Review: Working Stiff - Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner by Judy Melinek & T.J. Mitchell

* Copy courtesy of NetGalley*

Judy Melinek, M.D spent two years working and training as a Forensic Pathologist at the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Working Stiff is her memoir of this period in her career.

Melinek takes us through many real cases, including: accidents, murders, suicides, death from natural causes and more.  She worked the sorting tables throughout the September 11 recovery and gives a touching yet harrowing account of the process of finding human remains, cataloguing them and returning them to family; anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.

Working Stiff reads like an intimate conversation with Melinek.  Every time I had a question, she answered it, and it felt like she was telling me about her work as we passed the time on a long car trip.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Judy's husband T.J. Mitchell has an English degree from Harvard and is a stay-at-home Dad.  Why he's listed as a co-author on Working Stiff is beyond me.  Presumably Mitchell read and edited many drafts of Working Stiff for his wife while it was being written, but don't many partners and spouses do this?  He even had his own acknowledgements, argh!!

This was a minor sticking point though, and I thoroughly recommend Working Stiff - Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner to those who enjoy forensics and are genuinely interested in the work of Medical Examiners.

Best memoir of the year for me!

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

Please note: since writing the above review, author Judy Melinek has contacted me to let me know that she gave her husband a journal and he wrote the book, making it a 50/50 effort.  I'm grateful for this clarification.

Please vote for me in the Best Australian Blogs 2014 People's Choice Award

For the first time ever, my site, Carpe Librum is a Nominee in the Best Australian Blogs 2014 Competition.

The competition is run every year by the Australian Writers' Centre and blogs of every genre are nominated (e.g. books and reading, cooking, travel, sport etc.)

I've never asked you to vote for me before but it would mean the world if you voted for Carpe Librum in this competition.  Voting is open now and closes on Monday 5 May at 5pm.  There are 962 blogs in the running, but they're listed alphabetically so it's super easy to find Carpe Librum.

Please vote online for Carpe Librum, and any other favourite bookish sites you follow and show your support for Australian blogs.

Thanking you in advance and happy voting!

Review: Jane Austen: Her Complete Novels in One Sitting by Jennifer Kasius

I received this adorable little volume (smaller than a post-it note) as a gift from my nephew.  He lives in the UK, making this little gift even more special.

Surprisingly for a book-lover, I haven't read any Jane Austen yet, and I was keen to find out more in Jane Austen - Her Complete Novels in One Sitting by Jennifer Kasius.

I started taking this book to appointments (physio, OPSM etc.) and it certainly drew attention from others, but it took me well over one sitting to get through it.  
Broken down with lists of characters and summary of plot, this little gem covered six Austen novels.  The novels were all about romance, marrying within your station and the plot summaries expounded incredibly dull novels.

As a result of reading Jane Austen - Her Complete Novels in One Sitting, I'm no longer keen to read Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, both of which have been on my TBR list for over 3 years.  This being the case, I think this miniature book has failed to pique my interest as a reader, but I will always love it for sentimental reasons, and think of my gorgeous nephew whenever I see it.

My rating = **

Carpe Librum!

Review: Through The Cracks by Honey Brown

Advanced copy of Through The Cracks
by Honey Brown

* Copy courtesy of The Reading Room and Penguin Australia *

After reading and reviewing a handful of 3 star rated books, I can't tell you the feeling of relief and expectation picking up an advanced copy of Honey Brown's new thriller Through The Cracks.

Without a doubt the hero of the book is Adam Vander, growing up with an extremely abusive father in suburban Sydney.  Made to feel unwanted and different, his home life shifts when Adam becomes old enough and strong enough to fight back.  His life is flipped on its head though when he meets Billy.

Through The Cracks is a psychological thriller written by one of Australia's best writers in the genre, Honey Brown.  Through The Cracks peers into the dark corners of child abuse, and shines a light on the scum and their motivations for cruelty against children.

Although the subject matter is dark, much is left to the reader to imagine; there is no depravity for depravity's sake.  I read Through The Cracks during the week Daniel Morcombe's killer was sentenced and this certainly influenced my reading of the novel.  It made me understand that although this is a novel, unfortunately there are depraved pedophiles in our community and we need to do everything we can to protect our children.

So, how does it end? Well, I'll leave that for you to discover, but I can tell you the revelation about Adam's identity was so well written I'd recommend this novel based on that 'twist' alone.

Highly recommended for fans of crime and psychological suspense and readers who love reading Australian authors.

