Jack Ryan is the President of the USA and he brings his sharp intellect to the role, but it is his daughter Katie (the Military Analyst) who must exercise her skills and military powers to thwart a potentially catastrophic disruption in global peace. China’s leader has replaced his ‘rule for the people’ with a personal agenda to leave a legacy on the world, and it will mean disaster for Taiwan and the world. The implications are weighty for Chinese officials and military leaders and when at least one chooses to defy the direction of the leader there are effects that embroil spies and special forces agents. The naval might of USA and China, with Taiwan’s defence systems, are all in a critical ‘dance’ that could threaten global stability.
This is an incredibly tense action drama and Tom Clancy’s ghost writers' ability to relate complex military actions in a believable way make this a profoundly compelling story. The spy network, CIA operatives and special forces personnel all play significant roles behind the scenes and there are real life-or-death consequences in the conflict. Having loved the Jack Ryan movies based on Clancy’s books (The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games etc), this is a book for those, like me, who love the adventure surrounding military conflict and analysis. (And the threats of Chinese might and power are very contemporary in their focus.) This story combines threat and fear, weaponry and technology that defies civilian understanding (and can leave some of us confused with defence terminology and acronyms), and incredible bravery and sacrifice, all wound up in a very believable scenario. Small decisions for all the operatives can have profound consequences. This book is compelling and will be loved by Jack Ryan followers (and Katie Ryan fans) and any readers who have yet to discover them.
Themes Adventure, Military action, Warfare, China-American relationships, Espionage.
Winner of the Alex Award 2025 and Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2024) The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a unique fantasy, with a striking cover, that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre.
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats. Nor do they have tails. But they are most assuredly dead.
Eveen the Eviscerator is a Dead Cat Assassin, one who has been resurrected and wiped of her memories. She has been given a just contract from her guild which is headed by the goddess, Aeril, The Matron of Assassins. This is an assassination that she must carry out or face painful consequences. When confronted with her victim, she unexpectedly finds she is unable to perform the task because a memory has come back. She recognises the face!
In 213 pages, Clark packs a punch, building a world that is easy to imagine, with its strange food, wonderful festivals and powerful guilds. His characters are well crafted. Although an assassin, it is easy to relate to Eveen who is intelligent and determined. The snarky dialogue between her and her intended victim, Sky, brightens up some dark moments and clever plotting keeps the suspense alive as the reader is left wondering whether Eveen and Sky will survive the machinations of the Great Patriarch and the judgments of goddesses.
Readers will want to pick up A Master of djinn by Clark, winner of the Nebula and Locus Awards in 2022, and those who like books about assassins are sure to enjoy His fair assassin series by Robin LaFevers and The dagger and the flame by Catherine Doyle. I can’t wait for more original stories by Clark.
Themes Assassins, Goddesses, Deception.
Pat Pledger
A good kind of trouble by Brooke Blurton and Melanie Saward
Blurton and Saward’s novel opens with a page in a diary writing assignment by Jamie to her English teacher. Even in these first pages the reader gets the sense of a loving extended family. Jamie’s mother is somewhere else, Jamie is living with her aunt and uncle, her older brother Poss, and her younger cousins. Everybody pitches in, they all have responsibilities, and they all care for each other. It is this supportive and unconditional love that sustains Jamie through her problems at school.
Jamie is Noongar, Western Australian, and the new girl in class, Stella, is Murri, from Queensland. When Stella stands up with Jamie when she questions the version of Australian history being taught in school, the two of them forge a friendship that leads to a combined project to challenge inherent racism and change the school curriculum.
Not only is Jamie Aboriginal, she is also a self-declared ‘queer’ or bisexual. She has to stand up to bullies on both accounts. The book becomes a strong advocate for taking pride in oneself, standing strong, and taking action for change. It is an inspiring story with similar values to another recent Indigenous debut novel Brightest wild by Tania Crampton-Larking, those of family and caring, good friendships and positive attitudes, though the latter was written for a slightly younger readership.
The other theme in this book, not to be ignored, is football! Jamie is a star football player and fights a battle to be included in mixed teams, hoping eventually to be selected for a football scholarship; another inspiration for girl wannabe football players.
A good kind of trouble by Indigenous authors Blurton and Saward promises to be a series. It will be interesting to see where it goes next. It’s certainly off to a good start, and is a welcome addition to the new authentic voices making their mark in YA literature. Teacher's notes are available.
