WIN 1 of 3 signed copies of Shades of Yellow by Wendy J. Dunn

* Giveaway courtesy of the author *

Intro

Wendy J. Dunn is an award-winning Australian author with a passion for bringing forgotten women of history to life and her new release Shades of Yellow will be published on 7 September. 

To celebrate the launch I'm hosting an international giveaway to give readers the chance to win 1 of 3 signed copies of Shades of Yellow valued at $35.99. Each winner will also receive an accompanying bookmark hand painted and signed by the author. Entries close midnight AEST Sunday 7 September 2025, enter here or below and good luck!

Blurb

During her battle with illness, Lucy Ellis found solace in writing a novel about the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, the first wife of Robert Dudley, the man who came close to marrying Elizabeth I. As Lucy delves into Amy’s story, she also navigates the aftermath of her own experience that brought her close to death and the collapse of her marriage.

After taking leave from her teaching job to complete her novel, Lucy falls ill again. Fearing she will die before she finishes her book, she flees to England to solve the mystery of Amy Robsart’s death.

Can she find the strength to confront her past, forgive the man who broke her heart, and take control of her own destiny?

Who better to write about a betrayed woman than a woman betrayed?

Giveaway

Review: Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Everything is Tuberculosis - The History and Persistence of our Deadliest Infection by John Green is an in depth examination of tuberculosis (TB), it's causes, history, treatments and cures and why it is that so many people continue to die of the disease each and every year.

TB is an infection caused by bacteria and it's airborne, meaning anyone can catch it. According to the author, between 1/4 and 1/3 of all living humans have been infected with it but only a small percentage of those (up to 10%) will end up becoming sick with active TB. Malnutrition and a weakened immune system can trigger a dormant case of TB to become active, making it largely a disease of poverty.

The author of The Fault in Our Stars began to take a serious interest in the topic when he met a young boy with TB in Sierra Leone. Referring to Henry's case throughout the book enables him to put a face on the disease and Green sets the scene early on when he informs the reader just how many people have died from TB in the last 200 years.

"Just in the last two centuries, tuberculosis caused over a billion human deaths. One estimate, from Frank Ryan's Tuberculosis the Greatest Story Never Told, maintains that TB has killed around 1 in 7 people who've ever lived." Introduction

I remember learning this fact at some point in the last few years and it's precisely the reason I decided to read this book. Also known as consumption, and sometimes referred to as the white plague, tuberculosis is the oldest contagious disease and I wanted to know more about it.

The audiobook is narrated by the author himself and I was most interested in the history of TB and in particular the romanticisation of consumption in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At that time, it was believed TB was only acquired by people with great sensitivity and intelligence. If that wasn't bad enough, women with consumption were thought to become more beautiful, ethereal and wondrously pure. Ugh!

TB is a wasting disease and death was commonly a long and drawn out process during which sufferers became weakened and bed-bound. It's hard to believe now - until you recall the popularity of waif models and the heroin chic style from the 1990s - but this began to affect beauty standards of the time. Patients with active TB became thin and pale with wide sunken eyes and a rosy tint on their cheeks from fever and this beauty ideal became desirable and highly valued. (You can see this reflected in the art and literature of the time).

Green moves on to the science of TB and describes the various breakthroughs in medicine that led to TB eventually becoming treatable and then curable. In 2023, a million people died of TB and while Green acknowledges we can't eliminate TB completely, we can make sure nobody dies from it. So why haven't we?

The author explains that the drugs to treat TB aren't being produced and made available in the countries that need them most. Essentially, the drugs are where the disease is not and the disease is where the drugs are not.

A whole host of factors, including big pharma companies keep drug prices high; only a finite amount of aid sent to foreign countries is allocated to medicine and lack of access to basic medical facilities in poorer countries means that TB goes on to kill a million people unnecessarily each year. Learning TB is basically an expression of injustice and inequity was grim and depressing.

At the end of all this, there was no call to action, no website to donate to or petition to sign which was a lost opportunity in my opinion. Green is clearly calling for global healthcare reform, but provides little for the average reader to do with their frustration at the current situation.

For novels with consumptive characters, I can recommend:
- The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson by Belinda Lyons-Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Bone China by Laura Purcell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar by Kate Saunders ⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown

* Copy courtesy of Penguin Random House *

The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown is one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2025. The Book of Doors was a reading highlight last year and it made My Top 5 Books of 2024, so naturally I've been eagerly awaiting the author's next endeavour.

The Society of Unknowable Objects is set in present day London and is primarily told by Magda Sparks, with other character points of view shared throughout the novel. Magda has been attending six monthly meetings of the Society hosted by Frank in the basement of his bookshop for several years now.

