Listen Layla
by Yassmin Abdel-Magied Reviewed by Zewlan Moor From the first few pages, main character Layla demonstrates her energy and irrepressible spirit by dancing around “like a whirling dervish from Sudan, the country of her birth.” She is singing in Arabic, while welding
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
By Garth Nix Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Garth has been a hugely successful writer for many years and his YA books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series; SF novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; and a Regency romance with magic,
The End of the World is Bigger than Love
by Davina Bell Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Have you ever wondered what would happen if the world stopped turning? Would the sun hang motionless in the sky? Would the tides stop ebbing and flowing? Would survival be impossible? In The End of
Watch Over Me
by Nina Lacour reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes In Watch Over Me, Nina Lacour, award winning author of We Are Okay, pulls the reader into a story of adolescent self-discovery which borders on a psychological thriller. Mila is a vulnerable teen, a victim of
Before the Beginning
by Anna Morgan reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul” Mark 8:36 This quote opens this gripping coming-of-age story from Anna Morgan author of All that Impossible Space, and provides
Salt to the Sea
by Ruta Sepetys reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Ruta Sepetys is the award winning author of “Between Shades of Grey”. In “Salt to the Sea”, published in 2016 she presents a fictional account of one of the worst disasters in maritime history, the torpedoing
The Midnight Lie
by Marie Rutkoski reviewed by Mia Macrossan A midnight lie is one told for someone else's sake - a lie that sits between goodness and wrong, just as midnight is the moment between night and morning. This story, about forbidden love in a
House of Dragons
by Jessica Cluess reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes The author's website describes her new book House of Dragons as “the intrigue of the Three Dark Crowns meets the cast of The Breakfast Club if they rode dragons into battle” and it is difficult
Harrow Lake
by Kat Ellis reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes This is the fourth YA novel for UK writer Kat Ellis, who professes to write“YA thrillers with a touch of the weird”. There is no doubt that Harrow Lake has a touch of the weird. With
Yes, No, Maybe So
by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Yes, No, Maybe So is a collaboration, and the latest publication, from authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed. Albertalli’s novel, Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda has been made into a film,
The Betrothed
by Kiera Cass reviewed by Tyrion Perkins Kiera Cass is known for her best-selling Selection series and The Betrothed, the first book in a duology, has been highly anticipated by fans. The cover photo is of a young woman in a golden
Deeplight
by Frances Hardinge reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an epic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, brings home the excitement, wonder and poetry of the sea. Voyages to far flung places have inspired dramatic and heroic tales. And
This Is How We Change The Ending
by Vikki Wakefield reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes This fifth novel from award-winning South Australian novelist Vikki Wakefield tells the story of anti-hero Nate McKee, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, as he journeys towards self-enlightenment and tries to escape
19 Love Songs
by David Levithan reviewed by Sarah Custance David Levithan is the author of Every Day, Someday, Two Boys Kissing, and the co-author of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist among other works. 19 Love Songs is a collection of short stories that arose
The Dog Runner
by Bren MacDibble reviewed by Mia Macrossan Bren MacDibble burst onto the children's literary world with her award- winning How To Bee, a heartwarming dystopian novel set in a world where bees are extinct. The Dog Runner, an exciting fast -paced thriller,
Snow
by Ondine Sherman reviewed by Sarah Custance ‘Snow’ is the second book in Sherman’s ‘Animal Allies’ series, the first book is ‘Sky’ and the third, (coming out in 2020) is ‘Star’. Ondine is a life-long animal activist and the co-founder and MD of
IBBY Australia Honour List books 2019
IBBY Australia proudly announces its selection of two books to be included in the biennial IBBY Honour List for 2020. One highlights Indigenous history and the environment, and the other, the experiences of a teenage asylum seeker. Every two years an
A Flight of Dragons
What is the collective term for a lot of dragons? Apparently terms used include : a flight of dragons; a weyr of dragons; a school of dragons; or a wing of dragons. The term 'weyr' comes from Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders
The Hand, the Eye and the Heart
by Zoe Marriott reviewed by Zewlan Moor From the last line of the first page of The Hand, the Eye and the Heart, “And so I heard the assassin speak,” I was hooked. From that first chapter, I knew I was in
Rogue The Vault #2
Written by A J Betts Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rogue, published in June this year is the sequel to Hive (2018). I read Rogue first and then was eager to read Hive. Both can be read on their own, but Betts does
The Bogan Mondrian
by Steven Herrick reviewed by Dajo Finlayson From the very outset this book had me captivated. The vibrantly coloured front and back covers caught my attention as I’ve always been a fan of the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian’s work. His wonderfully abstract,
It Sounded Better In My Head
by Nina Kenwood reviewed by Mia Macrossan This delightful debut novel deservedly won the 2018 Text Prize for fiction. It is the affecting story of Natalie and her friends in that limbo of time between finishing year 12 and starting university. Natalie
Mercy Point
Written by Anna Snoekstra Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zabri Mercy Point, Anna Snoekstra’s second novel, is a YA thriller with an intriguing premise. A group of teens meet on an online messaging board, sharing a suspicion that they are adopted. Grappling with
The Mirror Visitor #1 A Winter’s Promise
Written by Christelle Dabos Translated by Hildegarde Serle Reviewed by Sue Wright I’ve been reading a lot of novellas and short stories lately, so I approached Christelle Dabos’ 490 page A Winter’s Promise with all the enthusiasm of a reader with a preference
The Valentines: Happy Girl Lucky
By Holly Smale Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Happy Girl Lucky, is the first in the new romantic-comedy series The Valentines by Holly Smale, author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed Geek Girl books. It is a book that is lots of bubbly
The Things That Will Not Stand
Written by Michael Gerard Bauer Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The latest offering from Brisbane author is a great read for teenagers especially those still trying to work out what relationships are all about. The main character Seb, a year 11 student, is
Impostors
by Scott Westerfeld reviewed by Dajo Finlayson Set in a post- apocalyptic world full of advanced military technology, power struggles, dictatorships, and the ever-present threat of treachery, this novel is the first book in a new, four- part series which presents us
Amelia Westlake
written by Erin Gough reviewed by Tyrion Perkins One of the best books I’ve read this year. I jumped at the chance to review Erin Gough’s second novel after enjoying The Flywheel. In that, the character spent most of her time working in
Children of Blood and Bone
Written by Tomi Adeyemi Reviewed by Renee Hills This YA fantasy tells the story of Zelie’s quest to retrieve magic for her people and to rid them of the king’s ruthless and implacable dominion over the Maji or as they are contemptuously
Talk Under Water
Written by Kathryn Lomer Reviewed by Rebecca Sheraton Kathryn Lomer’s third young adult novel, Talk Under Water is a stunning coming-of-age story with a unique twist. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Tasmania, the story is told in dual narratives of Will Lane
