Tag: bibliophile

Book Review: ‘Tom Lake’ by Ann Patchett

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You could say this is just a story about a woman and a movie star. And it is, but it is also so much more.

Ann’s writing style is something I feel I cannot compare to any other author. Tom Lake reads so easily, as if it were a breeze to write. Yet on the flip side, part of you can just tell each sentence has been deeply mulled over and crafted with care. I felt as though Ann knew what the reader would want at the perfect time.

Gracefully, we flick through past and present. In the past, we are watching Lara grow up. We see her first unexpected audition in Our Town, to her first interactions with the movie star and love interest, Duke. Lara’s career progression is quick, exciting and forgein. Her success in theatre was not where she expected her life to go yet her experiences brought her to where she is now, and that’s on a her family run cherry farm, with her husband Joe and retelling her life story to her three early 20’s daughters during Covid-19.

Lara retelling her story to her three daughters is fascinating and a topic our book club really chose to flesh out. We all agreed that after reading this book, there must be so many parts of our parents lives that we just don’t know. For me, I think these thoughts swirled as we heard Lara relay areas of her life in a certain way to paint a certain picture or image of herself and others around her at the time. Lara also chooses to not tell certain parts of her life to her daughters because they are too harrowing, raw and would change their perception of her. I think this could be true for so many parents. As listeners and readers, we take certain parts of a story and flesh out the bits in between with our own imagination. I think Ann painted a really great narrative around this action and how it can impact familial relationships and memories we thought we knew so well.

Tom Lake has been my first Anne Patchett novel and I can safely say, it won’t be my last. And I must admit, I know have a temptation to pick up more Reece Witherspoon Book Club books as this is the 2nd I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

Happy reading book friends ⭐️

Sundays in bed with … ‘The Wake-Up Call’

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There is something about Izzy and Lucas that had me needing to stay in my pyjama’s until 3.30pm and finish this book! Yes, you’re hearing that right 🙈

‘The Wake-Up Call’ is our October book pick for THE ROMANTICS book club, of which I’ve started with a book friend this year. It covers all things love, spicy and fun. If you’d like to join our online book club, click here 💖

Izzy Jenkins is a bright, bubbly English gal who passionately despises Lucas, a sexy, strong headed and co-working Brazilian at New Forest Boutique Hotel. Both share the job of receptionist slash hotel managers. Yet sharing the role is proving quite difficult, as the two of them are competitive, quick witted and always have the upper hand on one another.

But see the thing is, Izzy has (and actively does) suppress the fact that she has feelings for Lucas … strong feelings, even when he is a stubborn pain in her behind! So much so that in December 2020, she sends him a Christmas card, openly expressing her feelings and suggesting he meet her under the mistletoe. Oh man, did this go horribly wrong! Que laughing at card, Lucas kissing Izzy’s roommate instead and a totally disastrous next year of Izzy and Lucas trying to work side by side.

I really enjoyed the rollercoaster that is Izzy and Lucas’ enemies to lovers romance. Their back and forth banter, constant teasing of one another in the hotel lobby and in front of Poor Mandy. Gosh, I loved Poor Mandy and laughed every time I read her name and scenes. She’s not in fact poor, but is rather referred to as poor due to having to put up with Izzy and Lucas bickering, competing and disturbing each other every week she works with them.

I will admit, there was a part there where it started to lull for me, but then we got into the heated arguments becoming heated emotional and intimate scenes .. and snap! my attention was well and truely captured again!

Beth O’Leary is an instant buy for me because I always close one of her books feeling lighter, happier and like there is the possibility of romance still in the world 💫 I really recommend all her novels, particularly this one!

Author Talks with Emma Grey

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📸 Australian Author, Emma Grey, holding her most recent novel The Last Love Note

Emma is a novelist, feature writer, photographer, professional speaker and accountability coach. She is also 100% fabulous, of which I can confirm because we’ve now met twice in person 💖 Emma has such a kind soul and her clever, compassionate and open ability to connect with readers really does makes her one of a kind.

Welcome Emma, to Mel Reviews Her Books 💫

Emma, you have created a uniquely beautiful romantic novel. Grief is a topic and emotion that you bravely speak openly about in person and on your social media streams. Was it daunting for you to send The Last Love Note into the world?

