Just Like That! How to Get Anything You Want, by Janet Poole

Author Janet Poole shares the findings of her 20 years of research into life and human nature in an accessible, chatty format which is easy to digest and even to accept. Her focus is on how our thoughts and actions shape who we are and what we achieve – and on how readers can reshape their thoughts in order to achieve whatever they want, from relationships, family, career and possessions, to good health and inner peace…

Be gentle with yourself on this path, as there is no right or wrong way to live your life. Each way you choose merely supplies feedback for you, only learning. The life experience that each of us requires is unique. there are many different paths you can take, and you are entitled to those choices.
The biggest blessing you can give someone is to accept them for who they are. Start by accepting yourself and go with what resonates for you.

I came to this book with a little trepidation. I’ve read lots of self-help books, and have read quite a bit about the Law of Attraction, and I wondered if this might be a rehash of what I’d heard before. I was also a little daunted by the dense layout of the book, which I could see packed a lot into its pages. However, I was pleasantly surprised by its content, and managed to read and absorb  it comfortably over the course of a day.

Author Janet Poole shares the findings of her 20 years of research into life and human nature in an accessible, chatty format which is easy to digest and even to accept.  Her focus is on how our thoughts and actions shape who we are and what we achieve – and on how readers can reshape their thoughts in order to achieve whatever they want, from relationships, family, career and possessions, to good health and inner peace. Each chapter includes examples, inspirational quotes, a summary of key points covered and exercises for the reader to attempt.

Whilst the  layout does take some getting used to, the content is valuable and the inspirational quotes  – from literature, world leaders, and great thinkers – are a real delight. The overarching message of the book  – that you control your destiny – is a good one.

Just Like That! How to Get Anything You Want

Just Like That! How to Get Anything You Want, by Janet Poole
Mountain View Publishing, 2011

ISBN 9780980877502

This book is available from the author or from Fishpond.

Harry's War, by John Heffernan

Harry loves spending time with his Grandpa, especially when Grandpa shares his stories of the war. Grandpa is a war hero, and his stories are amazing. Harry’s dad was a soldier, too, but he died when Harry was little, so Harry never heard his stories. Harry’s War is a moving tale of one boy’s quest for the truth about his father and grandfather as he learns about truth, family and friendship…

What’s war? – you ask.

That’s a really hard question. I’m not even sure I can answer it. I’ll try, but, and I’ll do it by telling you about my war. Whether that’s enough you’ll have to figure out for myself.

Harry loves spending time with his Grandpa, especially when Grandpa shares his stories of the war. Grandpa is a war hero, and his stories are amazing. Harry’s dad was a soldier, too, but he died when Harry was little, so Harry never heard his stories. In fact, Harry doesn’t know much about his dad at all, because no one will tell him about Dad’s years in the army, or about his death. When he starts to unravel the truth, Harry realises why Mum has kept her secret. But it is another secret which has the power to really change Harry’s life.

Harry’s War is a moving tale of one boy’s quest for the truth about his father and grandfather as he learns about truth, family and friendship. With the reader he also learns about he realities of war and its effects on soldiers and those left behind. There is a lot being explored here – as well as the issues already mentioned, there is Harry’s struggle with reading and writing, his friendship with his bet mate Will, and his sometimes careless attitude towards himself and others. Mostly, though is just an absorbing story.
Harrys War

Harry’s War, by John Heffernan
Omnibus, 2011
ISBN 978186291927

This book can be purchased from good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Only Ever Always, by Penni Russon

Clara’s world is broken. She has no family, only Andrew who found her living in her broken house and moved in with her. And Groom, who wants to take Clara away, across the river to the better place he is sure they find there…

Me and the dog look at the glass door together. The key’s stuck fast. I gently coax it with my fingers, but I can’t get it to turn.

‘Spring must be busted’ ” I tell the dog. I stand up, frowning at the bottom of the ball, trying to see hw to open it up. I give it one more turn and suddenly sounds come out of the box, itching the hair inside my ears.

‘Ha!’ I say to dog. ‘I did it.’

Clara’s world is broken. She has no family, only Andrew who found her living in her broken house and moved in with her. And Groom, who wants to take Clara away, across the river to the better place he is sure they find there.  Clara doesn’t want to go – this world is what she has always known. Then she finds a broken music box, and sees the promise it holds, and suddenly her world is changing, though not for the better.

Claire’s world is whole, but her heart is broken. Her beloved Uncle Charlie has been in an accident, and she is filled with grief. All she has to remember him by is the music box he gave her the day she was born. Through the music she can escape some of her troubles, and connect with Clara’s world.

Claire and Clara are linked by the music box – or is that they are in fact two halves of the one girl? Claire is from a contemporary world, whilst Clara’s world is dystopian, populated with characters both frightening and colourful.

Only Ever Always is a clever, complex novel. The blend of first and second person narrative, the clash and connection between the two worlds and the two characters and the issues of family, grief, loyalty and more which are explored all combine to pack a pretty powerful punch in a relatively small package. Every word, every scene counts, making a really satisfying tale which leaves the reader both satisfied and contemplating.

