Solu’s luxurious celebrity-filled “Cruise to Lose” is billed as “the biggest cruise since the Titanic,” and if the new diet sweetener works as promised—dropping five percent of a person’s body weight in just days—it really could be the answer to the world’s obesity problem. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv’s invitation. She’s already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host, Tom Forelli (otherwise known as the hottest guy ever!) and she’s too seasick to even try the sweetener. And that’s before Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange.

*But will they die for it, too?*

Tom Forelli knows that he should be grateful for this job and the opportunity to shed his childhood “Baby Tom-Tom” image. His publicists have even set up a ‘romance’ with a sexy reality star. But as things on the ship start to get a bit wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when his celebrity hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it’s Laurel that he’s determined to save.

Emmy Laybourne, author of the Monument 14 trilogy, takes readers on a dream vacation that goes first comically, then tragically, then horrifyingly, wrong.

I found myself laughing through most of this story. It was very silly and shows a comedic side to Emmy Laybourne, which I really enjoyed. Even in times when it took a more serious turn, I couldn’t help but giggle.

Laurel is the hermit type who likes quiet and peace, so taking a super-hyped cruise for the rich, and  being the lucky-to-be-first to try an amazing weight loss product, soon becomes a nightmare at sea for her. Tom is a reality star who is getting to that stage in his career where he wants to drop his agent and make his own decisions. He takes the job as host on the voyage to help boost his career and maybe his love life. When he keeps seeing Laurel around the ship, he finds he is drawn to her; there is something different about her and he’s intrigued.

When the Solu products are given to the passengers, the results are immediate and overwhelmingly satisfying. The real vacation and parties begin and everybody is in high spirits, even Laurel who is shyly becoming attracted to the celebrity host, Tom. As the days go on, Solu’s results are impressive and those taking the sweetener are ecstatic with the outcomes. The more time they stay on the diet, the weirder things become. Soon Laurel’s and Viv’s friendship is taking a turn for the worse, and Tom is regretting accepting the job. People begin acting curiously as the outrageous mood swings begin.

I found Sweet to be entertaining and a bit surprising. It makes for a fantastic summertime read, and I recommend it to those who enjoy quirky comedies. Great for teens of all ages and very different from Emmy’s Monument 14 series.

Mandy Wrangles reviews Julie Goodwin’s cook book, and with her young family, it proves to be perfect.

Julie Goodwin has become a familiar face in Australian cooking circles in the last few years. As the winner of the 2009 ‘Master Chef’ television show, she’s gone on to huge success writing for the Australian Women’s Weekly, appearing on TV, and as a bestselling cookbook author.

Her first cookbook, ‘Our Family Table’ was one of the highest selling cookbooks in Australian history. She recently opened ‘Julie’s Place’ on the NSW central coast where she hosts cookery classes, corporate team days and special events. What’s her secret to success? Well, I think it’s her normalness. Julie Goodwin is kind of an everybody. The sort of person you can imagine being friends with, the mum you met at a school fundraiser or the lady from the local shop. Her cooking style is realistic – sure, as we all learned watching her on Masterchef, she can pull out the big guns and whip up a spectacular, world-class meal without blinking – but she realises most of us just don’t have the time to undertake those kind of cooking challenges on a regular basis.

Making a call to the local takeaway shop is so much easier, if not expensive and, well, there’s always that guilt factor if you’re anything like me. Homemade is always best. It’s just not always possible. Goodwin’s latest cookbook, ‘Homemade Takeaway’ solves both those problems. With simple, easy to understand recipes that are actually achievable for the average home-cook, gorgeous photographs and a variety to please the fussiest family member, I think she’s on another winner.

‘Homemade Takeaway’ is broken into chapters such as Thai, Tex Mex, Lebanese, Corner Store and Chicken Shop. There’s a fab bakery section (the baked chocolate cheesecake, oh my!) and lots of quick tip recipes, such as pickled onions and burger sauce to add to your Aussie or American burger. The chapter on Chinese cooking gives us those timeless classics such as Sesame Prawn Toast, Mongolian Lamb and Chilli salt soft-shell crab, along with basics like Special Fried Rice.

For Italian, there’s pizza of course, pasta dough and Spaghetti and meatballs, but you can also check out something a little more special such as the Ricotta and spinach ravioli with burnt butter and sage (I’m SO cooking that one soon…will be back to you with the results). I’m expecting my family favourites to be the Lebanese flatbread and dip recipes, along with those burgers from the Corner Store and Tex Mex chapters.

In all, this is one of the most well-presented everyday cookbooks I’ve come across in a long time. It’s practical as well as beautiful and nothing about it screams too hard or fiddly. Best of all, Goodwin gives us alternatives to buying takeaway, using healthy, locally sourced and easy to find ingredients. She also gives tips on how to make a dish more economical – for example using water instead of buttermilk to poach chicken pieces that will later be fried for Southern Fried Chicken (another must-make, it looks amazing).

I recommend ‘Homemade Takeaway’ for anyone who loves to cook, but is practical and realistic about what is achievable in a home kitchen. It would make a fantastic Christmas gift for anyone who enjoys feeding their family and friends the timeless favourites – and for fussy kids who prefer takeaway to Mum’s cooking…it’s a super-win!

Homemade Takeaway by Julie Goodwin

Published by Hachette Australia

Paperback (re-enforced, glossy) 273 pages

ISBN – 978-0-7336-3213-6

Joelene:

Cover

The title in red slashes on a dark background. The font is reminiscent of Chinese brush-strokes, which suits the story but the cover doesn’t do the novel justice.

Characters

The story is told through three perspectives. Dai is a fugitive trapped in the Walled City until he can find a way to clear his name. Mei Yee was sold to a high-class brothel by her father. And Jin Ling is Mei Yee’s younger sister who came to the city to save her.

Favourite

All of them. I really can’t choose. Jin Ling is more obviously brave, but she doesn’t have the character build up the others do. She comes into the book fully formed and never doubts her task. Both Dai and Mei Yee are more subtle in character. They’re full of uncertainty, so when they commit to an action it costs them more than it costs Jin Ling.

Least Favourite

Ambassador Osamu. There are several awful characters in Walled City but out of all of them Osamu was the only one who seemed as though he really had a choice. He saw the suffering around him and could escape it, or help ease it. Instead he adds to it.

Beginning

Jin Ling is trying to survive the harsh city streets long enough to find her sister. When Dai offers her a job that will give her access to the one brothel she has not been able to explore, she jumps at the chance. Even if it means going in to the lair of the terrifying Brotherhood.

Storyline

Time is running out for the notorious Walled City, and for those who dwell within its walls. If Dai can’t broker a deal for his freedom in eighteen days, he will spend the rest of his life in a cell. If Jin Ling cannot find her sister in that same time, she will lose her forever. And Mei Yee finally needs to decide to fight for her freedom, or she will never get it back.

Ending

I could barely handle the suspense. A hundred pages from the end I almost flicked to the back to make sure no one I cared about died.

Thoughts

Loved it. I didn’t think I would because sex trafficking, ugh. But Ryan Graudin handled that storyline well. It wasn’t graphic or gratuitous; nor was it romanticised. What Mei Yee and the other girls went through had psychological consequences, but the novel didn’t treat the girls as nothing but psychological consequences. They had their own minds and they played their part in protecting themselves and each other.

Quote

It’s the Brotherhood’s symbol: a beast the color of luck and blood inked on the walls of every building in Hak Nam. A reminder that they own everything here. And almost everyone.

Bel:

Cover

A black and red blueprint lies behind the bold red title. The rules of living in the city are in stark white and the author’s name is in a mid tone grey. It fits the tone of the book perfectly.

Characters

There is no room for innocence in the city this book is set in. Everyone has a damn good reason for you to hate them.

Favourite

Jin, mainly because she’s doing the Mulan thing to track down her sister in this hell hole.

