Love, Just In by Natalie Murray

29 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Audiobook, Australian Women Writers Tags: , , , ,

Published: 24 March 2015 (print)/3 Jan 2024 (audio) Goodreads badge
Publisher: Allen & Unwin/Wavesound from W. F. Howes Ltd
Pages: 464/10 hours, 16 minutes
Narrator: Maddy Withington and Matthew Predny
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Romance
★   ★   ★ – 3 Stars

In the vein of Emily Henry’s You and Me On Vacation, Love, Just In is a friends-to-lovers romance with just enough spice to heat up the summer.

Sydney TV news reporter Josephine “Josie” Larsen is approaching 30 and coming dangerously close to failing at life. Lost in a vortex of other people’s career milestones, engagement parties, and baby showers, Josie is perennially single, abandoned by her globetrotting family, and invisible to her boss – except for the one time he tuned in while she was mid-panic attack on live TV. As a punishment, Josie is shipped off to cover another reporter’s six-month leave at a regional bureau in Newcastle.

But Josie has more waiting for her in Newcastle than yawn-inducing stories about bicycle lane protests. The city is also the domain of Zac Jameson – her best friend since high school. This should be a happy turn of events, but Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years. Not since his fiancée tragically died in his arms in a car accident and he left Sydney to try and cope with his grief.

Now thrown back into each other’s lives, Josie and Zac have to navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health.

Hilarious, sexy and heart-warming, this is the perfect romcom to sit on the shelves alongside Emily Henry, Sally Thorne and Ali Hazelwood. 

Having loved Murray’s Hearts and Crowns series I was keen to jump into her new book and it was not a disappointment. It is sweet, full of the realities of life, of friendship, and love. Being set in a place that was so familiar to me was a bonus and I loved travelling the streets with Josie as she discovers her new hometown.

There are enough little surprises and twists to keep you engaged. The flashbacks give a nice slow reveal to the relationship between Zac and Josie prior to the present day. It’s a nice mystery element without is being a looming secret, it’s meant to be vague for readers to wonder about without derailing the story unnecessarily.

As it’s already pegged as friends to lovers you know there will be a happily ever after, but it is the journey of the characters and the life around them that is an enjoyable exploration. Zac is a great character and Murray teases him out well as you sense the long time friends turned fractured relationship between Josie and himself.

Josie is an anxious mess, not only about her health, but about her life. Her anxieties about her health as well as her mortification about her career can be debilitating and Murray explores this well through the story. It doesn’t become preachy but there is a fabulous message about trusting yourself, being kind to yourself, and facing your fears.

Withington and Predny do a great job on the audiobook. Withington brings Josie to life with her hopes and her anxieties with great balance. Predny’s role is significantly smaller but it was still nice to see Zac come to life and see his perspective of the story.

While it is a sweet romance story about old friends and new beginnings it is also a story about mental health and looking after yourself, and how easily it can interfere with your life. It’s about not having the dreams you expect and being ok with it, while also having the courage to make new dreams which can be just as good.

You can purchase Love, Just In via the following

QBD | Booktopia

Angus and Robinson | Blackwells

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey

23 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , ,

Published: 1st September 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Illustrator: Aaron Blabey
Pages: 24
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Everyone knows that piranhas don’t eat bananas — except for Brian. This little fish loves to munch not only on bananas, but on fruit of all kinds Brian’s piranha friends think he’s crazy. Piranhas don’t eat bananas — their sharp teeth are for eating meat And there’s a scrumptious pair of feet dangling in the water nearby…

First up, I adored the illustrations. Who knew you could show so many expressions on a fish. Kudos to Blabey for giving me pure delight just looking at those little green faces.

I had no idea what this book was about before I picked it up, I see so many of Blabey’s picture books with alluring and interesting titles that I add them to my list and vow one day to get there. I am so glad I have finally got there because this book was amazing and so much fun to read.

I loved how enthusiastic the little piranha was about sharing his fruit with his friends, despite being rejected each time because bums and knees are more appetising. Disney’s Tarzan taught me that piranha’s are native to South America so our bums and knees are safe here in Australia unless there is a severe ecological crisis, but I liked how fun the story was about the joys of nibbling on people.

There wasn’t any malice or taunting, this is a fun book about one piranha’s love of fruit but not about the other piranha’s teasing them for the choice. The rhyming was fantastic, the narrative flow got you turning the pages but the rhymes were clever, the dialogue was clever, and the story, while simple, was fun.

