocks, a determined family of settlers, have struggled to make a remote volcanic island their home. At last, a ship appears. The six Pacific Islanders on board have travelled over eight hundred miles in search of new horizons. Hopes are high, until a vulnerable boy vanishes.

In their search for the lost child, settlers and newcomers together uncover far more than they were looking for. The island's secrets force young Lizzie Peacock to question her deepest convictions, and slowly this tiny, fragile community begins to fracture...

If you would like to read my review then please click here.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him - and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church.

To read my review you can reach it by clicking here.

The French House by Jacquie Bloese

In Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life...

Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Émile is no stranger to isolation - or heartbreak. Now, as Nazi planes loom over Guernsey, he senses life is about to change forever.

Trapped in a tense, fearful marriage, Isabelle doesn't know what has become of Émile and the future she hoped for. But when she glimpses him from the window of the French House, their lives collide once more.

Leutnant Schreiber is more comfortable wielding a paintbrush than a pistol. But he has little choice in the role he is forced to play in the occupying forces - or in his own forbidden desires.

As their paths entwine, loyalties are blurred and dangerous secrets forged. But on an island under occupation, courage can have deadly consequences...

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

ONE MURDER. FIFTEEN SUSPECTS. CAN YOU UNCOVER THE TRUTH?

There is a mystery to solve in the sleepy town of Lower Lockwood. It starts with the arrival of two secretive newcomers, and ends with a tragic death. Roderick Tanner QC has assigned law students Charlotte and Femi to the case. Someone has already been sent to prison for murder, but he suspects that they are innocent. And that far darker secrets have yet to be revealed...

Throughout the amateur dramatics society's disastrous staging of All My Sons and the shady charity appeal for a little girl's medical treatment, the murderer hid in plain sight. The evidence is all there, waiting to be found. But will Charlotte and Femi solve the case? Will you?

To read my review of this book please click here.

The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay by Julie Brooks

England, 1919: Rose and Ivy board a ship bound for Australia.

One is travelling there to marry a man she has never met.

One is destined never to arrive.

Australia, 2016: Amongst her late-grandmother's possessions, Molly uncovers a photograph of two girls dressed in First World War nurses' uniforms, labelled 'Rose and Ivy 1917', and a letter from her grandmother, asking her to find out what happened to her own mother, Rose, who disappeared in the 1960s.

Compelled to carry out her grandmother's last wish, Molly embarks on a journey to England to unravel the mystery of the two girls whose photograph promised they'd be 'together forever'...

If you would like to read my review please click here.

House Boy by Lorenzo DeStefano

House Boy is a contemporary thriller set in Southern India and in the polite suburb of Hendon, North London. 

At 321 Finchley Lane, ancient traditions take root and prosper in our so-called civilized society. The lives of a boy from rural India, Vijay Pallan, and an Indo-British woman and her son, Binda and Ravi Tagorstani, collide as if decreed by history. Through Vijay, we experience the shocking realities of modern slavery, the human spirit's boundless capacity for pain, and the ultimate blessing of one young man's redemption and survival.

My review of this book can be reached by clicking here.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

1944, Italy. As bombs fall around them, two strangers meet in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa and share an extraordinary evening.

Ulysses Temper is a young British soldier, Evelyn Skinner a 64-year-old art historian living life on her own terms. She has come to salvage paintings from the wreckage of war and relive memories of her youth when her heart was stolen by an Italian maid in a particular room with a view. Ulysses’ chance encounter with Evelyn will transform his life – and all those who love him back home in London – forever.

Uplifting, sweeping and full of unforgettable characters, Still Life is a novel about beauty, love, family and friendship.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Balram Halwai is the White Tiger - the smartest boy in his village. His family is too poor for him to afford for him to finish school and he has to work in a teashop, breaking coals and wiping tables. But Balram gets his break when a rich man hires him as a chauffeur, and takes him to live in Delhi. The city is a revelation. As he drives his master to shopping malls and call centres, Balram becomes increasingly aware of immense wealth and opportunity all around him, while knowing that he will never be able to gain access to that world. As Balram broods over his situation, he realizes that there is only one way he can become part of this glamorous new India - by murdering his master.

You can read my review of this book by clicking here.

