Mature Themes
Contains mentions of abortion and suicide which may distress some readers
Written by Brigid Kemmerer
Contemporary, Friendship, Realistic Fiction
Published July 1st 2019
384 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.Maegan Day is an intelligent and articulate young woman, overwhelmed by the immense expectations she places upon herself. The daughter of a police officer, Maegan understands the need for rules and regulations which is why nobody expected her to cheat on her standardised school testing causing countless students to resit their tests after being deemed invalid. Her older sister Sam is the golden child, a star lacrosse player on a scholarship, beautiful, academically gifted and an elite sportswoman. Over the years the Day siblings have shared a competitive relationship, not always seeing eye to eye but now Sam has returned home, fickle and pregnant, disappointing her parents while she's contemplating what to do about her pregnancy.
Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.
When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship.
This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question. Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?
I loved their sibling relationship and seeing it morph into a genuine and caring friendship. Although Maegan has always been proud of Sam's achievements, it's not without resentment. Sam is their father's golden child and Maegan has always felt the weight of expectations which drove her to cheat. Unlike Rob, Maegan has the support of her long time best friend Rachel, pity about her boyfriend Drew who continuously makes snide comments about Maegan's mistake which Rachel never pulls him up about, allowing Drew to kick her best friend while she's down.
Rob Lachlan was popular, a champion lacrosse player and a hit with the ladies until his father, a financial adviser, mismanaged and stole funds from even the most vulnerable members of the community, leaving Rob a social pariah and accused of being a part of his father's con. He's lost his friends, the respect of his peers and now he's been saddled with the girl who cheated on the SAT exam for a school project.
High school can be so unforgiving and Rob is an example of being guilty merely by association. His father stealing investment funds from friends, family and the parents of Rob's school peers. Abandoned by his best friend Connor, who's father alerted the authorities, Rob is tormented and bullied, branded a liar and criminal. Rob's story is harrowing. He remembers the man who attended his lacrosse games, who taught him humility and to treasure each moment, he was an excellent father and a stark contrast to the criminal and villain of the wider community. Rob cannot escape. When it became too much for his father, Rob senior tried to take his own life which has left him unable to care for himself, brain damaged and immobile. Once living an opulent lifestyle, Rob's family now barely makes ends meet, his mother working long shifts to provide for their family while Rob cares for his father.
The only aspect Maegan and Rob have in common is that they're both social pariahs but working together on their project allows them to connect with someone in a similar situation without the fear of being judged. Their tentative friendship isn't easy, Rob finds it difficult to trust after he's been abandoned by his peers but slowly he begins to explore their connection and finds solace in their quiet moments of peace and understanding. Rob also develops a friendship with Owen, a young man who's mother was also a victim of his fathers dealings. My heart ached for Owen as he sits alone each day with his school issued cheese sandwich, breaking it into pieces to fend off his growing hunger. He was still able to put aside his anger and befriend Rob, understanding that Rob isn't his father and shouldn't be treated as such. Owen deserves his own story and I hope Brigid Kemmerer revisits his character soon.
Touching on sensitive issues such as poverty, teen pregnancy, abortion and suicide, written with compassion, Call It What You Want is an honest and genuine portrayal of the pressure and complications of those adolescent years. Often you hear adults telling teens, to treasure those years in their life before adulthood as though being a teen was a simpler time. With kids forced to grow up too soon and the expectations adults place upon teens, often parents living vicariously through their teens, it's one of the hardest periods we go through. It's an aspect that Brigid Kemmerer captures so wonderfully and even if you've never cheated on an exam or heaven forbid your father has never stolen money from his investors, I think most teens will find both Rob and Maegan's journey relatable and find comfort in how fickle these years can be, especially when it comes to our peers and being judged.
Beautifully written, edgy with authentic and flawed characters, Call It What You Want is Brigid Kemmerer's best contemporary to date. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Written by L. C. Rosen
Contemporary, LGBT, Diverse, Mystery
352 Pages
Publishing February 19th 2019
Thank you to Penguin Teen Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
My first time getting it in the butt was kind of weird. I think it's going to be weird for everyone's first time, though.
Jack Rothman is seventeen. A solid student with a talent for art, he likes partying, makeup and boys. Sometimes all at the same time. His active, unashamed sex life makes him a red hot topic for the high school gossip machine, but Jack doesn't really care too much about what the crowd is saying about him. His mantra is, it could be worse.
And then it is.
When Jack starts writing a teen sex advice column for his best friend's website, he begins to receive creepy and threatening love letters. His admirer is obsessed with Jack, they know who he's hanging out with, who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating. And while they say they love Jack, they don't love his lifestyle. They want him to curb his sexuality and personality. And if he won't, they will force him.As his stalker starts to ratchet up the pressure, it's up to Jack and his friends to uncover their identity, before their love becomes genuinely dangerous.
His reputation proceeds him. He's non conforming, open about his sexuality and his eyeliner game is on point. He's seventeen year old Jack Rothman, high school student and now online sex advice columnist, Jack of Hearts and Other Parts with the encouragement of friends Jemma and Ben. Jack makes no secret of his sexual exploits, he's comfortable with his body, his sexuality and is an advocate for safe, fun sex. He no longer listens to the gossip of his sexual prowess, the private schools halls echoing with rumours of casual sex and a trail of broken hearted boys.
The column is anonymous, encouraging students at the elite school to ask questions about relationships, sexuality and how to navigate life as a teen but it seems Jack has a mysterious admirer as a series of notes are found in his school locker. Each one increasingly more disturbing. What appears to be misguided love letters soon becomes threatening, they know where he lives, who Jack is sleeping with and details about the lives of those around him, including his single mother.
I absolutely loved Jack. In a world of Mary Sue characters, Jack's frank and openness is refreshing. He's factual, doesn't sugar coat his words and has a confidence and swagger that most of us strive for. Jack identifies as gay, he's sexually active and a safe sex advocate. Identifying as male, Jack doesn't conform to gender standards, he loves ladies fashion, eyeliner and is widely accepted by his peers. His single mother is a renowned doctor who used a sperm donor to conceive Jack and although Jack has never had a father figure in his life, his mother has ensured Jack has never needed to go without. All except her company, working long, strenuous hours at the hospital. Being open about his sexuality has somehow become the topic of Monday morning discussion within the hallowed school halls, Jack listening to the whispers from the girls bathroom of his sexual exploits, the next more outlandish than the last.
Although Jack doesn't care what his peers believe, the narrative explores how straight females often fetishise gay men by sexually objectifying them for their own sexual fantasies and as Jack is open about his prowess, believing they have the right to assert themselves into his life. Friends Jenna and Ben are a wonderful means of support. Jenna, a bisexual Latinx and Ben, a black young man identifying as gay. Ben is a budding fashion designer while Jenna hosts a website of investigative journalism, asking Jack to contribute to the site with his advice column. Jack is reluctant but wants to make a difference and perhaps clear up the misconceptions about his own life along the way. The anonymous letters allow Jack to talk about his own experiences, from casual sex, consent, how to give a successful blow job or what happens when both of you want to be on the bottom. It's brutally honest and utterly charming, I loved seeing a character in young adult so open about sex and not ashamed to admit to enjoying it. Of course not all adolescents are sexually active. Some choose not to be or identify as asexual. Through Jack's column, he is incredibly sex positive, asexual positive and reiterates the importance of safe, fun and consensual sex by choice. It's a little crass, a little cringe but so incredibly entertaining. Fabulously so.
