5-Star Book Review: THE ONLY SURVIVORS by Megan Miranda

 

Title: THE ONLY SURVIVORS

Author:  Megan Miranda

Read: June 2023

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!

 

Book Description:

 

A mystery about a group of former classmates who reunite to mark the tenth anniversary of a tragic accident—only to have one of the survivors disappear, casting fear and suspicion on the original tragedy.

My musings:

 

I love Megan Miranda’s books – she is the queen of the atmospheric, character driven slow-burn, and her latest novel was no exception. Here the premise was particularly fascinating: ten years ago, nine teenagers survived a terrible accident on a school trip in which twelve of their classmates died. To mark the anniversary of that tragic day, the survivors meet every year in a remote beach house to support one another and check in on each other, especially since one of them committed suicide a few years ago. This year, another one of their group is absent after having taken a fatal overdose, shaking them to the core. Tension escalates as it becomes obvious that someone is playing mind games with the last survivors remaining. Has someone found out the secret they’ve been hiding all these years?

 

Told through the different POVs of the remaining survivors – Cassidy, Josh, Brody, Hollis, Amaya, Oliver and Grace – Miranda slowly lets the reader in on the reasons this group have been meeting faithfully every year, despite living very separate lives. With her hallmark atmospheric setting – a remote beach house that is being cut off from town by a violent storm hitting the coast – Miranda traps her characters in a confined space and lets tensions escalate and old grudges resurface, with some surprising results.

 

I particularly enjoyed the premise of people tied together by a shared tragedy, with all the guilt, recriminations and trauma that follows such an event. Details of the accident itself are only gradually revealed through each individual survivor’s flashbacks, which provided both foreshadowing as well as an underlying sense of dread and danger as the group realise that they may be in danger. Whilst sometimes multiple POVs only serve to fragment a story, I felt it added to the sense of different reality each survivor held on to, another fascinating aspect of shared trauma. Miranda astutely portrays each one of her damaged characters so well that every chapter held equal interest for me, and I was eager to find out the answers.

 

Summary:

 

A fascinating premise, a claustrophobic atmospheric setting and clever structure of a story full of hidden secrets made THE ONLY SURVIVORS another hit for me as Miranda’s books have done in the past. This is an author who never disappoints, and I can’t wait to see what she will come up with next.

Book Review: JAR OF HEARTS by Jennifer Hillier

Title: JAR OF HEARTS

Author:  Jennifer Hillier

Read: October 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Book Description:

 

Aged just 16, Geo's best friend Angela disappeared without a trace. Years later, Angela's body is discovered in the woods near Geo's childhood home, revealed as yet another victim of the notorious serial killer Calvin James. Geo's high-school boyfriend.

For fourteen years, Geo knew what had happened and told no one, carrying the secret until she was arrested and sent to prison. Why would any woman protect a man capable of committing such a heinous crime? Geo had her reasons...

To Geo, Calvin is more than a monster, a serial killer with no remorse. And while Geo did her time, Calvin escaped and went on the run. Now released, Geo is ready to start over. But then the bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela...

As chilling secrets are revealed, everything turns on what really happened one fateful night, almost 20 years ago. Is it too late for anyone, Geo included, to survive the truth?

What attracted me to this book:

 

I’m always tempted by the promise of a dark thriller, and JAR OF HEARTS came highly recommended by a friend. Now that I have read it, I wonder why I hadn’t come across this book before? In the “information about the author” section, it states: “Jennifer Hillier imagines the worst about people and the writes about it.” This may explain why all her characters are hiding dark secrets and, even though I am not easily rattled, managed to surprise and shock me in the end.

My musings:

 

JAR OF HEARTS is both a coming of age novel as well as a serial killer thriller (with a twist). What if your first teenage love turns out to be a murderer? At 16-years-old, Georgina Shaw made one fatal error of judgement when she fell in love with the handsome, enigmatic bad-boy Calvin James, now better known as The Sweetbay Strangler. Now in her thirties, she stands accused of being an accessory in the murder of her best friend Angela Wong, who disappeared fourteen years ago.

