Deborah Challinor

This is the fourth and final book in The Smuggler’s wife series by New Zealand author and historian Deborah Challinor. The story centres around the abduction of Amber’s friend Bao to China, as she is to be the new Cloud Leopard master after the passing of her father, a role her uncle jealously covets. Kitty and Rian Farrell sail the Katipo III to Bao’s rescue, but along the way their daughter Amber is also kidnapped.

This is another rollicking adventure on the high seas, set in the 1860s, taking in the tragedy of the opium trade in China, and England’s crucial role in this. Sadly this book was very disappointing in terms of the characters. Kitty seems to have morphed into a waspish shrew, constantly belittling Rian. I’m not sure if she swallowed a bucket of lemons, but she doesn’t have a single positive thing to say the entire book. Amber is just a total brat. I found myself double and triple checking that she was actually 23-years-old as her demanding, truculent behaviour seemed far more in keeping with a 13-year-old. I also didn’t enjoy the conclusion to Israel’s story, it just felt unnecessary. And lastly to add to my woes, the accents in the audio-narration by Louise Crawford were atrocious. So I find my self torn between a two star and three star rating for the final book of an otherwise enjoyable series: 3 for the adventure, 2 for ruining the characters. Let’s call it 2.5… (mer)

It's 1964 and transgender performers Rhoda and Star are flatting with exotic dancer Polly Manaia in Sydney's Kings Cross, the drug and red light capital of Australia. When Polly goes home to New Zealand for a 'visit', she brings back her 11-year-old daughter, Gina, to live with them. Gina was living with Polly's estranged mother in New Zealand. Things appear to go well, until Polly's drug taking habit extends to heroin in order to try and forget her past demons. A confronting story about the secrets we hold in order to try and 'protect' others (see page 347), and how they continue to torment. Gina, Rhoda and Star are fabulous characters.… (mer)

Set in Newcastle in 1969, 13 year old Davey's diary begins with his older brother Tom being called up to fight in the Vietnam war. It then chronicles his brother's change in personality throughout the war via his letters home, his father's denial of the brutality of the second world war in which he fought and subsequent outbursts and alcoholism, his mother's change from doting housewife to anti-war protester and world events such as the moon landing. But Davey is a typical kid and loves surfing and hanging with his mates at school and afterwards.
Then SPOILER ALERT a wayward car driver hits Davey and his best two mates when they are on their bikes on the way to the beach and Davey's whole world changes due to the terrible injury sustained by his friend Pete. Then, to make matters worse, Tom stands on a landmine and loses a leg in Vietnam.
Davey has to grow up quickly.
Well-written with a twist on home soil I did not see coming.… (mer)