Jacob’s Toys by Claudia Woods

31 May 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 1st May 2018Goodreads badge
Publisher: Harbour Publishing House
Illustrator: Claudia Woods
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Jacob tells his mother that he is too old for soft toys and he wants to give them away. His mother washes them and hangs them on the line to dry. But wild weather sets the toys free and sends them on an exciting adventure across the garden.

What will become of the toys? Will they make it to their new home safely?

Note: I received a copy of this book from the author

Woods has written a great story not only about the adventure of lost toys, but also one about maybe not being quite as ready to grow up as you might think you are. When Jacob decides to get rid of his toys he doesn’t realise it is about to send them on a dangerous journey through the wilds of the backyard.

It is a story about the various perils the toys face and what they must endure to get back home. The story is told with repetition and rhyme, the toys names being repeated over and over with a few variations as their adventure dictates. This creates a wonderful melody and rhythm as you read that flows from start to finish. The toys are often at the mercy of the weather or their circumstance but there is still a great adventure to be had.

It is not only the narrative that tells the story, the text and font is designed to add emphasis and intent to the words. With colours, drawn out words and various formatting styles it makes reading engaging and fun.

I liked that the toys accepted their move, there wasn’t a deep personification of the toys, but they still were self-aware enough to know what was happening. I can certainly see kids having favourites out of the toys, though they are all given the same standing, described in a collective bunch rather than separating them.

One of the most notable things about this story is the illustrations. They are a creative combination of different materials; Woods uses pencils, paint and a wonderful mix of natural and recycled components to show off the toys’ adventures. The colours are also bright and pop off the page and when you take the time to study each page you realise how detailed and clever they are. The combination of materials is a unique change from typical illustrations and the addition of a “look and find” feature also provides a fun element while you read.

Overall it was an enjoyable story enhanced by the fabulous illustrations and the creative formatting. One that will be fun to read time and time again.

You can purchase Jacob’s Toys via the following

QBD | Dymocks | Angus and Robinson | Fishpond

The One by Kaneana May

28 May 2019 1 Comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers, Romance Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 17th June 2019Goodreads badge
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Format: ebook
Genre: Romance
★   ★   ★   ★ – 4 Stars

Fall in love like nobody’s watching…

On the wrong side of thirty, Bonnie Yates wants a happily ever after. Problem is, she keeps choosing the wrong guys. When an ex returns to town with a fiancée in tow, history and temptation collide. Unable to shake her inappropriate feelings Bonnie flees, becoming an unlikely contestant on popular dating show The One. Will she find what she’s looking for?

Working behind the scenes, Darcy Reed is a driven young producer, dealing with a tyrant of a boss. Despite being surrounded by love at work, her own love-life with long-term boyfriend Drew is floundering. Producing a flawless season is her best chance at a promotion. But with the unrelenting demands of the show, how will she save their relationship while making that shot?

Penelope Baker has relocated to a small seaside town to hide away with her secrets and nurse a broken heart. But with The One beaming across the nation’s televisions, she can’t seem to quite escape the life she left behind…

Before cameras roll on the final ceremony, all three women will discover just what they’re willing to do in pursuit of the one…

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley

This a wonderful story about the different types of love and the unexpected ways you find someone. I loved the different characters and their journeys. Their voices were honest and while they certainly were foolish at times, there is a great human flaw to them. There’s a strange mix of predictability, but also the uncertainty that the story would go in that direction.

There are multiple character perspectives and May seamlessly transitions between them within the same chapter. I was never confused about who the focus was on and it shifted like a camera focus remarkably well. Bonnie is a great character because while she is hopeful and idealistic in her search for love, she is flawed as a result. I wouldn’t call her naïve, but she is idealistic maybe which then affects her actions.

Darcy was an interesting contrast because while I could see where her story was going, I enjoyed the journey we took to get there. May teases it out so that you have all the information and the history without any of the drama involved. I liked this method because it didn’t rely on the dramatics or the conflict, it made it real based on her story and experiences.

