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Book Review: Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris

Mar 19, 2019

Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris

Pages: 310
Publish date: March 26th 2019
Publisher: Entangled Teen
ISBN: 9781640635265
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Look up the word “nerd” and you’ll find Lily Bailey’s picture. She’s got one goal: first stop valedictorian, next stop Harvard. Until a stint in the hospital from too much stress lands her in the last place a klutz like her ever expected to be: salsa dance lessons.

Look up the word “popular” and you’ll find Stone Torres’s picture. His life seems perfect—star of the football team, small-town hero, lots of friends. But his family is struggling to make ends meet, so if pitching in at his mom’s dance studio helps, he’ll do it.

When Lily’s dad offers Stone extra cash to volunteer as Lily’s permanent dance partner, he can’t refuse. But with each dip and turn, each moment her hand is in his, his side job starts to feel all too real. Lily shows Stone he’s more than his impressive football stats, and he introduces her to a world outside of studying. But with the lines blurred, can their relationship survive the secret he’s been hiding?

Eyes on Me:

I received an e-arc of Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris from Entangled Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I haven’t read a new Rachel Harris is nearly 2 years – what on earth. I can’t believe that it’s been that long. But as soon as I started Eyes on Me, I remembered why I fell in love with her romances, with her stories.

Eyes on Me follows Lily as she tries to navigate her last year at high school. She is so close to becoming valedictorian, but Lily knows that it can slip through her fingers at any time. But after an intense hospital visit, Lily’s father needs her to do something other than studying. So when her Dad signs her up for dancing lessons, Lily isn’t having it. She can’t walk straight, let alone dance. But she knows that it will make him happy.

Stone has a lot going for him, as the star quarterback, and popular kid, you think he was living a teenage dream. But his mother’s dance studio is struggling. So when Lily’s dad offers him extra cash for being Lily’s dance partner as well as keeping her entertained – he really can’t say no. But we all know that this is going to end up a disaster.

Taylor Ann Wright

I have always loved reading Rachel Harris novels, I don’t know what it is. But whenever I pick up one of her books I just fall in love. And I felt the same with Eyes on Me. While it does have a very cliché premise, it still had its unique twist that made me want to keep on reading. Most of the time I really don’t like books that feature dancing, I don’t know what it is. However, it really worked here.

I really enjoyed Lily as a protagonist, she was easy to get along with and I loved getting to know her. At the start of the novel, Lily is very quiet and draw back from others. Focused on becoming valedictorian there is nothing else matters too much. She wants to make her mother proud. I think that is what drove her a lot through Eyes on Me. The reader is able to see that Lily is still grieving her mother’s death and not only that, she misses her.

Lily’s character arc and growth is something that I loved throughout Eyes on Me. The reader is able to see that she not only gains confidence in herself but those around her. She is able to form more friendships and let herself be free in a way. And it wasn’t just through meeting Stone, but through the dancing as well.

Daniel von Appen

Stone was an interesting character as well. While I didn’t like him as much as Lily, I still enjoyed getting to know him. One of the things that I admired about him was the love that he had for his family. Not only for his parents but his sister as well. From the get-go, the reader is able to see who much Stone cares for them all, and he will do anything for them. While Stone had the usual quarterback persona, he was also very sensitive and he danced.

Stone and Lily together were totally adorable. The reader is able to see from the start that they have a connection. This connection becomes stronger as the novel goes on. Through them dancing together and simply having out. I loved that the romance wasn’t too fast, but then again it wasn’t slow. It was kind of the perfect rate for me. What I didn’t like about the romance was how it started. It’s a trope that I don’t particularly like, but I pushed through it. I understand why Stone took the money, but I wish he stopped taking it. Because, in the end, everyone gets hurt.

Grief is something is looked at in YA a lot, but I thought that Rachel Harris did an excellent job at it in Eyes on Me. As I said before dancing in novels aren’t usually something that I like reading about. But I think it really helped the reader understand Lily’s grief.

Simon Maage

In saying all this there were times throughout the novel that I felt like I had read them before. Eyes on Me is very cliché at sometimes that did turn me off. But I was invested in Lily’s story and I wanted to see where it went. I think that sometimes YA contemporary romance can be like that. you kind of know what’s going to happen but you want to read on.

Another thing that I did love about the novel as it looks on female friendship. I think that is something that YA lacks still, but Rachel Harris explored it in such a nice way in Eyes on Me. I liked that the reader is not only able to see old friendships stay strong but, when another girl is added to the mix, it doesn’t break apart. The friendships were very warm and welcoming.