Least Favourite

Kuen, for so many reasons, but being bully is just the tip of that iceberg

Beginning

Jin needs to find her sister who was sold to feed her father’s alcoholism.

Storyline

Dai needs Jin to help break open his case

Ending

In a place like this I don’t know if you could really class anything as a happy ending

Thoughts

The sex trade, people smuggling, drugs, gang violence, this really is no fairy tale. The Walled City was based on a real place. The issues within the pages are struggles that are all too common around the world. Ryan has done an amazing job capturing what I would imagine a place like that to feel. The tiny seed of hope is sometimes all anyone needs to get ahead. That can be a dangerous thing for those trying to suppress and control those around them.

Quote

“But I don’t want to be like my mother, either.. Waking up every morning and watching the sun rise on fresh wounds, wondering in the secret chambers of her heart if there was something more. Through the rice fields and over the mountains.”

Krista:

Cover

My favorite cover is the one with white across the top and black along the bottom. Also ….there’s a dragon! The story does not have a dragon in it but represents the culture of the setting of the story.

Characters

DAI, JIN and MEI YEE. Two sisters and a boy. All looking for something. Freedom.

Favourite

DAI-Mostly because I liked his back story most and his kindness.

Least Favourite

Pretty much everybody but the three main characters. The gangs, captors and even the other girls in the house are all pretty nasty people.

Beginning

We are introduced to the three different characters through chapters from their different perspectives. We soon learn that they are all players in the same game and need each other to be free again.

Storyline

Dai is trying to obtain some very private information from the leader of a large crime group. If he succeeds he will have paid back his debts and can return to his family. Jin is in search of her sister who was kidnapped from her home.  Mei Yee is a girl locked in a room who has a rich “suitor” that wishes to take her away from the city.

Ending

I enjoyed the ending there were some surprises that I didn’t see coming: a lot of action, danger and lives in jeopardy.

Thoughts

Slightly based on a real city, The Walled City is full of danger, drugs, crime, sex and money. The story touches on some things that still happen all around the world today. It’s put together nicely with three really fun characters, and I liked learning about each of them. Lots of action and hope.

Quote

“There are moments you wait for. And then there are moments you wait for. Moments you spend every other moment preparing for. Points of your life that click and turn. Push you in a completely new direction.” -Jin

http://www.ryangraudin.com/

Paperback, 424 pages

Published November 6th 2014 by Indigo (first published January 1st 2014)

ISBN 178062199X (ISBN13: 9781780621999)

Belinda Hamilton reviews The Dressmaker based on the bestselling book by the same name by Rosalie Ham

I don’t know about you, but when I was in my teens, the thought of a movie set in Australia made me cringe. They’d be full of clichéd and irksome stereotypes, which they’d attempt to palm off as ‘charm’.

Well, today I walked into the cinema to see an Aussie movie inspired by the trailer, which I’ve seen countless times on YouTube…

That red dress and the pretence of going back to a small country town sucked me in.

Before we get on to talking about the cast, I want to take my hat off to Victoria Mielewska who was the woman behind Kate Winslet’s unbelievably authentic Aussie accent. It wasn’t that disrespectful yarning that makes us sound like a bunch of drunks, or the that snobbish British-tinged snipping either. As Goldilocks put it, it was just right.

Where to start on the cast? I guess since Tilly (Kate Winslet) is the first character we meet, it makes sense to start with her. She hops off a bus in the middle of freaking nowhere Australia armed with her singer sewing machine and a drive to find the truth. There is a raw honesty to be found in this portrayal of Tilly. I cannot think of anyone else who could have done it better.

Then we have the glimmering stars who are an absolutely perfect supporting cast. Liam Hemsworth is more than just white hot window dressing to the plotline. I loved seeing Rebecca Gibney and Hugo Weaving on the big screen, and then there’s the return of Shane Jacobson; I was a pig in mud. Out of them all though, my favourite character was Mad Molly played by Judy Davis.

