BOOKS & TRAVEL - Book Review Blog

12/10/2017 0 Comments

THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA - MATTHEW REILLY

Synopsis:

It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world. Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed.

A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Among them is Dr. Cassandra Jane ‘CJ’ Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles.

The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong. Of course it can’t…

GET READY FOR ACTION ON A GIGANTIC SCALE.

Review:

This book is action packed from beginning to end. There are absolutely no boring bits and all the facts about the animals were very interesting to read about! Starting with a bit of background as to why China built the zoo, and then leading straight into the tour, Matthew captivates his audience with his imagination and series of events.

A lot of what happens during the course of the book is very unbelievable, but you want that in an action novel don't you? Don't we all read fiction to get lost in another world? I loved how Matthew made the main character a female, unlike his other books. You really get a feel for the story through her eyes. If CJ was a male, the story wouldn't have been as powerful.

The descriptions of all the locations in the book were very vivid and you could see what the characters were feeling during the whole story because of this. I pictured scenes from Jurassic Park as I was reading the book, imagining tall trees and buildings towering over the characters.

Without giving anything away, I loved how the author described the animals in the zoo too. The descriptions were amazing. You could really picture them as they moved around the landscape. My favourite character was Lucky. Once you read the book - you'll know why.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone wanting an escape from reality, with lots of action and beautiful descriptions to get lost in. I will definitely be reading more of Matthew Reilly's books in the future.

Buy the book

Visit Matthew's Website

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7/10/2017 0 Comments

WORK SIMPLY - CARSON TATE

Synopsis:

In Work Simply, renowned productivity expert Carson Tate helps you discover your personal working style, so you never have to feel overwhelmed again. Your time is under attack. You just can’t get enough done. You find yourself wondering where the hours go. You’ve tried every time-management system you can get your hands on—and they’ve only succeeded in making your work more complicated. Sound familiar? If you sometimes feel you spend more time managing your productivity than doing actual work, it’s time for a change. In Work Simply, renowned productivity expert Carson Tate offers a step-by-step guide to making work simple again by using the style that works best for you.

Tate has helped thousands of men and women better manage their time and become more productive. Her success owes partly to the realization that most of us fit into one of four distinct productivity styles: Arrangers, who think about their projects in terms of the people involved; Prioritizers, who are the definition of “goal-oriented”; Visualizers, who possess a unique ability to comprehend the big picture; and Planners, who live for the details.

After reading Work Simply, you’ll come away with a productivity system that truly and fundamentally fits you—and you’ll never feel overwhelmed again.

Review:

This book outlines 4 different productivity styles - Prioritiser, Planner, Visualiser and Arranger and the author gives you tips on how to figure out which style you are and how to make your time work better for you, based on your individual style.

It was interesting learning about the different styles, however Carson continuously mixes the different styles together throughout the book, making it hard to read if you just want to know what works for you. If she organised the book by the different styles, I felt that I could have read the style that related to me, without having to read all the other styles that I had no interest in.

I liked listening to all the examples outlined within the book and the advice on how to prioritise my tasks, organise my workload and style my workspace based on my style. However I tended to zone out when reading about all the other styles and forgot to concentrate when my style came back into play.

Purchase the book

Visit Carson's Website

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1/10/2017 0 Comments

SLOW - BROOKE MCALARY

Synopsis:

Dear Mr & Mrs Jones, I am writing to inform you of my withdrawal from the race to keep up with you...' Once upon a time, Brooke McAlary thought she was close to having it all. Married to a wonderful man, mother to a lively young daughter, and pregnant for a second time, she'd acquired all the things she'd once thought important-holidays, cars, a renovated home. Yet despite this, she found herself utterly despondent. Realising that they wanted a simpler, more fulfilling existence, Brooke and her family gradually created their own way of living, with an emphasis on depth, connection and experiences.

