Review Copy
By Jandy Nelson
Contemporary
Expected Publication June 1st 2015
432 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff dives and wears red, red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways... Until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else, an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.
Twins Noah and Jude have always been inseparable and share a special bond. Noah is the quiet sibling, preferring to spend his days lost in his artistic talent. Jude likes to surf and socialise while lost in the pages of her late grandmother's bible, a God in which she refers to as Clark Cable. Both siblings connect through their artistic expression, something both parents encourage. Where Jude has a loving and close bond with their father, Noah is left on the outer and often directs his anger towards the man that seems to forgotten he has a son. But through Noah's raw and incredible talent, he finds a special bond with his mother, visiting museums and inciting a friendly competition between the two siblings with the hope of both being accepted into the school of fine arts.
Noah dreams of becoming an artist, finally being accepted by a community that doesn't resort to targeting him for being gay. But in a heartbreaking and devastating set of events, Noah and Jude's world is torn apart, their once close relationship withering as a result of the aftermath. Now Jude and Noah are shells of their former selves. Noah has is now the social twin, opting to spend his time with Jude's former friends, while Jude has retreated to the safety of her Grandmother's bible and living life with care and precautions.
Their relationship is strained and it will be Jude that will do the unforgivable. Noah is no longer painting and has lost his zest for life. Once two halves of a whole, they'll need to move mountains to reunite once more... Or stone sculptures from a man who knows what life is like to have loved and lost.
I can't even begin to describe how lyrical and utterly beautiful I'll Give You The Sun is. Told from dual points of view, siblings Noah and Jude are best friends, companions and share a special connection that only twins share. Until it all falls apart. Before their world is torn apart, Noah is the quiet twin, bullied by two local thugs who suspect Noah may be gay. His only saving grace is Jude. Jude is the golden child in the eyes of their father, she loves to surf and has always been the bright and lovable tomboy. Until recently. Their mother has taken a keen interest in Noah's artistic talent and Jude begins to lash out. Vying for her mother's attention has lead Jude down a dangerous path... But the roles have reversed and Jude is now withdrawn and relies on superstitions and fate to guide her through life.
Throughout the pages, we see the stark differences between both siblings in current day and before the event that ultimately drove them apart. The flow between the character development and regression was stunning, siblings who are ultimately fighting their own battle in what could also be classed as an intricate coming of age. What ultimately drew me into the storyline is the writing. The Sky is Everywhere was stunning, but I'll Give You the Sun is simply phenomenal. It's lyrical beauty is wondrous.
Never have I encountered a contemporary so utterly lyrical. I inhaled it's beauty and devoured it. This is the year of the young adult contemporary and I'll Give You The Sun is by far one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Noah dreams of becoming an artist, finally being accepted by a community that doesn't resort to targeting him for being gay. But in a heartbreaking and devastating set of events, Noah and Jude's world is torn apart, their once close relationship withering as a result of the aftermath. Now Jude and Noah are shells of their former selves. Noah has is now the social twin, opting to spend his time with Jude's former friends, while Jude has retreated to the safety of her Grandmother's bible and living life with care and precautions.
Their relationship is strained and it will be Jude that will do the unforgivable. Noah is no longer painting and has lost his zest for life. Once two halves of a whole, they'll need to move mountains to reunite once more... Or stone sculptures from a man who knows what life is like to have loved and lost.
MY THOUGHTS
I can't even begin to describe how lyrical and utterly beautiful I'll Give You The Sun is. Told from dual points of view, siblings Noah and Jude are best friends, companions and share a special connection that only twins share. Until it all falls apart. Before their world is torn apart, Noah is the quiet twin, bullied by two local thugs who suspect Noah may be gay. His only saving grace is Jude. Jude is the golden child in the eyes of their father, she loves to surf and has always been the bright and lovable tomboy. Until recently. Their mother has taken a keen interest in Noah's artistic talent and Jude begins to lash out. Vying for her mother's attention has lead Jude down a dangerous path... But the roles have reversed and Jude is now withdrawn and relies on superstitions and fate to guide her through life.
