The new year is fast approaching, and with that comes the time to set some realistic reading goals, explore different genres and find new favourites! The first half of 2018 is already shaping up to be full of exciting releases across the board, so today I'm sharing some of my top picks to look out for.

January

For 'palace intrigue and deception', I'm all for Holly Black's latest exploration into the Fae with The Cruel Prince which is the first book in a new series. In a change of pace, Happiness for Humans sounds like a heartwarming and endearing read with a twist of science fiction to keep things interesting - kind of like the movie Her where an AI begins to infiltrate its owners love life (but hopefully with a better ending). There have been a few YA novels about school shootings released over the past few years, particularly like This is How it Ends, which similar to Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down is told through the eyes of four teens affected by the incident. But this novel seems to take a broader view into the small town and the other grievances it must face, making it a book I really can't wait to delve into. Set in Rio de Janeiro, The Truth and Lies of Ella Black has the potential to be a thriller full of twists. After all, it does start with the protagonist's parents whisking her away to another country without any reason..and suddenly everything she thought she knew about her life is a lie. Sounds like something you've read before? Maybe, but I'm willing to give it a chance. Finally, The Woman in the Window is being pitched as the next Girl on the Train-esque psychological thriller, and whether you loved or hated it, I'm hoping A.J. Finn is a hit with his debut. 

February

In a world where beauty itself is a commodity, The Belles promises to be more than the sum of the superficial values its society presents. It's the first in a new series by Dhonielle Clayton, who co-wrote the Tiny Pretty Things duology. Another book with a darker twist that is also focused on beauty in the eye of the beholder is Sinless by Sarah Tarkoff. A dystopian novel which questions the meaning behind morality, I'm definitely curious to see how the worldbuilding comes across in this one. Gunslinger Girl is a Western YA dystopian which I first heard about at Date a Book's blogger night earlier in the year. It's reminding me of the Vengeance Road series just at face value, but fingers crossed it brings something new to the table.

March

Anyone who knows me will be able to tell that Jackie French is one of my auto-buy authors, and after the huge revelations towards the end of Miss Lily's Lovely Ladies, I can't wait to see how Sophie's life changes following her role in WWI. The Precious Dreadful is already hinting at a love triangle, but with the premise of a library writing group, paranormal elements and well-written characters overall, I think I may just have to give it a go. I Still Dream sounds like the backdrop to a Black Mirror episode, and that isn't a bad thing. From what I can tell, it's a story of artificial intelligence and what happens if it goes too far, with a firmly human focus. While In Search of Us sounds like a heartfelt YA contemporary read about the bond between mothers and daughters, for scifi fans who have been hooked on the Illuminae Files, the wait to conclude the series will finally be over when Obsidio is released. In short - the hype is real my friends. A country town and a commune converge in Ellie Marney's latest #LoveOzYA novel White Night. However, my little description there has fallen way too short of how electrifying I can already tell this book is going to be, so keep an eye out for it!

April

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is definitely up there with some of my most anticipated Australian novels of 2018. The content seems to be equally violent and enchanting; a balance difficult to convey but if done well will make for an emotionally poignant read. Caroline Overington (author of The One Who Got Away) is back with a new thriller with The Ones You Trust, about a woman who seems to have it all until her daughter disappears and the search for answers begins. Another major #LoveOzYA release on my radar is Sarah Epstein's debut Small Spaces that looks set to ramp up the suspense and deliver a story you'll want to stay up reading. 

May

I'm seeing some parallels between this and We Were Liars, as it sheds light on the lives of privileged teens and the gritty secrets behind that glittering facade. The Lies They Tell will be an addictive read if it really manages to deliver complex characters and surprise me with a big reveal or two that I don't see coming.

June

Word has already gotten out across the blogosphere, but for those who haven't heard, book blogger and writer extraordinaire Cait @ Paper Fury is releasing her first novel! June can't come around fast enough, because A Thousand Perfect Notes needs to be on my shelf ASAP. I LOVED Night Film as one of my favourite thrillers of all time, so to see that Marisha Pessl is releasing her first YA novel is exciting news. Neverworld Wake already promises to be atmospheric and shrouded in mystery, so count me in!

Over to you - what books are you most looking forward to in 2018?

The Last Guard by K.J. Taylor - Guest Post

The Last Guard by K.J. Taylor
Series: The Southern Star #1

Released: 8th December 2018

Published by: Black Phoenix Publishing Collective

Genre: YA Fantasy

Southerner Sergeant Kearney "Red" Redguard is the last of a disgraced family, and a loyal guardsman.

And with a murderer stalking the streets, the city guard is his city's best defense.

But in the North, King Caedmon Taranisäii is gathering his army, and the cruel Night God prepares for the downfall of the South.

A new dark griffin roams the land, warning of the war to come. Betrayed and sent on the run, Red must fight to save his homeland. But it may already be too late...

