Completed 2015 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

This year I participated in the 2015 Nonfiction Reading Challenge hosted by the Introverted Reader for the first time. To complete the Seeker level I had to read between 11-15 non fiction books in 2015.

Here's what I read (in order):

1.  1,339 QI Facts To Make Your Jaw Drop | John Lloyd & John Mitchinson

2.  War Diaries: A Nurse at the Front - The First World War Diaries of Sister Edith Appleton | Edith Appleton

3.  Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History's Great Wits and Wordsmiths | Mardy Grothe

4.  The Aitch Factor - Adventures in Australian English | Susan Butler

5.  Hark! A Vagrant | Kate Beaton

6.  Pro Resumes Made Easy | Andrea Drew

7.  Children Who Have Lived Before: Reincarnation Today | Trutz Hardo

8.  Swimming To The Moon | Robert Drewe

9.  Love Letters of Great Men by Ursula Doyle

10. Snail Mail: Rediscovering the Art and Craft of Handmade Correspondence | Michelle Mackintosh

11. Humans of New York | Brandon Stanton

12. The Sting - The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer | Kate Kyriacou

13. Australia's Most Murderous Prison: Behind the Walls of Goulburn Jail | James Phelps 

I enjoyed this reading challenge and covered a variety of topics. 

What non-fiction books did you read this year?

Carpe Librum!

Review: The Countess' Captive (Book Two in the Fairytale Keeper Series) by Andrea Cefalo

Downloaded for free during an Amazon promotion, The Countess' Captive is the second novel in the Fairytale Keeper series by Andrea Cefalo.

I read and reviewed the first in the series (The Fairytale Keeper) and I was keen to find out what would happen when Adelaide was forced to leave her home town together with her father, and move in with her new step-mother.

An historical fairytale re-telling of sorts, The Countess' Captive was a very pleasant and entertaining read, and although there was no more shoe-making (boo!) I was instead held captive by Adelaide's reluctant adjustment to her elevated position and new surroundings.

Suitable for YA readers and those who enjoy fairytale re-tellings or just a well-written historical fiction novel. (And don't you just love the font on the cover?)

My rating = ***1/2

Carpe Librum!

Winner of The Butterfly Enigma by Lorraine Campbell Announced

Thanks to everyone who entered last week's Friday Freebie to win a copy of The Butterfly Enigma by Australian author Lorraine Campbell and to JAM PR for providing the copy.

The giveaway closed at midnight on Friday 18th December, and the winner was drawn today. Congratulations go to.....

Jools!

Woohoo!! Jools, you'll receive an email shortly advising you of your win, and as soon as you've provided your postal address, I'll post your prize out to you.

Thanks and stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon.

Review: The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett

A novel featuring an antiquarian bookseller as the main character is bound to capture my attention. Add to that the mystery behind who actually wrote Shakespeare's plays and you have all the ingredients for a delicious read in The Bookman's Tale.

The author Charlie Lovett is a former bookseller himself, and his love of books certainly shines through on every page.

The plot (told in alternating time periods) is interesting and I enjoyed the sections with Peter working in the restorations section of the library the most.

The Bookman's Tale is a cozy mystery that should whet the appetite of any bibliophile and whilst I did find it entertaining, I didn't fall head over heels reading it.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

Review: Beauty's Kingdom by Anne Rice writing as A.N. Roquelaure

Warning: this book is full of erotica, so if you're offended, or under the age of 18, look away now.

Beauty's Kingdom is the long-awaited sequel and fourth novel in the Sleeping Beauty series by Anne Rice, writing here as A.N. Roquelaure.

Told from the perspective of different characters and their pleasures, the real arc of the story is the creation of a peaceful kingdom with an enjoyable and suitable place for every single one of its citizens.

Of course, with sex slaves at the heart of their culture, things are going to get steamy, and trust me they do. Having said that, it's important to know that the sex and lovemaking that takes place on the page is always accompanied by mutual respect and love. 

No-one is taken advantage of and nobody is hurt in Beauty's Kingdom and there are no dark elements to the story. It's simply an exploration of pleasure set in a fantasy world of sorts.

Beauty's Kingdom is an interesting and entertaining commentary on society, love and pleasure, and it was a joy to read. It's important to remember Anne Rice was writing erotica long before 50 Shades came along; oh, and this book is hot!

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

Friday Freebie: WIN a copy of The Butterfly Enigma by Lorraine Campbell

Published December 2015
RRP $29.99

* Copy courtesy of JAM PR *

About the book
The Butterfly Enigma is a gripping romantic thriller. Based on strong, intelligent characters and extensive historical research, The Butterfly Enigma raises moral questions about the resettlement of Nazi war criminals post-World War II and explores the long dark shadow cast by World War II mass killings.

Inspiration for the book
"Working as a court reporter over the years, I heard some incredible stories in the Melbourne Law Courts – but the tales of Nazi war criminals living in Australia and the many unsuccessful attempts to bring them to justice filled me with an ongoing and abiding sense of outrage. Why could these mass murderers never be put on trial for their heinous crimes? So I decided to bring this part of Australia’s history to life.”

About the author
Lorraine Campbell is a licensed shorthand writer and worked for seventeen years as a court reporter with the Victoria Government Reporting Service. She holds an Arts degree from Monash, majoring in Philosophy and English Literature, and has studied French and German. 

Lorraine lives in Melbourne, adores the opera, theatre and movies and also likes to keep fit. What she enjoys most though is lying on a chaise longue, popping chocolates and reading crime thrillers. Click here to read her guest post published a few days ago here on Carpe Librum, entitled A Day in the Life of a Stenographer.

Giveaway
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Review: The Messenger by Markus Zusak

When I read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak in 2007, I honestly thought he'd peaked. I assumed nothing he'd ever written before Book Thief, (or would ever write afterwards for that matter) could even begin to compete on that level. 

That foolish assumption robbed me of the opportunity to fall in love with The Messenger for eight years more than necessary. That's a bookish tragedy if you ask me and I've definitely learned my lesson.

Markus Zusak is an Australian writing wizard and he captured me on the first page of The Messenger with the voice of the main character Ed Kennedy. I was chuckling along with the cadence of his life, his friends and that of his pet dog The Doorman, until something meaningful started to unfold.

If I try to explain what happens, I'm afraid it'll sound absurd, and I can't speak highly enough of this book, so I think I'll keep this review simple.

If you're interested in themes of why we're here or how we can make a difference, Ed Kennedy will take you on an unexpected journey that will light up your soul and make you laugh while gently asking you to look at your surroundings - and the people in it - in an entirely new way. 

The Messenger is a quick, easy, funny, thoroughly moving and entertaining novel although it carries a powerful message; as the title suggests.

The ending is unique though, and when reading other reviews, it's clear that the readers who 'didn't get' the ending were let down by it, but the readers who did 'get it' are a little in awe; myself included. Whether you enjoy the ending or not is immaterial because Zusak offers an amazingly enjoyable reading experience along the way and it's one of those rare books I'd like to read again in the future.

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

Guest Post: A Day in the Life of a Stenographer by Lorraine Campbell

Australian author
Lorraine Campbell

Lorraine Campbell (pictured right) is the author of The Butterfly Enigma and is a court stenographer by trade. In this guest post, she tells us about her career in Australia's legal system.

I became a court stenographer purely by chance. I was working in a legal firm and one of the women there told me about it. My shorthand speed at that time was 120 words a minute. I studied high-speed Pitman’s shorthand at night school for three years. To work as a court reporter you need a shorthand licence. In those days, the licence examination was held twice a year. It was a nerve wracking experience and there was a high attrition rate. The year I passed, only eight out of thirty-five candidates were successful. By that time I had a speed of 220 wpm.

I worked as shorthand writer in the Melbourne Law Courts through the 1980s and early 1990s. These were the days before computers and modern technology. We were a relatively small elite group at the Court Reporting Branch of the Justice Department:  46 reporters – about equal numbers of Pitmen pen writers and steno machine writers – and 30 typists.

As a court reporter, you provide a verbatim record of court proceedings. That means recording in shorthand every single word uttered by the judge, the barristers and the witnesses. On any day you could be rostered to work in the Supreme Court on a criminal trial, in the commercial or probate jurisdictions, on bail applications, or a lengthy judgment delivered by one of the judges.  

A typical day for me would be working on a ‘running transcript’ in the criminal jurisdiction. The judges and barristers received a transcript of the morning’s proceedings at 2.15 pm, and the afternoon’s transcript by the end of the day. Four reporters and three typists were rostered for each trial. Each reporter would be on the bench for 15 minutes, then 45 minutes to dictate the turn to a typist and be back in court for the next turn. In those days, we were located in a building diagonally opposite the Supreme Court.  We were literally running all day! Across the road, two sets of traffic lights, and up three flights of stairs to the waiting typist. 

