Books for Christmas

 

Christmas is a time for family, friends and togetherness. Sometimes (though not necessarily here in Australia) it is about snow, fireplaces, love and ... unicorns.

people who enjoy Christmas, get excited over the season, or want ideas for the holidays can prepare with resources from the library! There are all kinds of books that can be borrowed to show and share that holiday cheer and spirit that comes around every December 25. 

Picture books:

Timothy Knapman's and Ada Grey's picture book is the magical unicorn version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. There is counting, humour and Christmas wishes everywhere!

You can find this book here.

This is an interesting Aussie tale (or should I say tail) about a sugar glider competing against other bush animals to help pull a sleigh. Alexa Moses and Anil Tortop write a book filled with Christmas magic; that centres around Australian animals. The best of both worlds for Christmas!

You can find this book here.

Adult fiction:

"For as long as Christmas has been celebrated, poets and writers have sought to explore every aspect of it, whether the story of the nativity, gatherings with family and friends, or the festive traditions that have grown over the centuries. And such works have forever changed the way we think about the holiday. A Literary Christmas is a seasonal anthology collecting poems, short stories and prose extracts by some of the greatest poets and writers in the English language. Like Charles Dickens's Ghosts of Christmas past and present, these texts represent times old and new ..." cover insert. 

Compiled by the British Library; it contains many of the best classic Christmas moments from English poetry and literature. The cover just screams English Christmas too, doesn't it?

 You can find this book here.

This book has two short stories in it by Debbie Macomber: Christmas wishes and Rainy Day Kisses (though the second is possibly far less Christmassy than the first). Full of romance and light-heartedness, these stories may just make you feel all warm all over as love stories around Christmas create joy, longing and a special kind of romance for the season. 

You can find this book here. 

And, seemingly Macomber loves Christmas just as much as others! She has written multiple romance fiction novels around Christmas, if you would like to have a peek here.

Stop! Grammar time.

 

Time for two more punctuation marks: semicolons and colons.

The resource can be found here. It is "Good grammar for students" by Howard Jackson.

Semicolons ( ; )

The semicolon is a stronger pause than the comma in a sentence. It is used mostly to separate clauses (smaller sentences) that are not as related to each other as they would be if you used a comma. The example in Howard's (2005) book is:

(p. 118)

While the paragraph is technically about the same topic, the two clauses are not as connected as they change from having a human subject to an environmental one. Also, be aware that if you have a semicolon there, a joining word (or conjunction) like "and" will not (the semicolon replaces it).

Semicolons can also be used to separate lists. For example, if the list is rather detailed (almost like sentences themselves); then a semicolon can be used:

We visited Thailand and Singapore in spring; Germany, France, and Italy in summer; and Argentina in autumn.

You can also use semicolons for words that join two clauses together. These particular words are called conjunctive adverbs and include: moreover, nevertheless, however, otherwise, therefore, then, finally, likewise, and consequently:

The shop was open Monday; however, every day after that it was closed for refurbishment.

Colons ( : )

Colons also separate sentences; however, it might not be a whole sentence, but just one word! It is all about the impact when it comes to a colon to make a strong point. For example:

We have two options: stay and fight, or run like wild horses.

The research is conclusive: climate change is a reality.

And then I had a single thought: stop!

Colons can also introduce lists or quotes (which are important for assignments so you do not plagiarise). 

And that are two more punctuation marks! They can be tricky if you are not used to them; but, they can be fun for writing with more impact. They also make the sentences stronger when you read them. They are also good for faces:

A smile:  :) 

or a wink:   ;)

    

Essie Fox's "Somnambulist"

 

You can find this book here.

First, let's learn some things!

A somnambulist is a sleepwalker; or, someone who walks in their sleep. 

If you want to know a little bit about the actual painting in the story (and shown next to the title page); here is the auction page that shows a catalogue of the item and hands it has been through. There is also a rough guide on the painter here at a general art history site. Both sites I would use for interest only (just in case). 

Now, for the novel ...

The novel is set in the late 1800s (which matches the time of the painting by Millais). It centres around Phoebe Turner a young girl who lives with her strictly religious mother Maud and her aunt Cissy who lives for performing on stage. One night, Phoebe is able to sneak out of her house to watch her aunt perform. There, she is drawn to a strange man, Nathaniel Samuels, who impacts all their lives when he hires her to be the companion to his reclusive wife.

This plot seems straightforward. But I have missed a lot of what is happening within this novel: the main theme of secrets. This is a big deal. And, obviously, if the members of these families communicated at all properly with anyone, there wouldn't be such haunting horrors and tensions between characters. 

