bookstorian's reviews
604 reviews

Is it too early to call my book of the year? Maybe?

While it did admittedly take me a little while to sink in to the style of the novel and the sharpness of the protagonist, once I was in, I was hooked. 

The premise was so original, the characters beautifully well rounded and the plot absolutely absurd. I just couldn't stop thinking about it. Exceptionally clever writing as there were so many layers and full circle moments throughout the story.

I think what I found most memorable about the novel is the way the darkness and light worked together to not just entertain me as a reader but also make me think and reflect on the many themes of marriage, womanhood, identity and weddings. 

Wishing this one was a book club pick right now as there is just so much to unpack. 

I purchased my copy from Dillons Bookshop, South Australia. 

Podcast recommendation: Alison Espach - The Wedding People (Thoughts from a Page Podcast)

Keen to get back in the audio books in 2025 I jumped straight in to this book after listening to Celebrity Memoir Bookclub's review of 'Taste', very ironic IYKYK. 

While I agree he is dripping in privilege, nostagia and arrogance (mainly about what he does or does not consider to be good food), I found 'What I ate in one year' to be an easy book to sink in as it is written in chronological order and structured like diary entries across, you guess it a year (2023). Mostly I enjoyed the various reflective thoughts about food, culture, connection and memory. Especially how food can connect families even when apart. It also made me hungry, even for eggplant. 

I listened to my copy via Spotify Premium. 

Another stunning novel from Elif Shafak. 

First drawn in by the author (I'm a huge fan of 'The Island of Missing Trees') then struck by the promising subject of ancient Mesopotamia, I knew 'There are rivers in the skies' was for me.  

Shafak masterfully weaves in themes of family, culture, climate crisis amongst multiple narrators. What was most unique about the novel is the interconnectedness of the narrators via a single drop of water despite time. 

I loved the use of language (my copy is covered in highlighter), the exploration of climate crisis and how much history was squeezed in to the novel. Whilst I did feel some of the character's relationships were under developed (Arthur and *spoiler*) and wanted a little more ancient world, I learnt so much through reading this novel and gained a perspective I wouldn't otherwise have - one of the many reasons why I love reading. 

I purchased by copy from Books at Stones during Love Your Bookshop Day 2024. 

"But the abuse of natural resources, the lust for power and dominance, and endless rivalries led to the decline of cities, and then came famine, flood and drought." pg441. 

First drawn in by the cover, then by the fact that author was from Brisbane, I purchased a copy and then waited for New Years Eve to roll around, the perfect time to read the book. 

Friendship, family and relationships were strong themes throughout the novel with character development at the forefront. 

What was most unique about this read was the setting of an outback QLD town, not something that features too much in novels. I could picture place very clearly. I also liked that is was different to other books that are about similar subject matter as the story was set after the affair ended, rather than before or during.  Opening up an envelope at the end of the book to read an epilogue was also kind of fun. 

There were a few issues for me in terms of timing and structure (maybe more time stamps throughout the read) and the ending felt sudden as not everything was tied up for me. In addition, there were a lot of characters and broken relationships that didn't feel healed at the end of the novel (Sean, Sylvia, Mickey). 

Overall it was a good to start 2025 with an indie read set in my home state. 

I purchased my copy from The Little Bird Bookshop in Paddington during the LYBSD Book Crawl. 

I'm so glad I got to round out my year with the final book in the 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' series. You see I started the read with 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' in chilly Japan. 

While I hoped the final book may have shed a little more light on the lore behind the time travel, the cafe or some of the other characters it was a beautiful collection of stories that didn't have too much repetition (I felt like the fourth book was very repetitive). The overall message I think is best reflected in the title and it is that sometimes what we do for others will mean more to them than it ever will to you. 

Although I am sad that my time in the Funiculi Funicula will never be new again I'm glad I was able to squeeze the entire series in to 2024. 

"I experienced ... it wasn't a dream, was it?
'Do you not believe it happened?'
'No, I want to believe it was true.'
'Then even if what you saw was a dream, wouldn't it still be part of your life?" pg84-85. 

I purchased my copy from my local QBD books. 

I feel like the three year hype for me to finally pick up this read was not worth it. Whilst there were some aspects I really enjoyed, it fell a bit flat for me. 

Here's what I liked:
-The beginning of the story and the ravelling of what couldn't be unravelled. I also thought that the writing within the first few chapters was stunning. 
-The small town setting, always a win for me 
-Christmas references and vibes (although it wasn't really a Christmas read...)
-Easy to read and sink in to. 

