4 Books to Begin my 2024

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a good ol’ fashioned bookish blog post! So here you are my friends – I’m going to fill you in on the 4 books I’ve already whipped through in 2024 πŸ“–

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren was the first book I completed in 2024. I zipped through this in about 3 days because it’s addictive plot line and characters were just divine. The True Love Experiment is about a US best selling romance author going on a reality dating tv show, much like ‘The Bachelorette’ or ‘Love at First Sight’ here in Australia. However, the set up for this reality show is that each guy introduced to our eligible bachelorette needs to be inspired by a romance novel trope, such as ‘the bad boy’, ‘the one that got away’, ‘the nerd’ etc. And of course, our beautiful, kind hearted producer (πŸ˜‰) can see this is a fabulous idea and will help make the tv network the money it needs for him to go back to producing animal documentaries. That is, until he also becomes incredibly invested in the show … and our main character. This book was laugh out loud funny, had great angst and hot moments, but also sweet and down to earth moments. I find Christina Lauren’s books a great palate cleanser ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth was my next completed novel. Admittedly, I started this in December of 2023 but just didn’t get around to finishing it until the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year was over. This story follows 3 women as they’re thrown into an investigation of the foster home they all lived in as children. A child’s body has been found under the house in present day and all 3 woman are suspects as the police try to put the timeline together. The flashbacks of each woman’s perspective shed light on what actually took place in the house/at this time/who this child could be. Due to the manipulative, abusive and influential experiences all 3 girls had at that house, they consider themselves sisters and are determined to see the woman behind their abusive childhood found guilty. I enjoyed this book. I would say that I saw some of the ending coming but there were other parts that I didn’t! Overall, enjoyable and I would like to try more of Sally Hepworth’s books this year. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)

Weyward by Emilia Hart was picked up at the perfect time for me! I wanted the feel of magic/fantasy but didn’t want drudge through the whole world-building chapters, not understanding peoples roles and having no clue what peoples names are – you know? 🀣 So Weyward was more magical realism and I found it the perfect slice for my craving. Following 3 quite extended generations of Weyward women, all 3 are guided by their connection to nature, ability to intuitively speak with animals, and also grow their gifts. A strong plot line that I was not expecting in this book is domestic violence and intergenerational trauma. Each woman has either been exposed to and/or experienced domestic abuse, with the male figure being the perpetrator, first hand. This abuse is actually the start of their spark in magic as it is used as both a coping mechanism and also a form of protection or revenge. One woman is in the 1600’s and she is on trial for witchcraft. Another woman is in the 1950’s and she has lost her mother, has a poor relationship with her father and her cousin unexpectedly comes to stay following his time serving in the War. Another woman is in present day, and she is on the run from her husband after just finding out she’s pregnant. This novel certainly hits some cautionary points and has quite descriptive scenes at times. I didn’t find this a bad thing, if anything it made me more passionate about seeing these women through to then end. β­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈπŸ’« (3.5/stars)

Love, Just in by Natalie Murray has been my fourth completed book and I just NEEDED to pick this up because, girl – is she getting some hype (totally worth it I might add)! Love, Just In is a friends to lovers but there is also some high school chasing and then present day heartache. Josie and Zac have been best friends since the moment they bonded over music in high school, but as the years went by, poor timing, dating other people and after Zac experiences a tragic accident, resulting in the loss of someone significant in his life, they’ve drifted. Zac fled Sydney 2 years ago following the tragic accident and since then, him and Josie have barely been in touch. Josie has been offered an opportunity to help progress her news reading/tv presenter career, and it just happens to be in the city Zac fled to – Newcastle. Instantly, their friendship is starting to mend but Josie is seeing Zac in a different light; an attractive light; a more than friends light; a HOT light. Zac & Josie’s story had perfectly timed reveals, angst, funny moments and tender heart moments. The perfect Sunday morning/afternoon read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

How are you guys starting your 2024? New books? New hobbies underway? πŸ™ˆπŸ“– Comment below πŸ’­

Thursday Real Talk: That 4am Brain

How is it that my 4am brain conjures up thoughts that have not taken up space in my thinking for anywhere between 4 – 6 months. It’s like all of a sudden, everything is quiet and the gust of meddling thoughts circulating is so strong that anything will come to the forefront.

Such as;

Why did I respond that way in that conversation?

