#AussieAuthors2023, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, Jaclyn Moriarty, Kingdoms and Empires Series, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series, Young Adult

The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) Author: Jaclyn Moriarty Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Allen and Unwin Published: 31st October 2023 Pages: 544 Price: $22.99 Synopsis: A magical book in the rich and whimsical world of the Kingdoms and Empires about a girl, a threat and a pickle jar filled with gold… Continue reading The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) by Jaclyn Moriarty

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Completion of QBD Reading Challenge 2023

I have completed the 2023 QBD Challenge. My last prompt was a funny memoir, which in some ways was hard to find, but I settled on Paul Jennings’ memoir, Untwisted, which was funny in parts, and I enjoyed the way he told the stories – with humour and empathy throughout. I reviewed twenty books for… Continue reading Completion of QBD Reading Challenge 2023

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Completed: Dymocks Reading Challenge 2023

This year, I took on the Dymocks Reading Challenge again. This time, we got our prompts season by season, which made it more challenging to plan what to read, but in the end, I managed to do it. The prompts were fairly flexible as well – there were ones anything could fit into and ones… Continue reading Completed: Dymocks Reading Challenge 2023

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Dymocks Spring Reading Challenge

The final set of prompts for this year’s Dymock’s Reading Challenge for Spring are completed now too – a couple of them took me a while but I got there. One of the things I have liked about this challenge is how open to interpretation some prompts were, because a prompt will always have a… Continue reading Dymocks Spring Reading Challenge

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Rarity of Reviews of Australian Children’s Books

I have ‘some more thoughts’ – this time, about the rarity of reviews of children’s books in mainstream media, magazines, and newspapers – the media that most people would consume or have access to. Whilst they may review books, it’s always adult books and often the very literary ones. And whilst any book coverage is… Continue reading Rarity of Reviews of Australian Children’s Books

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Visiting the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature

My connection to the Centre I have been working as a remote volunteer with the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature for about six months. First, creating profiles on my blog for their various online databases, and after I finished that, as the Clipper for New South Wales, sending whatever ephemera about Australian Children’s Literature… Continue reading Visiting the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature

#AussieAuthors2023, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, Alice-Miranda, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Christmas, Crime/Mystery, Jacqueline Harvey, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series

Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery by Jacqueline Harvey

Title: Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery Author: Jacqueline Harvey Genre:  Mystery Publisher: Puffin Published: 10th October 2023  Format:  Paperback Pages: 432 Price:  $16.99 Synopsis: THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING SERIES!Join Alice-Miranda in a delightful Christmas adventure.Christmas is almost here, and Alice-Miranda and her closest friends are celebrating early at Highton Hall. But it’s not all gingerbread, parties… Continue reading Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery by Jacqueline Harvey

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Guest Post, Natalie Bayley – Author of Bone Rites

As part of Natalie's blog tour, she has written this post for me about her writing and research process for the novel to accompany the review. Thanks for the fascinating post, Natalie. Researching Historical Fiction: the Old, the Strange and the Downright Peculiar Most of my novels are set in the early or mid-twentieth century.… Continue reading Guest Post, Natalie Bayley – Author of Bone Rites

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Blog Tour: Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley

Title: Bone Rites Author: Natalie Bayley Genre: Historical Fiction/Thriller Publisher: Aurora Metro Books Published: 31st October 2023 Format: Paperback Pages: 314 Price: $25.99 Synopsis: Winner of The Virginia Prize for Fiction Bone Rites is a dark, literary tale of love, loss and one woman's obsessive fight for justice and redemption within a ruthless world.  I… Continue reading Blog Tour: Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley

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The Turtle and the Flood by Jackie French and Danny Snell

Title: The Turtle and the Flood Author: Jackie French and Danny Snell Genre: Fiction Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: Format: Hardcover Pages: 24 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: A companion title to the best-selling The Fire Wombat, this is the story of Myrtle, a small turtle who, by heading uphill, tells the other animals that a flood is coming. Myrtle the… Continue reading The Turtle and the Flood by Jackie French and Danny Snell