A Review of the Tender and Unique Novel “Salt and Skin” by Eliza Henry-Jones
Australian / Book Reviews / The Latest

A Review of the Tender and Unique Novel “Salt and Skin” by Eliza Henry-Jones

Luda is a journalist and she seems to have an almost cut-throat nature when it comes to her reporting. She sees the story and the opportunity to tell it – and not really who is involved in the storytelling and how their lives become swept up in the drama of the story. When Luda publishes the picture of the girl falling to her death off the coastline of the remote community she moves to, she is quickly ostracized by the community. In a moment of profound grief – Luda can only seem to see the opportunity to tell a story of climate disaster with little regard for how the disaster of losing a child might affect the family involved. Continue reading

“True Friends” by Patti Miller: what does it mean to write a memoir about friendships lost and found?
Australian / Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

“True Friends” by Patti Miller: what does it mean to write a memoir about friendships lost and found?

I think everyone experiences the loss of a friendship at some stage in their life, sometimes multiple friendships and the reasons for these losses are vast, complex, and sometimes confusing. It can be as simple as a friend moving to a different state and losing touch. It can be from a fight. And it can also be a slow unwinding that can be anything from ghosting to drifting apart. We have a lot of words to describe romantic love and breakups – we have song after poem, after novel after film about romantic love. Although very little about friendships. Continue reading

A Review of Craig Silvey’s “Honeybee”: an Australian novel about queer and trans life and learning to love who we are
Australian / Book Reviews / queer / The Latest

A Review of Craig Silvey’s “Honeybee”: an Australian novel about queer and trans life and learning to love who we are

The kind of home environment that Victoria grew up in is not really conducive to stability, safety, or love. Of course, there are close relationships, and I don’t doubt that Victoria doesn’t love her mother – but the relationship is also extremely toxic. Victoria is the child, yet she is always expected to be the parent and caregiver for her mother. Treating children like they are adults (in this particular way) is a form of trauma that doesn’t go away easily. Continue reading

15 Black Feminist Books to Read After “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
African / American / Australian / Book Reviews / feminism / The Latest

15 Black Feminist Books to Read After “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, I might make a very small commission. This helps me directly fund my blog. It is no secret around here that I absolutely loved Honorée Fanonne Jeffers’s novel The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois. It was just such a … Continue reading

Lizzie the grateful servant in “The Dictionary of Lost Words”: why do authors keep getting class horribly wrong?
Australian / Book Reviews / British / historical / The Latest

Lizzie the grateful servant in “The Dictionary of Lost Words”: why do authors keep getting class horribly wrong?

On the surface, this all seems good and well. Although, I want to take a closer look at the relationship Esme has with her servant, Lizzie. Esme is motherless, and Lizzie acts in many ways like an older sister and motherly figure all in one. This plot device of women who have lost their mothers and their fathers aren’t great at raising them is a bit tiring and overused for me. Although, I might just read too many books… Continue reading

Climate Change Fiction (Cli-Fi): A review of Clare Moleta’s “Unsheltered”
Australian / Book Reviews / The Latest

Climate Change Fiction (Cli-Fi): A review of Clare Moleta’s “Unsheltered”

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, I might make a very small commission. This helps fund my blog and keep it free for all to read. I recently figured out I have been reading books of a very specific genre – dystopian novels and climate disaster … Continue reading

A Review of Tabitha Carvan’s “This Is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch”: unapologetically loving things
Australian / Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

A Review of Tabitha Carvan’s “This Is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch”: unapologetically loving things

Carvan’s book is about motherhood and the changes it brings with it. It is (despite what the title suggests) also a little about her love of Benedict Cumberbatch. And it is about losing yourself and then finding a way back to yourself by exploring and embracing the things that bring you joy. Continue reading

Exploring Australia’s Colonial History: A review of “Devotion” by Hannah Kent
Australian / Book Reviews / historical / queer / The Latest

Exploring Australia’s Colonial History: A review of “Devotion” by Hannah Kent

Devotion is an Australian colonial saga. It chronicles the Prussian and German immigrants who travelled to Australia, specifically to South Australia, in the 1800s. It is about love, loss, religious persecution, and the Australian landscape. Continue reading

“A Lonely Girl Is a Dangerous Thing”: book review of Jessie Tu’s Debut Novel
Australian / Book Reviews / The Latest

“A Lonely Girl Is a Dangerous Thing”: book review of Jessie Tu’s Debut Novel

Some links used on this page may have affiliate links. If you click through this link and decide to purchase something, I can make a tiny commission. If you love my blog and my recommendations and reviews, please think about supporting my blog in this way. It helps me keep my blog afloat. Since moving … Continue reading