Well, I wasn't too sure when I first picked this one up, but it turned out to be a gripping and surprisingly emotional read.
An eleven-year-old Nancy Well, I wasn't too sure when I first picked this one up, but it turned out to be a gripping and surprisingly emotional read.
An eleven-year-old Nancy Drew fan protagonist sounds like a fun middle grade book, right? Well, perhaps not. With plenty of swearing in the first few pages, along with adult themes seen through a child's point of view, this is certainly not a book for young ones, but everyone from teen ages up should enjoy this murder mystery. The clues kept me guessing right until the end and the characters were full of heart.
Poor Tippy goes through such an emotional rollercoaster through this story - although I've thankfully never witnessed the grief of a child, I thought the way Tippy's journey was portrayed sensitively, even if sometimes she sounded older than her eleven years might suggest.
An enjoyable debut from this author! I'm looking forward to whatever comes next....more
Set on the beautiful and wild Tasmanian coastline, To The Sea is the magical story of a missing Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in January 2017:
Set on the beautiful and wild Tasmanian coastline, To The Sea is the magical story of a missing teenager. Zoe Kennett disappears from her family’s home next to calm waters, and it’s DI Tony Vincent’s job to organise the search for her body. A young girl couldn’t possibly have survived in the cold southern waters overnight and most of the next day, could she?
But there is a lot more to Zoe’s story, and as the days go by and no body is recovered, the mystery is slowly unravelled. We gradually learn the dark secrets of Zoe’s family, passed down from mother to daughter, stretching back to Mayo, Ireland, and the connection of a girl called Ornice to the ocean.
To The Sea is beautifully written, evoking the Aussie summer (yes, they still have summer down in Tassie) and the raw power of the oceans, both the Southern and Atlantic. It is told through several flashbacks and storytelling from members of Zoe’s family, including her mother and father, her siblings, and her grandfather. Tony’s investigations into the disappearance ties it all to the modern day. The story is full of unreliable narrators and secrets are hinted at that aren’t revealed until much later – the perfect way to spin a great mystery.
This is Aussie author Christine Dibley’s first book, and I’ll be looking forward to hearing her next tale. She has a musical way with words, and made me want to visit Tasmania more than I already do.
If you’re in Hobart this weekend and would like to meet Christine Dibley, she’ll be launching To The Sea at Fullers Hobart, on Collins St at 2pm on January 21. See the Fullers website for more information.
I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan Australia as part of a blog tour. Thanks!...more
Wow. Loved this. Half star off for everything being a dramatic overreaction, but otherwise, beautiful and sad and glorious. More when I can get my braWow. Loved this. Half star off for everything being a dramatic overreaction, but otherwise, beautiful and sad and glorious. More when I can get my brain around it.
Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in April 2016: Fourteen-year-old Kirra is from the wrong side of the tracks, living with her alcoholic mum and putting up with being bullied by her so-called friends at school. She thinks she’s really losing it when a secluded phone box near the beach starts ringing one day, but the boy on the other end of the line knows more about her than he should. Can she help Boogie to expose his killer, while he helps her to get her life together?
Set in a northern New South Wales beach-side town, the location is brought to life with beautiful descriptions of the beach, as well as recognisable members of a school community.
Kirra seemed very familiar to me. When you’re fourteen, all you want is to belong and to feel like your problems are being heard. I went through a similar friend group change at that age, although thankfully without the humiliation that Kirra goes through. It’s an awkward time, when many kids just say whatever is in their heads without any tact filtering.
It did seem at times that Kirra was a bit too old for her years, but she does have a proper coming-of-age during this book, learning to shrug off the bullying and grow into her confidence. I’m not sure I’d advocate taking the path Kirra does to ‘fix’ her mother (that’s rather illegal!) but I was glad it was effective! I also felt that Kirra’s friends tended to overreact to situations, creating a lot of extra tension that moved the story forward, but felt a little unrealistic. The ending also wrapped up very neatly, almost to a happily-ever-after point, but I didn’t mind that so much.
The supernatural element was an interesting addition. I thought the story probably would have functioned without it, but if I’m honest, that’s what drew me to read this book in the first place.
Philippa and I heard Megan speak at the Penguin Teen Aus #YASquad event during March, and there we discovered that Megan has worked as a TV writer. Yellow does almost read like a screenplay – it’s a fast-paced read and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it brought back uncomfortable memories of high school. It’s a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to Megan Jacobson’s next project.