In Slow Brooke gently encourages you to find pleasure and value in a simpler life, sharing the practical tips and rituals that have helped her on her own journey, from decluttering to de-owning, messiness to mindfulness, from asking why to asking where to now? Part memoir, part practical companion, Slow provides a fascinating insight into the benefits of slowing down. It will inspire you to forget about the Joneses and create a life filled with the things that really matter to you . . . slowly, of course.

Review:

Now that my son is growing up and becoming his own little person, I've been on a journey to declutter my mind and my life, so I can start enjoying the little things again and this book is just what i needed to read. Brooke provides tips on decluttering your home, de-owning physical objects and refers to Marie Kondo's book "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying" and how her methods differ from Marie's. I definitely prefer Brooke's method compared to Marie's though as I also think that slow and steady wins the race.

Brooke writes about how to become more mindful in every day life and gives you tips on how to do so each day. To stop and really look around you and see all the little things around you. To drink in all the details. She talks about Yoga and meditation and the benefits of these practices as well. When Brooke described her usual day (checking social media - countless times a day, even before getting out of bed, staring at emails, reading downloadable books on her iPad, etc) I thought - Oh my gosh. This is totally me! I've become one of those people!

She teaches you that you can't be everything for everyone, all of the time. She explains how its better to spend one hour of your day actually being there, in the moment with your family, instead of spending a whole day half being there, and half staring at a screen. Prioritise! Spend time cooking a nutritious home cooked meal, instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with your to-do list, break it down into stupidly easy, bite sized tasks and focus on completing them all, one by one. Once the task is underway, momentum takes over and you're on your way.

I definitely recommend this book to people who want to learn to live life to the full, and not get up every morning, do the necessary things that people do each day, then go to bed feeling like you've actually achieved nothing. It's one I would definitely read again.

Buy the book

Visit Brooke's Website

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24/9/2017 0 Comments

ISLAND HOME - TIM WINTON

Synopsis:

'I grew up on the world’s largest island.'

This apparently simple fact is the starting point for Tim Winton’s beautiful, evocative and sometimes provocative memoir of how Australia's unique landscape has shaped him and his writing.

Wise, rhapsodic, exalted – Island Home is not just a brilliant, moving insight into the life and art of one of our finest writers, but a compelling investigation into the way our country shapes us.

Review:

Tim Winton has a writing style that intrigues me. It's very descriptive and reading this book made me be "in the moment", which is a very rare thing in my life, so it was very much appreciated.

For some reason I thought this book was going to be a fiction novel with a tale of a family who lived on an island, but it was more of a non-fiction book which was part memoir, part facts and part opinions. I enjoyed reading about Tim's opinions on the land he calls home, and his little stories that he threw in here and there, but the facts got a bit tedious in the end. I longed to hear more about his adventures on the beach with his family or up in the plane with the landscape photographer, but alas these stories were way too short for my liking.

I've never been to Western Australia, but would love to travel there one day just to see what it's like. I'd love to see the white beaches that are described in the book and search through beach caves and feel the water between my toes.

I'm keen to read more of Tim's books, now that I've discovered his writing style. I found it mesmerising in parts, and I would love to become lost in the moment again soon. I secretly hope they're all like this one.

Buy the book

Visit Tim's Facebook Page

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17/9/2017 0 Comments

FOLLOW THE RABBIT PROOF FENCE -DORIS PILKINGTON

Synopsis:

The remarkable true story of three young girls who cross the harsh Australian desert on foot to return to their home.

Following an Australian government edict in 1931, black aboriginal children and children of mixed marriages were gathered up by whites and taken to settlements to be assimilated. In Rabbit-Proof Fence, award-winning author Doris Pilkington traces the captivating story of her mother, Molly, one of three young girls uprooted from her community in Southwestern Australia and taken to the Moore River Native Settlement. At the settlement, Milly and her relatives Gracie and Daisy were forbidden to speak their native language, forced to abandon their aboriginal heritage, and taught to be culturally white. After regular stays in solitary confinement, the three girls scared and homesick planned and executed a daring escape from the grim camp, with its harsh life of padlocks, barred windows, and hard cold beds.

