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As we get closer to Christmas and the end of another year we thought it would be a great time to share our Best Reads of 2021!
2021 might not have been a good year under normal circumstances but it certainly turned out to be a great year for good books and we love nothing better than sharing our love of great books with everyone.
We have listed some of the best books we read in 2021 in the hopes you might find something enjoyable to read over the Christmas and summer break.
We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season filled with lots of great reads; which by coincidence can be found at your local City of Parramatta Library!
Happy reading.
Some of the great books we read in 2021….
Asking a librarian to limit their favourite book of the year to just one title is impossible! So we have decided to include every title we loved year. Download the complete uncut list now! Jam packed full of our 5/5 picks. Guaranteed to keep you busy way past Christmas and summer.
Our MJ Readers book club enjoyed reading ‘Force of Nature‘ by Jane Harper this month. Read their thoughts below.
About the Book
Lost, Cold, Desperate … Danger Runs Deep
Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along the muddy track. Only four come out the other side.
The hike through the rugged Giralang Ranges is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and teach resilience and team building. At least that is what the corporate retreat website advertises.
Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a particularly keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing bushwalker. Alice Russell is the whistleblower in his latest case – and Alice knew secrets. About the company she worked for and the people she worked with.
Far from the hike encouraging teamwork, the women tell Falk a tale of suspicion, violence and disintegrating trust. And as he delves into the disappearance, it seems some dangers may run far deeper than anyone knew. (from the publisher)
Comments
As with Jane Harper’s other novels, we felt that the environment was a central ‘character’ in this story. It was a menacing force that emphasised the dysfunctional relationships, frailties, jealousies and paranoia that each character displayed in some degree. We were drawn in by the story and it kept us guessing to the end. The conclusion was cleverly tied up and there was healing and understanding of how regrets from the past impacted each character and their ongoing relationships. Another enjoyable read.
3 December is International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD). It is a United Nations observed day aimed at increasing public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. City of Parramatta has created a program of events and resources in recognition of and to showcase people with a lived experience of a disability.
Learn more about the NDIS with our online information sessions;
Unleash your creativity with the art competition (Prizes worth $650/$200/$75);
Join the panel of speakers at Riverside Theatres ‘Stages of Change’ event;
Watch Kay Kerr in conversation with her new book, Social Queue, a heart-warming autistic story (Register here); and
Discover our resources below to help people living with a disability.
In association with City of Parramatta Libraries and Community Capacity Team, Parramatta Artists’ Studios, Riverside Theatres and Text Publishing.
Stories of DisabilityDisability Books for Adults & ParentsDisability Books for Young AdultsDisability Books for ChildrenDisability Books from HomeDisability Videos (DVDs & Streaming)
October is Mental Health Month and the City of Parramatta Libraries have created a page of resources, tips, events and contacts to help support the mental health of you and your loved ones. Why not take a look at our lists of books for all ages and reserve/borrow one today, a sample of some of the titles from the list are shown below. We even have a special downloadable booklet filled with colouring pages for the beginner and the more advanced and mental health tip posters to print at home.
City of Parramatta Libraries have once again teamed up with Public Libraries NSW to offer our communities the chance to attend FREE online author talks over the coming months. There are three author talks for the month of October that you can attend from the comfort of home – Judy Nunn, Claire G. Coleman and Costa Georgiadis.
Judy Nunn will be in conversation with Catherine Krause from Central Coast Libraries about her bestselling new novel Showtime! that takes us on a scintillating journey through the golden age of Australian show business. In the second half of the 19th century, Melbourne is a veritable boom town, as hopefuls from every corner of the globe flock to the gold fields of Victoria. And where people crave gold, they also crave entertainment. Enter stage right: brothers Will and Max Worthing and their wives Mabel and Gertie. To register book online – parra.city/nunn21
Claire G. Coleman will be in conversation with Torres Strait Islander journalist and broadcaster, Rhianna Patrick, speaking about her non-fiction debut Lies, Damned Lies. In Lies, Damned Lies, Coleman wields the truths unseen in Australia’s history to highlight the wrongs that underpin the very foundations of this nation. Coleman has long used her writing as a vehicle for truth-telling and Lies, Damned Lies is the ultimate exemplar of this. By layering her experiences against the realities of Australia’s past and present Coleman demonstrates the ongoing impacts of colonisation on the individual, and on Country, to devastating effect. To register book online – parra.city/coleman21
Costa Georgiadis Presents Costa’s World Wednesday 27 October, 6.30pm
Costa Georgiadis will be in conversation with Robyn Syphers from Camden Libraries discussing his new book Costa’s World. Gardening for the soul, the soil and the suburbs – from the beloved host of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia. A generous, joyous, fully illustrated gardening book, Costa’s World celebrates the life-changing joy of chooks; kids in the garden; big ideas for small spaces; Costa’s favourite plants; growing the right plants for your conditions; biodiversity in the soil and garden; the power of community; the brilliance of bees and pollinators; easy-peasy permaculture; and much, much more. Bringing together all of Costa’s gardening and sustainability knowledge, this is a book for the whole family that reflects Costa’s philosophy and big-hearted sense of fun. To register book online – parra.city/costa21
