#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.
Conversations 001: Queer Book Chat
Over the month of June – Pride Month – Star pointed out to me how most books being promoted were M/M. Until she pointed this out, I hadn’t noticed. Once she pointed it out, it was all I noticed. I’d even been guilty of it! There are so many fantastic M/M books that I’ve read, but sadly not as many F/F. I didn’t think they were out there. But Star proved me wrong with reading recommendations, and I intend to read them all.
Hi. I’m Sarah, one of the AusYABloggers group moderators and today I’ve asked fellow queer Aussie book blogger, the above-mentioned Star, to chat to me on the group blog.
Star is an out and Proud Lesbian who I think the world of. I am a quiet bisexual who can no longer stand to be quiet.
Sarah: During Pride month we had a few discussions about how we were mainly seeing M/M books in people’s Pride month posts. I think we basically deduced that this is what mainstream media seems to push and thus it is a trickle-down effect – yuk.
Star: You’re absolutely right. While a huge part of me is so excited that LGBT+ are getting any representation at all (though it is seriously lacking in full diversity), it makes me a little sad that it’s only M/M and the majority of the time, the M/M books are written by cis straight white women. Give me M/M written by own voices M/M and I am all for it!
Sarah: Yes! #OwnVoices – While I want as varied array of diversity in my books as there is in the world (so Cis whites get on diversifying your characters please), It does feel so much more meaningful when a story is #ownvoices, regardless of what the voice is.
Star: I couldn’t agree more! I was thinking about this again and the more I thought about it, the more I saw that the only F/F book (not even plural) that people were recommending was Leah on the Offbeat and it makes me sad because that is as far from #OwnVoices as you can get.
Sarah: Clancy of the Undertow by Christopher Currie was the first book I read and thought “Oh shit, this girl is me”. This teenage girl is teenage me. Her snarky self-loathing. Her failed attempts at F/F romance. I wanted to hug her and tell her we’d figure it out together.
What was the first book you saw yourself in?
Star: This is hard because I didn’t actually see myself in any books as a kid, but it was fanfiction I first saw myself really represented. Since then, I have been feeding my inner teenager with every single queer book I can literally get my hands on for that representation I so desperately craved as a teenager. The first F/F book I read, however, was Empress of the World by Sara Ryan. It still holds a dear place in my heart because it was my first ever F/F book.
Sarah: I’m hearing ya. And I’m thankful you were able to find a home for yourself in the fantastic world of Fan Fiction. I didn’t find any F/F until a was an “adult” and already married to a man. I often wonder about if in my teens I’d had access to the wonderfully queer books had I have access to now, how different my life may have turned out. I think that’s probably what drives us both to actively search out and promote queer books now. We want today’s teens to have the reads we didn’t.
Star: Absolutely! People who have representation in every single media form rarely stop to think about those that don’t, and it makes me sad. Because everyone deserves representation and to see themselves in a book, movie, tv show, etc.
Sarah: The Dyke word. I can remember you telling me about a book where the POV referred to herself as a Dyke and It wasn’t a positive reading experience. I was horrified when you told me. I think we can agree that we are fed up with derogatory bulls*** and want more positive examples for our teens.
What was the last book you read where the POV lesbian’s status was treated as a positive thing?
Star: My latest and most favourite book – These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling. The MC identifies as lesbian and says on page “I’m a huge lesbian” and I’m like “YES, THIS IS ME!”. More often than not, books will use ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ and even the d-slur over actually using ‘lesbian’. Because apparently “lesbian” is a porn category for men, not a sexuality that actually, you know, pertains to women who love other women.
Sarah: The lesbian word. We’ve spoken before about how meaningful it is for you when a character calls themselves a lesbian and it’s a positive thing and I’m with ya!
Do you think the publishing industry is heading in the right direction, are we seeing more positive examples rather than negatives these days? Because there certainly was a time when all queer stories had sad endings (which we know is bulls*** in the real world, queers can and do live happy meaningful lives).
Star: The fact that more queer books are existing is a huge step in the right direction, I think. There’s always going to be sad stories, because that is how life works, but there needs to be a bit of a better balance. I’m sick of lesbians and F/F ending up dead, dying painfully, cheating on their boyfriends (to only go back to being with a guy because god forbid being bisexual actually exists, too!). There are so many ways that F/F can have happy endings, just like all the heterosexual books that are out there. Give me 500 years’ worth of cute contemporary F/F books (and LGBT+ books on the whole) like there has been for heterosexuals. No trope is too tired when it comes to it being re-imagined with an LGBT+ protagonist.
