[Review] Flying Through Clouds by Michelle Morgan

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Publication: 02/04/2017
Publisher: Self-published

Pages: 246

Source: Author for review

Genre: Middle Grade

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating

3/5

My thoughts

Firstly, I should express my gratitude to Michelle Morgan for graciously sending me a copy of Flying Through Clouds for review. I was initially drawn in by the cover, historical aspects, male POV and the fact that it is Aussie YA. Sadly, however, it never fully clicked with me and it was only my sense of obligation that had me see this through to the end. Despite my saying that, I do think that with the right demographic, this book could be a winner; it certainly did have lovely moments.

[Review] The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather Smith

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 05/09/2017

Publisher: Razorbill Canada

Pages: 224

Source: Netgalley

Genre: YA {Contemporary | Historical}

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ Kimya Dawson - So Nice, So Smart ♪
♪ Ingrid Michaelson - Home ♪

My Rating

5/5

My thoughts

Warning: suicide, sexual abuse, parental abuse/neglect, swearing, fighting, racism, prostitution and homophobia. 

You know that euphoric, lovely feeling you get deep inside when you meet someone incredibly special, and you know that you will do anything to keep them in your life because life has suddenly been split into two, before and after? Meet Bun O'Keefe. If I could choose to bring a literary character to life so that we could be BFFs, she would be one of the top contenders - she's smart, witty, quirky, sweet and loving (to a fault), forgiving, adorable and incredibly, endearingly weird.

Bun has been brought up in one of the absolute worst environments ever, and it shows in her behaviour. She was just 5 years old when her father left, ever since then it's just been her and her obese mother who likes loves lives to shop (see: obsessive hoarder). Living in a dirty, dusty and cluttered home, random knick-knacks and junk form piles alongside the walls. When her mum tells her to "Go on! Get out!", she steps outside and soon finds "Busker Boy" on the street, who takes her in and out of the cold. He brings her home, where she meets many interesting twenty-somethings, and so begins a heartwarming slice-of-life story about finding where you truly belong in the world.

[Review] The Things We Promise by J.C. Burke

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 22/02/2017

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Pages: 369

Source: Library

Genre: YA {Contemporary | Historical}

#LoveOzYA

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ Boy George - Il Adore ♪
♪ U2 - One ♪

My Rating

4/5

My thoughts

I'm at a loss for words. I have literally just been typing words and erasing them, scratching my head as to what the heck I'm actually going to write. I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into when I picked this book up - all I knew was that it was set in 1990 and that was pretty cool. As I delved deeper in the story I grew more and more invested in its characters, and while I do think that it was a bit slow-going at times and some readers may be offended by the language used, I have to applaud the author for taking all the risks that she did because this story was a difficult one to tell, and painfully accurate as far as I'm concerned. And for that reason alone I had to bump this book up to a respectable 4 stars.

The Things We Promise follows Gemma Longrigg, an ordinary teenage girl living in Sydney, Australia in 1990, whose biggest worries are what she's going to wear to the upcoming Year 11 formal, and whether her crush since Year 7, Ralph, would ever fall for her, too. Her brother, Billy, who lives in NYC with his partner Saul, has promised Gemma that he will do her hair and makeup for the formal, even though it's months and months away, and in that amount of time anything can happen. Especially in the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

[Review + Giveaway] The Peony Lantern by Frances Watts

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/07/2015

Publisher: ABC Books

Pages: 289

Source: Library (I have since bought a copy)

Genre: YA {Historical | Asian}

#LoveOzYA

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ Ai Otsuka - Planetarium ♪

My Rating

4/5 stars

My thoughts

I am in awe. The Peony Lantern was unlike anything I have previously read before, and while it started off quite slow I was glued to the pages by the end! Watts is sure to be an Aussie YA author I will need to follow closely from now on. If you're interested in reading a YA historical fiction set in Feudal Japan, you need to read The Peony Lantern!

The Peony Lantern is set in Japan in Ansei (安政) 4, 1857. Clumsy and outspoken 16-year-old Kasumi is selected by a respected samurai from Edo (now Tokyo), Lord Shimizu, to travel with him and his nephew back with them to be his wife's lady-in-waiting. His father agrees to the proposal, for there is no refusing a samurai. There, she quickly falls into a routine with her mistress Misaki, and they eventually become friendly. But there is something unusual about her behaviour, and when attacks by anti-Shogun rebels become increasingly frequent and deadly, Kasumi is worried that somehow she has fallen into unsafe territory. Will she ever live to see her family again?

[Review] The Fire Horse Girl by Kay Honeyman

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/01/2013

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Pages: 321

Source: Library

Genre: YA {Historical | Asian}

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ Katy Perry - Rise ♪

My Rating

4/5 stars

My thoughts

Reading The Fire Horse Girl was a long time coming. Back in 2013 it was placed highly on my wishlist and I knew that I needed to read it. How often do you read about an Asian female protagonist who cross-dresses as a man to escape China in the 1920s? My interest in this book was tied largely with my intense obsession with the Disney hit film Mulan - see: Asian female cross-dressing - but that desire to read it had dulled somewhat when I began to worry about the potential disappointment. What if I didn't like it? Thus why I never picked up my own copy, and I was even about to return this library book back to where it came from when I thought to revisit Goodreads, and luckily for me the reviews I skimmed through were favourable enough that my curiosity was piqued and so the journey began...

[Review] Lair of Dreams (#2) by Libba Bray

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 26/08/2015

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 613

Source: For review
Genre: YA - Historical (14+)

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Emily Brown - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These) (Cover ♪

My Rating: 

Captivating - what a thrilling read!

My thoughts

OMG, 'LAIR OF DREAMS' WAS SO GOOD! This is an example of a really good sequel to a series! It has its own storyline and plot, and the characters are developed well, in that the author didn't depend on the first book to serve as their only characterisation. The overarching plot of the series has vastly widened, opening up towards grander things in books to come!

[Review] Poppy in the Field (#2) by Mary Hooper

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(#2, Poppy in the Field)

Poppy | Poppy in the Field

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 07/05/2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 288

Source: Review
Genre: YA (14+) - Historical fiction

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Rachel Platten - Fight Song ♪

My Rating: 

Awe-inspiring

My thoughts

Poppy in the Field is a continuation of Poppy by Mary Hooper. As the title suggests, we, once again, follow the hopeful young VAD Poppy who decides to apply for a position at a base hospital in France in the wake of turbulent heartbreak that has come with the recent news of her love Freddie's marriage to a sophisticated debutante.

Hooper has evidently done extensive research and in amongst the pages there is ample amount of descriptive detail that places you right in the time period. From the character portrayals to the world building to the language used, Hooper excels at creating the right environment in her writing.

[Review] The Lucky Ones (#3) by Anna Godbersen

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(#3, Bright Young Things)

Bright Young Things | Beautiful Days | The Lucky Ones

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 27/11/2012

Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 375

Source: Bought
Genre: YA (14+) - Historical

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ x ♪

My Rating:

Entertaining to the very end.

My thoughts

Gee whiz, this series/trilogy was so delightfully fun and entertaining to read. I give it 4 stars simply because it didn't MOVE me (no tears, no big bouts of laughter) and there wasn't really much of a lesson to be learnt from reading these books. I enjoyed every page of this trilogy though; I guess I just love reading about horrible and vapid people (I mean, come on, I loved The Great Gatsby!).

[Review] Poppy (#1) by Mary Hooper

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 08/05/2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 288

Source: Publisher for review
Genre: YA (12+) - Historical

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ x ♪

My Rating: 

Highly entertaining!

My thoughts

I had no idea that this book would have a sequel, but as I was nearing the end I knew there was no way there couldn't have been. May 2015, 'Poppy in the Field'. I know it's going to be an emotional and intense read.

Last week I received a package from Bloomsbury in the mail, containing two books: this was one of them. I hadn't heard anything about it, but 1) I adore good historical fiction; 2) Mary Hooper is quite a well-known staple of YA historical fiction; 3) This book focuses on WWI; 4) The heroine becomes a VAD nurse for the war effort, so I picked it up almost immediately and don't regret the decision one bit.

Poppy Pearson is a young woman working as a parlourmaid for the de Veres. The war rages on. While the older de Vere brother enlists to fight in the war, the younger, Freddie, only joins after being handed an anonymous white feather in the mail (which Poppy's teacher had encouraged her to send). It is also by her teacher's suggestion that she also partake in the war effort by joining the VAD as a nurse. She's good at taking orders and she is no stranger to hard work and long hours. Before Freddie and Poppy part, they share a few moments: a look, a kiss, a touch and squeeze of the hand; and despite their difference in social standing they exchange letters and agree to meet once again. But Mrs de Vere will not allow the two of them to end up together--her son must marry someone of higher class...

[Review] Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Out of the Easy 

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 07/03/2013

Publisher: Penguin (Puffin)

Pages: 352

Source: Bought

♪ Marina and the Diamonds - Power and Control ♪

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating: 

Powerful + unforgettable!

My thoughts

Following Ruta Sepetys’ debut Between Shades of Grey I was expecting something raw and powerful, a book that, once I’d finished reading the last page I’d feel like my life had been irrevocably changed for ever. It’s such a pleasure when expectations are met with reality which is the case here. Out of the Easy is extremely different to Sepetys’ debut novel, but one major similarity shines through—there is a bleak tone to the novel and yet there resonates a promise of hope.
   

"Decisions, they shape our destiny."

