-
Book review: A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter
Female rage is on the rise. We’re tired out and touched out and ready to tap out. I know I’m not alone amongst my friends in the occasional fantasy of retreating to an isolated cabin somewhere away from it all. In A.G. Slatter’s latest gothic folk horror novel, A Forest, Darkly, protagonist Mehab has done exactly this – she’s very satisfied living a solitary life in her veiled forest home. Except… it can maybe be a little lonely sometimes. And she does need a little bit of help getting things done, and some quiet company over the winter months doesn’t go astray (the scenes describing her creation of a companion…
-
Five books I’d love to read in February
Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff Rose Red refigures the Snow White narrative as a feminist, coming-of-age fantasy about courage, self-discovery, and fighting for what matters most. The second daughter of the king, Rose is used to being in the background, despite being a gifted witch. But when her elder sister, Lily, suddenly disappears, Rose is forced to step up and confront dark truths about her family, discovering how little she really knows about those closest to her. This book caught my attention when i saw Sarah speaking on a panel at Conflux last year and was super grateful when Sarah sent me a copy. Rose Red is out now and you can find…
-
Book Review: The Set-Up Girl by Sasha Vey
I love a contemporary YA novel set in Australia – we have some incredible authors writing in this market and I’m always keeping my eye out for new ones to add to my must-read list. Given this, I was excited to receive an early copy of local author Sasha Vey’s debut YA novel The Set-Up Girl – from Allen & Unwin. No sooner had it arrived than my almost 12yr old snatched it up to read first (she loved it), and this week, in the lead up to the Canberra Writers Festival, it was finally my turn to sink into this gorgeous novel. Check out the synopsis, and then read…
-
Book Review: Cockatoo Cove by Maya Linnell
I’ve talked here plenty of times about how much I enjoy Maya Linnell‘s writing – her rural romance novels are the perfect blend of sweet and serious, and come with such a feeling of familiarity and nostalgia that make them a perfect comfort read for me. So it probably comes as no surprise at all that I’ve been looking forward to her newest novel – Cockatoo Cove – hitting shelves today. The lovely team at Allen and Unwin kindly sent me an early copy, which I devoured in just a few sittings over the weekend, and I’m excited to share some of my thoughts. I’ve popped the blurb for Cockatoo Cove…
-
5-star favourites: My best reads of 2024
I had such a good reading year in 2024. I feel like I read across my favourite genres and managed to get a bit of a mix of new and backlist, as well as books for review and other random reads I was interested in. I also did a bit of re-reading, which is something I don’t always feel like I get to do. I’ve been tracking my reading this year on The Storygraph and today I wanted to share a little round up of my favourite books of 2024, the 13 titles that the Storygraph tells me I’ve given 5 star ratings. Check them out below, and please let…
-
Review: The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up by Kate Solly
I love crafting and I love books about women and their friendships, and I’m quite partial to a cosy mystery too, so picking up Kate Solly’s brand new novel, The Paradise Heights Craft Strore Stitch-Up was kind of a no brainer. This one was on my list this week of new books that I think will make perfect summer reads, and after whizzing through this one over a few of the lazy days between Christmas and New Year I stand by that! Check out the blurb from the publisher then scroll down for my thoughts below. What is Kate Solly’s The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up about? Meet Fleck Parker:…
-
3 New Books for your Summer Reading List
I feel like 2024 has been such an incredible year for new book releases – I haven’t been able to keep up with all the amazing-looking titles I’ve wanted to read. It might be December but the new releases aren’t done with us yet – today I’m sharing three new books by Aussie writers coming out next week that I think will be PERFECT for summer reading. That Island Feeling by Karina May A week on Pearl Island is exactly the R&R that perpetual planner Andie Alcott needs. Except instead of sipping pina coladas by the beach, she’s busy throwing her freshly divorced bestie, Taylor, a girls’ trip to remember,…
-
Review: The Last Illusion of Paige White by Vanessa McCausland
One of my favourite things about attending book festivals and events is the opportunity to be exposed to a whole bunch of writers and books that I might not necessarily have picked up otherwise, for no other reason than the fact that there are just so many new books coming out all the time. Every time I attend an event I invariably end up with entire backlists of work by new-to-me authors added to my to be read list. This was the case a little while ago when saw Vanessa McCausland on a panel at the Northern Beaches Readers Festival – the discussion was so fun and interesting that when…
-
Book Review: Wallaby Lane by Maya Linnell
The arrival of a brand new novel from Maya Linnell is always an exciting event, and this year it was exactly what I needed to cheer me up the week we returned from our overseas holiday. I devoured this sweet slice of rural romance so quickly, and it hit the mark perfectly on all the things I love about Maya’s novels. As always, the publisher’s blurb is below and you can find my thoughts underneath that. What is Maya Linnell’s Wallaby Lane about? From interviewing local flower growers to receiving blue ribbons for her show baking, Lauren Bickford’s genuine love for her hometown is almost as strong as her ambition to become…
-
#LOVEOZYA Book Review: DARK HEIR by C.S. Pascat
I’ve been busting for the release of Dark Heir since the moment I finished Dark Rise. I did a reread of Dark Rise to be ready for the sequel, and honestly I don’t understand why more people aren’t talking about this series! It’s just so perfect! I don’t want to share more about Dark Heir here because of spoilers, but you can find out more here, and I have shared the synopsis of Dark Rise below – I recommend everyone pick this up ASAP and then come back and let me know so we can talk about it! Synopsis of Dark Rise by C.S. Pascat The ancient world of magic is no more. Its heroes are…
