Cherry Jellybeans En Pointe Guest Review
Hi all, I’m Camille from the Cherry Jellybeans
blog and Goodreads, and I was chosen to review En Pointe by Chloe Bayliss as
part of the AusYABloggers Review Tour.
En Pointe by Chloe Bayliss
Pages: 264 pages
Publication: 30 Sep 2019
Published by: Pantera Press
Camille's Rating: 3.5 stars
View on Goodreads
Synopsis:
“Have you ever had an addiction? An obsession? Have you ever wanted something so much that you can’t imagine your life without it? For me, that’s dance.”
“Have you ever had an addiction? An obsession? Have you ever wanted something so much that you can’t imagine your life without it? For me, that’s dance.”
This is a story about never giving up on your dreams, no
matter what life throws at you.
Chloe Bayliss was born to perform and thanks to a lot of hard
work and determination, she’s on her way to being a ballerina. At sixteen, she
gets accepted into an international dance school and everything she dreamed of
is about to come true.
But then overnight a mystery illness takes Chloe from
starring in Swan Lake to clinging to life in a hospital bed.
Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined the
hurdles she would face – but also how she would eventually triumph. Against all
odds, she finds a whole new way to flourish, and despite the challenges she
faces, Chloe never stops dreaming big.
En Pointe is the real-life story of how an aspiring ballerina
became an inspiring young actor after overcoming a life-threatening illness.
Miracles really can happen, even if they’re not the ones you
asked for.
I enjoyed reading this Young Adult
autobiography by Chloe Bayliss. It was my first time reading a story like this
one. As a mid-30s young woman, I found that I didn’t enjoy this autobiography as
much as I could have because I felt that I was in the wrong age group to
appreciate it. However, if I picture myself back in time to when I was my 14 or
15-year-old self, I believe I would have enjoyed her story more than I do now.
This story was both heartbreaking and entertaining in equal measure. At the
start of the story, Bayliss is a dedicated dancer whose life is dance, dance
and more dance. She has no time for anything else while her family uproot their
lives to accommodate her every need. But that all changes six months before
Bayliss is due to graduate with her Diploma in Dance and Performance. She is
rushed to hospital with acute kidney failure and spends an awful eighteen
months fighting off life-threatening disease.
It was good to see that as Chloe grew up
during her illness, she learns to grow up and see the world through a different
lens. The sixteen-year-old Chloe realises it wasn’t just about her dancing
anymore as she must lean on others to survive. Although it must have been tough
to hear from various experts that Bayliss shouldn’t and wouldn’t be able to
dance anymore, especially when at her lowest. She meets and spends time with
her family members again and begins to have better relationships with them. Her
sister is a real character, and her parents are beautiful people. I can’t imagine what they were going through
and wouldn’t wish the events that happened to this family on my worst enemy.
It was heartbreaking and harrowing to read about
the various experiences that happened while Chloe was in the hospital. I can
only imagine what it felt like to have the nurses put sandbags on her chest to
stop the bleeding after her second biopsy. I would feel as annoyed at the
doctors as Chloe did when she knew she was about to have another seizure, and
no one would listen to her. It would
have been excruciating. It was
interesting to read about her first crush and her wanting to have sex and live
like a normal teenage girl too. I remember what it was like to be angry at boys,
especially when Jake left her right when she needed him most. In turn, all
these experiences shape the dancer Bayliss becomes once she is strong enough to
defeat her limitations and graduate finally.
By the end of the story, I was
glad to know that Chloe had beaten her illness but found her to be a little
selfish in the way that she made her parents relive this horrible time. I also
think the ending to be overdone and inflated. The conclusion might have read
better if it was divided into two chapters instead of one.
Overall, I found this book to be both
inspirational and hopeful in turn. I hope teenagers read this and know that if
Chloe Bayliss can defeat her illness and achieve her dreams, anyone can.
I rate this 3.5 out of 5 stars.
You can find Camille via Twitter | Goodreads | Blog
The Man in the Water Blog Tour
UQP, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of The Man in the Water by David Burton. On tour, you will find Aussie bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers sharing their thoughts on The Man in the Water, beginning on October 1st and running until October 5th
About the book
by David Burton
Published by UQP
ISBN 978 0 7022 6252 4
Published October 1st, 2019
Add to Goodreads
RRP $19.95 AUD
On the first day of year 10, Shaun sees a dead body.When Shaun finds a body floating in the lake of a quiet mining town in outback Queensland, he immediately reports it to the police. But when he returns to the site with the constable, the body is gone.Determined to reveal the truth, Shaun and his best friend, Will, open their own investigation. But what they discover is far more sinister than they expected, and reveals a darkness below the surface of their small town.