Throughout the pages, we see the stark differences between both siblings in current day and before the event that ultimately drove them apart. The flow between the character development and regression was stunning, siblings who are ultimately fighting their own battle in what could also be classed as an intricate coming of age. What ultimately drew me into the storyline is the writing. The Sky is Everywhere was stunning, but I'll Give You the Sun is simply phenomenal. It's lyrical beauty is wondrous.
He floated into the air high above the sleeping forest, his green hat spinning a few feet above his head. In his hand was the open suitcase and out of it spilled a whole sky of stars.Noah's point of view is more romantic and whimsical, he paints within his own thoughts and sees his world as brushstrokes waiting to be painted. Where Jude's feet are firmly planted on the ground, she's the logical thinker, who now is lost within superstitions and her grandmothers old bible that she lives by as a self help book. It also explores grief, first love, sexual orientation and navigating the period between child and adulthood.
"For the sun, stars, oceans, and all the trees, I'll consider it," I say, knowing she'll never agree. She knows how badly I want the sun and trees. We've been dividing up the world since we were five.
THE VERDICT
Never have I encountered a contemporary so utterly lyrical. I inhaled it's beauty and devoured it. This is the year of the young adult contemporary and I'll Give You The Sun is by far one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Written by Barry Jonsberg
Apocalyptic, Australian
Published April 2015
336 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
★★★★ Pandora Jones's problems appear insurmountable. She must convince her team that nothing is as it seems and that they must escape and expose The School to save the world from the plague she unwittingly inflicted on it. The only thing Pan has on her side is her gift of intuition, and her belief in the people she cares about.
But with the clock ticking, can she find a way to stop the plague, and should she do it at any cost?Pan and her friends face off against the might of The School as the final pieces fall into place in the hugely compelling Pandora Jones series.
Yet again, Pandora finds herself back at The School, her adventure with Jen coming to an abrupt halt when the duo were recaptured... But not before confirmation that their world is a lie. But the vision The School holds will come to fruition in less than three months, a man made virus released into society and sure to kill their families and loved ones. But before she can gather the support of her team, Pandora must again convince Jen of the world outside the walls, The School imbedding new memories into her mind of the destruction and devastation that is yet to exist.
But with her ability to manipulate memories, Pandora shares her visions of their escape with her team. With their new found knowledge, the team gather to take on The School, angry at their plan to not only eradicate life from the world but taking the teens from their families and manipulating them to do their bidding. The School have trained and honed their skills, now the group of teens must use it against those who have kept them captive.
It's a suicide mission. Not everyone will make it out alive, but will the teens make it back to their families and stop the spread of the virus before it's too late?
Teens were pulled from the streets during an epidemic, which the population of Australia had fallen victim to. The flu like symptoms were said to have killed entire communities, including the families of the teens now housed behind the vast walls of The School. But where the newly formed compound seemed to obey without question, it was Pandora who's intuition screamed The School wasn't the safe haven they claimed to be, and she was right. She questioned authority and used what The School has instilled in the students, against them. I adored her character and in Reckoning in particular, Pandora morphs into an incredibly tough and determined young woman. I cheered her on and championed her cause, using her abilities against those who manipulated her and leaving me feeling like a proud parent.
It's a suicide mission. Not everyone will make it out alive, but will the teens make it back to their families and stop the spread of the virus before it's too late?
