may contain mild spoilers for Aurora Rising
Aurora Rising Book Two
Written by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Science Fiction, Adventure, Australian
512 Pages
Published April 2020
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia
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Our heroes are back. Kind of.First, the bad news. An ancient evil, you know, your standard consume all life in the galaxy deal is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They've just got to take care of a few small distractions first.Like the clan of Gremps who'd like to rearrange their favourite faces. And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who'll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri. Then there's Kal's long lost sister, who's not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it's time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them but time is short, and if Auri can't learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion's most unforgettable heroes and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.
See my review for Monuments
Monuments Book Two
Written by Will Kostakis
Fantasy, Adventure, LGBT, Australian
256 Pages
Published August 27th 2019
Thanks to Hachette Australia
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★★★★
Newbie gods Connor, Sally and Locky want to change the world, no biggie. But they're soon drawn into a centuries old conflict that just might destroy the world they're striving to make better. Book two in the Monuments fantasy duology from young adult superstar Will Kostakis.
With the Monuments gone, newbie gods Connor, Sally and Locky must stop the rebel gods from reducing the world to ruin. Trouble is, they don't know how.
While Sally searches for answers and Locky makes plans to change the world, Connor struggles to keep up appearances as an ordinary teenager. But when a rebel god offers them a deal to end the chaos, their lives are turned upside down and they're forced to reckon with the question: who should decide the fate of the world?
Coming to terms with their newfound Godly status, friends Sally, Connor and his totally dreamy boyfriend Locky are determined to find the estranged Rebel Gods before they wreak havoc upon the world. What's the point of being a God if you can't change the world for the better? When Locky decides to spread joy on the lawn of the local parish, turning their grass into the rainbow flag in opposition to their queerphobic agenda, he's suddenly thrust into the spotlight and making their task of keeping their Godly duties on the down low even harder. Sydney is awash with speculation, could the Gods really walk among the people? For Connor and Locky, it's no easy task dating a God but now with his newfound rockstar slash miracle status, Locky may have inadvertently placed their lives in even more danger, despite the threat of the two dangerous sisters living in the otherworld that threaten life as we know it.
Adventure is afoot my friends as Connor begins to accept the fate thrust upon him, a God that will never age, never able to stay in one place any longer than a few years or risk exposure and of course, telling his dear mother. The other light of his life. Although the Monuments duology is steeped in modern mythology and moments of hilarity, the heart of the narrative is friendship and finding our way into the world. Although generations of teens aren't supernatural godly beings, it's still entirely relatable. Teens invoking change and being the change they want to see within the world.
Rebel Gods explores the deeply queerphobic aspects of religion, those condoning intolerance and prejudice under the guise of religious ideology. Locky challenges the local parish, exposing himself in the process and although the Monuments series explores the urban fantasy narrative of Sydney, the characters are exposed to societal and community issues. It provides a realism beyond world ending scenarios and one of my favourite aspects of the series, besides the brilliant and entirely likeable characters.
A brilliant conclusion to the duology from one of Australia's most loved authors.
Written by Anna Morgan
Contemporary, LGBT, Mystery, Romance
Published September 29th 2020
240 Pages
Thanks to Hachette Australia
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★★★★
Schoolies week, that strange in between time when teenagers move from school into the adult world. It's a week when anything is possible, and everything can change.
Grace is questioning everything she thought about herself, and has opted not to join her clique of judgemental friends for schoolies, instead tagging along with her brother Casper and his friends. Casper, an artist, is trying to create the perfect artwork for his uni application folio. Overachieving, anxiety ridden Noah is reeling from a catastrophe that might have ruined his ATAR result. And Elsie is just trying to figure out how to hold their friendship group together.
On the first night of the trip, they meet Sierra, a mysterious girl with silver grey hair and a magnetic personality. All of them are drawn to her for different reasons, and she persuades them to abandon the cliched schoolies experience in favour of camping with her on a remote, uninhabited island. On that island, each of them will find answers to their questions. But what does Sierra want from them?
Grace is an attentive daughter, admired among her congregation and an intelligent scholarship recipient. While awaiting her results, Grace is contemplating an apprenticeship with her congregation, reluctantly deciding to spend her postschool celebrations with her brother Casper and his friends in the seaside town of their childhood vacations. Casper hopes to complete his artists portfolio for university applications and along with best friends Elsie and Noah, spending a few days to celebrate, commiserate and ponder their futures.
Although narrated by several characters, Casper, Elise and Noah, Grace is the interloper. Grace and Casper shared a wonderful sibling relationship as children, while Casper pursues his artistry, Grace continued her involvement within the church, creating tension and alienating the young siblings. Grace is a likeable young woman, her faith has caused her to feel isolated from her friends and family as she often appears as being judgemental, culminating in being confronted by Elise. Elise barely tolerates Grace, although not by virtue of her religious beliefs but because every conversation with Grace is about her faith, while she pays little attention to anyone not sharing her own principals.
Soon after arriving at the seaside cottage, the group of four unlikely travel companions meet Sierra, a spirited young woman who convinces them to spend the the next few days illegally camping on the abandoned Shearwater Island. On the island, the serene and tranquil atmosphere allows friendships to blossom, tentative romances to begin, declarations of unrequited love and conceding that life isn't always ideal but our mistakes allow us to mature as individuals.
The characters are wonderfully contrasted. Noah was awarded with a scholarship to a prestigious private school, his mother's expectations only secondary to his own. As a result, he's incredibly anxious and overwhelmed. Elise and Casper share a codependent friendship and although Casper is seemingly unaware, Elise harbors immense feelings for her friend. The friendship blossoming between Elise and Grace was beautiful and although they both found aspects of one another's personality irritating, like Grace learning to listen to others without judgement and Elise learning patience, they found middle ground and a mutual respect for one another. Sierra was never a looming presence over their friendship group but she brought out the best in some characters, Grace especially and the worst in others, namely Casper. I wasn't fond of Casper. He's flighty and only concerned about himself, the attention others are giving him and is verging on tantrum throwing when he doesn't get his own way. Namely Sierra.
The romance between Grace and Sierra was unexpected but really lovely for the most part. Rather than Sierra encouraging Grace to explore her identity, it seemed to be the island itself and their surroundings that allowed Grace's spirit to soar and it was beautiful. Although she doesn't talk about her sexuality, I can imagine it wasn't something she was able to discuss with her friends from church, incredibly judgemental girls who felt the need to issue an announcement body shaming girls who want to wear bikinis, very much implying that the female body is a distraction for men and to cover up with a modest bathing suit. It's no wonder Grace took her chances camping with Casper and his friends, her friends, what little we hear about them, are horrible and use their faith as a reason to exclude and shame others. That seemed to be Grace's turning point.
The writing itself is magical, as Anna Morgan has creates a narrative that slowly unravels on each page. Who is Sierra? I loved the Australian summer atmosphere of Shearwater Island, the mystery, intrigue but most of all, the character development. Anna Morgan is a masterful storyteller, creating journey's of discovery, of acceptance and finding your way into the world, placing importance on the journey rather than the destination.
Written by Ellie Marney
Mature Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Published September 2020
400 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
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★★★★★
Interviewing convicted juvenile killers for the FBI leads Emma Lewis and Travis Bell on the hunt for a serial murderer who targets teenagers. A riveting young adult thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
It's 1982, and the innovative FBI Behavioural Science section is breaking new ground. Emma Lewis and Travis Bell, two teenagers with valuable skills, are recruited to interview convicted juvenile killers for information on cold cases.
When they're drawn into an active case targeting teenagers, everything starts to unravel. Over Travis's objections, Emma becomes the conduit between the FBI and an incarcerated serial killer, nineteen year old Simon Gutmunsson, who is a super intelligent sociopath. And although Simon seems to be giving them the information they need to save lives, he's also an expert manipulator playing a very long game.
Can Emma and Travis stop a serial killer on the loose or will they fall victim themselves?
contains mild spoilers of sensitive issues such as family violence, abortion, alcoholism, physical and emotional abuse, colonisation, genocide, prejudice and racism
Seventeen year old Anna is running into the night. Fleeing her boyfriend, her mother, and everything she has known.She is travelling into the country, to the land and the grandparents she has never met, looking for answers to questions that have never been asked.For every family has secrets.But some secrets, once laid bare, can never be forgiven.