Horrors, though, might be too strong a word. It is a gothic novel, which leads to the idea of horror elements; but don't expect gore or monsters. It is more a slow with tensions you possibly see coming. Maybe this is where the horror lies, because characters cannot see what their choices, or lack thereof, have led to. 

I found the settings to be strong and the feel of places in England for the time to be fitting. The atmosphere also was very full. The characters may go either way for you: you may find Phoebe more passive and frustrating, you may not. This could be how youth related historically, it may not. Perhaps read it and decide for yourself. Probably more for an historical fiction reader than a horror reader though. 

Links for you

Author read-a-likes:

Wuthering heights

Emily Bronte

The gothic elements and characters' emotional pulls are stronger here; but the setting, time period, genre are similar.

Picture book

Jo Baker

The time period is different; but the focus on historical fiction and secrets is similar.

Staff pick: James Swallow's "Rogue"

 

You can find this book here.

First up; I didn't know this book was part of a series when I began reading it. Whilst I think it won't matter if you read the books out of slight order (it references past books), below is the list of books in the series and links to the ones in our library:

Nomad

Exile

Ghost 

Shadow (includes print and eBook format).

I guess if you like 'Rogue', you should request the other two novels; particularly since next year another is coming out!

So anyway, back to this book ...

Marc Dane is a former MI6 operative, working with The Rubicon Group. Until an enemy (or enemies) decide to bring to ruin both the private intelligence agency and others, like MI6. What you have here is your action-packed spy thriller, even if the main character isn't your regular spy. Even Swallow argues this as in the notes from the author he classes him as an inversion of "the bloke in the van" and who isn't your toughest guy in the room. The author is right: Dane's not Bond, but he is good. 

The book has diverse characters who appear well-rounded (probably more so the more books you read in the series) and it has an international cast and scope to it (like all could spy work should). it moves quickly and has some strong moments of wit and warmth, aside from solid action. 

It is a quick read, and just from the notes at the back, Swallow sounds like an author who loves his characters, writing and his fans. So, I will even highlight his webpage here in case you want to have a look around.

It is probably true that reading the books in order will offer more fullness and connection to the characters; but this book does link back across them well enough so that if you read this first (like me) you won't be too lost. Though, you will want more details!

You should borrow this book regardless 😀

-- SB

Stop! Grammar time ... kind of.

 

Mellonie, B. (2003). Bruce's Aussie dictionary. Camberwell, Victoria: Penguin, [n.p.].

This resource can be found here. 

What do I mean by kind of'? Well, this book is an English language book; but ... it focusses on Australian sayings and slang. Maybe you are used to hearing it everyday, maybe you don't realise you use the terms yourself; or maybe it has been awhile with all those strong American accents you are used to on YouTube?

Regardless, Australian slang is part of culture and language in Australia today. A lot of it is used as a shorthand version of saying things that may 'take too long' to say. For example:

s'arvo = this afternoon

See how much time you save here? 😀

Anyway, the book is written for a young audience and so doesn't go into a lot of history, but it does come with phrases and words, definitions and examples. Here's a couple you may (and may not) have heard before:

... as = an emphasis of emotion on your circumstance or emotion. For example: busy as ; hot as.

chockers = completely full. For example: that car is chockers, mate!

Digger / digger = Australian soldier; or also another term for 'mate'.

fair dinkum = describes something that is true. For example: Ben's a fair dinkum friend.

knackered = tired.

Nick off = go away.

No worries = Used to put people at ease. 

Ocker = refers to someone who is very Australian in how they speak and act.

Packin' it = someone who is feeling scared. 

Rapt = someone who is happy or excited about something. For example: Miguel was rapt to see his old mate Fergus, since they hadn't seen each other for twelve years.

skerrick = the smallest amount of something. For example: I don't have a skerrick to share.

uey = shortened version of U-turn.

Those are just some examples. But, if you don't know these and have heard the terms before, at least now you will be able to use them. And if you haven't used them before? Bring them back into the conversation. 

And if you like a challenge? Soon you'll be speaking like this:

"Billy had an ace time swimming with Mick. It had been a great arvo swimmin’ at the back of Bourke and no one gettin’ aggro at the other. Sure it had been hot as, but Mick was a true-blue bloke.

After the swim, Billy had to choof off back to the old man to have tucker ‘til he was full as a goog. It was a ripper of a day; the best in yonks!"

Exactly 😀

Stop! Grammar time.

 

Merrick, D. (2015). Blake's grammar and punctuation guide. Glebe, NSW: Pascal, [69].

This resource can be found here. 

As the image above shows, commas break up parts of sentences and helps strengthen understanding of the clauses in the sentences. In case you don't know, clauses are the basic make-ups of sentences and we have covered this in previous Grammar Times.

