New Release Reviews: January to March 2018

I have read lots of books that have come out in the first three months of this year. I am going to write short sharp reviews of those I enjoyed and those I can see a place for in libraries for young people.

January

The Harper Effect by Taryn Bashford Pan Macmillan ISBN 9781760552091 AUS

Actually came out in the last week of December but could have been easily overlooked in those first and last weeks of the year. Harper’s tennis career is well developed. She’s a talented player, and her journey to make it to the elite level rings true. Her new coach offers advice that would be welcome for any teen willing to listen. Her family life is also complicated, but she is well supported by loving parents. The love triangle with Jake and Colt doesn’t devolve into the disaster it could have. Harper’s preference comes through quite early, and although there is some miscommunication with both boys, it’s resolved quite easily. Harper does behave foolishly, but she is only 16, and is inexperienced in romance due to all her training and travel. I thought she learned from her mistakes, and always tried to be better. Taryn wrote about the importance of seeing sporty girls in fiction, and her comments are valid and interesting.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Hot Key Books ISBN 9781471407031 

This was on my highly anticipated list, and it didn’t disappoint. Jude is a worthy hero, and her attempts to sort through the twisted politics of the faerie world in which she finds herself, is absorbing and unpredictable. We know she acts for her family, and this loyalty to them is well plotted. Holly Black loves to play around with tropes and stereotypes, and readers will need every bit of their faith in Jude to see her through this first ‘folk of the air’ novel. All the characters are fully realised, but none of them are easy to categorise. We are never sure who stands with Jude or who is against her. It’s a delicious dilemma to face because the tension runs high, and the climax is very satisfying. Of course, we are left wanting more. We wouldn’t want it any other way.

February

Between Us by Claire Atkins Black Inc Press ISBN 9781760640217 AUS

Beautifully written, richly diverse, nuanced and credible, this authentic tale has many layers and yet avoids sounding like an ‘important lesson we should all read’. That’s not to say it isn’t important. It is. That’s not to say we shouldn’t all read it. We certainly should. But we should read it because it is engrossing, and compassionate, and full of contemporary insights. Young people are given a glimpse into life in a detention centre, and older people will be asked to see issues from a modern teenager’s point of view. It’s challenging for all readers. Ana’s fears, Jonno’s vulnerabilities, and Kenny’s distress are all understandable. Atkins has done all her research well, and the story of these two young people struggling with identity, politics and relationships will open eyes and hearts to their plight. It’s really good.

Tin Heart by Shivaun Plozza Penguin Random House ISBN 9780143786276 AUS

Marlowe has just had a heart replacement, and while that is enough for anyone to deal with, she also has to content with a vegan-warrior mother taking on the local butcher, and a younger brother, who creates an inspiring costume every day, and must be protected from bullies and bigots. Returning to school means she must speak up for herself and find new friends, and that’s a big ask for an introvert, partly obsessed with the person who died and gave her their heart.

Plozza has created a sympathetic main character, whose actions reflect her dismay at how little she can control her life. She becomes braver, and more confident, and yet some of her actions have negative repercussions, and Marlowe has to own up to some mistakes, and seek forgiveness from people who she has let down.

A poignant story about finding a way through the complexities of life.

The Endsister by Penni Russon Allen & Unwin ISBN 9781741750652 AUS

Utterly charming, and thought-provoking, this family drama transports five siblings from country Australia to urban London, when their parents receive news of an exciting opportunity. Each child reacts differently, and the multiple viewpoints allow readers to experience a wide range of emotions.

Eldest siblings Clancy and Else are our dominant travel guides, in first person narrative whereas 6 year old Sibby’s voice is third person. There are actually two more brothers, twins Oscar and Finn, who are, for the most part, interchangeable and silent. Not only do we have access to the children’s thoughts, we are also privy to the conversations of two spirits who still reside in the London house. Sibbi’s ability to see and feel them affects her emotional state, and we watch a vibrant happy child transform into a sickly one. A mystery develops about why they are still haunting the place, and the children’s involvement opens up secrets and a long lost history that is both poignant and compelling.

Russon’s story explores the notion of family and belonging, and is pitched perfectly at readers aged between 9 and 12. There is a strong sense of location, the contrast between rural Australia and hectic London described through sights, sounds and smells. It’s very visceral and layered.

