You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott

Released: 26th July 2016

Published by: Picador

Genre: Adult thriller

Source: Publisher

Pages: 352

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

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Katie and her husband Eric have made their daughter Devon the centre of their world. Talented, determined, a rising gymnastics star, Devon is the focus of her parents' lives and the lynchpin of their marriage. There is nothing they wouldn't do for her.

When a violent hit-and-run accident sends shockwaves through their close-knit community, Katie is immediately concerned for her daughter. She and Eric have worked so hard to protect Devon from anything that might distract or hurt her. That's what every parent wants for their child, after all. Even if they don't realize how much you've sacrificed for them. Even if they are keeping secrets from you...

 A mother knows best... doesn't she?

Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This is what she knew: you win or you lose everything with a flick of the wrist, a turn of the ankle, not enough lift, a slipped hand on the beam.
And everything changes, everything goes dark, and is gone. 

If you thought Megan Abbott knew how to write about the toxic world of cheerleading in Dare Me, just wait until you've read this book exploring the merciless fallacies of elite gymnastics. The characterisation is as intricate as ever, with prose that captures every moment, every emotion in the sharpest turn of phrase. A family's devotion to their daughter's potential for greatness and an accident leaving those in their microcosm reeling, converge to form a book that shatters the delicate illusion of grace these athletes supposedly possess. 

She hadn't learned, no one had taught her - Katie and Eric hadn't taught her - that the things you want, you never get them. And if you do, they're not what you thought they'd be. But you'd still do anything to keep them. Because you'd wanted them for so long. 

Once again, Megan Abbott has wowed me with her attention to the nuances of human behaviour and the most significant relationships which define both our lives and identities. The story is told from the perspective of Katie, the mother of a gifted gymnast whose gleaming potential must be harnessed. This book is not simply about the sport itself. As always there is a malignant turn of events, an undercurrent of simmering unease and familial tension. Could Katie and Eric's unwavering devotion to 'The Track' for their child's life compromise the quality of their own? What are the consequences of the suspicious death of someone in their BelStars community? Does mother really know best?

What makes this book one which kept me reading until I couldn't stay awake any longer is the fact that there are so many paths to follow. The term 'secondary' characters in this case does not apply. Each persona Abbott has molded is subtly explicated so that we as readers begin to understand their motives, fears, and hidden desires.

...she could feel Devon before she saw her. The energy she held so tightly until she let it thunder forth: a soaring vault, an epic tumbling pass, a delirious aerial on the beam. 

If you're like me and your main insights into the world of gymnastics is from watching the Olympics and 'Stick It', then You Will Know Me will serve as a stark comparison. All of the technical jargon of this world the novel is set in validates the storyline and enables some parallels to be drawn with the secrets which unfold in other aspects of the book. This is a novel where the girls training under Coach T at BelStars look to Devon both as an image of a champion to be revered, and jealous of. But perhaps there is a danger to this obsession with perfection, this enduring quest to become one of 'the Elite'. She is a streamlined missile who knows her target, and will make any sequence on the beam or perfect execution of a Yurchenko twist count. Ice queen. Golden girl. Someone who believes that 'almost' isn't good enough. It was fascinating to scrutinise her character and the parents of her peers through the lens of Katie's eyes, looking back on the events which shaped Devon into who she was and what she would do to reach that ultimate goal.

FINAL THOUGHTS

You Will Know Me is an exhilarating and turbulent psychological thriller where blinding ambition and hidden weakness come into conflict. This complex and twisted novel is everything I expected from Megan Abbott, and all that I could have asked for. 

New Blog Design Reveal!

Before I go, here's a last screenshot of the blog before:

With exams for the year over, it's been time to re-focus my time on Genie in a Book. I started this blog back in 2014, and it's still hard for me to believe just how far it has come. Part of that transformation is changing the blog design to reflect how I have evolved as a person and a reader. I've created a fresh new look, featuring the colours I love, and anyone who knows me won't be surprised by the florals I've featured too.

Yes, it is hard to say goodbye to what this blog has looked like since it first began, but I hope you all like this new one :)

Thank you so much to all my followers and readers for your support over these past couple of years, I look forward to bringing you more content to celebrate the books I love!

