Dive Into Diversity: OzYA Recs

Diversity in lit is taking strides. We’ve seen some great titles released just this year and it’s a movement that is still going strong since We Need Diverse Books was launched in 2014. But here in Australia, there is still a gaping hole when it comes to diversity and we still have a way to go. I’ll be the first admit that Australian authors are some of the best, but this is one area where we need to improve on. Aussie authors including Ambelin Kwaymullina, Sarah Ayoub, Rebecca Lim and Gabrielle Wang have previously spoken about this issue. Book reviewer Danielle Binks has also written posts on the subject, hearing from Erin Gough and Eli Glasman.

We’re having conversations and getting people thinking, and that’s a great place to start. In the mean time however, we have some brilliant diverse titles published and we need to do our bit by supporting the books we do have at our fingertips. So today I’d like to welcome my good friend Rachel (blogger @ The Tome Travellers) to the blog, who has a list of awesome recommendations to share with you all. Get your TBRs and wallets ready and don’t forget to link up you reviews below. Happy reading!

P.S. Attention Int'l friends: If you're having trouble finding these, Fishpond ships internationally, so you can shop to your hearts content! (I am a terrible enabler...but supporting the Aussie industry. I'm sure it all balances out.)

Whisper by Chrissie Keighery - August 2011
Whisper is about a teenager, Demi, who went profoundly deaf about 18 months prior to where her story starts off. I can’t even remember why I decided to read it, but I’d never read a book about deafness before and I wanted to fix that. I’m so glad I did, because I was so invested all the way through and it makes me sad that this book is so underrated. It’s a moving story about Demi navigating all the things teenagers struggles with – there’s some family and friend issues that are beautifully dealt with - and coming to accept herself as a deaf person and realising that it’s not a bad thing, it’s just who she is now. I really, really liked it (in fact, writing this little paragraph right now is making me want to re-read it something fierce) and I think it’s a perfect candidate for the quietYA hashatag. Chuck it on your TBRs, please and thank you.

Grace Beside Me by Sue McPherson - 2012
Fuzzy McCardell ‘Fuzzy Mac’ is an aboriginal girl being raised by her grandparents in the small country town of Laurel Dale. Her story starts off in the year 2007, the year of Kevin Rudd’s national apology to the stolen generation. So while I personally didn’t connect to the story all that much, I loved Fuzzy. Her voice was so unique and fresh – I adored her observations and descriptions of the people in her life, the quirky and unique people of Laurel Dale. In fact, I’d say the final page of this book is probably the best final page I’ve read all year, so I want you all to read it, and experience it for yourselves.

** Nona and Me by Clare Atkins was published this year, but as it’s told from the perspective of a white girl living in an Aboriginal community, I thought Grace Beside Me was more appropriate for this post as it’s written by an Aboriginal woman with an Aboriginal MC.

Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman - Jan 2013
Alex is a 15 yr old who was born with both female and male parts. Her parents chose to raise her as a male but she has always felt like a girl. After an incident at her current school, she decides to start fresh in more ways than one - she moves to a different school and also starts dressing as a female. It’s been a few years since I read this book now, and I’ll be honest when I say it wasn’t one I loved. I liked and enjoyed it at the time, but much of the story has faded from my memory and I don’t know if I want to read it again (please keep in mind this is only how I feel – other bloggers I know loved it). I want you, dear reader, to read it though, because it features an intersex MC. I’ve never EVER read a YA featuring one, which only emphasises that we NEED books featuring MAIN characters that are representative of every sexuality that LGBTQIA encompasses. I believe Alex As Well has been published in the US and it’s of course available in Australia, so please seek it out and read it, it’s an important one.

The Boy’s Own Manual To Being A Proper Jew by Eli Glasman - July 2014
As you might guess from the title, Yossi, our MC, is Jewish. He’s also gay and desperately doesn’t want to be. Mix that with Yossi meeting Josh, the new, not-very-religious (and also gay) boy at his school and you will get thoroughly sucked into this endearing YA story about a boy figuring out how his sexuality fits into his faith and vice versa. Although I know next to nothing about Judaism and I was a little confused at times, I ended up devouring this book in one day (it’s in no way preachy, by the way, more that it’s just a lot of information to take in) and I’m so happy that this book exists because it’s a book about sexuality and faith, particularly Jewish faith and again, it’s something I’ve never seen in YA. I want everyone to know about this book and I feel like so few do (both in Australia and internationally) and that frustrates the hell out of me. So if you’re reading this, please, GET YOUR HANDS ON IT HOWEVER POSSIBLE AND START READING IT NOW.