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

N.B  Through The Cracks will be published at the end of this month.

Review: The Silversmith's Wife by Sophia Tobin

* Copy courtesy of The Reading Room *

Set in 1792, The Silversmith's Wife takes place in London's Berkeley Square and is Sophia Tobin's first novel.

Pierre Renard is an ambitious silversmith found by the night watchman with his throat slashed and his belongings stolen, much to the shock of his wife Mary.

I was immediately drawn to The Silversmith's Wife with its gorgeous cover and the hope of finding out more about the night watchmen of London during this era.  When I read At Day's Close - A History of Nighttime by A. Roger Ekirch I was enthralled by the 'night watch' whose job it was to patrol the streets, apprehend criminals or thieves, watch for signs of fire and call out the time.

The night watchman in The Silversmith's Wife was a dark and intriguing character, but I was just begging him to call out the time or an 'All's Well' but sadly he never did.

However, what I did find was a story centred around Mary and a few central characters in what I would call a character based (rather than action based) whodunnit.  It was interesting (and frustrating) to read how Mrs Renard was treated - both as a wife and a widow - and the several characters who had motive to kill the pompous Pierre Renard.

The Silversmith's Wife captured the life and times of London in the 1790s very well although I would have loved more detail on the art of making and producing the pieces of silver described in the novel.

Readers are not left hanging in this whodunnit with a timely confession at the end that I didn't see coming.  An enjoyable read.

My rating = ***1/2

Carpe Librum!

Review: The Ghost of the Mary Celeste by Valerie Martin

Historical Fact
The Mary Celeste was a merchant ship and on 5 December 1872 it was discovered abandoned in calm waters in the Indian Ocean and sailing towards the Strait of Gibraltar.

There was no sign of the crew despite plenty of food and water on board and no signs of foul play; although one of the lifeboats was missing.  The crew's personal belongings and valuables were undisturbed and their disappearance is one of the greatest maritime mysteries in the world.

Background
When I first learned about the publication of The Ghost of the Mary Celeste by Valerie Martin, I was over the moon ecstatic!  The mystery of the Mary Celeste has fascinated me for years and I couldn't wait to find out how the author would tackle the mystery.  Would she provide an answer to the mystery? Would she suggest pirates, mutiny, drunkenness or some other calamity? I couldn't wait to find out and my expectations were sky high.

My review
This isn't a novel about the Mary Celeste so much as a novel about characters related to the crew members of the ship.  Those expecting a novel documenting the ship at sea with the climax of the crew's disappearance and perhaps subsequent enquiry are in for a major disappointment.  

We hear from Sarah, the Captain's wife aboard the Mary Celeste at the time of the ship's demise.  We also hear from Arthur Conan Doyle, who penned a make believe account of the Mary Celeste a few years after the mystery, heightening the popularity of the maritime mystery and increasing his own notoriety.

The novel includes a great deal about spiritualism of the era, spearheaded by renowned medium and clairvoyant Violet Petra who is being investigated by reporter Phoebe.  Violet's lifestyle and lonely existence was fascinating however I was frustrated by the weak link to the Mary Celeste.

I also read The Ghost of the Mary Celeste during the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines MH370 which further heightened my senses for the mysterious and unexplained.  

The ill-fated Mary Celeste

Despite this historical novel being very well researched it failed to meet even my modest expectations.  I've since concluded that I was yearning for a different book; one that hones in on the mystery, the ship's curse and takes the reader through their version of what happened.

As such, it pains me to admit, The Ghost of the Mary Celeste was an average read for me.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

Review: Big Brother by Lionel Shriver

Pandora is a successful businesswoman, married to Fletcher and step mother to his two children.  In the last few years Fletcher has become a health nut, heavily into cycling. Meanwhile Pandora loves to cook and once ran her own catering business so Fletcher's aversion to food is getting on her nerves.

Pandora's brother Edison is a jazz musician and when she learns he's been experiencing a run of bad luck she agrees to let him stay with her family for a while.  When Pandora arrives at the airport to pick him up she's shocked to find her once handsome brother is now morbidly obese and can barely walk.

Fletcher (health fanatic) and Edison (foodaholic) inevitably clash and what ensues is a fascinating look at family dynamics, social etiquette and relationship loyalties.

