Bonnie

Historical fiction is my jam and this book is everything you want in a novel. Well researched, intriguing, plausible and relevant, it ticks all the boxes for me. Probably my favourite book of the year so far.
I really enjoyed it and didn't want it to end. I wish it was a little easier to remember all the characters and their connections, because there are many.

It is an interesting mix of story, ‘research' and modern-day storyline that has a twist people don't seem to appreciate.
I expected more analysis of the key issues (systematic sexism and violence, cover-ups and allied relations) but this was more implied through the stories than discussed. Overall, a very worthwhile read for anyone who loves history, particularly WWII history.
I can't wait to read more from Melanie.

I love Australian landscapes, connecting to country, large families, colonial architecture, farming, art, a good mystery, and a friends-to-lovers trope. This book has it all! What starts as a promising art evaluation job for impulsive Alex turns into a murder mystery and family feud in a very Australian way. At first I was disappointed that there was no very early mention of the traditional land owners or Australia's dark history, but I only had to continue a few more pages and eventually this book more than delivered in recognising dispossession and the complexity within indigenous and non indigenous families who have worked alongside each other for generations, on the same land. Hogarth the hound added character and a unique perspective. A great read to break a reading slump.

“Now, as he stands by one of these dirt tracks at the start of a blackened map, the damage from this fire stretches before him, over gullies and ridges in all directions. The hills are filled with exactly the kind of scrap metal - ruined farm equipment and endless strips of scorched corrugated-iron roofing - that he likes to collect. By lighting a fire, accidentally or not, he has turned the bush around his home into one vast junkyard.”

Parts of this book took my breath away; some pages brought me to tears; and others made me rage with the futility of attempting to understand the mind of an autistic arsonist.

I appreciated Chloe's attempts at providing all sides of the story, although the focus is mainly the lonely and tortured existence of Brendan. I liked the insights she provided from other people who have autism, on what it's like often being so misunderstood, and how differently they experience the world.

I definitely recommend this book, but be warned, it's not an easy read.

I really enjoyed this sweet edition from Josephine, a successful Sunshine Coast author. The book is peppered with references to local places and businesses, making me feel right at home. It is a very Aussie story. It talks a lot about morals, but it's a story with a big heart and realistic storylines that brought a tear to my eye at the conclusion. This is the third book of Josephine's that I've read so far and I am a big fan of her style and attention to detail.

I think this is a little gem. It left me feeling angry and sad that a life was taken so soon because contraception and childbirth were still taboo and hardly understood. I am glad people have written about Georgiana so that she gets the recognition she deserves for contributing to the study of botany in Australia.

This book had me LOLing within just a few minutes, on public transport. I loved the slightly rediculous but very relatable trouble that Frankie keeps getting into. And the literary references, be still my heart!! The comments on her blog were some of my favourite moments. If you love books and a bit of drama and romance, you'll love this one!

Quite fascinating and well-researched. The amount of material included is staggering, but with all the letters, books and published material available, not to mention personal connection, it is not so surprising. I found the biography has rather put me off reading some of the sisters' published work, but I have recently started reading one of Nancy's books, after some encouragement, as I thought I should give it a go rather than dismiss them completely.
It is not an unbiased biography, but if you can look past this it is a remarkable account. It took me over a year to finish it!

This book seems to polarise ;) the readers who either hate it or love it. It's not an overly complicated story and I quite enjoyed it. I would have liked a few more details about the continent and less about who is sleeping with who. It reminded me of when I lived on an island for a while, and when you leave you know you won't be the same again.

An interesting liberal feminist social commentary which I personally think made some excellent points about grief, but lacked depth in its response to male violence. It is a character-driven story, and while I didn't particularly like any of the characters, it is well written and engaging. It demonstrates very clearly how as a society we love to romanticise and exploit for our own gain the brutal, public murders; while women are killed every week by someone they know and those ones barely get a mention. In the time since the book was written, there have been hundreds of women and children and men killed by someone known to them in Australia, but most people only remember those who died randomly, forever etched in our minds by the media and social discourse as being the real victims here.

If you have not yet read ‘Silver' by Chris Hammer, only proceed if you are okay with spoilers.

Where do I begin? I have so many thoughts about this book. I can see how much work went into Silver, and it has all the ingredients for a masterpiece. My feedback is meant with the utmost respect for his craft. I will definitely be reading other work by Chris and I would be intrigued to know if there will be a third Martin Scarsden story.

What I liked about Silver:

The setting. Port Silver is a fictional town somewhere between Kempsey and Byron Bay, which immediately makes it interesting and relatable because I live not far away. Rural towns, beaches and forests are all dear to my heart.

The pace: nothing slow about this book! I finished it in two days, not an easy feat when it is nearly 600 pages!

The way Martin dealt with his traumatic past through flashbacks, conversations, and ‘wake up!' moments. I thought this was well done and probably the best storyline in the book.

Characters like Vern and Josie. Flawed but extremely generous and kind, the type of foster parent I hope to be one day.

The interactions between baby Liam and Martin. Awkward but cute. I don't think I've ever read such sweet moments between a stepson and a father before. A really a nice touch in an otherwise frantic timeline.

The Malcom Naden-esque fugitive. Chris has done his homework. (Although I really wanted this sub plot to be more than it was).What I did not like:This book could have been more succinct with an intensive edit. Martin is obsessed with detail, every crack in a concrete path, every pothole, every time his car muffler makes a noise, every time he looks left or right when describing a breathtaking vista, every tired, sagging face he sees. I am a visual person and I was overwhelmed, sometimes having to skip paragraphs to stay focused. There are also numerous token characters and rambling side plots.The relationship between Mandy and Martin is almost non-existent. They barely communicate and there does not seem to be a reason for them to stay together. Martin is obsessed with exonerating Mandy, but this is the only indication he gives that he cares about her. (I will admit I have not yet read Scrublands). Criminality: Aside from the murders, there is: drug running, regular drink spiking and sexual assault, visa-for-sex racket, grifting, endangered wildlife poaching, manslaughter, police corruption. All casually introduced and left hanging. A sleepy beachside town my ass.The ending: Martin saves the day. The baddies turn out to be background characters. Anticlimax. Although I was disappointed, I do have to give props to Chris for demonstrating how a media storm can be created and dissipated in a short time. We create the drama in our own minds, when the truth is often much less exciting, although no less devastating for those involved.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The depictions of the artist society were delightful and I wish they still existed as they did then. The sights, sounds, smells, would have been a feast for the senses and the imagination. I feel like we rarely seek public critique or encouragement any more. Generally art we put online is to gain approval, not improvement. I really appreciate a book that has a writer and writing at the forefront.

The second half of the book lost me completely. It irritates me that a simple google search shows that The Bronx wasn't even named until several years after the book setting (in 1898). The language and behaviour of the characters is not historically accurate and made me cringe.

3.5 stars. Hillier was my favourite character. It was well written, but about as thrilling as a walking past a haunted house in broad daylight. You know it's supposed to be creepy, but you blink and you've already forgotten about it. The last two chapters were quite disturbing, but I guessed most of the plot twists right from the beginning and I feel like they could have been woven in better. Also, multiple POVs watered it down. I gave it 3.5 because I do think it's well written, just not a thriller, more a mystery.

I quite liked all the characters except the lead, she is shallow, judgemental and completely lacking self awareness. Does not make for an enjoyable read. I really wanted to know more about Alice and Jack and Pete, but the most interesting characters didn't get enough space.
Nearly DNF. The trip to Greece was a nice refreshing touch, I will say that.