Category: Australian women writers

Pippa’s Island: The Beach Shack Café by Belinda Murrell

Pippas island 1.jpgTitle: Pippa’s Island: The Beach Shack Café

Author: Belinda Murrell

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Published: 3rd July 2017

Format: Paperback

Pages: 240

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: A gorgeous new series about friendships, family and seaside adventures, from our beloved bestselling author Belinda Murrell!

Pippa has just arrived at a new school, in a new town, and even living on a gorgeous island isn’t cheering her up. Her arrival causes ripples at Kira Island Primary School – but Pippa soon starts to make friends with eco-warrior Meg, boho-chick Charlie, and fashionista and cupcake baker Cici.

Pippa’s mum plans to buy a rustic old boatshed and start a bookshop cafe, and Pippa worries they’ll lose all their money in this madcap venture – until her new friends come to the rescue to help get the grand opening back on track.

Will Kira Island ever feel like home?

~*~

Starting a new school is always scary – but for Pippa Hamilton, she has had her entire life uprooted, moving from all she has known in England, to a small island in Australia called Kira Island. In between school, she is helping her mum get the beach café/bookstore ready while she lives in a caravan with her mum, brother Harry, and sister, Bella, behind their grandparents’ house. Yet it is school that poses the real challenge: though she meets four really cool girls who will become her best friends – CiCi, Charlie and Meg – Pippa still feels isolated by popular girl Olivia, who seems nice enough, yet when Pippa starts doing better than her, tensions arise.

2019 Badge

At the same time, Pippa is trying to deal with what has happened between her parents, keeping things close until she learns she can really trust her new friends. Pippa is relatable, and fun, and filled with such joy that she shines off the page and dances around. Her story is engaging for all ages over nine. What I loved about Pippa’s Island was the uniqueness each character brought to the series and the way it all unfolded – in a classy, fun and stimulating way that wasn’t too complicated or too simple, and perfect for reading anywhere – on the couch, in bed, at the beach.

There were times when I felt like I was on Kira Island, and living near a beach, it was easy to imagine that some of the things that happened could have happened at the local beach as well – a bookshop café would be awesome to have where I live! So, once I get the chance, I will be heading to my local bookstore to grab the next two or three in the series to follow  Pippa’s adventures on Kira, and these will make for great summer reading.

 

Cavern of The Fear (Deltora Shadowlands #1/Deltora Quest #2) by Emily Rodda

Title: Cavern of The Fear (Deltora Shadowlands #1/Deltora cavern of the fearQuest #2)

Author: Emily Rodda

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1st June 2002

Format: Paperback

Pages: 144

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: A second Deltora quest begins in this fantasy trilogy that’s sure to engage Deltora fans and bring in all new readers!

The Shadow Lord’s evil tyranny over Deltora has ended. He and the creatures of his sorcery have been driven back across the mountains. But thousands of Deltorans are still enslaved in the Shadowlands, the Enemy’s own terrifying and mysterious domain. To rescue them, Lief, Barda and Jasmine, heroes of the quest for the Belt of Deltora, must find a weapon powerful enough to combat the Shadow Lord’s magic on his own ground. According to legend, the only thing the Shadow Lord fears is the fabled Pirran Pipe. But does the mysterious pipe still exist? And if it does, what dangers will the companions have to face to find it? Will its ancient magic still prevail against the Enemy’s sorcery? Filled with doubts the companions move on, knowing that whatever happens, their quest will end in the darkness and horror of the Shadowland itself.

~*~

Lief is now King of Deltora, and even though he defeated the Shadow Lord with the help of his friends, Jasmine and Barda, there is still a threat looming. With many Deltorans still enslaved, nobody is truly free. To unite Del and Tora, Lief must wed the Toran princess. But first – the three heroes who reunited the belt of Deltora must seek the Pirran Pipe – the only thing the Shadow Lord truly fears. Split into three pieces, Lief, Jasmine and Barda head off on a quest to find the pieces – yet as dangers lurk behind every corner, will they succeed in saving the enslaved Deltorans?

The first series ended with Lief discovering he was the true king of Deltora and driving the evil forces out of the castle that had enslaved Deltora for sixteen years. Now, he must seek to free those who are still enslaved, using his skills and wits. Yet he is distracted by his duties as king and impending marriage to the Toran princess. Yet he sets out across the land again, belt intact, to find the Pirran Pipe – split into three pieces.