What if they felt a certain way because of the way you responded in that conversation, that you had 3 months ago, with that person who is practically a stranger AND whom you’ll probably never see again?!

Why didn’t I cook something else for dinner tonight?

I need to call that person back. I hope something isn’t wrong.

I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow.

The amount of tabs I have open in my brain at 4am is ridiculous. They ebb and flow between pretty harmless thoughts, to worries, to genuine concern that then results in me staying up longer to try and resolve the hypothetic issue my own brain created.

Am I alone in this or is this a common occurrence for those whose body clock decides it’s time to start up your day at 4am?!

Thankfully over time I’ve come to realise the triggers for these 4am wake-ups (stress & wine) and what I need to do to ensure I’m not a total zombie the following day (set my alarm a bit later, give myself a good half an hour+ to drink my morning coffee and wakeup, wash my hair = the ultimate ‘starting fresh’ method).

I’ve come to respect that these 4am wake ups may not be something I can control all the time. So instead, it’s an opportunity to; practice wrangling those open tabs that are sitting there being unhelpful & not loading properly; take a moment to do some deep breathing; tell myself ‘everything will be okay in less than 3 hours’.

Comment below some of your methods during and after your 4am wake up πŸ’¬

What did Mel Reviews Her Books get up to in 2023?

What a year 2023 was! It feels somewhat surreal to be looking back on a year that held so much for me, not only in terms of book related content and book joy, but also in personal growth, being open to change and starting new projects.

Looking back through my yearly calendar diary is a bit of a nostalgic routine for me each new year. I stop and ponder over what’s been written, what I may have been stressing myself over that week and what little notes, stickers and ‘artefacts’ if you will, I’ve left in there, eg. photos, cinema tickets, receipts.

Here’s what my 2023 involved:

  • I brought in the 2023 New Year surrounded by some of my closest friends. It was a 10+ hr drive to get there and 100% worth the trip πŸ’«
  • Collins Booksellers Wagga was my place of work and my position there was as the Store Manager. I had the privilege of meeting, networking and talking books with so many new book friends, authors and illustrators.
  • I dedicated a lot of time to playing tennis (my favourite sport) and become better and more consistent over time 🎾
  • One of my best friends organised a wonderful birthday party for me! In which I was spoilt, full of food and joy πŸŽ‚
  • I adopted a little cat and called her ‘Peach’ πŸ‘
  • Hollie Startup who is based in London, designed and created my wonderful new logo for Mel Reviews Her Books πŸ–Ό
  • I started and finished a relationship, and grew in leaps and bounds πŸ’–
  • Sulari Gentill and I had a wonderful chat at One Book One Temora 🎀
  • The Riverina Readers Festival came to fruition πŸ’™
  • I begin studying Library and Information Studies at TAFE and then decided, it wasn’t for me πŸ€“ Book blogging suits me far better!
  • I worked really hard on my mental health and committed to dedicating time to me. This lead to my personal growth and acknowledging my self worth 🧠
  • Jugiong Writers Festival invited me to be their bookseller at their bi-annual Book Festival! What a wonderful experience this was – one I will truely cherish πŸ™πŸΌ
  • I organised, communicated and brought together the most beautiful authors who were all about LOVE! I organised my last Collins Booksellers Wagga in store event and our first Riverina Readers Festival micro event – all in the same weekend πŸ˜… (I like to push my limits but BY GOSH was it worth it!)
  • I started a new job in the Disability sector and have learnt so much 🀩
  • Social Worker Mel has made a full appearance and I really like her – she’s going to stick around 😊
  • Our local ABC Radio had me on to talk about our Riverina Readers Festival event and it was so much fun πŸ“»
  • The Riverina Readers Festival committee had meeting, after meeting, after meeting. I may be bias in saying, but our team is really the best in the biz πŸ‘ŒπŸΌ … we’re only at July book friends
  • Wagga Civic Theatre put on a number of amazing shows in which I attended! I love that place! 🎟🎭
  • The Riverina Readers Festival officially became incorporated with me as President πŸ’™
  • I began planning, organising and starting Instagram Lives on Mel Reviews Her Books 🎀
  • Weekly blog posts became an ongoing goal πŸ’»
  • I made new friends πŸ’–
  • I hugged my friends tight as they went overseas and explored the world while I stayed in Wagga and explored what I can build in the world of books 🌍
  • My Literary Lovers Book Club has an inconsistent attendee in me, but luckily, they still accepted me coming along here and there πŸ˜‰
  • With our Festival Committee, we wrote plans, proposals and grant applications – of which we have had some success ⭐️
  • I experienced many migraines and the process of handling them is now something I’m exploring πŸ₯
  • I attended Write Around the Murray (WAM) Book Festival and had a stunning time πŸ“–
  • NaNoWriMo got me good and Instagram Live really become my intimate friend πŸŽ₯ 20,000 words are now sitting in my word doc waiting for a time when the creativity sparks again.
  • My family moved away and I felt incredibly lonely. I’ve learnt to appreciate those around me and what the community of Wagga can bring me πŸ‘₯
  • Cooking continued to be my downtime and I explored many new recipes, of which I shared a few with you all on here! πŸ‘©πŸ½β€πŸ³
  • I renovated a bookcase and absolutely LOVE it πŸ’š
  • THE ROMANTICS Book Club became an online book club created by a friend and myself πŸ“–
  • I set myself the 2024 goal of conducting 12 Author Interviews on Instagram Live & developing a paid newsletter full of juicy content πŸ’»
  • Christmas and New Year was celebrated with my nearest and dearest πŸŽ„πŸŽ† and I’m rounding out 2023 feeling as if I’m bringing the right people into my orbit who are going to continue to support me and want the best for me ❀️

