Magic Realism
Written by Rachael Craw
Fantasy, Magical Realism, #LoveNZYA
368 Pages
Published November 1st 2018
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
When the Rift opens, death follows.
For generations, the Rangers of Black Water Island have guarded the Old Herd against horrors released by the Rift. Cal West, an apprentice Ranger with a rare scar and even rarer gifts, fights daily to prove he belongs within their ranks. After nine years away, Meg Archer returns to her childhood home only to find the Island is facing a new threat that not even the Rangers are prepared for. Meg and Cal can’t ignore their attraction, but can they face their darkest fears to save the Island from disaster?
Black Water Island is immersed in tradition, a millennia since The Rift emerged causing the mountain to fracture. The residents of Black Water are isolated from the mainland, without television or internet access to maintain the fragile ecosystem of the island. Every four years, hunters descent on the intimate pastoral community to participate in The Cull, the resident generational Rangers responsible for the Old Herd while young deer are harvested by Nutris Pharmaceuticals for their medicinal properties.
The narrative centralises upon the intimate, isolated Black Water Island and the community, the reluctant agreement with Nutris Pharmaceuticals, the Rangers and unscrupulous corporation. Fisherman's son Cal West is a Ranger, his appointed position a rarity among the Ranger ranks, the position considered hereditary and a right of passage among the generations of Black Water residents. Cal carries the Sight, an ability to sense distress among the Old Herd he is sworn to protect.
Meg Archer is returning to Black Water Island, nine years after moving to the mainland with her mother, a cancer survivor. Growing up on the island, Meg was determined to join the ranks of the prestigious Rangers, her father elevated to Sargent and carrying the honoured tradition from his predecessor. Meg and Cal were once childhood friends, inseparable as they explored their island home. After a tragic incident upon the mountain, Meg was removed from the island and assumed Cal had been taken by protective services, the young boy orphaned and alone. Having returned, Meg is now torn between her attraction towards Cal and her resentment, as he remained on the island and trained as a Ranger. Their tentative reconnection bound by the scars they share.
I really enjoyed the intense connection between Meg and Cal. Cal able to connect to the Old Herd through the ability of Sight comes with a hefty consequence, he can also sense death. Through touch, he feels the life force of those around him, especially within Meg's vicinity.
I really enjoyed the intense connection between Meg and Cal. Cal able to connect to the Old Herd through the ability of Sight comes with a hefty consequence, he can also sense death. Through touch, he feels the life force of those around him, especially within Meg's vicinity.
The Black Water Island is majestic, separated by the Rift and ley lines that thrum with positive energy and spirituality. The premise is fascinating, a blend of fantasy and intricately woven magical realism. The Rift is a tear in the atmosphere to another dimension beyond the island, Rift Hounds appear as apparitions and materialising throughout the mountain as large, savage beasts. The Rangers entered into a reluctant agreement with Nutris Pharmaceuticals who farm the island for antlers from the low lying Herd to create a potent medicinal concoction known as Actaeon’s Bane. Like all large corporations, they have a stranglehold on the community in exchange for maintaining the island and providing an income for the residents. Corruption and underhandedness result in Nutris Pharmaceuticals demanding more than the island can provide, creating a deadly atmosphere and with The Rift only moments from opening, alliances will be fractured and secrets revealed.
What surprised me most was how beautifully atmospheric The Rift is. The writing holds a stillness and spiritual like quality rarely seen in fantasy young adult novels. That quiet intensity slowly lured me in and held me captive. The Rift is wildly imagined and beautifully portrayed, a new direction for Rachael Craw that will no doubt enchant international audiences. She's outdone herself.
What surprised me most was how beautifully atmospheric The Rift is. The writing holds a stillness and spiritual like quality rarely seen in fantasy young adult novels. That quiet intensity slowly lured me in and held me captive. The Rift is wildly imagined and beautifully portrayed, a new direction for Rachael Craw that will no doubt enchant international audiences. She's outdone herself.
Written by Emily X.R. Pan
Contemporary, Magical Realism, Own Voices
480 Pages
Published March 27th 2018
Thank you to Hachette Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Leigh Chen Sanders is sixteen when her mother dies by suicide, leaving only a scribbled note, 'I want you to remember'. Leigh doesn't know what it means, but when a red bird appears with a message, she finds herself travelling to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time.
Leigh is far away from home and far away from Axel, her best friend, who she stupidly kissed on the night her mother died, leaving her with a swell of guilt that she wasn't home, and a heavy heart, thinking she may have destroyed the one good thing left in her life.
Overwhelmed by grief, Leigh retreats into her art and into her memories, where colours collide and the rules of reality are broken. The only thing Leigh is certain about is that she must find out the truth. She must remember.
With lyrical prose and magical elements, Emily X.R. Pan's stunning debut novel alternates between past and present, romance and despair, as one girl attempts to find herself through family history, art, friendship, and love.
Identifying her environment with colours, Leigh Chen Sanders reminisces the brightness of laughter, the gentle caressing of keys as the house is bathed in music, the hues of romance muted, the darkness slowly pulling her mother into depression.
Leigh is a biracial, a Taiwanese Irish American young woman, an artist of smudging and hues. Once a house awash with the melodious sound of her mother is now enveloped by despair, returning home to find her mother unresponsive, her life taken by clinical depression.
The nonlinear narrative accompanies Leigh in the moments after discovering her mother, despair reverberating throughout the family home. Dorothy Chen Sanders was diagnosed with depression, characterised compassionately and reiterating that mental illness is an incurable, continual and indiscriminate diagnosis.
I try to think of a colour to match it, but all that comes to mind is the blackness of dried blood. I can only hope that in becoming a bird my mother has shed her suffering.
The nonlinear narrative accompanies Leigh in the moments after discovering her mother, despair reverberating throughout the family home. Dorothy Chen Sanders was diagnosed with depression, characterised compassionately and reiterating that mental illness is an incurable, continual and indiscriminate diagnosis.
Here is my mother, with wings instead of hands, and feathers instead of hair. Here is my mother, the reddest of brilliant reds, the colour of my love and my fear, all of my fiercest feelings trailing after her in the sky like the tail of a comet.
With a discarded note and a promise to remember, Leigh is doused in shades of sterile white, her colours now depleted. Leigh will journey to Taipei to uncover a life shrouded in whispers, perusing the elusive crimson feathers her mother has adorned after passing. The infusion of Taiwanese mythology is ethereal. As Leigh immerses herself in the Taiwanese landscape, she experiences moments of dissociation carried on the whispers of foreigner by curious bystanders, raised without the influence of her Taiwanese parentage.
The journey to Taipei is cathartic and although abandoned by her father on arrival, her grandparents Waipo and Waigong are welcoming and affectionate towards their granddaughter despite the language barrier. Her father is a contentious aspect of the narrative. A sinologist and scholar fluent in Mandarin, her father prioritised his career preferably to the deteriorating mental health of his wife. As her father increasingly travelled abroad, Leigh assumed the responsibility of primary caregiver and upon his return, he remained inaccessible and isolated. He continuously chastised Leigh for her creative medium, creating tension and frustration.
The racially and sexually diverse characters are wonderful. The narrative also pertains to the American Asian identity and the sense of acceptance towards biracial, multiracial and migrant communities.
The journey to Taipei is cathartic and although abandoned by her father on arrival, her grandparents Waipo and Waigong are welcoming and affectionate towards their granddaughter despite the language barrier. Her father is a contentious aspect of the narrative. A sinologist and scholar fluent in Mandarin, her father prioritised his career preferably to the deteriorating mental health of his wife. As her father increasingly travelled abroad, Leigh assumed the responsibility of primary caregiver and upon his return, he remained inaccessible and isolated. He continuously chastised Leigh for her creative medium, creating tension and frustration.
The racially and sexually diverse characters are wonderful. The narrative also pertains to the American Asian identity and the sense of acceptance towards biracial, multiracial and migrant communities.
My mother's hands have turned to wings. Her hair, to feathers. Her pale complexion now red as blood, red as wine, every shade of every red in the universe.
The Astonishing Colour of After is exquisite. The Mandarin Chinese dialect complements the affluent and atmospheric tapestry of Taipei and Taiwanese elegance. Debut author Emily X.R. Pan is extraordinary, a lyricist captivating readers. An impeccable read.
Contains sensitivities such as mental illness and suicide
Written by Victoria Carless
Contemporary, Magical Realism, #LoveOzYA
256 Pages
Published June 27th 2017
Thank you to Hachette Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
The weight of a secret can drag you under.
Sixteen year old Lucy Hart has been counting the days till she can get the hell out of Digger's Landing, a small Queensland fishing hamlet home to fifteen families, a posse of mongrel dogs and Parkers Corner Store. No apostrophe and nowhere near a corner.
But just like the tides, Lucy's luck is on the turn, and as graduation nears her escape plans begin to falter, her best friend, Polly, is dropping out of school to help pay the bills, and Tom has been shipped off to boarding school, away from the flotsam of this place. And then there's Lucy's nightlife, which is filled with dreams that just don't seem to belong to her at all...
When the fish stop biting, like they did when her mum was still around, Lucy realises she isn't the only one with a secret.
Digger's Landing is a barren landscape of decrepit dwellings, residents livelihoods flowing with the tides of the local creek that sustains the small coastal town. Sixteen year old Lucy Hart is grieving for her spontaneous and spirited mother, her body salvaged from the water forsaking those she leaves behind. Lucy walks among the subconscious minds of slumbering Digger's Landing residents, observing their aspirations and desires sharing a prevailing theme. Lucy's mother.
Digger's Landing is an underprivileged socioeconomic community in Far North Queensland and sustained by the local creek. Lucy and her widowed father are residents of the predominantly Australian and Indigenous Australian community, where the emphasis is placed upon labour of the land rather than education in order to support those living in impoverished conditions. Lucy aspires to leave Digger's Landing, displaced since the suicide of her mother while her father is disengaged. The relationship between Lucy and her father is constrained and Lucy feels progressively isolated.
I enjoyed the friendship between Lucy and friend Polly, a wonderful young lady who is believed to be Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander. While Lucy continues her education, Polly abandons school to financially support her family. Mutual friend Tom is an interesting character and potential love interest for Lucy. Comparatively, all three adolescents experience the burden of parental expectations of varying degrees.
The magical realism elements were captivating. Since a car accident months prior, Lucy has been able to walk among the dreamers of Digger's Landing as a bystander. It's through the subconscious minds of others where she is able to see her mother, a woman who had a profound effect on the small coastal community. The narrative also explores impoverishment, suicide, environmental sustainability and parental neglect. Often confronting whilst challenging the privilege of readers.
The rural location was breathtaking and incredibly atmospheric, although I found the narrative languished at times and was disappointed the Indigenous Australian aspect wasn't further explored. The Dream Walker is a confident and enchanting debut novel from a fresh and wonderful new voice in Australian young adult literature.
Written by Patrick Ness
Contemporary, LGBT, Paranormal
288 Pages
Published May 4th 2017
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★
Inspired by Mrs Dalloway and Judy Blume's Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn It's a big day. Things go wrong. It's intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches...
Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything.
It's a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won't come out of it unchanged.
And all the while, lurking at the edges of the story, something extraordinary and unsettling is on a collision course.
Adam Thorn is sensitive, compassionate, beautiful, complicated. His grief is palpable, poignant and often confrontational. The Thorn family believe in the capacity of faith. To rehabilitate and to offer judgement especially concerning Adam's sexuality. Emotionally depleted after his relationship dissolved, Adam is navigating the parameters of a new relationship, desperate to find love once more.
Adam identifies as gay, his father using his faith to thinly veil his homophobic beliefs and whilst his sexuality isn't acknowledged categorically, he is often discussed as being dishonourable and needing to rediscover his own faith. Adam is nursing the heartbreak of first love while trying to commit to a new relationship. Adam's narration was wonderful, profound, often poignant and takes place over the span of a single day. Throughout his narration, Adam questions his own faith by being in a same sex relationship and when reaching out his evangelist father, he is ridiculed and dismissed.
Release touches on issues such as homophobia, substance abuse, manslaughter, sexual assault and the religion verses sexuality contention. Courageously and compassionately. The incorporation of sexual relationships was wonderful, a mature inclusion rarely seen in young adult novels accentuating same sex relationships.
The emphasis of Release is familiar relationships and in particular, the relationship Adam shares with his father. LGBTQIA teens and adult readers as an extension may find these particular passages confronting as it explores homophobia and erasure. Adam's family is homophobic, expressing the view that gay love is fraudulent.