Check out this blurb excerpt from GoodReads:

Rich with Shriver’s distinctive wit and ferocious energy, Big Brother is about fat: an issue both social and excruciatingly personal. It asks just how much sacrifice we'll make to save single members of our families, and whether it's ever possible to save loved ones from themselves.  Source: GoodReads

I was gripped by the characters and the plot although there was an overload of jazz content at times, forgivable because it's all Edison talks about.  Lionel Shriver had me in the palm of her hand until an unexpected turn towards the last quarter of the novel.

Without spoiling it, the change in direction left this reader feeling betrayed and a little cross.  Would I recommend Big Brother to other readers after this?  Maybe not, but am I glad I read it? Definitely.  This swing in my enjoyment levels makes it hard for me to give Big Brother a star rating, but I've settled on 'good read'.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

HFVBT Book Blast & Giveaway: One Thousand Porches by Julie Dewey

HF Virtual Book Tours is thrilled to introduce you to author Julie Dewey's historical novel One Thousand Porches!

A heart warming story about family, love, and perseverance, One Thousand Porches chronicles the lives of tuberculosis sufferers and their family members at a sanatarium in Sarnac Lake, NY. A beautiful story that is meant to inspire and uplift readers through the cast of characters that are genuinely kind human beings, readers have called One Thousand Porches "illuminating" and "historically significant". Down the Kindle Ebook for FREE on March 20th!

In celebration of the release of One Thousand Porches we are giving away 2 paperback copies and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

One Thousand Porches
by Julie Dewey

Publication Date: November 1, 2013
CreateSpace
Formats: Ebook, Paperback

Set in the majestic yet untamed Adirondack Mountains of New York more than a century ago, an extraordinary story unfolds about a little known town called Saranac Lake.

The town is home to a man with a disease known as consumption, white plague, or as some called it, the red death. It is here that Doctor Edward Livingston Trudeau finds a hopeful cure for tuberculosis in the form of open air. Trudeau’s patients vary in age, gender, class, and race, but they have one thing in common. They must all choose to embrace life, even in the face of death, if they wish to heal at the Sanitarium.

Christine, a woman at the helm of her family, has already lost two children to the dreaded plague. But when her daughter, Collette, contracts the disease, she is determined to keep her alive. Venturing into unknown territory, Christine risks her own health and that of her unborn child, as well as her marriage, to help her daughter seek a cure that to many is absurd. Christine embarks upon a life-changing journey as she moves from caregiver to patient. In the face of adversity she must find the courage to sustain herself. When Lena, a factory worker and mother of three, begins coughing up blood she is faced with a decision no mother wants to make. She either stays with her family and risks her own death, or leaves her loved ones behind while she goes off in hope of a cure at the Sans. Big Joe, once a strong man for a traveling circus, seeks a quiet place to live out his final days in hiding. When he is sent to the Sanitarium, he is terrified to learn he will be housed with fellow circus performers for he is a hunted man. Gaunt and thin, he can only hope no one from his past recognizes him in his current state. Little Amy, a six year old child, must care for her entire family of seven, all whom are afflicted with different forms of plague. When she is diagnosed with a very rare form herself, she is sent to the Sanitarium and put under the care of Dr. Trudeau. Alone and afraid, Amy faces her fears and allows herself to dream of a future.

With a cast of characters so vivid, One Thousand Porches is a heart warming and engaging story that will instill hope and faith in even the most pessimistic reader.

Read an excerpt

Chapter 1 Pittsford, NY 1885

The sputum most likely crossed the hearth of our large country estate in Pittsford, New York on the scalloped hem of my favorite green velvet dress. The flattering ensemble with the well fitted bodice and bustle below my waist in the back. I was told this by my husband, James Lyndon, who made me watch while he set the garment to burn in our grate, the embers coursed thru the fabric destroying the residue left from a lungers hacking.

Consumption was a poor man’s disease, it was inconceivable that it gained entry into our pristine home miles outside the village by any other means. James had no one else to hold responsible for his son’s suffering so the burden of blame was mine in his eyes. I had ventured into town for groceries and fabric, as well as lunch with the ladies several times over the course of the month. I dare not remind my husband, but he ventured far more places than I did.

My husband could not bear witness as his sons flesh was consumed, his lungs gurgling and dissolving as he gasped and choked for air. All Henry’s strength and will were sapped from his body as he withered away in isolation. His soul leaving us for heaven mere weeks before his 18^th birthday celebration this October. I was given no choice but to accept the guilt that Henry would never attend college, or marry and have children. James placed the blame squarely upon my shoulders and defiantly closed me out from our bedroom and from his affections, punishing me for the death of our first born son.

