This Life is in Your Hands by Melissa Coleman

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Genre - General Fiction, Family Relationships


This is a very moving and dramatic story of a memoir that makes you realize from a child’s to adult’s perspective, how a simple yet harsh lifestyle can affect adulthood.


Set in around the late 1960s, a family pack their children into their much worn VW a set out to a rugged coastal homestead change. They have their sights set in living off the land and building their own home by hand. In this light, the family attract national media and become icons of the back-to-land farming movement. As the book reads, not the easiest of ways to raise a family and the lay back lifestyle does come with a price for the family.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

True Blue by David Baldacci

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Genre -Thriller


Mace Perry, an ex policeman recently released from 2 years imprisonment, seeks justice to those that put her behind bars and reclaim her innocence. Her sister, Beth Perry is Chief of Police and her only family, so they are very close. In the meantime she is trying to rebuild her life.

As her enquiries gather pace, she runs into strife and is not only threatened, but drawn into the world of private and public secrets involving the highest of the powers that be.

Very fast moving an excellent read and one that keeps you intrigued if Mace will survive.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The Guardian by David Hosp

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Genre -Thriller


When a CIA informant is gunned down in the area of Virginia just outside of DC - Special Agent Jack Saunders, who is unofficially on suspension, is tasked to uncover the plot. Added to the equation, one of the most sacred artifacts in all of Islam has gone missing from Afghanistan. The carer of the artifact is led to believe it will bring power for those that serve under him and under no circumstances must it get into the hands of the Taliban.

Saunders meets up with Cianna Phelan, whose brother has come out of service after having stolen an artifact and wanting to exchange for money to someone on the wrong side of the track.

Very fast moving, plenty of action and if you enjoy this type of involved plots and schemes, an excellent read and not for the faint hearted.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The Good Daughter by Honey Brown

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Genre -General Fiction, Australian Fiction


Brown lives in rural Victoria with her family and the background of the story is in rural outback Victoria, with the usual harsh conditions. It gives the reader a feeling of earlier times in a rural country town. A good Australian outback storyline and opens ones eyes to teenagers’ choices and interpretation of life around them as they live each day.


The main character is Rebecca Toyer is a 16yo living on the outskirts of a rural town and coming from the poorer side of the track. She has to deal with the death of her mother and her relationship with a father who is a truckie and away for days on end.


She also deals with virginity, local boys, together with the wealthy land owners (Kincaids) who are the owners of the property she lives on. Her first love is local lothario Aden Kincaid (step son) ignored by his father, and at 22 wants to ride his motor bike around Australia. Rebecca finds herself in danger of living up to schoolyard taunts together with Zach Kincaid (younger son), who is besotted with her and will do anything to get her attention and wanting to join Aden on his venture.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook

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Genre - Family Relationships

A very light read, but quite inspirational for those of us who have a low esteem on life.

Deidre Griffin with two sisters and one very charismatic brother, who is the latest ‘guru’ in New Age motivational talks. Her parents being permanent ‘hippies’ together with her sisters all working full time for her very controlling brother Tag in keeping him in the limelight. Diedre feels like a wallflower with no life of her own, although in herself, is brilliant within the IT designing web sites and organizing of events for her brother.


After a night of drinking heavily she feels sorry for herself, anomisity towards her brother and in a flight of madness puts her name up as a replacement for Dancing With The Stars show stating herself as sister to the famous Tag. She is accepted, cannot dance, rather overweight, low morale and the inevitable happens. She finally accepts herself for what she is, together with her family behind her choice.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Lost Voices by Christopher Koch

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Genre - Historical

Twice winner of the prestigious Miles Franklin Award – An interesting book narrative of one family intertwined from the early 1940’s with the Dixon family at the time living in Glenorchy. Hugh Dixon being an only child was brought up with the expectations from his parents of a career as a lawyer, doctor or accountant. Hugh’s love was drawing and his ambition was to be a book illustrator which was unheard of in those times.

His father was brought up as the second son and from wealthy parents, with good schooling. However his brother was the favourite and his education ended up being a lawyer. His father had nothing and alienated from his brother and family, had to start from scratch. He runs into a gambling debt which puts his career in jeopardy, as well as that of his wife and son and possibly a jail sentence.

Hugh at the age of eighteen contacts his great uncle who befriends him and although Hugh fails his matriculation, his great uncle pays the money for art school.

The struggles and resentments in the family history bring Hugh to discovering who he really is and makes a great read and well deserved Booker Award.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Delusion in Death by J. D. Robb

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Genre -Thriller

A storyline set in the future 2060, with all the sidelines of that era. Lt. Eve Dallas, New York’s head of crime and her husband the enigmatic Rourke who just about owns a third of New York, set out to find the killer or killers of people who have turned violent against themselves. A bit gruesome to start with and not for the faint hearted. However, interesting storyline and quite different scenarios of past books by Robb.

A good read if you can get through the first 2 chapters.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The Janus Reprisal by Robert Ludlum

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Genre -Thriller


Top covert operative Jon Smith, who is also a qualified scientist with skills attributing to infectious diseases, is attending a WHO conference (infectious diseases) which has suddenly turned into a terrorist attack. London has housed one of the world’s deadliest terrorists Oman Dattar who is being held and tried for crimes against humanity. Dattar escapes with his men and heads to the conference where a new strain of deadly bacteria is being shown. One that is almost impossible to eradicate once let out with dire devastational consequences to the Western world.


This is a very fast action story. With Ludlum’s twists and turns, the main characters are challened to survive what the ordinary civilian could not. Once you start reading this book, it is hard to put down until it is finished.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat