Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: secrets

  • Orphan Rock

    Orphan Rock

    Australian History comes to life in this rich and complex saga, Orphan Rock. Set in Sydney in the late 1800’s we are introduced to the main character Bessie, as she gradually becomes aware that she has been left at an Orphanage.

    As a young girl, she can vaguely remember her mother, but Lottie is the orphan who guides her through the routines, keeps her safe, and sleeps with her at night. The poverty and hardship are tangible.

    Many topics are examined in this story and as a result of careful research, the Dominique Wilson brings forward many other social justice issues.

    For those Chinese who migrated to Australia for a better life, or for gold, life was unenviable. Trying to settle into a community who were mistrusting and suspicious was hard enough, but to try to work and support a family was a battle. If a Chinese man fell in love and married an Australian girl, she would be disgraced and extraneous to the community.

    A separate issue at that time was the rights of women. As an adult, Bessie began to work for a newspaper run by feminist Louisa Lawson, she saw the inequality and despair of women trying to make a stand for their rights. Bessie was fortunate as she was a companion to an old woman who had a pen pal living in France. The pen pal decided to come to Australia for a visit and the disparity between the cultures was huge.

    After surviving the death of her husband and family to smallpox, Bessie lived from hand to mouth. Eventually, she remarried and her daughter lived to benefit from all hardships that had gone before her. As Kathleen becomes an adult, she continued the French Connection formed when her mother was a young woman and was there when World War 1 broke out.

    It is the detail and characters in Orphan Rock which present such an impact on the reader. As we follow the story, Historical events slot into place and it is so easy to be transported to that time and location.

  • Shadows of Olive Trees

    Shadows of Olive Trees

    It is important for a society to be able to reflect on past issues that affect our social structure today. Shadows of Olive Trees brings to light the customs and traditions that were prevalent in Australia during the 70’s. Migrant families brought their village values and expectations to the new country.  

    For many young Greek women, life was filled with compromise and confusion. Raised with love and total commitment, they began to experience the “other way of living.”  These women then began to challenge basic structures of family life.

    In Shadows of Olive Trees, we follow the life of Tessa. She is a very smart young lady who knows where her strengths lie and which directions she wants to take in the future. Her father wants her to become a Librarian, but Tessa wants to study literature, continue to study and write poetry.

    She is approaching the marriageable age and again her father has chosen two men as suitable husbands. From being the adoring and dutiful daughter, Tessa becomes angry and saddened by her mother’s submissiveness and her father’s domination.

    Shadows of the Olive Trees is set in Sydney, in the 1970’s, but it could be replicated in any part of Australia. Today, when some Greek women look back at their youth, they are reminded of how loved and protected they were, but also how confined and limited they were socially. Today, many things have changed. Those same women had to fight so much harder for their freedom but ensured that things would be easier for their children.

    This is just one rung on the ladder of women’s struggle for equality, but an important one to acknowledge.

  • The Smidgens

    The Smidgens

    If you are only three inches high and having to scavenge a meal in the real world of humans, life can be very interesting indeed, and when you have to take your whinging little brother with you, it can become downright dangerous.

    Meet the Smidgens, Gafferty Sprout and her little brother Gobkin, as they set out on a rather perilous journey to feed their growing family. This is Gafferty’s first outing on her own and although she is trying to follow the rules Dad had taught her, Gobkin seemed to be far to frightened of the big people and getting caught, which was not helping.

    David O”Connell has created world of little people in The Smidgens with a very broad appeal, as well as massive scope for adventures, led by the indomitable Gafferty. Not happy with her success as securing a big, fat, hot golden chip, she decides to try and discover some more about the possible remainder of the Lost Tribe of Smidgens, as according to a book she found, there use to be lots of them, not just her small family.

     She along with Gobkin set out to see what they can discover and in doing so really do land themselves in a huge heap of trouble, trouble that may well see the end of them, as it seems that Smidgens hold heaps of secrets and she and Gobkin are not the only ones trying to find out more about a tiny, teeny race of people three inches high!

    Fantastic cartoon illustrations from Seb Burnett create a visual feast of characters that do justice to these tiny people created by David O’Connell, who just maybe inhabit our everyday, very big people world.