The illustrations were brilliant. As I said, the expressions on these little green piranha faces was divine and I liked how they were individuals. Each fish had their own personality and looking at the pictures was as enjoyable as the text, even if the illustrations were simple, they filled the page and complimented the text so well that you don’t even notice.

This might be my favourite Blabey picture book, I loved everything about it, I even loved the little information pages where Blabey with both humour and interesting fact, tells the reader about piranhas as well as bananas and how the two rarely meet, citing both the dangers of banana skins, and the lack of piranha usually feasting on them.

You can purchase Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Blackwell’s

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Royals by Tegan Bennett Daylight

02 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Audiobook, Australian Women Writers, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 3 May 2023 (print)/2 May 2023 (audio) Goodreads badge
Publisher: Simon Schuster Australia/Simon and Schuster Australia Audio
Pages: 280/6 hrs and 18 mins
Narrator: Shabana Azeez
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★   ★   ★   ★ – 5 Stars

What happens when a group of teenagers is stranded indefinitely in a shopping centre, alone? With all the stuff they could possibly want … and a baby? Is it paradise – or hell?

With no phones and no internet, Shannon and her fellow prisoners are completely disconnected from the outside world… and their online lives. It’s hard to say whether they’ll be driven to delinquency, or – even worse – forced to make friends irl. Will the limitless bubble tea, Maccas, high-end trainers and tech equipment be enough to keep the six teens safe and happy until they can find a way out, or is this all the start of something more sinister?

Acclaimed author Tegan Bennett Daylight’s first novel for young adults reconceives Lord of the Flies for Gen Z, and in a suspenseful, character-driven and enthralling story, reveals that surviving in isolation just might bring us closer together.

I do love books like this where something is happening and the regular world has shifted somehow. The teens trapped alone somewhere is not a new concept, but I absolutely adore the way Bennett Daylight has constructed this. The mystery of the outside, the mystery of what’s happening inside, it’s a fascinating premise and one that has been executed beautifully. Azeez does a wonderful job as narrator for the audiobook. Shannon’s voice comes to live and immerses you deep in the story from the beginning.

Being locked inside a shopping centre unsupervised is probably a lot of people’s dreams and while I think Bennett Daylight would have done a fantastic job with any variation, I love the creativity of this story. I don’t get where the Lord of the Flies reference from the blurb come from aside from kids being alone to fend for themselves. There are better comparisons inside the story itself where the characters discuss their situation and cycle through everything from The Breakfast Club to The Hunger Games to The Truman Show.

The length of time and the activities the group does is filtered through the whole story, and while there is obvious linear progression, there are also moments where time becomes an unknown entity. The way the characters work with and around the shops and the food court, the interactions between each character and the activities they do is engaging and interesting to read. I really loved the unexpected revelations and I loved the snippets of information mentioned early on that leaves the reader wondering while the story or character has moved on.

Information about Shannon is gradually revealed and it never felt forced or out of place. Bennett Daylight is great at using the environment and the events of the story to add information and does so for each character is clever ways. As a narrator Shannon is an engaging voice making this book an easy read. Bennett Daylight has done a brilliant job giving her a voice that feel young and inexperienced while also projecting the wisdom of youth, reminding the reader they aren’t as shallow and selfish many think them to be.

I genuinely loved these characters by the end. I loved their friendship, their lives, and their relationship. I loved the found family and the community they established. I don’t want a sequel because this book is perfect by itself, but I do want to know what happens next. I also now imagine it happening again. No spoilers (despite by absolute burning desire), but I do want to know if it’s happened before or if it will happen again.

This is a fun, easy read that does what it says on the tin; it navigates the experience of teenagers living in an all access, no worries shopping centre. Bennett Daylight beautifully covers some main problems that may arise, but at the same time she offers enough issues that the characters still have to have some responsibility.

As much as I am dying to discuss the ending, I shan’t. I will say however I was very impressed with Bennett Daylight’s approach. For all my theories through the story, the ones that changed and shifted with each new little bit of information, I really loved where it settled. It was a mixture of satisfaction as well as keeping some of the mystery.

You can purchase Royals via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Dymocks

Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon Aust | Audible

Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley

12 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Published: 28th April 2020Goodreads badge
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 248
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

At sixteen, neurodivergent Peta Lyre is the success story of social training. That is, until she finds herself on a school ski trip – and falling in love with the new girl. Peta will need to decide which rules to keep, and which rules to break…

‘I’m Peta Lyre,’ I mumble. Look people in the eye if you can, at least when you greet them. I try, but it’s hard when she is smiling so big, and leaning in.

Peta Lyre is far from typical. The world she lives in isn’t designed for the way her mind works, but when she follows her therapist’s rules for ‘normal’ behaviour, she can almost fit in without attracting attention.

When a new girl, Sam, starts at school, Peta’s carefully structured routines start to crack. But on the school ski trip, with romance blooming and a newfound confidence, she starts to wonder if maybe she can have a normal life after all.

When things fall apart, Peta must decide whether all the old rules still matter. Does she want a life less ordinary, or should she keep her rating normal?

This is a fantastic book that gets into the mind of a neurodivergent teen and helps you understand how messy and complicated things can be and how everyday things can become incredibly complicated when you’re trying to behave like you’re “supposed” to.

Peta comes across on the page instantly and you can gauge who she is and her view on the world. Her friendships are important, she’s always trying to do the right thing and lives her life guided by the rules she has had drilled into her. Her exhaustion is evident but at the same time seeing her able to be herself and free from the rules is refreshing.

The story has a lot of sharp turns and rough edges but what I loved about that is this whole thing is being told through Peta’s eyes. She’s already told us her mind works differently so to have a story suddenly shift made sense. Logic works differently for Peta and while it can make the story take a dark or different turn it’s because situations change and life changes around Peta and she is constantly fighting to keep up. What makes sense to her won’t make sense to others but it’s always made clear just how much Peta is trying.

Whateley flips between the past and present as we see Peta’s journey and her experiences which helps us understand her and how she’s come to be where she is. I loved being inside Peta’s head because what she thinks she is doing isn’t always what others think she’s doing. Having the obvious miscommunication on the page only adds to forcing the reader to understand how the brain can interpret things differently for each person and you never know what anyone else is going through.

Seeing Peta come into her own is wonderful, finding herself and her place, as well as strengthening relationships is a great reward having seen her struggle as she recounts the issues she’s had in her past and in her present.

It’s a great achievement of Whateley to give Peta the right voice that speaks volumes about her experiences and I really hope it’s a book that provides an insight into the life of other neurodivergent people.

You can purchase Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Long Lost Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

14 Apr 2022 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers, Long Lost Reviews, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , , ,

Long Lost Reviews is a monthly meme created by Ally over at Ally’s Appraisals which is posted on the second Thursday of every month. The aim is to start tackling your review backlog. Whether it’s an in-depth analysis of how it affected your life, one sentence stating that you only remember the ending, or that you have no recollection of reading the book at all. 

Published: 1st August 2010
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Pages: 264
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★  ★  ★ – 4 Stars

Lucy is in love with Shadow, a mysterious graffiti artist.

Ed thought he was in love with Lucy, until she broke his nose.

Dylan loves Daisy, but throwing eggs at her probably wasn’t the best way to show it.

Jazz and Leo are slowly encircling each other.

An intense and exhilarating 24 hours in the lives of four teenagers on the verge: of adulthood, of HSC, of finding out just who they are, and who they want to be.

Crowley has written a sweet and intriguing story of 24 hours of adventure and discovery and what I love about it is there’s established relationships so instalove isn’t a real issue given no one is professing love quite yet, but there are certainly connections and second chances.

Crowley captures the teenage friendship and interactions well, the story highlights that teens can have deep thoughts and dreams and ambitions. They aren’t just the outward persona they project to the world.

I liked the alternating points of view because it shows how the same experiences are seen through different eyes. I liked being in Ed and Lucy’s head and seeing their perspectives. The recapping on chapters was interesting. Often you’ll see with alternating voices the scene flips instantly but the small recap is repetitive but I didn’t mind because it brings a new perspective to the latest moment or event and then follows through with a new voice.

This story cemented my love for 24 hour stories. Stories and lives evolved and changed by a mere 24 hours can be so profound and powerful and Crowely does something phenomenal with this story in exploring the lives of these kids and their intricacies, passions and their friendships.

I would reread this in a heartbeat because it is short but powerful and getting to explore the city of Melbourne through the eyes of these characters again would be wonderful.

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