Release touches on issues such as homophobia, substance abuse, manslaughter, sexual assault and the religion verses sexuality contention. Courageously and compassionately. The incorporation of sexual relationships was wonderful, a mature inclusion rarely seen in young adult novels accentuating same sex relationships.
The emphasis of Release is familiar relationships and in particular, the relationship Adam shares with his father. LGBTQIA teens and adult readers as an extension may find these particular passages confronting as it explores homophobia and erasure. Adam's family is homophobic, expressing the view that gay love is fraudulent.
It's not real love. Everybody's convinced themselves that it is, but it isn't. And it never will be.Angela is a tremendous support to Adam, compassionate and maternal. Angela's adoptive family are wonderfully inclusive of her Korean ancestry, supporting Angela who identifies as bisexual and offering sanctuary to Adam.
The magical realism elements of Release were enchantingly lyrical, perplexing and synonymous within Patrick Ness narrations. A Queen infused with the spirit of a young women, dying from asphyxiation by her narcotic effected partner. Her companion is an anxious Faun. The two narratives converge and although peculiar and lyrically enchanting, the significance was nonsensical other than two characters seeking release.
Patrick Ness is a magnificent author and Release is a tender and compassionate read, confronting and captivating until the final page.
Written by Ursula Dubosarsky
Middle Grade, Historical, Magical Realism
180 Pages
Published April 2017
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
RRP $19.99
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
A boy stood in the playground under the big fig tree. 'He can't speak English,' the children whispered.The air raid siren wails throughout Sydney harbour while American Warships dapple across the horizon. The war has reached the Australian shoreline with the Japanese military threatening a hostile destruction of the land. For Columba this is simply how we survive, we live in each moment.
Sydney, 1942. The war is coming to Australia, not only with the threat of bombardment, but also the arrival of refugees from Europe. Dreamy Columba's world is growing larger. She is drawn to Ellery, the little boy from far away, and, together with her highly practical best friend Hilda, the three children embark on an adventure through the harbourside streets. A journey of discovery and terror, in pursuit of the mysterious blue cat...
While the city of Paris falls to the Germanic forces, European refugees are migrating to Australia, fractured and displaced by conflict. Ellery is a Jewish boy, withdrawn and unable to verbally communicate. Children are remarkably resilient and Columba was a wonderfully compassionate young girl and curiously, approaches Ellery.
I had never heard Ellery laugh before, not out loud. I loved the sound, it filled me up. It tinkled like a magic bird.
Ellery and Columba engage in apprehensive smiles and amiable silences, a tentative companionship leading to adventure. Columba is influenced by friend Hilda, a young girl fond of telling tales and repeating rumours. I found Hilda's character quite manipulate and relentless, insisting Ellery has migrated from Germany where his mother had perished, a casualty of war. The narrative being told through the narration of a young girl although charming, is unreliable.
At the essence of the narration is a stray Blue Cat, suspected to have escaped from the Warships dappled throughout the harbour. The role of the feline is of little significance, temporarily residing at an elderly neighbours residence when it disappears into the night. Is the Blue Cat mere symbolism for a greater relevance? Bringing communities together? The infusion of magical realism felt incoherent and as though an integral aspect of the storyline was absent, creating an incredibly abrupt ending.
The Blue Cat is beautifully written, lyrical and delicate, within the nineteen forties atmospheric Sydney harbour. Although the narrative required direction, author Ursula Dubosarsky has created a wonderfully Australian ambiance, breathing life into our historical city landscapes.
Written by Laura Ruby
Contemporary, Mystery, Magical Realism
Published March 2017
400 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
RRP $19.99
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps, gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life.
That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?
Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.
In the small country town of Bone Gap, seventeen year old Finn O'Sullivan insists that Roza was abducted by by a nondescript male who emerged from the cornfields surrounding their small rural property. As time lapses, the residents of Bone Gap believe that Roza abandoned Finn and Sean in similar circumstances to their mother while Sean places the responsibility on Finn for allowing her to leave.
My Thoughts
Finn O'Sullivan is a quiet and reserved young man, reliant on his brother Sean who assumed the position of guardian after their mother abandoned her son's. The reader is introduced to Finn and Sean's relationship in the present, fractured and distant while Sean continues to grieve the loss of his relationship with the effervescent Roza. While Finn continued his education, Sean abandoned aspirations of becoming a doctor to care for Finn, now a paramedic and remaining in the lazy town of Bone Gap.
Roza is found sheltering, bloodied and beaten in the O'Sullivan barn and although hesitant, will reside in the small and self contained apartment on the property. Roza didn't abandon Sean and Finn O'Sullivan. Finn attests he has witnessed Rosa's abduction, a man who has emerged from the silent cornfields, nondescript and unsubstantiated. Finn cannot recall his face and labelled as a simpleton while Sean holds Finn responsible for allowing Roza to leave.
Rosa's journey from Europe to North America is harrowing, violent and confronting, exploring her abduction. Her nonlinear narration blended suspected delusions with magical realism, the unreliability created intrigue, vulnerability and a suspension of disbelief.
Rosa's journey from Europe to North America is harrowing, violent and confronting, exploring her abduction. Her nonlinear narration blended suspected delusions with magical realism, the unreliability created intrigue, vulnerability and a suspension of disbelief.
Finn and Sean's relationship and interactions with the Bone Gap community were fascinating. While Sean is respected, revered within the community, Finn is tormented and perceived as simple and oblivious, branded by the small, ignorant town. Although I enjoyed Sean's character, he was consumed by grief. Finn is an isolated young man who is dependent on Sean and I was disappointed that Sean disregarded Finn's emotional and mental health.
The gentle friendship between Finn and the beekeepers daughter Petey was lovely. Both teens share an understanding of the harm placed upon labels and being ostracised by their peers, labelled as promiscuous. Petey is a formidable character who refuses to conform to the ideals of the Bone Gap community, intelligent, perceptive and wonderfully abrasive.
Bone Gap is fantastical and enigmatic. A fusion of contemporary, magical realism and a beautifully written, lyrical narrative that will enchant readers until the final page. Simply breathtaking.
Novella Series
Written by Cassandra Clare and friends
Fantasy, Romance
Published November 15th 2016
656 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★☆
An illustrated collection of ten stories about Simon Lewis, star of Cassandra Clare's internationally bestselling series The Mortal Instruments, as he trains to become a Shadowhunter.
