JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

I Give My Marriage A Year by Holly Wainwright

Lou and Josh have been together for 14 years. They share two kids, a mortgage, careers and plenty of history. Now, after a particularly fraught Christmas, Lou is ready to ask herself: is this marriage worth hanging on to?

Every month for a year, Lou sets a different test for their relationship – from daily sex to brutal honesty – to help her decide if she should stay or go. Secrets are exposed, old wounds reopened and a true-to-life suburban love story unfolds.

I Give My Marriage a Year paints a sharply accurate, often hilarious picture of a modern Australian marriage. Lou and Josh are a couple on the edge, and their efforts to bring their relationship back from the brink will resonate with anyone who has ever asked themselves: is this enough?

Whose side will you take? Who deserves a second chance? And will Josh and Lou stay together or split for good?

Holly Wainwright’s I Give My Marriage A Year is contemporary women’s fiction spanning twelve months. We meet Lou and Josh after they’ve been together for 14 years and are raising two daughters. Frustrated and exhausted, Lou is giving herself 12 months to decide if she wants to stay married to Josh.

Each month, Lou sets different tasks to help her determine the longevity of their relationship. Sex every day. Therapy. Fun. Positivity. Honesty. Etc. And at the end, she has to make a decision about the future of their relationship.

The novel is well-written, well-rounded, with brief but illuminating snapshots into Lou and Josh’s lives. Each chapter evokes sympathy and empathy for the characters, presenting alternate sides to the marriage and allowing the reader to delve into the foundation of their relationship.

“This was the kind of thought he used to share with Lou. Once, she would have laughed if he said that out loud to her. Looking towards the car, Josh could tell by the set of her shoulders that she would choose note to find that funny these days. Especially not now.”

Truthfully, the characters are wildly unlikable — Lou is probably the most unlikable. She’s bitter, unapologetic. And whilst her husband isn’t perfect, I couldn’t focus much on his character because I was so distracted by my own dislike of Lou. The only likeable character in the whole book was Lou’s best friend Gretchen.

And yet, I liked this book? I kept reading? I found myself incredibly invested in their marriage? I found myself recognising others in their relationship — in their fights, their arguments, their means of pushing through an uncomfortable moment. I don’t think you can write this kind of book with likeable people in mind. Relationships are messy and ugly, and your partner sees the worst in you. We’re seeing the worst in Lou and Josh.

“They used to talk about everything, the two of them, lying in bed. It was his favourite place to be in the world, on his side, looking at Lou, listening to her talk. He liked to play with her hair while she told him stories about the kids she was teaching, about her friends, about the news, and politics.”

Stylistically, the book is a bit overwhelming. Not only do we flick back and forth between Lou and Josh in the present, we also flick back and forth between Lou and Josh in the past. So essentially, it feels like there are four timelines working to construct the history of their relationship. Not every chapter felt necessary — not every chapter felt seamless.

It does feel like this is a unique addition to the contemporary women’s fiction genre. So many stories are written about the start of a relationship, or the end of one, but what about the middle? What about when it’s been fourteen years and you’re struggling to decide whether to stay or to go? Many readers, all at different stages of a relationship, will gravitate towards this novel.

“If Lou was curious about why Josh was suddenly making plans for them, after more than a decade of her being the one who made social arrangements, organised ‘date nights’ and controlled the calendar, she didn’t say so.”

The secondary characters contributed an added layer of depth to the story and its characters. Lou and Josh’s attitude towards love, relationships, and resolving conflict can be seen in their parents’ relationships as well.

Additionally, any readers pursuing some sort of creative career may recognise themselves in Josh. He was an aspiring musician but then took a job in carpentry to help Lou with bills, and building a family. Years later, he feels like he missed an opportunity to pursue a career he really wanted.

Absorbing and intoxicating. Readership skews female, 25+

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

I Give My Marriage A Year
Holly Wainwright
September 2020
Pan Macmillan Publishers

The Morbids by Ewa Ramsey

Caitlin is convinced she’s going to die.