Jack's openness attracts a secret admirer who now believes they have the right to demand access to the seventeen year old. It begins as letters confessing how they admire Jack but soon turn disturbing as the letters become more frequent and possessive, threatening Jack, his mother and friends unless he conforms to their demands. No casual sex and to stop writing his column. I found Jack incredibly realistic. At seventeen, he's all about having a great time. He drinks, is usually the life of the party and doesn't mind a dirty grind on the dance floor with the next hot guy that catches his eye. The threats leave Jack feeling flat, rather than sparkle he begins to conform into someone unrecognisable in the hope this will keep his friends safe.
It also touches upon the lack of acceptance from others, in particular Jack's principal who insinuates that Jack should try to blend in, be someone he's not and stop drawing attention to himself. That somehow, he is to blame for the threatening letters. It doesn't sugar coat how ignorant and in this case, homophobic adults and adults in positions of power can be. It also explores casual homophobic slurs that Jack experiences through anonymous emails addressed to the column and also the stereotypes placed upon queer community members by straight women in particular. On the surface Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) is a hilarious and easygoing contemporary narrative but explores deep societal issues that will invoke discussion among the teen audience about prejudice and how to create more inclusive environments for their peers without judgement.
It was glorious. I can't stress enough how much we need these narratives in young adult. Yes it's sexually explicit, yes it's eyebrow raising but it also normalises the sexual spectrum in a category of literature which favours scenes that fade to black. Recommended for the mature young adult reader, Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) is a funny, laugh out loud, heartwarming contemporary about life, love and getting laid.
It also touches upon the lack of acceptance from others, in particular Jack's principal who insinuates that Jack should try to blend in, be someone he's not and stop drawing attention to himself. That somehow, he is to blame for the threatening letters. It doesn't sugar coat how ignorant and in this case, homophobic adults and adults in positions of power can be. It also explores casual homophobic slurs that Jack experiences through anonymous emails addressed to the column and also the stereotypes placed upon queer community members by straight women in particular. On the surface Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) is a hilarious and easygoing contemporary narrative but explores deep societal issues that will invoke discussion among the teen audience about prejudice and how to create more inclusive environments for their peers without judgement.
It was glorious. I can't stress enough how much we need these narratives in young adult. Yes it's sexually explicit, yes it's eyebrow raising but it also normalises the sexual spectrum in a category of literature which favours scenes that fade to black. Recommended for the mature young adult reader, Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) is a funny, laugh out loud, heartwarming contemporary about life, love and getting laid.
Written by Margot McGovern
Contemporary, Mental Health, #LoveOZYA
336 Pages
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Kit Learmonth would rather die than grow up and leave Neverland...
When she was twelve, Kit Learmonth watched her parents drown in a storm as their boat sailed over the Tranter Sink Hole. Now seventeen, Kit doesn’t remember the incident, and she doesn’t want to. In fact, her only clear memories from before her parents’ death are of the fantastical stories of pirates and mermaids that she and her dad invented about the small island where she grew up, a place she calls Neverland.
Following Kit’s parents’ deaths, her uncle and guardian, Doc, transformed the island into a boarding school for mentally ill teenagers and sent Kit away to school on the mainland. But when Kit tries and fails to end her life, Doc brings her home to the island and places her in the care of his colleague, Dr Hannah Ward.
Resisting her treatment, Kit instead pulls her friends deeper into her world of make-believe. It’s only when Kit and her new boyfriend, Rohan, take the fantasy too far and land themselves in very real danger that her faith in Neverland is shaken, and Kit must find a way back to reality.
Found bloodied and lifeless after attempting to take her own life, Katherine Eloise Learmonth is returning to her childhood home of Neverland, a secluded private island now housing a wellness hospital for adolescents. Seven years ago in a tragic sailing accident, Kit's parents perished, Kit the only survivor found on board the small vessel bound for the mainland. Neverland is an island and former residence of the Learmonth family, Kit growing up playing upon the shore and dreaming of the mythological stories her father created for his best selling novel Kingdom By The Sea.
The island is now home to at risk teenagers, sent to the exclusive resort style wellness centre to work with renowned psychiatrists and doctors, including Kit's uncle affectionately known as Doc. Kit uses self harm to escape the numbness of her parent's death, her mind unable to remember the tragic accident rendering her an orphan and placing her in the care of her uncle.
Kit becomes the unreliable narrator, her trauma lingering as she still accepts the responsibility for the death of her parents. She begrudgingly accepts counselling sessions but often explores emotions of guilt and neglect as the narrator of a fictional story, replacing moments of difficulty with outlandish characters such as mermaids, selkies and sirens, incorporating the Neverland mythology taken from her father's best selling book. Avoiding the confrontation of self reflection leaves Kit carrying feelings of animosity and abrasiveness towards authority.
When she begins to accept help, her breakthrough occurs but it's a long journey for Kit to travel alone. Kit's treatment included stays in isolation, counselling and medication. It also explored relationships and mental health and the downfalls of a toxic relationship as she befriends new patient Rohan. Although Neverland centres upon Kit's narrative, the reader is introduced to friends Alistair and Gypsy. Alistair is a Psychopath and although friends with Kit and Gypsy, he lacks empathy and emotional responses, making him the perfect candidate for a no strings physical relationship with Kit. Gypsy has been diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa and currently in a relationship with a young and upcoming actor. Gypsy is heavily influenced by her relationship and the media, after visits from her boyfriend, her condition deteriorates. Although friends and a support for one another, they often enable one another, sneaking off grounds to drink, smoke and escape the confines of the wellness hospital. The one respite for Alistair and Kit is a sailing carnival hosted yearly on the island.
The most striking aspect of Neverland is the blending of realism and imagination. It's written with a compassionate and considerate narrative yet realistic in the portrayal of mental wellness. One scene in particular has stayed with me, Alistair, in a rare moment of seriousness, displaying his vulnerabilities.
There's no cure for what I have. I'm not capable of change. But you, you can get better. Don't squander that because you're scared.
For Kit, that had become a sobering moment and the realisation that Rohan had become another toxic element in her life and to become well, she must journey alone. It was a sign of maturity and progress, for Kit to come to the realisation that she needed professional help.
Although Neverland is a difficult, confrontational read, it reiterates the importance of recognising when we need help and accepting the hand that is able to guide our way. Not a cure, but feeling well with the assistance of coping mechanisms and medication. Margot McGovern has crafted a masterful and remarkable debut that destigmatises mental illness through characters that will resonate with readers. Tread softly my friends.
Contains themes of sexual violence, sexual assault, oppression and animal cruelty
Girls of Paper and Fire Book One
Written by Natasha Ngan
Fantasy, Diverse, LGBT
384 Pages
Thanks to Hachette Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for and the most cruel.
But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after, the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.
Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable, she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
A Paper Girl is a prestigious title. Sanctioned by the Heavenly Father to reside within the ornate palace, sating the desire of the King as a concubine. Eight girls are removed from their villages within the outer provinces and presented to the King, families compensated by wealth and aristocratic privilege. Lei resides within the outer provinces, a remote village of Ikhara and distinguishable by her golden eyes.
Her father an accomplished herbalist within the family depository, is vigilant of his daughter. A Kingdom of societal standings, the Paper Caste are human commonalities, oppressed by the autocratic Steel Caste, a demonic human species. Seven years prior, a sentry of Steel Caste commanders inundated the small village community, igniting the pasture and farmland as they captured and massacred the Paper Caste residents. Seven years since her mother was captured. Villagers whisper of the night of devastation, the desolate pasture barren as the community prepares for an impoverished season.
Unprecedented, Lei is the ninth Paper Girl, forcibly captured to compete for favour of the King. Lei arrives at the royal province where she begrudgingly assimilates as a consort, educated by private tutors and disciplined in finesse, compliance and seduction. Residing within the palatial chateau, each Paper Girl is denied her innocence, modesty and coerced to pleasure the King by enduring sexual violence and assault. Provocation is condemned, sentenced to isolation and imprisonment.
Her endurance and fortitude are besieged as Lei scandalises the Paper Girls, challenging the King by refusing his advances. She is assaulted, her body fractured and innocence momentarily unscathed. The Paper Girls are abused, sexually assaulted and manipulated, punished for insolence. The King claims ownership of each Paper Girl, her body and independence. Girls of Paper and Fire centralises on rape culture and consent within a patriarchal society. Denied freedom and perceived as disposable vessels, aesthetically pleasing and objectified by society and the King, a sexual predator. The scenes and discussion surrounding sexual assault are confrontational, reminiscent of society within our own communities.
Within the Kingdom, male same sex sexual relationships are customary, Paper Girls are not permitted to engage with male courtiers, punishable by branding and ostracised by their family and community. The Paper Girls begin to measure their experiences through whispered secrets, they've been persuaded to believe that to become a Paper Girl is not only prestigious but that the female significance is dependant on their desirability. The King will discard each girl, bestowing upon his allies for political or societal advantage. This is the female capacity until whispers of a rebellion is encompassing the provinces begins to demoralise the enraged King.
The forbidden female romance was beautifully tender, allowing Lei and Wren to tentatively explore hope and optimism beyond the palatial confinement, an existence of equality and humanity where slavery and prejudice are abolished. Beginning with the oppressive rule of a tyrannical King. Their relationship enables each girl to experience vulnerabilities and sensitivities within the sanctuary created through compassion. Unfortunately the relationship was the fundamental aspect for the Paper Girl rebellion, rather than a sense of preservation.
Girls of Paper and Fire is a passionate and exceptional debut novel that will invoke discussion through a confrontational and intricate narrative.
Her endurance and fortitude are besieged as Lei scandalises the Paper Girls, challenging the King by refusing his advances. She is assaulted, her body fractured and innocence momentarily unscathed. The Paper Girls are abused, sexually assaulted and manipulated, punished for insolence. The King claims ownership of each Paper Girl, her body and independence. Girls of Paper and Fire centralises on rape culture and consent within a patriarchal society. Denied freedom and perceived as disposable vessels, aesthetically pleasing and objectified by society and the King, a sexual predator. The scenes and discussion surrounding sexual assault are confrontational, reminiscent of society within our own communities.
I don’t realise it until I speak it. And it’s different from the times I’ve said it before, or the way I’ve hoped it, as if dreaming something enough could birth it into being. I know it now with a certainty that has fitted into the lost core at the heart of me, as hard and angular as my hope was soft and shimmering. The King will not have me.
Within the Kingdom, male same sex sexual relationships are customary, Paper Girls are not permitted to engage with male courtiers, punishable by branding and ostracised by their family and community. The Paper Girls begin to measure their experiences through whispered secrets, they've been persuaded to believe that to become a Paper Girl is not only prestigious but that the female significance is dependant on their desirability. The King will discard each girl, bestowing upon his allies for political or societal advantage. This is the female capacity until whispers of a rebellion is encompassing the provinces begins to demoralise the enraged King.
The forbidden female romance was beautifully tender, allowing Lei and Wren to tentatively explore hope and optimism beyond the palatial confinement, an existence of equality and humanity where slavery and prejudice are abolished. Beginning with the oppressive rule of a tyrannical King. Their relationship enables each girl to experience vulnerabilities and sensitivities within the sanctuary created through compassion. Unfortunately the relationship was the fundamental aspect for the Paper Girl rebellion, rather than a sense of preservation.
Girls of Paper and Fire is a passionate and exceptional debut novel that will invoke discussion through a confrontational and intricate narrative.
Contains sensitive themes for mature young adult readers
Written by Eleni Hale
Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, #LoveOZYA
368 Pages
Published April 30th 2018
Thank you to Penguin Books Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
An unspeakable event changes everything for twelve year old Sophie. No more Mum, school or bed of her own. She’s made a ward of the state and grows up in a volatile world where kids make their own rules, adults don’t count and the only constant is change.
Until one day she meets Gwen, Matty and Spiral. Spiral is the most furious, beautiful boy Sophie has ever known. And as their bond tightens she finally begins to confront what happened in her past.
I’m at the police station. There’s blood splattered across my face and clothes. In this tiny room with walls the colour of winter sky I hug a black backpack full of treasures. Only one thing is certain... No one can ever forgive me for what I’ve done.
There are currently over forty five thousand children within the foster care system within Australia. These are children without a primary caregiver, children who are casualties of family violence, substance abuse or children without a nurturing environment. Her story is harrowing and confrontational and although Sophie Soukaris is a fictional character, her narrative is indicative of many adolescents placed within the system.
Sophie Soukaris has been placed within temporary care after her mother passed away, child protection authorities attempting to contact her estranged father in Greece. As a young woman with a child, her mother returned to Australia after a dissolution of marriage, raising Sophie as a single parent and substance abuser, known to child protection authorities.
Awaiting a permanent position with a foster family and accommodated with adolescents, Sophie begins to assimilate to her environment, susceptible to substance abuse, addiction, manipulation, sexual assault and misdemeanours as a minor. As her environment becomes increasingly treacherous, Family Assistance Services provides Sophie with a sequence of temporary housing, a vulnerable and perceptive young girl a consequence of her environment. Sophie is coerced, abducted and imprisoned by a paedophile. Attempted suicide, narcotics abuse, alcoholism, gender violence and engaging in destructive although consensual relationships.
The narrative is confrontational and controversial. Adolescents abandoned by protection services, ostracised by society without a sense of belonging. Debut author Eleni Hale has created a remarkable, captivating and courageous narrative. Imperative reading.
Sophie Soukaris has been placed within temporary care after her mother passed away, child protection authorities attempting to contact her estranged father in Greece. As a young woman with a child, her mother returned to Australia after a dissolution of marriage, raising Sophie as a single parent and substance abuser, known to child protection authorities.
The quivering in my chest feels like frantic butterflies under my skin. They want to get out but can't, their colourful wings trapped in darkness.
Awaiting a permanent position with a foster family and accommodated with adolescents, Sophie begins to assimilate to her environment, susceptible to substance abuse, addiction, manipulation, sexual assault and misdemeanours as a minor. As her environment becomes increasingly treacherous, Family Assistance Services provides Sophie with a sequence of temporary housing, a vulnerable and perceptive young girl a consequence of her environment. Sophie is coerced, abducted and imprisoned by a paedophile. Attempted suicide, narcotics abuse, alcoholism, gender violence and engaging in destructive although consensual relationships.
The narrative is confrontational and controversial. Adolescents abandoned by protection services, ostracised by society without a sense of belonging. Debut author Eleni Hale has created a remarkable, captivating and courageous narrative. Imperative reading.
This Is Where It Ends
Written by Marieke Nijkamp
Contemporary, Violence, Realistic Fiction
304 Pages
International Edition Published May 2017
Thank you to New South Books
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
10:00 a.m.The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.10:02 a.m.The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.10:03The auditorium doors won't open.10:05Someone starts shooting.Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.
In Opportunity Alabama a rifle echoes throughout the auditorium, the silhouette of Tyler Browne is a solitary figure amidst the anarchy. Firearms legislation is a precarious discussion within the United States, in the aftermath of domestic terrorism and This Is Where It Ends explores similar themes.
