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Review

The Whole Bright Year – Debra Oswald

2020-02-23T19:17:08+11:00Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Kate's review
The gorgeous title and cover of this novel are instantly enticing … and then I open the book and find a quote from Homer referencing my favourite Greek myth, the story of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, whose daughter Persephone is ravished away by Hades, the god of the underworld. At once I wonder if Debra Oswald plans to allude to the myth in a book that I know (thanks to the blurb) is set in Australia in 1976. I love books that drawn on myth and folklore in bold and unexpected ways, and so I settle in to read with a heightened sense of anticipation and interest.

Three Gold Coins – Josephine Moon

2018-11-16T17:18:04+11:00Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Kate's review
A warm-hearted contemporary tale set in Australia and Italy, Three Gold Coins is the first book written by Josephine Moon that I have read but it won’t be the last. I just loved the skilful twisting together of romance and suspense, chick-lit and family drama. This is a novel which celebrates family ties, food and the importance of kindness, all things which I passionately believe in.

 Josephine Moon sensitively explores themes of depression and mental illness, psychological abuse and violence, which give her story extra gravitas to balance the charm.

The Paris Seamstress – Natasha Lester

2018-10-07T14:53:42+11:00Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , |

Kate's review
A dual-timeline novel that moves between the 1940s and contemporary times, The Paris Seamstress is a gorgeously rich and romantic novel about young women finding their way in the world. The story begins with Estella Bissette, a young apprentice seamstress working with her mother at a fashion designer’s atelier in Paris. She dreams of designing her own dresses but the Nazis are closing on France, and no-one knows what the future will hold.

Kids & YA Fest: Frogkisser! and The Lost Sapphire

2018-09-02T15:06:28+10:00Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Kate's review
As part of our Writing NSW's Kids & Young Adult Festival special, Kate interviewed Garth Nix and Belinda Murrell and reviews their latest books. Garth's Frogkisser! - a fun retake on an old fairytale - was widely acclaimed by all at the festival. Belinda's latest offering is The Lost Sapphire, a wonderful story for girls who like to imagine what life was like in the past.

Before I Let You Go

2018-04-29T10:42:02+10:00Categories: News|Tags: , , , |

Kate's review
A contemporary family drama set in Alabama, Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer is a powerful and heart-wrenching examination of the lives of two sisters and their shared love for a tiny baby. The story begins when Lexie Vidler – a doctor with a carefully built perfect life – hears her younger sister’s voice for the first time in years. Annie is a heroin addict who has caused a great deal of harm to Lexie’s life.

Before I Let You Go

2018-04-29T10:47:28+10:00Categories: News|Tags: , , , |

Sarah's review
Heroin addiction is not usually a subject that would attract me but Kelly Rimmer's voice is amazing, and from the opening page, I was hooked. Before I Let You Go is a beautiful story about two sisters – one who overcomes a harsh upbringing: Zoe, and one who doesn’t: Annie. It insightfully delineates the repercussions, both psychological and material, for loved ones when one family member fails to gain a foothold in the world.