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A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Christmas Party by Karen Swan

When Declan Lorne, the last remaining knight in Ireland, dies suddenly, an ancient title passes with him. But his estate on Ireland’s rugged south-west coast is left to his three daughters. The two eldest, Ottie and Pip, inherit in line with expectations, but to everyone’s surprise – and dismay – it is the errant baby of the family, Willow, who gets the castle.

Why her? Something unknown – something terrible – made her turn her back on her family three years earlier, escaping to Dublin and vowing never to return. So when Willow quickly announces she is selling up, her revenge seems sweet and the once-close sisters are pushed to breaking point: in desperation, Pip risks everything to secure her own future, and Ottie makes a decision that will ruin lives. It’s each woman for herself.

Before moving in, Connor Shaye, the prospective new owner, negotiates throwing a lavish party at the castle just days before Christmas – his hello, their goodbye. But as their secrets begin to catch up with them, Ottie, Willow and Pip are forced to ask themselves which is harder: stepping into the future, or letting go of the past?

The Christmas Party by Karen Swan is a joyous holiday novel about family, legacy, sisterhood, and long-held secrets.

After her father dies suddenly, Willow returns home to Ireland. Surprisingly, her father’s will reveals that Willow is to inherit the desired family castle. The sisters are surprised and disappointed, and their mother shocked.

But the castle doesn’t come without its complications. It’s expensive to run and the estate isn’t making enough money to sustain itself. The family are in a lot of debt and Willow makes the decision to sell the castle. This acts as a catalyst for the family, forcing them to face their tensions and their conflicts.

“If she sold Lorne, she’d be rich. She could go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. Wasn’t that worth the shame and the guilt that had been placed at her door? After all, her life had already changed anyway, the horrors of three years earlier, forcing her to move away from here and everything she had ever known and loved.”

Sisterhood is a strong element to the novel. The POV switches between Ottie, Pip and Willow, who are all trying to navigate their way through this new phase of their lives. Their dad has died, they’re mourning but they’re also trying to work out what to do with the estate, and the three sisters aren’t overly close. There’s an obvious wedge between each of them, and over the course of the novel they must learnt to understand and overcome their issues and move on as a family.

Ottie is the oldest sister and she expected she’d inherit the castle. She’s worked the hardest and the longest, and she was the most devoted. She sacrificed a lot to stay with her dad and help him with the estate.

Pip runs the trekking business on the estate. She’s a tomboy, loves horses, and struggles to trust others. She needs to learn to let others in, and forgive past mistakes.

Willow left home years earlier because of a secret she discovered. Now, she’s home and that secret is about to be unleashed.

“But if their love had started out as an accident, it had become a very deliberate secret and she, for one, was exhausted keeping it. Life was short, her father’s death at fifty-eight proved that. Surely they had to live for today and grab their tomorrows with both hands?”

Setting always holds a strong presence in Karen Swan’s novels, sweeping the reader into this grand tale of exotic, intriguing locations that we all fall into.

Additionally, Karen is really skilled at balancing plot and character, incorporating plenty of drama in her storylines but also delving deep enough into the character POVs that you fall in love with each of the main characters.

“The wind was punishing, pushing them back as they rode headlong into it on the quads. Ottie felt her eyes stream, her heart pounding fast as she tried to keep up. Bertie, driving just ahead, was like a man possessed…his reputation was on the line.”

A sweeping tale that explores familial responsibility and family legacy, sisterhood and relationships, and trusting your instinct.

I’ve read most of Karen’s novels and have enjoyed them all — Christmas is my favourite time of the year and most of her novels are heavily Christmas-themed. There’s plenty of romance, parties, and themed events. Recommended for romance readers.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Party
Karen Swan
November 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Beauty by Bri Lee

A powerful meditation on beauty and body image from the author of Eggshell Skull.

You were either fit and trim or you weren’t working hard enough. Your body was how you conveyed wealth and status to your peers, it was a personality trait, a symbol of goodness and values: an ethical ideal.

In recent decades women have made momentous progress fighting the patriarchy, yet they are held to ever-stricter, more punishing physical standards. Self-worth still plummets and eating disorders are more deadly for how easily they are dismissed.

In Beauty, Bri Lee explores our obsession with thinness and asks how an intrinsically unattainable standard of physical ‘perfection’ has become so crucial to so many. What happens if you try to reach that impossible goal? Bri did try, and Beauty is what she learned from that battle: a gripping and intelligent rejection of an ideal that diminishes us all.

Written by Australian author Bri Lee, Beauty is a memoir about her relationship with her body and her perception of how she looks — the book assesses women’s perspective on the concept of ‘beauty’ and how much time we spend thinking about how we look.

