You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

Kayla McHenry's sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla's secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin' do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year's supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla's wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend. (from publishers site)


You Wish is an addictive, wild and quirky read that cleverly manages to explore some meaningful themes under the madness.

You Wish was always unexpected - anything could happen with the wishes and the way they cropped up in Kayla's life was so creative. It really felt like Mandy Hubbard had a blast while writing this, letting her imagination go wild. She wreaked havoc on poor Kayla with so many cringe-worthy and hilarious situations.

Despite the craziness of the wishes - it did have me thinking about things I've wished for and reminded me of that lovely innocence and make-believe of childhood. At it's core it's a classic coming of age story - Kayla  is in a swirl of her childhood wishes while watching others around her growing up and changing (including her best friend who suddenly blossoms and is leaving Kayla behind for the popular crowd).

As a protag, Kayla is very relatable: she is confident in who she is but unsure of her place among her peers and so wants to be accepted for her quirky, slightly geeky self. She's also crushing on her best friends boyfriend - I think teen readers will find it easy to crush on Ben too - he's pretty spunky, with his grin and motorbike tricks and easy-going nature.

 You Wish is an infectious kind of read - dizzying with wackiness yet touching with some genuinely heart-felt moments.

I recommend this to teens (and it would also appeal to mature pre-teens) who are looking for a fun, quirky and unpredictable read - this could easily cross over into upper MG with it's clean story (no swearing/illicit substances/sex). It's also perfect for reluctant readers, with it's fast pace and accessible prose.

On occasion it was a touch too cute for my tastes - but I think it's spot on for the audience it is written for :)

You Wish is available in Australia now.
You Wish @ goodreads
You Wish @ Penguin
Mandy Hubbard's website

Thank you to Penguin Australia for sending me this review copy

Diary of a Wimpy Kid & Origami Yoda - MG Goodness :)

Reuben :)

So it was my son Reuben's 8th bday last week. Whoo Hoo! He got a bunch of books - most of which we've since read. My son Sam is 9 and he immediately snagged some of Reub's new stash of books too.

Here's what my boys are into - a couple of MG boyish recs :)

He got all four Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books. They are hilarious and have the coolest cartoons in them. Sam read the first three in three days curled upon the lounge amidst holiday noise and chaos, completely absorbed.

And then when we were out Sam spent some of his savings on the Do It Yourself Book. I absolutely recommend them!

Sam spent an afternoon scribbling away in this - I haven't read it, haha, apparently it's PRIVATE :)

opening in book one

Book five is coming out in November (and the boys are planning to buy it...)

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

I read a couple of chapters of this out loud to all three of my kids every day. They loved it. It's right in the pocket for their age level - they love hearing about kids just a bit older than them getting caught up in all sorts of ridiculous and embarrassing situations. They laughed a lot and snickered at some of the stupider characters. Funny funny stuff.

The story is presented in case files for all different characters and each case file has a slightly different voice/feel to it - which was perfectly fun for reading aloud and getting dramatically carried away with. There's cartoons scattered throughout and instructions on how to make your own origami Yoda.

This book is so original - a paper origami yoda that gives advice to middle school kids and possibly uses the force? Crazy genius. It really is made of win :) Plus, Yoda always talks in Yod-ese: "

Awesome post on designing the book cover for Origami Yoda

Sam bought this Star Wars book for Reuben - I think because he wanted it for himself, haha. They love stuff like this - copying the pictures and flipping through it in bed.

My parents visited and let my kids choose something at the shops (anything: toys, dvd's, etc - both my boys went straight to the book section :) and Reuben chose:

Which he has "already read" haha. Which he means he's studied every single page and skimmed the info. It's a very funky book -kinda addictive actually with some freaky stuff in there - my kids love stuff like that.

Reuben also got some Doctor Who activity books :) You can't go wrong, eh? :)

Any cool middle grade books you've read recently?

Any you recommend that you think my kids would love? 

(my boys are 8 & 9 and my girl is turning 6 this week)

The Sky is Everywhere - Covers

One of the most beautiful books I've read this year was Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere (my review).

