Welcome to RRL Reads, a collection of reviews by RRL library staff. To see more of what our library staff are reading and listening to, follow us on instagram or facebook.
Verity by Colleen Hoover
There’s been so much hype around Colleen Hoover’s books and I picked up Verity after so many rave reviews from our library patrons! Verity is a captivating, psychological thriller that will have you questioning everything you’ve believed when you get to the last page. Verity is a dark and disturbing story which follows Lowen, a writer who has been hired to take over the series of a famous author, Verity Crawford. As she’s moved into Verity’s home to conduct research for the bestselling series, she stumbles upon what appears to be Verity’s autobiography. There are just enough clues to leave reasonable doubt in your mind and you’re left with an open ending that shakes everything up, leaving you thinking about these characters long after it ends. I really enjoyed this book as it kept me guessing the whole way through and there was a shock horror moment at the end where I heard myself say “did that just really happen”?! You might just have to read it to find out! – Wendy Manning, Temora Library
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
As an avid reader, I cannot walk past a book with `Library’ or `Book’ in the title. The Personal Librarian, grabbed my attention straight away with its bright red, bolded title. The Personal Librarian was set in a time when libraries and rare books were predominately a man’s world. Women ran the household or performed what were classed as women’s jobs and social status was dictated by race and heritage. However, Belle is a determined woman who dreams of being a librarian. To live and breathe rare and everyday books and be encased in the scent of leather bindings. A dream she could only achieve through commitment, determination and most of all sacrifices. Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray grasp your attention from the very first page, transporting you to 1905 when Belle begins her journey, not as the African-American woman she was born as, but as a white woman, which can never be revealed. Belle is a pioneer for women. She makes us ponder what sacrifices we would make to achieve our dreams and how those sacrifices might impact on those close to us. Would we have the strength to overcome loss and hurt to achieve our dream? – Ann Farmer, Howlong Library
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I picked up this book after watching the Australian Open final and being struck with the tennis bug! Carrie Soto is a tennis champion whose ambition is to be the best in the world. Nothing less will do. When a young hot shot British player named Nicki Chan breaks her record of 20 grand slam titles, Carrie comes out of retirement to take back her record. Carrie Soto is not the sort of person I would ever hang out with in real life, but somehow Taylor Jenkins Reid made me care deeply about this flawed character. One of the most endearing aspects of the book is her relationship with her father and coach, Javier. For Carrie, her romantic relationship isn’t the main game – her Dad is the real love of her life. I also love how Jenkins Reid matures her characters so gradually you barely notice it until you reach the end of the book and realise they have all changed for the better. I listened to this as an audiobook, and thoroughly enjoyed the narration. Just be warned there are a few dodgy Aussie accents when the action travels to Melbourne for the Australian Open. – Katrina Roe, RRL Admin Centre