Eastern Jewel is a rather unusual and certainly interesting heroine - feisty, rebellious and lusty and refusing to accept the docile role that early twentieth-century Chinese society prescribes for her.

This book is quite unlike anything I have read before. It’s beautifully written and quite compelling, shockingly racy and completely original. Fascinating.

Gloss Rating: 4 out of 5

RRP: $23.95
Published by: Allen and Unwin


The Same Earth – Kei Miller
Synopsis: It all begins with the theft of Tessa Walcott's polkadot panties and a river that changes course overnight. When Imelda Richardson leaves the small village of Watersgate, Jamaica, armed only with one small suitcase, she is doing so for the second time. One of the throng of young Jamaicans who left the island after the devastating hurricane on 1974, Imelda's journey has taken her to England, to the home of ganja-growing rebel Purletta Johnson, the arms of fake Northerner Ozzie and a law degree.


This is a wonderful book. Clever, witty and highly entertaining, author Kei Miller is definitely one to watch.

Gloss Rating: 4 out of 5

RRP: $27.99
Published by: Orion (Hachette)











Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven – Susan Jane Gilman
Synopsis:They were young, brilliant, and bold. They set out to conquer the world. But the world had other plans for them.
Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman's new memoir is a hilarious and harrowing journey, a modern heart of darkness filled with Communist operatives, backpackers, and pancakes.
In 1986, fresh out of college, Gilman and her friend Claire yearned to do something daring and original. Inspired by a place mat at the International House of Pancakes, they decided to embark on an ambitious trip around the globe, starting in the People's Republic of China. At that point, China had been open to independent travellers for roughly ten minutes. Armed only with the collected works of Nietzsche, an astrological love guide, and an arsenal of bravado, the two friends plunged into the dusty streets of Shanghai. But as they ventured off the map deep into Chinese territory they found that what began as a journey full of humour, eroticism, and enlightenment grew increasingly sinister - becoming a real-life international thriller that transformed them forever.

What a seriously enjoyable book and a flat-out page-turner! An amazing true story of told with compassion and humour. Culture shocks and friendship traumas add up to an engrossing read that is perfect for those interested in travelogues or are thinking about visiting China.

Gloss Rating: 4 out of 5

RRP: $39.99
Published by: Hachette


Escape From Eden - Michelle MacKinnon

Synopsis: Escape from Eden is the story of how two young people, growing up in an exclusive religious community who realise that if they want to be together, they will have to leave the community, their families, and the life they have known. The fear of leaving Eden and living in the ‘world’ amongst ‘sinners’ is weighed against the fear of staying and having to marry someone other than each other. Someone chosen for them by the Elders. On her deathbed, Charity Goodman remembers her life on Eden’s farm and her struggle to obey without question the strict doctrines imposed by the Elders. She shares her thoughts and fears, and describes her escape and the difficulties she faced coping in the outside world. It is an emotional account of loss, personal suffering, and injustice, balanced with love and adjustment to a foreign lifestyle.

This book gives a unique and rarely told insight into the daily existence behind the closed doors of a religious community. It is fascinating and sometimes creepy tale of a mysterious life but quite the page-turner. An easy read that you could devour in one sitting.

Gloss Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Price:  $29.95
Published by: Margaret St Publishing