November Reads

29 Oct 2015 4 Comments

by Amy in Rambles Tags: , , , , ,

November is filled with many great things, NanoWriMo, upcoming Christmas, warmer weather that means summer is coming. This November I have set myself a goal of reading six books. This is of course on top of finishing my Book Bingo which has been sadly neglected, so with two months left in the year I am on a reading journey to fill the gaps and catch up on some great books.

The books I am planning on reading are ones I have been hanging out to read. Some have been sitting on my TBR shelf for months because I haven’t had the time, others I have been waiting for release dates. I am so thankful to each of these authors for offering me their books to read.

I know I am being a tad foolish thinking I can read this many, especially when all my free time is being dedicated to writing my Nano story, but if it leans into December that will have to be ok!

All of these are sequels as well and I can promise the first in each series is well worth the read. I will link up my reviews to them if you want to see where their stories begin.

The Ceruleans Series by Megan Tayte

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Review: Death Wish (#1)

The Guardian Series by Heather McCollum

Broken (#2)

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Review: Siren’s Song (#1)

Saltwater Secrets Series by Jade Varden

Death and the Deep (#2)

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Review: Song of the Sea (#1)

City Love Series by Belinda Williams

Modern Heart (#3)

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Review: The Boyfriend Sessions (#1)

Review: The Pitch (#2)

In between all this reading I will still be doing my NaNo story, the late nights of typing away may be followed up with a continued late night reading in bed, but what’s November without a challenge on all fronts! Whether I will get reviews of these up in November is a different matter, but I assure you they will be coming at some point so keep an eye out. Or you can always take a risk and pick a series to dive right into semi-sight unseen! I will recommend any and all of them!

 

 

 

 

 

Double Madness by Caroline de Costa

28 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Crime Tags: , , ,

Published: 13th July 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Margaret River Press
Pages: 357
Format: Paperback
Genre: Crime
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Set in Queensland, this debut crime novel Double Madness by Caroline de Costa, takes us into a sordid underbelly of psycho-sexual depravity. 

As local residents and authorities in Far North Queensland assess the damage in the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi, a woman’s body is found in bizarre circumstances deep in the rainforest.

Cass Diamond of Cairns CIB is on the team investigating the murder of fashionista Odile Janvier and it’s not long before she uncovers a disturbing connection between the victim and the local medical profession.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

De Costa hooks you into poor Odile’s story from page one, piquing your interest with her final resting place amongst a cyclone ravished rainforest in Queensland. From then on she introduces you to the complicated world of small town antics, police investigations, and people with secrets of every sort.

For those not familiar with crime or medical jargon or procedure, de Costa makes it understandable but believable and knowing that the characters know what they’re talking about, even if you may not, makes a lot of difference.

The writing style and dialogue adds a great believability and sense of reality; the voices feel natural, conversations are realistic and not overly formal, characters are complicated, make mistakes, and have their own issues and back stories that come into play. The multiple perspectives allow an insight into the minds of each character, providing new information than what is told to others, and it lets readers determine for themselves what role people may play in this crime.

The story doesn’t focus entirely on the investigation, there are sub plots and character histories explored, and the personal lives of characters keep moving forward while the investigation happens around them. The “psycho-sexual depravity” isn’t explicit either, and only really emerges in the latter half of the book, though there are a few creepy and intense moments and references that make your skin crawl along the way. Everything has a part to play though and every references and detail acts as a red herring and a clue, and the more that is uncovered the stranger it becomes.

The timeline jumps, sometimes months, sometimes years, with each flashback revealing a bit more information or detail about various characters. The entire investigation and format de Costa has chosen is a fascinating exploration about what people get up to in their spare time; with the added bonus of being in a small town setting it adds further complications of not only knowing everyone, but knowing everyone’s business as well.

Switching between narrators and revealing information out of sequence shows the complexity of relationships and the small town environment really well. While the investigation reveals some details, and character flashbacks and thoughts reveal others, there is enough not being told that readers are always guessing and piecing together clues themselves. With everyone a possible suspect you soon doubt your own opinions as credible theories and evidence is found for almost every one.

This is a cleverly written crime novel and one reflective of human nature, the panic and rash decisions of those questioned make everyone a suspect and de Costa ensures you pay attention as tiny details can make all the difference and passing references and meetings may be more consequential than they appear. There are so many theories and possible scenarios running through your mind as you read, and all of them have a chance since de Costa is just vague enough and creative enough to make anything possible. But it isn’t until the end, when everything falls into place, that you realise how clever she’s been and how important those tiny details have been.

You can purchase Double Madness via the following

Amazon | Amazon Aust

Publisher | Booktopia

Book Depository

Book Expo Australia 2015

26 Oct 2015 3 Comments

by Amy in Book Events Tags: ,

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A couple of weekends ago was the second annual Book Expo Australia held at Sydney Olympic Park. With only one previous year to compare it to there was an uncertainty about what to expect, and with last year having a few issues, it was interesting to see what had been improved and learnt from their inaugural year.

Entering the hall on Saturday morning it was immediately clear of the differences. While last year there were stalls filling the hall regarding a range of books and book related things, this year was much sparser though still filled with interesting content.

