Discover the new books for young adult readers that our booksellers are excited about this month!
Lady’s Knight
Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner – the dynamic duo behind YA series including The Starbound Trilogy and The Unearthed Duology – are back again with a new collaboration, Lady’s Knight. This standalone tale departs from Kaufman and Spooner’s traditional realm of sci-fi and instead ventures into the past, to a medieval land of knights, lords, ladies and blacksmiths. But this is first and foremost a rom-com adventure – forget any notion of historical accuracy and get ready for cheesecake on a stick, cheerleaders and a tavern serving themed cocktails.
Isobelle is a noble lady with social status and an enormous dowry, but whose indifferent guardian has offered her as the prize for the winning knight in The Tournament of Dragonslayers. Gwen is the daughter of a village blacksmith, whose talents for forging and fighting are pointedly ignored by everyone around her. When the two cross paths, they realise that an unexpected partnership might be the key to solving both their problems – Gwen will disguise herself as a knight, win the tournament, prove herself beyond a doubt and save Isobelle from being married off to an unknown brute! With Gwen’s skill and Isobelle’s determination, they can’t possibly lose, right?
As someone who had an adolescent obsession with Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness quartet, any story that involves someone disguising themselves as a knight has me on the hook straight away; but Kaufman and Spooner elevate the already delightful premise with charming characters, endless wit, and a swoonworthy queer romance. While this is a fun-filled adventure, it also manages to maintain a lot of nuance in the relationships between characters, and the depiction of the prejudices and injustices that Isobelle and Gwen are trying to fight. I heartily recommend this to any fantasy or rom-com lover – you’ll giggle, sigh, gasp and cheer! For ages 13+.
Reviewed by Bella Mackey.
The Foal in the Wire
Robbie Coburn
This slim verse novel, with the most exquisite painting by Christa Moffitt of a foal on its cover, certainly packs a punch. It’s the story of Sam and Julia, who have lived next to one another on neighbouring farms for many years, both surviving in unhappy families. They have never really connected before, but when Julia finds a foal caught in barbed wire, she calls out to Sam, and thus begins their connection over caring for the foal and, soon enough, one another.
In sparse, unflinching poems, secrets are carefully revealed: the bullying Sam is experiencing at school; his parents’ unhappy relationship; and Julia’s drunk, abusive father, who takes out his frustrations on Julia now that her mother has left. As the foal slowly improves with their focused love and attention, Sam and Julia must confront their own bullies if they are to survive.
The author is a young Australian poet who writes about horses and the Australian landscape with intimate knowledge. He also describes terribly wounded people with the utmost empathy. The Foal in the Wire doesn’t take long to read, but its characters will remain with you for a long time. This powerful story will appeal to reluctant readers and those who like realistic stories aged 13+.
Reviewed by Angela Crocombe.
The Pull of the Moon
Pip Smith
The Pull of the Moon is a powerful new book that doesn’t shy away from tough discussions. This book centres on the 2010 Christmas Island boat disaster, when a boat carrying asylum seekers ran aground against the rocks surrounding the island. Pip Smith handles this topic expertly, not shying away from tragedy, but presenting the story in a way that is digestible for younger readers.
The story primarily follows Coralie, a 13-year-old girl living on Christmas Island when the disaster occurred. Woven through her story is the tale of two siblings, Ali and Zahra, who were on board the boat when it sank. The Pull of the Moon not only tackles issues surrounding asylum seekers, it also heavily centres on environmentalism. It’s impossible to read this book and not feel for the characters. The Pull of the Moon is a great text to introduce young adults to these issues. Smith expertly balances cold, hard facts with deep emotional insight, weaving together a tapestry from which you cannot look away.
At its core, this is a book about coping with grief: the grief of an absent parent, the grief of losing your family and everything you’ve ever known, and the grief of a whole species dying. It is also a book about resilience and learning to live after tragedy. The lessons this book teaches about compassion, empathy and determination will resonate with kids and parents. Smith’s writing style and method of storytelling will make this book enjoyable for kids aged 12+.
Reviewed by Alicia Guiney.
Also recommended this month are:
A Forgery of Fate
Elizabeth Lim
A gifted art forger, Truyan Saigas has the unique ability to paint the future. But when her father is lost at sea, not even magic can heal her family, or save her two younger sisters from the dangerous consequences of her mother's gambling debts.
Then Elang, a mysterious dragon lord, offers her a deal: in exchange for a fresh start for her mother and sisters, Tru must enter a marriage contract and join him in his desolate undersea palace.
Once there, Tru will embark on her most dangerous forgery yet. To infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King's inner circle and paint a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms.
Nobody in Particular
Sophie Gonzales
When Danni joins an all-girls boarding school on a music scholarship, she expects to be an outcast among her wealthy classmates – especially the gorgeous Princess Rose.
After a royal scandal lost her the trust of both her country and her best friend, Rose can't afford any distractions – even her beautiful new classmate, Danni.
But resisting temptation is harder than it looks …
As Rose and Danni fall for each other, rumours swirl, and the girls are forced to hide their forbidden romance. Because if the palace ever finds out, they will do whatever it takes to separate Rose and Danni forever.
Golden
Jade Timms
A life-affirming, upbeat story about friendship, loss, first love, what it is to be an artist, and life in an idyllic Australian beach town-from an exciting new YA voice.
When you work in the juice bar of your small coastal town. When your twin brother is the fun one with all the friends. When something happened a year ago that you can't talk about, but everything makes you remember it. When it might have been all your fault. When going to the beach, to that beach, takes all the air out of your lungs. When you're training for the town's annual Mud Run that you're not even sure you want to enter. When you're drawn to colours and pencils and paint, but you're not an artist. When the new guy in town, the one who makes you feel you're charged with electricity, seems to want to hang out with you. When it comes time to let your friends back in.
