“Katherine has moved away from her shattered family to start afresh in Sydney. There she keeps her head down until she is befriended by the charismatic, party-loving Alice, who brings her out of her shell. But there is a dark side to Alice, something seductive yet threatening. And as Katherine learns the truth about Alice, their tangled destinies spiral to an explosive and devastating finale.”

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If you have read the hype regarding this novel , you would believe that Rebecca James is going to be the next JK Rowling. That is a big call, and not really fair to the author. Flattering? Yes. Fair? No. I too, knew sketchily of the details surrounding ‘Beautiful Malice’ – a bidding war at a book fair in Germany – or somewhere. I wasn’t really paying attention because I was, as most wannabe writers often are, too busy being insanely jealous. So of course when I picked up the novel I was expecting to be blown away.

I wasn’t. But what I did get was a solid read that kept me interested, if not utterly engrossed and up reading past 2am. But I must stress, that even though I didn’t love and adore this book, I can see the appeal and why many others would rate it very, very highly.

In this part romance, part thriller, we are introduced to Katherine Patterson, an intelligent girl who is completing her high school career, away from her family and friends. But we don’t worry about why too much, as we are swept up with Katherine’s new friendship with Alice and Alice’s ‘kind of’ boyfriend, Robbie.  Beautiful, sexy, crazy Alice. It soon becomes clear that crazy is definitely a word used to describe her. Spiteful, cruel, arrogant and scary also come to mind. Although Katherine has been dealt some horrifying blows in her life, she still has her wits about her, and when Alice’s behaviour becomes truly inappropriate, Katherine cuts her loose. Doing her final exams, nurturing a new love and finally being happy – an unhinged bestie is the last thing Katherine needs. Of course, that is when the fun really begins. Katherine’s tragic past becomes a focus for Alice; a means to wreak havoc on Katherine and those she loves.

It has been claimed that the novel has a strong ‘international appeal’, which I think suggests that it isn’t noticeably ‘Australian’. I can’t figure out whether that is an insult or not. It is Catch-22 for me. I love teen stories set in America, with the school hallways indoors, the cafeterias, snow, no school uniform and ‘mom’. I suppose that with a tweak of mum to mom, the change a some place names and a bit of a flora readjustment, this story could be set anywhere. Does it matter? I guess not. I am just not sure if it is a sell-out when a story set in Sydney, by an Aussie author doesn’t feel Australian.

‘Neutral’ setting aside, I liked Katherine. She has a good head on her shoulders – she doesn’t fall prey to Alice’s manipulation and has the strength to end their friendship. Alice is just a nasty piece of work, all the things you expect a bunny-boiling villain to be, but you do wonder how she got so far hiding her crazy. That in itself is impressive, if not a plot hole. Robbie, who makes up the third member of the trio is sweet and gorgeous – you want to hate his weakness where Alice is concerned, but well, she’s gorgeous and seductive and fun, and he’s a boy. What can he do in the face of that? He is not totally clueless; he does realise the hold Alice has over him, and he does pull her up on her behaviour when necessary.

While I don’t want to give to much away regarding the plot – as a thriller, you need the surprises – I feel that Katherine went through a hell of a lot to achieve what happens at the end of most teen romance novels. I know this isn’t a teen romance, but if the murder, mayhem and Alice’s crazy was notched down a bit, it could be. With a bit more swearing. When you reach the end of this novel you will feel wrung out and maybe a little hopeful, that the good, decent characters will finally get what they deserve – peace and happiness. Early on in the novel, we know Alice got what she deserved. You just have to read on to find out how.

Pages: 283

Publication Date: June, 2010

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Challenge: Debut Author

Rating: :

Teaser Quote: Robbie’s father puts his hand on Alice’s arm and pulls her in beside him. Alice’s face is absolutely inscrutable – and though she’d looked shocked when she’d first seen us, she now looks perfectly comfortable, slightly amused even, as if this whole situation is just a game, and we are the toys.

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

If you liked Unearthly, you’ll love Hallowed. At the end of Unearthly, Clara made he decision to save Tucker instead of Christian, leaving her purpose unfulfilled. Now, despite the fact that Tucker and Christian are both alive and well, Clara can’t help feeling guilty, confused, and lost. On top of all that, a Black Wing is still stalking her and she’s having more visions, this time of someone’s funeral.

I didn’t know what to expect from Hallowed. After finishing Unearthly, I thought of so many different directions Cynthia Hand could take the series, but I had no idea which she would choose. And still, she manages to surprise. Like Clara, I believed the issue of her purpose was now a moot point. She didn’t fulfill it, but everything turned out okay in the end, so no harm, no foul, right? Except maybe her purpose isn’t finished after all. Poor Clara — her mom continues to keep everything from her, despite how desperate Clara is for answers. But as frustrating as that is, at least Hallowed proves just how important it is for some of these secrets to remain secret. And Clara’s mom does finally give into Clara’s request for information, revealing a lot of shocking truths and interesting angel lore. Hallowed deftly explores the legend of the Nephilim and Hand puts her own spin on it so that the second book in the series is just as eye-opening and engaging as the first.

