Seventy-Seven Saturday (#9) Shadows of the Realm (Book 1 of the Circle of Talia)


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:


  1. Pick up a Book (your current read, or the closest book to you, or your next read, etc)
  2. Turn to page 77(or 77% if you are on an e-reader)
  3. Find a Snippet, Sentence or Paragraph you like.
  4. Share it on your blog or Twitter or Instagram and link back to us (AusYABloggers) and use #77Saturday

Sarah's Choice

Title: Shadows of the Realm (Book 1 of the Circle of Talia)
Author: Dionne Lister
Released: 24 April 2012
Publisher: Dionne Lister
Add it to Goodreads 
Gabrielle wandered around the garden, pretending to admire the trees that were sprouting new growth. She headed towards a large maple and stood where she could enjoy the sunset. Hermas silently appeared at her shoulder. "Good evening, my queen." He executed a small bow.


Sarah's Thoughts

Shadows of the Realm was one of the first books I added to Goodreads. It was actually the author, Dionne Lister who told me about Goodreads.
I met Dionne when I attended a writing workshop she was apart of the panel for in 2013. It was after that workshop that I created my blog!
It was Dionne's enthusiasm that had me creating a Wordpress and Goodreads account as soon as I got home!
Thanks Dionne, I owe you one!!!!


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 #77Saturday

HADAMAR review tour


Jason K Foster, Big Sky Publishing and The #AusYABloggers bring you the HADAMAR: THE HOUSE OF SHUDDERS Review Tour. On tour, you will find Aussie bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers sharing their thoughts on Hadamar: The House Of Shudders, beginning on November 25th and running until November 29th 2019.

About the book

Hadamar -The House of Shudders
by Jason K. Foster
Genre: Young Adult, World War II, History
Release Date: 1st June 2019
Pages: 370, Paperback
ISBN: 9781925675863
RRP: $17.50

Add to Goodreads

Nazi Germany is ruled by Hitler’s barbaric policies of racial cleansing. Ingrid Marchand’s only sin was to be born black.

Horrifying institutions like Hadamar are where the undesirables – including the mentally and physically disabled and children – are systematically tortured, gassed and executed. It is where Ingrid is humiliated and brutalised and will encounter a depth of hatred the world has never seen before.

On the brink of starvation, can Ingrid survive the horrors of her incarceration and help bring her tormentors to justice?

Hadamar is a gripping tale of survival in a world of hatred, horror and insanity.

About the author

Jason Foster is an author, poet, freelance journalist and high school teacher. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) and Graduate Diploma in Teaching from WSU as well as a Master of Arts (History) from Macquarie University and a Diploma in Spanish from Macquarie University.

Jason is widely travelled having spent time in five continents and over fifty countries. He has taught in Australia, the United Kingdom, Spain and Argentina; experiences that bring a distinct range and unique world view to his writing.

He has published ten books in the true crime, history and young adult genres. He has also been published the world over with his work appearing in a range of mediums from History magazines in the United States, Australian travel magazines and Poetry Anthologies in the United Kingdom..

Find Jason via His Website | Big Sky Publishing | Goodreads 

Seventy-Seven Saturday (#8) Weapon


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:


  1. Pick up a Book (your current read, or the closest book to you, or your next read, etc)
  2. Turn to page 77(or 77% if you are on an e-reader)
  3. Find a Snippet, Sentence or Paragraph you like.
  4. Share it on your blog or Twitter or Instagram and link back to us (AusYABloggers) and use #77Saturday

Kelly's Choice

Title: Weapon
Author: Lynette Noni
Released: 4th November 2019
Publisher: Pantera Press
Add it to Goodreads 
"Kael,' I say. 'I need to find Kael.'

I need to tell him about the memory. I need to warn him about the security guard. Kael was with me at Luna Park, so he knows what the man looks like—maybe together we can figure out who he is and what he wants. He’s been planning something for years, something involving me, and I …

I can’t handle any more surprises."


Kelly's Thoughts

So excited to read weapon and continue the story of "Jane Doe', the Exodus Project and the sultry romance with rebel Kael. Lynette Noni is an incredible storyteller.


Follow Kelly 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 #77Saturday

Throwback Thursday: The Year Nick McGowen Came to Stay


Throwback Thursday 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!

