Reviews

If you think you don’t need to read another book on loneliness, or you’ve put the subject in the ‘too hard basket’, then think again.

Paul Cleave is a master! I have read quite a few of his novels and I have never been disappointed. Some are arguably better than others but I have to say I think this one is his best (so far). The Quiet People, like many of his novels, is set …

Although my children are now ‘grown up’ enough to be able to speak for themselves (rather more freely than I would like sometimes!), they’re not too grown up that I can’t clearly recall the ‘baby chat’ or ‘trying toddler’ stage.   This book would have been a real asset to me during those early years. It is filled with …

The Keto Chef’s Kitchen by Nery Whelan  I have every intent on reviewing this cookbook as I usually do – by reading through and choosing a recipe and actually cooking it. But as I read through this book I realised this is not your ‘usual’ cookbook, this is a stunning cookbook made for a very defined …

When I picked up this book and read the first few pages I knew that I was in for a ‘deep read’. Deep reads, for me, are those where I cannot power ahead at my normal speed (which is quite fast). I usually find that deep reads result when a …

The Operator Gretchen Berg Hachette $34.99 This book held so much promise! It looked exciting in the publisher’s summary and I was so very happy to see a copy arrive in the office for us to read. I started just before COVID (and all that went with it) and I …

The Jacaranda House Deborah Challinor HarperCollins RRP: $36.99 Set in both Australia and New Zealand, this book drew me in instantly. Perhaps that’s because I like a sense of where something is happening, a time and space in which to place my thoughts. Because this novel is set in places …

To Kill A Man Sam Bourne Hachette $34.99 I have to admit that despite its flaws (and they’re not massive or insurmountable) I inhaled this book. So while I will outline some of the bits I didn’t love, remember that I tend to speed read when I enjoy a book! …

Catherine House Elisabeth Thomas Hachette RRP: $37.99 The cover boasts “Deliciously sinister. It’s almost impossible not to be seduced” and for the first quarter of the book I’d agree; but sadly, three quarters of the book remains and my love affair with Catherine House soon went from seduction to boredom. …

The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart Margarita Montimore Hachette RRP: $34.99 This is a topsy-turvy life story told with humour and skill; I enjoyed nearly every moment reading it. There’s no denying that this book borrows heavily from Audrey Niffenegger’s “A Time Traveller’s Wife” which was a big hit a …