Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Getting Dusty: Uncle Xbox #2- Jared Thomas

    Magabala Books February 2025 Hachette Australia 9781922777546 | RRP $17.99 Just over a decade ago I reviewed Dr Jared Thomas’ YA novel Calypso Summer, which was quite the wild ride showing two sides of young urban Indigenous culture, particularly young men. Over the intervening years Jared has continued to go from strength to strength, award to award…

  • Salt Runs Through – Mark Rafidi

    Hawkeye Books October 2024 ISBN: 9781923105218 ISBN-10: 1923105213 RRP: $26.99 I was so keen to review this, so thank you Hawkeye, and what a fabulous read it is! Set in Ulladulla, one of my favouritest places in the world [was always my dream retirement plan] at the time of the Currowan bushfire, such a dark time back…

  • The Outside – Larry Blair and Jeremy Goring

    Cheating death, chasing waves and growing up in one of Australia’s most notorious crime families Penguin Books This isn’t really a review – but a recommendation. A few weeks ago the lovely Dot Tonkin from Penguin gave this one a book talk and on the strength of that, plus the fact that it was related…

  • End of the holidays

    Well funsters, normally round about now, at the tail end of the second week of spring break, I’d be gnashing my teeth about the holidays coming to an end. But – oh my lordy! – the complete and utter bliss of NOT being fully employed (without the usual stress of that situation). The Kid and…

  • The Colourful World of Poppy Starr Olsen: A novel inspired by the life of the Australian Olympic skateboarder – Poppy Starr Olsen & Jess Black

    Penguin Australia From the opening pages this is just a joyful experience and one that I binged in just two sessions. I’ll be honest here. I didn’t know of Poppy (I don’t watch or follow the Olympics) and I know – well knew – zilch about skateboarding so I didn’t really know what to expect.…

  • Surf Riders Club 2: Bronte’s Big Sister Problem – Mary Van Reyk

    Hachette Australia FEB 27, 2018 | 9780734417923 | RRP $12.99   As I predicted the first in this series has been very popular in our library – after all we are in the beautiful Sunshine Coast and surfing is a prime pastime! So I have no doubt at all that this second in the series will be just as…

  • Ava’s Big Move – Surf Riders Club #1 – Mary Van Reyk

      Hachette Children’s Books Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books September 2017 9780734417909 RRP $12.99 First in a new series designed to encourage more girls into the sport of surfing this kicks off in a very promising manner. Ava’s parents have decided on a sea change which means that Ava is leaving behind her big city life,…

  • Amped! Carving it up with DC Green – a blog Q&A that’s choka!

    Ohmigosh! Q&A with the wonderful DC Green – grommet, writer, entertainer, cat-herder, friend, guy with panache…………..and all round Good Guy. Tell us about the young DC – what were you like as a kid, what did you like doing, where you grew up, how naughty you were? Young DC would be devastated to learn that…