Typically solid and stoic to a fault, James became maniacal for a short time immediately following Henry’s death. Frenzied, he set off on a tirade where he emptied gown after gown from my closet along with dress coats, shoes, scarves and gloves, immersing them all in the raging blaze to be destroyed. James wasted no time, and stormed through the house ripping sheets and pillowcases off beds, kitchen aprons from hooks and even the old fraying rags under our sink that we stored for cleaning, were all set to burn.

“James, I beg of you, you cannot burn our entire wardrobes, we will have nothing left!” I screamed in a panic, trying to get through to him, but knew I could not be heard for his empty eyes did not meet mine but instead flickered across the house, leaping from object to object in search of anything else he missed, telling me in short, he was momentarily insane.

Amidst my pain and suffering I took great measures to prevent the bacteria from infecting the rest of us, beginning with scouring the house daily to an immaculate state until my fingers cracked and bled. In the evenings my gentle daughters slathered my hands, one finger at a time, with petroleum jelly and wrapped them in strips of cotton in order to heal. All of my remaining dressing gowns, the ones set aside to be tailored that James missed as he ransacked the place, as well as Collette’s and Emma Darlings were hemmed to mid-calf so as not to risk contact with the ground. Lucas and Daniel, our two remaining boys wore trousers that did not drag but I feared the disease and their fathers instability so intensely now that I made them take off their shoes on the porch and wipe the soles with rags dipped in boiling water the moment they got home from school. Then the rags were burned in our outdoor fire pit.

We were told the disease could lay dormant for months or years even, causing even more panic, and so the fires raged and our old shifts were ripped to make rags to use for boiling and cleaning purposes.

The disease known as consumption, white plague, the red death, or tuberculosis was especially harmful to anyone with an already compromised immune system, such as our Collette with her weakling lungs. It was spreading like wildfire across the nation and was being touted as the most fatal disease known to man, far surpassing typhoid and scarlet fever in its death toll. Taking nearly one in every seven Americans or four hundred souls daily. It took no prejudice in who it afflicted either. The elderly as well as children, men and women, black and white, poor and wealthy were disposed of but most often it was young adult males in the prime of their life, like our Henry, falling prey.

Doctors were perplexed by the spread of the disease, some believed it was developed based on the patient’s constitution, either physiologically or psychologically and therefore didn’t believe it could be spread. Along the same lines other scientists and researchers believed it to be hereditary and therefore took no precautions against it. Still others thought it was airborne spread from spitting, coughing, laughing, sneezing, and even talking. It was thought it could also be transferred from bodily fluids such as pus and bowel discharge. Doctors encouraged everything from wearing beards for the men to prevent the germ from entering their orifices, to eating nothing but diets rich in meat and dairy.

“I tell you Christine, this disease is contagious. We must be vigilant over our hand washing, and we shall each bathe nightly in separate water.” James spoke to me through his fog of grief.

About the Author

Julie Dewey is a novelist who resides with her family in Central New York. Her daughter is a singer/songwriter, and her son is a boxer. Her husband is an all-around hard working, fantastic guy with gorgeous blue eyes that had her falling for him the moment they met.

In addition to researching and writing she is an avid reader. She is also passionate about jewelry design and gemstones. She loves anything creative, whether it be knitting, stamping, scrapping, decoupaging, working with metal, or decorating.

Giveaway

To enter to WIN one of the following prizes, please complete the Rafflecopter form.

2 – Paperback copies of One Thousand Porches
1 – $25 Amazon Gift Card

Giveaway will run from March 17-28. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on March 29 and notified via email.
Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Review: Secrecy by Rupert Thomson

Blurb
A sculptor of the macabre. A sorcerer of wax. A criminal. A runaway.

Set in Florence blighted by corruption and austerity, Secrecy is a tour de force of whispered pleasures and startling revelations.  It is a scintillating, breathtaking read from a novelist at the height of his powers.

My thoughts
With a blurb like that, I was hanging out to read Secrecy by Rupert Thomson and picked up a copy for just $8.00 in a book sale.

Such a magnificent premise: an artist working in wax in Florence in the 1690s, obsessed with the plague and making wax figurines depicting the suffering of the human race.  His dark matter attracts the attention of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who asks him to create a commission that is daring, never been done before and could cost the protagonist his life.

Somehow, the novel just didn't 'get there' for me.  If anything, I felt as though Thomson was holding back dark aspects of character in case it made the protagonist unlikeable.  I was also holding out for a scene featuring the Grand Duke with his commission that never took place.

Such a disappointing read when I was looking forward to it so much.

My rating = **

Carpe Librum!

Congratulations to the Winner of the just_a_girl Giveaway

Thanks to all those who entered my just_a_girl giveaway this month, there were some creative internet handles and author Kirsten Krauth enjoyed reading through all of your entries.

Mary Preston has won
this signed copy of
just_a_girl by
Kirsten Krauth.
Congratulations!

It gives me great pleasure to announce the winner is....

Mary Preston

If Mary were a young teenager communicating in an online chat room today, her internet handle or nick name would be Angel Wings. Mary has been entering my giveaways for a long time so it's wonderful to see her name come up!

Mary, please email me your postal address by midnight Friday 21 March* and I'll send your autographed copy of just_a_girl by Kirsten Krauth (pictured right) to you - along with introductory letter - right away.

* (If I don't receive your postal address by midnight 21 March a new winner will have to be drawn).

Happy reading and Carpe Librum!

Review: The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley attracted my attention by its presence on so many 'books about books' or 'books for booklovers' lists that I decided to give it a go.

Roger Mifflin is the owner of a second hand bookstore, aptly named 'The Haunted Bookshop' because he is haunted by the ghosts of the books he hasn't read.  Sadly, this is where the brilliance ended for me.

There were many opportunities during the slim novel for Mifflin to spout on about the importance and art of the bookseller, the significance of books and reading and his belief that if only the population would read certain (mentioned) books, there would never be another Great War in the world.

Incidentally, I only realised after finishing The Haunted Bookshop that it was published in 1919.  This was a complete surprise to me as it truly felt like an historical fiction novel, not one written almost 100 years ago.

Mifflin mentions so many books and written works throughout The Haunted Bookshop that I alternated between feeling illiterate and ignorant and believing the protagonist (if not the author himself) was a bit of a snob.

I did however, enjoy the following quote immensely:

"It saddens me to think that I shall have to die with thousands of books unread that would have given me noble and unblemished happiness."  Pages 153-154

I also learned two new words on page 202:

1. A bibliosoph is 'someone who knows about books.'
2. Bibliomania is 'an excessive fondness for acquiring and possessing books'.

Despite these pearls, the novel's sole purpose seemed to be giving a voice to Roger Mifflin and his world of books and bookselling.

My rating = **

Carpe Librum!

Review & Giveaway: just_a_girl by Kirsten Krauth

* From author for review *

just_a_girl is like no other book I've ever read.  Written by Australian author Kirsten Krauth, it's been described as: "Lolita with a webcam" or "Puberty Blues for the digital age," and now that I've read it, I'd have to agree.

Set in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney, just_a_girl is about fourteen year-old Layla, her religious mother Margot and a stranger on the train, Tadashi.

Layla is provocative, daring, reckless and a tease.  (The scene involving a Chup a Chup on a train has haunted me, and I don't think I'll ever look at one the same way).  At times I didn't like Layla's provocative and promiscuous behaviour and at other times she made me laugh out loud or hot under the collar.  She was both naive and mature at the same time, and the writing in her chapters was fast-paced and chock full of YA language.

Contrastly, Layla's mother Margot has no idea what her daughter is up to, and is primarily occupied with her Church and pastor.  Her sentences are long and wistful, and it's clear she hasn't recovered from her divorce after learning her husband was gay.

Tadashi has seen Layla on the train, and the reader is given a glimpse of his lonely and solitary life.  We soon learn that he is purchasing a companion doll (or Love Doll) from Japan to have a relationship with.  The chapters narrated by Tadashi were fascinating, and I could easily have spent the entire novel with him on his personal journey.

Not since reading Tim Winton last year, have I come across an author so eager to break the usual rules regarding dialogue and grammar, but Krauth does it successfully in just_a_girl, and it works.

Unlike other novels, just_a_girl doesn't seem to be heading towards a point in time or a particular event.  The author switches between the lives and perspectives of the three protagonists with seemingly no overarching plot set to crash together.  There is an overlap of consequences between Layla and her mother, and Layla and Tadashi at the end, but I'll leave that to the reader to discover on their own.

just_a_girl  is confronting and shocking and contains teenage sexual activity.  If I had a teenage daughter I'd be terrified after reading this debut novel from Kirsten Krauth, but perhaps that's the point.

