The Story of Danny Dunn by Bryce Courtenay

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Genre - Family Saga

Of course this book is well written. Although I disagree with it being listed as a family saga, I don't even think it should be fiction.
This book was an Australian history textbook with a thin veil of fiction to meld it together.
I was unable to immerse myself in the story, rising to the surface at the last page surprised it's finished, I have endured this book.
Mr Courtney acknowledges his publishers, researchers and marketing people, yes they have made a book under his name, this one may have paid the bills or even gone to the charities.
Not much of it is imagination or even a story-telling ability.
I know Mr Courtney is a very good author that is why I am disappointed and disillusioned.
When asked if I'd recommend it I will um and ah.
---- Reviewed by Kirsty, Guest

The unit by Ninni Holmqvist

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Genre - psychological fiction

This debut novel by Swedish short story writer, Holmqvist, has created a fascinating future society where people have allowed the government to set up accommodation for older single 'unnecessary' people to live in. We follow 50 year old Dorrit Weger as she packs up her modest home and gives away her dog and moves into the sterile and controlled world of the unit. This is where single, childless women over 50 and men over 60 who work in non progressive jobs must go to live out the rest of their lives. There is the security of knowing all your needs will be met for food, clothing, accommodation and recreation but you will be expected to submit to drug and psychological testing and donate your organs to save the ‘necessary’ people. People live comfortably but not for very long and when Dorrit meets a man and falls in love she is not so sure she is ready to accept this situation anymore. Strangely familiar and frightening!
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave

A change in Altitude

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Genre - Relationships

Popular author Anita Shreve has written about newlyweds Margaret and Patrick setting off to live in Kenya for a year. He is a doctor and she is a photographer and they settle into married life as strangers in a dangerous land. They agree to join a climbing expedition to the summit of Mount Kenya with two other couples without realizing just how testing it will be on them. Both physically and emotionally they are unprepared for the tragedy that unfolds and find they may never recover from it.

---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave

Lovesong by Alex Miller

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Genre - Love stories

This novel from a master storyteller is simple, familiar, romantic and tragic. It takes us into the lives of the widow Houria and her young niece Sabiha who run a small Tunisian café in Paris which caters to the North African immigrant workers of the area. Sabiha is a young woman delighted to be living in Paris with her Aunt and sometimes she can barely remember her old life in El Djem. When Australian John Patterner stumbles into their café he embarks on a gentle romance with the beautiful Sabiha. It is their tragic love story that is later confided to his new friend, Ken when they are finally settled in suburban Melbourne many years later.

---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave

ACT with love by Russ Harris

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Genre - Non-Fiction

Self help book with www support. I found it effective in overcoming negative recurrent thoughts.

---- Reviewed by Adrian, Guest

Noah's compass by Anne Tyler

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Genre - Fiction


This is a new novel from the prize winning author of “The Accidental tourist” and “Dinner at the homesick restaurant.” This story is also set in Baltimore and examines everyday life for recently retired teacher Liam Pennywell. He is widowed and divorced and has just been retrenched from his teaching position. When he decides to downsize his home and possessions he draws criticism and concern from his three adult daughters and his bossy ex wife. An assault by a stranger causes him to lose his memory of the first night in his new apartment and brings him more unwanted attention from the family. His youngest daughter, Kitty, decides to move in with him just as he begins a new relationship with an unusual woman called Eunice. This is a gentle story with some eccentric characters finding their way through family relationships.

---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave

Remarkable creatures by Tracy Chevalier

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Genre - Historical fiction

This is the story of Mary Anning, an extraordinary fossil hunter who lived in the 1800’s. This is a fictional account of real people and events during this time of stimulating scientific debate. Fossil evidence from the English seaside town of Lyme Regis was of great interest to Natural History Museums and was also very challenging to the prevailing religious view of the times. Mary’s fossil discoveries came at a time when men dominated the field of science and she has to fight for recognition of her work. She is helped in many ways by her unusual friendships with the feisty and intelligent spinster Elizabeth Philpot . Despite their differences in age and background their relationship remains strong through their shared love of fossils. This novel has captured many of the details of daily life for women from both the working and upper classes and brought these characters together in an exciting quest beyond the limits and conventions of their world.

---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave

The paperbark shoe by Goldie Goldbloom

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Genre - Historical fiction

Set in Wyalkatchem in the West Australian wheat belt, this is a fictional tale about Gin and Toad and 2 Italian prisoners of war who came to work on their farm as labourers in 1944. She has captured the harshness of the country and the deprivation of the times and given us the character of Gin Toad. Married to Toad to escape a mental institution she survives the heat and dirt of the farm and gives up her ladylike ways as she becomes immune to the lack of music and lover in her outback life. Then she meets Antonio and becomes infamous as the traitor who helped an Italian POW to escape. This story is haunting, gritty and sad but it has a wonderful style of language which captures the atmosphere of the times and life on the land.

---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave