The Noveltea Corner: genre: #loveozya

Book Review

Hexenhaus review

5:30 AM

Title // Hexenhaus

Author // Nikki McWatters

Publication Date // 2016

Publisher // University of Queensland Press

Readership // #LoveOzYA

Genre // Historical Fiction

Rating // ✭✭✭

Synopsis

In 1628, Veronica and her brother flee for their lives into the German woods after their father is burned at the stake.

At the dawn of the eighteenth century, Scottish maid Katherine is lured into political dissent after her parents are butchered for their beliefs.

In present-day Australia, Paisley navigates her way through the burning torches of small-town gossip after her mother’s new-age shop comes under scrutiny.

(GoodReads)

Review

Hexenhaus tells the story of three young women and their experiences with ‘witch hunts’ in their respective time periods. Veronica flees into the German woods after her father is burnt at the stake, Katherine becomes embroiled in political dissent while others try to cover it up with the hunt for those accused of witchcraft, and Paisley is left to pick up the pieces after her mother is targeted for a modern-day witch hunt in small-town Australia.

Each story is discreet, with chapters alternating for each young woman, however, the stories are all intertwined as is revealed as the story goes on. Author Nikki McWatters has obviously gone to great lengths to investigate and research the two time periods and the history of witch hunts in each era, and all of it is confronting and gruesome. However, there’s also a lot of information being given and so it sometimes slows down the narrative and I found myself skim-reading over brief sections to return to the action and forward momentum of the story.

Of all three stories, Paisley’s was the one I connected to the most, being set in the present day and easily familiar, though the accusations being thrown around at her mother were no less confronting or disturbing. What each young woman has in common is an inner strength and determination in the face of adversity, with both Veronica and Paisley both going to great lengths to protect what they believe in.

Overall I gave Hexenhaus 3 out of 5 stars.

Book Review

Sister Heart review

9:31 PM

Book Review

Unearthed Review

8:24 PM

Title // Unearthed

Author // Amie Kaufmann and Meagan Spooner

Publication Date // November 2017

Publisher // Allen & Unwin

Readership // Young Adult

Genre // Science Fiction

Australian RRP // $19.99

Rating // ✭✭✭✭

I received a copy of Unearthed from the published in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Synopsis

We are the last of our kind. We will not fade into the dark. We will tell our story to the stars - we will be Undying.

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo massive environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, the Undying's former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first.

Despite their opposing reasons for smuggling themselves onto the alien planet's surface, they're both desperate to uncover the riches hidden in the Undying temples. Beset by rival scavenger gangs, Jules and Amelia form a fragile alliance... but both are keeping secrets that make trust nearly impossible. As they race to decode the ancient messages left by the alien race, Jules and Amelia must navigate the traps and trials within the Undying temple and stay one step ahead of the scavvers on their heels. They came to Gaia certain that they had far more to fear from their fellow humans than the ancient beings whose mysteries they're trying to unravel.

But the more they learn about the Undying, the more Jules and Amelia start to feel like their presence in the temple is part of a grand design - one that could spell the end of the human race...

(Allen and Unwin)

Review

Unearthed is a science-fiction adventure story that will leave you wanting more.

As one of my most anticipated reads of 2017, there were so many aspects of Unearthed that I enjoyed - the adventure, the mythology and the clever puzzles that the main characters needed to solve. I also enjoyed the interactions between Jules - a dedicated scholar - and Amelia - a scavenger. They had great rapport and their wariness of each other due to their differences made for plenty of interesting interactions.

In the distant future, Earth receives a message from an extinct alien race, the Undying, whose technology and own experiences might provide an over-populated and under-resourced Earth with the solution it’s been looking for. The secrets lie on Gaia - an alien landscape favoured by scavengers looking to find whatever treasures were left behind by the Undying.

Both on Gaia for different reasons, Jules and Amelia must form an unlikely alliance and work together to unravel the mysteries of the Undying before opposing groups intercept them - and the truth.

I enjoyed the mystery elements, too, and the cliff-hangar (yes, there is one) at the end is what made the story for me. I did find the first half of the book to be a bit slow to start moving, and there was a bit of repetition that bothered me, but once I hit the halfway mark I was hooked and the secrets of the Undying were something I was looking forward to uncovering.

