“A rainy night.

A car crash.

After the accident Sarah moves to a new school. A new place where no one knows what happened to her or her brother—where she doesn’t have to deal with the history that’s pulling the rest of her family apart.

Will is keeping his head down at home, just trying to get by. Then his sister Lauren comes back—as caustic as always but somehow changed. Will doesn’t know what upheaval brought her home. But it’s sparking some serious change in his life too.

Eliat’s got no mother of her own, and she’s way too young to be one. Looking after a two-year-old, trying to finish school—sometimes all that keeps her sane is partying as hard and fast as she can. Now the pressure’s building and Eliat just wants to get away.

Just get into a car and drive.”

If you have no patience for long winded stories, I will say straight up, this is not the book for you.

The characters are well thought out and lead multi-faceted lives. I’d have to say the character I most identify with is Eliat. Being a young Mum is its own kind of hell. I can’t imagine how it would be to still be trying to finish school, and having the desire to act irresponsibly, on top of being orphaned. Gritty and real.

The butterfly effect isn’t linear in The Accident, and you never quite know how your actions can play a part in the lives of others. Other than the title and chapter headings of before or after the accident, you are left wondering about about the point of the book. However, eventually a point is made and it is deadly, sharp and stabs deep.

In no way is this a story wearing a mass market bow, neatly tying the ragged, frayed and blood stained strands together for an ending. It is a granny knot, ready to be pulled apart with just the right amount of pressure. If you want to try something off beat and indulgent, give this debut novel for Kate Hendrick a go.

Paperback, 272 pages

Published June 26th 2013 by The Text Publishing Company

ISBN: 9781921922855

 “Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He has learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down – which means he’ll have to find someone he can trust.

POWER. ENEMIES. EVERYWHERE.”

Hunter was the star of the ebook, Fearless, and it was nice to see him get a whole full length novel of his own.

The poor guy just can not catch a break until the eldest Merrick brother, Michael, gives him the chance to get his feet under himself. I haven’t read a whole lot of books where guys are nice to one another for the sake of being nice. There is usually strings attached or some awful ulterior motive. Makes me wonder which is more believable. I honestly hope guys would help each other.

I enjoy reading the interactions between the Merrick brothers, and adding Hunter into the three ring circus gave me more than one occasion to snort giggle. I even read one bit out to my husband and even he laughed (which hardly ever happens). 

As with the other books it wouldn’t be complete without a little romance to add a little sweetness. Kate and Hunter have an awkward thing going on, but it’s giggle worthy and made me sigh.

If you haven’t read this one yet, you might want to track it down for the September school holidays. (along with the other books and ebooks) and consume them, or re consume them as the case may be from the very beginning.

Brigid’s books lift my mood and can turn around even the worst day. Love me some Merrick brothers.

The next book is due out in January, and will be called Secret. Can not wait!

http://www.brigidkemmerer.com/

Paperback, Australian, 294 pages

Published June 1st 2013 by Allen & Unwin (first published May 28th 2013)

ISBN: 1743310765 (ISBN13: 9781743310762)

From Goodreads…

“In Forsaken: Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she’s already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it’s tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he’s God’s gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass. One thing’s for sure — if she doesn’t keep her wits about her there’ll be hell to pay …

In Forbidden: Riley’s beginning to think being a Demon Trapper isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Her dad’s been stolen by a necromancer, her boyfriend’s gone all weird and she’s getting warm and fuzzy feelings for someone who’s seriously bad news. It’s tempting to give it all up and try to be normal, but that’s not an option. Because the demons have plans for Riley. And they’re not the only ones.”

There has been so much going on in my life lately that I’ve been finding the reading zone to be a little more difficult to settle into. The size of this omnibus had me quaking in my boots and I thought it would take weeks for me to get through. This is NOT the case!

I was grumpy most mornings when I had to leave the book at home, and not take it to read on the bus, because of the weight it would add to my already loaded bag. I was able to get into the zone, stay there and even dream about what I thought would be happening in the next chapter. To be honest I don’t know how I managed to not have pasta sauce stains all through the book, because I was picking it up every chance I had.

We’ve had an influx of angel stories in the last 2 years or so. This is another one, but it holds it’s own. The blurred lines between good and evil are still driving us all mad and the characters are swept up in the rip tide of action and adventure, in turn so are you as a reader. Which is just what I needed.

I think I want a Magpie demon for my own personal needs! Ever tried to find the back of your earring when you’re running late for the walk to the bus stop? It’s such a pain in the butt.

I need to go exploring to see if book 3 and 4 are in omnibus format as well, because there is just something special about not having to close the cover to get to the next instalment of awesome in a separate book.

Jana had me confused as to whether I wanted to cry or throw the book, and I have been craving hot chocolate like nobody’s business, thanks to our main character Riley.

Romance, action, kick ass girls and strong stoic guy friends round out the impressive set list you can expect from these two glorious novels.

Start reading this in the morning of a day when you have nothing urgent to be done. You will be hooked.

http://www.janaoliver.com/

Paperback, 864 pages

Published July 4th 2013 by Macmillan Children’s Books

ISBN: 9781447241744

“Kitty is living a happy, carefree life as a dairymaid in the countryside. The grand family she is employed by looks after her well, and she loves her trade, caring for the gentle cows and working in the cool, calm dairy. And then, of course, there is Will, the river man who she thinks is very fond of her, and indeed she is of him. Surely he will ask her to marry him soon? Then one day disaster strikes: Will disappears. Kitty is first worried and then furious. She fears that Will has only been leading her on all this time, and has now gone to London to make his fortune, forgetting about her completely. So when Kitty is asked to go to London to pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice, the latest novel by the very fashionable Jane Austen, Kitty leaps at the chance to track down Will. But Kitty has no idea how vast London is, and how careful she must be. It is barely a moment before eagle-eyed pickpockets have spotted the country-born-and-bred Kitty and relieved her of her money and belongings. Dauntingly fast, she has lost her only means of returning home and must face the terrifying prospect of stealing in order to survive – and of being named a thief …”

After recently posting about Austen and August, I think this is a fitting review to follow the trend of historical fiction.

From the little dairy in the country side to the overwhelming bustle of London, Kitty gets herself into, and out of, trouble better than you would expect of a woman from the Austen era. She is hardly a simpering air-head. Her trusting heart and moral compass can be blamed for a fair bit of the heart stopping drama. Even I wanted to stamp my foot at Will.

Highlights in the book for me were the graceful way in which Kitty panders to the wishes of her employers’ daughters. They want her to teach the cow to do… what?!

I find my tastes don’t usually run to historical fiction, or even really to the classics, however I thoroughly loved The Disgrace of Kitty Grey. It’s short, sweet and balanced well, especially for the uninitiated, like me.

I suggest this one for an outdoor read on a Spring afternoon with a snack of brie and crackers.

http://www.maryhooper.co.uk/

Paperback, 288 pages

Published May 9th 2013 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books (first published January 1st 2013)

ISBN: 1408826711 (ISBN13: 9781408827611)

Picture your day then picture the polar opposite of pretty much everything you are, and stick it in an alternate reality (which you live through every second day). You’re effectively living your days twice, but from completely different points of view. Confused yet? I hope not, because not only is this book amazing, it is going to be hitting my top 5 of the year at this stage.

Sabine lives two lives, a rich socialite, and a social misfit. One life is full of excess, the things a girl may want but doesn’t need, where as her other life is crammed with the things every girl needs, but may not want. When she goes to sleep she alternates between the two lives.

It isn’t until she breaks her arm, and it doesn’t transfer into her other life, that her brain starts to tick over about the opportunity to choose which life she’d like to lead. It certainly isn’t an easy life lives (?) to live, but which would you choose?

Jessica Shervington has completely messed with my head, and I don’t quite know why it affected me so much. I love Sabine. I love the other characters. I even loved the characters we were supposed to hate… (except that one poop head. I can never forgive him.) The relationships between characters are complex and believable. The situations ring true.

Though Between the Lives is set in the US, it could just as easily be set in the more affluent areas of any Aussie major city, and in contrast, any of the outer suburbs. I actually think it is a bit of a shame Jessica didn’t decide to give a nod to Sydney or Melbourne.

I honestly don’t think I’d enjoy living two lives, no matter which way you want to slice it.

Jessica Shirvington hit a home run with this gem of a book.

http://www.jessicashirvington.com/

Paperback, 336 pages

Published May 1^st 2013 by HarperCollins Australia

ISBN 0732296269 (ISBN13: 9780732296261)