The Greatest Hit, by Will Kostakis

Title: The Greatest Hit
Author: Will Kostakis
Genre/ issues: YA. Quick reads. Queer fiction. Relationships.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

What if people thought the most interesting thing about you was the moment you went viral? This novella from @willkostakis for @australiareads was a great quick read. Kostakis captures the teenage voice with such compassion and authenticity that his work is always a delight to read – and it didn’t hurt that he wrote something nice about me in the inscription when he signed it for me too!

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 89/100

Happy reading,

Category: Book chat, Short stories, YA Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 28 2020

Heartstopper, by Alice Oseman

Heartstopper vol 1-3 by Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper volume 1, volume 2, and volume 3
Author: Alice Oseman
Genre/ issues: Graphic novels. Queer fiction. YA. Relationships.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I’ve got a pile of books by Alice Oseman sitting on my TBR, and this morning I decided to start on Heartstopper. I didn’t stop until I reached the end of volume 3. What a delight these are! A sweet, wholesome and authentic boy meets boy romance graphic novel series, which deals incredibly well with the importance of not judging people based on appearance. The notion of consent is handled incredibly well, both in terms of coming out as well as in the developing phases of a relationship. I love the way that the presence of homophobia is handled – it’s certainly present, and whilst its impact is acknowledged, it’s also not prioritised as a major plot point, nor is it minimised or trivialised. The focus is on the developing relationship between Nick and Charlie, and how they and their friends navigate the often complex and exciting world of first loves. I finished volume three and then saw the timely announcement that volume 4 is due for release in may 2021, so I’ll definitely be adding that to my TBR when it’s out!

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 86-88/100

Happy reading,

Category: Book chat, Graphic Novels, YA Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 28 2020

A pile of picture books

Title: Alphabetical Tashi
Author: Anna and Barbara Fienberg
Illustrator: Kim Gamble, Arielle and Greer Gamble

Title: Old man Emu
Author: John Williamson
Illustrator: Simon McLean

Title: A walk like no other
Author: Lara Bury
Illustrator: Anahit Aleksanyan

Title: The great realisation
Author: Tomos Roberts
Illustrator: Nomoco

Title: What we’ll build
Author: Oliver Jeffers

Title: The Tree
Author: Graeme Base

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I’ve been reading a bunch of picture books today – all lovely for different reasons!

I’ve always loved Tashi by Anna Fienberg, and this exploration of the alphabet provides some beautifully illustrated glimpses of some beloved Tashi characters. A wonderful way to reinforce alphabetical knowledge, with a lovely narrative tour of the Tashi universe. An utter joy.

I’m sure most Australians are familiar with Old Man Emu, and this illustrated version is super fun – I couldn’t help but sing along as I was reading through it! I genuinely laughed out loud at the kangaroo with a tan line once he loses his pants. Super cute.

My friend Lara has just had her first picture book published. I know it’s been something she’s wanted to do for ages, and I’m so proud of her! A Walk Like No Other follows Sapphire as she races home, wanting to be first but also getting distracted by all the exciting things happening in her neighbourhood. Cute and colourful illustrations, and a lovely message about running your own race.

I love Oliver Jeffers’ work, and What We’ll Build is a beautiful story of a parent and child building their future together. As is common with Jeffers’ work, it’s deceptively simple but speaks deeply and powerfully to the kind of world we want to live in – nurturing, accepting, protective and forgiving. So wonderful.

The Great Realisation started life as a poem on YouTube about what we can learn from a time of crisis. A response to Covid, and a call to reflect on what truly matters to us as individuals and as a society. The illustrations are stunning – this one is definitely going into my permanent collection.

And finally, The Tree by Graeme Base. It goes without saying that the illustrations in this are photorealistic magnificence. The story ties nicely with the themes of the other two books in this post – Cow and Duck both live in the same tree, one in the roots and the other up high in the canopy. When a big storm comes, they try to protect their home, but are suspicious of each other. Can they find a way to live together in peace?

If you’re after some great fun read-aloud books, the first three are for you. If you are looking for some picture books to add to a collection which reflects the positive benefits of a diverse and harmonious society, accepting of differences and nurturing the world around us, then the last three would all be great additions.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 80-85/100

Happy reading,

Category: Book chat, Children's Books, Picture books | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 27 2020

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by VE Schwab

Title: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Author: VE Schwab
Genre/ issues: Magic realism. Fantasy. Historical fiction. How we leave a mark. Relationships.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I’ve been sitting outside finishing this masterpiece of a book, as the sun has moved around the yard casting shadows and light in varying patterns across the grass and trees. I wish I’d written this book, so much that it almost hurts.

Addie is desperate to escape a life being forced upon her, and makes a deal in the dark – she is granted the freedom to live forever, but destined to be forgotten when she passes from sight. For almost 3 centuries she leaves no mark on anyone’s memories – but then one day, she returns to a book store. And Henry remembers her.

Across continents and centuries, this book explores what it means to be loved, to be seen, and to be significant. I know I’ve said many times this year that the book I’m reviewing is one of the best I’ve ever read. Saying it about this one doesn’t make the others any less true. Exquisite, magical, wonderful. Thank you for Addie and Henry, Victoria. I will remember them and love them with clear eyes for many years to come.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 79/100

Happy reading,

Category: Book chat, Serious Adulty Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 15 2020

Sandman: Dream Country, by Neil Gaiman

Title: Sandman: Dream Country
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre/ issues: Magic realism. Fantasy. Historical fiction. How we leave a mark. Relationships.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I finally finished listening to the Sandman audiobook today, featuring the editions that make up the Dream Country TP (#17-20). These chapters are some of my favourites – Calliope, the cat who wants to change the world with dreams, and Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s an extraordinary audio production of an incredible comic series. I can’t wait for the the rest of the books to make their way to audio format.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 78/100

Happy reading,

Category: Audiobooks, Book chat, Graphic Novels, Serious Adulty Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 4 2020

The left-handed booksellers of London, by Garth Nix

Title: The left-handed booksellers of London
Author: Garth Nix
Genre/ issues: Urban fantasy. Magic. Mythology.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

“Books help us anchor our souls.”

There are a few things that will make me insta-buy or read a book. Neil Gaiman’s name on the cover, for one. Alternate histories, for another. Books that deal with book stores, and/or libraries? Sign me up.

On paper (pun intended) this should have been my book. I loved the premise, and the characters were just wonderful. Merlin and his confidence in expressing his gender fluidity is a delight. Sally, not quite knowing who she is and where she fits as she searches for her father, felt particularly real to me. I loved the value that books played in this almost urban fantasy set in an almost 1983 London, and squealed with joy over the Penguin room and the book pyramid (no spoilers!) I loved that, in difficult times, Merlin hunted for a book to read to help centre and calm him. I loved the historical references to books and TV shows that I recognised – I won’t mention them all here, but there were a few in particular that made me happy in my heart.

But – yes there’s a but. It felt like this was a book I’d have really loved if I’d read it at another time, but today it was just a book I pretty much enjoyed. I think that’s on me rather than the intricately detailed world that Garth Nix has created. If fantasy in mostly recognisable worlds is your thing, and you love a good book which values books and bookstores as part of its narrative, I’d recommend giving The Left-Handed Booksellers of London a go. I’d like to think I could be a left handed bookseller, but I’m pretty sure I’d be more likely to be a right handed one. And that’s ok too.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 76/100

Happy reading,

Category: Book chat, YA Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

October 30 2020

They both die at the end, by Adam Silvera

They both die at the end, by Adam Silvera

Title: They both die at the end
Author: Adam Silvera
Genre/ issues: YA. Queer fiction. Friendship. Death.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

They Both Die at the End, by Adam Silvera. Sigh. They really did, huh? I mean, it’s right there on the cover. I’ve seen countless reviews where people talked about hoping against hope that they’d get to the end and discover that Rufus and Mateo made it past the end alive and intact. I guess, once I met them, I was just holding out hope that this had all been some elaborate ruse that everyone was in on, and I’d finish the book to discover they made it ok too. Sigh.
So, the premise is fairly simple. Roughly current day, but there’s a corporation that has the ability to know who is going to die, so from midnight people who are scheduled to die at some point in the next 24 hours get the call. They know it’s their last day, and they get to decide how to live it, and who to live it with. Rufus and Mateo live very different lives, but have their own reasons for seeking out a stranger, a fellow Decker, to share their last day with. What follows is an epic 24 hours – well, slightly less than 24 I guess – in which these two amazing souls criss-cross New York and get to know each other, and themselves, much better. I love the interplay of other characters’ lives, some weaving in very briefly with our main characters, others recurring, but all impacting in some way on the course of this heartbreaking and beautiful final day. How would you spend tomorrow if you knew it was your last? Would you be happy with how you spent today? I’m leaving this book reflecting on what’s important to me, and what’s really not in the grand scheme of things. It’s a beautiful read.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 75/100

Happy reading,

Category: Book chat, YA Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

October 26 2020

Cassandra Speaks, by Elizabeth Lesser

Cassandra speaks, by Elizabeth Lesser

Title: Cassandra speaks: When women are the storytellers, the human story changes
Author: Elizabeth Lesser
Genre/ issues: Non-fiction. Gender. Women’s role in storytelling and history.

I grabbed this audiobook after this book was announced as the first pick for book club running along with the Amanda Palmer podcast. Cassandra Speaks looks at the history of storytelling by and about women – the narratives that are shaped by history, and how they impact how women see themselves in their own and other people’s stories. I’ve been listening to it on and off over the past couple of weeks, and today’s final chapters dealt, appropriately, with imposter syndrome.

I enjoyed what I remember of this book, but I’m coming to realise that when I’m listening to non-fiction I tend to disconnect sometimes in ways that I don’t do when listening to fiction audiobooks. I don’t think my review of this book does it justice – if you’re interested in feminism, the role of women in shaping the narrative of history, and how women and re-evaluate and revalue their own position in the story of life, this might be a good read for you.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 74/100

Happy reading,

Category: Audiobooks, Book chat, Non fiction, Serious Adulty Books | LEAVE A COMMENT

October 25 2020

Somebody give this heart a pen, by Sophia Thakur

Title: Somebody give this heart a pen
Author: Sophia Thakur
Genre/ issues: Poetry. Identity. Listening to your inner voice.

I read most of this book last night. I finished it this morning, and then reread a decent chuck of it again. When I was halfway through it last night, I commented to Jacob that it was ok but I felt like it was suffering from being on the page rather than delivered orally, and I don’t deny that this would be exceptionally powerful delivered as a spoke word performance by Sophia Thakur, who is an expert in this art form. But I think, reflecting on it this morning, that I was just struggling to engage with some of the messages because they are deeply relevant to me, and sometimes that’s hard to hear.

This collection of poems charts the journey through love, loss, pain and self-discovery. Poems which deal with embracing your pain, giving yourself permission to speak, listening to your inner voice … they hit hard this weekend, particularly as I’m struggling with the looming sense of imposter syndrome as I face my first NaNoWriMo. I’ve always wanted to write, but there has always been a part of me that has shouted that desire down. I’ve largely listened to that voice, and now, as I give voice to that part of my heart that wants to write, my inner imposter syndrome is flexing its muscles. He’s had more practice at this than I have in listening to my heart, so he’s better at these arguments. But I’m going to write anyway.

So, Someone Give This Heart a Pen. It’s a great collection of poetry by a thoughtful and insightful poet. Sunday morning Tamara highly recommends it, even if Saturday evening Tamara struggled. You really do need to read things at the right time, huh? Check out this short clip of Sophia performing one of the poems from this collection. Beautiful stuff.