The Pandora Jones series has been yet another example why Australian young adult is leading the charge into a new era of reading. Barry Jonsberg has crafted a series that puts romance on the back burner, features an intelligent heroine in Pandora and is supported by a brilliant cast of secondary characters, all incredible in their own right. There's no messy romance or love triangles, it's characters are diverse and it breaks the mould of what we've come to expect in young adult, with no excess drama or angst.Kelly's Thoughts
Teens were pulled from the streets during an epidemic, which the population of Australia had fallen victim to. The flu like symptoms were said to have killed entire communities, including the families of the teens now housed behind the vast walls of The School. But where the newly formed compound seemed to obey without question, it was Pandora who's intuition screamed The School wasn't the safe haven they claimed to be, and she was right. She questioned authority and used what The School has instilled in the students, against them. I adored her character and in Reckoning in particular, Pandora morphs into an incredibly tough and determined young woman. I cheered her on and championed her cause, using her abilities against those who manipulated her and leaving me feeling like a proud parent.
It's one of the first character based apocalyptic series I've read, and it was incredible. It allowed me to connect with the characters foremost, before exploring their wonderfully constructed world around them. A brilliant finale that had me completely hooked, with one exception. To sedate my inner need for complete conclusion, it needed an epilogue. I'm hoping it may be leaving room for a novella or fourth book in the near future.The final Verdict
Written by Maria Dahvana Headley
Fantasy, Paranormal
Expected Publication April 27th 2015
320 Pages
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
★★★★★
Aza Ray Boyle is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak, to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who's always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more than friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world, and found, by another. Magonia.Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power, but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza's hands lies fate of the whole of humanity, including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?
The Haunting of Sunshine Girl Book One
Written by Paige McKenzie
Paranormal, Horror
Published April 1st 2015
288 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
★★★★
In that place where you're more asleep than awake any more, I hear something else. A phrase uttered in a child's voice, no more than a whisper. Night Night.Something freaky's going on with Sunshine's new house... There's the chill that wraps itself around her bones, the giggling she can hear in the dead of night, and then the strange shadows that lurk in her photographs. But the more weird stuff that happens, the less her mum believes her. Sunshine's always had a quirky affiliation with the past, but this time, history is getting much too close for comfort...If there is something, or someone, haunting her house, what do they want? And what will they do if Sunshine can't help them?As things become more frightening and dangerous, and the giggles she hears turn to sobs and screams, Sunshine has no choice but to accept what she is, face the test before her and save her mother from a fate worse than death.
Weightless
Written by Sarah Bannan
Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Published April 1st 2015
352 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Adamsville wasn't a place that people came to. It was a place you were from, where you were born, where you were raised, where you stayed...
Before Carolyn Lessing arrived, nothing much had ever happened in Adamsville, Alabama. Each week, at dinner tables and in the high school assembly, everyone would pray for the football team to win. Each year, the Adams High Hotlist would be updated, and girls would rise and fall within its ranks. Each day, everyone lived by the unwritten rules that cheerleaders did not hang out with the swim team, seniors did not date freshmen and the blistering heat was something that should never be remarked upon. But then the new girl came.
All Carolyn's social media could reveal was that she had moved from New Jersey, she had 1075 friends, and she didn't have a relationship status. In beach photos with boys who looked like Abercrombie models she seemed beautiful, but in real life she was so much more. She was perfect.
This was all before the camera crews arrived, before it became impossible to see where rumour ended and truth began, and before the Annual Adamsville Balloon Festival, when someone swore they saw the captain of the football team with his arm around Carolyn, and cracks began to appear in the dry earth.
Written by C. J Duggan
Contemporary, New Adult
Expected Publication April 28th 2015
339 Pages
Thank you to Hachette Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
★★★★★
There's bound to be trouble in Paradise...When her parents decide a change will be good for her, seventeen year old Lexie Atkinson never expected they'd send her all the way to Paradise City. Coming from a predictable life of homeschooling on a rural Australian property, she just knows that Paradise will be amazing. But when she's thrust into a public school without a friendly face in sight, and forced to share a room with her insipid, hateful cousin Amanda, Lexie's not so sure.Hanging out with the self proclaimed beach bums of the city, sneaking out, late night parties and parking with boys are all things Lexie's never experienced, but all that's about to change. It's new, terrifying... And exciting.And when Lexie meets Luke Ballantine, the swoon-worthy, bad boy leader of the group, the chemistry between them is electric. Trouble with a capital T, Luke is impulsive, charming and answers to no one, and he's sexier than any guy Lexie has ever known. Lexie begins to wonder if Luke is going to be good for her... Or very, very bad?
All Lexie has ever wanted to do is to escape the lazy town of Red Hill for the lights of the city. The home schooled seventeen year old has dreamed of Paradise City, since estranged cousin Amanda sent her a postcard. But Lexie had never expected her parents to agree to the move, and she certainly didn't expect that moving into her aunt and uncles house would result in a surly cousin who sees her as nothing more than tragic.
Determined to find her place, Lexie tried to ignore the boys tapping on Amanda's window in the middle of the night, even with her cousin having done nothing to deserve Lexie's silence. Still, she won't breathe a word to Amanda's parents. The boys being the local beach bums, not known for their intelligence but rather being ladies men who know their way around a woman's body. And none more so that the luscious Ballantine. But even being on the outer, Lexie still manages to find herself in detention with none other than Ballantine himself. Their chemistry is undeniable, the sexual tension between the two is palpable and Lexie realises that capturing Ballantine's attention may just be her downfall.
But Lexie is a tough as boots country girl and refuses to let Amanda win. She digs in her heels and is determine to make the most of her opportunity. But starting a new school isn't easy especially when Ballantine seems to be staring her down, the attraction and sexual tension can be cut with a knife. Ballantine isn't the playboy that his reputation leads everyone to believe and he and Lexie form a tentative friendship, bonding over shared detentions and late night rendezvous.
More mature young adult than new adult, C. J has crafted a sizzling storyline that could be considered to be a coming of age for the realistic, every day girl. Lexie is not only likable, but incredibly relatable and wants to find her place in the social hierarchy of Paradise City. She isn't perfect, but awkward, clumsy and naive. Her budding relationship with the sinful Ballantine is tense, but the banter and awkwardness of Lexie navigating her first real crush was absolutely charming.
I loved every moment. Uniquely Australian, Paradise City was simply brilliant. C. J is a born storyteller that breathes a realism into her characters and situations that we've all found ourselves in. But the biggest difference is, that her books span across the ages. Generations of yesterday, today and tomorrow will relate to not only Lexie, but her plight. But be warned, Paradise City does end of a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see what will become of Lexie and Ballantine and head back to Paradise City in the next installment. It can't come soon enough.
As most of you know, I rarely read new adult, never mind actually enjoy it. It's the same tropes over and over and often sexually based with barely a hint of a storyline. Paradise City not only reinvents the new adult genre, but sets the standard that all new adult authors should strive for. Set in the fictional town of Paradise City, Lexie is the girl next door looking for a big city adventure. Originally from the sleepy town of Red Hill, Lexie has been home schooled and longs for the high school experience. Having moved years prior, her cousin Amanda and her parents agree to take the seventeen year old in, but where Lexie and Amanda were once as thick as thieves, now their relationship strained even further with the vapid and arrogant Amanda wanting her gone.Kelly's Thoughts
But Lexie is a tough as boots country girl and refuses to let Amanda win. She digs in her heels and is determine to make the most of her opportunity. But starting a new school isn't easy especially when Ballantine seems to be staring her down, the attraction and sexual tension can be cut with a knife. Ballantine isn't the playboy that his reputation leads everyone to believe and he and Lexie form a tentative friendship, bonding over shared detentions and late night rendezvous.
More mature young adult than new adult, C. J has crafted a sizzling storyline that could be considered to be a coming of age for the realistic, every day girl. Lexie is not only likable, but incredibly relatable and wants to find her place in the social hierarchy of Paradise City. She isn't perfect, but awkward, clumsy and naive. Her budding relationship with the sinful Ballantine is tense, but the banter and awkwardness of Lexie navigating her first real crush was absolutely charming.
I loved every moment. Uniquely Australian, Paradise City was simply brilliant. C. J is a born storyteller that breathes a realism into her characters and situations that we've all found ourselves in. But the biggest difference is, that her books span across the ages. Generations of yesterday, today and tomorrow will relate to not only Lexie, but her plight. But be warned, Paradise City does end of a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see what will become of Lexie and Ballantine and head back to Paradise City in the next installment. It can't come soon enough.
Purchase Links
Preorder Paradise City by clicking the links below
Written by Michael Adams
Apocalyptic, Australian
Expected publication April 1st 2015
400 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
★★★★★
By the glow of the instrument panel, I see my face reflected in the darkened window. 'My God,' she says. 'Who are you?' It's what I've been asked before. I don't know the answer.Danby is desperately fighting to save the last of humanity.But with Jack’s sinister influence more powerful than ever, Danby’s one hope for freeing his minions and her little brother, seems lost. The only option now for the few survivors not under Jack’s control is escape.Danby will also have to confront a danger much closer to home as she finds that she may have risked her own sanity in her ferocious battle to live. Embracing a brutal warrior code might save Danby's life, but the price is high.In the explosive final act of the Last Girl trilogy, Danby must save who she can, even if it means abandoning hope for her last remaining family. With soldiers, marauders and toxic bushfires closing in, she has no choice but to fight before she can take flight.
Danby is on the brink of fighting for her country, the small pockets of survivors of the Snap and for humanity itself against an enemy that moves as one. The army under Jack's control are gaining strength, even after the last battle in which Danby vowed to end Jack's reign. With Nathan by her side, Danby is stronger, colder and more ruthless than ever before. She's learnt to fight, and with the fate of little brother Evan now in her hands, she may just die trying.
It started with the Snap, the unexplained phenomenon allowing the population to hear the thoughts of those within a large radius. Then the world was silenced. Humans around Sydney were stopped in their tracks, becoming catatonic and only revived through medicinal injection. Two strangers in Danby and Nathan each who have lost loved ones, start a revolution of survival where each person woken is asked to revive another. Those seemingly unaffected have been labelled as Specials, able to read the thoughts of those around them. Then there's Jack, not only is he unaffected, but can raise those held in their catatonic state, but not without consequence.Kelly's Thoughts
Danby's character development between The Last Girl and the finale is astounding. From shy, meek girl that was reliant on technology and despised her father's new wife, to the kick ass, brutal heroine that was determined to save the world from Jack. She's not perfect, but Danby makes you want invest in her plight and champion her cause. She pushes the boundaries between heroine and villain by walking the thin line between merciful and monster. It's no longer about saving Owen or the world, it's now become one girl's fight against humanity, despite the odds.
It was simply brilliant. Reminiscent of the classic Tomorrow series by John Marsden, Michael Adams is an imaginative and engaging author who is currently one of the premier young adult authors in Australia. This highly anticipated finale far exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait to see what he's working on next.
Contains spoilers. Check out my reviews for Every Breath and Every Word
Every Series Book Three
Written by Ellie Marney
Contemporary, Thriller
Published March 1st 2015
340 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
Add to Goodreads
★★★★☆
Rachel Watts is suffering from recurring nightmares about her near death experience in London. She just wants to forget the whole ordeal, but her boyfriend, James Mycroft, is obsessed with piecing the puzzle together and anticipating the next move of the mysterious Mr Wild, his own personal Moriarty.
So when Rachel's brother, Mike, suggests a trip back to their old home in Five Mile, Rachel can't wait to get away. Unfortunately it's not the quiet weekend she was hoping for with the unexpected company of Mike's old school buddy, the wildly unreliable Harris Derwent.
Things get worse for Rachel when Harris returns to Melbourne with them, but could Harris be the only person who can help her move forward? Then a series of murders suggests that Mr Wild is still hot on their tails and that Mycroft has something Wild wants, something Wild is prepared to kill for.
Can Watts and Mycroft stay one step ahead of the smartest of all criminal masterminds? The stage is set for a showdown of legendary proportions...
