Title // Suddenly One Summer

Author // Fleur McDonald

Publication Date // October 2017

Publisher // Allen & Unwin (Arena)

Readership // Adult

Genre // Fiction, Mystery

Australian RRP // $29.99

Rating // ✭✭✭✭

Synopsis

In the tradition of Red Dust, Suddenly One Summer is yet another classic rural romance novel by leading author, Fleur McDonald.

When Brianna Donahue was three years old, her mother mysteriously disappeared while farming in Merriwell Bay, Western Australia. Her body has never been found. Brianna works the same land with her father Russell, while almost single-handedly raising her two children as her husband Caleb works as a fly-in fly-out criminal lawyer in Perth.

One scorching summer's morning, her son Trent goes missing and, while frantically searching for him, Brianna must come to terms with the fact that her marriage has large cracks in it.

Over two thousand kilometres away in South Australia, Detective Dave Burrows receives a phone call reporting stolen sheep from an elderly farmer. When he and his partner Jack arrive at the farm, it's clear that Guy has early signs of dementia. Following a conversation with his wife Kim, Dave becomes intrigued with Guy's family history. Was there a sister, or was there not? No one seems to know.

So how will Dave's investigation impact Brianna's world? While battling the threat of bushfires back in Merriwell Bay, Brianna is faced with challenges that test her relationships with those she loves most. Suspenseful and incendiary, Suddenly One Summer is an intriguing and heartfelt story of the unlikely connections of life on the land.

(Allen and Unwin)

Review

Suddenly One Summer is the first book I’ve read by Fleur McDonald, and it was a page turner.

Despite being promoted as a rural romance, it was light on the romance and full of mystery and intrigue. Brianna’s lived on a farm in Western Australia her whole life, raised by her father after her mother disappeared when she was three. Years later, on her birthday, Brianna’s oldest son goes missing and during the search comes to the realisation that her marriage to her husband, Caleb, is fraying around the edges.

Meanwhile, in South Australia, Detective Burrows is called out to the property of an elderly farmer whom he begins to suspect has dementia. Becoming intrigued by Guy’s history, Burrows begin to investigate the possibility of a family member gone missing. Both storylines converge in a great twist that I didn’t see coming.

I really enjoyed Suddenly One Summer; all of the characters felt real - like people you might know. While I don’t live in rural Australia, I have family who do, and I think that’s why I’m beginning to appreciate these books more as I get older - I can see the connections between the little that I do know about farming life and it makes the reading experience all the more vivid.

I was guessing the whole way through; the twist at the end took my by surprise, and also made a lot of sense and thinking back on my reading experience as a whole, I could piece together all of the clues along the way to their natural conclusion.

This would be a great, Summertime read.

I rated Suddenly One Summer 4 out of 5 stars.

Title // That Christmas Feeling

Author // Lili Wilkinson

Illustrator // Amanda Francey

Publication Date // October 2017

Publisher // Allen & Unwin

Readership // Kids

Australian RRP // $19.99

Rating // ✭✭✭✭✭

(Allen & Unwin)

That Christmas Feeling is a picture book that brings back all my warm-fuzzy memories of reading as a child. It has that beautiful, timeless quality about it, that speaks to readers young and old.

It is the story of Dottie, her brother Jem, and their dog, Shortbread, experiencing Christmas with their Grandma and Grandpa. It is their first Christmas away from their parents and they’re finding that the usual Christmas traditions and activities that they would do at home are just a little different at their grandparent’s house. Dottie, in particular, finds it challenging, feeling that the special, excited Christmas feeling just isn’t there this year.

High quality picture books always have a way of opening discussion for young children on topics that they have questions about, and That Christmas Feeling is up there. Spending time away from our families - especially during important times of the year or events - can be really trying for young children and the idea that something is wrong or not right can be very disorientating. That Christmas Feeling is great for talking about those times, exploring that even though things my be different, that it’s okay, and it’s still (in this case) Christmas, and Dottie and Jem are still surrounded by family, but perhaps that special Christmas magic just looks different in this new place.

It’s no secret I’m a fan of picture books, but I can be really picky about the Christmas books I read with my students, and this is one I would read to them without hesitation. It has a lovely message underpinning it and it’s something you could read over and over again.

I gave That Christmas Feeling 5 out of 5 stars.

(Thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of Good Friday for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Title // Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2)

Author // Jay Kristoff

Publication Date // September 2017

Publisher // Harper Voyager

Readership //Adult

Genre // Fantasy

Rating // ✭✭✭✭✭

(Good Reads)

“Good turn to you, gentle friends. It’s lovely to see you again."

