Review: Dear Lover – Samuel Johnson OAM (ed)

Samuel Johnson OAM (ed)

Shaun Tan (Cover Image)

Hachette Australia

ISBN: 9780733649806

Hard Back

RRP $24.99

Description:

Revealing, soul-stirring, tender – a beautiful collection of letters about love from some of Australia’s most interesting grown-ups. Edited by Samuel Johnson, with every sale contributing to Love Your Sister’s cancer research.

From the bestselling, cancer-vanquishing Love Your Sister team, and edited by the indefatigable Samuel Johnson, comes Dear Lover, a funny, revealing and soul-stirring collection of letters written by notable Australians like Turia Pitt, Samuel Johnson, Susie Youssef, Hilde Hinton, Stuart Coupe, Jacqui Lambie, Larry Emdur, John Paul Young, Mandy Beaumont, Rhett Davis, Adam Harvey, Mark Brandi and Kate Mildenhall, to name a few, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

What would someone say to their childhood sweetheart, their life partner, their latest crush or their cherished soul mate? ‘Thanks for everything?’ ‘Unravel your sports socks before you put them in the washing basket?’ Anything goes in this collection of letters. If you could tell your lover anything, what would it be?

A big-hearted, comforting and uplifting collection of letters celebrating love. The perfect gift for the one you love.

My View:

Written and edited with heart and for a great cause – Love Your Sister Cancer research funding. The letters – an easy read, personal, a mixed bag of styles and quality 🙂 Some shone like polished gems (mostly singers/songwriters), some written with humour, all written with imagination for this amazing cause. It’s great to see so many embracing this series – writing or and buying. A great book to have by your bedside or in your bag for the commute to work.

My Most Anticipated Read of 2023 has Arrived

On the Savage Side

Tiffany McDaniel

W & N

Hachette Australia

ISBN: 9781399606080

RRP $32.99

Publishing 14th February 2023

Description:

Six women – mothers, daughters, sisters – gone missing. When the first is found floating dead in the river, it reveals the disturbing truth of a small Ohio town. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing and haunting novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims. From the internationally-bestselling author of Betty.

Arcade and Daffodil are twin sisters born one minute apart. With their fiery red hair and thirst for an escape, they forge an unbreakable bond nurtured by both their grandmother’s stories and their imaginations. Together, they create a world where a patch of grass reveals an archaeologist’s dig, the smoke emerging from the local paper mill becomes the dust rising from wild horses galloping in the ground, and an abandoned 1950s convertible transforms into a time machine that can take them anywhere.

But the two sisters can’t escape the generational chaos that grips their family. Growing up in the shadow of the town, the sisters cling tight to one another. As an adult, Arcade wrestles with these memories of her life, just as a local woman is discovered drowned in the river. Soon, more bodies are found. While her friends disappear around her, Arcade is forced to reckon with the past while the killer circles ever closer. Arcade’s promise to keep herself and her sister safe becomes increasingly desperate while the powerful riptide of the savage side becomes more difficult to resist.

Drawing from the true story of women killed in her native Ohio, acclaimed novelist and poet Tiffany McDaniel has written a powerful literary testament and fearless elegy for missing women everywhere.

I cannot wait to start this! Tiffany McDaniel has written some amazing books; Betty, and The Summer that Melted Everything are my all time favourites. I cannot wait to read this new one.

Best Reads of 2019 – Crime Fiction/Mystery/Thrillers

These are my favourite genres to read and review. In this category a couple of reads really stand out – can you guess which I loved so much? Ill share then next and then add a few other great ones for you to consider adding to your TBR.

 

THE BEST crime fiction reads of 2019 are:

 

Darkness for Light

A Caleb Zelic Thriller

Emma Viskic

Echo Publishing

ISBN: 9781760685812

 

Shoot Through

J M Green

Scribe Publications

ISBN: 9781925713848

These reads were both outstanding –  as were the series they belong to.

 

More great crime fiction/thriller reads that I recommend you add to your TBR:

 

 

 

 

The Chain

 

 

Best Reads of 2019 – Non Fiction

Most of the books in this category will shock your with their honesty, their rawness, their personal story of struggles and sometimes, their successes. I hope you find something here that will stimulate your mind and tug at your heart.

 

The Little Girl on the Ice Floe

Adélaïde Bon

Maclehose Press

Hachette Australia

 

Imperfect

Lee Kofman

Affirm Press

ISBN: 9781925584813

 

Bowraville

Dan Box

Penguin Random House Australia

Viking

ISBN: 9780143784395

 

 

The Hormone Diaries

The Bloody Truth About Our Periods

Hannah Witton

Wren & Rook

Hachette Australia

ISBN: 9781526361462

Best Children’s Reads of 2019

This was a category that had many wonderful entrants – children’s books can be special for so may reasons; the illustrations, the prose, the language, the characters, for how many times your grandson asks you to read again 🙂

 

The Ultimate Animal Counting Book

The Ultimate Animal Counting Book

Jennifer Cossins

Hachette Australia

Lothian Children’s Books

ISBN: 9780734418852

 

 

Bluey – The Beach

Bluey

Puffin

Penguin Random House

ISBN: 9781760894054

 

The Go Away Bird

Julia Donaldson illustrated by Catherine Rayner

Macmillan Children’s Books

ISBN: 9781509843589

Best Reads of 2019 – Contemporary/Literary Fiction

I found it very hard to limit myself to just a few contenders in this category I read so many EXCEPTIONAL and many great contemporary reads last year, perhaps I read more in this category in 2019 than in my preferred genre, crime fiction. I didn’t tally and compare but that what if felt like to me, but they were books that were written elegantly, beautifully; evoking many emotions, started many discussions and shone the spotlight on some many social issues.  So many reason to love these ( in no particular order):

 

WEARING PAPER DRESSES

Anne Brinsden

Pan Macmillan Australia

https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760784850/

 

 

The Confession

Jessie Burton

Pan Macmillan Australia

Picador

ISBN: 9781509886159

 

The Burnt Country

The Woolgrowers Companion #2

Joy Rhoades

Penguin Random House

Bantam

ISBN: 9780143793724

 

The Other Half of Augusta Hope

Joanna Glen

Harper Collins Publishers Australia

The Borough Press

ISBN: 9780008314163

 

The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone

Felicity McLean

Harper Collins Publishers Australia

Fourth Estate

ISBN: 9781460755068

 

Where the Crawdads Sing

Delia Owens

Hachette Australia

Little Brown Books

ISBN: 9781472154651

 

Allegra in Three Parts

Suzanne Daniel

Pan Macmillan Australia

ISBN: 9781760781712

 

 

Boy Swallows the Universe

Trent Dalton

 HarperCollins Publishers Australia

ISBN: 9781460753897

***Late Entry ** I cannot believe I read this book, rated it, commented (on GoodReads) and then forgot to write my review. This was an amazing read. It blew me away. Dont you forget to add it to your TBR

 

If I have missed anyone I do apologise…there were so many exceptional reads in this category. I hope you find something you mind enjoy on this list.

 

 

Best Speculative/Magic Realism Fiction Reads of 2019

Last year I read so many GREAT books and many EXCEPTIONAL books – I had to break into categories to try and cover as many of these exceptional reads as possible. Lets start with Speculative/Magic Realism.

 

Three standout books you must read in this category, each brilliant, each so different.

Every Time He Dies

Tara East

Tara East – self published

ISBN: 9780648581512

 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Neil Gaiman

Illustrated by Elise Hurst

Headline

Hachette Australia

ISBN: 9781472260239

 

 

The World That We Knew

Alice Hoffman

Simon & Schuster Australia

Scribner

ISBN: 9781471185830

My Picks for Best Crime Fiction Reads of 2018

What a fantastic year it has been for readers of all genres. I cannot believe how many 5 star reads I have have had the pleasure to review. Let me start this arduous task of reducing my list to a reasonable number by listing my pick of  the best crime fiction reads of 2018. I hope some of these make it onto your shelves.

 

In no particular order:

The Sunday Girl – Pip Drysdale

The Sunday Girl

All the Hidden Truths – Claire Askew

All The Hidden Truths

Second Sight – Aoife Clifford

Second Site Aoife Clifford

GreenLight – Benjamin Stevenson 

Greenlight

Scrublands  – Chris Hammer

Scrublands by Chris Hammer

The CraftsMan – Sharon Bolton

The Craftsman

Man at The Window – Robert Jeffreys 

Retribution – Richard Anderson

I, Witness – Niki Mackay

I Witness

Since We Fell – Denis Lehane

Since we Fell

The Wanted – Robert Crais

The Wanted

My Best Crime/Thriller/Mystery Reads of 2017

This is always such a difficult decision to make but the best thing to do is just start, start listing… here goes; in no particular order my best Crime Fiction/Thriller/Mystery reads of 2017 are:

Flight Path – Ian Andrew

The Burden of Lies – Richard Beasley

Wimmera – Mark Brandi

The Child Finder –  Renee Denfield

Her – Garry Disher

The Girls in Kellers Way – Megan Goldin

Too Easy – J M Green

The Golden Child – Wendy James

Broken Bones – Angela Marsons

I See You – Clare Macintosh

The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman (aka Everything You Want Me to Be) – Mindy Mejia

The Right Side – Spencer Quinn

Two Nights – Kathy Reichs

The Bird Watcher – William Shaw

The Good Daughter – Karin Slaughter

Fatal Crossing (Nora Sand #1) – Lone Theils

And the Fire Came Down – Emma Viskic

 

Did any of these make it on to your reading shelves last year? There were so many great reads last year the list could have gone on an on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In The Mail 18th November 2016

I am very excited by the books that arrived in the mail this week.

Books 18/11/016

So many great reads – it is almost better than Christmas!  I have started reading  Melina Marchetta’s  – Tell The Truth Shame The Devil– a great mystery/thriller ( maybe I might finish that tonight),  I have flicked  through  Vivienne Westwood’s Get a Life and I must say I am really keen to start this –  this hardback is beautifully presented – love the detailing on the inside back and front covers and the handwritten message from Vivienne and all the wonderful images sprinkled liberally throughout the book. This would make  a fantastic Christmas gift for someone special (or for yourself, your pretty special too).

I loved Saul Black’s The Killing Lessons  so really looking forward to Lovemurder.

The Rivers of London sounds interesting…  “my story really started when I tried to take a witness statement froma man who was already dead…” This grabbed my attention!  And I see Lisa Unger took my advice and created a novel from one of the novellas she wrote a while back 🙂  Ink and Bone – another I cant wait to start reading. And last but not least – a local publisher – Serenity Press brings us  Writing the Dream; twenty four inspiring stories from many writers you may know or know of – Louise Allan, Sara Foster, Jenn J Mcleod, Monique Mulligan, Sandi Wallace… I cant wait to read your stories!