Reading Matters
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Explore book reviews from a diverse group of genres main focus with the main focus on modern and contemporary fiction. The Reading Matters blog is edited by Kim Forrester, a self-confessed book addict who likes to share her love of books with a broader audience.
Reading Matters
18h ago
Fiction – paperback; Doubleday; 232 pages; 2024. Sometimes you pick up a book that perfectly matches your mood, even when you’re unsure if it’s right for you. I devoured Catherine Newman’s Sandwich while recovering from surgery a few weeks back, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. It’s really easy to read (I mean that ..read more
Reading Matters
3d ago
Fiction – Kindle edition; Bloomsbury; 246 pages; 2012. I’ve been enjoying exploring some older novels lately, ones that have been lingering in my TBR for years, which is how I came to read Swallowing the Sun by Northern Irish writer David Park. Originally published in 2004, the story follows a husband and father struggling to cope ..read more
Reading Matters
3d ago
Fiction – paperback; Penguin Modern Classics; 128 pages; 2011. Saul Bellow’s Seize the Day, first published in 1956, centres on a failed actor trapped by his life choices but unwilling to take the necessary action to get himself out of a hole. It’s the story of a mediocre man who blames everyone but himself for his ..read more
Reading Matters
1w ago
Fiction – paperback; Bloomsbury; 226 pages; 2023. I loved Anne Michaels’ 1996 novel Fugitive Pieces, a poignant story of a young Polish boy orphaned during the Second World War who must begin his life afresh but is haunted by events of the past. The Canadian writer’s latest novel, Held, published last year, shares similar themes ..read more
Reading Matters
1w ago
Fiction – paperback; Penguin Classics; 148 pages; 2005. Translated from the Hebrew by Dalya Bilu. Aharon Appelfeld’s Badenheim 1939, first published in 1980, is regarded as a classic of Holocaust fiction. It’s written in a simple allegorical style, which relies on the reader knowing the historical context and recognising the growing signs of impending disaster ..read more
Reading Matters
1w ago
Fiction – paperback; Penguin; 461 pages; 2024. I was disappointed that Hisham Matar’s My Friends didn’t make the shortlist for the 2024 Book Prize for which it had been longlisted. I loved this deeply immersive novel. It is a beautiful ode to friendship and literature and a compelling examination of what it is to be ..read more
Reading Matters
2w ago
Find out what trio of books have meant a lot to writer Paul Grace, whose first book was shortlisted for Book of the Year at the WA Premier's Book Awards earlier this year ..read more
Reading Matters
3w ago
Fiction – Kindle edition; Vintage Digital; 324 pages; 2013. I do love a novel about travel or a holiday, especially if the trip turns out to be disastrous or full of jeopardy! Lawrence Osborne’s The Forgiven fits right into that category. Indeed, it would make a worthy addition to my “holidays from hell” list, which ..read more
Reading Matters
3w ago
Fiction – paperback; Allen & Unwin; 322; 2024. Australian writer Jessie Tu’s debut novel, A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, was a big hit in 2020. I loved it so much that it made my “Books of the Year” list at the time. In that refreshingly frank story, a musical prodigy struggled to find her feet in the ..read more
Reading Matters
1M ago
Fiction – Kindle edition; Daunt Books; 250 pages; 2024. Rita Bullwinkel’s highly original novel Headshot has been longlisted for this year’s Booker Prize. The book follows eight teenage girls competing in the 18 & Under Daughters of America boxing tournament over two intense days. Each chapter focuses on a different bout as the athletes fight ..read more