[Review] Love-shy by Lili Wilkinson

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/04/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Pages: 309

Source: Publisher

Genre: YA {Contemporary}

#LoveOzYA

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ Avril Lavigne - Things I'll Never Say ♪

My Rating

4/5

My thoughts

I am admittedly quite a shallow person and therefore tend to judge books based on their cover. I was given the impression that Love-shy would be a tweeny, very light-hearted book about romance, and to me that just didn't sound all that appealing. So I put it off. The only reason why I have finally picked it up is because there was a book event coming up which the author, Lili Wilkinson, was attending. I am honestly so glad that I did read this book because it was a fun and quick and really interesting read, and certainly not just for tweens at all.

Love-shy is part-mystery, part-romance, and a whole lot of other things in between. Penny Drummond, 16 years old, wants nothing more than to be a top-notch journalist in the future - the best of the best, re-shaping the very name and nature of journalism just like her role model and inspiration Nellie Bly. A model Year 10 student, her extra-curriculars include SRC, swim team (where she is the best swimmer), debate team (they always win because of her), writer at the school newspaper, The East Glendale Secondary College Gazette (her stories always make the front page) and First Oboist at the school orchestra. One day at the library, she discovers someone has visited a website for the Love-shy and just like that, she has her next big story.

[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] Frogkisser by Garth Nix

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 28/02/2017

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Pages: 336

Source: Bought

Genre: Middle Grade {Fantasy}

#LoveOzYA

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ Grace Potter - Something That I Want ♪

*Tangled credits song! Most Disney songs work here!

My Rating

3.5/5 stars

My thoughts

This is actually the first Garth Nix I've ever read and it is sure to be but only the first of many. Of course I had heard a lot about this prolific Aussie author in the past, most specifically in relation to his highly-esteemed fantasy series Abhorsen, starting with Sabriel. I actually went to a book event last year where I met the man himself, bought all the books in the series and henceforth got those books signed (along with my close friends), and listened to a delectable snippet of this adorable book, Frogkisser. From that point on, I knew that I would read it - as soon as it hit release date I frequented my local booksellers and grabbed my own beautiful yellow-paged copy.

This book has been compared to The Princess Bride, and I can understand where these comparisons have stemmed from. They are both fairytale-esque, and Nix's writing edges on a fine line between whimsical and ridiculous, which is exactly the kind of humour that runs deep in the aforementioned much-acclaimed novel and its film adaptation. It is quite magical and fun, and there were many moments that left me with a smile on my face. Yes, reading Frogkisser was definitely enjoyable!

[Review] My Life as a Hashtag by Gabrielle Williams

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Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 24/05/2017

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Pages: 288

Source: Library

Genre: YA {Contemporary}

#LoveOzYA

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes

♪ The Veronicas - This Is How It Feels ♪
♪ Stephanie McIntosh - Mistake ♪
*I wanted to choose fun songs from my high school days :)

My Rating

5/5 stars

My thoughts

So you're feeling shitty: one of your friends deliberately didn't invite you to the biggest party of the year because she called dibs on this cute guy at school and you hooked up with him, but, I mean, you know he wasn't into her.

You realise that everyone has someone else: dad has a new girlfriend, mum is on a hot date, your friends are at said party, the cute guy won't call you back and even grandpa has a social life! You're sitting alone in your room, having just smashed out a lonely dinner-for-one. What do you do? If you're MC, you get MAD AS HELL.

[Review] My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 26/01/2016

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 398

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

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Arctic Monkeys - One For the Road ♪

My Rating: 

Intense, thought-provoking

My thoughts

5/5

HOLY SHIT. I have not been so hideously disturbed since Gone Girl. If this is the kind of writing that Justine Larbalestier is capable of, I'm certain that her other novels, particularly Razorhurst, will not disappoint. If you're looking for quality Aussie YA fiction sure to keep you up at night, look no further!

[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] 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] The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

Author: Jonas Jonasson

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 26/09/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 400

Source: For review

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating:

Unforgettable!

My thoughts

I was initially drawn to this book because of the interesting title. I mean, how badass does it sound? There may not be wizards, dragons, vampires or any noticable magic in The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (for convenience I will call 100YOM for the entirety of this review) BUT this book is so quirky and fun and so completely compelling that it's hard not to read on well into the night.

[Review] Holier Than Thou by Laura Buzo

Holier Than Thou

Author: Laura Buzo

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/05/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 290

Source: For review

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating:

Amazing!