"For eighty years the Society of Unknowable Objects had existed with a sole purpose: to collect and protect and keep secret the magical items of the world. For forty years no new item had come to light and the world of magical things had been quiet, the Society's collection undisturbed in the hidden recess behind the bookcase." Page 14*

After years of uneventful meetings, news of the emergence of a new magical item comes as a shock. Magda volunteers to meet with the owner and secure the item for the Society, swiftly learning she's not the only person seeking possession of the item.

I thoroughly enjoyed the sheer creativity and imagination with regard to the unknowable objects housed in the Society's collection. The magic is contained in everyday items, like a necklace or a chess piece and their various powers were interesting.

The writing is compelling and each chapter ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, enticing the reader to continue long after lights out. There's plenty of adventure, action and of course magic, but the romance really bogged down the story for me.

There were moments of dialogue that made me chuckle like this comment from one society member to another:

"I love you, but you're absolutely the model of a modern major pessimist." Page 198*

The characters engaged in clever use of the magical items while constantly acknowledging the danger of the items falling into the wrong hands, which of course some of them do. The origin story of the objects was believable, although the source of the origin story remained a mystery; to me at least.

I noted the slight nod to the science fiction classic Frankenstein - in the desire by the monster for a mate - but I'm relieved to say I enjoyed this book a hell of a lot more.

In fact, The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown would have been a five star read if it wasn't for the heavy romance element and a little too much greenery in the denouement. Gareth Brown is now an 'auto read' author for me and I can't wait to find out where he plans to take his growing fan base in the future.

* I read an uncorrected proof copy, so the page numbers I've quoted may not accurately correspond with the published version.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson by Belinda Lyons-Lee

* Copy courtesy of Transit Lounge *

The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson by Belinda Lyons-Lee is the story behind the events that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

With a killer Prologue about wardrobes and their ability to absorb the essence of their creator as well as those who have used it to keep their belongings safely inside it, I dare you to read the first page and not continue.

When the story kicks off we're in 1885 in the seaside town of Bournemouth on the south coast of England. The novel is told from the perspective of Fanny Osbourne, a married American writer who went on to divorce her husband and marry Robert Louis Stevenson to become Fanny Stevenson.

I appreciated the character list at the beginning of the book and it certainly helped me keep the Shelley characters straight in my mind. In telling her tale to Lady Shelley, Fanny confides:

'It's a strange tale,' I said. 'A wardrobe, a hundred-year-old hanging of an infamous criminal, a cunning poisoner, and plenty of greed, lust, betrayal and madness.' Page 66

You might be wondering if you need to have read any of Robert Louis Stevenson's work (The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde or Treasure Island) in order to enjoy this gothic historical fiction novel and my answer is a resounding no. I haven't read the Jekyll and Hyde classic, although those who have done so will definitely enjoy the few snippets of writing shared in this novel as Stevenson throws himself into his work creating a novel about the duality of nature.

At the same time I was reading this, I was listening to Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green and it had additional relevancy for me as Stevenson is portrayed as having a consumption like illness (now called tuberculosis) which played a large part in the events of the novel.

This is my second time reading the work of this Australian author, having enjoyed Tussaud by Belinda Lyons-Lee back in April 2021 and I was pleased to find this just as well researched and containing a similar dark gothic atmosphere I've come to appreciate in her writing.

The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson by Belinda Lyons-Lee is recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction based on the lives and actions of real people from history with a touch of the supernatural.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: Talk Your Way Out of Trouble by Jahan Kalantar

Jahan Kalantar is a successful criminal defence lawyer and advocate in Australia and in his memoir Talk Your Way Out of Trouble - Life Lessons from the Law I thought he was going to teach us how to talk our own way out of legal trouble should we ever find ourselves in it. I was hopeful he'd share the type of advice he's cultivated in his career and now regularly gives his clients. However, this isn't really that book.

Instead, this is Kalantar's memoir from his early days as a law student and law graduate, right through to the successful criminal lawyer he is today. This comprises time spent working as a solicitor in several different areas of the law and figuring out that wasn't his preferred career path for a variety of reasons. It also includes his time studying for the bar and qualifying as a barrister before deciding the wig - and everything that came with it - wasn't for him. Based in Sydney, Kalantar is also a university lecturer, social media commentator and public speaker so he's seen plenty of legal cases and helped more clients than he could probably count.

In this book, the author shares his career progression and a number of memorable cases that have shaped his view of life and the law along the way. Some cases and clients are touching or poignant and some are even funny but Kalantar doesn't shy away from sharing his mistakes along with his successes.

"Show up each day, do your best to adapt with grace, show resilience in the face of adversity and remember that mastery and perfection are a myth. Every day is simply us trying, it's why we call the work of a lawyer, practice." Afterword

I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author himself and it was interesting but wasn't the reading experience I anticipated. Instead, I assumed I was going to learn how to talk myself out of trouble. Naturally I accept full responsibility for jumping to the wrong conclusion about the contents, although I do wonder if the title misled any other readers in a similar way.

The author offers an effective method of saying sorry and it was a more succinct version of the method offered in Sorry, Sorry, Sorry - The Case for Good Apologies by Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy. It was also the subject of a TEDxSydney event entitled A perfect apology in three steps which might be of interest to some readers.

After a generous and heartfelt series of Acknowledgements at the end of his book, I enjoyed this surprising addition:

"On the other side of the coin, I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the many people I've encountered during my years who were unnecessarily cruel, mean spirited, difficult and plainly unkind. On behalf of myself, and everyone else working to make the world a better place, fu*k you! I wrote this book anyway. I hope the lessons in it inspire you to live better, and seek to see the best in people before casting judgement." Acknowledgements

I'm sure many authors have had similar thoughts when publishing their work, but huge kudos to Kalantar for having the courage to include it for all to see. Loved it!

Talk Your Way Out of Trouble - Life Lessons from the Law by Jahan Kalantar is an excellent choice for anyone considering a career in law, law adjacent lines of work or advocacy.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

The Lost Bookshop by Irish author Evie Woods is historical fiction meets magical realism with lashings of romance. Published in 2023 to great acclaim, the novel unfolds in alternating chapters and features three main characters.

In 1921, Opaline has run away to France to avoid an arranged marriage at the hands of her brother and finds a job working for Shakespeare and Company bookshop. With an eye for buying and selling antiquarian books her overbearing brother is hot on her trail, sending her to an asylum when he catches up with her in Dublin and finds her pregnant out of wedlock.

The contemporary narrative is set in Dublin where Martha escapes an abusive relationship and takes a job working as a housekeeper for the eccentric Mrs Bowden. Henry is a PhD student searching for a rare manuscript and a bookshop he walked into but can never find again when he meets Martha.

All three narratives were first person perspectives and there were many literary references and bookish quotes to keep book lovers turning the pages. I particularly enjoyed this one concerning the motivations of a rare book dealer:

"Never trust a book dealer who lets sentimentality get in the way. I had to own it because there is only one of it in the world - that's all there is to it. If I own it, then no one else can. I have known men to hazard their fortunes, go long journeys halfway about the world, forget friendships, even lie, cheat, and steal, all for the gain of a book." Page 169

The author does an excellent job creating a bookish atmosphere and I longed to browse the aisles of the Shakespeare and Company bookshop in addition to the mysterious shelves of the lost bookshop of the title.

However, there were romantic relationships in all three narratives that quickly grew tiresome. All too often, romance bogs down a far more interesting plot and this was the case for me here. I also found it difficult to accept that both Opaline and Martha would be ready for romance without more breathing time after their respective prior experiences.

There are some significant elements of magical realism in the story - largely focussed around Martha for some inexplicable reason - and most of these were creative and absorbing, but never adequately explained.

At the end there were a number of loose narrative threads that were left unresolved and too many unanswered questions about the true identity of Mrs Bowden when I wanted needed answers.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods will appeal to book lovers who enjoy historical fiction, magical realism and romance and who don't mind finding the meaning between the lines.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is now the longest book I've ever read, coming in at 1,276 pages. It was definitely the most intimidating book on my TBR and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment having finished it. What can I say about this classic? Well, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Many of you will know the basic outline of the book, Edmond Dantès is falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Envious of his success, a number of people collaborate to conspire against him for their own personal gain and when Dantès learns the identity and motivations of his conspirators, he sets out to destroy them.

In order of severity, our conspirators are:

Caderousse - envious neighbour wracked with guilt over the fact he didn't stop the plot
Fernand - in love with Dantès' fiancé Mercédès and guilty of delivering the letter
Danglars - ship's purser and colleague envious of Dantès' recent promotion to ship's captain and responsible for writing the letter accusing him of treason
Villefort - Deputy Crown Prosecutor, sends Dantès to prison without release in order to protect the identity of his Bonapartist father

Later escaping the prison after 14 years and finding a hidden treasure on the island of Monte Cristo thanks to a touching relationship with a fellow prisoner, Dantès completely re-invents himself and becomes an entirely different man. After purchasing the island and founding a chivalric commandership, he leaves his old identity behind and re-enters society as the Count of Monte Cristo.

