Mia's Blog
Through the female gaze
by Mia
Books are such beautiful things! They let you inhabit other minds as they introduce interesting characters, complex relationships and fantastical worlds. My favourite stories are those with female characters that don’t fit into the rigid boxes women are usually put into. I think of these books on the daily.
The Poisoner by I.V Ophelia
A Victorian era gothic romance about an apothecary who specialises in the making of poisons –and uses her skills for killing abusive men –and an infamous, rich vampire. They navigate high society together, while she studies him and tries to outsmart the people hunting her.
Her Soul for Revenge by Harley Laroux
To fulfil a prophecy from generations ago, Juniper was slated for sacrifice to raise a god from deep in the ocean caves. Now she’s back in the town where she grew up and on a mission to get revenge. But the only way to get what she wants is to give up one of the only things she has left, her soul.
House of Rayne by Harley Laroux
A sapphic paranormal horror set on a small island. The story took a moment to build up but, once it did, I had trouble putting the book down. I was enthralled with the mysteries of the dead haunting the disturbed townspeople for over a decade, the curse preventing them from escaping and the grotesque thing tormenting them. .
Does it Hurt? by H.D Carlton
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Set on the Australian coast, an identity thief on the run and a shark biologist get stranded on a small island with nothing but a lighthouse, a strange old man and the torments of ghosts of the past.
Puberty Blues by Kathy Lette & Gabrielle Carey
I read this book so many times in my early to mid-teens. Though a short book, it’s a wholesome coming-of-age story about two young best friends navigating a new social circle and rigid gender norms, and provides an interesting window into 70s Australian beach culture.