Kelly's pick

The Year Nick McGowen Came to Stay
Author: Rebecca Sparrow
Released: 2006
Publisher: University of Queensland Press
Add it to Goodreads
It's 1989 and Rachel Hill is the girl most likely to succeed. And the girl most likely to have everything under control ... that is, until her father invites the moody Nick McGowan to live with them. With the help of her best friend Zoe, Rachel battens down the hatches in preparation for Nick McGowan to move into her old bedroom and into her life.

Nick immediately labels Rachel as uptight. With bad taste in music. Rachel immediately labels Nick a no-hoper. With a bad attitude.

But it's a secret from Nick's past that will draw them together and make the year Nick McGowan came to stay one that Rachel will never forget.

why i chose it

Funniest. Book. Ever.

This book was one of the biggest surprises I've stumbled across so far. It was funny, heartwarming and funny. Yes, it was just that humorous I felt the need to mention it twice. I was nine years old in 1989 and the pop culture references throughout, helped me form a connection to the storyline and characters. Although some of Rachel's musical tastes are cringe worthy, back in the era, that's what the majority were listening to. Remembering Molly's death on A Country Practice, watching It's A Knockout, I absolutely loved reminiscing. Rachel's inner monologues are hilarious, but the real star is best friend Zoe. Some of the funniest lines in literature are courtesy of Rebecca Sparrow, and I'm an instant fan.

If you're an Aussie, thirty plus years old or remember the 1980's with a fondness, definitely add this one.

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.

Top 5 Tuesday - Star's Top 5 Favourite LoveOzYA Book Covers of 2019








Hi! Star here with my top 5 favourite #LoveOzYA book covers of 2019.

I know, as book readers, we are not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but it’s sometimes hard when they’re just so darn pretty!


Okay this cover, to me, is just to die for. I love the blue, I love the illustrated cover, and it’s an incredible story, too. Which is a win/win to me!



This cover is so eerie and cool to me. I love the pinks and the grey. And I absolutely adore that the rose is dripping. That’s some awesome artistry to me. I also really enjoyed the story, too.





From the bright yellow background, to the illustrated people on the front, this cover has it all going on! I love the white text with the splash of pink for the word “Better”. This book is easily one of the best covers I’ve seen this year. Again, the story inside was very wonderful. And well deserving of the Text Prize, too.





This cover is initially what drew me to the book. It is so gorgeous in person. I love the midnight blue background, the keys surrounding the silhouette of Sam, and the way the title fits into the shape of Sam’s body. It’s such a captivating cover, and the bright yellow spine is absolutely gorgeous. And I absolutely loved the story, too.




While this one is still on my TBR (oops!), the cover was what drew me to the book. I have such a thing for illustrated covers (lol, can you tell?) and this one is absolutely stunning. The fact that the entire book’s cover is the face of one of the characters is not something I’ve seen done before, not so close-up, at least. And the lens flare in Auri’s eye just absolutely made me fall in love with this cover.




 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.







aim review tour


P.R. Castle, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the completion of the The Subjects series with a Review Tour of the first book in the series, AIM. On tour, you will find Aussie bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers sharing their thoughts on AIM, beginning on November 11th and running until November 14th 2019.
Tour Schedule
Monday 11th                              Tuesday 12th
kmtanner                                    flamingserotonin

Wednesday 13th                         Thursday 14th
brooklynthebookworm                shelle_reads_books
thoughtsbytash                          chemicalbookdragon


About the book

The Subjects AIM
by P.R. Castle

Add to Goodreads

The door opens, and Alish steps out of the lab for the first time ever …

Can she escape?

Outside, there’s nothing, nothing but a small herd of cows, and stretches and stretches of parched red desert in all directions …

She is still trapped.

Then a helicopter flies overhead …

Salvation at last or something more sinister?

Aim is the first book in the completed Subjects Trilogy, a young adult science fiction, set in NSW, Australia, about freedom and justice. If you like action packed adventures, psychological thrillers and mysteries then you will love Aim.

About the author

P.R. Castle grew up in Sydney, Australia. She has studied both chemistry and marketing at university. Castle has spent a spent a lot of time with teens; youth camps, community service projects, and youth groups, drawing a desire from her to write something for teens, something that is thrilling and entertaining but really makes them think about the deeper questions, to mull over what makes them human and reflect.

Seventy-Seven Saturday (#7) The Surprising Power of A Good Dumpling


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:


  1. Pick up a Book (your current read, or the closest book to you, or your next read, etc)
  2. Turn to page 77(or 77% if you are on an e-reader)
  3. Find a Snippet, Sentence or Paragraph you like.
  4. Share it on your blog or Twitter or Instagram and link back to us (AusYABloggers) and use #77Saturday

Star's Choice

Title: The Surprising Power of A Good Dumpling
Author: Wai Chim
Released: 5th August 2019
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Add it to Goodreads 
As Baba unlocks the door, I spot the new addition to the storefront. "What's that?" I point at the A4 paper scrawled with black marker. Help Wanted. Weekend only. Local. Must own car. Good English. No Chinese is okay.


Star's Thoughts

Sounds like the main character is about to go through a work change at her parents' restaurant.

Follow Star 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 #77Saturday

Thursday Throwback : Hate is Such a Strong Word



Throwback Thursday  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: Hate is a Strong Word
Author:   
Released: September 1st 2013 
Publisher: Haper Collins Australia
Add it to Goodreads 


I hate being invisible.

I hate that I still can′t fight my own battles.

I hate that I can′t keep up with the demands of high school.

Sophie Kazzi is in Year 12 at an all-Lebanese, all-Catholic school where she is invisible, uncool and bored out of her brain. While she′s grown up surrounded by Lebanese friends, Lebanese neighbours and Lebanese shops, she knows there′s more to life than Samboosik and Baklawa, and she desperately wants to find it.

Unfortunately, her father has antiquated ideas about women, curfews and the Lebanese ′way′. Bad news for Sophie, who was hoping to spend Year 12 fitting in and having fun - not babysitting her four younger siblings, or studying for final exams that will land her in an Accounting course she has no interest in.

Just when it looks like Sophie′s year couldn′t get any more complicated, Shehadie Goldsmith arrives at school. With an Australian father and a Lebanese mother, he′s even more of a misfit than Sophie. And with his arrogant, questioning attitude, he also has a way of getting under her skin...

But when simmering cultural tensions erupt in violence, Sophie must make a choice that will threaten her family, friends and the cultural ties that have protected her all her life.

Are her hates and complaints worth it? Or will she let go ... and somehow find her place?

why i chose it

A coming of age story of difference. One of the first  Love OZ YA books that I read that challenged my  own identity. Whilst Hate is a Strong World introduced me to the Lebanese culture,a   culture that I was unfamiliar with but  I could relate to in many ways.

I dealt with similar issues and whilst my parents were willing to learn and adjust with trial and error. For Sophie it's is a different and more complex story.

 Identity we can shape it to a extent but Sophie is governed by her parents. I feel the same growing up and especially in my final years of high school. I get the protective nature that comes from Sophie's dad , their culture see woman as precious and that he wants to retain the old fashion role he grown up with.

The introduction of Shehadie into her world was a catalyst that allowed her to explore those said boundaries. Sophie sticks out for the wrong reasons early on for the stereotypical behaviour of her parents. Shehadie being mixed raced  and challenging everything single aspect is welcomed. He comes off as arrogant  but there is another confused teenager under the layers who just might be the best thing happened to Sophie. If only she could get past the hate which drives this novel. Hate is a Strong Word challenges the usage of hate and how each generation needs to make their own mark on their own terms. 
It's the coming of age novel perfect for Aussie teens that tackles the tough issues and lets them know that everything will be just right. 

Follow Tash at BlogTwitterInstagram, 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.

AusYABloggers Buddy Read – Dear Martin by Nic Stone



Previously we’ve held chats for our monthly Buddy Reads over on twitter, but we know it’s hard for everyone to come together at one time, with time differences all over OZ and NZ, so we’ve decided to give a new format a try – a blog discussion post.


 Our September buddy read was Dear Martin by Nic Stone

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Synopsis
Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.




This month’s questions have been submitted by Little Miss Star

1)      Have you read Dear Martin? If so, what did you think of it?

2)      What did you think about Justyce writing letters to Dr Martin Luther King?

3)      What did you think about the social discussions in Doc’s class?

4)      After reading this book – do you think that racial inequality exists, not only in America (where the book is set) but in other countries, too?

5)      What did you think of the Halloween “costumes” that were worn?

6)      Do you think Justyce’s guilt for liking SJ romantically is justified?

7)      Were you concerned when Justyce visited Martel?

8)      How do you think Jared has changed since Manny’s death?

9)      Last question, if you could sum up your thoughts and about Dear Martin in one paragraph, what would you say?




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