Kathryn's Inbox

Exciting news! The Aussie Author Challenge is back in 2020. Hosted by Booklover Book Reviews, this challenge is now in its 11th year and remains my favourite reading challenge. Once again, I will be taking part and am looking forward to discovering some great new Australian books and authors.  One of the best things about this challenge is the flexibility--there are many different ways to participate and there are many different levels, based on what is right for you. You don't even have to be a blogger, you can link straight to your Goodreads reviews. On a more personal note, I will be aiming for Emu, which is a new level that has been introduced to the challenge this year.  During 2019 I read and reviewed 26 books for the Aussie Author Challenge and, for the first time, had the privilege of reading and reviewing a book written by a family member. (Lucky for me I genuinely enjoyed it and had no trouble at all writing an honest review.) I also discovered many...

Sharing, because, seriously, is there anything more touching than the moment that Huey, Dewey and Louie were reunited with their mother, Della Duck? The makers of DuckTales put considerable thought and effort into the introduction of Della Duck into the series, a character who has previously only made fleeting appearances, with her sons usually in the custody of Donald Duck or, occasionally, Uncle Scrooge. The new DuckTales builds a convincing backstory, with Della being alone in space, unable to return until she had rebuilt her space ship. 

Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is back in Christmas Shopaholic , the ninth instalment in what has become a beloved series. Following on from their adventures in the United States, Becky, Luke and Minnie are back in England. Living in the country, Becky is helping her best friend Suze run a gift shop at her vast family estate and things are looking up. Christmas is coming, Jess and Tom will be returning from Chile and it seems that the whole family will be together to celebrate the holiday. Then Becky's parents drop a bombshell. They're renting a tiny apartment in a trendy part of London, and would Becky mind hosting Christmas this year? And that, it seems, is only the beginning of Becky's troubles. Soon she and Luke are being pursued by one of Becky's ex-boyfriends (and his very ruthless girlfriend,) it looks as though Jess and Tom have split up and Jess doesn't want to tell anyone, and Becky's parents are acting like a couple of teenagers. Add to that th...

Sharing, because who hasn't felt like this at least once at Christmas time? For anyone who really isn't feeling the Christmas spirit, I hope you're doing okay amidst all the mass commercialism. 

Sharing, because somehow, it just isn't Christmas if someone doesn't make at least one reference to that episode of Mr Bean where he got a turkey stuck on his head. It is probably one of the best remembered episodes of the show.

I've shared this one in Christmases past, but there is just something delightful about this very 1970s song by the Goodies (who as many of you will know, were also a music group, though they were better known for their television series.) It's fun, it's a little daggy and, after all, it's Christmas!

View this post on Instagram I spotted this furbie on Grote Street outside of Her Majesty's Theatre, which is currently getting a major renovation. Have you spotted any awesome or memorable pieces of sticker art recently and if so, where? #stickerart #streetart #adelaidefurbies #grotestreet #adelaide #southaustralia A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox) on Nov 1, 2019 at 6:26pm PDT

This week, just a short and funny clip from Merry Christmas Mr Bean, in which he encounters a pick pocket and helps out a Salvation Army band!

For fans of Flowers in the Attic of the many mysteries of the novel and its sequels is who was the first Corrine, the mysterious woman who slept in the swan bed, who gave birth to the formidable Malcolm Foxworth and whose granddaughter would be named after her and eventually persuaded to lock her children away in an attic and slowly poison them. Was Corrine the evil monster that Malcolm portrayed her to be? Or was she really the smartest Foxworth woman of them all, the one who was able to escape and leave every trace of Foxworth Hall behind? Beneath the Attic , the first volume in a three part spin-off prequel series written by V.C. Andrews ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman seeks to answer that question. The novel opens in the late 19th century with Corrine a spoiled and sexually precocious young woman who finds herself in a bit too deep when she makes the acquaintance of Garland Foxworth, an ultra rich twenty-something. Garland wastes no time in taking advantage of Corrine, groomi...

View this post on Instagram All aboard the Almond Train! I had a lovely trip to McLaren Vale this morning and stopped by the Almond Train for a lovely Devonshire Tea. (Or in my case, coffee.) #almondtrain #almondtraincafe #mclarenvale #fleurieupeninsula #adelaide #southaustralia A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox) on Oct 18, 2019 at 7:30pm PDT

Originally conceived as a response to Helen Garner's controversial non-fiction novel The First Stone and published in 1996 when the author was a young and up and coming journalist, Generation F remains as relevant today as it was when it was first released. This one offers a no holds barred look at the need for feminism, while also examining precisely why many women just put up with sexual harassment, when they shouldn't have to.  I will be honest. Reading parts of this book made me feel angry. I picked it up knowing that it would make me feel angry. After all, it is the kind of book that takes an unflinching look at the harsh realities that are firsthand experiences for many, many women.  What I did not expect was just how angry I would feel, or that there would be moments when I would have to put the book down and take a deep breath. This isn't the kind of book that offers answers; instead, it unflinchingly tells it like it is. Or how things were for women i...