About the author
David Burton is an award-winning writer from Brisbane. He has written over 30 professionally produced theatrical works, including several pieces for the youth and education sector, and directed productions for the Queensland Music Festival. His memoir, How to Be Happy, won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing in 2014. The Man in the Water is his first novel.
Find David via Website
Seventy-Seven Saturday (#1) Gap Year in Ghost Town
Every Saturday we will bring you a short snippet from page 77 of a book. It might be a book one of us is reading or perhaps just the book closest to us.
The Rules:
- Pick up a Book (your current read, or the closest book to you, or your next read, etc)
- Turn to page 77(or 77% if you are on an e-reader)
- Find a Snippet, Sentence or Paragraph you like.
- Share it on your blog or Twitter or Instagram and link back to us (AusYABloggers) and use #77Saturday
Sarah's Choice
Title: Gap Year in Ghost Town (Ghost Town #1)Author: Michael Pryor
Released: August 2017
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Add it to Goodreads
He was big, as I'd said, and my hands were wrist-deep in his chest, something that was bound to annoy anyone, alive or dead.
Sarah's Thoughts
I've been hanging out to read 'Gap year in Ghost Town' and only recently got my hands on a copy. I turned to page 77 and had just on intended on using the first line, but was like ummmm this is going to seem super dark out of context. Then as I read the whole of page 77, I realised it didn't matter what sentence's I used it was going to be dark-ish.Follow Sarah at Blog, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads
Seventy-Seven Saturday was inspired by The Friday 56 by Freda's Voice.
If you decided to share your Seventy-Seven Saturday on your blog please link back to us and tag us on Twitter of Instagram @AsuYABloggers and use the tag #77Saturday
#LOVENZYA THROWBACK THURSDAY (#4)
Throwback Thursday #LoveNzYA edition is our way of spreading the love of backlist Kiwi books that you might have missed. We'll hopefully be posting a new book every second week, and we'd love you to join us!
Kelly's Pick
Title: The Bridge (Southside #1)
Author: Jane Higgins
Released: August 1st 2011
Publisher: Text Publishing
Add it to Goodreads
The Tomorrow series meets The Hunger Games, in a divided city where danger is real and friendship is everything
The city is at war.
Southside, the hostiles live in squalor and desperation. They’re hungry to cross the river. Cityside, Internal Security is in charge. Its job, keep the hostiles at bay.
It recruits only the best for its elite command. Nik is smart. Very smart. So why is he rejected?
Before he can find out, his school is bombed. The hostiles have taken the bridges, and they’ve kidnapped Fyffe’s brother Sol.
Now Nik is on the run. And Fyffe is going with him. Across the bridge.
Nik is still in high school but destined for a great career with the Internal Security and Intelligence Services. But when ISIS comes recruiting, everyone is shocked when he isn't chosen. There must be an explanation, but no one will talk about it. Then the school is bombed and the hostiles take the bridges. Buildings are burning, kids are dead and the hostiles have kidnapped Sol. Now ISIS is hunting for Nik.
why i chose it
It was beautifully written and incredibly engaging. Although I couldn't connect to any of the characters on a personal level, the world building was brilliant. The unrest between both societies is intense, but the political conflict brewing between the Breken adds another layer to the hostile world Nik is left to navigate. If you're looking for a new name in dystopian that isn't weighed down by an awkward romance or teen angst, The Bridge is pure entertainment.
Follow Kelly at Diva Booknerd, Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads
What's your pick for this week? Share on your blog, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or in the comments below! Make sure you tag your posts with #AusYABloggers so we can share the love.EN POINTE BLOG TOUR
Pantera Press, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of En Pointe by Chloe Bayliss. On tour, you will find Aussie bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers sharing their thoughts on En Pointe, beginning on September 26th and running until September 30th.
Tour Schedule
| September 26th Life of Ink and Words Tanzeem Books about Em Bec Zen Books | September 27th Elysian Reviews Dani and the Books Shelle Reads Books | September 28th Of Dragons and Pages Jumbled thoughts of a Writer Book and the Beauty |
| September 29th Escape into YA Books Fotini Reads The Owl Reader | September 30th Befuddled Bookish Seventyeight Sundays Cherry Jelly Beans Jessica's Bookworld |
About the book
EN POINTE
by Chloe Bayliss
Published by Pantera Press
ISBN 9781925700756
Published 30 September, 2019
Add to Goodreads
RRP $24.99 AUD
Chloe Bayliss’ obsession has always been dancing.
Petite in stature, during her formative years Chloe worked tirelessly to beat the odds. Through sheer determination and physical commitment her dream was finally about to come true. At the age of 16 she had been accepted into a pre-professional ballet school in the US.
But right before her trip to America, Chloe became seriously ill. What followed were many long and excruciating months in hospital, a frightening and lonely journey that tested her courage and spirit.
“I put a lot of thought into whether or not I should reveal my story. I was always scared people would see me for my “past” and not ... well ... just me. I so desperately wanted to prove myself as an actor and artist without my personal life influencing the way audiences saw the characters I would play,” says Chloe.
“But after much thought, I came to the conclusion that revealing my past might be of help to someone who’s going through a tough time with serious medical issues.”
Written for young adults, Chloe hopes to share with her readers what she discovered during the many months of sickness – with strength and determination, there are always dreams to follow.
About the author
Helpmann Award nominee and Finalist in the prestigious 2016 Heath Ledger Scholarship, Chloe Bayliss is one of Australia’s finest emerging actresses. She has numerous credits across stage and screen, including her role in the TV Week Logie Award nominated drama Doctor Doctor which is now filming its fourth season and will air on Nine later this year.
Chloe has an extensive background in dance and choreography, having graduated from the National College of Dance with a Diploma of Dance and Performance. Her life as a dancer has taken her all over America and she now extends her knowledge to students and performers throughout Australia by running workshops, teaching and judging dance scholarships.
Chloe hopes to spark conversation around a number of matters she is passionate about, using her own story of overcoming hardship to inspire and bring awareness to others.
Chloe has an extensive background in dance and choreography, having graduated from the National College of Dance with a Diploma of Dance and Performance. Her life as a dancer has taken her all over America and she now extends her knowledge to students and performers throughout Australia by running workshops, teaching and judging dance scholarships.
Chloe hopes to spark conversation around a number of matters she is passionate about, using her own story of overcoming hardship to inspire and bring awareness to others.
Top 5 Tuesday – Star's Top 5 Favourite Tropes
Hi, Star here. I thought I’d share my top 5 favourite tropes
1) Enemies to friends to lovers.
The first book that comes to mind is Tell Me How You
Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi. This book so completely captures this trope for me.
Sana and Rachel start out hating each other, and it’s only when they’re forced to work
together that they start to become friends… and then more.
It’s cute, it’s fun, it has lesbians which is amazing and I just loved this book SO
much.
An honourable mention goes to Her Royal Highness by
Rachel Hawkins.
2) Fake Dating
The classic, and my favourite example of this trope has to be the To All The Boys I’ve Loved
Before book.
I fell in love with this book series last year, and it
still holds a close place in my
heart. I absolutely loved Lara Jean,
and she got up to some crazy things, but she was so adorable and fun to read,
and I loved her relationships with her sisters, too. Also, I have never adored
a male character as much as I adored Peter Kavinsky.
3) Chosen One
This one is pretty obvious for me – Harry Potter from the
Harry Potter series is half a reluctant chosen one, half embraces it. It’s
thrust upon him from before he even knows the wizarding world exists, but if
there’s one hero that I love with my entire soul, it is Harry James Potter.
4) Quests
The entirety of The Raven Cycle is one big quest to find
Glendower and wake him. But my favourite part of the quest is the friendships
the four main characters made along the way. This is one of my all-time
favourite series, and I think it will continue to be for as long as I’m alive.
5) Famous/Non-famous
This is coming straight from my love of fanfiction – but
I love me a story when one half of
the couple is famous, while the other isn’t. It’s fun and usually has me hooked
right from the start. I can think of two Jen Wilde books that fit this, and
they’re both as incredible as the other. Queens of Geek and Going Off Script
are perfect descriptions of this fun and incredible trope.
Hi there. Do you have a Top Five you want to share?
We know we would love to read them!
We are asking for our readers to share their bookish Top Five’s for the group blog.
We are hoping to get enough interest to make this a regular post – email your Top Five ideas to australianyabloggers@gmail.com to be featured.
#LoveOzYa Throwback (#16) Life in Outer Space
Throwback Thursday #LoveOzYA edition is our way of spreading the love of backlist Aussie books that you might have missed. We'll hopefully be posting a new book every second week, and we'd love you to join us!
Tash's pick
Title: Life in Outer Space
Author: Melissa Keil
Released: February 1st 2013
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Add it to Goodreads
Sam is a geek movie-buff with a ragtag group of loser friends who have been taking abuse from the popular kids for years. But when the super-cool Camilla moves to town, she surprises everyone by choosing to spend time with Sam's group. Suddenly they go from geek to chic, and find that not everything boils down to us and them. With their social lives in flux, Sam and Camilla spend more and more time together. They become the best of friends, and Sam finds that he's happier and more comfortable in his own skin than ever before. But eventually Sam must admit to himself that he's fallen in love. If he confesses his true feelings to Camilla, will everything change again?
why i chose it
This book was groundbreaking for me. It was the first time , I could remember I read a book by a person who had the same background as me . Keil went on to write a book representing Sri Lankans that I loved as well.. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Her debut book Life in Outer Space is about a geeky boy named Sam who wishes that he could get his life together and fast forward to future where life surely would be better then now. Until Camilla enters the picture and life just become a little easier. She is everything he is not but then she opens everyone eyes to new possibilities . Showing Sam high school will only define part of his life and things don't always look that bad as they seem now. Forcing Sam out of his comfort zone and back down to earth.This book is fun but has it's serious moments, the family dynamics are honest and raw offering a portrayal that isn't always found in YA. Tugging at your heart strings and making you want to be part of the gang and enjoy the ride and realise that life in outer space isn't all what it made to be. That sometimes you need to connect and take in what is around you
This book sets on my shelves in a special space because how this book was defining on two levels. It once of the early champions of diversity in the local industry that I read. It opened my eyes to reading more local titles which I haven't regretted . This book paved the way and after all this years, it's a book that still needs to be championed and shared because we need more authors like Keil.
#LoveNZYA Throwback Thursday (#3)
Throwback Thursday #LoveNZYA edition is our way of spreading the love of backlist Kiwi books that you might have missed. We'll hopefully be posting a new book every second week, and we'd love you to join us!
Brooklynne's pick
Title: Juno Of Taris (Juno #1)
Author: Fleur Beale
Released: 4th July 2008
Publisher: Random House Australia
Add it to Goodreads
What happens when life in a perfect, protected bubble unravels? Juno is about to find out.
Your ordinary teen? Not quite! Because Juno lives — in the not-too-distant future — on Taris, a bubble-covered island in the Pacific, to which a select few hundred people were evacuated when Earth's inhabitants took everything just a bit too far and began to self-destruct. On Taris there are many rules governing appearance, behaviour, even procreation ... but all are for the good of the community, to ensure the survival of humankind. Or are they?
As Taris' protected environment begins to break down and Juno's questioning nature takes hold, she uncovers some startling inconsistencies in many of the 'factual' histories she has grown up with. She also begins to develop some quite startling, almost supernatural, abilities. As Juno faces increasing danger, she finds allies in the most surprising places.
Juno Of Taris is the first novel in an exciting YA fantasy series.
why i chose it
When I first read this book it blew me away. It is easy to want to champion for Juno as she steps out as no longer accepting the ways she is supposed to live without question. What starts with her not wanting to shave her head starts a rebellion. This thrilling novel kept me on the edge of my seat as with each shove Juno makes against the rule we discover something new.Watching Juno's world unravel around her was one of the most heart thudding and intense things of my life. It was well written and absolutely emotionally charged. This is a great book for those who are fans of novels like The Hunger Games, Hive, The City of Ember, or We Set The Dark on Fire.
Q&A with debut #LoveOzYA author Bronwyn Eley
Bronwyn finally found her natural habitat when she landed her first job in the publishing industry. While she has always been a writer, it was only when surrounding herself with books that she realised her life's dream was to become an author. RELIC is her first novel.
Bronwyn lives in Sydney and spends her time eating chocolate, reading and practicing her martial arts.
Jade of @romanceanddragons had the opportunity to interview Bronwyn as part of the pre-release celebrations for RELIC.
Q: Where did the inspiration for Relic come from?
A: Sadly I don’t remember the exact inspiration moment but over the years I have been influenced by amazing stories from authors like Maria V. Snyder, Tolkien, Leigh Bardugo and Jay Kristoff.
Q: Did much change from the first draft to the final copy of this book?
A: Did it ever! The original idea of Relic was actually very different to what it is now. I never actually wrote the original idea. The story developed over time before I even wrote anything. The first physical draft was about 82,000 words and now it sits closer to 110K! I did a few drafts myself before submitting the novel to Talem Press and, working with my publisher and editor, it has had a few edits since.
Q: Was there anything that surprised you when writing this book?
A: How hard it was to follow through on some decisions I had made about certain characters. I don’t want to spoil anything but there was one character in particular that, before I started writing, I decided certain things about and when it came down to actually following through, it was hard! I still think I made the right decision but once you start writing, you grow attached to certain characters.
Q: Do you have any habits to help you write?
A: Good music helps. Nothing with lyrics, I always pop on a great instrumental mix on YouTube –something soft and quiet, like a LOTR mix playing the lovely Hobbit-ish themes. If the music gets too dramatic or epic (for example, I tried music from The Last of the Mohicans once) then I can’t concentrate because all I want to do is listen!
Q: Did you always want to be a writer?
A: Absolutely. I’ve been writing since before I can remember. In primary school one of my teachers told my parents that I was ‘too creative’ (what?) – I think because I wrote insane stories with aliens in them. I wrote my whole life but I didn’t realise that I wanted to be an author until a few years ago. I think deep down I knew but one day it just clicked. Since then I have spent every free moment working towards that goal and even now, being published, this is only the beginning of a very long journey! I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
A: When it comes to writing, you have to listen to your heart. For years I resisted writing Relic because I was trying to finish this other novel. When I finally embraced Relic (and my first attempt at writing YA fantasy), the floodgates opened and I have been inundated with ideas ever since. Don’t write what you think you should write; write what you want to write. Write the story you want to read and your passion for it will ring off the page.
Q: Is there anyone’s writing that you admire or are influenced by?
A: So many authors! In terms of writing style, I love how Juliet Marillier, Garth Nix and Neil Gaiman all write. They have this fabulous way of telling stories that whisk me away. In terms of story plots, I love Jay Kristoff, Leigh Bardugo and Maria V. Snyder. Their stories are always so full of adventure and heartache, how could you not love them!?
Q: Was there a particular chapter or scene that was hard to write?
A: We are in spoiler territory but yes! I won’t tell you details but there were a few chapters near the end of the novel that were hard to write for a few reasons. The first is that they were emotional scenes and hard things were happening to my characters. The second is that you can’t have experienced every emotion in the world, right? So as an author, you have to do your best research to write as true to an experience as you can. The last few chapters really tested me in this regard.
Q: If you could choose any book world to live in which one would you choose and why?
A: I’m always changing my mind and debating this question! I think I would choose Narnia in the end because it is a beautiful world full of amazing creatures and magic. I would like to be a Queen of Narnia too, if I had the choice!
Thank you so much to Bronwyn for taking the time to answer Jade's questions! I'm sure we're all looking forward to reading RELIC!
Relic by Bronwyn EleyGenre: YA Fantasy, #LoveOzYa
Publication: September 12th 2019
Publisher: Talem Press
As the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard, the Shadow's life is all but forfeit. Rennard possesses one of five rare and dangerous Relics – a jewel that protects his bloodline, but slowly poisons everyone else in its proximity. When the current Shadow succumbs to its magic, nineteen-year-old blacksmith Kaylan is summoned to take his place.
It's an appointment that will kill her.
As the time Kaylan has left ebbs away, hope begins to fade... That is, until she discovers a plot to destroy all five bloodlines in possession of the Relics.
A rebel force plans to put an end to Rennard's rule and Kaylan suddenly finds herself embroiled in a cause that might just be worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs…
As her life hangs in the balance and rebellion bears down on Edriast, Kaylan must decide where her loyalties lie – and how she'll leave her mark on the world.
Relic is the absorbing first novel in The Relic Trilogy, a thrillingly dark YA fantasy series.
Jade's thoughts on Relic:
There was a lot happening throughout this book that I ended up reading it in one sitting. I did enjoy most of it but there were parts that I did not like. There was a lot of time jumps that although short, confused me at times and gave the impression that it was rushed. There wasn’t an overpowering amount of world building, just enough to understand what this world is like and intrigue you into wanting to read more.
When first introduced to the main character Kaylan, we see her as a strong-willed character who would do anything for those she cares about. As the story goes on there are times where I didn’t really see that personality anymore (which could have been due to the events), but I think that there could have been a little more character development instead of the time jumps. Jesper is my absolute favourite character throughout the whole book, I love the relationship that she has with Kaylan and it made the story more interesting to read. I also loved Markus, who I have a feeling is going to be important, but am still unsure at this stage (I just really liked how many dogs he has!)
There is still so much more to learn about both the world and the characters, I would like to see a different point of view to be able to see the events from a different perspective. Although I did feel as though the ending was rushed a little, there was so many things that I really loved about this book and I really look forward to reading the next one.
Add RELIC on Goodreads
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