Atmospheric: The Burning Story of Climate Change by Carole Wilkinson
Released: 1st October 2015
Published by: Black Dog Books
Genre: YA Environmental Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Pages: 251
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Bookworld | Booktopia

Talking about the weather used to be small talk, now it's the hottest topic on Earth. For billions of years our atmosphere has supported life on Earth, from primitive algae to the human race. But something is happening. Slowly but surely, what we are doing to our atmosphere is changing Earth's climate.

Atmospheric cuts through the many voices raised around climate change to tell the story of our atmosphere, what is putting our climate at risk and what we can do about it. This could be the most important book you read in your life.

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

Atmospheric is an insightful piece of multimodal non-fiction which really makes you think twice about the environment around us and how we care for it. This is a book which is both easy to read and yet deeply informative about not only the history and science of our atmosphere, but the far reaching effects of climate change and how it may impact on us further in the future. 

With a mixture of personal anecdotes, tables, diagrams, photographs, spotlight biographies and references to contemporary environmental issues, Atmospheric may sound like your average textbook. But it certainly is not. No, this is not a book you're going to get bored of reading facts and a whole bunch of information overload. Instead it's cleverly set out to both pack a punch and explain how the earth and its climate has has changed from millions of years ago to now, in a simplistic way which anyone could understand. This is something which would definitely be relatable to teens and adults alike, as there are sections from young adults' perspective alongside the facts. 

The many headings throughout and short sections give a useful snapshot into the world both past and present, with references to scientists like James Hansen to your normal student Vincent Dwyer. It's this range of diverse perspectives and historical accounts which provide a dynamic depiction of how the issue of climate change has been perceived through the years, Plus, even if you get a little stuck on some of the more technical scientific terms, there's a handy glossary at the back to revamp your vocabulary.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I can definitely say I learnt a lot of new things from reading this book, and am now more aware of how what I do impacts on the environment. We can all take something from Atmospheric, especially in today's situation where climate change and global warming don't just exist as the features of a dystopian novel - they are making an impact right now.

*Guest Post by Carole Wilkinson*

The S-word. What does sustainability have to do with you?

                                                        

Sustainability is a word that we hear all the time, and yet it’s hard to find a clear definition.

This is what I’ve come up with:

Sustainability is living in a way that doesn’t damage the planet and its atmosphere, now or in the future.

If you think sustainability has nothing to do with you because you’re too young, too poor or it’s someone else’s problem, think again.

You may not be in a position to put solar panels on your roof or change your light globes to LEDs, but you can definitely do something.

The truth is, we can all live in a sustainable way. 

And the bonus? It will save you or your family money.

Here are my top five tips for making your life sustainable.

1.       Turn things off

91% of electricity in Australia is made by burning coal and gas, producing millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases.

Turn off lights when you leave a room. Don’t leave appliances on stand-by 24/7. One of my pet hates? Leaving the TV on when no one’s watching it.

2.      Don’t use the clothes dryer

It is a criminal waste of electricity to throw things into the dryer when the sun is shining outside. The ultraviolet in sunlight also kills bacteria that make your clothes and sheets smelly even after you’ve washed them.

Don’t have space for a clothesline? Dry things inside. A spare room or a bedroom during the day is a great place for a clothes drying rack.

3.      Buy less stuff

All manufacturing uses up energy (electricity, gas) and produces greenhouse gases. Recycling is great, but it’s better if we buy less stuff in the first place. Check out secondhand shops and garage sales for clothes etc. Repair and mend things, don’t just throw them out. Don’t buy anything that is disposable after one use, or things with three layers of packaging.

4.      Food waste

Up to half of what we put in our rubbish bins is food waste. Not only is it a waste of resources and your money, when it goes to the rubbish dump, it decomposes in a way that produces methane (a greenhouse gas with 28 times the global warming ability of carbon dioxide.) 

Compost your food waste or make a worm farm. Don’t buy large amounts of fruit and veg so that it goes limp and rotten before you use it. If you make too much spaghetti sauce don’t leave it at the back of the fridge until it goes mouldy. Freeze it for another day.

5.      Use the car less

Every time you get in the car, you’re producing greenhouse gases and dangerous pollutants. Think about each trip you make. Could you cycle, walk, or use public transport instead? You’ll be healthier too.