I'd like to add a personal caveat to my star rating if I may: I would recommend  just_a_girl for readers aged 16 and over.  The novel isn't restricted by the publishing industry, it's just my own personal suggestion.

My rating = ****

Giveaway

Thanks to the generosity of Kirsten Krauth, I have an autographed copy of just_a_girl to give away to one lucky Carpe Librum reader.

Autographed copy of
just_a_girl by
Kirsten Krauth
up for grabs!

To enter: just_a_girl is an internet handle, alias or nickname. To enter this giveaway, what is/was your own internet handle or what would it be if you were a young teenager communicating in an online chat room today?

Eligibility: this giveaway is open to those with an Australian postal address only.
Entries close: midnight, Monday 10th March 2014.

Winner: will be chosen by random.org and announced no later than midnight Friday 14th March 2014.  The winner has until midnight Friday 21st March to make contact and provide a postal address.

Additional entries: those who Tweet about this giveaway (or RT), sign up to follow Carpe Librum by Google Friend Connect or via email after this post will receive an additional entry in the competition.  (Make sure you mention this in your comment/entry).

Good Luck everyone and thanks to Shelleyrae from Book'd Out for the introduction to Kirsten!

N.B. I forgot to mention that just_a_girl contains the most amazing description of a woman giving birth that I've ever read/heard.  It had me puffing at the end!

Drowning in spam, Carpe Librum fights back!

While I've been celebrating the increased popularity of Carpe Librum (reaching 100,000 total hits in December 2013), with success comes increased spam in the form of bogus comments.  

Last month my site received more than 20,000 hits (wow, right?) but I also received an enormous amount of spam.  Today alone when I logged on, there were more than 200 spam comments for me to check and delete.

While it was manageable I was happy to manually check and delete these comments, rather than introduce a verification process.  I don't like using a verification process myself when I leave comments on another site, so naturally I didn't want to ask Carpe Librum members or visitors to jump through that hoop, but I'm left with no choice now.

Apologies to all, but from now on you'll need to go through a short verification process in order to leave a comment here.  I can only hope that I don't lose valid comments by introducing this measure.

Review: The Whispering by Sarah Rayne

*From Publisher for Review *

The Whispering is the fourth in Sarah Rayne's ghost series featuring Nell West and Michael Flint.

This time Michael Flint is researching the music and poetry of the Great War; in particular how music influenced their individual outlook and work.  I studied WWI poetry at university, so it was wonderful for me to see the names of Robert Graves and Siegfried Sassoon frequently mentioned.  I wish Wilfred Owen could have played a role in the story but that might have been asking for too much.

Michael is also researching the origins of the Palestrina Choir: a girl's choir based in a convent that sang behind a rood screen to hide their 'deformities'.  Girls who were crippled, malformed or simple were left at the convent by their parents, joined the choir and created angelic music but could never be seen.

Here's a quote from The Whispering about the origins of the long-dead choir.  The Palestrina Choir was "..formed in an ancient monastery in Belgium in 1900 to commemorate the start of the new century, and was named for the sixteenth-century composer of sacred music."

I was fascinated by the choir, and Michael visits Fosse House to meet reclusive Luisa Gilmore as part of his research but ends up discovering more than he bargained for.  

Meanwhile, Nell is researching the origin of the Holzminden sketch, a drawing that Michael finds in Fosse House, and which could be a sketch made at a WWI prisoner of war camp.

The Whispering is nicely layered and I enjoyed having Michael as the protagonist this time around instead of Nell.  There was an important reveal at the end that I had incorrectly predicted, and for me that's a sign of a great read when the plot carries you in an unexpected direction.

The Whispering can be enjoyed as a stand-alone and is recommended for readers who like a good ghost story, or the idea that the past can bleed into the future and vice versa.

My rating = ****

Carpe Librum!

Hades Giveaway Winner Announced

Thanks to all those who submitted entries in the Hades by Candice Fox Giveaway.  The competition closed at midnight on Valentine's Day and I received some great entries and Twitter re-tweets.

All entries were numbered and entered into random.org and the winner drawn was:

Fay Reeve

Her entry was a 'galloping horse.'  Congratulations Fay!  

Please email me your postal address by midnight Friday 21 February* and I'll send your copy of Hades by Candice Fox to you right away.

* (If I don't receive your postal address by 21 February a new winner will have to be drawn).

Thanks again and be sure to be on the lookout for the next giveaway coming to Carpe Librum soon.  I'll give you a hint, it's also by an Australian Women Writer (AWW).