I read K.J. Taylor's first release The Price of Magic last year which was an uplifting fantasy read. Any YA fantasy fan should definitely keep an eye out for this next book in a new series!

K.J. Taylor on Writing the Last Guard

Though its predecessor came out in 2014, I actually wrote The Last Guard in or about the year 2009 (I’ve often joked that if I could publish as fast as I write, I’d have overtaken Stephen King by now! Alas, publishing is a slow business). Still I remember writing it quite clearly. I did most of my work while sitting in a certain café with my laptop, which was an arrangement I liked because it was comfortable, there was no distracting WiFi, and I didn’t have to bring a packed lunch.

I enjoyed writing the book, which – well, I admit that’s not unusual; I’ve enjoyed writing every book I’ve ever done. Some authors grumble about how hard and stressful writing is, but I’ve always found it easy and fun. But I enjoyed TLG’s story and protagonist in particular among the other books I’ve written over the years. I enjoyed the story because it’s more or less nonstop action, with relatively few slow spots, which made it easier to write than, say, The Shadowed Throne, which had a lot of talky scenes and political stuff. Don’t get me wrong; I actually prefer writing dialogue scenes over action scenes, but it was still a refreshing change of pace.

Red as the protagonist was also a nice change of pace. Having written one trilogy starring a murderous bastard (I still love you, Arenadd) and a second one starring a woman who starts out bad-tempered and rude and eventually becomes a heartless tyrant, it was a change to be writing about someone who was a genuinely decent person for once.

Red isn’t perfect, of course. He’s uneducated and rather slow on the uptake at times, he’s unimaginative, he can be very scary when he loses his temper, he’s violent, and in some ways he’s a bit of a thug – at bottom he doesn’t really know how to solve his problems without using aggression and brute force. He’s what you’d call a “man’s man”, embarrassed by the idea of showing too much emotion, and equally embarrassed by the fact that he knows how to read (as a boy he was actually rather proud of his literacy, but a good dose of merciless teasing from his peers quickly put paid to that). Even so he’s an honest man (he claims that never in his life has he ever told a lie), and fiercely loyal to his friends, his Eyrie, and the law he serves. Unlike Arenadd he is disgusted by the idea of hurting those weaker than himself, and under normal circumstances would never raise a hand to a woman, a child, or someone trying to surrender.

Unlike Arenadd or Laela, Red isn’t out to find his place in the world: he already knows who he is and what he wants out of life. Unlike Arenadd he has no great ambitions; he just wants to be the best guardsman he can be, and restore the honour of the Redguard family name since his uncle Bran “the Betrayer” besmirched it. Other than that he hopes to find a wife and become a father, so the family line won’t die out. If circumstances hadn’t intervened he would most likely have lived a pretty quiet, uneventful life – and he’d have been perfectly happy that way. But when disaster strikes, he’s ready to step up and do whatever he can to protect his home.

The other aspect I enjoyed about writing the book was the divide between the two sides in the war. On the one hand you can sympathise with Red, since the Northerner invasion destroys his home and robs him of everything he holds dear when he’s done nothing wrong. But on the other, you can understand why King Caedmon led the assault on the South in the first place, and especially so if you’ve read the previous books and are aware that Caedmon too lost everything thanks to the treachery of Southerners, and has chosen to make war on their country purely to protect his people and his homeland from an enemy who conquered and enslaved them once before and might well choose to do so again. This is not a story of an evil overlord who wants to take over the world and the plucky hero who must nobly resist him. It is rather the story of two peoples who are blinded by ignorance and hate, which dooms them to repeat the mistakes of the past rather than learning from them. In the end, neither side is in the right. Rather, they both do what they think is right. Just as we all do. The question this trilogy asks is “can the cycle be broken?” and if so, what will it take to break it?

Giveaway

Black Phoenix Publishing are running a giveaway to win a free copy of this book! To enter, just visit their facebook page and like or comment on any of their posts before 15th December.

Review: Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend - Marvelously magical.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Series: Nevermoor #1

Released: 10th October 2017

Published by: Hachette

Genre: MG Fantasy

Source: Publisher

Pages: 449

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination.

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart--an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have.

To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests--or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.

Nevermoor is a delightfully enchanting read which captures a sense of adventure on every page. Australian author Jessica Townsend's debut certainly has met the hype which came with her release, with comparisons made to Harry Potter that set the bar high. This new series does have the potential to become the stuff of legend for today's young readers, standing on its own as a uniquely imagined world of wonder and excitement with a protagonist who pushes past her vulnerabilities and is willing to 'step boldly'. 

She thought of the night before - of the wonderful moment when Jupiter had shown up at Crow Manor, the joy she'd felt at the break of dawn when she'd landed safely in the forecourt of the Hotel Deucalion. She'd believed a whole new world had opened up to her. 