The girls headed for the nearby rabbit-proof fence that stretched over 1,000 miles through the desert toward their home. Their journey lasted over a month, and they survived on everything from emus to feral cats, while narrowly avoiding the police, professional trackers, and hostile white settlers. Their story is a truly moving tale of defiance and resilience.

Review:

Oh my gosh! What a terrible thing to have happen to a family! This book kept me captivated the whole way though. How 3 young children could survive out in the Australian bush by themselves just astounds me.

I didn't want to put the book down when I got up to the part about their escape. I loved reading about how they survived alone, how they found food, water and shelter and walked all the way home. I was amazed by how they even knew which way to travel in the first place.

The book didn't go into the political side of the story very much, but it was written by the daughter of one of the girls who escaped, so perhaps she wanted to tell the story from the family's point of view?

I will definitely be watching the movie for this one! I have never been interested in history much before, but hearing about what these girls went though, in actual the country that I'm living in, has made me realise that I am so lucky in my life, and to be thankful to be born into the time that I was, and have the lifestyle that I currently do.

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17/9/2017 0 Comments

INVESTING IN PROPERTY - PAUL CLITHEROE

Synopsis:

Home ownership is part of the Australian dream, which makes property investment good sense. Or does it? Paul Clitheroe, Australia's best-known financial adviser, reckons residential property investment is good, so long as it is done properly. It might look easy enough, but for property investment to be effective requires significant effort and thought. In this book, using straightforward language, Paul guides you through the intricacies of property investment, demonstrating how it generates wealth, and how to be successful in it.

Review:

This is a small pocket guide that provides some good insight into home ownership.

Paul has written a small pocket guide that provides very simple advice with some interesting facts and opinions. It's a good book for beginners who would like to buy their first property, however if you already know a bit about the industry, don't bother reading it, because you probably won't learn anything new, as he didn't delve into anything in much detail.

I thought it was a bit short and that the author didn't go into much depth about any subject in particular. He could have included more information about each subject in certain chapters, so that people already in the industry might learn something new, instead of just giving a general overview of the whole process for beginners.

But if Paul wanted to target beginners and first home owners who would like to learn some practical information about the real estate industry - he's done his job.

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17/9/2017 0 Comments

SCREW IT, LET'S DO IT - SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Synopsis:

Throughout my life I have achieved many remarkable things. In Screw It, Let's Do It, I will share with you my ideas and the secrets of my success, but not simply because I hope they'll help you achieve your individual goals. Today we are increasingly aware of the effects of our actions on the environment, and I strongly believe that we each have a responsibility, as individuals and organisations, to do no harm. I will draw on Gaia Capitalism to explain why we need to take stock of how we may be damaging the environment, and why it is up to big companies like Virgin to lead the way in a more holistic approach to business.

In Screw It, Let's Do It I'll be looking forwards to the future. A lot has changed since I founded Virgin in 1968, and I'll explain how I intend to take my business and my ideas to the next level and the new and exciting areas - such as launching Virgin Fuels - into which Virgin is currently moving.
But I have also brought together all the important lessons, good advice and inspirational adages that have helped me along the road to success. Ironically, I have never been one to do things by the book, but I have been inspired and influenced by many remarkable people. I hope that you too might find a little inspiration between these pages.

Review:

I thought this book would be about business advice, but it turned out to be more of an autobiography about how Richard started his magazine and then his music business and how he went on multiple ballooning trips where he almost killed himself and vowed never to do it again.. until he did it again.. and again.. and again.

I thought the first part of the book about his family was interesting, and I enjoyed learning about his mother very much, however after this, the book kept focussing on his adventure trips and it started sounding more like a fiction novel than a book on business advice. He touched on his airline business and then talked about his music business again and the time line was all over the place.

Richard is a very good business man, and has achieved so much in his life. He is adamant about helping people and the environment - which I love. I like his positive outlook on life and what he's doing for the world as well. He is always on call for people in need. I'd love to sit down and pick his brain one day about business ideas and I thought I could do a little bit of that by reading his book, however I didn't learn that much from this one apart from what an adventurer he is. Maybe one of his other titles would suit my needs a bit better.