Here's what I didn't:
-I felt like the friends to lovers wasn't great. I'm usually so fine with this as a trope but I wasn't convinced that it had been 10 years and neither had made a move. 
-Only one perspective. I think this novel needed duel perspectives, see previous point. 
-The Christmas Tree Farm, I didn't understand what was there, how it operated, how Beckett and Layla fit into the picture, it took me ages to piece this together and it became distracting (seemed like they were convenient side characters for sequels). 
-Estelle's sense of belonging and her relationships (especially within the town) seemed inconsistent. 

Overall I think I need to give romance a miss next year (for the most part) and also stop buying it. It's genuinely not a genre I am enjoying reading at the moment so may be take that above review with a grain of salt. 

"And isn't it silly to love the way someone's things look like next to yours? Little bits and pieces of lives lived in parallel." pg 24. 

I can't remember where I purchased my copy - it's been too long!

One of my favourite things to do while travelling is to buy books about a certain place or by local authors so when Dex, our Adelaide Walking Tour Guide mentioned 'The Death of Dora Black' while walking along North Terrace last week I knew this was a book I had to find while staying the Adelaide. Thankfully, Imprints Booksellers was a quick walk from the hotel so within 24 hours I had my own copy of The Death of Dora Black. 

What was immediately striking to me about this novel was the character of Kate, a true female pioneer and a notable figure within the city of Adelaide, a particularly progressive place. I enjoyed how much I learnt about her work, in particular the care she had for women and children and whilst I acknowledge that she is not the perfect character, her legacy, in relation to her work as a police woman is significant. 

I think it is also worth mentioning the character of Ethel (Kate's partner) was a nice touch to represent the reader and more modern views on gender, sex and relationships. 

I felt like many of the plot points were blatantly laid out and perhaps some of the mysteries unravelled too quickly for my liking. Overall  I really appreciated the mentions of places in Adelaide (and surrounds) that I had seen or visited while staying the city recently. It was the exact reason why I wanted to purchase the book in the first place. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series. 

I purchased my copy from Imprint Booksellers, Adelaide. 

Podcast recommendation: Stories Behind The Story: Lainie Anderson on Kate Cook's life as South Australian's First female police officer. 

Captivated cover and enticed by the reviews I was glad to find a copy of this read earlier in the year. After booking a ticket to the city of Adelaide I thought it would be fun to read this book on this trip. 

When I initially picked up the read I was a bit worried that I hadn't picked the best holiday read, the book opens with suicide attempt. However, there was something so stunning about the story telling and harrowing about the character of Adelaide. I honestly found myself so engrossed in the novel every time I picked it up. 

Overall, I felt that Adelaide as a character was so vivid and realistic and her journey with mental health and the trauma experienced within relationships to be well fleshed out and raw.

I do recommend checking out the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up, I have listed a few below. 

I purchased my copy from Dymocks in Sydney. 

After a slow burn romance I needed something pace-y and enthralling to read, The Ledge was it! I was so consumed by this novel from the get go, the protagonist, the duel timeline, the  setting, frequent cliff hangers and the cast of characters all worked together to make this an enjoyable read. Oh and the twist at the end - mind blown! 

Highly recommend this read if you like a fast paced thriller, after a palette cleanser or want to crawl out of a slump. 

I picked my copy up from Books at Stones on Love Your Bookshop Day!

Well I asked for a palette cleanser and this is exactly what it was. Although I did think it was a comboy romance, it was not... 

Here's what I liked:
-Historic relationship between Rosie and Ford and the dynamic that existed due to his feelings for her. 
-Messy, chaotic and imperfect love story. 
-Very easy to read and sink in to each time. I think this is why I continued to pick it up even with a few annoying elements (see below)

Here's what I didn't like:
-Cora and her relationship to Ford, seemed very far fetched. Especially the situation with her mother. 
-Soooo repetitive. YES I KNOW SHE IS YOUR BEST FRIENDS SISTER?!?
-It was VERY slow burn, like 50% of the way through kind of slow burn. 
-Rosie's diary entries. 

I'm not sure I'm desperate to continue reading the series or venturing back to the Chestnut Spring series. But never say never right??

Key quote: "Because when you love someone, and you share the mistakes that they've made with people who don't love them the way you do, you can't expect those same people to forgive them the way you do either". 

I purchased my copy from my local QBD.