Review: Like Follow Die by Ashley Kalagian Blunt

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 4 Comments

Like Follow Die

Author: Ashley Kalagian Blunt

Published: 24th February 2026, Ultimo Press

Status: Read February 2026 courtesy Ultimo Press

My Thoughts:

More than a crime novel, Like Follow Die by Ashley Kalagian Blunt is a provocative portrait of tragedy. 

When new Detective Kyle Nazarian knocks on the door of Corinne Gray he is following  up on questions triggered by his partner’s actions while investigating two as yet unsolved recent murders. Corrine, ‘the most hated woman in Australia’, has been waiting for this day. She offers Kyle a seat, and a cup of tea, she has a story she wants to tell. A story about her beloved son, Ben.

Unfolding primarily from the perspectives of Kyle, Corinne, and the journal entries of Ben beginning from the age of twelve, this is a gripping story that examines motherhood, misogyny, and mental health as Blunt explores the vulnerability of adolescents to the threat of online radicalisation. 

Kyle is a conscientious officer, excited to be given the opportunity to become a detective, and benefit from the experience of his new partner, Duff, a well respected veteran. Unfortunately however, Duff is not the mentor he’s expecting, and in investigating the deaths of two men, he quickly finds himself in a very difficult situation.

Corinne seems to be a pathetic figure, isolated and self pitying, but as she tells her story, sharing her pain, confusion, and anger at the position she has found herself in, she begins to engender sympathy. Corinne wants justice for her son, and she feels she has nothing left to lose.

Ben’s journal entries introduce a young boy writing letters to the father he has never met, sharing information about his life. As the entries continue through his adolescence, the salutation to his dad eventually disappearing, the tone changes, becoming a record of resentment, alienation, and manipulation.

Written with compassion and unnerving authenticity Like Follow Die is a powerful and gripping read.

#bookreview Like Follow Die by Ashley Kalagian Blunt @UltimoPress #read #book #review #fiction #crime #AussieAuthor #cloakdaggerchal #2026GreatCanadianReadingChallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #LikeFollowDie Learn more at Book’d Out 

Review: The Bookstore Diaries by Susan Mallery

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 7 Comments

The Bookstore Diaries

Author: Susan Mallery 

Published: 3rd March 2026, HQ Fiction

Status: Read February 2026 courtesy Edelweiss 

My Thoughts:

Susan Mallery is the bestselling author of over 130 novels about the relationships that shape women’s lives—family, friendship, romance, and The Bookstore Diaries is the first of three books which will be released this year.  

At the centre of this novel is Jax, a recently divorced mother of two who owns and manages The Painted Lady Bookstore in a small Californian community. Jax is largely content, her store is a success, even if the Victorian home that houses it needs repairs; her relationship with her ex, Harris, is amicable, even if he’s lobbying to be allowed an overnight guest while their children are with him; and her younger sister, and best friend, Ryleigh is always close by. But Jax’s well ordered life threatens to descend into chaos when Harris proposes to his much younger girlfriend to circumvent the house rules, Ryleigh announces she is considering moving to San Diego after a surprise ending to her relationship, and the contractors working in the store, headed by the handsome Marcus, accidentally erase the identification markers for the personal diaries The Painted Lady Bookstore hosts for the community.

There were several aspects of The Bookstore Diaries I enjoyed, most notably the setting (because what reader can resist a bookstore); the romantic relationships that are developed for both Jax and Ryleigh; and Roman, Jax’s pet, an African Grey parrot with a big personality who is an absolute delight. I also appreciated many of the details that leant authenticity to the main characters who were generally well-realised with satisfying back stories, and the lesser sub plots that added depth to the story overall.

However, I was disappointed because the premise for The Bookstore Diaries provided by the publisher is misleading. It promises that ‘secrets spill and scandals surface’ from the diaries held by The Painted Lady, but neither eventuate in any meaningful way. In fact the diaries barely make any impact on the story, or the main characters themselves. With that expectation left unfulfilled the novel as a whole felt somewhat anticlimactic. 

While The Bookstore Diaries is an engaging contemporary romance/women’s fiction novel, in all honesty my enjoyment of it was somewhat tainted by the hyperbole of premise. 

