Title: Song in the Dark
Author: Christine Howe
Publication: February 21, 2013 by Penguin Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 216
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Where do you end up when you have nowhere to go, and no one to turn to?

Paul isn’t thinking clearly. After destroying a series of relationships – with his friends, his flatmates, his mum – he finally hurts the one person he cares about most of all. And then he runs away.

An extraordinary and heartrending story of love, betrayal, addiction and hope.

Christine Howe’s debut novel Song in the Dark is a book of tough and mature themes definitely written for a mature young adult audience. It’s nice to know that some authors write to not squeeze into what’s popular within the age group such as young protagonists, cliched romances, and genre trends, but write matters that have meaning and levels of emotionality that you wouldn’t see elsewhere. Song in the Dark is one of those, but sadly for me, I didn’t quite connect with the book. I mean, it was good. But as it was written in third perspective it was hard to connect with our main character Paul as he hurts people he loves, family and friends, and runs away to recover at a rehab treatment centre for his marijuana addiction. I felt incredibly distant from him because of it; maybe it’s because I’m the polar opposite. If it were written in first there might’ve been a difference in the way I felt about this book. Despite it being short and a quick read I had skimmed about 30% of it and that’s really a shame.

Thanks to Penguin Australia via NetGalley for the egalley to review.

• • •

Title: Shadow Kiss, Vampire Academy #3
Author: Richelle Mead
Publication: November 13th, 2008 by Razorbill
Format, pages: Paperback, 348
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn’t been feeling quite right. She’s having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all… might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose’s forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line – and choose between the two people she loves most.

Richelle Mead has soooo many passionate fans the world over for her Vampire Academy series and I think I slowly am becoming one. I’ve taken my time – even if poorly – with this series and it’s a goal to finish the series this year. Shadow Kiss, the third instalment in the series, was packed with thrilling if not emotional moments, especially the ending between Lissa and Rose. It’s such a genuinely complex relationship between friends and one of the best I’ve read; there’s a lot of depth and history to their friendship that you don’t see anywhere else. It’s at that ending that it explodes and Rose and Lissa ricochet their own ways, and it’s funny how it’s both their faults. I look forward to reading the next three in this series following Rose and the path she takes to find Dimitri. This was a great instalment and the next books seem like they’re just going to cascade down on me.

• • •

Title: Pandemonium, Delirium #2
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publication: February 28th, 2012 by HarperCollins Children’s Books
Format, pages: Hardcover, 375
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Romance
My Rating:  

“So what was your name before?” I say, and she freezes, her back to me. “Before you came to the Wilds, I mean.”For a moment she stands there.

Then she turns around.

“You might as well get used to it now,” she says with quite intensity.

“Everything you were, the life you had, the people you knew… dust.”

She shakes her head and says, a little more firmly, “There is no before. There is only now, and what comes next.”

After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the “cure” – an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love – but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

Some birds are made for greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. The raven was of both kinds, which meant that his capacity for greatness was huge. Despite reassuring himself of this, the nerves in his stomach were relentless. Every second they seemed to find something else to have a nibble at. But it would be worth it. He was about to become one of the greatest corvids to fly the skies.

Title: What the Raven Saw
Author: Samantha-Ellen Bound
Publication: February 1st, 2013 by Woolshed Press (imprint of Random House Australia)
Format, pages: Paperback, 278
Age Group: Children’s, Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Raven is having a rough day. All he wants to do is sit in his belltower, marvel over his treasures and revel in his own magnificence.

But if it isn’t pesky pigeons and beady-eyed weatherhens annoying him, it’s those humans tramping about among his grave.

Soon he’s forced to deal with a man stuck up a tree, a lovesick scarecrow and an ancient ghost who doesn’t understand his job description. And re-unite a little girl with her dead brother. And uncover a thief. The list never ends for a raven of his pedigree. But perhaps the raven will find that all these types have got something to offer him.

What the Raven Saw is a story about one cranky raven, one extraordinary churchyard and the songs that inhabit both.

Samantha-Ellen Bound’s children’s debut novel What the Raven Saw is a smart, witty, and ingenious story of showing what the underdogs of today are capable of, how the smallest beings we hold not much regard for can be the beings that hold the most promise in the end. What stands out the most is our protagonist, a raven who flies about the churchyard, proud to be the avian species he is, exhibiting his very nature of guarding his treasure with not much interest in socialising with any of the other – lesser – birds in the vicinity, like the weatherhen and the darned, annoying pigeon. That is until he sees things happening, until he comes across both residents and visitors to the church and its yard, that he evolves into an advisor, helping, changing, a friend to those that are lost, seeking or adapting to change themselves.