Sarah: Here Here. Agreed. Bring them all on. I think this is the perfect time to drop a list of YA F/F books for you to check out. It is by no means all the books that are out there. It’s a list of F/F I’ve either read or are planning to read. If you’ve got any favorites that I’ve somehow missed. Please let us know what they are below.
Rogue Blog Tour
Pan Macmillan Australia, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of Rogue by Australian author A.J.Betts. On tour, you will find bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers from Australia sharing their thoughts on Rogue, beginning on July 1st until July 5th 2019.
Tour Schedule
About the book
Published by Pan Macmillan
ISBN 9781760556440
Published June 25th 2019
Add to Goodreads
RRP $16.99
There was no going back; there was no choice, anymore. I'd chosen out and this was it: hot-cold, dry-wet, bright-dark and lonely.
Hayley has gone rogue.
She's left everything she's ever known - her friends, her bees, her whole world - because her curiosity was too big to fit within the walls of her underwater home.
But what is this new world she's come to? Has Hayley finally found somewhere she can belong?
Or will she have to keep running?
The thrilling conclusion to Hive from award-winning, internationally bestselling author A. J. Betts
PRAISE AND AWARDS FOR HIVE
"A striking dystopian world: Hive carves out a niche through intriguing and original world-building [with] enough imaginative vitamin to tease readers into anticipating the second and final volume in the series." Sydney Morning Herald
Shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards 2019
Shortlisted for the Indie Book Awards 2019
Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book 2019
About the author
A. J. Betts is an Australian author, speaker, teacher and cyclist, and has a PhD on the topic of wonder, in life and in reading. She has written five novels for young adults. Her third novel, Zac & Mia, won the 2012 Text Prize, the 2014 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and the 2014 Ethel Turner prize for young adults at the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, was shortlisted for the 2014 Queensland Literary Award, and is available in 14 countries. It was adapted for American television by AwesomenessTV, and will soon be available globally. Her fourth novel, Hive, was shortlisted for the 2019 Indie Book Awards and is a notable book in the Children's Book Council of Australia awards. A. J. is originally from Queensland but has lived in Fremantle since 2004.
All That Impossible Space Tour!
Hachette Australia, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of All That Impossible Space by Australian debut author Anna Morgan. On tour, you will find bloggers, reviewers and Instagrammers from Australia sharing their thoughts on All That Impossible Space, beginning on June 24th until June 28th 2019.
Follow the tour below
About the book
Published by Hachette Australia
ISBN 9780734419637
Published June 25th 2019
Add to Goodreads
RRP $19.99
Amelia Westlake meets My Favorite Murder in this debut from a terrific new voice in Australian YA. Combines a realistic story about high school drama and toxic friendship with true crime - the endlessly fascinating Somerton Man or Taman Shud mystery.
15-year-old Lara Laylor feels like supporting character in her own life. She's Ashley's best friend, she's Hannah's sister-she's never just Lara.
When new history teacher Mr. Grant gives her an unusual assignment: investigating the mystery of the Somerton Man. Found dead in on an Adelaide beach in 1948, a half-smoked cigarette still in his mouth and the labels cut out of his clothes, the Somerton Man has intrigued people for years. Was he a spy? A criminal? Year 10 has plenty of mysteries of its own: boys, drama queen friends, and enigmatic new students. When they seem just as unsolvable as a 60-year-old cold case, Lara finds herself spending more and more time on the assignment. But Mr Grant himself may be the biggest mystery of all...
About the author
Anna was born in Sydney, but spent most of her childhood surrounded by mountains in Nepal and Tibet while her parents were part of an international community of health professionals. Navigating this cross-cultural life made her a curious observer of people, although most of her time was spent reading Enid Blyton and dreaming of going to boarding school. This did not cushion the shock of shifting from home-school in Tibet to an all-girls high school in Melbourne when her family returned to Australia.
Anna completed a MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University in 2015, and now lives in Melbourne with her husband. She works as a bookseller.
Blog Tour: Kindred: 12 Queer Stories #Loveozya - Guest Review and Interview from Amy
We are opening up our blog today from a Guest Review and Interview from Amy. Hope you enjoy her thoughts- Tash
Hey! I am super grateful to be a part of this tour with the
release of Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories and I’d like to start off by
saying a massive massive thank you to Walker Books Australia and
AusYABloggers for sending me a copy of the book and allowing me to share my
thoughts. I’ve also had the delightful privilege of interviewing Erin Gough,
which you can find after my review.
About the book...
What does it mean to be queer? What does it mean to be human? In this powerful #LoveOzYA collection, twelve of Australia’s finest writers from the LGBTQ+ community explore the stories of family, friends, lovers and strangers – the connections that form us.This inclusive and intersectional #OwnVoices anthology for teen readers features work from writers of diverse genders, sexualities and identities, including writers who identify as First Nations, people of colour or disabled. With short stories by bestsellers, award winners and newcomers to young adult fiction 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.
Includes a foreword by anthology editor Michael Earp, resources for queer teens, contributor bios and information about the #LoveOzYA movement.
View Kindred on Goodreads | Walker Books Australia
Purchase Links
If you purchase Kindred from The Little Bookroom you can have it signed By Michael Earp. All You have to do is mention in the order notes that you followed the Kindred Tour and would like your copy signed by Michael.
This is a book for queer youth to know that they are not alone in
their experiences, that these incredible and diverse set of authors have lived
these queer lives and understand themselves and their experiences so much so
that they are able to articulate this understanding beautifully and capture it
in stories such as the twelve wonderful short stories in this anthology. We
read to know we are not alone, and to read a book like this instantly validates
experiences outside of the usual cishet bubble. As lovely as this tour it, I really
hope that this book finds itself in the hands of the kids who need it and for
them to know that it’s okay.
This book was wonderfully diverse and not just with a variety of
queer identities, but also featured disabled and First Nations authors and characters.
In the same way I feel validated by reading about the gay stuff, I know that
this extra level of inclusivity will mean worlds for the young people in those
situations.
I enjoyed certain stories more than others, which I think is fair when
reading an anthology like this with such a diverse set of very unique and
really very quite different stories. From dystopian worlds to first
interactions with crushes, relationships with family to magical quests, there
is a story in here for everyone. I think my personal favourites would have to
be Jen Wilde’s “Waiting”, Marlee Jane Ward’s “Rats”, Michael Earp’s “Bitter
Draught” and of course, Erin Gough’s “In Case of Emergency, Break Glass”.
Please make sure to check out the other stops on this tour with
plenty more in depth reviews and interviews by going here!
Interview with Erin Gough
Without further ado, I’d like to share my interview with the every
lovely Erin Gough. I am absolutely obsessed with her second novel, Amelia
Westlake, and adore her works, so this interview was particularly exciting.
This interview was completed before I had received the book,
however I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Erin at the Kindred launch in Melbourne
to say hello. Even as I got stuck behind the tables and had to rush off quickly
afterwards – heaven forbid we miss our train home (spoiler: we didn’t) – she
was very kind and welcoming.
Before I
get too into it, I thought I’d start off with some simpler easy questions first
just to let you warm up a little.
Yes or no
- Pineapple on pizza?
Yes. Bring it.
Do you
have a favourite word?
‘Agile’ is my current favourite. I am
definitely overusing it in my writing at the moment.
If you
could only ever listen to one artist for the rest of your life, what would it
be?
Nina Simone.
Alright
too easy (I hope?). I think that's enough of a warm up, here's some questions
that perhaps may require a bit more brainpower.
Exploring
and defining your identity can be a difficult process on its own without the
extra hurdles that can come along with being queer - such as potential mental
and internal struggles, or challenges from the world around you. How did you
navigate (or perhaps still are navigating) this process of exploring your queer
identity?
It was hard. It’s still hard at times,
but it’s a lot easier than it was when I was a teen. I was in denial for a long
time about my sexuality. I didn’t know any lesbians. I grew up in a fairly
religious community and being gay was not a legitimate identity in that
community. Even though I suspected I was a lesbian, I told myself it was just
that I hadn’t met the right boy yet. I decided I had to date a few boys to be
sure, which I did. Then I kissed a girl. It changed everything. I was at
university and living out of home by then, which made it a lot easier to
explore who I was. I don’t think I could have done that had I been living with
my parents.
And to
follow on from that, how do you identify?
As a cis lesbian.
And of
course, queer identities also generally have the extra element of them with
regards to coming out. How was your coming out experience?
It was pretty hard. I was 24. I waited
until I was living overseas to phone my parents. They were really upset and
said some hurtful things. When I came home a few months later I had a hard time
adjusting to being out. My friends were amazing, which helped. Some of them
knew already. My girlfriend and her family were incredibly supportive. I also had
some counselling, which was exactly what I needed. And I took up kickboxing,
which was awesome! I pounded a lot of anger into those punching bags.
What (or
who?) inspired the short story you contributed to Kindred?
The story is partly inspired by my own
experience of dating boys when I was in my late teens and early twenties and
trying to make it work. And then meeting someone who changed everything. That’s
what my protagonist, Amy, experiences. She meets this girl – in a hall
cupboard, of all places – and it is so life changing that the dead rise up, the
world floods, and people start speaking in rhyme. These surreal elements of the
story are a departure from my usual approach. I wanted to convey how incredible
it is to finally be with someone you’re attracted to, after denying that part
of yourself for so long.
Apart from
your own story, which is your favourite story from Kindred and why?
Marlee Jane Ward’s ‘Rats’ is amazing.
The voices of her characters are so strong, the language she uses to tell her
story is poetry, and her narrative had me on the edge of my seat.
And
finally, do you have any words of wisdom for young queer Aussie teens?
Be proud of who you are, because you
ought to be.
Kindred Tour
Walker Books Australia, together with Michael Earp and the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of the Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories anthology. This is an #ownvoices tour featuring queer creators, bloggers, instagrammers, reviewers and youtubers from Australia and New Zealand, celebrating pride month with the release of Kindred.
Follow The Tour Below
About the book...
What does it mean to be queer? What does it mean to be human? In this powerful #LoveOzYA collection, twelve of Australia’s finest writers from the LGBTQ+ community explore the stories of family, friends, lovers and strangers – the connections that form us.This inclusive and intersectional #OwnVoices anthology for teen readers features work from writers of diverse genders, sexualities and identities, including writers who identify as First Nations, people of colour or disabled. With short stories by bestsellers, award winners and newcomers to young adult fiction 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.
Includes a foreword by anthology editor Michael Earp, resources for queer teens, contributor bios and information about the #LoveOzYA movement.
View Kindred on Goodreads | Walker Books Australia
Purchase Links
If you purchase Kindred from The Little Bookroom you can have it signed By Michael Earp. All You have to do is mention in the order notes that you followed the Kindred Tour and would like your copy signed by Michael.
For people looking to find a bookshop near them: Find A Bookshop.
Hashtags to check out and keep an eye on even after the tour is over:
#KindredStories #AusYaBloggers #AusQueerYA #LoveOZYA #OwnVoices
Shauna's Great Expectations Instagram Tour!
Allen & Unwin, together with the #AusYABloggers are celebrating the release of Shauna's Great Expectations by Australian author Kathleen Loughnan. The Instagram only review tour begins on May 13th 2019 until May 19th 2019 and will visit twenty incredible accounts.
Follow the tour below
| May 13th Laura Bookish Jouljet Stef Galvin | May 14th The Bookish Bree Jessica's Bookworld I Dream of all The Books | May 15th A Reader Brooklyn Diva Booknerd |
| May 16th Read3rz Revu Lizz Reads Raathi07 | May 17th Seventyeight Sundays Shelle Reads Books Thoughts By Tash | May 18th Beczenbooks Fotini Reads Kit Cronk |
| May 19th Bookish Universee Little Miss Star |
About the book
Written by Kathleen Loughnan
Published by Allen & Unwin
320 Pages
ISBN: 9781760631574
Add to Goodreads
AUD $19.99
A fresh and compelling novel about an Aboriginal scholarship student and her surprising final year of school.
Shauna is in her final year at an elite private school and has great expectations. She holds an Indigenous scholarship and is determined to be the first member of her family to go to university, no matter what. The year is off to an excellent start, and she and her friends are dreaming big about life after school and a trip to Paris.
But suddenly she's faced with a choice that threatens to throw all her plans into disarray. As pressure builds from every corner of her world, Shauna wonders what she'll have to sacrifice to keep hold of her dreams… Can she fulfil her own promise and still keep her promises to others? Will all her expectations be ripped away?
Author Interview with Ondine Sherman
Sky (The Animal Allies Series #1)
by Ondine Sherman
Published April 15th 2019 by Pantera Press
After her mother’s death, Sky is forced to leave her city life behind and move in with her aunt and uncle in a small Australian town. But the city isn’t all that she leaves behind. Trying to fit in with her new friends means doing things she never dreamt she’d do. And falling for the School Queen’s crush is the least of her worries when she’s confronted by tightly guarded family secrets.
Just as she thinks everything is starting to feel normal, Sky stumbles on a case of animal cruelty that forces her to make some tough decisions. Will Sky risk everything to stand up for what she believes in?
Sometimes you have to lose everything to find yourself.
As a part of the Pantera Press Australia and #AusYABloggers celebrative Sky Tour, Kait from elysian words interviewed Sky's Author, Ondine Sherman.
What inspired you to be a writer and write Sky?
When growing up did you ever dream of being an author?
Did you enjoy reading and writing?
(I’ve combined these questions below, hope it’s okay)
I always loved to read and write and my diaries were full of poems and stories. When I was young I dreamed of working with animals and I considered many different professions, such as becoming a nature writer for National Geographic, veterinarian or wildlife documentary maker. In high school I did my work experience at the RSPCA and later worked in communication roles with several Australian wildlife and nature conservation organisations. I then founded Voiceless, the animal protection institute, with my father Brian and that became (and still is!) my passion. It wasn’t until ten years ago that I started writing seriously and I didn’t want to stop. I hope to continue writing for a long time, conveying a message about animal protection that is essential to my life and beliefs.
Are there any books or movies that had a particular influence on the story and characters you created?
Many books influenced and touched me when I was young – I particularly loved books written from the perspective of animals and brought their experiences, their voices, to life. When I was little, I wanted to transport myself into the British countryside and the world of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox was a favourite because the foxes were the heroes of the story. Reading these books inspired me to write the character of Sky’s chicken, Chirp. I was also a big reader of Judy Bloom books because they summed up the teenage girl experience, with all the awkwardness and anxieties. I tried to reflect this experience in Sky and her insecurities and social pressures.
I’m a huge movie fan and there are countless animal-centric movies that have inspired me. I dreamed of talking to animals like in the film Dr. Doolittle. Recently I saw a brilliant film, The Isle of Dogs which is super creative and thought-provoking about how we treat animals we consider unwanted or label as ‘pests’. I was also heavily influenced when I was younger by wildlife films like Gorilla’s in the Mist and Born Free which were true stories about people standing up for animals against huge challenges, just like Sky.
How is your love for animals reflected in Sky?
Like Sky, I have loved animals since I was a young child and believe strongly that they deserve to be respected and live a life free of industrialised cruelty and harm.
What was the process of getting Sky published like?
When I wrote Sky I had no idea if I would find a publisher. It was such a wonderful elated feeling, after a year of searching, to find someone who believed in the story. Publishing can be hard but the key is to not give up! I am very excited that Pantera Press is now my publisher and committed to the Animal Allies Series.
Are you planning on writing more books?
The second book in my series is called Snow and it is coming out this July. I hope readers will love the setting as much as I do – the stunning vast frozen landscapes of winter Alaska. Sky meets her father for the first time, gets to know Jaxon, a local musician, and discovers a spectacular world full of wildlife. I am currently working on the third book, Star, for release next year.
What's your best advice on writing and the best advice you were given?
Ernest Heminway said that ‘the only kind of writing is re-writing’ and that is so true. One imagines from movie scenes that writers type out their book and, bingo, it’s finished. That’s not what really happens. The first draft is only the foundation for tens of re-writes and slowly the book is formed and refined. It’s a slow and patient process but one that I really enjoy. The other advice I would give is not to over-think. Just allow yourself to put words on paper, as much as possible, and mute the naysayers in your head that tell you it’s not good enough. If you are too self-critical at first, it makes creativity impossible. Just let yourself be free to write imperfectly. Later on, you can fix and refine the language and story.
What are some of your favourite animals?
Our house is full of rescue dogs, cats, chickens and rabbits. I love them all. But, like Sky, I am most obsessed with dogs and, if I had my way, I’d have an entire pack! I also love wildlife. If I was forced to choose, I would say wolves, whales, sea turtles, lions, leopards and elephants are my all time favourites. But it’s very hard to choose!
A BIG THANK YOU TO ONDINE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER KAIT'S QUESTIONS.
FOLLOW THE TOUR for reviews, giveaways and more HERE.
You can find Kait's beautiful bookish IG account HERE and other socials HERE.
You can find Kait's beautiful bookish IG account HERE and other socials HERE.
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