I am a fan of Elly Griffiths’ mysteries especially the Ruth Galloway series, so was thrilled to see a new series begin with Ali Dawson, a detective specializing in cold cases, as the lead character. The frozen people is a departure from Griffiths’ traditional series which were set in modern times. This time she sends her detective back to the Victorian era to investigate whether a MP’s ancestor has murdered women in the past. She gets stuck in 1850 arriving to find the body of a murdered woman at her feet. Meanwhile her son Finn is accused of murdering the MP in the present. How will she return to modern London and has someone from the past murdered her son’s employer?
As a fan of both mysteries and science fiction I had no trouble with a time travelling detective and was delighted with the depth of detail about Victorian times that Griffiths gave as a background to her story. However it was the depth of character that gripped me and made me very reluctant to see the end of The frozen people. Ali Dawson’s back story was fascinating. Married three times, bringing up her son as a single mother working as a cleaner, she finally entered university as a mature student, valuing the gift that education has given her and never forgetting her working class roots. There are subtle glimpses of class barriers, especially of those who have attended a comprehensive school and those who were privileged to go to a private school. However, Ali who subdues her flamboyant red hair to travel back to 1850, disregards these, intent on her job of investigating the past, and loving her son Finn and her cat Terry, who is a character in his own right.
Readers who enjoy Griffiths’ clever dialogue and in-depth characterisation will easily plunge into The frozen people and like me, may find themselves wishing that the next in the series was already published.
Themes Murder, Time travel.
Pat Pledger
Chai time in Cinnamon gardens by Shankari Chandran
Cinnamon Gardens is a well established nursing home in Sydney. Owned by Sri Lankan Tamil, Maya and her husband, Takir, it is now run by their daughter, Anjaii. Beautifully crafted, the story carries the reader through the stories of the owners, staff and clients at the home. Maya and her Muslim husband fled Sri Lanka during the Civil War in the 80’s, taking over the run down home from an uncle, Cedric. The husband and wife renovated the old house and the nursing home buildings and made the business viable.
Within the stories are touches of what they saw and suffered in Sri Lanka, where Tamils were being beaten, tortured and killed. When her father was killed and her husband badly beaten, they left for Australia.
Maya’s daughter Anjaii, a psychologist, now runs the home. Her best friend, Nikki a geriatrician, works at the home but is struggling after the death of her daughter. She and her husband Gareth, have drifted apart, and one night he grabs her causing her to leave. She is involved with Ruben, a worker at the home, whose life in Sri Lanka has left him with horrific scars. Ruben has been beaten again by white youths in the streets near the home.
Through the author’s cutting back and forth between the 70’s and 80’s Sri Lanka and the current time in Sydney, she is able to draw our focus onto the civil war in Sri Lanka and the racism which occurs in Australia.
When Gareth makes a complaint to the Human Rights Commission, citing the despoiling of a statue of Caption Cook in the nursing home grounds, the resultant publicity spiral out of control. Gareth is seen as a defender of Australia for the Australians, and some take the opportunity to take revenge. Beatings become more regular, graffiti plasters their walls every night, and repercussions seen in the schoolyard as well.
Right wing jocks, media and politicians attach their names to the rising anti diversity feelings. No longer looking just at the Sri Lankan population in Sydney, the book exposes the hidden racism within our society today. The police only attend when Ruben calls them because of a rape, they take little interest in the graffiti, and dismiss the accounts of the perpetrators. The last few chapters are chilling in their descriptions of the violence sanctified by the government in Sri Lanka against the Tamil population. But at the same time that violence parallels attitudes here, a frightening prospect.
This is such an intense book, giving the reader a look into the Sri Lankan civil war, and the refugees who came to Australia, focussing on the hurdles they must face before being accepted. The book exposes the racism bubbling beneath the surface in modern Australia and shows that we have not moved far from the days of the White Australia Policy.
Winner fo the 2023 Miles Franklin Award. Warning: Depictions of violence.
Themes Racism, White Australia policy, Sri Lanka, Tamils, Civil war, Refugees..
A wonderfully witty look at supporting your team, the family in this story all favour the red team. The whole family wears red scarves, red jumpers, red beanies, red dresses, one even has a red skateboard, but our hapless narrator favours the blue team. When the family goes to the team game, they sit in the area where all the red supporters sit, all with red as the only colour worn. Our narrator sits quietly not wanting to draw attention to himself, and barracks along with the rest. He would love to get an autograph from the blues player he sees in the supermarket. At school on the Wear Your Colours Day, he would love to wear blue but has to wear red and play with the red team.