My thoughts:

My, oh my, was this review difficult to write! Holier Than Thou is a new adult title and written by Aussie author Laura Buzo, and for that alone I should have breezed through this novel without a problem. However, the topics explored in Holier Than Thou felt even more substantial than those in Good Oil (debut). Which made it sometimes difficult to read, and even harder to organise my thoughts. It actually took weeks for me to finally solidify exactly how I feel for this book – I read this book in May! – but I can firmly say that I deeply recommend this book.

[Review] Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult

Between the Lines

Author: Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 02/07/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (AU)

Pages: 370

Source: For review

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating:

Good Read

 

The Review:

Wow. It's really been a while. Let me just note if I had read this book when I was 11-15, I would be giving this 5 stars, no questions asked. There's a lot to love about this book and I'm glad that this book exists. I truly hope that more people read it, and this experience and given me the push I needed to try some of Jodi's adult works.

Jodi Picoult worked in collaboration with her teenage daughter, Samantha, in making her latest novel for teens. Between the Lines follows Delilah, a fiften-year-old girl who is simply fed up with reality. That's why she spends much of her time inside books . . . and one book in particular. A fairytale book where she can empathise with the hero (Oliver) in the story as he'd lost his father. Of course, this fairytale hero's father died a brave and mighty hero. The same cannot be said for Delilah's dad, who left her and her mum. One day, Oliver speaks to her. And he wants out of the fairytale.

[Review] Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Storm

(#1, Elementals)
Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/05/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Source: For review
Precautions: Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Pages: 368

My Rating:

Amazing read

My thoughts: 

Final thoughts: Storm is perfect if you're looking for something action-packed AND full of well-developed, fleshed out characters. This book really surprised me, and by the end of it I was left wanting more!

[Review] Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me {goodreads}

Authors: Tahereh Mafi

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/11/2011

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
RRP: $17.99

Source: For review (thanks to publisher!)
Precautions: Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Pages: 348

My Rating:

Satisfying Read

Summary:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

My thoughts: 

BEAR WITH ME! 

At first my rating was a 5, then a 4. Now it's 3.5 and I'll tell you why. Taken at face value, if I go along with the ride, I could just say I really enjoyed Shatter Me. And I did. By the end.

If you're really into adventures that are heavily reliant on a romantic aspect, then you are going to love this. Mafi also tries extremely hard to be poetic and intricately detailed in her writing. Most of the time she succeeded. Other times it was grating and slowed the pacing right down. There will be examples.

These are my personal opinions and that's fine if you don't agree with me. Not everyone will. I liked the premise, but I felt that the execution never completely lived up to it, or the expectations I'd formed for it.

~ Final thoughts ~

Shatter Me is: a whirlwind adventure; an extraordinary battle fought between the good and the bad, the powerful and the weak, the damaged and even more damaged; an intensely written romance that will live up to any supernatural fan's expectations. Tahereh Mafi has written a strong debut novel that blends together action, romance and suspenseful drama that will surprise readers.

[Review] Museum of Thieves (#1, The Keepers) by Lian Tanner

Title: Museum of Thieves {goodreads}
Series: #1, The Keepers

Author: Lian Tanner

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 27/06/11 (AU PB)

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Source: Publisher for review
Age: 12+ Moderate violence.

Pages: 340

My Rating:

Summary:

In the city of Jewel, impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime. Goldie Roth is impatient and bold. When she escapes the clutches of the Blessed Guardians to find haven at the Museum of Dunt, an unforgettable adventure begins that will unlock hidden mysteries, dark secrets and awaken dangerous enemies. The thrilling first book in The Keepers trilogy.

My thoughts: 

The presentation of this book is top-notch. The children on the cover look a BIT younger than I'd imagine twelve year olds to be, but the background and word placement - well, I couldn't have dreamed up anything better. It looks great. 'The Keepers' is embossed; 'Museum of Thieves' is shiny and neat; and the book as a whole has a nice feel to it. Inside, it gets better ...

MUSEUM OF THIEVES is the first book in a new MG fantasy series. In the city of Jewel, all children below the age of 16 are tethered to their parents and the Blessed Guardians at all times. That might suit some children just fine, but when the 1st annual Separation Ceremony (where children become no longer bound by silver chains) where the Separation age was promised to be lowered to 12 is stopped, Goldie Roth runs away in frustration. With nowhere else and no one else to turn to, Goldie is drawn to the museum as shadows lurk in the dark. As she learns the secrets of the museum, trouble is brewing in the city, and the museum is in danger.

From the moment this came in the mail I knew that I had to read it. I don't read a lot of MG fiction, but hey, Harry Potter was MG and look where that went? What I found within the covers of THIS book, was a thrilling and unreal story.

I loved that the museum assumed an entity all its own - its rooms shift, it sings, it breathes and reacts to its surroundings. Every room is different, and as Goldie discovers and explores, so too did I. The museum was never boring. It felt like I was there; Tanner does a great job creating vivid images and fantasy environments.

