By Bruce Lyman
This was a very touching book which I couldn't put down once I started it. It's a heart-wrenching glimpse into life in war torn Baghdad after Suddan has been executed and American soldiers are patrolling this once beautiful and bustling city. Bruce Lyman's writing is wonderful and I found myself caught up in the lives of two men, Aadil and Malik, and their families, . Two very different men but both wanting peace and to return to a happy life free from fear and pain. The fear is tangible and with you every minute of the day, always looking over your shoulder for something out of the ordinary, for fear of being killed. Malik's neighbour simply takes his garbage out to the street and is killed by a single bullet to the head in front of his young son.
Business is almost non-existent in Malik's little shop, where he sells shirts, and the street has been damaged badly by bombings, but he still has hope... hope that one day Baghdad will return to its beauty and his family will once again have money for food and can live normal carefree lives.
Little do these two men know that their lives will be entwined in in a strange and frightening way. Each chapter in the book is told by Aadil, and Malik. There were many passages I read, then re-read, as they described with such emotion the life of the Iraqi people's existence. The writing is beautiful and poetic and as I got to know each men I longed to be able to help them and free them from such violence and loss. It's a book about friendship, faith and hope. Malik believes we are all 'flowers' in God's garden. I feel so blessed to be living in a country that is free from such pain and suffering. Reading this book will surely touch your heart and realise we all just want the same for our families.
by Christine M. Whitehead
I really enjoyed this book even if it was a cheapie from Amazon I downloaded to my Kindle... an impulse buy.
We first meet Archer as a young educated women who falls in love with handsome Adam and they have a daughter, Annie. The love of her life. Everything is going along smoothly until one terrible night when on a school trip, Annie is raped and murdered. This terrible event will be the end of Archer's life as she knows it as the murderer goes free and she is left with a huge abyss in her life. The depression and struggle to live after such an event forces Archer and Adam to split up and Archer becomes a recluse living in the bush.
Living on the property next door, enter Connor. Hunk of a cowboy guy from Wyoming who is camping out on his newly inherited property. After some standoffish behaviour Archer and Connor are forced to interact which in turn leads to a wonderful love story... except Archer has secrets. She is a secret vigilante and a trained killer and is part of a group that 'makes justice happen' when the justice system let people down and destroys peoples lives.
I was engrossed in this story which peeled away layers of Archer., bit by bit, as she slowly came to terms with her daughter's terrible death and that she needed to continue to live to honour her daughter's memory. A moving story which had me in tears several times. I like it when I find a story out of the blue that really touches me like this book did.
by Gillian Mears
I have to admit the cover made me take this book home. Haven't a good 'horsie' book since Silver Brumby times back in primary school, so I was expecting great things, particularly with the book winning a few awards. I was disappointed.
From the first chapter it was doom and gloom but I persevered until almost the end when I decided I would just skip through it. (Which I never usually do).
I get the story was set in the harsh farming conditions in outback NSW prior to the war, and it was very tough living and farming at the time, but I really found this book depressing. Noah had a dark secret, the birth of a baby from her uncle at the age of 14, which she delivered herself and cast it down a river, so no one would find out. This would haunt her all her life.
The only part I enjoyed was when Noah and Roly fell in love during their early show jumping years and started to raise their family. But the joy was short lived and there always seemed to be tragedy in their lives, which Noah blamed on herself and what she had done to her baby. The book had many reflective moments of the relationship between Noah and her uncle which put me at ease and made me want to give her a good talking to. There was sadness throughout this story and I really didn't enjoy it.
by Isobelle Carmody
After recently hearing Isobelle speaking at a conference, I couldn't help but purchase her re-release of this book (originally published in 1996).
The story is told by Jack who is dealing with the recent death of his mother, along with his father and little sister Ellen. Jack's father has withdrawn from them both and is struggling after the death of his wife. Jack wants to reach out to him but doesn't know how.
One night Jack looks through a mirror and is surprisingly transported into another world, which is void of colour and is quite scary for him. He travels from the real world to the 'Greylands' and through his journey, he must face his fears and deal with his grief. He confides with his little sister how at times he doesn't know if he is dreaming or if this is real. He soon learns he can will himself back and forwards through the mirrors and gradually discovers why he has been going through this unbelievable experience. An interesting story.
by Bill Condon
This is just a nice little story about a girl named Tiff who has finally finished school and is about to move into the next phase of her life, in her small town of Gungee. We find her in the local library reading Wuthering Heights. I love her motto "If you can't get a boy, get a book". She is interrupted by a nice boy, a footballer, who also has a love of books but offends her when all he seems to be interested in is how many raffle tickets she will buy. She later gets to know him a whole lot better!
Tiff's life hasn't been easy with her mother not long after she was born and being abandoned by others however she now lives with her surrogate grandfather Reggie and his son Bull. She has a real connection with these two and they have been her comfort over the years, unfortunately Reggie's health is declining. Tiff is given some work experience at a local newspaper as she thinks she may want to be a journalist. Tiff is a lovely down to earth girl and finds she can get through whatever challenges are thrown at her. Her best friend Kayla is a great support and they have plans to travel to Surfer's Paradise together.
Dramas happen throughout her story and you will have a few tears towards the end. This book is about the love of reading, resilience and relationships with a touch of humour thrown in.
By Bruce Lyman
