the Bad Guys in Alien VS Bad Guys #6 by Aaron Blabey

My first venture into this young reader series.  It was funny and the humour  totally appropriate to a 7-10 year old.

The bad guys, who don't really seem all that bad, are stuck on an alien ship.  Escape is going to be difficult.  If they can stick together, they might all get out of it.  Friendship plays and important part of this story.

I would happily recommend this series for any young reader.

Midnight Reynolds and the Agency of Spectral Protection by Catherine Holt

Midnight and Tabitha are a team.  Even though they are only twelve, for the past six months they have been working with the Agency of Spectral Protection, ASP, to release trapped spectral energy.  After witnessing a spectacular robbery, ASP requests the two to investigate the situation.  They soon realize that this case is far beyond what was covered in their training.    They forge ahead none the less.

This is a fun middle school story.  It involves two friends who are trying to stay under the radar at school and home when they are carrying out work for ASP.  Both use different approaches to keeping life and work separated and now they have added dating into the ix.  Midnight and Tabitha appear quite different, they they understand each other and work together well.  They have turned their differences into assets. Did I mention the vikings and ray gun.

I enjoyed this story, but wish I had read Midnight Reynolds and the Spectral Transformer, the first book in the series, before hand.

I received and advanced reader copy of this book from Albert Whitman and Company and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

#IndigoEmployee
#MidnightReynoldsAndTheAgencyOfSpectralProtection 

Ice Wolves: Elementals 1 by Amie Kaufman

Twins Anders and Rayne have always been close, but more so after they were orphaned at the age of six.  Their bond is challenged when it is revealed that Rayne is a dragon elemental and she must flee the city which happens to be a wolf stronghold.  On that same day, Anders is disturbed to find himself transformed into a wolf, a sworn enemy of the dragons.  This leads him to question everything he thought he knew about his sister, even whether she actually is his sister.

While living on the streets, the two had formed a loose bond with some of the other street kids, but never became close enough to be considered friends.  For the first time he can remember, Anders has made friends with some of his classmates at the wolf academy.. He is closest to Lisabet the first young wolf to befriend him.   He questions whether he can trust her with Rayne`s  secret.  He is desperate to rescue her from the dangerous dragons, but can`t accomplish such a huge task without help. Can he trust Lisabet.

I love this book.  It is full of magical devices, dragons and wolves.  Wolves as young as twelve are entrusted with the safety of the community.  At the same time they are treated as school children who are expected to attend classes and study.  This is much at the target readers of this book; they think they are old enough to be considered adults but in the eyes of their parents they are still young children.

This adventure filled book should appeal to a wide range of middle school readers.  In some ways it reminded me of the first Harry Potter book with the students off to boarding school to lean how to deal with their new found talent.  The contrast of the dragons and wolves makes for interesting encounters.

I received and advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc., in exchange for an honest review.

#IndigoEmployee

Nevermoor #1: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

A delightful tale that's a little bit scary and a whole lot magical.

Morrigan Crow has just one wish, to live.  She knows that is not going to happen.  Like all other children born on Eventide, she is cursed and destined to die with the coming of the next age.

All this changes with the unexpected appearance of Jupiter North and his offer of escape to Morrigan.  From the moment she accepts his strange but welcome offer, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.

I was totally enchanted by this story.  Morrigan is caught up in dreadful plight not of her own making.  She want to be like other kids, have friends and play, but no one will come near her, not even her own family.  She is ostracised with no where to turn for help.

Middle school readers will enjoy following along as Morrigan explores the new life that Jupiter has brought her to.  He has opened the door, but then left it up to her to walk through and embrace the opportunities.

Author Jessica Townsend has created a complex world and her vivid descriptions have brought it to life.  I could clearly picture Morrigan and her new friend Hawthorne exploring the Deucalion Hotel where she lives with Jupiter and their many unusual guests.  I  think the smoking room, it's not what you imagine, would be my favourite place to hide away.  I love this story and eagerly await the next book in the Nevermoor series.

For younger readers, I  also recommend the magical series Whatever After by Sarah Mlyowski.  