Told entirely in verse, Irish author Sarah Crossan's latest novel is a tale of a young runaway desperate to find a place to call home and her relationship with an older woman whose mind is slipping that believes her to be her long lost sister Toffee. Allison comes from a very broken home. Her father is abusive, her stepmother, the only person who ever loved her has left, and Allison made what she now knows is the foolish decision not to go with her when she asked. However, when her father's abusive leaves her with facial scarring, Allison knows that she has to run--far and fast. Determined to track her stepmother down, she finds herself in Cornwall, living with Marla, a lonely and confused old woman. Maybe Marla knows that Allison isn't Toffee, maybe she doesn't. She has good days and bad days. Through their relationship, and her friendship with spoiled Lucy, Allison learns much about the way that people treat one another. And maybe, just maybe it will all come ...

Pip's Drysdale's second novel takes a sophisticated walk into the lives of an aspiring actress and an up and coming businessman. On the surface, it would appear that Charlie has it all--a career in marketing, a possible career as an actress and a charming, sexy and most of all, devoted husband. But when Charlie sees a picture of Oliver on Tinder, a photograph that she took on her honeymoon no less, her world comes crashing down. What follows is twist upon twist and, it seems, that Oliver's infidelity may be the smallest problem of them all. Set in the world of London's sophisticated upper middle classes, this story has lots of intrigue. The twists are quite interesting, the lives of the characters are far from ordinary, it's questionable who Charlie can trust, if anyone. The story itself has a real addictive quality that kept me reading and wanting to know more right up to the very end. I also loved the way that each chapter represented a supposed episode of...

View this post on Instagram The 98A is donning a moustache, which I find oddly cool. Have you seen any unique or interesting buses recently and if so, where? #adelaidemetro #adelaide #southaustralia A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox) on Oct 29, 2019 at 11:52pm PDT

Adelaide Author Rowena Holloway's Ashes to Ashes trilogy comes to a final, shattering conclusion in From the Ashes . This time around, former weathergirl turned investigative journalist Charlotte Ashe finds herself going undercover at a brain injury clinic. Which is fine, except in a fitting opening to the novel, we know that six weeks after she starts there, a fire breaks out in the clinic, and afterward, Charlotte is missing. From there, the author weaves seamlessly between the duel timelines, crediting her readers with enough intelligence to put together various clues as the mystery deepens. From the Ashes is one heck of a page turner. I loved the duel narratives and putting together many of the clues. Admittedly, Charlotte annoyed me a little on occasions, however, it wasn't difficult to see that she was a woman who had suffered some huge setbacks (just read the first two novels in the series and you'll see,) and she certainly didn't have many people who be...

What started out as a joke, and a short sketch on The Weekly , parodying 12 Rules for Life , ended up becoming an actual novel after people kept stopping author/comedian Kitty Flanagan in the street and telling her that the whole thing was a good idea. And the result is absolutely hilarious, if for no other reason than there being a little ring of truth to many of the rules that the author suggests. (Then, of course, there is also the opportunity that one gets to laugh at all of the rules that they don't think are strictly necessary.) Divided into various sections, this one has most faucets of life in contemporary Australia, from the fact that fruit salad is often spoiled by the presence of too many filler fruits, to the inconvenience of walking through a cafe with a number on a stick as one tries to find a table.  I probably got more than my fair share of chuckles and yes moments out of this one, but I can think of worse things. Recommended.

Perhaps one of the most famous works of scandal fiction of all time, Lady Audley's Secret has something to either titilate or offend absolutely everyone. This isn't an academic kind of a classic by any stretch, or even the best of its era, but there is something absolutely addictive about this book. Lady Audley is young, beautiful and mysterious. Everyone, but for her stepdaughter, loves her and she manages to charm all that she meets. Then one day the paths of Lady Audley and that of her husband's nephew Robert and his loyal friend George Talboys, a man who is suffering an intense grief for his recently deceased wife, cross and things are never quite the same. Robert is determined to get to the bottom of why Lady Audley behaved so strangely around his friend, and why George has not been seen since. He knows there is more to the story, but to get to the truth, he will uncover a deception so huge that it involves bigamy, child abandonment, insanity and perhaps even murd...