The Midnight House by Amanda Geard

My Dearest T, Whatever you hear, do not believe it for a moment…

1940: In south-west Ireland, the young and beautiful Lady Charlotte Rathmore is pronounced dead after she mysteriously disappears by the lake of Blackwater Hall. In London, on the brink of the Blitz, Nancy Rathmore is grieving Charlotte’s death when a letter arrives containing a secret that she is sworn to keep – one that will change her life for ever.

1958: Nancy's daughter Hattie finds herself growing up at the mysterious Blackwater Hall, where she overhears the secrets whispered above and below stairs. Secrets that she will carry with her for the rest of her life.

2019: Decades later, Ellie Fitzgerald is forced to leave Dublin disgraced and heartbroken. Abandoning journalism, she returns to rural Kerry to weather out the storm. But, when she discovers a faded letter, tucked inside the pages of an old book, she finds herself drawn in by a long-buried secret. And as Ellie begins to unravel the mystery, it becomes clear that the letter might hold the key to more than just Charlotte’s disappearance.

My review of this book can be found by clicking here.

More Than I Love My Life by David Grossman

On a kibbutz in Israel in 2008, Gili is celebrating the ninetieth birthday of her grandmother Vera, the adored matriarch of a sprawling and tight-knit family. But festivities are interrupted by the arrival of Nina: the iron-willed daughter who rejected Vera's care; and the absent mother who abandoned Gili when she was still a baby.

Nina's return to the family after years of silence precipitates an epic journey from Israel to the desolate island of Goli Otok, formerly part of Yugoslavia. It was here, five decades earlier, that Vera was held and tortured as a political prisoner. And it is here that the three women will finally come to terms with the terrible moral dilemma that Vera faced, and that permanently altered the course of their lives.

More Than I Love My Life is a sweeping story about the power of love and loving with courage. A novel driven by faith in humanity even in our darkest moments, it asks us to confront our deepest held beliefs about a woman's duty to herself and to her children.

My review of this book can be accessed by clicking here.

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl growing up on Long Island until one night a terrible road accident brings her life to a halt. While her best friend Helene suffers life-changing injuries, Shelby becomes overwhelmed with guilt and is suddenly unable to see the possibility of a future she’d once taken for granted.

But as time passes, and Helene becomes an almost otherworldly figure within the town, seen by its inhabitants as a source of healing, Shelby finds herself attended to by her own guardian angel. A mysterious figure she half-glimpsed the night of the car crash, he now sends Shelby brief but beautiful messages imploring her to take charge of her life once more . . .

What happens when a life is turned inside out? When you lose all hope and sense of worth? Shelby, a fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookshops, and men she should stay away from, captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding oneself at last. From the bestselling author of The Dovekeepers comes this spellbinding, poignant and life-affirming story of one woman’s journey towards happiness – and the power of love, family and fate.

To read my review please click here.

What have been your favourite reads of 2022?

Books to Read in August 2022

 

I remember how busy August used to be when I had four little ones to look after. The school holidays were always a time I looked forward to. It was a change from the routine of the school run, and having quality time to spend with my children without all of the hurry, rush and bother. They are precious days and they pass too quickly.

Visits to the library were frequent in those days. Although I personally did not get very much reading done, we used to go every few days so they could choose new books. Then we would go to the park, sit on a blanket and read.  Such happy days.

Here are a few books that I hope to read this month.

A River Town by Thomas Keneally

Little Caged Birds by Lucy Banks

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

An Orphan's Journey by Rosie Goodwin

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

The Bookseller of Inverness by S.G. MacLean

Four Riddles for Jane Austen by Gabrielle Mullarkey

Unraveller by Frances Hardinge

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

(this will be a reread for me)

The Woman Underwater by Penny Goetjen

(header photo courtesy of Raphael Biscaldi / Unsplash)

The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay by Julie Brooks - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

Rose scrambled down the bank in a storm of sand, arms flailing and legs protesting. Funny how her legs didn't work as well as they had once. Inside she still felt like the girl who had landed on these shores forty years ago, yet her body resembled an old woman's more each year. Sometimes, catching a flicker reflected in a window, she didn't recognise herself.

Reaching level ground, she shook the sand from her shoes, before settling the canvas hold-all on her shoulder and looking up to see the bay spread before her like a half-moon of glittering blue, Cape Bridgewater jutting into the ocean to the west with rugged Cape Nelson and its lighthouse rising to the east. 

***

England, 1919: Rose and Ivy board a ship bound for Australia.

One is travelling there to marry a man she has never met.

One is destined never to arrive.