The descriptions of Dantès' incarceration and meeting with his fellow prisoner Abbé Faria were some of my favourite chapters. Abbé becomes a cherished companion and father figure and eagerly shares his extensive knowledge of languages, science, philosophy, history and politics with Dantès who is transformed by the wisdom generously shared.

During this time we're given access to Dantès thoughts and feelings but after his escape, the reader is no longer privy to his plotting and planning to bring down his enemies. Regrettably we only see the effects of his master plan by joining a range of individual characters including the conspirators and those in their immediate orbit as events transpire.

Here's an example of Villefort reflecting on the fact that he is sacrificing Dantès to his own ambition in order to protect his father:

"Now, in the depths of that sick heart the first seeds of a mortal abscess began to spread." Page 86

Suggesting Villefort will carry remorse in his soul until death is heavy indeed, although later in the book when Dantès catches up with Villefort, he's thriving and far from suffering. In fact, all but Caderousse have succeeded in the time Dantès was imprisoned.

Largely told in a third-person omniscient point of view, when Dantès re-enters society he finds his conspirators much changed:

Caderousse - has lost his livelihood as a tailor and is living in poverty
Fernand - has married Mercédès and is now the Comte de Morcerf after a distinguished service in the military
Danglars - has married into a noble family and is now Baron Danglars, an influential banker in Paris
Villefort - is now Chief Crown Prosecutor, however he's hiding the secret of an illegitimate child

There's a lot of detail and many characters to keep track of. The section in Rome with the bandits went for way too long and really only served to give Dantès an introduction to Parisian society. Sometimes it felt as though we were glimpsing the society goings on purely for the author's entertainment. I did enjoy the witty dialogue between Danglars and Villefort in Paris, but I found myself hoping it was all leading somewhere and part of the bigger plan.

Believing he's God's instrument, Dantès sets out to bring them down one by one:

Caderousse - Dantès gives him a second chance but eventually his greed gets him killed
Fernand (Comte de Morcerf) - Dantès proves Fernand committed treason and he is subsequently disgraced. His wife (Mercédès) and son leave him and he commits suicide from the shame.
Danglars - Dantès manipulates the stockmarket, bankrupting and disgracing Danglars. Fleeing his home in Paris, he steals money to establish a new life in Rome. Kidnapped by bandits (friends of Dantès from earlier in the book), he's imprisoned and starved, forced to buy food and water until he has little money left and is a broken man.
Villefort - Dantès manipulates Villefort's wife (a poisoner) and she poisons several members of Villefort's household. Dantès then exposes Villefort's secret of an illegitimate child in court and Villefort realises his wife is the poisoner. After forcing her to kill herself he suffers a mental breakdown.

Dantès' thirst for revenge seems to wane as the book goes on and there are many insights I enjoyed like this one:

"Truly generous men are always ready to feel compassion when their enemy's misfortune exceeds the bounds of their hatred." Page 953

The author breaks the fourth wall occasionally with phrases like "as we mentioned earlier" or "we owe it to our readers" or "in the previous chapter". And I was surprised when the author referred to himself in Chapter 36: "The author of this story, who lived for five or six years in Italy..." I wasn't expecting to be addressed directly by the author in this manner but readily enjoyed it.

I'll admit Dantès' relationship with the slave girl completely creeped me out. She saw him both as a father figure and a lover - blurgh - so when he ended the novel with her I screwed up my face in distaste. It was fitting that his relationship with Mercédès was beyond repair but what's wrong with sailing into the sunset alone?

Published in 1844, I read the Penguin Classics hardback edition translated by Robin Buss, and when compared to the ebook edition available on Libby, it was a very readable translation. Originally published as a weekly serial in a French newspaper, Dumas was paid by the word (or the line) and the book is understandably quite long as a result.

Enriching this month long reading experience (it took me 33 days, reading 3% each day) was reading The Count of Monte Cristo with fellow book blogger Suzie Eisfelder. Discussing it as we went along, Suzie recorded her thoughts on our buddy read on her YouTube channel where she says: "I thank Tracey for making it possible for me to actually finish this book." You're very welcome Suzie and thanks for sticking with it!

Immediately after finishing, I thought The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas was going to be a five star read. But in the considerable time it's taken for me to write this review - and include all of the character arcs for my own future reference - I'm reconsidering. I'm now able to separate the detailed narrative from the sense of achievement and satisfaction having conquered this sizeable classic and I'm going to settle on 4 stars.

Overall, a very enjoyable buddy read of this classic which I followed up by watching the 1975 version of The Count of Monte Cristo starring Richard Chamberlain.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★