Clever.
Only Ever Always

Only Ever Always, by Penni Russon

Allen & Unwin, 2011

ISBN 9781741750447

This book is available from good bookstores, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

A Straight Line to My Heart, by Bill Condon

Tiff loves to read – but she’s pretty surprised to meet a boy who likes to read, too. What’s even more surprising is that Davey seems to want to get know her. Maybe things are about to turn around for her. But it’s not going to be plain sailing for Tiff…

There’s nothing quite as good as folding up into a book and shutting the world outside. If I pick the right one I can be beautiful, or fall in love, or live happily ever after. Maybe even all three.

If you can’t get a boy, get a book, that’s my motto.

Tiff loves to read – but she’s pretty surprised to meet a boy who likes to read, too. What’s even more surprising is that Davey seems to want to get know her. Maybe things are about to turn around for her.

But it’s not going to be plain sailing for Tiff. She’s just finished school for ever and is about to start work experience at the local paper, a stepping stone to the career as a journalist she’s always dreamed of. The reporter there, Shark, is hard-nosed and seemingly unimpressed to have a new recruit to take under his wing. Tiff’s best friend, Kayla, has some big news to share with her that she’s nt going to like. And at home, Reggie – part grandad, part father, part mart – is coughing  alot, and giving up smoking because, as he declares, he’s cactus.

A Straight Line to My Heart is a brilliant, touching, story of life, first love, and family – in its different forms. Tiff’s mother died when she was born, and there’s no mention of her brith father, but Reggie and his step son Bull are family enough for her. Kayla, her best friend, also has a mixed up family, finding a way to be together, and Tiff’s new family at the newspaper proves to be an unlikely source of support for her.

Bill Condon has a reputation for excellence. His previous novel, Confessions of a Liar, thief and Failed Sex God, was the winner of the inaugural Young Adult Fiction prize int he Prime Minsiter’s Literary Awards, and No Worries was an honour book in the CBCA Awards. A Straight Line to My Heart will not disappoint fans of Condon’s  work, and will win him plenty of new ones as well.But that doesn’t mean it’s an easy book to read. There is humour and warmth, but there’s tough stuff, too, and if you’re prone to crying at sad bits, you’ll need tissues for this one.

Just brilliant.
A Straight Line to My Heart

A Straight Line to My Heart, by Bill Condon

Allen & Unwin, 2011 ISBN 9781742377308

This book can be purchased in any good bookstore, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

366 Books in 366 Days

Happy New Year to you! I had a pretty awesome 2011 but am really excited about the promise of a brand new year and loving that 2012 is the National Year of Reading. Also really excited about my role as local ambassador for Bunbury, WA.

I had toyed with the idea of a reading meme for the National Year of Reading, but there are so many other really good ones already that I hesitated to add another which might duplicate what was already being done.

But then I woke up this morning and had this great idea for a reading challenge for myself. It’s the YEAR of reading, isn’t it? So what if I could truly make it a year of reading by reading a book for every day of the year? That would be 366 books in 366 days (the leap year gives me the chance to squeeze in an extra book).

No sooner had I formed the idea than I was tweeting and facebooking it, so suddenly I’d made this partly formed idea into something I’d announced to the world. But hey, making it public might motivate to actually do it – or to give it a darn good shot.

So, yes, I am going to try to read 366 books in 2012. These will come from across genres and age groups, so they will range from picture books through to very serious works of literature, and nonfiction too. I’m already an eclectic reader, so don’t plan to change that too much.

However, to avoid the urge to just sit down with my picture book collection and read my way through the first 366 of those, I’m making a rule for myself that I’ll only count picture books that I read for the first time, and also review – because the time it takes me to read and review a picture book is equal to reading a much longer book.

Where possible I will review the books I read on Aussiereviews, if they fit within Aussiereviews parameters – ie I only review Aussie author or published books here, and don’t review a book if I can’t review it mostly positively. But I have also decided independently of this challenge that I need to spend a bit more time in 2012 reading stuff that I don’t plan to review – because there are so many wonderful books from overseas, and classic books, and childhood favourites and so on that I never get around to reading because of my focus on Aussiereviews.

So here’s my plan:

  1. Read at least 366 books in 2012.
  2. Keep a list of these, and chronicle my progress on my Nameless blog and on Aussiereviews, as well as through social media (twitter and facebook)
  3. Review those which can be reviewed on Aussiereviews
  4. Include as many as possible that I read because I want to (whether or not I’ll be reviewing them)
  5. Only include picture books in the 366 if I also review them
  6. Lastly, and importantly, I’m only going to stick to this challenge if I enjoy it. If I find myself beating myself up over getting behind, or not blogging about it often enough or whatever, I’ll stop. Reading should be fun!

I’ll keep you informed with my progress as much as possible. Would love to know if anyone else decided to give this idea a shot.

Now I’m off to do some reading. Happy National Year of Reading!