 

The story of all the whys and hows and gory details in between are slowly explored in dual timelines, one in the present and one leading up to Angela’s disappearance. Georgina (“Geo”) provides us with the main POV, though we also hear from Kaiser Brodie, a detective who went to school with both Geo and Angela. And even though Geo is undoubtedly a messed up character, Hillier still manages to portray her in a way that made me root for her.

 

As dark and disturbing as this story turned out to be, I still gobbled it up like the cinnamon candy hearts Calvin shovels into his mouth whilst he contemplates his evil deeds. The darker and more graphic the story became, and the higher the body count, the faster and more frantically I was turning the pages. And just when I thought I had the answers – BAM! I ran straight into the sharp edges of one very cleverly concealed plot twist that knocked the wind out of me and cut me down to my very core.

 

 

Summary:

 

JAR OF HEARTS will appeal to readers who appreciate dark and gritty  thrillers that not only mess with your psyche, but also manage to question everything you have come to believe about your characters (and humanity in general). I also appreciated how the prison setting added extra depth to Georgina’s character, showcasing not only her resilience but also her courage and core of steel. If you love a thriller where each and every character has something to hide, and that clever “killer twist” right at the end, then you’ve come to the right place!

 

Book Review: WHEN I WAS TEN by Fiona Cummins

 

Title: WHEN I WAS TEN

Author:  Fiona Cummins

Read: July 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!

 

Book Description:

 

Everyone remembered Sara and Shannon Carter, the little blonde haired sisters. Their Dad was the local GP and they lived in the beautiful house on the hill. Their best friend, Brinley Booth, lived next door. They would do anything for each other but everything shifted on that fateful day when Dr Richard Carter and his wife Pamela were stabbed fourteen times with a pair of scissors in what has become the most talked about double murder of the modern age.

The girls were aged ten and twelve at the time. One, nicknamed the Angel of Death, spent eight years in a children’s secure unit accused of the brutal killings. The other lived in foster care out of the limelight and prying questions. Now, on the anniversary of the trial, a documentary team has tracked down one of the sisters, persuading her to speak about the events of that night for the first time.

Her explosive interview sparks national headlines and Brinley Booth, now a journalist, is tasked with covering the news story which brings to light fresh evidence and triggers a chain of events which will have devastating consequences.

My musings:

 

Woah, that was intense! I can’t believe how underrated this dark and twisted thriller is. It was an excellent read, definitely one of the most disturbing and gripping I have read this year, and I couldn’t put it down before I had all the answers.

 

One of the secrets of a gripping thriller is to offer us characters who may be flawed, but who quickly worm their way into our psyche, if not our hearts. Cummins has a unique way of introducing her characters, through seemingly disjointed and yet utterly captivating and graphic images in the opening scenes that might not make much sense until much later, when we have met the full cast and had a chance to look into their past. Here is Brinley, a journalist struggling to get a big scoop to keep her career going. And Catherine, who is hiding a dark secret from her own family, one that is about to catch up with her. How are these women connected? We are about to get a look into both women’s pasts, and all the missing pieces are going slot into place, one by one, revealing a dark and disturbing picture.

 

What do we know from the beginning? We hear about the Hilltop Murders, the brutal stabbing of Dr and Mrs Carter by their own young daughter. What compels a child to kill? I feel that I should give you fair warning that parts of that story make for difficult reading. But I am trying not to give spoilers, so I will leave it at that. Let’s just say that the story rolls out in two separate timelines, one in the present and one in the time leading up to the infamous Hilltop Murders, until both intersect in a twist that made me gasp out loud.