Two years ago she was a normal twenty-something with a blossoming career and a plan to go travelling with her best friend, until a car accident left her with a deep, unshakable understanding that she’s only alive by mistake.

Caitlin deals with these thoughts by throwing herself into work, self-medicating with alcohol, and attending a support group for people with death-related anxiety, informally known as the Morbids.

But when her best friend announces she’s getting married in Bali, and she meets a handsome doctor named Tom, Caitlin must overcome her fear of death and learn to start living again.

Beautiful, funny, and universally relatable this story of hidden loneliness and the power of compassion and companionship reminds us that life is an adventure truly worth living.

Ewa Ramsey’s literary novel The Morbids captures the crippling fear of death, and explores mental illness and anxiety and the powerful hold they have over their captives.

Caitlin walked away from a car accident completely unscathed, whilst the driver was killed instantly. Ever since, she’s felt death’s presence hovering over her — she’s convinced she’s going to die. And every Tuesday, she attends a community group called The Morbids, where she communicates with other people who also fear an untimely demise.

When we meet her, one might be fooled into thinking she’s coping. She regularly attends these therapy meetings, but the therapists aren’t overly helpful or directive, and it feels like being around other people constantly anxious about death might actually be stopping Caitlin from healing and moving forward with her life.

And whilst she successfully holds down a job as a waitress at a restaurant, she’s got a strained relationship with her family — who don’t sympathise for her situation, nor do they approve of her job — and she’s been slowly distancing herself away from her best friend, Lina. Her best friend’s getting married in Bali and Caitlin can’t bring herself to organise the flights or accommodation, let alone ask her boss for the time off. She’s a ticking time bomb.

“There was nothing wrong with me, nothing wrong with not believing in fairytales or happily-ever-afters; nothing wrong with not needing anyone else to make you happy. I was just being careful. The thought startled me, unsettled me.”

Structurally, the chapters move between past and present, but so does the prose within each chapter. Caitlin’s mind is scattered, a little uneven and also unreliable. Ewa has cleverly constructed this novel to embody the chaos going on in Caitlin’s head, whilst also threading a story that is easy to follow and absorbing to read.

Ewa explores mental illness and anxiety with great care and compassion; Caitlin’s state of mind fluctuates as we progress through the novel. The impending wedding in Bali, and her budding romance with a handsome doctor propels forward her day-to-day and when everything reaches a head, Caitlin is forced to confront her illness.

Caitlin’s friendship with Lina is an interesting one; Caitlin hides herself away from her best friend, even though she’s probably the one person who can help Caitlin at this time in her life. Perhaps Caitlin feels like a burden, perhaps she struggles to articulate her own thoughts and feelings — perhaps she feels like she can fix herself. Readers will recognise parts of themselves in Caitlin, but they may also recognise a friend or family member. Mental illness is complex and at times, all-encompassing. This book might be a comforting read for some, and perhaps uplifting for others.

“In the year or so I’d been coming, there had been a lot of new faces. Most only came once. They were sent by doctors or shrinks or their local mental health service, but you didn’t need a referral and it was free, right down to the tea and coffee, so occasionally we’d get tourists…Death was huge on Facebook, if you knew where to look.”

I do think this book is suited to seasoned readers, not reluctant ones. This is not the book you pick up for a beach read, or an aeroplane read. It’s literary fiction and tough going in parts. At times, the pacing is quite slow and the plot a little non-existent. I suspect reluctant adult readers may pick this up and then put it down a third of the way through.

But for fans of literary fiction? Slow-burn character-driven stories? Debut novel The Morbids is a welcome addition to your bookshelf.

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

The Morbids
Ewa Ramsey
September 2020
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Everyone knows the story of the girl from Widow Hills.

When Arden Mayes was six years old, she was swept away in terrifying storm and went missing for days. Against all odds, she was found alive, clinging to a storm drain. A living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book, and fame followed. But so did fans, creeps and stalkers. It was all too much, and as soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and left Widow Hills behind.

