Book review: Colours of Ash

Author: Blaise van HeckePublisher: Busybird Publishing (2022)Genre: Domestic fiction Image source "Ash and Destiny enjoy a happy life in Melbourne with their young son, Tomas, a large and slightly dysfunctional family, a successful art gallery, and Destiny’s new exhibition about to debut. But everything changes for Ash on one extremely hot Summer Solstice when a…

Book review: The Girl in the Window

Author: Penny JoelsonPublisher: Electric Monkey (2018)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a YA readership) Image source This review contains spoilers for the novel.It also contains mentions of ableism, abuse and neglect. “Nothing ever happens on Kasia's street. And Kasia would know, because her illness makes her spend days stuck at home, watching the world from her bedroom…

Book review: How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life

Author: Fiona HardyPublisher: Affirm Press (2020)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle grade readership) “Murphy Parker is going to be a songwriter. If she can summon up the nerve to play in front of anyone other than her dad, that is. When an unplanned keyboard performance at school goes well, Murphy wonders if maybe her dreams…

Book review: Breakthrough

Author: Katerina MitrevskaGenre: MemoirPublisher: Tablo (2020) Image source “Breakthrough is a collection of poems about a childhood overshadowed by a mother’s mental illness. It is about a mother whose untreated postnatal depression gradually deteriorated, leading to her eventual diagnosis as a schizophrenic. These poems explore fear, anger, shame, resentment and rejection that lead to self-recognition, gratitude,…

Book Review: I am the Minotaur

Author: Anthony McGowanPublisher: Oxford University Press (2021)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle grade readership) Image source “Matthew is 14 and is struggling to fit in - something that's extra hard when you're taking care of your mum, being bullied at school, and have earned the nickname Stinky Mog because of your poor personal hygiene.On top…

Book review: The Peacock Detectives

Author: Carly NugentPublisher: Text (2018)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle grade readership) Image source “The last time William Shakespeare and Virginia went missing Cassie found them sitting on a coiled hose behind the fire station, and Dad called 'Cassie Andersen, Peacock Detective'. So this time she knows what to do - she'll look for clues…

Book review: The Rollercoaster Boy

Author: Lisa ThompsonPublisher: Scholastic (2022)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle grade readership) Image source “Todd and Laurie's dad is either on top of the world, taking them on fun adventures, or down in the depths and sleeping all the time.In the middle of the night, he bundles them into the car and drives them to…

Book review: Social Queue

Author: Kay KerrPublisher: Text (2021)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a YA readership) "Zoe Kelly is starting a new phase of her life. High school was a mess of bullying and autistic masking that left her burnt out and shut down. Now, with an internship at an online media company-the first step on the road to her…

Book Review: Something in the world called love

Author: Sue SalibaPublisher: Penguin (2008)Genre: Contemporary coming of age (for a YA readership) “When Esma moves into 22 Starling Street, she knows she's come to the right place. A place to become someone new. A place to belong.As the seasons change, she finds herself falling deeper and deeper in love. But not in the way…

Book Review: Not Dead Yet

Author: Hayley Walsh (2022)Genre: Contemporary fiction, uplit Image source Warning: this review contains spoilers. “Recently widowed Mary feels something needs to change, but she is not sure what? She decides to sell her home in Sydney, and move to a retirement village in sunny Queensland. Mary has always enjoyed her own company and struggles with…