 

Cummins is a master at building suspense, and at bringing her characters to life, whilst still maintaining an air of secrecy that built suspense to almost unbearable levels, to a point where I could not tear myself away. She has also mastered those most difficult aspects of a thriller that covers two timelines: to make each of them equally compelling, and to make her child characters seem genuine and age-appropriate. The clues are slowly revealed in the same way that leisurely peeling an onion sooner or later makes you cry (let me warn you that you may feel sadness and rage as this particular tale unfolds), with a few twists thrown in to prove that you’re not that clever a detective. Each character has something to hide, but doesn’t blatantly fool the reader to a point where you feel cheated. All this may not sound like much, but as a seasoned thriller reader I can tell you that it’s a balancing act as fine as crossing a great ravine on a tightrope – it doesn’t take much to knock you over the edge.

 

With writing that flowed seamlessly and a rich cast of characters so richly drawn that they took on a life all of their own, the story had me firmly in its grip from page 1. I loved the way Cummins managed to include some social commentary into her story by including a minister for justice into her tale, whose role highlighted the failings of the justice system for juvenile offenders. It was a clever element that prompted reflection without coming across as preaching or political. In fact, some elements of this dark tale strayed from the well trodden path of your average crime read, and made the story all the richer for it.

 

 

Summary:

 

All in all, without giving anything away, WHEN I WAS TEN was the sort of book that keeps you up reading late into the night and then follows you into your nightmares. With a richly drawn cast of characters who all had dark secrets to hide, the slow peeling away of layers ultimately revealed a story so dark and heart wrenching that it will stay in my mind for a long time to come. WHEN I WAS TEN was one of the most compelling thrillers I have read all year, and whilst it didn’t make for easy reading due to some of the context matter, it had me utterly in its grip from beginning to end. I highly recommend it to lovers of dark, multi-layered and utterly compelling thrillers that still manage to surprise you in the end.

Book Review: THE ROME AFFAIR by Karen Swan

 

Title: THE ROME AFFAIR

Author:  Karen Swan

Read: June 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

1974 and Elena Damiani lives a gilded life. Born to wealth and a noted beauty, no door is closed to her, no man can resist her. At twenty-six, she is already onto her third husband when she meets her love match. But he is the one man she can never have, and all the beauty and money in the world can't change it.

2017 and Francesca Hackett is living la dolce vita in Rome, leading tourist groups around the Eternal City and forgetting the ghosts she left behind in London. When she finds a stolen designer handbag in her dustbin and returns it, she is brought into the orbit of her grand neighbour who lives across the piazza - famed socialite Viscontessa Elena dei Damiani Pignatelli della Mirandola. Though the purse is stolen, Elena greets the return of the bag with exultation for it contains an unopened letter written by her husband on his deathbed, twelve years earlier.

Mutually intrigued by each other, the two women agree to collaborate on a project, with Cesca interviewing Elena for her memoirs. As summer unfurls, Elena tells her sensational stories, leaving Cesca in her thrall. But when a priceless diamond ring found in an ancient tunnel below the city streets is ascribed to Elena, Cesca begins to suspect a shocking secret at the heart of Elena's life.

 

My musings:

 

THE ROME AFFAIR was another bit of wonderful escapism through the pen of Karen Swan, a new go-to author for me when the travel bug strikes. And what could be better than exploring the “eternal city” through the eyes of a rich cast of characters who are all full of life – and secrets!

 

I have come to value Swan’s ability to conjure up locations with a sense of time and place that instantly transports the reader into another world. As a former fashion journalist, Swan is familiar with the glitz and glamour (as well as the dark side) of Europe’s rich and elite, which she pens in rich and varied detail. Elena, the “principessa” living in her spacious Roman palazzo was a truly intriguing character to get close to – even more so because she had so much to hide!

 

Swan’s stories are always multi-layered. There is romance, yes, but it’s so much more. A young, enigmatic heroine who is hired by the rich countess to write her biography – and unearth an old family mystery. A city where secrets are buried, where underground passages lead to unpalatable truths, where gilded facades may hide ugly realities. But also a city full of joy, of love, of life. And of course there is the Italian heartthrob whose smouldering dark eyes will make one character (and the reader) swoon.

