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
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
18 Bookish Facts About Me For 2018
A lot can change in a year, especially looking back to January 2017 and seeing how I've progressed. I used to find monthly writing recaps useful in tracking changes and accomplishments. This year I stopped writing those posts. They were getting increasingly difficult to write as my personal life evolved, so I found that sending … Continue reading 18 Bookish Facts About Me For 2018
The Secret To Giving The Best Books At Christmas
We all know how special it feels to unwrap a book on Christmas, or on your birthday (or any day, really!). Giving any present to a loved one is a rewarding experience. Giving books is even better. Inspiring others with new stories is a pretty special thing. But buying books for others isn't easy. You … Continue reading The Secret To Giving The Best Books At Christmas
Kyra Thomsen 