A comma enables a sentence to be longer, breaking up two separate ideas but putting them in the one sentence. These ideas can be in the middle, or at the beginning, of a sentence:

The hiker, who had been lost for many days, was found hidden in a cave.

Afterwards, we had lunch on the beach.

lightning flashed and, within a few minutes, the storm struck.

By day, he is Bruce Wayne. By night, he is Batman. 

However; commas can do so much more than make our sentences longer! 

Commas also help list items:

I like strawberries, bananas and mangoes. Roy doesn't. Roy likes apples, pears, figs and durian.

As a note, you do not need one before the "and" in your lists. It will flow on without adding the extra comma.

But be aware of placing too many commas in your sentences. It will confuse readers and not make much sense grammatically. Just look at the next example:

Hey, come, back, here Ken. You, have, forgotten to, take this, with, you.

See how the sentence does not flow very well? Now, there are other punctuation marks like semi-colons and colons that help with pauses and lists; but we will look at those another time. 

But be wise with commas. They comma at you anytime you read or write!

NAIDOC Week

 

NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

2020 National NAIDOC logo 

The term NAIDOC originates from 'National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee' which in the beginning organised national activities for NAIDOC Week. This weekly observance is also originally held in July; however, because of the climate of this year, NAIDOC Week has been moved to November 8 - 15.

NAIDOC Week also always has an accompanying theme connected each year. The theme for 2020 is:

Always was, always will be.

Australia's Indigenous people are the oldest culture on the planet, with over 65 000+ years of rich history, culture and Dreamtime. Indigenous Australians are our first farmers, artists, navigators and astronomers; doing this all with strong connection and respect for land and ensuring that it was sustainable for future use.

Indigenous Australians are spiritually, culturally and historically connected to the land, its water, inhabitants and sky. They are our First Nations people; always were and always will be.

To learn more about the history of NAIDOC Week, click here. 

To see what events and programs are being run Australia-wide to celebrate NAIDOC Week, click here. 

To see what events and programs are being run through Camden Council to celebrate NAIDOC Week, click here.

Julie Cohen's "Louis & Louise"

 

You can find this book here.

Cohen's novel attempts to look at the life of a person from two different aspects: born male or female. The character therefore, is supposed to show the development of what could happen depending on the gender stereotypes lived with. The summary itself claims:

"The day they were born is when their story begun. In one, Louis David Alder is born a male. In the other, Louise Dawn Alder is born a female. Louis and Louise are the same in many ways - they have the same best friends, the same parents, the same dream of being a writer and leaving their hometown in Maine as soon as they can. But because of their gender, everything looks different. Certain things will happen in their lives to shape them, hurt them, build them back up again. But what will bring them back home?"

It makes the book sound very intriguing ... but does it deliver? To be honest; I don't think the stereotypes and the choices that surround the characters are strongly shown throughout the novel. The characters show how things in life have impacted them, but perhaps if the situations had been reversed, their outcomes may have been the same? The impact could be based off the situations, not the sex or gender of the characters. There were some choice I found illogical by the characters also; and it left me wondering if these choices were put there just to show differences between Louis and Louise. But what if they had been reversed and played out onto the protagonist of the opposite sex? What choices and changes would have occurred then?

What I did enjoy was the landscape of the small town feel and how this can impose on how a person should live, compared to possibly more "freedom" in a larger city. This also has to do with familial ties, context and choices as well; not just gender ones. 

In the end, if nothing else once you read this, it opens up questions about gender stereotypes and how these are portrayed depending on the sex of a child. It is an easy read and an introduction into a world of fiction that tries to look at society in all its fullness and flaws. 

Links for you

If you wanted something meatier in terms of sex and gender (as suggested by Cohen's work), you could also read:

Left hand of darkness

Ursula K. Le Guin

Secret life of Luke Livingstone

Charity Norman

This child of ours

Sadie Pearce

How to ... LOTE for kids

Access the resource here. 

Want your child to read books in their own language? Or see the English equivalent?

LOTE Online for Kids is for you! 

So, what really is this wonderful new resource for our library?

It is a resource that holds digital books for children in over 20 languages with English translations.

All you have to do is click on the link on our children's eResources page here. Then, log in with your library card number! Don' forget the 'C' and 'D' at the beginning and end of the number. 

Once you do, the page will look like this:

Once you have found a language, click on it, and it will come up with titles to choose in that language, as well as the English translation. And don't worry; you will also get to hear the translation and not just read it; enabling children (and possibly adults) to learn new or develop current reading and listening skills. 

It's so easy! Find children's books in your own language; or, I guess you could even give a shot at hearing stories in other languages and learn something along the way. 

