Book Review No 18: The Mayne Inheritance by Rosamond Siemon

As a graduate of the University Of Queensland, this was a book that immediately captivated my interest, given that the family at the centre of this grisly tale made huge financial and land donations to help establish UQ in the leafy Brisbane suburb of St Lucia. It's interesting to think that without the philanthropy of the Mayne family, the UQ campus may have remained in it's inner city location and not have developed into the massive facility it is today.

Rosamond Siemon has done a marvellous job at painstakingly piecing together the threads of what was, a shameful family secret for the Mayne family. It was as gripping as many fictional murder mystery books I've read and gave me a whole new insight into the history of Brisbane. It also highlighted the stigma of mental illness and how, due to societal expectation, it shaped the way the Mayne family lived and mainly chose not to marry or have children, lest they pass on the rogue genes.

Well written and with a good pace, The Mayne Inheritance was an easy book to read and one that kept me engaged and interested from beginning to end.

The Value of Entertainment

People often complain about the cost of books in Australia, and it is true that we do seem to pay more for our reading material than other countries. Since becoming an author I have learned that there are several reasons for this - http://greataussiereads.aussieblogs.com.au/2012/06/10/book-prices/ - gives quite a good explanation. But that isn't really the point of this post. What I want to talk about is how we value the entertainment gained from books as opposed to movies. I am going to generalise quite widely here when I say the average person might take six hours to read a book (obviously this will vary widely person to person but I think it's a fair average). If you pay between $20 - $30 for the book (again just an average), that equates to around $3.50 - $5 per hour. A movie ticket ranges between $10 - $17 for about 1.5 hours which makes between $6.50 - $11 per hour. A new release DVD averages around $25 for about 2.5 hours (including extras) so that is $10 per hour. You could also factor in the extra costs associated with seeing a movie at the cinema - petrol/fare to and from, snacks etc.

So, my point is that a book (even at the higher end of the price scale) is better value for money that seeing a movie. And let's face it with the increasing lack of quality movies (2012 must be one of the worst years for movie releases EVER),  we need the humble book as it remains one of the cheapest and most satisfying forms of entertainment around.

The Importance of a Review

There are pros and cons about becoming a published author in this day and age. On the pro side is how technology has not only revolutionised the way we write, but also the way we publish, advertise and sell our work. Authors are no longer held ransom by major publishing companies or exorbitantly priced self-publishing and have the option of going it alone and using social media to promote their work. On the con side, these things can also hinder an author's journey. Because there is so much more written work out there competing for the same amount of readers, it is very difficult to get noticed (especially if you are an unknown).

One of the best ways readers can help an author get their work noticed is by rating and/or leaving a review. As mentioned in my previous blog post Amazon.com is the king of the on-line book stores. If a book is listed on Amazon, there is no better place to leave a review and rating. It doesn't have to be a comprehensive essay - just a couple of paragraphs giving your impressions makes a huge difference. Consider what you do when you choose a book to read - would you be more likely to choose one that had reviews compared to one that didn't? Another great site is Goodreads (www.goodreads.com). This is a great site for people who like to read - allowing you not only the chance to rate the books you've read, but also to discover new books and authors based on your personal taste.
So next time you enjoy a book, take a moment to rate/review it and maybe give it a plug on your facebook/twitter page. Believe me the author will appreciate the effort.

Book Review No 17: Out of the Blue by Jo Fincham

Having watched Jo on The Farmer Wants A Wife, I was very interested to read her story. I had read other magazine articles which talked about the fact she had suffered from bullimia and depression, so that was not a total surprise - but I will admit I was a little shocked at the severity of her problems, given how positively she came across on screen.
Jo Fincham grew up in Melbourne - a city girl through and through she took a huge leap of faith by appearing on the reality TV show The Farmer Wants a Wife. Right from their first meeting, you could tell that she and farmer Rob really hit it off and theirs was one of the rare 'happy ever after' stories of the show. They became engaged less than a year after appearing on the show and have since married and had a child and by all accounts are still blissfully happy. Because Jo came across as so bubbly and positive, most viewers never would have guessed that she struggled with bulimia and depression right through her teenage years and twenties. Out of the Blue is the story of her struggle with these illnesses.

Amazon

Many years ago when I visited Rome for the first time, a few of my fellow travellers complained about the standard of hotel rooms there - the fact that they were small, had no air-conditioning and tiny, badly designed bathrooms. One particular guy (you know the kind...the one who should have just stayed home because he hates everything about travelling) made the statement that the Italians should lift their accommodation standards. Our tour leader just laughed and said, 'Rome is an amazing, historical city that people want to visit. They're going to come anyway - whether or not the rooms are large and luxurious.  Why would you need to change when you've already got a massive tourism industry?'

Book Review No 16: Beneath The Shadows by Sara Foster

You couldn't ask for a better setting for a psychological thriller than the Yorkshire Moors and Sara Foster has crafted a fantastic novel by really trading on the creepy, isolated setting. It sets the mood perfectly and doesn't waver right througout the story.
I liked the fact that you are dropped right into the action without any real build up or back story to get in the way. As a reader you are just as desperate as the main character Grace to find out what happened to her husband Adam, just a few weeks after they arrived to live in the isolated village of Roseby.
The story moves at a good pace, gradually teasing you with further information about the residents of the sleepy town. Why is Ben so mysterious? And what is with Meredith, so outwardly polite but also lacking any real warmth. You can really feel Grace's desperation to solve the mystery of Adam's disappearance and her frustration at how little the people around her want to help.

Book Review No: 15 Marooned on Mogmog by Jennifer Barrie

Having read an excerpt of this book (I think it was in the Woman's Weekly), I was happy to come across it in the library as it sounded like an amazing, adventurous story. Like some of the other reviewers I found that it didn't quite live up to its premise - but it was still an interesting tale that kept me interested from beginning to end.
The Barrie family, from Perth in Western Australia, had planned and saved for their dream two year sailing adventure for a long time. Meticulous in their planning and equipment they were fairly confident nothing too drastic would go wrong. Unluckily for them, it did. Caught up in a severe storm, their boat was washed up on a coral reef on the remote Micronesian island of Mogmog. After salvaging their boat with the help of the locals, they then made Mogmog their home for the next several months as they worked to repair their floating home and resume their adventure.

Book Sale!

For the next four days The Beach House will be available for the special discounted price of $9.95 for the paperback and $4.99 on Kindle. Check the website: http://www.thebeachhousenovel.com.au/sale for details. Don't miss out!

Reading Challenges Progress

When I decided to take part in The Australia Women Writer's and Great Aussie Reads Reading/Reviewing Challenges for 2012, I wasn't sure that I would find enough books to read and review. I could only think of a handful of Australian writers that I had read and didn't know if I would find too many more.  I'm so  happy to say that I have been proven very wrong and continue to come across new/existing authors that I am very happy to add to my To Be Read (TBR) list. Through websites like Goodreads, you can follow what other people are reading - one link leads to another and then another and then another.....and before you know it, you've got 5 or 6 books  you can't wait to read. Although I am technically finished the AWW challenge, I aim to keep reading on in this amazing genre and  hopefully finish between 40-50 books for the year. Both challenges are still open to join  - check out the websites (badges on right) and see if you can discover some new authors too. Happy Reading!

Choosing Your Genre

One of the great things about being a writer in the 21st century is that there is a genre for just about every taste - be it chick lit, sci-fi, crime, romance, vampire.... the list goes on. Sometimes readers (and authors) can be made to feel that their preferred genre is not as 'good as' the more classical literary styles. To this I say, each to their own. The world would be a pretty boring place if we all enjoyed the same types of books and as long as you enjoy reading a certain style of book, then you should do so to your hearts content. And you should never feel like you have to apologise for liking a particular genre. For example if your read for escapism and to relax, then you may love to indulge in a chick lit or romance novel - good for you! Or you might love to engross yourself in a chilling murder mystery or psychological thriller to engage your mind. Or maybe you love biographies or books about alien abductions and that is OK too. Thanks to the internet, you will be able to find books to suit your taste, so go for it. Read (and/or write) what you love, enjoy it and don't criticise others who don't share your taste.