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MrsMalaprop

MrsMalaprop

Joined May 2016

Books glorious books. 🇦🇺Australian 🧐School Psychologist. Living on unceded Wadjuk Noongar boodja
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The Great Undoing by Sharlene Allsopp
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Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
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The Hours: A Novel by Michael Cunningham
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MrsMalaprop
The Women: A Novel | Kristin Hannah
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Pickpick

Proud of myself for getting this book read waaayy before my book club deadline for a change. I‘m glad to have read my first Kristin Hannah. It might also be my last though. A soft pick, it was readable and not too badly written, but overall not really my jam.
Anyone care to try to convince me otherwise? Any books from her considerable cannon that fans think I should give a go at?

Butterfinger The tagged is the reason I will always read Hannah's books. 4d
Butterfinger And, this one. An adaptation is in the works with the Fanning sisters. 4d
MrsMalaprop @Butterfinger Thank you! I happen to have Winter Garden on my shelf. And @Rissreadswithcats just told me she‘d read The Nightingale. 4d
Jeg Well I can‘t help you. I don‘t know/ remember if I‘ve ever read her. 🫤🙃🤷🏻‍♂️ 3d
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MrsMalaprop
Wild Dark Shore | Charlotte McConaghy
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This book was chosen for my book club last month and as usual I waited too late to start it and spent the weekend madly trying to get it read. Luckily it was very easy to dedicate myself to it because it sucked me in and propelled me through to the very last page. Our book club‘s analysis revealed its many flaws, but overall, a great #ozfiction read 👏📖❤️.

LapReader It was my book club‘s book for June. I listened to it on audible then immediately purchased everything else she has written. The narrator‘s voice was delicious. 2w
MrsMalaprop Yes @LapReader I‘ve heard her other books are good too. 2w
Jeg I‘ll be reading it soon. 2w
40 likes3 comments
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

Subversive, thought-provoking and moving. Glad I picked this up. Need to read more of his work.

Graywacke Lovely to see. One of my favorite books. 3w
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

This was excellent. A debut #ozfiction novel that I picked up at a second hand bookstore last week. Engrossing, well-written and informative. A story of the Vietnamese immigrant experience of Australia, centered around a horrific crime that the main character Ky, the sister of the victim, is attempting to solve. Struggled to put it down. Bravo 👏.

Cathythoughts Sounds good. Stacked 👍🏻❤️ 1mo
Sace Sounds really good and the kindle price $1.99 USD on Amazon! (edited) 4w
Tamra Me too! Thanks, @Sace 4w
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MrsMalaprop
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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Pickpick

I am not sure how to review this book that I finished reading a few days ago. The first half for me was meandering and a bit irritating. Then once I realised what was happening, I became more engaged and was propelled forward. Then it ended. I‘m not sure I “buy” the relationship. An unnerving, clever and different read.

BittersweetBooks Completely agree with your review! I liked the second half more than the first. But I found the MC to be insufferable, which made it hard to fully connect with her and the relationship in the second half. 1mo
Jeg Just finished it and must say the ending, though my favourite type, seemed to come too quickly, neatly or something. Can‘t articulate the feeling. 6d
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

Well that sure didn‘t dampen my desire to visit Iceland in July next year. Many of you may know of Hannah from her debut novel, Burial Rights. This, her fourth book, tells the back story to her writing Burial Rights including her year as an exchange student in Iceland. It helped me understand why, whilst good, her second and third novels didn‘t quite match up to the power of the first. Hannah is a #mustread author for me.

Jeg And you will probably see where she stayed and the things that weren‘t there when we visited. I‘m looking forward to you going . Vicarious travelling for me right now. 1mo
Rissreadswithcats I‘m excited for you and your trip! 💜🩷 1mo
Teresereading I‘m listening to her audiobook. Love how the Icelandic words roll off her tongue. Haven‘t read BR yet, but our bookclub read The Good People. We visited Iceland in 2023, loved it. 1mo
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MrsMalaprop
Sula | Toni Morrison
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Pickpick

The perks of having a lurgy = reading this in a day. So much packed into this tiny book. Feel like I need to pick it straight back up and read it again. 😟❤️🥺