Tyler and Autumn Browne lost their mother to road trauma, their grieving father a physically abusive alcoholic. Autumn intends to emulate her mother, an acclaimed dancer. Defying her father, Autumn aspires to attend Juilliard, escaping Opportunity and leaving Tyler behind. Tyler is volatile, despising Autumn's relationship with Sylvia and accusing Sylvia of manipulation, both present within the auditorium.
And I know the auditorium may be big enough to hold a thousand students, but it's too small to hide just one.
The reticulated narratives were captivating, illustrating the experiences of Autumn and Slyvia within the auditorium, Tyler's former girlfriend and athlete Claire and Sylvia's brother Tomás. Claire's younger sibling is inside the auditorium. As a child, Matt was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease which now requires a walking aid. Tomás and Fareed are incredibly courageous. Outside of the auditorium, the young men call emergency services while the onslaught continues behind the barricaded entrances.
Together we could be so strong, but the gun has made us individuals.
Firearms statistics are disquieting in the United States, caucasian domestic terrorists often portrayed as misunderstood or mentally unwell. Tyler Browne felt one dimensional. The narrative theorises possible motives based on Autumn, Sylvia, Claire and Tomás with no singular reasoning behind why Tyler had chosen to seek revenge other than feeling abandoned. Tyler's character is without a perspective, which I partially appreciated as the narrative of This Is Where It Ends centralises the story of survivors and lives lost to firearm violence but disappointed the physiological aspects weren't explored.
Autumn, Sylvia, Tomás and Claire are indistinctive and share similar emotional responses. Anxious although resolute to become the heroic saviour. Fareed is an interesting character who may have offered a differing perspective and the Spanish exclamations a little cliché.
Although monochromatic, This Is Where It Ends is a confronting narrative and a compelling read.
Autumn, Sylvia, Tomás and Claire are indistinctive and share similar emotional responses. Anxious although resolute to become the heroic saviour. Fareed is an interesting character who may have offered a differing perspective and the Spanish exclamations a little cliché.
Although monochromatic, This Is Where It Ends is a confronting narrative and a compelling read.
Contains sensitivities such as anorexia
Written by Karen Gregory
Contemporary, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction
384 Pages
Published June 1st 2017
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
When Hedda discovers she is pregnant, she doesn’t believe she could ever look after a baby. The numbers just don’t add up. She is young, and still in the grip of an eating disorder that controls every aspect of how she goes about her daily life. She’s even given her eating disorder a name, Nia. But as the days tick by, Hedda comes to a decision. She and Nia will call a truce, just until the baby is born. 17 weeks, 119 days, 357 meals. She can do it, if she takes it one day at a time.
Heartbreaking and hopeful by turns, Karen Gregory’s debut novel is a story of love, heartache and human resilience. And how the things that matter most can’t be counted. Perfect for fans of Lisa Williamson, Non Pratt and Sarah Crossan.
At seventeen years of age, Hedda is anorexic and living alone in a small, damp apartment with threadbare flooring, without a pension and without parental support. After a one night stand, now discovers she's pregnant. Hedda has spent her teen years unable to maintain control over her body image, resulting in an eating disorder that has consumed Hedda whilst devastating her family. Living within the treatment centre, the predominantly female adolescent residents have attended counselling and while in eagerness to remain thin, become competitive. Then Hedda is released as an out patient.
Hedda is unwell, still unable to come to terms with the disorder but discovering she's expecting a child may have saved her life. At twenty weeks pregnant, abortion isn't an option for Hedda who is considering placing the baby up for adoption, believing she is unable to take responsibility for the new life that will depend on Hedda to remain well. Forcing herself to consume was incredibly confronting. Hedda's narration also explores mental illness although Hedda is never officially diagnosed. She refers to her eating disorder as Nia, allowing her anorexia to consume her as a perpetual and influential presence. Hedda continues to count calories, only allowing herself to consume to maintain the health of her unborn child.
Throughout her pregnancy, Hedda continues counselling as a component of her release. Her relationship with her parents is constrained and while Hedda's father is compassionate, her mother is an authoritarian woman who sees Hedda as a noxious presence, advocating for her accomplished daughter while Hedda is deprived of support. Her derelict apartment is unbefitting for a young mother and child but Hedda's mother is unwilling to allow her daughter to return home.
Robin provides tremendous encouragement to Hedda throughout her pregnancy, nutrition and companionship and considering the confronting nature of Hedda's illness, I appreciated the amicable friendship. Hedda's assistance consists of counsellors who attempt to guide her throughout her recovery and children's welfare, who seemingly cared more for the adoption of her unborn child rather than Hedda's well being and fragility.
Throughout her pregnancy, Hedda continues counselling as a component of her release. Her relationship with her parents is constrained and while Hedda's father is compassionate, her mother is an authoritarian woman who sees Hedda as a noxious presence, advocating for her accomplished daughter while Hedda is deprived of support. Her derelict apartment is unbefitting for a young mother and child but Hedda's mother is unwilling to allow her daughter to return home.
Robin provides tremendous encouragement to Hedda throughout her pregnancy, nutrition and companionship and considering the confronting nature of Hedda's illness, I appreciated the amicable friendship. Hedda's assistance consists of counsellors who attempt to guide her throughout her recovery and children's welfare, who seemingly cared more for the adoption of her unborn child rather than Hedda's well being and fragility.
Author Karen Gregory mentions that Countless is a work of fiction but had referenced her own journey within the acknowledgements and should be applauded for a brave and exceptional debut novel. Confronting, captivating and compulsory reading.
Contains sensitivities such as violence, assault, substance abuse and intimidation
Written by Kylie Scott
Mature Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
382 Pages
Publishing July 18th 2017
Thank you to Kylie Scott and Netgalley
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.
While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight, getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.
An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first, losing her virginity, their friendship gets complicated.
Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose. Each other.
Seventeen year old Edith has been taken hostage. Lying on the floor of the convince store bloodied and terrified. While Edie survived the volatile hostage the repercussions of her trauma have altered Edie's perspective, abandoning her private school education and enrolling at the local public school in Northern California where she will become another young woman within the nondescript student community.
John is plagued by nightmares. Surviving the convenience store ordeal, the former narcotics trafficker is determined to change perceptions, returning to solitary and exclusion. Although John internalises the confrontation, Edie reluctantly attends counselling. Tethered by the harrowing experience, Edie and John discover companionship in one another, a tentative friendship flourishing.
Edie is a quiet, intellectual young woman who survived a terrifying and violent hostage incident. Although experiencing anxiety, the incident has emphasised how fragile our lives are when faced with adversity and encourages Edie to appreciate each moment. Edie is magnificent. Mostly. Her tenacity to confront her oppressor was a culmination of abuse and torment because she's a voluptuous young woman. Edie is confident but experiences moments of insecurity but with her positive perspective, refuses to allow others to demoralise or degrade her. It was wonderfully portrayed.
John is an intriguing young man who was coerced into dispensing narcotics after his parents relocated, placing John under the supervision of his brother. John is afflicted by post traumatic stress disorder and although often agitated and sullen, remained resilient although tormented by nightmares. Aesthetically, John is a prototypical male protagonist. Attractive, indifferent and assured. In an act of altruism, John valiantly liberates Edie by confronting the perpetrator. Throughout their tentative friendship, John and Edie are a tremendous support to one another.
If rumours are to be believed, John prefers sexual encounters with various consenting partners. Positive sexual liberation is a wonderful exploration for teens but John and Edie became too dependant on their friendship to allow the other to explore relationships beyond their companionship. The gradual relationship between John and Edie was lovely but the decision to begin their physical relationship felt contrived. The narrative ventured into what is typically viewed as a conventional new adult romance and although I applaud authors who create positive sexual content, I felt mildly disappointed. Trust also touches upon post traumatic stress disorder, abuse, substance abuse and domestic violence. Delicately.