If you like the idea of a magical hotel, then you'll also enjoy The Supernormal Sleuthing Service: The Lost Legacy by Gwenda Bond & Christopher Rowe.

Cover image courtesy Hachette Book Group.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc., in exchange for an honest review.

#IndigoEmployee

Ugly by Robert Hoge

After a new baby joins a family, generally, the family and friends flock to visit and comment how cute the baby is.  If it's not so cute, they say that it has it mother's eyes, or the fathers nose, or something equally sweet.  When Robert Hoge was born, his mother wouldn't even look at him for a week.  He had a giant tumor in the middle of his face that forced his eyes almost to the sides of his head and both his legs were deformed.  He was and still is ugly.

I'm not being mean, I'm repeating what he wrote in his book.  His face is far from conventional and from what I read, Robert is far from conventional himself.  From his earliest days, he underwent numerous surgeries.  The first ones were to save his life and the later ones were in an attempt to make his features more acceptable to those around him.

Robert Hoge is a remarkable young man.  He has thrived in  a society that places far too much value on appearance and that considers substance as a poor second.  Rather than hide away, Robert lead an active life and quickly devised coping strategies to deal with the rudeness of others.  He admits that comments from bullies and passing people still can hurt, but that he's learned to deal with that hurt and put it where it belongs.

This is a well written, positive story.  It's obvious that Robert builds on what has gone well in his life.  He could have easily been overwhelmed by the negative things such as the bulling and the taunts, but choose to rise above them.  He sets a good example for all young people struggling to find their way.  He'll be the first to tell them, that you don't give up when you fail at your first challenge, you keep going and working at it until you find that at which you can succeed.

This book is written for ages 8-12, though is also enjoyable for adults. It should be in every school classroom.

#IndigoEmployee

Cover image courtesy Penguin Random House.

The Lake House by Kate Morton

 I enjoyed this well constructed mystery.  It's the type of story that grabs you early on and then keeps you reading by carefully revealing clues and details of the characters right into the conclusion.

DC Sadie Sparrow has been ordered on vacation due to a lapse of judgement during a recent case.  Not one to sit and stew, she is out and about in Cornwall when she stumbles upon a cold case, a seventy year cold case.  This peaks her interest and she dives in, finding similarities to her recent investigation.

This brings her in contact with Alice Edevane, sister to a child that was reported missing seventy years earlier.  Alice is touted as a local author and celebrity even though she has never returned to the site of the abduction.

Once started, I didn't want to put this book down, and kept sneaking in a chapter, or two or three, every chance I could.  Author Kate Morton made me feel as though I knew the Edevane family. I felt their anguish as they lived through those horrible events.  Her descriptions of the estate and family home left me feeling that it was a magical or mystical place where almost anything could happen.

I like the character of Sadie and her dogged determination to follow instincts and clues regardless of the formal opposition she might face.  Both she and Alice lead interesting and complicated lives that would undoubtedly improve if they would share the burden of their secrets. Neither is the sort that easily confides in others.

Once the story concluded, I was left with pleasant memories as though I had spent all that times with friends and not imagined characters. 

Cover image courtesy of Atria Books.

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

After witnessing the autrocities of WWI, Tom Sherbourne seeks the solace of running a remote light house offshore of southwest shore of Australia.  During his shore visits he meets and falls in love with Isabel.  After courting, they settle into married life.  Their domestic bliss is challenged by two miscarriages followed by a still birth.  Life reaches a critical point when a rowboat reaches their shore with a tiny baby crying out for care.  Do they seize this opportunity to have the family they have longed for.

I loved this book.  It explored a lifestyle I can never lead, living on a remote island with no social contact for six months at a time.  It takes a unique person to want to live this life.  I enjoyed learning of Tom's story and why he felt compelled to live on the island.  I was less entranced with Isabel, though she was a woman in love who would follow her man anywhere specially if it was far from her parents home.  It lead me to several times when I had to ask myself what would I have done were I in their situation.