2019 Badge

The first piece – the mouthpiece – is said to be in the Cavern of The Fear. As Lief, Barda and Jasmine seek the first piece, they will face dangers and the unknown in the exciting second Deltora series.

The second series picks up soon after the first, with Lief crowned as king of Deltora, and getting ready to take on the responsibilities. Yet as things continue to trouble him, he turns once again to thoughts of the dangerous Shadow Lord and the years of torment the people of Deltora faced haunt him.

This series is a wonderful follow-up to the first, and continues the story seamlessly, by referring back to the first series, yet at the same time, identifying a unique threat that continues to grow and threaten their peace. It is exciting, engaging and quite a quick read – and heads straight into the action, with just the right amount of set up to prepare the reader for what is to come. Yet this is a series that is a continuation and should be read once you have completed the first series.

Another great book from Emily Rodda.

Battle of the Heroes (Impossible Quest #5) by Kate Forsyth

battle of the heroesTitle: Battle of the Heroes (Impossible Quest #5)

Author: Kate Forsyth

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published:  1st September 2015

Format: Paperback

Pages: 188

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: Do not lose faith. Remember the words of the story, remember the words of the spell…

Quinn, Sebastian, Elanor and Tom have defeated the black witch Githa and found the last crucial piece of the prophecy — the sea serpent’s scale.

Back now at Wolfhaven, they search desperately through the castle crypts for the sleeping heroes, who they hope will save them all … before the dark moon rises and they lose everything.

~*~

In the final book of the series, Quinn, Elanor, Tom and Sebastian head back to Wolfhaven Castle with the unicorn horn, the griffin feather, the dragon’s tooth and the sea serpent scale to awaken the sleeping heroes and save those trapped in Wolfhaven. Thinking they have tricked sister witches – Lady Mortlake and Mistress Mauldred, the four children seek to infiltrate the castle. Yet those they seek to destroy are waiting for them, and with only twelve hours to save those trapped in Wolfhaven, they must work quickly and use all their wits and trickery to achieve their goal. But will it be too late, or will Wolfhaven Castle

2019 BadgeAs the fairy tale quest concludes, each of the four heroes has grown across the series, with Elanor becoming feistier as each book has gone on – which helps her when she faces Mistress Mauldred and helps her friends fight off those who wish to harm them. As the fairy tale quest comes to an end, with a happily ever after and the friends feeling at home with each other and hopefully, their new skills and roles in life, and the series ends wonderfully, with the quest wrapped up delightfully, but a feeling of challenges still ahead. But perhaps these challenges will be of a different kind for these friends.

Having read a lot of Kate Forsyth’s books now, I believe of the ones I own, I only have two or three that I need to read for the first time. The rest will be re-read at some stage as well, and now, with each book I am noticing the fairy tale motifs more and more and the way each motif brings something unique to the book, whether it is for children, young adults or adults. I have loved Kate’s stories for years, and I look forward to each new release from her eagerly.

Winding up a series is always bittersweet – you want it to go on, and to know what happens after the last page has been turned – where do they go to from here, what happens to your favourite character? Yet at the same time, ending it on a high note, where everyone finds a way to fit in with what has happened, and their world, and where it feels right for the characters is enjoyable and brings a sense of completion to the world you’ve been inhabiting for so many books. I can go back and read them again or imagine their lives beyond the page, and know they are happy, and their world has been set right.

Another excellent series from Kate Forsyth for all ages!

 

The Drowned Kingdom (The Impossible Kingdom #4) by Kate Forsyth

the drowned kingdom.jpgTitle: The Drowned Kingdom (The Impossible Kingdom #4)
Author: Kate Forsyth
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Published: 1st of May 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 185
Price: $14.99
Synopsis: Quinn, Sebastian, Elanor and Tom have found a dragon and conquered the dreaded Beast of Blackmoor Bog. Only one item remains on their impossible quest – the scale of a sea-serpent. Now they must journey to the drowned kingdom, where they will face their deadliest challenge yet. And there they will uncover the truth behind all that has happened … the truth that will change everything.

~*~

Quinn received her witch’s staff in the last book – and together, with her companions and the unicorn, Quickthorn, Rex, the griffin, and Beltaine, the dragon, they set off to seek the Drowned Kingdom of legend, and find the final piece of the prophecy, the scale of a sea serpent. It seems simple, yet as they seek to find a way to get across the waters, Quinn and Tom discover secrets about Quinn’s past, about where she came from, that will lead them to unforeseen discoveries when they arrive at the Drowned Kingdom, and in their quest to save a sea serpent from being misused by Githa, the evil witch who has been trying to thwart the four heroes the whole way, alongside Lady Mortlake.