Penelope’s role is slightly smaller but I enjoyed her narrative. She brings a great mystery into this love story and following her secretive life allows for a lot of theories to swirl through your mind. The secondary characters were just as well developed as the key players and May knows when to bring a shift to character personalities which make you see them differently. It was amazing to see my own perspectives of them shift within a few key sentences and how the same actions could be reinterpreted.

There are a lot of different romantic relationships happening through this story and while some are inevitable, others are a nice mixture of complexity and realistic development. I really enjoyed all the different relationships and friendships May explores. I wasn’t expecting this story to have as much depth as it does. It isn’t as light-hearted as one would expected but that also doesn’t mean there isn’t wonderful romantic and heartfelt moments. For a book centred around a reality show about finding the love of your life, there is a great exploration of the different types of love and discovering which one works best for you. Even if you aren’t a fan of The Bachelor or those types of shows you will still love this behind the scenes look about what happens to those looking for love. A great read.

The expected publication for The One is 17th June 2019. You can pre-order via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Angus and Robinson |  Fishpond

Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

Sorry Day by Coral Vass

24 May 2019 1 Comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Australian Women Writers, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Published: 1st May 2018Goodreads badge
Publisher: National Library of Australia
Illustrator: Dub Leffler
Pages: 34
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

Sorry Day acknowledges the past and shows a willingness to make things right. The story commemorates both the momentous speech made by the Prime Minister of Australia to say sorry to the indigenous people for past abuse and to also recognise the decades of abuse suffered by the Stolen Generation. Told through the eyes of a young girl participating in the ceremony today and, in sepia colours, the eyes of the stolen children in the past.

The anniversary of the apology is actually in February but it is recognised in May as part of National Sorry Day, a day first held on 26 May, 1998. In 2008 then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave the apology that indigenous people had been rightly asking for for years, the one that apologised to the stolen generation for the way they had been treated by the government for decades.

I remember vividly watching this on TV, I cried then and I cried now. This is a remarkable book as it celebrates the momentous speech by Kevin Rudd but it also shows the past and the horrors indigenous people had to endure. Vass uses Rudd’s real words and she weaves it into this young girl’s story, not quite understanding the impact, but we see it through her mum and the adults around her.

As one story unfolds about that wonderful February day, it is shadowed by the realities of the history those words represent. The contrast from page to page is a stark reminder and a beautifully heartbreaking juxtaposition about the two eras, and what the importance of the speech means. In the present a young girl loses the hand of her mother and is lost momentarily in the crowd, in the past, young children lose their parents forever.

I loved that each page threw up into a different time in history. From the lawns of Canberra, to the creeks where children hide in terror, then back to watching the speech. It is such a powerful move to bring the voices of the past into the present.

Leffler uses colour to show the differences between eras, colours for the present, with sepia depicting the past. The images are vivid and emotive and coupled with Vass’ words and my own understanding of history, it is incredibly clever to see these two moments side by side.

What I found interesting was the information included at the back about the history from the stolen generation to Prime Minster Keating in the 90s to Rudd in 2008. As I said, Sorry Day is recognised every single year and it is important that people acknowledge and understand what it means.

More people need to remember this speech, remember the impact it had, but also remember why it needed to be said in the first place and wonder just why it took so long to be said. This is the ideal book to tell the story in an impactful yet gentle way and it is certainly one that can spark great discussions.

You can purchase Sorry Day via the following

Booktopia | Dymocks

 Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon Aust

Once by Kate Forsyth

03 May 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 1st April 2019Goodreads badge
Publisher: Wombat Books
Illustrator: Krista Brennan
Pages: 32
Format: Paperback
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Once, a long time ago
My grandmother’s grandmother
Travelled far, far across the seas

Kate Forsyth tells tales of her ancestors’ lives in Australia in this beautifully illustrated picture book. From the first perilous journey to a new land, to the great wars and civil rights movements, readers live through key moments in Australia’s fascinating history.