Working on a criminal trial, it initially came as quite a shock to be confronted with the dark underside of society. Cases involving sex, drugs or violence; sometimes all three. You encounter hardened criminals and stone-faced killers – many from those notorious crime families of the TV Underbelly series. You’re always aware of them, sitting in the dock, watching you as you come and go from court. 

Lorraine's book
The Butterfly Enigma

In the staid setting of a court room, you can hear the vilest obscenities and swear words. If it’s something you’ve never heard before, you turn to the judge and ask to have it repeated. Barristers and judges rely on the transcript, so it’s your responsibility to record everything accurately. It also comes as a shock to many jurors, hearing such language. Some react with audible gasps!  

In those days, court security was nothing like it is now. One of my first committal hearings was at the old City Court. That day a notorious armed robber was gunned down by a professional killer. We could hear the gunshots, just outside our court. Another incident happened outside Supreme Court 12. A crazed gunman ran screaming along the corridor, shooting at people. Two were killed, others wounded. Inside our court, people were shouting to “get down” as the shots rang out. 

These days, audio recording has largely taken over, except for Supreme Court criminal trials. In America and Canada, however, the profession is alive and well, and shorthand writers are much in demand. Most judges have their own court reporter who goes with them from court to court.  

Thanks so much for your guest post Lorraine. For your chance to WIN a copy of Lorraine's book The Butterfly Enigma, stay tuned for this week's Friday Freebie, where I'll be giving away a print copy thanks to JAM PR.

Winner of Olmec Obituary by L.J.M. Owen Announced

Thanks to everyone who entered last week's Friday Freebie to win a copy of Olmec Obituary by L.J.M Owen and Echo Publishing for providing the copy.

The giveaway closed at midnight last night, and the winner was drawn today, and congratulations go to.....

Brenda

Woohoo!! Brenda has entered so many of my giveaways but her name has never come up until today, so I'm really pleased with this win. Brenda, you'll receive an email shortly advising you of your win, and as soon as you've provided your postal address, your prize will be mailed out to you.

Thanks and stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon.

Review: Musings from the Inner Duck by Australian Cartoonist Michael Leunig

Filled with cartoons, poems and sketches, Musings from the Inner Duck by Michael Leunig is a deep reflection on life; if you're willing to look deep enough that is.

Most Australians will be familiar with Leunig's signature style cartoons, often featuring people with exaggerated noses and of course the curly man.

Leunig's latest offering Musings from the Inner Duck contains countless observations on life (some subtle and some not-so-subtle), commentary on social issues, politics, technology and an underlying love of nature and the environment.

Complete with his signature sense of humour and wit, Musings from the Inner Duck is a great little book to have around at Christmas.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

Friday Freebie: WIN a copy of Olmec Obituary by L.J.M. Owen

RRP $29.99
Published November 2015

* Copy courtesy of Echo Publishing * 

Click here for my review of Olmec Obituary by L.J.M. Owen.

Blurb
Yearning for her former life as an archaeologist, Australian librarian Dr. Elizabeth Pimms is struggling with a job she doesn’t want, a family she both loves and resents, and enforced separation from her boyfriend.

A royal Olmec cemetery is discovered deep in the Mexican jungle, containing the earliest writing in all the Americas. Dr. Pimms is elated to join the team investigating these Aztec ancestors. Triumph is short-lived, however, as Elizabeth’s position on the team is threatened by a volatile excavation director, contradictory evidence, and hostile colleagues. With everything working against her, will Dr Pimms find the cause of death for a 3,000-year-old athlete and those buried with her?

With the archaeological intrigue of Elizabeth Peters, forensic insight of Kathy Reichs, and comfort of a cosy mystery, Olmec Obituary is the first novel in a fascinating new series: Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth. Really cold cases.

About the Author
L.J. currently lives in Canberra, Australia and is trained in archaeology and librarianship, with a PhD in palaeogenetics. L.J.'s interests include writing, ancient cultures and existentialism and her first novel Olmec Obituary, opens the archaeological mystery series 'Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth'. 

Giveaway

This giveaway has now closed.

Review: The Sting - The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer by Kate Kyriacou

* Copy courtesy of Echo Publishing *

Everyone in Australia knows the name of Queensland schoolboy Daniel Morcombe and most are familiar with his 2003 abduction and the search to find and bring him home.

I remember hearing Daniel's killer had finally confessed in an undercover operation which eventually led to the grisly discovery of Daniel's remains and wanted to know more about how the police were able to 'catch him out'.

The Sting - The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer is true to its title and much more. Reading about the investigation into Daniel's disappearance I was surprised - and impressed - by the sheer volume of leads and enquiries made by QLD Police in the hunt for Daniel. I really had no idea just how big the investigation was.