I listened to the audiobook as read by Noah Taylor. 10 hours 22 minutes unabridged.   Mr. Taylor's accent made me feel as though I really was in Australia, not sitting in my living room in Canada.  He easily met the challenge of voicing the rough sailors and the more refined and educated city people.


Cover image courtesy Simon &Schuster Audio.

Every Word by Ellie Marney

 Welcome to the first day of the Every Word Blog Tour.  All this week, you are invited to visit with more than twenty bloggers to read what they thought of Ellie Marney's new book Every Word, the second instalment in the continuing story of James Mycroft and Rachel Watts.   #WattsCroft

I loved this book.  If it weren't for family obligations, I would have read it through in one sitting.   Once I had this book in hand, I couldn't wait to find out what mystery would confront the inquisitive pair.  In their last book, Mycroft and Watts helped the Melbourne police solve the murder of their friend Dave.  Eight weeks have elapsed since that event and the duo are still trying to work out the kinks in their relationship, mainly that Rachel is effectively grounded from seeing James unsupervised.

Things come to a dramatic head when he learns of the death of Daniel Gardener, a rare book conservator, at a library in England, that had just lost an extremely valuable copy of a first edition folio of William Shakespeare's plays.  Mr. Gardener died in a car jacking that sounded suspiciously like the one in which James' parents lost their lives. Could these two incidents be connected.

From this point on, the story goes into overdrive and the plot progresses at a record pace.  Over the next week we learn about the true depth of their feelings and commitment to each other.  The two work so well together, like Holmes and Watson who inspired them.  They continue to compliment each others strengths.  I enjoyed seeing Rachel take more of a lead and carry out some investigations on her own.

This is a complex plot that is carefully revealed to the reader with lots of bits and pieces just waiting to be fit together.  I found it believable that Mycroft would have been asked to help in the investigation.  It was a bit harder to accept Rachel's determination to follow him, but it is true that if teenagers are anything, they are impulsive and seldom think through the consequences of their actions.

I was sad then this book ended. I really like the character of Mycroft and didn't want to leave him.  Author Ellie Marney has done a terrific job of developing these two characters and the groundwork has been laid for a successful continuing series.

I have previously posted my review of Every Breath, the first book in this series.

Thanks to Tundra Books for my review copy.

Can't wait to get your hands on a copy of Every Word, complete the Rafflecopter below to be entered to win a copy courtesy of Tundra Books.  Open to those in Canada and the United States only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Every Breath by Ellie Marney

Every Breath is a captivating  start to a new series involving Rachel Watts and James Mycroft who are styled after the famous investigative pair Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.   Rachel has recently moved to the city and is missing everything about her past countryside lifestyle.  James has never recovered from the death of his parents and is struggling to stay in school long enough to graduate.

While being in some of the same classes at school has aided their friendship, it is being close neighbours that has cemented it.  Perhaps it stems from Rachel taking care of the animals on the farm, but she seems to view Mycroft as a motherless lamb who needs someone to keep and eye out for him.  It's a good thing too, because he has some unresolved issues that threaten to overwhelm him.

The school year might have gone by uneventfully, except for a murder that occurs in the city park and the duo are drawn into the investigation.  considering their namesakes, Watts and Mycroft are the perfect people for the job, or are they.

I loved this book.  The setting in Melbourne, Australia provide all the big city venues for the two to explore and investigate.  It also establishes without a doubt that they are not their earlier incarnations, but a new investigative team with differing strengths and techniques.  The timing is early in their acquaintance and they are still working out the details of their relationship.  They work well together, they compliment each others skills and weaknesses.  Best of all, they tend to bring out the best in the other.

There is something about the flaws of the character of Mycroft, that I find endearing, much like the feeling I experience when reading about  Odd Thomas in novels by Dean Koontz.

I highly recommend Every Breath for teen and adult readers.  There is lots to appeal to the teen reader; school angst, young romance, and parental disagreements.  Adults will find indepth character development and  teens dealing with situations beyond their years.