[Review] The FitzOsbornes in Exile by Michelle Cooper

The FitzOsbornes in Exile

(#2, The Montmaray Journals)
A Brief History of Montmaray | The FitzOsbornes in Exile | The FitzOsbornes at War

Author: Michelle Cooper

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 02/08/2012

Publisher: Random House

Pages: 450

Source: For review (thanks Michelle!)

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating: 

My thoughts

Note: This is the second book in the trilogy. I would definitely recommend you read the first book before you read this review.

The FitzOsbornes in Exile is an inspired follow-up to A Brief History of Montmaray. The FitzOsbornes now have to deal with court life in England--especially the girls, Sophie and Veronica, as they make their debut into Society--all the while planning to take back their home and establish their nation in their royal status. Cooper's characters develop realistically and with great charm, in all their quirks. The plot thickens in all its historically detailed glory, paving the way for an intense and dramatic conclusion to the trilogy.

[Review] The Diviners (#1) by Libba Bray

Australian cover

The Diviners

(#1, The Diviners)
The Diviners | Untitled
 
Author: Libba Bray

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 29/10/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 578

Source: For review

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating:

Posi-tute-ly charming!

My thoughts

Note: This review is over 1000 words and for that I have highlighted the important bits. I suppose I had a lot to say. I have never written so much for a review before!

I just couldn't get enough of The Diviners! Despite the intimidating page count, I jumped right in and there was never a dull moment. There's a whole world to explore in this book—every scene, every page breathes with life. Libba Bray really doesn't skimp on the details, but rather than damping down the story, the extra paragraphs of description brought so much more to it. I felt like I was there. While I was reading this book it was difficult to differentiate between the world that Bray had created, and my own. I was lost in the bright lights of NYC and I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to get away from it all.

[Review] A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

A Brief History of Montmaray

(#1, The Montmaray Journals)
A Brief History of Montmaray | The FitzOsbornes in Exile | The FitzOsbornes at War
Author: Michelle Cooper

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/08/2012

Publisher: Random House Australia
Pages: 290

Source: For review (thanks Michelle!)

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

* There is very little violence or sexual content. There are bombs. Some people die. There's some homicidal implications, as well as implicated adultery.

My Rating:

Amazing!

My thoughts

I was on a Vintage Classics high, and that's when I discovered that A Brief History of Montmaray was being re-published. I commented on Michelle Cooper's (author) blog and I was just overcome by joy when she sent me an email offering me a review copy of her book. (She also signed it! <3) Guys! If you haven't heard of the Vintage Classics, seriously, get on it now. They're so beautiful, and what makes this line rise above the HC Penguin Classics line--they're cheap! And now, on to the review!

---

A Brief History of Montmaray is an epistolary novel—written in diary format—recounting the changing state of the tiny (fictional) country of Montmaray. 16-year-old Sophia shares fun and endearing stories of goings-on in the crumbling castle (sorry, 'fortified house'), as well as her many coming-of-age woes and worries. She, her cousin Victoria, her brother Toby and Sophia’s uncle King John are royalty. But in recent times there are as many people in the royal family as there are the common people. And with the Great War creeping its way to Montmaray, the FitzOsbornes will have to do what ever they can to protect their country, and each other.

[Review] The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross--book one in the Steampunk Chronicles

AU cover

Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset {goodreads}

Authors: Kady Cross

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/06/2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen // $19.99

Source: Publisher sent for review
Precautions: Clean Mild violence, mild romance
Series: #1 in the Steampunk Chronicles

Pages: 388

My Rating:

Amazing read

Summary:

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one - except the thing inside her...

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But not all Victorian girls have a darker side that makes them capable of knocking out a full-grown man with a single punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that makes Finley special - makes her one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities; Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin’s investigating a criminal called The Machinist - the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help - and finally be a part of something.

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

Kady Cross has taught me a valuable lesson: steampunk is cool! Cross introduces an X-Men-esque concept to historical (1897) London in a captivating story that will appeal to YAs and fans of historical fiction and the supernatural. Even at 388 pages, I'm sitting here wishing there was more; I'm so glad that this is the first in a series, because I don't know how I'd be able to say goodbye to these delightfully dazzling characters so soon.

[Review] Beautiful Days (#2) by Anna Godbersen

Title: Beautiful Days {goodreads}

Authors: Anna Godbersen

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 24/08/11

Publisher: Penguin (AU)
RRP: $19.95

Source: For review (thanks T at Penguin)
Age: 14+

Pages: 350

My Rating:

Summary:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My thoughts: 

WARNING:

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS!!!

I'd be lying if I said I was utterly and completely blown away by BEAUTIFUL DAYS. However, with that said, this eagerly awaited sequel really brought me back to the Jazz Era - along with the lives of Cordelia Grey, Astrid Donal and 'Letty Larkspur'. There's mystery, romance, intrigue, fun, tragedy and beautiful days and roaring nights among it all.