It was very daunting. I think I spent the two weeks leading up to the January release in a ball of anxiety, wanting to hide from the world. It was all the usual doubts authors have – what if people don’t like the story or the writing? But it was also, ‘What if people criticise the portrayal of grief?’ Because that part was very real. I even worried my character, Kate, would be criticised for falling in love again after losing her husband. While the new love story was fictional, real life judgement in grief is unfortunately very real.

In addition to all of that, I also felt an element of ’survivor guilt’. This book exists because my husband died. And here I am, being published here and overseas, going on book tours, meeting amazing Wagga booksellers and bloggers … none of that would have happened if my real-life story had been different. I’ve had to remind myself that Jeff would have thoroughly embraced all of this for me, and that it was my own hard work that led to these things – not just the circumstances that inspired the novel. 

Gosh, what a complicated answer! I was also really excited about launching the book, once I ploughed through those other emotions 😊

You’ve just been to the USA on an author journey ahead of the November launch! What are you most excited about, seeing The Last Love Note on American bookshelves and in the hands of American readers? 

The story has a strong connection to New York. I’m from Australia, but my husband was president of the Society of Military History, based in the US. Six years ago, I was flown there for a memorial conference, just a few months after he died. 

It was while I was away that I had my ‘Byron Bay moment’ – the space to really let my grief unravel without my little boy around. I plunged to the depths of grief in an American hotel room … but then I visited New York. 

That’s a city that has experienced grief en masse. Yet the show goes on. The city is so endlessly vibrant and lit up. While I was there, I caught a glimpse of that vibrance for my own future. I believed for the first time that perhaps I, too, still had a life ahead of me. 

That’s when I decided to start writing this book. I took myself to the New York Public Library and wrote some paragraphs, just to make a symbolic start. They appear in the novel as the excerpt from my character Kate’s book. 

It’s why it feels so ‘full circle’ for me to be returning to the US now with a New York publisher, Zibby Owens. I feel like I’m on the way to creating the exciting future that city promised me all those years ago…

What’s next for you Emma? In your author life, in your writing life, in your journey?

I’m excited about touring America at the end of the year, including speaking at the Miami Book Fair, and celebrating my first Thanksgiving ever in the Hamptons. 

My new book, PICTURES OF YOU, will be published by Penguin Random House and Zibby Books in April 2024. It’s a romance, with a dash of psychological thriller. 

I’ve got some exciting plans to stage the musical I co-wrote with composer Sally Whitwell, based on my teen novel UNREQUITED. Our show, DEADPAN ANTI-FAN, is a story written for my then 14-year-old non-reader, who loved Harry Styles, to show her reading could be fun! 

A widowed friend who is a comedian has floated the idea of working together on WIDOWED: THE MUSICAL, which would be an amazing project. I’m also keen to work with a producer and composer on a TV documentary about the dementia choir my parents belonged to before my mum’s death. 

In less glamorous, but important news, I’m working with a colleague to put together some awareness-raising programs to help companies and services deal more kindly and sensibly with grieving customers. 

Then there are the new book ideas … I’m hoping to keep up with the release a book each year. 

Of course, I squeeze all of this around my copywriting work for government departments and other clients, and I’m also an accountability coach, so there’s always a lot happening.

Emma, thank you so much for your time and answers! It has been an absolute pleasure to have you on the blog and a chat over on Mel Reviews Her Books Instagram 🎤

Sundays in bed with ‘The Hummingbird Effect’

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This book has got me in with both hands and I’ve been immediately immerse.

Kate Mildenhall’s writing has taken me by surprise, I must admit. I was definitely not expecting to be reading a novel that has me physically cringing, squirming and churning my stomach as I’m reading. And I cannot stop!

Last night while I was inhaling this novel, I had the thought “I don’t think a novel has ever made me feel like this.” And by ‘this’, I mean such physical reactions.

To give some reference, The Hummingbird Effect is set in 4 different times in our society. Those being; 1933; 2020; 2031; and 2181. As you move through the book, you’re seeing little snippets of how our society is changing and becoming more reliant on mechanical, technological and alternative devices to limit our man power & skillsets. It is eery. It is scary. And it is real. Even though this is a work of fiction, you can feel so much history and research in its pages.

Kate’s ability to describe all aspects of an environment in which she places the reader, such as sound, smell and texture that all interconnects to the scene we’re reading – is just phenomenal!