Happy reading and Carpe Librum!

Review: 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself: Change Your Life Forever by Steve Chandler

I don't recall how I came across this title, but I thought it might be a great self-help book; perfect for the beginning of the year.  When I reserved it from the library, I was allocated an older edition of 100 Ways To Motivate Yourself - Change Your Life Forever by Steve Chandler in large print.

The large print was perfect actually and the fact that it's broken into 100 ways/chapters makes it the perfect book to dip into at any time; you can literally flick to any page and start reading.  Many/most of the 'ways' I'd come across before in one form or another, but I ended up flagging six sections in the book for follow up later on.

There was one motivational strategy in particular that really grabbed my attention and I immediately put the book down to commence developing a personal goal I'd been avoiding.

For that one idea it was definitely worth reading 100 Ways To Motivate Yourself - Change Your Life Forever by Steve Chandler, although for any readers seeking out this book, I recommend you get the latest edition.  I'm confident it'll be even better.

You can read Chapter/Number 40 Find Your Soul Purpose for free online, just click here.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

P.S.  My favourite quote from the book appeared on page 192, in an excerpt from Anne Lamott's non fiction book Bird by Bird.  This phrase came about when Anne's brother had been procrastinating about working on a school project about birds. He was panicking the night before it was due, feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead, and his father said:

"Bird by bird, buddy.  Just take it bird by bird."

Brilliant advice, I love it! 

Review: Hindsight by Melanie Casey

* From Pantera Press for review *

Cass Lehman is a young South Australian woman in her twenties living at home with her mother and Grandmother, and completely isolated from outside life.  The reason?  Cass comes from a line of gifted women: her Grandmother is a hands-on healer, her mother can see glimpses of the future and Cass experiences the death of a person when she occupies the spot where they died. In other words, she has retrocognition.

This paranormal gift is a curse for Cass and as a result she spends most of her time living and working from home.  Cass and her family have charted all of the 'death spots' to avoid in her small home town, but she is growing increasingly frustrated with the limitations of her lifestyle.

When a woman in the town is murdered, Cass decides to offer local Police her help and is introduced to Ed Dyson.  I'll say no more about what happens next except to say that it's the beginning of a thriller ride.

I just knew I'd love the novel as soon as I read the blurb and thankfully Hindsight lived up to my every expectation.  I was instantly swallowed up by the story and immediately drawn in to Cass's world.  Published by Pantera Press, this is an outstanding debut from Australian author Melanie Casey and it's exciting to see her burst onto our bookshelves in style.

Hindsight is the first in a series featuring Cass and Ed, with the sequel called Craven due out in June this year.  I know it's only a few months away, but it's still not quick enough for this reader.  Highly recommended!

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

P.S.  If you enjoy Hindsight, you might also enjoy The Shadow series by Kay Hooper. It's an old series and the first is called Stealing Shadows.  I gave it 4 stars in 2008.

Australian Women Writers (AWW) Challenge 2014

I've been watching the Australian Women Writers Challenge for several years now but never actively taken part myself.  Mostly because my reading choices have nothing to do with the gender or name of the author.  I don't need a challenge to read more Australian women writers; I choose the books I want to read based on their appeal, their story.

But by observing the work of the many book bloggers that take part in this challenge every year, I've realised that by mere participation, more reviews are being shared online and therefore Australian novels are reaching a greater audience.

Here are some quick stats from the 2013 AWW Challenge:

• Over 1,800 reviews were written;
• Over 700 authors had their work reviewed; 
• A total of 1079 books were reviewed.

With so many reviews written and Australian female authors in the spotlight across the internet, hopefully it's generating attention which might lead to book sales or library visits.  I know that my own network of friends and family have read books based on my reviews that they otherwise wouldn't have come across.

It is widely known that many readers predominantly read male authors, while my own split is 41% female and 59% male.  I've also read that more male authors are published than female authors, causing some women to write under a nom de plume.  While I don't necessarily believe the gender split should be exactly 50/50 (life just isn't like that), I do believe the best novels should be published (regardless of gender) and readers should choose the books they want to read from the titles available.

By the same token, I'm a proud and active supporter of Australian writers and have been participating in the Aussie Author Reading Challenge for a number of years now.  It is with all of these thoughts and motivations in mind that I've decided to join the 2014 AWW Reading Challenge.  Why?  To share my reviews, show my support for Australian women writers and to contribute to the increasing influence of AWW and be part of the change taking place.