I was also horrified to learn about the killer's history (I won't name him here because I don't want his name on my blog) and the fact that he'd been molesting children since the age of 10. This pedophile is a repulsive man and I really don't know how the undercover officers were able to befriend him and put up with his shit. I guess they did it for Daniel and his family. And to make sure he didn't harm anyone else. What else is there really?

I wasn't expecting to get much of an insight into the killer, but there is much dialogue included from recordings during the operation and you definitely get a sense of the man. This 'access' to the mind and behaviours of such a predator was sickening and actually gave me nightmares. 

I can't imagine the pain of Daniel's parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, but their victim statements at the end of the book gave this reader some idea. After putting down The Sting, I felt compelled to make a donation to the Daniel Morcome Foundation to help Bruce and Denise continue their work, and if you'd like to do the same, please click here. 

I was also moved by the amazing work done by Police, despite the politics between the states. Author Kate Kyriacou has done an amazing job covering this case and there's much to be learned.

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

Review: Olmec Obituary by L.J.M. Owen

* Copy courtesy of Echo Publishing *

Dr Elizabeth Pimms is the main character in Olmec Obituary, and it's no coincidence that she has much in common with the author, L.J.M. Owen.

Australian author L.J.M. Owen is trained in archaeology and librarianship as is her character Dr Pimms, who comes to life quickly and easily on the page.

Forced to move back to Canberra and leave her archaeology work behind was a hard decision for Pimms, however I loved learning about her life as a librarian. (In fact, I wish the entire book had been set with her in the library, working her way through the rotations).

Olmec Obituary is essentially a crime novel come cozy mystery (with stunning cover) where Dr Pimms will need all of her skills if she has any hope of unravelling a 3,000 year old mystery.

I enjoyed this debut, but two things kept me from rating it higher. The first being the few chapters set 3,000 years ago. The dialogue between the characters seemed very 21st Century, and even though I have no knowledge of the Olmec people, I struggled to believe that they would behave as we do, with children begging: "can we? pleeease" to get what they want.

My second issue was the number of times the character's cats were mentioned. If you love cats, then you'll love these additions to the novel, but I just found them repetitive.

Olmec Obituary is the first in the Dr Pimms Intermillennial Sleuth series of nine planned books, and I'll be giving away a copy very soon, so stay tuned to win a copy for yourself (valued at RRP $29.99).

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

Winner of An Empty Coast by Tony Park Announced

Thanks to all those who entered last week's Friday Freebie to win a copy of An Empty Coast by Tony Park. This one has been a popular giveaway with lots of entries, so thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for the copy.

The giveaway closed at midnight Friday 13th November, and the winner was drawn today, congratulations to (drum roll):

Mythicalmoofie

Congratulations Mythicalmoofie, you'll receive an email shortly advising you of your win, and as soon as you've provided your postal address, your prize will be mailed out to you direct from the publisher, Pan Macmillan Australia.

Thanks and stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon.

Review: Grief Is The Thing With Feathers by Max Porter

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin *

Grief Is The Thing With Feathers by Max Porter is many things. It's part fable, part poem and part short story about grief, sorrow, family and brothers.

The novella is a mythical tale about a crow who joins a family in mourning after the mother of two boys passes away, leaving the brothers and their father deep in grief.

The structure is unusual and refreshing and personally reminded me of the feeling I had when I discovered The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Beautifully written, often musical and definitely lyrical, I'll be the first to admit Grief Is The Thing With Feathers won't be for everyone. I'll admit not understanding all of the entries (some from the father, some from the brothers and some from the crow) however I was still moved and laughed out loud at the crow's sense of humour.

Delightfully presented in an A5 size hardback with a stunning dust jacket, Grief Is The Thing With Feathers by Max Porter will make a thoughtful gift for writers, poets and literary lovers who are still moving through the stages of loss and grief.

My rating = ***1/2

Carpe Librum!

Review: Humans of New York (HONY) by Brandon Stanton

Brandon Stanton is a photographer, and his book Humans Of New York is a collection of portraits taken in the great city of New York.

The Humans Of New York series of photos is also referred to by the acronym HONY and has inspired offshoots in other cities. Stanton began his HONY project in 2010 and published his work on his blog. Stanton's work became popular and he now has more than 15 million Facebook followers and this book is a #1 New York Times bestseller.

This collection of photographs - some of which include captions and short anecdotes - is an inspiring and thought provoking body of work.