#bookreview The Bookstore Diaries by Susan Mallery @harpercollins #read #fiction #romance #2026NewReleaseChallenge @this_is_edelweiss Learn more at Book’d Out 

Review: The Gambler by J.P. Pomare

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 4 Comments

The Gambler {PI Vince Reid #2}

Author: J.P. Pomare

Published: 24th February 2026, Hachette Australia

Status: Read February 2026 courtesy Hachette Aus

My Thoughts:

The Gambler is the second crime thriller by J.P. Pomare to feature private investigator Vincent Reid, set around eighteen months after the events of The Wrong Woman.

When Vincent Reid’s family friend and mentor, Nick, asks him to take on a job, the private investigator doesn’t feel like he can refuse. The parents of Katie Marshall, who was killed at an anti-gun political rally for Illinois congressional candidate Ana Gutierrez, just want to understand why the killer, Barb Aldridge a retired school teacher, targeted their 26 year old daughter. 

With Barb dead, shot by Katie’s boyfriend Jason in self defence, it seems logical for Vince to start by asking questions of her widower, but Ted is not only hostile, he is murderous. Meanwhile Jason seems to have vanished, and as Vince digs into the whereabouts of the young computer genius he discovers links between the murder, a sophisticated gambling scam, and a 20 year old Amish cold case.

Unfolding from several points of view, and across three timelines, The Gambler offers a clever, layered plot that twists and turns. Short chapters contribute to the momentum of the story and the increasing suspense. The conclusion is satisfying, tying up loose ends.

Reid is a thorough investigator, following both clues and intuition, and he insists on solving the case even when his life is threatened, or when difficult choices must be made. His own backstory has some bearing on his determination to save the case.

Though technically a sequel, The Gambler is an absorbing and interesting novel that works well as a stand alone.

Review: The Gambler by J.P. Pomare @HachetteAus #read #book #review #bookreview #fiction #crime #mystery #thriller #AussieAuthor #cloakdaggerchal #2026NewReleaseChallenge #readingchallenge #TheGambler

Top Ten Tuesday: Quotes From/About Books

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 35 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.” ― Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” ― Ray Bradbury

“I am the person I am because of the books I have read.” ― Libby Page, This Book Made Me Think of You

“We are not quite novels. We are not quite short stories.In the end, we are collected works.” ― Gabrielle Zevin, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

“When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.” — R.J. Palicuo, Wonder

“What makes a good book? Simply put, a good book is one that you enjoy reading.”  — Carmela Dutra

“To the ones who don’t run with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride.” ― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm

Have a terrific Tuesday!

I designed the above quotes graphics in Canva

Today is Top Ten Tuesday #TTT hosted by @artsyreadergirl #books #bookblogger Check out the #Quotes I love @ Book’d Out

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #SundayPost #SundaySalon

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 39 Comments

Linking to: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? at BookDate; Sunday Post @ Caffeinated Reviewer; and the Sunday Salon @ ReaderBuzz

Life…

The heat and a series of (mainly) petty stresses conspired to trigger a flare this past week so I didn’t achieve much. The medication finally started doing its job today, so this week should be better.

It’s the last Monday of the month, so here’s my challenge updates: 

2026 Nonfiction Reader Challenge: 2/12

2026 Speccy Fiction Challenge: 4/12

2026 Great Canadian Reading Challenge: 2/12

2026 Cloak and Dagger Challenge: 7/25

2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: 3/15

2026 New Release Reading Challenge 19/60

What I’ve Read Since I last Posted…

The Gambler by JP Pomare

The Lost Voices of Pompeii by Dr Jess Venner

New Posts…

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for Armchair Travellers

Review: So, I Met This Guy… by Alexandra Potter

Review: All In Her Hands by Audrey Blake

Review: The Drowning by Fiona Lowe

Bookshelf Bounty

What I’m Reading This Week…

For Review

Sabrina’s new Melbourne cafe, her lifelong dream, is struggling—despite her exceptional baked goods and fabulous coffee. Her love life isn’t faring much better—she just keeps dating the wrong kind of guy. But the boyfriend clause in her loan agreement requires her to be in a committed relationship or pay back the loan in its entirety. That would mean losing the cafe. What could be worse? Making up a fake boyfriend, and accidentally giving him the name of the rude and brooding famous writer in her apartment block, the one she wildly insulted when he moved in—that’s what! And when that leads to the rude and brooding writer joining her rambunctious family on a trip to England and a charade of perfect romance, Sabrina finds herself navigating a whirlwind of contradictory emotions. Including an unignorable awareness of just how infuriatingly hot the insufferable writer is. But as the boundaries blur, one question looms what, or who, is he writing about?