It also happens to have an amazing cover, wouldn’t you agree?...more
Well, after all the hype, it turned out to be just the twisty, turny thriller I hoped it would be. Heartbreaking at times- there are some very messed Well, after all the hype, it turned out to be just the twisty, turny thriller I hoped it would be. Heartbreaking at times- there are some very messed - up people in this story. Very difficult to put down....more
Well, my mum's group/bookclub ladies will be pleased that I finally got to read this, and I did so just in time before seeing Liane speak at the SydneWell, my mum's group/bookclub ladies will be pleased that I finally got to read this, and I did so just in time before seeing Liane speak at the Sydney Writer's Festival next weekend!
This is an amazingly well-written book - keeping the tension high all the way through. It was funny and reflective of all those little things our kids do to drive us crazy, as well as delving into the murky world of domestic violence.
I had two main reactions while reading this - firstly, I am terrified of my son starting school next year! Although the parents at Pirriwee Primary are caricatures, I'm sure there's a grain of truth to their behaviour.
Secondly, I was terribly anxious while reading this book, not because of the abuse aspect, although that was desperately sad at times. It was more that those poor little 5-year olds were having to go through what they did. Ziggy, Amabella, the twins.
Although not my usual sort of book, I do highly recommended it....more
Gerald Wilkins is thirteen, and a billionaire. He inherited the money from his Great Aunt and moved from his home in Sydney to a life of luxury in EngGerald Wilkins is thirteen, and a billionaire. He inherited the money from his Great Aunt and moved from his home in Sydney to a life of luxury in England. I’m afraid I can’t tell you any more about the earlier events of this series because this, the fifth book, is the first one I’ve read! There were references to events of earlier books that didn’t make a lot of sense to me, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying what happened in this one.
This series is a bit like a modern Famous Five – code-breaking and mystery-solving with a group of young friends. I really enjoyed the witty writing and the relationships between each of the characters who, while new to me, must be like old friends to those who have read the earlier books.
The only thing that was slightly disappointing about this particular book was that it was obviously a middle part of a longer story. Nothing is really resolved and the item everyone is searching for is not actually found. Evidently there’s more to come.
This series should really appeal to any middle-grader looking for a mystery-adventure, although I would recommend starting at book one rather than in the middle of the series.
City of Dark Magic reads a bit like The Da Vinci Code crossed with the Thursday Next books – plenty of strange symbology and alchemy, but told in a raCity of Dark Magic reads a bit like The Da Vinci Code crossed with the Thursday Next books – plenty of strange symbology and alchemy, but told in a rather tongue-in-cheek style. At first this approach seems a bit irreverent, since the story itself deals with murders, political corruption and beloved classical scientists and musicians, but as the story goes on I really found myself enjoying the witty remarks and the quirkiness of the characters.
The story is not all lightness though – there are some very dark moments, especially in the dungeons of the castle that aren’t for the faint-hearted. Some horrible things certainly happened throughout Prague’s history. The quirky style helped to alleviate some of that horror.
As a musician and lover of classical music myself, I’ve always loved Beethoven’s music but was only vaguely aware of his actual life story – that he tragically went deaf later on in his life and never got to hear many of his famous works played. If the biographical elements of City of Dark Magic are to be believed, Beethoven suffered through his hearing getting worse and then better again, depending on the day – a slow deterioration that must have been devastating. The writing in this story shows a real knowledge and love of Beethoven’s works and it was quite often a joy to read. I almost felt like I needed a soundtrack while I was reading it!
The only thing I didn’t particularly enjoy was Sarah’s character. She seems to be a slight nymphomaniac and the random sex was a bit off-putting at times! I just felt it clashed slightly with the rest of the way her character behaved and might have been a bit unnecessary.
Magnus Flyte is actually a pen name for a pair of authors - Meg Howrey and Christina Lynch. I’m not really sure why they chose to use a pseudonym but their sequel is out this month, City of Lost Dreams. I’m rather looking forward to reading it!
The world as we know it is breaking down – country after country is rejecting democracy and installing a single leader – King, Emperor or Dictator. MeThe world as we know it is breaking down – country after country is rejecting democracy and installing a single leader – King, Emperor or Dictator. Meanwhile, in the USA, ex-cop-turned-PI John Scarcepho is investigating a series of murders in which the victims’ eyes have been removed surgically and the sockets filled with sea water. He is approached by a strange man who introduces him to the world of the Seers, a group of people with the ability to see into the spirit world and observe the battles between angels and demons for the souls of the living. As it turns out, John has a particularly powerful Archangel as his guardian, but can he gain enough control of his new power to save the world from Lucifer’s control?
