Beware of the book dragon!

I really enjoyed the slow start to this one, romance and all- it was something different for a changing as most books I read typically go straight to the action! This book wrecked me a bit, as it was the last book of The Nevernight Chronicle and I've been waiting to finally get a chance to read it since the Melbourne launch- and it didn't disappoint, all my favourite characters were involved in the shenanigans. I enjoyed the addition of pirates, and the adventure. But damn, those revelations, some of them I didn't see coming. Damn you Jay for making me feel my emotions (again). Rating: 4.5/5

A gorgeous, heart-wrenching thriller, written from Aoife's (pronounced Ee-fah) perspective. Aoife is a six year old girl, who doesn't quite understand the way the world works. The way the story unfolds, introducing characters and key themes that play a role in solving Aoife's mystery- in order to get her mum out of hospital is gripping, and is worth every page of reading. Rating: 4/5 Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

A story with a brilliant set of characters, that have their own plights, predominately set in Sydney, Australia. I found this book was heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time, and I loved all the dynamics between characters, which would be unlikely in other circumstances. I also love how the Con (the Sydney Music Consvertorium) was featured in this book- given I have a friend who studies there! I loved the story, based on music (which there's not a lot of books out there for) and just how powerful this YA novel is, and it is definitely one of my favourites of 2019. Rating: 4.5/5

CW: Rape, Bullying A thought-provoking read based on true events that occured in The Holocaust- focusing on Ingrid, a girl of colour- who has been sent to Hadamar under the T-4 program. The book follows Ingrid's plights during the course of her stay at Hadmar- including assault, sterilisation, bullying, and rape. This is written from a reflectional point of view, and as a result, I enjoy it as such- even though this type of book is typically not my type of read. I feel like this book certainly does highlight some of the lesser covered horrible things that occured in Germany in World War 2. Rating: 3.5/5 Thanks to Big Sky Publishing for a copy of this important book!

Coming back into the world of Monchaville where bakus are like phones was a breeze with the second installment in this series! I loved the STEM-focused female protagonist, and I loved how the bakus take more of a role in Unleashed. I love how this develops into a corporate conspiracy when Lacey and friends find that everything in Monchaville is amiss! What I really found to be the standout for me is that that this series didn't portray the bakus as killer robots, even though there was the potential to do so, and I loved this refreshing take on robots and their use in society. Rating: 4.5/5

A fast-paced book, set in the world of UGLIES, it did not disappoint! I enjoyed the fast-pacedness of the storyline, it was fast enough to keep me reading it, but also intense enough that I enjoyed all of it! It was kinda insta-lovey, but that's the only gripe I had with it, because I was so drawn in by the plot and the characters. Fair to say that I have a soft spot for Col and Teo, but I loved concept behind why Frey and Rafi exist. I also was very delighted to see Tally references in there too. That cliffhanger got me though. I'm glad I have a copy of the second book so I can get my answers soon! Rating: 4.75/5

Aim is the first book in the completed 'The Subjects' trilogy, and I had the pleasure of reading this for review, in order to celebrate the completion of the trilogy! To see more reviews from this tour- click here ! Here's a brief synopsis: The door opens, and Alish steps out of the lab for the first time ever … Can she escape? Outside, there’s nothing, nothing but a small herd of cows, and stretches and stretches of parched red desert in all directions … She is still trapped. Then a helicopter flies overhead … Salvation at last or something more sinister? Aim is the first book in the completed Subjects Trilogy, a young adult science fiction, set in NSW, Australia, about freedom and justice. If you like action packed adventures, psychological thrillers and mysteries then you will love Aim. My review: To me, Aim was an easy to read YA sci-fi. I found that the story itself was paced nicely, where it was slow to start, and built up the world...

This cute contemporary #LoveOzYA book did not disappoint me! I was lucky to receive a copy of this book in a goodie bag when I went to a session at the Melbourne Writer's Festival this year, which was pretty cool! This is an adorable dual POV novel that features a 'nerd'- Sophia, and the 'shy guy'- Josh. I love how both were portrayed as outcasts in their Catholic secondary school environment, and how anxiety was a massive theme throughout the book. I also adored the side characters- Elsie and Gilly, and they complement the main characters well, in this time of change for them, whilst they are finishing up their VCE (Victorian Certicate of Education)- I'm lead to believe that this was set in Melbourne, due to the mention of the University of Melbourne being a local university. I found this book highly relatable, and I enjoyed reading this one! Rating: 4/5

A collection of deep, but short-and-sweet stories from debut authors. I throughly enjoyed how drawn into each story I was, even though they were short, and I love that it is Australia-centric, set both in near-future, and current times. The messages throughout were relevant to our current day and age. Although I really loved all 12, I particularly loved Chemical Expression (Jes Layton), Meet and Great (Michael Earp), and Living Rose (Kaneanna May). Rating: 4/5

A fun, fast-paced, action-packed sequel! The character building and the plot were rather belivable and kept me wanting more. This book had so much oomph and I personally wanted to punch some of the characters in the face. The gritty reality for some of the characters had me on tenterhooks, and I really was here for it all! Rating: 5/5 Thanks to HQ Young Adult Australia and NetGalley for this stunning book!

CW for the book: Partner abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting A harrowing, not necessarily easy read. It looks at a young couple- two POVs, and how a manipulative, abuse relationship can change lives. At times, this was hard to read on, however I kept reading because the book holds such an important message. As a reader, I could see all the red flags, however, this book is important to be read, as it shows the perspective of the people in the manipulative, abusive, relationship, where they may or may not be see it. Rating: 4/5