The various characters that the raven meet throughout What the Raven Saw, of man, creature, or thing, make this story what it is. They are written with a sharp eye for characterisation. There’s Father Cadman of the church whose faith and hymns influence the raven’s ways. There’s Todd, the dead twelve-year-old boy who now wanders as a ghost, watching his sorrowful sister Mackenzie, wanting a way to communicate with her, for her to know that he is there. There’s the unhappy man high up in the tree who intends to jump off. There’s the scarecrow who longs for company and wants to be alone no more. There’s the old ghost who just wants peace and quiet and for people to stop trampling upon his grave. Lastly, there’s the parishioner turned thief who needs, if unknowingly, to be caught for his wrongdoings. And everyone of them will learn what a raven is able to achieve after all.

Bound is surely a new children’s author to watch. What the Raven Saw reminded me of Roald Dahl’s works and other classic children’s books, with both the writing and the endearing characters the reasons why. There’s a timeless energy surrounding What the Raven Saw that may just make this book one that will be loved and remembered for many years to come, by both children and adults. (And no, I’m not just saying this because I personally know Sam and, well, work with her; this book really is charming! Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up!)

Last week I reviewed Melissa Keil’s YA debut Life in Outer Space, a contemporary with romance and comedy about the disadvantages of indulging in fiction because of the unpreparedness and inexperience in reality – well, that’s how I describe it, which fits with me perfectly. Life in Outer Space is also the first novel to come out of Hardie Grant Egmont’s Ampersand Project, out in stores in February. Today I welcome Melissa to the blog for an interview about her debut and writing.

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I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and have been a giant book nerd for as long as I can remember. I studied Cinema and Anthropology at uni, and then spent a few more years studiously avoiding getting a real job by dabbling in a bunch of graduate stuff, including Professional Writing and Editing. In between I have been a high school teacher, Middle-Eastern tour guide, waitress, community theatre dogs-body, and IT help-desk person (hands down, my most unsuccessful job to date). Now, by day, I am a children’s book editor, and I spend most of the rest of my time reading, writing, and watching YouTube. My debut novel, Life in Outer Space, will be published in February 2013. It’s a young adult romantic comedy that combines some of my many loves – movies, music, karate, the Astor Theatre, Star Wars, and all things geek.

Q: What was your reaction when you discovered that the Ampersand Project decided to publish your novel? How does it feel to be the first to come out such a project?

I couldn’t quite believe it at first; I knew the strike rate for first time authors, and I was honestly expecting a standard thanks but no thanks letter. I was amazed to be called in for a meeting with Ampersand’s wonderful commissioning editor; a little stunned when she told me they were sending me a letter of offer for my book. Needless to say, I was pretty useless at work for a few days afterwards! It’s so incredibly humbling to know that they have such faith in the story, and that they have such affection for these characters as well.

Q: How long did it take you to write Life in Outer Space? Was the Ampersand Project the goal that you worked towards?

It took about four months to write the initial draft, and then another eight months or so of editing and reworking before I submitted it. I wasn’t working towards any particular goal when I started writing the novel; I really just wanted to write a story that I wanted to read. I was also really nervous about putting it out there, and was planning to just sit on it and fiddle for a few more months, even though I knew I had done as much work on it as I could on my own. But the Ampersand guidelines seemed like the perfect fit for the manuscript, so (after some prodding from my writing group), I took a shot and sent it in.

Q: Why Life in Outer Space?

Well, it wasn’t the original title! My editor and I decided quite early on that my title, The Camilla Carter Project, wasn’t working, but we really struggled to come up with something we both liked. We brainstormed for months, eventually narrowing down a shortlist that we were still both quite lukewarm on. When we hit on Life in Outer Space though, we both knew it was the right one. Apart from the fact that Sam is a huge Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica fan, for me, it encapsulates where he is at the beginning of the book – floating on the outskirts, not allowing himself to be anchored to anything in the world around him. It also, I think, captures something about the orbit-shifting nature of first love. And, it’s the title of a Grand Funk Railroad song – I’m a big fan of obscure trivia, and GFR are mentioned in passing in the beginning of the book.

Q: Where did the story idea for Life in Outer Space start for you? Were you inspired by anything in particular? 

I was meeting my writing buddy in a café, where we usually met on Sundays to write. This Sunday, I decided to set aside the manuscript I had been struggling with and begin something new. I had been working on something quite big and ‘high concept’ (there were aliens involved), and I was really itching to write a smaller, funnier story. I had no idea what the new story was going to be, and spent an awful lot of time just staring at an empty word doc, but then I caught I glimpse of a poster advertising the Melbourne Horror Film Society, and the voice of my character, Sam, literally just popped into my head. I wrote the first chapter not really knowing where it was going, only that I really liked this guy and I wanted to explore his story.

Q: How much of Sam, Camilla, or any of the characters are based off of yourself or somebody that you know? (e.g., Sam’s screenwriting stemming from your studies in Cinema and Anthropology at uni.)