    Get set for a rollicking series of fun filled, scary adventures to come and if book one, is anything to go by The Smidgens will fast become sought after, beloved characters in all young readers libraries.

  • Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery unlock the secrets.

    Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery unlock the secrets.

    Winterbourne Home is a rather secretive place which along with few other things, is the also home for five rather extraordinary children, who just happen to be orphans and is owned by Gabriel Winterbourne, a man who is also very secretive about what he does, which naturally just adds to the overall secrecy that surrounds everything and everybody at Winterbourne House.

     April is beginning to believe she has found her forever home, along with the other four children who will make up her forever family, and this feels really rather terrific, even if she does get very worried by her roommate Sadie Marie Simmons, who is a bit inclined to invent some seriously weird and dangerous things!

    As the pages turn there is mayhem afoot, and secrets to be discovered, but when Gabriel disappears, even with the combined incredible skills of the children, Gabriel remains well and truly missing. It would appear that something rather terrible may have happened as there is someone else who really, really wants his job of protecting the City and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

    But all is not as it seems as April is a very determined little girl and has a secret of her own. When she became and orphan her mother gave her a Key with the Winterbourne crest on it and now she is there, right in the Winterbourne house, all she has to do is try and find the right lock for the key. She believes that by making this discovery some of the mystery surrounding the house could be understood and maybe, she might find her real family once again!

    When the sentential statue appears to come to life, strange noises start happening in the night and a whole lot of other really spooky things occur, April really has to make up her mind is her new home and family worth fighting for or not!

    Quirky, funny, outrageous and full of mayhem, Winterbourne Home of Mayhem and Mystery: unlock the secrets lives up to the title of the story with flair, zeal and riotous happenings, which just may come out okay, eventually!

  • The Deceptions

    The Deceptions

    Captivating, heartbreaking and raw the symmetry that is The Deceptions crafts an unforgettable story that is both fascinating and confrontational at the same time. Secrets buried deep surface seventy years later to create immense shockwaves in a family that while small is fractured, holding together by a single thin thread of hope.

    The year 2009 sees the girl who once was Hana Lederova light a candle for her husband; a symbol of remembrance of loved ones passed, lit on the anniversary of their passing. In honouring the Jewish tradition, memories she felt had been long buried return, pushing at the emotions, almost demanding to be reviewed, rediscovered and finally accepted. Anna is now an old woman, a reinvented woman from the young, beautiful and fractured girl she had once been.

    The Deceptions is her story; one where choices were made, lives were sacrificed and eventually a new life discovered in a faraway land, full once again of challenge, choice, hope and fragmentation.

    It is not until the past merges with the future in a head on collision, that the past has to be reviewed under a very different microscope, in a time when the horror of the Holocaust has all but been forgotten, but the web created by the survivors lingers on.

    Susanne Leal brings the powerful characters of Hana (Anna), Karel, Robert, Tessa and Ruth out of a rich and tragic history, a history that is a comprehensive component still of so many families, forming them into people we have all met in our aging relative and friends, people who have a past, secrets ingrained into their very Dna, a past embedded in the tragedy of World War 2.

    In discovering these secrets the question of morality is raised, with the issue of time healing everything placed in full view, acceptance of things that simply cannot be changed but only recognised for what they are, is offered as a form of healing and closure.

    A stunningly emotional and delicately crafted work of fiction based on a true story of past transgressions, The Deceptions ensures the horror of the German death camps such as Belsen and the eternally lasting legacies are not soon forgotten.

  • The Secrets of Strangers

    The Secrets of Strangers

    One random act of violence results in the lives of five strangers becoming unexpectedly intertwined. Sam, rushes into the Tuckbox Café in Balham, London to confront the owner Robert, his stepfather. Minutes later Robert is shot dead and the patrons inside are held prisoner. With a few captives released, Mutesi, a nurse, Neil, a homeless gambling addict and Abi, a defense barrister, remain as hostages; all there at the wrong place and wrong time. As news stations’ broadcast developments, DI Eliza McClean heads a team as the negotiator, in this tense standoff.

