Literary Brooding

Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean Hardcover, 368 pages Expected publication: April 4th 2017 by Blink Maren greets us in the worse of situations as she stands at the graveside of her mother. Finding herself an orphan she is moved from the United States to Scotland to live with her estranged Grandparents. Struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother and adjusting to a new life, Maren is further disturbed by her dreams. Maren receives a parcel from her mother which contains a mysterious journal and a letter saying her life is in danger. From here Maren becomes involved in a mystery and of course there is a romance. I have to admit that I am finding this book very difficult to review. There is so much to like about the story, it has an original twist and the world building is really good. However I am not sure that the balance between the romance and mystery has the right mix. The area that I found difficult was the romance as is was just too sudden and too deep.

Trial by Fire (Worldwalker #1) Josephine Angelini Hardcover, 374 pages, Published September 2nd 2014 by Feiwel & Friends Lily Proctor is a mess; her health is a daily management affair and her best friend Tristan went to boyfriend status and cheater in a space of week. Then there is her mother who has had a mental breakdown. So believe me when I say Lily is not having the best of times. Then a voice calls to her and Lily finds herself transported to another world with many similarities and differences. What commences is an adventure as Lily comes to terms with this new world and the impact her presence is having. Josephine Angelini has taken the concept of a witch and given it a really good shake up. What she has created is unique and wholly original. It was a fantastic revelation to come into a world devoid of vampires, fairies and werewolves (sorry but I am over them) but instead you have good and evil where the lines are blurred as to the characters intentions.

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo Amy Schumer Hardcover, 323 pages Published August 16th 2016 by Gallery Books First of all I would like to thank all the trolls who made a concerted attempt to have Amy Schumer’s ‘The Girl with the lower back tattoo’ rated a one. If they had not made such an effort, had not gathered so much publicity in their attempts I may have never decided to purchase the book. I mean my interest was piqued and I wanted to know why they were so happy to lambaste everything about Amy Schumer. Amy Schumer has written a frank, brutally honest account of moments in her life whether they are good or bad. She has to be given full marks for telling moments of her life that are confronting and many would argue should not be discussed in public. It is never easy to talk about family illness, domestic violence and anything sexual. Yet Schumer tackles all these of issues with respect, authenticity and humour. There is some powerful writing in this book that will reso

Always Happy Hour - Stories  by Mary Miller  W. W. Norton & Company, Liveright Hardcover, 256 pages, Expected publication: January 10th 2017 Miller has written a collection of short stories that centres on the how women perceived and are perceived in the modern world. Her writing is sharp, honest and poignant. You are allowed to journey with each of the protagonists through a short moment of time in their lives. The women in these stories are looking for personal meaning, family, love, freedom, redemption, security, an array of emotions are laid bare and dissected. What I really enjoyed was the small snippets of information or moments that just rounded out and gave depth to the stories. There is this beautiful moment when a couple are sitting in the car and the awkwardness is captured by a simple line that ‘The basketball that’s been rolling around in his trunk is finally still.’ Throughout all of the stories Miller is able to create these wonderful insights into character

American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld Paperback, 638 pages  Published July 2nd 2009 by Black Swan  (first published September 2nd 2008)  Alice is married to one of the most powerful men in the world, the President of the United States of America, Charles Blackwell but how did she get there? This is what Curtis Sittenfeld explores in her fictionalised account that is loosely based on Laura Bush. You follow Alice as young woman through to a 60 year old woman living in the White House.  As the narrator, Alice takes you into her confidence as she reveals her secrets, hopes, desires and short-comings.  Alice is interesting character as at times you are not certain if she really is naïve, unaware or just plain stupid! The reason for this is primarily the relationship she develops with Charles Blackwell.  You find it quite infuriating that a woman of this calibre is with a man like Charles Blackwell. He is not a character that you develop much empathy for. He is childish, selfis

The Bricks That Built the Houses  by Kate Tempest  Paperback, 400 pages, Published January 1st 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC  Kate Tempest has written a novel that is hard to place. It is realistic, gritty, and brutally honest. It focuses on a group of people as their lives intertwine over a period of about a year.  The two primary characters are Becky who loves to dance and Harry who is seeking a financial escape by pedalling drugs. You are dropped into their lives and you spend time with them as they navigate family, friendships, lovers, work, broken dreams and endless hope for a life that is better than what they have now. Each character’s life, their history is beautifully realised as you develop an intimate understanding of who they are and what makes them tick. You discover their families and you understand the foundations that have crafted the main characters. The writing is quite sublime and I love the way in short bursts Tempest is able to capture a sense of place,