Laurinda by Alice Pung - November 2014
Lucy is a Vietnamese-Australian teenager growing up in the relatively poor suburb of Stanley in Melbourne. At age 15, she is granted a scholarship to an exclusive private school for girls, Laurinda, and is drawn into the world of the elite upper class and into the web of the Cabinet, a trio of girls who rule the school. So essentially, Laurinda is an exploration of class and racial prejudice; it’s about Lucy existing in an environment where people constantly seek to remind her that she is lesser/doesn’t belong because of where she lives and who her parents are, and it’s so well done. I enjoyed the interesting format – the book is split into the four school terms and it reads like Lucy is writing a series of letters to her friend, Linh. Two other things:
1. If you’ve read Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - for me, Laurinda brought back some of those feels.
2. There is no romantic element, which I find to be so rare in YA these days (not saying there’s anything wrong with romance in YA, of course, because I can’t live without romance in my YA).

The Flywheel by Erin Gough - February 2015 
Okay basically what you need to know about this book is that it has A LESBIAN MC. Do you know this is the first lesbian MC I’ve come across in Aus YA and it’s 2015? THAT IS TERRIBLE. I mean, I’m sure there is others, it’s just that I haven’t read them/come across them yet (Bec did tell me about Pink by Lili Wilkinson when we were discussing this) but holy lesbians in Aus YA, Batman, we need more of them. Anyway. This book is so, so charming and adorable and sweet and funny (I loved the Marx Brothers references) and is essentially everything you want in a contemporary YA. It’s about Del, who has an all-consuming crush on Rosa, a flamenco dancer from across the street. She basically drops out of high school after being bullied and ends up running her Dad’s café, The Flywheel, when he decides to stay away longer than planned on an overseas trip. Chaos ensues. I think one of the things that’s so great about The Flywheel is that Del is already out and comfortable with who she is. That’s important for queer teen readers to read, just as reading about characters that are still struggling with their sexuality and identifying with them in that way, is. I can’t recommend this book enough, and I believe it’s being published in the US next so year so if you come across it, please please please read it.

Cloudwish by Fiona Wood - September 2015
Vân Uoc is a Vietnamese-Australian teenager attending Crowthorne Grammar school on a scholarship. She’s a dreamer. She dreams about making it into an arts school and Billy Gardiner. She makes a wish. And suddenly, Billy starts to notice her. Is it magic? Can wishes really come true? I can’t decide which of her three books my favourite is, but I think it’s this one? And to be honest, it’s hard for me to properly articulate why I loved it so much. I think a lot of it comes from how much I adored Vân Uoc and the achingly real portrayal of first love Cloudwish explores. I was surprised at myself actually, because I was well and truly swept away on a wave of FEELINGS (and normally. my cynicism butts in and ruins things). I love that Fiona wrote a book with Vân Uoc as our MC, because I absolutely loved her voice. Trust me when I say that you want this book in your life and you want it in your life NOW.

Other books that deserve a mention: 

• Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta – features an Italian-Australian MC 
• Hate Is Such A Strong Word by Sarah Ayoub – features a Lebanese-Australian MC 
• Clancy Of The Undertow by Christopher Currie – a very recent release that features a F/F relationship (I think, I haven’t read it yet but I’m so excited for it) 

Review: Risk by Fleur Ferris

Risk by Fleur Ferris
July 1st, 2015 · Random House Australia
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 288

Taylor and Sierra have been best friends for their whole lives. But Taylor’s fed up. Why does Sierra always get what – and who – she wants? From kissing Taylor’s crush to stealing the guy they both met online for herself, Sierra doesn’t seem to notice when she hurts her friends.

So when Sierra says Jacob Jones is the one and asks her friends to cover for her while she goes to meet him for the first time, Taylor rolls her eyes.

But Sierra doesn’t come back when she said she would.
One day. Two days. Three . . .

What if Taylor’s worrying for nothing? What if Sierra’s just being Sierra, forgetting about everyone else to spend time with her new guy?

When Taylor finally tells Sierra’s mum that her daughter is missing, Taylor and her friends are thrown into a dark world they never even knew existed.

Can Taylor find Sierra’s abductor in time? Or should she be looking for a killer? 

Risk was a book I was really looking forward to this year, especially because I've never read a book like it before. It sounded like a great story (it was) and one that would hook me from the start (it certainly did).

Firstly, let’s chat characters. Sometimes Taylor’s voice felt too young for a 15 year old, but I think something to take into account is that no two teens are the same and also, teenagers will be teenagers. Maybe it was also the fact that a) I don’t normally read characters this young and tend to be drawn to upper YA and b) that it was so frustrating to watch, especially in the beginning because I knew where it was headed and there was nothing to do, except watch it play out. As much as I was tempted to hit pause a few times, I couldn’t not turn the pages and ended up reading this in a day.

The only fault I had with Risk was that I felt the author’s voice come through at times towards the end, so it felt a tad “teach and preach”. But I can let it slide. Because not only did I enjoy this a lot, but I like to think this book could have the power to save someone’s life and teach them about the dangers of the internet, and that is way more important.

Debut author, Fleur Ferris, addresses internet safety and online predators, both subject matters that need to be talked about, especially with young adults who have the potential to be at risk. Engaging, relevant, hard to put down, this book is a chilling nightmare come to life and one that is all too real. Risk is a book that should be required reading for all teenagers.

Have you read Risk or do you plan to? Have you read a book with similar subject matter before - what did you think of it? Is this something that needs to be discussed more in YA?

Don't forget to join #bookclubaus on Twitter this Friday @ 7:30 (AEST) to discuss the book and for a Q&A with the author!

Review: In the Skin of A Monster by Kathryn Barker

In the Skin of A Monster by Kathryn Barker
July 29th, 2015 · Allen & Unwin
Source: Stole from friend
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 304

What if your identical twin sister was a murderer? Does that make you a monster too? A profound, intense, heartbreaking fantasy that tackles issues of fate versus free will, and whether you can ever truly know someone.

Caught in a dreamscape, mistaken for a killer ... will Alice find a way home?

Three years ago, Alice's identical twin sister took a gun to school and killed seven innocent kids; now Alice wears the same face as a monster. She's struggling with her identity, and with life in the small Australian town where everyone was touched by the tragedy. Just as Alice thinks things can't get much worse, she encounters her sister on a deserted highway. But all is not what it seems, and Alice soon discovers that she has stepped into a different reality, a dream world, where she's trapped with the nightmares of everyone in the community. Here Alice is forced to confront the true impact of everything that happened the day her twin sister took a gun to school ... and to reveal her own secret to the boy who hates her most. 

After skimming the blurb and deciding it sounded like the perfect book to help with my slump, I went in expecting a contemporary, and soon discovered it wasn’t one. Nonetheless, it was thrilling and kept me turning the pages. So much so that I binged it in a day and if you have the time, I do think it’s a good way to read it. It's confusing at times and I feel it wouldn’t have flowed as easily had I kept stopping and starting it over the span of a few days. Plus, having been in a book slump of late, sometimes the only way to get through it is to find a good book and read for hours.

I’m not a fan of multiple point of views in a story, but this one worked for me, probably because of the story and how it’s told. Having said that, I never came to care for the characters as much as I would have liked to. Maybe because it was both very character driven and plot driven, where as normally it’s one or the other.

With Jellicoe Road levels of gripping complexity and a twisty, upside-down vibe of Alice in Wonderland, though unlike nothing I’ve ever read before, The Skin of a Monster is a brilliantly woven story. Strangely wonderful and sure to keep you on your toes; recommend.

Is this Oz YA title on your TBR? 

Oh, and while you're here, don't forget to go enter my blogoversary giveaway going on! 

Mini Reviews: Six Impossible Things + Wildlife by Fiona Wood

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood
August 1st, 2010 · Pan Macmillan Australia
Source: Swapped
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 263

What’s it about?
Fourteen-year-old nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a reversal of family fortune, moving house, new school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and an impossible crush on the girl next door.

His life is a mess, but for now he's narrowed it down to just six impossible things...

My thoughts:

Once I got through the first few chapters (which brought back bad memories of a terrible reading slump last year, when I first picked this up), I finally understood why I’ve heard such great things about this from other Aussie readers, over the past few years. It’s so unbelievably GOOD. The kind of good that you want to savour, yet read in a few sittings. I didn't want it to end and tried to put it off as long as long possible. Of course, that lasted all of about 20 minutes...

One of the things I love about Aussie YA are the underdog characters, who you can’t help but cheer for; Dan is just that. He’s loveable and awkward; his voice authentic and fresh. This book has great character development (definitely a strong point!) and features a gang of friends that’ll slowly, but surely, weave their way into your heart – I loved Estelle, Fred and Lou <3

This book is a gem; it’s funny and sharp; sweet and heartfelt. I don’t say this often, but I can definitely see myself reading this again in the future. Until then, it will sit proudly on my shelf, along with other Aussie favourites.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you’re a fan of Aussie YA or you're anticipating the US release of Wildlife (it's already out in Oz). It’s a companion, so not necessary, but I really advise it!

4.5/5

Wildlife by Fiona Wood

June 1st, 2013 · Pan Macmillan Australia

Source: Library

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 384

What’s it about?

Life? It’s simple: be true to yourself.
The tricky part is finding out exactly who you are…

In the holidays before the dreaded term at Crowthorne Grammar’s outdoor education camp two things out of the ordinary happened.
A picture of me was plastered all over a twenty-metre billboard.
And I kissed Ben Capaldi.

Boarding for a term in the wilderness, sixteen-year-old Sibylla expects the gruesome outdoor education program – but friendship complications, and love that goes wrong? They’re extra-curricula.