 

Swan strikes the perfect balance with THE ROME AFFAIR, delivering escapism spiced with mystery and intrigue and plenty of food for thought and reflection. Each character is so richly drawn that the story rolled out almost movie like in front of my eyes, evoking the sight, sounds and smells of Italy. This is armchair travel at its best! I was thoroughly intrigued by the truths young Cesca discovers about her employer, and the tragedies that lay behind the rich facades of the city’s most prominent houses. It was one of those rare dual timeline books where both stories were equally compelling to me, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

If you enjoy great armchair travel and also want some pleasant escapism that still offers a rich and intriguing storyline, then I highly recommend picking up THE ROME AFFAIR.

Book Review: THE LAST REUNION by Kayte Nunn

 

Title: THE LAST REUNION

Author:  Kayte Nunn

Publisher:  Hachette Australia

Read: March 2021

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Book Description:

 

Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: five young women in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, navigating treacherous roads and dodging hostile gunfire, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Battles that will haunt the women for the rest of their lives.

Oxford, 1976. At the height of an impossibly hot English summer, a woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.

London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art. Concealing her own motives, Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party, deep in the Irish countryside, where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.

Inspired by the heroic women who served in the 'forgotten war' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist's Daughter and The Silk House. It is also a tribute to the enduring power of female friendship.

What attracted me to this book:

 

Historical fiction has been a bit hit and miss for me lately, and from the description, THE LAST REUNION could have gone either way. Would it be, as so many others, simply a Hallmark style romance in disguise? I am very happy to be proven wrong, because this story packed some punch and I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.

My musings:

 

Have you heard of the “Wasbies”? The Women’s Auxiliary Service of Burma (“Wasbies”) were an intrepid group of women who supported the 14^th Army during WW2 by providing the troops with food and drink and boosting morale. I admit that this piece of WW2 history was new to me, and I applaud the author for bringing the service of these brave and resilient women to our attention. The Burma campaign is often referred to as the “forgotten war” because it did not garner as much attention as the events in Europe at the time, but with the creation of her five plucky female characters Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy, Nunn has made sure that the women’s contribution to the war effort will be remembered.

 

THE LAST REUNION plays out in two separate timeframes, one during the Burma Campaign and one in the present time, as an older Beatrice is getting ready to meet her fellow ex-Wasbies for a reunion. I was pleased to find that I enjoyed each timeline equally as much, perhaps thanks to the character of Olivia, who stars as the enigmatic second lead in the present-tense timeline. This was further aided by providing the atmospheric setting of Beatrice’s rambling English mansion as a backdrop, serving as a crass contrast to the humid Burmese jungle the five women served in during the war. To connect the two timelines, the author uses a rare netsuke, a miniature Japanese sculpture, traditionally used to secure pouches or other items to kimonos, which were devoid of pockets. I had great fun looking up pictures of netsukes online, and they truly are works of art! And whilst Olivia’s ulterior motive may initially have been to secure the rare netsuke of the “fox girl” for her art dealer boss, she soon falls under Beatrice’s spell as she learns more about her history.

 

I really enjoyed Nunn’s writing and it is obvious that a lot of research has gone into her story as her characters are brimming with life. It was interesting to find out more about the Wasbies and the harsh life they endured so bravely on the frontier – a part of history that should never be forgotten.

 

Summary:

 

THE LAST REUNION is a perfect example of the way that historical fiction should be written: brimming with interesting, enigmatic characters set against an atmospheric background. The writing just flowed and the characters soon had me in their spell. The details of the era seemed authentic and further enhanced my reading experience. Not only has Nunn mastered the art of bringing history to life, but she also achieved what many writers struggle with – to make each of her two timelines equally interesting. I really look forward to reading more from this author in future!