View this post on Instagram Ducks in the Three Rivers Fountain, Victoria Square 🦆 #victoriasquare #adelaide #southaustralia #ducks #ducksofinstagram A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox) on Oct 3, 2019 at 7:54am PDT

Edie's husband Francis was missing in action, presumed dead, in France in 2017. Five years later, however, an envelope containing a picture of Francis arrives in the mail. Believing that this may be the proof that her husband is alive, Edie travels to France and becomes determined to find him. Meanwhile, her brother-in-law Harry, has also returned to France and his hoping to find his brother. What the two discover is something that will change both of their lives. This book discusses something that not many authors dare to--the after effects of the Great War. The impact that such a raw and brutal war had on those who fought in it, their loved ones who were left behind, and for the ones who returned home and were just expected to get on with things. The sense of loss is all too real, and the story is a compelling one. However, parts of the story are let down by a slightly confusing narrative that jumps around from place to place and storytelling that feels slightly robotic i...

Many followers of this blog may remember my review of Speak , Laurie Halse Anderson's brilliant novel about a young woman who suffers through her first year of high school in the wake of a sexual assault that she refuses to talk about. Twenty years after Speak was first published, it has been superbly reimagined as a graphic novel. Coupled with Halse Anderson's haunting narrative, Carroll's illustrations expertly detail Melinda's inner turmoil and sense of isolation during a bleak time. And what makes this one work so well is that it truly brings to life how Melinda's art project offers her a transition from being a victim to being a young woman who is both empowered and a survivor. There is very little I can say about the plot of this one, as I have already said it in my previous review, except to add just how well this story translates into graphic novel form. This one can easily be read on its own, or as a companion to the original. Highly recommende...

Imperfect is a raw and honest look at body perception. Author Lee Kofman shares her own experiences, growing up in the Soviet Union where by the time she was just eleven years old she had scars from major heart surgery and injuries sustained in a bus accident. These scars were treated as marks of honour--a testimony to her inner strength. However, when she and her family moved to Israel, she was left to believe that her scars were something that had to be hidden away. This attitude continued when she moved to Australia. But more than being a memoir, this book also takes a deep look into body image and how perceptions of our bodies can become a major influence on our sense of self. Written with a lot of sensitivity, the author explores issues such as extreme body modification, perceptions of body size and, ultimately, what it actually means to be living in a body that deviates in some way from what is considered "normal." When telling the stories of others, whether it...

In A Writing Life academic Bernadette Brennan shines a light on one of Australia's most loved--and most brutally honest in the best kind of way--authors. Helen Garner first came to prominence with her novel Monkey Grip ( read my review here ,) and has often caused controversy through her refusal to adhere to various literary conventions. Garner writes herself into her literary non-fictions and many of her works of fiction have an autobiographical feel to them. But who is Helen Garner really? In this biography, Dr Brennan finds out. With Garner's permission, she accesses various letters, diary entries and other things that ultimately, offer a sensitive insight into a writer whose unusual style and vast amounts of empathy for others have led to a long and often controversial career. (Yes, there is a whole, and rather long, chapter about The First Stone. ) This is the kind of biography that does the author, and her many, many fans proud. For me, a reader who first encoun...

Exciting news! This week I was guest on the very first episode of Flowers in the Podcast. Hosted by V.C. Andrews expert Lorraine Elgar (who some of you might know from the Attic Secrets blog,) and author Tylor Paige the blog is about all things related to author V.C. Andrews, coinciding with the fortieth anniversary of the publication of Flowers in the Attic. On the first episode, I get to talk about the life of the author--something which I find fascinating as so little is publicly known about her. I was also thrilled to find out a few things about her life from Lorraine and Tylor, which I did not know previously. I may be biased, but I think this one is well worth a listen for anyone who is interested in knowing more about the author. Anyway, you can listen to the episode here:  Flowers in the Podcast Lorraine and Tylor will be continuing this as a series, along with Ellie Sanchez in weeks to come, and there will be some other exciting guests from the V.C. Andre...

View this post on Instagram Spotted in Adelaide Arcade Museum #adelaidearcade #rundlemall #adelaide #southaustralia #heritagebuilding A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox) on Oct 8, 2019 at 1:08am PDT

Pumpkin Heads is a cute graphic novel, written by Rainbow Rowell (best remembered for Fangirl and the sort-of spin off series it inspired,) and beautifully illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks (best known for Friends With Boys, ) which tells the story of the importance of friendship. Every autumn Deja and Josiah work together at the pumpkin patch. This shift is different. Tonight it is Halloween, and they are high school seniors. This means it is the last opportunity for this pair of seasonal best friends to work together. And they are determined to make the most of it. Their last night becomes something of an adventure as they travel through the patch looking for the girl who Josiah has never been quite brave enough to talk to. But what they find is something far sweeter than either ever intended. This was a fun, cute read, that examines the nature of friendships and relationships, while using the fun parts of Halloween as a backdrop. The story itself does not require a lot of an...

