The Girl Aquarium by Jen Campbell is an enchanting collection of poetry exploring bodies and disfigurement, girlhood/womanhood/motherhood, the male gaze, and relationships. If you're familiar with Jen Campbell from booktube, you won't be surprised that The Girl Aquarium is quintessentially "Jen": the style is whimsical and eerie and dreamlike, with motifs of the sea, the … Continue reading Book Review: The Girl Aquarium by Jen Campbell
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Book Review: Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke
How could I resist a contemporary romance with multiple narratives based around astrology? (Heart-eyes emoji forever!) Star-Crossed follows Justine (Sagittarius); a sometimes-shy but driven, hopeless romantic working at the local magazine. Justine randomly runs into her childhood best friend (and fleeting teenage sweetheart), Nick; an Aquarian actor between jobs, bereft in his love life. Justine … Continue reading Book Review: Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke
3 tips to write a poem in 10 minutes
I recently posted a writing prompt to write a poem with me in 10 minutes. But it's easier said than done! Writing poetry is hard. You stare at that blank page and nothing seems good enough to put pen to paper. I know the feeling. So to explain some of my personal techniques for writing … Continue reading 3 tips to write a poem in 10 minutes
Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness follows a 12-year-old boy named Conor, who is visited nightly by a monster who tells him stories. The monster terrorises him at first, but Conor listens to the stories under the pretence that he'll tell the monster "the truth". There's a lot of upset in Conor's life, from his … Continue reading Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Book Review: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Jennifer Egan is an auto-buy author for me and when Manhattan Beach came out, I was very excited to read the first book released by Egan in 6 years! I didn't really know what to expect from the historical fiction novel set in the 1930's and 40's, largely around the Brooklyn Naval Yard, following gangsters … Continue reading Book Review: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Where To Start With Poetry
Poetry has a reputation for pretentiousness which puts a lot of people off reading it. I'm lucky that poetry has always been a part of my life. When I was little it was Banjo Paterson (thanks Mum!); in my teen years it was Something for Kate and Pink Floyd and trying to find words for … Continue reading Where To Start With Poetry
Book Review: The Power by Naomi Alderman
The Power by Naomi Alderman is a thought-provoking portrayal of what the world would be like if women were the dominant sex in society. I listened to The Power on audiobook and it limited my enjoyment of the book for a number of reasons. You can hear my thoughts on character casting and the multi-faceted … Continue reading Book Review: The Power by Naomi Alderman
Happy Birthday to These Authors Born in January!
As part of my social media strategy for 2018, I started looking into important bookish dates. And when I noticed there were so many authors with birthdays in January, I just had to make a wrap-up 'Happy Birthday' video for them all! In the video, I talk about my favourite books by the authors and … Continue reading Happy Birthday to These Authors Born in January!
Book Review: Stella and Margie by Glenna Thomson
Stella and Margie by Glenna Thomson explores female, familial relationships with poise in a contemporary Australian setting. Blurb: Stella and her mother-in-law Margie are two very different women. Stella is kind, compassionate and just a little chaotic. Margie is prickly, demanding and a stickler for convention. Stella has exciting dreams for the future. Margie has … Continue reading Book Review: Stella and Margie by Glenna Thomson
6 Amazingly Creative Aussies To Check Out This Year
I love supporting local talent. There are some inspirational Aussies out there! So I thought I would run through just a few creative Australian individuals, businesses and bookish groups that I think you should know about. Check out their websites, subscribe to their mailing lists, follow them on social media, browse through their stores, add … Continue reading 6 Amazingly Creative Aussies To Check Out This Year
Kyra Thomsen 