Books Etc Magazine July 2020

BooksEtc Magazine

Issue 5 | July 2020

NEW LOOK

Kristoff& Kaufman

Read

The dynamic writing duo that is Jay & Amie took the time to answer our 'Burning Questions'

DIVERSE

Our team have curated some amazing titles to help you include diverse reads on your TBR list.

Alert, Alert, Alert!

Rant ahead...and this one is a doozie.

Cover image: Jodie (@readthewriteact)

FROM THE EDITOR

Hey! Well hello there and how are you? *frantic waving* So you may notice the magazine looks a bit different this month.

Well, our amazing editor, Nicky, has stepped back and given the reins over to me, it's me Jayse! For those who don't know me, let me introduce myself. I am a father, librarian, bookstagrammer, writer, reviewer and consumer of all the books!!

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Editor - Jayse - @Itsmejayse Cover by Jodie - @Readthewriteact Contributors Tamika - @Paperbackandflickchick Blue - @Bluesfairytales_ Ange - @Pnrbookloverreviews Casey -@Through.thepages Guest Reviewers Brooklyn @Bookish.brooklyn Sienna @ReadingWithCake

My love of writing and reviewing has lead me to this moment, I've previously written for Youth Central, The Nerd Daily and other online websites where I've learnt a lot.

So, let me leave you to browse the latest edition. Our team have worked SO hard to make this issue the best we can for you.

Enjoy!

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

THE DYNAMIC WRITING DUO AMIE AND JAY We sit down with the best-selling authors and chat about the success of Aurora Rising, Aurora Burning and more.

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READ DIVERSE Our team have curated some amazing titles to help you include diverse reads on your TBR list.

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BOOK BIZ SPOTLIGHT Discover the amazing bookish business that is Read&Relax.

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BOOKSTA TIPS We take a look at photo editing apps, the good, the bad and the uggggly!!

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BLUES RANT Check out the latest exclusive rant from our girl Blue.

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INTERVIEW - JAY & AMIE

With the release of Aurora Burning, the follow up to the incredible Aurora Rising, book one in the Aurora Cycle), just behind us.

The amazing authoring duo Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff took the time to answer our 'Burning Questions' (Ha!) about the series, their work and of course the most important thing curse words!

Hold on to your butts, here we go.

G'day Jay and Amie!

Thanks so much for taking a moment to sit down with us at Books Etc Magazine.

Let's get down to it, we have questions and we know you two have the answers!!

1. Working as part of a writing duo must have its challenges, how do you guys overcome this?

A – Honestly, we both find it easier in many ways than writing solo! When you’re writing with someone else, you’ve always got someone who’s as deep in the story as you are to brainstorm with, or help you troubleshoot. We’re so collaborative, and we love each other’s writing—it’s always helpful to have someone laugh at your jokes, or tell you you’re on the right track!

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J– We just approach every book with respect, and the understanding that we both want to get to the same place – the best book we can possibly write. Even though we might have different ideas on how to get there, the destination is always the same. It helps that we were friends before we became co-authors too.

Choosing the right writing partner is incredibly important!

2. The characters in Aurora Cycle are freaking amazing and so diverse, how important is it to you to include diverse characters in YA fiction?

A –It’s not just important, it’s vital. We wouldn’t, and couldn’t write any other way.

We grew up with books we loved, but they were often missing...

aspects of our communities of family and friends. We want our books to reflect the world we live in, and the people we care about, including our readers.

J – When we write the future, we always try to imagine the future we want to live in. We took a lot of cues from original Star Trek in this series – trying to show an optimistic, hopeful future in which humanity has overcome our differences and is working together for the betterment of the species.

That’d be nice place to get to one day.

3. Fin is my absolute favourite character in the series, I need to know...his level of sass, it feels to me like he was written

by Jay. How do you develop the characters and do you each write specific characters in the series?

A – Are you saying I’m not sassy? I think I’m insulted! We don’t say publicly who writes which character, though we see a lot of people guessing, and some of the guesses are pretty entertaining! We’re also surprised that many of them are incorrect, which I think says a lot about the fact that we’ve really managed to merge our voices in this series. The truth is that a joke from Fin or a sarcastic moment from Scar could have come from either of us, because even though we each originated particular characters, now we both write chapters that include dialogue from all of them.

J – We are each “in charge” of certain characters, so to speak, but the lines in this series are very blurry in terms of who writes who.

In terms of development, we started out by drawing up these massive biographies for each character, listing out details as simple as the colour of their eyes, and as complex as “What is their deepest fear” or “What is their darkest secret”, and that gave us a lot

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of springboards for story ideas, as well as giving each other a good idea about the characters our co-authors had developed.

But it’s an organic process too – the story and characters are changing as we write them, and sometimes, they hijack the story despite our plans for them.

4. What was the first scene you wrote for Aurora Burning?

J – The first chapter! We tend to write chronologically, and plan out chapters in the order they occurs, simply to keep things straight. These books have a lot of moving parts and characters, so writing out of sequence would add another level of complexity that I’m not sure our brains could take.

A – Yup, what Jay said! We have spreadsheets and documents that list our timelines and what information we’ve given the reader and what’s still a secret, and if we had to try and line all of that up any way other than chronologically, our brains would melt out our ears.

5. What do you do to fill up your creative tank?

A – Travel—not just big international trips, but even just checking out places close to home. You never know what you’ll find or what idea it will prompt. Heaps of reading, listening to music, TV and movies, looking at art. And getting enough sleep! I’m much more creative when I’m rested.

6. Do you have any news on the development of the MGM TV adaptation of Aurora Rising?

A – I’m not saying there isn’t news…

J – We could tell you, but then we’d have to kill you.