TheBookHippie Such a good read. 2mo
Tamra Such a fabulous writer - so emotionally astute! 2mo
LeahBergen So good! I hope you‘re on the mend. 2mo
Dilara Great that you had a good reading day, less great about the lurgy. Talk about making lemonade out of lemons... Get well soon! 2mo
LeeRHarry Feel better soon! 2mo
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MrsMalaprop
Any Human Heart | William Boyd
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Mehso-so

Book‘n‘breakfast. I loooved this breakfast. The book, not so much. It‘s our book club read this month and I feel like I‘ve been reading it FOR EVER.
My menopausal, feminist self just can‘t be F*ed with stories about sexist old white men. I didn‘t much care about Mountstuart. Of his time he may be, and I am of mine 💪🤷🏻‍♀️🖕.
Let‘s see how the book club discussion goes on Monday, but on the weekend, I can read what I want 🙌🤓📖.

Leniverse I read it four years ago and can't remember a thing about it except Virginia Woolf being racist at a party, and someone being an art dealer in Paris, maybe? I also remember being really glad to be done with it because it was rather meh. 2mo
MrsMalaprop @Leniverse Yes, it was an interesting way to explore events and notable people of the 20th Century, but it was looong and I found myself wishing I could be done with it. 2mo
Ruthiella I loved this book so much! The length didn‘t bother me at all. I got totally swept up in the portrayal of the 20th century from one man‘s perspective. It felt like a real (albeit flawed) person. 2mo
MrsMalaprop @Ruthiella I look forward to my book club discussion Monday night, where I expect a variety of views. Always fascinating to hear the different takes. 2mo
Jeg Now I really have to read it. Enjoy bookclub tonight. Glad you are over the lur ( can‘t spell it and spell check isn‘t helping🫤) 1mo
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MrsMalaprop
The Brain Forest | Sandhya Menon
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Pickpick

And another work purchase. This one on neurodiversity for kids. ❤️🧠🌎

Rissreadswithcats I‘ll add this to my list of books to purchase. Please feel free to flick me any books you think our school library would benefit from especially books like these. 2mo
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MrsMalaprop
The Invisible String | Patrice Karst
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Pickpick

Just purchased these books to share with incoming Kindy parents at an orientation session next term. Love my job (most of the time 😉) 🥰.

kspenmoll The kissing hand is a book my son & I shared & acted out when he went to preschool.❤️ 2mo
TheBookHippie The kissing hand!!!!! Such a lovely book! 2mo
Rissreadswithcats We have these! 2mo
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MrsMalaprop
Searching for Charmian | Suzanne Chick
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Pickpick

What a story🥹. What writing 😍.
Imagine if you grew up knowing you were adopted and were told a fiction about the circumstances of your birth.
In your late 40s you get hold of your original birth certificate, and read your biological mother‘s name…famous Australian writer Charmian Clift.
This book was re-released after the author‘s daughter Gina Chick wrote her memoir, We Are The Stars, a book I read and loved in 2024.
Wonderful 🥰🙏👏

CarolynM I read this one a long time ago and I wondered if it would get rereleased when Gina‘s book got so much attention. It is a great book and a really interesting twist on the adoption story, don‘t you think? 2mo
MrsMalaprop @CarolynM Yes, so interesting and well done by Suzanne Chick. 2mo
Rissreadswithcats Staaaaaaaaaaaaaacked!!!!!!! 💙 2mo
Rissreadswithcats I just realised today that with my Spotify account I get 15 hrs of free Audio book listening. This was included. It scraped in at 14hrs and 48 mins 🤣 I‘m so excited! 2mo
Jeg Can‘t wait to read this. Heard her on the radio. 2mo
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MrsMalaprop
In the Margins | Gail Holmes
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Pickpick

Well, I did it! Managed to get this finished before our book club met last night. Seems it was liked by all. It was a low pick for me. I like that historical fiction is being written about barely known women of substance and that‘s why it‘s a pick. But I found this a little dry and lacking in depth. Pretty cover though. Sort of #ozfiction (Scottish-born, now living in Australia).