Simon has been a human and a vampire, but after the events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, he isn't sure who he is any more. When the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this Simon might be... Join him on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy's illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. These moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for fans who just can't get enough of the Shadowhunters. The series features characters from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments, Infernal Devices, Dark Artifices and the upcoming Last Hours series.
Once a vampire and now a mundane, Simon Lewis has enrolled at the Shadowhunter Academy with fragments of a bewildered memory. Simon will decide whether to remain a Mundane or become a revered Shadowhunter, his reputation as a saviour paving his path to becoming an elite scholar despite being unable to recollect his role in Alicante, the Glass City and capital Idris. With the support of his childhood friend Clary and he's beloved yet estranged Shadowhunter girlfriend Isabelle, Simon will begin his journey to becoming the ultimate protector while uncovering the memories of a former life.
Who is Simon Lewis?
My Thoughts
Simon Lewis, former vampire now a mundane in vintage band shirts and awkward sharp angles is embarking on a new adventure as a Shadowhunter. The first few novella installments were wonderfully written, charming and engaging. It wasn't until I had reached Nothing But Shadows, where the storyline became tedious. Among the copious amount of historical information about characters from both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series, Simon's narrative becomes increasingly frustrating and his journey as Mundane to Shadowhunter is overwhelmed by monotonous tales.
The appeal of Simon's character is that of a humble, boy next door quality and it was disappointing that although his character is on a journey of self discovery, spent most of it bitching. His recollection of significant events may be lost, but he's been given a second chance at life, an opportunity to make a difference and he has a smoking hot girlfriend. Stupid Mundane.
As I was unable to read the finale instalment of The Mortal Instruments series due to the overwhelming number of new characters being introduced, Tales of The Shadowhunter Academy has helped bridge the gap between the Shadowhunter franchise and Lady Midnight, I enjoyed seeing Emma and Julian's Parabatai ceremony. The reader is also introduced to Helen and Mark Blackthorn and the Blackthorn family chronicles, characters from Lady Midnight. James Herondale and Matthew Fairchild, Will and Tessa from The Infernal Devices and the creation of Valentine's circle.
The allure of Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy is Alec and Magnus.
The appeal of Simon's character is that of a humble, boy next door quality and it was disappointing that although his character is on a journey of self discovery, spent most of it bitching. His recollection of significant events may be lost, but he's been given a second chance at life, an opportunity to make a difference and he has a smoking hot girlfriend. Stupid Mundane.
As I was unable to read the finale instalment of The Mortal Instruments series due to the overwhelming number of new characters being introduced, Tales of The Shadowhunter Academy has helped bridge the gap between the Shadowhunter franchise and Lady Midnight, I enjoyed seeing Emma and Julian's Parabatai ceremony. The reader is also introduced to Helen and Mark Blackthorn and the Blackthorn family chronicles, characters from Lady Midnight. James Herondale and Matthew Fairchild, Will and Tessa from The Infernal Devices and the creation of Valentine's circle.
The allure of Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy is Alec and Magnus.
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy will appease fans, but little more. It was a blend of Simon whining and historical chapters of information that I found incredibly boring. I loved Lady Midnight but apart from Alec and Magnus, I won't return to the original Shadowhunter world again. I commend Cassandra Clare for listening to her readers and providing new adventures but the series has been exhausted.
Written by Emily Gale
Middle Grade, Contemporary, Magical Realism
Published June 1st 2016
320 Pages
Thank you to Emily Gale
Published by Random House Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Summer is trying to recover from a tragedy, but it seems impossible when her family is falling apart around her. Having an extraordinary best friend like Mal helps a little, but Summer's secret source of happiness is a link to the past: one very special guitar.Now her dad's plan to save them is turning Summer's life upside down again. The next thing she knows, they've moved to the other side of the world.In Australia, Summer makes an unlikely friend, who seems to be magically connected to her guitar. Is this for real? Has a mysterious boy been sent to help Summer? Or could it be the other way around?This sweet and spellbinding story about family, friends and believing in yourself will warm your heart.
Contemporary Standalone
Written by April Genevieve Tucholke
Magical Realism, Mystery, Young Adult
Published March 22nd 2016 by Dial Books
Add to Goodreads ★
Every story needs a hero. Every story needs a villain. Every story needs a secret.Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.
What really happened? Someone knows. Someone is lying.
Normally this is where I would write my own little summary of what went down in the book. But if I'm 100% honest.. nothing - just about nothing that equates to an actual story does happen in Wink Poppy Midnight. I was going to be generous and give this book two stars, but then I recall giving other books (which had more of a story) far less than two stars and that just didn't seem fair. I really should be giving this book no stars as I didn't seen any substance worth rating, but hell one star it is.Kynndra's BITTER Thoughts
I feel nothing but frustration towards this book. You'll have to understand that I was aching to read this novel. What with the eyegasmic cover to the alluring synopsis - how could you not? But I fell straight on my ass and into shitville with this one. I detested this book because I hate feeling like I've wasted hours of my life on something useless, hours that I'll never get back. That's the gamble with every book, I suppose. Boy did I lose out on this one. Yes, this book is fairly short but still. I've never felt so empty finishing a book than I did when I finished WPM.
Why did I give it one star then, you ask? Well because the writing is fucking beautiful. If writing could leave colors I'd be purple from head to toe. April is one hell of a wordsmith. She makes every line poetic and stunning. There's no doubt about that. I love nice writing as much as the next guy, but if there's no story to back it up then I don't care if the words are written in gold. I read for the story and if there's no story, I find no enjoyment in what I'm reading. I'm going to share my brutal opinion right now - not even her writing could make this a good book
Quite literally, I think it was page 210/247 on my ereader that there was actually a plot taking place. Other than that it was Wink telling fairy tales, Midnight fawning over Wink or thinking about his mom and brother for the fiftieth time, followed by Poppy being a vindictive bitch and essentially manipulating any male with her hauntingly good looks. I did not like any of the characters. The biggest kudo I have to give to this book is that it's easy to make aesthetic edits for it because the author writes so beautifully you can't help but imagine the mystic and southern gothic-like setting.
I'm not saying don't read this book, but I'm definitely not recommending it. We all perceive books differently. I think Wink Poppy Midnight was supposed to provide me with a message of "we're all the villain and hero sometimes" but wow. What a waste of my time. Sorry for being a bit of an asshole, I just couldn't sugar coat my salty feels about this one, folks. I got 96% pretty words, 2% useless characters and 2% plot which equated to a 100% terrible read.In Conclusion
Gunna waddle my bitter ass off the internet for awhile.
follow kynndra via TWITTER INSTAGRAM TUMBLR GOODREADS
Standalone Novel
Written by Ali Shaw
Romance, Magical Realism, Adult
Published January 4th 2012 (org. 2009) by Picador
Add to Goodreads
★★½
Strange things are happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St. Hauda’s Land. Unusual winged creatures flit around the icy bog land, albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed woods, and Ida Maclaird is slowly turning into glass. Ida is an outsider in these parts, a main lander who has visited the islands only once before. Yet during that one fateful visit the glass transformation began to take hold, and now she has returned in search of a cure.
Midas Crook is a young loner who has lived on the islands his entire life. When he meets Ida, something about her sad, defiant spirit pierces his emotional defenses. As Midas helps Ida come to terms with her affliction, she gradually unpicks the knots of his heart. Love must be paid in precious hours and, as the glass encroaches, time is slipping away fast. Will they find a way to stave off the spread of the glass?
On a wintery island far from the real world is a young girl. Her name is Ida, and she is running out of time. Every day that passes, glass slowly inches up her body. She only has so long to find a cure for the mystical disease she has contracted. However, her glass feet make getting around difficult which slows her search. Ida's story is wreathed in mystery and wonder. The search for a cure takes her back to St. Hauda's Land. When she meets a lone stranger in the woods, she is captivated.
This lone man is none other than Midas Crook. Midas has been shrouded in misery and bad luck ever since he was a child. Now in his twenties, he leads a solitary life, avoiding most contact with other people. He eats and breathes photography, it is his passion. So when he stumbles on an odd, shadowy girl with peculiarly large boots he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. At first he only wishes to capture her unique image, until he learns about her glass feet. Midas is her only hope in finding the cure, and in a way, Ida is the only cure for Midas.
Kynndra's Thoughts
This book is weird. One of the weirdest that I have read. But I like weird. I search for weird. I found weird. I'll be honest, I chose to read this book because I wanted a standalone, and because I fell in love with the cover. It's probably one of my favorite covers, I love the beauty of it. I have issues processing how I really feel about this book because it's one that just kind of leaves you utterly bewildered. The magical realism was done is such a way that had me believing that the creatures and the glass feet could be real. That on some far and distant island there could very well be a herd of miniscule cattle with moth wings, or a rare and wondrous creature that could turn whatever she looked at white. It was spectacular to be able to feel that.
I'm used to reading YA fiction, so when I took a chance with Adult fiction I knew it would be a bit more stuffy than what I'm used to. And it was a bit stuffy. The topics the book dealt with included suicide, broken hearts, love and being lost. I could appreciate the story because I knew it wasn't some fluffy fantasy. It had fantasy/magical aspects to it, sure but it wasn't coated in sugar. I think the best way I can describe this book is that it was raw. It delves into the crooks and crannies of human nature without shame.
"It was just her and Midas in here, tucked away from the world. Here she could turn quietly into glass, with only love to distract her."
Ali Shaw writes incredibly well. His words are wondrous and awful where they need to be. I did find that some of the cussing used jarred the beauty of some scenes; however, it was easily forgiven. Sometimes the writing was very complex, and it took a lot of brain power to translate some bits (mostly because I read at night and slosh through tiredly, oops) but overall I adored every second of his writing. Especially when he would describe the winged cattle, I like those little guys.
What really bothered me about this book was the way the POV's lined up. One minute it would be the present in Midas POV, the next it would be Ida's past, then her in the present, then Midas in the present. Then it went on to a character I don't think was very relevant to the story (some odd man who was lowkey obsessed with Ida's mom). It took my out of the moment and I found myself slowly enjoying the book less and less. If the POV's would have been constructed in a better manner, I may have enjoyed it more. Plus, I didn't really fancy the characters - they were bland and unlikeable, maybe that was the point. I just didn't like them which makes any story hard for me to like at that point.
At the end of the day it felt like plot vomit, and as if I were reading the seizuring memories of multiple people. Also, the ending was extremely abrupt - there was no coaxing or coddling. Just wing, wham and bam. Some may think differently, I may just be used to my YA ways, but I was left feeling hollow and unsatisfied. That's not to say I wont read another work from this author, but The Girl with Glass Feet just wasn't a book for me and that's okay.
In Conclusion
The fairytale feel to it was super enjoyable, and the budding romance between Midas and Ida was nice too. But in all honestly, I expected a lot more from this book when I read the synopsis. Maybe I'm just not used to adult fiction, but I found myself almost lulled to sleep while reading. I adored the creatures - that bit was delightfully weird and imaginative. The plot was intriguing and the writing was filled with purple prose. But if you're like me and are more drawn to fast paced and lively plots then this one surely wouldn't be for you. Overall I enjoyed the world of St. Hauda's Land, but not the characters who lived on land or what happened to them which didn't make for an entirely great read.
Kynndra is currently reading Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout and wadding through life like a good Canadian turtle.
follow kynndra via TWITTER INSTAGRAM TUMBLR GOODREADS
Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars
Written by Martine Murray
Middle Grade, Magic Realism
Published June 24th 2015
256 Pages
Thank you to Text Publishing
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
★★★☆
Molly has a strange life. Her mama collects herbs at dawn and makes potions, her father and brothers have gone away, and her house feels like a gypsy caravan.Molly doesn’t want to know anything about herbs and potions. She wishes she could be more like her best friend, Ellen, who has a normal family and a normal house. But she is also secretly interested in Pim, who is inquisitive and odd and a little bit frightening.When Molly’s mama makes a potion that has a wild and shocking effect, Molly and Pim look for a way to make things right, and Molly discovers the magic and value of her own unusual life.Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars is a delightful story about friendship and acceptance and learning to see the wonder in the world.
