Must Read Aussies of 2016
Heads up mate, contains spoilers for other books in the series
Throne of Glass Book Six
Written by Sarah J Maas
Fantasy, Romance
672 Pages
Published September 5th 2017
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken. His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica, the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.
But what they discover in Antica will change them both, and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.
Chaol and random guard Nesryn rock up to Antica to ask the weird assortment of the asshole royal family to join their epic punch on, trying to win them over with trunks of tacky bling like a pair of cashed up bogans. They've got Buckley's as they're all flat out whinging who's going to be the next King. Chaol wants to see the magical Sheila they keep in a tower, hoping to get mates rates to fix his getaway sticks. Yrene is a Healer who couldn't give a shit about the new King's wingman but since she can't wait to piss off and go home, thinks fuck it and goes to work on the cranky prick. Fear not Shelia's, he's still up for a root as we're reminded until the cows come home.
Say g'day to Yrene. This little corker is still wet behind the ears but she's tough as old boots, living in a tower with other magical sheila's. Yrene thinks Chaol is a dead set mongrel by making a quid for the old King of Adarlan. While the kingdom was in all sorts, Chaol and Nesryn racked off and leaving Dorian and Chaol's former misses Aelin while Chaol pulls a sickie, legging it to find a few dipsticks to join their epic blue. No piece of piss mate.
While Nesryn pissed off to visit her family, he was flat out whinging to pay her any attention anyway and in walks Prince Sartaq. He's hot as and who can blame a sheila for having a perve. At least Yrene wasn't standing for his bullshit. Chaol's living in the royal castle like a bludger, with his own servant ready for happy endings. Fucked up royal wankers assuming he's rooting Nesryn but let's give him a half naked sheila to pull him off anyway. Thank fuck for Yrene. She cottoned on that he's not the prick she thought he was and wants to help him but Chaol thinks he'll be apples with his legs working again. Nice try son. Chaol was flogged with the King's magical lightning and is now feeling guilty for leaving his mates Dorian and Aelin and needs to stop telling furphies. He's not in good nick and needs to have a chin wag to someone.
Let me earbash you about Nesryn. This sheila is a glorified security guard for that Adarlan shithole and as exciting as watching paint dry. She's legging it because she's had a gut full of Chaol's whining and joins a royal gang of people who ride big birds. I shit you not. They'll all be cactus soon. That Duke Perrington prick is land grabbing and sending his army of demonic halfwits to mess shit up like Bogans at an Aldi sale. I was stoked the dack dropping was kept to a minimum. I don't care if characters are going at it but there's a time and place for it. Don't just whip out your old fellow.
It was a dog's breakfast in the beginning but went like the clappers once they all got their shit together. Chaol was hard done by in Empire of Storms but stoked he's got his own yarn to spin. I'm fanging for Yrene to meet Manon. Either they'll shack up or it'll be game on. Give it a burl, the second half goes off like a frog in a sock.
Let me earbash you about Nesryn. This sheila is a glorified security guard for that Adarlan shithole and as exciting as watching paint dry. She's legging it because she's had a gut full of Chaol's whining and joins a royal gang of people who ride big birds. I shit you not. They'll all be cactus soon. That Duke Perrington prick is land grabbing and sending his army of demonic halfwits to mess shit up like Bogans at an Aldi sale. I was stoked the dack dropping was kept to a minimum. I don't care if characters are going at it but there's a time and place for it. Don't just whip out your old fellow.
It was a dog's breakfast in the beginning but went like the clappers once they all got their shit together. Chaol was hard done by in Empire of Storms but stoked he's got his own yarn to spin. I'm fanging for Yrene to meet Manon. Either they'll shack up or it'll be game on. Give it a burl, the second half goes off like a frog in a sock.
Written by Sophie Hardcastle
Conteporary, Coming of Age, #LoveOzYA
Published July 12th 2016
320 Pages
Thanks to Hachette Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Nineteen minutes and eleven seconds separated us at birth. On the official documentation, he is older... Although it really has nothing to do with age. What it really means is that I am, and have always been, second.
Ben and Grace Walker are twins. Growing up in a sleepy coastal town it was inevitable they'd surf. Always close, they hung out more than most brothers and sisters, surfing together for hours as the sun melted into the sea. At seventeen, Ben is a rising surf star, the golden son and the boy all the girls fall in love with. Beside him, Grace feels like she is a mere reflection of his light. In their last year of school, the world beckons, full of possibility. For Grace, finishing exams and kissing Harley Matthews is just the beginning.
Then, one day, the unthinkable. The sun sets at noon and suddenly everything that was safe and predictable is lost. And everything unravels.
