The Book of Night Women

the-book-of-night-womenDid you love A brief history of seven killings? Why not read Marlon James’ previous novel, The book of night women, a sweeping, historical novel of Jamaican Slavery.

‘This is the story of Lilith, born into slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the end of the eighteenth century. Even at her birth, the Night Women – a clandestine council of fierce slaves plotting an island-wide revolt – recognize a dark force in her that they treat with both reverence and fear. But as Lilith comes of age and begins to understand her own feelings and identity, she dares to push at the edges of what is imaginable for the life of a slave woman. And as rebellions simmer and unspoken jealousies intensify, Lilith’s powers and sense of purpose threaten not just her own destiny, but the destinies of all the slave women in Jamaica.’

Orange is the new black

orange-is-the-new-blackOrange is the new black by Piper Kerman

 

Abstract

With her career, live-in boyfriend and loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the rebllious young woman who got mixed up with drug runners and delivered a suitcase of drug money to Europe over a decade ago. But when she least expexts it, her reckless past catches up with her; convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at an infamous women’s prison in Connecticut, Piper becomes inmate #1187-424. From her first strip search to her final release, she learns to navigate this trange world with its arbitrary rules and codes, its unpredictable, even dangerous relationships. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with tokens of generosity, hard truths and simple acts of acceptance. Now a major original televison series, Piper’s story is a fascinating, heartbreaking and often hilarious insight into life on the inside.

 

Comments

The United States has the highest number of people in prison in the whole world.

The author of the book was incarcerated for 15 months in a US prison after pleading guilty to drug0-related crime.

One reader was really surprised at how much she enjoyed the book. The insights into the US prison system were very interesting.

The book reviews were not good, but the book group found it a good read.

The writing is not in a classic style but it was easy to read and the group is glad to have read it.

 

Read by – The Second Tuesday Evening Book Group

 

Spirits of the Ghan

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Spirits of the Ghan by Judy Nunn

 

Book Extract

It is 2001 and as the world charges into the new Millennium, a century-old dream is about to be realised in the Red Centre of Australia: the completion of the mighty Ghan railway, a long-lived vision to create the ‘backbone of the continent’, a line that will finally link Adelaide with the Top End.

 

Comments

Well I just finished Spirits of the Ghan by Judy Nunn; due out the end of October 2015. I was lucky enough received access to a pre-publication ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

And I absolutely love it! Spirits of the Ghan is the first book I have read by Judy and it definitely won’t be my last.

I know it sounds cliché but from the very first page I was hooked. I wanted to keep reading and that didn’t change throughout the whole book.

Spirits of the Ghan has everything a great read needs; an intriguing storyline, interesting characters, history, culture, friendship, family, heartbreak and a little romance.

I loved the fact that throughout the book it was told from the points of view of different characters. This allowed me to get to know and love each character and become engrossed in their story.

I was enjoying the book so much and was worried the end half of the book would let me down; but it didn’t. I thoroughly enjoyed the story right to the very end and couldn’t have asked for a better way for the book to be wrapped up.

Two days after I finished the book I find myself still thinking about it.

 

Rating – 5/5

 

Ready by – Jody

 

 

CBCA Winners 2015

 

 

Reserve your copy of the winning titles below

Older Readers

WINNER   

The Projected by Claire Zorn

 

the-protected

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HONOUR BOOKS

Nona and me – Claire Atkins

The Minnow – Diana Sweeney

 

Younger Readers

WINNER

The Cleo stories by Libby Gleeson

the-cleo-stories-the-necklace-and-the-present

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HONOUR BOOKS

Two wolves by Tristan Bancks

Withering-by-sea by Judith Rossell

 

To check out all the winners click here