So don't just be introduced to LOTE, start using it today!

Daniel H. Wilson's "Clockwork dynasty"

 

You can find this book here.

Wilson knows his machines. he has a B.S. in computer science and did a Ph.D. in robotics. So if it is one thing he knows; it is how machines work. So this science fiction novel should be centred in strong science. But, is it? I'll get to that later.

Funny thing, it is also centred in layers of history. This makes the narrative of the story an enjoyable read as each chapter tends to move between the present and the past to make connections with characters, robots (or avtomat) and historical context consistently.

The book centres mostly around two characters: June a human, and Peter (or Pyotr) an avtomat. Past and present collide with these two characters after June discovers a secret concealed in a three-hundred-year-old mechanical doll. Whilst I have made that sound strange, June is an anthropologist who specialises in ancient technologies. and the "doll" she finds is incredibly ancient. Just like Peter, who as part of that technological history, partners with June to help save, well, possibly everyone in the end.

The mystery of avtomat in this novel is strong; so too, I found are the historical elements. I found some fight scenes hard to follow, but I found the human character believable, relatable and true-to-form for being thrown into situations such as these. There is even some nice moments between avtomat.

Now, back to my first question. Is it science? Are all civilisations circular and so rise and fall just to rise again so that something like an avtomat can exist and try and save its self? And should I answer that? Maybe not. The book brings out ideas like this and makes you think about the nature of time, machines and purpose in large, sweeping arcs. It makes questions like this valuable, and as a reader, I hope you enjoy it. A book that makes you think, can be just as good fun, or even more so, than a book you read just for enjoyment. 

Don't worry; it isn't so deep you will wade through and have your brain explode on you (for example, a Kafka work). It balances well. You might find the ending anti-climactic; but it is a good book to read if you like the science fiction or steampunk genres. It is a short, quick read; which makes it a strong selling point as well. 

Links for you

Wilson's work in the Library:

Andromeda evolution

Title read-a-likes in the Library:

Peripheral

William Gibson

Humans, bow down

James Patterson

Both of these books look at artificial intelligence, machines rising up and strong narratives. Gibson's work also has a parallel narrative like Wilson's (it changes between timelines or characters).

Lauren Ho's "Last Tang Standing"

                                                          

This book can be found here.

Ho's novel is contemporary romance / chick lit. That's right, I went there and read one of these. 

Anyway, the book is well-written. The language is tight and witty. But that's also not what you are going to focus on in this review ...

So, the story. Andrea Tang is a successful lawyer (hoping to make partner), owns a posh condo and has a strong group of friends who always know the best places in Singapore to go. It sounds like she has everything (or will). But as Andrea is a dutiful Chinese-Malaysian daughter, the weight of familial expectations to marry and bear children is hard to ignore, particularly as she is thirty-three and almost last in the family to be married. 

Andrea is therefore struggling between the tensions of the life she has, the life her family (and possibly she herself) wants, and what Andrea hopes for or really desires. Andrea is realistic and relatable (even with all the drinking and partying that may or may not be relatable to your personal life). The fact that there are parts of Andrea that are contrasting and almost incompatible at times show the depth of humanness to her in the book. The fact that the book deals with very successful and rich characters could challenge easy connections readers make with Ho's book; but the themes of identity, singleness and purpose are universal and will still speak to any reader. 

The characters, too, are strongly written and well-rounded. The characters can be seen as diverse within Malaysia/Singapore, but also highlights some of the ways the dominant cultures and communities view diversity. Ho has explained why the writing is the way it is here, if you find those moments difficult to read or understand. Whether this helps or hinders you reading this book, let me know. 

The pace also may be slower for some. However, given this is contemporary romance / chick lit, I didn't foresee it as action-packed and ever going to be moving at a speedy pace. However, it may be slow even for some readers who live for this genre. 

For her first novel, it was very strong and it should be a full and enjoyable read.

Links for you

Title read-a-likes in the Library: 

Bridget Jones's baby: the diaries

Helen Fielding

(Be aware, this is not the first of Bridget Jones's stories). This novel was chosen because of the familial pressures placed on its characters, the diary fiction-style of writing and the similar snarkiness of its protagonist.

Crazy rich Asians

Kevin Kwan

This novel is chosen for the culturally diverse cast, the same setting and similar wit.

First comes love

Emily Giffin

Author read-a-likes in the Library:

Unmarriageable: Pride and prejudice in Pakistan

Soniah Kamal

This author was chosen as they write in the same genre, the author uses their own voice and a strong sense of place.

Not that kind of guy

Andie J. Christopher

This author writes in the same genre and has characters that are culturally diverse, flawed and likeable. 