    In the day long negotiations, Sam’s extremely poignant story and the reason for his drastic action evolves, as does insight into the lives of the other main protagonists; secrets unravel, issues are disclosed and the fight for survival becomes imperative. With the passing hours the hostages become a unit as they care for each other and for Sam.

    The siege in Charity Norman’s book ‘The Secrets of Strangers’ conjures up images of a similar incident in Sydney’s Lindt Cafe, where people who were just carrying out their daily lives were trapped in a volatile hostage situation.  As the author develops the characters, each with a history of which they previously have not shared, she creates a palpable tension, along with an overwhelming sadness for the hostages and Sam.

    Readers who enjoy stories of human nature, personalities and perceptions will enjoy this book and will be kept guessing as they try to resolve the questions of ‘why’ and ‘who’.

  • Just an Ordinary Family

    Just an Ordinary Family

    If there is such a thing as a blockbuster of a book, Just An Ordinary Family, Fiona Lowe’s latest family saga, could certainly be considered as such, as she has once again captured perfectly a family in distress, as secrets held long finally emerge into the light, destructive, cathartic and devastating.

    There is no short way to write about this captivating book without creating a spoiler alert, so enjoy the story as it unfolds, as you will certainly recognise the characters in those around you, which is why Lowe’s stories captivate, as they are built around real people, real emotions and real situations.

    Alice Hunter returns to the home of her youth, Kurani Bay, heartsore, single, struggling to earn some sort of living with series of casual summer jobs, back living with her parents once again; a far cry from her very upmarket position and life in Melbourne.

    Libby, Alice’s twin has it all: she loves her career as one of Kurani Bay’s Doctors, has a dream of husband who loves her immensely, two beautiful children and a fantastic home. Libby desperately craves another child after the still birth of her and Dominic’s last babe. Her obsession with becoming pregnant is placing a sever strain on her relationship with Dominic.

    Jess Dekic came to Kurani Bay as a teen, daughter of an alcoholic mother, fierce, independent, intelligent and determined to take whatever came her way in life; to succeed and never return to the Bay. She is now a single mother of a joy filled toddler, and despite not wanting to return, realises it is the best option for Leo.

    Karen Hunter, mother of Alice and Libby holds some serious secrets buried deep, scars of her childhood, a deep sorrow connected with her sister and terrified that somehow her carefully constructed family life will collapse. Always a worrier she has spent much of her life overprotecting her beloved daughters.

    When the family structure begins to collapse, it is very interesting to observe how Fiona Lowe has crafted the emotions of the people who have woven a very complex web of lies and deceit, all bound together through love.

    She has captured the very essence of devastation, rebuilding, love, hope and grief as each of the women eventually has to look within to be able to forgive, to rebuild, to accept that life is never perfect and that tragedy can come with hidden blessings.

    A word of warning thought: do not expect to put this book down once you have begun to read it. Just An Ordinary Family makes the perfect read for those who are in ‘lockdown’, or simply are remaining at home and enjoying the moment.

  • Truths I Never Told You

    Truths I Never Told You

    Family relationships are at the heart of Truths I Never Told You which is narrated by three women. Kelly Rimmer has cleverly crafted a story spanning three generations which will resonate with both women and men. We are shown political and social changes which have only been brought about by intense pressure and courage. Abortion and contraception are two topics which are elaborated in a family setting.

    Another topic dealt with is Post-Partum Depression. Although Beth, who narrates the story from 1996, is a psychologist, she is unable to see that her anxiety is much more intense than normal. After all, she has a new baby: a much- loved father who has dementia and has to be moved into Care. Of course, she is going to be anxious! It takes a great deal of love and support from her family to convince her that she is unwell.

    All of this begins to unravel as Beth starts to sort out her Father’s home. She finds notes from her Mother and her Mother’s Death Certificate showing when she died. Beth and her siblings remember their Mother fondly.

    Turn the clock back to Beth’s mother, Grace, who narrates the story from 1957. She has a similar condition, but has had no contraception and no family support. With four children under four years, a pregnancy now would destroy her. Grace married Patrick, who was a thoughtful man, but found it difficult to cope with the chaos at home and lack of money. It became easier for him to stay later at work and then go to the pub with his mates for a few drinks before coming home.