Now, a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden is known as Olivia. With the twentieth anniversary of her rescue looming, media interest in the girl who survived is increasing. Where is she now? The stress brings back the night terrors of Olivia’s youth. Often, she finds herself out of bed in the middle of the night, sometimes outside her home, even streets away. Then one evening she jolts awake in her yard, with the corpse of a man at her feet.

The girl from Widow Hills is about to become the centre of the story, once again.

Megan Miranda’s The Girl from Widow Hills is a fast-paced psychological thriller about a young woman forced to face her traumatic but mysterious past when a dead body is discovered on her property.

At 6 years old, Arden Maynor got caught in a flash flood whilst sleepwalking. She miraculously survived in a storm drain for three days and was found clinging to a grate. Fame followed her for years and so when she got older, she changed her name to Olivia Wells and moved to rural North Carolina.

Now 26 and a hospital administrator, Olivia works hard to keep her past hidden. Until that body ends up outside her house and she’s thrust back into the spotlight once again, the media circus returning to her front door.

“I was too young to really remember, and too much time had passed anyway, the trauma buried under so many layers that it existed only in the psychological reactions: the flutter of my pulse as the doors slid shut in an elevator; a ringing in my ears in the darkness of a movie theatre before the first trailer kicked in…”

A lot of this book explores unprocessed trauma — memory loss, murky childhood events, and the unreliability of Olivia’s mind. The Girl from Widow Hills also explores the media’s obsession with these survival stories, people who escape the inescapable. And then the media feel they’re owed updates in the years to follow. They don’t always care for the life that person is trying to lead, away from the limelight.

The writing is sleek and effecting. Narrative devices propel the story forward, red herrings keep you guessing, and the carefully woven twists and turns keep you enthralled. The cast is large enough that there’s room to suspect just about anyone of anything, and there’s enough mystery to keep the readers guessing.

The book is scattered with additional narrative elements that help carve a bigger picture surrounding Olivia’s childhood, such as newspaper articles, interview transcripts, police reports, and publicity coverage. Slowly, we’re able to piece together what happened to Olivia as a child, and how that connects to the dead body she found on her boundary line.

“There was a visceral reaction to speaking about the past. Something I’d long gone out of the way to contain. A shaking that started in my fingers, a tremor that worked its way through my body, though no one seemed to notice but me. The precursor to panic; something that seized my mind and body alike.”

Truthfully, I think there’s a bit of disconnect between the reader and Olivia. You spend so much of the book trying to understand her past, and her memories from when she was six, that I don’t feel like you really get to connect with her as an adult. Olivia comes across as distant — a little stiff and boring. You never really feel a huge range of emotions coming from Olivia, it’s mainly an observant kind of POV, assessing the events around her. Readers will follow along for the mystery, not for the characters.

“Everyone tried to act normal when I arrived at the hospital. Faces that were either too friendly, or people who averted their gaze entirely, pretending to be absorbed in their phones. I had found a dead body outside my house, and everyone knew it.”

Admittedly, the ending is a little far-fetched and rushed but by then you’re so seduced by the story, you don’t really care.

Recommended for fans of thrillers, crime and psychological suspense novels.

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

The Girl from Widow Hills
Megan Miranda
August 2020
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers

The Little Veggie Patch Co: An A-Z Guide to Growing Food in Small Spaces

After years of helping clients grow fruit and vegetables, the Little Veggie Patch Co. crew believe anyone can grow their own food, in most any area in Australia. And in this bestselling easy-to-use guide they show you how simple it is!

Fundamentals such as Soil, Climate, Watering, Composting, Worm Farms, Saving and Sowing Seeds, and Raised Garden Beds and Crates are all covered comprehensively – each with fully illustrated step-by-step plans that show how to create your own little veggie patch in any space.

A complete A-Z of Edible Plants gives you vital information on more than 40 vegetables (and fruit trees), including detailed planting information, ongoing maintenance advice, tips on best companions and when to harvest. And the Weekend Activities scattered throughout the book will get the kids involved too, whether they’re Making a Scarecrow, Building a Spud Tower or Growing Beans in a Bean Can.

Lots of fun, and packed full of all the knowledge you’ll need – plus recipes and some hilarious stories – this colourful guide is for anyone interested in growing their own food.

Back in April, when COVID-19 was spreading at a rapid rate and I started working from home, we built two veggie boxes in the backyard and started growing vegetables — snow peas, Brussels sprouts, carrots and onions. The Brussels sprouts got eaten by birds, twice, the snow peas are currently flourishing and providing an abundance of greens to my weekly stir fry, and the carrots and onions are still growing. With the end of Winter and the start of Spring, I’ve just planted lettuce, parsnips, eggplant, capsicum and radishes, and I’ve also built a herb box on the concrete wall next to the veggie boxes.

When I was embarking on this new hobby of mine, I watched every Youtube video by The Little Veggie Patch Co. I read every blog post. I also tried really hard to buy their earlier books, but struggled to find them in stock anywhere.

Enter their latest release, An A-Z Guide to Growing Food in Small Spaces. It’s hard to explain how excited I was to read about the upcoming publication of this book. This is a re-release of their first book, a compact guide to cooking vegetables all year round in Australia. This is the perfect book for anyone else who has been interested in growing vegetables during COVID-19, or any time in their lives really. This is for anyone who would like a companion guide on their shelf to refer to whenever embarking on a new vegetable plant.

“Capsicums are typically a late summer vegetable but in some areas can be harvested into winter. If you have trouble deadline with the glut, slow roast them, then preserve them in good olive oil — a delight to eat on a crusty loaf with a rub of garlic.”

I’ve lost track of the sections in this book that I’ve followed religiously since it arrived on my doorstep — I’ve read every chapter at least twice, studied every vegetable so I could decide what to plant next. I’ve already decided I’m going to build a spud tower in the backyard when I have a spare weekend, and I’m also working out the best spot to plant a lemon tree.

This book includes information on every major vegetable, from tomatoes and carrots to beans and corn. You’ll find out when to plant, how to plant, when to harvest, and how often to water. Scattered throughout the book are also some fun activities to involve the kids, as well as DIY tasks around the backyard to help you on your gardening journey.

Information is clear and concise, very easy to follow. You’ll read this book and then want to plant absolutely everything. The zone map is particularly helpful, as well as the section at the back on pests and insects, and how to fight them off when they’re trying to eat your food!

“If you intend on growing bulbing onions, be prepared for a lengthy growing period, as it will take 4-6 months before they’re ready for harvest. For the home vegetable garden, where space is at premium, multiple bulbing and bunching varieties are a better investment of your veggie-growing real estate.”

The only thing I feel is missing from this book is an indication of how long each vegetable takes to grow. I just planted parsnips in the backyard veggie box and then googled it, only to find out they take six months to grow! I would’ve liked to know the average time from seed to harvest without having to resort to the internet, but other than that, this book has everything.

Recommended for keen gardeners — from novice to experienced, this book will be a welcome addition to any household library.

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

The Little Veggie Patch Co: An A-Z guide to growing food in small spaces
Mat Pember and Fabian Capomolla
September 2020
Pan Macmillan Publishers

None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney

It’s 1982, and the innovative FBI Behavioral Science section is breaking new ground. Emma Lewis and Travis Bell, two teenagers with valuable skills, are recruited to interview convicted juvenile killers for information on cold cases.

When they’re drawn into an active case targeting teenagers, everything starts to unravel. Over Travis’s objections, Emma becomes the conduit between the FBI and an incarcerated serial killer, nineteen-year-old Simon Gutmunsson, who is a super-intelligent sociopath. And although Simon seems to be giving them the information they need to save lives, he’s also an expert manipulator playing a very long game …

Can Emma and Travis stop a serial killer on the loose – or will they fall victim themselves?