Kate Hilton's "Better luck next time"

You can find this book here.

The book is a multiple-perspective comedy based around a large extended family, with multiple people in midlife struggling to keep their lives together. In fact, their lives are falling apart. and to top it off, as this happens, an iconic feminist leader, who is mother to three of these five adults, is trying to push them into making their past choices work for them.

Each character written in Hilton's book are complicated, deep and strong; even with all their flaws. Whilst Nina (who doesn't have much of a voice in the novel) is less heard in this way, as a character you still see her strength and resilience even when others talk about her. In saying that, it would appear each of these characters are too strong or too successful to be relatable. I think that that's not the case. All of these characters look at new lives, in a way, not because of a midlife crisis, but because of choices, because of connections, or because of a lack of communication. These are very real things that can connect a reader to this family. 

It is also a very quick read. it is witty and flows rather well. I felt there was some discontinuity in a couple of places; overall however, it stands strongly as a recommended read. The wit and humour centres mostly around family relationships and family breakdowns in many ways, and possibly at least one character will ring familiar to any reader's personal life or someone they know. 

I enjoyed this read: it went by rather quickly. It is recommended for anyone interested in (possibly) chick lit, though the characters in the book are older and deal more with divorce than most chick lit heroines. Also, if you are interested in a lighter book for your period of life, or someone wanting to take stock of their own lives (as the characters have those kinds of defining moments in the book too).

Links for you

Read-a-likes in the Library:

First comes love
Emily Giffin

Heart of the matter
Emily Giffin

I almost forgot about you
Terry McMillan

P.S. I love you
Cecelia Ahern

All of these authors and titles may have different writing styles and tones; however they share themes: self-fulfilment in and for women, bouncing back into life, female friendship and middle-aged women.

Claire S Lewis' "She's mine"

 

You can find this book here.

This is Lewis' first novel (though the publishing company has signed her up for a 3-book deal; so if you like her book, more will be seen of her in the future). 

The book follows Scarlett; who tries to solve the disappearance (or murder) of Katie, her charge, whilst being pinged as a top suspect at the same time. The plot in this way is rather simple and straightforward for psychological thrillers, though there are twists and turns I am not mentioning 😉

The narrative is very descriptive and dense. I found that there was a lot to follow; but unlike a lot of thrillers where I have no idea what may be coming, some of the twists and turns were more obvious to me. 

The character is something else. To be honest, I did not enjoy Scarlett. Whilst every character has flaws to make them more human, I found Scarlett more entitled than I would like her to be. Mix that with her lack of skill and knowledge as the amateur detective, and some of the weirder moments she encounters or puts herself in, and it may be hard for some readers to like her. 

In saying that, this book was not a bad read. I just disliked the character. And sometimes we need characters we don't like, or cannot completely relate to, so that we step outside our comfort zones when reading. 

I found the few twists I did not see coming, inventive. The ending of this book also was possibly the most impacting part, whilst also fuelling my dislike for the protagonist. Again, this is not a bad thing, because the book still left an impression on me. And that makes it something worth talking about. 

Or giving a shot at reading it.

Links for you

Read-a-likes in the Library:

The girl in the mirror

Rose Carlyle

Staff pick: Miranda Tapsell's "Top End girl"

 

You can find this book here.

I don’t often read autobiographies; I am not much of a nonfiction reader at all to be honest. The good thing about looking at books for a library; however? Reading outside your likes and comfort zones. It is about opening up to different narratives and points of view that you might not find by reading that same genre you read every other day.

Autobiographies are very different for me because they are about specific lives and specific points of view other than my own. These can be confronting, comforting, or a celebration, but either way it can be emotional. And it should be because it is the story of someone’s life, or part of their life depending on which autobiography you read.

Tapsells’ heart is in this book as she talks about some of the most impacting moments of her life, particularly her career and making the film Top End Wedding.

Tapsell is a straight-forward writer, and I imagine a straight-forward talker too. She is bold in speaking up about what she believes in and what she is passionate about and is very self-confident: evident through her stories about her childhood.

A very important message in Tapsell’s story is about her connection to country as a proud Larrakia and Tiwi woman. Tapsell brings up the pride and love she has for her culture and family; as well as the importance for non-Indigenous people to learn of and understand the issues and inequality facing First Nations people.

This is particularly true of Australia. Everyone should know, or learn, about not just the effects of colonisation on Indigenous people; but the invisibility of people of colour that continues today through how history is told, or even how health care and custodies work. The land is more than a way for governments to make a profit; and people are more than the stereotypes or covert racism that pervades everyday language.