Australia, 2016: Amongst her late-grandmother's possessions, Molly uncovers a photograph of two girls dressed in First World War nurses' uniforms, labelled 'Rose and Ivy 1917', and a letter from her grandmother, asking her to find out what happened to her own mother, Rose, who disappeared in the 1960s.

Compelled to carry out her grandmother's last wish, Molly embarks on a journey to England to unravel the mystery of the two girls whose photograph promised they'd be 'together forever' . . .

***

I love a dual time line novel. Partly, because I am fascinated by the connection that the present has with the past, and also because I think it is exceptionally difficult to pull off successfully. Julie Brooks has achieved this incredibly well, and I enjoyed reading every word of this book very much.

Furthermore, it is a book of secrets and is full of twists and turns, many of which I had not anticipated. It made for an interesting and intriguing reading experience as little by little the secrets of the past are revealed.

The characters were all well portrayed, and as an amateur genealogist myself, I could identify with Molly who was attempting to join the dots between herself and her ancestors. Ivy, whose story was set in the earlier time frame was a wonderful character and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how the author developed her character.

This is Ms. Brooks debut historical fiction novel for adults and I am looking forward to reading more of her work. Her next novel, The Keepsake, is due for release in the UK in January 2023.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I would love to hear your thoughts if you read it.

ISBN: 978 1472279163

Publisher: Headline Review

Formats: e-book, audio, paperback and hardback

No. of Pages: 400 (paperback)

About the Author:

Julie Brooks was born in Brisbane, Australia, but has lived most of her life in Melbourne. She taught English and Drama in secondary schools before working as an editor of children’s magazines. She has been a full-time author since 1999 and is the author of several young adult novels as well as children’s fiction and non-fiction. The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay is her first novel writing as Julie Brooks.  

Purchase Link

(author photo and bio. info. courtesy of the publisher

ARC courtesy NetGalley)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville - #BookReview

"My Dear Son, James, has given me a task for my last years, or months, or whatever time I have left beyond the many years I have lived so far. It is to compile an account called 'The History of the Macarthurs of Camden Park.' Meaning myself and my late husband John Macarthur. He was barely cold in his grave when they began lauding him as a hero, even the ones who loathed him in life."

It is 1788. Twenty-one-year-old Elizabeth is hungry for life but, as the ward of a Devon clergyman, knows she has few prospects. When proud, scarred soldier, John Macarthur, promises her the earth one midsummer’s night, she believes him.

But Elizabeth soon realises she has made a terrible mistake. Her new husband is reckless, tormented, driven by some dark rage at the world. He tells her he is to take up a position as Lieutenant in a New South Wales penal colony and she has no choice but to go. Sailing for six months to the far side of the globe with a child growing inside her, she arrives to find Sydney Town a brutal, dusty, hungry place of makeshift shelters, failing crops, scheming and rumours. 

All her life she has learned to be obliging, to fold herself up small. Now, in the vast landscapes of an unknown continent, Elizabeth has to discover a strength she never imagined, and passions she could never express. 

***

I loved every word of this book. It was beautifully written and when I got to the end I could have happily gone straight back to the beginning and started it all over again.

The book is narrated by Elizabeth, the wife of John Macarthur, and is inspired by her letters to family and friends in England. Ms. Grenville has taken those documents and given Elizabeth a voice of her own from a time when the voice of women was very rarely heard. This is the memoir that Elizabeth never wrote but the author has such acute understanding of what Elizabeth's life was probably like that this reads as an extremely believable account.

The author's description of New South Wales was highly evocative and she describes the brutality towards the indigenous population and the transported convicts with perceptive skill. This is a brilliantly imagined account, of the lives of the first settlers in Australia.

This is the first book I have read by Kate Grenville and it certainly will not be my last. Thankfully, she has already published several novels for me to choose from. I highly recommend this book. I would be surprised if it does not make it into my Top 2020 Best Books at the end of this year.

Have you read anything by this author? Which of her novels do you suggest I read next?

ISBN: 9781838851231

Publisher: Canongate Books

About the Author

Kate Grenville is one of Australia's best-known authors. She's published eight books of fiction and four books about the writing process. Her best-known works are the international best-seller The Secret River, The Idea of Perfection, The Lieutenant and Lilian's Story. 

 Her novels have won many awards both in Australia and the UK, several have been made into major feature films, and all have been translated into European and Asian languages.