Not only is the prose absolutely gorgeous but the layout is stunning, in blue ink and with snippets of poetry throughout in original writing (see below). Also, I love the texture and look of my cover, which feels more like a journal than a novel.

Some different covers for the book:

US Hard Cover

US Paperback 

UK/Australia

French

German

Which cover is your favourite? 

I like the US paperback much more than the US hardcover - it's softer and somehow more emotive (although maybe the hard cover looks better in person?)

 I also like the French cover - so similar to my Aussie one, but with the little hearts, which adds a little bit more whimsicalness to it.

And, for those of you who haven't read it yet...

some shots from the inside of The Sky is Everywhere:

The Sky is Everywhere has been nominated for The 2010 Silver Inky. The short-lists will be announced on Tues the 12th of October. I'm hoping it makes it through to the next round of voting. (info about The Inky's and the 2010 longlist)

Three books that have me feeling pumped...

Three upcoming releases from Penguin I am absolutely pumped about:

Australian Release Dates

Matched: Dec 7, 2010

Anna and the French Kiss: Jan 4, 2011

Across the Universe: Jan 4, 2011

It's going to be a great summer for reading!

And for Aussies, Penguin is giving away FOUR proof copies (ARCs) of Beth Revis' Across the Universe. Head to their YA blog Between the Lines for details on entering the comp.

I'm torn which of these three titles I want more. 

Anna and the French Kiss looks like it's my perfect read. I was hooked on the title and then the cover and more so after the blurb and then EVERY SINGLE REVIEW I've read of it has positively raved and swooned and fallen in love. 

Of course, Matched is perhaps the most universally anticipated YA release of the year. It's going to be brilliant. And the cover is stunning.I can't wait to see it in the flesh :)

And I recently stumbled across Across the Universe. And, yeah. Wow. Have you read the premise? It sounds amazing and even though I read mostly contemporary, sci-fi completely rules on our TV (My husband is all about sci-fi) and I love the creativity and possibilities with sci-fi. It just sounds brilliant. I think it's going to be BIG. Read the first chapter. The Across the Universe site.

Anyone else hanging out for any of these?

Anyone snagged proof copies and read them yet?

Good Oil by Laura Buzo

‘Miss Amelia Hayes, welcome to The Land of Dreams. I am the staff trainer. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei and I will give you the good oil. Right? And just so you know, I’m open to all kinds of bribery.’

From the moment 15-year-old Amelia begins work on the checkout at Woolworths she is sunk, gone, lost. head-over-heels in love with Chris.

Chris is the funny, charming, man-about-Woolies — but he’s 21, and the six-year difference in their ages may as well be 100.

Chris and Amelia talk about everything from ‘Second Wave Feminism’ toGreat Expectations and Alien, but will he ever look at her in the way she wants him to? And if he does, will it be everything she hopes?

A coming-of-age story that is warm, funny and a little bit heartbreaking. 


This bittersweet story of first love and second thoughts will capture your heart and make you laugh.

I really wanted to read this book for a few reasons:

• The cover! It's fun and fresh and flirty
• I got hooked on Amelia, 15yrs, crushing on Chris from work, 21. Okay, so sometimes it doesn't take much to hook me :)
• Woolies is a setting! Well, cool. Who doesn't go to Woolies all the time? I love the simplicity of it and memories of my own check-out chick days (which were in a slightly daggier $2 shop setting)
• It's an Aussie debut! yay!

My thoughts: Funny and true and sophisticated and charming and brilliantly Australian. Reading this book just felt like a breath of fresh air. I completely fell in love with it, it struck a chord with me and I know this book will resonate for a long time. In fact, I already can't wait to re-visit it.


It's told from Amelia and Chris's POV - but not in alternating chapters - more in chunks - first from Amelia, and then from Chris. When it swivels to Chris's POV it rewinds in time which was brilliant, as I was anticipating up-coming events but from his perspective - loved that angle, kept me flipping the pages.