Starting Monday November 16, 2015, Tundra Books will be hosting a blog tour for the launch of Every Word, the second book in the series.  I will be posting my review on Monday.  Click the link to Tundra Books for a list of blogs participating in the tour and for interviews/guest posts with Ellie Marney and possible book giveaways.

#WattsCroft

Cover image courtesy Tundra Books.

Port of No Return by Michelle Saftich

This is the moving story of several Italian families from Fiume, a port city in the north east of Italy.  Set during World War Two, one of the fathers, Ettore Saforo, had been forced to work for the occupying Germans, as were many people  at that time.  The city had been bombed numerous times and was devastated, both physically and morally. His family was left homeless while he tried to evade arrest by the invading Yugoslavian army.

This was the plight of hundreds of thousands of families across Europe.  Many had no where to return home to after the fighting ended.  Jobs were few, which meant families couldn't be supported. Author Michelle Saftich explores what these people did have left.  They had family and friends to support each other and to rebuild their sense of community.  From that came hope of what they could accomplish with each other and with physical and mental effort.

The Port of No Return brought another human component to a long ago war.  I'd heard about the blitz of England and the concentration camps, but almost nothing about the other involved countries.  I knew that my grandfather and his regiment had served for some time in Italy.  All he told me about was that as he and his fellow soldiers had walked through the streets, the Italian women would rush out of doors,  were so happy to see them that they offered them whatever fresh fruit they were fortunate enough to have. 

This is also a very timely book.  As I sat wondering about these Italian families and their quest to immigrate to a welcoming country, my thoughts turned to the million plus refugees who are now flooding into Europe.  Where there was despair decades ago, there is now hope and and the prospect of a new and safer future.  Michelle, helped to bring every day Italy and Europe to life for me.  In my mind it had been a tourist destination, not one in which everyday people lived and loved.   Now I can imagine the farmers, the firemen, the students and all those people needed for a community, a country, to thrive.  The fictional characters of this book became real to me and I wept for their loses but also for their strength and perserverance.

 Port of No Return is an excellent debut novel and I am looking forward to future works by Michelle Saftich.

To learn more about Michelle Saftich be sure to visit Italy Book Tours for other stops on this launch tour.

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win 1 of 5 copies of  Port of No Return and 1  $30. Amazon gift card. Open Internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Thanks to author Michelle Saftich and Italy book Tours for my review copy.

Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah

This is a story of hope in a land beaten down by fighting and hatred.  Where people are evicted from their lands and forced into refugee camps possibly to  languish for years.

It is also the story of a Hayaat,  13 year old girl who wants to travel to Jerusalem to fulfil her grandmother's dearest wish.  It is on this day long trip that we experience the hope for a positive future.  Throughout the day, Muslims, Christians and Jews together having peaceful conversation, helping each other even at cost to themselves.

Hayaat may young, but she has suffered much due to the strife in the West Bank of Bethlehem.  While this has made growing up difficult, it has played a major role in helping to shape the woman she is becoming.

I listened with rapt attention to this story.  A family of seven living in a small apartment.  While I couldn't imagine sharing a bedroom with my grandmother as well as siblings, I did envy the closeness that it brought them.  In our western society, it is more unusual for grandchildren to have such closeness with grandparents and I feel that is a shame.

Before reading this novel, I knew nothing about Palestine and the West Bank.  It has made me want to learn more.  This would be a good book for parents to rad and discuss with their children.

Kellie Jones did an excellent job reading the audio version.  Her use of accents and Arabic words brought the characters to life.  The written descriptions combined with the dramatic voicing left me feeling that I had truly stood on the hillside looking toward their ancestral home and feeling the wind that was blowing through the olive trees.

This is a five star book and I encourage you to find either a paper copy or the audio, read it and learn about a culture other than your own.

Author Randa Abdel-Fattah

Evolution by Kelly Carrero

Australian author Kelly Carrero has written a book that I had a hard time putting down.  It was written with a YA audiencei n mind and  includes a genetic twist, romance, family strife and a friend who needs to be rescued. 