Humans Of New York makes a great coffee table book, and is easy to browse through, but if you take your time, your curiosity will be rewarded.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was entirely due to the layout. Some of the photographs suffered due to placement, which I found a shame, and I'm confident this could have been enhanced by someone with better skills and vision for the project.

I highly recommend Humans Of New York for professional and amateur photographers and readers who enjoy the art of people watching; here you can do it without the risk of being caught!

My rating = ****

Carpe Librum!

Winner of Here We Lie by Sophie McKenzie Announced

Thanks to all those who entered last week's Friday Freebie to win a copy of Here We Lie by Sophie McKenzie, courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

The giveaway closed at midnight Friday 6th November, and the winner was drawn today, congratulations to (drum roll):

Liana!!!

Congratulations Liana, you'll receive an email shortly advising you of your win, and as soon as you've provided your postal address, your prize will be mailed out to you.

If you missed out this time, enter this week's giveaway here.

Friday Freebie: WIN a copy of An Empty Coast by Tony Park

RRP $29.99 AUD

* Copy thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia *

Blurb
A body. A cover-up. A buried secret.

Sonja Kurtz - former soldier, supposedly retired mercenary - is in Vietnam carrying out a personal revenge mission when her daughter sends a call for help.

Emma, a student archaeologist on a dig at the edge of Namibia's Etosha National Park, has discovered a body dating back to the country's liberation war of the 1980s.

The remains of the airman, identified as Hudson Brand, are a key piece of a puzzle that will reveal the location of a modern-day buried treasure - a find people will kill for.

Sonja returns to the country of her birth to find Emma, who since her call has gone missing. Former CIA agent Hudson Brand is very much alive and is also drawn back to Namibia to finally solve a decades-old mystery whose clues are entombed in an empty corner of the desert.

Author Bio

Tony Park grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney and has worked as a journalist in Australia and the UK, a government press secretary, a PR consultant and a freelance writer. He is also a Major in the Australian Army Reserve and served six months in Afghanistan in 2002 as the public affairs officer for the Australian ground forces. 

Tony and his wife, Nicola, divide their time between Sydney and southern Africa. Tony is an impeccable researcher, and writes character-driven thrilling page-turners set in exotic locations and exploring fascinating political, social and natural histories.

Click here to visit Tony's website.

Giveaway

This giveaway has now closed.

Snail Mail: Rediscovering the Art and Craft of Handmade Correspondence by Michelle Mackintosh

I love sending and receiving things through the mail - cards, letters etc. and receiving something unexpected is such a joy. Perhaps it comes from growing up in a Post Office, and helping to sort the mail as I got older.

I still remember writing to Dolly magazine asking for a penpal and promising to write back to every single letter. The mail came pouring in, and there was no way I could reply to the hundreds of letters, so instead I made a commitment to write back to every person who'd sent me a photo with their letter. 

Times have changed, but I still love to send birthday cards, notes and Christmas cards in the mail, even though people are doing this less and less. Nowadays people wish each other Happy Birthday via text message or a Facebook post, and when I sent my family and friends a change of address card earlier this year, a friend called me 'retro' and another laughingly called me 'old school.'

Well, I'm proud to be old school, and am hanging on to the art of snail mail with everything I've got. I also keep every card and note I've ever received, and can enjoy them long after text messages and Facebook posts are lost to the cloud/ether/black hole of technology.

Review
Michelle Mackintosh is a woman after my own heart. A fellow stationery lover and devotee of the printed word, her book Snail Mail: Rediscovering the Art and Craft of Handmade Correspondence was an absolute joy to read.

I certainly didn't need any convincing when it comes to the benefits of sending a sentiment in the post, but she gave me plenty of inspiration and ideas that I could be making more of what I do send. If you're looking for inspiration and want to send more snail mail in your life, then I heartily recommend Snail Mail. This beautiful book is full of ideas, examples and inspiration and is the perfect place to start.

If you want me to send you something in the mail, drop me a line here with your address (if I don't already have it) and I'll see what I can do :-)

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

Winner of The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine by Alex Brunkhorst Announced

Thanks to everyone who entered last week's Friday Freebie to win a copy of The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine by Alex Brunkhorst thanks to JAM PR.

The giveaway closed at midnight Friday 30th October, and the winner was drawn today, and:

the winner is Carly!

Congratulations Carly, you'll receive an email shortly letting you know about your win, and as soon as you've provided your postal address, your prize will be mailed out to you.

If you missed out this time, please stay tuned for more great giveaways.