Love him or loathe him, one thing is certain. You will have heard of Stephen King. And even if you haven't read any of his novels, it is likely that you can name at least one of them. And you've probably see at least one (or even part of one,) of the films based on his works. On Writing is a unique book in that the first half is King's memoirs. The second half is a collection of tips for aspiring writers, things that King has learned over many, many years of writing.  I am not going to lie. The whole thing is fascinating reading. King certainly had a unique upbringing, the younger son of a single mother who often struggled to make ends meet, during an era when people weren't necessarily kind to single mothers. He also speaks honestly about his struggles with addiction (his drug habit was so huge at once stage, there are entire books that he cannot remember writing,) and the near-fatal accident in 1999 that received a lot of press coverage. (He was midway through...

Started by the author and eventually completed by his wife and daughter based on his notes, Robert C O'Brien's final novel is a haunting meditation on the rivalry between nature and science. Ann Burden is living alone in a small valley for over a year, perhaps the only survivor of a nuclear war. She has just enough to get by and to live a peaceful existence. That is until Mr Loomis arrives in his radiation proof suit. What follows is a battle of wills between a terrified young woman and a man determined to control every aspect of the valley. I first read this one in year ten of high school when it was set as a class text. The story has stayed with me ever since and I was surprised when I re-read it just how much I remembered--in particular Ann's exile to the cave and the deadly cat and mouse game that followed. Much of the narrative is haunting, but believable. Loomis is, by all accounts, the worst that humanity has to offer--boorish, bossy, dismissive of the things...

View this post on Instagram All aboard the Almond Train! I had a lovely trip to McLaren Vale this morning and stopped by the Almond Train for a lovely Devonshire Tea. (Or in my case, coffee.) #almondtrain #almondtraincafe #mclarenvale #fleurieupeninsula #adelaide #southaustralia A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox) on Oct 18, 2019 at 7:30pm PDT

What happens when, one day, your older brother announces that he is actually your sister? British author John Boyne who you may know best as the author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas ponders this question in My Brother's Name is Jessica , a book about Sam, a boy in his early teens, who struggles to find acceptance when his beloved older brother Jason makes the tough decision to tell his family that he is a transgender woman. Their parents, their mother a conservative MP with ambitions of becoming Prime Minister and their father who acts as her Secretary, do not want to know and hope to shove the whole thing under the carpet. Sam, meanwhile, just does not understand. And that is what the crux of this story is about. One kid, struggling, and often sadly failing, to understand just how difficult life is for another.  There is no doubt about it, this is a compelling read. Sam is an interesting kid, one who loves his older sister, but just doesn't understand Jessica's...

There is nothing like a PG Wodehouse novel to brighten one's spirits on an otherwise dull day and Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit is no exception. Originally published in 1954 and number 11 in the Jeeves series, most of the characters including the minor ones are, by now, well and truly established. Consequently, the reader knows that that they are to be entertained by a story of Britain's bumbling upper classes and it is just a question of who features in this volume to create a bit of trouble for Bertie Wooster, what this will lead to and how Jeeves is going to get him out of it. Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit opens with Bertie opting to grow a moustache that doesn't suit him, much to the annoyance of Jeeves who strongly advises against it. Unfortunately, the moustache soon catches the eye of Lady Florence Cray, a writer who is currently penning a serial for a magazine owned by Aunt Dahlia that she is hoping to sell for a hefty sum. Worst still for Bertie, Florence is...

Until it was announced, I never believed that Raina Telgemeier would pen another autobiography. After all, what was left to tell, after she had penned about her adolescent adventures following on from the loss of her two front teeth in Smile , or about the awkward relationship that she had with her younger sister in Sisters ? It turns out that there was something more. Guts is a prequel of sorts to Smile and tells about the author's final year at elementary school. Beautifully illustrated, this graphic novel depicts her struggles with anxiety that begin shortly after she experiences a tummy bug. After seeing another kid teased for puking at school, Raina begins to fear that this too could happen to her. And she becomes determined not to allow it to happen, which means being very, very particular about what she eats and about other things. She also has some problems with an outspoken girl from her class who isn't always very kind to her and some of the other kids. As h...