Jade Sommers has miraculously survived and accident that should have killed her, yet she leaves the hospital without a scarce.  In fact, she watches the last cut heal right before her eyes.  Needless to say, she is freaked out by this.  Her boyfriend Aiden is a rock, he provides the stability that she needs at this crucial time.

Each time I thought I had a handle on what was going on, Kelly threw in a new twist and I'd be left on the edge of my seat.  As many answers as were supplied, there were new questions and mysteries about  both Jade and Aiden.

Most of the story is focused around Jade and her discovery of her new awareness.  We briefly meet the adults in hers and Aiden's lives, though I suspect that they will play a greater role in future parts of this series.  I am certainly looking forward to more books from author Kelly Carrero.

Evolution Series:

1.  Evolution  (at time of posting, this ebook is free at some online retailers)
2.  Tormented
3. Deception
4. Vengeance

Thanks to author Kelly Carrero for use of the cover image.

Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Candler

Imagine a world without women, where reproduction is via machine, and all references to women in their history have been erased.  I can't imagine how this would work, but it did, and for about 400 years in the novel Spartan Planet.

This book was selected by my local women only book club.  We had quite the discussion to how this could have happened and would the response to the re-introduction of women happen as it did in the book.  We all agreed that this book is somewhat dated, it was first published in 1969 at a time when most readers of science fiction were men.   Given that women were not the expected audience, it's not surprising that it doesn't give a good impression of men left on their own,  They spend their time drinking until they start fighting and call it all good fun.

We did find it odd that the men of the planet were immediately attracted to the foreign women even though they were thought to me deformed or monsters.  Were pheromones at work or did it make for a better story line. 

It was unanimous that it was definitely a worthwhile read, and that it's always good to explore the roots of  various genres.

Thanks to reader Literary Feline for pointing out that a recent book, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, also features a town with no women.  There are women on the planet, but in each village they have developed a different attitude toward them.  Click the book title for a  link for my earlier review of this book.

Some background knowledge of Sparta and the Spartan people would be helpful to understanding this society. 

A website in tribute to A. Bertram Chandler has been created by David Kelleher.


Thank-you to Baen Ebooks for use of the cover image.

Check out this Wikipedia article to learn more about Ancient Sparta.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

 

I've been looking forward to this book since I first heard about, and I am happy to report, that I am not disappointed in any way.  I loved it and didn't want to put it down, but  I didn't race through it as I knew that I wouldn't want it to end.

Don Tillman is a professor of genetics at a university in Australia.  He has a very straight forward approach to life; he has a strict schedule and every thing he undertakes has a specific purpose or goal.  I became obvious to me almost immediately that Don has autism, more specifically Asperger Syndrome, though he doesn't realize  that.  At first, I felt that the narration was a bit stilted and uncomfortable, but quickly realised that it was the character of Don who was so rigid with no emotion to colour his words or activities. 

He has reached that point in his life where he wants a wife and is determined to launch a project to find the perfect candidate.  To further this goal, he enlists the aid of his two friends, husband and wife Gene and Claudia.  The project takes a twist when Gene sends Rosie to Don with a genetics question and he mistakes her for a 'wife' candidate.

From the point of their meeting, we get an inside view of the development of their friendship even though Don has dismissed Rosie as a potential mate.  If I were to interview Don and ask him how a person makes friends, he would undoubtedly give me a very specific list of activities and dialogues that would have to occur, but in reality, they seem to develop over time due to repeated associations.  I really can't look back at any of my friendships, and pick that one day where we went from acquaintances to friends.  That is essentially how his relationship with Rosie proceeds.

Don lived a very structured life before he met Rosie, and through out the novel, he had several talks/debates with himself about changing his plans/schedules.  This is very realistic as I have found that I also become set in my ways and that I need to kick start myself and try something new and different every so often.

This is a wonderful presentation of two very different people developing a relationship and how they accommodate each others uniqueness. 

I also want to congratulate Mr. Simsion for his use of humour.  This book was funny and had my laughing out loud at parts and credit to the author, that it was always the situations I was laughing and never at the person involved. 

