This was an ok light read. But I didn‘t love it. I borrowed it from the public library because I saw it had lots of good reviews and is on the best seller lists. These 2 factors don‘t always necessarily make these books a ‘pick‘ for me 😂 But I needed something light after reading ‘A Little Life‘ and it ticked that box

I‘d put off reading this book for years. I knew it would be tough but it was relentlessly grim. The main character, Jude, experiences so much brutality that it‘s difficult to read. I respect what the author has written but it was an exceptionally tough read.

A great find from the ‘Little Free Library‘ around the corner from my house. Such a wonderful author. There are always passages and lines in her books that I went to highlight and treasure but never do as I‘m compelled to keep reading! A story of Peri, who lives in Istanbul with her family but is pulled back into memories of her student days in Oxford. Of an enigmatic professor and his influence on 3 students and questions on religion and God.

I‘ve put off reading this book for years. This copy was given to me by someone who said she buys this book at secondhand stores whenever she sees it and hands it out to people to read. I couldn‘t say no upon hearing that. I‘m glad I finally read it as distressing as the murder at the beginning is. It‘s really a book about grief and families. A really good read.

Having read ‘The Pilot‘s Wife‘ and other books by this author years ago, I couldn‘t resist grabbing this one from the ‘Little Free Library‘ in my neighbourhood. Great read set in the early 1900s in the fictional coastal town of Fortune‘s Rocks. The book starts in 1899 when Olympia Biddeford is 15 and living a privileged life. An older man enters her life and a scandal ensues. Well written characters and setting.

I think if I‘d read this in my 30s it would have had more of an impact on me. I‘m in my 50s now (like the author) and I kind of think people in their 50s naturally get to the ‘Let Them‘ phase. And it‘s great! Luckily I‘m one of those people who didn‘t really need this advice….I‘m living it already. Hooray to getting older! Letting things go can be very rewarding and cathartic. If you‘re not there yet it is truly something to look forward to!

Wow! This book was amazing! Had me 100% hooked. I love Tim Winton but I was reluctant to read this one because I thought it might be too depressing. I‘m sooo glad I did read it! Set in a futuristic Australia where climate change has wreaked havoc and humanity is adapting in order to survive. Gritty and frightening the main character tells his life story to a suspicious stranger in order to survive. Well worth reading.

Wow! This book was great! A dystopian future where people of ‘higher‘ social standing live in eco cities. Two sisters have lost each other. One is stranded on an island and the other is in an eco city. It takes a while to work out what is really going on but all becomes startlingly clear. Great writing, great characters and a sad commentary on climate change. A really good read.

This was not what I was expecting. It was even better! I thought this was a straightforward fantasy but no it was a fast paced, action packed YA adventure. Lots of hunting for treasure and fighting off baddies. A good teen read.

Another ‘impulsive borrow‘ from the Library 😊This was a good read. Seemed to be well researched which is always a plus. A Danish professor goes to Berlin in 1943 to help police find a serial killer. Lots of twists and turns.

I wasn‘t sure about this one to start with. I couldn‘t work out what all the fuss was about. But then the more I read the more I liked the characters. Short sharp chapters kept me on the edge of my seat! And the story completely sucked me in. Glad I picked this one up.

This was interesting. Lots of common sense advice. Some good recipes as well. But I‘m personally still not ready to try intermittent fasting. Has anyone else found this helps with menopausal symptoms?

I‘m really glad I picked this up at the public library. I hadn‘t intended to borrow or read it but happy I did. A new series by Richard Osmsn with great new characters, fast paced, interesting storylines with lots of laughter along the way. Recommend this one!

This was a great read! It brought back so much of Huck Finn that I‘d forgotten and loved. This is so well done. A retelling from Jim‘s perspective. It would be a great text for teachers to teach alongside Huck Finn. I hope somewhere in the world someone is still teaching Huck Finn. Both of these books are such important pieces of literature and a snapshot of an era that shouldn‘t be forgotten. Still very relevant today.

I really struggled with this one. I felt it dragged and I lost interest. And then half way through someone told me that she is now writing book 4 and 5 of the series. I won‘t be reading on. Sadly, not for me.

A debut YA novel written by a friend of someone I know. Interesting concept based around 2 school friends, Claire & Suzannah, who work in a cafe in Launceston, Tasmania. Claire meets Jerome who is immortal however he loses his memory whenever he falls asleep & therefore stays awake for days on end. He inevitably disappears one day leaving Claire. Suzannah heads to Melbourne and as subtitled the novel becomes a ‘love letter to two cities‘.

