The Blood Detective by Dan Waddell

As dawn breaks over London, the body of a young man is discovered in a windswept Notting Hill churchyard and the killer has left DCI Grant Foster a cryptic clue. However it’s not until the clue is handed to Nigel Barnes, a specialist in compiling family trees, that the message becomes spine-chillingly clear. It leads Barnes back to 1879 – and the victim of an infamous Victorian serial killer. When a second body is discovered, Foster needs Barnes’ skills more than ever. The murderer’s clues run along the tangled bloodlines that lie between 1879 and now. And if Barnes is right about his blood-history, the killing spree has only just begun...(from the publisher).
Not a bad book at all, demonstrating that the past is still part of the present. Just be mindful of who your ancestors were and what they got up to! This was Dan's first novel, and has a second one out titled Blood Atonement that features Barnes again. Will be reading that one soon...
Rating - I give this 4/5 Not bad!
Get The Blood Detective from the library
Get Blood Atonement from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

Nineteen minutes, by Jodi Picoult

"In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, colour your hair, watch a third of a hockey game...In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge."
Jodi Picoult, one of my favourite authors, specialises in characters outside the norm. In Nineteen Minutes, she gets inside the head of a young boy, bullied since kindergarten, who turns on his tormentors with horrifying results. That all too common phenomenon, the school shooting, leaves shattered lives and so many questions. Whose fault is it - Peter the shooter's? His parents? The bullies? There are no easy answers, and Picoult does not offer excuses, but lets the characters tell their own stories.
This is a shocking tale, well-written and so absorbing I read it almost in one hit. I had read it before but forgotten the details, so came to it almost afresh and admiring of Picoult's ability to deal with difficult issues and keep the surprises going to the last pages.
Rating - I give this 5/5
GREAT!!

Get this from the library

Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat branch

A song in the daylight by Paullina Simons

Larissa Stark is a beautiful woman who plays many roles in her life: wife, mother, devoted friend. She has everything she ever wanted, until a chance encounter with a stranger changes Larissa′s idyllic existence forever, leading her to question all the things she once believed were true. Faced with impossible choices and contemplating the unthinkable, Larissa struggles with an eternal mystery: how does one woman follow a divided heart? Spanning the upscale suburbs of New Jersey, the slums of Manila and the desolate beauty of the Australian outback, A Song in the Daylight is a story of the bonds that unite us and the desires that drive us apart (from the publisher).
I have been reading this book since Christmas on and off as it is a rather long book (nearly 770 pages), and was at first a little hard to get into. I got to the end and was taken by surprise by the way it finished, but I'm not sure I enjoyed the ending. To have been on the journey through the whole book for the end result, well, I felt disappointed with one element of it.
Rating - I give this 3/5 Not bad...
Get this from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

Subterranean by James Rollins

Travel To The Bottom Of The Earth...to place you never dreamed existed. Beneath The Ice...a hand-picked team of specialists makes its way toward the centre of the world. They are not the first to venture into this magnificent subterranean labyrinth. Those they follow did not return. Over The Rocks...Across The Yawning Caverns...Beyond The Black River...You are not alone. Into The Darkness...where breathtaking wonders awaits you - and terrors beyond imaging...Revelations that could change the world - things that should never be disturbed... At The Bottom Of The Earth Is The Beginning. Keep Moving...toward a miracle that cannot be...toward a mystery older than time (from the publisher).
I seem to have developed an addiction to these kind of books; bit of action and adventure, bit of mystery as to what is out there, some ancient ruins, and some romance that is pushing the 'blah, get on with the story' boundary. I particularly liked the way this book ended, so unlike most other books that have ancient ruins in them.
Rating - I give this 3.5/5 Not bad!
Get this from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

Fabulous food, minus the boombah: by Jane Kennedy

Funny lady Jane Kennedy loves cooking and eating but not the results of eating anything she wants. After having five children in six years and trying all sorts of fad diets in an attempt to shift excess weight, she developed her own recipes. They sound scrumptious and better still, come without the boombah: in Kennedy's parlance, the "word to describe food that makes your arse huge."
There's something for every occasion in this book, whether it's a family meal at home, something snatched on the run or entertaining. Recipes range from the simple - frittatas, baked eggs wrapped in bacon,roasted beetroot or red pepper soup- to the sublime, such as barbecued quail with lime, swordfish with capsicum relish or seared beef fillet with chilli, ginger, radish and soy. Desserts are fresh and fruity. Yum! Kennedy believes 'you need food you can look forward to' and there is plenty to look forward to in this lavishly illustrated, engaging book.
Rating - I give this 5/5
GREAT!!

Get this from the library

Reviewed by Jan@ Ballarat branch

The reluctant hero, by Michael Dobbs

"When Harry Jones discovers that former friend Zac Kravitz's life is in danger, a debt of honour sends him on a perilous rescue mission to Ta'argistan, a mountainous and landlocked former Soviet republic bordering Russia, China and Afghanistan. Muscling his way onto a delegation of MPs who happen to be paying the state a visit, Harry finds an unlikely ally in the stubbornly independent Martha and together they devise a plan to break Zac out of the grim prison Bodima. But when the attempt backfires and he finds himself himself stuck in prison in Zac's place, little by little Harry realises that all is not as it seemed and that he has been lured into a web of international conspiracy. (from the publisher's notes.)

There's more than a touch of Boys' Own Adventure to this book, which also reminds me of tales by Alistair MacLean in his early days. Derivative or not, this is a cracking read. Yes, the boundaries of reality are stretched at times, but it's fast-paced, edgy and exciting. If you're a fan of adventure stories, give this a go.

Rating - I give this 4/5

Not bad!

Get this from the library
Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat branch

The beacon, by Susan Hill

Prizewinning novelist and short story author Susan Hill has long had a grip on mystery and suspense and these talents are very much to the fore in this gripping tale.
The Beacon is the bleak North Country property where Colin, May, Frank and Berenice Prime grew up. Colin, Berenice and Frank married and moved away; May tried university in London, but fearfulness got the better of her and she moved back home to look after her ageing parents.
It was a hard-working, contented childhood - but when Frank, who nobody really talks about, publishes a memoir, there are many questions. Could he really have been so miserable, so mistreated as a child? And suddenly a family that has been long-established and respected in the district is shamed, bewildered and shunned by the community.
The Beacon is a powerful story, with well-drawn, believeable characters. I've long been an admirer of Susan Hill's work and my admiration continues.
Rating - I give this 4/5
Great!

Get this from the library
Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat branch

Bottle Shock - DVD

Sommelier and wine shop owner Steven Spurrier, a British expatriate living in Paris, concocts a plan to hold a blind taste-test intended to introduce Parisians to the quality wines coming from elsewhere in the world (and save his business in the process). He travels to the not-yet-famous Napa Valley in search of contestants for his Judgement of Paris taste test, where a chance meeting introduces him to floundering vintner Jim Barrett of Chateau Montelena. Barrett wants no part in the competition, believing it is all a set-up designed by the French to humiliate New World wine producers (from the publisher).
I hadn't anything about this movie, just thought it would offer something a little different to watch. I was pleasantly surprised. It's not a film that will set the world alight, but does make a good story. Based on a true story.
Rating - I give this 3.5/5 Not bad!
Get this DVD from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

The help, by Kathryn Stockett

It's the early '60s, and racist Mississippi is reluctantly on the edge of change. But while laws are beginning to be changed to give black people the right to go to the same school as whites and use the same public areas, attitudes are slow to follow. These are dangerous times - but this does not stop white Skeeter and two black maids coming together in a clandestine project that will put them all at risk.

Skeeter is desparate to be a writer, but although she has been brought up in a traditional household, she is also very well aware of the disparities between the races. She wants the black women who make white lives so comfortable to tell their stories...

The stories in this book were so moving - Constantine, who raised Skeeter, was forced to give up her own child, for example. The background of racism made me angry and it really wasn't so long ago.

Spurred on by her own childhood experiences in a white family with black servants, Stockell has done her research into the period and its attitudes so well that everything rings true.
A must-read!

Rating - I give this 5/5

GREAT!!

Get this from the library

Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat

The girl who kicked the hornet's nest, by Stieg Larsson

" Lisbeth Salander is plotting her revenge - against the men who tried to kill her, and against the government institutions that nearly destroyed her life. But it is not going to be a straightforward campaign. After taking a bullet to the head, Salander is under close supervision in intensive care, and is set to face trial for three murders and one attempted murder on her eventual release. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist from Millennium magazine, Salander must not only prove her innocence, but identify and denounce the corrupt politicians that have allowed the vulnerable to become victims of abuse and violence. Once a victim herself, Salander is ready to fight back."

The above is from the publisher's notes, and I couldn't have put it better myself.

"Wow!" was my reaction when I finished this book, the third in the Millenium trilogy - it was so impressive. "Phew" was in there somewhere too - it's not only an engrossing read, it's a big one; around 600 pages. And I probably murmured "What a shame" - because its Swedish author, Stieg Larsson, died before the hugely successful trilogy was published

Do yourself a favour and read this trilogy, beginning with The girl with the dragon tattoo. Murder, intrigue and an in-depth look at Sweden's political and social climate have resulted in books that in my experience are put down only reluctantly.
Rating - I give this 5/5

GREAT!!

Get this from the library
Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat branch

Vegie Patch by Alan Buckingham

Completely and authoritatively adapted for Australian conditions and Australian gardens. How to grow fruit and veg all year round in your very own vegie patch. For tasty, delicious fruit and veg that hasn’t travelled halfway around the world, you can’t beat home grown produce from your own vegie patch. Here’s how to ensure your plot provides fresh, healthy food all year round. Easy-to-follow advice on what to do in your vegie patch and how to do it. Pick up time saving tips and techniques on everything from pruning to dealing with pests. There’s clear guidance on when to sow, plant, and harvest for excellent results (from the publisher).
I'd been searching for some time for a book like this, something that suited the Australian climate and an easy, yet comprehensive what-to-do-and-when. The chapters are month by month and covers everything from where to plant to how to store your produce.
Rating - I give this 4/5 GREAT!!
Get this from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

Velvet Pears, by Susan Southam

It was a great pleasure some years ago to visit Foxglove Spires, the country garden Susan Southam lovingly created at Tilba Tilba on the NSW south coast

And it was lovely to renew my acquaintance with this gorgeous garden through the pages of Velvet Pears, the book Susan has written about her endeavours in turning a sheep paddock around her old house into a place admired by thousands of visitors.

A lavishly illustrated and deeply personal story, Velvet Pears is an inspirational book about family life and gardening that is also full of practical ideas.

Not just another gardening book, it captures the essence of living simply and with the seasons, within a small local community and with a sustainable lifestyle.

I'm looking forward to another visit someday. Meanwhile, I'm off to buy my own copy of this book and enjoy the loving descriptions and photos of roses, pear arbours and all manner of other lovely things - without the backbreaking work.

Rating - I give this 5/5
GREAT!!

Get this from the library
Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat

The Inner Circle, by Mari Jungstedt

Scandinavian mythology, archaeology and death come together in this gripping crime novel by Sweden's Mari Jungstedt.
Two young girls find a pony dead and beheaded - with its head missing.
An international group of young archaeology students uncovering a Viking fortification works and parties hard but the good vibe turns to horror when one of their group, 21-year-old Martina Flochten disappears. Her naked body is found hanging a short time later and her injuries indicate she is the victim of a ritual killing.
Before Inspector Anders Knutas and his team can solve the mystery, the horse's head is found at the home of another victim.
The Inner Circle is the third in Jungstedt's series featuring Inspector Knutas and it's no wonder they are so popular. The characters are believable, the plots are pacey and intricate and each of the books I have read has been a real page-turner.
Knutas isn't nearly as dark and brooding in character as that other famous Swedish policeman, Kurt Wallander and the background of life in Sweden and the relationships between characters make these less-than-standard whodunnits even more interesting.
Rating - I give this 4/5
GREAT!!

Get this from the library
Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat branch

Beautiful bodies, by Gerald Stone

This is not a novel about celebrities - it's the tragic tale of the first major shipwreck of the convict transportation era.

In August 1833, the Amphitrite, a small ship sailing from England to the Australian penal colonies, was wrecked in a storm on the French coast. She carried 102 female prisoners, 12 children, the captain, crew, medical officer and his wife. Only three survived, and as an English journalist at the scene wrote: "I never saw so many fine and beautiful bodies. The French and English wept together at such a horrible loss of life."

Author Gerald Stone is strong in his condemnation of a journey that was a bungle from beginning to end and of the authorities and the ship's captain and medical officer he sees as responsible for the tragedy.
Stone has written an absorbing book about a terrible event in history and rather than using footnotes to back up his statements, has confined himself to endnotes so as not to break up the flow of the narrative.
And in recording the names of the convict women who undertook that fatal voyage, he restores the individuality and dignity denied them during nearly 200 years of anonymity.

GREAT!!

Rating - I give this 4/5
Get this from the library (link to catalogue)
Reviewed by Jan@ Ballarat branch

Julie & Julia, by Julie Powell

If you were fed up with life, the universe and everything, would you leave your job and/or your husband or take on a self-imposed assignment to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the art of French cooking in one year in your small, inadequate kitchen?

New Yorker Julie Powell opts for the latter, punishing herself and husband Eric as she squanders hours, money and serious quantities of butter in her mad quest.

There's some fabulous food, and some disasters, in Powell's life as she gains weight - and fans as she blogs about her sessions.

It's a tough way to change your life and get the publishing deal that resulted in this book but I guess someone had to do it.

Powell is a trouper who can cook, write and isn't finicky about the cleaning up. If you're squeamish, skip the bit about the maggots in the kitchen. This is an enjoyable book that makes me want to eat fabulous food - but cooked by someone else, thanks.

Rating - I give this 4/5
Not bad!

Get this from the library (link to catalogue)
Reviewed by Jan @ Ballarat branch

Made by Me by Jane Bull

What a gorgeous book this is. Full of colour and with pages of projects to tackle, it will inspire young girls who love to stitch or get mums and daughters making things together.

For me, it brings back memories of stitching with my mum and hoarding pretty braids, ribbons, buttons and fabrics to make something special.

