Jade
SLAY: Review by Jade
Hachette Australia, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of SLAY by Brittney Morris. On tour, you will find Aussie bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers sharing their thoughts on SLAY, beginning on October 28th and running until November 1st 2019.
SLAY by Brittney Morris Published by Hachette Australia
ISBN 9781444951721
Published October 9th 2019
Add to Goodreads
RRP $17.99 AUD
'We are different ages, genders, tribes, tongues, and traditions ... but tonight we all SLAY'
Black Panther meets Ready Player One. A fierce teen game developer battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for black gamers.
Black Panther meets Ready Player One. A fierce teen game developer battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for black gamers.
By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is a college student, and one of the only black kids at Jefferson Academy. By night, she joins hundreds of thousands of black gamers who duel worldwide in the secret online role-playing card game, SLAY.
No one knows Kiera is the game developer - not even her boyfriend, Malcolm. But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, the media labels it an exclusionist, racist hub for thugs.
With threats coming from both inside and outside the game, Kiera must fight to save the safe space she's created. But can she protect SLAY without losing herself?
JADES THOUGHTS
Slay is a story that empowers not only black culture and women, but also shows the importance of accepting anyone for who they are. I really loved the concept of this book and I believe that is it an important read for anyone, no matter your culture or gender. The author made all the characters really relatable and inspiring. The main character went through so many different emotions throughout the story and I really connected to her feelings of being misunderstood and alone but through her journey of self-empowerment she stood up to what she believes in. This book showed me that although I may not look as if I come from a black background, it is still a part of my culture and I will embrace it.
In a society where we are accepting many different communities, I think that this should be read in schools as a way for young adults to learn about accepting all people and also understand that online bulling, no matter if it is in a game or as a supposed joke, can hurt.
@romanceanddragons
Slay is a story that empowers not only black culture and women, but also shows the importance of accepting anyone for who they are. I really loved the concept of this book and I believe that is it an important read for anyone, no matter your culture or gender. The author made all the characters really relatable and inspiring. The main character went through so many different emotions throughout the story and I really connected to her feelings of being misunderstood and alone but through her journey of self-empowerment she stood up to what she believes in. This book showed me that although I may not look as if I come from a black background, it is still a part of my culture and I will embrace it.
In a society where we are accepting many different communities, I think that this should be read in schools as a way for young adults to learn about accepting all people and also understand that online bulling, no matter if it is in a game or as a supposed joke, can hurt.
@romanceanddragons
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Find Brittney via Her Website Twitter Instagram and the SLAY Book Website
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Today is the last day of the tour click HERE for the schedule and links so you can visit all the other posts and share the SLAY love.
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
The Lion King Review
All of us group mods and contributors have been talking about the Lion King remake, so it only seemed right to Share a review of the film - take it away Jade.
The Lion King Real Life Adaptation Review
Hi everyone! Jade here, I recently saw the new Lion King Adaptation and really loved it! But, like all things, there were some parts I didn't like so here are my thoughts.
I think it is safe to say that majority of people have seen
the original animation of Disney’s the Lion King and if by some chance you
haven’t, do yourself a favour and watch it and then watch all the original
Disney animations.
The newly released realistic adaptation has many people on
the fence. Personally, I know of a few people who are refusing to watch it
because they don’t want to ruin the original. I have always tried to keep an
open mind, not only with movies (especially remakes) but books, music, candles
literally anything. With this in mind after I watched the Lion King, I had a
few opinions.
My first thought was how amazing the visual aspects of it
where. The animals looked realistic and there were times where I thought I was
watching a documentary which is where I think the creators were going with this.
As much as the emotions of the characters weren’t has prominent, I was able to
connect to a ‘real’ lion fairly easily, especially when a young Simba and Nala reminded
me so much of my cat that I couldn’t help but “aww” when they were playing
together and cry when (SPOILER ALERT) Mufasa dies.
