Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where the participants tell their readers about an upcoming release they are waiting to read. This week I've picked The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn.

What did she see?

It's been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside. Anna's lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours.

When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers. But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see.

Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

This is giving off some Girl on the Train vibes with a voyeuristic main character and her seemingly perfect subjects. I'm a big thriller fan so I'm curious to see how this one stacks up to the others I've read - it has Gillian Flynn's tick of approval so that's a good start!

Releasing 15th January 2018 from HarperCollins Australia

Review: The Burden of Lies by Richard Beasley

The Burden of Lies by Richard Beasley

Released: 1st December 2017

Published by: Simon and Schuster Australia

Genre: Legal thriller

Source: Publisher

Pages: 277

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

Cocaine. Construction. Corruption. The unholy trinity of Sydney.

Self-made property mogul Tina Leonard has already lost her business, her home and custody of her children because South East Banking Corporation left her bankrupt. Now it appears she is being framed for the murder of her banker Oliver Randall, a senior executive of the corporation. Her motive? Revenge for ruining her life and her business. When maverick lawyer Peter Tanner is brought in to represent Tina, he bends the law to learn the truth. Was the real killer employed by the bank to silence Randall, who knew too much about their corrupt clientele and business dealings?

Tanner digs deeper the truth is harder and harder to find. Drug dealers and dodgy cops are a breed apart from corrupt corporate bankers, who’ll do anything to keep their names in the clear. Who really silenced Randall? Tanner gets more than he bargained for as he tangles with craven bent banks and a client who can't talk, and danger lurks far too close to home. Bestseller Richard Beasley's latest sharp-edged, gritty Peter Tanner thriller.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I do love a good thriller, though I haven't read many like this which focus specifically on the legal drama behind the crime. In The Burden of Lies, Beasley has brought corporate and financial crime to the fore, with a side of high-rollers and corrupt millionaires in the drug trade. Add into the mix a maverick lawyer in the form of our protagonist Peter Tanner and you get a story which explores all the seedy characters and their connections to a murder itching to be solved. 

This book is full of legal jargon, but that's to be expected from this genre. It makes the set-up of the plot all the more realistic, and relevant also with the mention of all the corporate scandals and banking cover-ups which we hear about in the news on a regular basis. Beasley hit home with references to Sydney, making this a true Australian legal crime novel that people who live in the city can find some familiarity with. 

Tanner as a character cut through the technical side of solving the crime with his unconventional methods and real passion for justice. While he didn't always go about things 'by the book', sticking by his own ethics and always having a witty quip on hand made him a somewhat endearing character who at the end of the day just wanted to spend more time with his family. It was good to see both sides of his personality in and outside of his work. My one issue with the story was that there was a lot of unnecessary 'telling' instead of 'showing', making getting to the point of a chapter or particular plot point more tedious than it perhaps needed to be. But, once we got there it was clear to see that there will be room for the next book in the series where Tanner's unique legal problem-solving skills will make another appearance. 

In all, if you're a fan of John Grisham or Michael Connelly, it's definitely worth giving Richard Beasley's books a try. 

Genie's Weekly News (59) - Shakespeare, shiny new books I need in my life, and shortening my TBR

After taking a short hiatus after exams, I'm finally back and blogging! Of course, the irony of having a heap of studying to do meant that I wanted to find any excuse to read, and during that time I picked up a few amazing gems which have become some of my favourites of the year. Fast forward to this week which was an exciting one, with bookish events and seeing The Merchant of Venice at the theatre.

Currently Reading

I've seen mixed reviews on The Grip of It, and at around 100 pages in I think I'm still deciding which side of the fence I'm on. It's described as a 'literary horror', about young couple who have just moved into a house whose hidden corners begin to alter their reality. It's the kind of book which I don't think the reader is meant to completely understand what's going on, so maybe that's the charm. I'm hoping there'll be a twist in there somewhere to surprise me...