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MrsMalaprop
In the Margins | Gail Holmes
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And once again I leave myself 48 hours to read the book club book I‘ve known about for a month. #currentlyspeedreading #kathdaynightstyle

AmyG Ha! 3mo
Susanita It will be nice and fresh in your mind! 3mo
Bookish.SAM If you‘re going to hunker down with a book, that looks like a lively space to do it! ☀️📖 3mo
Jeg The only way to read a book club book. 😂. 3mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

I adore Rose Tremain‘s novels. I can‘t recall how I first learned about her, but I have been reading her for many years. This one is set in the 1980s in a small French village. A cast of excellently drawn characters navigate their way through life. Perfection 👏😍🙏

Cuilin I need to read more by her. I loved 3mo
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MrsMalaprop
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MrsMalaprop
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Leni is reminding me of another grumpy old woman character that I am fond of. 😂
Any other fans of Rose Tremain out there?
#currentlyreading

Rissreadswithcats Another author I am yet to read! You and I usually love the same books, so which one would you suggest? 3mo
Eva_B I read ‘Restoration‘ a long time ago and really enjoyed it I‘ve always meant to read more of her work. 3mo
MrsMalaprop @Rissreadswithcats I don‘t think I‘ve ever read one I don‘t like. The three others that I have on my shelves (& you are welcome to borrow) are , The Road Home and Tresspass. 3mo
Rissreadswithcats This is the one I have on my TBR shelf. 3mo
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MrsMalaprop
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@Rissreadswithcats and I went to see Hannah talk about her latest book last night. Hannah is Australian and her first novel, Burial Rights, achieved international acclaim. This book is her fourth and is a memoir, which in part tells the story of the inspiration and writing of Burial Rights. I can‘t wait to read it 🤓.
Thanks for organising for us to go Nerissa 🙏.

Rissreadswithcats My pleasure! It was fascinating to hear her talk about this part of her life. I‘m excited to start reading it! 🩷💜 3mo
Freespirit Wow how exciting!! I loved Burial Rites❤️ 3mo
Teresereading She spoke at Margaret River Festivsl too, very interesting 3mo
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LeeRHarry That would have been fun 😊 - nice to see your lovely faces! 3mo
MrsMalaprop @Teresereading yes, that‘s why she was over in the west. Did you go to the MR fest? 3mo
LapReader I‘m going to see her at the Sydney Writer‘s Festival in a couple of weeks. 3mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

I read this book while I was away on an annual trip with three friends, one of whom has ongoing cancer treatment. She‘s doing well currently 😊.
I didn‘t want to put it down and managed to get a big chunk read sitting on the beach in the photo. 😎🙏

BarbaraBB ❤️ 4mo
Rissreadswithcats Newman is now a must read author for me. I have her other novel if you ever want to borrow it? (edited) 4mo
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MrsMalaprop
Dear Dickhead: A Novel | Virginie Despentes
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Pickpick

This book caught my eye when I was book shopping with @Rissreadswithcats & when I read the blurb I decided to buy it. A French epistolary novel that starts with a derogatory social media post. Addiction and recovery, #metoo and the pandemic feature in this guns-blazing, disturbing read.

Rissreadswithcats I ended up getting a copy. Such a great title! 4mo
Ruthiella I‘ve read another title from her. She‘s definitely an edgy writer. 4mo
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MrsMalaprop
Dept. of Speculation | Jenny Offill
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Pickpick

Ahh, that‘s better. (Sighs with the relief of having taken quiet refuge in a delightful, absorbing reading experience).

Marriage, or any long term romantic relationship, is hard. This cleverly written and uniquely structured short novel explores one such relationship.

A most excellent read.

BarbaraBB I adored this when I read it years ago 4mo
sarahbarnes Yes! I loved this one too. 4mo
Reggie Ooof the part where she goes to his work and he uses the word “us” with the affair partner. Ughh 4mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Panpan

Yeah, nah. #ozfiction I was compelled to read for book club.

CarolynM This is getting pushed quite hard in the papers, but it didn‘t sound very promising to me. Thanks for confirming that🙂 4mo
MrsMalaprop @CarolynM Yes it is getting promoted, perhaps because she‘s connected? I found it a chore and struggled with the annoyance I feel when there are so many more worthy/interesting books out there waiting for me. Some in my book club liked it. It felt like she had a list of life events that she ticked off. I didn‘t care about Betty one bit. Lightweight. (Too harsh? 😬) 4mo
CarolynM No, I don‘t think you‘re being too harsh. I enjoyed Offspring (especially because I used to see them filming while walking my kids too and from school 😆) but it was lightweight too. Connections definitely get you attention for new work. 4mo
Jeg Tried to read it but gave up. I see her partner is Richard Glover. Now I do like the way he writes and he is funny. I‘m not sure if she was trying to be funny . Certainly not worth wasting time on. Too many books and not enough time. 4mo
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MrsMalaprop
Piranesi | Susanna Clarke
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Fantasy/magical realism are some of my least favourite genres. Having said that, I made an effort to go along for the ride. I enjoyed the world that Clarke built, the characters and the twisted tale.
Thanks once again goes to @Rissreadswithcats for being my book-pusher, and literally putting this in my hand 🙏. Pushing me right out of my 📖 comfort zone 😆.

thegirlwiththelibrarybag It‘s a much more accessible read than her previous work, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell… I haven‘t DNFed it but I also haven‘t picked it up for half a year 🤷🏻‍♀️ I liked Piranesi tho and having friends who push books on you! 4mo
LeeRHarry I found this incredibly pretentious …but maybe that‘s just me. 😏 4mo
Leniverse @LeeRHarry Yes, that's just you. 😂 4mo
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sarahbarnes I don‘t read fantasy but I loved this one too! 4mo
MrsMalaprop @LeeRHarry the one dissenting voice 😂 4mo
MrsMalaprop @thegirlwiththelibrarybag Yeah, didn‘t love it enough to read her other books. 4mo
Rissreadswithcats I enjoyed this one but DNF Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. And to be fair I think I just had an extra copy of this so I gave it to you. I can‘t remember raving about it to you. But maybe I did! 🤣🤣🤣 I‘ll go back now and read my review. (edited) 4mo
Rissreadswithcats @LeeRHarry I just read your comment on my review and it made me laugh out loud! 😹 This was it - ‘Really?! 🤪‘ (edited) 4mo
LeeRHarry @Rissreadswithcats 😆 I stand by it! 4mo
MrsMalaprop @Rissreadswithcats I don‘t recall you raving about it. I think you are a book-rescuer & I am merely a receptacle who can‘t say no 😂. 4mo
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MrsMalaprop
A Language of Limbs | Dylin Hardcastle
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Pickpick

Book two from the 2025 Stella Prize long list finished. Can‘t recall how this came to be on my radar, but when I saw it recently announced on the longlist I bumped it up.
I really liked it. The first half felt a little bit clunky to me but then it hit its stride and I didn‘t want to put it down. Excellent #queerfic #ozfiction #bildungsroman

Jeg A top read for me so far this year. 5mo
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MrsMalaprop
Bush Bash | Sally Morgan
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Pickpick

So proud of my eldest son who is working on the Little Fella Yarns project with the Western Australian State Library. A part of the Better Beginnings early literacy program, these book packs are given out to parents of Aboriginal babies in regional WA. The packs are being rejuvenated & my son is the project officer. I‘ve been asking him to bring me home a pack, and today he finally did! This is one of the awesome books in it ❤️🖤💛👶🏽📚👏.

LeeRHarry Good for him! 😊 5mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 5mo
Jeg 👏👏👏👏👏 5mo
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MrsMalaprop
Untitled | Unknown
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Pickpick

This beautiful debut micro-memoir was loaned to me by a friend. I devoured it and returned it to her tonight. It doesn‘t exist in the Litsy database. The writer is a young Western Australian Aboriginal woman. I loved it. I hope it‘s just the beginning of Mabel Gibson‘s writing career.

CarolynM Sounds interesting. I‘ll look out for it. 5mo
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MrsMalaprop
The Burrow | Melanie Cheng
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Pickpick

Stunning. Chose this #ozfiction for my book club to read this month. It was announced as a Stella Prize longlisted book this week. A very special, quiet exploration of grief.