Kylie Scott is a wonderfully accomplished author. Trust is a pragmatic and conscientious narrative, captivating and tender, emphasising our fragility when faced with adversity. To appreciate each moment.
Milk and Honey contains sensitivities such as sexual assault
Written by Rupi Kaur
Poetry
196 Pages
Published December 2015
Thank you to Hardie Grant Books
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Milk and Honey is a collection of poetry and prose about survival. About the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.
The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache.
Milk and Honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.
A compilation of prose, Milk and Honey is impassioned and inspiring.
From her first kiss and subsequent sexual abuse, The Hurting explores the objectification of the female physique and the the capacity in which our personal spaces are permeated by men. The parental relationship nurturing and an alcoholic parent devoid of maternal capacity.
From her first kiss and subsequent sexual abuse, The Hurting explores the objectification of the female physique and the the capacity in which our personal spaces are permeated by men. The parental relationship nurturing and an alcoholic parent devoid of maternal capacity.
when my mother opens her mouth
to have a conversation at dinner
my father shoves the word hush
between her lips and tells her to
never speak with her mouth full
this is how the women in my family
learned to live with their mouths closed
The Loving examines the facets of affection. Both parental and the all encompassing intensity of an intoxicating relationship.
he says
i am sorry i am not an easy person to want
i look at him surprised
who said i wanted easy
i don't crave easy
i crave goddamn difficult
you might not have been my first love
but you were the love that made
all the other loves
irrelevant
The despair of a relationship dissolving explored throughout The Breaking. Anguish, exasperation, resentment and nostalgia.
this is where you must
understand the difference
between want and need
you may want that boy
but you certainly
don't need him
the thing
worth holding on to
would not have let go
The Healing is an empowering discussion of courage and fortitude. To be content within yourself and solitude. To break free of the constraints we place upon ourselves and learn to appreciate femininity and the female perspective.
i like the way the stretch marks
on my thighs look human and
that we're so soft yet
rough and jungle wild
when we need to be
i love that about us
how capable we are of feeling
how unafraid we are of breaking
and tend to our wounds with grace
just being a woman
calling myself
a woman
makes me utterly whole
and complete
losing you
was the becoming
of myself
The narration is segregated by four moments throughout Rupi Kaur's journey. Passionate and confronting. From the depths of despair, a physical exploitation stripping young women of their tenacity, courage germinates. Life flourishing in the most desolate of lands. Milk and Honey is an extraordinary compilation of anguish and empowerment, the fragility and fortitude of women. Remarkable.
Trigger warning. This book contains a rape scene and victim intimidation.
Written by Anne Cassidy
Contemporary, Abuse, Mature Themes
Published January 2017
183 Pages
Thank you to Bonnier and Allen & Unwin
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
My name is Stacey Woods and I was raped.
Stacey Woods is a seventeen year old girl who works hard at school and who tries to manage a complicated family set up. After a row she storms out. She meets Harry Connaught who seems to be everything she wants in a boy. But Harry has other plans for Stacey.
Stacey is the victim of a terrible sexual attack. She does not feel able to go to the police, or talk about it to anybody other than her best friend, Patrice. Patrice, outraged, when she cannot persuade her to go to the police, encourages Stacey to write everything down.
This is Stacey's story.
Stacey is a quiet, shy young woman who's petite and often forgotten. Since her younger sister became a mother at the tender age of fourteen, Stacey is often manipulated into caring for her child and pushed aside by her mother who has an inclination towards her younger sibling. Once a reprieve, her father's partner seems to scarcely tolerate his children and lately her closest confidant Patrice has been spending time with another, leaving Stacey feeling discarded and alone.
He's charming, charismatic and offers the seventeen year old refuge. Feeling resentful and rebellious, Stacey accepts his hospitality. Harry is endearing, attentive and is the perfect gentleman, luring Stacey into a false sense of security.
The reader is introduced to Stacey as a frustrated seventeen year old, a young woman living in the shadow of friend Patrice and placated by her mother who rationalises her younger sibling's behaviour. Stacey is demoralised by her sister and her feelings disregarded, ultimately compelling her to seek solace by temporarily leaving home. Stacey is demure and quietly spoken, sitting in the small coffee house sketching patrons when she's approached by the charming and handsome Harry. Their attraction is undeniable, so when Harry offers Stacey refuge, she accepts. An act of defiance against her mother.
No Virgin isn't a contemporary romance, although Harry's charisma will lure readers into a false sense of security. Stacey's narrative is veracious and compelling. Preceding the sexual assault, Stacey feels a compulsion towards Harry as he's attractive, alluring and compassionate. He's also a predator. The impact of Stacey's sexual assault is profound and confronting. She's incapable of verbalising the trauma of rape and at Patrice's suggestion, documents her experience.
Although No Virgin is an incredibly poignant and crucial narrative, I couldn't understand Stacey's attraction to Harry after the assault and unfortunately, those psychological elements were not explored. The event progression before the assault felt inconsequential, compared to the sexual assault and emotional impact. I would have preferred to have the emotional turmoil and justice explored for not only Stacey's character, but teens who may have experienced sexual assault themselves.
No Virgin is the harrowing, traumatic and compelling narrative of seventeen year old Stacey, the victim of Rape.My Thoughts. Mild Spoilers Ahead
The reader is introduced to Stacey as a frustrated seventeen year old, a young woman living in the shadow of friend Patrice and placated by her mother who rationalises her younger sibling's behaviour. Stacey is demoralised by her sister and her feelings disregarded, ultimately compelling her to seek solace by temporarily leaving home. Stacey is demure and quietly spoken, sitting in the small coffee house sketching patrons when she's approached by the charming and handsome Harry. Their attraction is undeniable, so when Harry offers Stacey refuge, she accepts. An act of defiance against her mother.
No Virgin isn't a contemporary romance, although Harry's charisma will lure readers into a false sense of security. Stacey's narrative is veracious and compelling. Preceding the sexual assault, Stacey feels a compulsion towards Harry as he's attractive, alluring and compassionate. He's also a predator. The impact of Stacey's sexual assault is profound and confronting. She's incapable of verbalising the trauma of rape and at Patrice's suggestion, documents her experience.
After the rape I didn't leave straight away. I was so shocked. I stayed in the bathroom with the door locked. I sat on the floor beside the toilet and felt the cold tiles against my legs, my toes curled on the ceramic floor.The trauma Stacey experiences is palatable. As a victim of sexual assault, Stacey internalises her trauma and only confides in Patrice about the incident, leading to writing down the precursor that lead to that moment. Experiencing remorse, despondency and insecurity, Stacey reflects on her brief relationship with Harry and impact of the assault isn't truly realised until she begins to revisit the incident through her written words. I was enraged how the perpetrator normalised the sexual assault, maintaining she was an active participant. Much in the same way rape culture perpetuates that the victim is at fault, rather than placing the blame upon the predator.
The story, once I'd written it and read it over a few times, was like a testament to my own stupidity. How could I have been so naive, so swept up in my own romantic daydreams, not to realise that there was a subtext to what was happening?Patrice was an incredible support for Stacey, persevering with gentle suggestions to speak to a crisis councilor and report the assault.
Although No Virgin is an incredibly poignant and crucial narrative, I couldn't understand Stacey's attraction to Harry after the assault and unfortunately, those psychological elements were not explored. The event progression before the assault felt inconsequential, compared to the sexual assault and emotional impact. I would have preferred to have the emotional turmoil and justice explored for not only Stacey's character, but teens who may have experienced sexual assault themselves.
