Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Dare I say this is my all time favourite? The first few glorious chapters about a precocious boy's experimentation with different religions were delightfully funny.. When it was first published a couple of years ago, I had initially resisted reading it because I couldn't imagine how a book about a boy being adrift on an ocean with a zebra, hyena, orangutan and Bengal Tiger could hold my interest. But it is fabulous! Can't wait for Yann Martel's next book!

The Distance Between Us - Maggie O'Farrell

The latest book by Maggie Farrell. I've read both her others too, My Lover's Lover and After You'd Gone. I enjoyed this as much as I did her other two. About love, relationships; quite atmospheric, melancholy and emotionally-charged. Her earlier two were quite suspenseful too. Her style is to switch back and forth, not in chronological order, and it adds a certain edge.

Fingersmith - Sarah Waters

My introduction to Sarah Waters, and it was an absorbing story with amazing plot twists, set in Victorian England. Best described by a review on amazon.com "this hypnotic suspense novel is awash with all manner of gloomy Dickensian leitmotifs: pickpockets, orphans, grim prisons, lunatic asylums, "laughing villains," and, of course, "stolen fortunes and girls made out to be mad." Divided into three parts, the tale is narrated by two orphaned girls whose lives are inextricably linked. Waters's penchant for byzantine plotting can get a bit exhausting, but even at its densest moments--and remember, this is smoggy London circa 1862--it remains mesmerizing. A damning critique of Victorian moral and sexual hypocrisy, a gripping melodrama, and a love story to boot, this book ingeniously reworks some truly classic themes. --Travis Elborough"

Infinite Love is the Only Truth - David Icke

Infinite Love is the Only Truth - All Else is Illusion is the full title of David Icke's latest book, newly released in Australia. David's more "transcendent" in his style here, but the usual conspiracy theories abound. His iconoclastic material drew a few laughs from me, and the stuff about DNA is interesting.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill - Mark Bittner

I'm completely besotted by this gorgeous, honest, funny and heartwarming book. If you're not a bird lover, you could become one after reading this book. If you are a bird lover like me, the book takes you on a deeply rewarding emotional journey. I fell in love, laughed and cried with every one of these feathery personalities. The book squeezed my heart, wrung it out, and filled it up, reminding me of the parrots I've met & loved in my life. The author's irrepressible urge to plant a kiss on his favourite birds and his willingness to share his meal with them made me smile because I know how that feels, and it may seem weird to non bird lovers. One also learns some interesting facts as the author has done some research in this area.

Mark's life intertwined with the birds' is also an interesting story. Some people may judge his unusual spiritual approach about not getting a job, but in the bigger picture, one can see how his spiritual journey led him to where he is today. He writes with a refreshing honesty, and comes through as a sensitive and compassionate soul.

Providence of a Sparrow - Chris Chester

Witty, heart-warming, and stayed with me long, long after I finished reading. Even now, months later, I feel an ache in my heart thinking about it. A really engaging and literary book about the author's relationship with a very personable sparrow, but encompasses his life as well. Interesting insights. Highly recommended, bird lover or not!

What I Loved - Siri Hustvedt

Picked up the book at a 2nd hand shop in Queenscliff. Never heard of the author - but intrigued by review snippets: "genuinely disturbing urban thriller....compelling right through to riveting...mesmerizes, arouses, disturbs."

It was evocative, and I felt immersed in this man's life, his loves, the people. But there were sections when I wished it'd just get a move on and not dwell in such excruciating detail on the artist's work. Quite riveting in parts, especially around the mystery of the young boy's character and what he grew up to be. After reading a few NY writers, I think the writing leaves me feeling hollow. Entertained while reading, but hollow and sad when finished. I felt the same with Tama Janowitz's "A Certain Age: A Novel".