This is a compact read, clocking in at just under 150 pages. Whilst the book may be short, the words inside pack a punch. Beauty prompts the reader to think about their own experiences with their body — the reader experience is not just about understanding Bri’s journey, but understanding how women are made to feel inadequate no matter how they look. At times, it feels like we’re set up to fail. We’re set up to constantly worry about how we look, and how we’re supposed to look.

“The house I rented through 2017 was the first place I had ever lived or even stayed in for an extended period of time where I had never thrown up after dinner…Was I exhibiting more, or less, self-control by resisting these urges?”

As always, Bri’s writing is impeccable. Bri only uses the necessary amount of words to convey her point, and it proves her skill as an author. She doesn’t over explain or over indulge. There is no repetition. Her vocabulary is intellectual and informed, and her research supports the messages in the book. Stylistically, the mix of memoir and statistical and factual information is smooth and easy — the transition between Bri’s story and evidential information she presents to the reader is seamless.

I know this isn’t anything to do with Bri’s writing, but the cover of the book and the overall package is marvellous — the artwork on the front and the physical size of the book compliments the inside very nicely.

“I put the book down and made a new pact with myself, this time on paper, to try harder. I listed methods, weigh-ins, tips and tricks I found online that sounded cruel enough to be effective. It was a game of the mind; a challenge for the brain that would see the body benefit.”

Admittedly, I found it surprising that Bri didn’t take the time to acknowledge her privileged position when it comes to the notion of ‘beauty’. She’s tall, lean, white, straight, and able-bodied. And mostly, her idea of ‘beauty’ revolves around thinness (there are many other elements of ‘beauty’ that different women would experience) and so this book definitely feels like it maintains quite a narrow focus.

It’s to be expected because it’s about Bri’s experiences, but I wonder if there was capacity to make this a bigger project, and have other women come on board who have struggled with different aspects of ‘beauty’, perhaps in the realm of skin, height, disability or hair.

“The next day I ate nothing but two light Cruskits and three mini pieces of sushi. When I thought about how I was surviving — still running and working and travelling — on such a small amount of food, I thought back to previous times in my life when I would eat three meals each day plus snacks, and I wondered if that was gluttonous of me, and if some shame came from that excess consumption.”

This is incredibly well-written and touching, and Bri doesn’t shy away from confronting the difficult experiences she’s had with her body. Young women, and women who have a difficult relationship with their weight, will be the perfect readership for this.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beauty
Bri Lee
November 2019
Allen & Unwin Publishers

Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas

Christos Tsiolkas’ stunning new novel Damascus is a work of soaring ambition and achievement, of immense power and epic scope, taking as its subject nothing less than events surrounding the birth and establishment of the Christian church.

Based around the gospels and letters of St Paul, and focusing on characters one and two generations on from the death of Christ, as well as Paul (Saul) himself, Damascus nevertheless explores the themes that have always obsessed Tsiolkas as a writer: class, religion, masculinity, patriarchy, colonisation, exile; the ways in which nations, societies, communities, families and individuals are united and divided – it’s all here, the contemporary and urgent questions, perennial concerns made vivid and visceral.

In Damascus, Tsiolkas has written a masterpiece of imagination and transformation: an historical novel of immense power and an unflinching dissection of doubt and faith, tyranny and revolution, and cruelty and sacrifice.

Acclaimed Australian author Christos Tsiolkas’ latest novel, Damascus, is an incredible surprise to read — an astonishing feat, tackling such a huge scope of a story in just 400 pages, but one of my favourite novels of the year and a book I felt completely blindsided by.

Damascus is an ancient biblical story about St Paul and the birth of the Christian Church, introducing us to Paul’s journey and involvement in the Church and other people along the way whose stories intersect with Paul. Christos explores class, family, status, reputation, faith and acceptance, set against the backdrop of the Roman Empire many years after the death of Jesus Christ.

“I was outraged. After such a brazen insult I was ready to go. But just then the screen was drawn and an old woman emerged, her head shrouded, her thin hands clutching a basket laden with dried fruits, breads and pickled nuts. The crowd rose as one and rushed to her….In an instant the basket had been emptied.”

If this book wasn’t written by someone as talented and acclaimed as Christos, I wouldn’t have requested it from the publisher. A tale such as this needs to be tackled properly, respectfully, compassionately, but it also needs to be interesting enough to bring in readers — like me — who don’t care that much for religion or faith. And Christos has done a marvellous job.