I guess there are little pieces of me and lots of people that I’ve cross paths with in all of the characters, but only fragments – I was always a film buff, but never really a fan of horror movies (until I started researching Sam – I’m a converted fan of the zombie genre now). I had never played Warcraft before, but some of my besties were huge fans, and so I ‘borrowed’ little pieces of knowledge from them. I may have also had a small crush on Luke Skywalker when I was a kid. But the wonderful thing about writing is that moment when your characters take on a life of their own; for me, Sam, Camilla, Mike, Allison and Adrian feel like real people in their own right.

Q:  Did writing from a male perspective such as Sam’s hold any difficulties, particularly in relation to his interests?

Interesting question! There was a line in an earlier draft where Camilla responds to Sam’s incredulity about her Star Wars fandom by saying ‘boys don’t get dibs on all the cool stuff’. I’m a fan of lots of the same things that Sam is a fan of, but yes, I did have to do quite a bit of research for many of his other interests (I had never played WoW, for instance, but one of my best girlfriends had been playing for years so I was able to get a crash course from her). I approached writing male characters in the same way I would approach writing from the perspective of any character who isn’t myself; making choices about the way they would speak, and the way they would respond to the world around them, but also letting the characters evolve naturally. I guess the most difficult thing to write was the physicality of being in a boy’s body – but Sam always felt real to me, and I only hope that readers feel the same way.

Q: What do you nerdgasm or geek-fest over most of the time?

Oh, so many things! Really great writing and discovering new writers to love.  Finding fabulous web series’ on YouTube. The next episode of The Walking Dead; the next season of Sherlock (so far away!) The list goes on…

Q: What’s next for you?

I’m working on new project, a YA contemporary , but it’s still very early days. I’m doing a lot of research on card magic and trying to master a spring shuffle – it feels like bad luck to talk about something that’s still a work-in-progress though! I’m getting to know some new characters, which is always fun and exciting.

Q: What advice do you have for young or unpublished writers who would like to get published? Are there any tips you have in shaping the manuscript so that it’s distinct from others when submitting for such a thing as the Ampersand Project?

I think it’s really important to write the story that you’re passionate about. If you’re serious about a career as a writer, then of course, reading everything you can get your hands on goes without saying, and understanding market trends and so forth is important; but trying to bend your writing to fit what you think publishers are looking for isn’t a great idea. Speaking as an editor who spent a bit of time immersed in the slush pile, it’s really obvious when someone has written something in a cynical attempt to be ‘on trend’. Passion and excitement for your story is really evident on the page – editors are just as excited about finding these sorts of stories, and will be willing to work with you to shape them. Find other writers who you trust to workshop your manuscript with and be sure that the version that you submit is the most polished it can be. I would also suggest having a good, succinct pitch for your book – if the editor whose desk it lands on likes it, there are still a lot of people in-house who they will need to sell it to – make it easy on them by giving them a great pitch.

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Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies … but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

Find LIFE IN OUTER SPACE at:
Goodreads | Booktopia | Fishpond | Bookworld

Follow Melissa Keil at:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter

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Giveaway 

Jennifer from Hardie Grant Egmont has kindly offered to give away a finished copy of Life in Outer Space to one lucky reader from Australia and New Zealand. This giveaway will end at the end of next week (on February 10th).

Good luck!

If you want to be surprised when reading this considering the ending of Froi of the Exiles, then don’t continue any further. Just know that Quintana of Charyn will leave you speechless.

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‘You were never able to break her. She is the stone of this kingdom.’

Title: Quintana of Charyn, Lumatere Chronicles #3)
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publication: September 26th 2012 by Viking Australia/Penguin Teen Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 516
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating:   (What else really?)

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi must travel through Charyn to search for Quintana, the mother of Charyn’s unborn king, and protect her against those who will do anything to gain power. But what happens when loyalty to family and country conflict? When the forces marshalled in Charyn’s war gather and threaten to involve the whole of the land, including Lumatere, only Froi can set things right, with the help of those he loves.

Goodreads || Fishpond

Immediately after finishing:

… … … … *blink* … … … … *blink* Ummmm… *blink* … … … … I’m sleeping with this book tonight.

What reverberated around in my cranium a few days ago: 

Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi  Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi GARGARIN GARGARIN GARGARIN LIRAH LIRAH LIRAH ARJURO ARJURO ARJURO Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Finnikin Finnikin Finnikin Isaboe Isaboe Isaboe Phaedra Phaedra Phaedra Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi GARGARIN GARGARIN GARGARIN LIRAH LIRAH LIRAH ARJURO ARJURO ARJURO Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi Quintana Quintana Quintana Froi Froi Froi

As can be seen, these characters are a lifeline.

Two days later (today):

Having read Froi of the Exiles and Quintana of Charyn back-to-back, I could not have experienced and read these wonders any other way. I was glad I waited out the year since I got Froi – everyone’s desperation for Quintana became common knowledge considering its ending, so I turned to logic and logic won out. Froi of the Exiles was amazing; but Quintana of Charyn was perfect, unforgettable… beautiful.

We entered Melina Marchetta’s Skuldenore and the world of the ‘Lumatere Chronicles’ through Finnikin of the Rock. It was breathtakingly real and raw, albeit fantasy. We were first introduced to characters such as Finnikin and Isaboe, and developed a strong love for them. We met Froi, too, among others. Finnikin was an introduction – this book established the world and gave us insight into the rift between Lumatere and Charyn, presenting us with a dark, hopeless and war-torn continent, its people ambivalent as to what the future may hold. Finnikin was the beginning of a spellbinding journey, which then continued in Froi of the Exiles. Melina Marchetta took us further into the darkness of this world; more notably into Froi’s unknown past, the key to understanding the hope for the future. Froi hooked himself into our hearts, and slowly with understanding, Quintana did too. I was invested more in the story in Froi than I was Finnikin, most probably since I was familiar with the characters and I was desperate to learn more about them and soak up any bit of detail there was to them.

Then finally we came to Quintana of Charyn. After following the developments of the characters and knowing them as much as I know myself, I did not want to leave them; I did not want to forget them; and I did not want to stop reading about them. Quintana contained a number of memorable moments where each character found their home, found safety and comfort, and most importantly, found hope. All that because they found each other.

Ending books on cliffhangers are tricky as it is uncertain as to how they would be received. However, how the ending of Froi played out was necessary in transitioning us to the final chapter of this story. With haste, Melina Marchetta pulls the reader back into the struggles of Quintana and Froi. Froi was being nursed by Arjuro after the fatal injuries he received a few weeks earlier and constantly on his mind was the safety of Quintana – a safety which he could not give her considering his circumstances. Once mended, along with his parents Gargarin and Lirah he goes in search for Quintana, who has appeared in the valley between Lumatere and Charyn, in search of someone that could give her the safety that Froi is not able to provide her with. And with her carrying their baby, every second is crucial to their survival and their ambivalent future.

Simultaneously, Isaboe and Finnikin contemplate whether Froi has done his job that he was sent to do, as no one has heard or seen him since he left Lumatere to assassinate Quintana. Isaboe and Finnikin are also expecting, and Finnikin ponders whether he is good enough to be the father of a Lumateran King as well as the husband of Isaboe – not a King; just her consort. This is addressed when Finnikin and Froi come together after a few hiccups in their honesty and friendship concerning the role that Isaboe plays in each of their lives.

 ‘I have an equally strong bond with you, my friend,’ Froi said. ‘It’s not that I desire one of you over the other. It’s that I want what you have together. I know that despite everything . . . it must eat at your heart that you’re her consort and not her king . . .’
……Finnikin shook his head again.
……‘It’s not about having power over her,’ Finnikin explained. ‘If I was the King, I could take care of her. I could keep her free from the troubles of Lumatere, which seems endless. And so trite. Honestly, Froi, ours are such ungrateful people at times. Despite our hard work, all we hear are complaints and woe and who suffered most and whose soil deserves more. Why can’t they just be happy with what we’ve got? We have our kingdom back, but no one seems truly happy, and I’m frightened that it’s now in our blood. That we’ll pass on that dissatisfaction to our children and our children’s children and that we’ll be the ancients one day and our descendants will say, “Ah yes, a melancholy dour lot.”‘

Before I move further into my review for Quintana of Charyn I just want to share another quote in the book that I adore, as it encompasses what the meaning of life is all about. We can’t all be kings and queens and witness our dreams come true, but if we make do with what we have and live life to the best that we can then it will be a good life and that’s all you really need. I find after reading Quintana that what Isaboe says is relevant to twists later on, if not foreshadows those events.

‘…In the games of queens and kings,’ she said to Froi, ‘we leave our dreams at the door and we make do with what we have. Sometimes if we’re fortunate, we still manage to have a good life.’

Then to enhance what Isaboe says to Froi, Lirah says this which is equally as inspirational:

‘You said to me once that you weren’t what I dreamed of. You were right. You surpass everything I dreamed of. Even the rot in you that’s caused you to do shameful things. Some men let the rot and guilt fester into something ugly beyond words. Few men can turn it into worth and substance. If you’re gods’ blessed for no other reason, it’s for that.’

You get to the end of some trilogies and series and you feel as though there could be another book or that there is more to the story that the author has not shared. The Lumatere Chronicles is not one of those. I feel as though Melina Marchetta has poured every ounce of her experience and storytelling abilities into this story, especially in this third and final book, to the point that fatigue consumes you. All the characters ended in positions that they were happy to be in, and if they are content as is the author, then I am too.  Skuldenore, although still with subtle rivalries and problems, has returned to the peaceful state that it once was, because of the actions of our heroes and our heroines, the major and minor. What I need to do is to reread all three books again, and I am sure I will learn a helluva lot more than I did the first time.

These characters will never be forgotten. The Lumatere Chronicles is so well received because of the characters; they’re flawed human beings with dark pasts and uncertain futures, living their present with caution and a desire to see better days in the world that they live in. Because of how much I adored Froi and Quintana after Froi of the Exiles, I had trouble finding that same devotion for Isaboe and Finnikin at the beginning of Quintana of Charyn. But as the novel progressed and Isaboe and Finnikin understood Froi’s situation and the role Quintana has to it, that was when I admired this quartet – they complemented each other. They are different in every way, bringing about an influx of dynamics that would not have occurred if these characters were any other way. Gargarin, Lirah, Arjuro, Phaedra, Tesadora and a few others make this story ever so richer with their own stories to tell. I will miss them all, each and every single one of them.

Quintana of Charyn is now a favourite, and once the rest of the world has their opportunity to indulge in the beauty of this book there’s going to be a fanfare with the words ‘Queen’ and ‘Melina’ sung throughout.

A big thank you to Penguin Australia for providing a copy to review.

Books in This Series:

1. Finnikin of the Rock (September, 2008)
2. Froi of the Exiles (October, 2011)
3. Quintana of Charyn (September, 2012)

 What others have said about Quintana of Charyn:

Mandee @ Vegan YA Nerds:

Quintana of Charyn is a compelling, entertaining and beautifully written story involving realistic and loveable characters that will have you laughing and crying throughout the journey.

Danielle @ AlphaReader:

I’ve loved every page of ‘The Lumatere Chronicles’, and though I was sad to read its end with ‘Quintana of Charyn’, I found there was a lot to love in this goodbye.

Title: Besieged, The Outcast Chronicles #1
Author: Rowena Cory Daniells
Publication: June 26, 2012 by Solaris Books
Format, pages: Paperback, 672
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating:  

Sorne, the estranged son of a King on the verge of madness, is being raised as a weapon to wield against the mystical Wyrds. Half a continent away, his father is planning to lay siege to the Celestial City, the home of the T En, whose wyrd blood the mundane population have come to despise.

Within the City, Imoshen, the only mystic to be raised by men, is desperately trying to hold her people together. A generations long feud between the men of the Brotherhoods and the women of the sacred Sisterhoods is about to come to a head. With war without and war within, can an entire race survive the hatred of a nation?

Rowena Cory Daniells, the creator of the bestselling Chronicles of King Rolen s Kin, brings you a stunning new fantasy epic, steeped in magic and forged in war.

Goodreads || Book Depository

Besieged was the first book of Rowena’s that I have read, and I feel guilty now for not having read any of the King Rolen’s Kin books (although I own the first)  or The Last T’En – I really do; I enjoyed this first book in her new series The Outcast Chronicles so much that I hated myself for not having the sequel Exile yet. All I want to do now is finish this series then visit her decade-plus-old The Last T’En books since they are set in the same world.

Although Daniells writes from a variety of different characters point of views, the real focus of this series, I believe, is not the journeys of the individual characters but instead the changes that occur within the kingdom and across the lands. It is Imoshen’s and Sorne’s actions that contribute to the story’s plot, yes, but these books don’t only centre on their lives, but really on what happens within this world on a larger scale. The occasional jumps in time (e.g. thirteen years forward) supplements the story of the kingdom of Chalcedonia, and not the stories of the characters however much their individual developments are made known and experiences grow. Daniells moves the plot along, leaving out the unnecessary bits to provide you with events that are important in the eventual shaping of the kingdom.

I was especially intrigued in this story because of the magical T’En and the evident differences between males and females. Female T’en have stronger magic and are feared and begrudged by the men, so both groups have different societies in which they live. There is much more to the T’En, but only by reading can you discover the grandeur of Daniells’s world. Physically T’En have twelve fingers and toes as well as hair of a copper colour. Then you have the half-breeds or Malaunje, and as they only have half T’En in them, they do not have any magical abilities but are able to recognise and sense the magic instead. They are physically like the T’En and so are immediately branded as Malaunje if conceived by two human parents, a genetic defect if that is the case; the child is often given to T’En and the mother killed. The humans or true-men or Mieren despise women in general just as much as the male T’En and they also have an aversion to magic. There is quite a lot in this world in regards to the interactions between and general nature of the races and genders to wrap your head around, but as you read you will come to understand it all. The gender politics was particularly interesting.

As mentioned earlier, Besieged is told through the POVs of a variety of characters who are distinct and individually crafted in the way they act and their desires. However, the two significant characters are Sorne who is the king’s secret Malaunje son and taken away to be crafted into a spy and eventual weapon against the T’En, and Imoshen who was raised by the T’En brotherhood and never made known to the T’En sisterhood in which she was meant to be given to. Both characters are considerably likeable and you are invested in them both as they set the wheels of their individual journeys in motion. Sorne is out to destroy the stigmatisation of being Malaunje, while Imoshen escapes from the brotherhood to find a safe haven for her children. They each find their own meaning in life – their calling.

