Know Your Enemy by Tasman Anderson

‘Silverlake was a total suckfest of a town’, the opening line of Know Your Enemy by Tasman Anderson. An opening line that had me smiling and left me feeling I was in for a down to earth read I was going to love. 

Know Your Enemy is a young adult novel that will not disappoint. From the first line onwards I was smiling, giggling and at times a little worried for the characters. There was not a minute of Know Your Enemy that I did not love. It has everything a teenager with relate too and love, from high school antics, to crime, adventure, hunky guys and unsure girls, all set within a town that is said to have nothing to offer. 

Know Your Enemy jumps straight into it, leaving you no time to take a breath. I engaged with the characters instantly, feeling as though I was a teenager all over again. There is nothing that would give you any hint that this book was written by anyone older than their teenage years. Tasman Anderson writes with a young addictive style that flows beautifully, twisting and turning, keeping you engaged and mesmerized.

Tasman Anderson is an Australian YA author one should keep their eye on. Know Your Enemy is her first book but there will be many more to follow. Tasman is not new to the writing world. Her website tells us that she is a member of the University of Queensland’s Journalism and Communication Society ( JACS) as well as the Australian Crime Writers Association (ACWA) and the Gold Coast Writer’s Association. She has received awards for her journalism, having been published in both local and international publications. 

I can only highly recommend Know Your Enemy by Tasman Anderson. Even those who are not normally YA readers are sure to love this little gem of a novel.

Find out more about Tasman Anderson www.tasmananderson.com

Purchase a copy of Know Your Enemy from Odyssey Books http://odysseybooks.com.au/bookstore or Amazon. 

Review: Jennifer Douglas

www.jenniferdouglasliterarypublicist.com 

The Drago Tree by Isobel Blackthorn

The Drago Tree by Isobel Blackthorn grabs you, throws you around and leaves you wanting more. 

The connections with the characters in The Drago Tree are real. From the first word Isobel Blackthorn has scribed till the last you are captivated. You loose yourself within the world on the pages. Your connection with the characters become that of a friendship, your journey an adventure that keeps you guessing from page to page. When you reach the end you close the book feeling a little lost as you realise it is over. 

Isobel Blackthorn is a writer who has the skill of creating a scene that places you there. This is often something writers struggle with but not Isobel Blackthorn. As a reader I was not only there, I did not want to leave. I was engaged fully, feeling I could touch, see and smell the place and time. Isobel Blackthorn had me standing next to the characters, as one of them. She had me stepping forward with each page, never missing a beat in flow or plot. The Drago Tree is a book that will inspire all writers to continue to create in the hope of achieving the level of that of Isobel Blackthorn.

Ann Salter seeks sanctuary on the exotic island of Lanzarote, an island I spent a few days enjoy, discovering myself as Ann does herself. Although I feel I have traveled this island I am left wanting to go back to where I was. I have so much I want to say to Ann, questions, friendship, and more questions lurk within me. The betrayal, conquest and love within the pages of The Drago Tree are real, leaving me seeking more. Should I have been satisfied? Maybe, but I am sure Isobel Blackthorn would be pleased I am still seeking.

The Drago Tree is a well-presented book. My copy was read in e-book format. I am a paperback reader, enjoying the overall experience that holding a book creates, so the strength I found within this e-book is a credit to Isobel Blackthorn. For myself the glare of a screen, the hard and flat feel of the Kindle, often creates an environment that leads to a struggle to read the content. The ability to be able to immerse myself in The Drago Tree and not want to put it down shows the strength of the writing of Isobel Blackthorn and the creation of a piece of literary fiction that engages. 

There is no doubt that I will soon be reading Isobel Blackthorn’s other novel Asylum, also published by Odyssey books. 

The Drago Tree by Isobel Blackthorn is available from Amazon in e-book and paperback format.

review: Jennifer Douglas

www.jenniferdouglasliterarypublicist.com 

The Ouroboros Key by Patricia Leslie

A Quest To Secure The Future Of Humanity

A mythical book full of mystery and fantasy. The Ouroboros Key by Patricia Leslie takes you on a journey that will stay with you for years to come. 