CarolynM Stacked 5mo
sarahbarnes Another list - yay! This sounds very good. So does Theory and Practice. 5mo
Jeg Enjoy the discussion Monday night.I get to read it soon. ❤️ (edited) 5mo
Rissreadswithcats I just bought it! 5mo
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MrsMalaprop
Idaho | Emily Ruskovich
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Pickpick

This book has sat patiently on my #tbr shelves, gifted to me in an Aussie book swap years ago. The cover is so beautiful, just like this beach (background) I was at yesterday.
The cover belies the contents of this dark read. I found it confusing yet engrossing. Multiple narrators over multiple timelines. Disturbing.

sarahbarnes This is still a book I think about. So good. 5mo
Tamra I really enjoyed it! 5mo
merelybookish Probably one of my favourite novels from the last decade! 5mo
BarbaraBB I haven‘t forgotten about this one either. So good. 5mo
Centique Great review and that shot of the sea is Gorgeous 🙌 5mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

My mum has advanced dementia and this novel feels very real and how I imagine things have been for my mum. So many parallels. I have often pondered how utterly discombobulating it must be. This book captured the unmooring nature of dementia so well. Beautiful 🥺

TiredLibrarian My mother has moderate dementia. 💔 6mo
sarahbarnes ♥️♥️ 6mo
Leftcoastzen I‘m so sorry, that‘s hard . I hope there are some good times left . 6mo
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BarbaraBB Ow my mother is heading that way too. I‘ll be on the lookout for this book. 6mo
LeeRHarry ❤️ 6mo
kspenmoll 💕💕💕 6mo
Rissreadswithcats So do you think it‘s a good time now for me to read this book or maybe wait a bit? 6mo
MrsMalaprop @Rissreadswithcats I did wonder whether it was the right time for me, but decided I could handle it. It‘s very good, but it depends on whether you feel in the right headspace. Let me know if you want to borrow my copy. 6mo
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MrsMalaprop
The Sunbird | Sara Haddad
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Pickpick

In this novella, Nabila is 80 and lives in present day Australia. In 1948 she and her family were expelled from their village in Palestine. This modern parable is beautifully written and very accessible at only 102 pages. I hope it is read widely.

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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

This is an unusual choice of book for me. I didn‘t know anything about Gina Chick before I bought it. But this memoir just kept jumping onto my radar from a bunch of diverse places. It was calling to me.
And “Wow!” 🤩 I loved it 💖
What a fascinating, awesome woman. As the saying goes, ‘It takes all sorts to make a world‘. And the world is better for having Gina in it.

Eva_B I‘ve seen her on ‘Great Australian Walks‘ on SBS. Really good show 6mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag Sometimes books do find you and demand to be read! Glad you enjoyed it! 6mo
tpixie Interesting at first glance, I thought it was actress Gena Davis! 6mo
MrsMalaprop @Eva_B Yes! Someone at book club told me about that. I have seen a few episodes but not that one. 6mo
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MrsMalaprop
Intermezzo | Sally Rooney
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Read for book club. I‘m still not sure how I feel about Rooney, having read three of her novels now. She‘s a ‘blokey‘ writer, which I think is the reason my husband likes her. That and the sex scenes 😉.
Overall this one is a pick. I was engaged and many of the brother/family issues felt very realistic. Looking forward to our book club discussion.

Jeg I know another two people looking forward to the discussion. 😊 Hoping to read it soon. 6mo
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MrsMalaprop
Intermezzo | Sally Rooney
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#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1. Today‘s #breakfastandbook 🤤
2. Returning to work & getting to spend a rare 2 full training days with colleagues. As a school psychologist working in schools, I hardly ever get to do this.
3. Karaks (black cockatoos) in a tree in my neighbourhood.
4. Going to the museum with the family & doing a Kimberley VR (far north Western Australia).
5. My son getting his first professional job promoting early childhood literacy!

CarolynM I envy you the Kimberley VR. Such a beautiful part of the world! 6mo
Freespirit Brilliant!! 6mo
dabbe 🩶🩵🩶 6mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

This book 💔🇵🇸. I learn about the world, history and perspectives from quality fiction. This book certainly ‘schooled‘ me. Extraordinarily harrowing and beautiful. Published in 2020, a good friend recommended it at the time. And oh, what has happened since then. So glad to have read it. 🥺🙏

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MrsMalaprop
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Loving this book. I‘m a big fan of watermelon 🍉, especially now when we are in the middle of summer (over 40C again today). But roasted watermelon seeds that you crack open? I can‘t imagine shelling them or what‘s actually inside. We now have only seedless watermelons here, although I always remember collecting up the seeds and spitting them out as a kid.