March

The Date to Save by Stephanie Kate Strohm Scholastic ISBN 9781338149067

A book with an odd but compelling style called ‘oral history’, that needs time to settle. Readers will have to contend with many narrative voices, and the interplay between each varying opinion and agenda. To say too much about the plot would spoil the big reveal that happens at about the halfway point, but much can be said about its humour, style and messages.

First of all, it is very funny. The snarky humour spreads throughout the book, as characters contradict each other, defend themselves, and blurt out secrets. It is all very high school. But there is also a satirical element to the humour, and it’s almost as if the author is cheekily taking aim at some of the stereotypes and tropes of YA fiction, even as she is writing one. The story in complicated and layered, and that the resolution is pulled off so satisfactorily, it’s a testament to a clever, organised author, who has clearly spent time, ensuring threads tie together neatly.

The messages are ones we continue to need to hear. We should be kind to each, and try not to be judgmental about people’s choices. The author comments on sibling rivalry, ambition, loneliness and persistence. She argues we need to realise it isn’t bad to ask for help, nor is getting support from your peers. We all have value, something to contribute, and our individual gifts or talents help balance and increase community and society. I loved hearing these positive messages while being entertained and challenged.

If I Tell You by Alicia Tuckerman Pantera Press ISBN 9780646961255 AUS

While there are several queer teen books set in Australian cities, there isn’t much set in rural towns, and If I Tell You is very much a book about being an outsider in a close community, and finding the right time to reveal who you really are. Tuckerman’s depiction of Alex’s conflict and fragile self esteem is authentic and strong. She has known for a while that her mother, particularly, will struggle with a lesbian daughter. Her standing in the CWA, her strong faith and family values will not allow for such a gap in her understanding of the way people ought to be. I found her narrow mindedness extremely difficult to accept, to be honest. Alex is emboldened by the arrival of the charismatic Phoenix but unfortunately her depiction is just a little too manic pixie dream girl, and I was a little disappointed by the way the plot unfolded in the last section. It isn’t even a gay trope, it’s a basic coming-of-age scenario I thought YA was well past. Having said that, it is handled with care and careful sensitivity. I think this story will resonate with readers because of its compassionate portrayal of first love.

2018 Anticipated Reads

I have been lucky enough to read some 2018 novels already, and have enjoyed many of them, most especially P is for Pearl by Eliza Henry-Jones (March), White Night by Ellie Marney (March) and Truly, Wildly, Deeply by Jenny McLachlan (April).

The National Book Award Winner Far From the Tree by Robin Benway was another one I really wanted to read, and it does not disappoint. It’s now available as paperback here in Australia.

Here are three other books for which I am also mad keen. Blurbs courtesy of Goodreads.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (January) Little Brown Books

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

 

Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough (April) Hardie Grant Egmont

Harriet Price is the perfect Rosemead Grammar student – wealthy, smart, overachieving – while Will Everhart is a social-justice warrior with a chip on her shoulder. But when a worrying incident with their swimming coach goes unnoticed by the authorities, the unlikely pair creates an elaborate hoax to bring him down.

As tensions burn throughout their elite private school – and between the two girls – how long can they keep their hoax a secret? And how far would they go to really make a difference? Australian.

 

 

Sam & Ilsa’s Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (April) Knopf Books

Siblings Sam and Ilsa Kehlmann have spent most of their high school years throwing parties for their friends–and now they’ve prepared their final blowout, just before graduation.

The rules are simple: each twin gets to invite three guests, and the other twin doesn’t know who’s coming until the partiers show up at the door. With Sam and Ilsa, the sibling revelry is always tempered with a large dose of sibling rivalry, and tonight is no exception.

One night. One apartment. Eight people. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, we all know the answer is plenty. But plenty also goes right, as well…in rather surprising ways.

 

Whatever you are doing this New Year’s Eve 2017, be happy and safe. My family and I are hoping to see Coco, then dine somewhere with fabulous food. See you in 2018.

Review: Valentine by Jodi McAlister

Valentine by Jodi McAlister

Published by: Penguin Teen Australia
Released: January 31 2017
ISBN: 9780143574163

Read: November 9 2016

Valentine is a fresh Australian voice in paranormal YA. I don’t know anything about Jodi McAlister, but I am sure she will be embraced by the LoveOzYA community and we will get to know more. The themes of her debut novel aren’t original—we’ve read about the Seelie before—but the delivery of them is appealing and fast-paced.

I have quibbles, which I want to get out of the way first. The blurb on my ARC gives away too much of the plot. If the information is also on the final copy, I will be disappointed. The story is only from Pearl’s perspective. She doesn’t know which of the four Valentine kids is the Seelie. We shouldn’t know either. The twists and turns of the plot would play out so much more satisfactorily for me if we find this out when Pearl does, not before. [Update: I just checked the blurb on the published version, and whew! it keeps its secret].

Also, what’s with the strange names? Cardy? Disey? Shad? Yeah, okay, they turn out to be nicknames, but even the names from which they originate are weird. Paradise? I guess they aren’t weird, so much as rarely used as names. I found this distracting.

But on the whole, I loved this story.

Pearl is a snarky narrator. She’s self aware and keeps referencing well known pop  culture and literature. It fits in well with the plot because strange, paranormal things keep happening to her, and provides a real sense of the meta. Also, Pearl is a musician – she sings and writes her own music. It was pleasing that this part of her life continues, even while all the mystery and bad stuff happened around (and to) her, aspects of Pearl’s life go on.

All the secondary characters were interesting and realistic. The boys have flaws, and the insta-love already existed, so it’s difficult to accuse Pearl of that trope. Nothing about her attraction to Cardy is instant. She’s had her crush for a long while. I loved Ranga Dave and Pearl’s older sibling, Shad. His twin Disey is the older sister we all wish we had, and Phil is a terrific best friend. These people want to support the Valentine kids, but it’s difficult when you don’t know (or don’t believe) who or want you’re up against.

The plot is revealed as the story builds, but it’s always moving forward and quite tense. Pearl doesn’t really have much time to think. She can only react to the events and do her best in the situations as they happen. This means she has little chance to explain her actions, which has dire consequences by the end of the book. This is another fascinating aspect of the book. Not all her friends and family are sympathetic by the end. Unfairness is a real part of all our lives and to see our protagonist not always getting the kudos for rescue and self-sacrifice is a tough and bitter pill to swallow.

Valentine ticks a number of appealing boxes and offers unexpected twists, and this balance should make it popular among demanding teens who expect high quality from their literature. The diversity is there, but not in a way that seems artificial or forced. It’s impressive how seamless and organic it feels.

Recommended to readers who like their main character sarcastic and edgy. The romance smoulder is off the charts and the family dynamic is strange yet perfect. It is the first in a new series and concludes satisfactorily, but still with so many more questions to be answered. Valentine was released (in Australia) on January 31.

The best of the rest 2016: mostly middle of a series

So I have eight (!) other books that I adored, and they are mostly books that sit comfortably into a popular series. Two are firsts in new series, and another is a contemporary romance that is a feel good story by a developing author. So happy new year! Here is my last best of list 2016 on the 1st day of 2017.

 

Night Study (Soulfinders #2) Maria V Snyder (January 2016)

I have read most of the books set in this universe (except the Glass series), and find them compelling and hopeful. Yelena and Valek are wonderful characters. I love that they could easily be given to adult readers, as they don’t talk down or pander to a young audience. Because I thankfully received it from Netgalley, my review at Goodreads is lengthy (& includes spoilers). I am currently waiting (not so patiently) to be approved for the next one (fingers crossed).

Marked in Flesh (The Others #4) Anne Bishop (March 2016)

I found these by accidentally, and slowly over the course of four novels, I have become very attached to Meg and Simon’s little crew. The pattern of each book is familiar–lots of scenes of domesticity in the compound, while outside narrative voices tell of impending doom. No matter how much the humans who know The Others, try to warn the aggressors, their calls go unheeded and everyone suffers. But mostly those ignorant greedy humans. It’s contemporary politics wrapped up in a carefully controlled, beautifully realised fantasy world.

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) Cassandra Clare (March 2016)

The highly anticipated latest blockbuster from the City of Bones world did not disappoint. It’s epic, it’s detailed, and it’s great storytelling. As much as I liked it, Lady Midnight didn’t make my list of first in a series because secretly, for me, there was just a little bit too much pandering to ‘shippers of couples from previous series. I think we should focus on Emma and her LA posse, and their troubles. Because believe me, they have plenty!! And I just checked and she’s getting the next one out in May 2017. Awesome!

The Unexpected Everything Morgan Matson (May 2016)

This is messy, complicated, and full of tropes, but it’s done in a way that is thorough, warm, and witty, so it’s hard to find fault with it. Andie is the best kind of narrator–generally a nice person, who just has had it too good up till now, to realise her privilege and her self-absorption. When she loses (what she understands to be) everything, her growth is commensurate with her increase in humility, compassion, and generosity. The secondary characters are well developed, and the situations, experiences, and resolution all feel true. I loved this a lot.

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) Sarah J Maas (May 2016)

Probably the biggest hit of 2016. I actually read both books this year, which is always better with these epic fantasy novels, involving many characters and plot twists and cliffhanger endings. Sarah J Maas is alternating between two major series, and how she keeps them separate in her head astounds me. Lots of charting and timelines I suspect. Anyway, Feyre is another great character, and her involvement in this immortal war will hopefully mean the awful dudes get what’s coming to them. I am definitely all in for the ride.

The Call Peadar O’Guilin (August 2016)

I thought this was a standalone, but it’s apparently not. More horror than anything else I read, it felt astonishing fresh and incredibly exciting. Dealing with Celtic fey (here known as the Sidhe, pronounced ‘shee’), O’Guilin offers us Nessa, disabled yet stubborn, and full of pride. Her peers are living a nightmare. Any of them (including Nessa) could get ‘the call’ at any time. Disappearing into the world of the Sidhe, they have to survive 24 hours of torture, chasing, wickedness and whatever else these revenging immortals think up. For the people in the ‘real’ world, the whole experience lasts only 2 minutes. This tense taut tale is executed in brazen tones–snark into next week, drama between the teens, mostly useless adult mentors, most of them suffering PDST from their own horrifying encounters, and don’t even ask me how he pulls off that glorious resolution. It’s a killer!

A Torch against the night (An Ember in the Ashes #2) Sabaa Tahir (August 2016)

The importance of world building in paranormal action novels should never be downplayed. It’s crucial that the landscape could exist, and Tahir pulls off this dystopian Ancient Roman alternate history like a pro. There is much reliance on violence to try to curtail the actions of the resistance, but that just makes the story stronger. Our heroes, Laia and Elias, are pulled through some rough circumstances, requiring tough choices, and readers must be prepared for a long haul here, before we see some light. Gosh, it’s good.

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) Sarah J Maas (September 2016)

The other popular tome of the 2016 clocks in at nearly 700 pages, and to have made it all the way through to that ending requires not only persistence, but also patience with Maas, because I am certain our feisty queen, Aelin, DID NOT  deserve that. You can tell I remain riled up when I ‘caps lock’ text. Luckily we only have to wait a year… I still don’t know how she does it. Two blockbusters a year. Hope she’s getting some sleep.

That’s it for 2016. Hope you’ll join me again soon, for more reviewing, some useful lists, and my anticipated reads for 2017. Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve. I am off to watch ‘Sing!’

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review: Winter & Summer: Short Story companion collections

It’s taken me about a week to work my way through these collections, 12 stories in each. I alternated one from My True Love Gave to Me (hereby referred to as Winter), and one from Summer Days and Summer Nights (shortened to, you guessed it, Summer), although something happened at the end, and I had to read the last two Summer stories consecutively…but that’s neither here nor there. For those of you who do care, here are some simple stats and happy coincidences. (Although I am more than happy to give credit to Stephanie Perkins to her amazingly, psychic powers resulting in me being able to make these patterns).

• Each book has stories by three authors whose work I hadn’t read previously
• Each book had five stories with magical or wondrous elements, and seven that didn’t.
• After I read David Levithan’s snarky and bittersweet boy-loves-boy Winter story, Your Temporary Santa, I found myself reading Tim Ferderle’s snarky and bittersweet boy-not-so-much-loves-boy in the Summer compendium, Souvenirs. Loved them both obviously.

Hmm, thought I had more than that.

Anyhoo… moving right along, these books work in companion because here in Australia we celebrate Christmas in the summer, so I read Winter for the seasonal feels, and I read Summer for, well, clearly the heat, and the beaches, and the swimming, and the sweating, through which I am currently suffering enjoying. Well, the swimming at least.

I can’t talk about all the stories, but I do want to highlight a couple from each book. For example, as soon as I thought to read these, I headed straight to Stephanie Perkins in Winter, and fell in love with the snarky talky-talk between Marigold and North. Their banter is fine.

 

It’s an all-in-one-night story, and ends most satisfactorily. So it was an even better surprise when I immediately opened Summer to Perkins’s story, and found myself once again with Marigold and North. North’s witticisms are even better.