Buy the book

Visit Richard's website

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5/9/2017 0 Comments

THE LIFE CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING - MARIE KONDO

Synopsis:

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house "spark joy" (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

Review:

I LOVED this book! I had just started a "goals" list of things to do over the next year, and 'throw out or donate one thing a day' was on it... and then I read Marie's book about how she and her clients have had success by doing a bit clean out all in one go instead of it taking years to get rid of all your unwanted stuff. I concur with her ideal of doing it all at once, so that you never have to do it again.

I like the idea of deciding what to keep, instead of deciding what I want to throw out. Every time I go through my wardrobe and try to decide what to get rid of, I always keep coming up with excuses about why I shouldn't throw clothes out and end up keeping almost everything, except for about 5 things that are stretched, missing a button or have faded beyond recognition. Maybe this way instead of coming up with excuses about why I should keep certain items, I will go through the pile and pull out my favourite things and then see what's left over through different eyes.

As I am a MAJOR book hoarder, I'm not sure how well I will go with throwing books out, however if I follow her instructions and pull out all my favourites and see what's left, I may be able to donate a few of them. I can't imagine where I will find the time to go through my WHOLE house and sort out what I want to keep and what I don't though. I'm afraid that I will start with my clothes, books and papers and then get sick of it, or run out of time and not finish the rest and be right back where I started in the first place again. I am willing to give it a good go though. I would love to make my house neat and tidy and have room to move around without stepping on a toy or wondering where I put my favourite pair of jeans this time.

I like the idea of finding a place for everything and then once you've finished with it, you should put it straight back where it belongs. Again - I can't see how that will happen in my household though, because people leave things lying around the place all the time. I can't see how keeping my things tidy will make my husband or my son want to do the same things with their belongings. Again - I am willing to give it a go to see what happens.

I am looking forward to trying out the Konmarie method the very next time I have a weekend free. Hopefully I can follow her instructions and get rid of all the unwanted items in my home, making it a place full of things that spark joy, and this will in turn, make it feel like a more positive and calming place to relax after a long day at work.

Buy the book

Visit Marie's Website

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3/9/2017 0 Comments

I KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT - LAURA VANDERKAM

Synopsis:

Instead of relying on scattered stories, time management expert Laura Vanderkam set out to add hard data to the debate. She collected hour-by-hour time logs from 1,001 days in the lives of women who make at least $100,000 a year, and she found some surprising patterns in how these women spend the 168 hours that every one of us has each week. Overall, these women worked less and slept more than they assumed they did before they started tracking their time. They went jogging or to the gym, played with their children, scheduled date nights with their significant others, and had lunches with friends. They made time for the things that gave them pleasure and meaning, fitting the pieces together like tiles in a mosaic—without adhering to overly rigid schedules that would eliminate flexibility and spontaneity. With examples from hundreds of real women, I Know How She Does It proves that women don’t have to give up the things they really want.

Review:

I read this book as an audiobook because I wanted to read more books, but didn't have the time to........ I know, right? lol.

Anyway, when Laura talked about the time logs that she used to research this book, there was a lot of data to listen to, which was interesting, but I got a bit lost in all the numbers in the end. There were a few tips on how to manage your time to fit more in, but most of the book was about how much time women spent in the workplace, and I just wanted to skip over these parts as most of the examples were about women who worked over 60 hours a week, and I am not one of them.

In the results of the study, Wednesday was the day worked the longest. Laura says that a lot of our time at work doesn't actually involve working. People usually spent some of this time on breaks - especially if they were self employed or worked from home. This time could be spent doing other things than wasting time on social media, making endless cups of tea or chatting with colleagues. You could go for a walk, take a quick trip to the shops if you need to pick something up rather than doing it on your way home, or take the time to read a book. She also said if you don't take intentional breaks, you end up taking non-intentional ones, like the ones mentioned above, and they usually last longer than your intentional ones.