I can’t begin to imagine the level of research that would’ve gone into this book — the amount of time it took reading about the life of St Paul. At the end of the book, Christos’ author note tells us why he decided to write about St Paul, and I almost wish I had read this before starting the book. It’s reflective and eye-opening but it also adds a level of depth to the story that altered my perspective and made me think about Damascus on a much deeper level.

“They kill us, they crucify us, they throw us to beasts in the arena, they sew our lips together and watch us starve. They bugger children in front of their mothers and violate men in front of their wives. The temple priests flay us openly in the streets. We are hunted everywhere and we are hunted by everyone …”

Three quarters through the book and I do feel like the momentum slows down a little too much — I felt lost in the story, not entirely sure where it was headed and why we were meant to continue pursing this story. The storyline and characters become a little slow and beige, and my attention wavered. I’m glad I stuck it out though, because the conclusion to the story is authentic and welcome.

Recommended for literary fiction readers. Readers must possess some sort of interest in the Roman Empire because that forms the backdrop for this entire book. I have no interest in religion or Christianity — I am an avid Atheist and nothing will ever change that. And I loved this book. I’m therefore confident this book will appeal to many readers, and will find many loyal fans.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Damascus
Christos Tsiolkas
November 2019
Allen & Unwin Publishers

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

All’s fair in love and anarchy …

Nova and Adrian are struggling to keep their secret identities concealed while the battle rages on between their alter egos and their allies. But their greatest fears are about to come to life. Secrets, lies and betrayals are revealed as anarchy once again threatens to reclaim Gatlon City.

Supernova is the third and final instalment in Marissa Meyer’s Renegades Trilogy, set within the world of superheroes and super-villains.

This review is riddled with spoilers, not just for the series thus far but of Supernova. It’s hard to review this critically without being specific on the examples. Only read on if you’ve read Supernova, or if you’re happy being spoiled.

You can read my review of Renegades HERE and my review of Archenemies HERE.

Sitting at 550 pages, Supernova is a beast of a book. The story picks up almost immediately after Archenemies left off — Nova/Nightmare has stolen Ace Anarchy’s helmet, used Agent N to strip Frostbite, Gargoyle and Aftershock of their powers, and witnessed Max Everhart nearly bleed to death after Frostbite unintentionally stabbed him.

Nova is still in doubt over her true objective, and where her true loyalties lie. She’s falling hard for Adrian Everhart, and she’s developed true friendships with the other Renegades. But she owes Ace Anarchy her life, right? She’s a conflicted character, and she remains conflicted for the majority of the book.

“To a lot of prodigy parents, Max would have been seen as a threat long before he was seen as a child worth loving. For months, after, Max had lived with a civilian foster family who cared for him until Hugh and Simon could figure out what to do. From the start, Hugh had felt it was important for him to be kept close.”

The pacing, dialogue and world-building have always been the strengths of the Renegades Trilogy. Marissa Meyer is really skilled at constructing relatable characters who you can’t help but empathise with or sympathise for. There are moments in Supernova where Nova is a bit unlikeable and her actions are unrealistic — like when she tries to convince Ace Anarchy and the rest of the crew that they should just leave Gatlon City and set up camp somewhere else — but for most of the novel, you’re rooting for her.

Both sides of the war — Renegades and Anarchists — are fighting for what they believe is right. And both sides have beliefs and values that the reader could understand. It’s not black and white, and there are moments of the book that are very grey. It’s easy for the characters to lose sight of what’s important, and how to achieve their end goal.

“Nova was eager to put this charade behind her. As soon as she left headquarters with the fake helmet tucked into a plain tote bag, she marched straight for Blackmire Station, one of the defunct stations on the old Gatlon City subway line.”

Structurally, Supernova falls short. Nova’s secret identity as Nightmare is discovered by Adrian and the gang pretty early on. Understandably, he’s pissed. Nova is immediately imprisoned in Cragmoor Penitentiary, where Ace Anarchy and other dangerous villains are held. This is where the book starts to get really good. You think Nova will work out a way to escape. Maybe she’ll break out Ace as well?

But, the resulting plot line is a disappointment. She claims innocence, Adrian is worried he is wrong, and then one of Nova’s allies dons her suit and delivers a cringe-worthy speech to Adrian that Nova has been framed and….Adrian believes them. And thus, Nova is released from prison and all returns to normal.

It’s a soft plot point — it feels like the author wrote herself into a corner and took the easy way out. It also gives the reader whiplash and severe disappointment, because of all the ways the plot could’ve gone, mistaken identity and the classic ‘I was framed’ storyline was the weakest option.

Another weak element of the book are the action/fighting scenes. I felt myself growing bored whenever they came up, perhaps because they were too long and stretched over multiple chapters. Perhaps because the writing wasn’t as tight and polished as it needs to be during a fight scene.