The Ouroboros Key by Patricia Leslie took me by surprise. I was definitely not expecting the strength and adventure that I found within. I was hooked within the first paragraph, finding it a hard book to put down. Patricia Leslie writes with strength. Her ability to play with words, providing clear description that intrigues and invites, is the making of a talented author. Within The Ouroboros Key there is enough action, detail and mythical tale to keep you fully engaged and dancing around the pages. The strength in characters is  refreshing. Patricia Leslie has placed all the ingredients of a best seller into a tightly written story. The balance between mystery, thrill and suspense has been achieved to the degree that you are left wanting more.

It is always nice to see an Australian writer shine. The Ouroboros Key is the first novel by Patricia Leslie and I am eager to see what she gives us next. The Ouroboros Key comes from Patricia Leslie’s interest in myths from Sumer, Celtic Cultures and early Christianity. As a reader you can see this interest and passion shine through the pages. It is evident that Patricia Leslie has used her knowledge of a topic and her talent as a creative writer to create a story that will captivate many. Her Amazon bio states that Odyssey books is currently preparing her second novel for publication…my level of excitement has risen. I eagerly await. 

I could tell you what The Ouroboros Key is about but I would not be able to do it justice. For this book I choose to leave the mystery to the reader. What I will tell you is that should you grab a copy you will be in for a fast paced and exciting journey. You will travel with the main character Dan wanting to flick through those pages as fast as you can, eager to find out what happens next. 

The Ouroboros Key by Patricia Leslie is a magical journey suitable from young adults onwards. Two words come to mind when I think of this book: captivating and suspenseful. 

Available from Amazon in Kindle and paperback. 

Review: Jennifer Douglas

www.jenniferdouglasliterarypublicist.com 

The Water of Life ( Uisge beatha) by Daniel Marchildon

The Water of Life (Uisge beatha) by Daniel Marchildon is a well-researched book that has you traveling several centuries of whisky history. Presented as a fiction, it not only entertains but informs. 

I am not a whisky drinker, but I am a book lover. Within The Water of Life I found a book that, although I probably would never have considered reading until given to me for review, I enjoyed. I will admit it took me a chapter or two to get into the flow of the writing of Daniel Marchildon but once I did the ride was smooth. 

There is a large degree of to and fro from past to present within The Water of Life as the story spans several generations: three lineages and two continents. Daniel Marchildon writes in a manner that allows the reader to travel back and forth with ease, never missing a beat or detail.  For myself the connection was with Elizabeth Legrand and her determination to open a distillery, in a small isolated town, creating a single-malt whiskey. I envied her strong will and her passion for what she set out to do. This connection created a small degree of issues for me as a reader. With a strong connection to Elizabeth I battled to connect with the characters of the past. Daniel Marchildon does a great job of taking you there, allowing you to feel the place and time, but the bond I created with Elizabeth had me wanting to be back beside her. When reading reviews by others it is obvious this was a personal experience of my own and not what others found. It in no way reflected on my ability to enjoy my read but meant I had to focus more on what I was reading when in the past, instead of allowing the words to flow through my mind and connect. 

Daniel Marchildon has done a wonderful job at blending history with fiction. There is a lot of history within The Water of Life that, as a non-drinker of whisky, I was not aware of. My read of The Water of Life has definitely educated me and had me wanting to know more about not only about whisky but about the era, Scotland and Canada. It is rare that a fiction leaves you inquisitive and thirsty for more factual history, but Daniel Marchildon has definitely achieved this. 

Originally published in French as L’eau de vie  (Uisge beatha) The Water of Life ( Uisge beatha ) has been translated into English by  Märta Ziemelis and published by Odyssey Books in Australia. 

Overall Daniel Marchildon has done an excellent job with The Water of Life. Whisky drinker or not there is something in this piece of fictional work for everyone. History, saga and adventure all await, tantalizing your taste buds and nasal passages with the whisky you never knew you needed.