Tapsell never says she speaks for all First nations people: she speaks for herself. It is a strong voice that shows clearly how much she has worked in her life, enjoyed life and celebrated everything she has and works towards. This book is one to read, because it helps show anyone how important it is to not just be aware of, but love and embrace community and culture.

SB

And if you are interested, you can borrow "Top End Wedding" here at the library!

Dean Koontz' "Devoted"

You can find this book here.

If you know of Koontz, this writing is like a lot of his others. To be honest, I found it a little gorier or adult than other books he has written, but you might have a different opinion. Or you might think I am right. Maybe we will see in the comments section?

The story itself covers a very short amount of time for a lot of the main characters: Megan Bookman, Woody Bookman and Kipp. In fact, it only spans a couple of days. The novel itself is separated into parts that show the time frames, even though a lot happens throughout the novel across this short amount a time. This means that even if there is a lot of content, the story moves rather quickly.

As far as plot goes: Megan Bookman’s husband died, leaving her alone with her autistic son who does not speak. They are trying to live their lives in safety, even though Woody believes that his father’s death was no accident, but in fact murder. Through looking for the people responsible for his father’s death, Woody and his mother’s lives become threatened by the same people. If this were not enough, there is also something else out there, something “becoming”, intent on Megan Bookman.

I also hear you say, “Where is Kipp in this plot?” Well, Kipp is there, as important as Megan and her son. But I don’t want to give away anything special about Kipp. If you read the novel, you’ll love him as much as I do anyway 😊

The book is a thriller / light horror novel, so I don’t want to give away all the horrors involved. If you have read any of Dean Koontz’ other work, you will see similarities between this and others. For example, the theme of how everything always seems to universally work out in strange ways; as if the way chance or coincidence works is also a character that plays with the motions and choices of actual characters in his books. You will also have a very distinct definition between good and evil characters: these are always well-defined and not much grey exists in-between.

If you like more grit in this type of story; sorry, but this will be missing from ‘Devoted’. However, I have always enjoyed how the world moves in Koontz’ work so I recommend giving this one a shot. It is slightly darker, as I have said, than other novels I have read of his; but nothing that will turn any stomach. Also be aware that some of the writing is repetitive. He does re-explain things you have already learnt a couple of times. This may become frustrating, particularly if you aren’t a fan of Koontz. Or maybe even if you are.

I still think the book is solid Koontz, with elements of his classic writing style in there. If you have never read a novel of his before, maybe don’t start (or end) here; but, it is a light and quick read that will get you through an evening or two.

Other versions of the same novel can be found on our catalogue here.

Links for you:

Koontz in the Library:

A big little life (nonfiction)

City

Life expectancy

Koontz in cloudLibrary:

Innocence

Anthologies in the Library:

Flight or fright

Dark visions

Koontz has no work in these anthologies. they are both edited by Stephen King (and others), and are short, sharp stories that hold to elements of over-arching themes found in Koontz' work at times.

Scary out there

This is edited by Jonathan Maberry and contains short, sharp stories that hold to elements of over-arching themes found in Koontz' work at times. be aware that some in this anthology will be written as poems.

Author read-a-likes in the Library:

Broken lands

Jonathan Maberry

The library does have other Maberry books. Be aware that the genres may be different between these authors; however, the writing is similar in terms of being fast-paced, action-packed and focusses on the battles between good and evil. Also note that Maberry may be a darker, heavier writer than Koontz.

Stop! Grammar time.

Prasoon, S. (2015). English grammar and usage: Read swiftly, speak fluently and write correctly. New Delhi: V & S Publishers, [97]. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e700xww&AN=1586151&site=ehost-live&ebv=EK&ppid=Page-__-97

This resource can be found here. It is part of our online nonfiction collection of items that you have free access to with a library card. All you have to do is scroll down to the bottom of this page, and log in.

In this Grammar Time, I would like to look at passive voice. However; the example from above also mentions transitive verbs. So I think we should start there. 

A transitive verb is a verb that takes or demands an object be given to a subject (person or thing). When you look at the sentence that contains transitive verbs, the object (another noun in a sentence, but one that has actions done to it, not like subjects discussed in an earlier post where they cause the action) comes directly after the verb:

Sally kicked Sam.

The dog barked at me.

Terry eats ice cream every day.

Laverne wants Shirley, but Shirley doesn't notice her.

In the above examples, the words in purple are the transitive verbs. The words in red are the objects directly affected by the verb: the verb is demanding or transferring what it does to an object (person or thing).

Everyone still on board? 

Now, passive voice. This is something you might have seen working in any kind of electronic document. The squiggly line underlines your sentence and says 'passive voice', and never quite offers up how to fix it. Or even if you should fix it (I'll get to that later).

