I recently read Jo Walton's Among Others, winner of the 2012 Nebula, Hugo and British Fantasy Awards for best novel. Since it's one of the few recent SF novels I've read of late, I thought I would share some of my thoughts. [Mild spoilers...] Among Others has been described as many things: a fairy story, … Continue reading Thoughts on Among Others by Jo Walton
My introduction to Tolkien came when my dad read The Hobbit to my sisters and I as we sat around a campfire. Could there be a more perfect scenario? Our family was camping in South Australia's Flinders Ranges. I was about 11, my sisters younger. Our evening's entertainment consisted of hunkering around the fire that … Continue reading A campfire memory
My 10 year-old niece rang me this morning, all excited, to tell me she had won a top reading award at her school. Basically, they get points for the books they read, the harder books accruing more points and so forth. She's accumulated more points than anyone else in her school, and so was the … Continue reading Oh, to be a bookworm again
Today's Friday blogging theme is: Share a book you can read again and again without getting bored. Well, I have to admit I'm a big re-reader of novels. Often I wish I wasn't, because just think of all the marvellous books out there I never seem to have time to read. But the simple fact … Continue reading My re-reading book: The Lions of Al-Rassan
First published in 2002, Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori #1) by Lian Hearn is the second novel I'm reviewing for the 2013 Australian Women Writers Challenge. I first read it in 2006, but for some unfathomable reason never did read the rest of the series. I must have been distracted by something, because … Continue reading Book Review: Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
As part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2013, I recently finished reading Shadow Queen (The Binding #1 -- first published Allen&Unwin 2009), a fantasy novel by my good friend and cafe writing buddy, Deborah Kalin. It's the story of Matilde, a young woman groomed to rule over a seething conglomeration of houses all vying against each other, … Continue reading Book Review: Shadow Queen by Deborah Kalin
Last year, I gave my nine year old niece the first Harry Potter book for her birthday. She wasn't much of a bookworm... in fact, she preferred books on science or the natural world. Nonetheless, I decided to impose my love of Harry Potter on her and crossed my fingers that she would like it. … Continue reading But what if Hogwarts really does exist?
Last Monday marked the launch of my friend Liv Rancourt's paranormal romance novel, Forever and Ever, Amen. Since I was lucky enough to score an Advanced Reader's Copy, I thought I would share my thoughts on the book, which has been published as an e-book under the Crimson Romance label. First, the official awesome blurb … Continue reading Book Review: Forever and Ever, Amen ~ Liv Rancourt
I've decided to take on the 2013 Australian Women Writers Challenge. This means I'm going to read and review a minimum of six books by Australian women writers. It totally fits in with my pledge to read more this year, and will hopefully help me prioritise which ones on my expanding pile get the nod! … Continue reading Reading Australian Women Writers in 2013…
Today I came across an article on Daily Life that discusses how female authors should consider male -- or at least gender neutral -- pseudonyms if they want to have a higher likelihood of being a) published, b) reviewed, c) read by men. This may or may not be true... but what makes me feel … Continue reading Women adopting male noms: When will we be past this?
Ellen Gregory 