I did, however, get really upset when my favourite song
wasn’t heard (He Lives in You) and the song they played I felt didn’t connect
to the story at all. I personally don’t think it matters who sings a song for
the music in movies, as long as it has meaning to the storyline and makes sense
when its being played. The song I am talking about, sung by Beyoncé, could have
been played in the credits, it really didn’t need to be during the movie and
the song from the original ‘He Lives in You’ I feel is really essential to the
story. Yes we still understand the point of the scene with Rafiki, but I didn’t
feel it had the same impact as it did in the original and it felt rushed.
For the music overall, I am glad they kept ‘I Just Can’t
Wait to Be King’ and ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ (which was my absolute favourite
song from this version) and I didn’t mind the extremely shortened version of
‘Be Prepared’. I can understand why the
creators remove/change songs but, there were definitely songs that I wished
they kept so that viewers could connect with the characters more.
I was super happy and really excited that James Earl Jones
would be reprising as the voice of Mufasa again because honestly, I don’t think
anyone else is suited to play that role but him. I also think it helped viewers
who had watched the original remember how they felt when watching it. The voice
actor who played Scar, Chiwetel Ejiofor did such a great job at bringing the
evilness of Scar to life without the animated emotions from the original, he
really knew how to play this character to his fullest.
Timone and Pumba were the best characters in this movie by
far, the comedic connection between the two actors made it seem as though it wasn't scripted for the most part.
The one we all want to talk about, Beyoncé. When I first heard about this, I
really wasn’t sure how she would go but she actually did a really good job and
her voice has a naturally soothing aspect that made me want to listen to Nala even
more.
The only scene I was really disappointed in was the last few, when Simba returns home and fights Scar. It felt a little rushed but I think that was because it wasn't a theatrical as the original and showed more of the strength lions have when fighting. Most of the other scenes where either identical to the original or, I just honestly enjoyed the way it was done, maybe even preferred.
Overall, the movie was very enjoyable, and I think that
everyone should go and see it. Even if you think it won’t be as good as the
original.
If you have seen it, let me know what you thought about it!
Jade ❤
Now, since you've never been properly introduced to Jade, and in the spirit of our Meet The Team post last week, I though she should introduce herself.
I'm currently studying a double degree at uni in science/arts majoring in zoology and creative writing. I'm still unsure what I want to do as a career but I'm keeping my options open :)
I started a bookstagram account to be able to talk about all the books I read and connect with other readers. I'm still trying to get the hang of it all but I really love how inclusive the bookish community is 💕
I love all young adult genres, my favorites being fantasy and dystopian but you can also find me reading a good romance or middle grade book. Some of my favorite books/series would include, the Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, Tales of a New World by P.C Cast, ACOTAR series by Sarah J Maas and The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan.I also have an psychiatric assistant dog, Keeda, who is my best friend and I wouldn't be able to leave my house most days if it wasn't for her. If you've been to any book events recently and seen a German Shepherd with a yellow and blue coat (pictured) then that's her. She can be very goofy and always put a smile on my face!
I'm so excited to be a part of this team of amazing people who all share my love for books 😊❤️
You can find me here: Instagram | Twitter
We Are Okay book chat with Sarah & Jade
Hello again bookish friends. We were honored from the 18th to 25th of this month to host a tour in conjunction with the University of Queensland Press for the austrlian release of Nina LaCour’s We Are Okay. Most of us #AusYABloggers moderators had already read the book or read along with the tour. Jade and I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about this book and promote it a little bit more.
(first published February 14th 2017)
You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…
Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.
Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.
* * * * *
Sarah: Had you ever heard of Nina Lacour before we took on this tour? I had only heard of her from the book she wrote with David Levithan, You Know Me Well.
Jade: This was the first book I have heard of by Nina Lacour, but I really enjoyed her style of writing and will defiantly read her other works in the future.
Sarah: I finished this book and was absolutely shattered by its honest and beautiful account of a young woman drowning in, then dealing with her grief. I think it ended perfectly.
Were you happy with the ending or did you want to experience more with Marin?
Were you happy with the ending or did you want to experience more with Marin?
Jade: I have always been the type of reader that wants more from books, needing to know what happens after the story. As much as I loved the ending, I felt as though readers were kind of left on a cliff hanger. It would have been nice to see how Marin grew as she started to move on from her grief.
Sarah: Reading a book like this can be utterly heartbreaking. My heart ached for Marin and my eyes were swimming in tears during those last few chapters. But I felt like in the end my heart had been healed and warmed. Did you find you had the same experience?
Jade: Yes! There were so many parts in this book that had my heart torn. The ending defiantly started to heal it but after connecting with Marin so strongly I know it will still take time for her to fully accept everything that happened.
Sarah: I think we can safely say that all us #AusYABloggers mods would highly recommend this book. Wouldn’t you agree Jade?
Jade: We are all humans, we all go through grief and heartache and this book is perfect for all readers.
You can go back HERE and check out the We Are Okay tour the schedule,
the post links to all the participants.
OPEN NOW Shauna's Great Expectations Instagram Tour.
OPEN NOW Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories Review Tour.
Running the 1st - 10th June. More info HERE.
You can find Sarah via The Adventures of SacaKat Twitter Instagram and Goodreads
You can find Jade via Twitter Instagram and Goodreads
Kindred Blog Tour
If you haven't already seen, last week we announced our next tour! We have partnered with Walker Books and Michael Earp to celebrate the release of Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories with an own voices blog tour!
If you haven't had a chance to check out Kindred here is the synopsis;
What does it mean to be queer? What does it mean to be human? In this powerful #OwnVoices collection, twelve of Australia’s finest queer writers explore the stories of family, friends, lovers and strangers – the connections that form us.
Compelling queer short fiction by bestsellers, award winners and newcomers to the #LoveOzYA community including Jax Jacki Brown, Claire G Coleman, Michael Earp, Alison Evans, Erin Gough, Benjamin Law, Omar Sakr, Christos Tsiolkas, Ellen van Neerven, Marlee Jane Ward, Jen Wilde and Nevo Zisin.
We are so excited to be part of this release and we want you to help! This is open to Aus and NZ Queer bloggers, Instagramers and YouTubers!! If you want to be a part of this #OwnVoices tour, sign up here! 😁
You can also check out all the authors socials below!
Erin Gough; Twitter
#LoveOzYA Throwback Thursday (#12)
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 each week, and we'd
love you to join us!
Jade’s pick
Title: Jasper Jones
Author: Craig Silvey
Late on a hot summer night in 1965, Charlie Bucktin, a precocious and bookish boy of thirteen, is startled by an urgent knock on the window of his sleep-out. His visitor is Jasper Jones, an outcast in the regional mining town of Corrigan.
Rebellious, mixed-race and solitary, Jasper is a distant figure of danger and intrigue for Charlie. So when Jasper begs for his help, Charlie eagerly steals into the night by his side, terribly afraid but desperate to impress. Jasper takes him to his secret glade in the bush, and it's here that Charlie bears witness to Jasper's horrible discovery.
With his secret like a brick in his belly, Charlie is pushed and pulled by a town closing in on itself in fear and suspicion as he locks horns with his tempestuous mother; falls nervously in love and battles to keep a lid on his zealous best friend, Jeffrey Lu.
And in vainly attempting to restore the parts that have been shaken loose, Charlie learns to discern the truth from the myth, and why white lies creep like a curse.
In the simmering summer where everything changes, Charlie learns why the truth of things is so hard to know, and even harder to hold in his heart.
why I chose it
I first read this book for my
year twelve theatre class and I wasn’t the biggest fan, it was good, but it wasn’t
until I saw the live show that I understood many of the themes that are in this
book. There’s mystery, deceit, racism, friendship and first love, all told in
the point of view of a thirteen-year-old – which the author does a great job of giving Charlie a unique voice and incorporating these into what life in Australia was like in the 1960’s.
The unique writing style of
the author appeals to all readers while the dramatic opening and dark insight
to Australian society makes readers want to find out what happens next.
As you take on this coming of
age journey with Charlie you remember your own curiosities and adventures as a child,
which is why I chose this as my pick for this week’s Throwback Thursday! Happy reading 💖
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.
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