Publishers of both traditional and other were present, stalls filled with information about publishing your book. There were stalls where authors sat with their books on display that you could buy then and there and have them signed, and there were some gorgeous artworks and book and cover illustrations stalls as well. In addition there was a book sale running that had tables filled with books all going for bargain prices with deals such as 3 for $10, or $5 per book.

Unfortunately there were a couple of negatives. I’d have loved more sessions on offer, with a bit more variety. Even though last year’s sessions didn’t run all that well, the topics were interesting and the day was longer to fit more things in. This time Saturday and Sunday’s schedule were identical and there were only a couple of sessions I wanted to go to. Having said that though, the sessions themselves were much improved organisation wise compared to last year.

There had already been a few cancellations before the event started, with the Book Bloggers conference losing its room. Information from the Facebook page mentioned it being moved to an informal location which was a shame, even more so the confusion on the day finding it. I missed even this informal gathering, mainly because there was no set time for it to occur so there was no way to know when to show up and when I did it had apparently already happened. The official conference sounded awesome, there was going to be tips about how to write helpful reviews, how to approach negative reviews, dealing with requests, and social media presence among other things. Hopefully the same conference can get up for next year’s Book Expo.

I am a bit annoyed I missed the bloggers session, both that it was officially cancelled and that the informal gathering wasn’t organised or advertised that well. Having missed the meeting that apparently had already happened in the morning, I walked past a second one as I was heading home which was well underway and too late to join in with, I believe this second one was a book vloggers gathering though.

On to the positives though! The Fantasy seminar about world building was an absolute joy to attend. The three speakers were Tracey Joyce, Patricia Leslie, and Rob Clague who all gave excellent advice about their own experience and how they tackle building an entire fantasy world. Better yet before the session started I had an informal chat with one of the speakers about my own Fantasy work and my issues with my upcoming NaNo idea.

The second session I attended was supposed to be about Romance writing, and how to draw the line between romance and erotica, but the brief must have been lost somewhere because it was just authors discussing their own works, and their writing process. It was a bit weird, a bit boring, but it also wasn’t very long so that was a bonus. A few tips on writing romance managed to slip through so that was something. There were other sessions about mystery crime and autobiographies, climate fiction and getting kids to read. I didn’t attend any of these but they sounded interesting.

Away from stalls and seminars there were other activities going on throughout the hall. There were activities with illustrator Dave Hackett, and at one point during the day there was a poetry slam on the floor that I managed to catch. It wasn’t all books and reading though, there were some craft stalls; there was even a stall where you could craft or buy beautiful decorations to make your very own fairy garden.

Despite there only being a couple of dozen stalls, they were interesting and had great information. Publishers and authors had their details and books on display, and there were a steady crowd attending so striking up a conversation about reading and writing and books was not hard. I only attended the Expo on Saturday, and for its second year the organisers did a pretty good job. There was variety in the stalls, and for the limited seminars there was some variety and different experiences. Having seen how it’s evolving in these early years, I am eager to see where the Expo is going to go and I look forward to seeing it grow and expand into something even bigger and better in coming years.

Luke…The Second in a Love Story by Sandra Fitzgerald

14 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Romance Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 11th October 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: SmashWords
Pages: 346
Format: ebook
Genre: Romance
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

We met Luke in ‘Maggie’s Five’. This is his story.

Lemons are a curious fruit. Add enough sugar and they’re sweet, but not enough…

When I was fifteen, my best friend introduced me to his brother’s girlfriend.
She stole my ability to see anyone other than her.
She stole my ability to want anyone other than her.
She stole me.

When I was eighteen, I finally got to kiss that girl.
Two days later my family and I left Australia to live in America.

When I was nineteen, I met Sophie, and everything changed.
My perfectly constructed life, the life I’ve worked hard to create and maintain, started to crack.
Then crumble… then collapse.
I don’t want to be attracted to her… I don’t.
She’s disorganised and impulsive and messy… Shit she’s messy.
And beautiful.
God, she’s beautiful…
And mind-consuming and heart kicking and blood racing.
And gone.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

Reading a sequel that is kind of a prequel is a curious but rewarding experience. Luke is a character first introduced in Maggie’s Five and while we are given brief references to his past, these are explored in much more detail in this second book.

Fitzgerald brings you into the novel right from the start, not because it’s shocking or intense, but because from the first pages it’s fun. We are first introduced to Luke when he is in his final days of high school, filled with Muck Up days, mischievous teenage boys, attractive teenage girls, chaotic hormones, and looking forward to life after school.

The strong Australian teenage mateship is in full force as Luke interacts with his high school friends. This remains throughout, albeit to a slightly lesser extent, but the friendships are solid and include nicknames, insults, and all the things only a real friend can say to you. The relationships in Luke are some of the best parts. Seeing Luke with his new friends, old friends, family, and girlfriend are all so different, but it shows off the variety of relationships really well.