A gentle warning that this review contains anti religious sentiments
Written by Rafi Mittlefehldt
Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, LGBT
Expected Publication December 1st 2016
336 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
A new state, a new city, a new high school. Mike's father has already found a new evangelical church for the family to attend, even if Mike and his plainspoken little sister, Toby, don't want to go. Dad wants Mike to ditch art for sports, to toughen up, but there's something uneasy behind his demands. Then Mike meets Sean, the new kid, and hey becomes games of basketball, partnering on a French project, hanging out after school. A night at the beach. The fierce colours of sunrise. But Mike's father is always watching. And so is Victor from school, cell phone in hand.
In guarded, Carveresque prose that propels you forward with a sense of stomachdropping inevitability, Rafi Mittlefehldt tells a wrenching tale of first love and loss that exposes the undercurrents of a tidy suburban world. Heartbreaking and ultimately life affirming, It Looks Like This is a novel of love and family and forgiveness, not just of others, but of yourself.
Fifteen year old Mike is a wonderful young man. An artist, attentive student and a son who honours thy father and thy mother. His father is a deeply religious man and an active participant in his local church since moving from Wisconsin to Somerdale a few months prior. Their religious teachings are of abstinence and romantic relationships are exclusively between a male and female union. That doesn't cease the taunting from his peers and whispers of queer within the halls. Whispers also echoed at home.
When new student Sean arrives, Mike begins to push the boundaries of his same sex attraction, despite what the church has preached. When Sean and Mike are chosen to work on a media project together, the two soon become inseparable. Beyond the carefree friendship and genuine smiles, Mike and Sean are attracted to one another. Shared moments, feather light touches and an exploration of their feelings. Emotionally and physically.
Until being caught.
In a deeply religious town, same sex relationships are unnatural, forbidden and while Sean is beaten and abused, Mike is forced into a program provided by the ministry, freeing teens of their impure thoughts. Mike wants to love freely, passionately and without abandon. Peers, parents and church be damned.
My Thoughts
It Looks Like This is phenomenal, rage inducing and absolutely heartbreaking. Having only just turned the final page, I was compelled to gather my thoughts and emotions, frantically, passionately through tears and sorrow.
The narrative is told from almost fifteen year old Michael's point of view. Although young, he's a mature young man that finds himself taking an interest in the same sex. Mike never identifies himself to the reader as being gay, but finds himself attracted to boys. He's intelligent and sensitive, passionate about his art and despite his lack of enthusiasm, indulges in his father's strong religious beliefs. His only ally is his younger sister Toby, who herself is intuitive and wise beyond her years. The accusatory whisper queer of his peers are echoed by his father, a tense relationship of unrealistic expectations.
Sean is attractive and charismatic, capturing Mike's attention when the two teens are assigned to collaborate on a media project. The boys develop a blossoming friendship and start to explore their feelings for one another. Even as Mike and Sean explore their sexuality, their relationship was defined by gentle touches without labels. It was exquisite and quietly beautiful.
I stare back because I don't know what else to do and all I can think about is how green those eyes are. Then the corner of his mouth turns up, just barely. He says, I'm Sean. I Say, Yeah. Mike. And then people start coming inside the classroom.
The Grace Fellowship are adamant in their view towards same sex relationships, impure thoughts are not only forbidden but punishable. I can't even begin to articulate how infuriating and intolerant Michael's parents were, especially his father. He allowed the church to dictate and impede on his relationship with his son and through his own prejudice, he seemed to believe Michael was ill with a cure that only faith could provide. I felt irate. So fucking irate. Sexuality is not an illness nor a condition that requires remedying. Our sexuality doesn't equate to being insignificant and although I'm not a religious person, the church seems to define being queer with being impure. Oh. Fuck. No. It Looks Like This highlights the influence of the church and their intolerant and outdated judgement.
While Sean is being physically punished, Michael is consigned to Inner Peace, a wellness program for teens with impure thoughts which is not only uncomfortable but alludes to indecency within the parish.
It Looks Like This is ultimately a cautionary depiction, emphasising the brave and often heartbreaking reality of prejudice and bigotry. Beautifully written and all consuming, debut author Rafi Mittlefehldt has composed a compelling narrative with veracity and compassion. Just phenomenal.
Timothy says, The harm is that you're more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases, Practising homosexuals are also more likely to suffer from depression and drug abuse, and their relationships are at least twice as likely to fail as heterosexual relationships. According to studies, it's also not an ideal environment in which to raise children.It's the same bullshit argument in which the church uses to platform against same sex marriage, which still is yet to be legalised in Australia. Any individual or organisation who seeks to deny marriage equality has no fucking right to dictate who we can and cannot love. Click here to learn more about marriage equality and to lend your support.
It Looks Like This is ultimately a cautionary depiction, emphasising the brave and often heartbreaking reality of prejudice and bigotry. Beautifully written and all consuming, debut author Rafi Mittlefehldt has composed a compelling narrative with veracity and compassion. Just phenomenal.
Written by Kathleen Glasgow
Contemporary, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction
Published September 19th 2016
416 Pages
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At eighteen she's already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she's learned how to forget it. The thick glass of a mason jar cuts deep and the pain washes out the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don't have to think about your father and the bridge. Your best friend who is gone forever. Or your mother who has nothing left to give you. Every new scar hardens Charlie's heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen to find your way back from the edge.Charlotte Davis mourns for the life she's never known. A life without loss, without abuse and for the love she so desperately deserves. Charlie has endured the loss of her father, an abusive mother and Ellis, a friend who attempted to take her own life. Within the confined walls of the institute, Charlie sits alone, silent and sharing her story through art. Charlie is parasuicidal, self harming to ease the emotional suffering of living on the streets and being sold into sexual slavery.
I cut because I can't deal. It's as simple as that. The world becomes an ocean, the ocean washes over me, the sound of water is deafening, the water drowns my heart, my panic becomes as large as planets. I need release, I need to hurt myself more than the world can hurt me, and then I can comfort myself.
Charlie's physical wounds have healed and although emotionally vulnerable, funding is no longer available for treatment and the seventeen year old is released, supposedly into her mothers care. With a bus ticket and her birth certificate, Charlie is on her way to Arizona, her relationship with her mother damaged beyond repair. Michael is a former friend and has offered Charlie a home, rarely extended to damaged girls who feel they're undeserving of love.
Charlie is determined to forge a new path in the world, toiling for minimum wage at a local coffee house with the charming and charismatic Riley, a former musician who provides Charlie with kindness and tenderness. It's Riley that threatens Charlie's recovery. He's an alcoholic and drug dependant, manipulating the young woman to enable his addition.
Overwhelmed and afflicted, Charlie begins regress until a small act of kindness provides Charlie with a lifeline. With hope. And most of all, a reason to live again, not merely survive.
Charlie's narrative is poignant yet incredibly captivating. The reader is introduced to Charlie's character as she is brought into the institute, bleeding and abandoned after trying to end her own life. Her grief and longing are palpable, my heart ached for Charlie and her sense of abandonment. Self harm is her coping mechanism, using broken fragile pieces of mason glass to lacerate her arms, mutilating her body as tenderly as she creates her art. Charlie may have recovered from her physical anguish but her emotional scars remain and she becomes a fatality of the mental health system, the institute no longer able to treat the seventeen year old due to the lack of financial aide and releases her into the care of a mother who has no intention to care for her daughter.