WOW! Now looking back after writing this all down, I cannot fathom how much I’ve actually done in 2023 πŸ™ˆ What a year – here’s to another beautiful bookish year with all you book friends πŸ₯‚πŸ“–πŸŽ€πŸ’«

I hope 2023 has been tremendous for you xx

Thursday Real Talk: Are Opportunities Really That Scary?

I’ve always been one of those people who thought that opportunities were scary because opportunities change things. They can alter your path and most of the time, opportunities bring change that you may not have planned for. I was fearful of this for a very long time until I realised something quite significant.

Opportunities do not have to be BIG! They don’t have to be so large that your whole life upheaves for them.

Opportunities can be; choosing to take that spare 10 minutes to go grab a coffee for yourself instead of making one; rather than spending the evening alone, text a friend and see what they’re up too; or if you’re in a new environment with new people, it’s an opportunity to make a new friend.

Saying yes to these opportunities could help to build your self-care routines, connections with those you love and care for, and find new people to love and care for in your circle. By no means are these opportunities not life changing, they are but they just look a little different to what the typic ‘life changing opportunity may be’. And they are still quite significant!

What I’m coming to learn is that if you don’t say yes to these types of self-building opportunities, they cannot lead you onto finding the confidence and circle of encouragement to say yes to some bigger opportunities, such as; changing your job; showing someone your worth through action; or building something new from scratch.

All of these ‘big’ opportunities still require those initial, un-life heaving opportunities of; self care; consideration; connection; and self-worth.

So maybe we need to change our perspective of opportunities as we move into 2024 this weekend.

If we were to scale it back, the flow on effect of saying ‘yes’ to a daily opportunities, could in fact be more effective and enhance more stability and strength for when that big opportunity shows itself. And at that point, the big opportunity may not look so scary anymore x

Author Talks with Jack Heath πŸ”ͺ

Bestselling Australian Author, Jack Heath πŸ“Έ Curtis Brown Agency

Jack Heath is the #1 bestselling author ofΒ 40 novels, published in nine languages. Jack’s first crime thriller,Β Hangman, was voted one of the 100 best books of all time (twice) – and I think Kill Your Husbands won’t be far behind! His mission is to create books that inspire a love of reading in children and adults.

Welcome Jack, to Mel Reviews Her Books 😊

Jack, Kill Your Husbands is certainly a unique storyline! I mean, we have murder, a touch of romance, a LOT of suspicion and a partner swap! How and where were you inspired to write Kill Your Husbands?


I used to rent a beach house with my old high school friends every year after exams were over. There would be drinking, truth or dare, more drinking, and (my favourite) games of murder in the dark. We’d creep around the house with the lights out, and when someone screamed, we’d all get together in the room with the “body” and try to work out who the killer was.

I wanted Kill Your Husbands to be just as much fun as those games were.

Writing 7 different perspectives is not an easy feat in the slightest. Why did you choose to split perspectives rapidly in each chapter and do you feel its effect was achieved? (I certainly do!)


When I was a kid I read a murder mystery where the killer turned out to be the narrator, which blew my mind. For Kill Your Husbands I set myself a challenge – what if the killer was the narrator, and the reader knew it from the start, but they didn’t know which narrator?

In a world where ChatGPT exists, human writers can compete by focusing not just on the characters’ emotions but the readers’. Splitting the perspectives and tightly controlling the flow of information was the only way to create the effect I wanted.

In person and online, you’ve spoken openly about the challenges of making it into the book industry and rewriting, rewriting and rewriting your work before sending it off to be published. 40 novels down the line, what does that process look like for you now?


Things have changed a bit. At the start of my career, I’d write a book and then hope I could find a publisher to sell it to. These days publishers often come to me and ask me to write something for them. This means my income is much more stable, but it also means less creative freedom. I have to outline everything before I write it, and I have so many readers that I’m locked in to certain genres. Nice problems to have, I know!

Our main Police perspective, Kiara, is a recurring character for you. Kiara ends Kill Your Husband by exploring new cases and she’s stepped up into higher ranks as a Detective. Do you feel like there is another story left for her yet?


I hope so! I’ve learned not to plan out long series, because often a book won’t sell well enough to warrant a sequel. I also have several contracts for non-Kiara books, so I’ll be pretty busy either way. But the response to Kill Your Husbands has been tremendous, so I think there’s a market there for another Kiara book if I chose to write one. What do you think of Kill Your Boss?

Kill Your Boss sounds absolutely terrifying! Can’t wait to read it πŸ˜‰ Jack – thank you SO MUCH for spending your time here on Author Talks. I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to chat again (virtual this time), it’s always a pleasure πŸ“š

You can find all of Jack Heath’s books via this link: Click Here ⭐️

Thursday Real Talk: Don’t look back, you’re not going that way

Yesterday, I had a day. My brain was saying “go, go, go – you’ve got a busy day ahead and we need to get moving”, but my body was telling me otherwise and I didn’t want to listen, but eventually, it made me.

I started to feel as if I was going backwards, when in reality – I’d just filled my plate too much that it was not possible for my body to process the high speed in which we needed to function for the day/week.

I wasn’t going backwards, in fact I was moving forward. This was just another experience that leads me to understand why listening to your body is important. Listening to the signs of exhaustion, busy-ness and the need to be your best self at every facet of your life isn’t practical – and it’s also not realistic.

So today, I’m saying “thank you body, for telling me I was overloaded yesterday” and “I understand that I need to take things a bit slower today”.

I hope you also find a snippet of time in your day in which you can reflect on how you can be kind to your body x

She’s got BIG BIG NEWS πŸ’₯

Hey you, yes long time reader YOU! I cannot express how grateful I am for the support you’ve shown me since 2021! That’s right, Mel Reviews Her Books is heading into her 4th year – I honestly can’t believe it πŸ’«

I wanted to share a few new things that you’ll see on our little happy book place in the world 🌏

BIG NEWS 1: Every month of 2024, I will be interviewing Australian authors on Instagram Live 🎀

You may notice that these Instagram Live interviews have already been happening and I’d like to keep that consistency going because, 1. Interviewing authors is so much fun for me & 2. I really enjoy bringing attention to the wonderful variety of Australian authors who write magnificent work.

Instagram Live interviews will take place on Saturday mornings, at a time that suits myself and my fellow authors. During this interview we will bring you a conversation around their most recent release, their writing habits and what their writing experiences have been like at different stages of their life.

Keep an eye on here for updates as to when these are taking place & also on my Instagram which you can find by clicking here.

BIG NEWS 2: You can now subscribe to my monthly digital Newsletter πŸ“§πŸ₯³

In this monthly digital newsletter, you can expect to find a variety of fresh and exclusive content. There will be behind the curtain interviews with Aussie authors where we will be unpacking the ins and outs of the Australian and worldwide book industry, writing tips and tricks, as well as some of the most pivotal experiences they’ve had in their writing careers. I will also be discussing those spicy scenes that are a bit too hot and heavy to discuss on common public platforms! As well as what I really thought about that book I DNF’d, why it didn’t resonate with me and what I would suggest as an alternative.

