The Bushranger’s Wife

By Cheryl Adnams ISBN: 978-1-8672-0812-9 Mira (2021) “The Bushranger’s Wife” is a lively historical romance, focused on providing an energetic romp through Australia in 1861. Prudence Stanforth and her repressive grandmother have just moved to Australia from England. Before they even reach their destination – Uncle Robert’s property – they are robbed at gunpoint by … Continue reading The Bushranger’s Wife →

The Iron Raven

The Iron Fey: Evenfall Book 1 By Julie Kagawa ISBN: 978-1-8672-0832-7 Young Adult HQ (2021) “The Iron Raven” is an enjoyable adventure in the world of the Iron Fey. It’s a relatively fast moving novel which focuses primarily on the emotional development of one character, in the context of a challenging but not impossible quest. … Continue reading The Iron Raven →

Close to Home

By Janet Gover ISBN: 978-1-4892-9430-2 Mira (2021) “Close to Home” is a lovely warm novel that looks at love and loss, change and moving forward. An appealing cast of characters in a small Australian town will catch readers’ attention, and soon have you wishing good things for them. In Nyringa, Aunt Alice Dwyer is related … Continue reading Close to Home →

Find You First

By Linwood Barclay ISBN: 978-0-00-833205-1 HQ Fiction (2021) “Find You First” is a fast moving thriller that starts with a familiar idea but adds plenty of original twists. The premise is really interesting and will engage most readers, and once you’ve read the first chapter, Barclay’s writing style then makes it very hard to put … Continue reading Find You First →

Snowy Mountains Daughter

By Alissa Callen ISBN: 978-1-4892-6978-2 Mira (2021) “Snowy Mountains Daughter” is a rural romance that I found both more touching and more realistic than many novels from this genre. Strong characters and a credible situation made for a particularly enjoyable story. It looks easy enough to write a rural romance: boy meets girl; obstacles appear; … Continue reading Snowy Mountains Daughter →

Sargasso

By Kathy George ISBN: 978-1-8672-1589-9 HQ Fiction (2021) “Sargasso” is one of those really interesting novels that is hard to define by genre. Yes, it’s a gothic, but that doesn’t really feel like a genre these days. However you want to define it, though, it’s a mesmerising and fascinating novel that will hold your interest … Continue reading Sargasso →

The Island

By CL Taylor ISBN: 978-0-00-824059-2 HQ Fiction (2021) “The Island” is a strong young adult thriller that’s highly readable and well suited to the readership it targets; older readers may find the characterisation a little too shallow to truly enjoy it, although the plot is suspenseful almost to the end. Taylor’s first novel for young … Continue reading The Island →

The Treatment

By CL Taylor ISBN: 9780008240561 HQ Fiction (2017) “The Treatment” is a really good young adult thriller. Although the plot isn’t all that original, Taylor’s strong characters and fast paced writing means this is compelling and enjoyable to read. Sixteen year old Drew is quite happy when her brother Mason is sent to the Residential … Continue reading The Treatment →