The ending? Left me with a lot of questions, in a really fabulous way. I want to know what’s going to happen next and I can’t wait for the second book to be released.

Overall I gave Unearthed 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review

It Came From the Deep Review

5:30 AM

genre: #loveozya

Cover Reveal | White Night by Ellie Marney

4:10 PM

Book Review

The Medoran Chronicles Books 1-3

11:43 AM

Title // The Medoran Chronicles #1-3 - Akarnae, Raelia, Draekora

Author // Lynette Noni

Publication Date // 2015, 2016, 2017

Publisher // Pantera Press

Readership //Young Adult

Genre // Fantasy

Rating // ✭✭✭✭ - ✭✭✭✭⭐︎

synopsis.

Akarnae

With just one step, sixteen-year-old Alexandra Jennings's world changes—literally.

Dreading her first day at a new school, Alex is stunned when she walks through a doorway and finds herself stranded in Medora, a fantasy world full of impossibilities. Desperate to return home, she learns that only a man named Professor Marselle can help her... but he's missing.

While waiting for him to reappear, Alex attends Akarnae Academy, Medora's boarding school for teenagers with extraordinary gifts. She soon starts to enjoy her bizarre new world and the friends who embrace her as one of their own, but strange things are happening at Akarnae, and Alex can't ignore her fear that something unexpected... something sinister... is looming.

An unwilling pawn in a deadly game, Alex's shoulders bear the crushing weight of an entire race's survival. Only she can save the Medorans, but what if doing so prevents her from ever returning home?

Will Alex risk her entire world—and maybe even her life—to save Medora?

(Good Reads)

Realia & Draekora

review.

The Medoran Chronicles are a very popular young adult fantasy series, written by Australian author, Lynette Noni. I’d heard a lot of positive things about the series prior to reading so I was really interested to see what people were talking about.

Ultimately, I found this series to be really engaging.

It is the story of Alex Jennings, a sixteen-year old who steps through a doorway from Earth to Medora - an alternate world, where some humans have special gifts and abilities, magic exists and the only hope she has for getting home is currently on an extended absence. While waiting for Professor Marselle to return, Alex is enrolled at Akarnae - a school for gifted humans - and begins to learn about the strange, fantastical world she has found herself in, and the people who inhabit it. She finds herself caught in an unwitting pawn in a game that has been played for many years, with the fate of Medora in her hands.

I won’t go into much detail about Raelia and Draekora, simply because talking about the events of those books will lend itself to spoilers in Akarnae, but I did want to review the series as a whole, because I read them almost back-to-back.

There are a lot of things to love about the series.

It is very easy to read - Lynette Noni has a simple, yet effective, writing style that is very easy to follow and she keeps the pace up in all of the books so you’re constantly turning the page to find out what happens next.

The fantastical setting of Medora is incredibly intriguing - each book explores one new aspect of it, so the world is being built up in each book, rather than having an entire new world’s history thrown at us in the first story. We discover the world as Alex discovers it, and this makes it easier to invest in the world. (And, if nothing else, you need to read the first book for the library at Akarnae, which is a character in its’ own right and truly fabulous.)

There is great friendship representation in this book, between girls and boys. Two of the first people Alex meets upon arriving in Medora are Jordan and Bear and the two boys take Alex under their wing and there’s never a hint that either want a romance with her. Imagine that? As the books progress, Alex’s friendship group expands and the thing that I love about that is how her other friends accept, welcome and expand their own friendship groups as a result.

There are some truly interesting magical creatures that make appearances throughout the series so far, and while I can’t say which ones (spoilers!) they’re all well-thought out and often times the highlight of the story for me.

I do have a small list of things that frustrated me a little bit: Alex finds herself in a lot of strange and dangerous situations, and more often than not I found the solutions to these situations to be super-simplistic. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it did break the flow of reading for me while I pondered on the ease of solving said problems. Alex fills the role as a ‘Chosen One’ and a lot of the things that you would expect to happen as a result of that trope do, which I found to be a bit predictable. There were also moments when some fairly obviously things were about to happen (especially in Draekora) and Alex appears to be completely oblivious, which made me wonder if she’d been paying attention to anything that had happened to her previously.

But honestly? The good outweighs the negative in this series, and I’m definitely excited for the fourth book to be released to find out what’s going to happen next, and what new places we get to visit within Medora.