You might think that the reduction in greenhouse gases from one person doing these things is too small to worry about. It isn’t. When we all do it together it has an impact.

PS And don’t buy bottled water! Not only is it 2000 times more expensive than tap water, it results in millions of plastic bottles ending up in landfill.

Review: Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray
Series: The Diviners #2
Released: 26th August 2015
Published by: Allen and Unwin
Genre: YA Paranorma/ Historical
Source: Publisher
Pages: 613
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Book Depository | QBD

The longing of dreams draws the dead, and this city holds many dreams. After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people’s secrets, she’s become a media darling, earning the title “America’s Sweetheart Seer.”

Everyone’s in love with the city’s newest It Girl…everyone except the other Diviners. Piano-playing Henry DuBois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers a secret—for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City. As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess…

As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city? In this heart-stopping sequel to The Diviners, Printz Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray takes readers deeper into the mystical underbelly of New York City.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

If ever there was a series which luminously envisages 1920's New York in all its wanton glory, this is it. Lair of Dreams is a satisfying sequel to its amazing predecessor, and though it doesn't quite live up to the truly horrifying supernatural twist of The Diviners, it was definitely a creepy tale. This is a story which follows the characters we have come to know and love, along with some new additions - in their personal struggles with newfound fame, romantic escapades and most importantly stopping a deadly spirit from killing the people of the city while they sleep. 

Another day closes. The sun sinks low on the horizon. It slips below the Hudson, smearing the West Side of Manhattan in a slick of gold. Night arrives for its watchful shift. The neon city bursts its daytime seams, and the great carnival of dreams begins again. 

Dreams are so often imbued with a wistful golden hue, but in the dark lair of the supernatural - a nightmare is just as likely. You wouldn't be able to tell on the surface though, as Libba Bray's meandering prose reads beautifully. All that you would expect to see from a book set in this era is there - from the speakeasies for the new generation of hedonistic youth to the bootlegged liquor which sustained them. Beneath the glitz however lies the undercurrent of racism and prejudice which was prevalent at the time, as the 'Chinese Sleeping Sickness' works its way across the population and innocent immigrants are blamed. The author has truly captured the multifaceted nature of the time, and I love reading books set in the 1920's because there was so much going on, and it's the perfect setting in this case for Evie and her comrades to step into the limelight.

Evie came into her own once again in this story, but this time with fame attached. As the 'Sweetheart Seer' she seemingly has everything a girl could want - primetime on the radiowaves and everyone knowing her name. But at what cost? With a romantic facade thrown into the mix, more Diviners coming onto the scene and Mabel, Jericho, Theta and Sam getting caught up in the drama - there is both personal and paranormal trouble on the horizon. With a subtle alternating focus on what each of the characters were doing, as well as a new spotlight on Diviners Henry and Ling - everybody has their time to shine and their own journeys converge brilliantly at the climactic end of the spectrum when the spirit world collides with the real one.

It was as if all time and space were unfolding at once around them, a river without end. The borders of their lives vanished; they flowed through time, and it through them, till they didn't know if these things they saw had already been or would come to pass.

It's fascinating that there were those little reference to psychoanalysis from Freud and Jung included, and how the unconscious mind can work. Not only that, but there is definitely room for more in hopefully a third book as there are loose ends to tie up and a renewed sense of wariness at the end of this one. What this book does so well is create a sense of mystery which leaves you wanting more. It isn't necessarily screaming out to you when there are so many other elements at play, but wow I would love to see more from this world and how hopefully all the Diviners we've met so far in the series have their roles.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While this is a mammoth of a book, there is never a dull moment. Libba Bray has impressed me with this sequel, which will be sure to captivate readers once more with a thrilling mystery and vividly depicted historical setting. If you've read The Diviners then you have to read this, and if you haven't yet then what are you waiting for!?

Genie's Weekly News (44)

The last week has been basically me studying my brains out for the HSC, interspersed with reading and still managing to do some blog posts as well. While I'll be going on hiatus when my final exams start, by the start of November I'll be free and able to read all I want *YAY*.

*Reading Right Now*

Historical fiction, 1930's setting, mystery - I'm in!

*Previous Posts*

• ARC Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
• Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring TBR
• Teaser Blast: Wicked Restless by Ginger Scott
• {Blog Tour} The Tribe Series by Ambelin Kwaymullina - Review/Guest Post/Giveaway

*Recommendation of the Week*

Showcasing some underrated Australian YA - The Rosie Black Chronicles by Lara Morgan is still my favourite sci-fi series to date. I still remember eagerly awaiting the second book before it was released and reading it in one sitting the afternoon I got it! If you're looking for something dynamic, action-packed and thrilling then I'd definitely recommend giving them a go. #LoveOzYA #bookstagram #favouritebooks #yascifi #bookrecommendations #igbooks #booklover #coverlove #readthisnow #bookish #booklove

A photo posted by Eugenia (Genie In A Book) (@genie_inabook) on Sep 23, 2015 at 8:10pm PDT

I've been looking back on books I love to re-read recently, and this series is definitely one worthy of that!

*From The Interwebs*

• Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity is looking for ARC's from Sarah J. Maas, Maria V. Snyder and Maggie Stiefvater
• Maisie @ Maisie's Marvelous Reviews shared her top 5 Roald Dahl books
• Cait @ Paper Fury talked about how she would improve goodreads
• Kristy @ Booknerd Reviews is doing a brilliant bookish blogs feature
• Emily @ Loony Literate highlighted YA about the senior year of high school
• Jeann @Happy Indulgence did a video on the playlist book tag

*Haul*

Thank  you to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy!

Flirty Dancing and Love Bomb were both light, fun reads and this one looks like it's heading in a similar direction. I'm looking forward to reading it :)

*What I've Been Watching*

In my searching for a new historical drama to catch my eye (aside from re-watching Downton Abbey from the beginning again), I came across Restless. It's quite an interesting 2-part special which is set in the 1940's and 1970's respectively about a woman who was a spy working with British intelligence and still has some inkling that her occupation during the war is impacting her life in the present. It was first of all interesting to see Michelle Dockery in a very different role than playing Mary Crawley in Downton, and Hayley Atwell played the main role brilliantly. Though I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending, there was a lot of mystery to keep my entertained throughout, and the twist was well played. I'm definitely considering reading the book now to see how it compares. 

*Giveaway Reminder*

Just a quick reminder that my giveaway for 2 sets of the entire 'Tribe' trilogy by Australian author Ambelin Kwaymullina is still going! Closes 9th October and is open to Australian residents only. 

Click the image to go to the entry page!

Have you watched any good historical dramas recently or read any stand-out historical fiction?

{Blog Tour} The Tribe Series by Ambelin Kwaymullina - Review/Guest Post/Giveaway

Monday, 21st September The Loony Literate.

Tuesday, 22nd September Cassie the Weird

Wednesday, 23rd September Diva Book Nerd

Thursday, 24th September Inside My Worlds

Friday, 25th September Genie in a Book

THEFIRSTWOOD.COM.AU | AMBELIN-KWAYMULLINA.COM.AU

Series Review

This is a series which takes the typical dystopian novel to a new level with an original slant. Ambelin Kwaymullina has not just written a trilogy which is refreshingly original, but also incorporates the unique elements of Aboriginal mythology in the Indigenous Futurisms genre. I would call these books 'speculative thrillers', as they're set a few hundred years into the future and provide a glimpse into how the world, and people within it who hold special abilities could be. As each book progresses and there is more information revealed, it all gets all the more intense and vividly told.

Admittedly, at the beginning of The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf I wasn't completely convinced that I would enjoy it. I felt thrown into this situation where there was a lot going on and obviously some big drama over her capture, but no idea how or why she got there. Though her narrative voice wasn't always fluent and the flashbacks could seem longwinded, I did appreciate the amount of worldbuilding and detail that went into creating this book. The descriptions of each of the young adults in detention and those who had rebelled, as well as how they connected to their animal abilities was fascinating to read about. I could see how the Dreamtime plays a big role in providing a rich symbolic backdrop to the action which takes place.

Following on, in The Disappearance of Ember Crow The Tribe is thrown into a whole new set of issues. The Reckoning may have had lasting effects before, and they still linger now. It was great to see more of Ashala's character development here, as well as the perspective of Ember which added extra depth. For Ashala especially it was lovely to see her act as a strong leader who yes, still had her faults but continued to be gallant and look out for her people. This is about restoring balance to the world, saving a friend, and even finding room for some romance on the side. Once again, like the first novel this is a gripping read with a creativity that is impossible to ignore.

And finally - The Foretelling of Georgie Spider. In this installment, Ashala, Ember and Georgie act as three equally valiant leads who are determined to set things right in their society and make a change. Ashala's voice still comes through as it has since the beginning of the trilogy, though Georgie's is also equally evocative. Building on the abilities of the Illegals and raising some harrowing questions about Australia's history is interestingly done, with a sensitive probing that leaves room for thought. There is enough danger, twists and turns in this book to keep fans of the series entertained, and everything comes together in a satisfying ending.

FINAL THOUGHTS 

This is a series that gets better as it goes - each idea is developed and the world-building is ON POINT. It's so nice to see Australian YA making a hit with novels like this, especially ones that connect with Indigenous heritage as well. If you want a post-apocalyptic trilogy with a unique twist unlike anything else out there, then this is for you.

Guest Post by Ambelin Kwaymullina - Speculative Fiction and Indigenous Futurism

I am a writer of Indigenous Futurisms, which is to say, I am one of the many Indigenous peoples worldwide who use the speculative fiction genre to challenge colonialism and to imagine Indigenous futures. And in so doing I am conscious of both the failings and the promise of speculative fiction. 

Speculative fiction, like all Western literary genres, is guilty of the unthinking reproduction of colonial stereotypes. Indigenous peoples have appeared in spec fic narratives as the ‘primitives’ to be conquered; the spiritual but child-like natives who require a white savior to deliverm them from themselves; and the ‘savages’ who lurk beyond the boundaries of what is said to be ‘civilisation’. But if the failing of speculative fiction is continue colonial story-cycles, its promise is to overcome them. For in imagining new worlds it is possible to discard old ideas and to confront the evils of colonialism in new contexts, free of the preconceptions that hinder understanding.

My ancestors taught me to look to the future. They always spoke hopefully of a better world in the worst of times and circumstances, gazing through time to the point when the injustices that dominated so much of their existence were a thing of the past. We do not yet live in that world - as was reported by the UN’s State of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples report, Indigenous peoples across the globe continue to be subjected to discrimination and live in conditions of extreme disadvantage. But my ancestors never did lay down their hope; they passed it on to be carried by those of us who came after them.

I am a writer of Indigenous Futurisms, which is to say, I am one of the many Indigenous peoples worldwide who hopes for a just world.

Giveaway - 2 sets of the trilogy (AU only)

And now thanks to Walker Books Australia, I'm giving away two sets of the trilogy with all three books to a couple of lucky Australian winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Blast: Wicked Restless by Ginger Scott

Wicked Restless by Ginger Scott
Very Mature YA Contemporary Romance
Releasing 20th October 2015

Andrew Harper grew up in a house marked by tragedy. His older brother Owen did his best to shelter him, but you can only be protected from life’s pain for so long. Eventually, you end up just feeling numb…and isolated.

Loneliness was the one constant in Andrew’s life. Until one girl, met by chance in a high school hallway, changed everything. Emma Burke was a mystery and all that was beautiful in this world, the only air Andrew ever wanted to breathe. She took the lonely away, and filled it with hope and color, and Andrew would do anything to keep her safe, happy and whole.

But sometimes, what feels good and right is what ends up hurting us the most. And when Andrew and Emma are faced with an impossible decision, Andrew is tested to see just how far he’s willing to go for the girl who owns his heart.

Cuts are deep.

Scars are left behind.

And revenge beckons.

When Andrew finally gets his chance, in college, five years after his first love broke him completely, he finds out old feelings don’t really disappear just because you say you hate someone. The more he tries to avenge all that he believes he lost, the more he uncovers the real story of what happened years before.

Love is wicked. But a restless heart is never satisfied beating on its own. Can Andrew and Emma make it right before it's too late, or will the ties that bind them now destroy their only chance at a future?

Aaand here's the teaser!

About the Author:

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling author of eight young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, Wild Reckless and The Girl I Was Before. A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work,visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

Social Media Links:

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Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com