The Seers is not just a story, although it is a rather enjoyable page-turning thriller. It is also a new experience in multimedia storytelling, backed by a wealth of information available to the reader through QR Codes and links at the end of each chapter, plus the extensive Seer’s Handbook in the back of the volume.
At the end of each chapter, the QR code links the reader to a page on the seers website containing information about the subject matter in that chapter. Sometimes it is just links to sections of the Handbook to further explain concepts. Other chapters contain links to news articles, videos or real-world organisations that were mentioned in the story. It’s an interesting way to get access to information about aspects of the story and adds a lot of extra depth.
The writing itself may lack some of the finesse of a veteran author, but The Seers is still a very enjoyable debut novel and an interesting concept in the future of storytelling.
This review was originally posted on The Oaken Bookcase on December 27, 2012.
Science fiction in general at the moment seems to feature a lot of dystopThis review was originally posted on The Oaken Bookcase on December 27, 2012.
Science fiction in general at the moment seems to feature a lot of dystopia and generally depressing views of the future. Great North Road is different in that it presents a rather optimistic view of the near future – quite a lot has changed but the basic human nature seems the same. This story is the first by Peter F Hamilton that I have read, but I’m now very interested in reading some of his many other works.
Where to begin with a story of over a thousand pages? Let’s start with a bit of background. In the beginning of the 21st Century, Kane North has been working on a cloning program, specifically to clone himself. After several failures he does succeed – Augustine, Bartram and Constantine North are born. In the middle of the 21st Century, gateway technology is developed (think Stargate but on a corporate scale), allowing instant transport across vast distances. Connections are made to distant planets, and the three North brothers create Northumberland Interstellar Corporation to take advantage of developing resource-rich new worlds across the galaxy. They focus their development on Sirius’ planet of St Libra, growing algae-paddies to harvest bioil for use back on Earth and across the inhabited planets. The North brothers create further clones of themselves and these so-called 2Norths become the management of Northumberland Interstellar.
Fast-forward to 2141, and one of the 2North clones is found dead in the Tyne River in a wintry Newcastle upon Tyne. Detective Sidney Hurst is in charge of the investigation. The case receives a considerable amount of attention given the high-profile victim, but also because the unidentified North was stabbed through the heart by a five-bladed knife (or claws) – the exact way Bartram North and his household were slaughtered twenty years previously on St Libra. Back then, the only survivor, Angela Tramelo, had sworn she had seen a monster in the mansion – a black-armoured humanoid with blades for fingers. Her story was not believed and she was incarcerated for life.
But now, the Human Defence Agency (or HDA) are reconsidering the possibility of sentinent alien life on St Libra, and mount an enormous expedition to the planet to try to track any trace of the alien down. Angela is released from jail, on the condition that she accompany the expedition as an expert advisor. So while the murder investigation continues in Newcastle, the HDA and their legionnaires head through the gateway and into the unknown north continent of St Libra.
Great North Road is an amazing tapestry of stories – the cop-drama investigation in Newcastle and the expedition to St Libra are the two main storylines, with many other smaller stories woven around them. The narrative jumps back and forth with a lot of flashbacks which is a little offputting at times, but it allows the full truth to be kept hidden right up to the end of the story, keeping the mystery intact and the tension high. The fascinating technology is discussed quite casually and not over-described, which makes the advanced tech feel quite natural. I don’t usually go for murder-mystery books but the sci-fi elements of this one really kept my interest.
There were two main problems I had with Great North Road. The first is the size of the book! The paperback is such a doorstop. It’s a stand alone story but I think it could have been split at least in half to make it more manageable to handle. It took me two months to read it (which is a very long time for me!) as I couldn’t carry it to work with me. I’d recommend the e-book version!
The second thing I didn’t really like so much about the story was the sheer amount of detail – every part of the murder investigation is mentioned in detail and it really slows the story down at times, especially in the first half of the book. Thankfully the action ramps up in the second half and it’s very difficult to put the last 300 pages or so down.
The characters are fantastic! Each personality is developed so well that we really get to know them by the end. The point of view is shared around between several main characters, which gives a lot of insight into what’s happening in the different political factions and the motivations of important individuals. The addition of Geordie terms such as referring to each other as “pet” is a nice touch – I kept having to remind myself to think with an accent!
Those who like an upbeat Sci-fi story set in the not-too-distant future should enjoy Great North Road. I’d recommend getting the e-book version if you’d rather not cart around a brick of a physical copy!...more
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