Author Graeme Simsion is currently working on his next two novels, tentatively titled: Walk to the Stars and The Candle.  Publication dates have not yet been set.

Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster

A compelling story set in an alternative late 19th century London, England.

In this version of history, much of the male aristocracy is infected with a 'craving' virus that makes them yearn for blood.  They are not vampires as they still retain some of their human morals, or at least as many morals as these titled gentlemen ever had.  Upon the death of her father, Honoria Todd and her siblings have been forced to flee the city for the comparative safety of Whitechapel.  She is being sought by Lord Vickers, who has placed a huge bounty on her. 

He's not the only one searching for her.  Blade, the man known as The Devil of Whitechapel has also been keeping his eye on her.  He is also afflicted with the craving virus, though he uses his increased strength to help protect those in his neighbourhood.

I liked the character of Honoria.  During that time period, there were limitations to womens jobs and she has strived to maintain suitable employment for a middle class.  Blade is a much more complex character.  He has experienced horrors at the hands of the aristocracy, yet he still cares for and protects the people of Whitechapel.  Yes, he wants Honoria for his own devious purposes, but he tries so hard not to take unfair advantage of her.

In classic steampunk style, steam machines, mechanical devices and other technology play a role in the story , but they don't take over.  They continue to play a supporting role that allows for far-fetched feats of strength  and firepower to fit into that time.

I totally enjoyed this book and the developing relationship between Honoria and Blade. Note, there are  detailed sexual scenes  in this book, though they are not the main focus.

Additional books in this series:
2 Heart of Iron
3 My Lady Quicksilver  - due out October 1, 2013

Thanks to Sourcebooks for use of the cover image.

Once by Morris Gleitzman

At first, I thought this was a straight forward story about a young Jewish boy who had been placed in a Catholic orphanage by his parents at the start of WWII in an attempt to protect him.  After three years and eight months, Felix decides to leave and go in search of his parents.  It started to get complicated, when I realized that Felix has no idea about the war and what the Nazi's are really up to, he thinks they are just burning books.

As a parent/care giver, you try and do the best for your children/charges.  How much do you tell them regarding events in the wider world.  I was torn about the nuns keeping the kids in the dark regarding the war.  You want the kids to still be kids and not worry about things they can't do any thing about, but should they really be kept in total ignorance. 

As I continued to read, this seemingly simple story got more complex and emotionally harder to read.  I feel that it would be a good selection  to read with your child rather than letting him  or her read it alone.  As a parent, you might want to read ahead so you are prepared for possible questions.

Once is the first of a four part series, followed by Then , Now and After.

Author Morris Gleitzman's website.

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner

Set in Sydney, Australia in 1880's, seven children get into all sorts of mischief even though they are trying their best to behave.  Ranging in ages from sixteen to one year, the Woolcot children are mostly left to their own devices.  Their step-mother Esther, the birth mother of only the youngest, is just twenty and has no experience with children.  Their father is a military man and expects his children to behave and only to show up when he expects them to.

I have been wanting to read this book for several years.  I was able to download a copy to my Playbook and read most of this adorable story in one sitting.  I really don't want to start telling you about the events that happen in the childrens' days, but I can assure you that they didn't set out to get into trouble, those things just seem to happen in this family.  I suppose it might have been different had they had a nanny to see to their needs.

Author Ethel Turner wrote over 40 novels and has been the longest in print author in Australia.  She also wrote further about the Woolcot children in: The Family at Misrule, Little Mother Meg, and Judy and Punch.


Article about Ethel Turner at Australian Children's Literature.

Thanks to Chapters.ca and Kobo for the cover image.

Eucalyptus by Murray Bail

Several years ago, a good friend in Australia sent me a package of Bush Tea.  When I opened it, the pack contained a number of bags of black tea and a bunch of eucalyptus leaves.  The idea being to brew a pot of tea and add a leaf to the pot.  These were about 4 inch long skinny leaves.  I have no idea what type of eucalyptus they were from, but there sure were aromatic.  I loved the tea.  No one else in my house did, so I didn't have to share.

