By Verushka Byrow

Blurb: 
In her award-winning novel, Mostert blends alchemy, the art of memory, high magic and murder to create a highly original psychological thriller. 

Gabriel Blackstone is a cool, hip, thoroughly twenty-first century Londoner with an unusual talent. A computer hacker by trade, he is also a remote viewer: able to 'slam a ride' through the minds of others. 

But he uses his gift only reluctantly ― until he is contacted by an ex-lover who begs him to find her step-son, last seen months earlier in the company of two sisters. 

And so Gabriel visits Monk House, a place where time seems to stand still, and where the rooms are dominated by the coded symbol of a cross and circle. 

As winter closes in, Gabriel becomes increasingly bewitched by the house, and by its owners, the beautiful and mysterious Monk sisters. But even as he falls in love, he knows that one of them is a killer.

By Verushka Byrow

Over the last couple of years, I’ve found myself appreciating humour in writing more and more – not the over the top humour, but the sly, snarky humour that doesn’t. per se, stand out in a passage as “OMG, this is so funny” but, it flows in with the story, an intricate part of the text that just cracks me up. I actually blame J. K. Rowling and the Weasley twins for this – it’s extremely hard to remain composed in a train full of suited professionals while reading about Fred and George. I know, I’ve tried.

By Verushka Byrow

Blurb:

Seventeen delightfully unexpected stories from Simon R. Green--including a brand-new adventure of the Droods--take us deep into the Darkside, embroil us in the Secret Histories, and lead us into the shadowy places where monsters and demons roam: Welcome to the worlds of Simon R. Green. In this wide-ranging collection, the "New York Times"-bestselling urban fantasist opens doors into hidden places: strange realms bordering our own mundane existence and prowled by creatures of fancy and nightmare. Here are the strange, frequently deadly--and sometimes even dead--things that lurk in garbage-strewn city alleyways and grimy subway stations after midnight, visible only to the most perceptive human or inhuman eye. In these tales, Green revisits the ingenious worlds within worlds that he created for his wildly popular novels. Take a stroll on the Darkside with a jaded street wizard, an underpaid government functionary responsible for keeping demons, vamps, and aliens in line. Enter the hidden recesses of Drood Hall, where the aging family member who creates powerful weapons that protect humankind recalls his long and bloody career. Join a squad of no-longer-human soldiers dispatched to combat the all-consuming jungle on a distant planet. Visit a house at the intersection of two realities that serves as a sanctuary from the evil of "all" worlds. Confront the unstoppable zombie army of General Kurtz in a brilliant homage to "Apocalypse Now." And whatever you do, never forget that there "are" monsters out there. Really. Each story includes a new afterword by the author.

By Verushka Byrow

Years ago I worked in an office that took me 45 minutes to get to by train. That was right around the time Harry Potter had taken off and everyone was reading it. And, I jumped on the bandwagon. 

So there I was, 30-something and reading Harry Potter in a train filled with people in business suits and thick novels, with names I had not heard of before. They were most definitely more serious literature than my own Harry Potter title. 

I was the only one that broke out into uncontrollable giggles when the Weasley Twins pulled any of their tricks in the books. No, seriously -- tears rolling down my face, trying valiantly to stifle my laughter in a funeral-quiet carriage with people in need of their first cup of caffeine -- or if it was the evening ride home, ready to get home. 

By Verushka Byrow

Any writers’ festival is a chance for a bunch of book nerds to come together and talk to embrace their love of all things bookish. The Sydney Writers’ Festival is really no different. It’s a chance to strike up conversations with complete strangers secure in the knowledge that they will understand where you’re coming from and why it makes complete sense to run to the next line-up or sit in the sun listening to a talk outside the theatre you can’t get into because you were late. 

By Verushka Byrow

I’m sure you’ve heard it before – that Twitter is ruining … well everything about language and our attention spans; the demise of the English language and all things literary is upon us … yadda, yadda…

I have. Too many times to count. It seems to be easier to blame Twitter and, oh let’s throw in the Internet and internet speak as well, for the way our language is going because, really, what, if anything, have they brought positive to our literary lives?

I think it’s easy to blame technology and look to its downsides rather than ever considering positives – if nothing else, Twitter teaches you like nothing else can, the power of concise writing. Check out Teju Cole’s Twitter essays.

Now we have cell phone novels.

By Verushka Byrow

Have you ever felt that maybe you were just the wrong kind of reader? The kind that enjoyed a good Grisham, or Nora Roberts’ book instead of Kerouac or Dickens? In other words, the kind of books that people describe as ‘literature’. I'm going to put my hand up and say I'm one of those readers.

By Verushka Byrow

I judged a book by its cover.

I can’t tell you how guilty I feel saying that, but that’s exactly what I did. The title was on NetGalley, and an urban fantasy title.

The cover was gorgeous – dark and atmospheric, with two guys and a female on the front. They were in what looked to be a graveyard, and every element together spoke to me of an exciting, fast-paced story with danger and intrigue. I was ready for something like that, especially by an author I hadn’t read before. 

By Verushka Byrow

I don’t know about you, but my year is more often than not signposted by the cons we have in Australia – which really isn’t all that much, unfortunately. To me, cons are a time to meet other 'geeks', see fabulous guests and to leave real life at the door. Everyone needs at least a couple of days during the year like that I think.

By Verushka Byrow

Darren Aronofsky is riding high – so to speak. His movie version of Noah is Biblical to some and anything but to others. It’s caused much controversy well before it was released and studios did have moments of worry about how the religious audiences would receive this movie.