 

  

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE THIN PLACE by CD Major

 

Title: THE THIN PLACE

Author:  C.D. Major

Publisher:  Amazon Publishing UK

Read: February 2021

Expected publication: 15 April 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

When journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate the dark mystery of Overtoun Estate—a ‘thin place’, steeped in myth—she has no idea how dangerous this story will be for her.

Overtoun looms over the town, watching, waiting: the locals fearful of the strange building and the secrets it keeps. When Ava starts to ask questions, the warm welcome she first receives turns to a cold shoulder. And before she knows it, Ava is caught in the house’s grasp too.

 

 

My musings:

 

I am a total sucker for spooky mysteries involving old haunted mansions, and C.D. Major’s latest book had an edge over all the others: hers was based on a real life location, and an unsolved mystery that has haunted a small Scottish town for decades. Set in Scotland, THE THIN PLACE features Overtoun House, a 19^th century country house near the small village of Milton in Scotland. The house has gained notoriety through its attached bridge, a place where up to 600 dogs have jumped to their deaths over the last few decades, giving it its nickname of “the dog suicide bridge”. Add an alleged ghost to the mix and here you have the perfect setting for a compelling mystery with an eerie undertone and a hint of the supernatural.

 

According to Celtic legends, thin places are areas where the boundaries between the real world and the  spirit world are “thin” and one can slip quite easily from one to another. In Major’s novel, journalist Ava Brent gets obsessed with the mystery of Overtoun House after a visit there for one of her news stories. But apart from Ava’s POV, Major also weaves two alternative timelines and voices into her story, creating a truly spine chilling background for current events. As the mystery unravels, Ava will discover her special connection to Overtoun House, which will put her in terrible danger...

 

I just loved the atmospheric setting in this story and of course had to look up hundreds of pictures of the place online, which immediately made me want to travel to Scotland! Major has captured the forbidding and yet somehow captivating aura of Overtoun House perfectly, and I could not have wished for a more perfect location for a spooky mystery. As Ava becomes more and more obsessed with the place, the boundaries between sanity and madness also blurred, and I was truly afraid for her safety.

 

As is often the case with multiple timelines, I initially struggled a bit to be equally invested in all three separate threads. Whilst I found Ava’s by far the most compelling, I was happy to see that all the threads tied together well in the end. Initially I really struggled with Constance’s voice as I am not fond of child narrators, especially if they sound much older than their years, but despite this I ended up enjoying the extra element of suspense and air of menace that Constance’s chapters added to the story.

 

 

Summary:

 

THE THIN PLACE was a fast and compelling read for me, and even though I guessed some of the “twists” early on, as I was loathe to put the book down until I had all the answers. After reading up on the true events connected with Overtoun Bridge, I am still fascinated by its ongoing mystery and intrigue – what a fantastic setting for a book! I look forward to reading more from this new-to-me author.

 

 

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE BASS ROCK by Evie Wyld

Title: THE BASS ROCK

Author: Evie Wyld
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Read: April 2020

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

Book Description:

Surging out of the sea, the Bass Rock has for centuries watched over the lives that pass under its shadow on the Scottish mainland. And across the centuries the fates of three women are linked: to this place, to each other.

In the early 1700s, Sarah, accused of being a witch, flees for her life.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Ruth navigates a new house, a new husband and the strange waters of the local community.

Six decades later, the house stands empty. Viv, mourning the death of her father, catalogues Ruth’s belongings and discovers her place in the past – and perhaps a way forward.

Each woman’s choices are circumscribed, in ways big and small, by the men in their lives. But in sisterhood there is the hope of survival and new life. Intricately crafted and compulsively readable, The Bass Rock burns bright with anger and love.

What attracted me to this book:

I loved Evie Wyld’s atmospheric novel ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING and was very excited to read her latest book!