But one night as the family is watching a game between the red and blue teams, the Blue team scores the last goal. He calls out, ‘yes, yes, yes’ realising that he has outed himself, telling his family about his secret. He fears his family’s wrath, but Dad simply says that he is loved no matter what team he follows.
A wonderful look at difference within the family and how this is overcome with love and support by them all. Everyone accepts the sibling’s different leanings and supports him without question. And of course there is a neat twist in the tale as the last page is turned.
Hilarious illustrations perfectly delineate the different leanings of the family, although for the first half of the book, as he goes along with the family’s interest we see only red. Kids will love the use of red, spotting all the ways people show their allegiance. And use of the pig family as the protagonists is hilarious. Kids will love following the things this family does together: going to the match, watching TV, shopping, reflecting the events in their own lives which supports the family’s togetherness.
The bright bold illustrations will entrance the readers as they follow the little pig’s dilemma and wonder how they could solve it in their own family.
And talking of following a team, there are lots of examples in the community where this could be seen and compared as the book is read. Nobody seems exempt from responding to ‘which team do you follow’, and of course this is not only confined to sport.
University of Queensland Press, 2025. ISBN: 9780702268885. (Age:14+)
A teenage drag show in a small rural town – this is the grand spectacle that seizes the imagination of the ‘queer’ young would-be performers, an opportunity to shine in extravagant wigs and costumes and sing biting lyrics. Peter’s flamboyant friend Alan is clearly going to be queen of the show. Peter himself prefers a role out of the limelight; producer is more his style. It is all part of an absurd scheme to redeem himself after a cringeworthy rant against the popular gay kid in the school, and to prove that he is not a self-hating gay.
Peter seems to have anger problems. He mostly maintains a low-key profile, but every now again his anger burst forth in a sarcasm that cuts to the quick. He is also prone to belittling his friends and relationships, in a demeaning way, as though to reassure himself he is not really one of them. All of which does not make him a very likeable central character. The plot is predictable: he is going to hurt some of his best friends before he finally wakes up to himself and makes amends.
The book is touted as a ‘laugh-out-loud romp’ and there are plenty of ridiculous situations, but for me the witty barbs were a bit too cruel, and lessened my enjoyment. Perhaps other readers will more readily embrace the humour. After all, there are lots of very warm caring characters to balance the stereotypical homophobes, and the extravagant mix of hairstyles, costumes and sequins is intended to be a lot of fun.
The title anticipates the story of a young boy having a very bad day and feeling very caught up by it all. He struggles with the idea of bottling it all in until his father gives him a hug and the floodgates open.
At breakfast he is blamed for spilling the mlk and must clean it up, on the way to school a spaceship lands on his toe, and a platypus nibbles at his leg, causing a fall, a dragon wraps itself around his desk causing mayhem, and his sandwich runs away for him. He was feeling so glum and when he gets home, a few tears begin to fall, and father’s hug makes it all come out.
He feels a lot better and comes to realise that when he is feeling low, he should just cry and let his feelings out, so that he feels better all over again.
Heath McKenzie’s illustrations carry the boy along, showing him in every situation, a little befuddled by how he is feeling and not knowing what to do. The look on his face tells volumes to the reader, from his squeezing his eyes tightly to prevent leakage, to the wonderful waterfall on the second to last page. Each face will speak to the readers, as they feel with the boy, trying hard not to cry but crying when he feels so overwhelmed that he cannot stop.
McKenzie’s illustrations are full of humour, helping readers see that humour is a most important mental strength to develop.
An afterword by Worland outlines more of his ideas in presenting this book. Gus Worland is the founder of the charity, Gotcha4Life Foundation, devoted to inspiring people of all ages to build up their mental well being and become stronger in knowing and sharing their feelings.
Charlie, Zeke and Hammer each struggle to come to grips with their homosexuality in a small, conservative town. Invisible boys is a highly character-driven story, so it's only natural that the characters in the novel are well crafted. Characters are strongly introduced with relatable or familiar elements but ascend beyond stereotypes as the plot progresses into their hidden depths. As the synopsis likely suggests, the novel has a direct, central theme about the struggles of homosexuality in intolerant circumstances. It's not pleasant to read about, but it's an important perspective on privilege. The plot progresses in chunks as each character faces their own different struggles, but they're carefully woven together to keep the pace flowing.
The novel is set in the modern day, in the real town of Geraldton, characterised strongly as small, highly religious, and as a result, intolerant. It's a familiar feeling for anyone who's lived in small towns before where everyone knows everyone and everything. The book follows the perspective of each major character, interspersed with grave letters to keep things compelling and tense. The pacing of which characters take focus when, is impeccable, and a continuous tone of dread permeates the entire novel, causing the reader to sympathise with the characters' awful plights. Teacher's notes are available. Vincent Hermann
Editor's note: This review first appeared in 2019, when the book was first published.
Themes Homosexuality, Bully, Suicide, Country life - Australia.
John Rebus is now an inmate alongside some of the toughest criminals in Scotland. His survival as an ex-detective in prison is dependent on his ability to read the motives and power plays of fellow prisoners and even the prison officers. But Rebus has walked a fine line all his life, except this time it seems even more difficult when a fellow inmate is murdered in his cell. At the same time his former police colleagues are investigating the disappearance of a teen as well as the prison murder. Rebus must collect information and act as an informant without anyone realising. The twisted nature of police politics and power plays within the ranks adds some difficulty to an investigation that implicates organised crime bosses and their power struggles.
Rankin has again created a brilliant story mired with the awfulness of society on the wrong side of ‘right’. The police do not come out as squeaky clean, but the difficulty of reading small clues requires incredible skill. Rebus fans will love this next instalment in his life saga. His survival is a minor miracle… but he exercises incredible ‘smarts’ in every situation. The accounts of exploitation in the story are not easy, so this book is definitely for adult readers. Even for those who have not entered Rebus’ world in earlier books in the long series, this is a great crime story in combination with a murder mystery and could be read without knowing the entire back story. Rankin, though, is a master of the art of crime drama and keeps you hanging on until the last page.
John Rebus has a history of straddling the line between right and wrong, justice and injustice, and now that he has retired as a police officer, he still seems to be using the connections he made on both sides of the law to mete out rough justice… only now that may mean he will suffer the consequences. A criminally bent policeman is murdered, his colleagues are put under the spotlight and crime bosses and thugs are variously hiding their past, but are putting Rebus into the spotlight in the process. Rebus’ former police colleague is involved in the murder investigation and is working alongside a former police standards investigator, and Rebus becomes informer and target in the process. Will this be the end of Rebus? Will his health hold out long enough for him to right past wrongs? Can corruption and lies be beaten by those in the force who aim for right to be done?
Ian Rankin is a master of Crime fiction and his lead character, John Rebus, is both a loveable rogue and an unforgettable ‘tightrope’ walker as he negotiates the dark and murky world of crime and corruption with the aim of pursuing rough justice. Some of the grime of the crime world seems to stick to him, but it is his clever approach to finding information that makes him valuable to police and criminal alike. For those who love Rebus, or have a heart for crime fiction in general, this will be a treasured read … but how many more stories can Rebus inhabit before Rankin gives him his own headstone?
There have been an abundance of recent books featuring gender diverse characters, particularly LGBQTI+ rom-coms, and gay coming of age stories, but this book by Andrew Joseph White is unlike anything you’ve read before. It is a gripping horror thriller with the kind of blood and gore found in a Stephen King novel. But at its heart it is the story of Miles breaking the news to his parents that he is not Sadie, their daughter, but a transgender identity, unsure of his relationships and his place in the world.
The setting is West Virginia, famed redneck country where the police are violent and corrupt. But West Virginia was also the place of socialist uprising against the oppressive mining companies who valued the dollar over a life. The West Virginia coal wars of the early 1900s saw the first bombs dropped on American people as mining companies tried to break up unionised strikes by the workers. This is the historical background to White’s story of a long-running feud between Miles’ family and Sheriff Davies and his cronies. Miles’ great-great-grandfather Saint Abernathy, a striker, was executed with a railway spike through his mouth. His father survived a fire-torched car which killed the other occupants. Miles himself barely survives a fiercely brutal beating by the Sheriff’s son and his mates.
Miles is 16 years old, autistic and trans. Although he is afraid, he wants to stand up against the bullies and end the feud. He understands that they are all victims of a system that pits people against each other. He is an unlikely hero, compulsively chewing a shoelace, often struggling to find the right words, and suppressing tears, but buoyed by a connection with the spirit of his great-great-grandfather Saint Abernathy.