By clicking on the top right hand corner of this blog, you can subscribe to the monthly newsletters for $4 per month, or $45 per year. Additionally, you may find that some spoiler book reviews will have limited reading due to a paywall. This will ensure only those who are interested in reading book spoilery content are subscribed and have a deep burning desire to know what happens in those final chapters πŸ˜‰

So there you have it – TWO brand new updates to Mel Reviews Her Books!

I wouldn’t be able to progress this blog into it’s new stages without your support, of which I’m so grateful for πŸ’–

Book Review: ‘Kill Your Husbands’ by Jack Heath

I did not expect to devour this book in under a week but I’m not ashamed to say that I did! What I am ashamed to say is that this is my first Jack Heath book! If the rest of his adult crime fiction are anything like this … book friends, you know what’s on my Christmas list πŸ“•

Kill Your Husbands is a witty, stand alone crime fiction novel that takes place in a secluded, digital detox holiday house. Three couples, who are high school friends, take the opportunity to leave behind their every day life baggage and spend some time reconnecting with themselves, their partners and … other couples partners.

There are many different perspectives and characters to flick around in this book, so let me start by introducing them as outlined to us in the front of this novel:

*written by Detective Kiara*

FELICITY, stand-up comic, married to Dominic (trophy wife?)

DOMINIC (Dom), finance bro, gave $10K to Cole (gift or loan?)

COLE, gym owner, married to Clementine (but attracted to Isla?)

CLEMENTINE, fitness model, Isla’s best friend (find someone who’s done IVF, see if story is credible)

ISLA, full-time mum, married to Oscar (what ‘truth’ was he referring to?)

OSCAR, real estate agent (but didn’t rent the house?)

Just reading these I was immediately intrigued! So, we have Dom and Felicity, a very glitzy pair who show off their wealth in a new Tesla & branded clothing. Dom also forked out and rented the grand holiday house for everyone – he’s a bit of a show off really. Felicity is quite a bit younger than Dom and has an interesting background before meeting Dom. Felicity is the one to suggest the partner swap … or is she?

We have Cole and Clementine who are the ‘perfect’ couple. However for them, their seemingly wonderful relationship is not complete without a baby. They’ve been through multiple rounds of IVF and the cost is setting Cole’s gym business backwards. He is also starting to see Clementine as becoming fragile and not able to fulfil his desires. Cole is beginning to feel helpless and he has an urge that needs fulfilling … will the partner swap be just what he needs to fulfil these continuous thoughts?

Finally, we have Isla and Oscar, and they have a little one named Noah who is the light of their life but Oscar is beginning to feel twinges of jealously, like he is left behind and that his wife is only sexually attracted to him because she wants another baby. Mentally, Oscar is finding it hard to stay balanced, and a weekend away from his son, somewhat from his wife, is exactly what he needs. And also because there will be another woman there he’d like to focus on … Oscar never thought he’d be a man who would cheat on his wife, but he’s obsessed.

Snipping through each perspective, two week time period, as well as being lead through the investigation process by Kiara , Kill Your Husbands is a very quick read πŸ“• There is no time to put this story down because at the end of every chapter, you’re left hanging for the next.

Each character has a motive for murdering another in the group. Each character you feel sympathy for because we learn, care and understand how they feel – it’s only human. Each character is a suspect. Up to the very last pages, I promise you, you will be kept guessing as to who, when, how and why.

Kill Your Husbands was a 5/5 read for me, no doubt about it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’d like to hear Jack Heath and I discuss Kill Your Husbands, join us on Instagram Live Saturday 23 December @ 10am πŸ”ͺ

BIG THANK YOU to Allen & Unwin for generously sending me this copy of Kill Your Husbands for review πŸ’«πŸ‘πŸΌ

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is hosted byΒ Sam @ Taking on a World of WordsΒ πŸ“šΒ It is a book tag to broaden the reading community and help connect avid readers!

All you have to do is answer the following three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

CR: Love and Other Scores by Abra Pressler is my current read, and I am devouring it! This easy to follow romance fiction is set on our very own Australian shores at the Australian Open (tennis glam slam – for those who don’t follow sports). Gabi is is professional tennis player seeking a moment of solice from the pressure, overwhelm and commitment that is tennis ruling your life. He wanders into a basement bar only to come across Noah. Noah is working out his days in this bar with it’s new owner. He feels connected to this place even now when it’s going down hill. He remembers what it used to be – jazzy, fun, inclusive, alive. Noah has no idea who Gabi is and to Gabi, this is a breath of fresh air. Will Noah be the perfect yin to Gabi’s yan? You’d better read and find out! Grab a copy here if you like 🎾

RF: Kill Your Husbands by Jack Health is a suspenseful, crime fiction novel I powered through in under a week! I was trying my best to read this non-stop because every chapter ended on a cliff hanger and by the end, as the reader we’re left trying to piece together what happened in a frantic mess of webs! Kill Your Husbands follows 3 couples as they venture on a digital detox holiday in the Australian bush. The holiday house they’ve rented is isolated, beautiful and the perfect place for things to go wrong. Que the suggestion of partner swapping, one person murdered and an unknown squatter on the property – things start to go very wrong, very fast. Full book review for Kill Your Husbands coming this weekend βœ…

RN: Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey is next up on my TBR and she’s going to be glorious – I can already feel it! Every time I pick up a novel by Tessa Bailey I think to myself, ‘Why have I left it so long before picking up another one of her books!’. I always adore them and how I could I say no to this; it’s Christmas; it’s giving cozy vibes; AND it’s romance. Yes, yes, yes from me πŸ’– + it’s our December pick for our online Romance book club called ‘THE ROMANTICS’. If you’d like to join, click this link: Join Here!

A WAM of a Weekend πŸ’₯ DAY 2

WAM Day 2 I was up bright and early ready to hear the first panel, chaired by the wonderful author and podcaster Kate Mildenhall, called The First Time: Publishing.

This panel held authors T.R. Napper, Irma Gold & Kathryn Heyman. It was very insightful and interesting to hear how each of these authors came to have a life full of books, writing and publishing. Each had such different experiences, especially when it came to book editing, selling rights, having a book agent and film contracts. Needless to say, many notes were taken on my phone from this panel!

Next up we heard from crime fiction writers, Shelley Burr & Margaret Hickey, both of whom were interviewd by the wonderful Jason Steger from The Age.

Shelley and Marg spoke about their tactics in plotting, what inspires them to write about murderous and conflicting characters in small town settings and what they’ve felt most rewarding about continuing to write in the fictional worlds they’ve created. I haven’t read either of their works but I sure will be now!

Then drumrolllll … meeting Kate Mildenhall was the absolute cherry on top of an already sunny weekend! πŸ˜Šβ˜€οΈ

As I mentioned previously, I was bundled with excitement in meeting Kate as her book The Hummingbird Effect is surely going down as one of my favourite reads this year. Her interview with Paul Dalgarno was fascinating. Kate explained how a conversation over family dinner sparked her interest in a local well-known meat works that had burnt down in years past. This fire triggered a series of events, political movements and strikes for years to come. It affected not only the workers engaged in the meatworks, but their families, their suburb, their socials groups and more. Listening to Kate talk about her process of weaving her 5 connected stories together was inspiring and intricate. It was also unique and a once in a book lovers life time listening to this interview as Kate’s talent is like no other author I’ve listened to before.

And I might add – when I popped my hand up in the Q&A section of the interview to ask about the jaw dropping image in her book, without even having met me in person yet – but having seen my social media posts, Kate said before answering, “Is that Mel from Mel Reviews Her Books?”. I laughed and said “Yes!”. “I’m so excited to meet you!” she said – on stage, in front of a crowd of people! I couldn’t help but smile and giggle to myself 🀣

Finishing off this spectacular weekend, we listened to bestselling historical fiction author, Pip Williams. Wow! What a WAM way to go out with a bang.

Pip’s insight into the world of bookbinding, the rippling effects of WWI and how she created such emotive and heartfelt characters representative of this time is truely amazing. Pip explored with interviewer Jason Steger, how her previous career background in analysing human behaviour and patterns of human characteristics really enforced her passion for writing fiction characters, that we as the readers, ultimately believe to be real.

This was my second time hearing Pip’s experiences, as previous I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting her at a bookseller’s conference hosted by her publisher, Affirm Press. However, I can say with certainty, her story never ceases to captivate an audience (including me).

And that my book friends, was a wrap of my WAM of a weekend πŸ’« Again, I honestly cannot thank the WAM committee enough for curating, hosting and encouraging such a wonderful event filled with bookish passion, connection and the essence of community!

Sign me up already for 2024! Are you booking your ticket?