Fitzgerald mimics the voice of a teenage boy, and one in his early twenties in a way that feels realistic and honest. Luke’s thoughts and feelings about being young and away from friends, thoughts about girls, plus finding a place in a new country, are all explored honestly and believably. As a narrator Luke is honest but a bit blunt at times which takes some getting used to, especially about his wants and needs, but it doesn’t feel forced or unrealistic, nor over the top which makes it ring true. To generalise, he is a young Australian bloke and his language reflects that, but overall he is a sweetie and a nice guy with a cheeky side who you can’t help but find endearing.

Other characters are just as enjoyable. Sophie is funny and quirky and takes what she wants from life. She is passionate and bubbly, not perfect but does her best. Secondary characters like Marty and Jon balance the story from Sophie and Luke, and add dramas and stories of their own. The great thing is each character and life is intertwined, nothing really feels like a background story or a side plot. It’s messy and involved and Fitzgerald has packed so much history into these characters that little references can tell you so much about a person without having to explain it.

Being the “Second in a Love story”, there are the obvious connections to Maggie’s Five. There are scattered references to Maggie, both her teenage years and older self, this acts in a small way as Maggie’s history too, her own mini origin story seamlessly integrated without overshadowing Luke’s. More importantly, despite know where Luke ends up, it is wonderful to see where he has been and it adds extra dimensions to his character. Naturally with so much back story provided this novel makes the events in Maggie’s Five even more emotional and if you haven’t read it I insist you must. And if you have, after reading Luke I assure you a second read of Maggie’s Five makes the whole thing so much more beautiful because you know the history and relationships more deeply.

The best part about Luke is how real it feels. There are messy relationships, love at the wrong time and with the wrong people, and the best laid plans that just don’t work out. The writing is light but filled with importance and the love Luke has for Sophie is evident and the friendships he has are strong. Fitzgerald makes this love at first sight romance much more than that, there are problems and there are highlights, pushy friends and overbearing parents, everything real love and life can involve.

The second best part of this is Fitzgerald’s writing. She certainly knows how to end a story in style (!!), and she knows how to surprise you and keep you on your toes. When you think you know what will happen suddenly it doesn’t, and when you have suspicions she leaves you hanging until you become complacent then she pounces. Even for the littlest things you are never sure where the story will go, but the journey is an absolute delight to take, not to mention all the things you only realise once you have finished that make even more of an impact.

Luke is a fantastic story that is filled with romance and sex and falling in love, but there are also friendships and laughter, important self discoveries, and just the pure enjoyment of being young. Fitzgerald balances every element beautifully and seeing Luke’s timeline unfold over the years alongside friends and family can’t help but bring a smile to your face.

You can purchase Luke…the Second in a Love Story via the following

Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble

Amazon Aust  |  Kobo

iTunes  |  CreateSpace

Smashwords

National Novel Writing Month 2015

07 Oct 2015 2 Comments

by Amy in General Tags: , , , ,

Shield-Nano-Blue-Brown-RGB-HiResThe National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo or NaNo) is soon to be upon us. This is the time of year where people all over the world sit down and try and write a 50k word novel during the month of November. The official website was launched this morning and I have already spent a good hour on it looking at the forums, updating my own details, and sorting out my plans for this year’s story. The trouble I had was dragging myself back from diving into too much research and not doing the things I was supposed to be doing instead. Once you venture down the NaNoWriMo hole you easily become lost in character names, descriptions, and tiny details like shoe colours and character quirks. Or even worse perusing the forums and chatting to people before the month has even begun!

This will be my 8th NaNo, which is nothing considering how long it has actually been going for, some people have been at it at lot longer than I. But I am still looking forward to putting my ideas to paper. Of the past 7 stories I have written I could honestly say only two I would make into actual books, and one a short story. These I have sitting on my computer, in their little folders, patiently waiting for me to edit them. I am adding notes and snippets to them all the time though so I like to think that counts for something for now.

This year I am writing a fantasy, first time for NaNo and for myself in awhile. I don’t think I have written a fantasy since primary school so it will be great to get back into the world building and mystic creatures side. I am returning to an idea I first thought about in 2009, but I started planning all the way back in April and by the time November came around I was over-planned and didn’t actually know where to begin so I changed stories the day NaNo started (a risky move on my part). In the years since I have thought about it some more, added bits and pieces to my idea and hopefully come 1st November I will be rearing to go.

There is so much to enjoy with NaNo, the joy of writing (and actually writing for a reason where you can’t keep making excuses not to), talking to other people from all over the world, and I even get a thrill from the stress of falling behind of word counts and doing mass catch ups in one sitting.

One of the changes to the NaNo site is the new badges that can be earned. Some of these are for simply updating your novel details, others are for participating in discussions, and for the consistent workers out there a few are even for daily novel updates, and even one for 30 days of constant updates. I may try and aim for that one this year.

Good luck if you’re choosing to participate this year. Whether you are a first time NaNoer, a seasoned participant, or somewhere in between, I wish you immense luck on this journey because it can be tough and challenging. The forums are your friends; you can turn to them for ideas, celebrations, discussions of shared experiences, and of course distractions and great games. As always WriteOrDie is a godsend I implore its use at all times, and I wish you all the success in reaching the 50k word goal!