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: 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: Tiger Daughter

Author: Rebecca LimGenre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle grade readership)Publisher: Allen and Unwin (2021) Content warnings: mentions of depression, suicide Image source “Wen Zhou is the daughter and only child of Chinese immigrants whose move to the lucky country has proven to be not so lucky. Wen and her friend, Henry Xiao - whose mum…

Book Review: Through the Wall

Author: Anna BlighPublisher: Harper Collins (2015)Genre: Autobiography Image sourceID: A white woman with short brown hair smiling at the camera. She is wearing a white shirt and seems relaxed. “Anna Bligh knows something about hard knocks and high walls. She was raised by a single mother in the working class Gold Coast, a young girl…

Mini Book Reviews: March 2021

Welcome to the third month of the year! And to another round of mini reviews! Two out of the three books I chose to review this month were written by Australian authors. I enjoyed all three books for different reasons. First up - Impossible Music Author: Sean WilliamsNarrator: David LinskiPublisher: Blackstone Publishing (2019)Genre: Contemporary fiction…

Book Review: The Three Rules of Everyday Magic

Author: Amanda Rawson-HillPublisher: (2018)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle grade readership) “Kate has trouble believing in magic, especially since the people she loves keep leaving her. But when Grammy tells her the three rules of everyday magic–believe, give, and trust–Kate can’t resist believing, at least a little. Following Grammy’s advice, she tries to bring her…

Book Review: Girl of the Southern Sea

Author: Michelle KadarusmanPublisher: UQP (2021)Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a middle-grade readership) Image description: The background is a setting sky. The clouds are pink and the sun is visible in front of them. There is the silhouette of a girl with her arms held jubilantly above her head. “A gifted student, Nia longs to attend high…

Book Review: Sure Signs of Crazy

I wrote this review a couple of years ago, before I understood the full impact of the use of slurs such as cr*zy, and I wish to apologise to anyone for whom it is distressing. Full spoilers ahead. CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of suicide, alcoholism, murder and attempted murder. Image sourceImage description: bright orange background. Yellow,…

Book Review – How to Grow a Family Tree

Author: Eliza Henry-Jones Genre: Contemporary fiction (for a YA readership) Publisher: Harper Collins (March 2020) “Stella may only be seventeen, but having read every self-help book she can find means she knows a thing or two about helping people. She sure wasn’t expecting to be the one in need of help, though. Thanks to her…