BooksEtc Issue 6 | August 2020
Magazine
Retribution Retribution Dies Dies Step back into the land of Everosia with author Chloe Hodge's follow up to the amazing "Vengeance Blooms."
The
DARK SIDE
We take a look at the dark side of Bookstagram.
Alert, Alert, Alert! Rant ahead...and this one is a doozie. Cover image: Chloe @chloeschapters
FROM THE EDITOR
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Hey! Bonjour! Hola! G'day! Hope you are all staying safe and well in these weird AF times. What a month it has been. Firstly, let me say a HUGE, HUGE thank you to everyone for their amazing support of my first edition of Books Etc Magazine as editor. I know how stressful life is currently and the fact you took the time to stop and read our little magazine, wow, it means A LOT to us!
Editor - Jayse - @Itsmejayse Cover by Chloe - @ChloesChapters Contributors Tamika - @Paperbackandflickchick Blue - @Bluesfairytales_ Ange - @Pnrbookloverreviews Casey -@Through.thepages Guest Reviewers Ellie - @Labsandliterature Jem - @Thegingerpageturner Nicky @Gickles5 Nic @NicBookPanda Tosha @ToshsBookCorner
So, we move on to August. This month our team has worked so hard to gather reviews, articles and business spotlights from authors, books and businesses that we love. We hope you enjoy the magazine this month and we will see you again in September.
Jayse x ANY FEEDBACK? BOOKSETCMAG@GMAIL.COM @BOOKSETC_MAG
WWW.ISSUU.COM/BOOKSETCMAGAZINE
Copyright Š 2020 Books Etc Magazine All rights reserved, material in Books Etc Magazine is protected under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968. No material may be reproduced in part thereof or in whole without written consent from the copyright holders. Copyright responsibility for supplied material rests with the provider. The opinions expressed in Books Etc Magazine are those of individual contributors and not necessarily those of its editors and publishers. Every attempt is made for accuracy, however information and figures contained in this magazine have been provided to us by the advertisers and their sources. No warranty is given by Books Etc Magazine as to the accuracy of any figures or information contained in this magazine. Perspective purchasers are urged to rely on their own enquiries.
CONTENTS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS MONTHS ISSUE
ISSUE 5 | JULY 2020
AUSSIE AUTHOR CHLOE HODGE & RETRIBUTION DIES We take a moment with Australian indie author Chloe Hodge in anticipation of the release of her follow up to her debut novel Vengeance Blooms, 'Retribution Dies.' Page 4 ➤
THE DARK SIDE Behind the shiny photos and glossy facade there is a dark side of Bookstagram. We look at the recent rise of bullying in the bookstagram community.
BOOK BIZ SPOTLIGHT
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We sit down with Nikola from Made by Nikola - a new bookish candle shop.
Page 30 ➤
BOOKSTA TIPS Lets talk about making your picture MOVE! Animating your pictures with these suggested apps will give your feed something new. Page 36 ➤
BLUES RANT This rant is EPIC - check out our exclusive rant from Blue! Page 37 ➤
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - RYAN LA SALA
BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E
Sequins, diamantes and hot glue guns could only mean one thing... Ryan La Sala is about to release another book! When he's not breaking out a new cosplay, he's writing. His debut novel Reverie is one that captured my imagination and in Be Dazzled, his follow up, he shifts gear and takes us deep inside a Comic Con cosplay competition... A b o ut R y a n: Ry an L a Sala has al way s l i ve d o n t he p ar t i t i o n b e t we e n t he real and unreal. H e wr i t e s ab o ut sur r e al t hi ngs hap p e ni ng t o r e al p e o p l e , and his stories are almost alway s q ue e r . H i s f i r s t b o o k , R E VE R I E, fo c use s o n t he wo r l d s we b ui l d wit hin o ur se lve s—o ur d r e ams and o ur d e l us i o ns — and ho w t he y warp our reality. You c an r e ad an int e r vi e w ab o ut i t he r e . Ry an gr e w up in a q uai nt s ub ur b o f C o nne c t i c ut wi t h hi s t hree sib lings and three p ar e nt s. H e st ud i e d A nt hr o p o l o gy and N e ur o s c i e nc e at N ortheastern University in B o st o n and no w wo r k s at o p an ant i q ue mo vi e t he at e r at a d igital d esign age nc y in So me r vi l l e , MA . H e l i ve s i n a ho us e f e s t o o ne d i n d ecorations from p ast t he me p ar t ie s, whe r e t he T V al t e r nat e s b e t we e n B uf f y t he Vamp ire Slayer, Kingd o m H e ar t s , and S ai l o r Mo o n. If no t wr i t i ng, Ry an i s d oing arts and crafts wit h his r o o mmat e , l o ungi ng ar o und o n gy m e q ui p me nt while listening to p ub lishing p o d c as t s , o r l i s t e ni ng t o N PR whi l e c o o k i ng. H e loves CA TS the musical unir o nic ally . A nd , fo r t ho se wo nd e r i ng, Ryan wr it e s ab o ut d r ag q ue e ns b ut is not regularly in d r ag himse lf. H e j us t d o e s n’ t have t he no s e f o r i t , and t hat’s okay. Page 4 ➤
What to expect from Be Dazzled... You should expect an un-ashamedly queer romp through a comic convention. Expect sequins. Expect screaming. Expect fan-girling. Expect Pop culture. But most of all, expect Ryan's crazy amazing sense of humour throughout.
From GoodReads: Who's ready to sparkle?? Project Runway goes to Comic Con in an epic queer love story about creativity, passion, and finding the courage to be your most authentic self. Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making--for creation. He's always chosen his art over everything--and everyone-else and is determined to make his mark at this year's biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. There's only one small problem... Raffy's ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition. Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store--or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca's insecurities and Raffy's insistence on crafting perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can't ruin. But when Raffy is forced to partner with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he'll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart, and his own intense self-doubt, to get everything he's ever wanted: choosing his art, his way.
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REVIEW - CHILDREN
BY NICKY @ G ICK L ES 5 _ Take a couple of red cockroaches, an old sock, some gross hairs from your dad's razor, some juice and a bit of your mum’s scented soap and you’ve got the perfect ingredients for making your very own pet monster! And who doesn’t want to make their own pet monster? Well, 11 year old Artie doesn’t at first, but his step sister Willow convinces him how much fun it’ll be, and appeals to his scientific brain. Together, the two embark on some hair raising adventures in their spooky house and discover the highs and lows of what their hodgepodge creation brings to their lives. How to make a pet monster is an entertaining early reader chapter book that is perfect for both boys and girls looking for something funny and adventurous to read. With fantastic illustrations bringing the story to life, Wilkinson proves why she’s an an award winning author. If you have a young reader who loved movies like Monsters Inc and Hotel Transylvania then they will absolutely love How To Make A Pet Monster. As it’s the first in the series, do yourself a favour and pick this one up to add to their collection.
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From GoodReads: I'm Artie. I'm eleven years old. I do not believe in ghosts, or monsters. I do believe in science. I also believe that my step-sister Willow is kinda terrifying. Willow and I found a weird old book in the attic of our new house. It's called the Big Boke of Fetching Monsters.And it tells you how to make your own monster.But that's impossible. You DEFINITELY can't make a monster, because MONSTERS DO NOT EXIST.
REVIEW - ADULT
BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E Me lb o ur ne b ase d i nd e p e nd e nt aut ho r S he l Calo p a has c r e at e d a p he no me nal d y s t o p i an wo r l d whe r e light e q uals c las s . W hi l s t t he r i c h l i ve in t he light , t he l o we r c l as s ar e b l i nd e d fr o m b ir t h and wo r k und e r gr o und . A f e w y e ar s ago , y o u may have s e e n me r aving all o ve r b o o k s t agram ab o ut t his b o o k c alle d L i f e sp a n o f S ta r l i gh t, t his b o o k L e tter s f r o m th e l i gh t gi ve s me e xac t ly t he s ame f e e l i ngs . Yo u sho uld e xp e c t al l i e s t ur ni ng i nt o e ne mie s, e ne mi e s t ur ni ng i nt o al l i e s , t wist s, t ur ns and e p i c wo r l d b ui l d i ng. T he o nly ne gat i ve t hing I wi l l s ay ab o ut t his b o o k is t hat t he r e ar e a f e w s i d e c har ac t e r s who s t o r y ac t ual l y d o n' t d o any t hing fo r t he mai n s t o r y and t e nd t o b e a lit t le d is t r ac t i ng. S o e xc it ing!! Page 9 ➤
F r o m G o o dR e ads : IMA GINE A WO R L D W H ER E L I GH T I S A P R I VIL EGE In a fut ur e A ust r al i a, whe r e li ght is o nl y fo r t he p o we r f ul and t he p o o r s t r uggle in d ar k ne ss, Sam gr e w up p r ay i ng f o r a way o ut . L iving as t he o nl y s i ght e d b o y in a t o wn o f b lind wo r k e r s was t o ugh. D i sc o ve r ing it d i d n' t have t o b e t hat way was t o ughe r . S am is just o ne o f f i ve d e s p e r at e p e o p l e , e ac h fr o m vast l y d i f f e r e nt s o c ie t ie s i n a d e e p ly d ivid e d l and , who mus t s ur vive p r e j ud ic e , c alami t y , and e ac h o t he r , t o unl o c k t he se c r e t s o f t he i r wo r l d , and ult i mat e ly he lp a f ab l e d A i d e f e at an anc ie nt fo e . Tha nk y ou s o muc h t o S hel f o r t he rev iew c op y of y o ur no v el .
"What would you do to escape the dark?"
REVIEW - YA
BY ELLIE @ L A BS A ND L ITE RA TU RE The Extraordinaries is an urban YA fantasy by author T.J Klune, about superheroes known as Extraordinaries. Nick Bell wishes he was one, but he is the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinary fandom and that has to count for something. When Nick meets his biggest crush, Shadow Star, he becomes determined to become an Extraordinary which will obviously lead to them falling madly in love and living happily ever after, right? A queer coming of age story about the ultimate fanboy and the hero he loves. If I could give this book 1000 stars it would still deserve more. I am completely in love with everything about it and it has something for everyone. Flashy superheroes, incredible friendships that are #goals, sassy parentals, angsty teens and a slow burn romance that will drive you wild... Or maybe that's just me?
Flashy superheroes, incredible friendships...and a slow burn romance that will drive you wild...or maybe that's just me? Klune dedicates the time to developing each character and ensures that they are realistic and human. The relationship between Nick and his friends is so heartwarming because it is clear they will do absolutely anything for one another and the relationship with his father is special and honest. Klune encompasses the high school experience so perfectly. He has captured all the angst, awkwardness and drama that comes with being a teenager. The humour throughout is so realistic that you cannot help but cringe with embarrassment. There are so many parts of this book that had me laughing and it was what I needed at this time.
What I wasn’t expecting in this book was the multiple plot twists! I am very good at guessing twists thanks to my extensive mystery consumption I was expecting a fluffy YA easy read that I would fly in my teens but this book got me twice! through and move onto my next book. What I got was a masterpiece that has so much substance I Overall, The Extraordinaries was a wild ride that couldn't put it down. Klune focused on creating made my heart so happy. It is an Own Voices queer wonderful, three dimensional and real characters. story that celebrates being different which in our Nick and his best friend Seth have such an amazing world today is such a beautiful and important thing. connection it pulls at your heartstrings and they are supported by a cast of incredible secondary Thank you to Hachette Australia for this review characters. copy. Page 11 ➤
REVIEW - GRAPHIC NOVEL
BY TOSHA @ TO S HS BOOK CORN E R Crushes are stressful. Dating is disappointing. Every relationship, you either break up or get married & then divorced. Pies can't hurt you.” ~ Ngozi Ukazu, Check Please, Book 1: #Hockey. Eric “Bitty” Bittle is the main protagonist in this delightful graphic novel. He is honestly too precious for words and should be protected at all costs! A former figure skater who somehow-despite his being on the shorter side and incredibly gentle-got himself a hockey scholarship to university after demonstrating his fantastic skating skills. Now he just needs to figure out how to deal with those pesky checks on the ice that keep bringing on fainting spells. All of this is told through Bitty’s eyes to his followers on his Vlog and Twitter. And if that doesn’t already sound entertaining enough, he’s a southern boy and amateur pastry chef that puts all of his feelings and time into baking—even when he should be doing his homework. Along with Bitty, we have Jack, the serious but sexy captain that causes all sorts of mixed emotions for Bitty. As well, as some really great team/house mates that have his back as soon as they taste how great his pies are!
Page 12 ➤
This graphic novel is a lot of fun and leaves the reader with a wonderful glow—and although at first I was afraid it would be too juvenile, that is definitely not the case. Even with all the happy feels, it still touches on some very important subjects, such as sexuality, acceptance, dating, anxiety and depression. Definitely a five star rating from this corner in Canada!
The DARK BY JAYSE
@ ITS MEJA Y S E Bookstagram; its the online book community for people who LOVE books, who share a passion for words and pretty pictures. We are fangirls/boys and loveeee our fandoms. Recently though, we have seen a rise in the Dark Side of Bookstagram. Recently there has been a large increase in instances of bullying...
SIDE
Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.
Recently, this has been happening more and more, for example, people not agreeing on simple things, such as a bookstagrammer who recieved a book from a publisher, she didn't like the book and some people in the community didn't share the same opinion and they CAME for her HARD.
This has NO place in our community, so lets take a look at how we can minumise this an give a real strategy to overcome this. Bullying. . .
This is something that triggers me so much! I was bullied throughout my childhood at school and then into secondary school. It wasnt and still isn't okay. I will not stand for it.
Firstly, let's define bullying shall we? Some people seem to have forgotten in recent times...
What we can do. . . Discuss things rationally and maturely. If someone doesn't agree or becomes aggressive, you are NOT obligated to stick around unfollow, block, delete. Do what you need to do to remove yourself from the situation.
Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records). Page 14 ➤
Also, if you SEE it, SPEAK OUT!
Need help? https://kidshelpline.com.au https://au.reachout.com/ https://headspace.org.au/ https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/ https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ https://www.esmart.org.au
OR JUST RELEASED Mal orie by Josh Mail man In the seventeen years since the 'creatures' appeared, many people have broken that rule. Many have looked. Many have lost their minds, their lives, their loved ones. In that time, Malorie has raised her two children - Olympia and Tom - on the run or in hiding. Now nearly teenagers, survival is no longer enough. They want freedom.When a census-taker stops by their refuge, he is not welcome. But he leaves a list of names - of survivors building a future beyond the darkness - and on that list are two names Malorie knows. Two names for whom she'll break every rule, and take her children across the wilderness, in the hope of becoming a family again...
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Mi dni ght Sun by Stephenie Meyer This unforgettable tale as told through Edward’s eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting beautiful, mysterious Bella is both the most intriguing and unnerving event he has experienced in his long life as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward’s past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he let himself fall in love with Bella when he knows that he is endangering her life?
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes. As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.
The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still, she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfil his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana's merciless bid for the throne.
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinka Every year on St. Walpurga's Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking. Convinced her handsome brother is going to be taken this year, Lina Kirk enlists the help of the mysterious Thomas Lin, her secret crush, and the only boy to ever escape from the palace after winning the love of a queen. Working together they protect her brother but draw the queen's attention. Queen Eva cast away her heart when her sister died to save the boy she loved. Now as queen, she won't make the same mistake. With the tide rising higher than ever before and the islanders whispering that Eva's magic is failing, she's willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city. When Thomas is chosen as sacrifice, Lina takes his place and the two girls are forced to spend time together as they wait for the full moon. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, the two girls find themselves falling for each other. As water floods Caldella’s streets and the dark tide demands its sacrifice, they must choose who to save: themselves, each other, or the island city relying on them both.
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A gripping, dark fairytale fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island city.
The Erasure Ini ti ati ve by Lili Wilkinson
A girl wakes up on a self-driving bus. She has no memory of how she got there or who she is. Her nametag reads CECILY. The six other people on the bus are just like her: no memories, only nametags. There's a screen on each seatback that gives them instructions. A series of tests begin, with simulations projected onto the front window of the bus. The passengers must each choose an outcome; majority wins. But as the testing progresses, deadly secrets are revealed, and the stakes get higher and higher. Soon Cecily is no longer just fighting for her freedom - she's fighting for her life. The acclaimed author of After the Lights Go Out returns with another compelling YA thriller - a timely novel about the intensity and unpredictability of human behaviour under pressure.
'CLEVER AND COMPELLING, THIS ETHICS-DRIVEN THRILL RIDE WILL HAVE YOU RACING THROUGH IN SEARCH OF ANSWERS WHILE IT CHALLENGES YOUR MORAL COMPASS.' - SARAH EPSTEIN ON THE ERASURE INITIATIVE
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Court of Lions (Mirage #2) By Somaiya Daud After being swept up into the brutal Vathek court, Amani, the ordinary girl forced to serve as the half-Vathek princess's body double, has been forced into complete isolation. The cruel but complex princess, Maram, with whom Amani had cultivated a tenuous friendship, discovered Amani's connection to the rebellion and has forced her into silence, and if Amani crosses Maram once more, her identity - and her betrayal - will be revealed to everyone in the court. Amani is desperate to continue helping the rebellion, to fight for her people's freedom. But she must make a devastating decision: will she step aside, and watch her people suffer, or continue to aid them, and put herself and her family in mortal danger? And whatever she chooses, can she bear to remain separated, forever, from Maram's fiancé, Idris?
“PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A STORY THAT’S ENRICHING, THRILLING, AND CAPTIVATING.” ―BUZZFEED ON COURT OF LIONS Where the dead go By Sarah Bailey A fifteen-year-old girl has gone missing after a party in the middle of the night. The following morning her boyfriend is found brutally murdered in his home. Was the girl responsible for the murder, or is she also a victim of the killer? But who would want two teenagers dead? The aftermath of a personal tragedy finds police detective Gemma Woodstock in the coastal town of Fairhaven with her son Ben in tow. She has begged to be part of a murder investigation so she can bury herself in work rather than taking the time to grieve and figure out how to handle the next stage of her life she now has serious family responsibilities she can no longer avoid. But Gemma also has ghosts she must lay to rest. A riveting thriller by the author of the international bestseller The Dark Lake, winner of both the Ned Kelly Award and the Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for a debut crime novel. Page 17 ➤
Igni ting Darkness By Robin LaFevers
Vi ci ous Spirits by Kat Cho
When you count Death as a friend, who can stand as your enemy?
As Vicious Spirits begins, Miyoung and Jihoon are picking up the pieces of their broken lives following the deaths of Miyoung's mother, Yena, and Jihoon's grandmother. With the support of their friend Somin, and their frenemy, Junu, they might just have a shot at normalcy. But Miyoung is getting sicker and sicker by the day and her friends don't know how to save her. With few options remaining, Junu has an idea but it might require the ultimate sacrifice and, let's be honest, Junu isn't known for his "generosity." Meanwhile, the events at the end of Wicked Fox have upended the forces that govern life and death and there are supernatural entities lurking in the background that will stop at nothing to right their world.
Sybella, novitiate of the convent of Saint Mortain and Death’s vengeance on earth, is still reeling from her God’s own passing, and along with him a guiding hand in her bloody work. But with her sisters on the run from their evil brother and under the watchful eye of her one true friend (and love) at court, the soldier known as Beast, Sybella stands alone as the Duchess of Brittany’s protector.
Harrow the ninth by Tamsyn Muir Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath — but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her. Sealed in the gothic gloom of the Emperor's Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers, hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?
Page 14 ➤
The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff This is the story of one family, one dreamy summer – the summer when everything changes. In a holiday house by the sea, our watchful narrator sees everything, including many things they shouldn’t, as their brother and sisters, parents and older cousins fill hot days with wine and games and planning a wedding. Enter two brothers – irresistible, charming, languidly sexy Kit and surly, silent Hugo. Suddenly there’s a serpent in this paradise – and the consequences will be devastating.
INDIE AUTHOR - CHLOE HODGE self-doubt and anxiety, but once I broke through, it was all go! I wrote 50 thousand words of this book in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writer’s Month) and from there the words just seemed to flow.
BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E
With Retribution Dies, the second book in the Guardians of the Grove trilogy due out on August 7th, we took a moment with Aussie fantasy author Chloe Hodge to chat about the book, what to expect and more... What can you tell us about Retribution Dies (RD)? It’s no fairytale come true! In this second instalment, the crew are constantly facing new battles—both against evil and within themselves. Retribution Dies is told in multiple POV’s and we get a deeper insight into past Page 25 ➤
traumas and life changing events that shaped not only our protagonist, but our villain as well. Some new faces are introduced, a new love blossoms, and as always, darkness overshadows all. How did writing a sequel compare to writing your debut Vengeance Blooms?
How do the characters develop in RD? Because of the multiple POV’s I was able to play around with several of our favourites—expand their back story, build on their fears, their truths, and what they needed in order to move forward—and hence I think the character development in RD was much more significant. I’m excited to see how
Starting the second book was hard! I felt unsure of where to begin, and I experienced many moments of
ts n a w s s kne r a d e "Th g... n i h t e som ask t ' n s e do e h d n a ." nicely
this development progresses in book three! You seem to have amassed a very supportive following in the Australian bookstagram community...how has that been? The support and enthusiasm from the bookstagram community has been an absolute joy. I’m so very thankful to have connected with so many amazing people, and their support has extended not just to myself but to my books as well. My series wouldn’t be where it’s at had it not been for so many of you lovely people! Who designed the gorgeous cover art for the books? The amazing hardcover art was drawn by the lovely Tamara, whose art is under the pseudonym Niru Sky (@niru.sky). She did such an amazing job and I can’t stop staring at the covers!! The paperback and the design for the Page 25 ➤
hardcovers was done by Erica Timmons (@etc.__graphicdesigns ). She has worked so hard to bring my concepts to life and I couldn’t be more grateful! Is this the conclusion to the series, or will we be seeing more of Ashalea and the gang? There will be one final book to complete the trilogy! I’m hoping to have this done by early 2021. From there, who knows! I might do a spin-off featuring Shara later down the track, but no immediate plans to action this. Anything else you can share?? I’ll soon be revealing a new artwork featuring one of my latest character additions! I’m so excited to introduce him to you, and I hope you love him as much as I do! Exciting things ahead?? I’m so excited for the August ‘Defender of Realms’ box by No Shelf Control Book Box to go out! It features the
hardcover editions of Vengeance Blooms and Retribution Dies, as well as some merch goodness! I’d love to see any unboxings so feel free to tag me @chloeschapters! Other than that, preorders are open for my books! You can get signed copies from www.chloehodge.com and they come with a free bookmark. Catch you for the launch day on 7th August!!
REVIEW - FANTASY
BY CASEY @ THRO U GH. THE P A G E S
Ok folks it’s time to strap yourselves in because this instalment of The Guardians of the Grove trilogy is about to take you on a crazy ride (yes I know, cliche packed sentence lol). Here I have in my hot little hands (kindle) is book number two from the amazing Chloe Hodge – Retribution Dies. To say I’m impressed, amazed, shocked and feeling all the feels would be an understatement. Now I will not be providing spoilers as I’m not like that and also I know this is yet to be released, but the story takes place in the aftermath Page 25 ➤
of the Battle at Renlock Academy and the quartet know they have much to face and new guardians to find. Not to mention the ever present and terrifying Darkness to find and fight. Let the madness ensue. One thing I love about this instalment is that this time we are provided with multi POV. By doing this Chloe has allowed each character their time to shine and work on elements of their development as a character.
We get to experience their growth and understanding first hand in these chapters instead of just seeing it through the main character Ashlaea’s eyes. It feels more personal and rich for each of the characters. Make sure that when August 7th hits you get your hands on a copy of this, I feel you will not be disappointed as I know I was not. In fact I am now desperate for book three. Amazing Chloe!
NEW S • 16 J UL Y 2020
The 2020 Miles Franklin Literary Award Winner Is… We’re thrilled to share that Wiradjuri author Tara June Winch’s The Yield has won the 2020 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Pr o f o und ly mo vi ng and e x q ui s i t e l y wr i t t e n, Th e Yi el d is t he st o r y o f a p e o p l e and a c ult ur e d isp o s s e s s e d . B ut it i s e q ual l y a c e l e b r at i o n o f what was and what e nd ur e s, and a p o we r f ul r e c lai mi ng o f Ind i ge no us l anguage, storytelling and id e nt it y . A t a t ime whe n A us t r al i a i s r e c k o ni ng wi t h i t s e l f , W i nc h s ays it’s imp erative we he ar mo r e Ind ige no us vo i c e s i n l i t e r at ur e . ' I' m ho no ur e d t o b e amo ng b r i l l i ant c o l l e ague s o n t he l o nglist and shortlist, our p o we r is in t he many s t o r i e s and no t o nl y t he o ne . T he historical p resence of b o t h T o ny B ir c h and my s e l f o n t he s ho r t l i s t s i gnal s t o t he p ub lishing ind ustry t hat we c an wr it e o ur o wn s t o r i e s , and t hat we d o n' t want to b e sp oken for. I ho p e t his e ve nt al s o e nc o ur age s t he ne x t ge ne r at i o n o f Ind igenous voices, to k no w t he r e is a s p ac e he r e f o r y o u i n t he i nd us t r y , and i n the mind s and hearts o f a ne w e r a o f r e ad e r s . W e ne e d t o he ar vo i c e s f r o m ac ross the nation to truly imme r se o ur se l ve s i n t he s o ng o f A us t r al i a. ’ T he Mile s F r ank l i n L i t e r ar y A war d was e s t ab l i s he d b y p r olific author and fe minist St e lla Mar i a S ar ah Mi l e s F r ank l i n, no w b e s t k no wn for her first novel My B r illiant Car e e r . F i r s t p r e s e nt e d i n 1957, t he A war d c e l e b rates novels of the highe st lit e r ar y me r i t t hat t e l l s t o r i e s ab o ut A us t r al i an l i fe. T his awar d jo ins a gr o wi ng l is t o f ac c o l ad e s f o r T he Yi e l d , includ ing the B o o k o f t he Ye ar , t he Pe o p l e ’ s C ho i c e A war d and t he C hr istina Stead Pr iz e fo r F ic t io n at t he N S W Pr e mi e r ' s L i t e r ar y A war d s .
n e l e H r e r e u e h Sc Over the past several months I have been diving into the incredible fictional world of @ ITS MEJA Y S E Oremere. This world created by independent author Helen Scheuerer grabbed me, gave me a shake and did not let go. The characters Scheuerer created made their way into my heart. The development of these characters through the series is something I loved and something I looked forward to in each book.
BY JAYSE
With three books in the series and a prequel collection which has recently been released we sat down with Helen and spoke about all things publishing, Oremere and more. Jayse - Hi there Helen! Thanks so much for sitting down with Books Etc.
books, you’ve made my day several times, so thank you! As for the idea… It’s a tricky one because there wasn’t Helen - My pleasure! Thanks ever a lightning bolt so much for having me :) moment of inspiration. The truth is, I started writing Jayse – Wow, I think you Heart of Mist to escape the know by now how edits of a previous book I much I LOVED The Oremere was working on. It started Chronicles. Where did this with the image of a girl idea come from? walking into what I knew to be deadly mist… From there, Helen – I’ve loved seeing I couldn’t stop writing. your posts on the Oremere Jayse – Toxic mist, magic Page 26 ➤
and adventure, Heart of Mist presented a lot for the reader to absorb. How did you know what elements you wanted to have in the story? Helen - Looking back now, I didn’t do much planning at all, so I didn’t have a preconceived notion of what elements I wanted to include. I wrote Heart of Mist for me, for the love of the story, so whatever I did include was out of
INDIE AUTHOR - INTERVIEW
instinct I suppose. I’ve always loved magic and adventure, so it seemed natural for me to explore those ideas. I tend to work in layers - the first draft is a skeleton and then in the following rewrites, I layer on and carve out what I want and don’t want, if that makes sense? Jayse – Let’s touch on Bleak, one of the main characters. She would have been such an interesting character to write. How did you track how she would develop through the story? Helen - Writing the prequel short stories (from the recent collection Dawn of Mist) was an amazing help in discovering Bleak’s character. I love knowing backstories and what characters have been through in order to become Page 26 ➤
who they are in the present. Bleak in particular had quite a difficult childhood and those stories preceding the events in the main series helped me determine the mess she was in Heart of Mist and then how she would grow and change in the following books. That’s not to say it was easy! Every book went through several rewrites and numerous edits in order to refine the development of her character. Jayse – What does a typical writing day look like for you? Helen - Oh I always love these questions. For me, it really depends on the stage of writing I’m at. If I’m fast drafting (the very first draft of a book), it means getting up early, making a big mug of tea
and sitting at my desk before the rest of the world is awake. I try to get down as many words as I can for as long as I can. Sometimes I manage over 5,000 words in a day, other times it’s as low as 500. I’m a full-time author, so I’ve tried to create as much of a routine as I can and now that I’m a few years in, I always make sure I take weekends off to refill the creative/motivational well. Jayse – Now, I received a sneaky email the other day about a novelette called ‘A Song in the Deep’, can you tell us anything about this and how it leads into a future project? Helen - Sure thing! It’s so nice to know people are receiving and reading it. A Song in the Deep is a
prequel story to a brand new dark fantasy series I’m working on. It’s set in a formidable lair of bones and follows the tale of a lonely young cyren, who longs more than anything to be loved and accepted. She becomes fast friends with a battalion leader’s daughter and they get into all sorts of trouble. I’ve actually just sent the second prequel story, The Law of the Lair off to my copy editor, so that will be out soon enough as well! Jayse – One of your recent email updates (which I love), was so honest about the struggle of being an author, especially in these chaotic covid times, can you tell us more about how you overcome the struggle? Helen – I’m so glad you’re Page 26 ➤
enjoying the email updates, I do try my best to keep things open and honest with my readers! As for overcoming the struggle… To be honest I think it’s a constant challenge and will continue to be so for some time. Each day presents new struggles, new worries, so there’s no one particular way to overcome the hurdles. Covid impacted the launch of Dawn of Mist quite hard and my income has taken a massive hit over the last few months, but there isn’t anything I can do about it but keep writing and working. In an odd way, knowing that has helped me. I also have a partner who’s a great support and constantly reminds me to be kind to myself. Taking proper breaks and rewarding myself for getting through a particularly hard day are
incredibly important preventatives to burn out, especially during these chaotic times. Jayse – if you could give a budding author one piece of handy advice, what would it be? Helen - This has probably been said a million times before but… Write what you love reading. Certain genres and styles get drilled into us as more prestigious, more serious, etc. and I certainly worried about things like that at the beginning of my career. But as soon as I stopped caring about that stuff and started to write what I loved reading, everything seemed to fall into place. I would also add, be open-minded about your publication options. I’m only able to write full-time because I chose to publish
independently. Jayse – Which books or authors influence your writing? Helen - I’ve always been an avid reader, so I imagine there are hundreds of authors and books that deserve credit here, but as for what’s directly influenced my books so far… Emily Rodda, Sarah J Maas, VE Schwab and Marie Rutkoski have all played a role :) Jayse – The worldbuilding in your writing just blows my mind, how do you contain all that inside that head of yours? What do you do to take time out? Helen – Thank you so much! And haha, that’s an excellent question. The Oremere Chronicles Page 26 ➤
was the first fantasy series I’d written for publication and so I just threw myself in the deep end and hoped for the best. When I started, I didn’t realise how complicated fantasy worlds get with maps, history, various timelines and numerous cultures. It was definitely a challenge and one I was quite underprepared for. I thought I could just remember everything,
which certainly wasn’t the case. Now, I know better. For the new series I’m working on, I have what some people call a ‘series bible’. It contains everything from languages and currencies to a timeline of history dating back over 900 years… As for what I do to take time out… Well, here in Queenstown, NZ, the ski season has gotten underway, so I’ll be up the mountain attempting to
snowboard over winter. Normally though, I’m happy pretty much anywhere there’s a fireplace and a decent bottle of red :) Jayse – So, what’s next for Helen? Helen - Well, I’m hard at work on next year’s book the first in a brand new fantasy quartet. The whole project begs the question: how far will you go to get what you want? It’s brimming with brand new morally grey characters and it explores the notion of ambition in an incredibly dark and mysterious world. The prequels we talked about earlier are a great ntroduction to the world itself and some of the characters we’ll meet in the series. I’m bursting to say more than that, but it’s early days! Page 26 ➤
What to know more about Helen? Check these out... Website: https://helenscheuerer.com/ Books: https://amzn.to/2BDlsb0 [Free] A Song in the Deep: https://bit.ly/2ZgRvHh
REVIEW - YA
BY JEMMA @ THEGINGERP A G E TU RN E R The Magic of Orisha is gone, those known as Maji were killed when it disappeared. Zelie has one chance to bring back magic and rise up against the monarchy hell bent on destroying magic once and for all. With the help of her brother and an unexpected ally in the princess, she travels across Orisha in the hope they can find the sacred items that could bring magic back. All the while they are being chased by the Crown Prince who is determined to stop them. From the start this book had me hooked and was action packed throughout the entirety of the story. Although being fast paced it still flowed well and there was not any point that I found myself being confused about what was happening. The story is told from three points of view, Zelie, Amari and Inan. I really enjoyed the growth of all three of the characters, they all have their own views and they all challenge each other on those views of the world they live in. Zelie struggles to control her powers and the feelings that she may be having for a certain crown prince but begins to work through this by the end of the story. I felt the biggest growth came from Inan who had grown up being taught that Maji were to be feared and that they should not be have magic again. He struggles to prove to those around him that he is trying to change and that he was perhaps wrong. Amari sits in the middle of both Zelie and Inan, she sees both sides to the story and wants to see peace come to Orisha. The world building in the story was wonderful and I love the cultural elements that the author has woven into the story. I love that throughout the book there is stories told of the Page 24 ➤
history of Orisha and its Gods by different characters. We get to learn more about them as the story progresses, including that of the Maji clans and how they came to be. There is 10 clans of Maji that each have their own power, they are outlined at the start of the book which I thought was handy to have along with a map of Orisha. Overall a fantastic read that I would recommend for lovers of fantasy, adventure and the enemies to lovers trope.
From GoodReads: They killed my mother. They took our magic. They tried to bury us. Now we rise. Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.
REVIEW - ADULT
BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E
In S t icks an d S t o n e s b y Kat he r ine F ir k in, t he jo ur nal i s t t ur ne d aut ho r us e s he r k no wle d ge gai ne d f r o m t he c o ur t r o o m and c r i me r e p o r t ing and inj e c t s t hat int o t hi s t ur b o c har ge d t hr ille r . F r o m t he e xp lo s ive i nt r o d uc t i o n I was ho o k e d . I k ne w we t he r e ad e r s we r e i n fo r a r id e . W he n d e vo t e d mo t he r N at al i e Gi b s o n go e s missing wi t ho ut t r ac e , D e t e c t i ve Emme t t Co r b an k no ws t hat s o me t hi ng sinist e r is go ing o n. Yo u ne e d t o r e ad t hi s o ne f o r y o ur s e l f !
"As disturbing as it is twisty. Firkin takes readers into the mind of a killer like no one else!" Page 7 ➤
From GoodReads: It's winter in Melbourne and Detective Emmett Corban is starting to regret his promotion to head of the Missing Persons Unit, as the routine reports pile up on his desk. So when Natale Gibson goes missing, he's convinced this is the big case he's been waiting for - the woman's husband and parents insist the devoted mother would never abandon her children, and her personal accounts remain untouched. But things aren't all they seem. The close-knit Italian family is keeping secrets - none bigger than the one Natale has been hiding. Just as the net seems to be tightening, the investigation is turned on its head. The body of a woman is found . . . then another. What had seemed like a standard missing person's case has turned into a frightening hunt for a serial killer, and time is running out.But to really understand these shocking crimes, Emmett and his team will need to delve back through decades of neglect - back to a squalid inner-city flat, where a young boy is left huddling over his mother's body . . .
REVIEW - ADULT
BY NIC @ N ICBO OK P A N D A The Swap is a psychological domestic thriller about obsession, jealousy and the toxic relationship between two couples. Low is a bit of a loner and fresh out of high school. When she meets Freya, the gorgeous sophisticated woman who has just moved to the island with her husband, she feels like she’s found a sense of belonging. Until Freya meets Jamie and her husband, developing a fast friendship and leaving Low alone once more. That is, until a boozy night of debauchery when Freya suggests to Jamie they swap partners... Harding has done it again. This book is full of awful unlikeable characters, toxic relationships, and people doing irrational things, and it’s AMAZING! Her previous book, The Arrangement, was just as addictive and also had a cast of awful and unlikeable characters - this is obviously Harding’s forte. The book switches points of view between the people surrounding Freya - her husband, her two friends Jamie and Low, and Jamie’s husband Brian. I loved the way this was structured, because it left the reader with a sense of confusion and intrigue into Freya’s motives. Freya is manipulative, beautiful and cunning, making for an intriguing villain that you just love to hate. Page 29 ➤
There were also some deliciously creepy parts. Low’s level of obsession and adoration was scary, and seeing the lengths she would go to ingratiate herself in Freya’s life was quite disturbing. This is one hell of a page-turner, and like watching a train crash, the reader knows it's going to end badly but can’t stop reading. This book is compelling, twisted and a fantastic binge read. Highly recommend! From GoodReads: Low Morrison is not your average teen. You could blame her hippie parents or her looming height or her dreary, isolated hometown on an island in the Pacific Northwest. But whatever the reason, Low just doesn’t fit in—and neither does Freya, an ethereal beauty and once-famous social media influencer who now owns the local pottery studio. After signing up for a class, Low quickly falls under Freya’s spell. And Freya, buoyed by Low’s adoration, is compelled to share her darkest secrets and deepest desires. Finally, both feel a sense of belonging...that is, until Jamie walks through the studio door. Desperate for a baby, she and her husband have moved to the island hoping that the healthy environment will result in a pregnancy. Freya and Jamie become fast friends, as do their husbands, leaving Low alone once again. Then one night, after a boozy dinner party, Freya suggests swapping partners. It should have been a harmless fling between consenting adults, one night of debauchery that they would put behind them, but instead, it upends their lives. And provides Low the perfect opportunity to unleash her growing resentment.
REVIEW - ADULT
BY ANG @ P N RBOOK L OV E RRE V IE W S This story! You guys, it was so good. Hands down, did not think I would have liked it as much as I have. Because for me book 1 was such a letdown, I had no clue what book 2 had up its sleeve. This whole story was delicious, and very much redeemed itself. I really enjoyed the characters much better this time round, I LOVED that the author brought back the humour I knew and loved, and she brought back all the characters in the Night Huntress, Night Prince series. Jeanine Frost can do vampires like no others can, I have loved Ian from the very beginning (that’s over a decade ago) You literally can’t help but to love his snarky, charming, sexy personality. Veritas, the ass kicking badass who is meant to be a law guardian is the perfect woman to keep him on his toes. In this new series spin off we are being treated to new characters like Asheal, a demon with black wings, who is feared by literally everyone. Yonah, a prince that lives on a secret island, and so many more but if i went on I know I would put in a spoiler. Page 29 ➤
n this book you will get, well really in this entire series you will get the following; Fantastic storytelling and one wicked plot. Characters that have sizzling chemistry. Each book is filled with passionate steamy vampire alone time (I’m not sure who is of legal age to read this) It doesn’t get better than that, I highly suggest that you start this series way at the beginning. The Audio Book: The narration was fabulous! I liked that the voice for Vertias was constant throughout the whole novel, especially because she had an accent. Jeanine Frost is one of my personal favourite authors, and all her books are one hell of a ride, do yourself a favour and check them out. F rom Good Read s: Ver it a s spent most of her life a s a va mp i r e L a w G ua r d ia n. N ow , she's a bout t o brea k e v e r y r u l e b y sec r et ly hunt ing dow n t he da rk souls t h a t w e r e f r e e d in o r d er t o sa ve Ia n. B ut t he risk s a re h i g h . F o r i f s h e get s c a ught , she c ould lose her job. A n d c a t c h i n g t h e sinist er c r ea t ure s might c ost V erit a s he r o w n l i f e . S o me vo w s a re fore ver. . . Ia n' s memories might be fra gment ed, b u t t h i s ma s t e r va mp ir e isn't a bout t o be left behind b y t h e w o ma n w ho en t r a nc ed him, bound herself t o h i m, a n d t h e n d isa p p ea r ed. So w ha t if demons, ot her L a w G ua r d ia ns, a nd da ngerous, ot he rw orldl y f o r c e s s t a n d a ga inst t hem? C ome hell or high w a t er , I a n i n t e n d s t o r emin d V erit a s of t he burning pa ssion b e t w e e n t h e m, b ec a u se she is t he only person se a re d o n h i s mi n d - a nd h is soul. . .
IRON & INK DESI GNS
WWW.IRONANDINKDESIGNS.COM
Made By Nikola Made by Nikola is a new bookish candle company on the block. I was lucky enough to sit down with the creator, Nikola, and have a chat about her business, candles and all things bookish! Jayse – Nikola! Hi! Thanks so much for chatting to us at Books Etc… Nikola – Hi Jayse! Thank you so much for having me, this is so exciting! Jayse – So, for those who don’t know, what is Made by Nikola? Nikola - Made by Nikola is a (very simple) name for my bookish hobby/business. I absolutely love candles and everything bookish, and once Covid hit us hard, I lost my full-time job and suddenly I had lots and lots of time to do something fun. I thought that learning something new and connectinv with the bookish community will help me get over the period of unemployment. Shortly after I committed I was offered my job back and started af uni (insert facepalm emoji) so my candle adventure is a more of a hobby for now. Jayse – How did you get interested in making candles?
Page 30 28 ➤
Photo - Shan @AllSheReads (instagram)
BIZ SPOTLIGHT
Nikola - You know when you clean your house on the weekends, have a shower, and once everything is done you light a candle and appreciate a job well done? So that's how it started, I was buying the most beautiful candles to fill my home with scents, first on the weekends and then it became a ritual to burn every evening while reading. I was always on a lookout for candles to match the mood of what I was reading and then came to the conclusion - make your own. Jayse – Any plans for future products that you can tell us about? Nikola - I will be starting making bookmarks for which I design or collaborate with some amazing artists (because abstract is one thing and character art something completely different). I'm also planning on introducing a flavoured tea to complement each fandom/collection. Jayse – You’ve just held your first rep search, who were the people lucky enough to become a rep? Nikola - Yes I did, and had the most amazing 18 Bookstagrammers entering, I
Page 31 ➤
wish I could have everyone on board and really hope that I will get a chance to work with some of those who didn't get a spot this time on later collections. Lizz @Lizzreads, Shan @allshereads , Janna @Bibliophilemom and Bee @the.cozy.bee are my most amazing ambassadors and I'm so so happy to have them supporting my business. They are absolutely incredible and you should all check them out! Jayse – What are some of the fandoms you’d like to create items for in future? Nikola - As you might have noticed I only have the Harry Potter collection at the
Photo - Lizz @LizzReads (instagram)
BIZ SPOTLIGHT
moment. The concept of my shop is to create 4 collections each year, focusing on a different fandom each time. My next collection will be celebrating The Lord of the Rings and the one after that is ACOTAR. Maybe, just maybe, there will be special edition Blood & Honey inspired items on sale during September. Jayse – What makes your products stand out from the crowd? Nikola - Minimalism and the overall vintage look. Plus each candle has a cute tiny little TAG! I also hope that the combination of scents (which I blend myself) makes people feel like they are inside the story. I try and make them connected to the places and people in the books. I love anything desserty and I seem to have a good hand in mixing masculine scents that make you feel like the hero from the novel is right by you. Jayse – What’s the price point for your products? Nikola - My 6oz candles are $16 and the bookmarks will be $4. I haven't decided on the packaging of the teas so not sure about those.
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Jayse – How is your business being environmentally conscious? Nikola - Love this question! I use glass jars that can be reused and when it comes to packaging I'm using recycled boxes, compostable packing peanuts and biodegradable padding. The delivery is 100% carbon-free. Thank you SO much for chatting to us Nikola, we truly appreciate it. Make sure to check out Made by Nikola www.https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/Ma deByNikolaCo.
REVIEW - FILM
Photo - Jess @Aus.Fangirl.Reads (instagram)
BY TAMIKA @ P A P ERBA CK A N D F L I CK CHI CK
Title: Twilight Saga Director: Catherine Hardwicke, Chris Weitz, David Slade & Bill Condon Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy Run time: 10h 12m Where to watch: Netflix Synopsis: High-school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), always a bit of a misfit, doesn't expect life to change much when she moves from sunny Arizona to rainy Washington state. Then she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a handsome but mysterious teen whose eyes seem to peer directly into her soul. Edward is a vampire whose family does not drink blood, and Bella, far from being frightened, enters into a dangerous romance with her immortal soulmate. Page 34 ➤
With Stephine Meyer FINALLY releasing Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward's POV) later this month, this TwiHard decided it was well past time for a movie rewatch. Twilight the movie adaption was released in 2008, Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. Teenage me who was not into reading at the time *GASPS* went and saw this at the cinemas and I fell in love instantly. I was that impressed that I went out and brought the books, which triggered my love for reading all things fantasy/paranormal and romance. Over the years through countless rewatches and now as a grown ass woman, my opinion has changed a little. I still love the world and the story and the characters, yes! However, what I thought of then as passionate romance is now full of teen angst that sometimes makes me cringe. Despite this, this movie now brings such big feelings of nostalgia for me and the soundtrack still bangs all these years later so, I will never not recommend this movie and series. So, if you’ve been living under a rock for over ten years and have yet to see this movie do yourself a favour and give it a go!
REVIEW - ADULT
BY ANG @ P N RBOOK L OV E RRE V IE W S Rosemary and Rue is an Urban Fantasy with a dash of romance. This book is the first in a new series by this author whose books I have loved before. Knowing this author, things are going to get steammmmmmy in this series. October Daye is a Mystery PI series, and our main character is Toby, she is half Fae half human, she doesn't fit into either world. When working a case, she was caught in a nasty spell and turned into a fish for twelve years. YES a fish! Chapter One picks up with Toby back in human form for six months. Shes lost her family and turned her back on her fae side when something terrible happens pulling her back into the fae world. I really loved the world the author created especially with all the characters and the different species. There is something very magical about this story, it felt almost real. The author brought something new in faerie fiction and I was here for it. Since then I have managed to read two more in this series. Page 29 ➤
I have loved everything about each story and I can't wait to read more. I was very surprised with this book, I was immediately hooked and almost obsessed. The Audiobook: Fantastic, I enjoyed the narration. From GoodReads: October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas... The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer.
PHOTO EDITING M o v e Pi c This app takes your beautiful photos and allows you to add motion and movement. Got a photo of a cup of coffee? Make the coffee swirl...Got a lit candle? Make the flame move.
P ix al o o p This app is my fave. It allows you to add overlays to your photos, snow, rain, embers, fog and more. It also allows you to add animated elements such as butterflies, flickering candle fames and other amazing things.
P i xa m ot i on Combines both of the above in one app. The downside? It's a bit harder to use and you have access to less elements without having a 'pro' account which costs a few dollars a month. Page 36 ➤
BOOKSTAGRAM TIPS
BLUE'S
RANT It’s been a few years since I have said this but I cannot believe that I have to say it again. I thought this would be obvious, I thought people had more pride, common sense or at least manners but apparently that’s not a thing?? So let me grab the megaphone and say it loud for the people in the back that didn’t hear me the first 30 times I have said it. STOP ASKING BOOKSTAGRAMMERS TO SEND YOU FREE BOOKS!
topic, I had a lot of people contact me and share their experience and this has carried on through the years. Trust me, ya want to whinge at something, let me know! My parents don’t call me queen bitch for nothing. But I have had a few people that had come forth recently who had had requests from people requesting books!!! And not only are these requests bloody annoying but sometimes the responses they get for saying ‘no’ is astounding. Actually, some of them aren’t even requests. They are demands. There are people that demand free books from complete strangers!
The only reason around asking another Bookstagrammer if they can send you books is if you guys are actually friends!! Obvious right? Since I posted my Now while we all have a rant a few years ago on this deep and intense love for . Page 37 ➤
books, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t obtainable. There is access to libraries, secondhand stores (online as well) and there are organisation that will give you books if life has taken a darker turn. So books are obtainable. They aren’t a rare gem. They are dead trees that whisper us words of stories and they are obtainable, so why is there this constant hounding that honest Bookstagrammers have to give out free books?? Don’t get me wrong. This by no means is me being a complete soulless bitch (that’s only on Mondays) this is me knowing the difference between someone that is in need and someone who continuously
BLUE'S
RANT needs. Trust me there is a difference. Someone that is in need, has hit a pothole in life and needs a helping hand. Someone who constantly needs is one sugar daddy away from reaching their ultimate goal of never having to pay for anything in their life and not having to work at all to obtain their desires. What I generally find though, are the people that are asking for free books aren’t in need. You look at their feed and they have the latest books and a fair amount of them, that’s if you can actually see their feed. But you will also notice, that they aren’t following you (or haven’t followed you for long). The messages between you don’t have a history and starts with either of the following: “Hey. Can you complete my dreams and send me an item on my wishlist?”
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“You have a double of that. Can you send me a copy?” “You have enough books, you should share to others?” “You send me the arc books you get?” “Are you able to send me some of your books?” Yepp. These messages are either what I have received or what others have received. Trust me I get sent a screenshot of the conversation. Bit rude huh? There is no lube to the conversation, they usually just stick right in there with the hard-hitting questions! Would you go up to a random on the street and ask for their first-born child? Just randomly stop and ask someone for their wallet? How about randomly asking if you can just take their watch? No you wouldn’t Satan, so don’t ask for free books!! If you are down on your luck there are channels that can assist you. And I understand that life is hard, no one ever said it was easy. But if you are down
on your luck and books would be something to cheer you up, then please do the right thing and get to know someone and befriend them before asking. We aren’t all horrible and we will always strive to help those we can, if we can. Just don’t ask us any hard-hitting questions before our morning coffees. But asking for free books straight off the bat, is just fucking rude. There is no other way to put it. It actually makes me want to slap you with a raw chicken fillet!! Demanding free books off others just shows us that you clearly have no manners, your mouth needs to be washed out with soap, and most importantly, you probably aren’t that deserving. If you get these questions all the time, then it is up to you to decide if they actually deserve your time and money, considering they are a complete stranger. That choice is solely up to you. No one can tell you how to live your life, so if you want to give then give.
BLUE'S
RANT What annoys me the most is how frustrated they get if you say no. The number of screenshots that I saw where the receiver has politely declined, and the person demanding has gone to town and tried to pressure and bully the receiver into giving them free books. Like what in Satan’s asshole is wrong with you? Nope. Not having it. You want to get shitty at someone because they said no!! Are you fucking for real? Humans have the right to say no to situations that make them uncomfortable and at no point should they be branded or discriminated against because of it. It is completely fine to say no and there are so many ways to say no. But never be afraid to say no! And if they want to give them lip about you saying no, then you make sure you serve them so fucking good that the queen of England will praise you!!
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Question: “Want to go on a roller coaster?” Answers: “No” “No thanks I just ate” “Not really my thing.” “Nah I hate them.” “Want me to punch you in the face?” There are so many versions of no that you can use but the main point is you can say NO! No matter how you say no, it is still a no. If anyone gives you shit about saying ‘no,’ then block them. Report them for bullying. Or my personal favourite, name and shame their ass. Because sometimes humanity needs to be put back in their place. If you are gonna be a dick on social media, then prepared to get called out for it. Once it is on the internet, it stays on the internet! What do you do when you get a spam call? Cause I’m sure everyone has received a ‘call’ from the taxation department. You hang up on them. Any spam calls you get, you hang up on them.
What about those guys that randomly slide into your DM asking you if you are ‘down for a good time?’ You delete the messages. Or if your creative, ask them in they are into anal beads. (Look I know the anal beads has come up in conversation with me before but honestly, the amount of people that freak out when you mention it is crazy. So use it. Freak them out so they stop messaging you! Never be afraid to be creative!) You can always delete the conversations where they ask for free books, never be afraid to. There is nothing wrong with that at all. There is nothing wrong with blocking people either. It’s your social platform, so use it how you see fit. I hate receiving those kinds of messages, I really do. I would much rather you ask me for a book recommendation (honestly those make my day and I become happy and full of joy) then flat out ask me for a book. There is no foreplay with these messages either. No, hey how are you going? How was your day? Whatcha reading?
Just dives right into the questions of ‘free books’
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RANT
I know that the Bookstagrammers that I chat to work really hard to buy the books they have. Some of them work double jobs. Some of them save for months to buy a single hardcover. Some of them have been collecting books as long as I have. We work hard to get these books. We work hard getting the lighting right on our Bookstagram photos or spending the whole day taking photos and only three are usable. Our hard work is no means for anyone to try and get a piggyback from.
This ain’t the county fair. You want entry you have to pay for a ticket. You want a book; you are going to have to buy it or borrow it from the library. Stop asking for freebies!!!!!
x x x e u l B Di s c l ai me r : M y r ant my vie w . M y ac tio ns ar e mi ne alone and ne ve r in any w ay r e fle c t publishe r s, autho r s o r m y m um. (hone stly m y p oor mum tr i e d to r aise me to be p ol i te , s he r e ally did) If my r e vie w offe nd e d y ou in a ny w ay . M e ssage m e . I e nc our age it. No ne e d to te xt othe r s and c r y about it, hone stly , p l e as e b r ing y our c onc e r ns, fr us tr ati on and r ant ide as my w ay .
Connect with Blue
Instagram @bluefairytales_ Blog www.bluefairytales.com.au Page 40 ➤
NEXT MONTH WE'VE GOTTA DO THIS AGAIN NEXT MONTH? SHITE...
ISSUE 6 | AUGUST 2020
JAMES TREVINO The BIGGEST Bookstagrammer in the world takes time out with us and discusses books, Bookstagram and more.
INDIE AUTHOR We catch up with Aussie Indy author Nattie Kate Mason and discuss all things 'The Crowning,' and what's coming next for this amazing author.
BLUE'S
RANT You best believe our girl Blue has another epic rant for us.
BOOKSTA TIPS We take a look at insta story templates. What to use, whats out there and what's FREE!!!
Cover image: Chloe @chloeschapters