
Wednesday, 29 January
Reader’s Name: Sam
Book Name: The Robots of Daw
Author: Isaac Asimov
Notes about the book:
Author widely considered the "grandfather" of sci-fi, his writing has said to have helped inspire Dune
Book is a murder mystery, sci-fi read about robots
It's the sixth in its series
Other Recommendations: The Final Empire, Brandon Sanderson and Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell
Reader’s Name: Bec
Book Name: Intermezzo
Author: Sally Rooney
Notes about the book:
First book of hers that Sally has read
Different writing style “stream of consciousness”
2 brothers, different perspectives
Other Recommendations: Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
Reader’s Name: Renee
Book Name: The Dementia Diary
Author: Christina and Stephanie Brown
Notes about the book:
Story of sisters who choose to take their Mum, who has dementia, on a road trip around Oz rather than stick her in a Nursing home.
Reader’s Name: Gemma
Book Name: Demon Copperhead
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Notes about the book:
A weighty book
Demon – character born in to life of poverty and hardship – foster care system
Easy read
Other Recommendations: The Colour Purple, Alice Walker
Reader’s Name: Annaliese
Book Name: Book of Thorns
Author: Hester Fox
Notes about the book:
100% recommend, has read another book by this author and loved it
Napolenic wars
2 sisters – lost twins. One in high society and one becomes a maid and make their way back to each other
Supernatural elements
Reader’s Name: Celia
Book Name: Sanctuary
Author: Garry Disher
Notes about the book:
Aussie Author
Would recommend
2 women’s lives and bad exs hunting them.
Complex read and 100% recommend
Reader’s Name: Zac
Book Name: There are 3 books
At the Existentialist Café - Sarah Bakewell
The Last of Us and Philosophy: Look for the Light - Charles Joshua Horn (Editor), William Irwin (Series Editor)
What Is Existentialism? by Simone de Beauvoir
Notes about the books:
Soooo many!
Wednesday, 22 January
Reader’s Name: Sam
Book Name: The Robots of Dawn
Author: Isaac Asimov
Notes about the book:
Author widely considered the "grandfather" of sci-fi, his writing has said to have helped inspire Dune
Book is a murder mystery, sci-fi read about robots
It's the third in its series, it's a detail-heavy difficult read, the author often refers to small details from the previous books
Other Recommendations: Bridgerton novels - fun, easy reads
Reader’s Name: Happy
Book Name: The Silk Roads - A New History of the World
Author: Peter Frankopan
Notes about the book:
A history of the trade routes/roads that brought together the East and West through trade leading to the sharing of ideas, culture and religion
Covers the rise and fall of empires, the spread of Buddhism, advent of Chrisitanity and Islam, and the great wars
Reader’s Name: Stella
Book Name: The Gilded Cage (2nd Book in the Prison Healer Trilogy)
Author: Lynette Noni
Notes about the book:
Fantasy romance
The protagonist, survived prison, and wants to reunite with her family vengeance on those who tried to destroy them
Expected less romance and more action
Other Recommendations:
Real Self Care - Pooja Lakshmin, which offers a look at "self-care" through a political and feminist lens, including how social systems drain our energy
Other Author Reco:
Paullina Simons - writes romance, and historical fiction with more substance than the average romance novelist
Reader’s Name: Annalise
Book Name: Book of ThornsAuthor: Hester Fox
Notes about the book:
Mystery, drama, supernatural (a heavy read)
Set in 1815, during the Napoleonic Wars, book follows twin sisters separated at birth
One of the sisters is a poor maid, and the other went to live with a wealthy family in England, their stories are told in parallel
Other Recommendation:
Lord of the Ring Audiobooks - Narrated by the actor that plays Gollum
The Witches of Eileanan Series by Kate Forsyth, fantasy
Reader’s Name: Rachel
Book Name: My Favourite Mistake
Author: Marian Keyes
Notes about the book:
Romance, easy, fun read. A New Yorker in her mid-forties moves back to Ireland for a job to help build a luxury retreat (an idea the locals hate) and ends up working with her ex lover
Reader’s Name: Karen
Book Name: Darling Girls
Author: Sally Hepworth
Notes about the book:
Follows three foster sisters
Their past in foster care was not the idyllic farm life everyone insinuates
A body is discovered under their childhood home, and now the three sisters are thrust into the investigation as witnesses, and possible suspects
Wednesday, 15 January
Reader’s Name: Briant
Book Name: Before You Knew My Name
Author: Jacqueline Bublitz
Reader’s Notes: Female protagonists in New York City. Themes include violence against women and underage sex.
Recommendation: The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fiffe
Reader’s Name: Britt
Book Name: The Marigold Mind Laundry
Author: Jungeun Yun
Reader’s Notes: Overly prescriptive in life lessons but still has moments of beauty.
Recommendation: Diary of an Uber Driver
Reader’s Name: Jenny
Book Name: The Feather Thief
Author: Kirk Wallace Johnson
Reader’s Notes: A heist story about feathers stolen from birds in a museum, interwoven with the story of fly fishing. Explores whether humans can appreciate nature without the need to possess it.
Recommendation: Detransition, Baby
Reader’s Name: Stella
Book Name: The Prison Healer (Book 1 of 3)
Author: Lynette Noni
Reader’s Notes: A mix of Game of Thrones, Alice in Wonderland, and The Hunger Games.
Recommendation: The Hobbit
Reader’s Name: ZachBook Name: Psychology of Stupid
Editor: Jean-François Marmion
Reader’s Notes: Explores why people are the way they are. Includes polarising characters and surface-level judgments, but with an undercurrent of compassion for diverse thought.
Reader’s Name: Kylah
Book Name: The Mask Falling (Book 4 of 7)
Author: Samantha Shannon
Reader’s Notes: Characters connect to the spiritual world. Lacks sufficient investment in explaining the lore of the world.
Reader’s Name: Monica
Book Name: House of Leaves
Author: Mark Z. Danielewski
Reader’s Notes: Mysteries within a mystery. Unconventionally written, with each page in a different format. A challenging read.
Recommendation: Prequel to Pillars of the Earth and Pillars of the Earth.
Reader’s Name: Sam
Book Name: The Robots of Dawn (Book 3 of 15)
Author: Isaac Asimov
Reader’s Notes: Sci-fi/murder mystery series set in a post-modern space exploration world. Requires recalling details from previous books in the series.
Recommendation: His Dark Materials (Golden Compass author).
Reader’s Name: Rachel
Book Name: Witchbotched in Westerham (Book 9 of 20)
Author: Dionne Lister
Reader’s Notes: A paranormal cozy mystery with witchy themes.
Recommendation: Anne Rice Mayfair Trilogy
Reader’s Name: Peta
Book Name: Christmas with the Queen
Authors: Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Reader’s Notes: A BBC journalist interviews the Queen before her coronation and first Christmas speech.
Recommendation: Ronni Kahn Biography (founder of OzHarvest)
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