White’s descriptions of the gentle moments between Miles and his long-time friend Cooper provide insight into the confusion and tentativeness of their new relationship. Does a kiss mean they are gay, bi-sexual, queer or what? Does it have to go like this? Perhaps Miles is aromantic? Perhaps during this time of trauma, what he needs most is just a true friend who accepts him as he is.
All of this is set in the context of menacing violence and erupting brutality. It is a gripping thriller that keeps the reader riveted to the page. It comes with warnings about police violence, transphobia, opioid use and withdrawal, and disturbing images. ‘Actually, this book is kind of like moonshine. It’s gonna burn like hell going down.’ It represents the fear and vulnerability of transgender people in the real world, facing monsters every day.
Andrew Joseph White is a startling new voice in YA literature; shortlisted for multiple awards, his books are sure to be bestsellers in the thriller genre, for the YA audience and for adults.
With Transgender Visibility Day (March 31) and International Non Binary Day (July 14) coming up, this is a welcome look into an area where books are sparse. Wearing yellow dresses one day and looking for bugs and lizards, and blue jeans the next for running around in circles, Jem is sure of where they stand. Like a rainbow, Jem knows that there are many colours and everyone is different.
But other people tell Jem what clothes to wear, asking that the jeans be replaced by a more suitable dress for a special occasion. But Jem’s mum tells them that all clothes are suitable, and Jem can wear whatever is chosen. The story details the days Jem feels like a girl, and those where Jem feels like a boy.
But at school Jem is told that the world is black and white, trees are green and the sky is blue. But looking out the window Jem sees the autumn colours of the trees and the pink sky and knows that the teacher is wrong.
When Jem tells mum what was said, she replies that people are like rainbows, full of many colours, neither one nor the other. Everyone is different. Mum puts a large rainbow on the ceiling of Jem’s room to remind them of the fact that everyone is different, that we are not black and white that we have a choice.
This vividly illustrated book shows the matter from Jem’s point of view as they grapple with not wanting to be one nor the other, but allowed to be who they want to be, without the constraints of those they meet everyday. The rainbow image occurs throughout the book, reinforcing the theme of acceptance and diversity.
Rae White is a non-binary person heavily involved in transgender issues in Brisbane.
For classrooms this is a book sure to promote interest and discussion, as children assimilate the idea that we are a diverse society, accepting all shades of the rainbow. Teacher's notes are available from the publisher.
Turtle bubbles by Diane Schaffer. Illus. by Georgina Hart
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833068. (Age:3-7)
This colourfully illustrated rhyming picture book gives younger readers an understanding of turtle bubbles or breathing from their ‘bum’, a word used with humour throughout the story. As the story progresses and the turtles travel through the pond continuing to blow bubbles, the other pond creatures find it hilarious. Fortunately, wise Mrs Platypus informs the other animals about how turtles breathe. They are all fascinated and have learnt something new. The book ends with some interesting facts about turtles provided by the author’s daughter.
The Sad Ghost Club: A hopeful guide to getting through bad days is one in a series of four, written and illustrated by Lize Meddings. For those children who often feel invisible and alone, this brief, simply written and graphically illustrated guide, may provide the beginning of support to cope with situations they find challenging.
This clever and at times humorous story features SG and Socks, two "ghosts" who struggle with daily tasks and meet at an overwhelming party. Their journey of coping with situations is communicated to readers who may be able to relate to the ideas.
Ten important rules about not being sad are shared:
1. Do not overthink everything 2. Try and accept help if you can 3. It’s ok to take breaks 4. Do not listen to really sad music until 2am. Try to listen to something uplifting before you sleep 5. Keep moving forward 6. Remember, this will pass 7. A change of scenery can really help 8. Try and talk about it now and then 9. Spend time outdoors when you can 10. Try to stick to your normal routine
These rules are followed by ten rules for making friends, ten rules for being there, asking for support and ideas for doing things together, as well as self-care, and loving yourself. Throughout the book the graphic images are uncomplicated and surrounded by plenty of ‘white space’. The text is easily accessible and will appeal to a range of reading abilities.
In the final pages there is an index of mental health services mainly set in the UK although there are a few worldwide online organisations. This maybe an important read for those people who struggle with their mental health and may need a book like The Sad Ghost Club to begin a healing journey.