    While drawing attention to attitude changes over the generations, the Rimmer examines each topic enmeshed in the family story. She does this with thought and “What- ifs.” We read this with a sense of gratitude that times have changed, although many still are uncomfortable when addressing mental health crises within the family.

    This is a personal look into a caring family and shows how important it is to listen to each other and look after each other. It is saved from being a dark tale by the closeness and love of the family, and the mystery that needs solving.

  • Field of Poppies

    Field of Poppies

    Carmel Bird certainly has a way with words as shares a short period of time in Field of Poppies, a time of which many will be able to relate, as Marsali faces change; change created by a series of events beyond her control. Segments in each of the chapters are added by husband William, a man of few words, philosophical bent and great patience, which provides balance to the monologue.

    Although the protagonists are Marsali and William, the words read a little too true to have been completely the creation of a fertile imagination. Reading the work slowly, as it demands, there is a definite ring of life having been lived throughout the entire months over which the book is set.

    Basically, Marsali and husband William decide a change of their hectic lifestyle needs to be undertaken. They eventually find and fall in love with a slightly down at the heal property, Listowel in the country town of Muckleton, rural Victoria, not all that far from Melbourne; a place they loved to visit but now enjoy as the quiet, peace and serenity of their new home.

    Over several years they create their idea of Nirvana at Listowel, but when trouble crashes into their world, disturbing not just their peace, but also peace of mind, it sets off a train of events that have them both eventually reconsidering their ‘tree change’.

    Slowly, they have become accepted as members of their small community, until a series of events creates disquiet, shattering the peace and tranquillity; events which cause the townspeople to face the violent history of a town full of secrets considered as firmly buried, or at the very least, washed from memory as time has a wont to do.

    Robbery, murder, mystery and the Chinese coming to town to reopen a long defunct Goldmine is serious cause for concern, but is it enough to consider moving away and beginning somewhere else once again.

    Carefully and beautifully crafted, there are so many layers to this delicately poised work, which as the pages turn, seeps into the fabric of the everyday world, of which it is all too easily relatable, as dark and dreadful secrets are revealed, layers of history are pealed back to a time when the rules of colonial Australia were vastly different. Life was cheap and war was all to real.

    All the while and throughout the storyline, Monet’s beautiful work, Field of Poppies hangs on the wall, a reminder of so much, containing so many evocative emotions within the colours of the work.

    Field of Poppies is a work that is evocative, personal, and intricately woven.

  • The Great Divide

    The Great Divide

    The prologue grabs the interest from the very first paragraph and from that point forward, The Great Divide from L.J.M Owen simply must be read from cover to cover preferably without stopping, because although the narrative is relatively fast paced, it is essential to discover who is really responsible for such a heinous series of crimes.

    New to the country town of Dunton in Tasmania, a far cry from his fast paced, hectic life in Melbourne, detective Jake Hunter is struggling to settle into a place he thought would provide the necessary break to reassess his life and make, if any, changes to his current lifestyle.

    No hot water or lights in his tiny cottage is not helping and when he gets an early morning callout to help try and find a missing ten-year-old boy from local caravan park, it is almost a welcome relief to begin the day.

    Safely reunited with his family, the boy is covered in mud and says he has seen a monster and the body of a very old woman in the vineyards, which is scoffed at by several of the adults. Jake decides to investigate the claims made and does indeed discover the body of an elderly woman with a set of footprints leading to and from the site.

    Trying to discover who could have reason to murder the headmistress of a former children’s home in Dunton, leads Jake into a world of lies, mistruths, the dark, deadly secrets of a town kept well-hidden along with a crime scene that spans decades, and States

    Nothing seems to be what it appears and why is it that the very few children who were cared for at the Home, can be contacted, all who seem to be suffering from serious mental health issues. What went on there and who was behind what is beginning to seem like a real-life horror story, also seems to be buried in the recesses of time.

    As the story unfolds, Jake has to face his reality, face his personal demons and somehow try and discover some form of justice for the survivors of the Dunton Children’s Home.

    Riveting reading from the first word, this is a murder mystery that will not disappoint, written is style that has created a work which will be long lasting, with a storyline, in parts all too real, that will linger well after the case is closed.