Molly has always longed for a mother like that of best friend Ellen. Ellen who eats packaged foods and lives in a world of pop songs. Molly's mother talks to nature, concocting potions to cure almost anything and tends to her menagerie of animals, that both Molly and her mother call family. She wishes her father wasn't missing somewhere in Cuba or that her twin brothers would need to travel to find adventure, and she certainly wishes the elderly Mister and Mrs Grimshaw next door would mind their own business and stop picking on The Gentleman, their rooster who crows at all hours of the morning. To stop the nosy neighbours, Molly's mother devises a plan to grow a tree to block their view over the fence. A tall and majestic tree that she claims will be fully grown in a week, and sets off to collect the ingredients needed for her concoction.
Pim has always been a strange boy, alone and marching to the beat of his own drum. Molly is drawn to his sense of wonder and whimsy, but with best friend Ellen beside her, would never dare approach him. Ellen, with her perfect home, perfect mother and perfect life. But when Molly's mother's spell goes horribly wrong, it's Pim she turns to for help.
Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars was a joyful and lovely middle grade read. Contemporary sprinkled with magic realism, the underlying story is about friendship, acceptance and learning the value that the grass isn't always greener. Molly is at that age where she's incredibly self conscious about how she's perceived. She see's best friend Ellen as having the perfect life, full of modern conveniences and so far removed from her own. She's inquisitive, but wants nothing more for her mother to be normal. Until she suddenly doesn't have a mother. Sort of. A spell that has gone horribly wrong leaves Molly to fend for herself and no one to turn to. She can't tell Ellen what's happened to her mother so that leaves weird and wonderful Pim. I loved his character. He brought spark and personality to the storyline and was a brilliant example of all things unique. He was understanding, not to mention reliable and gave off an air of honesty.
The most magical aspect of the storyline was the fantasy elements. It added such a lovely sense of whimsy. The only negative aspect for me was Molly's missing father and brothers. Her father was supposedly lost in Cuba, but the storyline didn't expand further on his character or lack thereof. For children, Molly's missing father may pose more questions than answers. A small gripe that also could also be used for further discussion with older children.
Whimsical and utterly lovely, Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars will enchant middle grade readers and adults alike. Children will adore the magical realism and the underlying storyline of friendship and acceptance. The monochrome illustrations throughout are simply lovely. A delight to read.
Pim has always been a strange boy, alone and marching to the beat of his own drum. Molly is drawn to his sense of wonder and whimsy, but with best friend Ellen beside her, would never dare approach him. Ellen, with her perfect home, perfect mother and perfect life. But when Molly's mother's spell goes horribly wrong, it's Pim she turns to for help.
Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars was a joyful and lovely middle grade read. Contemporary sprinkled with magic realism, the underlying story is about friendship, acceptance and learning the value that the grass isn't always greener. Molly is at that age where she's incredibly self conscious about how she's perceived. She see's best friend Ellen as having the perfect life, full of modern conveniences and so far removed from her own. She's inquisitive, but wants nothing more for her mother to be normal. Until she suddenly doesn't have a mother. Sort of. A spell that has gone horribly wrong leaves Molly to fend for herself and no one to turn to. She can't tell Ellen what's happened to her mother so that leaves weird and wonderful Pim. I loved his character. He brought spark and personality to the storyline and was a brilliant example of all things unique. He was understanding, not to mention reliable and gave off an air of honesty.
The most magical aspect of the storyline was the fantasy elements. It added such a lovely sense of whimsy. The only negative aspect for me was Molly's missing father and brothers. Her father was supposedly lost in Cuba, but the storyline didn't expand further on his character or lack thereof. For children, Molly's missing father may pose more questions than answers. A small gripe that also could also be used for further discussion with older children.
Whimsical and utterly lovely, Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars will enchant middle grade readers and adults alike. Children will adore the magical realism and the underlying storyline of friendship and acceptance. The monochrome illustrations throughout are simply lovely. A delight to read.
Anyone But Ivy Pocket Ivy Pocket Book One
Written by Caleb Krisp
Middle Grade, Fantasy, Humour
Published May 1st 2015
320 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
★★★★★
Ivy Pocket is a twelve year old maid of no importance, with a very lofty opinion of herself. Dumped in Paris by the Countess Carbunkle, who would rather run away to South America than continue in Ivy's companionship, our young heroine, of sorts, finds herself with no money and no home to go to...Until she is summoned to the bedside of the dying Duchess of Trinity.For the princely sum of £500, enough to buy a carriage, and possibly a monkey, Ivy agrees to courier the Duchess's most precious possession, the Clock Diamond, to England, and to put it around the neck of the revolting Matilda Butterfield on her twelfth birthday. It's not long before Ivy finds herself at the heart of a conspiracy involving mischief, mayhem and murder.Illustrated in humorous gothic detail by Iacopo Bruno, Anyone But Ivy Pocket is just the beginning of one girl's deadly comic journey to discover who she really is...
Twelve year old Ivy Pocket is a young lady of worldly proportions. Plucked from an orphanage where she doesn't remember her parents, but is certain they were utterly fabulous and adored her nonetheless. After working as a maid for a horrendous Countess in Paris, who clearly doesn't deserve her expertise, Ivy finds herself homeless, penniless and over qualified for a dreary maid position. So when Ivy is summoned by the dying Duchess of Trinity for an errand, she's promised enough money for a new life and to return to England. On one condition. She must deliver a priceless heirloom in The Clock Diamond, a necklace that is to be presented to a one Miss Matilda Butterfield, a horrible an entitled girl and the granddaughter of The Duchesses estranged friend.
The Clock Diamond isn't what it seems and Ivy will find herself at the center of a vicious hunt to obtain the Diamond, at any cost. But behind the confidence and bravado, Ivy is just a girl who feels abandoned, unloved and is seeking the happily ever after she so desperately deserves.
Once in a while a book comes along that you utterly fall head over heels in love with. Ivy Pocket, you are incredible. Ivy is a character you're never likely to forget. Only twelve, but she's full of self importance and tall tales about her life. She's brash, arrogant and quite rude... But Ivy sees her meddling and astute observations as a wonderful character trait, often baffled at the overreaction of those she's kind enough to grace her opinions with. But for all of Ivy's flaws, I found her fabulously flamboyant, dramatic and incredibly charming. In her short amount of years, Ivy has had to grow up without parents to guide her, and although she'll boast of her impeccable social skills, Ivy has never had a true friend. Until now. But Ivy is naive and although she'll tell you otherwise, she's easily manipulated and finds herself embroiled in a deceptive scheme to steal the necklace, not leaving the twelve year old knowing who to trust.