For Review

On the sands of Shellybanks, where tides can quickly turn treacherous, journalist Kate Delaney once nearly drowned. Years later, reeling from a violent crime that has upended her life in Melbourne, she returns to Dublin to comfort her beloved aunt Dolores—only to discover Dolores has her own buried trauma. As a teenager, Dolores was drawn into a disturbing religious movement that stole her youth, her freedom, and so much more. With Kate’s help, she is determined to confront the powerful network that made her suffer years of silence and shame.Shellybanks is a haunting tale of secrecy and survival, charting how two women find strength in each other as they reckon with Ireland’s hidden histories and the scars that endure across generations.

For Review

Western Australia, 1958. A truck rumbles along a lonely outback road. A moment’s inattention, and in a few muddled seconds the lives of the MacBride family are shattered. Instead of leaving them to heal, fate comes back for them in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child. Set in the expanse of a vast and flat landscape, where the weather is a capricious god and a million-acre sheep station is barely a dot on the map, A Far-flung Life explores the hearts of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive. Capturing a family, a community, A FAR-FLUNG LIFE tells of the many ways humans can do each other wrong and how we move on when things can’t be put right. With shimmering prose and a delicious wit, the mysteries of being human are laid bare in this hopeful meditation on time and resilience and the lengths we go to to protect what we love.

Thanks for stopping by!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR #SundayPost #SundaySalon I’m finishing out the month with #Shellybanks #TheBoyfriendClause #AFarflungLife

Review: The Drowning by Fiona Lowe

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 3 Comments

The Drowning 

Author: Fiona Lowe

Published: 24th February 2026, HQ Fiction

Status: Read February 2026 courtesy Harlequin Australia 

My Thoughts:

A story of family, secrets and betrayal, The Drowning is the ninth contemporary novel from award-winning Australian author Fiona Lowe, who has also authored more than 20 romances.

CC is thrilled when she learns she’s been willed a share of the home in which she spent her summers growing up. As the daughter of a single mother, her time spent with her cousins James, Ollie, Lily and Felix Friend in the Victorian coastal town of Kooramook was the highlight of her year. For CC the inheritance signifies her acceptance as a member of the family, so she’s stunned when some of the cousin’s object, and a feud regarding the home’s fate breaks out among the siblings. And then a drowning not only puts everyone on edge, it puts CC in the path of a desperate killer.

I was quickly invested in the escalating tension in The Drowning. The ill-feeling generated over the ownership and use of The Shack ratchets up as an explosive family secret is revealed, blackmail is attempted, and legal action is threatened. Additionally CC, believing she is being stalked, no longer knows who she can trust. There are several surprises in the well-paced plot, of which at least two I did not see coming.

Like CC I spent several summers in the company of cousins by the beach so I could absolutely relate to her feelings about the experience. It’s those happy memories that prevents CC recognising the dysfunction present in the Friend family, and the flaws of each of her cousins. There were times I didn’t particularly like CC but I really felt for her as she slowly came to terms with the realisation that the holidays together didn’t mean as much to the Friends as it did to her. 

There’s a thread of romance in The Drowning too when CC meets pharmacist Tom. As her three month tenure as a registrar at the Portland Hospital provides a natural end for the relationship she gives in to their mutual attraction, but handles it badly when things become more serious. I liked the way this relationship contributed both to CC’s character and the plot as a whole.

Offering suspense, complex relationships, and intrigue, I found The Drowning to be an absorbing read.

READ AN EXTRACT OF THE DROWNING

Review: The Drowning by Fiona Lowe @harlequinaus #read #book #review #bookreview #fiction #suspense #contemporary  #AussieAuthor #2026NewReleaseChallenge #cloakdaggerchal #readingchallenge #TheDrowning 

Review: All In Her Hands by Audrey Blake

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 4 Comments

All in Her Hands {Nora Beady #3}

Author: Audrey Blake

Published: 24th February 2026, Sourcebooks Landmark 

Status: Read February courtesy Netgalley 

My Thoughts:

All In Her Hands is the third book in Audrey Blake’s (a nom de plume used by the writing team of Regina Sirius and Jaima Fixsen) historical fiction series featuring Nora Beady, England’s first woman surgeon.