For Ben and Grace, the water has always been their first love and secondly, the bond the twins share with one another. Both born to the waves in the sleepy seaside town, it's Ben who shines brightly with Grace basking in the sunshine of her brother's achievements, a free spirit who is upheld by the community, his peers and Grace and Ben's parents.
Until her world falls apart.
Grace finds herself in a downward spiral of alcohol and drug abuse, numbing the darkness that threatens to overwhelm her now meager existence. The waves no longer call to her, the sunshine no longer warms her skin and for Grace Walker, it's easier to sink than swim.
My Thoughts
Breathing Under Water was immaculate. An emotional journey of teen grief, familial despair and those left behind. Grace has always lived within twin Ben's shadow, content in the role of Ben's sister, while Ben is on the verge of a professional surfing career. Ben and Grace share a tender and loving sibling connection and although Ben is popular and free spirited, he ensures Grace is never left behind. But the time has come for Grace to forge her own path into the world and when Harley Matthews returns to town, this may be the opportunity Grace needs to begin her life in the sunshine, rather than being protected by Ben's shadow.
But before Grace's life can begin, tragedy strikes and threatens to tear her family apart.
The aftermath of bereavement and loss is always confronting, especially within young adult reads as characters are often still forging their own paths in life. My heart ached for the Walker family. While Grace's mother becomes a shadow of her former self, her father throws himself into his work to avoid spending time with his family. Harley begins to isolate himself from Grace, leaving Grace to rely on emotionally absent parents, the ever growing divide between herself and best friend Mia and Jake, Ben's best friend who is content to ride a downward spiral into alcohol and drug abuse, taking Grace along for the ride.
I found Grace's method of coping confronting, but entirely realistic. She's enabled by Jake who is content to drown his sorrows in a cocktail of alcohol and recreational drugs. She feels that no one other than Jake understands the sorrow in her life and cannot see past her own grief as she spirals out of control. As the Walker family unit begins to break down, it's Grace's best friend Mia who is isolated, abused by Grace herself when lashing out all whilst dealing with a drunken sexual assault in which her perpetrator was never held to account. It also highlighted how females who have been sexually assaulted or victims of rape, fail to report the assault to the authorities. I had hoped the friends in Mia's life would have addressed the issue, beyond Ben defending her honour with a show of male dominance. Seeing Mia's light extinguished, her once vibrant persona now withdrawn and I desperately wanted justice for her.
Set within a quintessential Australian coastal town, Sophie Hardcastle weaves a beautifully poignant story of loss, losing your way and how tragedy threatens to drown those left behind. The writing was delicate and lyrical, captivating from the very first page. Sophie Hardcastle is a phenomenal author who will no doubt become an Australian favourite with teens for many generations to come.
Gazing at the splinters of a life once lived, I finally come to see life for all that it is. We breathe, for a while, and then we come to rest. We become the earth, the clouds and the deep sea currents, the summer swells and the winter tides.
Written by Fleur Ferris
Contemporary, Mystery, #LoveOzYA
Published July 22nd 2016
276 Pages
Thank you to Random House Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Ebony Marshall is in her final year of high school. Five months, two weeks and four days... She can't wait to leave the town where she's known only as Black. Because of her name, of course. But for another reason, too.
Everyone says Black Marshall is cursed.
Three of her best friends have died in tragic accidents. After Oscar, the whispers started. Now she's used to being on her own. It's easier that way.
But when her date for the formal ends up in intensive care, something in quiet little Dainsfield starts to stir. Old secrets are revealed and terrifying new dangers emerge.
If only Black could put all the pieces together, she could work out who her real enemies are. Should she run for her life, or stay and fight?
Seventeen year old Ebony Marshall, social pariah and simply known within her small country town as Black. In her final year of school, Ebony works part time at the local water treatment plant, her father's own enterprise that provides clean water for the region. But Black has always lived her life on the fringe, the girl for who tragedy defined her and left her ostracised by her community and peers who believed ebony is damned. All except new student Aiden.
Aiden has heard the rumours, but befriends ebony against despite the dire warnings of the curse of Black Marshall. As the teens form a tentative friendship against all odds, Aiden is hospitalized. Only this time, the curse of Black Marshall has taken a dangerous direction with deadly consequences.
The Pure Apostles fuel the fears of the Whispers, a devoted group community members who follow the teachings of Father Ratchet. Five months, two weeks, and four days is all that separates Black and freedom, freedom from the Whisperers and small town ideals.
Until the Pure Apostles see Ebony as a threat.
And come for her.