I am looking forward to spending more time reading this afternoon & hopefully having this book finished before next weekend, where I’m listening to Kate in person at Write Around the Murray book festival ⭐️📚🎤

A visit to Two Brown Cats Bookshop

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My heart sings each and every time I set foot in Two Brown Cats Bookshop 💖

Kate, owner of this hidden gem of preloved books, is one of the most knowledgeable bookaholic’s I know! Kate’s passion for preloved books started back in 2004 and her ability to source quality, perfectly curated and selective books has only grown with time.

Walking into Two Brown Cats Bookshop, located inside Little Triffads Florist, is like walking into a warm home library. As you look up towards the back of the shop, you’re greeted with the vision of timber top bookshelves, covered in plants and collectable books. The level of care and love is immediately evident, I can assure you.

As you wander down (because how can you not?!) you will find a variety of genres that are cleverly placed for your movement around the shelves. Kate’s fiction section, cooking and gardening sections cease to amaze me. It’s as if you’re looking at all the books you have on your wishlist that you’ve continually told yourself ‘one day’. Kate holds classic modern fictions from authors such as; Trent Dalton; Kate Grenville; Helen Garner; Garry Disher; Zadie Smith; and Jane Harper. She also hold beautiful children’s classics, both modern and collectable editions of; Winnie the Pooh; Peter Pan; Enid Blyton; and more.

Upon this visit, Kate recommended a gritty, rock and roll read in Lily Brett’s Lola Bensky. It was also incredibly hard not to walk away with this special edition of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaiden’s Tale. It is a hardback edition with red edges and an awesome indented dust jacket.

Kate has also encouraged me to add The Spare Room by Helen Garner to my TBR! Her recommendations are always spot on ⭐️

Make sure you visit this hidden gem sometime soon 💎

Chocolate Weetie Bickies

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I’ve always played with this biscuit recipe that my dear friend Georgie passed on to me years ago. I remember her saying it was from an old Marie Claire cookbook – remember those in a home kitchen!! Waaayyy back in the day 💫

The Chocolate Weetie Bickies has that OG biscuit base and then I added my little tweaks purely because I was missing one ingredient! Are you a baker who starts experimenting when you’re missing one or two ingredients? Comment below if you are ⏬

INGREDIENTS:

125g of melted butter *I tend to use salt reduced

1 cup of Brown Sugar

1 egg

1 tsp of Vanilla Essence or paste

1 cup of SR flour

1 cup of Plain flour

1/2 cup of crushed Weetbix

3 tsp of Cocoa

1 block of dark Cadbury or Nestlé baking chocolate, chopped roughly

METHOD:

  1. Preheat your fan-forced oven to 170 degrees celsius.
  2. Melt butter in the microwave or on stovetop, then mix through brown sugar.
  3. Add 1 egg and vanilla then stir through until it makes a golden paste.
  4. At the same time, add in both flours, Weetbix & cocoa. This is the stage where instead of Weetbix and cocoa, you’d usually add 1 cup of dedicated coconut 🥥 (OG Marie Claire recipe) but I didn’t have this handy so I experimented! (I don’t even sieve my flour and cocoa because I’m usually in a rush to make these but they always turn out great!)
  5. Mix all together 🥄 It’s going to look pretty dry but trust the process. It will come together to make the perfect consistency for bickies.
  6. Prepare a large baking tray with non-stick paper.
  7. Divide bickies into whatever size you like! I tend to enjoy a large, chunky and gooey bickie. I make around 12 or 16 depending on guests and/or my planned baked good delivery for friends.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes (*hint* I’ve found from years of watching Crumbs & Doilies – she’s EPIC, that biscuits actually keep baking after you’ve gotten then out of the oven and they need that time to set the outside crust to become gooey on the inside. So if you like a nice soft biscuit, get them out just a touch sooner than them going brown on top!)
  9. Allow to cool (as per previous *hint*) and serve once warmish. These are also epic with icecream … just saying 🍪🍦

Book Review: ‘How to be Remembered’ by Michael Thompson

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Tommy Llewellyn is like no other character I’ve read before and I can honestly say that his story is one that has stuck with me.

How to be Remembered starts off much like Harry Potter (stay with me here!) and funnily enough, when I actually posed this to Michael upon our meeting at Collins Booksellers Wagga, where I hosted him for some of our local readers, he admitted that nobody had ever recognised that before.