Goldie is such a great heroine - bold and impatient, smart and independent. Even when she gets into a seemingly hopeless situation, it doesn't take long before she snaps back into place and starts thinking of a way around it. With the four Keepers of the museum, I hope that there is more backstory in the next book. While we do get to see them a lot, we don't actually know an awful lot about any of them. Snippets of the past are indicated, but aren't fleshed out and are instead given a backseat while the action plays out.

Broo was a really interesting 'character' and I hope to see more information on his kind, as well as what happened to the rest of them and whether there are any more around. I really don't want to give any more away about him, but Tanner introduced him in a great way. I didn't see it coming!



The Blessed Guardians especially Guardian Hope, and the Fugleman really annoyed me. And if they didn't I would've been really concerned, because they were written to be despised for their constraints and ulterior motives. Again, I wanted to know more about them, and what their "normal" life would consist of - surely they would have some other attachments, you know, other than being pains in the butt?

The plot is fast-ish moving and the writing is simple and easy to read. I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to continue the series! The book ended at a good place - NOT MUCH OF A CLIFFHANGER, but something to go on by.

Vivacity in colour and action, MUSEUM OF THIEVES is a great start to a mysterious and curious new fantasy series. I could easily see the events in MUSEUM OF THIEVES unfold like a film when I was reading it. That's how a good book should be.

Quotes:

First lines

"Goldie Roth hated the punishment chains. She hated them more than anything - except perhaps for the Blessed Guardians. As the heavy brass cuffs snapped around her wrists, and the weight of the chains fell on her shoulders, she stared sullenly at the cobblestones.

Favourites

"'The people of Jewel,' said Olga Ciavolga, 'treat their children like delicate flowers. They think they will not survive without constant protection. But there are parts of the world where young boys and girls spend weeks at  a time with no company except a herd of goats. They chase away wolves. They take care of themselves, and they take care of the herd.... And so, when hard times come - as they always do in the end - those children are resourceful and brave.... They do not give up easily.... Of course, I am not saying that it is a good thing to give children such heavy responsibilities. They must also have a childhood. But they must be allowed to find their courage and their wisdom, and learn when to stand and when to run away. After all, if they are not permitted to climb trees, how will they ever see the great and wonderful world that lies before them?'

(pp. 200-201, ellipses provided to shorten quote)

"They wanted to be completely safe and happy at all times. The trouble is, the world just isn't like that. You can't have high mountains without deep valleys. You can't have great happiness without great sadness. The world is never still. It moves from one thing to another, back and forth, back and forth, like a butterfly opening and closing its wings.

(p. 215)

Trailer:

Buy:

Live in Australia?

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

Live elsewhere?

Amazon | The Book Depository

Links:

Author Site

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---

[Review] Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Title: Beauty Queens {goodreads}

Author: Libba Bray

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 01/06/11

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Source: For review
Age: 14+ Sexual scenes, language and mild violence.

Pages: 400

My Rating:

Summary:

Teen beauty queens. A lost island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to email.

And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives deep in the heart of every girl, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness.

Oh, the horror, the horror!

Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.

My thoughts: 

Beauty Queens was insane. Think about the most primped up, preppy and clueless beauty pageant girls, stranded on a deserted island. How do they survive life without technology and loving people at their beck and call? With beauty products of course! The premise of this book, and the crossover of LOST and Lord of the Flies really drew me towards this book. I didn't really have any expectations of the book that weren't met, because what I was expecting was an entertaining, satirical outlook on popular culture and the accepted tropes in modern-day society. That's what I got, and while I think that Libba Bray delivered with a book that very much so agrees with my own views, I don't know. Perhaps there was just TOO much poking fun that it became silly.

The plot moved along pretty slowly, but the writing style was such that it moved along at a good pace, if that makes any sense. Much of the first half of the book is filling in with back-stories for the girls (Adina is my favourite, if you want to know), and the girls surviving the crash and using whatever has been salvaged from the crash for a purpose. It gets interesting when it actually becomes apparent that there will be some kind of evil people who reside on the island ...

The girls and characters are by and far in Beauty Queens. The thing I liked was that these girls have actual dreams and interests that are apart from their beauty pageant expeditions. One loves to dance, another loves to lead others. And another flat-out hates beauty pageants and all that they stand for. All of these girls had something to prove, and it takes a life-threatening plane crash for them to realise how shallow Miss Teen Dream is.

I'm not saying this book is for everyone, but I did enjoy reading it and for me there was a lot to like.

Quotes:

---

Buy:

Live in Australia?

Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

Live elsewhere?

Amazon | The Book Depository

Links:

Author Site



I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---