Easy read with a good storyline. Tempe gets called to Washington DC to help identify human remains from a house fire. The story has the usual twists and turns of a Kathy Reichs novel and doesn‘t disappoint. Her books are never boring.

Wow! Apparently I started this book in June 2021. It is now February 2025 and I‘ve finally finished reading all 1150 pages! It‘s taken me as long to read it as it took Rebecca West to write it! An amazing, epic read that I was happy to dip into, savour, leave and return to over 4 years. The author at one point says that her book is so long probably no one will ever read it. She was wrong. Completed in 1941 and still being reprinted says it all.

Thomas Keneally is one of those prolific Australian authors that rarely disappoints. His novels are often based on real historical events and people. This one is about one of the two sons of Charles Dickens who settled in Australia. Written beautifully and captures the characters and late 1860s Australia perfectly. And obviously lots of references about the life Charles Dickens and his works. Interesting and a good read

This was a bit of a step back in time for me. Things are slowly changing but the sexism and double standards portrayed in this book were very real to me 30 years ago. The frustrations of being mistreated, patronised and overlooked as a woman screams loud and clear from this book. Cleverly written. This book was a birthday gift from my son. I‘m very proud to have raised a son who is not like some of the men in this book.

Happy New Year! Well it‘s been a great start to 2025! I started this book yesterday(last year) and finished it today (this year)! Not the greatest book I‘ve ever read but it did the trick and kept me entertained. A child of a tv personality is taken from her daycare without her parents‘ knowledge. The investigation and ensuing media circus uncovers many secrets

My last book for 2024! Not sure what to say about this one. A classic situation where something born out of good intentions (Microfinance loans to the poor) gets twisted and manipulated into a profit making machine which seems to only benefit the rich. This is a simplistic overview of the author‘s contention. The lure of money will always attract vultures and the morally corrupt wherever you are in the world. Disappointing but true.

Another secondhand book purchase. You are always guaranteed something light and easy to read with a Jane Green book. I just didn‘t think this was one of her best.

This one was definitely a ‘pick‘ for me! Fascinating, and informative this book kept me riveted. I learnt so much that I had no idea about. For example ‘data labourers‘. The people who painstakingly go through images for AI and are paid a pittance. The author shows the impact of AI around the world. A great read that I got from the library but I feel like I need my own copy as I‘ll keep going back to it. It is a scary glimpse into our future.

This is a really important book that all parents and educators should read. It shows how the epidemic of mental illness stems directly from our shift from ‘play based‘ to ‘phone based‘ childhoods. The data and evidence in this book is truly mind blowing. I had not heard the term ‘sociogenic illnesses‘ before but it makes total sense to me and something I‘ve long suspected is happening. It‘s not all doom and gloom. There are solutions. Read it!

I bought this book in a second hand store months ago for $3. I bought it for my husband and only because the title reminded me of a late friend of his who used to say ‘It‘s too late to go home early now‘. I didn‘t expect to ever read it but I did and really enjoyed it! A very witty, funny and sometimes brutal account of being a music journalist in Australia and UK in the early 90s. Interesting stories for anyone around for Blur vs Oasis era.

This is a great YA/teen read! Someone recommended it to me about 10 years ago and I finally got around to reading it! I remember them saying it was one of the scariest books they‘d read. It is very creepy and scary. Kept my anxiety levels high but worth reading.

I liked this book. Amanda Montell‘s writing is always interesting and insightful. I will definitely read more of her books

YUM! This book covers all the basics of pasta making and much more. Includes simple Napoli sauce and Ragu recipes but lots of fancy recipes too. Lots of great tips. And an interesting story of how the restaurant ‘Tipo 00‘ came to be. Reading it has made me hungry!

I think I‘ve read too many books on menopause. A friend has told me to stop as they get me down! 😊 This one is helpful, if you live in the USA, as it refers to what tests and treatments are available through insurance. I thankfully live in a country with a decent tax payer funded/subsidised health care system and don‘t have to worry. Menopause is hard enough without having to worry about exorbitant costs associated with getting basic care.

This was a good read. Louise Candlish is great at creating morally corrupt characters. None of them are likeable and it makes for interesting reading!