BarbaraBB I had this stacked already and you confirm why I did so! 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
Hospital | Sanya Rushdi
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Pickpick

Oh my, what an engrossing, immersive book this was. Auto-fiction by a Bengali Australian telling of her experience of psychosis. Talk about the ultimate unreliable narrator! I am grateful to have been given access to her world. She deftly depicts some of the inherent difficulties in treating acute MH episodes. Of course when you‘re paranoid & delusional you think your reality is real, the system is out to get you, & you refuse your meds 🤯❤️‍🩹🙏.

Tamra Imagine being your own unreliable narrator. How frightening. 7mo
MrsMalaprop @Tamra so frightening. I‘m so grateful to have access to books like this. 7mo
Rissreadswithcats What is your latest bookclub book atm? 7mo
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Rissreadswithcats Interesting. I‘m looking forward to your review 7mo
CarolynM It was so immediate, it really put you in that paranoid headspace, didn‘t it? 7mo
MrsMalaprop @CarolynM It did, but so calmly and quietly. ❤️ 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Panpan

Stopped reading Picoult years ago for a reason: I am a book snob. This was naff.
Case in point: 2 lovers are reunited,
“A small cry climbed the ladder of her throat, & then she was in his arms & pressed against him & his mouth was crushed to hers. His hands speared into her hair, scattering the pins like raindrops around them. She melted like wax, shaped against him, remade.” 🤮
Why did I read it? It was gifted in my book club Secret Santa.

Rissreadswithcats This is so much worse than I thought it was going to be. 🤣🤣🤣 7mo
CarolynM Oh dear! I wouldn‘t even be able to stomach that in a romance book🤢 7mo
Bookbuyingaddict 🤣🤣🤣 7mo
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Centique I feel confirmed in all my Picoult suspicions now 😂🤣 7mo
Hooked_on_books Wow, that‘s awful! 7mo
Susanita Wow. That sounds … unpleasant. 7mo
Hanna-B Sounds absolutely dreadful. I‘ve never read her #fellowbooksnob 6mo
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MrsMalaprop
Small Island: A Novel | Andrea Levy
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Pickpick

Once again I must thank @Rissreadswithcats for literally putting a book in my hand and commanding me to read it 🤣🙏. I loved it so much. Is there a movie or series adaptation of it I should watch?

Rissreadswithcats Yay! It‘s always a worry when you recommend a book. What‘s up next? 7mo
jenniferw88 There's a BBC TV series if you can get it (starring a pre-Sherlock Benedict Cumberbatch 🤣) 7mo
MrsMalaprop @jenniferw88 thank you! Will see if I can find it. 7mo
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MrsMalaprop @Rissreadswithcats Need to try to read Jodi Picoult‘s latest that I got my book club Secret Santa 🤨 7mo
Rissreadswithcats Really? Who bought that! 7mo
MrsMalaprop @Rissreadswithcats 🤷🏻‍♀️ 7mo
Centique I loved this book so much too! 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

Black or Carnaby cockatoos are endemic to southwest Western Australia & are endangered, mostly due to habitat loss. This book outlines how we can work to retain them in urban environments. I learnt that the native garden I planted in our last house was unwittingly consistent with the principles in this book - I just wanted to be waterwise, grow local plants & attract birds to my birdbath 😁. Now I need to work on the garden in my new house…

tpixie What a lovely garden!! Have fun creating a new garden 🪴 7mo
kspenmoll Enjoy creating a new garden with the principles you mentioned. 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
Orbital | Samantha Harvey
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Mehso-so

My final read of 2024. It didn‘t grab me. I can do no plot if the character development is excellent or the subject of interest. It was beautifully written and there were moments, just not quite enough of them for me.

