when monsters refuse to die

“It would not be an absolute disaster until the tea ran out.”

Cats and tea, what more could I want from a book (I thought…)

Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix (Allen and Unwin, 2021) is on the Shortlist for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year – Older Readers award. I don’t think it deserves shortlistdom, but the judges and I don’t get along (even when they change every year). My reading quest for the book shows why I rarely like high fantasy. I’m about to fall asleep from the middle boredom of it. I’ll finish as audio book, but have to wait until July for a library copy. That doesn’t bother me at all, since I need a break from Abhorsen incompetence. At this stage (p.298) Elinor should ditch the rest of them and slay the monsters herself.

love through time

“If it wasn’t some Epic Love Story, then it was just a tragedy.”

I’ve been waiting three years to read Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin, 2021). And it did not disappoint. Although, as usual, time travel and I do not get on. I love the concept, but the details do my head in.

peta lyre’s rating

Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley (Allen & Unwin, 2020) is shortlisted for the CBCA Book of The Year Older Readers 2021. Providing a compelling story while giving insight into navigating highschool while neurodiverse.

“I love how he can always find a way to laugh, no matter how crap everything gets.”

cracked

“Then the sky cracks open and the light shines through.”

Cracked by Clare Strahan (Allen & Unwin, 2014) has all things I love in a book: a waddling senior staffy, nature, graffiti, hot ranga who rides bmx, one angry young woman. My regular refrain: how did it take me so long to find this, get around to read it. Also, how has this book not won awards?? I’ll give it one now: Fav Book I Just Finished Reading.

hashtags for days

This has spoilers. If you want to read with the spoilers hidden, go to my Goodreads version. (You don’t have to be a member to read it.)

Two weeks into my 2018 Reading Challenge half of January’s books changed, but I got through all four and loved my surprise additions. (No DNFing around here.) I also love Gabrielle Williams’ books, so I’ve been wanting to read My Life as a Hashtag (Allen and Unwin, 2017) for a year. It only took a reading challenge to make it happen.

“I was going to have the worst night of my life, and they should be there for it. That was what friends did for each other.”

forgetting yourself

Unbecoming by Jenny Downham (David Fickling Books, 2015)

How Not to Disappear by Clare Furniss (Simon & Schuster, 2016)

Forgetting Foster by Dianne Touchell (Allen & Unwin, 2016)

I recently read these three books featuring a character with Alzheimer’s disease. Unbecoming and Forgetting Foster were both for my book group. I only just finished Unbecoming, a year later!? Fellow book groupers know more about the condition because they’ve cared for family members with it. Karen told us a person can die from it, which I never knew.

the downward spiral of the boundless sublime

The Boundless Sublime by Lili Wilkinson (Allen & Unwin, 2016) is harrowing, not quite the sweetness and light of her previous books. Lili Wilkinson used to be my go-to for fluffy romance, motherhood has changed her.

Green Valentine

“And that’s what you want to do, right? Make the world better. Well this is how I think we should do it. We’ll be like superheroes – sneaking around at night bringing Valentine to life. You were right about changing things. We should be doing everything we can.”

Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson (Allen & Unwin, 2015) was longlisted for the Inky Award 2016. I borrowed it from the library and while reading, the shortlist was announced. It’s in the final five in contention for the Gold Inky. If you’re teenaged you can vote for your fav. (Lili Wilkinson founded the Inky Awards a decade ago.)

the way we roll

My book group read The Way We Roll by Scot Gardner in July. I loved it, but I only wrote a short review and posted it to Goodreads.

For years I avoided signing up to Goodreads because I waste too much time online. This week I succumbed, and proved myself right: it’s my current fav time-waster.

I have 6 Goodreads friends, so feel free to friend or follow me.

http://www.goodreads.com/claresnow