Ivy's adventure is hilarious, entertaining and wonderfully written. Too often, books intended for middle grade readers tend to force a hidden meaning, educating the reader and forgotten are the core elements of children and middle grade novels, to have fun, to delight, to charm and entertain and author Caleb Krisp has done exactly that, intelligent humour. I absolutely adored Ivy. Her sassy quips, her ability to pay backhanded compliments with so much flare and pizazz had me giggling myself silly.
Without a doubt, Anyone But Ivy Pocket is one of the most hilarious, sassy and entertaining middle grade that you'll ever have the pleasure of reading.
Written by Barry Jonsberg
Apocalyptic, Australian
Published April 2015
336 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
★★★★ Pandora Jones's problems appear insurmountable. She must convince her team that nothing is as it seems and that they must escape and expose The School to save the world from the plague she unwittingly inflicted on it. The only thing Pan has on her side is her gift of intuition, and her belief in the people she cares about.
But with the clock ticking, can she find a way to stop the plague, and should she do it at any cost?Pan and her friends face off against the might of The School as the final pieces fall into place in the hugely compelling Pandora Jones series.
Yet again, Pandora finds herself back at The School, her adventure with Jen coming to an abrupt halt when the duo were recaptured... But not before confirmation that their world is a lie. But the vision The School holds will come to fruition in less than three months, a man made virus released into society and sure to kill their families and loved ones. But before she can gather the support of her team, Pandora must again convince Jen of the world outside the walls, The School imbedding new memories into her mind of the destruction and devastation that is yet to exist.
But with her ability to manipulate memories, Pandora shares her visions of their escape with her team. With their new found knowledge, the team gather to take on The School, angry at their plan to not only eradicate life from the world but taking the teens from their families and manipulating them to do their bidding. The School have trained and honed their skills, now the group of teens must use it against those who have kept them captive.
It's a suicide mission. Not everyone will make it out alive, but will the teens make it back to their families and stop the spread of the virus before it's too late?
Teens were pulled from the streets during an epidemic, which the population of Australia had fallen victim to. The flu like symptoms were said to have killed entire communities, including the families of the teens now housed behind the vast walls of The School. But where the newly formed compound seemed to obey without question, it was Pandora who's intuition screamed The School wasn't the safe haven they claimed to be, and she was right. She questioned authority and used what The School has instilled in the students, against them. I adored her character and in Reckoning in particular, Pandora morphs into an incredibly tough and determined young woman. I cheered her on and championed her cause, using her abilities against those who manipulated her and leaving me feeling like a proud parent.
It's a suicide mission. Not everyone will make it out alive, but will the teens make it back to their families and stop the spread of the virus before it's too late?
The Pandora Jones series has been yet another example why Australian young adult is leading the charge into a new era of reading. Barry Jonsberg has crafted a series that puts romance on the back burner, features an intelligent heroine in Pandora and is supported by a brilliant cast of secondary characters, all incredible in their own right. There's no messy romance or love triangles, it's characters are diverse and it breaks the mould of what we've come to expect in young adult, with no excess drama or angst.Kelly's Thoughts
Teens were pulled from the streets during an epidemic, which the population of Australia had fallen victim to. The flu like symptoms were said to have killed entire communities, including the families of the teens now housed behind the vast walls of The School. But where the newly formed compound seemed to obey without question, it was Pandora who's intuition screamed The School wasn't the safe haven they claimed to be, and she was right. She questioned authority and used what The School has instilled in the students, against them. I adored her character and in Reckoning in particular, Pandora morphs into an incredibly tough and determined young woman. I cheered her on and championed her cause, using her abilities against those who manipulated her and leaving me feeling like a proud parent.
It's one of the first character based apocalyptic series I've read, and it was incredible. It allowed me to connect with the characters foremost, before exploring their wonderfully constructed world around them. A brilliant finale that had me completely hooked, with one exception. To sedate my inner need for complete conclusion, it needed an epilogue. I'm hoping it may be leaving room for a novella or fourth book in the near future.The final Verdict
Written by Maria Dahvana Headley
Fantasy, Paranormal
Expected Publication April 27th 2015
320 Pages
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
★★★★★
Aza Ray Boyle is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak, to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who's always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more than friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world, and found, by another. Magonia.Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power, but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza's hands lies fate of the whole of humanity, including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?
Written by Skye Melki - Wegner
Fantasy, Musical
Expected Publication March 2nd 2015
448 Pages
Thank you to Random House Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
Chester is on the road, searching every town for clues about his father and why he disappeared.But when he's caught accidentally, and illegally, connecting with the Song as he plays his beloved fiddle, Chester is sentenced to death. Only a licensed Songshaper can bend music to their will. The axe is about to fall...But there is someone else watching Chester. Someone who needs his special talents. Who can use him for their own ends. And who knows the secrets of The Hush, where there is no music, only deadly Echoes who will steal your soul.Susannah is that someone. The young captain of the infamous Nightfall Gang, Susannah has plans for Chester. Finally, she will have her revenge.
Chester Hays has been on the road for months, using his fiddle in exchange for a warm meal, playing to raucous crowds in the small country towns. Playing itself isn't illegal, but it's only official Songshapers that have studied at the prestigious Conservatoruim who are permitted to connect to The Song. Music is a form of sorcery in Chester's world, and without training it now makes Chester and target and puts his life in danger.
Susannah is the leader of the notorious Nightfall Gang, known across the land for their thievery. Stealing from wealthy barons to give to the poor, the gang have been searching for an unregistered Songshaper to carry out their latest mission, to infiltrate the Conservatoruim. So when they Chester is captured and sentenced to death, Susannah's right hand man Sam saves Chester, leaving the young man in their debt.
But Chester is on a mission of his own after his father disappeared, and Chester has been searching for him ever since. In exchange for his service, the gang promises to share the secrets of The Hush, and alternative world where stray magic looms and monsters called Echoes lay in wait.
Susannah knows all too well what awaits Chester at the Conservatoruim, a suicide mission in order to reap revenge against those who have left her damaged. But as the two grow closer, can she hold the information Chester seeks to ransom, knowing he may never return?
Told as a third person narrative, it follows both Chester and the Nightfall Gang, Susannah, Sam, Dot and the fabulous Travis. They know all too well what the Conservatoruim is hiding, and plan on exposing their secrets and recruiting Chester for their cause. The world building is so incredibly vivid, switching from the realism of our world to The Hush, where sorcery creates a dark and dangerous landscape of rain and Echoes. A cross between middle grade and young adult, I was hooked from the very first page and was torn between flying through the pages and trying to savior the storyline.
I simply loved it. Fabulously written, Skye is the ultimate Australian fantasy fusion author for the young and young at heart. Although the storyline delivers the reader with a satisfied finale, I would love to see The Hush continued in what would no doubt be an epic adventure series. At this point, I'd read this girl's shopping list. She's just that incredible.
Susannah is the leader of the notorious Nightfall Gang, known across the land for their thievery. Stealing from wealthy barons to give to the poor, the gang have been searching for an unregistered Songshaper to carry out their latest mission, to infiltrate the Conservatoruim. So when they Chester is captured and sentenced to death, Susannah's right hand man Sam saves Chester, leaving the young man in their debt.
But Chester is on a mission of his own after his father disappeared, and Chester has been searching for him ever since. In exchange for his service, the gang promises to share the secrets of The Hush, and alternative world where stray magic looms and monsters called Echoes lay in wait.
Susannah knows all too well what awaits Chester at the Conservatoruim, a suicide mission in order to reap revenge against those who have left her damaged. But as the two grow closer, can she hold the information Chester seeks to ransom, knowing he may never return?
The Hush is a imaginative, engaging and enthralling fantasy, with elements of suspense and science fiction. Skye is one of my favourite authors, she creates vivid worlds in which readers can fully immerse themselves, likable characters and is an advocate for creating strong, but flawed heroines. She makes reading effortless and simply entertaining.Kelly's Thoughts
Told as a third person narrative, it follows both Chester and the Nightfall Gang, Susannah, Sam, Dot and the fabulous Travis. They know all too well what the Conservatoruim is hiding, and plan on exposing their secrets and recruiting Chester for their cause. The world building is so incredibly vivid, switching from the realism of our world to The Hush, where sorcery creates a dark and dangerous landscape of rain and Echoes. A cross between middle grade and young adult, I was hooked from the very first page and was torn between flying through the pages and trying to savior the storyline.
I simply loved it. Fabulously written, Skye is the ultimate Australian fantasy fusion author for the young and young at heart. Although the storyline delivers the reader with a satisfied finale, I would love to see The Hush continued in what would no doubt be an epic adventure series. At this point, I'd read this girl's shopping list. She's just that incredible.
Edited by Kirsty Murray, Payal Dhar and Anita Roy
Dystopian, Short Stories
Published January 2015
240 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
A ground breaking intercontinental collection of speculative stories, in both prose and graphic novel form, with contributors from India and Australia including Isobelle Carmody, Margo Lanagan, Nicki Greenberg and others of similar calibre.Be transported into dystopian cities and other worldly societies. Be amazed and beguiled by a nursery story with a reverse twist, a futuristic take on TV cooking shows, a playscript with tentacles, and more, much more. Plunge in and enjoy!A collection of science fiction and fantasy writing, including six graphic stories, showcasing twenty stellar writers and artists from India and Australia: Isobelle Carmody, Penni Russon, Justine Larbalestier, Margo Lanagan, Lily Mae Martin, Kuzhali Manickavel, Prabha Mallya, Annie Zaidi, Kate Constable, Vandana Singh, Mandy Ord, Priya Kuriyan, Manjula Padmanabhan, Samhita Arni, Alyssa Brugman, Nicki Greenberg and Amruta Patil.
Eat The Sky, Drink The Ocean is a compilation of both whimsical and illustrated short stories from both Australian and Indian Authors that stemmed from the power of women all around the world. Each story is based on a dystopian alternate reality and range from the engaging and quirky, to the strange yet enthralling. From the Australian dystopian story by Justine Larbalestier, author of Razorhurst comes Little Red Suit. The storyline follows Poppy, a girl who lives underground after decades of drought. Now cities are nothing more than ruins, which Poppy will need to navigate to reach her grandmother's house. Taking inspiration from Little Red Riding Hood, it's unique and packs a real punch. I would love to see it developed into a full length novel.
Each story wavers between dystopian, fantasy and magic realism, And although each are written by a different author, compliment each other beautifully. I loved the inclusion of the illustrated stories, but none more so than Swallow The Moon which is written and illustrated by Kate Constable and Priya Kuriyan. It tells the story of a community who now calls the forest home, where the young women make the long journey to the ocean, where they participate in a naming ceremony in the waters above a submerged civilization. A strong environmental message, it's powerful and beautifully illustrated.
Cooking Time is a quirky take on the worldwide Masterchef. In a world where citizens are fed by nutrition packs, the show offers contestants the opportunity to travel back through time to locations all over the world, where fresh food was still available. Contestants are the envy of the nation.
With seventeen incredible stories, including six beautifully illustrated from authors such as Kirsty Murray, Payal Dhar, Anita Roy, Samhita Arni, Alyssa Brugman, Isobelle Carmody, Kate Constable, Nicki Greenberg, Priya Kuriyan, Margo Lanagan, Justine Larbalestier and more. This compilation is the perfect gift for lovers of the written word. I loved it. Overall, it was incredibly engaging and charming and the transition from each story flowed beautifully from the selection of authors that complimented one another. One of the best young adult anthologies published.
There Will Be Lies
Written by Nick Lake
Contemporary, Diversity, Magic Realism
Published January 8th 2015
400 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Shelby Jane Cooper is seventeen, pretty and quiet. It's just Shelby and her mom, Shaylene, a court stenographer who wears pyjama jeans, stitches tapestry, eats ice-cream for dinner and likes to keep Shelby safe. So safe she barely goes out. So safe she doesn't go to school. Because anything could happen, to a girl like Shelby. Anything.
When Shelby gets knocked down by a car, it's not just her leg that's broken. Shelby's world is shattered. Her mom turns up to collect her and drives off into the night, like it's the beginning of a road trip, like two criminals on the run, like Thelma and Louise or Bonnie and Clyde. And somehow, everywhere she looks, there's a coyote watching her, talking to her, telling her not to believe.
Who is Shelby Jane Cooper? If the person who keeps you safe also tells you lies, who can you trust?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)