Charlie's journey is confronting. Her Tender Kit she holds dear but determined to not only survive but flourish against adversity which begins with the kindness of Michael. Although Michael and Charlie were once friends, Michael can only provide Charlie with the bare necessities to survive while he's away. With a warm bed and the security of Michael's bungalow, Charlie's employment search finds her washing dishes at a small coffee house where Riley is regrettably employed.
The charismatic and charming Riley, a former musician whose life is a calamity of alcohol fuelled drug dependency, provides Charlie with a tenderness of a physical relationship beyond the confines of an intimacy. While Charlie begins to rebuild her life, Riley's addiction threatens to consume him. Riley was an interesting character. Although I didn't particularly like his character, it felt as though so many in his life enabled his drug and alcohol abuse and he held an heir of entitlement. Their relationship was toxic, but an incredibly important pinnacle in Charlie's journey.
Kathleen Glasgow's debut is courageous and unapologetic. Mental illness and addiction are often lifelong issues that so many in our community confront. Charlie's journey of healing is anguished, confronting and proving that even fictionally, there is no antidote.
Charlie was beautiful yet so incredibly brave. The story of a girl who longs to feel loved, to feel safe and still dares to hope for what so many take for granted. Dark and captivating, Girl In Pieces is a narrative to be cherished.
Overwhelmed and afflicted, Charlie begins regress until a small act of kindness provides Charlie with a lifeline. With hope. And most of all, a reason to live again, not merely survive.
Girl in Pieces is momentous, a narrative beautifully written with tenderness, emotion and conviction. Kathleen Glasgow is a remarkable author, drawing on her own experiences to lend voice to Charlie, a girl who feels irrevocably tarnished and uses self harm to soothe her emotional ache. Charlie's character represents so many young women within our communities. Girls who have been abused, who haven't been afforded the opportunity of a loving family, to experience kindness or sanctuary. After her father was cruelly taken from her, her mother became her tormentor and precursor.My Thoughts
Charlie's narrative is poignant yet incredibly captivating. The reader is introduced to Charlie's character as she is brought into the institute, bleeding and abandoned after trying to end her own life. Her grief and longing are palpable, my heart ached for Charlie and her sense of abandonment. Self harm is her coping mechanism, using broken fragile pieces of mason glass to lacerate her arms, mutilating her body as tenderly as she creates her art. Charlie may have recovered from her physical anguish but her emotional scars remain and she becomes a fatality of the mental health system, the institute no longer able to treat the seventeen year old due to the lack of financial aide and releases her into the care of a mother who has no intention to care for her daughter.
Charlie's journey is confronting. Her Tender Kit she holds dear but determined to not only survive but flourish against adversity which begins with the kindness of Michael. Although Michael and Charlie were once friends, Michael can only provide Charlie with the bare necessities to survive while he's away. With a warm bed and the security of Michael's bungalow, Charlie's employment search finds her washing dishes at a small coffee house where Riley is regrettably employed.
The charismatic and charming Riley, a former musician whose life is a calamity of alcohol fuelled drug dependency, provides Charlie with a tenderness of a physical relationship beyond the confines of an intimacy. While Charlie begins to rebuild her life, Riley's addiction threatens to consume him. Riley was an interesting character. Although I didn't particularly like his character, it felt as though so many in his life enabled his drug and alcohol abuse and he held an heir of entitlement. Their relationship was toxic, but an incredibly important pinnacle in Charlie's journey.
Kathleen Glasgow's debut is courageous and unapologetic. Mental illness and addiction are often lifelong issues that so many in our community confront. Charlie's journey of healing is anguished, confronting and proving that even fictionally, there is no antidote.
Kathleen Glasgow is a remarkable woman who has breathed life into her characters through her own experiences, exposing herself so that others may find empowerment. Girl In Pieces was beautifully lyrical, yet dark and confronting, rarely seen in young adult novels. I commend Kathleen for her courage, composure and her ability to create a character who readers will see themselves within.The Final Verdict
Charlie was beautiful yet so incredibly brave. The story of a girl who longs to feel loved, to feel safe and still dares to hope for what so many take for granted. Dark and captivating, Girl In Pieces is a narrative to be cherished.
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.
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 Tara Altebrando
Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary
Published June 1st 2016
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
Six were taken. Eleven years later, five come back, with no idea of where they've been.It's been eleven years since six five year old children disappeared from their first day of Kindergarten without a trace, an event locals have called The Leaving. leaving behind broken families and grieving parents, the now sixteen year old teens find themselves only minutes from where they were taken, all wearing the same outfit and all with individual maps in their pocket to ensure they reach home safely. But not all the children have come home.
Eleven years ago, six kindergarteners went missing without a trace. After all that time, the people left behind moved on, or tried to.
Until today. Today five of those kids return. They're sixteen, and they are... Fine. Scarlett comes home and finds a mom she barely recognizes, and doesn't really recognize the person she's supposed to be, either. But she thinks she remembers Lucas. Lucas remembers Scarlett, too, except they're entirely unable to recall where they've been or what happened to them. Neither of them remember the sixth victim, Max. He doesn't come back.
Everyone wants answers. Most of all Max's sister Avery, who needs to find her brother, dead or alive, and isn't buying this whole memory loss story.
Avery's brother Max who was also abducted that day is missing, while the others have returned. Avery remembers clutching her teddy bear during the press conference and growing up in a shadow of her brother that may never come home.
The five returned teens each hold one memory from their time in captivity, but all have been educated, in good health and have been taken care of physically. Where have they been and why can't they remember? But as shock turns to skepticism within the community, the teens begun to piece together moments from the last eleven years of their absence and left to decipher what is real and what they've been lead to believe.
The Leaving was a bizarre blend of contemporary and intrigue that will leave readers wondering what is real and what we're manipulated to believe. Told from several points of view, Lucas and Scarlett who were both taken at five years of age and from the perspective of Avery, who's brother Max was taken and has yet to return with the other five teens. Scarlett is returning to a single mother, a former alcoholic who believes her daughter was abducted by aliens and has immersed herself in a support group of other returnees. Lucas returns to a tragic accident and now being questioned by the police. Based on how they gravitate towards one another, Lucas and Scarlett believe they may have been once in love, but the memory has been altered upon their return, along with Kristen, Sarah and Adam. It's Avery who is waiting for her brother Max to come home, the sixth child stolen and now seemingly missing. Avery doesn't believe that the returned group can't remember where they've been or who Max is, and is determined to conduct her own investigation fueled by jealousy and anger.My Thoughts
The core storyline of the children being taken and returned eleven years later was brilliant. I loved the intrigue as the storyline unraveled as to why the children were taken and where they've been. What did disappoint me was Avery's character. She fluctuated from being jealous of not only the attention the group were receiving, but also of Scarlett and her relationship with Lucas. She's one of the most narcissistic characters I've come across in young adult and I found unable to tolerate her attitude. She could have been forgiven, as her brother is still missing while the others have returned with an unlikely story but in the same breath, she's disappointed that a body recovered was not that of her brother.
Each point of view is vivid and uniquely told using the page formatting to represent each character of Scarlett and Lucas. With memory loss comes confusion and voids within their thoughts and is formatted to give the reader a sense of their inner turmoil. Scarlett's thoughts are scattered with dashes reaching across paragraphs and pages, often in the middle of her thoughts or sentences while Lucas's memories are heard in sounds, such as a gun being loaded and formatted as large black boxed quotes.
It was the final few chapters that left me bewildered. Avery determined to lure Lucas into a romantic relationship even though her brother is still missing was awkward and uncomfortable. It didn't feel genuine and that she pined away for Lucas only because she wanted what she believed Scarlett held. The disappearance of Kristen, Sarah and Adam from the storyline, we see brief updates of their lives only to fade into obscurity and of course the conclusion. It felt almost unplanned and I didn't fully grasp what was happening without having to reread due to it being so utterly random.
Overall, I really did enjoy it despite it's issues. But the ending left me unsatisfied and Avery's character, who also let the storyline down with her constant narcissistic attitude and indulgent personality.
This book contains a trigger warning for rape
Written by Amy Zhang
Contemporary, Mystery
Published March 21st 2016
304 Pages
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★☆
A heart wrenching novel about best friends on a collision course with the real world from Amy Zhang, the critically acclaimed Indies Introduce and Indie Next author of Falling into Place.Janie and Micah, Micah and Janie. That's how it's been ever since elementary school, when Janie Vivien moved next door. Janie says Micah is everything she is not. Where Micah is shy, Janie is outgoing. Where Micah loves music, Janie loves art. It's the perfect friendship, as long as no one finds out about it. But then Janie goes missing and everything Micah thought he knew about his best friend is colored with doubt.Using a nonlinear writing style and dual narrators, Amy Zhang masterfully reveals the circumstances surrounding Janie's disappearance in an astonishing second novel that will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver and Jay Asher.
It's always been Janie and Micah. Micah and Janie. Always.
Living next door to one another since children, the two teens have always relied on one another for strength, support and in Janie's case, allowing introverted and sensible Micah to be her voice of reason. Micah is quiet, intelligent and reserved and the opposite of Janie who is loud, colourful and eccentric. Having been best friends for most of their young lives has always been beyond the school fence, a line drawn where the two teens move in different circles and neither acknowledging the other.
Now Janie lives across town, lonely and seeking her next adventure, with her skin adored with Virginia Woolf quotes and pebble filled pockets. But when Micah wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of the previous night, he knows that Janie will have the answers.
But where is she?
Kelly's Thoughts
This is Where The World Ends was lyrically beautiful, engaging and swept me off my feet with it's charm and sense of adventure. But ultimately it was a story told in halves, the before and after referencing Micah waking up in hospital with no recollection of how or why.
Told in dual narratives, Micah and Janie couldn't be more different from one another. While he's quiet, meek and reflective, Janie is the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, fun, quirky, often irresponsible and able to charm her way out of any situation. Janie decided that in middle school, their friendship wouldn't extend to behind the school gates, leaving Micah with one friend and Janie as the popular, beautiful girl her peers are enchanted with. Here lies my first issue. I didn't feel their friendship was ever genuine on Janie's behalf, existing only on her terms and seemingly where no one else would know. Although she relied heavily upon Micah, he was an afterthought and her character left me struggling to invest emotionally in their storyline as it progressed. I adored her character on the surface, but not what lied beneath her idiosyncrasies.
Micah was ordinarily lovely. He genuinely cared so deeply for Janie and even against his better judgement, it was clear that she took advantage of him and the attention she so desperately craved. It wasn't until Janie moved away where she felt as though she was losing her hold on Micah. It's obvious that Micah was infatuated with her, his only friend in Dewey seeing the toxic hold Janie had on him and the underlying jealousy of his friendship with Dewey as well.
Beyond the storyline, the writing was so lyrical and lovely, almost dreamlike.
Stars and stars, night after night, secrets spilled in a world too big for sleep.
We fall asleep to fairy tales, and the world rotates and revolves and time passes and we grow up and understand that they are false.
My heart aches for the beauty of Amy Zhang's style of writing, reminding me of Jandy Nelson. It's effortless and so easy to immerse yourself, even if I couldn't connect emotionally to Janie's character.
The Final Verdict
Despite it's issues, This Is Where The World Ends is an immersive and enjoyable read. Amy Zhang's style of writing is beyond lovely.
When We CollidedWritten by Emery Lord
Contemporary, Mental Illness
Published April 7th 2016
352 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
Meet Vivi and Jonah. A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.
Vivi and her mother have just moved into the tiny coastal town of Verona Cove where while her mother paints, Vivi is spending the summer sketching Japanese inspired couture and working part time at the local pottery boutique. It's there that she meets charismatic five year old Leah and her older brother Jonah and are both swept up by Vivi's infectious personality and sense of fun.
Jonah's life could use a distraction. Since his father died, Jonah has been left to care for his family while his mother's depression leaves her unable to care for her children. The Daniels family mourn for the man who made their mother whole, having left behind a devastated home and the local family owned restaurant where Jonah plans to continue his fathers legacy.
Vivi is eccentric and free spirited, bringing sunshine into what is a darkened home shadowed by grief. It isn't long before Vivi and Jonah form a tentative and whirlwind romance, providing solace for one another to escape the confines of their lives. But while Jonah is weighed down by grief, Vivi struggles each day to win the battle against her mental illness diagnosis without the help of her medication.
Love cannot cure all, as both Vivi and Jonah are about to discover. But meeting the right person when you need them most, may just help the heartache and teach you to live again.
Kelly's Thoughts
When We Collided was charming and a brilliant read for those who enjoy their contemporaries with heart and depth. Following the dual storylines of both Vivi and Jonah, two teens who are both at a crossroads in their lives and on the verge of crisis. What initially immersed me into the storyline was Vivi. Her zest for life is infectious and a delight to read. But under the happy go lucky facade hides a girl who believes she has no need for her medication, but rather keeping a positive outlook in a new town where no one knows that she was once ill. It isn't long before Vivi is accepted into the Daniels family where she and Jonah begin to rely on one another for comfort and support. While Vivi hides the truth behind her illness, Jonah's family is struggling with their own grief.
Since his father passed away suddenly, Jonah has taken on the role as caregiver to his three younger siblings while his older brother and sister both work and attend college. Working in his father's restaurant, Jonah wants to follow in his footsteps and become a chef. But the plans for his own future are put on hold while his mother is unable to care for the children, driven to the safety of her bedroom while her depression is left untreated.
Although both Vivi and Jonah's mother were suffering from two different aspects of mental illness, it was written with care and emphasises how differently we cope with grief and depression. Although both share a connection, the romance wasn't love but rather a support and escape from their lives, an all consuming need for companionship.
I was utterly smitten with the Daniels family and especially five year old Leah. The family dynamics were wonderfully written, but I had hoped that there had been more discussion between the adult children in regards to their mothers mental state. Being young, I assumed that it was because they couldn't recognise the symptoms in their mother or emotionally, not wanting to see there may have been a bigger issue than just grief they were dealing with.
Since his father passed away suddenly, Jonah has taken on the role as caregiver to his three younger siblings while his older brother and sister both work and attend college. Working in his father's restaurant, Jonah wants to follow in his footsteps and become a chef. But the plans for his own future are put on hold while his mother is unable to care for the children, driven to the safety of her bedroom while her depression is left untreated.
Although both Vivi and Jonah's mother were suffering from two different aspects of mental illness, it was written with care and emphasises how differently we cope with grief and depression. Although both share a connection, the romance wasn't love but rather a support and escape from their lives, an all consuming need for companionship.
I was utterly smitten with the Daniels family and especially five year old Leah. The family dynamics were wonderfully written, but I had hoped that there had been more discussion between the adult children in regards to their mothers mental state. Being young, I assumed that it was because they couldn't recognise the symptoms in their mother or emotionally, not wanting to see there may have been a bigger issue than just grief they were dealing with.
When We Collided was so wonderfully written, endearing with likable and darling characters. Emery Lord is an incredible contemporary author, creating flawed yet realistic characters that are lovingly brought to life throughout the pages. Immersive and engaging that also touches on serious social issues, it was absolutely beautiful and one recommended for all contemporary young adult lovers.The Final Verdict
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)