My musings:

As I am sitting here, digesting the story, I am again marvelling at how Wyld can conjure up such an intensely emotional and atmospheric setting with mere words. In this case, parts of the story filled me with dread and foreboding, as they were undoubtedly intended to do, dealing with issues such as murder, domestic abuse and violence against women in general.

The format of the book was unusual, with one timeline set in the present, one in 1950’s and one back in the 1700’s. Two female characters, Viv and Ruth, dominate most of the book, with whole chapters devoted to them. Interspersed with these are short chapters  from the 1700’s (from a male perspective), as well as snapshots of random acts of violence committed against anonymous woman characters. Male dominance features strongly in each timeline, which stoked feelings of anger and infuriation in me at the scenes I witnessed. Some of it was confronting in its brutality and not for the faint hearted! If I found this format unusual at first, I was soon drawn into the story / stories and they had a strange hold on me.

Wyld’s writing is beautiful and poetic, conjuring up both beauty and horror in equal measures and bringing her characters to life. There was even a small hint of the supernatural in the descriptions of the old house perched on the cliff and its ghostly inhabitants – or where they merely a manifestation of the women’s fears and sorrows? This was not a story that focused on any particular central event, but instead catalogued parts of the lives of these women. Once I got used to the story’s gentle ebb and flow, I was hooked. 

Summary:

THE BASS ROCK was a dark, disturbing but also captivating tale that chronicles parts of our central female characters’ lives, featuring themes such as male dominance, murder, madness, domestic abuse and violence against women in general. With her different timelines Wyld demonstrates that the issue of violence against women by male perpetrators has been an ongoing relevant topic for centuries, and is still a theme we need to take seriously. She manages to do so in a clever, subtle way that really got under my skin, by simply showcasing her female characters’ experiences. Written in her hallmark beautiful lyrical prose, the story made for disturbing and yet enchanting reading, burrowing itself deep into my psyche. An unusual but very topical read that will appeal to readers who are not solely focused on a beginning-to-end story.

Book Review: DUSTFALL by Michelle Johnston

Title: DUSTFALL 

Author: Michelle Johnston
Publisher: UWA Publishing
Read: March 2020

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Book Description:

Dr Raymond Filigree, running away from a disastrous medical career, mistakes an unknown name on a map for the perfect refuge. He travels to the isolated town of Wittenoom and takes charge of its small hospital, a place where no previous doctor has managed to stay longer than an eye blink. Instead of settling into a quiet, solitary life, he discovers an asbestos mining corporation with no regard for the safety of its workers and no care for the truth.

Thirty years later, Dr Lou Fitzgerald stumbles across the abandoned Wittenoom Hospital. She, too, is a fugitive from a medical career toppled by a single error. Here she discovers faded letters and barely used medical equipment, and, slowly the story of the hospital’s tragic past comes to her.

Dustfall is the tale of the crashing consequences of medical error, the suffering caused by asbestos mining and the power of storytelling.

What attracted me to this book:

I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle Johnston through work a few years ago, and was excited to hear that she has branched out from emergency medicine to writing. Being a damn fine ED doctor, I just knew that her experience would make the perfect basis for a brilliant medical thriller, and I was not disappointed.

My musings:

DUSTFALL is set in Wittenoom, an abandoned asbestos mining town in the Hamersley Range in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Since 2006, the town’s name no longer appears on any official maps and road signs, as if it had been erased from Australian soil together with its dark history. As a physician, Johnston knows firsthand the terrible legacy of asbestos mining, and the toll on human lives. Her personal experience of being an emergency doctor also shines through in her two main characters : Lou Fitzgerald, a young ED doctor seeking refuge in the abandoned mining town after a medical error ended her career; and Dr Raymond Filigree, who is a doctor working in the town’s small hospital at the time when the mine is still operational.