In Ellie Marney’s latest YA crime None Shall Sleep, two 18-year-olds in the US find themselves interviewing juvenile killers for the FBI — soon, they’re on the hunt for a vicious and fast-moving serial killer, who targets teenagers.

I’ve read a few of Ellie’s books and this is by far my favourite, and the strongest writing I’ve seen from Ellie. The prose is sharp and blunt; Ellie only uses words she needs to, propelling us through the story with efficiency.

The premise is a little absurd, sure, but it’s easy to put that aside and just let yourself fall into this thriller. I’m a sucker for a good crime story and Ellie kept me guessing with each chapter. All my predictions were wrong — all my guesses were misguided. Readers will find themselves engrossed in the story, desperate to turn each page.

“The inside of Behavioural Science is all low ceilings, crummy carpet, and cubicle hallways. Not as impressive as he imagined. Bell hears the sound of someone hanging up a phone farther ahead, then a muffled question, answered by an unfamiliar voice.”

Both Emma and Travis have troubled pasts that they avoid speaking about. Emma was kidnapped two and a half years earlier by a serial killer, but managed to escape. She still carries the scars — physically and mentally. Travis’ dad was murdered by a serial killer, and when that same serial killer crosses their path, Travis struggles to process the events.

Somehow, just somehow, I managed to read this entire book without realising it was set in 1982. I’d read the blurb multiple times and somehow missed it, and then I read the book and assumed it was set in the present. And to be honest? It works in the present. I mean, the premise is all a little ridiculous and unbelievable, which is probably why it’s not set in the present, but there didn’t really feel like any key descriptors or atmospheric indication that this was the 80s.

I think it’s both a good and bad thing. Good, because if it was too heavily embedded in 80s culture/landscape, teenagers today might not have enough of an interest in that to keep reading. And perhaps bad because…isn’t it a little weird you can read a whole book set in the 1980s and not realise? Ellie probably could’ve captured the setting a little stronger, without alienating her young readers.

“Kristin Gutmunsson’s resemblance to her twin is striking. She has the same gifts of good breeding, the poise and length of bone. She’s barefoot, in a simple cream linen shift that likely cost about as much as a small car. Her hair is ice-white and hands down in long tassels that remind Emma of Spanish moss — which makes her thinks of chiggers.”

It’s clear that a lot of research has gone into the writing of this book — the technicalities around the cognitive behavioural strategies, the descriptions of the killings and the crime scenes, the PTSD that Emma suffers from. Ellie has crafted a multi-layered story that sucks you deep into its clutches with each passing chapter.

Notorious serial killer Simon Gutmunsson plays a large role in this book, which I loved. He’s a fearsome character — he terrifies the reader with his quiet demeanour, his careful and considered actions. His characterisation is flawless, his dialogue chilling. He is both charming and intimidating, you can’t help but fall in love with him even though he’s a cold-blooded and remorseless killer. Readers will sympathise with his one weak spot — his love and devotion to his sister. It’s important to give antagonists something in their personality that makes them relatable, it allows the reader to understand them a bit better and perhaps like them. Simon’s connection with his twin sister Kristin makes him relatable, well-rounded, three-dimensional, and even that bit more human. It also allows for a few tender moments within the story.

“Cooper navigates the roads towards the Capitol Building, and Bell’s eyes move over the scrawl of Emma’s handwriting. She’s taken the entire interview down like dictation, and Bell finds the part he’s reading disturbing.”

As a long-time fan of Criminal Minds, I absolutely loved this book. I was genuinely shocked at how obsessed I became with this novel — how quickly I ditched plans just so I could finish this. The chapters snap at your heels, demanding you to keep reading, daring you to venture further.

Chilling and disturbing, but also really fucking entertaining. Recommended for readers of all ages.

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

None Shall Sleep
Ellie Marney
September 2020
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers