Book Review: Folly by DL Blackmore

Review by Carol Preston

‘Folly’ by D.J. Blackmore is the first book in quite a while that I haven’t been able to put down. Set in the 1820s, in Newcastle, NSW, this story is positioned at a perfect time and place to explore some of Australia’s early history, especially that related to the struggle of those who, having once been convicts, are trying to find their place as free Australians.

I was delighted to follow once more the story of Emma and Tobias, whose romance began in Deirdre’s earlier book, Charter to Redemption. While it is not necessary to have read the earlier novel to enjoy this new one, it certainly gives a great background for this story and these were two characters I felt I already knew and loved.

Their continuing journey is absorbing and touching, their romance threatened and thwarted and yet steadfast, the challenges they face frightening and very real. The story has a great diversity of characters; from the innocent, endearing child to the vilest of offenders, authority figures with the greatest of integrity to the most self-serving and corrupt, neighbours we would all hope to have through to those whose bitterness and prejudice is galling, characters who were so steeped in their past they were never going to change and others who were moved to growth and maturity. All of these I found believable and well developed, consistently portrayed.

While the story is in no way ‘preachy’, Parson Brown and his wife are wonderful representatives of God in their faithful friendship, love and acceptance and a powerful witness to the benefits of honouring God in one’s life.

The story moves at a good pace, keeping me turning the pages without revealing so much that the mystery and suspense were too soon revealed or solved. For readers who love romance, history, mystery and crime, it’s all here in this great story which I highly recommend. I’ll certainly be on the lookout for Deirdre’s next novel.

About Folly

It is 1822. The colony bells of Newcastle chime for a wedding but Emma Colchester is uneasy. Her cousin is nowhere to be found. A red satin ribbon unearths the truth, and the family face their worst fears. Fingers of blame are pointed too close to home and Emma's future with Tobias threatens to unravel. The walls of The Folly standing by The Hunter River hold the clue, and Emma risks everything in finding out the truth.

About Carol Preston

Carol writes historical novels based on her family ancestry in Australia from the First Fleet. They include the Turning the Tide series; Mary’s Guardian, Charlotte’s Angel, Tangled Secrets and Truly Free. Two of her earlier novels, Suzannah’s Gold and Rebecca’s Dream, were re-released by EBP.  Next of Kin was released in 2015 by Rhiza Press and the sequel, Beyond the Fight, was released in 2016. Most recently, with the help of Book Whispers, Carol has re-released Price of Peace, the third novel in the Oakes Family Saga which includes Suzannah’s Gold and Rebecca’s Dream. You can see more about Carol and her novels on her website, her Amazon author page or FB author page.

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

www.facebook.com/writingtoreach

ACRBA Tour of Beyond the Fight by Carol Preston

3 - 7 October 2016

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is Introducing 

Beyond the Fight

( Rhiza Press, 1 April 2016)

By Carol Preston

About the Book:

Percy Smith has always wondered why he didn’t identify with his father, but he never expected the revelation about his past that comes at the beginning of the First World War. In shock and pain he finds himself in a place far from home, where he meets Mabel Smart, a young woman who is also struggling to find her own identity in her family.

Both Percy and Mabel must confront the issues raised by the war; internment of German born Australians, the push for conscription, the rush of young men to fight on the battlefields of Europe, and divisions in the Australian population over enlistment.

Ultimately Percy and Mabel’s search will be about finding a way to be at peace with their families.

About the Author:

Carol lives with her husband, Neil, in Wollongong, New South Wales. After their two children, Tammy and Adam, started school, Carol returned to study and completed a PhD at Wollongong University in 1986.

She is now a Psychologist in private practice. Carol enjoys gardening, bushwalking, spending time with her family and researching her family history. Her novels are based on her Australian ancestory. Carol's books in her Turning the Tide series published by Even Before Publishing include Mary's Guardian, Charlotte's Angel, Tangled Secrets and Truly Free.

Carol is also the author of Suzannah's Gold and Rebecca's Dream. Her first book with Rhiza Press is Next of Kin.

For more information about Carol's books and her other interests she can be contacted on her website: www.carolpreston.com.au

ACRBA Tour Next of Kin by Carol Preston

7 - 11 February

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Next of Kin
(Rhiza Press, May 2015)

Carol Preston

About the Book:

Fanny Franks was raised to believe in honesty, equality and acceptance, regardless of background or circumstances. When she meets brothers Jack and Jim, she is drawm to them by the alienation and injustice which seems to pervade their lives. She is determined to intervene and help them find happiness, until a trauma in her own life brings discrimination and shame for which she is ill prepared. While she deals with her own struggle she comes to understand what Jim and Jack are going through - and they find where they truly belong.

About the Author

Carol lives in Wollongong with her husband, Neil. She is a psychologist and has a part time private counselling practice, as well as being an author and speaker. Carol enjoys spending time with her children and four grandchildren, as well as bushwalking, gardening and holidaying overseas with her husband. One of her hobbies over many years has been family history research. 

It was this research which started Carol on the journey of writing novels. Her first trilogy is about the Oakes Family; Suzannah’s Gold, Rebecca’s Dream and The Price of Peace, which takes the reader from 1838 when her great great grandmother, Suzannah Casey was transported from Ireland, through to the end of the First World War. Carol’s fourth novel, The Face of Forgiveness, is about two young women who are transported to Australia in 1839. 

Carol has also written the Turning the Tide Series, based on her mother’s family, which begins with the First Fleet of convicts to Australia in 1788. These include Mary’s Guardian, Charlotte’s Angel, Tangled Secrets, and Truly Free. Next of Kin is her ninth novel. For more information about Carol’s books and her other interests she can be contacted on her website: www.carolpreston.com.au, on her Facebook author page: www.facebook.com/writingtoreach 
or her Amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

Book review - Rebecca's Dream

reviewed by Dale Harcombe

Having read and enjoyed Suzannah’s Gold I was looking forward to continuing the family story with some of the characters in Rebecca’s Dream.  I enjoyed catching up with these characters though George was his usual annoying character. It certainly gives a very stark picture of life in Australia in the 1870s to 1890s. Much of it is hard to read as there are so many deaths and illnesses especially with young children. That very much gives a clear picture of the times and made this reader glad I live now and not then, when women had almost no rights or control over their lives. They were very much at the mercy of men and of their ability to conceive and bear children, even if they couldn’t always keep them alive. Rebecca however has a dream and some very storing opinions that do not sit comfortably with the some members of the community of Marengo or even members of her own family. 

This novel also focuses on the conflict and tension that existed between Catholics and Protestants in the early Australian colony.  Information about society and the conditions and especially the input of Louisa Lawson, mother of Henry Lawson, added an extra bit of historical interest to the story.

While I enjoyed this story and the continuation of the family saga, I found Rebecca hard to warm to. As a result this book didn’t grab me quite as much as the earlier book but both books are still worth reading for the unflinching picture it presents of early Australian life, especially for women. It should leave all of us in today’s society thankful for those who have gone before and fought to change society. Rebecca’s Dream is an enjoyable, well researched and thoughtful read that will no doubt be loved by readers of historical fiction especially those who like it with a Christian flavour.

Over the years Dale has written fiction, poetry, children’s fiction, bible studies and Sunday school lessons. More information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com or on her Write and Read with Dale blog http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/

Book Review: Suzannah's Gold by Carol Preston

By Hazel Barker

Book Description

Suzannah Casey was just twelve years old when she was transported to the Australian colony from Ireland. Though devastated by her circumstances, she was grateful to be given an opportunity to start a new life on the Goulburn Plains with ex-convict, George Oakes. However, Suzannah could never have imagined the trauma and loss that lay ahead of her. She must find the faith and courage to overcome abuse, abandonment, religious bigotry and her own yearnings in order to discover what is more precious than gold.

Review by Hazel Barker

Suzannah's Gold is a smorgasbord of women’s fiction, family saga and historical fiction. The author uses excellent dialogue and vivid characterization. She delves into the main characters’ minds and we get a sense of their deep loyalties or hostilities and hatred.

Mary Anne springs to life with her Irish accent, her flirtatious behaviour, her bigotry and hypocritical ways. Adversity brings out the best in her and the reader sees remarkable character growth.

The protagonist, Suzannah, on the other hand, follows her conscience regardless of the consequences on her own happiness. She is intrinsically good: long-suffering, kind and forgiving, and faces no spiritual struggles. I found her too good to be true even though she was based on the author’s great-great-grandmother.

The book has been well-researched and its 309 pages are crammed with descriptions of drought, fires and floods. The description of the fire sets the scene realistically. It is vivid and quickens the pace. Although faithfully mirroring the early history of Australia, the frequency of births, sicknesses and deaths is repetitious. The number of characters causes confusion.

There are two rape scenes in the story—the first from the point of view of a child-witness. The second rape scene is well-written and depicted in all its horror without being offensive to the reader. Unfortunately, errors in the grammatical use of the word ‘lay’ interrupt the story and diminish the pleasure of reading. Readers should, however, add to their knowledge of Australian history and better understand the sufferings and strength the pioneers experienced.

Suzannah’s Gold with its theme of Christian charity, faith and forgiveness delivers a message with a strong ending:

‘Come to Me you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’

ACRBA Tour Rebecca's Dream by Carol Preston (and ACW Birthday Scavenger Hunt)

  

1st - 5th September 2014

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

Is Introducing

Rebecca's Dream

(Even Before March 2014)

By

Carol Preston

About the Book

     
Rebecca Oakes is thirteen years old when her mother, Suzannah, dies in the small town of Marengo, New South Wales, in 1873. With her older brother and sisters soon involved in their own lives, Rebecca is left alone to care for her ageing father. But Rebecca has a dream for her own life. She wants to make a difference to the world around her; a world where it is hardly possible for a woman to get an education, where women have no rights, no vote, no voice. Rebecca will have to fight the systems of her time if she is to achieve her goals. She must find the courage to stand against sexual and religious prejudice, and resist the pressures of even those close to her, in order to make her way towards her dream, influenced by one man who hates her, who will do anything to thwart her plans, and another man who loves her, and will do anything to make her happy.

Rebecca’s Dream is the second book in the Oakes Family Saga. Background notes and discussion questions are available for book clubs.

About the Author

Carol lives in Wollongong with her husband, Neil. She is a psychologist and has a part time private counselling practice, as well as being an author and speaker. Carol enjoys spending time with her children and four grandchildren, as well as bushwalking, gardening and holidaying overseas with her husband. One of her hobbies over many years has been family history research. It was this research which started Carol on the journey of writing novels.
   

Her first trilogy is about the Oakes Family; Suzannah’s Gold, Rebecca’s Dream and The Price of Peace, which takes the reader from 1838 when her great great grandmother, Suzannah Casey was transported from Ireland, through to the end of the First World War when Suzannah’s children and grandchildren are involved in the battle, not only to survive the war but to survive the waiting at home. The first two of these have recently been re-released by EBP. Carol’s fourth novel, The Face of Forgiveness, is about two young women who are transported to Australia in 1839. The most recent of Carol’s novel is a series based on her mother’s family, which begins with the First Fleet of convicts to Australia. These include Mary’s Guardian, Charlotte’s Angel, Tangled Secrets, and Truly Free.

For more information about Carol’s books and her other interests she can be contacted on her website: www.carolpreston.com.au, on her Facebook author page: www.facebook.com/writingtoreach or her Amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

Interview with Carol Preston

Can you tell us something interesting readers may not know about you?

Perhaps some might not know that I am a psychologist and have been in private practice for the past 16 years. I draw a great deal of inspiration from many of my clients who show so much   courage and resilience in the face of trauma and struggle. 

Where did you get the inspiration for your novel?

The inspiration for this novel and my other novels comes from my family history research, where I became enthralled and proud of the many stories of our early Australian ancestors who battled through incredible hardship and overcame enormous challenges to survive and to build the country we know and love.

In your research did you find any interesting titbits that surprised you?

I had many fascinating discoveries when I did my family research during the 1980s and 90s – not the least of which was that on my mother’s side our ancestors go back to the first fleet of convicts sent from England to the colony in 1788. I also discovered interesting elderly relatives who I’d previously never met, and after my novels were published I was contacted by numerous people who were also distantly related and were excited to read about our common ancestors.

What would you like readers to take out of reading your novel? 

I’d love my readers to have a greater sense of Aussie history and also some insight into the Aussie psyche which has developed in the descendants of our early settlers. I’d like my readers to find my characters engaging and inspiring, and most of all I want them to enjoy the stories.

A fun question to end, If you were to recommend somewhere in Australia or New Zealand for readers to visit where would it be?

Of course, I would recommend the south coast of New South Wales to my readers. It is not only rich with Australia’s early history, but one of the most beautiful parts of the world with its golden beaches, bushland and fascinating small towns such as Berry and Jamberoo.

Where can we find you on the web?
My website is www.carolpreston.com.au
Readers can also find me on my author page on Amazon  www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston or on Face Book  www.facebook.com/writingtoreach

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ACW SCAVENGER HUNT CLUES FOR TUESDAY:

Clue 4 from Jeanette O'Hagan: Name one of the main characters in Akrad's Children. 

http://jeanetteohagan.com/ 

Clue 5 from Carol Preston: What is the name of the main character who is an ex-convict in Susannah's Gold? http://www.carolpreston.com.au/ 

Clue 6 from Iola Goulton: Name an Australian author who has worked with Iola Goulton at Christian Editing Services. http://christianediting.co.nz

We hope you're enjoying the hunt and locating the answers to the clues. The contest rules are listed in Monday's post. Please remember to comment on Monday's post, complete the online form and your Rafflecopter entry. Rafflecopter lists all the options for gaining extra entries in the drawing, including commenting on the posts this week. 

The Scavenger Hunt closes at 2pm on Sunday, September 7 (AEST). The winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 9. Good luck!

Book Review: Zenna Dare by Rosanne Hawke

Review by Carol Preston

Rosanne Hawke is an Australian author of over twenty books, among them Shahana, The Messenger Bird the winner of the 2013 Cornish Holyer an Gof award for YA literature, and Taj and the Great Camel Trek. She is a bard of Cornwall and lives in rural South Australia in an old Cornish farmhouse with underground rooms

Cover blurb     When Jenefer moves into the old family home in country Kapunda, she uncovers a secret from the past. What sort of life did Gweniver, her great-great-great grandmother, lead? And what connection did she have to the glamorous young singer, Zenna Dare?

Could a nineteenth-century mother of nine have led a double life, and, if so, why? In a story crossing five generations, from the old world to the new, Zenna Dare brings reconciliation in more ways than Jenefer could ever have imagined.

My review

This great story is set in the Barossa Valley area in South Australia. When Jenefer and her family move away from the city to this small town and into an old family home, built in the 1850s, Jenefer is sure she is going to be miserable. She is not at all prepared for the fascinating journey she embarks on after discovering a secret room in the house and a box filled with intriguing hints about the life of her triple great grandmother. Nor is she prepared for the relationship which developed between her and Caleb, whose mother was one of the stolen generation and whose indigenous background has set him apart from much of the local community in ways that Jenefer finds disturbing.

Rosanne Hawke really captures all the intrigue of family history research in this story; the mystery, the possibilities, the excitement of discovery, the images of past lives, family secrets, the thrill of walking where one's ancestors have walked. The truth unfolds at a great pace – not too much at once and plenty of anticipation about what’s ahead.

The issues around Jenefer’s relationship with Caleb are also explored sensitively and provocatively. Caleb’s background and his character help the reader to consider what it truly means to be Australian, and to reflect on how to deal with prejudice against indigenous Australians. The love that develops between Caleb and Jenefer is touching and powerful.

I found Rosanne’s writing style engaging, her characters believable and likeable, the issues she raises compelling and inspiring. I believe this story will appeal to readers who enjoy history, family intrigues, romance and current issues around prejudice and acceptance. I look forward to reading other stories by Rosanne Hawke.

Zenna Dare is available from Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Zenna%20Dare&sprefix=Zenna%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AZenna%20Dare

Also from Rhiza Press   http://www.rhizapress.com.au/zenna-dare

And all good book stores.

Carol writes historical novels based on her family history, set in the early colonial days of Australia. You can see more about Carol and her novels on her website, Amazon page or FB page. 

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston
www.facebook.com/writingtoreach

Book Review: The Celtic Stone by Nick Hawkes

By Carol Preston

From the Blurb

Chris Norman's dreams of being a commercial pilot are shattered when he crashes his light plane in central Australia and is badly wounded. His life hangs in the balance, a balance that is swayed by the intervention of an Aboriginal man. He leaves Chris with a mysterious and incongruous legacy, a Celtic cross made of stone. Partly blinded and in deep grief at no longer being able to fly, Chris finds his way to the inhospitable islands off the West Coast of Scotland where he seeks to unravel the secrets of the Celtic Stone.

Review

The blurb of this book held so many promises of interest for me. Who wouldn't be intrigued by a mystery around a Celtic cross? Having recently visited Scottish Islands and been fascinated by the Celtic culture and history I was immediately drawn to this story which was to unfold on the Isle of Skye. I certainly wasn't disappointed. The historical research behind this book is impressive. It's woven into the story in such a way that as a reader I was so intrigued with the plot that I didn't realise how much I'd learned about the cultural mores and the complex laws and development of the crofting communities of Scotland, until I finished the story and reflected back on how much information I'd taken in.

Other aspects of this novel are equally engaging. There's the wonderful character of Morag, a blind Hebridean woman who has been shunned by many in her local community, and Ruan, the seven year old boy who has lost his family. Both of these are complex characters, needing love and care, but also fiercely independent. They bring the challenge of giving and receiving love, of dealing with rejection and alienation, of mutual respect and understanding in relationships, which make this story very moving and compelling.

I appreciated Nick's perspective in this story, which has a strong and likeable male character, who is dealing with grief, discovering his identity and struggling with relationship. I think this is presented in a sensitive and realistic manner, which shows a depth of understanding about human beings and relationships. The female character of Morag is equally deep and well developed, and a character with whom I could identify as a female reader. It's really balanced and believable, which makes the love story engaging and touching.

The conflict which Chris has with ruthless and dangerous figures in the political and crofting world of the islands provides a mystery and power struggle rooted in generations of unfolding traditions and schemes. This also makes this story a real page turner. I believe male and female readers alike, will find this novel exciting, engaging and satisfying.

Carol Preston

Carol is an author of historical novels set in rural Australia and based on her family ancestry in Australia. You can see more about Carol and her novels on her website: www.carolpreston.com.au
or her Amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston  or on Facebook www.facebook.com/writingtoreach

Book Review - Web of Lies

Web of Lies – Laura O’Connell

Review by Carol Preston

 Cover blurb      High school sweets Stephanie and Lachlan are torn apart by circumstance, bad decisions and a web of lies, leaving an unknown future for their son, Ryan.  Eight years later they reconnect, but the time apart has changed them. The family had made decisions based on lies and deceit and now must find a way to either reveal the truth or live with their mistakes. On the surface their arrangements seem flawless, but dig deeper, and the truth is not as it appears. Lachlan and Stephanie are forced to confront the consequences of their actions and the entire family is compelled to reveal the truth, find forgiveness, and renew loving one another. But the hardest decision is still to come.

My review

This is a story of how trust can be broken in relationships, even though sometimes motives seem justified, and how difficult it is to rebuild trust afterwards. I think it’s a well thought out set of circumstances and consequences, which many readers will relate to. We all have complicated relationships in our lives, and tough choices.  This is a love story, but not a dreamy, escapist, romantic love story. I appreciated the realism of the knotty path to love which includes mistakes, a high cost, the need for forgiveness and new beginnings.  

A Christian worldview, values and approach to dealing with problems is strongly woven through this story, but it is sensitively and realistically presented and is not too preachy. The dilemma of decisions made before one becomes a Christian, which have implications for later life, is also an issue that many readers will identify with. Because there is a child centrally involved in the story I think the delicacy and impact of the issues are heightened, which makes for a provocative and challenging journey for the reader.

I like that the setting is for the most part an Australian one, and that images of Australian culture and environment are prominent. However, the link with an American setting is effective in giving a sense of connectedness to the rest of the world, and takes away from any impression overseas readers might have, that Australia is remote.  I suspect readers from the other side of the world would get a sense that people downunder are not so different from them, that complicated relationships, Christian struggles and dealing with the past are issues we all have in common.

Laura’s style is easy to read, and while we can usually anticipate a happy ending to novels, how this will be achieved in this story is not easy to predict, and the twists keep the reader turning the pages in anticipation. There were a few parts where I felt the story was slowed down with unnecessary detail, but overall a really satisfying read. This is a story I believe would be interesting and challenging for a book club or group of readers who like to discuss issues and learn from the journeys of fictional but realistic characters.

Web of Lies is available through Amazon in print and kindle editions and through Even Before Publishing   http://www.evenbeforepublishing.com

Carol Preston 
Carol lives on the east coast of New South Wales. She is a psychologist and an author of historical novels based on her family ancestry in Australia.

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston