Category Archives: Staff Picks

Lockdown Listening!

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Prior to lockdown, eAudiobooks were a normal part of my routine. In fact the only way I could cope with the commute to work was by listening to a book.

Working from home hasn’t curbed my enthusiasm for eAudiobooks in the least. I now find myself becoming just a bit obsessed with browsing all the amazing books in our BorrowBox library and I absolutely love the way you can listen to a preview of the title before borrowing.

After all what is more relaxing than someone reading you a story, which is basically what an eAudiobook book is right? eAudiobooks give me the chance to escape and block out all the annoying, stressful things and enjoy a good book when I am unable to actually physically sit down and read one.

So without further ramblings I thought I would share with you some of the great eAudiobooks I have listened to; not only during lockdown but over the last few months and my ‘all time’ favourites.

It is my hope that you will find something amazing to listen to and take your mind off everything going on at the moment.

You can find all my listening favourites in our BorrowBox Library.

Here is hoping you all find the perfect book to listen to, and lose yourself in the amazing world of storytelling that is eAudiobooks.

Happy listening,

Jody

P.S.

I forgot to mention that BorrowBox recently launched their new and improved BorrowBox website and app and I am loving it! The ease of use and the attractive way the books are displayed and how easy it is to navigate around really has had me spend way too much time browsing and reserving.

You can explore BorrowBox for yourself here!

Some of my recent eAudiobooks

Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon

Someone I used to Know by Paige Toon

Circe by Madeline Miller

The Prison healer by Lynette Noni

Wolfe Island by Lucy Trealor

The switch by Beth O’Leary

The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan

A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville

Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Top 9 All Time Favourite eAudiobooks, in no particular order….

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss

A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey

The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

Black Diamonds by Kim Kelly

Sistersong by Lucy Holland

Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling & read by Stephen Fry

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Working Class Boy by Jimmy Barnes

Staff Picks What We Read in May

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Wow! May certainly was a great month for reading.

In fact, our lunch room has been abuzz with all the book talk. Each one of us eager to share with the other what amazing book we have been reading. The upside of all our book discussions is we then get to share with you our fellow readers just what books have caught our attention this month.

It is our hopes you will then share with your book buddies, enabling every one of your book loving friends to have an endless supply of good books to get lost in over the coming colder months.

So, what have we been reading over the last month? We have listed them below for you to browse and find your next great read!

Recommended Reading

Sistersong by Lucy Holland (Fiction) – I absolutely adored this book! The perfect mix of British folklore and fantasy. Beautifully written, and at times heartbreaking, Lucy Holland manages to weave a brilliant story web that keeps you ensnared until the very last word has been read! (Jody)

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni (Book 1) – Young adult fantasy at its best! (Jody)

Life’s Too Short (Friend Zone, 3) by Abby Jimenez – Amazing! Definitely my favourite book in the series. (Kate)

The Disappearance of Stephanie Mailer by Joel Dicker

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Solstice Countdown by Lisa Shearin – The 7th book in the urban fantasy SPI Files series featuring seer Makenna Fraser and her goblin dark mage partner Rake Danescu protecting the world from evil – great continuation of the series.

Heartsick, three stories about love and loss, and what happens in between by Jessie Stephens

The Fix, how to overcome the invisible barriers that are holding women back at work by Michelle P. King

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Thrilling April Reads

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Wow! What a month of books. I really enjoyed reading, ‘Peace‘ by Garry Disher, ‘You Don’t Know Me‘ by Sara Foster and ‘The Ruin‘ by Dervla McTiernan. All very different, but great thriller/crime reads.

If you were looking for a light easy read, then my recommendation would be ‘Peace‘ by Garry Disher. Constable Paul ‘Hirsch’ Hirschhausen, was such a likeable character and while this was the second book in a series of books about Paul Hirschhausen, ‘Peace’ can definitely be read as a standalone. The dry Australian outback and the problems that plague that environment and its people, is something I never tire reading about. ‘Peace’ is the second book in the Paul Hirschhausen series of books. ‘Bitter Wash Road‘ (book one), ‘Consolation‘ (book three).

Anyone, who is a regular reader of Parra Reads will know that Sara Foster is one of my all-time favourite writers. All her books seem to have the perfect mix of great settings, likeable characters, and enough mystery to keep you guessing. If you haven’t read any of Sara Foster’s books, ‘You Don’t Know Me’ is a good one to start with.

‘The Ruin‘ by Dervla McTiernan is an awesome thriller set in Ireland. I don’t know if it was the setting, the characters or the mystery that caught my attention the most. Maybe it was the masterful way in which Dervla McTiernan mixed them together to create a brilliant crime read. I think I might classify this as my first real crime thriller read. The depth the author has devoted to the setting and character building really sets it apart from other books in the same genre. I can’t wait to read the next two books in the series.

Continue reading →

Must Read Newly Released Fiction

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Just when we thought our ‘to be read’ piles could not grow any larger, another month ticks over and a completely new lot of amazing books are released out into the world for us all to read.

It probably won’t surprise any of you that there are quite a few of us here at City of Parramatta Libraries who love to read. In fact, we love nothing better than catching up over lunch or online via our Goodreads page to discuss books, books, and more books.

After one recent discussion, we decided to share with everyone these newly released books we simply cannot wait to get our hands on.

If like us, you love books and reading and you currently find yourself at a reading crossroads, you might enjoy exploring some of our top picks for newly released fiction titles.

We have ordered copies of the below recommended new releases, so place a Hold on your pick now. Holds are free and you can now place up to ten (10) Holds and collect from any one of our Libraries.

We hope you find your next great read to share with your reading buddies.

Happy Reading!

Podcast Thriller & Crime Fiction

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Thrillers and crime fiction are genres of writing that fascinate the reader through the depiction of danger, of darkness, of suspense and anxiety that surrounds the criminal or crime-related events described in the story.

Join Nisa and Bryony as they discuss some books that fall neatly and not-so-neatly within the overlapping boundaries of these genres.

  • Andrea Bartz, Ballantine Books, 2020
  • Jessica More, Penguin, 2020
  • Step Cha, Faber & Faber, 2019
  • Jane Healey, Mantle, 2020

LISTEN NOW!