City of Shadows (London Fae #2) by Pippa DaCosta Published July 7th 2016 by Bloomsbury Spark  This is the second book in the London Fae series and I have to admit I have not read the first book. To be honest you there is no real need to read the first in the series and DaCosta does a great job of bringing you up to speed. However, if you want to lose yourself in the series, go back to the first book and discover the detail behind how we came to the second novel. It will certainly enrich your reading experience. Alina is the protagonist who has betrayed a friend Andrew by consuming his draiocht which seems to pass on memories and allows a person to become bespelled. As an act of atonement for her behavior Alina commits to finding his missing sister. To discover the sister's whereabouts Alina joins the organization that is also determined to destroy her and she becomes involved in a high stakes game of life and death. DaCosta has built a believable world with a group of characte

Ink and Bone - Lisa Unger Hardcover, 352 pages  Published June 7th 2016 by Touchstone  Lisa Unger has crafted a fast paced, engaging, dark, thrilling, absorbing psychological novel that has plenty of twists and a couple of well-crafted surprises for the reader. From the outset you are thrown into the deep end as a young girl Abbey fights for survival and you know that nothing good is coming from this. As you are preparing to tumble of the chasm into darkness, Unger brings into Finlay who is coming to terms with her psychic abilities under the tutelage of her Grandmother Eloise. This is the real edge of your seat stuff and Unger as a writer has masterfully woven a thriller that has plenty of layers. You explore the grief, guilt and anguish of families who suffer the curse of not knowing what has happened to their child. It is harsh reading as the emotions are raw with the torment of that never ending hope their child is still alive. The characters are complex, loaded with baggag

Too much work, plenty of reading to relax and not enough time to catch up on the blog. So here is the big catch up. Room - Emma Donoghue Paperback, 321 pages, Published May 18th 2011 by Back Bay Books There has been a lot written about this book and there is not much I can add. Donoghue has crafted an interesting story using a five year old as the point of view character. You see the world through his eyes and that is what makes this story really work. It is clever and works. It is easy to see why this novel has been so popular. A good read. The Watch Tower - Elizabeth Harrower Paperback, 240 pages, Published 2012 by Text Publishing  (first published 1966)  Laura and Clare are sisters who when we first meet them are attending boarding school with their entire lives planned out before them. Laura is a brilliant student with designs on becoming a Doctor and Clare is beginning to find her way at school. The death of their father sees the world of the two girls turned upsid

Spells of Blood and Kin – Claire Humphrey Hardcover, 320 pages, Expected publication: June 14th 2016 by Thomas Dunne Books A lot of books classed under the paranormal genre tend to be about a romance between a human and an otherworldly beast. There is nothing wrong with that and displays at the local bookstore indicate there is a continual appetite. In Claire Humphrey’s ‘Spells of Blood and Kin’ she has tried to break the shackles of the genre and endeavoured to present something darker and deeper. The story centres around Lissa of Russian heritage who is dealing with the death of her Grandmother who is a witch. Lissa having been schooled by her Grandmother reluctantly takes over the duties required of helping women who want to become pregnant or fall in love. It is all mundane magic until Maksim arrives at her door seeking a magic that comes a high cost. Humphreys has created a world that is believable and are well constructed. The characters are detailed and with

I have been reading and thus not updating and so it is time to catch up. The reviews are short as I kept wanting to go back to the reading.  Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman  Paperback, 238 pages, Published March 29th 2005 by Ballantine Books For 200 years Blackbird House has stood and watched as people have passed through it's doors.  Each family has it's own tale to tell and you are moved through time. The first family that resides there suffers an awful tragedy at sea. As the waves overtake him a young boy releases his pet blackbird and the bird returns back to the house. Rather than being seen as a sign of hope the blackbird becomes the harbinger of bad news.  Each of the stories are short, compelling and have you wanting to know more about these families.  The linkages between families and time is deftly handled. You are seamlessly moved along and never wondering how did I get here. Hoffman has beautiful lyrical style and you are carried along with th

Different Class Joanne Harris Hardcover, 416 pages Expected publication: April 21st 2016 by Doubleday  (first published April 7th 2016) What a corker of a novel, quite simply an absolute corker. Latin master Roy Straitley has been teaching at St Oswald’s Grammar school for over thirty years and he has survived not just the boys but the changes in administration. Experience has taught Straitley that each year you have troublemakers, favourites, and then there is the odd boy who just cannot be pigeonholed. St Oswald’s is going through another upheaval this time brought on by scandal and the need to modernise. While there are all this new beginnings on offer Roy Straitley finds himself confronted with the past and a sense of foreboding. This is a taut psychological thriller that goes back and forth through time. The main point of view is Straitley who brings together all the pieces of the story. The voice that is most engaging is the unidentified person who writes to Mousey and