I usually just pick up a Jo Nesbo whenever I feel like it. I haven‘t read every book in the Harry Hole series. But I‘ve read books 11 and 12 in the last couple weeks and I‘m so glad I did! Wow! What a ride this one was! Nesbo is so clever and writes the best murder mystery thrillers. His books always keep me enthralled

I really like this author but this one is not my favourite. I‘ve heard her described as a modern day Agatha Christie which is a good description. This one was a bit far fetched but ended neatly. A country manor mystery with occult leanings.

When all your library reservations come in at once! 👏😊 Happy days!

Wow!! This was a really great read! I didn‘t really enjoy Liane Moriarty‘s last 2 books but this one is definitely a winner! I couldn‘t put it down! Such an interesting and unique storyline. On an ordinary flight between Hobart and Sydney a woman stands up and walks through the cabin and one by one tells each passenger what age they‘ll die and cause of their deaths. The book then deals with the subsequent fall out of these predictions. Brilliant!

Another great read! I love the Harry Hole series. This one was really gritty and gruesome. I had to put it down for some of the really brutal bits but not for long as I was completely hooked. It kept me guessing until the very end. Very clever! I‘ve reserved the next one from the public library

This was a good read! Recommended to me by a teen who enjoyed it and I understand why. Set in the future in Melbourne, Australia this is a refreshing look at time travel. A good teen read that I didn‘t want to put down. The first in a trilogy that I will need to read as the book ends on an epic cliffhanger!!

I hardly ever give up on a book. I‘m one of those people who doggedly persists because I think every book has some good elements. Not this one. So poorly written. It‘s trying to be a teenage voice but it just doesn‘t work. I can‘t understand why there‘s a Neil Gaiman recommendation on the front cover. Did he even read it?? And there is even a sequel! Why?? Not for me. Can‘t recommend this one.

This took me a while to get into but once I did I liked it. A slow paced but interesting story set in an abbey of an order of nuns in rural Australia. The book looks at the nature of faith and women who choose to leave society and devote their lives to god. Forgiveness and grief in the midst of a mice plague makes this a haunting read.

This book made some interesting points but the first few chapters just struck me as ‘alarmist‘ journalism. Lots of generalisations and cherry picking data. I thought the anti therapy argument was a bit flawed. However, I totally agreed with the sentiment that helicopter parenting is doing children more harm than good. And somewhat agreed that not everything is a ‘trauma‘. It is sometimes just part of life. Teaching kids resilience is a good thing

I enjoyed reading the well read library copy of this book! Beautiful settings (Italy in the 1950s and Spain at the end of the civil war), great characters and interesting story. I don‘t know why her books are not more highly rated.

A great collection of short stories. Well worth reading

Another great read. This author definitely knows when to throw twists and turns in at the right moments! I don‘t always feel compelled to finish reading a series even if I enjoy it. But after the ending of this book I‘ll definitely be reading the next one when it‘s released!

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did! I couldn‘t put it down! And then when I did go to sleep I dreamt about it! Fantastic book about a post pandemic world. It was quite eerie reading it and keeping in mind that it was written in 2014 ie pre our pandemic! Very clever concept, great characters that interweave in unexpected ways. Highly recommend this one!

This is the book that everyone is talking about and reading at the moment. Lots of action, fantasy, and romance. I really liked it and I‘ve reserved the 2nd book from my local library. Looking forward to reading it!

This one was really disappointing. I picked it up from the library as I enjoyed ‘Turn of the Key‘. This one was nowhere near as good. The cyber hacking concepts are interesting but the nonsensical decisions the protagonist made along the way just made this book annoying, ie if you want to confront someone don‘t knock on their door, instead throw yourself off their roof and swing onto their balcony using a sleeping bag and jacket as a rope swing 😂

What a great book! Beautifully written and very thought provoking. Set on an island where the Memory Police control everything. Everyday items are made to ‘disappear‘ overnight and the population adjusts by disposing of said items which are then erased from their memories. Anyone who retains their memories are arrested and never seen again. Interesting concept that is conveyed really well in this novel. Well worth reading

Elin Hildebrand has definitely become one of my favourite ‘holiday reads‘ authors. Light, easy to read. Full of good characters, interesting plot lines, romance, and sun filled days. She‘s obviously a ‘foodie‘ too as all the meals and restaurants she mentions sound great! Apparently they are based on real life restaurants in Nantucket.

Easy to read mystery with some humour thrown in

A good YA mystery that is being enjoyed by many teens at the moment. Fast paced but a little bit unrealistic. But as it‘s a book that is getting reluctant teens to read….it‘s a ‘pick‘ for me!