This is a beautiful story about the power of stories and the impact they have on those who listen. Forsyth tells us the story of her family and the stories they passed down as they lived through all the important moments in Australia’s history, not to mention the strength of the women who experienced them. It is a beautifully simple tale about telling your own story, and the power your own story has.

Brennan’s stunning illustrations accompany Forsyth’s words with colour and vibrancy. The full page, complex scenes are beautiful and filled with rich colours, each page telling its own visual story as well.

There are not many words or rhyme, but there is a repetition and a pattern that becomes more powerful the further the story progresses. It makes you realise that in a few generations the world can change, but it also is brought to life through those who remember it.

Forsyth’s words are simple but impactful and evoke a lot of meaning. I loved that we see the generations of now and long ago, cherished and remembered through a connection of stories.

You can purchase Once via the following

Dymocks | Amazon Aust

Booktopia | Angus & Robertson

Lightning Tracks (#1) by A. A. Kinsela

30 Apr 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Published: 1st November 2018Goodreads badge
Publisher: Plainspeak Publishing
Pages: 260
Format: ebook
Genre: YA Fantasy
★   ★   ★   ★ – 4 Stars

Nick isn’t a warrior. He knows some basic karate, but that’s it.

So when an assassin turns up to settle a blood debt, Nick narrowly escapes with his life. In his haste, he unwittingly flees to Korelios, a place he thought existed only in his eccentric aunt’s ancient legends.

All too soon, he finds himself caught in the middle of a war, and he must make an impossible choice: do his duty or follow his heart.

His choice will decide the fate of an entire civilisation.

Note: I was asked for a review by the author. 

I was curious about this story because while there were some elements that I was wary about, I was also intrigued. Fantasy and I have a love/hate relationship so while I was open minded, I was preparing myself. Thankfully my worry was all for nought because this is a wonderful Australian fantasy. It is refined and simple yet has a detailed and engaging story that has all the elements that makes a fantasy a fantasy.

Kinsela keeps the fantasy world elements close to our own, Korelios is another realm overlapping our own world with differences but a familiarity as well. Kinsela herself calls it an alternative history/fantasy novel and I think that is an apt description. The world is vast, made up of different cultures, languages, and has its own important history. The Australian landscape plays backdrop to both realms which was something that I really enjoyed. The characters may speak different languages and not actually be in Australia, but they still have emus, goannas and kangaroos. The world reflects Australia and as an Australian it is wonderful to see the Australian environment be able to be used in this type of storytelling, it is suited for this genre quite well.

Our introduction to the world is told through dialogue, character observation and thoughts, as well as natural story progression. Kinsela cleverly avoids the long paragraphs of description and world building and instead weaves it naturally through the story where the reader can piece together new and old information and construct the world in their mind. The world is rich and complicated but it is easy to understand.

Nick is a character I fell in love with right away. His voice is perfect and his personality is one of a defender more often than a fighter which I loved. Nick is a good kid but has had troubles and his loyalty is a blessing and curse. It’s not just Nick, all of Kinsela’s characters are well developed and from their first introduction she captures their voice and you know who they are. I was already so engrossed in Nick’s story that when it changed points of view I was surprised, certainly intrigued, but it adds a whole extra level of storytelling and suspense.

One thing I was not expecting was to still be so engaged continuously and especially at the end. Kinsela maintains an ideal pace that keeps the story flowing naturally but not fast enough that the reader feels like things are being brushed over. Conflicts are raised and resolved and new ones form in suspenseful and captivating ways while the longer story stretches out. I will admit I had reservations with some elements but Kinsela uses her characters well and in ways that feel true to who they are.

This story was full of delightful surprises and I cannot wait until the second book comes out because I would love to see where Kinsela takes these characters and this wonderful story.

You can purchase Lightning Tracks via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon Aust | Amazon

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