The Salzburg Tales by Christina Stead Paperback,  Published January 1st 2016 by Miegunyah Press (first published 1934) Christina Stead is finally and thankfully going through a revival as new readers are introduced to her works. Australia seems to have a habit of not celebrating its female authors and it is wonderful to see this renewed focus. Stead in my humble opinion is one of Australia’s greatest authors and having read this novel just seals the deal for me. A group of strangers have a chance meeting at the Salzburg Festival and over seven days they tell stories. The tales involve tragedy, humour, fantasy and myth.  The characters are beautifully realised It is an extraordinary collection of stories and I was moved, engaged and transported into these diverse lives. The way that Stead captures the elements of a character in her personages’ introduction is just divine ‘her arms were thin, muscular and rough skinned as a shark’s fin with too much exercise.’ There are so man

The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby Paperback, 139 pages, Published 2004 by Harper Perennial A man trapped in a body that no longer functions but with a brain brimming with memories, creativity and stories.  Communicating by blinking only with one eye he dictates a remarkable memoir filled with humour, insights and tinged with sadness.  I don't think anyone could imagine being locked into their body. The thought of spending hours, weeks, months lying in a bed with nothing but your thoughts is unfathomable. Yet Bauby was able to demonstrate a deep love for humanity and place focus on the simple pleasures we take for granted. Just the simple act of being able to ruffle his son's hair is heartbreaking. A poignant memoir. Blood Acre by Peter Landesman Paperback, 272 pages,  Published January 1st 2000 by Penguin Books Nathan Stein was once a successful lawyer has quickly slid down into the depths of corruption and now f

My Life on the Road Gloria Steinem Hardcover, 304 pages Published October 27th 2015 by Random House I knew of Gloria Steinem but not about her and this book is my introduction to the woman and her work.  My Life on the Road is a highly quotable memoir full of observations, anecdotes and pearls of wisdom. Steinem starts with the simple question of what makes me want to keep on the road travelling from place to place and for Steinem it starts with her Father.  As it was her Father that pack the family in the car to go travelling with no end date to the journey. I loved the descriptions that evoke life on the road ‘we see an acre of motorcycles around each isolated diner and motel’ and ‘stopping to cool off in shallow streams or find shade in groves where chai and steamed rice cakes called idlis were sold from palm-roofed shelters.’ Her years as a journalist have given her a wonderful skill to simply and quickly catch the beauty and the ugliness of situations. The section on taxi

The Secret Heiress Luke Devenish Paperback, 422 pages Expected publication: April 1st 2016 by Simon and Schuster Australia In this Australian gothic novel two young women 17 years apart, find themselves entangled in the mystery that surrounds the inhabitants of Summersby House. The story is told in alternating viewpoints and we start with Ida Garfield in 1886.  Young and naïve she is employed by the mistress of Summersby House, Matilda Gregory as a housemaid. Yet Ida is not being employed just for her labouring skills but also her natural curiosity. Full of excitement for the start of a new job Ida’s hopes are crushed when Matilda Gregory is found is dead in circumstances that leads to an exodus of staff and a lot of town gossip. Undeterred Ida commences work and soon discovers that there are mysteries to be discovered in Summersby House including unravelling her attraction to recently widowed and handsome Samuel Hackett. The second point of view is by Biddy, some 17 years

Depraved Heart  Patricia Cornwell Hardcover, 480 pages, Published October 27th 2015 by William Morrow The last time I read a Scarpetta novel was back in 2013 and it was book 16 in the series. I have come back to the series at book 23 with Depraved Heart. Scarpetta is called to investigate an apparent suicide but as she begins to examine the clues all is not what it seems. Yet her investigation is side-tracked as she receives a series of text messages with a video feed that suggest her niece Lucy is in trouble. Once again Scarpetta finds herself in a race to sort out fact from fiction.   Coming back to a Scarpetta novel is like catching up with old friends. You come in visit their lives, discover what a mess they have made, where they have been successful and that you still find Lucy annoying. What I did find to be a significant change in this book is that no one seems to trust anyone anymore. Scarpetta does not trust Lucy, Benton or Marino. Marino does not trust Scarpett

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend - Katarina Bivald Kindle Edition, 384 pages, expected publication: January 19th 2016 by Vintage Digital Every now and then you come across a gem of a book that is gentle, interesting, engaging and feel good novel that makes you want to crawl between the pages and reside there. ‘Readers of Broken Wheel’ is that book where you find captivated by the personalities that the author has created. Out of work Sara has travelled from Sweden to visit her elderly pen-pal Amy who lives in the small dying town of Broken Wheel in Iowa. Unfortunately for Sara her arrival is not the triumph she expected as she soon discovers that Amy has recently passed away. The town people embrace Sara and encourage her to stay as that is what Amy would want. What Sara soon realises is that Broken Wheel is a town hanging on to its existence by the slightest of threads, the shops are empty, there are no jobs and people are just getting by. Sara tries to thank the people for