Guest review: ‘The Book of Dust’ – Philip Pullman 2017
My rating: 3 of 5 stars I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read a couple of years ago that Philip Pullman would be continuing Lyra and Pan’s story wi...
Review: ‘Burial Rites’ – Hannah Kent 2014
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Intimate, atmospheric and vividly told, Burial Rites is more than worthy of all the praise it has received. A powerful and emotional nar...
Review: ‘Goodbye Tsugumi’ – Banana Yoshimoto 1989
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Haunting and melancholy, Goodbye Tsugumi is a coming-of-age tale set against the vivid backdrop of the Japanese seaside. “It’s a marvell...
Review: ‘The Hate U Give’ – Angie Thomas 2017
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Stop reading this review. Instead read this book. The Hate U Give is without doubt the most important YA novel this year, and should be ...
Review: ‘Fever Dream’ – Samanta Schweblin 2017
My rating: 3 of 5 stars A dark, twisted dive into the fever-induced memories of a mother. I struggled to understand this strange narrative, but found myself una...
Review: ‘A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares’ – Krystal Sutherland 2017
My rating: 4 of 5 stars A touching, hilarious and relatable book for older teens, about depression, anxiety, facing your fears, and learning to accept help when...
Review: ‘The Build-Up Season’ – Megan Jacobson 2017
My rating: 4 of 5 stars A confronting but compelling exploration of domestic violence and the legacies of abuse set against the gathering storm clouds of Darwin...
Review: ‘Nimona’ – Noelle Stevenson 2015
Is it possible to love a book too much? No? Well, I adored Nimona from the first page to the last, and it was an instant addition to my ‘favourites’...
Review: ‘Woman of Substances’ – Jenny Valentish 2017
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Woman of Substances is a terrific, engaging, and informative read. Well researched, it links together topics as varied as eating disorde...
Review: ‘Dragon Teeth’ – Michael Crichton 2017
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars. Alright, I loved this book. It took me a while to realise this, but I did. At it’s very core, Dragon’s Teeth is about getting there a...