7. What songs would be on the Aurora Cycle soundtrack?

A – I’d pick Starlight by Muse—the epic feel, the lyrics, I love everything about it.

J – My #1 pick is “Hope” by We Came as Romans. I was listening to that track a lot when we were developing the idea for the series. RIP Kyle.

From GoodReads: The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm. A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunk mates. A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder. An alien warrior with anger management issues. A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering. And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space.

@T

Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.They're not the heroes we deserve.

he Bo ok Co urt Of Ch els ea

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They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

REVIEW - ADULT

' With ec hoes o f D el i v era nc e a nd Ba t t l e R o y a le, the A us t ra l i a n o ut b a c k - s et T h e Hu n t e d is a truly terri f y i ng , b rea thles sly exc i t i ng no v el .

It g ut- p unc hes y o u i n t he f i rs t f ew p a g es a nd d oes n' t l et y o u rec o v er unt i l the fina l, thril l i ng c l i ma x. A n extra ord ina ry b o o k . ' M. W . CR A VEN

BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E T h e Hu n t e d b y Gab r ie l B e r gmo s e r gr ab b e d me , sho o k me up and d i d n' t le t me go unt il t he f i nal p age .

W he n I saw t hi s b o o k b y Gab r ie l o n N e t galle y I k ne w I ne e d e d t o r e ad it .

I' ve k no wn Gab e f o r a f e w y e ar s no w, he ' s p r e se nt e d amaz ing, ani mat e d and info r mat ive wr i t i ng wo r k s ho p s at o ur lib r ar y as we ll as d i s c us sing his YA b o o k s, t he ' B o o ne S he p ard ' s e r i e s .

In t his t hr illing, e d ge o f y o ur s e at no ve l, t he Me lb o ur ne b as e d aut ho r se t s t he sc e ne mas t e r f ul l y . T he Out b ac k r o ad ho us e o n a d e s e r t e d st r e t c h o f highway , t he q ui e t o wne r F r ank , his gr and d aught e r A l l ie s e nt t o st ay wit h him in ' p ur gat o r y ' . T he c ar e fr e e and fe ar l e s s Maggi e and S imo n, t he c it y - s l i c k e r want i ng an ad ve nt ur e .

I ab so lut e ly lo ve d e ve r y he art p o und ing mo me nt o f t he b o o k . It was lik e wat c hing T he H i l l s have Ey e s o r so me c r e e p y ho r r o r f i lm. It c o nt aine d he ar t in y o ur t hr o at t hr il ls , o nc e y o u st ar t y o u c ant s t o p . S o b e s ur e t o st r ap y o ur se lf i n! I c ant wai t t o s e e what s ne xt fr o m t hi s p he no me nal, c r e at ive wr it e r .

But, when d oes a d v ent ure t urn i nt o a nig htma re?

T hank y o u t o Netg a lley and H a rp erCollins fo r t he r e vie w c o p y o f t hi s b o o k .

"Heart in your throat thrills, once you start, you cant stop" Page 7 ➤

IRON & INK DESI GNS

WWW.IRONANDINKDESIGNS.COM

REVIEW - ADULT

"Roberts once again offers a master class in storytelling as she displays her formidable ability to portray easily relatable characters and engineer a plot spiked with chilling suspense and layered with life affirming love, which, together, generate a captivating read."

BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E H ave y o u e ve r r e ad a no ve l b y N o r a Ro b e r t s? N o ? T hi s mi ght c hange y o ur mind .

N o r a Ro b e r t s has b e c o me an e s c ap e fo r me . She alway s t ak e s me away t o ano t he r p lac e . In Hi de aw ay, he r lat e st no ve l, we ar e i nt r o d uce d t o t he S ullivan family . T he s t o r y c e nt r e s o n C ai t ly n. W he n s he i s k i d nap p e d f r o m t he family r e t r e at ' B i g S ur ' d ur ing a game o f hid e and s e e k i t s e t s o f f a c hain o f e ve nt s whi c h wi l l i nfl ue nc e C ai t ' s e nt ir e fami l y and l i f e .

I d o n' t k no w what i t i s ab o ut N o r a' s wr it ing, b ut she al way s manage s t o mak e me fe e l al l t he f e e l s and t o t al l y ' ge t ' t he c har ac t e r s s he c r e ate s .

Eve r y t hing in H i d e away i s r e lat ab le and fe e ls lik e i t c o ul d ac t ual ly b e e ve nt s hap p e ni ng i n t o d ay ' s wo r l d .

Gr ip p ing, unp ut d o wnab l e and t hr illing. T his o ne i s ano t he r o n my favo ur it e s list .

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From GoodReads: Caitlyn Sullivan, a daughter of Hollywood royalty, was already a star at ten, but still loved to play hide-and-seek with her cousins at the family home in Big Sur. It was during one of those games that she disappeared.

Despite her glamorous background, Cate was a shrewd, scrappy survivor, and she managed to escape her abductors. Dillon Cooper was shocked to find the bruised and terrified girl huddled in his ranch house kitchen—but when the teenager and his family heard her story they provided refuge and comfort, reuniting her with her loved ones.

Cate’ s ordeal, though, was far from over.

First came the discovery of a betrayal that would send someone she’ d trusted to prison. Then there were years away in Ireland, sheltered and protected but with restlessness growing in her soul. Then, finally, she returned to Los Angeles, hoping to act again and get past the trauma that had derailed her life. What she didn’ t yet know was that two seeds had been planted that long-ago night—one of a great love, and one of a terrible vengeance…

Thank you Hachette for the review copy of this book.

REVIEW - YA

D ea n A tta ' s tend er c o mi ng o f a g e no v el c a s ts a fres h a nd enri c hi ng p ers p ec t i v e o n wha t it mea ns t o b e s een a s d ifferent a t the l ev el o f ra ce, c ul t ure, id entity , herita g e a nd g end er . . . a n imp orta nt b ook f o r y o ung p eo p l e - P o et

BY BROOKLYN @ B OOK IS H. BROOK L Y N Black Flamingo is honestly such a raw, emotive and powerful read. Told in verse, it’s a quest for identity, self realisation, being proud of who you are and finding yourself. It’s wonderfully evocative too and I felt like I was right there with our main character Michael as he tries to find where he belongs throughout his life as a gay young man of mixed race in Britain.

My heart absolutely ached for Michael at several points throughout this book. Black Flamingo starts with Michael’s narrative from such a young age and we learn that his father doesn’t really have a care for him which is sad in itself. That’s not to say though that Michael’s mother doesn’t carry more than enough love for him, because she absolutely does and I loved their tender relationship throughout. Although not without its tender and angsty moments.

I found it so fascinating reading about Michael’s different family cultures and dynamic too, his mother's family being Greek-Cyprion and his Father’s family being Jamaican and Michael himself being born in England. I love how Michael is proud of his ethnicity, and carries himself proudly and parts of his heritage with him,

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"My heart absolutely ached for Michael at several points throughout this book" even more so because at times he’s completely unsure where he stands.

When Michael finds himself at University and searches for a club where he might feel accepted, he’s saddened to find that one of the Jamaican Club members says he doesn’t belong as he’s not black enough and that just made me so sad for him! Throughout Michael’s quest for identity, self acceptance and discovery, he finds himself belonging in the University’s Drag Club, where he can absolutely be himself and dress up and wear make up and not be judged. I found Michael’s passion to be completely beautiful and so refreshing and was definitely just celebrating his passion and energy for performing amazing and rousing speeches about who he is and who he wants to be. Dean Atta has just composed the most beautiful and completely unforgettable verse novel which is not only a perfect read for Pride Month, but anytime at all!

I cannot even begin to tell you all how moved beyond words I was as I was reading this! I urge everyone to pick up this book and learn something from it too! I’m definitely calling The Black Flamingo one of my favourite reads of the year and it’s definitely something I already know I’ll reread!

REVIEW - GRAPHIC NOVEL

BY CASEY @ THRO U GH. THE P A G E S Author Alice Oseman has created a modern love story for us all to fall hopelessly in love with.

The story follows a new friendship that soon blossoms into more than either of the two male characters ever anticipated. Openly gay Charlie becomes friends with popular boy Nick and they soon find themselves questioning whether their friendship might be something more. Though this is more challenging for Nick as he has always seen himself as straight.

Volume 1 takes us through all of those first butterflies, daydreams and longings of a new love. We share the awkward and challenging moments these boys go through as they begin to realise the feelings they have for one another.

In Volume 2 the boys share their true feelings with one another and Nick makes the courageous decision to share his sexual identity with his mum. The two boys navigate the world of dating, but dating in secret, letting just a few people know when they feel ready. Soon they meet each other friends and deal with those who may not understand or accept this new relationship. This volume is my favourite of the three as the boys really find something special in each other and in turn, in themselves. Their relationship gives them a new freedom they didn’t know they were searching for.

On to Volume 3, this is the newest volume that was released earlier this year. The boys become more open

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with their friends about what is developing between them but they also start to see some things in each other that they didn’t see before. Things that are a little confronting and worrying, so it will be interesting to see what happens in the next instalment.

I was blown away with this series; as I have never really read graphic novels before I was worried that perhaps I wouldn’t connect the same way as I do with a novel. However I was so wrong. The imagery in these pages at times is far more expressive than the words that accompany the images. The emphasis on the characters eyes and facial expressions said so much to me. There was an innocence in the images and the words that a new love has and it was captured perfectly, I felt it so strongly while reading each volume. If you want to get into reading graphic novels, books with LGBTQ+ characters or are just after a sweet romance, then here is the series for you.

The name Heartstopper says it all.

With all that has been

happening in the world many of our bookish friends have been researching how they can do better, be more inclusive, be a better ally to people from all minority groups.

Looking around at our book collections, one way we can all do better is to make a bigger effort to add more diversity to our to be read lists.

Fate of Fl ames

by Sarah Raughley

Four girls with the power to control the elements must come together to save the world from a terrible evil in this series opener that has it all.

When we spoke to the Booksetc team and our other bookish friends, we discovered that this was something many of us thought we could do better.

We decided to do some research and create a list of books which are written by or feature people of colour, Black/Indigenous people of colour and LGBT+ authors with the hopes of inspiring not only ourselves but everyone in the bookish community to read more diversely and become better allies.

When we read diverse, we support the people who create these stories and help make their voices heard.

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Legendborn

by Tracy Deonn Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modernday twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.

Read diverse

BY JAYSE & TAMIKA

@ ITS MEJA Y S E @ P A P E RB A CK A N D F L ICK CHI CK

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Three Dark Crowns

by Kendare Bl ake

A Song of Wraiths & Ruin

by Rosanne A. Brown

Triplets destined to rule, but becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death.

The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.The last queen standing gets the crown.

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his warstricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran.

But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

Ghost Squad

by Cl aribel C, Ortega

Rose Interrupted

by Patrice Lawrence

Coco meets Stranger Things with a hint of Ghostbusters in this action-packed supernatural fantasy.For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Both a thrillingly spooky and delightfully sweet debut novel...

Eighteen months ago, Rose and Rudder escaped a strict religious sect with their mum.

They are still trying to make sense of the world outside - no more rules about clothes and books, films and music, no more technology bans...

Running with Li ons

by Jul ian Winters

The Boyfriend Project

by Farrah Rochon

Bloomington High School Lions' star goalie, Sebastian Hughes, should be excited about his senior year: His teammates are amazing and he's got a coach who doesn't ask anyone to hide their sexuality...

Three young women who become friends when the live Tweeting of a disastrous date leads them to discover they've all been duped by the same man...

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Full Disclosure

by Camryn Garrett Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She's making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she's HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.

" SEA RI N GL Y B EAU T IF U L A N D PAI N FU L IN IT S IM AGE R Y " Bl ack Girl Unl imited

by Echo Brown Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, where apartments are small and parents suffer addictions to the white rocks. Yet there is magic . . . everywhere. New portals begin to open when Echo transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor.

Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism―all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age story.

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Rei gn of the Fallen

by Sarah Gl enn Marsh Odessa is one of Karthia's master necromancers, catering to the kingdom's ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it's Odessa's job to raise them by retrieving their souls from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised--the Dead must remain shrouded, or risk transforming into zombielike monsters known as Shades. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, the grotesque transformation will begin.

“THIS EDGY FANTASY DOESN’T JUST BLUR BOUNDARIES OF GENRE, OF GENDER, OF PAST AND PRESENT, LIFE AND DEATH–IT EXPLODES THEM." Sadi e

by Courtney Summers Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

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A Blade So Bl ack

by L.L. McKinney The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.

When Alice' s handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’ s ever gone before. She'll need to use everything she' s learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally.

"A BLADE SO BLACK URBAN FANTASY WONDERLAND... BUT YOU

DELIVERS AN IRRESISTIBLE RETELLING OF ALICE IN IT'S NOT THE WONDERLAND REMEMBER."

A Phoenix First Must Burn

by Patrice Cal dwell A Phoenix First Must Burn will take you on a journey from folktales retold to futuristic societies and everything in between. Filled with stories of love and betrayal, strength and resistance, this collection contains an array of complex and true-to-life characters through which you cannot help but see yourself reflected. Witches and scientists, sisters and lovers, priestesses and rebels—the heroines of this anthology shine brightly. You will never forget them.

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REVIEW - YA

Thes e heroes a ren’ t j us t hi g h- t ec h s ui t s a nd s up er- p owers —t hey ’ re p a rt o f a tea m, p a rt of a f a mi l y , p a rt o f a b i g g er univ ers e. A t t hei r v ery c o res , t hey ’ re the es senc e of wha t i t mea ns t o b e huma n a nd to b e hero i c , ev en when t he two a re fund a ment a l l y a t o d d s .

BY JAYSE @ ITS MEJA Y S E T he M ar vel C inema t i c U ni ve r s e is H U GE !

S o h u ge in f ac t t he y m a de an e nt ir e b ook f illed wit h mo t i vat i o na l an d ins pir at io na l quo t es f r om t he m u l t i pl e f r a nc his es .

Fr om Cap t ain M ar v e l t o D ea dpo ol , C a p t a in A mer i c a t o Ir on m a n, t he s e qu ot e s a r e ex c ept i ona l an d c a n e ve n b e r el e van t in ev er yday lif e.

Glos s y pa ges , gor g e o u s l y p u t t o g e t h e r t his book is t he p e r f ec t g i f t fo r any Mar v el fa n.

T ha n k y ou Sc h ol as t i c B oo k s A us t r al i a f o r t he r eview c o py o f t h i s b o ok .

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REVIEW - YA

"Zoraida Córdova (Labyrinth Lost) weaves a high-stakes tale of palace intrigue and deception in Incendiary, a YA fantasy set in a world inspired by Inquisition era Spain" –Shelf awareness, STARRED REVIEW

BY SIENNA @ RE A D INGW ITHCA K E I cannot recommend this book enough, if the cover hasn’t sold you already then hopefully my review will.

Córdova has created a unique fantasy world that I cannot wait to continue reading, gimme the next book already! Ren was a really great heroine, in the middle she did bother me with some of her decisions but her character had some good development and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book with her and a certain someone (not the someone you first assume either!)

There were some great side characters, Dez, Prince Castian, Nuria, Morgan, Justice Mendez and Leo, who all played their part so well! I loved the side character of Leo, he reminded me of Cinna from Hunger Games and I loved Cinna so it makes sense that I enjoyed Leos role in this book too!

This book has some great plot twists, great character development and kept me guessing about what would happen next with the rebel group trying to overthrow the evil king. There is magic, rebels, evil monarchy and so many great aspects to this book so I encourage all of you to read it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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Synopsis: As a memory thief, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata was used by the crown to carry out the King's Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people.

Now Renata is one of the Whispers, rebel spies working against the crown. The Whispers may have rescued Renata years ago, but she cannot escape their mistrust and hatred -- or the overpowering memories of the hundreds of souls she drained during her time in the palace.

When Dez, the commander of her unit -- and the boy she's grown to love -- is taken captive by the notorious Principe Dorado, Renata must return to Andalucia and complete Dez's top secret mission herself. But as Renata grows more deeply embedded in the politics of the royal court, she uncovers a secret in her past that could change the fate of the entire kingdom -- and end the war that has cost her everything.

REVIEW - FANTASY

BY CASEY @ THRO U GH. THE P A G E S

Picture this, magic, elves, a sassy sidekick, a dreamy love interest, a wise old wizard and an evil villain all set against a stunning setting and you find yourself in the world of Everosia and on the quest to find the Guardians of the Grove.

This Aussie indie debut novel took me on a spectacular journey that gave me all the Lord of the Rings vibes in a fresh and modern way.

Fantasy is a favourite genre of mine but this steps outside the standard witches and wizards and gives something special. The main character Ashalea Page 25 ➤

is one that does not take crap from anyone and is focused on seeking vengeance for the slaughter of parents but on the way she uncovers more than she ever knew about the world and herself.

The characters author Chloe Hodge has created are complex, interesting, relatable and loveable. Even the villain was one that I wanted to read more about. There was a great balance of action and worldbuilding, giving the characters room to develop and grow as the story progressed which was something I really

appreciated.

It offers the reader a chance to really understand the personalities of the characters and become invested in their stories.

For a debut novel and book one of a series I was so incredibly impressed.

I would recommend this to any lover of the fantasy genre, as it offers more than your standard magic formula.

There is something special here and I eagerly await book two that is set to be released in a matter of months.

"A SPECTACULAR JOURNEY THAT GAVE ME ALL THE LORD OF THE RINGS VIBES IN A FRESH AND MODERN WAY."

INDIE AUTHOR - INTERVIEW

We took a moment to talk to Australian indy author, Chloe Hodge. Chloe's first book, 'Vengeance Blooms,' is an incredible epic fantasy with epic worldbuilding and characters. With the upcoming release of book two we needed more details, so check out the interview below.

Jayse - With your first book Vengeance Blooms behind you, what’s next for Chloe Hodge, author?

Chloe – My second book in the Guardians of the Grove series, Retribution Dies, will be releasing in August! Then its onwards to write the third and final book. Once this series is complete, I have plans to write an Adult series with Nordic vibes, elements of magic, and heists!

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Jayse – Does book two have a title as yet? If so, can we know it?

Chloe – I’ve kept it quiet for a while, but it’s called Retribution Dies!

Jayse – What should readers expect from your writing?

Chloe – I love worldbuilding and character expression, so readers can expect to be sucked into the story from page 1! I tend to lean towards darker narratives— no peaches and cream in

my stories! Be prepared for action-packed scenes, and a peppering of humour and sass from my characters.

Jayse – You went down the self-publishing path, what where the advantages and challenges of this?

Chloe – The biggest advantage of being an indie author is you get total control over the process.

Every decision made, and every result, the onus is 100% on the author.

While this has many advantages, it can be overwhelming at first! You are your own publishing team, which means time and money spent hiring an editor, cover designer, formatter, illustrator, and any other embellishments on top! Self-publishing isn’t cheap and by no means easy, but once you find a rhythm, it can be so...

INDY AUTHOR - INTERVIEW ...rewarding and enjoyable!

Jayse – Can you describe what it was like the first time you held your first novel?

Chloe – It felt like Christmas morning when I held my first proof copy! A mix of euphoria, disbelief, and pride, that finally, all the hard work had paid off and there was undeniable proof beneath my fingers. Such an incredible feeling!

Jayse – How important is it

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that readers review your book? Do you read the reviews?

Jayse – What’s the most helpful piece of writing advice you’ve received?

Chloe – Reviews are what keep indie authors afloat!

They’re incredibly important and arguably one of the key drivers to success. Because indies don’t have a marketing team and aren’t backed by well-known publishing houses, it means we have to compete for space in the market amongst the big guys. Reviews help spread hype and awareness across the globe!

Chloe – More of a motivator than anything, but one quote that resonates with me is: “It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish,” by J R R Tolkien. I remind myself of this when I’m writing the first draft or when I’m struggling with scenes/putting them off!

PUBLISHER SPOTLIGHT

BY BLUE @ B L U EF A IRY TA L E S _

Our contributor Blue got in contact with Katherine from Debut Books, a new publishing house based in Melbourne. This publisher focuses on powerful, engaging Australian stories.

Here's what we found out about them and their business.

Hi, I’m Katherine!

Where did Debut Books begin?

I was living in England with my partner and started looking towards what I wanted to do when I returned home to Australia. I missed publishing immensely although there were parts of the industry that I found frustrating and disappointing. The thought of starting my own publishing company was a daunting one but once the idea was cemented in my head, I knew it was what I am meant to do. Debut Books was born from a desire – and a need – to see more diverse stories published in the Australian literary market. It is my hope that Debut Books will address those frustrations and eventually pave the way for change.

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Where have you come from?

It wasn’t until the final semester at university that I realised I could make a career out of loving books.

For the last 10 years, I have worked as a bookseller (locally and internationally), in publishing and as a reviewer online. Landing a job in publishing required plenty of determination and it was a dream come true. It was everything I hoped it would be and nothing like what I expected. Reading isn’t just something I do; it is a fundamental part of my being.

Who is Debut Books?

It is safe to say that breaking into the publishing industry is tough, especially as a first-time author.

The name might have given it away, but Debut Books is committed to growing space in the Australian literary market for first time authors!

There are a plethora of cultures and identities in Australia and we’re going to work really hard to increase the representation, especially for those from minority, marginalised and intersectional backgrounds who are so often ignored or rejected from mainstream literature and society. Although the true diversity of Australia this is not fully represented in our local literary market, the call for inclusive representation is strong and together we can make a difference. ➤

PUBLISHER SPOTLIGHT

De bu t B o o ks is an ind e p e nd e nt Me l b o ur ne - b as e d p ub l i s he r . T hey are p assio nat e ab o ut A us t r al i an s t o r i e s b e c aus e t he y b e l i eve they p ossess a uniq ue magic . A t D e b ut B o o k s , t he y ar e c o mmi t t e d t o c r e ating more sp ace in t he A ust r alian p ub l i s hing mar k e t f o r f i r s t t i me aut ho r s . The b ooks celeb rate d ive r se , mar ginal i s e d , mi no ri t y and i nt e r s e c t i o nal i d e nt i t ies.

D e b ut B o o k s p ub l i s h A us t r alian s t o r i e s t hat b r e ak d o wn stereotyp es, stigma and shame t o e nc o ur age p o s i t i ve and i nc l us i ve c o nversation. They are p assio nat e ab o ut c r e at i ng t r ue and l o ng- l as t i ng d i versity in A ustralian p ub lishing.

Debut Books aims to celebrate and empower diverse Australian voices, especially those from minority, marginalised and intersectional backgrounds who are so often ignored or rejected from mainstream literature and society. Debut Books hopes to create a safe space where stories can be shared and listened to without prejudice, stigma or shame.

What kinds of books will you be publishing?

From the very beginning, it made sense to for Debut Books to start with a Young Adult list. Australian YA is already pushing the boundaries of representation in a bold and positive way and Debut books is aiming to push the market further towards genuine and long-lasting diversity.

The YA readership is vocal, especially when it comes to driving change for equality. They’re passionate and enthusiastic; who wouldn’t want to be involved with that?

Submissions process?

Debut Books is accepting submissions of all genres of fiction (especially Australian-based genre fiction) including but not limited to fantasy, science fiction, crime, historical, romance, thriller and action.

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We are looking for powerful and engaging storytelling, particularly welcoming authors who write ‘own voices’ stories or who personally identify as being from a minority, marginalised, underrepresented or intersectional identity or group.

Initially, Debut Books will only accept completed manuscripts (we want to know how the story ends). If you have a story suitable for the 14 to 21 age range, head to www.debutbooks.com.au/submissions for all the details!

We are also celebrating Australian artists and seek designs for our book covers. We’re looking for all art styles, from street art to fine art and cannot wait to see what pairings we can make!

BIZ SPOTLIGHT

Read&Relax Rest & Relaxation, that's something we ALL need to do more of. There's one lovely Australian small business helping bookworms with this and I need to share it with you.

Recently I purchased my first 'Blind date with a book' pack from Rest & Relax. This pack came with a surprise book, a bath bomb and some gorgeous bookmarks and information. This business' point of difference? Jett the owner matches the books with the purchaser and the other, all the books are good quality pre-loved books, saving them from landfill or pulping. Amazing!

We sat down with the owner of this little business and asked her all the questions...

Jayse - Heyyyy Jett!

Jett - Hey Jayysseee! Congrats on taking the reins of booketc. Magazine and thank you so much

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for thinking of me for a feature and supporting my little business!

Jayse - I was so impressed with my first blind date with a book pack from you, the book was just so perfect. I got to wondering how you select a a surprise book for your customers...

BIZ SPOTLIGHT

Jett - Well, I always offer the customer to select their own from the clues I have listed in my highlights on my Instagram page.

Other times, people who are gifting to others, I ask for their age, gender & genre preferences and just take a stab in the dark. Luckily enough, I haven't sent one out that they already had. For yours Jayse & some of the other Bookstagram community, I do what I refer to as a friendly stalk. I ask if there are any books in particular they like/they want and a genre they prefer. I then scroll their feeds, stories & Goodreads accounts to find something that I think they might enjoy.

Jayse - you use pre-loved books in your packs, how did you come up with this idea?

Jett - Well, my husband actually told me that I needed to get rid of some of my books! I was offended lol but after the initial shock had worn off (it didn’t last all that long) I thought about how I could ensure that these books went back out into the world, to be enjoyed & read again.

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I actually donated some to the local charity store & as I dropped them off the lady behind the counter told me that a lot of books go in the bin if they don’t sell after a period of time. They weren’t even allowed to put them in the recycling bin because of the weight of them, they had to go into the big general waste skip bins!

In a time where we should all be mindful of sustainability & recycling - I was shocked and sad! And so that first visit dropping off some books was eye opening!

Funnily enough, hubby prompted the idea but it actually didn’t help in reducing my personal number of books as I went out and basically got all “new” second hand books and now being a part of the bookstagram community, I have added far more books to my TBR pile Lol.

BIZ SPOTLIGHT

Jayse - how do you Rest & Relax?

Jett - I read & hibernate. Because I basically am always doing something. On a daily , I operate with a never ending "list of things to do" , people to manage and take care of. So when I stop. I stop! If I get everything that I need to do, done then I like spending a full Saturday or Sunday in bed with a book and my phone.

Alternating between reading, bookstagram and candy crush lol.

Jayse - has the Aussie Bookish community gotten behind you? How could they help your business grow?

Jett - Absolutely YES! More than I could have ever dreamed or dreamt.

I was so nervous starting out and the Aussie bookstagram community has been amazing. So many have been returning customers and sharing their purchases in bookstagram has been so helpful!

When people share, comment, like posts for small businesses and tell family & friends that kind of exposure is invaluable.

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"When people share, comment, like posts for small businesses.

That kind of exposure is invaluable."

So if that continues that would definitely help. I love collaborating with fellow bookstagrammers in giveaways. It's just another way for those who wouldn't normally buy themselves a blind date to receive one.

Jayse - I hear you may be running your first a rep search sometime soon? What kind of things will you be looking for in a person to represent your brand?

Jett - Yes I will be. This has been something I have wanted to do for some time! But I have had to pick a good time financially to be able to launch it. I am thinking of doing it the first week of July in the new financial year.

The type of person I am looking for will be active, friendly and engage with all members of the book community and someone I feel genuinely wants to see my business grow. Pretty pictures also help.

BIZ SPOTLIGHT

Jayse - tell us more about the products you have available.

Jett - The star of the show is clearly the blind date book! Inside you will find a little magnetic bookmark and the basic package comes with either a soap or a bath bomb.

The other standard items are candles & tea tubes.

I also curate baby shower gift packs that Include a blind date & a rattle for bub.

I have a pamper box that includes socks & a sleeping mask. But I also often put together custom boxes where you can choose items Including but not limited to: chocolate, coffee satchels, scrunchies & pens just to name a few.

Jayse - any plans for future products?

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Jett - I am toying around with another little creative item but I wont say anything just yet incase I lose my courage & mojo. LOL Jayse - what's next for Jett and R&R? Jett - I hope just more of the same.... good vibes, good books & some more customers/ people to share my blind dates & love of books with Jayse - Thanks a bunch for your time.

Jett - No, thank you king of bookstagram

Make sure you check out this amazing bookish business online. You can find them on either Facebook or Instagram.

REVIEW - FILM

Massimo is a member of the Sicilian Mafia family and Laura is a sales director. She does not expect that on a trip to Sicily trying to save her relationship, Massimo will kidnap her and give her 365 days to fall in love with him.

BY TAMIKA @ P A P ERBA CK A N D F L ICK CHICK

Title: 365 DNI (Days) Director: Barbara Białowąs Genre: Drama/Erotic Run time: 1h 56m Where to watch: Netflix Rating: 3/5 stars Synopsis: Massimo is a member of the Sicilian Mafia family and Laura is a sales director. She does not expect that on a trip to Sicily trying to save her relationship, Massimo will kidnap her and give her 365 days to fall in love with him.

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It is highly likely that you would have heard of this movie recently, or like me seen a snippet of a certain steamy AF shower scene all over social media/ TikTok. This movie is exactly like a smutty dark romance novel, in fact, this is actually a book to film adaption. Now, if I were going to rate this movie from 'hotness' alone it would be five stars hands down. This movie is smutty and explicit as hell, so much so it makes the fifty shades (of grey) movies look tame. I was SO here for it!

Unfortunately, the fact that this movie is in not ONE but THREE languages which aren't English and therefore has subtitles made it hard to follow what little plot there was.

The plot itself is your classic outrageous romance and does boast unhealthy relationships, steamy sex scenes and unrealistic expectations. If any of those aren't for you this may not be the film for you.

If you love some smutty goodness with a dramatic AF plot line that doesn’t always make sense then I highly recommend you give this one a go.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

PHOTO EDITING P i c sA r t - My favourite photo editing app of ALL TIME! This app has all you need to create a great photo, change the light levels, slap a mask on, add sparkles.

The works!! You can do most things without having to spending a cent!

S n a p s ee d A bit tricky to navigate, but once you know, you know.

It's great for lightening up parts of a picture.

L i g h t r oo m Also a little tricky to use. Great if you are purchasing presets from a business such as thelattelaboratory.

They're amazing.

S n a p s ee d This one is an advanced editor. It has some great functionality but may take some time to get used to.

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BOOKSTAGRAM TIPS

BLUE'S

RANT Let’s talk reviews.

Actually let’s narrow that piece of pie down to honest reviews for publishers.

The key word that you should have picked up in that last sentence is ‘honest.’ Yeah I know pie is amazing but we can chat about pie later, we need to chat about the word ‘honest’ first.

Now book lovers, we all have our opinions on books and they are always different from one another but the one thing we need to keep in mind when we are reviewing for the publishers is that the reviews need to be honest.

At no point should a publisher EVER tell you to remove your review!!

You are entitled to share your opinion with the damn Page 37 ➤

world and there is nothing that they can do about it.

No yelling. No screaming.

No threats of book prison should ever deter you from posting YOUR HONEST OPINION! Now why are honest reviews important? Well beef cheeks, that because people like me, read your reviews and trust your opinion on the book. So if you read a book and rave about it, then I am more inclined to read it. But if I find all the aspects of the book that you ‘raved’ about a blatant lie, then as soon as we can bulk buy toilet paper, you bet I’m teepeeing your house. Yep, I’m that childish.

But why wouldn’t I be. You fricken lied to me!!! And it hurts. Like sit on the couch and eat Nutella straight

from the jar kind of hurt.

Don’t lie to me about a strong character when they spend the whole book, crying and sulking because they lost their fav shoe.

Don’t lie and tell me it is a unique story that no one has ever read before.

Really? Never been done before? What tomb did you just crawl out of? It’s 2020, most of the time they have been done before. I follow you on Goodreads, I know that you have read books that are pretty much exactly the same. (Yep stalker level but I’m owning that shit) Review books from publishers are automatically given four stars. EVERY. DAMN. TIME! Really? Do you not love one more than four stars? Didn’t ever hate it?

BLUE'S

RANT Didn’t think I would notice? *evil laugh* Of course I notice. What else am I meant to do at 2am when I can’t sleep?

hippo all the time is: ACOTAR: Omg I looove Tamlin ACOMAF: I always knew Tamlin was weird.

Ummm? You knew he was weird? Really?

Because you were gushing all over him in book one?

And all of a sudden in book I see these lies every now two you knew all along? It and then and look, my heart must have been hidden in breaks knowing the fact that massive paragraph of that you are mostly lying to you fawning over Tamlin yourself. And what’s worse, that you knew all along and you haven’t even read the I missed it? Just admit that damn book. Y’all just want Maas actually did some epic that publisher love which is writing and tricked you. She understandable but there is tricked me. See. I don’t even no need to lie about it. If I like her that much and I am notice, won’t you think that owning the fact that she publishers and other carried out that hot babe reviewers will notice to? switchero well. OWN IT. Keep it simple people. Don’t Now there is a fine line lie. between opinions and lies.

Don’t get me wrong. But Realistically though, think you know what I am talking of it this way. Your followers about. follow you because they like How many books have you sat there reading and thought, ‘okay well they all said she was going to get tough, maybe that happens soon??’

One main one that I see and fricken laugh out loud like a Page 38 ➤

your content which includes your reviews, so be honest with them. There is no right or wrong when it comes to reading a book and providing your honest review.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t:

• Review a book you never read.

• Tag an author in a negative review.

• Attack others because their review is of a different opinion then yours.

• Lie. Seriously stop lying!

• Have a go at the author.

Mateee, they are human..

You don’t like it Karen, sit down and shut up. Opinions are not only what sets us apart but brings people together with like minded opinions.

People however need to stop getting big heads and think that their opinions are the only correct opinion when in fact there is no right answer when it comes to opinion. Right answers are realistically proved by scientific fact. So if someone has a go at you for your opinion ask them where the scientific proof is to back their opposing claim...

Oh there isn't any? Oh well settle down Karen, before go old school on your ass.

Now we should never be ashamed of our opinions, we should politely voice them.

BLUE'S

RANT For instance. I think any new print of ACOFAS should have in bold letters on the cover ‘I’m sorry’ but that’s cause I think that is an appalling mess. Notice how I didn’t tag the author?

Seee….. it’s simple guys.

Alright what about honest reviews for publishers. What if I told you that two big publishing house stopped sending me books for over a year because I gave one of their books a bad rating with a rant?

What if I told you that a smaller publishing company actually emailed me and told me that my review was hurtful to the author and they are incredibly upset?

Now what if I said that recently I learned not to care?

There was an email sent out about reviews that were posted by a particular publisher. I had a few books on the list that I hadn’t posted because they were negative.

Page 39 ➤

I was told to post them and if the review was bad or good they should be posted.

It was then I realised that if a publisher wants to punish me for using my voice and having an opinion, that doesn’t reflect badly on me what so ever.

The two big publishing houses have started to speak to me again and the small publisher I haven’t heard back from. My review is still up and you can look for it and confirm that my review didn’t attack the author and wasn’t even rude. I didn’t even swear!!!!

But let’s get one thing straight if you send me a book about a white man going to Africa and PUSHING his religion down other people’s throats and there isn’t any other context to the story – then yes you will get a bad review because a) religion is not ma thing, b) you should never tell anyone else what to believe in, c) the book was written horrendously and d) there was nothing interesting about this book.

No world building, no character descriptions.

Legit. NOTHING. I had to learn that negitive

reviews are okay. Because they are your opinion and your thoughts and what YOU want to say. Not what a publisher’s thinks you should say.

Now by no means am I saying that publishers are bad people, they are in fact lovely. My experiences have been my own and in no way impact anything else – obviously. Who knows maybe I called out someone for being a scrooge and they worked at one of the publishers and then I was taken off their list and my details lost and it wasn’t the review after all *shrugs* It doesn’t matter.

While reviewing for publishers remember the following: • You request it. You review it.

• If you cannot meet the deadline required then reach out to the publisher that life got hectic. They will completely get it • Never whinge about receiving free books. I mean seriously?? DON’T • Manage your reading load.

• Don’t request tons of books if you are a slow reader. Reviewing books on behalf of a publisher is a

BLUE'S

RANT privilege so don’t abuse it.

• Never EVER have a go at them. I mean ever.

• Remember that they aren’t your personal PA. You receive the book with a slip of the publication date.

It is your job to stick to that, not theirs!

• You have a bad review.

Post it. Just don’t tag the publisher or the author. Be sure to email the publisher the link so they know you are reviewing.

• Don't ask to get paid. Your book is your payment. Don’t like it? Then fuck off. We don’t need your selfish attitude in our book community. There are so many more deserving people that would love to review books but don’t have the chance – so don’t be the fly that hangs around the shit.

REVIEW - MIDDLE GRADE

Be fucking grateful. You are only given one life. And it’s up to you to use your voice as a platform. So don’t lie about reviews and be honest. Trust me – we would much rather that than anything else (besides coffee) Remember to be kind to one another and keep reading.

xx x e Blu Disclaimer: Again. My rant my view. My actions are mine alone and never in any way reflect publishers, authors or my mum. (honestly my poor mum tried to raise me to be polite, she really did) If my review offended you in anyway.

Message me. I encourage it.

No need to text others and cry about it, honestly, please bring your concerns, frustration and rant ideas my way.

Connect with Blue

Instagram @bluefairytales_

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Blog www.bluefairytales.com.au

Azaria - Maree Coote This gorgeously illustrated picture book for middle grade aged children tells the true story of Azaria Chamberlain. It also tells the story of Injustice, accusations and the cost of judging people before having all the facts at hand.

Lindy Chamberlain was accused of this crime and subsequently spent thirty years behind bars before people listened to the indigenous people who knew the land, who knew the behaviour of nearby dingoes.

"Where wild animals and people meet, tragedy can strike, because just like the big bad wolf, the dingo is not afraid of you and me."

NEXT MONTH WE'VE GOTTA DO THIS AGAIN NEXT MONTH? SHITE...

ISSUE 6 | AUGUST 2020

RYAN LA SALA We chat with author Ryan La Sala about his debut book, Reverie and his follow up novel Be Dazzled.

INDIE AUTHOR Chloe Hodge has some amazing information about her next book for the readers of BooksEtc Mag.

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: Jodie (@readthewriteact)