Young Adult reviews
League of Liars by Astrid Scholte
Telene is an interesting place. There is a permanent misty cloud that hangs over the city blocking out the sun and diffusing all shadows into a safer shade of soft grey, while the streets and public …
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
Local Melbourne-based author Vanessa Len has created a breathtaking debut in Only a Monster, the first in a new trilogy. I was completely absorbed by every detail in this time-travelling wonder, wher…
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
Tahereh Mafi has written an enchanting new book for readers to escape into with her latest YA fantasy, This Woven Kingdom. With elegant, alluring prose reminiscent of old fairytales and legends, Mafi…
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
Ruta Sepetys is renowned for casting a humanitarian lens on real stories of human tragedy, giving voice to those whose stories may otherwise be lost in the cracks of history. Sepetys was awarded the …
At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp
Written from the perspective of three different teenagers, this is the story of a group of delinquents that the world has forgotten when a plague takes over society. Grace, Logan and Emerson have all…
Parachutes by Kelly Yang
Dani is a high-achieving Filipino American scholarship student at American Prep high school in California. When she’s not practising with the debate team and planning her path to Yale, Dani works as …
Hometown Haunts: #LoveOzYA Horror Tales edited by Poppy Nwosu
Hometown Haunts is all-Australian and all-amazing, bringing together some of our best established and emerging YA authors for a collection that will chill, thrill and leave you sleeping with the ligh…
Stars in Their Eyes by Jessica Walton & Aśka (illus.)
Maisie and her mother are travelling across the country to attend the fan convention, FanCon, where Maisie will finally meet her hero Kara Bufano, the actor who plays her favourite TV character Luna.…
Margot Mertz Takes It Down by Carrie McCrossen & Ian McWethy
After her uncle loses her entire college fund in a shonky business deal, Margot Mertz starts her own side hustle doing what she does best: removing embarrassing content from the internet.
Teachers, …
Bad Girls Never Say Die by Jennifer Mathieu
Author of Moxie, Jennifer Mathieu, has written a compelling re-imagining of one of the greatest books about teen rebellion of all time: S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders.
Set in 1964 Houston, it focuses …