The Golden Land by Di Morrissey interweaves the beauty and troubled political turmoil of Burma, its culture and people, with the life of Natalie living on the Gold Coast in Queensland. This is a beautiful story of resolution and putting right the past to heal the present, of the role of women in … [Read more...]

People react in various ways to the diagnosis of a terminal illness. In this novel, Celeste and Nathalie are two very different half-sisters whose mother develops Motor Neurone Disease. Their mother is convinced that a miracle will cure her of this progressively incapacitating illness and plans a … [Read more...]

You Don't Want To Know by Lisa Jackson is a gripping mystery thriller that holds the reader's attention from the first page to the very last. The story centres around Ava Garrison, wealthy, supposedly mentally unstable, living on a private island surrounded by family and staff. Two years ago, her … [Read more...]

Bertie is the “Beloved” of the title. Set in the 1950's to early sixties, beginning in Melbourne, with interludes in Sydney and then moving on to Port Moresby, the novel follows Bertie's development from child to teenager. Aged six, she falls victim to polio which changes her future forever, the … [Read more...]

Tom Keneally has drawn an epic tribute to the enormous and often less-acknowledged contributions of women during World War I. In this, his latest novel, seen from the point of view of the nurses who coped with the resulting horrors of battle; no graphic detail is spared in the suffering endured, as … [Read more...]

[rating: 4.5] Many is the time I look at my digital babies (aged 11 and 9) and marvel at the completely different planet they live on. I marvel at the complete divergence between their childhood and my own, despite, like many parents, spending considerable time ensuring they have as much of a 'real … [Read more...]

[rating: 4] Having watched the irrepressible Anita Heiss navigate the social media arena with pomp, opinion and savvy this past 18 months, I grew increasingly intrigued over her (at the time) upcoming memoir release, with its though-provoking title - Am I Black Enough for You? Absolutely admire a … [Read more...]

[rating: 5] When I first took Bitter Greens in hand, I immediately assigned this brick-like tome to the ‘too long to read’ review pile. Before doing so, however, I briefly flipped open the first pages for a peek, as I am almost always tempted to do. Fast forward two weeks later, I was agonisingly … [Read more...]

[rating: 4] It's all out there. The fads and opinion, the facts and myth relating to food. We've all been party and privy to it. And many of us have been both intrigued and confused by it. Conflicting media reports, misconceptions, scares and other hoo-ha have no doubt prompted author and … [Read more...]

[rating: 3.5] I may have left the 'young' version of the fashionista world a few years ago now, but that sure as Prada doesn't stop me from appreciating the young chicky babes doing the fashion scene so well. The recent movie and television awards season was a sheer bonanza in stylish eye candy for … [Read more...]

[rating: 5] Lush in setting, restrained but ultimately satisfying in emotion, this book takes readers from the hunger and poverty of 1930s Madrid to the whitewashed streets of Morocco, then on to the opulence of fashionable life during World War Two Spain and Portugal. First published in Spain as … [Read more...]

[rating: 4] That crafty minx is back, this time with a fashionista theme, following hot on the coat tails of her memoir A Life in Frocks. A self-confessed flea market and charity shop-scourer, it's no surprise Kelly's latest book has a belts, baubles and a chic ensemble feel - her adoration for … [Read more...]

[rating: 4] Great title. But also a fraught title. Goodness knows, weight loss is one of the hottest and most controversial topics in the Western world and will do doubt remain that way for many generations to come. Alas - it's often the 'lose weight quickly' promises that continue to fail those in … [Read more...]

[rating: 4] If home is where the heart is, this beautiful book is a home-lover's dream destination. Subtitled Evolution of the Australian Dream, an illustrated review of housing in Australia, anyone with a love of housing, town planning, architecture or even history, will warmly appreciate its … [Read more...]

This is the follow-up book to “The Art of Happiness”, written by the same author. Meditation is, according to this book, the “inner transformation through training the mind.” It is a challenging and daunting prospect. Meditation is a difficult discipline to master and practise effectively. The … [Read more...]

Most of us might see being happy as a matter of luck, chance, or situation, perhaps something that can be “found”. Happiness is often confused with pleasure, joy or being in love. The English language is so full of subtleties, there is a particular word for every nuance of any emotion. The unusual … [Read more...]

Those with a strong arm and capacious handbag capable of carrying this weighty book will reap the rewards of an interesting read about the people who made Australia the wonderful country it is. This work is the follow-up to the first volume of “Australians” and introduces the reader to the faces of … [Read more...]

[rating: 4] There's two things new mums don't need. One - twelve (or more) months stuck in their maternity jeans. Two - a complicated, time-consuming regime for getting rid of said jeans. New mums are too busy being new mums, looking after their health and the health of their new babe, and … [Read more...]

[rating: 4.5] We're a funny species. We know what we need to do. We know what we should be eating and should not be eating. We know all about exercise. We are totally au fait with comfort eating. We're cohesive of the fact that too much booze and fat, and too many sweets will undo our health and … [Read more...]

[rating: 4.5] It's Christmas time - a time that's meant to be the happiest of the year but for many, the festive season is fraught with stress, relationship strain, financial burden and that Scrooge-like feeling that can seriously test the boundaries of inner contentment. Balancing the 'perfect' … [Read more...]