Previous Posts

• Waiting on Wednesday: The Empress - this is the sequel to The Diabolic (perfect for fans of These Broken Stars or Illuminae)
• Books about Books Part 1: Living, Breathing, Reading - the first installment of my new mini-discussion series! Look out for Part 2 coming soon.
• #LoveOzYABloggers - Favourite Covers - books that make an impact both inside and out.
• Review: Force of Nature by Jane Harper - The Dry was a gripping crime novel and Harper's second novel is just as impressive. 

Recommendation of the Week

I already gushed about how amazing The Gulf is in my review, but it is honestly the best book I've read this year. I'm always excited to find new reads by Australian authors so if you have any recommendations let me know!

Nevermoor definitely lived up to the hype. I first heard about it at the Hachette Roadshow earlier in the year, and with comparisons made to Harry Potter the stakes were definitely high. Well, while it's near impossible to beat a series that has been going strong for over twenty years, Australian author Jessica Townsend's debut is charming and enchanting in its own right. This is a middle-grade novel which can be enjoyed by people of any age, and it's the type of fun read which has enough adventure and magic to convince even the most reluctant reader to step boldly into this world.

Date a Book Blogger Night Recap

It's been a few years since the last Date a Book event so it was brilliant to see the team organise another one for YA bloggers and readers to come together and hear about all the exciting new releases. The snack table alone was instagram-worthy (as was the fairy floss), but even better was hearing authors Victoria Carless (The Dream Walker), Jessica Townsend (Nevermoor) and international guest Kass Morgan (The 100) discuss their writing journeys and what it's like to find out your book is going to be published. 

There were a few memorable books to look out for in 2018, like A Thousand Perfect Notes by our very own blogger and writer extraordinaire Cait @ Paper Fury! Another mention has to go to The Beast's Heart - my pic of the screen couldn't do the cover justice, so here it is:

We got to show everyone at #dabYA17 but now we can share with you!
How gorgeous is the cover of THE BEAST'S HEART?
We can just imagine pushing our way through those gates 🥀😍 pic.twitter.com/JUAczWhUOS

— Date a Book 🌈 (@DateaBook) November 20, 2017

The Merchant of Venice

I've been fortunate to see a few Shakespearean productions in recent years - Romeo and Juliet in an ultra-modern, and then a classic production, Hamlet which was minimalist and striking, Othello which captured the striking storyline and A Midsummer Night's Dream which was...abstract (and more than a little disturbing). The Merchant of Venice is the first one I hadn't actually read before watching, but being there to witness it play out on stage with a brilliant cast meant the story all made sense. It was interesting to hear some of the well-known adages of 'all that glitters is not gold' and 'love is blind' in context. The set may have been simple, but the shimmering backdrop and unique staging helped bring the plot to life in a modern style. 

A post shared by Eugenia (Genie in a Book) (@genie_inabook) on Nov 19, 2017 at 12:29am PST

Over to you! Are there any 5-star reads you've read recently that everyone should know about? Also, what's your favourite play by Shakespeare?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Empress

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where the participants tell their readers about an upcoming release they are waiting to read. This week I've picked The Empress by S.J. Kincaid.

It’s a new day in the Empire. Tyrus has ascended to the throne with Nemesis by his side and now they can find a new way forward—one where they don’t have to hide or scheme or kill. One where creatures like Nemesis will be given worth and recognition, where science and information can be shared with everyone and not just the elite.

But having power isn’t the same thing as keeping it, and change isn’t always welcome. The ruling class, the Grandiloquy, has held control over planets and systems for centuries—and they are plotting to stop this teenage Emperor and Nemesis, who is considered nothing more than a creature and certainly not worthy of being Empress. Nemesis will protect Tyrus at any cost.

He is the love of her life, and they are partners in this new beginning. But she cannot protect him by being the killing machine she once was. She will have to prove the humanity that she’s found inside herself to the whole Empire—or she and Tyrus may lose more than just the throne. But if proving her humanity means that she and Tyrus must do inhuman things, is the fight worth the cost of winning it?

The Diabolic was one of the best YA sci-fi novels I've read - it's a thrilling space-opera with twisted power-struggles and shocking finale...or so we thought. I'm so glad that there has turned out to be a sequel, I can't wait to see what lies ahead for Nemesis.

Releasing 1st November 2017 from Simon and Schuster