Rachel and Mycroft have both returned to Melbourne, after the harrowing and traumatic experience in London. The police may have their abductor in custody, but it's the mysterious and dangerous Wild that has the two teens on edge, they have something he wants and he isn't afraid to make his intentions known. But Mycroft's insistence at keeping in touch with Wild is only fueling Rachel's fears. Her nightmares have drove her to escape the city with big brother Mike, back to Five Mile to clear her head and evaluate her relationship with Mycroft. But Mycroft has a lead, and is determined to see this case through, taking off to Bali to find one of his father's most trusted colleagues.
When Rachel returns to the city, it's clear that Wild is closing in when a young man's body is found, resembling Mycroft and his injuries he sustained at the hands of Wild's henchman in London. But while Mycroft is chasing his lead, Rachel begins to fight back with the help of Harris, Mike's flirtatious and attractive best friend. As Rachel reclaims her power, Mycroft returns, Wild is on their doorstep and it seems that even escaping to Five Mile isn't safe.
We're introduced to a new character in Harris, Mike's best friend from Five Mile and local ladies man. It soon becomes clear that behind the flirtation, Harris is interested in Rachel and her well being. But Harris knows all too well what it's like to feel defenseless, and is determined to help her take control of her life once more. When Mycroft returns from chasing down a lead in Bali, the tension and banter between he and Harris is nothing short of delicious. I adored Harris, he was competent, tenacious and left me torn between wanting Rachel to pursue a relationship with Harris, and the ever increasingly abrasive Mycroft. It only added to the tension. Well played Ms Marney. Well played.
Simply the most engaging, character driven and thrilling contemporary series I've read thus far. It's utterly brilliant. Ellie Marney knows how to create a tense and suspenseful storyline that will make you ache for justice. The flawed characters only add to how endearing not only Mycroft and Rachel are, but Rachel's family and friends as well. What sets the series apart is that it's not complicated, there's no excess teen drama angst, no love triangle and no instant love. The emphasis is on family and the family unit for support. If you've yet to pick this series up, you definitely won't be disappointed. I've absolutely loved it, and the only downside being that the series is now over and I'm not ready to say goodbye.
Every Move is everything you want in a series finale, suspense, intensity and brilliance. Ellie Marney has crafted yet another heart stopping storyline that follows our favorite crime solving couple, Mycroff and Watts and this time, it's personal. Every Move picks up in the middle of the London aftermath, Mycroft is still in contact with Wild unbeknownst to the police, and Rachel has now distanced herself from their relationship. After being captured and tortured in London, it's not only the nightmares that traumatise her each night, but the fear of being held or physically restrained, something Mycroft doesn't seem to understand. He's blinded by his search for the truth, and allows his relationship to suffer.Kelly's Thoughts
We're introduced to a new character in Harris, Mike's best friend from Five Mile and local ladies man. It soon becomes clear that behind the flirtation, Harris is interested in Rachel and her well being. But Harris knows all too well what it's like to feel defenseless, and is determined to help her take control of her life once more. When Mycroft returns from chasing down a lead in Bali, the tension and banter between he and Harris is nothing short of delicious. I adored Harris, he was competent, tenacious and left me torn between wanting Rachel to pursue a relationship with Harris, and the ever increasingly abrasive Mycroft. It only added to the tension. Well played Ms Marney. Well played.
Simply the most engaging, character driven and thrilling contemporary series I've read thus far. It's utterly brilliant. Ellie Marney knows how to create a tense and suspenseful storyline that will make you ache for justice. The flawed characters only add to how endearing not only Mycroft and Rachel are, but Rachel's family and friends as well. What sets the series apart is that it's not complicated, there's no excess teen drama angst, no love triangle and no instant love. The emphasis is on family and the family unit for support. If you've yet to pick this series up, you definitely won't be disappointed. I've absolutely loved it, and the only downside being that the series is now over and I'm not ready to say goodbye.
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