I don't want to say much plot-wise as when I went into it I didn't really know what to expect and I loved approaching it like that... 


Amelia spends a lot of time crushing on Chris, which is understandable because, hey, I was crushing on him too :) 


As for Chris? He is such a well written character, from Amelia's POV and from his own. His struggles with his future and mates and Uni and living at home and with various girls just felt so real and I adore him in a similar way to how I feel about Tom MacKee from Melina Marchetta's The Piper's Son and Saving Francesca.


Really, it wasn't just the story but the themes in this book that spoke to me: that hopefulness and angst that teen girls have, being naive yet day-dreamy. The perspective that a few years brings with Chris and how that age gap really does feel like an impossible thing. That feeling of being in your early twenties and not knowing what the heck you're doing with your life.


Maybe some people won't realise the power of this book - but underneath such an unassuming storyline there is magic in there. Magic. And I have heard this book compared to finding a new hidden talent such as when Melina Marchetta first bound on the scene with Looking For Alibrandi. Yeah, absolutely - Laura Buzo has the same talent for characters that feel real and a voice that comes straight from the soul of a teen.

• I think some of the best contemporary novels are the ones that don't strive to be LOUD and edgy and OMG all the time but that have the confidence to quietly bleed emotion and genuine characters on to the page.  

The prose was seamless, beautiful and engaging. I'm crushing on the writing.


The ending was so startling and bittersweet that I realised it's been a while since I've read such a perfect and lingering ending. Endings are important, hey? This one made me ache and took my breath away and guaranteed a permanent place for Chris and Amelia in my heart. 


I didn't want it to end. I still want to imagine Chris and Amelia out there and re-visit them in their twenties and thirties and when they're old so that their story doesn't have to end for me. So, yeah, if laura's keen on a sequel I'd absolutely be there! :)


I recommend this to: guys and girls, fans of Melina Marchetta (and also fans of Kirsten  Murphy) and readers who love an unpredictable and original heart-felt coming-of-age and love story.


(Also has some mature themes with Chris's older POV, perfect for older teens)


goodreads
publishers site (Allen and Unwin)

GIVEAWAY Fall For Anything, Courtney Summers

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered.

The Trailer :)

open internationally

(to wherever The Book Depository delivers - check here)

Published December 21, this is a pre-order giveaway

(I'll put in the order and you'll get it in the mail shortly after it's release day)

Give-away closes 19th October, winner announced on the 20th :)

AND the coolest giveaway in the blogging world at the moment? 

is happening @ My Girl Friday who has a copy of Cath Crowley's Graffiti Moon and a bunch of other funky things and it's open internationally (!!!) which is brilliant as the book is not out anywhere but Australia yet. And, it's one of the best books I've read all year, an instant all time mad brilliant favourite of mine (my review). Check out the giveaway here - and Steph's blog is ever so cool and a fave of mine :)

Tomorrow When the War Began coming to the UK

Because of the huge on-going success of the movie in Australia (11 million +) and New Zealand (1.2 million +)  Paramount Pictures has now acquired distribution rights for:

• the UK
• Scandinavia
• Russia
• Portugal
• South Africa

Whoo Hoo!

Also - it's official: #2 The Dead of the Night and #3 The Third Day the Frost (also published as A Killing Frost) are being made into feature films for the big screen.

Yay! 

There is talk of doing a shoot off TV series after the first three feature films...

click for: More stills from the movie

Last week I re-read books #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5 in the series and loved them just as much as always :)

Here's the trailer below (in case you missed it the first time I posted).

I've seen the movie twice. Once with my man (who thought it rocked) and once with my sister - who hasn't read the book*, she absolutely loved it (and cried!) and took my book with her back to Sydney.

My rambling review of the movie :)

*despite years of my occasional nagging... I think my family tune out to my book ramblings...



Also, for those who have read the book - John has given permission to the screen writers to resurrect one of the main characters who die in the books if they so choose to keep them for further movies. You can probably guess which one...

Have a fab weekend! 

xx