Shortly after relating this story to my sister, so sent me a copy of the book Eucalyptus by Murray Bail.  my mouth watered the whole time I was reading it, wishing I had a pot of bush tea sitting beside me.

This is the story of Holland and his lovely daughter Ellen.  When Ellen is young, Holland moves to a rural area in Australia and for some un-explained reason, he begins to plant assorted Eucalyptus.  By the time Ellen is of marriagable age, there are over 500 different eucalypts growing on the property.  One day Holland announces that his daughter will marry the man who can correctly name all the eucalypts growing on his property.  This is a challenge taken up by men from near and far. 

While this may seem an unusual method of determining the suitability of a potential mate,  people have used worse.  Parents have arranged marriages when their children are but infants.  Others defer to a matchmaker etc..

The story is also filled with short, unfinished tales.  These are told by one of the suitors.  I likened them to the trees.  There are all yet unfinished; they have much growing and unfolding to do.  Ellen listened to all these tales and was left wondering, how did they end, who were all those people and how did they relate to each other.   I still don't really understand the inclusion of all those tales.

I did enjoy reading about the variety of the eucalypts.  Some as tiny of shrubs and others some of the largest trees on earth.  Colours that ranges a whole spectrum and truncks that could be as smooth as a baby's skin or a rough and ragged as a stone field.

It seems to me that Holland related better to his trees than he did to his daughter.   Neither of them were much  for conversation.    I enjoyed reading this unusual story even if I didn't understand all the parts of it.  I am left wanting to know more about eucalyptus. 

Eucalyptus was the 1999 Winner of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book.

This is my 31st selection for the  Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Challenge hosted by Rachelle at Bibliobabe.com.

Remembering Babylon by David Malouf

 Gemmy Fairley had been working as a ship hand when he became ill and feverish.  His shipmates put him adrift on a raft rather than risk the health of the whole crew.  Fortunately for Gemmy, the raft washed ashore on a desolate area of Australia.  He was found by aborigines who he lived with for the next sixteen years. 

One day while wondering with them, he spied some white men, whom he later sought out.  A family in the new community took him in and tried to help him re-integrate into English style daily life.  He had lost much of his earlier language skills and found it difficult to communicate.

What was happening with Gemmy was similar to what was happening with the English colonists.  Both were out of their element and trying to fit their old lives into their current location.  Gemmy had never had a 'good' nor 'safe' life and he didn't have the skills of how to live in a proper family.  The colonists were trying to recreate an English pastoral life in a totally foreign environment that was often hostile to their attempts.

I most enjoyed reading of Gemmy's life and his attempts to fit in anywhere.  He didn't find a safe place in England, not on the ship and even with the aborigines he was always an outsider.  He wasn't either a white fellow or a black fellow, he was something else.  I think perhaps that he was a lot of what was needed to for the transplanted English to survive in Australia, but that the whites refused to even consider the possibility.

Winner the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 1996

Winner the Los Angeles Times Award for Fiction 1994

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 1993

This is my 19th novel for the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Challenge hosted by Bibliobabe. 

The Mystery of the Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume

This murder mystery is set in Melbourne, Australia at some point in the late 19th century.  It was the first novel by lawyer Fegus Hume.  After the success of this story he went on to write dozens of other books.   

The story starts when the driver of a hansom cab goes to the police station to report a murder.  His last passenger of the night, Oliver White, had been murdered right in the cab.  From the statement of the cabbie, it appears an open and shut case and very quickly a young man is arrested and sent to trial.  That is the last simple thing that happens in this story.  Mr. Hume then leads us along a number of twisting trails, until at last in the final pages the true murderer is revealed.

I downloaded this book from LibriVox (direct link to this book) after reading about it at a fellow blogger's site.  Thanks to Miri at Milk and Honey Quilts for introducing me to LibriVox (general website) and this author.

I will definitely be visiting LibriVox for more audio books in the future.

Photo Credits:

Chloroform bottle - Exposing myth, distortion, corruption and the TRUTH

Hansom Cab - Christchurch City Libraries

Gallows - David Hunter