In The Girl in His Shadow, and The Surgeon’s Daughter,, Nora the adopted daughter of Horace Croft, a somewhat eccentric but skilled and esteemed surgeon is forced to study in Italy to earn the qualifications denied her in England. On her return she is faced with the same prejudice, but gains membership of the medical association via the omission of her first name.

Though now permitted to practice, Nora is nevertheless ostracised from the medical field and only able to treat patients because of the generosity and support of her father who has established a small hospital and practice in their home. Here she works alongside her new husband, Daniel, and her father’s financial partner, Harry.

The strength of this series is in the author’s illumination of mid 19th century medical understanding and treatment at a time when the survival of patients was often due more to good luck than good management, particularly if you were poor. Faced with illnesses and injuries from cholera to broken limbs, treatment options were limited and some, such as bleeding, did more harm than good.

The focus in All In Hands is particularly on midwifery, and mens attempts to wrest control of birthing from them, not from any real concern for their patients but for the income. Nora sees the value in the expertise of midwives and fights the establishment for recognition of their skills and experience.

Blake also continues to explore the barriers women face in a period when their role in society was very narrowly defined by marriage, and motherhood. Nora is a social outcast as much as a professional one, and her in-laws are scandalised by Nora’s choices leading to tense confrontations and issues in her marriage. 

I feel All In Her Hands is probably the strongest in terms of centering Nora’s character as opposed to the authors research. Nora faces several personal and professional challenges, and though she occasionally seems to be her own worst enemy, her frustrations and fears are portrayed with authenticity and compassion.

Rich with historical detail, drama, and tension, All In Her Hands is a great read, and the series as a whole has been interesting and engaging.

Review: All In Her Hands by Audrey Blake @Sourcebooks #read #book #review #bookreview #fiction #historical #NoraBeady #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #readingchallenge #InHerHands

Review: So, I Met This Guy… by Alexandra Potter (and a freebie)

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 5 Comments

So, I Met This Guy…

Author: Alexandra Potter

Published: 3rd February 2026, Macmillan AU

Status: Read February 2026 courtesy Pan Macmillan AU

My Thoughts:

Maggie Fletcher has been left with nothing after her fiancé, Theo, disappeared along with all her money, her father’s watch, and her self esteem. Having been forced to trade her comfortable flat for a shabby caravan in the middle of a farmer’s field, all Maggie wants is to be left alone.

Journalist Flick Lomax is certain she’s destined to report on more than missing cats, pole-dancing pensioners, and wayward sheep, so when she overhears gossip about a victim of a romance fraudster, she’s keen to write a feature on the phenomenon in the hope of boosting her career. 

Despite the lack of encouragement from her boss and her boyfriend, Flick is determined to get her exclusive and with a tip on the whereabouts of the love rat Theo, and a few white lies, she convinces Maggie to join her on a mission to find and expose him.

What begins as a hunt for Theo becomes a journey of self discovery as Flick and Maggie chase their quarry across Europe. 

The road trip that begins in Monte Carlo takes the pair through Rome, The Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Mallorca, Ibiza, Valencia, Malaga and Tangier. I really enjoyed the glimpses of these exotic (to me) European locations.

Maggie is a sympathetic character whom Potter portrays with compassion. It is lovely to witness Maggie slowly realise that the shame and humiliation of Theo’s betrayal is not hers to carry. Hundreds of thousands of women (and men) fall victim to romance fraudsters across the globe every year, and while the financial loss is estimated to be in the billions, it is the personal betrayal that exacts a higher price. Maggie was left shattered by Theo’s duplicity, not only was she financially decimated resulting in the loss of her home and business, Theo also stole her pride, her confidence, and her ability to trust anyone, including herself.

It’s equally gratifying to see Flick develop confidence in what she wants for her future, especially in terms of her relationship. Her tenacity and fake-it-til-you-make-it approach is an admirable trait for a reporter, and a good foil to Maggie’s equivocation.

The friendship that develops between Flick and Maggie, despite their disparate ages, is a highlight of the novel. I enjoyed their banter, and almost felt like I was accompanying them on their adventure. There’s also a twist to their relationship that adds a surprise to what may have otherwise been a predictable storyline.

Written with humour, warmth and compassion So, I Met This Guy… by Alexandra Potter is a well paced read that offers fun, adventure, and justice.