Marigold’s determination to sort through North’s silent treatment is wonderful. Again, it happens all in one day (this time), and concludes happily (thank goodness).

I then went back to the beginning, and read story for story, one from Winter to one from Summer, and it was delicious to open my heart to these new characters, sometimes strange landscapes, and often bittersweet relationships. There are other excellent elements in play: Diverse backgrounds (The Lady and the Fox; Angels in the Snow; It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown!; What the Hell have you done, Sophie Roth?; and Welcome to Christmas, CA from Winter. And In Ninety Minutes, turn North; and Good luck and Farewell in Summer), LGBTQIA characters (Your Temporary Santa in Winter, and The End of Love; Souvenirs; and Love is the Last Resort in Summer), and disabilities represented positively (A Thousand Ways this could all go wrong in Summer). Grief was also prevalent. It seems teenagers suffer death of loved ones in many and varied ways. It’s a strong emotion which many young people experience and ultimately heal (mostly).

The wondrous stories are written by authors who have some of the best YA Fantasy around – Holly Black, Kelly Link, Kiersten White, and Laini Taylor in Winter, and Leigh Bardugo, Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare, and Lev Grossman in Summer. These stories sit all along the magical spectrum – some offer only a tiny taste, some interweave quite strong paranormalcy (ha. see what i did there?)  while one author builds an utterly new world (might be part of her new series perhaps?)

I want to highlight more quotes. For their sweetness, for their insight, for their snark.

David Levithan is a master of the perfect memory: (Your Temporary Santa in Winter)

Tim Federle captures that millennial cynicism: (Souvenirs in Summer)

I must ALWAYS add a quote about libraries and/or books: (The Map of Tiny, Perfect Things by Lev Grossman, the last story in Summer)

And two from Laini Taylor because… well, it’s Laini Taylor: (The Girl who Woke the Dreamer, the last story in Winter) (ooh another happy coincidence)

from the girl:

from the dreamer:

Both of these collections are highly recommended. While there may one story in each book that might not end completely happily, the majority leave readers happy, refreshed, and satisfied.

 

 

 

Royalty: Favourite royal characters

Yay, it’s the purple day in the #rainblowblogchallenge. My fav colour. And of course, what else to discuss except those of noble and royal birth. Hmm, actually I have struggled to write find appropriate books because I have never read Princess Diaries, nor am I a huge fan of fairy tales (even the re-imagined ones). So, it’s with this warning, I give you three books with royal characters and why I love them.

I read The Darkest Part of the Forest (January 2015) a week after it was released. This is how much I love Holly Black’s book. Okay, so I said I didn’t really read a lot of re-imagined fairy tales, and some people could say this is a version of sleeping beauty. The faery prince tucked away in the glass coffin is certainly a pretty boy. And while he sleeps, Ben and Hazel make up stories about him. They both love him, and are aware that the faeries around their small town tolerate the humans, but in reality can be lethal.

By the time the prince awakes, Black has us spellbound with fascinating characters, and a captivating landscape. Her vision of faeries are dark and sinister, and it takes all the four main characters’ courage to keep the village and its folk safe. Royally creepy.

I read The Winner’s trilogy over a number of years, finally finishing with The Winner’s Kiss this year (March, 2016). While Kestral is only a general’s daughter, and Arin a soldier (spy), they both rise up through the ranks in their respective countries to be people of power. Their romance moves from innocent forbidden, to surviving trauma and separation. Their scheming and politic-ing really binds the world-building and the plotting together. A royally cohesive series.

Finally, most recently, I read the first book in a new series by Amy Tintera called Ruined (May 2016). Em is a princes of a destroyed kingdom. When she pretends to be someone else to marry the son of her despised enemy, readers know the set up with be filled with tension of her discovery. There is considerable bigotry towards those with magic, and the torture scenes are quite graphic. Tintera lets us know that war is hopeless and cruel. The conclusion of the first book sets up an intriguing second book, in which it seems Em will have to choose between her country and her family (also her love). Oh, princesses do not have it easy, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.I am royally keen to read on.

The absolutely best thing about all three books/series is the inclusion of same-sex relationships as normal, healthy and accepted. I would love to see this attitude in more contemporary novels too. Love is love is love. Irrespective of how royal your blood.

Thanks to the hosts of the #rainbowblogchallenge for these terrific prompts.