Why, yes. Yes, it is.

Godsgrave is the non-stop, bloody quest of Mia Corvere, picking up right where Nevernight left off, only this time, our fearless heroine is facing a slew of troubling truths that call into question everything she thought she knew.

Jay Kristoff’s Nevernight world is so interesting in all it’s bright, bloody glory - a world where it’s rarely dark and where shadows hold power, and the occasional daemon, and nothing is as it seems. While the format may not suit all readers - there’s a constant set of footnotes from the omnipresent narrator adding extra details that extend upon the need-to-know knowledge of the narrative - it’s certainly a fun read for those who have an interest in details and a decent sense of humour.

Mia continues to be a fascinating heroine - a trained Blade of the Red Church, though many of her peers don’t believe she’s earned her place - out for blood to avenge the death of her father. Mia begins to question the Red Church and she slowly begins to unravel truths that she’d never considered before. Allies become enemies and enemies become allies as her world slowly becomes more and more complicated.

What I love about this series is how unafraid it is to reveal the flaws of any and all of the characters. Despite the fantastical setting and the bloody-nature of many of the players, everyone feels real and three-dimensional. They grow as they learn (or regress as they don’t) and that makes them all the more compelling. Kristoff isn’t afraid to bloody, maim or kill characters and I have a lot of respect for authors who know when and where this is appropriate (and given that we’re talking of a book about assassins, this is kind of important). 

While I won’t go into details about the plot, or even character development, too much (because, sequel - go read the first book, then this one, then come back and talk to me!) I have to say that Mia’s character arc is just amazing, as is her struggle to reconcile love and revenge and which she desires most. Mister Kindly's and Eclipse’s conversations are hilarious to read, and often steal the show.

While Godsgrave takes some time to read - it’s dense, but in a fabulous way - I was hooked for the first sentence and couldn’t put it down. I gave Godsgrave 5 out of 5 stars.

Title // The Naming of Tishkin Silk     

Author // Glenda Millard

Publication Date // 2003

Publisher // ABC Books

Genre // Junior Fiction, Australian

(Good Reads)

The Naming of Tishkin Silk is as heart-warming as it is heartbreaking. 

Griffin Silk is the second-to-youngest child in his family, with five older sisters who are nicknamed the Rainbow Girls. He lives with his sisters, his father and his grandmother, Nell, in a house surrounded by a beautiful landscape. His mother and youngest sister, Tishkin, aren’t with them, but every day Griffin hopes for their return, especially when he starts at his new school and finds himself in situations he’s never been in before. Until he meets Princess Layla, and the two strike up a beautiful friendship.

There are so many things to love about The Naming of Tishkin Silk, the first being Glenda Millard’s beautiful writing. She captures the voice of young Griffin so well, moving from the childlike to the poignant in the way only children can be and as a reader, I felt like I was three with Griffin as he tries to find the answers he’s looking for. The characters were spot on: the sadness and the hope that they all have was clear. Nell was a wonderfully magical grandmother - the rock for the family - and Ben, Griffin’s father, is trying to keep the family unit together. The Rainbow Girls were bright and cheerful, and all of them welcomed Layla into their lives.

There’s something enchanting about books like this: whimsical tales telling stories about sad truths and reality that grip readers and keep them wanting more. The Naming of Tishkin Silk will tug at your heart-strings (you might even cry) in a good way. This beautiful tale goes such a long way to explain and how you keep going after tragedy.

I gave The Naming of Tishkin Silk 5 out of 5 stars.

Title // The Dark Lake

Author // Sarah Bailey

Publication Date // May 24th 2017

Publisher // Allen and Unwin

Genre // Crime

Price // AUD $32.99

Rating // ✭✭✭✭

(Allen and Unwin)

The Dark Lake is the debut novel of Melbourne-based author, Sarah Bailey, and it delivered on intrigue and pathos, and the harsh realities of grief.

Local teacher, Rosalind Ryan, is found murdered, her body floating in a lake. Local Detective Sergeant, Gemma Woodstock, is assigned the case despite having attended high school with the victim, and the case is an interesting blend of personal and impersonal for her as she tries to unravel who killed Rosalind and why.

The majority of the story is told from Gemma’s perspective - with small minor character interludes that, while not strictly necessary, did provide additional insight and clues into the case - and she is an interesting woman: a dedicated - to the point of obsession - police officer, a mother, a partner, vulnerable and ambitious, and consistently stuck between decisions she doesn’t want to make and the reality of her past. There are times when she is quite unlikeable - which works perfectly for the story being told, because all of her decisions are based on her own self-interests and are very telling of who she is and where she is currently at in both her personal and professional lives.