Now I’m not saying Tommy is a wizard, that is not where this is going BUT Tommy is special. He is born with the unfortunate gift of not being remembered by those around him, the world, the universe.

On the 5th of January, Tommy’s Birthday, he is forgotten. All evidence of his life; who he was; a birth certificate; any clothing that is not on his body; a memory; pictures with him in it; they either disappear or alter to not have Tommy in them. So like Harry Potter, he’s a little bit alone in the world and figuring out how to navigate his life without a parent because (heart wrenchingly 💔) they don’t remember him.

I loved the fact that we didn’t miss one part of Tommy’s childhood. We really saw it all, year by year and written perfectly so we felt so utterly helpless knowing that nobody will remember Tommy’s first steps in a foster home, his tender relationship with Miss Michelle, making friends, learning skills, attending school and of course, meeting Carey.

Carey is a young girl living in the foster home as well. Of course, she like everyone else, doesn’t remember Tommy reappearing every year having only been there less than 24 hours before the 5th of January. Carey is troubled and has a history of events in her young life that have shaped the way she sees the world, people and relationships. Most children in this particular environment are, which is particularly why I think Tommy also found a place here.

Carey and Tommy’s friendship was sweet from the beginning and I just adored watching the two of their lives intertwine year, after year, after year. The persistent drive in Tommy to find a loop in the ‘Reset’ as he called in, was incredibly intriguing and had me guessing. I had no idea how or where this story would end (and I must say, I adored the ending!)

Tommy’s story isn’t one just about love, its about resilience, knowledge, not giving up on your friends, courage and compassion. Tommy is also just so genuinely sweet and empathetic that he even though he knows people won’t remember him in the future, what he does right now will benefit someone else in the long run. And in some ways, I think that’s a beautiful way to live.

Join Michael Thompson and I to discuss How to be Remembered over on my Instagram for a LIVE book chat this Saturday the 2nd of September @ 10am AEST. AND … keep you eyes peeled over on the Author Talks tab for an interview with Michael Thompson 🎤

Book Review: ‘The Last Love Note’ by Emma Grey

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Oh Hugh, you have my heart!! *calling on somebody to find me a Hugh*

I would describe The Last Love Note by Emma Grey in 3 simple ways; heart-wrenching; a direct but warm portrayal of grief; & from the heart. Let’s break these down shall we …

Heart-wrenching is the perfect way to describe Kate, Cam and Hugh’s story. At the beginning of the novel, we’re in the present and Kate is living with the grief of losing her once in a lifetime love, Cam. Cam was diagnosed with early onset dementia and his deterioration was rapid. Kate lost Cam over 2 years ago and living with that grief has been raw, brutal and hard. It smears a smog over each everyday action, conversation & decision. We learn to live with this grief as the reader just as Kate is, because we move through past and present watching how this horrible disease changed Cam and alter’s their lives forever.

I think Emma Grey has created a direct and warm portrayal of grief through her ability to make this novel a romance, incorporate humour AND take us on the hard, stressful and uncertain journey of Kate finding love again – all in one!

Hugh, Kate’s boss and workplace colleague, has always been a fixture in Kate’s life since her meeting him. And by ‘meeting him’ I mean falling off a treadmill in a hot sweaty gym, and then feeling very exposed when her breastmilk makes an entry, and Hugh, ever caring Hugh, hands over a spare shirt to help Kate cover up her chest and her embarrassment. The moment Kate enters her new job interview, all while Cam is sick and they’re needing income to support their small family, Hugh is taken with her. The grief she is living with is something he has experienced himself in a way we didn’t expect. He understands Kate’s grief process and gives her all the time, energy and support she needs. His silent yet reassuring manner is not what Kate realised she needed during the deterioration of Cam’s health and after his passing … until now. That’s right, Kate and Hugh are on an unexpected holiday together!