LeeRHarry I was underwhelmed by this one too. 7mo
Bookwormjillk I didn‘t get the hype on this one 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
Small Island: A Novel | Andrea Levy
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How I‘m heading into 2025. #currentlyreading

mandarchy I ❤️ it! 7mo
CarolynM Great book. 7mo
Jeg Love the mug. 7mo
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LeahBergen 😆 I really enjoyed this book! 7mo
Rissreadswithcats I‘m hoping you love the book as much as I did! 7mo
Anna40 Haha! Great mug 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
What I Loved: A Novel | Siri Hustvedt
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Each year I aim to read roughly a book a week. In 2024 I read 53 🙌. Here are my 10 favourites (for a variety of reasons). If you‘re a detail person you‘ll note there are only 9 books pictured. That‘s because The Prophet Song by Paul Lynch is currently loaned to a friend. I struggle to choose THE best book, but if I had to, it would be the tagged book, which was an incredible, unexpected, devastating and beautiful read. HNY from Western Australia.

Librariana I love how the book covers compliment one another and create this lovely color palette! 7mo
Ruthiella Nice job! 👏👏👏 7mo
CarolynM A couple of books I‘ve loved and a couple I have to get to this year! 7mo
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sarahbarnes I‘m very interested in Juice! 7mo
BarbaraBB I loved the tagged book sooo much. Glad you did too! 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
The Fifth Child | Doris Lessing
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Pickpick

Creepy AF. @Rissreads and I came across a mountain of Doris Lessing novels in a secondhand store a while ago & vowed to read one/some. This is my first Lessing. Oh my goodness. An unsettling, disturbing & thought-provoking read.

charl08 I have quite a few of hers, similarly charity shop finds. Maybe 2025 will be the year I pick them up? 8mo
Rissreadswithcats You were the inspiration. You asked if I had ever read her and I hadn‘t so then I googled her and she sounded fascinating! So is it a keeper or a book you will move on? 8mo
MrsMalaprop @Rissreads Keeping for now. And I hope to read more of hers. Any recommendations Lessing fans? @Jeg 8mo
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LeahBergen This was a crazy one! 😬 8mo
LeahBergen Oh, and I believe that there‘s a sequel of sorts which was published many years later. 8mo
Jeg Well interestingly enough I‘ve not read her much at all. I thought I had but turns out no. Just knew about her and admired her as a person. 8mo
Rissreadswithcats The next one I‘m going to try is (edited) 8mo
Billypar This was actually the first I tried of Lessing's too - agreed, definitely disturbing! @Rissreads my fav was Golden Notebook, which isn't really a hot take. But did the pile include Briefing for a Descent Into Hell? It's a wacky, fever dream of a novel that has stuck with me (technically a 'coma dream'). And it's pretty short too. 8mo
Rissreadswithcats @Billypar that sounds very interesting. I‘ll stack it now. Thanks! I have The Golden notebook looking at me and will definitely get to it. It‘s what she is known for. (edited) 8mo
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MrsMalaprop
Christmas Pudding | Nancy Mitford
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Ok Aussie Secret Santa recipients, where the bloody hell are you? It‘s most definitely Christmas Eve here and I‘ve opened my beautiful #aussiesecretsanta parcel from @Freespirit
Will you look at these gorgeous gifts 👀🎁? Thank you Sally & thank you @CarolynM for organising this year 🙏.
Come on now, it‘s show and tell time…

LeahBergen Ooo, Nancy Mitford! Nice! 👍 8mo
Jeg Someday you will have to explain to me how this all works so I can join in! 8mo
CarolynM What a lovely lot of gifts you have there! I‘ll post mine now. Thanks for getting us started. Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅🧑‍🎄 8mo
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag Lovely! Merry Christmas Serena! Hope it‘s a good one in your new place ☺️ 8mo
AmyG Those are the best bookmarks! 8mo
Rissreadswithcats @Jeg we would love to have you!!!!! Merry Christmas Serena and Joy ♥️💚 (edited) 8mo
Freespirit Merry Christmas Serena😘😘 Have a wonderful day❤️ 8mo
Jeg @Rissreads Merry Christmas to you. Have a day full of wonder. 8mo
Jeg Dear Serena Merry Christmas and May your day be blessed with a pile of books and maybe sometime to just sit and read. X 8mo
MrsMalaprop And to you @Jeg 📚. Let‘s do that Freo coffee soon & I‘ll reveal all 😚. 8mo
Jeg Sounds like a plan. Xx 8mo
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MrsMalaprop
Juice | Tim Winton
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Pickpick

Holy 💩⚽️⚽️! Climate dystopian #ozfiction, written by a local #mustread author. Finished reading it today, a day that reached 43C 🔥, whilst hibernating in air con. Absolutely terrifying and affecting. This is Winton desperately trying to WAKE US UP. Read it… if you dare. #chunkster

LeeRHarry We will be reading it for my bookgroup next year. I think you must be sending your hot weather our way for Boxing Day! 🥵 8mo
BarbaraBB Fab review! 8mo
Rissreadswithcats It‘s bloody good! 8mo
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sarahbarnes Wow. Stacking. 8mo
squirrelbrain Great review! I bought this when it came out over here (October) but the chunksterishness was putting me off - sounds like I need to bite the bullet and dive in. 8mo
Jeg I‘m not a big fan of his , my favourite being The Riders. I‘ve got my name on the list at the library to borrow. Though maybe I‘ll get it for Xmas. I‘m definitely going to read it sometime. Maybe it will go on my shelf next to The Riders. 8mo
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MrsMalaprop
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#aussiesecretsanta
It‘s arrived! How exciting. Thank you in anticipation Sally @Freespirit 😁🙏💕. Bring on Christmas Eve. @CarolynM

Freespirit Yeh so glad it made it safely!! Merry Christmas Serena🎄🎅🎁 8mo
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MrsMalaprop
The Season | Helen Garner
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Pickpick

Australian author Helen Garner is a must-read for me. She‘s an octogenarian and this is her first book in a while. She says she wrote it about her youngest grandson‘s U16 football team as a way to connect with him “before he turns into a man and I die”. As a mum of boys obsessed with AFL myself (whilst I have minimal interest 😬), there was a lot for me to relate to.

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MrsMalaprop
The Season | Helen Garner
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I want to be Helen Garner when I‘m 80. Here she is talking about running after a football and “chucking” it to the umpire, along with her characteristic anachronistic commentary (in this instance body-shaming 🤦🏻‍♀️). The kind of stuff that gets her in trouble. I don‘t want to be like her in that way, but physically and mentally, to be able to ‘run‘ and ‘chuck‘ and write books in her 80s! Wow!

Jeg Me too. I'm working on it. 🏋️ 8mo
Jeg And I just realised I‘m almost there . 2 and 1/2 years and I‘ll be there. Will I be able to chuck a ball ? 🤞🤞🤞 7mo
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MrsMalaprop
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Pickpick

Hannah is 25. This is her second book in 18 months. I learnt a lot from her first book Bite Back and I wasn‘t sure I‘d learn anything new from her second, being the worldly wise 53yo that I am 👵😆. I‘m pleased to say that I was wrong. She is so bloody clever! I highly recommend this, particularly to any budding feminists in your life. @Rissreads and I saw her live show on Monday night here in Perth, which was the first show of her national tour.

Rissreadswithcats She is bloody brilliant! Our next generation of women will be fabulous if they are anything like her! And our next generation of men if they listen and learn to women like her! ♥️👏🏻 8mo
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MrsMalaprop
Juice | Tim Winton
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It‘s my wedding anniversary today. 17 years 💕🎉🍾. Love that this is what my husband got me. The latest book by one of my absolute faves, Tim Winton. #ozfiction

LeahBergen Happy Anniversary! ❤️ 9mo
Deblovestoread Happy anniversary 🎉🥂 9mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Happy anniversary 🎉🎈 9mo
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Rissreadswithcats Happy anniversary! I‘m interested to hear what you think of this book. I loved it! But I do love dystopian and like you I love Tom Winton. 9mo
LeeRHarry Happy anniversary! 🎉 9mo
CarolynM Happy anniversary 🍾🥂 9mo
BarbaraBB Happy anniversary! (edited) 9mo
Jeg Happy anniversary. ❤️ 9mo
Avanders Happy anniversary! 🥂 9mo
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MrsMalaprop
Prophet Song | Paul Lynch
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Pickpick

Radical empathy. What a book. Exceptionally propulsive, brilliant and devastating. Bravo 👏🥹🙏

quietlycuriouskate I feel anxious whenever I see this book cover; that's how powerful it was. 9mo
Rissreadswithcats I‘ve got this on my shelf looking at me. I‘ll bump it up! 9mo
Jeg I remember it made me feel uncomfortable. It was too true to the present world if I remember. 9mo
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