If you feel like you're not seeing your kids enough because you work a 9-5 job, you could work out a routine where you work late one night and go home early another. If you commute to work, you could spend time reading or listening to an audiobook, or ring up a friend who you haven't spoken to for a while. If you work through lunch, you could go home an hour earlier and use this time to spend with your kids, or clean the house if they're not home yet. This frees up more time on weekends when you could be spending more quality time with family.

Laura went on to say that the average time spent working is around 45 hours per week. So, if you sleep 8 hours a day, that leaves 67 hours a week for other things. When you start to think about your free time in hours per week, instead of looking at it in a 24 hour block, it actually seems like quite a bit of free time. What could you do in 67 hours? ...and what are you doing? Where is all that time going? If you work out a weekly schedule and make time for work, sleep, family, exercise and me time, and actually follow the schedule, you will see where all your time is actually being spent, and from this you can work out how to spend your time even better, so you don't feel like you've got no time... when in actual fact - you do - you're just wasting it.

You could schedule TV and laundry folding at times when your mind is turned off (perhaps after you've put the kids to bed), and when you're alert, you could write a book (maybe get up an hour or two earlier on 1 or 2 days a week). You will find that if you schedule me time in into your busy week, at the end of it, you won't feel like you've got nothing done and feel bad about wasting it all on social media or working into the night, when you could have been doing other things.

One of the things I loved about the book was Laura's suggestion of making a list of fun things to do with your whole family, and get everyone to choose something on the list, so no-one feels left out of the decision making process. I'm going to do that one with my family.

All in all there were some good points. I'm glad I listened to it on audiobook instead of read it though. I would have felt like it wasted a week of time precious time if I had of read it. By listening to it on audiobook it only took me 2 days to get through, while doing other things.

Buy the book

Visit Laura's Website

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28/8/2017 0 Comments

BLOGLOVIN

You can now follow me on bloglovin':

www.bloglovin.com/@thatkellychic

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28/8/2017 0 Comments

THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR - SHARI LAPENA

Synopsis:

Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying. Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You'll have the baby monitor and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour.

Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She's gone. You've never had to call the police before. But now they're in your home, and who knows what they'll find there.

Review:

This book was another book club book that I didn't want to read, but I'm glad I did. If you like a book with more twists and turns than a liquorice stick - this is the book for you! I almost read this book in one sitting. I could not put it down! The author created a fantastic plot that kept you guessing right until the end... well, almost. I didn't like how abruptly the storyline ended. I felt that Shari rushed the plot at the point of no return and then chucked in another twist for good luck.

I was on the edge of my seat until the last few chapters, where I was left mildly disappointed. I won't say why I was disappointed, as I think it would spoil it for readers who would like to indulge in this storyline, but I would love to know what other people thought about it.

I liked the characters and how the end of every chapter left you guessing what was going to happen next, but I would have liked to see a different ending with a bit more of a build up leading up to it. The whole way through the book I was expecting a cliffhanger ending and then... it just ended.

Buy the book

Visit Shari Lapel's Website

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27/8/2017 0 Comments

A weekend in Maleny

This weekend I had the chance to relax in an absolutely beautiful part of the country. A friend and I went up to Maleny for the night and we stopped in at the Maleny Cheese Factory for lunch and bought ourselves a cheese platter to go with our bottle of sparkling wine. We sat on the banks of the Obi Obi Creek and gorged ourselves silly on wine, cheese, fruit and crackers. It was much needed pure bliss.

We then chatted away while watching the sun set with a cup of tea on the balcony at the Maleny Hotel, had a lovely dinner in the restaurant there, and then spent the night reading our books in bed until we couldn't keep our eyes open any more and finally fell asleep in the very comfy beds.

The next day we went for a walk in town and had a bacon and egg roll and a chai latte for breakfast at one of the local cafes and browsed all the local shops. Afterwards we hopped in the car for a short drive and found Gardners Falls where we sat and listened to nature doing it's thing while finishing off our cheese platters.

