A Review of Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfection”: being imperfect is actually perfect
American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

A Review of Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfection”: being imperfect is actually perfect


As I write this review, International Women’s Day is approaching – March 8th – and I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be a woman today. There is so much happening in the world that I don’t even have the full capacity to comprehend it all without feeling like I am … Continue reading

5 Great Books About Mental Health – because therapy isn’t cheap!
Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

5 Great Books About Mental Health – because therapy isn’t cheap!


We are in the third year of a pandemic. Everyone is going through something right now. Some people are doing better than others, and how well someone is doing right now can be affected by a lot of things. Money, job and housing security, intimate relationships, friendships and support safety nets differ from person to person. Continue reading

Book Review of “Wild Souls” by Emma Marris: Rethinking nature conservation and the wild
American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / Opinion Pieces / The Latest

Book Review of “Wild Souls” by Emma Marris: Rethinking nature conservation and the wild


Emma Marris’ book Wild Souls was an easy read for me at the beginning of 2022. I saw it in the nonfiction section at my local book store and I was intrigued by the cover. I have been reading a lot of books about nature, the wild, conservation, and human relationships with the non-human world. … Continue reading

A Review of “Shuggie Bain”: the lingering effects of poverty
Book Reviews / Scottish / The Latest

A Review of “Shuggie Bain”: the lingering effects of poverty


I bought Shuggie Bain at the beautiful beachy bookshop “Turn the Page” on Millowl (Philip Island) many moons and lockdowns ago. I quickly read it and then proceeded to recommend the book to every person I met. It quickly became one of my favourites from 2020. I have resisted reviewing this book straight away. Sometimes, … Continue reading

The Endless Pursuit of Chasing Your Dreams: A book review of William Boyd’s “Trio”
Book Reviews / British / Scottish / The Latest

The Endless Pursuit of Chasing Your Dreams: A book review of William Boyd’s “Trio”


Trio by William Boyd has been one of those books that has grown on me. It has been months since I read it, and sometimes I review things straight away and other times I like to wait. Trio has fallen in the latter camp. The book is centred on three characters – Anny, Talbot, and … Continue reading

Literary Olympics: The best literary fiction books of 2020-2021
Book Reviews / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

Literary Olympics: The best literary fiction books of 2020-2021


The Olympics just finished up in Tokyo, Japan. It has been, to say the very least, a very strange time. On the one hand, my brain can’t seem to comprehend that we even had an Olympics given the current state of the world right now, and then, on the other hand, I also understand the importance of having something ‘normal’.

With all that said, I wanted to have some light-hearted fun and do the 2020-2021 Book Olympics! Continue reading

A Review of Kavita Bedford’s “Friends and Dark Shapes”: sharehouses, the gig economy, and millennial living
Australian / Book Reviews / The Latest

A Review of Kavita Bedford’s “Friends and Dark Shapes”: sharehouses, the gig economy, and millennial living


This is one of those times where I bought the book because the cover was just too beautiful. Despite the old saying about judging books, sometimes a good cover can work wonders on our buying habits – I am definitely not immune. The premise of the book – sharehouse living, figuring out adult life in … Continue reading

3 Life Lessons from “You Matter”: A review of Matthew Emerzian’s self-help book
American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

3 Life Lessons from “You Matter”: A review of Matthew Emerzian’s self-help book


I have read a lot of self-help books this year. 2020 seems to be the year of reflecting on ourselves, our communities, and our world. In some ways, the books often say similar things and share similar talking points. The difference, for me then, is in the way these messages are delivered, and how well … Continue reading