This novel is truely from the heart. Hugh’s grumpy personality (which we know is just his attempt to stay away from Kate, give her space and grieve) is just the reason we love him. But there is a challenge and reason for Kate and Hugh not exploring what could be … Hugh & Cam had a friendship and in this friendship there was a secret passed between the two of them that Kate was not allowed to know. This secret really keeps us guessing until the end of the book and when you find it out, my GOSH , my HEART!! I’m not usually one to shed a tear while reading but let me tell you, my eyes were brimming 🥺

The Last Love Note has been one of my favourite novels this year and to be honest, I may not have ever found it in the endless bookshelves until Emma walked into the shop, introduced herself and signed a few copies. I’m so grateful she did because we have now connected over books, met multiple times and had an awesome time in July with weekend of romance together 💖

Author Talks with Zoë Coyle

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Zoë Coyle 📸 David Levenson via Getty Images at Oxford Literary Festival

Zoë Coyle is a natural born storyteller. Her career in corporate speaking and presenting has taught many around the world how to communicate choice and improved strategy. Her two novels, Where the Light Gets In & The Dangers of Female Provocation have brought her writing and creative industry talent, feminist power and years of experience to the page.

Welcome Zoë, to Mel Reviews Her Books 🌸🎙

Zoë WOW – what an edgy, powerful and fierce novel you’ve created. Tell us, what was the turning point for you to start putting pen to paper?

Thank you, that’s a lovely thing to say. The book sprang from several tributaries, one being an acquaintance’s husband had an affair. He was absolved with astonishing totality and speed – I wondered what would need to happen for him to actually repent and evolve. Another source was growing up female. Another is being the mother to two teenaged daughters and two little boys, observing how the world they navigate is so different due to their genders. I also wanted to pour some petrol on the conversation around marriage and like so many before me, set a match to the bullshit of patriarchy.

Was there a particular reason for picking 6 couples to span Odessa’s female rage and educational methods?

I like balance and I thought that 6 was the right number of characters for Odessa to unleash her mission of reeducation. Anymore would have been confusing and any less would have offered fewer computations. Each relationship shows another dimension of Odessa’s love, hurt, bravery and rage.

The central question of the novel is not monogamy or non-monogamy (weirdly some men have reflected back to me that they think it is), but to intentionally explore how is it we can turn up for love, platonic, familial and sexual in whatever shape we courageously co-create to live beautiful, purposeful and compassionate lives. Then, if that love comes to an end or changes shape, it is a powerful teacher for us if we are brave enough to learn. In the book as in life, good people do bad things, why is that? Though more interesting to me is when people have the courage to stand in accountability – what beauty can grow from that?

Paloma! What a companion! Did Paloma represent anything in particular within The Dangers of Female Provocation for you? Do you have your own Paloma in real life?

I don’t have a Paloma because in truth, I’m quite afraid of cats. I do however have a beloved miniature dachshund named Solace, but I loved the idea of a cat as Odessa’s companion. Cats always strike me as complicated, calculated, independent and elegant – much how Odessa is. Paloma ended up being one of my favourite characters I’ve ever written.

Odessa’s marriage, familial relationship breakdown and grief have such influence over the decisions she makes in this period of her life. Did you always plan on making Odessa such a complex and layered character? Additionally, was Odessa always your lead voice in the story?

Yes, Odessa was always the central voice. I aim to write characters that I would like to read; complex, contradictory, valiant, weak, love filled, damaged, learning, all the things. What The Dangers of Female Provocation explores is how dishonesty to self and others, erodes belonging, and our sense of selves. That when we do the hard work of garnering self awareness, integrating our trauma and family of origin story, we don’t lash out and damage. Hurt people hurt people.

That moving towards clarity is the sacred integration that Odessa the main character undertakes. She is propelled by traumatic events, and is painfully waking up to her actualised adult self. All the wealth, brands and conventional power were a mirage. What is truth is the art of loving and being loved. Where there is courage, there is vulnerability and we must resolve our demons or they own us.

Describe to us how different the writing and publishing experience was for you with The Dangers of Female Provocation, compared to your first novel, Where the Light Gets In.

My first novel was a labour of love. Exploring issues that I have thought about deeply and that have upended my life. I found The Dangers of Female Provocation much easier all round. From the writing, which was so much fun, through to the editing as I had two amazing women editing me. Alex Craig from Ultimo Press and Nadine Davidoff. It fulfilled every hope I’d ever had of being edited. As for the process of being published, it is surreal and so vulnerable. I have a dear writer friend who says that the writing is the thing, the rest is just crazy making. Of course we write and publish to find readers, and that has mostly been really beautiful.

Thank you Zoë for your time, thoughts and responses on the blog! I look forward to seeing your next novel 😊💫🌸

You can find Zoë’s books available via this link & my review for The Dangers of Female Provocation here.