What do you think of redesigning a blog - have you changed yours since you started?

{Blog Tour} - Sapphire Falls by Fleur McDonald - Guest Post

Australian fiction like Sapphire Falls is popular for a reason - it represents not only an aspect of our landscape, but the camaraderie between the people in it. In this novel there's an extra element of suspense to keep your interest piqued, and with a heartwarming ending this novel makes a satisfying read. Thanks to Allen and Unwin organising the blog tour, I have a guest post to share from the author Fleur McDonald!

Sapphire Falls by Fleur McDonald
Released: 26th October 2016
Published by: Allen and Unwin
Genre: Popular Fiction
Source: Publisher
Pages: 340
RRP:  $29.99
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While mystery surrounds the death of her husband, Fiona Forrest struggles to preserve the family farm in a suspenseful, pacy and action packed novel from the author of Crimson Dawn and Indigo Storm.

Fiona Forrest is devastated when her husband Charlie commits suicide after the accidental shooting of his mate, Eddie. Though Fiona decides to keep farming their successful property, rumours that she intends to sell keep circulating.

When Detective Dave Burrows arrives to sign off on the investigation into Eddie's death, his suspicions are aroused by some strange anomalies at the scene. As Dave becomes increasingly convinced that something sinister is going on, Fiona finds herself dealing with a series of disasters on the farm...

By the bestselling author of Crimson Dawn, this suspenseful novel about a woman fighting to preserve her husband's dream and a detective determined to uncover the truth will keep you guessing till the very last page.

Guest Post from Fleur McDonald - "Love ya Dave!"

Dave Burrows has featured heavily in four of my novels, with mentions in a couple of others. He’s grown to be one of my favourite characters to write and although he’s never the main one, he’s certainly pretty up there.

Dave arrived on the scene as a forty plus detective, working with an offsider named Craig, in Red Dust. He was country-wise, stock-wise, laid back kinda guy, who mentored younger policemen. He lived in Perth, was married to a nurse, had two children – daughters and loved his job. 

As he’s continued on, his character has grown with the books and, as in life, had some challenging thing happen to him. When he made his entrance in Emerald Springs, he’s reeling from a marriage break up. He’s moved back to SA and is working in the mid north. 

I’ve loved being able to take him from being a lonely bachelor; a bloke who was lost and broken, with nothing but his work, to a guy who now has a happy and fulfilling relationship with Kim. In turn, Dave’s marriage to Kim has given me another stable character to get to know and write into each book. 

A reader wrote to me once and told me how she was ‘just a little bit in love with Dave.’ Well, you’re certainly not on your own! I love writing about him and seeing what adventures and investigations he’ll be involved in next. Often I never know until I start typing and Dave directs the play. 

However, he’s not without his faults. He finds it hard to talk about his feelings (Ha! I’m sure we all know of someone like that!). He tends to be married to his work, but the sassy and vibrant Kim is slowly changing him. 

Sapphire Falls is not without Detective Dave Burrows! In fact, he’s pretty important. I hope you’ll come along for the ride and read his story this time. Dave is on the wrong side of fifty now. He’s a bit slower and although trying hard to keep up with the technology, he tends to battle a bit. I’m not sure how long he’ll be able to hang around, which is why I created a Dave Burrows replacement in Sapphire Falls. When Dave does decide to retire, there’s someone waiting in the wings to take his place…

About the Author

Fleur McDonald has lived and worked on farms for much of her life. After growing up in the small town of Orroroo in South Australia, she went jillarooing, and co-owned an 8000-acre property in regional Western Australia.

Fleur likes to write about strong women overcoming adversity, drawing inspiration from her own experiences in rural Australia.

She is the best-selling author of Red Dust, Blue Skies, Purple Roads, Silver Clouds, Crimson Dawn, Emerald Springs and Indigo Storm.

Fleur lives in Esperance, WA with her partner, two children and two dogs who keep her company while she writes.

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Check out the other stops on the tour!

