There almost wasn’t a bookish babble today, with all the drama I’m having with my computer (I’m typing this on my tablet) but here it is >> Bookish Babble: Author Quote Edition.
Until next time 🙂 Enjoy your shelves :-).
LOVE volume 2: THE FOX by Frederic Brremaud and Federico Bertolucci
Pub date: 10th November 2015 by Magnetic Press and Diamond Book Distributors
Thank you, Brremaud, Bertolucci and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Visually lavish and unforgettable.” – Kirkus Second in the celebrated series of wildlife 
graphic novels, author Frederic Brremaud and illustrator Federico Bertolucci turn their lens on a northeastern woodland setting to follow a single fox through its daily journey through the trees and along the seafront. Only this is not just another day — a spectacular volcanic eruption throws the area into chaos, sending creatures of all kinds scurrying for safety. But the intrepid little fox surprising decides to run into the danger instead of away! What could send this tiny hunter towards the danger? This all-ages title will appeal to children and adults for its breathtaking illustration and gripping adventure drama.
Wow! Simply stunning. I was mesmerised watching this little fox as seemly the world was ending around it.
A volcano is irrupting and all the animals are going berserk. Most of the animals are trying to escape the volcano, while some use the fleeing herds to their advantage for an easy meal. The little fox is all the time battling its way towards the volcano. And I was thinking, what is he doing? Well the little fox I assumed was male, is female and she was on a mission to save her pup, awwww. Of course she manages to save her pup and it’s beautiful.
Not one word of text is used to tell the story. But the detailed and dramatic illustrations over the eighty pages tells us the story perfectly. Five Stars. I NEED to get myself a hardback copy of this. Go mummy fox go!
Although it should be called Book Shelf Babble today:
This is so cute. I’d want a slightly wider version so my son, Riley and I could still fit on it together as he gets older. I’d have the fabric in a patterned blue or green and put it in his room with all his books in it for story time :-). Riley has shelves for his books, some in his bedroom and some in the lounge room. I think this would be an attractive and useful way to put them all together. Maybe it can be a project for Riley and his Granddad once Riley is a little older (and Granddad has retired) HINT HINT :-P.
A Tardis bookshelf, like seriously who wants to build me one! HINT HINT. My thirtieth birthday is in sixteen months HINT HINT 🙂 :-).
My soul needs some version of this in the lounge room. The whole idea of a Tardis as a bookshelf is the most perfect marriage of two awesome things ever. Just think about what the Tardis is, as in all the infinite adventures it takes the doctor on – perfect place to store books that can take you on infinite adventures!!!!
This is the current book shelf space I have for myself – I have three shelves and my husband Shane has two. If it’s on my shelf I either loved it or haven’t read it yet, everything else gets passed on. Please ignore our sad looking DVD shelf on the right, which are stacked two deep and a total mess.
What’s your dream bookshelf/ home library look like? Hell, what’s your current bookshelf situation look like? I’d love to see, book shelf envy anyone! Tweet me a photo @SarahSacaKat if you feel like showing off :-).
Until next time 🙂 Enjoy your shelves :-).
Sleep is for the weak!
Ah book hangovers! That’s how you can tell it was a really good book, you don’t want to move on and can’t fathom reading another book.
Until next time 🙂 Enjoy your shelves :-).
The Cattle King by Ion L. Idriess. First published in 1936 (my edition re-published 2013).
At the age of 13 Sidney Kidman ran away from home with only five shillings in his pocket. He went on to become a horse dealer, drover, cattle buyer and bush jockey and he also ran a coach business. Above all, Kidman created a mighty cattle empire of more than a hundred stations, fighting droughts, bushfires, floods and plagues of vermin to do so. His enterprise and courage won him a huge fortune and made him a legend.
I purchased this paperback on the 4th July at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame at Longreach.
When we entered the museum we watched a documentary and Sir Sid Kidman was mentioned. I thought “wow he sounds like an interesting fella”. So when we got to the gift/sourvenieer shop and there was a book about him, I just had to buy it.
Once we got back to our camp that afternoon I immediately started reading it. The first few pages gives us a brief history of Angus and Robertson, then a brief history on the author, followed by the author’s note. I was buzzing by this point as I’d already found these first pages fascinating and I hadn’t even started to really read about Sir. Sid Kidman yet.
Kidman’s life was truly amazing. I read this while we were travelling through some of the places mentioned in the book, so that added an extra special kick to my experience. The Silver City aka Broken Hill was mentioned quite a lot and it gave me the extreme urge to go there, but alas it didn’t work out with the rest of our camping trip.
Some times when I read a YA dystopian or fantasy novel I get a bit “Oh yeah right, as if a 16 year old could do that”. But the thought struck me while reading this book, that if thirteen year old Kidman could do the things he did, than they probably aren’t that far-fetched. Go back 100 years or more and you were a child, than an adult – None of this teenager crap. You had a job at thirteen and where out working with the men. At Thirteen Sid had saved up a years’ worth of earrings and ran away from home.
Sid, a thirteen year old, in unfamiliar bush saved himself and a fellow drover from dehydration and starvation. He had a kind heart and a brilliant mind. The man was a genius. His brain was a sponge. He traveled all over the place listening to and learning from anyone who would talk to him, from anyone who would show him. At a time when Whiteman feared and hared the Blackman, Sid was leaning all they were willing to teach him about the land. Thirteen year old Sid was able to do things that a thirteen year old today couldn’t even contemplate.
So yes, Kidman’s life was fascinating. The book was a bit dry at times, a bit like a high school history textbook and I felt like I was going to choke on all the statistics. But still Kidman shined.
Kidman grew to own more Australian land then the British Empire at one point. He was growing his empire while the Kelly boys were raising hell. He put an enormous amount of his own resources into Australia’s WW2 efforts. The man was a true blue Australian legend and sadly one I don’t remember ever hearing about in school. I think his story is inspiring – Someone today’s little spoilt teenagers should aspire to be like.
Purchase Links:
Amazon | B&N | Amazon AU | A&R (paperback)
Author’s Links
Tribute Website | Wikipedia | Goodreads
During his life time Idriess wrote a large number of Aussie themed books and I intend to somehow get my hands on a few of them.
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
Published: 22nd June 2015 by Harper Collins
Thank you to the author and publisher for giving me an ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book.
With a harrowing poetic voice, this contemporary page-turner is perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, Julie Berry’s All The Truth That’s in Me, and the works of Ellen Hopkins.
The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust.
And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too.
Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it’s clear that Minnow knows something—but she’s not talking. As she languishes in juvenile detention, she struggles to un-learn everything she has been taught to believe, adjusting to a life behind bars and recounting the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of—if she’s willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past.
The Sacred Lies of Minnow By is a hard-hitting and hopeful story about the dangers of blind faith—and the power of having faith in oneself. 
This book has received so many raving reviews and so many “loved it” reviews from fellow book bloggers that I follow. I can understand how someone could be so WOW’d by this book. The writing is beautiful, easy to read /understand and flows at a perfect pace. The action arches and curves to keep you tearing through the pages till the end.
It’s hard to believe that this is Stephanie Oakes Debut! It is her debut people and in my eyes it is flawless. I’ve already added her next book to my TBR even though it won’t be out until next year.
Cults disgust me. Anyone who hides behind religion and lies degusts me. In fact any person who can hurt another living thing and enjoy it, degusts me. Even so I think this book is brilliant. It made me keep reading even though I hated the topic matter. I either wanted to slap sense into the characters or see them run them over with an army tank. Ok, I wanted the Prophet to be run over by an Army tank, the rest I wanted them to wake up to themselves, stupid sheep.
I liked Minnow from the start, but I loved her once she woke up and started to rebel.
My only complaint is that I wanted more closure at the end. I wanted to know that the innocent got a happy ending and the others got what they deserved – even if that is unrealistic.
I generally read books to escape the horrible world we live in. This book spotlights the horrible world we live it, but I am glad I read it. I think anyone 13+ could read this and get something out of it.
I’m going to share what I am sure is going to become one of my favorite book quotes. I’ll give you a little lead in so it makes sense. Warning the work fuck is used, but there is very little swearing in the book considering she ends up in juvenile hall.
* * * * * * *
“FUUUUUCK!” She screams.
“A MILLION TIMES FUCK!” I scream with her.
“What on God’s sacred green Earth is going on?” Benny calls from the skyway. She approaches the bars, her arms crossed.
“Nothing,” Angel and I sat in unison…
“Fuck,” I Whisper.
“Fuck,” she whispers back, a smile creeping onto her face. And, inside that smile is the knowledge that some things are just too sad, too screwed up. Sometimes there’s nothing for it but shouting “Fuck” with your best friend at the top of your lungs.
* * * * * * *
I think that sums up life; something’s are just too sad, too screwed up. I’ve been known to scream profanities at the sky, sometimes there is nothing else we can do to release the pain.
Stephanie Oakes is a teacher and YA author from Washington State.
THE ARSONIST, her second YA mystery is scheduled for publication in fall 2016.
Website – http://www.stephanieoakesbooks.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/stephanieeoakes
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/543716.Stephanie_Oakes
Tumblr – http://stephanieoakes.tumblr.com/
Starfire 2015 #1
By (Authors) Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and (Illustrator) Emanuela Lupacchino.
27 full colour pages, Published June 2015 by DC Comics
SHE’S AN ALIEN WARRIOR TRYING TO FIND PEACE…
AND WILL FIGHT ANYONE OR ANYTHING TO GE IT!
ARE YOU READY?
The first though I had when I finished this was “That was adorable. I want more.”
