Book Bingo Round 4: Coming of Age

I’m a bit late posting this as it was due yesterday, but better late than never. This is round 4 in #BookBingo2020 hosted by Theresa Smith Writes & Mrs B’s Book Reviews & The Book Muse

This month I’m using the book Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry to cross off the square Coming of Age. This novel is about two teenagers from different social groups whose surprise friendship through a school project makes them reassess their lives and their beliefs. I reviewed this back in February, but if you’d like to have a read of my thoughts you can do so here.

I admit to finding #BookBingo2020 much hard than last year despite only having to read one book a month, I think this is because unless I plan well what I’m reading, I am stuck for choice in which square I can find a book for. I’ll try and plan better for May.

Happy Reading.

Book Bingo 2020 Round 3: Set in a time of war: Going Home By Carole Brungar

This is the third post for #BookBingo2020 hosted by Theresa Smith Writes & Mrs B’s Book Reviews & The Book Muse

This month I have chosen the square Set in a time of war and I chose Going Home by Carole Brungar which is set during the Vietnam War.

New Zealand author Carole Brungar is able to write of an incredibly terrible time, the Vietnam War, in a very emotive and realistic way. I can always see myself there during those terrible times, whether in the jungle with the soldiers, in the helicopter flying into dangerous situations or at the hospital tending the children with horrific injuries. I can smell the smell and hear the sounds of everything that is going on during these chaotic and dangerous times.

This book, the third in the Return to Nam series, stories about the Vietnam War and the NZ soldiers, nurses, photographers and entertainers, who went there without knowing what the were flying into, takes us out of the jungle and into the town, where Ronnie has signed up to do a stint (12 months) as a nurse.

To read my full review click here

Until next month, happy reading.

Book Bingo 2020 – Round 2: Friendship, Family, Love – Gang of Four by Liz Byrski

This is the second post for #BookBingo2020 hosted by Theresa Smith Writes & Mrs B’s Book Reviews & The Book Muse

Gang of Four by Liz Byrski was chosen as our bookclub read at my face to face bookclub, I’ve read other books by Liz Byrski in the past and thoroughly enjoyed them, and this one was just as good as I remember them being. This fit perfectly into the Friendship, Family, Love square as this book had all three in huge amounts.

The four women in this novel are all dealing with different things, but it takes Isabel making the decision to take a year for herself away from her husband and grown-up children, to make the other three women take a good look at their own lives and decide to make changes too.

These three women, Isabel, Grace, Sally and Robin are all so different, and my feelings towards each of them went through many changes through the course of the novel as I got to know them, their backgrounds and their dreams. They all changed a lot during the year they took to find themselves and discover what they needed to to live life more fully.

There was trauma, the loss of a child, the loss of self, family expectations, affairs, secrets, growth, death, illness and love in its many shades. It was a really enjoyable tale that made me look at some of the things in my life and wonder.

#AWW2020 8/50

Book Bingo 2020 Round 1: Themes of Crime and Justice

This is the first post for Book Bingo 2020 hosted by Theresa Smith Writes & Mrs B’s Book Reviews & The Book Muse

This round I am crossing off the square Themes of Crime and Justice and I am using the book Dead Again by Sandi Wallace.

This is a great crime novel and is book 2 in the Rural Crime Files, Franklin and Harvey series, it can be read as a standalone, but for best enjoyment, I would read book 1 first. Read my review for Dead Again here.

#BookBingo2020

Book Bingo 2020 – The BIG Reveal & a roundup of my 2019 Book Bingo posts

The new 2020 Book Bingo card is here for those interested in joining in in 2020 check out the links below for more information and like these blogs to follow along.

via #BookBingo2020 – The BIG Reveal – Theresa Smith Writes

& Book Bingo 2020: Launch Day – Mrs B’s Book Reviews

& Book Bingo 2020 Intro – The Book Muse

Now I thought I’d roundup all my 2019 Book Bingo posts

Round 1 – A book set in an exotic location – Daughter of the Sky by Michelle Diener

Round 2 – Novel less than 150 pages – The Purple Hills by Alissa Callen

Round 3 – A book with a red cover & Written by an author I’ve never read – The Christmas Wish by Beth Prentice & Valor by Karrie Roman

Round 4 – Written by an Australian Male & Memoir about a non-famous person – Ridgeview Station by Michael Trant & Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee

Round 5 – Book set in the Australian outback – Sunshine by Kim Kelly

Round 6 – Themes of Fantasy – Arkanae by Lynette Noni

Round 7 – Book by an author with the same initials as you – Wayward Heart by Cathryn Hein

Round 8 – Themes of Inequality – Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Round 9 – Novel that has 500 pages or more – The Chocolate Maker’s Wife by Karen Brooks

Round 10 – A fictional novel about a woman from history – Esther by Jessica North

Round 11 – Romance – The Soccer Player and the Single Mom by Kyra Jacobs

Round 12 – Crime – The Dare by Carol Wyer

Round 13 – Historical – The Postmistress by Alison Stuart

Round 14 – Book set in the Australian Mountains – Cllimbing Fear by Leisl Leighton

Round 15 – Themes of science fiction – Mercenary Royal by Shona Husk

Round 16 – Book set on the Australian coast – Urchin’s Bluff by Eliza Bennetts

Round 17 – Book with a place in the title – Singapore Sapphire by A.M Stuart

Round 18 – Written by an Australian woman – Spoilt For Love by Monique Mulligan

Round 19 – Book written by an Australian woman more than 10 years ago – Master of Ransome by Lucy Walker

Round 20 – Themes of culture – The Kabul Peace House by Mark Isaacs

Round 21 – Literary – Wearing Paper Dresses by Anne Brinsden

Round 22 – Prize winning novel – Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard

Round 23 – Nonfiction book about an event – Hiroshima by John Hersey

Round 24 – Comedy & Beloved Classic – Fatal Break by Beth Prentice & The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum

Round 25 – Written by an author over the age of 65 – The Last Paradise by Di Morrissey

Round 26 – Written by an author under the age 35 & Themes of Justice – Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend & Dark Heart by Tony Park

Wow what a bingo card this was, there were a few that were very hard to fill. Luckily next years looks much easier. I hope you will join me in next years Book Bingo challenge.