July Reads - Book Reviews

I've read a few different genres of books recently. Here are my short books reviews and recommendations for what is a mixed bunch.

The four books up for review in July

Day's End by Garry Disher

Day’s End is the latest of the Hirsch novels and is yet another brilliant story. Constable Hirsch is genuine and relatable, and this series has never disappointed me. Hirsch is helping a woman search for her missing son in country South Australia, and things don’t seem right from the start. I highly recommend the Hirsch books to anyone who loves a good police crime series.

Arcadia by Eilidh Direen

Arcadia is not my normal genre, but the excitement and twists in this sci-fi story had me hooked from the beginning. It starts with a family of children hiding from their father’s visitors. The story leaps along at a fast pace with revelation after revelation. If you think you can guess where this story is going, you’d probably be wrong. This one is good for those who like a face paced, exciting story.

"If you think you can guess where this story is going, you'd probably be wrong"

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

I picked this up at my local second-hand bookshop as it had been recommended by lots of writers. Now I understand why. Anne Lamott is in international bestselling author and respected writing instructor. This book has lots of anecdotes from Anne’s life, each making a point and giving excellent writing advice. I’ll be reading this one again, and again. If you write, this is a fantastic read and resource.

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde

Art is a mathematician and his sister Mimi wants more from life than algorithms and calculations. When Mimi finds love, chaos erupts. I will admit I nearly gave up on this book as Art’s behaviour annoyed the heck out of me (think Sheldon Cooper in the early days), but I’m glad I persisted. In the end, I couldn’t put this book down. A wonderful book that will tug at your heart.

Do you have any recommendations, especially for thrillers and crime books? I'm always on the lookout for a good read.