Books about friendship are not often described as love stories, but this is one.At the age of twelve, Nell has accepted that hers will likely be a friendless existence. She’s not interested in boys or makeup or competing to see who can eat the least – so fitting in at her all-girls’ school feels impossible.Continue reading “Review: Love, shame, and redemption in Madeleine Gray’s Chosen Family”
Author Archives: novelfeelings
Review: ‘The Farm’ delivers suspense and reflections on women’s body autonomy
When 37-year-old Leila suffers a health tragedy, she doesn’t recover as quickly as she expected. Her partner, James, suggests a year away from the city – they’ll stay on his family farm, where the wide, open spaces and clean country air will help her come to terms with her grief. But the property is remote and the houseContinue reading “Review: ‘The Farm’ delivers suspense and reflections on women’s body autonomy”
Q&A with Pip Smith on The Pull of the Moon
Coralie is thirteen years old and lives on Christmas Island, where sea birds circle the sky and the seasons are marked by the migratory patterns of crabs. But life on the island isn’t always paradise. During a fierce tropical storm, a fishing boat carrying eighty-nine asylum seekers crashes into the island’s cliffs. Coralie locks eyesContinue reading “Q&A with Pip Smith on The Pull of the Moon”
Review: Cosy, bibliophile friendly vibes in Dinner at the Night Library
The Night Library on the outskirts of Tokyo isn’t your ordinary library. It’s only open from seven o’clock to midnight. It exclusively stores books by deceased authors, and none of them can be checked out — instead, they’re put on public display to be revered and celebrated by the library’s visitors, akin to a bookContinue reading “Review: Cosy, bibliophile friendly vibes in Dinner at the Night Library”
October Book Club: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
Ada carries separate selves within her. When a traumatic experience crystallises the selves into something more powerful, Ada’s life shifts in a dangerous direction. Our September October book club discussion is about Freshwater, a semi-autobiographical novel by Nigerian writer, Akwaeke Emezi. We talk about multiplicity and the character’s experience with alters, and the role ofContinue reading “October Book Club: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi”
Q&A with Mark Mupotsa-Russell on The Wolf Who Cried Boy
Six-year-old Henry believes his life is a fairytale. He’s a Star Prince, his mum is a Star Queen and they’re hiding from Henry’s father, the mysterious ‘Wolf King’. When news arrives that his Grandma is gravely ill, Henry and his mum must take a road trip across the country and back into the Wolf King’sContinue reading “Q&A with Mark Mupotsa-Russell on The Wolf Who Cried Boy”
Review: ‘How to Dodge Flying Sandals’ and other advice to balance culture and self-acceptance
Meet Daniel Nour: Egyptian and Australian; loud and painfully awkward; conservative and very confused (especially about other boys). He’s never quite pulled off normal, but ‘not-normal’ is where the best stories are. Now he’s made his peace with that and is ready to share his wisdom in this highly unreliable ethnic memoir. Told as aContinue reading “Review: ‘How to Dodge Flying Sandals’ and other advice to balance culture and self-acceptance”
Author interview | Jodi McAlister on An Academic Affair
Romance author and academic Dr Jodi McAlister shares her insights on her latest release, an Academic Affair. Meet academic rivals Sadie and Jonah; when a position comes up that Sadie and Jonah are both perfect for, their ongoing enmity explodes into a red-hot competition. We dive into the world of early career academia, rivals toContinue reading “Author interview | Jodi McAlister on An Academic Affair”
July Book Club: I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee (S4E4)
Recording her dialogues with her psychiatrist, and expanding on each session with her own reflective micro-essays, Baek begins to disentangle the feedback loops, knee-jerk reactions, and harmful behaviors that keep her locked in a cycle of self-abuse. Our July book club discussion is about I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Ttteokbokki, anContinue reading “July Book Club: I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee (S4E4)”
Review: Exploring healing in Jade Timms’ ‘Golden’
Golden is a warm-hearted optimistic story about friends and friendship and art and beauty—and the power of letting yourself be loved… When you work in the juice bar of your small coastal town. When your twin brother is the fun one with all the friends. When something happened a year ago that you can’t talk about,Continue reading “Review: Exploring healing in Jade Timms’ ‘Golden’”