It is not easy to find Australian medical mysteries based on the vast knowledge of an author who is also a medical professional – especially a “homegrown” one from WA. You won’t find any inaccuracies here, and all medical emergencies the two fictional doctors encounter are so well presented that I could feel my own adrenaline rush on putting myself in their shoes. As Johnston delves into Wittenoom’s dark history as seen from the perspective of one of the town’s physicians, the true scale of the crime committed there against its residents becomes even more palpable. With a rich cast of characters you would encounter in a remote Australian bush town, the story made for compelling reading.

DUSTFALL is the type of novel that showcases how a dual timeline can add both depth as well as tension to a narrative, and I felt equally invested in both as the mystery slowly unfolded. Atmospheric, with a constant sense of tension and foreboding, the story gripped me from the very beginning and kept me invested until the end. I felt that Johnston beautifully captured the atmosphere of the remote Pilbara region, an area I have spent some time in and which is always close to my heart.

Summary:

In summary, DUSTFALL is the type of medical mystery that only comes around rarely: beautifully written, well plotted and based on the author’s own experiences and knowledge as an accomplished emergency physician. Set both in the present as well as exploring one of WA’s darkest chapters in history, the book made for compelling reading from start to finish. As a health professional, I appreciated and admired the authenticity with which Johnston explores both her subjects as well as the challenges presented by the remote Australian setting. DUSTFALL was a pleasure to read, and I hope to read more from this talented author in future.

Book Review: DEAR EDWARD by Ann Napolitano

Title: DEAR EDWARD

Author: Ann Napolitano
Publisher: Penguin Books UK
Read: February 2020

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

Book Description:

One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them is a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured vet returning from Afghanistan, a septuagenarian business tycoon, and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. And then, tragically, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor.

Edward's story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place for himself in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a piece of him has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery--one that will lead him to the answers of some of life's most profound questions: When you've lost everything, how do find yourself? How do you discover your purpose? What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?

Dear Edward is at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again. 

What attracted me to this book:

I always feel hopelessly drawn to stories of survival and overcoming tragedy, even though I know I may be an emotional wreck afterwards. DEAR EDWARD is based on the true story of a young boy who was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed his entire family. How could you ever move on from such tragedy? I needed to find out ....

My musings:

If you are afraid that a book about such a horrific event would be depressing, then rest assured that DEAR EDWARD was anything but. Napolitano may have chosen a rather scary theme, but she handled it with such sensitivity and insight that I felt uplifted rather than mired in sadness and regret. I enjoyed the clever use of the dual timeline here that slowly explored both the time leading up to the crash as well as Edward’s journey towards healing afterwards. Whilst Edward is out main protagonist, we also get to hear from the different POVs of various passengers on the doomed plane, who Edward briefly encountered on his journey. This element gave the story additional depth for me, as I put myself in the shoes of travellers who are about to die in a fiery crash. For someone who is not a particularly relaxed flier, this book may not have been the perfect choice, but I am hoping that in a few months’ time, when it is my turn to board a plane, the memory will have faded sufficiently enough that an onboard G & T will be enough to soothe my anxiety.

There were a lot of moving moments in the book, from Edward’s grief over the loss of his brother and best friend, to the small snippets of the other passengers’ lives, who are al headed into a future that will not play out as planned. For people with flying phobias, rest assured that the actual crash is described in ways that will not give you nightmares into infinity, but handled with the same sensitivity as the rest of the story. Another highlight for me was Edward’s friendship with Shay, who ultimately turns out to be his salvation.

Summary:

DEAR EDWARD is a story about tragedy, survival and grief, but it is also one of hope, love, and starting over. I made it almost to the end before having a good sob! Whether you cry or not, it’s impossible not to be touched by a young person who has lost so much and yet manages to rise from tragedy – it truly pays homage to the human survival instinct. Everyone who has ever lost a loved one will relate to some of Edward’s emotions as he tries to come to terms with the tragedy, and it really resonated with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE DREAM DAUGHTER by Diane Chamberlain

Title: THE DREAM DAUGHTER

Author: Diane Chamberlain
Read: October 2019

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!