Yet more secrets are uncovered, as well as Quinn’s past – secrets about those Ela and Sebastian thought they could trust, and what the people they have left behind are faced with or have been forced to do. In the Drowned Kingdom, the four heroes face life and death, and danger at every turn. Slowly, they will come to find their way to the sea serpents – but at what cost, and will they achieve their goals?

Four books in, and each piece needed to complete the prophecy is on the way to being collected, and from there, only a few elements are needed to complete it – which will become clear in the fifth book, which I have started reading. As the quest heads into its final stages, Quinn, Elanor, Sebastian and Tom must grapple with the knowledge they’ve recently learned and how it changes things – or if it does.

2019 BadgeAs this series comes to the end, I am hoping that the heroes achieve their goals – which I am sure they will, but it is all about the journey getting there, and how Quinn, Elanor, Tom and Sebastian achieve it with the help of their beasts – a unicorn, a griffin, a dragon and a sea-serpent.

The fairy tale trope of the quest has been cleverly drawn out over the past four books, and will inevitably conclude in the fifth instalment, where they have to get back to Wolfhaven Castle and save those who are trapped by a spell there. Now that they know who is behind it, and helping Lord and Lady Mortlake, the four heroes must get into the castle, and find the heroes – but will they achieve this in the next book?

A thrilling addition to the series.

The Beast of Blackmoor Bog (Impossible Quest #3) by Kate Forsyth

blackmoor bogTitle: The Beast of Blackmoor Bog (Impossible Quest #3)

Author: Kate Forsyth

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1st February 2015

Format: Paperback

Pages: 192

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: After escaping the bog-men in the wilds of the Witchwood, Sebastian, Quinn, Elanor and Tom journey south on their impossible quest. Sebastian and Elanor seek help from Crowthorne Castle, but both allies and enemies will reveal themselves. Tom and Quinn venture into the mysterious moors … where a hideous beast lies in waiting. Best-selling, award-winning storyteller Kate Forsyth weaves battles, beasts and bravery in this epic new five-book series.

~*~

Quinn and her friends are venturing in search of the third beast – the dragon and the dragon scale. To find it, they separate – Quinn and Tom into the mysterious moors as they are drawn into more danger, and Elanor and Sebastian head to Crowthorne Castle, hoping for help from Lady Ravenna. Yet in both places, the friends will encounter allies and enemies – and begin to find out who and what is behind the dark spell that has been cast over Wolfhaven Castle and its inhabitants, and Elanor’s father. Here, they will find out about the beast in the moors and be thrust into danger that will lead them to discoveries they never thought they’d find on their journey.

The midway point in the series sees our heroes temporarily separated for a while each pair tackles the next part of their journey in unique ways.  In this installment, the heroes are in search of the dragon scale for the spell to awaken the sleeping heroes of the prophecy they are following so they can save Wolfhaven.

The fairy tale archetypes and tropes are still there, especially the beasts and the quest, and the magic that unites them and helps them find a way around challenges they face. As dangers grow, so does the tension, and conflict, which will only bring the quartet closer as they discover that for now, they cannot trust anyone else except each other.

2019 Badge

I am loving this series and polishing it off very quickly. It is filled with adventure and conflict, and friendship, and the power of friendship. It truly is a delightful series, and one that I am thoroughly enjoying. Aimed at readers aged between eight and ten, I believe it is a good read for many age groups and audiences.

Each character is unique and flawed, and relatable in many ways. They fulfil the fairy tale archetypes, but at the same time, are unique, and very different from the characters of fairy tale traditions, and have many more complexities behind them than usually might be found in fairy tales, depending on which version of the fairy tale you read, and how close to the original it is.

I am now reading book five, and the series is heading towards its ending. Next, I am going to review book four, and as each book builds on each other, the series is growing and building on the previous books, and creating a world that is tight, cleverly created whilst still a bit scary, but also, somewhere that I am sure, by the end of the series, will be light and fun again, as it was before the Mortlakes took over.

