Review: A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox

* Copy courtesy of HQ Fiction *

A Magic Deep & Drowning by Hester Fox is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid set in the Dutch Republic in 1650. Sounds amazing and I certainly enjoyed the first section set in what is now the Netherlands. Clara and her maid take a ride in a carriage to see a whale that has washed up on a nearby beach. The daughter of wealthy parents, Clara wonders if the whale is a bad omen but is excited at the news of a betrothal as it means she can finally leave home and establish a household of her own.

On first sight, Clara believes the soon-to-be love interest Maurits could have easily stepped out of the pages of her nursemaid's fairy stories so we know that he's fae. Both characters quickly become besotted with each other and I was rolling my eyes early on with the descriptions of his tidal-pool eyes and the waves of heat that pass between them.

I reviewed The Widow of Pale Harbour by Hester Fox in 2023 and I'm assuming this is the reason the publisher sent me a copy of the author's latest release, A Magic Deep & Drowning. I commented in my 3 star review of The Widow of Pale Harbour that there was too much romance for my liking but here there's even more. In fact, I'd go so far as to call A Magic Deep and Drowning a romantasy or young adult coming of age paranormal romance. It sounds like a mouthful, but this historical romance will appeal to readers familiar with the genre.

This reimagining of The Little Mermaid involves a gender switch and Maurits hails from the Water Kingdom where his people are in turmoil, disgusted by the way humans have overfished the sea to the point of scarcity.

Clara was an adventurous and courageous protagonist keen to accept accountability for the destruction:

"For the first time in her life, she had made a decision herself, one that did not sit precariously on the axis of her own comfort and duty." Page 249

Wanting to atone for the sins of human kind is obviously admirable, but I have no idea why she had to do it while being hungry all the time. Even when there was food to eat, Clara chose to hardly eat any of it which proved annoying.

I kept reading in hopes of returning and dwelling in the bustling streets and canals of 1600s Amsterdam when in hindsight I probably should have set this aside. The overarching message about being better custodians of the land and the sea will appeal to many readers, but A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox is confirmation that romantasy isn't for me.

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: History Stinks!: Wee, Snot and Slime Through Time by Suzie Edge

Throughout June and July I was finally tackling The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and needed a light audiobook to listen to in my downtime. History Stinks! Wee, Snot and Slime Through Time by Suzie Edge is the second in the History Stinks! series - the first being History Stinks! Poo Through the Ages - and is recommended for readers aged 7 years and over.

Published in April 2025, doctor and historian Suzie Edge turns back time to teach young readers about the history of urine, snot, pus, earwax, vomit, blood, sweat, tears and saliva. Tapping into the fact that kids of a certain age find bodily excretions gross and funny, the author combines her medical knowledge with her love of history to educate us further on this gooey subject matter.

We learn how urine was used by doctors to diagnose patients. 2,500 years ago the physician Hippocrates tasted a patient's urine in order to diagnose their condition. Now considered the father of medicine, Hippocrates was able to utilise this technique to spot conditions like diabetes if the urine was too sweet. He also tasted a patient's earwax; if it was bitter the patient was well, but if it was sweet, the patient was sick.

The chapter on earwax was enlightening as the author tells us medieval monks used earwax to help stick gold leaf to their illuminated manuscripts and to alter the consistency of their ink. Wow!

"Amazingly, earwax can tell us a lot about a person. Archaeologists who find bodies when they are digging in the ground sometimes find them with earwax still there. You can tell what someone liked to eat, the environment that they lived in and what pollutants they were exposed to." Chapter 5, Ewww! Earwax!

Presented in an easily digestible and accessible writing style, the content features regular jokes and info that will no doubt keep kids engaged.

History Stinks! Wee, Snot and Slime Through Time is perfect to listen to in the car with kids who want to know more about gross human bodily excretions and how our knowledge about them has changed over time.

Other books by Suzie Edge include:
Vital Organs - A History of the World's Most Famous Body Parts
Mortal Monarchs - 1,000 Years of Royal Deaths

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Lies We Tell Ourselves Winners Announced

Thanks to everyone who entered my recent giveaway to win 1 of 2 signed copies of The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot. Thanks to Big Ideas Press for providing the prizes and to Romi from Books On Tour PR & Marketing for the collaboration.

All entrants correctly identified Harley as the main character and entries closed at midnight Sunday 20 July 2025. The winners were drawn today, and congratulations go to... (drum roll):

SHARKS & MADDIE

Congratulations! You've each won a signed copy of The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot. You'll receive an email from me shortly to organise your inscription and postage details. Congrats and I hope you enjoy this Australian young adult story.