This book – and I predict the other two books will too – has a strong relevance and connection to the goings on in our current world and society. And the title of the series is perfect for this. The rights of specific groups of people (e.g. LGBT among others) are suppressed and this can be seen between the groups of people in Daniells’s world. There is much to be discussed and I am eager to read Exile and Sanctuary to discover more about the characters, the T’En, and the world. Fantasy adorers will consume this book. Besieged was intriguing in all aspects; it has fantastic characters and a fascinating plot. Just have Exile with you to read immediately after – that’s where I failed.

Here is the trailer for The Outcast Chronicles if you have yet to see it:

Title: Blood Storm, Lharmell #2
Author: Rhiannon Hart
Publication: August 1, 2012 by Random House Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 384
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating:  

In the Second Book of Lharmell, Zeraphina and Rodden must travel across the sea to find the elusive ingredients that will help them to win the coming battle against the Lharmellin – but shadows from Rodden’s dark past may come back to haunt him. And while she learns to harness her new abilities, Zeraphina still fights the hunger that makes her crave the north – not to mention avoiding her mother, who wants to see her wayward daughter married to a prince at all costs.

Goodreads || Fishpond

A storm is approaching and Zeraphina and Rodden know why. The death of the Lharmellin leader caused a disturbance in Lharmell, sparking an uproar that could not be ignored. After a string of murders are made known to them, our duo set out to discover what the Lharmellins are up to and who leads them in their quest to infiltrate and take over Amentia. While on this journey, Zeraphina and Rodden cross the lands, the deserts, and seas in search for components of a weapon that are lethal to the Lharmellins – but there is much more to this adventure. With further revelations of one another and the powers they have, can Zeraphina and Rodden calm the storm before all is too late for the Kingdom of Pergamia? But what of themselves?

Rhiannon Hart has written a tempest of a sequel. More of this fantasy world is unleashed upon us; whether it’s sailing on a ship with a group of piratey-sailory-men, travelling in the desert accompanied by Jarbins, or flying on brants (giant birds), the plot keeps on rolling as incidents occur to prod Zeraphina and Rodden ever closer – ever slowly – towards their destination and ultimate goal. Seeing more of the world was a highlight of the book; we encounter different cultures and groups of people. And even learn snippets/phrases of the Jarbin language through Zeraphina. Rhiannon has provided more depth to this world however shallow some thought of Blood Song.

Princess Zeraphina? HAH! Forget that title. Zeraphina is Zeraphina and no title or mother or blood is going to weigh her down, plan out her life, and make choices for her. Phina really comes into her own in Blood Storm. She accepts that she’s half-Lharmellin and harnesses the abilities she has to do good unto the world. There’s no denying that she is as vulnerable and as real as the rest of us. She clashes with her mother Renata much more in this book; this time there are realistic reasons making Phina a bit more wild and rebellious. One: Renata paints Rodden as a monster, which we learn is not true at all. Two: she’s determined to marry Zeraphina off to a Prince, whom is a f***ing ass (I wanted to grab him by the collar and give him a good ol’ beating myself, but lucky I didn’t have to because he got much worse). Three: she doesn’t accept her past wrongs and suppresses the truth, and this suppression brings about reasons one and two. The banter between this mother and daughter was ever so entertaining and I hope there is more of this in book three, Blood Queen… The rebellious teen and her authoritarian mother (whom fails at being authoritative).

I’ve come to accept endings like this as I am quite used to them, so when such things happen I drop the book and applaud to no end (I did this with another recent book I read as they were similar with how the characters ended in the book – but not the plot).  And that is all I will say. LIPS. ARE. ZIPPED. AND. LOCKED. Zeraphina has the keys. Fight her for them. You might get your Rodden too. *tick* Times are wasting. *tick* *tick*

Blood Storm was a surprisingly brilliant lead-up to the yet-to-come end of Zeraphina and Rodden’s journey. When finished you will automatically reach for pitchforks and torches, not because you might be upset about how it ends, but because the final book must hold everything and give us an ending that will have us submitting our wrists to Phina’s mouth with intent of feeding her our blood. Rhiannon: pressure much? *snicker* Blood Storm is a sequel which will have you screaming LHARMELLINS!!!! for more.

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What others have been saying about Blood Storm:

Brodie of Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading:

Despite the cruelty of the final pages, there’s no denying Rhiannon Hart is a brilliant Aussie talent, treating us to a thrilling sequel that oozes with danger, mystery, a feisty, ever complicated romance, and a climax to leave you breathless.

Title: Everything Left Unsaid
Author: Jessica Davidson
Publication: August 1, 2012 by Pan Macmillan Australia
Format, pages: Paperback (ARC), 305
Age Group: Young Adult, 15+
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:  

“I wait for him, the cold seeping through my clothes, until it finally dawns on me that he’s not coming back. And I wonder why he chose her instead of me? Why he went looking for her when I was right there.”

Tai and Juliet have been best friends forever – since they met at kindy and decided to get married in first grade.

They understand each other in the way that only best friends can.

They love music, beach walks, energy drinks and, they are slowly discovering, each other.

As they dream of adventures beyond the HSC – a future free of homework, curfews and parents, a life together – their plans are suddenly and dramatically derailed.

For Tai is sick.

And not everything you wish for can come true.

A poignant story of first love, hope, grief, family, and the twistedness of life.

Goodreads || Fishpond

Everything Left Unsaid by Australian author Jessica Davidson was a poignant read that will teach you a thing or two about life, the power of choice, and the effect those choices can have on the people you may leave behind. Going into this book I knew what it would involve and ultimately how it will end. Everything Left Unsaid has characters that you can’t help but to immediately want to read about and as the book goes on you fall in love with them too no matter what their situation is by the end of the book. This book is one for contemporary-romance lovers.

Although they have been friends since they were young and did everything two young best friends would do, it was guaranteed that Juliet and Tai would begin to like the other as more than a friend. But after they confess their liking for each other and everything seems perfect in those moments together amid Year 12, exams, planning for Schoolies, their career, and their future, Tai is delivered devastating news that not only interferes with his future and his family, but also rocks his relationship with Juliet. Both Juliet and Tai have to make choices—and what good are choices when in some instances either one will lead to the same outcome. This story is about acceptance, choice, love, and most importantly life.

Juliet and Tai’s relationship was built upon childhood memories so it was truly believable from the moment Juliet tells Tai that she likes him. There is complete respect and understanding between the two; it is something that many romance-driven stories fail to achieve. Although their relationship sails through rocky times when Tai is diagnosed and becomes reclusive and hopeless, distancing himself from Juliet to not hurt her anymore, Juliet continues to support him. It got frustrating at times because Juliet would not know what Tai’s intentions were and vice versa, but we as the reader did since this story is told through both perspectives. You just want to shake Tai out of his gloom. But it is this gloom and yearning that makes this story and these characters so real and relatable. I personally haven’t had anyone I know go through cancer—or at least someone so close to me—but I understand that those periods of reclusion and uselessness are both key to bringing about self-acceptance. And it’s not just Juliet and Tai but also their families that pulled my heart; I found myself really gutted over Tai’s younger brothers as they were left in the dark for most of the time as to what was happening.

There is no happy ending here, but for someone looking for something a bit more emotional than your average boy-meets-girl contemporary read then this is the perfect book for you.

What others have been saying:

Celine of Forget-Me-Not (click for review) :

Beautifully written and heart-breaking, Everything Left Unsaid was a beautiful and unforgettable read.

Mandee of Vegan YA Nerds (click for review):

Everything Left Unsaid is a bittersweet story of best friends, first loves and a young man’s battle with a terminal illness. It has a classic Australian feel to it and I know it will please fans of contemporary YA fiction.

Title: Shadows, The Rephaim #1
Author: Paula Weston
Publication: July 2, 2012 by Text Publishing
Format, pages: Paperback, 352
My Rating:  

It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.

And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams—he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth—and that the truth is more likely to be
found in the shadows of her nightmares.

Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?

Fishpond || Goodreads

Shadows by Paula Weston might be just another angel or nephilim book on the shelf, but there’s something identifiably different that sets it apart from the rest: it’s Australian, with a vivid Aussie atmosphere/setting and fantastic Aussie characters that you can’t help but smile or feel or be connected with as they’re so close to home (well, for those of us who are Aussie that is). Fans in need of another angel series after finishing Lauren Kate’s Fallen series will devour Shadows, eager for the next books in the Rephaim series; there’s a heroine—Gaby—to get behind, a boy—Rafa—to fall in love with, as well as the many sides fighting to win you over (just don’t decide too early).

Dying is easy. Anyone can throw themselves onto the pyre and rest a happy martyr. Enduring the suffering that comes with sacrifice is the real test. p. 392

Title: Stormdancer, The Lotus War #1
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publication: August 21, 2012 by Pan Macmillan Australia
Format, pages: ARC, 438
My Rating:   (more like every star in the sky)

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium is verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of the imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Book Depository || Goodreads

Stormdancer is a richly detailed Japanese-inspired, steampunk fantasy, with splendidly real characters and a gripping plot that will keep you in its claws until the very last page. Jay Kristoff has written a debut like no other; I’m craving to return and venture across his wonderfully imagined Shima Isles and uncover more about The Lotus War with Yukiko and the arashitora – thunder-tiger – Buruu. You’ll be rereading Stormdancer before you’re even finished – and that’s the truth! Fans of Alison Goodman and Christopher Paolini will have another favourite to bow down to.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
(Lumatere Chronicles #1)
My Rating:  
Goodreads | Book Depository

Finnikin of the Rock is recommended for those of you that enjoy reading fantasy with the likes of Kristin Cashore’s Graceling. It is a fantastic addition to the fantasy genre that moves flawlessly between the travelling that goes on in the book, the introduction of new characters and new lands/parts of Skuldenore, the gripping violence and bloodshed, and the great romance that unravels slowly and develops through the pages. This book holds such believable characters, albeit fantasy, pulling you into the lives and struggles of the Lumaterans as they try to take back their stolen lands of Lumatere. Looking forward to devouring Froi of the Exiles and then soon Quintana of Charyn. Fans of Melina Marchetta will be satisfied, even those who don’t like reading fantasy.

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Winter’s Shadow by M.J. Hearle
(Winter’s Saga #1)
My Rating:  
Goodreads | Book Depository

Winter’s Shadow was a fantastic debut by M.J. Hearle. It had a fresh take on the paranormal genre for YA and although the creatures and the paranormal aspect has links to others, it is separate and unique in itself and like nothing you have read before. It has this Gothic feel to it that you will not be able to suppress as you read. Your heart will be pumping and your mind will be pounding from the screeching cats, the towering shadows, the falling buildings, and the love that develops between Winter and Blake and his mission to keep her safe. [Only available in Australia.]

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This Is Shyness by Leanne Hall
(This Is Shyness #1)
My Rating:  
Goodreads | Book Depository

This Is Shyness is different, different as in unique as in you haven’t read anything like it. This books holds elements of contemporary set in a fantasy world of a world that is somewhat dystopian. You can’t genre-fy this darling! And you wouldn’t want to after you read it. Shyness deserves its own genre called “Where The Sun Don’t Shine.” This is the type of book where you have to focus entirely on as you follow the perspectives of Wolfboy and Wildgirl (of course they’re not their real names) through Shyness and discover what this city of darkness holds while you also learn about each of their lives as they discover each other’s truths slowly in the duration of this one night adventure. I have Queen of the Night waiting to be read and I’m looking forward to revisiting Shyness as the first time I went I got lost a little. [Only available in Australia.]

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Enticed by Jessica Shirvington
(Violet Eden Chapters #2)
My Rating:  
Goodreads | Book Depository

An enticing – hehe pun! – sequel to Embrace with heaps more action, more travels – this time to Jordan and Mount Nebo – and an extension of what we were introduced to in Embrace. Violet and Lincoln’s relationship endures a few more hurdles from external factors which these factors propel this story forward. I want to read Emblaze now so I can be transported to Santorini Bay already! Luckily I got it waiting for me and luckily I can experience the beauty of Santorini Bay through this book and Jessica’s natural writing. Violet’s character continues to shine through in Jessica’s words. Enticed is released in the US in September, with Emblaze in March. Make sure you get your orders in if you loved Embrace because I’m sure you will devour the rest of the series. [Watch video chat I had with Jessica Shirvington here.]

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My Rating:  
Goodreads | Book Depository

What do I say that hasn’t already been said before? The Book Thief is a literary masterpiece that deals with the struggles and sacrifices endured through World War II and the relationships that must be established in order to make it through even the worst and most darkened and calamitous moments in our lives.

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The Industry by Rose Foster
(The Industry #1)
My Rating:  
Goodreads | Book Depository

The Industry is a promising start to a thrilling new series by Aussie debut author Rose Foster.  Michael Grant blurbed on the cover and you all know that I’m a big fan of him and his work so of course I wanted to read another thriller like that of BZRK. Kirra’s journey from breaking this code on the net to being abducted to learning what she is and what The Industry is – the thrill-ride never ends. It’s like you yourself are being injected with the Balcescu drug, the drug that is injected into Kirra by Latham and his evil gang to force her to crack codes although she doesn’t want to. I bet this could make a great film. It’s got plenty of gun-involving actions scenes for the boys, and a romance for the girls that develops between Kirra and fellow detainee Milo.

The beginning 100 pages was a bit slow for me though but that must’ve been the beginning of the roller-coaster where you are pulled up to the sky before being released down the steep decline once you reach the very top. Did take a bit to get into it. A major problem I had with The Industry was that I felt it would’ve been executed far better if it was written in first-person. I suspected the forthcoming twists pages before they were revealed and I guess that was due to third-person narrative. I just believe it could’ve been stronger, more suspenseful, and more immediate if it were first-person. Despite that, Rose Foster has created her own “world” of criminals if you would want to call it that and if you liked BZRK by Michael Grant I bet you will enjoy The Industry too. The sequel The Estate will be released next year. Thanks to Lara at HarperCollins for a copy to review. [Only available in Australia.]