Book Bingo Twenty-Three – A Book Set in the Australian Outback and DOUBLE BINGO

20181124_140447

Welcome to one of my final book bingo entries for the year with Amanda and Theresa, and my first for November. This time around, I am ticking off a book set in the Australian Outback, where I have been able to get a bingo in one down row and one across row by ticking off this category.

48987121_1508329715968294_4870693570241101824_n.jpg

Across:

BINGO!

Row Four: – BINGO

Book with a place in the title: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester -AWW2019

Book set in the Australian Outback: The Last Dingo Summer by Jackie French (Matilda Saga #8) – #AWW2019

Book set on the Australian Coast: The House of Second Chances by Esther Campion – AWW2019

Book set in the Australian Mountains: The Orchardist’s Daughter by Karen Viggers – AWW2019

Book set in an exotic location: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – #AWW2019

Down:

BINGO!

Row Two: BINGO

Beloved Classic: Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner – AWW2018

Non-Fiction book about an event: The Suicide Bride by Tanya Bretherton – #AWW2019

Themes of culture:The Lost Magician by Piers Torday

Book set in the Australian outback: The Last Dingo Summer by Jackie French (Matilda Saga #8) – #AWW2019

Written by an Australian woman: Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nicki Greenberg – AWW2019

Crime: All the Tears in China by Sulari Gentill – AWW2019

Last Dingo Summer

In this category, I chose the eighth book in the Matilda Saga, The Last Dingo Summer, which is set in the small country town, Gibber’s Creek, and explores the forgotten histories and stories of women, Indigenous people and other groups often forgotten or left out of history. In Jed Kelly’s ongoing story, the trials and tribulations of country life and Indigenous issues and the post-Vietnam War refugee influx give the story of these courageous women an intense and intriguing background. It fills this category perfectly, as would any of the books in the series. It is a series I am going to be revisiting once I have all the books, and reading them close together.

Keep a look out for my next book bingo on the twenty-third of November!

Wolves of the Witchwood (Impossible Quest #2) by Kate Forsyth

wolves of the witchwoodTitle: Wolves of the Witchwood (Impossible Quest #2)

Author: Kate Forsyth

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1st November 2014

Format: Paperback

Pages: 192

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: I know every hidden path through these woods.
Trust me. There is no griffin in this forest.

Hunted by Lord Mortlake, Tom, Quinn, Elanor and Sabastian flee for cover. The unicorn leads them into the darkness of the Witchwood, where they meet Wilda the witch. Can she be trusted?

Danger surrounds, but there’s no time to lose. The four unlikely heroes must find the griffin, dragon and sea serpent before it’s too late.

Best-selling, award-winning storyteller Kate Forsyth weaves battles, beasts and bravery in this epic new five-book series.

~*~

Picking up soon after Quinn, Elanor, Sebastian and Tom journey into the Witchwood, in search of the griffin’s feather they need to save those trapped in Wolfhaven Castle, Elanor’s home. To do so, they must encounter a witch, who waylays them on their way to find the griffin and reunite with Tom’s father – having another part of the prophecy come into being. As they venture through the land, they encounter many challenges and the obstacles along the way.

As the children go further on the quest, they face challenges that they must work out on their own, using the cryptic clues that Arwen, whom Quinn is doing her witch training with. Working together, as many fairy tale heroes do, they manage to solve as many problems as possible, yet there are some that people they meet along the way will have to help them with, and do what they can to ensure the children get home to Wolfhaven to save their families from Lord Mortlake.

2019 Badge

In these short books, there are fairy tale themes of towers and quests – two things that are common across all Kate’s novels for both adults and children, and her love of fairy tales is clear throughout. This magical series is perfect for all ages and lovers of adventure, magic and fairy tales.

What I love about this series and Kate’s work overall is the feeling of tumbling through a rabbit hole into a world of danger and delight in equal parts. I’ve been a fan since I was about sixteen, with The Starthorn Tree, and have loved her adult and children’s fiction ever since, waiting for each new book eagerly. As I have all five in this series, I am hoping to read them all this month – in a challenge I am taking part in with Kate via Twitter  to read as many books by Australian Women as possible, which will add quite a few to my usual year long Australian Women Writers Challenge, which currently sits at eighty-four, roughly fifty percent of my total reads for the entire year.

Moving on with the series, my next read, in amongst everything else I have, is book three: The Beast of Blackmoor Bog. I am loving these books and recommend them to all ages and all lovers of fantasy and Kate Forsyth’s books.