Anna's narration is harrowing, she's anxious, alone and navigating a new relationship with her estranged grandparents. In her final year of school, Anna is intelligent and motivated, wanting to study medicine at university. Escaping to the small country town, Anna plans to abort her pregnancy. The nonlinear narration shifts between the present and the events leading to Anna's decision to leave, moments from her mother's adolescence as the past and present converge.
In the present day, Anna's mother Cathy is an absent parent, businesswoman, entrepreneur and alcoholic, Anna's father excusing her behaviour, encouraging Anna to practice understanding and forgiveness. Anna's relationship with her mother is irrevocably fractured when as she introduces her mother to Nassim, her boyfriend. Cathy overindulges and becomes verbally and physically abusive.
As the storyline unravels, we learn about Cathy's adolescence, her parents Bette and Hessel, a stoic and racist Danish man. The Krause family colonised the local Indigenous land, white farmers who decimated the landscape. As children, Cathy and Leonie shared a wonderful friendship, Leone an Indigenous girl who Cathy was forbidden to see. Leonie, a local nurse, remained in the small country town and raised a wonderful son in Basil. Cathy and Leonie are no longer in contact with one another.
Where We Begin raises awareness and encourages discussion of family violence, alcoholism, adolescent pregnancy, abortion and physical and emotional abuse. First nations, colonisation, Indigenous genocide, prejudice and racism. Although the narrative is harrowing and poignant, Where We Begin is written with compassion, delicately and an intricate tenderness. Often we choose novels without realising the impact they leave upon us and as readers, we experience our world through fictional characters. When We Begin is a remarkable read and I thank Christie Nieman for sharing her words.
Written by Kay Kerr
Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Australia
288 Pages
Published April 28th 2020
Thank you to Text Publishing
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★★★★★
A funny serious own voices story about what happens when you stop trying to be the person other people expect you to be and give yourself a go.
Erin is looking forward to schoolies, at least she thinks she is. But things are not going to plan. Life is getting messy, and for Erin, who is autistic, that’s a big problem. She’s lost her job at Surf Zone after an incident that clearly was not her fault. Her driving test went badly even though she followed the instructions perfectly. Her boyfriend is not turning out to be the romantic type. And she’s missing her brother, Rudy, who left almost a year ago.
But now that she’s writing letters to him, some things are beginning to make just a tiny bit of sense.
Week One. An Introduction To Independent Publishing
Weeks Two And Three. Finding A Story
Week Four And Five. The Acquisition Proposal
Week Six. Book Parts
Week Seven. Updating The Website
Week Eight Copyediting And Proofreading
Week Nine. Marketing
Week Ten. Book Design And Production
Week Eleven. Launch Plan
Week Twelve. Proofreading
Week Thirteen. It’s a wrap!
Australian Refugee Stories
Edited by Sonja Dechian, Eva Sallis and Heather Millar
Non Fiction, Young Adult
224 Pages
Published September 2012
Thank you to Wakefield Press
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★★★★☆
Dark Dreams, Australian refugee stories is a unique anthology of essays, interviews, and stories written by children and young adults. The stories are the finest of hundreds collected through a nationwide schools competition in 2002. The essays and stories represent many different countries and themes. Some focus on survival, some on horrors, some on the experiences and alienation of a new world. This book will have a key role to play in schools across Australia.
Eva Sallis's first novel Hiam won The Australian Vogel and the Dobbie Literary Awards. She is cofounder of Australians Against Racism and is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide.
We had lived to tell a story some never could. But the battle was not over, in fact, it was just beginning. We had fought with the elements and the authorities, but the real battle started the day we arrived in Australia. My parents have since learned that language barriers can be as insurmountable as giant waves, that exclusions leave a void far greater than the size of any ocean and that numbers last long after they have been removed.
There’s nothing like having to cling to every bare breath, to see life reduced to a scarce trickle, to walk the tightrope separating life and death, at times not knowing one from the other. Very rarely do we get to see human nature stripped of all that it depends on to learn that human nature is itself enough.