Download this free, printable summer reading card from Pan Macmillan to celebrate the publication of So, I Met This Guy…

Review: So, I Met This Guy… by Alexandra Potter @MacmillanAus #read #book #review #bookreview #fiction #womensfiction #readingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #SoIMetThisGuy Learn more at Book’d Out 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for Armchair Travelers

~ shelleyrae @ Book'd Out ~ 59 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

It seems inevitable that I offer you a tour around Australia given this week’s topic. I’ve chosen 10 contemporary fiction books from a variety of genres which I’ve read that give you some insight into the Australian landscape and culture. Each is set in a different state or territory, with the final two spanning several.

Before I do though, I thought I’d share some facts about Australia…

  • Australia is the 6th largest country in the world, and the only one that covers an entire continent.
  • The country is approx 7.69 million square kilometers in area (2.989 million square miles) which is just slightly larger (or smaller depending on the source) than the Contiguous USA (Lower 48)
  • There are 6 states and 2 internal territories: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory where the country’s capital city, Canberra, is located. There are an additional 8 territories that encompass offshore islands.
  • The population of Australia is approx 28 million, 87% of whom live within 50km of the coast, because most of the interior of the country (aka the Outback) is desert.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived on the Australian continent for more than 65,000 years, making theirs the world’s oldest continuous culture.
  • Australia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse nations. Nearly a quarter of the people who live in Australia were born in other countries.
  • Australia is home to: the world’s largest sand island (K’gari); the world’s longest fence (The Dingo Fence is even longer than the Great Wall of China); the world’s largest coral reef system (The Great Barrier Reef); the world’s largest and deepest natural harbour (Sydney Harbour); the world’s oldest tropical rainforest (The Daintree Rainforest); the largest single rock monolith in the world (Uluṟu); 21 of the world’s 25 most venomous snakes; and the only two mammals in the world that lay eggs (Platypus and Echidna).

Click on the image or state name to see my review

New South Wales

A quirky tale with a hint of magical realism, Lisa Walker’s third novel, ‘Arkie’s Pilgrimage to the Next Big Thing’ is the story of one woman’s search for all the things she has lost, via Australia’s ‘Big Things’….including herself.

Australian Capital Territory

One Thursday morning, Lexie Parker dashes to the shop for biscuits, leaving Bella in the safe care of the other mums in the playgroup. Six minutes later, Bella is gone. I haven’t read many books set in Canberra (in the Australian Capital Territory), but the small community on the fringe of the city felt authentic and familiar.

Victoria

Lowe explores a range of specific issues relevant in Australia at the moment including racist attitudes towards refugees from African countries, the rise of homelessness experienced by women over 55, the inadequacy of current social support payments, the lack of support programs in rural areas, and government corruption.

Tasmania

Centred on the small (fictional) town of Nowhere River in the Tasmanian Highlands, Welcome to Nowhere River is a charming novel from Meg Bignell about family, friendship and community.

South Australia

The setting for Purman’s series is wonderful I liked the way in which she brought attention to some of the issues coastal communities face, like the influx of tourists each summer, necessary for the economy but disruptive for the permanent residents, and the way the character of the town changes as city dwellers replace humble homes with million dollar beach houses.

Western Australia

In a series of compelling short stories variously connected by time, place and character, Tim Winton’s The Turning explores the trajectory of ordinary lives irrevocably altered by disappointment, tragedy, struggle and the yearning for something different…something more.

Northern Territory

Diamond Dove is an impressive read, not just for its premise but also for its wonderfully crafted characters, and its ability to communicate the authenticity of outback culture.

Queensland

Conservation management and environmental protection is a major theme of this novel. Set on the QLD coast, Scoullar writes of the risks outdated cane farming practices poses to the coastal environment, the general threats to our fragile marine ecosystem as well as the desirability of rehabilitating wild creatures for return to their natural environment.

The Ghan

This novel is set on The Ghan, a luxury passenger train that travels the 2,979 km between Darwin in the Northern Territory and Adelaide in South Australia and includes extended stops to allow for off-train tours and experiences.

Various States

Showcasing some of the best crime fiction writers in Australia & New Zealand, Dark Deeds Down Under, edited by Craig Sisterson and Lindy Cameron, is an outstanding anthology of nineteen original short stories.

I hope you enjoyed your tour. Do you have a favourite book set in Australia?

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Today is Top Ten Tuesday #TTT hosted by @artsyreadergirl #books #bookblogger #Travel around #Australia with me @ Book’d Out