The Water of Life ( Uisge beatha) is available in both e-book and paperback from Amazon.com

Review: Jennifer Douglas

www.jenniferdouglasliterarypublicist.com 

KY! by Clancy Tucker

If there is one book you should encourage your child to read this year it should be KY!. If there is one book every adult should read this year it is also KY!. This beautifully written heart warming story of a young Muslim refugee and her journey to find acceptance leaves you with hope in your heart. Hope that all who read this story will find it in their hearts to accept others with open arms. The strength within KY! has the ability to change the thoughts and actions of the next generation of adults, creating a  world of compassion, understanding and cultural acceptance.

From the back of the book:

Rida Khalid is a Muslim refugee from Iran. She is bullied by two girls at school for wearing a hijab ( Muslim headscarf), reading books and wearing glasses, and seeks refuge in an old man’s garden after school. Rida meets an Asian girl at school, Ky, who also loves books, and Rida soon dumps her for a gawky girl, Carmen, who teaches her about fitting in. To be accepted, Rida removes her hijab at school, but she must wear her headscarf whilst competing in the inter-school sports. Her family will attend.

Rida deliberately loses the first race because Carmen says “ Only nerds do well in sports.” The sports master berates Rida for losing the race and points to Ky who’s made an extraordinary effort to get out of hospital to watch her run. Ky is battling leukaemia. Rida wins the next two races and gives her winning ribbons to Ky for good luck.

Rida enters the State Athletics Championships, but two athletics clubs lodge an objection to her hijab. Rida is shocked when a retired Queens Counsel (QC) represents her at the Equal Opportunity Commission. Who is he? Will Rida win the case? Will she run in the State Championship? Will Ky beat leukaemia, and who owns the garden that Rida used as a sanctuary?

The back blurb of KY! does not do it justice. In only 95 pages Clancy Tucker says so much. Within Rida he has created a young girl who is an inspiration and a great role model for children worldwide. Finding yourself in a new country would not be easy but Rida takes it all in her stride. From the detention centre to integration into Australian society, Rida embraces life and learning using Banjo Patterson’s The Man from Snowy River to drive her forward. 

KY! is a book that needs to become part of every school curriculum. The topical issues covered are those which are raw within society. With terrorism becoming the ‘norm’ within our news, and the Muslim culture and their right to wear a hijab continuing to be an issue of debate, KY! opens discussion in a non threatening and heart warming manner. KY! by Clancy Tucker does not judge it educates. 

Then their are the other topics within. When Rida finds Ky has leukaemia her compassion and care for her new friend, who she really hardly knows, is heartwarming. Rida sets about to learn as much about her friends disease as she can. She writes to her friend and visits her in hospital whenever she can. She uses positive words to share love and healing, creating a bond that will last a lifetime. Acceptance of who we are and others as individuals runs through Rida, leaving a message that the reader will carry with them throughout life. 

Poetry runs through my blood. For myself it is a  little piece of Australian history that often gets forgotten. Clancy Tucker has won my heart with his use of  The Man from Snowy River by Banjo Patterson. He has managed to interweave it into a children’s novel with ease and grace. It touched my heart to see a piece of bush poetry, a piece of Australian history, used in such a beautiful story full of  mateship and compassion; the Australian way of life. 

On an educational level KY! opens the door for discussion and further learning that will only enrich the life of children. KY! opens a whole new literary world. After reading KY! children will only want to know more about the Muslim and Asian cultures, they will want to know more about leukaemia, they will think twice before they bully and react to those who bully on a new level. Most of all they will find belief in themselves and love and compassion for all around them.

As a writer Clancy Tucker continues to grow in strength. When I pick up a Clancy Tucker novel I can be sure of one thing, that the housework will be forgotten and that the emotions will be flowing. Thank you Clancy Tucker for enriching the literary world. 

ISBN: 978-1-646-93226-2

Available as a signed paperback with matching bookmark and as an e-book from www.clancytucker.com.au

review: Jennifer Douglas

www.jenniferdouglasliterarypublicist.com 

PA Joe's Place by Clancy Tucker

Pa Joe’s Place by Clancy Tucker is sweet story that speaks volumes. At only 8 years old, and with her father dying Boo Nawigamune is sent to live at Pa Joe’s Place, an orphanage far away from her parents and seven siblings. During her journey she survives a train derailment,a snake bite, tsunami and a fire. 