My Thoughts
Fleur Ferris is spectacular. Black was a brilliant blend of a contemporary, mystery and exploring small town prejudice and one girl's fight to live. Ebony Marshall's young life has experienced devastating grief, but yet the seventeen year old is still able to hold her head high despite now being a social pariah. Once affectionately known as Black, now it holds negative connotations after losing multiple friends in devastating accidents. Her only friend is her work colleague Ed, only a few years Ebony's senior and someone who has never judged her as others have, as a curse and plight on the small community of Dainsfield.
What endeared me to Ebony was her determination and resilience. She's been subjected to the taunts of her peers and given a wide birth by the community since losing her small group of friends at such a tender age, labelled as a curse and unable to grieve for all she had lost. Ebony refuses to be bullied or belittled, especially against those who the Pure Apostles have convinced Ebony is a threat to their children and community. It's after Ebony begins to develop a relationship with new student Aiden when the Whisperers begin an aggressive campaign against the teen, when an accident sees Aiden's life holding by a thread and the small town of Dainsfield begins to unravel.
The Pure Apostles are a religious cult, with a history devoted to exorcising demons. Ebony has been labelled as a threat since conception and as the secrets of Dainsfield threaten to erupt, Ebony will need to fight or risk becoming yet another urban legend. The Whisperers were undeniably alarming, following the teachings of Father Ratchet who is the driving force behind the curse of Black Marshall. Ebony is watched, monitored all by a group who remains anonymous, leaving the reader unaware of which characters belong to the unhinged congregation. Ebony's storyline may be fictional, but all too similar to cases all over the world where religious leaders have faith cleansed parishioners in similar circumstances, giving Black's storyline an eerie and unsettling emotive.
Although Incredibly disturbing, Black was completely riveting. I was unable to tear myself away from Ebony's narrative and the town of Dainsfield brought to life. Fleur Ferris is a remarkable storyteller, sharp, accomplished and confident. I loved the unpredictability. It left me feeling unsettled and reading long into the night. Absolutely compelling and I loved every moment.
The Nevernight Chronicle Book One
Written by Jay Kristoff
Fantasy, Mature Themes, Sexy Sexy Times
July 25th 2016
496 Pages
Thank you to Harper Collins
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
Destined to destroy empires, Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.
Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything.
But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.
The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student. The shadows love her. And they drink her fear.
Ten year old Mia Covere will never forget how her father was sent to death, an example of a rebellion at the mercy of the executioner's taunts. Her mother and brother ripped from her grasp, taken against their will while Mia awaited her own fate. Armed, Mia escapes with her life and the clothes on her back only to be found by a man who would train her in the fine art of revenge. And Mia wants to bring down an empire.
Six years of training have prepared her for The Red Church, a hidden institute that will sharpen her skills into that of a trained assassin. A Darkin cloaked in shadows for protection, Mia is but one of thirty students entering the fray, pledging their lives to Our Lady of Blessed Murder in the hopes of becoming a Blade. But within the cold, stone walls lies a killer among assassins, an Acolyte who is as bloodthirsty as they are merciless.
Only four Acolytes will become Blades, the remaining who survive will become Hands, destined to serve in silence. But Mia never expected to find allies within the walls of the covert church, or betrayal.
Never flinch. Never fear. Never forget.
My Thoughts
Nevernight is a phenomenal read. A mixture of fantasy, violence and lust through the eyes of sixteen year old Mia, a trained assassin seeking revenge. For the past six years, Mia has carried the pain of her father's death, sentenced as a revolutionary who turned his back on the empire. Her mother and infant brother, cruelly ripped from her life on the day in which Mia was no longer expected to live. But yet, she escaped. Mia's story is harrowing. Once having lived a life of wealth and nobility, at the tender age of only ten years old she is facing life on the streets. Rescued by a man who taught with a firm hand and soothed Mia's longing for the family she mourns.
Mia is fierce but won't allow herself to be underestimated. Drawing comfort from the shadows, she refuses to become a victim and seeks the guidance of the secretive murder cult, The Red Church. I loved her character. Under her layers of bravado, she's also a sixteen year old girl who wants to feel a sense of belonging. She isn't afraid to die but of feeling more than disdain for others, refusing to form alliances and exposing her vulnerability.
The Red Church is a congregation steeped in history, a secret set beneath the mountains where they teach the fine art of butchery through stealth combat, potions and seduction. Thirty Acolytes will train as assassins, but only four will achieve the status of Blade. The rivalry between the Acolytes is viscous, most having been brought from esteemed families who also trained at the covert institute. The name Covere carries a disgrace which makes Mia a target and a threat.
The romance is an attraction and comradery, rather than the typical romantic relationship. Mia seeks out a no strings attached, sexual relationship with her ally and fellow Acolyte Tric. The sex scenes are descriptive but wonderfully written. They allow Mia's character not only a release but allow her power over her own sexual gratification. I love books that are sex positive and allow characters to want with abandon.