I've already read 4 books by Australian Women Writers this year (reaching the Stella level) so I've signed up for the following challenge level:

Franklin: read 10 books – if reviewing, review at least 6

If you'd like to join in and participate or find out more about the reading challenge, click here.  You don't need a blog to participate either!

Carpe Librum!

Review, Google Hangout and Giveaway: Hades by Candice Fox

*Copy from The Reading Room for review*

Hades is the debut crime thriller from new Australian author Candice Fox.

Hades owns and lives in a rubbish tip in outer Sydney and is the guy underworld criminals go to when they've made a mistake.  He makes problems and sometimes bodies disappear but his life changes forever when he receives delivery of two bundles for disposal one night.

Despite his vocation and fearsome reputation, Hades is a loveable character, making large animals from scrap metal and watching over those he cares deeply about.

Also joining the cast of characters is Frank, a Detective in the Homicide squad, paired up with Eden who is still grieving the loss of her previous partner in a shooting.  Eden's brother Eric is the office pain-in-the-ass and is a slimy, annoying and dark character most readers will love to hate.  Both Eden and Eric have their secrets and in between chasing a serial killer removing human organs from his victims, Frank is determined to get to the bottom of their dark past.

Hades is a page-turner from the very beginning and the writing feels very sharp and polished.  I later learned from the author (see below) that the manuscript underwent 15 or so edits prior to publishing, and the work really shows.  

I took an odd pleasure in reading about the first crime scene that takes place at Watson's Bay in Sydney, a stones throw from HMAS Watson where I spent many months undergoing navigation training in the Royal Australian Navy.  Turns out Candice Fox also spent a brief time undergoing the same Officer training (many years after me) before leaving the military to eventually become a writer.

Hades can be read as a stand-alone crime thriller although Candice is working on the second in the series to be called Eden and I can't wait to read it.

My rating = ****

Google Hangout with Candice Fox

This week I had the pleasure of participating in a Google Hangout with Candice Fox, hosted and organised by The Reading Room.  Along with three other book bloggers we each took turns asking Candice questions about her book Hades, her writing processes and inspiration.  It was a fantastic discussion and you can watch the clip below or on YouTube here.

Giveaway

I have a (lightly read) copy of Hades by Candice Fox to giveaway, thanks to the folks at The Reading Room.

To enter: Hades is a character who works in a tip in Sydney, and who loves to make animals out of scrap metal.  Which animal would you like Hades to make for you?

Entries close: midnight Valentine's Day, Friday 14th February 2014.

Eligibility: this giveaway is open to those with an Australian postal address only.

Winner: will be chosen by random.org and announced no later than: Sunday 16th February.  The winner has until midnight Friday 21st February to make contact and provide a postal address.

Additional entries: those who Tweet about this giveaway (or RT), sign up to follow Carpe Librum by Google Friend Connect or via email after this post will receive an additional entry in the competition.  (Make sure you mention this in your comment/entry).

Thanks and Carpe Librum!

Review: The Silence by Sarah Rayne

* From the author for review *

The Silence by Sarah Rayne is the third in her ghost book series featuring antiques dealer Nell West and her academic boyfriend Michael Flint*.  

The story takes place at Stilter House (aptly named) located in the Derbyshire Peaks in England and Nell is asked to catalogue some items in her late husband's childhood home.

On the back of The Sin Eater, this series has definitely ramped up in The Silence, and I thoroughly enjoyed uncovering the layers and layers of mysteries within and of course encountering a few ghosts along the way.

The Silence is so much richer than The Sin Eater, with a higher 'creep level' and a particular metal object I won't be forgetting in a hurry (no spoilers though).  The word 'outbuilding' takes on a sinister tone and Nell West's beliefs about life after death are tested again.  (Thankfully Nell is more accepting this time and less sceptical which was a welcome change).

I was really taken by the young mute boy Esmond, his reason for being mute and the misunderstanding about his mother's death that had serious implications resonating for years. 

The Silence has it all despite it's compact length of 272 pages.  It's a chilly read, so pack a scarf and dive into this exciting ghost/mystery novel.  (I can't wait to start reading the latest in the series The Whispering, next).

My rating = ****

*The Ghost Series of novels by Sarah Rayne include:

Book #1 The Property of a Lady  (5 stars)
Book #2 The Sin Eater  (3 stars)
Book #3 The Silence
Book #4 The Whispering (out now!)