Tash
Blog Tour : Taking Down Evelyn Tait
About The Book
Taking Down Evelyn Tait
Written by Poppy Nwosu
Published by Wakefield Press
Add to Goodreads
Review copy courtesy of Publisher
★★★★
Written by Poppy Nwosu
Published by Wakefield Press
Add to Goodreads
Review copy courtesy of Publisher
★★★★
The door creaks open and standing in the entrance is my absolute worst nightmare.
Perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect brain.
Perfect sneer.
Evelyn Tait.
Impulsive Lottie – heavy-metal fan, expert tomato-grower and frequent visitor to the principal’s office – is in even more trouble than usual.
Her best friend Grace has dropped an unlikely bombshell: she’s dating Lottie’s mortal enemy, good-girl Evelyn Tait.
Studious Jude, the boy next door, has the perfect war plan. Lottie will beat Evelyn at her own good-girl game, unveiling Miss Perfect’s sinister side in the process.
Taking life more seriously starts as fun, but soon offers its own rewards . . . so long as Lottie can manage gorgeous Sebastian’s sudden interest, Jude acting weird, and the discovery that she might actually be good at something.
Taking Down Evelyn Tait is a story about family, friends and embracing who you are. Even if that person is kind of weird.
Tash's Thoughts:
Taking
Down Evelyn Tait, was the first opportunity I have
had to read Nwosu’s work. Coming highly recommended after her debut last year .
I was eager to read this book and this was one Lveozya novel I was not going to miss .
From the first page, I instantly connected
with impulsive Lottie. Lottie is the type of character that captures your attention with her POV. She isn’t afraid
to speak her mind and never lets her past, challenge the current situation even when she is torn between worlds . Her teachers and dad are torn though , what to do with Lottie when she doesn't want to listen .
It’s not an unfamiliar situation, there is
always teenagers falling throw the cracks, acting out to seek attention. Lottie
isn’t without cause for this behaviour. There was something deeper
lurking, she isn’t without flaws. I understood her anger to this person that I
had no clue about but came across clear
as mud. Everyone has a person who drives
them mad and it’s high school. There is
always tension to be found.
What I didn’t expect was the twist that
changed the whole story in one instance. Lottie went just from a mischief teen who has a chip on
her shoulder. There was a story to unpack, one that was full of misunderstanding
and family drama. It became more then taking down Evelyn Tait.
It’s a story of growing up and making wise
decisions. Lottie is at the stage of every teenager has to deal with, starting to recognise there is a greater
world out there and their actions and feelings don’t just affect her.
Lottie has a hard road in this book. Her actions are not completely unfounded.
Evelyn is proven to have her own issues that have contributed to the situation
at hand. There always two side to the
story and the story reveals it in own
time as the girls go about their day dealing with their complicated lives. Lottie might have one idea in her mind to deal
with her problems roping in others to help, however by the end we are presented with another conclusion.
To say the least is not totally unsurprising which I will
leave you to find out for yourself as Lottie is a person you want to know and you want to know what accomplishes right?
There is plenty to love about the girls as individuals, and how they deal with their
relationships. It’s not just Lottie's and Evelyn’s book. There is plenty of other characters that worm their
ways into your minds as you read this book who help support this family centric novel.
There something about reading Australian contemporaries
the tone and stories make it feel you
are in your own backyard listening to these teens deal with their problems . There
is reason why Australian YA has grown so much in the few years since there has
been a movement. Readers seek novels where there is connections and ability to recognise yourself in the
characters. Taking Down Evelyn Tait was a novel that offered that through its delightful
characters and the chaos of growing up, love and healing.
Follow Tash at Thoughts by Tash , Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads
About The Author
Poppy Nwosu is an author of YA fiction. Her debut novel, Making Friends with Alice Dyson, was shortlisted for the 2018 Adelaide Festival Unpublished Manuscript Award, and the 2019 Readings Young Adult Book Prize, and will be published by Walker Books US in America in 2020. She was also awarded the 2019 Writers SA Varuna the Writers' House Fellowship for Young Writers.
Growing up in central North Queensland, Poppy enjoyed a thoroughly wild childhood surrounded by rainforest and cane fields. After studying music at university, she moved overseas to Ireland, where she spent two years visiting stunning Europe. These days Poppy and her husband still love to travel, but they also like to come home again to their house in Adelaide near the sea.
Poppy’s quite obsessed with stories, books, movies, writing and music.
Growing up in central North Queensland, Poppy enjoyed a thoroughly wild childhood surrounded by rainforest and cane fields. After studying music at university, she moved overseas to Ireland, where she spent two years visiting stunning Europe. These days Poppy and her husband still love to travel, but they also like to come home again to their house in Adelaide near the sea.
Poppy’s quite obsessed with stories, books, movies, writing and music.
Connect with Poppy
Summer Lovin' Book Tag
This tag has been doing the rounds since way back in 2015 but with summer about to begin in Australia, there's no better time for the Summer Lovin' Book Tag.
Feel free to share your answers in the comments or consider yourself tagged and post to your own blog.
1. Start of summer. Pick a book with an attention grabbing first sentence.
Kelly - Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. (Please note this is an adult title)
People often shit themselves when they die, did you know that?
Sarah - Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
So here's the file that nearly killed me, Director.
Brooklynne - American Royals by Katherine McGee
You already know the story of the American Revolution, and the birth of the American monarchy.
Star - The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater
Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she'd been told that she would kill her true love.
Tash - My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
Rosa is pushing all the buttons.
2. Too hot to go out. Pick a book for a day inside.
Kelly - The Boys of Summer by C. J. Duggan
Sarah - These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
Brooklynne - Crier's War by Nina Varela
Star - These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
Tash - Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
3. Summer Road trip. Pick a book you’d take with you on the road
Kelly - What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
Sarah - Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Brooklynne - The Toll by Neal Shusterman
Star - Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi
Tash - The Last Days of Us by Beck Nicholas
4. Iced Tea Goodness. Pick a book with a cold setting
Kelly - Rain Fall by Ella West
Sarah - The Rift by Rachael Craw
Brooklynne - Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Star - Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
Tash - The Book Thief by Marcus Zuscak
5. Nasty Sunburn. A book you really disliked
Kelly - Puberty Blues by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey
Sarah - Fallen by Lauren Kate
Brooklynne - Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
Star - Snow by Ondine Sherman
Tash - Z is Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
6. Sizzling Read. Recommend one of your favourite books
Kelly - Monuments by Will Kostakis
Sarah - No Limits by Ellie Marney
Brooklynne - Darke (Septimus Heap #6) by Angie Sage
Star - Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough
Tash - The First Third by Will Kostakis
1. Start of summer. Pick a book with an attention grabbing first sentence.
Kelly - Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. (Please note this is an adult title)
People often shit themselves when they die, did you know that?
Sarah - Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
So here's the file that nearly killed me, Director.
Brooklynne - American Royals by Katherine McGee
You already know the story of the American Revolution, and the birth of the American monarchy.
Star - The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater
Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she'd been told that she would kill her true love.
Tash - My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
Rosa is pushing all the buttons.
2. Too hot to go out. Pick a book for a day inside.
Kelly - The Boys of Summer by C. J. Duggan
Sarah - These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
Brooklynne - Crier's War by Nina Varela
Star - These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
Tash - Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
3. Summer Road trip. Pick a book you’d take with you on the road
Kelly - What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
Sarah - Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Brooklynne - The Toll by Neal Shusterman
Star - Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi
Tash - The Last Days of Us by Beck Nicholas
4. Iced Tea Goodness. Pick a book with a cold setting
Kelly - Rain Fall by Ella West
Sarah - The Rift by Rachael Craw
Brooklynne - Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Star - Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
Tash - The Book Thief by Marcus Zuscak
5. Nasty Sunburn. A book you really disliked
Kelly - Puberty Blues by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey
Sarah - Fallen by Lauren Kate
Brooklynne - Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
Star - Snow by Ondine Sherman
Tash - Z is Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
6. Sizzling Read. Recommend one of your favourite books
Kelly - Monuments by Will Kostakis
Sarah - No Limits by Ellie Marney
Brooklynne - Darke (Septimus Heap #6) by Angie Sage
Star - Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough
Tash - The First Third by Will Kostakis
You can find Kelly, Tash, Sarah, Star and Brookynne sharing their love of books here and on their own bookish blogs.
Twenty Questions Booktag
I know lots, and lots of people have done the Twenty Questions Booktag, but the first place I (Sarah) saw it was over on Paper Fury. My apologizes for not know knowing who first created it, but I was going around in circles trying to figure it out - please let me know in the comments if you know where it originated.
1. How many books is too many books in a book series?
Kelly - Depends. I prefer a duology or trilogy but five books is my limit.
Tash - 5 is definitely the limit. I'm looking at you Harlequin
Sarah - These days I prefer a good duology, but I will say that I feel five is my max for a series.
Star - I think as many books is needed is pretty good. Then again, I grew up reading the Sweet Valley High (and others) series, so there were never too many books for me.
2. How do you feel about cliffhangers?
Kelly - They're frustrating but I secretly love them.
Tash - Love and hate them. I can't live with out them
Sarah - Love them if they're part of a series, that isn't the last book. Hate them in a stand alone.
Star - It depends on whether or not I have the next book in the series. If I have to wait a year or more, I absolutely hate it, but if I have the next book right there, waiting to be read, then I am okay with them.
3. Hardcover or paperback?
Kelly - Paperback. Preferably with a matte cover.
Tash - Paperback. Though Hardcover is easier to keep pristine.
Sarah - Hardbacks are more attractive, but Paperbacks are easier to read - Paperback for me.
Star - Hardback, definitely. I am a perfectionist reader, and I can't stand creases, etc, in my book, and it's easier to keep books in better condition when they're in hardback. Also, they look prettier in my photos lol.
4. Favourite book?
Kelly - Favourite classic is Alice in Wonderland and modern, And I Darken.
Tash - When Dimple Met Rishi.
Sarah - Favourite classic, Annie of Green Gables. Modern, Heartstopper series.
Star - Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough. It's a book I will forever sing its praises.
5. Least favourite book?
Kelly - Hush Hush. God that shit was horrible.
Tash - Earthbound. I got rid of it soon as possible.
Sarah - Monstress. I read the first four volumes, really trying to get into the hyped series and I just couldn't.
Star - Shauna's Great Expectations by Kathleen Loughnan.
6. Love triangles, yes or no?
Kelly - Not usually unless it's well written.
Tash - YES why choose and it's all the drama.
Sarah - Yes, but only when it's a female POV - they are my guilty pleasure.
Star - Absolutely not. I have read books that have that trope, and I have enjoyed the book, but on the whole, no thank you.
7. The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
Kelly - The Girl King.
Tash - Gosh I usually stick it out but I couldn't finish AIM.
Sarah - Glow Book I, Potency.
Star - I haven't had one, I am someone who tends to push through regardless of how I feel. I need to let myself DNF a book.
8. A book you’re currently reading?
Kelly - Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard.
Tash - Withering- By - Sea by Judith Rossell.
Sarah - Rocky to the Rescue (Rocky Lobstar #1) by Rove McManus - I'll have finished by the time you are reading this lol.
Star - This will probably change by the time this post goes up, but Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed.
9. Last book you recommended to someone?
Kelly - Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall.
Tash - Once and Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy.
Sarah - My Father's Shadow by Jannali Jones
Star - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. You're welcome, Brooklynne.
10. Oldest book you’ve read?
Kelly - Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813.
Tash - Sense and Sensibility published in 1811.
Sarah - Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813.
Star - I have no idea? I don't read classics. Probably Little Women.
11. Newest book you’ve read?
Kelly - Starting Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans.
Tash - Oasis by Katya de Becerra.
Sarah - Saga by Nikki McWatters.
Star - Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed.
12. Favourite author?
Kelly - Tahereh Mafi.
Tash - Jay Kristoff.
Sarah - Steven Herrick, Jenn Bennett, Alice Oseman, Rick Riordan and Will Kostakis - Sorry I was thinking of my fave books and can't narrow is down any further. Please don't make me.
Star - Fleur Ferris and Ashley Herring Blake.
13. Buying books or borrowing books?
Kelly - Both! Although books are lovely to buy and keep.
Tash -- Both though buying is a sickness at the moment.
Sarah - My head says borrowing because of my bank account, ouch, but my asshat of a heart wants those pretty pretties on my shelf at home to stay.
Star - Buying. I am a massive germaphobe, and I have severe anxiety, so going out is not a thing I do, so buying them is easier for me.
14. A book you dislike that everyone else seem to love?
Kelly - Red Rising and The Raven Boys.
Tash - The Hunger Games.
Sarah - The Hunger Games and Divergent series.
Star - Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.
15. Bookmarks or dog ears?
Kelly - Bookmarks!
Tash - Bookmarks!
Sarah - Bookmarks, old receipts, other books, my phone - I'm not a monster.
Star - Bookmarks! I can't ever dog ear books!
16. A book you can always reread?
Kelly - Alice in Wonderland.
Tash - Stormbreaker.
Sarah - Albert of Adelaide or Anne of Green Gables.
Star - Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough. Also The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater.
17. Can you read while hearing music?
Kelly - I need absolute silence. I'm easily distracted.
Tash - Give me the Tv blasting. I can read through it
Sarah - Yes, the kids make that much noise I've learnt to block it out. I need silence to be able to write reviews and such but.
Star - Only if it's instrumental. I can't have lyrics, I am too easily distracted otherwise.
18. One point of view or multiple point of views?
Kelly - Either but no more than three. I prefer either singular or dual points of view.
Tash -Either but not too many. It does get confusing when everybody has something to say.
Sarah - If it's evenly spread i'm down for multiple POV's. I think five is about the max before it starts to harder to keep track of what's going on to who.
Star - It doesn't bother me one way or another. If it fits and works with the story, then I am okay with it. What I do dislike is when I am reading a book that is in one point of view for, say, 90% of the book, and then suddenly there's another POV? Then I hate it.
19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
Kelly - Multiple days.
Tash - Depends on the time. If I have ample time, then one sitting.
Sarah - I prefer to be able to do it in one sitting, but life always gets in the way.
Star - I have far too of a busy life to be able to sit and read a book in one sitting. I have literally never done it (not even as a kid, I think), so I tend to read over multiple days.
20. Who do you tag?
Kelly - Everyone!
Tash - Everyone!
Sarah - Ya Mum.
Star - Sarah's Mum. =P
You can find Kelly, Tash, Sarah, Star and Brookynne sharing their love of books here and on their own bookish blogs.
Seventy-Seven Saturday (#5) The Land of Roar
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
Tash's Choice
Author: Jenny McLachlan
Released: 1st August 2019
Publisher: Egmont UK
Add it to Goodreads
"I keep trying to tell you , Arthur, a lot has changed in Roar.' He takes a step back from the forest. "" There's one more thing you should know about Crowky's scarecrow army....'
'What's that?'
'They're excellent at standing still.'"
Tash's Thoughts
This book has been on my TBR ever since I read the book deal announcement. I just started reading it (Oct 12th) and it has Peter pan feel to this book. This passage has only reinforced the idea that it's is inspired by Peter Pan. I'm curious to see how McLachlan makes this tale unique. I want to know who Crowky is and the speaker who is telling Arthur what has happened since he has been gone. Why is standing still so important????????Follow Tash at Blog, Twitter, 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
The Spooky Scary Book Tag
1. What goes bump in the night? Name a book that has legitimately scared you while reading it.
Sarah: Well I tend to stay away from any books that I think will scare me. I'm not a fan of horror movies and such. But the last book I read that gave me nightmares was Ballad for a Mad Girl by Vikki Wakefield. And I loved it.
Brooklynne: I'm not sure many books legitimately scare me that often, I think the closest would have been Wilder Girls, by Rory Power. I'm not sure if I had any fingernails left at the end of this book.
Tash: Honestly, I more then likely to get scared by someone tapping me on the shoulder then reading a book. If I had to name a book, hmmm You ? I haven't gotten scared reading a Young Adult book
Star: Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein - that book was so eerie and creepy and SO hecking good. It's a book I STILL think about to this day.
Brooklyn: Risk by Fleur Ferris. It scares me that they're such disgusting monsters in the world that relentlessly take the lives of young girls without a second thought.
Kait: What the Woods Keep by Katya De Becerra
2. Jack O’ Lanterns and Classic Costumes: A book you always reach for during Halloween time.
Sarah: I don't have a go to book, but I have a go to movie: Hocus Pocus.
Brooklynne: Without a doubt The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, I grab it every year and it is just so perfectly atmospheric.
Tash: I don't have a particular book that I . I try to read more paranormal/horror around this time of year like Carry On, or V.E. Schwab books for example
Star: I don't reach for a book, but I do enjoy re-watching The Craft movie every year.
Brooklyn: Not so much nowadays, because I don't really have the time to reread as much as I'd like - but I used to always reread Halloween Party by Agatha Christie!
Kait: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
3. Black Cats and Magic Mirrors: A book you love that is laced with superstition and/or magic.
Sarah: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins - Actually the whole Hex Hall series, but Demonglass was my favourite.
Brooklynne: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab, has so much fun ghost and spirits mythology.
Tash: Lady Helen and the Dark Day club -without going into too much detail. There is a lot of superstition and magic involved. It gets dark really fast and honestly scandalous....
Star: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling. It's the first one in hopefully a series, I know she's writing book 2. It's witches like I've never really seen them before and it's super queer, which is even more awesome. AND it's set in Salem - what more could I want?
Brooklyn: I assume Harry Potter is acceptable? I mean, it was the first story completely laced with all the wondrous magic throughout!
Kait: The Diviners by Libba Bray
4. Witch’s Brew: Favourite witch character in any book/series.
Sarah: I went through a binge of reading the Charmed Comic Series's last year and no other witches thus far have taken the spot of the The Charmed Ones in my heart. I grew up wanting to be Pure, until she died, then to having the biggest crush on Phoebe. (I still need to watch the TV reboot that came out last year)
Brooklynne: Oh This one is hard because part of me wants to instinctively say Hannah from These Witches Don't Burn, but on second though I really love Danny from The Lost Coast. I think I have to go with Danny.
Tash: The Witch Who Courted Death - Casper is feminist as hell and I love her kick ass characters who support Casper.
Star: Hermione Granger, hands down. She's the most powerful witch and I am so in love with her.
Brooklyn: There's so many! But for this answer I'll choose Manon and The Thirteen from Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.
Kait: Tea from The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
6. Haunted Graveyard: You’re all alone in a haunted graveyard, you get ONE book to give you comfort, which is it?
Sarah: I'd want something completely opposite from my surroundings, and something from my TBR list to keep my mind occupied. Ummm...lets go with...Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu.
Brooklynne: Hmm do I go dark, or light hearted. I think I'm going to have to go with something like Sky by Ondine Sherman, especially as it's on my TBR.
Tash: The Bone Season, as I can use to whack anyone that comes my way and have Warden to keep me company.
Star: One that will hopefully teleport me the eff out of there!! Hmm, if that doesn't happen, then probably The Princess Diaries book 1 - those books never fail to make me laugh.
Brooklyn: Can I choose all 7 Harry Potter books? ;)
Kait: Nevermore by Jessica Townsend
7. The Undead: Favorite supernatural creatures to read about (i.e. vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc).
Sarah: Werewolves - shapeshifters for sure! Zombies scare the crap out of me.
Brooklynne: I love reading about the various mythologies behind vampires, like heir orgin stories etc. I love books that specifically have unique takes on vampires.
Tash: Werewolves- They are alphas, don't mind a good fight . Plus you can find them in Young Adult to Adult. There is a werewolf out there for everyone, you just need to read the right book.
Star: Witches. There's SO much that can be explored and interpreted with witches. The magic systems alone are so fascinating to read about. Both Harry Potter and These Witches Don't Burn have magic and witches and couldn't be more different from each other. It's awesome.
Brooklyn: Witches, all the way! Though all of the above will always be enjoyable for me too!
Kait: Vampires! I love reading about vampires, especially the scary kind.
8. In the dead of night: Pick a book with a black cover.
Sarah: Right To Silence (Paranormal Detectives #4) by Lily Luchesi
Brooklynne: My version of The Knife of Never Letting Go has not only a black cover but black sprayed edges so it's the blackest black!
Tash: Ninth House, as the aesthetics and snakes are hot right now. The foiling makes the title stand out more.
Star: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
Brooklyn: Serpent & Dove was the first choice that came to mind :)
Kait: The Island by M. A. Bennett
Thanks for taking the time to read the tag and get to know us all a bit better. Please let us know if you do the tag, we would love to come read it. Or you can post your own answers down in the comments!
#LoveOzYa Throwback (#15) Every Breath
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: Every Breath (Every Word #1)
Author: Ellie Marney
Released: September 5th 2013
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Add it to Goodreads
Rachel Watts has just moved to Melbourne from the country, but the city is the last place she wants to be.
James Mycroft is her neighbour, an intriguingly troubled seventeen-year-old who's also a genius with a passion for forensics.
Despite her misgivings, Rachel finds herself unable to resist Mycroft when he wants her help investigating a murder. He's even harder to resist when he's up close and personal - and on the hunt for a cold-blooded killer.
When Rachel and Mycroft follows the murderer's trail, they find themselves in the lion's den - literally. A trip to the zoo will never have quite the same meaning again...
why i chose it
This book sat on my shelves for two years and I wished I read it sooner once I finally picked it up. This series became a favourite because of Watts and Mycroft. There isn't another pairing like these two. They may be inspired by their famous counterparts but these two teens are unique. Two lost souls who found their way to each by chance and ended up solving a murder and falling in love.They had their highs and lows but this was the perfect YA crime series. It started my love affair with this author and you won't be disappointed. You will be devouring this series and craving more after finishing this series. Marney's gritty style doesn't sugarcoat things. She is realistic about life and how things are never smooth sailing. The crimes are top notch and fitting of the setting. Marney offers a everyday look at Australian life, tackling areas that sometimes forget in fiction adding authentic to Australian YA that is needed.
#LoveOzYA Throwback Thursday (#13)
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!
Tash's pick
Title: Stormdancer (The Lotus Wars #1)
Author: Jay Kristoff
Released: September 1st 2012 by Tor UK
Publisher: Tor UK
Add it to Goodreads
Arashitoras are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shõgun, they fear that their lives are over – everyone knows what happens to those who fail the Lord of the Shima Isles. But the mission proves less impossible and more deadly than anyone expects. Soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled arashitora for company. Although she can hear his thoughts, and saved his life, all she knows for certain is he'd rather see her dead than help her. Yet trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and the beast soon discover a bond that neither of them expected.
Meanwhile, the country around them verges on collapse. A toxic fuel is choking the land, the machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure, and the Shõgun cares for nothing but his own dominion. Authority has always made Yukiko, but her world changes when she meets Kin, a young man with secrets, and the rebel Kagé cabal. She learns the horrifying extent of the Shõgun's crimes, both against her country and her family.
Returning to the city, Yukiko is determined to make the Shõgun pay – but what can one girl and a flightless arashitora do against the might of an empire?
why i chose it
Kristoff is better known for his more recent stuff which I love as well. However I feel this series is more unrated then his recent works which made him a household name. I read this book the year it came out and this book started my love affair with Kristoff's books. It's a Japanese inspired steampunk tale that inspired by the author own love affair for Japan. It's pretty different from his other works but it has the same descriptive flair as his more recent works.I highly recommend reading this series if you love his other works and want to see how far he has grown as an author. Yukiko deserves to be well known as Mia as she has her own flair for the dramatics and she is not afraid to kick butt. Her story is gripping and best of all there is no cliffhangers that Jay has become known for.
Emergency Contact: Blog Tour
The
AusYABloggers in collaboration with Simon & Schuster Australia, bring you
the Emergency Contact Blog Tour by Korean-American author Mary H.K. Choi.
The tour
runs from January 15th until January 19th 2019 and includes some of our
Australian and New Zealand bloggers, Instagrammers and Youtubers.
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
Publication: January 1st, 2019 by
Simon Schuster Australia
“Smart and funny, with characters
so real and vulnerable, you want to send them care packages. I loved this
book.” —Rainbow Rowell
From debut author Mary H.K. Choi
comes a compulsively readable novel that shows young love in all its awkward
glory—perfect for fans of Eleanor & Park and To All the Boys I’ve Loved
Before.
For Penny Lee, high school was a
total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she’d
somehow landed a boyfriend, they never managed to know much about each other.
Now Penny is heading to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a
writer. It’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything
she can’t wait to leave behind.
Sam’s stuck. Literally,
figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there
too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows
that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration
for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks
in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.
When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s
less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap
numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable,
sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating
weirdness of having to, you know, see each other.
---- ---- ---- ----
Mary H.K. Choi is a writer for The
New York Times, GQ, Wired, and The Atlantic. She has written comics for Marvel
and DC, as well as a collection of essays called Oh, Never Mind. She is the
host of Hey, Cool Job!, a podcast about jobs, and is a culture correspondent
for VICE News Tonight on HBO. Emergency Contact is her first novel. Mary grew
up in Hong Kong and Texas and now lives in New York.
Be sure to
check out all the stops!
⇊ January 15th ⇊
Happy
Indulgence - Blog review + GIVEAWAY
Diva Booknerd - Blog review
@aussiebookbandit - Instagram review
Angel
Reads - Blog review
@Frankenbookie - Instagram review
Paperback Princess - Blog review
⇊ January 16th ⇊
@bookishuniversee - Instagram review + GIVEAWAY
Paperback & Flick Chick - Blog review
Thoughts
by Tash - Blog review
@shelle_reads_books - Instagram
review
Triple
M Bookclub / Bitches Know Books - Facebook
review
⇊ January 17th ⇊
@theliterarycasanova - Instagram review +
GIVEAWAY
Alliee
reads - Blog review
1 girl….2 many books! - Blog review
Noveltea Corner - YouTube
review
Foureyed Fangirl - Blog review
That Bibliophile Franklin - Blog review
⇊ January 18th ⇊
@bookbookowl - Instagram review +
GIVEAWAY
The Chronic Bookworm Blog - Blog review
Jessica's Bookworld - Blog
review
@lifeofinkandwords - Instagram review
Bookish Kirra - Blog review
readctbooks - Blog review
⇊ January 19th ⇊
Paper Fury - Blog review + GIVEAWAY
Read at
Midnight - Blog review
Wild Heart Reads - Blog review
Looking for the Panacea - Blog review
Doddy
about Books - Blog review
Truffle
reads - Blog review
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