Marshmallow by Victoria Hannan

I’ve had a four-book run of grief stories (so yes, brace for the reviews) and Victoria Hannan’s Marshmallow was the last before I changed gears and chose some lighter books.

Marshmallow tells the story of five friends, who have been close since meeting at university. The novel begins with the friends in their thirties – questions about careers, relationships and plans for the future play at the back of their minds, for what dominates is the one-year anniversary of a terrible accident. Continue reading

Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week

01. Morning walk was accidentally interrupted by breakfast at Cumulus Inc. (BTW that’s a smoked trout frittata with crème fraiche, and madeleines with bergamot curd in the background). Continue reading

My MWF 2022 Reading List

 

The Melbourne Writers Festival program has been released. I’ve booked lots of sessions and realised that I will have to get busy reading in order to be across the books that the authors will be speaking about. On my reading list: Continue reading

I’m waiting for… 2022 edition

Proving that I don’t actually care about my never-really-shrinking-TBR-list is this list of new releases that are on my radar for 2022. Continue reading

My Best Books for 2021

I did away with ‘top tens’ a few years ago, and instead I finish the reading year with a recap of the books that are still speaking to me (less about four and five-star ratings, more about what has stuck). Continue reading

Reading Challenges 2021

It’s technically possible to squeeze in another couple of books before midnight on December 31, 2021 but unlikely, so I think I can safely draw a line under the reading challenges for the year.

I participated in six challenges this year – finished three; one is ongoing; and I failed two – (one miserably, one by a whisker). Continue reading

Things that are making me happy this week

01. Peak lockdown: wearing trackies; drinking Prosecco and Refosco from Salatin during live tour of the vineyard in the Venetian hills; eating cheeses from That’s Amore, and insanely good Baccalà followed by duck ragout with green herbs and gnocchi from Caterina’s (on Queen St). Continue reading

We’re halfway through the year…

This time last year, I was feeling really worn out as a result of Melbourne’s COVID situation (little did I know how much more was ahead). I certainly wasn’t doing much reading, despite having oodles of time on my hands.

This year, I was supposed to be at Ningaloo Reef, diving, and snorkeling with the whale sharks, before heading to Perth tomorrow. We cancelled the trip a few weeks ago because Melbourne was in another lockdown, and Western Australia have been firm on keeping their borders closed until states have weeks of zero cases. I appreciate the irony that right now, Melbourne is the place to be, given that the bulk of Australia is in lockdown – had we been in Western Australia, we’d be stuck in a hotel room. Continue reading