Enter Lou from Six Impossible Things – the reluctant new girl for this term in the great outdoors. Fragile behind an implacable mask, she is grieving a death that occurred almost a year ago. Despite herself, Lou becomes intrigued by the unfolding drama between her housemates Sibylla and Holly, and has to decide whether to end her self-imposed detachment and join the fray.

And as Sibylla confronts a tangle of betrayal, she needs to renegotiate everything she thought she knew about surviving in the wild.

A story about first love, friendship and NOT fitting in.

My thoughts:

Straight after finishing Six Impossible Things, my goal in life became getting my hands on this book. It took a week, but as you can see, I succeeded. While I didn’t love it like I wanted to or the way everyone else seems to have, I did like it.

There’s great character growth from both girls; Lou’s dealing with grief, loss and how to fill her gaping heart, while Sib is navigating sex for the first time, love and a sticky friendship. Though both girls are dealing with their own problems, it was nice to watch them come together and eventually form a friendship. Everyone needs a good, true, reliable friend by their side and I’m glad these two found each other.

Set in the wilderness, I enjoyed the change of setting and the different opportunities that arose because of this. Expect hiking, camping, crappy food (except for the redskins which left with a craving and sage advice: snap before you buy!) pranks, talent shows and mischief.

Wildlife is honest and not afraid to tell it like it is, whether it’s addressing sex or death (these are the two biggies), and it’s one of the many reasons why I can’t wait to read Wood’s next book. Whatever it’s about you can count me in.

Do I recommend it? If you're after an authentic, raw story, I think you'll enjoy it. So, yes.

3/5

Review: The Intern by Gabrielle Tozer

The Intern by Gabrielle Tozer
February 1st, 2014 · Harper Collins
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 366

Josie Browning dreams of having it all. 

A stellar academic record, an amazing career in journalism - and for her current crush to realise she actually exists. The only problem? Josie can’t get through twenty-four hours without embarrassing her sister Kat or her best friend Angel, let alone herself.

Josie’s luck changes though when she lands an internship at the glossy fashion magazine Sash. A coveted columnist job is up for grabs, but Josie’s got some tough competition in the form of two other interns. Battle lines are drawn and Josie quickly learns that the magazine industry is far from easy, especially under the reign of powerful editor, Rae Swanson. 

From the lows of coffee-fetching and working 10-hour days, to the highs of mingling with celebrities, scoring endless free beauty products (plus falling for her cousin’s seriously gorgeous flatmate James) this is one year Josie will never forget.

Totally fresh and funny, this debut novel from industry insider Gabrielle Tozer reveals just what is behind the seeming glamour and sparkle of the magazine industry.

The Intern reads like it sounds – cute, fun and entertaining. One thing is for sure, I can’t remember the last book that made me smile so much.

Josie’s authentic, teenage voice rings true. She’s awkward, clumsy and still navigating the walls outside of high school – all in all, I found her to be a likeable main character. I thought Josie and James were perfectly suited and though it was all a bit predictable, it was still lovely and sweet to watch unfold.

The publishing industry (magazines more so then; books now) has always interested me. Years ago, I sometimes had the occasional daydream about working at a magazine and while that isn’t my focus these days, I still really enjoyed reading about the workings that go on behind the scenes and getting an inside look into the industry.

I loved the body image aspect that was slightly touched on (always an age old and ongoing issue) and the quieter family moments. I thought these two parts shined and I would have liked more, especially of the latter which I think the author really nailed.

If the magazine industry has ever interested you or if you’re after a light, quick read, this might be right up your alley. Oh, and good luck choosing between the two covers! I’m still deciding whether the idea is clever or just plain cruel…

3.5/5

Want to learn about The Intern? Find out more about the debut and its author, HERE.

Debut Delirium: Gabrielle Tozer, author of The Intern (& giveaway!)

Hello and welcome to the first ever Debut Delirium author spotlight! Today we have an upcoming Australian author joining us and you know what they say about Aussie writers... It's like they have superhuman writing abilities! And the cool thing about this upcoming book? IT HAS TWO COVERS - see! Please welcome, Gabrielle Tozer and her debut, The Intern! 

Josie Browning dreams of having it all.

A stellar academic record, an amazing career in journalism - and for her current crush to realise she actually exists. The only problem? Josie can’t get through twenty-four hours without embarrassing her sister Kat or her best friend Angel, let alone herself.

Josie’s luck changes though when she lands an internship at the glossy fashion magazine Sash. A coveted columnist job is up for grabs, but Josie’s got some tough competition in the form of two other interns. Battle lines are drawn and Josie quickly learns that the magazine industry is far from easy, especially under the reign of powerful editor, Rae Swanson.

From the lows of coffee-fetching and working 10-hour days, to the highs of mingling with celebrities, scoring endless free beauty products (plus falling for her cousin’s seriously gorgeous flatmate James) this is one year Josie will never forget.

Totally fresh and funny, this debut novel from industry insider Gabrielle Tozer reveals just what is behind the seeming glamour and sparkle of the magazine industry.

10 things you didn’t know about…

Gabrielle Tozer, author of The Intern

1. I’m mad for Hawaiian pizza, just like The Intern’s main character Josie Browning. Apologies if that offends the ‘pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza’ squad but the heart (and tastebuds) want what they want! I chomped many slices of ham-and-pineapple pizza while writing The Intern.

2. I wake up at 5.30am most mornings to write (except Sundays). Yep, that wasn’t a typo: I am an early bird and I’ve discovered it’s the only time I can squeeze in writing around my fulltime work as a senior editor and copywriter. Needless to say I go to sleep at a nanna-like time each night, too.

3. When I was a wee lass, I used to write Baby-Sitters Club fan fiction. Shout out to the author Ann M. Martin for her epic series (and a special mention goes to Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High, too – my teen days wouldn’t have been the same without those books).

4. I don’t own a hairbrush. Sad but true. I comb my fringe but the rest of my lion’s mane is left to fend for itself. I figure the less time I have to spend styling my hair in the morning, the more time I have for writing. (Thank god for the fancy hair and make-up artists who pampered me for my author headshots!)

5. I have a bit of a crush on one of the main characters, James (sorry, Josie). He’s cute, kind and funny, has dimples, makes a mean cup of tea and rides a scooter… what’s not to love? Hopefully you guys like him just as much I liked writing him into Josie’s world!

6. I want to help everyone get their big break. I’ve recently founded The Bottom Rung, an online hub on gabrielletozer.com which contains career advice from experts in industries like magazines, TV, fashion, beauty, design and more. I’ve had so many people mentor me over the years, so hopefully The Bottom Rung’s little nuggets of wisdom help others work towards their dream jobs too.

7. I can’t do handstands, cartwheels or forward-rolls (but I’ve skydived!). I don’t know how to explain this quirk but I would rather skydive than try to do a handstand – yes, I was that girl making every excuse possible to get out of PE, unless it was partner dancing…

8. I totally fan-girled when I met John Marsden. Wouldn’t you? I adore him and just finished re-reading the Tomorrow series for the zillionth time.

9. I had a reality-TV-worthy reaction to my book-deal news. When my publisher rang to tell me HarperCollins wanted to print THE INTERN and a sequel, I held it together – just – on the phone. But the moment I hung up, I burst into tears and slid onto the carpet in a scene that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Z-grade reality show. Melodramatic, who me?

10. My little sister dressed me for my first big job interview at DOLLY magazine. Yep, just like Josie, I have a little sister who is 110% cooler than me who decided I needed fashion help with a capital H. Luckily, she took me on a shopping spree the day before the interview so I didn’t embarrass myself! The only problem was, I scored a second interview and didn’t have anything to wear to that so one of my best friends from school Nina (House Party’s Nina Las Vegas) loaned me a flowy top and a pair of wedges. I swear I know how to dress myself now – well, most of the time, anyway!

DEBUT DELIRIUM BONUS QUESTION! How has your background in publishing and you being a journalist influenced your debut, The Intern, and are you anything like Josie Browning?

A: THE INTERN is fiction but, thanks to my decade working in the media, there are snippets of truth peppered throughout it (but the majority is exaggerated or made up – I couldn’t let my imagination off that easily).

On a practical note, my background as a journalist and sub-editor set me up for the discipline it takes to write a novel. From meeting tight deadlines to self-editing 80,000 words, journalism is a wonderful training ground for those wanting to pursue novel-writing.


As for whether I’m like Josie Browning? We have a few crossovers – both nerdy high-school students, bit awkward with guys, adore Hawaiian pizza – but she lives a far more exciting life than I do! After all, while I’ve met plenty of celebrities, I can’t say I’ve been caught in a public social-media scandal with one of them!

Gabrielle Tozer is an author, journalist and copywriter from Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. Since moving to Sydney almost a decade ago, she has worked as a managing editor, deputy editor, chief subeditor, senior features writer and freelancer for publications including DOLLY, Girlfriend, Cosmopolitan, Bride to Be, DisneyGiRL, Disney Adventures, The Canberra Times and Mamamia. Say hello at gabrielletozer.com, facebook.com/hellogabrielletozer, twitter.com/gabrielletozer and #theinternau.

Now for a giveaway! Thanks to HarperCollins Australia you can win 1 of 5 copies of The Intern which releases early next month. Rules: Open to Australian and New Zealand residents (sorry international folks). The color of the cover will be luck of the draw - fun!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Reluctant Hallelujah by Gabrielle Williams

The Reluctant Hallelujah by Gabrielle Williams
February 22, 2012 ∙ Penguin
Source: Provided by the publisher
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 264

But there I go, getting ahead of myself. Skipping straight to the part where I was front-page news and they were calling me Dorothy, instead of starting at the beginning...

When Dodie's parents go missing just as final year exams are about to start, she convinces herself they're fine. But when the least likely boy in class holds the key – quite literally – to the huge secret her parents have been hiding all these years, it's up to Dodie, her sister, the guy from school, and two guys she's never met before, to take on the challenge of a lifetime. So now Dodie's driving – unlicensed –to Sydney, and being chased by bad guys, the police, and one very handsome good guy.

Review:

When I heard the author had a new book coming out, and that it was a road trip and sounded like complete fun, I straightaway added it onto my to-read list. I can happily say that this book exceeded my expectations by far.

Intriguing and funny, The Reluctant Hallelujah, jumps straight into the story, not wasting a second! As the book progressed the author paced the book perfectly, making for a lively read, with not a dull moment in sight.

The characters in this story, each and every one on of them, are fantastic. You’ll meet a lot of characters in this book, so I’ll let you enjoy discovering them yourself, but I’ll introduce you to the most important - main character, Dodie. A protagonist I simply loved, she led the story beautifully, especially considering she went off on a wild goose chase, only a few days before her final Year 12 exams! Stressful much! She might not have been very happy about the situation in the beginning, about having to abandon her studies and deliver a dead guy to safety, (who would!) but the great character she is, she took it upon her shoulders and soldiered on.

It does deal with the subject of religion, but Gabrielle Williams deals with it extremely well! Even though it was sometimes jokey, the points were relevant and used purposefully.

This might sound strange, but like all good Aussie stories, it's got that beautiful Aussie essence to it. That extra pinch of something else; that rawness; that vibe. Australia might not release that many books each year, but when their good, their good.

Compelling, fun, wacky, heart-warming and so much more, this book isn’t to be missed!

5/5

Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight by Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow

Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight by Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow

Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight is two weeks in the life of Joel Hedges and Cat Davis. Joel would prefer to get through his final year of high school without Cat Davis or his mother's faux Spanish boyfriend and just hang-out with his best-friend Luke. Cat Davis has an annoying best-friend, and even more annoying little brother, and a deep abiding hatred of Joel Hedges.

Due to an unfortunate incident involving a leaking pen and suspected outbreak of Bird Flu, Joel and Cat are forced to sit next to each other in Extension English. To make matters worse, and to their mutual horror, they are paired together for a tandem story writing assignment.

Review:

 I picked this book up, intrigued by the blurb and interested to read by two well known Aussie authors. I’m glad I picked this up, cause now that I know I like Miss Sparrow’s prose, I’m looking forward to reading more by her!

As soon as I started reading from Cat’s POV (Rebecca Sparrow) I instantly liked her writing style. However, I didn’t really connect with the other author, Nick Earls, who wrote from Joel’s perspective. 

This book was quite a roller coaster – one minute I was really enjoying it and the next minute it was going down hill and I found myself skimming parts. :(

I don’t really know what to say for the characters. To me, they were okay, but didn’t really stand out. Except for her little brother – What a cute, out-of-control, obsessive lolly eater, rascal! As said by Mark “Whatever Trevor!” :]

The El Salvador cooking scene, was hilarious! A little cringing to watch unravel, but it made me laugh-out-loud and had me shaking my head at just what was happening. I laughed that loud, my dad asked me what I was watching. I then had to persuade him, that yes, you really can laugh that much at a book! He still didn’t seem sure…

Sometimes this book was so random…like seriously! One minute I was reading and the next minute, I came to a screeching stop wondering what had just happened!

Even though some parts were enjoyable and very fun to read, sometimes I found myself losing interest.

Rating – 2/5

Leaving Jetty Road by Rebecca Burton

Leaving Jetty Road by Rebecca Burton

Nat, Lise, and Sofia are best friends. This year, their last year of high school, none of them foresees the changes that will occur in their lives.

This is the year that Nat—the go-between, the peacemaker—gets a job and meets a drop-dead gorgeous chef named Josh.

This is the year that Lise—quiet, shy, and solitary Lise—decides to take control of her life by taking control of her weight.

This is the year that Sofia—the ultimate guy magnet—gets her nose pierced and falls seriously in love for the first time in her life.

This is the year that will change each of them forever.

Review:

When your stuck in a reading rut, it’s important to read only books that will help and aid you through this terrible time! After abandoning a book (which I hate doing!), I’m glad I picked this up and gave it a go!. It’s so nice getting caught up in a story and not wanting to put it down and that’s exactly what happened when I opened up this book.