Set in Summer, The Dark Lake has the same hot, claustrophobic feel about it, especially as the town approaches Christmas with the unsolved murder hanging over it. There’s internal and external pressures exuding forces of Gemma to solve the case to the point where it begins to take over her life and we, as readers, begin to question her objectivity.

This was a solid debut novel and a great crime book, with a victim who is so complex and mysterious that I began to question if she was actually the victim at all.

Overall I gave The Dark Lake 4 out of 5 stars. 

(Thank you to Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of The Dark Lake in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Title // The Bone Sparrow

Author // Zana Fraillon     

Publication Date // 2016

Publisher // Lothian Children’s Book

Genre // Young Adult

Rating // ✭✭✭✭⭐︎

(Good Reads)

The Bone Sparrow is a heart-breaking story of a young boy named Subhi, and a young girl named Jimmie, as their lives intertwine at the detention centre where Subhi and his mother and sister are held.

Subhi was born in the detention centre - the first child to born in this particular one - and at ten years of age, it’s the only world he has ever known. Told from his perspective, we see the world through his eyes; he doesn’t understand everything about his situation, and so we, as readers, are left to fill the gaps. A very imaginative child, Subhi’s story is told in a wonderfully lyrical and symbolic style - he dreams of a night sea that brings him gifts and loves to hear other people’s stories. He carries around a rubber duck, named Shakespeare, that talks to him, illuminating many of Subhi’s inner thoughts.

Along with Subhi, and his family, we meet his best friend, Eli - an older boy who’s behaviour in the family camp sees him on the receiving end of more attention than he wants - and Jimmie, a local girl who’s knowledge and understanding of the detention centre is not great; she just knows there’s a boy there who can help her read her deceased mother’s journal, revealing her family’s past. We also follow the story of one of the guards at the centre, and the fallout that comes from working in a place like that.

This is an incredibly powerful story, told in a beautiful way; it is easily accessible to readers, thought-provoking and worthy of discussion. Even now, just thinking back on it, all the feelings I felt whilst reading are at the fore of my mind.

The Bone Sparrow is one book that I cannot highly recommend enough. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Title // If Wishes Were Horses

Author // Karly Lane

Genre // Popular Fiction

Price // AUD $29.99

Rating // ✭✭✭✭⭐︎

Soon after her arrival, Sophie decides on a whim to buy an old house on the outskirts of town. There, she discovers the diary of a light horse trooper from the First World War, which she finds fascinating.

Local vet, Zac Conway, is also struggling in the wake of losing his life partner. So when Sophie brings an abandoned horse to him for treatment and they get to know each other, Zac is surprised to feel emotions he never hoped to experience again.

The peace and tranquillity of living in her new community sees Sophie gradually recovering from her trauma and grief. As she discovers more about her farm’s history, she realises that the past and the present are irrevocably connected and, just like love, it waits for the right person to come along to unlock its secrets.

(Allen and Unwin)

If Wishes Were Horses is a beautiful story about overcoming tragedy and loss, building relationships and discovering community. 

Set in a small, rural town, Sophie Bryant has taken over the role as local paramedic after she is shot while attending a call in the city. Recovering from both her injuries and the death of her husband, the change from the city to country pace is exactly what she needs and Sophie soon finds herself charmed by the town, it’s people, and an old house she discovers on the outskirts of town. She buys it on a whim, and while cleaning it she discovers artefacts left by a Word War I light horse trooper, and begins to learn about the soldier’s history - both at war and at home in Hilson’s Ridge.

If Wishes Were Horses was an easy, but highly enjoyable read. Karly Lane deftly describes the small country town and its’ people; they come to life on her pages. Their struggles and triumphs, both individually and as a community, seem real, just like Sophie - who, while initially an outsider, comes to discover the truth about herself and her priorities as a result.

Sophie was a likeable woman; the loss of her husband and her own injuries have left their mark on her and she’s determined to find her own peace with both. The relationship she develops with the various side-characters was lovely to read about, and through her we learn about them. Her first meeting with Zac is hilarious and awkward and simply builds from there.

 

It was really nice to read a story in which the romance isn’t the central focus. While it’s definitely an important part of the story, the heart, I believe, lies in the story’s ties to World War I. I began reading If Wishes Were Horses just before Anzac Day and it struck a chord with me as Sophie begins to read the diary - the realities of war and the impact it leaves afterwards were heartbreaking and poignant and truly raised this story for me.

Overall, I gave If Wishes Were Horses 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of If Wishes Were Horses for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.