The Betrothed

The Betrothed by Kiera Cass (HarperCollins) PB ISBN 9780008158828

Kiera Cass is back with a glittering royal romance sure to captivate her legion of loyal readers and lovers of courtly intrigue. Here is a historical novel for readers of Cass’s selection series which have been on the New York Times bestseller list.

Lady Hollis Brite has grown up vying for King Jameson’s attention, hoping one day to become Queen of Coroa. The king has many other daughters of the nobility to choose from, so when he declares his love for her, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets Silas, a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine.

Cass’s latest novel moves along at a steady and engaging speed. There are many characters in the story but it’s nevertheless possible to keep up with each of them and with the courtly goings-on. The characters are not three-dimensional characters, though, with some of them, such as Delia Grace and Nora and Hollis’s parents repeating the same actions throughout the book. The only really interesting character was Valentina who Hollis befriends.

The main plot was Hollis giggling over Jameson and then falling into love with Silas the moment they lay eyes on each other. It takes a few minutes of conversation spaced over two or three days for them to realize they love each other.  Before long, Hollis is ready to ditch Jameson to marry Silas. As for Silas, he has the audacity to be offended over Hollis's initial rejection. (He knew she was practically engaged to the king and yet still decided to kiss her.)

Having said that, the book is nevertheless a satisfying read and is sure to be enjoyed by teenage girls who like the idea of romance.

Another Night in Mullet Town

Another Night in Mullet Town by Steven Herrick (University of Queensland Press) PB RRP $19.95 IBBN 9780702253959

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Here is a verse novel from award-winning Australian poet and author, Steven Herrick, which illuminates mateship, family relationships, and navigating life. 

For typical Aussie teenagers, Jonah and Manx, life mainly encompasses fishing (for mullet) at the local Coraki lake, watching -- and joining --school mates party on Friday nights and looking for courage to further develop their relationships with Ella and Rachel. There are other problems, of course, insofar as Jonah’s warring parents are ending their marriage, motherless  Manx has issues, too, and the boys’ lakeside town is about to be sold off to city outsiders for redevelopment. This creates tension in town, especially when someone scrawls graffiti against the Sydney interlopers on the local real estate office owned by newcomers, the Lloyd-Davies.

The story has strong messages which are magnified due to the format of verse with characters and scenes being conveyed in fewer words than that of a conventional novel. Herrick is a master at capturing so much in few words; his writing is crisp and succinct and evocative. There is a strong sense of place in the novel with tight but descriptive language that introduces the creek, the lake, the swamp near Lake Road (site of Manx’s house), the ocean, and the town with its large pensioner population.  Both boys were born in Turon where Jonah’s dad runs the petrol station with its mostly truckie customers and ‘goggle-eyed tourists’ on their way to Balarang Bay.

Herrick’s prose perfectly captures the book’s characters. Here’s a description of Manx as seen through Jonah’s eyes: ‘He walks like a draught-horse pulling a load/his head pushed forward, chin up/and muscular arms hanging by his side./His voice is a few octaves deeper and bass,’ hands the size of boxing gloves,/dark hair sprouting from each of his knuckles.’

In each verse, which has its own sub-title, one aspect of the town or its people, is described. For example, there are the consecutive sections called ‘Vodka Cruisers’ and ‘Broken Glass and Bravado’ where after drinking ‘the night always ends/with broken bottles/piled up on the sand/and all of year ten/wondering who’ll vomit first.’

If you are trying to get a teenager to read – especially a boy – this novel with its terse, and what have been described as ‘iridescent,’ verses, is a great book to encourage him to read. As usual, it’s likely that Another Night in Mullet Town will take out some literary awards.

The Things I Didn’t Say

The Things I Didn’t Say by Kylie Fornasier (Penguin Books) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN 978 0143573630

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Losing the power to speak, though physically capable of doing so, is called Selective Mutism. Seventeen year old Piper Rhodes suffers from this mysterious condition even though, as she says, ‘I’ve used up every dandelion wish since I was ten wishing for the power to speak whenever I want to.’ She communicates with hand signals, facial expressions, text and hand written messages and emails. However, she can speak – but only to people she feels most comfortable with – her family, her psychologist (who is on a year’s Sabbatical) and Cassie, her best friend with whom she’s had an altercation, leading Piper at the beginning of the book to starting at a new school despite the fact she is in her final year at school.

It is certainly a brave thing to face people knowing that although you look normal (or, in Piper’s case, attractive), but happily teachers at the new school are prepared, though not the students. It’s surprising then, that despite not speaking, Piper is almost immediately befriended by West, a boy she regards as a ‘Royal’, one of the school’s elite – and coincidentally the school captain. Most of the other students accept Piper’s Mutism, but there are some episodes where she is tormented by ‘invisible’ others.

Piper and West become an item, even though the former never speaks. West seems almost too good to be true the way he accepts Piper’s Mutism, even when the two – Piper still mute -- go to a holiday house to have sex. It is only towards the end of the book when there is a dramatic turn of events that Piper finds her voice around him – and around others.

This is a well-written novel, sympathetic to Piper’s plight. My only quibble is that the final school state-wide exams are down-played with family and social relationships taking the forefront. Piper’s plan to become a journalist is replaced by her desire to study psychology.

Recommended for the readers aged 13+ years.

Hunter’s Moon

Hunter’s Moon by Sophie Masson (Random House)

PB RRP $19.99

ISBN 9780857986030

Reviewed by Jaquelyn Muller

Sophie Masson’s retelling of the Snow White mythology in Hunter’s Moon was one I longed to immerse myself in. It sat patiently ready for my holiday north and as soon as we left the freezing tarmac, I unsociably planted my nose in it (husband, kids - go entertain yourselves).

I eagerly consumed the opulent then perilous tale of Bianca Dalmatin, heir to the Ladies Fair department store empire and stepdaughter to the beautiful but sinister Lady Belladonna. Presented into society at the Duke’s ball by her controlling stepmother, shy and lonely Bianca soon finds herself the subject of a murderous plot involving herself and her much loved father.  The fleeting kindness of Belladonna’s faithful servant that spares Bianca, catapults her on a quest to find out the truth behind her father’s death and her stepmother’s treacherous plans.

The mythical European inspired Faustine Empire creates scenes of rich architecture, tactile landscapes and mystical creatures. The majesty of the first few chapters illuminates a grand stage reminiscent of the late 1800’s, but then extremes of a sophisticated society and mystical backdrops, forced me to release my expectations and let the imagery unravel naturally.

It is these extremities of setting that force young Bianca out of her protected life to find the inner strength to navigate betrayal and look beyond her upbringing to learn the true sense of trust, loyalty, sacrifice, determination, family and self.

Uncovering the references to the well-told Snow White tale was an entertaining addition to the reading experience. The huntsman, magic mirror, poisoned apple, glass coffin and seven dwarfs have all been cleverly intertwined through the story in unexpected ways that will give the younger reader a spark with each discovery.

Hunter’s Moon has all the appeal of romance, action, magic and a fabulous frock or two which has been brilliantly constructed to not overwhelm or confuse readers in the early teens.  It is the fourth book in the series by Masson that retells famous fables. Moonlight and Ashes, Scarlet in the Snow and The Crystal Heart, take the skeletons of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty to a new and wondrous level. The trick is to work out which one is which?

The Love Oracles Book 1: Nymph

The Love Oracles Book 1: Nymph by Tonya Alexandra (Walker Books)
PB RRP $ 19.95
ISBN 9781922077240
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

 A fantasy tale written much like a Mills and Boon romance, Nymph is a delicious tale of forbidden love between a star nymph from Olympus and a mortal.

Merope is the star nymph, the youngest of the Pleiad sisters. She is being pursued by Orion to become his consort, but she refuses to comply. Escaping to modern day Earth with her uncle Prometheus as her protector, she believes that she can distance herself from these unwanted advances.

Earth life, language and technology are challenging. Merope fights hard to keep her identity a secret at school where ‘life never reads the same script as we have prepared’. Her beauty attracts Lukas whose imperfections and gentle characteristics - virtues lacking in the vain, perfect gods - steal her heart.

Can their love conquer the opposition, or will Zeus’ law separate them forever?

There is the usual game of avoidance, pretence, longing and misinterpretation which fails to douse the couple’s fire. Merope agrees to return to Olympus to visit her sisters, but blinded by love, she can’t see the real reasons behind this offer.

This first story in a trilogy, will delight readers with its blend of old fashioned romance, Greek gods and goddesses, lots of mythology and a good strong story line. You’ll love the characters, even when you hate the gods’ smug vanity, and their belief that females exist for their pleasure alone. Filled with humour, lots of laughs will be had as Merope tries to fit into the modern world with her ancient upbringing and principles.

The Watcher In The Shadows

The Watcher In The Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Text Publishing)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-192192252-7
ISBN for eBook 9781921961670
Reviewed by Wendy Fitzgerald

If you are over 13 years old and you like reading ghost stories laced with horror, mystery, romance and suspense I think you will like The Watcher in the Shadows by Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

In the beginning of this story Simone Sauvelle’s husband dies and she soon discovers her family has been left in major debt. It is winter in Paris in 1937. Simone needs to find a way to support her daughter Irene (age 14) and her younger son, Dorian.

Good fortune comes to them when Simone is offered a job in Blue Bay, a small village on the coast of Normandy in France.  A wealthy inventor and toy manufacturer named Lazarus Jann needs a housekeeper to help take care of his run-down mansion set in the eerie forest of Cravenmoore.

Using descriptive language Zafón cleverly introduces Blue Bay as a tranquil idyllic setting. We see the family settle into their new home called Seaview which is a modest house perched on the tip of a cliff overlooking the ocean.

Happily they have left their problems behind in cold old Paris. In Blue Bay we meet a friendly, chatty young girl called Hannah. We watch Irene fall in love with Hannah’s cousin, Ismael.  Dorian is happy sketching maps. Simone enjoys the work and is gets on well with her new boss, Lazarus.

But, as Lazarus warns, ‘The image of reality we perceive with our eyes is only an illusion, an optical effect.’  The mood of the story soon changes as we begin to discover the murky secrets that surround Lazarus and Cravenmoore.

Zafón takes us on a romp through dark shadows with sinister mechanical automatons, strange lights, deep secrets and fierce battles against dangerous creatures.

I was swept along, left trembling and totally hooked by this fantastical, magical adventure.

Carlos Ruiz Zafón draws on the tradition of suspense and gothic fiction. You might like to read more of his books- The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel’s Game, The Prisoner of Heaven, The Midnight Palace or The Prince of Mist.  

Of Poseidon

 Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (hardie Grant EGMONT)

PB RRP $22.95

ISBN 978-1-74297287

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au

Of Poseidon is captivating, funny and thrilling. It holds all the elements of a well-structured story with page turning adventure, strong individual characters, funny and exciting situations including an exciting twist at the end.

I had to read this book twice before I could even think about composing a review. The first time was an obsessive, can’t put down, stay up to the wee hours of the morning kind of read. The second time continued to be an absolute joy as the humour and wonderful moments in the story shone through.

I love the blend of the modern world and ancient myths that run in this storyline. Emma Banks has drawn on Greek Mythology of Poseidon and presented it in a believable modern day setting. Poseidon is the Olympian God of the sea, rivers, horse (he produced the first horse in Athens during a battle with Athena), drought and earthquakes. He is also known as a seducer. Whilst Emma Banks’ Poseidon isn’t as broad she does include elements and adds her own intrigue.

This is essentially a forbidden love story, containing a strong, funny, lovable teenage lead in Emma. We feel her strength of character and unique voice right from page one. Of course the ‘man from the sea’, Galen is depicted as a thoughtful, well-built and utterly attractive outsider. The two hold a physically electric chemistry and have some seemingly insurmountable obstacles to overcome. Although some serious events are encountered it is done so with gentleness and consistent humour.

Anna Banks has a blog and can be found on Facebook and twitter. You can start at http://byannabanks.blogspot.com.au/

I highly recommend this book. The only problem I can see is we have to wait till 2013 for the sequel Of Triton. 

Dangerously Placed

Dangerously Placed by Nansi Kunze (Random House)

PB RRP $17.95

ISBN 978-1-8647-1882-9

Reviewed by Oliver Phommavanh

Dangerously Placed is a novel for teenage readers about friends who do work experience in various places. The main character Alex Thaler lands a dream placement in Virk, a company that has a ‘virtual’ office. Workers wear a Virtual Reality suit and enter this computer-generated environment, mingling with employees from all over the globe. Alex wants to extend her stay in this technologically advanced company with a graduate position. But she gets more than she bargains for, when her fiery boss is virtually murdered and actually dies in real life.

Alex is a likeable lead character. As she moves up and down the prime suspect list, she’s determined to find the killer herself with the help of her goofy friends. They’re a hoot, joking around when times get tough.  

I also really enjoyed the technological aspects of the novel, working in a virtual office sounds like fun but this ‘not too distant future’ side is never really explored. The novel switches from thriller to romance effortlessly, so it’s a frisky read from start to finish. There are two love interests thrown into the mix, though the tension fades halfway. Still, readers will like Alex’s romantic reactions.

 

Dangerously Placed is an amusing story that mix-mashes genres. It’s hard to say if strictly romance or thriller fans will like it, but I think they should give it a go. Recommended for ages 13 and up.