Five Things

1. Currently reading:

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler. I love Ockler and this contemporary YA has a different vibe to her other work, it's very lyrical and a bit fairy-tale-esque. I'm liking it so far but more so in a curious way (really leaning in and seeing where it is heading) than in an I-am-so-in-love-with-this-already. However, there is a promise of good things to come.

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. This is my first reread of this novel and it's so interesting rereading it as the first time I flew through all dying-to-know what the secret was and how it would all come together. I love Liane's words and her characters and it feels like visiting with old friends.

2. Aussie blogger Jess is celebrating her 5th blogoversary (yay!) and giving away 5 signed Aussie ya novels (some of my absolute faves are in there!) Entry closes in 2 days (26th of Feb) so head on over to The Tales Compendium and check it out. Jess is a long time blogger with huge love for Aussie YA and is one of the first blogs I ever followed ~ I'm so thrilled she is still thriving 5 years on :)

Jess's blogoversary giveaway

3. Speaking of Jess's blog, a little while ago she interviewed me for her blogoversary celebrations. I chat about:

• my auto-buy authors
• three recent new very favourite reads
• three recent fave series
• fave book-to-film adaption
• fave TV shows
• ... and more (so check it out if you're interested ;) )

4. Text publishing is accepting admissions for their annual Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing starting March 2. Here's some info from Text and link to the entry form:

The entry form can be found here at the Text Publishing website: https://www.textpublishing.com.au/text-prize and I'll also attach the form to this email.
The prize is open to writers of all ages based in Australia and New Zealand, only hard copy submissions delivered by post are accepted. Further terms and conditions can be found on the entry form.
Previous winners of prize have gone on to become bestsellers, award-winners and international rights successes. This year Text will publish more YA/Children's than ever before as we continue to grow this part of our publishing repertoire. The Text Prize is a headline act of that repertoire and we look forward to growing it further in 2015.

I love text publishing and their high calibre of unique and engrossing books. They have published some of my recent fave Aussie YA books ~ really looking forward to following the award and subsequent book deals :)

5. Next up: I am really excited to check out debut Aussie YA author's 1750 historical drama set in Venice (Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier). I've heard it's stunning and brilliant and wildly different and appealing.  I have hopes it will become a new fave for me (It has a rating of 4.21 on goodreads, which is always promising!). 

What do you guys think of the cover of Masquerade? 

I am also haunting my book shop for The Winner's Crime which is due to appear any day now. Hoping it come out in time for a weekend of lazing about and reading. The Aussie edition is red. 

I would love to know what you have been reading lately and if you've found any new faves!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top ten authors whose books I own the most of

My first Top Ten Tuesday (which is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish) :)

I always love seeing these posts roll by in my feed and am jumping in today with some pics from my shelves. This was fun to count up how many books I own by certain authors ~ major advantage to long time publishing faves :) All counted up from my shelves ~ not including any ebooks or audiobooks that I own.

First up you should know:

• I don't buy many books -- I am a very happy library addict. 
• I love scrounging around op shops and second hand books stores to find any fave books I need to possess ;)
• I am pretty ruthless with my collection -- I only keep my faves on my shelves and donate/giveaway any other books that accumulate (most recently had a huge clean out when moving house in May ~ I removed over 120 books from my collection then)
• I currently have about 40 books out on loan ~ so I couldn't include them when I went scrounging around my shelves (so my count could be out, haha)

1. John Marsden ~ 14 books

Mostly comprised by the brilliant Tomorrow, When the War Began series. I love Ellie and the gang so much. I finally completed my collection more than ten years after reading them when Coles put them on clearance for $2 (love a bargain!). 

2. Elizabeth Scott ~ 11 books

Elizabeth Scott is one of my all time fave comfort reads. I adore her and am so pleased to own almost her entire catalogue (I'm missing Living Dead Girl ~ which was startling and impressive yet I know I will never reread). My faves of hers are: Stealing Heaven, Miracle and Perfect You

3. Jaclyn Moriarty ~ 10 books

My favourite author! I own all her books to date. These books have all been read at least twice and will be read so many more times. My fave of hers is usually which ever one I happen to be reading ~ too hard to pick. Seriously. (Although I recommend Finding Cassie Carzy if you've yet to try her out)

4. Melina Marchetta ~ 8 books

I love Melina Marchetta. Her books have pride of place on my shelves. I find it hard to pick a fave as it's like  trying to pick your favourite child ~ but I am very happy to have two copies of the gorgeous on The Jellicoe Road ~ stunning, most brilliant book. 

5. Sonya Hartnett ~ 7 books

Sonya Hartnett is a long time fave of mine since I first read Sleeping Dogs when I was 14. Some of these copies have been hard won ~ out of print and gleefully snatched up like hidden treasure from hours spent scrounging around second hand books shops. There are still a few more of hers I would love to own! I read Wilful Blue about 5 times during year 11 and 12. I felt it was some kind of personal manifesto, haha (although it is objectively one of her weaker titles). She is amazing. 

6. Liane Moriarty ~ 6 books

I have all 6 of Liane's gorgeous books (Also I love how she is right next to her sister Nicola Moriarty on my shelves). I personally prefer the cute little trade paperbacks for sizing but am happy to have her latest three in first edition release :) My faves of hers are Three Wishes and the Husband's Secret ! but all of them are brilliant. 

After this I have a massive tie for authors whom I own FOUR books of:

Sherryl Jordan ~ New Zealand author whom I most nostalgically love and adore. My fave of hers is Winter of Fire.
Lisa Schroeder ~ love her verse novels <3
Sara Zarr 
C K Kelly Martin ~ I also have a bonus book on my kindle. Can't wait for her upcoming release!
Cath Crowley ~ Still collecting ~ I have one more Gracie Faltrain book to find and bring home (and hanging out for The Howling Boy)
Kasie West ~ I am fast feeling the same way about Kasie West that I feel about Elizabeth Scott. My fave of hers is The Distance Between Us.
Laurie Halse Anderson
Sarah Ockler ~ I know this number will grow the more Ockler writes.
Sarah Dessen ~ I was sure I had more but must've lost some along the way...

Which author do you own the most books of? 

Do you collect books or pass them on?

(This post would be entirely different if it was authors whom I have read the most books of... So many authors I used to burn through at the library)

My most anticipated books for the second half of 2014

I love marking the mid-year point by reflecting on my fave reads so far (I'll be posting them soon) and also by getting myself all pumped up for the brilliant books that are yet to come. I love having something to look forward too -- book anticipation is it's own kind of special buzz. I am sadly a little out of the loop this year with best-ofs and must-reads and buzz books. I don't even entirely know what is coming up -- but I have 12 books here that I'm truly looking forward to with increasing anticipation.

(all links go to goodreads)

Number one most (insanely) excited about

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

So thrilled (more than you can imagine) that Liane Moriarty has another book coming out this year. She is amazing. I love her.

Five imported contemporary YA titles I'm hanging out for

It's been a slow year with me and contemporary YA. I have not fallen in love with one yet -- or even seem to have been able to find enticing titles to get my hands on. However, I have a really good feeling about these five:

Just Call My Name by Holly Goldberg Sloan

The sequel to I'll be There. It's nearly here. I am stoked.

The Bridge From me To You by Lisa Schroeder

I love Lisa Schroeder. I have loved all her books thus far, we are just perfectly suited - her books and I. The premise of this sounds emotional and swoony and all round exactly like a Lisa Schroeder book.

On The Fence by Kasie West

Love Kasie West. She's swoony and fun and writes those up-all-night kinda books where you don't want to put it down because you're hoping and grinning too much. Love the cheery yellow title, too. This looks so happy-making.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I am *hoping* that I'll love this. I think it is going to be amazing...

Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Anna was so fun. I didn't connect the same way with Lola but that doesn't stop me from being excited for this. Also: I read the first 65 pages online -- it was good ;) Really good.







Six Aussie YA titles that have me thinking 2014 is shaping up to be an amazing year in books

The Protected by Claire Zorn

Loved Claire Zorn's debut, so much, and am really looking forward to what she has next. (Honestly -- I am thrilled there is a next so soon! Awesome surprise)

Cooper Bartholomew is Dead by Rebecca James

Loved Rebecca James' most recent release, Sweet Damage, it was an up-all-night, evocatively written psychological thriller. I'm really looking forward to another twisty and suspenseful reading experience <3

Intruder by Christine Bongers

Early reviews have me excited. The premise sounds awesome -- this looks like just my thing.

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl

From the super talented author of Life in outer Space -- Keil releases her second YA novel. I'm hanging out for more smiles and fun and something heartfelt and a little bit different. Also, the cover is amazing.

Head of the River by Pip Harry

I really loved Pip's debut (I'll Tell You Mine). It was absorbing, fresh and authentic -- with a plot that made it increasingly harder to put down. Looking forward to meeting more of her characters -- and this premise sounds unique and genuine.

Spark by Rachel Craw

Craw is an NZ author and this looks a tiny out of my comfort zone (with the sci-fi elements and such) but it has me intrigued and I love shaking things up a little in my reading -- definitely going to be hunting this one down








Two bonus titles:

Goodreads has these slated as 2014 releases -- but I'm not so sure? Looks like they may be 2015 titles as there's suspiciously little evidence so far... Whenever they come, I am so there:

The Howling Boy by Cath Crowley CATH. CROWLEY.

Unplugged by Donna Freitas Loved The Survival Kit (and also This Gorgeous Game). This is a genre switch, but I'm game -- Freitas has only ever impressed me so far <3

Are you excited for any of these? 

What are you looking forward to that i don't have on my radar yet?

Faves of 2013

I had a great reading year in 2013. I discovered a bunch of new fave authors and fell in love with some surprising books. I think my reading taste is mostly the same but it has changed in two ways:

1. I give up on books that are not clicking with me far quicker than in the past. If I am not into it, I don't persevere, and I attempted and abandoned at least 50 books in 2013 (some of them I was over 50% into). This makes it hard for me to say exactly how many books I read last year as so many were returned to my library unfinished or still sit on my kindle half read. I do know I completed 100 fiction books :)

2. I am drawn to more cruise-y, relaxing books lately. This is (I am sure) in direct correlation with how many academic texts I am reading for uni. I am so mentally exhausted after study that I don't have the energy to invest in dense and complicated works. I really enjoyed some light fiction and found some new faves that I may not have loved as much in the past but they were perfect for me in 2013.

My picks are a mix of really amazing books, and also books that I just really enjoyed reading :)

Top Nine picks -- in no particular order

 The Vanishing Moment by Margaret Wild

Loved this so much. Margaret Wild is amazing and this book was really different and completely touching and I loved everything about it <3

 All The Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

This was not at all what I expected ~ it's gorgeous and heart-breaking and lyrical and has this beautiful, stomach-hurting love story and page-turning mystery. I so highly recommend you check this book out.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

I love all of Liane's work and this book was her most addictive, most page-turningly suspenseful yet. I can't wait to see this on the Big screen! Liane is a genius and, IMO, one of Australia's finest writers :)

 Paper Chains by Nicola Moriarty

Gorgeous and sad and serendipitous and completely absorbing. I loved this story and it's characters and it's message. I am so looking forward to more Nicola Moriarty ~ she's amazing and writes exactly the kind of books I love to curl up and read <3

 Haze by Paula Weston

I trust by now you all know how much I love this series -- I am a huge advocate for the Aussie YA, upper YA paranormal series. Shadows (book one) was a surprise love for me in 2012 and the best news is Haze amps it up and is even better. This was ridiculously good and ticked all my boxes (especially the swoon/crush aspect). I love these characters so much and I especially love that I have no idea where Weston plans to take her readers with this series.

 If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

I loved this book so much. Autumn is a gorgeous narrator and I stayed up past 2am to finish it off. This was a sleeper hit which made it all the more awesome. I am so hoping Laura Nowlin has more for us soon!

Swimming At Night by Lucy Clarke

(Also published as The Sea Sisters). I just loved so much about this UK debut. The travel and surfing and Australia and Bali and the twists and turns were compelling and absorbing. Can't wait for more.

 Wildlife by Fiona Wood

Fiona Wood is amazing and Wildlife is a funny, sad, captivating, hopeful and touching stand-out. Bonus: camping (one of my fave settings).

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

I've read all of Kate Morton's work and this one is easily my favourite yet. It took a little bit to get into the book but it was so completely worth it. This mystery is stunning and the review/twist is outstanding (I did not see it coming). I love how her stories haunt the reader long after the last page has been turned.






And some bonus recommendations (because I couldn't choose which book to award the tenth spot to)

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West -- for giving me a late-read-into-the-middle-of-the-night good time (light hearted and swoony!)

Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington -- for surprising me and sucking me in and delivering a truly captivating story with a lot of heart and depth.

The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn -- love this Aussie YA debut set in the Blue Mountains (my hometown :)). The plot is compelling and the characters felt real -- this is one for fans of Tomorrow, When the World Began.

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil -- for all the smiles and good times. Such a lovable and fun read.

You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane A UK chick-lit novel that was just the right blend of fun and swoon and humour and heart.

Champion by Marie Lu -- for the brilliant ending and June and Day <3

Here's to another brilliant reading year in 2014!

Are any of my faves also faves of yours? 

(I just snuck this post in in January, haha. Winning!)

Highlights of my reading year so far (Top 6 Faves)

Yesterday I shared a bunch of highlights from my reading year so far. I tried to make a top ten, but I found it so hard to narrow things down and my list kept overflowing all over the place. However, I wanted to highlight six books that I just really loved:

Two Aussie YA Books

My review of Haze I just love Gaby and Rafa and the way Weston has created her world. So much sexual tension and mystery and reveals and twists and emotion. A really fun, addictive read.

My review of Wildlife Wood's writing is amazing. I fell in love with her character's and I know this book will be a lifelong fave <3

Two Australian adult fiction

My review of Paper Chains I loved the whimsy and the depth of sorrow all mingled up in this one.

My review of The Husband's Secret Oh my gosh, this book by Liane was just so. good. She's amazing and brilliant and my perfect kind of writer.

Two debuts <3 (One contemporary YA and one UK contemporary)

My review of If He Had Been With Me LOVED. I've already reread this.

Swimming at Night. (haven't reviewed!). I love how Clarke captured this story. The travel. The sisters. The travel journal. The surf. Australia! Bali! The foreshadowing and twists and mystery and reveals. A gorgeously written debut, can't wait for more :)

So there's my top 6 faves so far. I also have a post coming up this week on books I am really looking forward to in the second half of this year. So much goodness coming up!

If you had to pick one book you loved this year to recommend to me, what would it be?

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

Cecilia Fitzpatrick, devoted mother, successful Tupperware business owner and efficient P&C President, has found a letter from her husband.

For my wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick
To be opened in the event of my death

but Cecilia's husband isn't dead, he's on a business trip. And when she questions him about it on the phone, Cecilia senses something she hasn't experienced before, John-Paul is lying. 

What happens next changes Cecilia's formerly blissful suburban existence forever, and the consequences will be life-changing for the most unexpected people. 

I love the premise and inspiration for this novel:

Two years ago Liane Moriarty stumbled upon a fascinating article about real life deathbed confessions. She learned about Christian Spurling, who confessed on his deathbed to faking a notorious photo of the Loch Ness Monster. There was a famous songwriter who was dying of cancer and wrote a letter admitting, after years of adamant denials, that she had plagiarized a lullaby melody. Then there was the hapless man who, after suffering a stroke, confessed he’d killed his neighbour thirty years earlier. The only problem was that he didn’t end up dying. After he was released from hospital he went straight to jail. 

This article helped inspire Sydney-based Liane to write her latest novel, The Husband's Secret which we are publishing in April.  

Cecilia Fitzpatrick, Sydney wife, mother and P&C President, discovers her husband has a secret so dark it could destroy her blissfully ordinary suburban existence. We all have secrets. But not like this… The Husband’s Secret is a stunning, complex novel guaranteed to cause debate and controversy. This book will have everyone asking, “What would I do?” (taken from Pan Macmillan's press release)

Some of the best highlights of my reading life over the last 7 years (it was in 2005 that I stumbled upon Three Wishes, an all time fave) has been snapping open a new Liane Moriarty. My love for her prose and characters and unique stories brings with it high expectations. You guys, I am SO EXCITED to be sharing my review of this book with you as there has never been a better time to get with the program. The Husband's Secret was so divinely awesome, so surprising, so deliciously funny and genuinely heartfelt that it seriously blew me away, me - a devout fan with sky-high expectations.

So you think you know what this book could be about? Think again. It is so mysterious  and even after the Big Reveal (ie the reading of the letter) it's even more unexpected and surprising. Even more addictive. How does she do it? Liane has a niche on the market for intelligent women's fiction ~ utterly original, superbly creative and just so good, so good.

This book had the magic combo for me: that feeling of wanting to rush ahead and devour it all, desperately hanging out for the reveal, and also wanting to slow down and savour all it's brilliance. (confession: I decided to savour this book. 24 hours after cracking open that first chapter I was done. I couldn't stop thinking about when I had to tear myself away, and I'm still thinking about it now.)

I love so much about Liane's books. But I often find myself in a scatterbrained mess trying to articulate just how brilliant they are. Here's a few points :)

1. The storytelling! Moriarty is a master storyteller weaving together three perspectives which eventually criss-cross each other paths. It has that gorgeous touch of whimsy, coincidence and fate. It's also insanely addictive storytelling - reveals in just the right places, humour sprinkled in perfectly alongside the heartbreak  the tension building and the climax exploding. 

2. The humour is so delightful, it's wicked and empathetic and intelligent and smiley and it just nails it, every time. 

3. The characters. They come to life in such a way that they are lovable even in their unlovable moments. I truly was invested in them. I felt their sorrow and ached alongside them <3

4. Those swoony moments. With a few deft sentences, the romance in this book just had my heart, it also left me bereft (but hopeful) at times. Which is the perfect kind of love stories, all good and bad and swoony and unpredictable.

5. The Sydney (and Melbourne) setting. Just gorgeous. So spot on, I could feel myself walking along those streets and doing the school run. 

6. The more I was drawn into the book, the more I got caught up in the shades of grey. And wondering just what was the right thing to do? How was Liane going to make this whole thing turn out? The answer is: in an unexpected and unforgettable way...

I recommend this book so much. I am excited for it to be out, excited for everyone to read it. And already hanging out for my next Liane Moriarty fix.

The Husband's Secret is available in Australia now :)
The Husband's Secret @ goodreads
The Husband's Secret @ Pan Macmillan 

(Also available for preorder from The Book Depository for non-Aussies)

Thanks ever so much to Pan Macmillan for the review copy

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Alice is twenty-nine. She is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. What's more, she's looking forward to the birth of the 'Sultana' - her first baby.

But now Alice has slipped and hit her head in her step-aerobics class and everyone's telling her she's misplaced the last ten years of her life.

In fact, it would seem that Alice is actually thirty-nine and now she loves schedules, expensive lingerie, caffeine and manicures. She has three children and the honeymoon is well and truly over for her and Nick. In fact, he looks at her like she's his worst enemy. What's more, her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her either. And who is this 'Gina'everyone is so carefully trying not to mention?