Book Description:

When Caroline Sears receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970 and there seems to be little that can be done. But her brother-in-law, a physicist, tells her that perhaps there is. Hunter appeared in their lives just a few years before—and his appearance was as mysterious as his past. With no family, no friends, and a background shrouded in secrets, Hunter embraced the Sears family and never looked back.

Now, Hunter is telling her that something can be done about her baby's heart. Something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Caroline has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage that Caroline never knew existed. Something that will mean a mind-bending leap of faith on Caroline's part.

And all for the love of her unborn child.

A rich, genre-spanning, breathtaking novel about one mother's quest to save her child, unite her family, and believe in the unbelievable. Diane Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of faith and science to deliver a novel that you will never forget.

My musings:

What was the last book that managed to steal past all your defences and shoot an arrow straight through your heart? THE DREAM DAUGHTER was that type of book for me. As soon as I turned the last page, I felt an intense sense of loss for the story and the characters – it’s always the sign of a very special read when the characters seem like friends or family and finishing the book leaves behind an almost physical longing to continue being part of their journey. Rarely has a story touched my heart like THE DREAM DAUGHTER. I felt 100% invested. I laughed, I cried, I dug my nails into my hands until they left deep indents. I gripped my teeth as things didn’t go as expected. Such a rollercoaster ride of emotions!

I cannot discuss this book without a very small spoiler, so if you haven’t read it yet, please stop now – it’s definitely worth going into this one blindly!

How far would you go to save your child? Would you move to another city? Another country? Another time? When Carly Sears receives the devastating news that her unborn daughter has an unsurvivable  heart defect, she is – as you would expect – devastated. She has recently lost her husband Joe to the Vietnam war, and this baby is the only thing that has kept her battling through her grief. In 1970, there is nothing that can be done for her baby. However, 30 years later there will be medical advances that could save her daughter. If time travel was possible, would you take that chance?

I think if you are a parent, you will know this is a no-brainer. Of course you would! Yes, Carly has her sister and her home to tie her to the 70’s, but her husband is dead and this is her first baby – the only baby she will ever have with Joe. Of course she will do anything to save her. And so starts an unusual journey – one young mother’s quest to save her child at all costs.

If you have read my reviews or know me at all, you will also know that I struggle with suspension of disbelief. Really? I hear you say, you read a story about time travel and actually enjoyed it? That, my friends, I did. I more than enjoyed it – I loved it! It stole my heart. Rarely has a story affected me as much as this one, and I am awed how the author could tackle such a difficult and tricky subject with such skill. It was just perfect in every way! Keeping me at the edge of my seat as Carly embarks on her journey. There was drama, and suspense, and an ending that tied everything together in a way that was wholly satisfying in every aspect. Furthermore, the author managed the tricky balance of making something we think of as impossible plausible, without trying to over-explain or complicate matters. Each piece slotted into place seamlessly to create a story that just WORKED.

Apart from Carly’s quest, I also wholly enjoyed the nostalgic travel back in time, and it made for a lot of reflection. Yes, we have made a lot of medical advances. There is so much technology today that was unheard of in the 70’s. And yet, life was so much simpler then. What would you prefer? I loved the way Carly reflects on all the differences between her time and the future / present, and the good and bad aspects of each. It certainly made me think! I wish I had read this with a group to be able to discuss the many things that came up for me.

Summary:

All in all, some books manage to touch your heart very deeply, and THE DREAM DAUGHTER was that sort of book for me. It easily made it onto my all-time-favourites list and my friends and family have heard ALL about it. It’s a beautiful story about the sacrifices you make to save your child, with a special twist that will have you reflect on the past, present and future and everything you take for granted. Definitely one of the best books I have read this year, brought to life by Chamberlain’s beautiful writing. Very highly recommended!