“Dazed, Nova looked down to see one hive with a footprint shoved into its papery shell in the centre of the room. She’d moved so fast, she hadn’t even noticed stepping on it. The bees who had called it home were swarming around, apparently enraged, but they were not the insects that worried her.”

A solid conclusion to an explosive and action-packed series. Even with a few questionable plot points and unrealistic, far-fetched moments, Supernova will please fans of the series.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Supernova
Marissa Meyer
November 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski

Queer Eye sensation and passionate cook Antoni Porowski is taking the world by storm. With a disarmingly fresh approach to food, Antoni inspires both newbies and knowledgeable cooks to get back into the kitchen.

Antoni’s gorgeous debut cookbook brings together his trademark inclusive and accessible attitude to food with one hundred of his all-time favourite recipes. With chapters including Weeknight Healthyish Meals, Apps and Snacks and Bakes, the book celebrates Antoni’s love for fresh, casual and healthy cooking and the occasional indulgent feast.

Antoni gets dinner on the table fast with Chicken Milanese with Baby Tomato Salad, makes visual stunners such as Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto, playfully reboots Hi-Lo Poutine from his French-Canadian heritage and dazzles with Salty Lemon Squares for dessert.

As the food and wine expert of the ‘Fab Five’ style gurus on Netflix smash hit Queer Eye, Antoni burst onto our screens in 2018. A self-taught chef, Antoni’s degree in psychology helped him hone his underlying philosophy that food should tell a story because the heart and stomach are interconnected. On release, the show had a 100% rating on review website Rotten Tomatoes. In 2018, the show won three Emmy Awards and was nominated for four People’s Choice Awards.

Antoni in the Kitchen is a cookbook for newbies and amateur cooks — for people who want to dabble in the complex recipes, but only a little.

Whilst Antoni has worked in restaurants and as a private chef, Antoni is not a qualified or classically trained chef. The casting director of Queer Eye plucked him out of a gallery where he was working as a curator.

I do find it hilarious that Antoni has a cookbook, and I sense it must be a result of the responses he’s received from his appearances on Queer Eye. His cooking on the show is often minimal, easy things that sometimes aren’t really ‘cooking’. Sure, how can you possibly convey the complexities of cooking in such a short time frame? And to people who probably don’t know how to boil an egg? But Bobby redesigns entire houses…so…

Also, how much of this book is from Antoni himself? He gives a pretty strong acknowledgement to co-author Mindy Fox in the book. I find that odd for a cookbook. Did he show her recipes or meals and she transcribed how to make them?

“Was I enough of a food guy? Many of the contenders I’d been up against for the role of Queer Eye ‘food and wine expert’ had longtime careers as chefs, food-industry people and food personalities…I saw myself as an aspiring actor, my work in the food business as a means to an end.”

The recipes are relatively simple to make, and are split into 7 simple categories that any cook would be interested in using — Apps and Snacks, Green, Veg and Other Sides, Soups and Stews, Pasta and Rice, Weekend Healthyish, Animal and Bakes. Would be great to have some sort of cocktail/drinks menu, considering he also does touch on wine in the show.

The photos in the book are one of the highlights — not just the exquisite food photos but the high-quality, almost ‘lifestyle’ images of Antoni that fans can fawn over. Photos that make him appear like a regular person, but are incredibly glamorous photos of him out and about in New York City.

Because the recipes in this cookbook reflect Antoni’s food journey, elements of Antoni’s Polish heritage can be spotted as you make your way through the recipes. Scattered intermittently throughout the book are also little anecdotal memories or stories that Antoni reflects on, drawing a connection between his food and his childhood.

Some of the recipes he recalls from his travels or his high school years, and these little stories allow the reader to feel more connected to Antoni. Additionally, helpful tips and tricks are published in the book: his Top Ten Culinary Mantras, adding Pomegranate molasses to sweet and savoury dishes, and when peeling fresh ginger, use the tip of a small spoon to scrape away the skin.

“My middle sister, Aleksandra, first made a puree like this for me when I was a picky kid who refused to eat his veg. Roasting the squash caramelises it, and lime juice and peppery dried chilli perks things up.”

This book is not ideal for seasoned chefs who want complex recipes, with ingredients that spill over three pages. These recipes are easy, simple, quick, but also tasty. They’ll appeal to the kinds of people who are picked for Queer Eye — struggling in the kitchen. People who are beginner cooks and who want to improve their cooking skills will also find much to learn in this book.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Antoni in the Kitchen
Antoni Porowski
October 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

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