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

Force of Nature by C.J. Box

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Genre -Thriller


The story line is based around Wyoming and its harsh winter conditions. Local Park Ranger Joe whose friend Nate is an ex special forces serviceman, lives incognito with no trace of his whereabouts or identity. Nate’s nemesis who taught him everything he knows in survival and the Government have been mislead and out to get Nate as a threat to the Nation. A battle of survival, many murders and Joe’s family at risk.

This is one of the best reads from C.J.Box and a thriller that can’t be overlooked.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville bookchat

Sleepwalker by Karen Robards

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Genre -Thriller

A must read for a fast action thriller at its best.

Rookie cop Micayla Lange (Mick) discovers a robbery whilst minding her Uncle’s mansion. She pulls a gun on the robber and finds herself looking at photos in her Uncle’s safe which completely shocks her. Subsequently, she is a hostage and taken away by the robber and fearing for her life if the truth came out about the photos.

They are in the forests of Detroit, snow and blizzard conditions with only nightwear. It leaves you wondering how they can survive and who is after them that wants them silenced.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville

The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan

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Genre -Australian Fiction

A beautiful classic and a must for all who have not read this Australian book, which was made into a film and highly acclaimed in its own right.

Bojan Buloh and his very young wife of 16, Maria, and their baby, emigrated from Slovenia to Tasmania. Having fled the atrocities of German soldiers, families, Bojan is haunted by these circumstances for the rest of his life and made him a drunkard. He worked as the lowest of migrants in building the Tasmania Hydro dam. Always able to use his hands with wood and the love of the Australian different species of wood, helped him build furniture and make a bit of money to survive. He is left to raise his daughter Sonja who eventually fled to Sydney and some thirty five years later, Sonja visits her father who is a drunkard.

One cannot imagine the hardship during the times of construction of the dam and later the Hydro scheme, that these poor migrants went through and how badly they were accepted into the Australian way of life. Charity was poor and each for his own.

A wonderful read which leaves you appreciating the uphill battle migrants’ face when arriving into a new country and their stoic pride to keep going for their future generations


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The Janson Command by Robert Ludlum

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Genre -Thriller

 This is an extremely fast action story involving the main character Paul Janson, a reformed assassin trying to put right his bad history. He accepts a job from one of his old friends and has to work with a sharpshooter, Jessica Kincaid. Janson takes the job to rescue a doctor who has been kidnapped by West African rebels during the ambush of an American super oil service boat. What appears to be a straight out job turns out to be absolute chaos, involving other countries with designs on oil reserves. Janson’s gut feeling ends up distrusting those that offered him the job and almost comes to a sticky end more than once. Janson's job involves many countries including Australia, in particular Luna Park in Sydney.

Excellent reading for those that like a fast-action around the world chase, and plenty of the usual nasty rebels equipped with state of the art power and less brain power, to keep you wondering, who is Janson fighting for; his employer’s enemy or someone within his employer’s organization. This is one good story you can’t put down.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat