JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Indigo Blue by Jessica Watson

Alex feels like a fish out of water in her new hometown – the sleepy little lakeside village of Boreen Point where she is reluctantly sent to live with her slightly eccentric aunt for her final year of high school. None of Alex’s classmates could care less about the new girl, so Alex couldn’t care less about them . . . or so she tries to tell herself.

As a distraction from what is quickly shaping up to be a very lonely year, Alex spends her savings on a rundown little yacht and throws herself into restoring it. An offer to help a shy classmate with a history assignment leads to a curious discovery and the beginnings of a friendship, but it’s Sam – the sailmaker’s apprentice – and his mysterious ways that really capture Alex’s attention . . .

Indigo Blue by Jessica Watson is a contemporary novel set in the sleepy little lakeside village of Boreen Point.

Many Australians know who Jessica Watson is — at 16, she was the youngest person to sail solo non-stop and unassisted around the world. She was also the Young Australian of the Year in 2011 and is an incredible role model for young Australians, particularly girls.

Alex secured herself next to him and they accelerated out through the entrance, small waves breaking on either side.

It’s no surprise to learn that Jessica’s debut novel is about a girl who loves sailing and spends her spare time fixing up and maintaining a newly purchased sail boat. People in the town think she’s crazy for purchasing it, but Alex is determined to prove them wrong. She knows what she’s doing. She loves being out on the water, and spends a lot of time in the book sailing the waters around Boreen Point.

Alex is definitely a fish out of water, but she manages to make friends at her school and she meets a cute, mysterious boy in town named Sam.

Alex copied the way Sam cast and dragged his line through the water while he told her more about the sort of fish that lived in the river. They didn’t have any luck catching yabbies and nearly an hour had passed when Alex found herself scratching at the bare skin on her arms and legs.

The premise of the story is a little hard to believe. Alex’s mother passed away a long time ago and her father has accepted a research grant for a year. Alex moves to this small coastal town to live with her aunt for the final year of school. This isn’t realistic. We don’t even really hear from the Dad at all during the book, and the relationship between Alex and her aunt is stilted and awkward. This was a way to have absent parents in the book — and a new setting for the character — but it felt like a flawed premise.

Whilst this does seem like a standard contemporary novel, there is also some magical realism and folklore woven into the novel. Above all else, Indigo Blue is a book about determination, persistence, and family. Alex knows her own strengths and despite other people doubting her, she perseveres. She proves them wrong.

John looked down at her, still frowning. ‘This boat needs work,’ he told her. ‘Not work for a kid like you.’
Alex tried not to roll her eyes; if only he knew half of what she learned at the yacht club in Sydney.

This is a cute story, but definitely suited for a young audience. I’d recommend this to girls aged approximately 9-13. The book seems to hover between ‘junior fiction’ age and ‘young teen’ age. The story is not overly complex, nor is the language. There is also a small, fantastical/mystical element to the book that was a rather surprising discovery. But, young readers will find this is a really fun book.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Indigo Blue
Jessica Watson
January 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

The Harper Effect by Taryn Bashford

Sixteen-year-old Harper was once a rising star on the tennis court—until her coach dropped her for being “mentally weak.” Without tennis, who is she? Her confidence at an all-time low, she secretly turns to her childhood friend, next-door neighbor Jacob—who also happens to be her sister’s very recent ex-boyfriend. If her sister finds out, it will mean a family war.

But when Harper is taken on by a new coach who wants her to train with Colt, a cold, defensive, brooding young tennis phenom, she hits the court all the harder, if only to prove Colt wrong. But as the two learn to become a team, Harper gets glimpses of the vulnerable boy beneath the surface, the boy who was deeply scarred by his family’s dark and scandalous past. The boy she could easily find herself falling for.

As she walks a fine line between Colt’s secrets, her forbidden love, and a game that demands nothing but the best, Harper must decide between her past and her future and between two boys who send her head spinning. Is the cost of winning the game is worth losing everything?

The Harper Effect is a debut YA novel by Australian author Taryn Bashford, taking the reader deep into the world of professional tennis. It’s as much a romance novel as it is a fun, sporty novel for tennis fans.

I love tennis. It’s probably one of my favourite sports. So to find a YA novel that features this much tennis was amazing. I loved all the behind-the-scenes exchanges and all the travel, and I love how this book wasn’t just about the lead up to one tournament, but several. Throughout the book, Harper and Colt perform many times together, and they learn something new about each other with each match.

Later Milo talks tactics and strategies — how we must know our opponents, when they’ve won and lost, why they’ve won and lost, how we adapt to them. ‘Winning is not only about how well you play, it’s about how well you make your opponent play badly,’ he says.

It’s so refreshing to read a young adult novel where the character’s love of sport is not just a mentioned trait, but is actually embedded in the storyline. This novel is not just about Harper’s tricky relationship with her sister’s ex-boyfriend. It’s about her love for tennis and her determination to succeed, and her efforts in learning to understand her somewhat moody — but troubled — doubles partner Colt.

Taryn Bashford does a really fantastic job of illustrating the relationship between a teen and their parent, particularly when the child has made poor choices. When Harper’s dad sees her kissing Jacob, he’s really disappointed in her, and I found this exchange to be really relatable and believable. I also think that the strong relationship that Harper has with her dad is really great to read about — I love YA novels that actually feature parents in the storyline. Absent parents can be frustrating in a YA novel.

Despite loving this novel and absolutely adoring all the tennis, I did find it rather unbelievable that two young teenagers would make it as far as they did so quickly. It’s not impossible, but Colt and Harper both make it very far for how young they are. I guess part of me felt like in real life, there’d be a lot more losses before they succeeded as well as they did. Additionally, the book is filled with metaphors and similes that are a bit redundant and could’ve been cut from the book.

“When we arrive for training I’m in the mood to wrap the tennis net around the throat of the first person who speaks to me. I march onto the court and throw my bag at the ground.”

I felt that Jacob’s character seemed to escalate at a really fast rate. Towards the end of the novel, his behaviour seems a little too extreme, and I thought his antagonistic attitude could’ve been reduced a bit.

This is great summer read, perfect for lounging by the pool or the beach and enjoying the story — I read this over my summer holiday and thought it was really fun. I’m a huge fan of tennis though, and it’s the Australian Open, after all. Perfect timing!

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Harper Effect
Taryn Bashford
January 2018
Pan Macmillan Publishers

City of Bones (10th Anniversary Edition) by Cassandra Clare

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones with this gorgeous new edition, complete with special content including a new piece from Cassie and exclusive colour illustrations.

The pride of any fan’s collection, City of Bones now has new cover art, over thirty interior illustrations, and six new full-page colour portraits of everyone’s favourite characters! This beautifully crafted collector’s item also includes four bonus stories that have previously only appeared in limited distribution, and – best of all – a new piece written by Cassandra Clare.

This is the book where Clary Fray first discovered the Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of warriors dedicated to driving demons out of our world and back to their own. The book where she first met Jace Wayland, the best Shadowhunter of his generation. The book that started it all.

I first read City of Bones by Cassandra Clare many years ago; I was completely absorbed in the story and the characters, and I devoured the book. Unfortunately, I never got around to reading the rest of the series and as time went by, I forgot everything that had happened in City of Bones.

Enter the 10th Anniversary edition. This was the perfect opportunity for me to reread City of Bones and also review it for Jess Just Reads.

City of Bones is the first book in The Mortal Instruments series. This anniversary edition is gorgeous — just perfect for a Cassandra Clare fan. It’s hardback, cloth-bound, with gorgeous colour illustrations inside of the characters.

Additionally, there are black and white illustrations scattered throughout the whole book. There are whole page illustrations and there are also illustrations underneath each chapter heading.

My favourite part of the book was and always will be the dialogue between the characters. Isabelle Lightwood is bold and witty, but also self-aware and at times caring. Jace is hilarious — snarky and sarcastic and a very fun character.

“You want me to hold your hand?”
Clary put both her hands behind her back like a small child. “Don’t talk down to me.”
“Well, I could hardly talk up to you. You’re too short.” Jace glanced past her, the torch showering sparks as he moved.

City of Bones has always felt a little long to me. I did find myself getting a little exhausted in the final few chapters, even though that’s when most of the action is happening.

Despite this, though, Cassandra Clare is really great at weaving dialogue and prose together so that one doesn’t dominate the other. The dialogue is relatable, funny, and easy to read, and the prose is detailed yet necessary when building a world like this.

“Hodge, gasping, stared after him, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. His left hand was gloved with the wet dark fluid that had seeped from his chest. The look on his face was a mixture of exultation and self-loathing.”

This edition is definitely a collector’s item, so I recommend this to people who have read and loved City of Bones. If you’re not sure whether this series is for you, I’d probably recommend buying the regular paperback.

But regardless of what edition you buy, this is a really fantastic series and this first book is fun and a fantastic launch to the series.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

City of Bones 10th Anniversary Edition
Cassandra Clare
November 2017
Walker Books

Everless by Sara Holland

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

Everless by Sara Holland is the first novel in a YA fantasy series, about a young girl who must confront the treacherous Gerling estate to uncover her origin and also save her father.

Our protagonist, Jules Ember, has agency and drive, is motivated to help others, and is the strongest part of this book. She grows in the novel and learns to trust her instincts. There are things about her past that she doesn’t understand, and yet, through her circumstances, she comes to learn just how significant she is.

“I realise what happened, of course. When I pricked myself, time froze — or slowed — like when I fished for the trout in a stream, so many days ago, or when I confronted the Gerling guard in the Crofton market while waiting to be selected as an Everless girl. Nerves flare in me. It hasn’t happened since I arrived, or if it has, it was too subtle to notice.”

Everless is as addictive as it is compelling and intoxicating, with a truly original premise and world-building. There is plenty of mystery in the book, with a few surprises that I didn’t see coming.

Another one of the strengths of the book is that there are a diverse range of side characters — particularly in age — and I felt like they were developed really well. In particular, Caro, Ina and Addie were my favourite side characters. They aided Jules and helped develop backstory, and Sara Holland took the time to really include all of them in the story as much as necessary.

Above all else, Everless is an incredibly well-written and truly imaginative start to this series.

“An older couple, two women with backs curved with too much work and too few years, hunch over a small table in the corner, taking turns cutting each other’s palms and letting the blood flow into empty vials. I wonder if they’re putting time away for their children.”

There were definitely a few flaws in the novel, in particular the major info-dumping in the opening chapters. The world-building is relevant, but I think it could’ve been scattered throughout the first half of the book, rather than saturated in the opening chapters. Until about 50 pages in, I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to continue the book. But luckily, the pace quickened and soon I couldn’t put it down.

Another aspect of the novel that I thought was underdeveloped was the relationship between Jules and Alia. Jules promises her sister Amma that she’ll look after Alia, and yet, Alia isn’t really in the book much and we don’t learn much about her.

This is a great read for those of you who love fantasy or thriller reads. It’s also ideal for a YA reader, and anyone who loves a really unique but quirky premise. I read this on holiday and loved it — the perfect book to dive into when you’re relaxing!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Everless
Sarah Holland
January 2018
Hachette Publishers Australia

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she’s sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the wicked deed she committed as a child – one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar. But protecting her father’s kingdom is a lonely destiny: no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she’s wicked.

So to unite the fractured kingdom, she must marry Jarek, her father’s cruel commandant. As the wedding day approaches, Asha longs for freedom.

Just when it seems her fate is sealed, the king offers her a way out: her freedom in exchange for the head of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard. And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy . . .

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli is the first book in a fantastic new high fantasy series. It’s adventurous, gripping and fun, with fantastic characters that you grow to love, and a really unique premise that I marvelled at.

Asha is a princess but has grown up being feared and despised. When she was a child, she rebelled and told one of the ancient ‘stories’. As a result, the First Dragon Kozu fought her off and burned her and half the city. She brought upon the death of many people in her kingdom, and the scar on her body is a daily reminder of her foolishness. To compensate, she’s the fiercest, most deadly dragon slayer in the land and after every conquer she brings home the head of the dragon to her father, the King.

“Asha’s pulse quickened. She ducked out from under him and rose to her feet. Putting all her focus back on the dragon in the trees, she sloshed through the spring. If she could catch it, maybe she could tame it. And if she could tame it, maybe she could teach it not to follow her into the city.”

Asha really grows over the course of the novel. Initially, she’s rude, arrogant and spoilt. But she’s also intelligent, strong and capable. She becomes a driving force in the book and a really strong protagonist. She is also drawn to the stories of the past, sometimes using them to lure in dragons before she kills them. But those stories are what killed her mother, and she knows that just using them is a crime.

“Asha lured the dragon with a story.”

The Last Namsara is rich with Figaard mythology and ancient legends and stories, with pretty much every second chapter being a story from centuries ago. It all flows really well, and I found myself just as intrigued by the history of the book as I was in the present storyline.

I adored this book, reading it in one day. The Last Namsara portrays courage, loyalty and the importance of family and love — there are multiple layers to this novel, and the more you read of it, the more you come to love these characters and this world.

Additionally, The Last Namsara is a coming of age novel. Asha, once feared and despised, fulfils her purpose in this novel as Iskari — a ceremonial warrior named for a ‘deadly’ God. And later in the novel, Asha becomes something much more. She becomes the key to settling all unease in the kingdom, and along with her brother Dax and the slave boy Torwin, they are able to work towards correcting all injustices.

I did find the relationship between Asha and slave boy Torwin to be slightly odd and unlikeable. Their ‘love’ for each other seems to develop rather quickly, and doesn’t seem to be relatable or believable. For the majority of the novel, Asha only refers to him as a slave, even though she knows his name. Asha comes across as quite disrespectful at times, and even though that illustrates how far she outranks him, it’s a little jolting for the reader and it’s hard for us to really cheer for them as a couple when she treats him so terribly. Their relationship is so unbalanced that it’s hard to really push past their character dynamics and their exchanges.

“He’ll go to the pit tomorrow and never come out,” Dax said. As if a slave dying in the pit was supposed to elicit her sympathy. Slaves died in the pit all the time.
Asha shook her head in disbelief. “That is where criminal slaves belong.”

The Last Namsara is rich with storytelling and history, beautifully written and expertly illustrated. Despite some flaws — particularly with Torwin’s character — I did really love this book and I’m desperate to read the sequel next year.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Namsara
Kristen Ciccarelli
October 2017
Hachette Publishers Australia

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