The footnotes included throughout the storyline were a brilliant concept, but I found the footnotes didn't work for me personally and neglecting to read them beyond the first few chapters never once impacted my reading experience as I still enjoyed it nevertheless. Although I struggled within the first few chapters, the storyline was intricately woven and truly stunning. The dialogue between the characters reminded me of a rich and luscious historical fiction. I loved the mixture of formal titles with colourful language and only proves how Australian authors continue to breathe realism into their teen characters, even assassins who are bloodthirsty and violent.
I loved it. The ending left me breathless if not slightly bewildered and holy fuck, I loved every moment. Jay Kristoff, you're fucking awesome.
When Michael Met Mina
Written by Randa Abdel - Fattah
Contemporary, Social / Political, #LoveOzYA
Published June 28th 2016
360 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
★★★★
Before Mina, my life was like a completed jigsaw puzzle but Mina has pushed the puzzle onto the floor. I have to start all over again, figuring out where the pieces go.
When Michael meets Mina, they are at a rally for refugees , standing on opposite sides.
Mina fled Afghanistan with her mother via a refugee camp, a leaky boat and a detention centre. Michael's parents have founded a new political party called Aussie Values.
They want to stop the boats. Mina wants to stop the hate.
When Mina wins a scholarship to Michael's private school, their lives crash together blindingly.
A novel for anyone who wants to fight for love, and against injustice.
Life for Mina and her mother has been harrowing. A young child and a single mother forced to leave war torn Afghanistan for the inhumane conditions of a refugee camp. Desperate to reach asylum, they seek refuge in Australia only to be detained and begin their new life behind the fence of a detention centre. But now Mina has just been granted a scholarship at one of the most prestigious schools in Sydney, and is moving to the leafy and affluent suburbs to begin her new life in what is seemingly a sterile environment where ethnicity determines your status as a member of the community.
Michael's family believe in an Australia that preaches white, anglo saxon values and assimilation for those who immigrate to our shores. Michael's father is on the cusp of forming a new political party in Aussie Values, spreading the message of selective immigration and the misguided notion that Islam funds terrorism. Michael believes what his parents are campaigning for from their safe and affluent leafy suburb, until he meets new girl Mina who leaves him questioning his beliefs.
Mina is unlike anyone Michael has ever met. She's passionate, beautiful and isn't afraid to stand against casual racism among our multicultural communities. Through Mina's eyes, Michael starts to learn that perhaps his parents values aren't that of his own and forges his own path. But when Mina's family is made a target of his father's Aussie Values campaign, can Michael stand against injustice?
My Thoughts
When Michael Met Mina was an emotionally and politically charged read that ignites passionate debate between Australians. Told from dual points of view, Michael is a quiet young man who has been raised in a household with strong social beliefs. His father is head of the Aussie Values political group who support policies of stopping the refugee boats and denying those seeking asylum and scaremongering amongst supporters to believe Australia will be overrun, making our lives poorer for the intake in new citizens. There's a misconception within the media and our nation's political parties that those seeking asylum aren't genuine refugees, because they choose to seek refuge in Australia, often arriving via Indonesian people smugglers. It's these media reports in which the Aussie Values campaign is based and almost identical to the Reclaim Australia movement. Parents tend to instill their own morals and beliefs on their children, so Michael's character has always been surrounded by those with strong, misguided opinions. But that is about to change when rather than having opinions based on familial morals and the media, he discovers what is means to seek asylum from Mina, a girl who has lived through the ordeal.
Mina is intelligent, articulate, passionate and not afraid to speak out against injustice. She's been through a harrowing journey, leaving the only life she had ever known to travel to Australia with her mother to seek refuge, only to be detained. It's a storyline pulled from the Australian headlines, asylum seekers being detained, often taking years before they are allowed to call Australia home or returned to their homeland, trading security for living a meager existence in limbo.
I grew up in a time where Aussie Values were the basis in so many homes. We watched series like Kingswood Country, where Aussie larrikin Ted Bullpit told his son in law to leave your money on the fridge wog and casual racism was part of our dialect. Australia has since grown as a nation and Michael's character reflects our need for compassion both socially and politically. Michael was a product of his environment as was Mina, but both on either end of the spectrum.
Michael blindly believes what his parents have instilled in him and hasn't yet formed his own opinions. He soon realises how discriminatory his opinion is after seeing Mina hurt by his misguided accusations, although Mina's passion could easily be mistaken for anger. I loved how fierce her opinions were but her character often felt abrasive. But through a shared compassion, both Mina and Michael were able to grow as characters. The slow burning romance was absolutely lovely. Mina was able to see that Michael was more than his father's organisation and in turn, Michael begun to form his own opinions through Mina's experiences.
When Michael Met Mina is the book that young adult has been desperately deprived of. Confident, relevant, beautifully written and intensely passionate with a strong moral compass.
I grew up in a time where Aussie Values were the basis in so many homes. We watched series like Kingswood Country, where Aussie larrikin Ted Bullpit told his son in law to leave your money on the fridge wog and casual racism was part of our dialect. Australia has since grown as a nation and Michael's character reflects our need for compassion both socially and politically. Michael was a product of his environment as was Mina, but both on either end of the spectrum.
Michael blindly believes what his parents have instilled in him and hasn't yet formed his own opinions. He soon realises how discriminatory his opinion is after seeing Mina hurt by his misguided accusations, although Mina's passion could easily be mistaken for anger. I loved how fierce her opinions were but her character often felt abrasive. But through a shared compassion, both Mina and Michael were able to grow as characters. The slow burning romance was absolutely lovely. Mina was able to see that Michael was more than his father's organisation and in turn, Michael begun to form his own opinions through Mina's experiences.
When Michael Met Mina is the book that young adult has been desperately deprived of. Confident, relevant, beautifully written and intensely passionate with a strong moral compass.
Written by Claire Zorn
Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, #LoveOzYA
Published June 30th 2016
320 Pages
Thank you to UQP
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
Sam stared at the picture of the boy about to be tipped off the edge of the world, the crushing weight of water about to pummel him. Sam knew that moment exactly, the disbelief that what was about to happen could even be possible. The intake of breath before the flood.
Sam has always had things going on in his head that no one else understands, even his mum. And now she’s dead, it’s worse than ever.
With nothing but his skateboard and a few belongings in a garbage bag, Sam goes to live with the strangers his mum cut ties with seven years ago: Aunty Lorraine and his cousins Shane and Minty.
Despite the suspicion and hostility emanating from their fibro shack, Sam reverts to his childhood habit of following Minty around and is soon surfing with Minty to cut through the static fuzz in his head. But as the days slowly meld into one another, and ghosts from the past reappear, Sam has to make the ultimate decision... Will he sink or will he swim.
Seventeen year old Sam is waiting at the hospital for his new life to arrive, packing up his meager belongings and leaving Sydney for the surf coast after his mother passed away unexpectedly. His only known relative is his estranged aunt Lorraine and her two boys, having never known his father, his mother adamant until the very end. Now Sam finds himself on a folding camp bed in Lorraine's spare room, much to the disgust of cousin Shane who has made it clear Sam isn't welcome. It's Shane's younger brother Minty who takes Sam under his wing, once firm friends and a support for one another as children.
Minty is a local hero, on the verge of a professional surfing career in a town where surf culture flows through their veins. Sam has never surfed before, but is a passionate amateur meteorologist who can see patterns in weather and waves. Sam begins to use the water as an escape, from his sense of abandonment and the burden his new home until he comes of age. It's there where he meets new resident Gretchen, now a local girl from an affluent family who deserves far more than Sam has of himself to give.
Sam's life plunges into darkness, struggling with his grief and resorting to physical violence. His once bright future his mother had envisioned, having slipped through his fingers the moment his mother died in his arms.
My Thoughts
One Would Think The Deep is an honest and unflinching account of Australia and it's often backwater culture. Sam is an intelligent young man whose passion for music is only surpassed by his love of meteorology. Until his mother dies suddenly and leaves Sam stranded with his estranged aunt. Sam is a multilayered and complex young man, he feels the loss of his mother so deeply but rather than grieve, he uses the water as an escape. My heart ached for Sam. Losing his only parent and now having moved into a testosterone filled home with virtual strangers. Sam is from an era where boys are seen as effeminate and their sexualty challenged when showing emotional weakness, it's the harden up mentality that is still instilled in young men around the country today.
As children, Sam and Minty were inseparable and although seven years has passed, their friendship remains effortless and steadfast. Minty is a character that on the surface, is jovial and carefree but feels the pressure of entering the professional surfing circuit and the expectations placed upon him by older brother Shane. Minty spends his days looking for the next big wave, while spending his nights in the company of local girls often at the expensive of best friend Ruby's feelings. As much as I enjoyed Minty's character, he and Shane's attitude towards females was often deplorable.
I adored Ruby's character. Adopted by a local family, she's Minty's best friend who pines for more but refuses to become just another sexual devotee. Ruby is also struggling with her sense of self, feeling as she doesn't quite belong. She's a strong and determined young woman who wants to make something of her life beyond the sleepy coastal town.
Sam's love interest Gretchen was lovely. It's clear that she and Sam are attracted to one another, but Sam is struggling with his grief and is heading down the path of self destruction, refusing to hurt Gretchen in the process. He begins to find fulfillment in violence, the one condition that his aunt Lorraine will not stand for and has places boundaries upon his stay.
Not being a fan of the surf culture, I could still relate to Sam's struggle and how he depended on the water as a means of escape. I loved the musical references, especially being a long time fan of the late Jeff Buckley and remembering his death during the nineties when One Would Think The Deep takes place. His crooning often soothed the restless souls of teens all over the world with his poignant lyrics, myself included. I could vividly imagine Sam laying on his camp bed in Lorraine's spare room. Through music, it allowed me to connect with Sam's character on a deeper level.
Claire Zorn is an incredible author who isn't afraid delve into the Australian cultural landscape, creating realistic and remarkable characters. One Would Think The Deep will provide readers with a sense of nostalgia of a nonchalant era that was often brutal and politically incorrect. Sam's story is heartbreaking and incredibly poignant, ensuring a beautiful and introspective read.
As children, Sam and Minty were inseparable and although seven years has passed, their friendship remains effortless and steadfast. Minty is a character that on the surface, is jovial and carefree but feels the pressure of entering the professional surfing circuit and the expectations placed upon him by older brother Shane. Minty spends his days looking for the next big wave, while spending his nights in the company of local girls often at the expensive of best friend Ruby's feelings. As much as I enjoyed Minty's character, he and Shane's attitude towards females was often deplorable.
'That her? Shit. Let me know when you're finished,'
The guys talked about every girl that walked past. Whether they'd do her with the lights on or off, that kind of thing. Minty wouldn't join in exactly, but he'd laugh. He'd call Shane a dirty bastard as if it were endearing to reduce girls you'd been with to bits of meat.Sadly the male pack mentality also extended to Sam, who may not have engaged in crude comments but enabled those around him by staying silent. Sadly it reminded me of my own experiences as a teen, where casual sexism and misogyny were applauded by teens males.
I adored Ruby's character. Adopted by a local family, she's Minty's best friend who pines for more but refuses to become just another sexual devotee. Ruby is also struggling with her sense of self, feeling as she doesn't quite belong. She's a strong and determined young woman who wants to make something of her life beyond the sleepy coastal town.
Sam's love interest Gretchen was lovely. It's clear that she and Sam are attracted to one another, but Sam is struggling with his grief and is heading down the path of self destruction, refusing to hurt Gretchen in the process. He begins to find fulfillment in violence, the one condition that his aunt Lorraine will not stand for and has places boundaries upon his stay.
Not being a fan of the surf culture, I could still relate to Sam's struggle and how he depended on the water as a means of escape. I loved the musical references, especially being a long time fan of the late Jeff Buckley and remembering his death during the nineties when One Would Think The Deep takes place. His crooning often soothed the restless souls of teens all over the world with his poignant lyrics, myself included. I could vividly imagine Sam laying on his camp bed in Lorraine's spare room. Through music, it allowed me to connect with Sam's character on a deeper level.
Claire Zorn is an incredible author who isn't afraid delve into the Australian cultural landscape, creating realistic and remarkable characters. One Would Think The Deep will provide readers with a sense of nostalgia of a nonchalant era that was often brutal and politically incorrect. Sam's story is heartbreaking and incredibly poignant, ensuring a beautiful and introspective read.
Written by Shivaun Plozza
Contemporary, Mystery
Published March 23rd 2016
320 Pages
Thank you to Penguin Teen Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Frankie Vega is angry. Just ask the guy whose nose she broke. Or the cop investigating the burglary she witnessed, or her cheating ex boyfriend or her aunt who's tired of giving second chances...When a kid shows up claiming to be Frankie's half brother, it opens the door to a past she doesn't want to remember. And when that kid goes missing, the only person willing to help is a boy with stupidly blue eyes... And secrets of his own.Frankie's search for the truth could change her life, or cost her everything.
Textbook weapon wielding, sassy and smart mouthed. Meet the princess of Collingwood, seventeen year old Frankie Vega who finds herself on yet another suspension.
It's always been Frankie and her Aunt Vinnie against the world, having taken in then four year old Frankie after her mother had abandoned her. Now Frankie spends her days working in Vinnie's kebab shop, suspended over yet another violent outburst when she receives a call that will change her life.
Artistic, sarcastic and criminally minded fourteen year old Xavier is Frankie's half brother, sharing the same self absorbed mother tha abandoned her all those years ago. He now lives with his father in a small, run down suburban home while being beaten, neglected and forced into crime in order to make ends meet. Frankie knows all too well what it's like to be abandoned and despite her inability to trust others, she feels a familial connection to Xavier and the two half siblings form a tentative relationship. Then Xavier disappears.
While the search continues, Frankie's about to be expelled, her best friend refuses to speak to her and Vinnie no longer trusts her, yet again disappointing her aunt who has raised her as her own. With his father more concerned with his missing credit card funds and a gruff detective refusing investigate his disappearance, the last person to have seen Xavier is the blue eyed, petty criminal Nate. Reluctantly, Nate decides to help Frankie but as the two delve deeper into Xavier's disappearance, Frankie's will need to pick up the pieces of her fractured life or risk losing it all.
Frankie is without a doubt, the most compelling debut in young adult since Stolen by Lucy Christopher. It's an utterly enchanting blend of attitude, sass and an engaging storyline as told through the eyes of one of the most likable protagonists in young adult today. Although she's always lived with the hurt of abandonment, Frankie is incredibly fierce and doesn't allow the failures of her mother to define her. She and aunt Vinnie live above Vinnie's kebab shop in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood, with an eclectic mix of diversity and crime. It's here that Frankie now finds herself working, having been suspended from school after another violent outburst, when she is contacted by Xavier claiming to be her half brother.Kelly's Thoughts
Xavier too has his own issues, the fourteen year old just having moved to Melbourne from Queensland with his abusive, gruff father. The very same man that Frankie's mother had abandoned her for all those years ago. Perhaps Xavier is the only person who may understand how Frankie is feeling but then Xavier vanishes. The local detectives see Xavier as just another runaway, the Vega name not worthy of their time so Frankie takes the investigation into her own hands and enlists the help of local neighbourhood burglar Nate. Possibly the only person to know of Xavier's whereabouts... Or who cares.
My heart ached for Frankie as she felt she had nowhere to turn for help. Vinnie, although such pillar of strength and support in Frankie's life, was tired of her antics. Suspended for a violent incident at school, to return Frankie is forced to plead her case. In between her therapy sessions with the infuriatingly passive Daniel, the only calming presence in Frankie's life is her best friend in Cara but lately their friendship is also at breaking point. Frankie's sole focus is that of finding her brother which means breaking curfew, disregarding Vinnie, school and visiting the seedy underbelly of the northern suburbs of Melbourne to find him. What struck me most was how genuine Frankie's character felt and realistically flawed.
The romance was barely there, but the attraction between Frankie and Nate was intense and dangerously sexy. Nate's character smoulders, but underneath his couldn't care less bravado lies a boy does what he can to survive, rather than just another petty thief. Although both were dealing with their own issues, they slowly begun to rely on one another for support and companionship.
Frankie is Melbourne. From the language, diversity to the uniqueness of the northern suburbs. During my teen years, these were my people. From the streets of Reservoir to Victoria Park, the Preston Market to the factory outlets along Smith Street Collingwood, it was so incredibly vivid and beautifully written with such an honesty of how fundamentally flawed life in general is.The Final Verdict
Shivaun Plozza, you are a force to be reckoned with. Shivaun is an author who brings stories to life through her characters, her intensity and honesty. A remarkable debut from an author who captured me from the very first page.
Written by Helen Chebatte
Contemporary, Australian
Published February 1st 2016
240 Pages
Thanks to Hardie Grant Egmont
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
What happens when you mix teenage boys, a fight club and ethnic rivalries? You get war.Romeo Makhlouf knows the rules. Stick with your own kind. Don't dob on your mates or even on your enemies. Respect the family.But even unwritten rules are made for breaking.Fight clubs, first loves and family ties are pushed to the limit in Helen Chebatte's explosive first novel.
At Christian Boys College, the rules are simple. You never stray from your own group, you never make a move on a girl someone else is already interested in and you never tell. Take the fall yourself if need be. Sixteen year old Romeo Makhlouf knows how the system works. He attends school, does enough homework to get by and he and best friend Diz relish lunchtime, where they can escape the Lebanese dishes of home for half an hour. They know their place within the school hierarchy. Lebanese boys are tough, honourable and never back down from a challenge.
Australian, Asian, Maori or Lebanese, the boys stay within their social groups until a shared kiss at a party has Romeo being challenged by Luke Palmer, an Aussie who sees Romeo as a threat and makes former girlfriend Stefanie the heated whispers of conversations. Defending his honour, Romeo ends up a YouTube hero, taking Palmer down and embarrassing the young Australian. But that's not where this story ends.
It ends in heartache. It ends with wanting to unite and end the social segregation. It ends with a threat of expulsion, an illegal fight club and changing attitudes of a group of young men that will come to understand that violence is never the answer.
Kelly's Thoughts
I apologise now for the rant.
I grew up in the nineties when I was a teen. The Northern suburbs of Melbourne were a diverse and cultural blend, where your street may have resembled members of the United Nations. I attended a same sex school, much as the same as the connecting school of Saint Adele College and Christian Boys where the storyline takes place. Bro could have been my teen experience. It could have been the same stereotypical cultural groups that continued the trend of segregation. If you were an Aussie meaning Caucasian Anglo Saxon, you were friends with other Caucasian Anglo Saxon teens, the same if you were Maori, Asian and Lebanese as seen in Bro. My high school had a large Lebanese community and we experienced the same segregation and even being a girls college, there were physical fights and weapons used. Back then, we didn't question why, that's how it worked. You stayed within your own group and it took a strong individual to stray from their own group and befriend others. It didn't happen often.
Anyone reading Bro that sees the issue of the us verses them mentality as being unrealistic, has never lived in working class and diverse suburbs. It even happens as adults. We may not involve ourselves in physical conflict, but even our close social circles tend to be formed from the same basis. Like attracts like and I find that incredibly sad that as Australians, we still find ourselves drawn to the same friendships with those who share our cultural beliefs and backgrounds, rather than expanding our circles. In Bro, Romeo finds himself torn. He was born in Australia to a Lebanese father, an Caucasian Anglo Saxon Australian mother, but lives what he sees as the Lebanese culture. Even as he identifies as being Australian, society still sees him as being Lebanese due to his heritage and the colour of his skin.
Apart from the islander teens or Fresh Off the Boat as they're known, the basis of Bro is Australian teen boys and those with a Lebanese background facing off in bouts of physical violence. A Fight Club is established where boys are pitted against one another for sport or entertainment. It's barbaric, but realistic. Less than a week ago in Melbourne, this happened. Teen violence is alive and thriving and the police aren't listening, nor are these mostly young men heeding the warning from authorities. Bro drives home the message of how we can't all grow up being raised in ivory towers. We share different cultural beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds, skin colour, language, sex, race, ability and the cycle never ends.
But through tragedy, Bro breaks the cycle of violence and rivalry and although the solution to violence in our communities isn't that simple, it does highlight the need for change in our attitudes and mentality.
I grew up in the nineties when I was a teen. The Northern suburbs of Melbourne were a diverse and cultural blend, where your street may have resembled members of the United Nations. I attended a same sex school, much as the same as the connecting school of Saint Adele College and Christian Boys where the storyline takes place. Bro could have been my teen experience. It could have been the same stereotypical cultural groups that continued the trend of segregation. If you were an Aussie meaning Caucasian Anglo Saxon, you were friends with other Caucasian Anglo Saxon teens, the same if you were Maori, Asian and Lebanese as seen in Bro. My high school had a large Lebanese community and we experienced the same segregation and even being a girls college, there were physical fights and weapons used. Back then, we didn't question why, that's how it worked. You stayed within your own group and it took a strong individual to stray from their own group and befriend others. It didn't happen often.
Anyone reading Bro that sees the issue of the us verses them mentality as being unrealistic, has never lived in working class and diverse suburbs. It even happens as adults. We may not involve ourselves in physical conflict, but even our close social circles tend to be formed from the same basis. Like attracts like and I find that incredibly sad that as Australians, we still find ourselves drawn to the same friendships with those who share our cultural beliefs and backgrounds, rather than expanding our circles. In Bro, Romeo finds himself torn. He was born in Australia to a Lebanese father, an Caucasian Anglo Saxon Australian mother, but lives what he sees as the Lebanese culture. Even as he identifies as being Australian, society still sees him as being Lebanese due to his heritage and the colour of his skin.
Apart from the islander teens or Fresh Off the Boat as they're known, the basis of Bro is Australian teen boys and those with a Lebanese background facing off in bouts of physical violence. A Fight Club is established where boys are pitted against one another for sport or entertainment. It's barbaric, but realistic. Less than a week ago in Melbourne, this happened. Teen violence is alive and thriving and the police aren't listening, nor are these mostly young men heeding the warning from authorities. Bro drives home the message of how we can't all grow up being raised in ivory towers. We share different cultural beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds, skin colour, language, sex, race, ability and the cycle never ends.
But through tragedy, Bro breaks the cycle of violence and rivalry and although the solution to violence in our communities isn't that simple, it does highlight the need for change in our attitudes and mentality.
Bro is such an important read not only for teens, but for Australians to understand the issue of teen violence within society and to discuss at a national level. Bro should be part of our schools curriculum, in every school library and addressed within youth groups nationwide. As Australians we need to openly discuss not only violence but diversity, our religious and cultural differences, grief, gender roles and the role they play in our history. But more importantly, how we can change and educate ourselves and Bro is a brilliantly written insight into diverse teen life of our suburbs.The final Verdict
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)