I rated both Akarnae and Raelia 4 stars and Draekora 4.5 stars. A great, easy-to-read #loveozya fantasy adventure series.

Book Review

Just go with your gut | a No Limits review

5:30 AM

Title // No Limits

Author // Ellie Marney

Publication Date // August, 2017

Publisher // Bearded Lady Press

Genre // #LoveOzYA, Crime

Rating // ✭✭✭✭✭

Boozer, brawler, ladies’ man – nineteen-year-old Harris Derwent is not a good guy.

His one attempt to play the hero – helping out his old flame, Rachel Watts – has landed him in hospital. Now injured, broke, and unemployed, he’s stuck back in the country, at his father’s mercy. Harris needs to pay off his dad’s debts, and fast. But working as a runner for a drug cartel is a dangerous path – especially if Harris agrees to narc…

Eighteen-year-old Amita Blunt is the perfect police sergeant’s daughter – practical, trustworthy, and oh-so responsible. Getting involved in Harris’s case was never part of the plan. But working at the hospital, she’s invisible – which makes her the ideal contact for a boy feeding information back to the police…

Harris and Amie’s connection is sizzling hot – but if the cartel finds out about them, things could get downright explosive. Backed into a corner, with everything at stake, it’s time for Harris and Amie to find out if love really has no limits…

(Good Reads)

No Limits blew me away.

I don’t say that lightly; I’ve read a lot of books that I’ve adored this year, and this is right up there at the top of the list because it encompasses so many things that I appreciate in books that I read: there’s a hell of a lot of character development, the suspense is on from the moment you start reading, and it’s Aussie as all get-out.

Harris Derwent is recovering from being shot in the leg at the end of Every Move (the third book in the Every series) and during his stay in hospital he encounters Amita Blunt, the daughter of the local police sergeant and current hospital employee. The two strike up an unlikely compromise for the sake of Harris’ recovery, which goes beyond what either originally intended. Amie and Harris’ relationship develops from there, being put to the test when Harris decides to take up a position as a drug cartel runner in order to gather intel for the police.

Harris is an incredible character; when we first met him in Every Move he was a bit of larrikin, in love with Rachel Watts and trying to make it in Melbourne. His injuries see him back home and having to deal with an abusive father and his debts. He’s almost at rock bottom, but there’s a determination to him that drives him to try and make a difference. Amie, by contrast, lives a good life - she’s devoted to her family to the point of putting all her dreams on hold. When she meets Harris, she sees beyond the town’s expectations of him and identifies the strength and kindness and determination to do good that underpins his character. Their chemistry is fantastic and part of the suspense of the book is the will they/won’t they elements of their relationship.

I’ve read a lot of crime novels in my time and it’s genre I genuinely enjoy; there’s a formula that, when done right, throws twists and turns at you that you never see coming and No Limits does that. I also had a personal connection to the places in this book - while I’m not a country girl, I spent some time in my childhood in rural Victoria so the locations were familiar and wonderfully accurate. The Aussie language in the book also sold it; there’s an authenticity to the place that you can’t get without it.

Harris and Amie leapt off the page; they seemed so real, like people I’ve met before and for me, there’s nothing better. I’m so glad that Ellie Marney self-published No Limits because this is a book that I will be revisiting over and over, for sure.

5 out of 5 stars.

You can pick up a copy of No Limits on Amazon.

genre: #loveozya

Supernatural murders and Rogue ghosts: a Gap Year in Ghost Town Review

5:30 AM

Title // Gap Year in Ghost Town

Author // Michael Pryor

Publication Date // August, 2017

Publisher // Allen & Unwin

Genre // #LoveOzYA, Fantasy

Rating // ✭✭✭✭⭐︎

Let's get this straight - ghosts are everywhere. I can see them. You can't. And, see them or not, they're dangerous. This is why my family has hunted ghosts for hundreds of years to protect people like you.

The Marin family are outcasts of the ghost hunting world. They run a two-man operation in inner city Melbourne. Anton has the Ghost-sight, but his father does not.

Rani Cross is supremely skilled in hand-to-hand combat, with enhanced speed and strength thanks to her magical initiation into the Company of the Righteous.

When it comes to ghost-hunting methodology, Anton and Rani don't see eye to eye - Anton likes to 'ease their passage' to the next world, while Rani's all about the slashing.

But Melbourne is under threat; with a massive spike in violent ghost manifestations, Anton and Rani must find a way to work together to keep supernatural forces at bay.

And what with all the blindingly terrifying brushes with death, Anton must decide if he really wants in on the whole ghost hunting biz anyway.

(Good Reads)

Gap Year in Ghost Town was the YA Room’s August Book Club pick, and boy, it did not disappoint.

Set in present day Melbourne, Anton Marin is takes a gap year after high school to figure out what he wants to do with his life and (possible) university career. His father talks him into going into the hereditary-family business of ghost hunting to make up his mind whether or not it’s the career path for him. The Marin family traditionally believe in assisting ghosts to ease their pain and allow them to pass on, a belief that put them odds with the majority of the ghost hunting community years ago and there’s minimal communication between the two groups.

All goes well until Anton runs into Rani Cross, a member of The Company of the Righteous in England. The two clash over the best technique for hunting ghosts, but must ultimately work together when there are unheard of numbers of dangerous ghosts rising in Melbourne.

This book was just plain fun. It was hilarious - Michael Pryor has included some fantastic pop culture and Melbourne references that were just a delight to read, and his one liners were top notch. Melbourne is depicted perfectly and I was nodding along to many of the tidbits of information (if I was laughing out loud at just how accurate it was).

The characters are absolutely delightful. Anton is very much the undecided teen at the beginning of the book, caught between making a break from his family or going into the family business, but he has a heart of gold and he honestly tries to the right thing all the time. Rani was a great foil to that; she’s lived her life in the pursuit of rising the ranks of The Company of the Righteous only to find her beliefs challenged. Anton’s best friend, Bec, is the hilarious, non-nonsense organisationally-obsessed glue in Anton’s life. She also has a prosthetic eye and puts it to good use.

Oh, and there’s no romance. Just lots of great friendships between boys and girls… and a bit of cosplay, if you’re into that!

Gap Year in Ghost Town is an easy 4.5 out of 5 star read for me.

#LoveOZYA

Book Review

Truth Without Fear: a "Wreck" Review

5:30 AM

Title // Wreck

Author // Fleur Ferris

Publication Date // July, 2017

Publisher // Penguin Random House

Genre // YA, Thriller, #loveozya

Rating // ✭✭✭✭

synopsis.

Tamara Bennett is going to be the first journalist to strictly report only good news. Finished with high school, Tamara is ready to say goodbye to her sleepy little town and part-time job at the local paper. O-weeks awaits, which means parties, cute boys and settling into student res with her best friend Relle. Things take an unexpected turn, however, when she arrives home to find her house ransacked and her life in danger. What is this mysterious note? And why does it mean so much to one of Australia's most powerful media moguls? Caught between a bitter rivalry and dangerous family secret, who can Tamara trust? Or should she trust herself?

(Good Reads)

review.

Wreck is an intense read that will have you holding your breath from start to finish.

From the outset, Tamara Bennett finds herself in danger - after returning home from dropping her parents off at the airport, she’s expecting to pack up her things ready to move to the city for uni when she’s attacked by masked assailants in her home. In that moment, her small home town has gone from being a safe haven to nightmare, all due to one mysterious note that she found be happenstance at the beach.

The action in Wreck begins in the first few pages, and it’s not often I find a book that leaves me tense from the very beginning and sustains that throughout the entire book. Tamara, as a main character is tough and resilient, but obviously out of her depth as she tries to piece together the puzzle pieces she holds before realising she hasn’t got all the information. For a young woman with a positive outlook on life, she’s learning - quickly - that not everything is as it seems, and you can’t always trust everything you hear. What’s so great about this young, female character is that she learns from her experiences, even if she does occasionally rush into situations blind.

I enjoyed the dual narrative of Tamara’s story alternating with William’s, as both sides of this thriller-murder-mystery story come to a head. Ferris has used short, sharp sentences that cut to the core of what she’s trying to achieve in each scene to keep the pace up, especially during moments of high action.

I also really enjoyed the anticipation built up within the narrative - lots of clues are dropped, but we’re constantly left questioning who is behind it all and how did it happen?

Overall I gave Wreck 4 out of 5 stars; a great young adult thriller, for those who are fans of the genre.