I really liked reading about the characters that Burton had created – especially Nat, Lise and Sofe. I thought it would be hard to keep track of three girl protogs; just because it could get a bit messy and muddled. But after sorting out who was who, it was fine.

The author had a nice prose. I liked that she altered every few chapter between the girls, except for Sofia, which I found a bit odd. My fave of the girls, was definitely Nat, and loved when I came to her perspective in the book. Although, really you could of given me any of the three’s POV and I would of enjoyed it! I wish she’d bring out some other books!

A new Aussie favourite of mine.

Rating 4/5

Has anyone read Beyond Evie by Rebecca Burton? Was it any good? Have you read Leaving Jetty Road – did you love it as much as I did? Comment below!!

Good Oil by Laura Buzo

Good Oil by Laura Buzo

'Miss Amelia Hayes, welcome to The Land of Dreams. I am the staff trainer. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei and I will give you the good oil. Right? And just so you know, I'm open to all kinds of bribery.'

From the moment 15-year-old Amelia begins work on the checkout at Woolworths she is sunk, gone, lost...head-over-heels in love with Chr...more'Miss Amelia Hayes, welcome to The Land of Dreams. I am the staff trainer. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei and I will give you the good oil. Right? And just so you know, I'm open to all kinds of bribery.'

From the moment 15-year-old Amelia begins work on the checkout at Woolworths she is sunk, gone, lost...head-over-heels in love with Chris. Chris is the funny, charming, man-about-Woolies, but he's 21, and the 6-year difference in their ages may as well be 100. Chris and Amelia talk about everything from Second Wave Feminism to Great Expectations and Alien but will he ever look at her in the way she wants him to? And if he does, will it be everything she hopes?

Review:

After reading the awesome blurb and reviews for this book, I knew I had read it! The only problem is that I think I may have gotten overly excited about reading this, which lead me to expect wayyy too much. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great read, but I think I got too hyped and thus resulted in me not liking it as much as I might of, if I had just been given this book out of the blue to read, which no expectations at all.

I loved the main characters – Amelia and Chris. And felt that they were such real true to life characters, with brimming personalities. I only wished the best for them in everything they did!

Poor, oh, poor, Amelia! I mean, what’s a girl to do? It’s understandable why she was crushing on the guy, hey, even I was!

Easy to read prose – simple, yet captivating.

An honest, coming-of-age tale that’ll leave people wondering what Laura Buzo will do next.

Rating 3/5

Noah's Law by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Noah’s Law by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Sixteen-year-old Noah is a troublemaker. His father is a hotshot barrister. This is not a good combination. When Noah gets caught mucking up at school, his dad sends him to work at his aunt's law firm during the holidays to 'learn responsibility' and 'fix his attitude'. There he meets Jacinta – the cute intern who knows her way around a photocopier, and Casey – the wicked witch of the firm. Noah becomes involved in a case where a woman has been killed during a mugging gone wrong. There's a grieving husband, a guilty employer, and an open and shut case involving lots of money. But right and wrong, and crime and punishment are soon entangled as Noah realises that things are seldom what they seem.



Review:
When I started reading, Noah’s Law, to be honest I didn’t have high expectations as I’d never read a book by the author and didn’t know what I was getting into. But after reading the book, I am very pleased to say that I am impressed, I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did!

Noah’s Law, is such an effortless and fun read. It’ll have you hooked and on the edge of your seat in no time and leave you wondering what will happen next! The plot was incredible, trust me, not a boring moment in the entire book. It’s the kind of story, that makes you wanna stay up all night. Stuff the fact it’s late, it’ll have you in a page flipping frenzy.

Noah...wow, what a fantastic male POV. Seriously, it’s like the author is actually a teenage boy, it’s that authentic and spot on. You name it, his thoughts, his obsession over girls, attitude and behaviour. I also loved his friend Amit and Jacinta, the intern at work, as they were great friends, that stuck around even if it meant getting caught up in murderous case!

This was my first book by Randa Abdel-Fattah and after really enjoying it, I can’t wait to check out some of her other books she’s written. Loved the authors humourous and witty style of writing. I also thought she did a splendid job writing about how the law industry works and all the detailed ins and outs. Wonder why...maybe it’s because, she works as a litigation lawyer!      :)

The story reminded me of, the TV show, Magnum P.I, that my mum and I used to watch. Except instead of a real, private investigator it was Noah (an inexperienced teen still at high school) who was on the case! If you STILL need convincing, how’s this. I hadn’t even finished the book (wasn’t even half way) and I felt like I could whole heartedly recommend it. Yes, it was that good!

Rating: 5/5

Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

Imagine your name is John Lennon, only everyone calls you Beatle.
And then you meet your Dream girl and her name is Destiny McCartney.
But what if you're already with the perfect girl?
A novel about change, chance and everybody doing the wrong thing.