Mini Reviews: Saving Jazz and Nightwanderers

Saving Jazz by Kate McCaffrery

Released: 1st August 2016

Published by: Fremantle Press

Genre: YA Contemporary

Source: Publisher

Pages: 297

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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Jasmine Lovely has it all – the looks, the grades, the friends. But when a house party spins out of control, Jazz discovers what can happen when your mistakes go viral ... We know our kids are at risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying. But do we know how at risk they are of becoming perpetrators?

This controversial new novel tackles cyberbullying from a whole new perspective.

Thank you to Fremantle Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Saving Jazz is a novel which was much more intense than I was first expecting. A story which confronts the topic of sexual assault in not only the issues surrounding how it occured, but the aftermath, it just goes to show that the perpetrators are not always the 'type' you would expect. This book is one which is particularly relevant in society as we know it, where one post can spiral out of control, and it's not only the 'reputation' of a person affected at stake, but their lives also.

Jasmine was quite a complex character to say the least. She clearly feels responsible for what happened that fateful night where the unthinkable happened to one of her closest friends. It was interesting to see how the definition of 'rape' was explored in the novel, and its boundaries challenged. The format of the novel told through blog posts by Jazz herself allows us readers to really understand her side of the story, and how she in some respects, was both a perpetrator and victim. While especially towards the end a whole host of other issues raised drew attention away from the main events in the first half, I could appreciate the message about how social media can be so easily exploited, and that young women becoming objectified is more prevalent than we may think.

In all, Saving Jazz has reminded me of the likes of Risk by Fleur Ferris. If you are interested in an intense read which tackles this very real problem appearing on both the internet and reality; this is for you.

Nightwanderers by C.J. Flood

Released: 1st February 2016

Published by: Simon and Schuster

Genre: YA Contemporary

Source: Publisher

Pages: 300

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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It all started with a poo in a flowerbed. Rosie and Titania are as close as sisters - closer, in fact. While Rosie is shy, red-faced and passive, Ti is big, tough and daring. They shouldn't be friends, but they are. Creeping out at night, the girls love to secretly wander through their coastal town, exploring empty streets and sharing their frustrations about school and their different, but equally difficult, families.

But when Rosie betrays Ti, the two girls run in different directions - making decisions that could do irreparable damage to both of their lives. As Rosie confronts harsh truths, she must find a way back to Ti, and to herself.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

C.J. Flood enchanted me with her coming-of-age novel Infinite Sky, and with Nightwanderers I was similarly impressed. Novels like this which focus on friendship and the strains when these relationships are put to the test are both gripping and emotional. Flood's unique writing style and well-formed characters make her a stand-out author whose YA contemporaries succeed in being both rounded and realistic - with a touch of the whimsical.

Rosie and Ti's personalities and family situations may be different, but it is these variations in their characteristics which make them so compatible as friends. The hint of rebellion as they became 'nightwanderers' together added an intriguing setting, and it was good to see that the 'parent' element in the family dynamic actually played a role in their lives. Another positive was the fact that romantic interests may have been present, but didn't detract from the essence of the story - how a friendship can be broken, but hopefully mended. This is a touching story of self-discovery and forgiveness, of moving forward and accepting the reality of a situation.

If you're like me and already a fan of C.J. Flood's work, then Nightwanderers is a book you won't want to miss. I think this is an underrated release which is definitely worth a read!

Review: My Best Friend is a Goddess by Tara Eglington

My Best Friend is a Goddess by Tara Eglington

Released: 24th October 2016

Published by: HarperCollins Australia

Genre: YA Contemporary

Source: Author

Pages: 386

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Two best friends crushing on one very cute guy ... someone's going to get their heart broken. Emily has been friends with Adriana since Year One, way back when Adriana had a huge gap between her teeth and was super skinny. Emily wasn't any less awkward looking, but the girls are the best of friends and that is the way it has always been. When Adriana's mother dies, very suddenly, everything changes. Adriana's father accepts a job in Borneo and the girls spend Year 10 apart. Despite the rubbish internet connection (on Adriana's side of things) the girls manage to stay in touch. And then Adriana returns home. And she has gone from awkward to AMAZING and turned into a goddess!