WIN 1 of 2 signed copies of The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot

* Giveaway courtesy of Big Ideas Press *

Intro

It's time for another giveaway and I've teamed up with Romi from Books On Tour PR & Marketing to bring you a young adult story set in Australia. The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot is suitable for readers aged 12+ and contains themes of friendship, self-esteem, body image, family dynamics, first romance and mental health.

Maura Pierlot is an Australian writer and international award-winning children's book author. She holds a PhD in philosophy, specialising in ethics and is also a qualified art therapist. 

Blurb

The biggest lies are the ones you tell yourself.

When gorgeous new student, Carter, struts into class, Harley knows it's time to reinvent herself. Before long, she's shedding not only her weight but her friends, her family and the person she used to be. Betrayed by someone close to her, Harley abandons her only ally, drawn into a dangerous game of self-deception with no rules. Or winner. Spiralling deeper into a world where nothing is as it seems, Harley is desperate to find her way back. But first, she must figure out why her dead grandmother is messaging her. Why her father's never home. Why the voice keeps making her do things she doesn't want to do. Why everyone she loves is out of reach. Why everything she wishes for is vanishing before her eyes ... or is she the one disappearing?

Giveaway

This international giveaway for 1 of 2 signed copies of The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot has now closed. Thanks to Big Ideas Press for providing these prizes valued at $22.99AUD each, entries closed at midnight AEST Sunday 20 July 2025. Good luck!

Review & Giveaway: The Paperbark Tree Committee by Karys McEwen

Intro

It's giveaway time and today I'm offering readers the opportunity to WIN 1 of 3 copies of The Paperbark Tree Committee by Karys McEwen thanks to Text Publishing. A coming of age story set in Melbourne, this giveaway is valued at $50.97 and is open to entrants from Australia and New Zealand. Entries close at midnight AEST on Sunday 13 April 2025, enter below and good luck!

About the author

Karys McEwen is a school librarian, bookseller, Vice President of the Victorian branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, Education Advisor for the Melbourne Writers Festival and is passionate about the role libraries and books can play in the wellbeing of young people.

Blurb

Twelve-year-old Art and his younger brother Hilary are great friends, best friends.

When they move to Melbourne from a small town in Queensland things seem to be easy for Hilary, who is still in primary school, but Art struggles to fit in, and he’s become a target for school bully Jack. His dad is too busy to give him much attention, but Art has his stepmum, Sally, who is always ready to listen.

And there’s the paperbark tree. Art and Hilary climb into its branches and hold a secret meeting whenever they need to sort things out.

The only problem is Art’s not sure he still wants to be part of the paperbark tree committee. He’s getting older and he thinks he needs to solve his problems on his own.

The Paperbark Tree Committee is a heartfelt story about growing up and leaving childhood behind; it’s about family and being a good brother, fitting in and finding friends, and about making mistakes and learning from them.

Review

I really enjoyed this coming of age novel and the various literary hats the author wears has equipped her with a unique perspective on children's literature which definitely shows on the page. McEwen obviously knows what kids want to read and this book has it all; a new school, making friends, dealing with a bully, school activities and an annoying Dad at home.

"Being a teenager is all about swimming along with only your fin showing, trying to look like a shark when really you're just some average fish. Never revealing that you're not as brave as you look, never admitting that everyone else is in the same ocean. It's terrifying. And exhausting." Page 34

The real highlight through it all for me was the relationship between brothers Art and Hilary. Their relationship took me back to my own childhood dynamic with my younger sibling and it really warmed my heart. The Paperbark Tree Committee is aimed at 8+ readers and if you're in Australia or New Zealand, you can enter my giveaway below to win a copy for yourself or a young reader in your circle.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Giveaway

This giveaway has now closed.

Review: All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan

All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan is a young adult novel about Lara Laylor, a teenage girl in Year 10 at a school in Melbourne. It doesn't sound like the type of book I usually read does it? But when I tell you Lara's history teacher gives each of his students an unsolved mystery from history as part of an assignment and Lara chooses the Somerton Man, you can see the instant appeal.

The Somerton Man was an unidentified man found dead on a beach in Somerton Park near Glenelg, Adelaide in December 1948. He didn't have any ID and the labels on all of his clothing had been removed. His cause of death couldn't be determined, but he died propped up and reclining with his legs crossed which made him look like he was resting or sleeping with a cigarette in his hand. Police circulated a photo of the man's corpse in suit and tie in an effort to identify him but his remains were never claimed. A plaster death mask was also taken of his body from the shoulders up prior to burial to assist in identification. This cast still includes hairs from his body which have since been DNA tested.

Adding to the mystery, a tiny scrap of paper with the printed words 'Tamám Shud' (meaning it is finished or it is done) was found rolled up in his pocket. The scrap had been torn from the page of a book which was eventually handed into Police after being found on the front seat of a car. What are the chances? The book had a series of letters inscribed in the back which have never been decoded as well as a phone number. The phone number was traced back to a nurse who lived 400m from where the Somerton Man's body was found but denied knowing him.

In the novel, Lara researches the mystery of the Somerton Man and considers the theories he was a European immigrant or a spy. Lara is ultimately glad the nurse chose to keep any knowledge she had to herself but I was yelling at the page while enjoying the reports and testimonials about the case interspersed throughout her first person narrative.

Naturally, the assignment takes a back seat as Lara negotiates problems in her social life, auditions for the school musical, deals with the absence of her older sister and looks into the mystery disappearance of her history teacher.

All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan is a young adult epistolary coming of age novel but I'll admit being mostly there for the connection to the Somerton Man. Who do you think he was? I think he was a spy and knew the nurse.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: History Stinks! Poo Through the Ages by Suzie Edge

After enjoying Vital Organs - A History of the World's Most Famous Body Parts by Suzie Edge, I thought I'd give her latest non fiction book published this year History Stinks! Poo Through the Ages a look in. Geared towards a much younger audience, medical doctor and historian Suzie Edge does a great job teaching young readers about history through the lens of toilets and yes, poo!

Beginning with the Romans and their public foricae comprising a marble bench with openings side by side over a communal gutter with fresh flowing water, the author takes us through the latrines, cesspits, garderobes, chamberpots, privvies and water closets across time.

Uniting her medical knowledge with her penchant for history, the author also covers a variety of diseases caused by poor sanitation along with some humorous factoids like this one.

In 1972, archaeologists in York in northern England discovered the fossilised remains of an enormous human turd. It was discovered along with wood, cloth and leather that was left behind from the Viking settlement centuries earlier. Edge tells us:

"This 1000 year old poo measured a gigantic 20 centimetres long and 5 centimetres wide and is believed to be the biggest example of a fossilised human poo ever found." Chapter 5

That certainly had me hurriedly pressing pause on the audiobook and rushing to find a tape measure so I can only imagine the reactions of the 7+ target audience. The fossil is on public display in York - complete with the stench cleverly recreated by scientists - but finding out it was accidentally dropped in 2003 when being handled during a school trip and subsequently broke into 3 pieces was surprisingly distressing.

History Stinks! Poo Through the Ages is a novel way for kids to learn about history, sanitation, historical figures, medicine and archaeology although the topical jokes and 'did you know' sections did begin to irritate this adult reader after a while. That said, there's plenty to entertain and a lot to learn in this short audiobook, from what people in the Roman and Tudor periods used to wipe their bottoms to how astronauts poo in space.

A sneak peek at the author's current writing project tells me that her next offering in the series History Stinks! Wee, Snot and Slime Through Time is due to be published in 2025 and I might just have to take a wee look.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino

Translated by Sam Bett, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Japanese author Keigo Higashino has an enticing premise. Three youths seek a place to lay low after carrying out a robbery and they break into the Namiya General Store. Seemingly abandoned and run down, they're surprised when a letter asking the previous shopkeeper for advice drops through the mail slot.

The young men quickly realise this isn't an ordinary shop, but what advice could they possibly have to give? They're certainly not upstanding citizens leading a successful and rewarding life are they? What should they do? And if they choose to answer the letter, what advice should they give?

The narrative expands as new and old letters are referred to and advice is both sought and received. The plot does get a little timey wimey in that time stops inside the general store and a connection between past and present is established although never adequately explained. This reader hardly cared (see my review of Under The Dome to see how I can ignore the 'why' of the premise and just enjoy the fallout), instead delighting in the various interconnecting characters in a cleverly spun narrative web.

In fact, I'd love to see a character map representing the interconnecting characters and their various overlapping narrative arcs, I think it'd be a beautiful sight indeed. It certainly seemed as though the entire plot was connected with silvery gossamer thread and Higashino took the reader around the web pointing out different patterns and individual stories.

In assessing the advice requested and the advice provided, we're given a glimpse into how that advice was or wasn't followed and how it all turned out. In doing so, the author raises the notion that many people are experiencing challenges in their lives, facing choices they don't want to make or decisions they can't seem to reach or make their peace with.

Similarly, the author seems to suggest that even a lowly delinquent may have advice worth considering to offer a fellow human being in crisis. Every individual has value to contribute and the innate ability to make a positive difference in the life of a stranger.

Employing a combination of magical realism, urban fantasy and science fiction, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store is a heartwarming, uplifting, positive feel-good read and I highly recommend it!

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★