What is passive voice? Passive voice is when you kind of turn your sentence around so that the object in your sentence becomes the subject. If you would like examples, visit this link here. Your Dictionary also have an option to look at a very solid PDF of examples and definitions of passive and active voice on this page (active being the way we learnt our basic sentence structures previously).

Is the passive voice a little clearer? 

We all do this in every day language and in our writing. It also doesn't mean, that just because squiggly lines are there, that the sentence is incorrect or shouldn't be used:

Booher, D. (2013). Write to the point. United States: Dianna Booher, [24]. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e700xww&AN=580210&site=ehost-live&ebv=EK&ppid=Page-__-24

In this resource, changing sentences so that some are passive are good for variations in your writing. It is not recommended for essays or academic writing; but letters, emails, creative writing, passive voice can work well here.

So do not always be disheartened when you see this popping up in what you are doing. It doesn't make it incorrect. It is just a different way to write a sentence that can help vary pace or add variety to the paragraph.

Marlon James' "Black leopard, red wolf"

You can find this book here.

James' book is epic in nature: in length and scope of the book, which by the way is the first in a trilogy, known as the Dark Star Trilogy.

In the first of this series, Tracker is hired as a mercenary to find a missing boy. the reason for this is because "he has a nose" for tracking anyone down. The book's perspective is all Tracker's and as it progresses it shows how whilst he is used to working alone, he teams up with a band of people with different abilities and secrets to find the boy. One of these is a shape-shifter who turns into a black leopard, mentioned in the book's title.

So, when I say this book is epic, I mean it. It draws from African history and mythology and James' own imagination to create a layered novel that looks at themes of power, ambition and truth. I think truth is very important in this novel, particularly as you only gain one character's perspective throughout. However, the trilogy itself will focus on different characters in each of the other two books to look at the same events in different ways; really bringing a look at what truth is to people, or at least these characters. 

Not only this, but the writing style is not linear and there is always a lot going on that may be hard to follow. I found that it took awhile for me to understand this flow; but once I did, it was a really strong read. You just have to make it through the first thirty pages or so. The language is very strong and it is a very gritty and descriptive book, also something to be aware of. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. but if you are looking for a strongly written, gender-bending, fantastical epic, this book should be a go-to.

The settings and characters are well described; incredibly diverse in their abilities, personalities and cultures; and once you get past the jumping through non-linear storylines, you feel very enmeshed in the story, the characters and their fates. 

I hope you make it through the beginning of this novel, because it is a great read once you adapt to the prose.

Links for you:

Read-a-likes in the Library:

Who fears death
Nnedi Okorafor

The novel is set in an African-inspired setting where outcasts with powers go on a dangerous and violent quest. The difference is this novel is more futuristic, whereas James' is timeless.

Fifth season
N. K. Jemisin

Jemisin's book is lyrical with strong world-building. It is also Afrofantasy and has a large cast of complex characters. it is also the first in a series, though it is more apocalyptic than James'.

Samanta Schweblin's "Little eyes"

You can find this book here.

'Little eyes' was this year shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Her previous novel 'Fever dream', was the same in 2017. With two shortlists under her belt, this book is worth a look.

The plot of this book is about the movement of kentukis across the world. Kentukis are small machines that are dressed as animals (from rabbits to dragons) owned by "keepers", that are controlled by "dwellers". I hear you say I am moving too fast for you. A keeper is a person who owns a kentuki, treating it anywhere from a toy, to a pet, to a member of their family. A dweller is someone who controls the kentuki from a computer screen, watching the life of the keeper on the other side of the world from their office space or bedroom.

The book therefore looks at how connected we are in this way; and how disconnected we may just be or become through the use of such technologies.

'Little eyes' is told from a variety of voices, though some have more focus than others; such as Alina and Emelia. These voices are diverse, culturally and through their individuality. If; however, you do not like jumping across perspectives, this book may become a little overwhelming. yet the voices and behaviours of these different characters show the varied emotional connections made through technology and with it. It, at times, created a sense of unease with some of these perspectives that gives the book a thrilling edge to it.

in terms of depth, I do think this novel focusses on the impact of technology such as this with and between humans more than character development. I did not find a lot of depth to characters and readers may not relate as well; however, because the themes are strong they carry the text to its end well.

Links for you:

Read-a-likes in the Library:

People's history of heaven

Mathangi Subramanian

This book was chosen for its culturally diverse perspectives and issue-oriented focus. However, the issue is not technology-based, it will make readers think and offers multiple perspectives like Schweblin's novel. 