Each of these projects - which include lavender bags, felt flowers and cupcakes, knitted purses and embroidered T-shirts - is easily achievable, with full pages of photos and step-by-step instructions. It's ideal for beginners as there are how-to instructions for embroidery stitches and knitting - and all the projects are done by hand, no sewing machine required. A real winner for young crafters.
GREAT!!

Get this from the library (link to catalogue)
Reviewed by Jan@ Ballarat branch

Angels & Demons DVD

In Ron Howard's thrilling follow-up to the Da Vinci Code, expert symbolist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) follows ancient clues on a heart-racing hunt through Rome to find the four Cardinals kidnapped by the deadly secret society, the Illuminati. With the Cardinals' lives on the line, and the Camerlengo (Ewan McGregor) desperate for help, Langdon embarks on a nonstop, action-packed race through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and the most secretive vault on Earth(from the publisher)!
I enjoyed this book more than the Da Vinci Code, and so hoped the movie would also be better than the last one. I was left feeling disappointed. Especially when they left out the one action sequence/stunt near the end of the book that I was really looking forward to see in the movie!
Rating - I give this 3/5 Nothing Special
Get this from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

Lambs to the Slaughter by Debi Marshall

July 1969, police discover the mutilated body of 12 year-old Yvonne Tuohy off a lonely bush track at Victoria's Westernport Bay. Within hours, they have charged Derek Ernest Percy, a hightly intelligent 20 year-old royal Navy seaman, with the heinous crime. During the ensuring investigation, police link Percy's name to another eight unsolved child abductions and murders in different states (from the publisher).
Was Percy responsible for the abduction/murder of the three Beaumont children, the Wanda Beach murders, and the abduction/murder of Linda Stilwell? Is he Australia's most prolific child serial killer?
Author Debi Marshall takes us on her own personal journey into the mind of Derek Ernest Percy. Interviews with family, friends, work colleagues, victim's families, psychiatrists, and police officers help the reader gain some insight as to how Percy has become the man he is today and how he has confounded the top psychiatrists in the country.
An extremely informed, well written, not too graphic account of a most disturbing individual.

Rating - I give this 4/5 GREAT!!
Get this from the library
Reviewed by Jan @ admin

The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly

IT BEGAN WITH SIX STONES. Jack West Jr and his loyal team are in desperate disarray: they've been separated, their mission is in tatters, and Jack was last seen plummeting down a fathomless abyss. IT FINISHES HERE. After surviving his deadly fall, Jack must now race against his many enemies to locate and set in place the remaining pieces of The Machine before the coming Armageddon. WHO ARE THE FIVE WARRIORS? As the world teeters on the brink of destruction, he will learn of the Five Warriors, the individuals who throughout history have been most intimately connected to his quest. OCEANS WILL RISE, CITIES WILL FALL. Scores will be settled, fathers will fight sons, brothers will battle brothers, and Jack and his friends will soon find out exactly what the end of the world looks like... (from the publisher).
Another action packed, seemingly impossible death-defying escapes, and baddies-wanting-to-kill-goodies, great fun book. The Jack West Jr books, while they still make for a must-keep-reading sort of book, somehow lack some of the magic that is to be found with Reilly's other popular hero, the Scarecrow.
Rating - I give this 4/5 Not bad!
Get this from the library
Reviewed by Michelle @ admin

No time to wave goodbye

I can't say I've been waiting with bated breath for a sequel to Jacquelyn Mitchard's debut novel, The deep end of the ocean, 13 years ago.

Having enjoyed that book, which focusses on a family in crisis following the abduction and eventual return of their three-year-old son, I was keen to read the follow-up when I happened across it.

I'm not sorry I did - but I'm sorry Mitchard felt a sequel was needed. It's not nearly as engrossing as its predecessor and is overcrowded with characters and with references to the original story.

Twenty-two years after Ben was abducted, the Cappadora family is still in crisis. Mother Beth is fragile, father Pat finds solace in work and Ben - called Sam by the man he regards as his father, the husband of his kidnapper - has an uneasy connection with his birth family. Vincent has always felt blamed - and blamed himself - for Ben's disappearance. Only daughter Kerry, a baby when her brother was taken, seems relatively unscathed by the past.

Now the troubled Vincent has emerged as a film-maker, capturing hearts with his acclaimed documentary No Time to Wave Goodbye. The film, focussing on five families whose children have been abducted and whose fates are unknown, attracts unwanted attention too, throwing the family into a repeat of that earlier horror.

Despite the action, despite the storyline, I found it difficult to care about the Cappadoras and their plight. Read it, by all means, but read The deep end of the ocean first.

Rating - I give this 3/5
Not bad!

Get this from the library (link to catalogue)
Reviewed by Jan@ Ballarat Branch