Never before have I cried my way through a book like I did with Pa Joe’s Place. I cannot remember ever having cried so early in a book with the tears flowing at only chapter three. Within Pa Joe’s Place Clancy Tucker has created a book that moves you page by page. At times I felt that what Boo went through in such a short time was a little unbelievable but at the same time it sat true in my heart and it moved me. I could not do anything but love little Boo. Her strength and compassion as she travels 1700 kilometres from her home to live in an orphanage is inspiring. At such a young age this gifted girl teaches us so much. 

Pa Joe’s Place is an exceptional novel that is not often seen. It is one of those gems that leaves you reeling with emotions days, weeks, months and years after you have read it. Still many months after I shed my last tear Pa Joe’s Place sits within my heart. As I write this my heart flutters and my stomach feels empty as I vividly recall the journey I traveled with Boo. I feel the loss of Boo as though she was a child of my own. 

Pa Joe’s Place is a cultural journey through Thailand were the reader meets the people, the culture and the environment. It educates and it inspires. I cannot speak words powerful enough to do the content of Pa Joe’s Place justice nor the spiritual journey that it takes you on. Pa Joe’s Place gave me hope. It made me smile and it inspired me to be the best person I could be. 

In his author’s notes Clancy Tucker writes:

I met Boo Nawigamune in 1973 when I was dealing with the death of a very close friend. Boo reached out and we became the closest of friends. To this day, she is still the most gifted and compassionate child I’ve ever met. I was the lucky one. Our world would be a far better place had she lived longer. Sadly, Boo died of leukaemia, but she was happy and focused until the end - a magnificent kid. What you saw was what you got - pure sunshine. 

Within Pa Joe’s Place Clancy Tucker does Boo proud.There could be no better tribute to a little girl with a pure heart of gold.  The deep love, understanding and friendship that Boo and Clancy had shines throughout Pa Joe’s Place. 

I will continue to carry Boo Nawigamune with me in my heart as though I knew her personally. When times are tough I will remember the journey of a little girl that showed so much strength and courage. I smile as I think of her name. I share the kindness toward others on behalf of Boo, a little girl who’s short time on earth touched so many.

Boo wanted to change lives and today she continues to do so through the writing of Clancy Tucker. 

ISBN: 978-0-646-57220-8

www.clancytucker.com.au

review: Jennifer Douglas

www.jenniferdouglasliterarypublicist.com 

Coins for the Ferryman by Leone Sperling

Review by Skye Hancock

When I first started reading this book I was immediately sucked in by the main character, her life and her way of thinking.

I did not want to stop reading because I wanted to know what she was going to do next. I almost found her analysis’s and reactions throughout the book, hypnotising. 

Leone’s writing style is detailed, quick and to the point. It is written as though she is re-calling facts, leaving me constantly guessing as to whether they were actual events. She is so clever that I was so drawn into this book that it wasn’t until the end that I realised there were no names mentioned, not once.

What interested me about this story in the beginning was the fact that this recently divorced 40 year old woman, mother of four, was travelling to a foreign continent on her own for six weeks. A realistic, relatable story in today’s society.

As she begins her voyage she starts to also reflect on her past. She thinks about her marriage, children, relationship with her mother, relationships with men and other numerous past events to which all have helped mould the person she is and led her to this point in her life. With time and distance between herself and her family, she slowly begins to see her life from a different perspective and there begins her journey of self-discovery and self-love, finally finding her way to freedom.

There were times in the book where I did feel as though I was getting a little bored of her re-call of past events because I was desperate to find out more about her Europe trip. I also found the main character’s selfish ways and rebellious behaviour completely irritating at times. I know in the end, this helped concrete the purpose of the book and kept me interested in waiting for her to reach her maturity. Having said that, it was the stories of her past, her struggles within and battles along the way that intrigued me the most, forcing me to reflect on my own life, leaving me in tears.

The climax to the end of the book was fantastic. I loved the last four pages the most and the characters analysis and new found perspective on life were eye-opening.

In the end I think the book came together really well. I would recommend this book to anyone currently on their own soul-searching journey, or in need of a little woman empowerment inspiration!

ISBN: 978-0-9925601-6-4

Published by: www.cilentopublishing.com

Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon.