This book was an absolute delight from start to finish, and it is the kind of book to keep on your shelf to reread the next time you need a heart-hugging comfort read.

I really got along well with the writing style - I often find there is something about 1st person POV (especially in YA) that grates at me a bit, but I didn't even think about that as I was reading this one, I thought the Lottie's voice was humourous and intimate and charming. The characters felt really relatable - both in terms of the issues/self doubt/coming of age kinds of things that Lottie and here friends are facing, but also (now that I'm old) the parents in the book. There is a scene between Lottie and her stepmum that is just so perfect and moving and genuine that I still think about it all the time. The family dynamics felt authentic, and the theme of the way families change and grow was brought out really well.

Speaking of perfect - the development of relationships in this is also spot on, and Poppy absolutely nails the chemistry between Lottie and one of the guys in another perfect scene. I can't say much more without spoiling anything, but picture me doing Kermit arms and heart eyes while I tell you that this is a scene that could teach adult romance writers a thing or two, but without it moving beyond PG level action. The way the writing captures the tension and the feeling to make them feel real and so relatable is stunning and did I mention the perfection?

I loved seeing Lottie grow throughout the story - there were some passages where she has realisations about the world and her relationships with others that I just thought were so wonderfully worded - like this one, about her music teacher:
"No teacher has offered to spend more time on me before, or believed in me enough to offer me anything except detention slips and complaints.... And I think that maybe, just maybe, I never gave any of my teachers a real chance to offer me anything before."

I really enjoyed the way Lottie and Grace were interested in words, and this is another quote I loved, which I felt spoke volumes about Lottie and her growth was this one:
"Sonder. It means to understand that everyone around you is living a life as complex and vivid as your own."
Isn't that beautiful?

In case the above isn't clear, or you need a TL;DR, I loved this book - definitely one to pick up if you are looking for some contemporary #loveozya to fall into (and in love with). This is Poppy's second novel - I have her first one, Making Friends with Alison Dyson, on my shelf and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

xo Bron

***
Source: I received a free copy from Wakefield Press (Thank you!)
Category: Contemporary Australian YA
Themes:  family, friends, LGBTQ rep, coming of age
Format: Paperback (264 pages)
RRP: $24.95
 


On Goodreads
Find Poppy online at her website here.

***

Deep Water by Sarah Epstein
Out now from Allen and Unwin
Source: I received a free advance copy from Allen and Unwin (Thank you!). All views are my own.
Category: Young adult thriller/suspense (contempory)
Age: 14+
Themes:  Family, grief, belonging, missing people, alcoholism, domestic violence, small towns
Format: Paperback
Pages: 400
RRP: $19.99

Deep Water on Goodreads.
Find Sarah Epstein online here.

The world of The Vanishing Deep was really different from Four Dead Queens, but it shared a similar vibe - fantastical with amazing tech. It feels dystopian-ish, like it could be our earth after an environmental disaster. Like Four Dead Queens this one is widely being described a fantasy, but I felt it was more sci-fi - my inner (very outer) science nerd loved all the cool advances in technology, and their explanations throughout (the process behind reviving people was really cool!). The world building was really impeccable - I never felt like info was being dumped on me, but I could clearly picture what was happening, and felt really drawn into Tempe's world.

One of my favourite things about The Vanishing Deep was the relationship between the sisters - Tempe and Elysea. It is so gorgeously written, and Scholte completely nails that special balance you only get with siblings of being able to be completely furious with them but still fiercely protective of them. I loved how different the girls were from each other and how perfect they were together. 
There were some other great relationships in the book too, and some great banter (but I don't want to say more because of spoilers!).

Another thing that was really cool about The Vanishing Deep was the way it crosses genres - the mystery/thriller element of this was fantastic. The tension of counting down Elysea's 24 hours of being revived was perfect, and there were some bits that really surprised me.

The Vanishing Deep really confirmed Scholte's place on my list of favourite authors - her books have both felt is so fresh and unique, and I absolutely can't wait to read her next one!

xo Bron

The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
Out now from Allen and Unwin
Source: I received a free advance copy from Allen and Unwin (Thank you!)
Category: Young adult mystery sci-fi(ish)
Themes:  Family, grief, belonging, life
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
RRP: $19.99

The Vanishing Deep on Goodreads
Find Astrid Scholte online here 
 

1. Pick up a book (your current read, or the closest book to you, or your next read, etc)
2. Turn to page 77
3. Find a snippet, sentence or paragraph you like.
4. Share it on your blog or Twitter or Instagram and link back to AusYABloggers, using #77Saturday

Seventeen-year-old Gwyn has no family and no past. Apprenticed to a half-mad herbalist, she travels the snow-blasted High Country, hawking potions in a peddler’s wagon. Her guardian hides her from the world like a dark secret, and she knows better than to push for answers.

But when she discovers she is hunted by the goddess Beheret, Gwyn is drawn into a deep and ancient tale: of chained gods and lost magic, of truths long buried and the rising of a war she never could have imagined.

Wizards and their magic-sniffing hounds pursue her – as does a stranger in a smiling mask, who calls her by an unfamiliar name… 

But what really terrify her are the dangerous gifts she’s spent her life suppressing. Now, Gwyn must step out of the shadows and take charge of her destiny – even if the price is her own soul.

Taylor and Isolde used to be best friends - before THAT FIGHT, 18 months ago. It's been radio silence ever since - until Taylor contacts Isolde to sympathise with her breakup: the breakup that she never saw coming; the breakup that destroyed her confidence and ended her dreams of joining the National Ballet School.

Taylor's had his own share of challenges, including a life-altering accident that has brought his hopes of competing at the Winter Olympics to a halt.

Isolde responds to Taylor, to be polite. But what starts out as heartbreak-themed Spotify playlists and shared stories of exes quickly becomes something more.

And as Taylor and Isolde start to lean on each other, the distance between them begins to feel not so distant after all ...

This book is largely written in the form of emails and text messages - and, of course, playlists! - sent between Taylor and Isolde, with bits and pieces of their thoughts in there too. I thought this was such a clever way to tell their story, and I loved the way that the things they thought but didn't say to each other were just as important as the words they did share.

One of my absolute favourite things about The Long Distance Playlist was the authenticity - it all feels very real! I thought their conversations felt true to the characters and the worries and insecurities of each character also felt super authentic and relatable.The development of Taylor and Isolde's relationship, was lovely - it was so nice to see them fall back into friendship and then each try to figure out what they were feeling for the other.

I think that one of the best things about YA novels can be how they approach the issue of finding one's place in the world - I honestly think that this is something we can all relate to an any age (I'm sure it's not just me?! haha) and this is done so well for both Taylor and Isolde in this book. As noted in the blurb both have had challenges to deal with and have some big decisions to make about where they are now, and how they want their futures to look. I loved seeing them work through these issues, and I thought the way their families supported them through these - whilst also going through their own stuff - was lovely too.

This is a must read for fans of contemporary #loveozya, and anyone looking for a sweet, fun, but also thoughtful, read about friendship, love, and dreams.

xo Bron

***
Format: Paperback
On Goodreads  
Find Tara Eglington online here

Firstly, can we please take a minute to drool over that gorgeous cover? I read this one on my Kindle so I haven't see the actual cover in person yet but it looks absolutely beautiful, and I think fits the vibe of the story really well.

The Ninth Sorceress is the first book in a new series, and it definitely felt like a first in a series book. There was quite a bit of background about the society and magic to be introduced, and I feel like this was done pretty well. The fact that Gwyn has led a fairly sheltered life so far means that she is learning at the same time as the reader, and I always think this is a nice natural way of introducing this kind of information.

I had a little bit of trouble figuring out some of the timing of the story, in terms of how quickly time was moving - I couldn't quite get a feeling for whether journeys were taking days or weeks, and this sometimes felt a little bit inconsistent to me. But, importantly, I did feel like enough time was passing for Gwyn to grow and change, and for her relationships with others to do the same. I liked the sense of frustration we got from Gwyn when things weren't happening easily for her. I also really liked that Gwyn is quite a reluctant - and maybe disbelieving - chosen one, and there was an authenticity in this portrayal of the chosen one trope that really appealed to me. Often it feels like she doesn't believe that she has any magic, but is just going along with it as a means to an end.

Something that really worked for me was the way that it is a story in a story - I loved that we had the 'present day' prisoner telling the story, and it made me really keen to try and figure out what would happen next as the story went along - who the prisoner was going to be and what had led her to be there. I thought this sort of mystery element of the book was really engaging.

Overall, a lot of the overall vibe reminded me of the book in the Throne of Glass series where Aelin spends a lot of time learning to use and control her magic, so readers who enjoyed that aspect of Aelin's story might also be really into this one. It read a little bit to the younger side of the YA age span and could be a good introduction to the genre for someone looking for something a little bit more grown up, but not as full on as some of the other series out there. I think The Ninth Sorceress set some great ground work for the next books, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Gwyn (and Bonnie!) has in store for us next!

xo Bron

***
The Ninth Sorceress by Bonnie Wynne
Release: Out Feb 13 from Talem Press.
Source: I received a free ebook copy of from Talem Press for review. All views are my own.
Category: #loveozYA, fantasy, adventure, mystery, magic 

The Long Distance Playlist by Tara Eglington
I have been so looking forward to this one coming out, and it is perfect timing for your last minute Christmas shopping! I think I'll be starting this one tomorrow.

Night Swimming by Steph Bowe
This is the only other book in my stack that I haven't read yet, and I think it's the swimming part that is giving me summer vibes? In any case, I have heard only good things about this so I'm looking forward to it.

What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
This was one of my favourite books of last summer. It is set at the beach in the summer time, and it just felt so Australian without being cringey. It is body positive, and diverse, and I loved it. Check out my review here.

Untidy Towns by Kate O'Donnell
Untidy Towns is a book that I recommend all the time to people who think that they don't like young adult books. It is beautifully written and authentic and just lovely. I've got it on this list because even though it isn't necessarily set at summer (from memory) it deals with that transition out of school into the world, which gives it a kind of summer feeling to me. I have reviewed this one here.

If I Tell You by Alicia Tuckerman
Another story with a rural setting that I just loved for its authenticity. This one is about two girls who fall in love, in a small town where girls dating girls isn't really accepted. I can't remember if it is also set in the school holidays, but it gave me lounging by the local swimming pool feelings. My review of this one is here.

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl - by Melissa Keil
This book is just an absolute delight. It is set around Christmas - I loved reading about a summer Christmas for a change - and focuses on a group of friends who have just finished high school, and are facing the changes that come with that.

I'd love to know if you've got any contemporary YA your summer reading list, and also if I've missed any excellent Christmas/summer #loveozya from mine!

xo Bron