Review:

When I first began reading this book, I had an instant connection – with the story, the characters, everything. I don’t think I’ve ever had a connection so early on with a book, and I especially loved the first chapter of Beatle Meets Destiny. It was striking and grabbed my attention. In the first chapter, we learn Beatle has a twin who was born on a different day, in a different year (sounds mind boggling, but it makes sense if you read the book, trust me). This among other things is what made this book so interesting, captivating and fun to read!

Above I mention that I had a connection very early on in this book and that would be due to the amazing characters. After just a chapter, I was intrigued and loved the way the author talked about and described both Beatle and Destiny. Especially Destiny, as the author, Gabrielle Williams depicted her beautifully, and somehow managed to make her flaws seem completely attractive. Here’s what I’m talking ‘bout:

‘Spanish, or something, with a strong, straight nose, and an over-large mouth, and when she spoke you expected an accent, but there was no accent. Instead, there was a lisp. Or not really a lisp, but a slight sibilant sssomething underlining each of her words. As if her tongue was a fraction too big for her both.’

Some people might not really like Beatle and the cheating aspect of this book, but I didn’t have a problem with it. You might think this is just another, average story about a guy getting away with two timing. Yes and no. Yes, he cheats. But, unlike other books I’ve read, Beatle isn’t two timing for the sake of two timing! He’s just been lucky enough to find two beautiful girls, and is now stuck with the difficult decision of what to do.

Quirky characters, a fun plot, laugh out loud moments. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this Aussie read.

Rating: 3/5

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it’s just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it’s her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn’t be any stricter—but that doesn’t seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life.
Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will be the year she falls in love, the year she discovers the secrets of her family’s past—and the year she sets herself free.

Told with unmatched depth and humour, this novel—which swept the pool of Australian literary awards and became a major motion picture—is one to laugh through and cry with, to cherish and remember.

Review:

When I first cracked open the book and read the first couple of pages, I was already chuckling and smiling to myself. I loved the way the book began, it was funny and entertaining, and made a great first impression. I liked how it started; as it gives you an inside look on the main character, Josephine, through a quiz. However, she is interrupted by no less than an angry nun. Doesn’t that make for an interesting beginning? J

This book displayed so many emotions. It was funny, bubbly, passionate, cultural, a great coming of age story, heartfelt and overall just so good! I really enjoyed it, and think that Melina Marchetta did an excellent job on her debut. Just look at her now and all her books that have been published!

Melina Marchetta writes characters, that are both real and relatable, resulting in making a connection with the reader.  Josie reminded me of Francesca, from Saving Francesca, as they are both strong, real characters. Not to mention Italian.

Whilst reading the book, Josie admits to being one of those pass-the-parcel hoggers. When I came across this I thought to myself, ‘Aren’t we all!’

‘Well, I was one of those “pass the parcel” hoggers. I used to hold on to the parcel for five seconds more in case the music stopped. The same for “musical chairs”. I’d stand in front of the chair and not move. I was banned from parties after that.’

This reminded me of exactly what I used to do. Shameful, I know. Luckily I wasn’t banned from parties!

Even though I’m not Italian, I am Portuguese and the European similarities rang true. Like the forbidden lounge and force feeding.

Rating 5/5

Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick

Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick

How about we toss a coin? Heads, it's west and a lift. Tails, it's still west, but no lift.'
James is heading into the country on his first teacher-training round when a mysterious girl asks him for a ride. Sophie has him all worked out: 'You live with your parents and they bought you this car, and a very nice car it is too...' At first James can't see past her wild hair and attitude, but then Sophie trusts him with a secret she's been keeping too long.Steven Herrick masterfully reveals the essence of his characters in this tough and tender story about opening up to love and living a life that's true. Black Painted Fingernails is a captivating novel by the author of By the River and other popular, award-winning books.

Review:

When I read the blurb I was like ‘Awesome!  I’ve heard great things about this author and I love road trip books! What could be better! ’ While I did enjoy it, I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.

The book is mainly told in James’s and Sophie’s POV, however is sometimes told through the parents eyes.

My favourite aspect about this book was how, the author, Steven Herrick, described the scenes, characters and surroundings.

A snippet from the book:

*She enjoys driving; the creases around her mouth are deeper, more pronounced. Her hair falls in tangled dreads across her shoulders and down her back. Her skin is smooth and pale.   pg. 68

I liked Sophie and James, the main characters, especially Sophie. There was something about her and her black painted fingernails that attracted me. I found her to be an interesting character and I wanted to know more about her.

I enjoyed this book and will be sure to check out some of his other titles.

Rating 3/5

Do you have a favourite Steven Herrick book, that you would like to recommend me?Feel free to leave a comment. J