But the saving grace is that Adriana is no different on the inside. She's still the same best friend Emily knows and loves, and they're certainly not going to lose their friendship over the fact that Adriana has lucked out genetically. Emily just wishes that one guy, any guy, would want to get to know her for some other reason besides being Adriana's best friend. In the meantime, she's committed to helping Adriana manage the throngs of potential suitors that are texting, emailing and adding Emily on Facebook in the hope of an introduction to 'the goddess', as Adriana is still pretty shy around boys and no-one's made her want to step out of her shell.

MY BEST FRIEND IS A GODDESS is about what happens to a friendship when two girls change - and not just on the outside.

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

My Best Friend is a Goddess is a fun and fresh take on the highs and lows of being best friends, and how these relationships transform. I've been a big fan of Tara Eglington's novels since her 'Aurora Skye' duology How to Keep a Boy From Kissing You and How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You. There's an immediate sense of familiarity when beginning this latest release as it is also set in Jefferson. However, Emily and Adriana share their own unique hurdles; from coping with the enduring implications of grief, to dealing with a crush on the new guy. This novel is one which proves that a compelling contemporary read doesn't have to be the 'dark and serious' kind to be an excellent one. Instead, My Best Friend is a Goddess stands as an example of a story which does have the drama and humour, while remaining grounded by honestly exploring the real issues teenage girls face.

No, my fantasy is all about me talking to art-guy about everything I can't discuss with anyone my own age. The type of nerdy stuff that would make any sixteen-year-old guy at Jefferson back away from me, but which hot-guy-in-art class will go crazy for. He'll ask me questions about art. Look at me like...Henry Cavill/Four is looking at me right now, like he's dying to hear what I have to say.

There are some of the 'stereotypical' tropes which may cause some eye-rolls when they come up in a book, and the 'love triangle' is one of them. But dare I say it - in this case it actually is done well, and doesn't necessarily play out in the way you would expect. Perhaps there is a place for these plot devices after all, and Tara Eglington has shown that you can make it work without it being too cheesy or predictable. Theo is the type of guy that almost any girl would be interested in - he's got the looks, the gentlemanly demeanour and the intellect to be genuinely interested in things like art. Like the other teens in this book however, he too has his own issues to work through, and it's this depth in the characters overall which makes them so endearing.

I don't want it to get to me. Happiness shouldn't have anything to do with 'pretty' or 'not pretty'. And yet none of that logic stops me from falling into the oh-so-predictable trap of looking in the mirror and wishing I looked different. And with that, I let 'pretty' rule my world too. 

Emily and Adriana are best friends with a complex dynamic. Both of them have struggled with their own insecurities about their appearance, and with Adriana coming back from Borneo looking like a goddess it's no wonder that Emily is feeling like she's left in the background. What the story achieves is portraying those internal perceptions of inadequacy or simply not feeling attractive enough in a realistic light. Through the alternating perspectives and insights into 'secret thoughts of Adriana Anderson' and 'Emily's Diary' sections, we really get to know how these young women are developing together and as individuals. From falling into the world of the instagram-obsessed and pressures of 'accentuating your assets', to accepting your imperfections as something which don't have to be a hindrance, this book tackles many themes which will hit home for its target audience.

I might look like a swan and quack like a swan and have everyone around me fooled, but in the back of my mind I'm always waiting for the other birds to realise it's all an illusion and then attack me, stripping my feathers with their beaks. 

Finally, a unique aspect of this book which I really appreciated was the research that had gone into making references to artworks and mythology along the way. In the scenes of Emily's art class, it's these little quirks like explaining the history of Rodin's 'The Kiss' to 'Dante's Inferno' and the Renaissance which add a subtle touch of culture and extra point of interest for the reader. It's refreshing to have a contemporary novel which can strike the perfect balance between the character drama and extra information which you also may learn something from.

FINAL THOUGHTS

My Best Friend is a Goddess is my favourite book of Tara Eglington's so far. It's a well-written, relevant and bitter-sweet story on the evolution of a friendship and young women finding the confidence that was within them all along.