It was so nice to relax for the weekend with a good mate, a good book and good food and enjoy nature at it's finest, while recharging my mind, body and soul.

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21/8/2017 0 Comments

Shine - Jodi Picoult

Synopsis:

Jodi Picoult tackles issues of race and privilege in this ebook original short story, a prequel to her upcoming novel Small Great Things. In “Shine,” the master storyteller and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time and My Sister’s Keeperintroduces readers to the unforgettable Ruth Brooks.

Today is Ruth’s first day of third grade at Dalton. The prestigious institution on New York’s Upper East Side couldn’t be more different from her old school in Harlem. Despite being the smartest girl in her grade, Ruth suspects that her classmates and teachers only see her dark skin. She also notices that Christina, the daughter of her mother’s employer, treats Ruth very differently when they’re hanging out with the popular girls rather than playing together. Ruth must navigate between two worlds, never losing sight of the dreams she has for herself—in hopes that someday, someone will see her for who she really is.

Review:

This short ebook is the prequel to Small Great Things. I know it is a short story, however I felt it was a bit too short. You get an idea of Ruth's upbringing, but not as much as I would have liked. There was one part in the story which almost broke my heart, but other than that I thought Jodi could have touched on more events that led up to the next book. All-in-all, I thought it was good, but I expected more.

Visit Jodi Picoult's Website to buy this book

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17/8/2017 0 Comments

I QUIT SUGAR FOR LIFE - SARAH WILSON

Synopsis:

Quitting sugar is not a diet. Quitting sugar is a way of living without processed food and eating what our grandparents used to before the crappy food and the modern diseases. In I Quit Sugar for Life, Sarah shows you how to be sugar-free forever. Drawing on extensive research and her own tried and tested methods, Sarah has designed specific programs and recipes to help both families and solo cookers:

* banish cravings and deal with lapses by eating good fats and protein
* maximise nutrition with veggies
* exercise less for better results
* detox safely... without the fads!
* eat sustainably and ethically - at home and out 'n' about
* live with flow and less fuss
*cook sugar-free: 148 desserts, cakes, kids' lunchbox fillers, comfort dinners and tote-able breakfast and lunches.

I Quit Sugar for Life is not just about kicking a habit; it's a complete wellness philosophy for your healthiest, calmest, happiest self.

Review:
First of all, let me start by saying that I AM addicted to sugar. I have NOT quit sugar for life. There was a time when I did try though, and I was successful for about 3 months, but there were other things going on in my life and sadly, I didn't keep it up.

This is the second book that Sarah has written on the subject, and there's also a third, however I decided to review I Quit Sugar For Life because it was the first one I read, and I actually own a copy, which is sitting quite happily in my bookshelf next to Sarah's third book in the series - Simplicious, because I enjoyed this one enough to buy the third one as well.

When I picked up this book and started reading it, it made me feel good straight away. It made me feel like I wanted to be healthier. I wanted to try out all the recipes, and quit sugar all over again... But I didn't. A lot of the recipes have ingredients that I've never even heard of before, let alone know how to cook with them, and a lot of the recipes take a long time to cook - of which I don't have. But that's all the negatives.

I did however, try some of the recipes, adapting them to my liking. I did try cooking bone broth (which has now become a staple in our family because of the health benefits - and Sarah taught me how to cook it - so thank you Sarah) and I have made some of the desserts and felt a little better about not eating so MUCH sugar. So, even though I didn't quit sugar, I have made a few of the recipes in the book and still enjoy eating them to this day.

Every time I pick this book up and have a flick through, it makes me want to eat healthier again, especially when all I've been eating is junk food and feel the need to loose a few kilos, and I spend a good hour looking through all the recipes, deciding which ones I want to make.

There is a lot of information at the front of the book about why you should quit sugar and the effects that it has on the body, which are also quite interesting, however I'm always more interested in the recipes and end up looking through those more than all the facts and figures.

All-in-all, I love I Quit Sugar For Life, because every time I pick it up, it instantly makes me feel good and want to make healthy changes, however I'm just too busy/tired to try most of the recipes in there properly and get the health benefits out of it - which probably means that I should try quitting sugar again - so I don't feel that way in the first place. Luckily I have two great books to help me along the way when I do decide to quit again... maybe next month.

Buy the Book

Visit Sarah Wilson's Website

Visit I Quit Sugar's Website

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13/8/2017 0 Comments

SMALL GREAT THINGS - JODI PICOULT

Synopsis:

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Review:

I read this book as part of my book club reading list. I've been meaning to read it for about a year now, and when the time came to finally read it, I couldn't be happier. I absolutely love Jodi Picoult's novels. I love the way she delves into peoples private lives and puts them on display for everyone to see and gives people something to really think about - and this one was no exception to that rule.

As an author, Jodi started out with a certain writing style, then changed what she was doing for a while to focus on other avenues (she co-wrote a couple of young-adult novels with her daughter as well as a few short stories) and with this book, she has returned full circle, giving readers what they want, with true Picoult style. Like most of her other novels, the main event in the storyline occurs, and then the court case/trial, then the verdict, and of course - the classic Picoult twist at the end. Just as it should be - and this made me very happy. I don't mind change, but when I like an author because he/she has a certain style, this is what I expect out of each book that they write. Otherwise I tend to get disappointed.

Small Great Things is a story about race and how different people deal with racism in their own ways. Jodi brings up a lot of pressing issues that no-one likes to talk about - so not to offend. She introduces a strong female character to the story (who you can't help but like), as well as a strong male character (who is exactly the opposite) and mixes them into an every day event with dire consequences. As the book progresses, you learn a lot about how each of these characters have grown up and how they live their lives, and you can't help but feel for them and their families because of what has happened to them.

I think Jodi has provided her fans with an accurate portrayal of stereotypes and racism within this book (as she intended) and some of the arguments brought up by Kennedy (the Lawyer) really made you think. I like how the story progressed and I thought the ending was very creative.

There is a prequel to this book, (called Shine) which introduces the main character and how she has had to deal with race on a daily basis, although you don't need to read it to enjoy Small Great Things.

Buy the book

Visit Jodi Picoult's Website

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9/8/2017 0 Comments

WILD - CHERYL STRAYED

Synopsis:

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — and she would do it alone.

Review:

This is not a book that I would have normally picked up, had it not been on our book club list, but I'll tell you what - I'm glad it was! I absolutely loved this book!

Cheryl made you feel like you were right there with her the entire time. I loved hearing about some of the things that she did to survive during her trip, and how she felt during her time alone. The survival skills that she endured really made me think about what I would have done if I was in her situation. Some things made me cringe and some made me laugh out loud.

Reading about how she prepared for the trip reminded me of my backpacking days of long ago. I could just picture her trying to lift her heavy backpack up all by herself and that alone made me smile, because it's something that I've also experienced. I could see all the people that she met along the way in my mind - some good and some not so good.

Learning some of the stats about the trail and how many people actually took up the challenge of walking the whole thing each year was also quite interesting. Before I even got to the end of the book, Cheryl made me wish I had taken up the challenge myself.

After reading this book, I watched the movie featuring Reece Witherspoon. I thought the movie was a good portrayal of the book, but as usual, I thought the book was better. Not because the storyline differed as such, but the landscape that I pictured in my mind was so much different to what was portrayed on screen. The movie also showed a lot more flashbacks of her previous life, where the book focussed more on the hike itself, which I enjoyed more.

Buy the Book

Visit Cheryl Strayed's Website

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6/8/2017 0 Comments

COOKING FOR BUSY MUMS - AMANDA VOISEY

Synopsis:

Amanda shares her most popular, most delicious and quickest recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that will make feeding your family a whole lot easier. Alongside, she includes valuable information on nutrition for kids, how to cope with fussy eaters, how to save money at the supermarket and great, simple ideas of packing a school lunch box.