If you’re planning on having a party like with Pricilla Queen of the Desert you can forget it. The frocks are magnificent and the soundtrack is mostly for ambience only. You will belly laugh and there are some seriously nice torso shots of that Hemsworth bod. But be prepared, take tissues. Bullying and the repercussions of decisions are the central themes, as are the notions of doing what you’re good at and moving on.

There’s less whimsy and more sucker punch to this magnificently presented film.

Run time is 118 minutes

If you end up seeing it and enjoy it please leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you thought.

The Fyrelit Tragedy is the first in a series of four books, by Brisbane-based siblings, Nicholas and Alison Lochel.

The story takes place in the nation of Fynglade, a fantasy land inhabited by giants, elves, men, monsters and mysterious creatures. It begins in the city of Zarakora with an act of betrayal that will bring unexpected consequences for all and for the future of Fynglade.

We then fast forward to fifteen years later, in the neighbouring kingdom of Delmor. The young Fyrelit siblings are preparing for a tournament, of which the eldest, Neleik, is reigning champion. He, along with his brother, Ervine, and much younger sister, Skye, are getting along as best they can in the wake of their parents’ death. Neleik is the only one who fully remembers the event and the involvement of a cloaked man, known as Versalos. The trauma has left him protective and vigilant. He is now the head of the little family; a responsibility he takes very seriously.

During the tournament, Neleik’s worst fears become reality – Versalos returns and kidnaps Skye. Without pausing for thought, Neleik collects Ervine, some supplies, and an unlikely ally in Romahn, his former competitor. Together they tear off to petition the King of Delmor for aide in retrieving Skye.

Here the group experience their first obstacle, which only serves to harden their resolve. Their plight attracts another friend in Kyia, the Princess of Delmor, who finagles her way into their mission as they determine to find out more about Versalos. The four set out from Delmor with purpose, resourcefulness and little experience of the wider world.

It doesn’t take long for them to find trouble and intrigue aplenty. It soon becomes apparent that the situation is much larger than they knew. What started off as a mission to save one little girl, rapidly transforms into an epic quest to retake Zarkora and banish the forces of darkness from the land of Fynglade.

This new quest leads them to a city of magic, a close shave with the pursuing guards of Delmor, an unexpected reunion, and a devastating revelation. Undaunted, the friends forge ahead and continue to pick up information, allies and enemies in their bid to save the nation and Skye. They learn more about their quarry, Versalos, and soon realise that if they are to have any chance against him, it will take much more than willpower.

Their many trials test the companions’ strength and moral fibre and bring to bear the most powerful bonds of family and friendship. Together, they encounter vicious monsters and experience tragedy, loss and triumph. They find that they have friends in the most unusual places and are hunted by some very persistent enemies. Each encounter brings them a step closer to their goal and risks the wrath of Versalos, who is determined to wipe out any that oppose him.

It is hard not to get swept up in the increasingly grand mission of the Fyrelit family. It is an exciting and perilous journey with spectacular escapes and near-misses, unlikely friendships, and tests of faith. The characters are engaging and the final band of friends is well-rounded. They all experience growth during the story and together they display bravery, compassion, integrity, empathy, and selflessness.

The Fyrelit Tragedy is a good opening to a quest series and should please young readers who have enjoyed stories along the lines of Harry Potter, or The Lord of the Rings. As is appropriate for this audience, enthusiasm is high, doubts are overcome and reflection is present but fleeting. The tension ratchets up nicely and there is plenty to distract the group from getting bogged down in lengthy debate. All of the characters are upfront about their intentions and fall clearly into the categories of either good or evil.

The world building is solid with a few interesting parallels to our world. The only glitch for me was in the use of contemporary, real-world language in places but this may not be a problem for others.

The Lochels are in themselves a story of courage and self-belief. Over the years they have generated so much positive publicity for their self-published books, that a publishing company (Hachette Australia) took notice. I imagine that Zarkora is only the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.

The Fyrelit Tragedy ends on a cliff-hanger and continues with Zarkora: The Lost Kingdom, which is released in Novenmber 2015.