This is a story which you can't help but be drawn to from the very first page. Even the most reluctant readers are sure to be hooked as they learn of Morrigan Crow's doomed fate and the dramatic circumstances which could change her life forever. What gives Nevermoor its charm is the world which Townsend has so intricately created. The idea of the Wundrous Society and telling of each trial which stands between Morrigan and her curse are all crafted in vivid detail which brings the plot to life. Although I would say this novel isn't as dark as Harry Potter, it still maintains a balance between the real danger following our protagonist and the fun of new experiences such as staying at the Hotel Decaulion and meeting a 'Magnificat'. At its heart, even when you take away the fantastical elements of this book, there is a message which readers both young and old will appreciate, about finally seeing what makes you special, and having the confidence to embrace it. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Nevermoor has enough charm to appeal to people of any age, capturing the enchantment of a world where what hides behind the shadows is no match for the magic which lies within. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series!

Review: The Grip of It by Jac Jemc - Unsettling truths and unexplained absences

The Grip of It by Jac Jemc

Released: 1st August 2017

Published by: Macmillan (US)

Genre: Horror

Source: Bought

Pages: 276

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Goodreads | Bookworld | Booktopia

Touring their prospective suburban home, Julie and James are stopped by a noise. Deep and vibrating, like throat singing. Ancient, husky, and rasping, but underwater. “That’s just the house settling,” the real estate agent assures them with a smile. He is wrong.

The move—prompted by James’s penchant for gambling and his general inability to keep his impulses in check—is quick and seamless; both Julie and James are happy to start afresh. But this house, which sits between a lake and a forest, has its own plans for the unsuspecting couple. As Julie and James try to establish a sense of normalcy, the home and its surrounding terrain become the locus of increasingly strange happenings. The framework— claustrophobic, riddled with hidden rooms within rooms—becomes unrecognizable, decaying before their eyes. Stains are animated on the wall—contracting, expanding—and map themselves onto Julie’s body in the form of painful, grisly bruises.

 Like the house that torments the troubled married couple living within its walls, The Grip of It oozes with palpable terror and skin-prickling dread. Its architect, Jac Jemc, meticulously traces Julie and James’s unsettling journey through the depths of their new home as they fight to free themselves from its crushing grip.

What is worse? To be confronted with an obvious horror, or to be haunted by a never-ending premonition of what's ahead?

This new release from Jac Jemc being coined as 'literary horror' is the type of book which disorients the reader as much as it does the characters. Psychologically unsettling, the story unfolds as a young couple contend with an omnipresent entity in their newly purchased home. Set in a quiet neighborhood with some questionable residents who may know more than they let on, Julie and James become increasingly affected by an unspoken terror which threatens their grip on reality. While the 'big reveal' didn't leave me awestruck, Jemc's command of language was undeniably impressive. 

I remember that I have no answer for where the bruises come from or for where I disappeared when the house swallowed me up, and we have no explanation for the noises - the intonation or the deep breathing in the night or the voices looting our dreams - and no reasons for the drawings or the children in the woods, things we see together, even if we're apart. 

Let me start off by saying that this is not an example of the typical 'haunted house' trope. Yes, strange things happen in the building itself, but there is something altogether more uncomfortable when the cause could just as easily be rationalised as coming from the couple themselves. What makes The Grip of It so chilling goes beyond the already disturbing events of bruises which appear on Julie, or the sounds that keep James awake at night. You wouldn't need jump-scares in a horror movie if it instilled the kind of unease which is present here - something that is difficult to shake, but impossible to turn away from. The short, alternating perspectives let us get to know both members of the couple, as their vices and growing suspicion of each other begins to infiltrate the miasma of fear. There are lots of missing pieces though, and much of the background to the town and its past left me wondering where the story could possibly be headed. Things are dealt with at a slower pace in this novel which is almost entirely character driven, and often confusingly so. However, I can see where the author was coming from, and how it serves the purpose of always keeping you one step behind the truth. 

I feel this threat to our credibility sharply behind my eyes. The inability to trust ourselves is the most menacing danger. I fear what we could find here. I fear what we wont. 

I love how Jemc has contrasted such elegant prose with her darker subject matter. It's definitely made me want to read more of her work, as she is able to articulate human instinct and emotion in even the most surreal circumstances. She challenges the reader to question where the figments of our imagination begin and reality ends. Is there a true boundary between the two? This book excels at asking that exact question. As for the answer...well, I challenge you to take on The Grip of It and see what conclusion you reach.

We can mark the place that indicates This is how much we can take; we can monitor it, but that line, nevertheless, constantly moves. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

It can be hard to judge a book when I'm not even completely sure what had been going on at times, but perhaps that's the catch with a story like this - realising that the thought of the impossible is the most threatening of all.