Review:

This is THE best cook book I have ever owned! Hands Down! (And I've got some damn good cook books!) Usually cook books have a handful of recipes that we make consistently, time and time again, but you never end up making the rest of the recipes in the book, because there's too many ingredients, or you need something that you'll only use once and by the time you need it again it's gone off. Not the case with this one. There is not one recipe in this book that I wouldn't make.

The sections are relevant and the index at the back makes finding meals quickly a breeze. I have most of the ingredients in my cupboard or fridge already, the recipes are easy and don't have many ingredients, and they're usually pretty quick to make too. They're also great for making with little helping hands. My son loves baking with me and there are plenty of fantastic recipes in here that he can help with. The recipes are also great for substituting ingredients if kids are allergic to something as well.

I love how Amanda has put together a cook book that allows busy mums to put something healthy on the table in a short amount of time. The book can even be found at Big W and best of all - it's cheap! If you're looking for a gift for a friend who loves cooking, (even if they're not a parent) this is definitely the one to get! The author also has a website with even more fantastic recipes to compliment this book. You can connect with her via her Facebook page.

Buy the book

Visit Amanda Voisey's Website

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5/8/2017 0 Comments

THE PURPOSE OF MY BOOK REVIEWS...

Welcome to my book review blog. As you can see from the first image that I posted on my Instagram page, I am usually at home, reading in bed. The whole purpose of this blog is to help me to get out more often, as I'm a busy mum and wife, who works full time and doesn't have much time to myself anymore, because I'm usually busy supporting my family and raising a little boy to be the best person that he can be. It's also my aim to share my opinions on books that I've read recently, and to tap into my creative side by writing book reviews to share with you all.

From here on in, what I'm hoping will happen, is that I can fill up my social media pages with beautiful travel images of me reading in exotic places, while enlightening you with my wise words on what I thought of a book, the plot, it's characters, what the author hoped to achieve and whether or not you should read it too. I will provide website links throughout my book reviews, so that you can purchase the books that I've reviewed if you'd like to read them, or click through to the author's websites and see what else they've written that you may like as well.

To tell you a bit about myself - I'm part of a book club that meets monthly and has a good old yarn about our thoughts over dinner and drinks. (Love you girls! :-X) My favourite authors are John Grisham and Jodi Picoult. I love a good suspense novel/courtroom drama, with a twist at the end. Both of these authors never fail to deliver... well, almost never (but we'll get into that a bit later on). I hate spoilers! I love reading to my son and passing on my knowledge to him. I used to adore reading Enid Blyton books about wishing chairs and faraway trees in magical forests, and choosing my own adventures so that I controlled the storyline, and the ending and I can't wait until he's old enough to enjoy them.

I love cooking, travelling, and self-improvement - therefore you will probably see a few non-fiction books pop up on my blog from time to time as well, however - I am the fiction queen! I am one to escape into a fictional world, where I can loose myself in a good book and escape reality for a while. Saying that, you probably won't see that many fantasy books in my reviews, however I am a fan of the horror genre. Bring on Dean Koontz and Stephen King - I hear you say!

I have a kindle paperwhite with a pretty blue cover (it'll probably debut in a quite a few of my photos as I have about a 1000 books on it!), but I prefer to read paperbacks or hard covers. There's just something about holding a book in your hands and turning the pages as you go. I find it therapeutic. It's also kinder on the eyes! I love browsing through second hand book shops, and if you see me in a op shop, I'm usually standing in front of the book section. I have so many books in my bookshelves that I haven't read yet, but couldn't help buying, even though I know I have way too many as it is. I know I'll get around to reading them all one day - when I have more time!

So, please join me on my journey and comment on my book reviews. Tell me your thoughts on what I've written and how you think storylines should have gone. Follow me on Instagram or Facebook and feel free to recommend books to me that you think I may enjoy, based on my previous book reviews. I hope to connect with you in the literary world soon. xxx

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Author

Kelly is a Brisbane based wife and mum with a passion for books. She wants to share her love of reading with the world, by reviewing books and sharing her thoughts with the world through this blog.

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