Overall, Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris as a fantastic read. It’s a lighthearted romance novel that explores friendship, new romances, but also looks at grief and learning to overcome it. The writing was easy to read and the romance was just adorable. Rachel Harris has a knack for writing very real characters and she does it yet again in Eyes on Me.

Book Review: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

Mar 10, 2019

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

Pages: 432
Publish date: March 2019
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
ISBN:9781760524418
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Four Queens. A divided nation. A ruthless pickpocket. A noble messenger. And the murders that unite them.

Seventeen-year-old Keralie Corrington is one of Quadara’s most skilled thieves, but when she steals an unexpectedly valuable package from a messenger she is soon entangled in a conspiracy that leads to all four of Quadara’s queens being murdered.

With no other choices and on the run from her former employer, Keralie teams up with Varin Bollt, the Eonist messenger she stole from, and together they race to discover who has killed the queens. But when dark secrets threaten their reluctant partnership and put everything at stake, Keralie and Varin must use all their daring to stay alive and untangle the mysteries behind the nation’s four dead queens.

Four Dead Queens:

I received an arc of Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte from Allen and Unwin in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2019. But I also went in not knowing much, I wanted to be taken away with this world and I am so glad that I did that because I loved Four Dead Queens. It had everything that I was looking for in a standalone fantasy. It’s full of court intrigue, death, great worldbuilding and a romance that warmed my heart.

Four Dead Queens follows thief Keralie, who unexpectedly steals a very important and valuable package from a messenger. Now she is entangled in the world of the court and has the knowledge of how the four queens of Quadara are murdered. Not only that Keralie is now on the run from her former boss with Varin Bollt, the messenger from Enoist. They both try and discover who has killed the queens and maybe even stop their deaths from happening. But both Keralie and Varin hold secrets that could untangle everything that they are fighting for.

I really enjoyed Keralie as a protagonist. She was tough but also sensitive at the same time. This lead to her creating a great dynamic for the book. She was a really easy character to fall into and get to know. I liked that we didn’t know too much about her first off, but as the novel went on the reader gets to know her story. How she came to be ‘friends’ with Mackiel, the head of the thieves. And then slowly more about her life. I liked seeing the different sides of Keralie, with Mackiel she is very timid at first, but then with Varin she tells him how it is. It’s a really cool contrast. Keralie character arc is also something that I really enjoyed throughout Four Dead Queens.

Pro Church Media

Varin was an awesome character and love interest for Keralie in Four Dead Queens. He was such an interesting character, and I do wish that the reader was able to get to know him a little more. But for a supporting character, he really added something to both the story itself and to Keralie. I think Varin was an intriging character because of his origin. He is the total opposite from Keralie, and that made their interactions so much more interesting.

Now on to the queens. The four queens of Quadara are such interesting characters. They are all very different from one another. They all have different values, different ways of being queen. But in the end, they all want one thing. They want for their kingdom’s to be safe and for them to be great queens. I found the world that Astrid Scholte created here in Four Dead Queens was really fascinating and different. Four Queens with no kings working somewhat together to run a whole kingdom.

Talking about the Four Queens, the next part is a little spoiley to some people, but I do need to discuss it. There are two queer characters that do die throughout the novel. And although I do wish that they weren’t killed, the two queer characters in question are two of the four queens. And with a title like Four Dead Queens, you can kind of guess what happens. Obviously, you can decide if you are okay with reading that, however, I felt that I did need to talk about this when reviewing this book. If anyone wants to talk about this further, I am happy to chat with you.

Photo by it’s me neosiam from Pexels

Other than the court system and the fact that there are four queens, the world that Astrid Scholte is really interesting. It’s a mix of fantasy and science fiction, but together it all works. With each quadrant different from each other. But they all fit together like a puzzle. I liked that each quadrant had different elements and things that they were good at. And their queens represent that as well.

The plot of Four Dead Queens was really interesting. I thought I knew where it was going to a while, but then I was taken on a totally different direction. Which I loved. I like being wrong, reading-wise. I like that I was taken by surprise. Especially towards the end, it shook me a lot. I was so taken back, but it worked so well here, and I loved it.

One of the things that Four Dead Queens focuses on is court intrigue. I think that sometimes may turn people off. But I loved this so much. I found that it added another depth to the story and grabbed from the get-go. I liked seeing how not only the world worked, but how the court of Quadara functioned.

Overall, I loved Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte. It has so many elements that just make the story even better. I loved the world, the characters, and I adored the storyline. Keralie was such an interesting protagonist and at times even an unreliable narrator and that just made everything much more interesting. Four Dead Queens is a fantastic debut that explores court intrigue, women in power and what it’s like to stand up for yourself. With fantastic writing and a plot that has many twists and turns, Four Dead Queens is sure to take you on a ride.

Have you read Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume #LoveOzYA

Mar 1, 2019

What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume

Pages: 265
Publish date: February 26th 2019
Publisher: Pan Australia
ISBN: 9781760559120
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE SUMMER OF THEIR LIVES?

This summer is probably not going to be that.

Source: Everything that’s happened since yesterday …

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she’d be doing this summer is entering a beauty pageant.

Not when she’s spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone.

Not when her Dad is AWOL for Christmas and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie’s shaky confidence. And her best friend starts going out with the boy she’s always loved.

But Maisie’s got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this summer is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn’t let anything, or anyone, hold her back…

What I Like About Me:

I received an arc of What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume from Pan Australia in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings.

When it was announced, I was drawn to the book. But I also never read the synopsis properly. I thought it was just going to be summer romance and finding yourself kind of novel. I didn’t expect there to be a beauty pageant. So that did take me back a little, nevertheless, I still really enjoyed the book.

What I Like About Me follows Maisie Martin who’s last thought this summer was to enter a beauty pageant. But there is a lot of this going around this summer. When Maisie left for the summer with her best friend to her usual family getaway she just wanted to have a fun summer. But now her best friend is going out with the guy she has always had a crush on, her dad is behaving strange and her older sister is back.

Maisie was a very interesting protagonist and for the most part, I really enjoyed her. Maisie felt very real throughout What I Like About Me. She has insecurities, family dilemma and just wants to be a teen. And while Maisie did keep a lot of things closed off, I adored how she was able to tell everything in her school project. I also adored how she hated it. She was very clear about that, but still poured her heart and soul into it.

Myke Simon

And while I did find Maisie very read, there were some things that happened throughout the novel that didn’t sit with me well. Most of it had to do with her best friend Anna and everything that came along with that. I didn’t have great friendships growing up. They were pretty bad actually. So I am always striving and wanting great female friendships in YA novels. And while for the most part Maisie and Anna had a great relationship, this summer it is tested and I didn’t really like how it all panned out.

Maisie has had a crush on Seb for years now. Before she was able to talk with him, hang out and have so much fun. But now it’s all too awkward. Maisie thought that maybe this summer might be her chance. But that didn’t go to plan. With Anna spending so much time with Seb, Maisie and Beamer are left alone. And that is when the magic happens. While I don’t really agree with anything that happened between Seb and Anna. Maisie and Beamer just lit up the book.

I adored the interaction between Maisie and Beamer so much in What I Like About Me. I couldn’t help but smile like an idiot for most of the book. It was really nice seeing their relationship grow from being ‘enemies’ to something so much more. I loved how Beamer tried everything to make Maisie not only happy but distracted her from what else was happening in her life.

Family is a big theme throughout What I Like About Me and I liked that it looked at different family dynamics and how they can also play a part in insecurities. I wasn’t a massive fan of Maisie’s mum, even the little things that she said or did really didn’t sit well with me. Maisie needed someone to support her and I don’t think her mum did. I really enjoyed a particular scene between Maisie and her sister – and while it didn’t make up for everything that happened between, it helped build a bridge.

Sam Wheeler

So let’s talk about the beauty pageant aspect of the novel. While I didn’t expect it in What I Like About Me, I didn’t hate it. In saying that, beauty pageant novels have never really been my thing. I don’t know what it is, but they always rub me the wrong way. Both in books and in real life. But I did like how it made Maisie strong, more herself and let her recognise and understand her own insecurities.

Another aspect that I adored about What I Like About Me was that it was set, here in Australia. We don’t get many novels, especially YA set in Australia. So I was just loving it. I spent most of my summers growing up by the beach, so I can imagine everything that comes along with it so easy! I loved that Jenna didn’t stay away from the sense of Australia either. It made me feel at home.

Overall, I liked What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume. I thought it was a fantastic debut novel that explores coming of age in a time where looking ‘perfect’ is in everything that we do. It explores that being yourself is so much more important, that looking a certain way that appeases everyone in life. Maisie goes through many ups and downs throughout the novel, but they all make her who she at the end. It’s a fluffball of a book that is both adorable and so timely. If you are looking for a new book about body positivity and coming of age, then this one is for you.

Have you read What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!