XX

Angela Chadwick

This book was chosen as it is issue-oriented and thought-provoking. Whilst the issue is not as subtly written in this novel as Schweblin's, as LGBTQIA fiction it offers a different perspective.

Feed

Nick Clark Windo

This book was chosen for being issue-oriented in regards to technology and its global impacts.

Staff pick: Matthew Reilly's "Ice station"

This book can be found here.

This book is action-packed, fast-paced and an all-out knock-out boy’s fight. I loved it.

This is the story of a well-trained group of US men sent to secure a classified item in Antarctica. Intrigue, fighting and natural hazards made for some unexpected twists and complications. This book was funny and eventful, making it exciting to read and talk about. I would relate it to watching a superhero movie with some of the sequences pulled off; however, the twists in this book are possible because nature is unpredictable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read military themed novels, who enjoys twists, exciting fight sequences and humorous characters.

-- K

It is also book one (1) in Reilly's Scarecrow series; but it is not necessary to read them in order.

Lang Leav's "Poemsia"

You can find this book here.

Leav's book is a young adult novel that encourages readers to see the passion of poetry. Whilst there are none of Leav's poems within this story, at times she writes with poetic descriptions from her protagonist to show her craft.

Verity Wolf is nineteen and obsessed with poets, like Mena Rhodes, and poetry (reading and writing it). With the help of her best friend Jess and an Instagram post that highlighted a favourite poem from an old book called Poemsia, Verity is thrown into a social media frenzy where poets like her can become famous in an instant.

I would argue this is a fairly standard young adult novel: friendship, love, betrayal ... elements that make a teenager's life exciting and overwhelming. However, the protagonist is fresh. Verity is not modelesque, and she may not even be girl-next-door; which makes her unique. The backdrop of books, literature and poetry also brings something fresh to the table as this would be an element seen as possibly outdated to some readers.

In saying that, the book is also very focussed on social media presences, behaviours and attitudes. The book has Twitter feeds, for example, as part of its writing style. This, as well as the writing, make it a fast-paced read and easy to get through.

Even if poetry is not your style, the universal themes within this book are great for hooking youth readers.

Links for you:

Leav in the Library:

Lullabies

Be aware this is a book of her poetry.

Read-a-likes in the Library:

#Find the girl
Lucy and Lydia Connell

Permanent record
Mary H. K. Choi

These books were picked as coming-of-age stories where the main character needs to find some form of identity amidst dealing with relationships (familial, friend and romantic) and social media.

Stop! Grammar time.

Grammar and usage. (2011). Irvine: Saddleback Educational Publishing, 8. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e700xww&AN=435827&site=ehost-live&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_8

This resource can be found here. It is part of our online nonfiction collection of items that you have free access to with a library card. All you have to do is scroll down to the bottom of this page, and log in.

Remember that sentence work we started here? Well, we are going to break it down even more. A sentence is a full thought that contains the 'who' and 'what they did'. Sentences do this by dividing into a subject and a predicate.

Let’s start with subject. The subject in a sentence is a noun that names a person, place or thing. A noun can be a name like Bob; a word that defines an animal or object like cat, dingo or chair; a place like Blue Mountains, Hollywood or forest; a feeling like fear, happiness or anger; a quality like laughter, plumpness or strength; or even something more abstract like biology, holiday or friendship (abstract because these aren’t tangible [able to touch and see them] nouns).

That is so many different types and examples!

It can be very confusing understanding even that little list; so we will go into more detail of nouns in another post; but for now, this list is a good example for working through sentences.

The predicate in a sentence tells a reader what the subject (noun) does or is. This means a predicate is a verb. Before I give you examples of predicates: there are two kinds. There are the action verbs (also known as doing words) that show action; and there are linking verbs that show “what is or seems to be”. When thinking about these two types of verbs; action verbs are much more recognisable: running, flew, ducked, steaming. Linking verbs are harder to spot: is, are, seems, appears, was, must, should.

So, let’s have a look at some examples and hopefully clear this up even more.

The boy jumped.

Boy is the subject because it relates to a person and jumped is the verb because the person is doing something; e.g. jumping.

The cat sat on the mat.

This is a sentence everyone hears about. In this short sentence the subject, or noun, is cat. Sat is the verb because the cat has done something; it has performed an action. Mat is also a noun, but because it follows the verb (remember verbs are doing words) and so is receiving action, not doing or completing an action, it becomes an object within the sentence.

The chair is in the kitchen.

In this short sentence the subject, or noun, is chair. Is, is the linking verb because it does not show an action; instead it links the subject with the object, which is kitchen.


And so that is sentences; at least short ones. Easy? We use them everyday; but maybe breaking it down shows how complex they can be so we can build on them and create new ones.