In addition, each character is much further developed in Hallowed. Jeffrey is insufferable and annoying and awful, but there’s a surprising motivation behind his actions. Christian is willing to just be Clara’s friends, though he is undeniably drawn to her. And while Clara loves Tucker with her entire being, she can’t deny that she and Christian seem to be destined for each other. Personally, it’s hard for me to pick favorites. I love each boy for entirely different reasons. In the first book, there wasn’t really any reason for Clara to like Christian other than the facts that he’s hot and she kept dreaming about him. Her slow-blooming relationship with Tucker was much more natural, the product of an adorable friendship formed over a long summer. But in Hallowed, it’s easy to see just how much Clara and Christian get along. They get each other and they have this one huge thing in common: they’re both angels. So how can she possibly decide between these two great guys? I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.

Hallowed is one of those rare sequels that is just as good as, if not better than, the first book in the series. These characters are smart and lovable, more than willing to seek out the answers to all the questions the reader is just as eager for answers to. They’re easy to respect, the kind of characters you want to be best friends with. Cynthia Hand’s beautiful world is captivating, from the beautiful descriptions of rural Wyoming to the fascinating explanations behind angels and their purposes. If you were at all wary or suspicious of another angel series, like I was, cast your fears aside. You won’t want to miss Hand’s masterpiece.

Pages: 416
Publication Date : January 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Challenge: N/A
Rating :

Teaser Quote: “Warm fingers enclose mine. I look up at Christian. He squeezes my hand. I shouldn’t be letting him hold my hand, I think. I belong to Tucker.“

“Meet Jenna Jonsson and Sadie Laine: two gorgeous, glamorous twenty-somethings fighting to make it to the top of their chosen professions. Beautiful and talented, Jenna is an international pop star, determined to take her career to the next level. And when a chance meeting leads to an opportunity for Jenna to work with world-famous rock band Phoenix, Jenna is quick to agree – although her decision is somewhat influenced by Nick Taylor, the drummer with Phoenix and the most gorgeous man Jenna has ever met. Meanwhile, Sadie is a struggling dancer and a childhood rival of Jenna’s. Ambitious and passionate, she is determined to fulfil her dreams. And a move to Las Vegas yields an unmissable career opportunity and a chance at true love. Jenna and Sadie’s lives are about to collide but will sparks fly? Or will they be able to put the past behind them?”

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There is nothing ‘young adult’ about the chick-lit novel, Idol by Carrie Duffy. At the age of twenty three, the main characters Jenna and Sadie, are far too old, and the issues they deal with all reside in the realm of the grown-ups. If grown-ups were all super limber, hot, successful, sexy and hung out with rock groups.

But of course, being ‘realistic’ isn’t the defining marker of a young adult novel; we wouldn’t all be nuts about Harry Potter if it was. However, there has to be content or themes that young adults can relate to, something they can learn from, in an age appropriate manner. Now, I don’t want to sound like a tired old prune, but this book ain’t that. The sex scenes are plentiful and graphic, and the swearing is of the gratuitous and prolific variety.

Rather than whinge about whether this book is technically a YA novel, how ‘bout I actually review Idol? Jenna is an international pop sensation who, upon returning to the scene following a messy break up, has the chance to work with one of the best rock bands in the world.  This band also happen to have the sexiest drummer alive – Nick Taylor. Meanwhile, Sadie is a dancer still trying to make her way in show business, ruing the day her big break was stolen from her by Jenna. Both girls are fighting to succeed in a cutthroat world full of people who will use and abuse them, given the chance. We get to know Jenna and Sadie through the trials and triumphs of their separate lives, until they are brought together to fight a common enemy; a man who has taken something from them both.

Idol is easy to read. The clichés and trite descriptions make it a breeze to get through. The characters are all impossibly good-looking, talented, driven, sexy and sensitive, but not particularly smart. There are acres of tanned and toned flesh, bright white smiles, and bling.

If you have a spare couple of hours,  Idol is the diversion for you. It is fairy floss – pink, light, fluffy, but without  nutritional value. It’s a beach read. One thing I will say, you shouldn’t find this book on the shelf at your school library.

Pages: 391

Publication Date: August 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins

Challenge: Debut Author

Rating: :

Teaser Quote: Her skin was tanned and flawless, her incredible body encased in shimmering Roberto Cavalli, cut high on the thigh and slashed heart-stoppingly low at the front to reveal her magnificent cleavage.