So Starfire aka Kori was a princes on her own planet, but was outlawed when some nasties took it over and entrapped her sister – I’m sure this will all come back to haunt Kori later in the series. For now Kori is struggling to fit in on earth, cue taking a shower naked out in the open and misunderstanding men’s meanings about giving her a place to stay for the night, but luckily she has the help of a cop named Stella.
Starfire is funny, sexy and a treat for the eyes. The pages are in full colour and those colours are bright and beautiful.
This feels like it’s going to be a super quirky, full on girl power, bad guy busting series of awesomeness. It’s from the writers of HARLEY QUINN so all of the above is to be expected. I’m ready, bring on more Starfire. Five Stars.
What DC says about Starfire:
A princess who became a slave. A slave who became a warrior. A warrior who became one of the world’s greatest super heroes.
Betrayed by her own sister and forced into slavery, Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran experienced torture, exploitation and experimentation at the hands of others—but instead of it breaking her, it only made her stronger. Breaking free and fleeing to Earth, she discovered a world filled with heroes, people who fought for the oppressed, who used their powers and abilities to save those in need. And it was then that Koriand’r made a decision that changed her place in life forever. She decided to become the super hero known as Starfire.
Like all Tamaraneans, Starfire’s alien physiology allows her to absorb ultraviolet radiation and convert it to energy in order to fly. However, due to the experiments conducted on her during her imprisonment, she can also channel and project that same energy as destructive blasts.
Despite the hardships she experienced early in her life, Starfire remains a courageous and dedicated hero, who despises seeing anyone else experience the pain she went through herself. She is incredibly loyal and optimistic and lives to see and experience everything the universe has to offer.
Amanda Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54926.Amanda_Conner
Jimmy Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54927.Jimmy_Palmiotti
Jimmy Twitter – https://twitter.com/jpalmiotti
DC Starfire – http://www.dccomics.com/comics/starfire-2015
#1 available NOW. #2 available 8th July.
#3 available 12th August. #4 available 9th September.
Paradise City (Paradise #1) by CJ Duggan
Pub Date 28th April 2015 (Hachette Australia)
I received an eBook ARC from Net Galley in return for an honest review – So Thank You CJ Duggan and Hachette Australia.
From the author of the bestselling Summer series, comes the first book in a seriously sexy New Adult series you won’t want to miss. For fans of Abbi Glines, Sarah Dessen and Colleen Hoover.
There’s bound to be trouble in Paradise . . .
When her parents decide a change will be good for her, seventeen-year-old Lexie Atkinson never expected they’d send her all the way to Paradise City. Coming from a predictable life of home-schooling on a rural Australian property, she just knows that Paradise will be amazing. But when she’s thrust into a public school without a friendly face in sight, and forced to share a room with her insipid, hateful cousin Amanda, Lexie’s not so sure.
Hanging out with the self-proclaimed beach bums of the city, sneaking out, late-night parties and parking with boys are all things Lexie’s never experienced, but all that’s about to change. It’s new, terrifying . . . and exciting.
And when Lexie meets Luke Ballantine, the swoon-worthy, bad-boy leader of the group, the chemistry between them is electric. Trouble with a capital T, Luke is impulsive, charming and answers to no one, and he’s sexier than any guy Lexie has ever known. Lexie begins to wonder if Luke is going to be good for her . . . or very, very bad?
Raise your left hand if you ever made an ass of yourself in high school. Now raise your right hand if you ever tortured yourself over a boy (or girl). Now give yourself a high five because you survived, maybe not unscathed, but you survived.
Oh how this book took me back. Duggan perfectly captures the – he likes me, he likes me not – torture teenage girls put themselves thought. Perfectly captures the hormone induced hysteria that growing up causes.
I loved how real Lexie felt. I wanted to be her friend, I wanted her to flourish and succeed. At some points it was if I was reading my own but better written teenage diary. I wanted to jump into the pages; slap Amanda, kick Ballantine up the bum and hug Lexie while offering her a big bowl of cookies and cream ice cream.
I love bad boys with soft and cuddly centers, love seeing their masks slip, love seeing them let their guards down. Every teenage girls dream is a bad boy that’ll be good just for her. A naughty, cheeky, hot mess. A bad boy who’s really not a bad guy – Boom! it’s Ballantine.
A likable, relatable sheltered country girl. A grade A student who’s been cooped up and restricted – and now, damn the consequences, she’s going to find out what it’s like to live – Boom! it’s Lexie.
There are twist and turns and lessons to be learned. Family tensions, school detentions and late night rendezvous. A boy named Luke Ballantine and girl named Lexie Atkinson – Boom! an exciting, endearing and entertaining story.
Duggan’s writing is beautiful; fresh, humorous, full of heartache and yet full of hope – A damn nice surprise in what can be a rather unbelievable, excessive and skanky genre.
I am internally chucking a full blown teenage tantrum that I have to wait until September to find out what happens next in the world of Lexie. Five Stars.
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/CJDuggan
Website – http://www.cjdugganbooks.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/CJ_Duggan