Alice isn't sure that she likes life ten years on. Every photo is another memory she doesn't have and nothing makes sense. Just how much can happen in a decade? Has she really lost her lovely husband for ever? 


Oooh ~ did you read the blurb? Alice is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. Don't you just LOVE her already? 


Before my review, here's what Liane has to say about writing this book (which is in lieu of me composing my own synopsis, haha):  

I had always wanted to write a story about time travel but I found the logistics made my head explode. Then I read a story about a woman in the UK who lost her memory and behaved like a teenager – she didn’t recognise her husband or children. I realized that memory loss is a form of time travel. So I came up with the idea of a woman, Alice, who loses 10 years of her memory. She thinks she is 29, pregnant with her first child and blissfully in love with her husband. She is horrified to discover she is 39, with 3 children and in the middle of a terrible divorce. It’s like the younger Alice has travelled forward in time. Readers tell me that what they liked best about this novel was how it made them think about the choices they’d made and wonder how their younger selves would feel about the lives they are leading now. (from Liane's site)

I know (!) I ADORE time travel novels as well (and amnesia stuff) ~ and the whole concept of this one is just so brilliant ~ travelling forward to meet yourself ten years in the future. sigh. And while a premise like that could get complicated and messy ~ it didn't ~ it's written so effortlessly with that genius Moriarty touch where all the plot threads come together just so cleverly.


It's not just the concept that had me falling COMPLETELY in love with this book.


It was pretty much EVERYTHING that has me gushing about it:


The writing. Oh ~ yes, Liane Moriarty is the sister of my fave YA writer, Jaclyn. They both have a GIFT with words. They write in a whimsical style which just has you loving the turns of phrase and sentiments. It's prose you can sink into and sigh about. it's also funny-clever-delicious writing. I am in awe and envy over the prose.


The characters. Liane is like some kind of anthropologist. She GETS people and their quirks and finds tiny truths in those little moments as if she's been inside your own head (and in your kitchen during the mad morning scramble).


Mostly ~ I ADORED Alice and all her family. Nick is the kind of HOT male lead that has you swooning one moment and completely in love with him and then the next he is an absolute douche bag, but it's his flaws that make him all the more endearing and real to life. The family scenes were stunning ~ I could read those kinds of anecdotes all day. I honestly fell in love with Alice's children ~ just delightfully done.


The mystery ~ things unravel as we try to discover along with Alice just all the things that happened in the ten years she lost. Some you can guess and others will surprise you. 


It's this whimsical blend of fun (sometimes incredulous, but none-the-less cool) but also has a deeper meaning under it all that makes you stop and consider your life and your priorities and all that stuff. 


Perhaps similar in concept to Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? But whereas Kinsella's is commercial, stereotypical rom-com (a fun, guilty-pleasure kind of read), What Alice Forgot is gorgeously written, and a story that will resonate. (and just, you know, far superior in every way, haha)

I really couldn't put this book down and I love it hard.

Liane Moriarty is my favourite chick-lit type writer. And not only is What Alice Forgot one of my fave reads this year ~ it's on my list of all time fave books.


Recommended: this is one for people who love their chick-lit well written, breezy and fun and also a little bit deeper at heart. Also for fans of Jaclyn Moriarty who are looking for an adult read :D


ALSO: the film rights to this book recently sold (!!) It's going to be BRILLIANT!


OH! and the grandma has a blog and ARGH it's truly hilarious ~ and the comment section is laugh-out loud funny and there's even a commenter who's a secret admirer. Too funny. (very reminiscent of some of the blogging in Jaclyn Moriarty's Dreaming of Amelia)


Liane Moriarty is an Australian author and an international best seller. 
Her books are available internationally :D
Liane's website
What Alice Forgot @ goodreads

some international covers:

AND, unrelated to the review, I am going camping tomorrow (wahoo!) so will not be on-line for the next week ~ catch you all when I get back :D