GoodReads | Amazon

Blurb:

How do people decide on a path, and find the drive to pursue what they want? 

Ida struggles more than other young people to work this out. She can shift between parallel universes, allowing her to follow alternative paths. 

One day Ida sees a shadowy, see-through doppelganger of herself on the train. She starts to wonder if she’s actually in control of her ability, and whether there are effects far beyond what she’s considered.

How can she know, anyway, whether one universe is ultimately better than another? And what if the continual shifting causes her to lose what is most important to her, just as she’s discovering what that is, and she can never find her way back?

'Ida' is an intelligent, diverse and entertaining novel that explores love, loss and longing, and speaks to the condition of an array of overwhelming, and often illusory, choices.

I'll admit, at the beginning I struggled to get into the story and had to read the first few pages multiple times, however as time went on and the plot thickened, Ida ended up being an entertaining novel!

One of the best things about Alison Evan's book is the diversity! The protagonist, Ida, is biracial and bisexual, and is in a relationship with Daisy, who is genderqueer. Something that did take some getting used to, was that Daisy used 'they/them' pronouns, which was different but awesome! As well as this, another integral point of view in this story called Damaris and their seemingly love-interest, are genderfluid. Furthermore, Ida's cousin, Frank is a transgender boy. SO much diversity, it's wonderful! Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of representation in books for people of different backgrounds and sexualities. I mean, I have read very few books with these themes (which I need to change!), so I was a little surprised to see terms such as 'genderfluid' in a book that I was reading. However, it was incredibly refreshing to read about these diverse characters, as I gained another perspective on the lives of the people in the world today.

The plot itself was very interesting. I've always loved stories about time travel and parallel universes, so I was so excited to read this book! However, at the start many things were happening without much explanation and Ida's 'power' was difficult to wrap my head around, although as the story progressed things started to become clearer as Evans used certain trigger words or phrases to show when Ida was moving through the parallel universes. Also, Ida is set in Melbourne - my hometown - and I adored the familiarity as I knew so many of the areas that Evans spoke about (e.g. Flinders Street Station). Thanks to the setting, I found many aspects of the novel relatable!

As I continued to read the story, it was riveting to watch Ida's life unravel as she tried to solve the mystery of her power and the dopplegangers that exist in the parallel universes. There were certain moments throughout the book that kept me on the edge of my seat and up at night. Every time Ida got close to solving her problems, she was taken away and had to go back to square one, which did leave me frustrated, but also wanting more. As compelling as the storyline was, there were a few questions that were still unanswered once I finished Ida. For example, I would've loved to hear more about what was going on in Daisy's family (the problems were only hinted at) or more about Damaris' job and what had happened between Damaris and Adrastos. There were a couple of loose storyline threads that Evans didn't tie up and bring full circle, which meant that Ida didn't leave me feeling as fulfilled as I should have. 

Ida is great in so many ways - it has so much diversity, romance, time travel and parallel universes. I had a couple of issues with the novel, which mainly revolved around the fact that I wanted MORE storytelling from the great author that is, Alison Evans. 

Speaking of Evans, yesterday I was lucky enough to meet Alison at the YA Room Melbourne Book Talk for January (as Ida was the Book Of The Month!). Alison Evans is wonderful in so many ways, and it was really awesome to hear about Ida from the perspective of the author, as well as some advice on handling self-doubt when it comes to writing and a few music recommendations (I am now in love with Carly Rae Jepsen and The Decemberists!). Overall, I had a whole lot of fun 



Ida is already being talked about within the Australian book community and I know it's going to be a very popular 2017 release! Please, go read it!

Thanks for reading my latest addition here on Tyra's Bookshelf!
Have you heard of/read this book?

What did you think of this review?
Have you met an author before?

Let me know in the comments below!

- Tyra xx

Welcome back to my blog! Today, I'm reviewing the book Spells by Aprilynne Pike!

GoodReads | Amazon

Blurb:

"And if I don't?" Laurel said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then I guess I'll be waiting forever."

Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life - and especially her boyfriend, David - to return to the faerie world.

But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice - a choice that could break her heart.

I read the first book in this series, Wings, a very long time ago, so it has been a while since I have delved into the world of faeries. However, I was excited to rediscover Pike's characters, particularly Laurel and Tamani.

This book, similar to Wings, is a light read - which means it is something that you could get through in a couple of hours. The writing itself, although not completely terrible, wasn't incredible either, as the most irrelevant things were described, instead of the points of the storyline that actually mattered. Pike spent more time explaining that Laurel was trying to make flashcards to study in Avalon (which is completely irrelevant), instead of trying to develop and thicken what was meant to be the main problem she would have to face. (spoiler) What frustrated me the most was that when the antagonist, Barnes, is reintroduced in this story, there is barely any build-up and the conflict and its resolution, which is meant to be the climax of the novel, fell flat. It's almost as if Pike wrote this part of Spells purely because she had too, without really thinking about the importance of the scene.  (end spoiler)

I love reading books revolving around fantasy, magic and mythology - which is why I had started reading this series in the first place. I really enjoyed Wings because I ADORE stories about faeries and I was looking forward to continuing to read Spells, but as much as I wanted to say that I loved the book, I didn't find it enthralling. To be quite honest, I didn't feel apart of Laurel's world. Although Pike explained what faeries could do throughout the novel, there wasn't a lot of actually showing the reader the magic that is meant to exist in the story she had created. This book lacked action and instead was filled with large amounts of wordy explanation, in order to compensate for that. 

As well as this, Laurel, the main character, became incredibly annoying in Spells compared to Wings. 

Laurel is headstrong and stands her ground, which is awesome (go females!), however I found her irritating because she had to constantly defy and question the rules of Avalon, instead of respecting her surroundings. I also couldn't stand the constant back and forth between Laurel and David and Laurel and Tamani. Don't get me wrong, love triangles can sometimes play a pivotal role in a story's development, but in this case, I was desperate for it to end and would've preferred it if Pike focused more on improving other aspects of the story's plot. Laurel was so incredibly self-centred about the entire situation and used both Tamani and David, without really thinking about their feelings, which was very frustrating because Laurel wasn't like that (as much) in the first book.

I know I've been a little harsh about this Spells, but one thing that I did truly like about this book was the feeling that I was left with at the end. Pike is great at ending her story with a cliffhanger, which means that the reader has so many questions. The last couple of pages actually made me want to read the next two books in this series, purely because I want to know what happens next, despite my overall feelings about Pike's storytelling abilities. 

They were rather difficult to find, if I'm being honest, but here are a few quotes that I liked (I guess) and that represented the book as a whole (which I guess isn't a good thing or a bad thing).

• "Tell me David is all you need or want out of life." Ηis face was close to her, his soft breath caressing her face. "Τhat you never think of me when you are kissing him, that you don't dream of me the way I dream of you. Tell me you don't love me.

• “If the time comes and your dream doesn't seem worth it, then maybe it was the wrong dream.”

• “Her two worlds, two lives that she tried so hard to keep separate, were crashing together. And she felt helpless to stop it.” (she actually wasn't that helpless but annnywayyy)

Have you read this book or this series?

What do you think, do you agree or disagree with this review?

Let me know in the comments!

- Tyra x

At about the end of Grade 2 - start of Grade 3 (2007-2008, would've been around 7 years old), I discovered Harry Potter. The world had already been captivated by Harry Potter (I was just a little 'late' to the party) and already there was a shift in the minds of children. Suddenly, reading was fun! Now boys and girls were able to travel to this world where magic actually exists. It also helped that movies came out as well, because it made it seem so much more real.

I think what attracted me to Harry Potter was that J.K Rowling's storytelling skills fuelled my imagination. Never had I really read any other books (not that I can remember) where I literally felt like I left this world and was in some parallel universe where anything that I imagined came true. Harry, Hermione and Ron became my best friends - as well as the best friends of millions of children, teenagers and adults alike. Harry Potter became a cult, or a religion. I was obsessed. 

Thinking about it now, after having reread the series a million times, I realise that if I had never read the books, I probably wouldn't be as passionate about reading as I am today. Even though I've loved reading since I learned how, I think that after falling in love with Harry Potter, it gave me the confidence to read other 'more challenging' books - because as a child I hoped I would come across a book that made me feel the same way that Harry Potter did, and luckily for me, I have found books that I have fallen in love with. Without Harry Potter, I fear that I wouldn't have had the motivation to continue reading. Harry Potter made me believe that there were amazing books out there, waiting to be opened. 

Apart from the fact that Harry Potter sparked my passion for reading, I just want to quickly say something about J.K. Rowling. She will forever be one of my main role models and inspirations. A simple idea on a train completely altered her life, yet I believe she's continued to stay humble and down-to-earth. She changed the way the world saw reading, and she created a world that I will always see as a second-home. I mean, I'm still waiting for my letter from Dumbledore, telling me I'm going to Hogwarts (I'm sure some of you are waiting for the same thing). To this day, if I see an owl, I'll immediately think of Hedwig and one of my earliest memories is of me playing Quidditch with my next door neighbour and the brooms from our laundries. Rowling's books are probably sitting on the bookshelves of millions and millions of people, and one day, I hope that I can do the same - I hope that I can write a book (or books) that young (and old) people will love for the rest of their lives. 

Today I will be reviewing a novel that I bought not too long ago (see here)...

 The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold!

GoodReads | Amazon

Blurb: 

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. 

In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. 

With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing. In the hands of a brilliant novelist, this story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.

I first heard about this novel five years ago, when I was twelve years old and had just started High School! I remember we were in the library for an English class and as I was browsing through my school's selection of books, I came across The Lovely Bones. One of the girls in my class saw what I was holding and rushed over, explaining that they had read this novel and it was the scariest book they had ever come across. Even though the title, cover and blurb intrigued me, I was far too nervous to read a book that she said had shocked her to her core,  so I put it back down and didn't think about it ever again.

UNTIL, I was walking by a stand selling secondhand books at a local fete and saw it lying there. I knew that I owed it to my twelve year old self to buy it and read it.

Man, I was NOT disappointed.

You see, although the book does revolve around the murder of Susie Salmon, in reality, it is about the way that those in Susie's life react to her death and how they eventually grow and move on. The book is written from Susie's perspective, as she looks down on the world from her heaven (I love Sebold's idea that each person creates their own heaven after they die where things that they loved on Earth can be recreated up in the sky...it's a rather comforting concept). However, even though you do see it all through her eyes, Sebold writes this story in a way that effortlessly incorporates the thoughts and viewpoints of Susie's family and friends, as if you're reading from their point of view. I love how different it is to write about someone that has died, from the perspective of the person that has died! I personally haven't read a book from that standpoint before, so it was quite refreshing! 

Sebold creates a variety of characters that all react differently to Susie's death and all have quite complex and interesting backstories themselves, which help shape and impact their response to the earth-shattering news that someone in their life has died. For example, this is A SPOILER, as the book progresses the reader learns that Susie's mother had essentially been depressed and had been wearing a mask as she tried to look like the perfect mother to her children and wife to her husband. Sebold links the mother's seemingly everlasting unhappiness to the way that she deals with the grief of losing a daughter (which causes her to leave). It's obvious that Alice Sebold carefully thought about each character in this story and how they would react to such devastation, because no two people acted the same way and their coping mechanisms truly did reflect their personalities. The one person I felt sorry for the most was Susie's father. Eventually, he became obsessed with his daughter's death and he tried so hard to catch the killer, as if he was trying to prove himself to Susie. So sad. 

I'm going to try and not give much away (for those that haven't read this book), but I must talk about Mr. Harvey - talk about the perfect antagonist! He's the quintessential creepy neighbour who no one seems to know anything about and that everyone gets weird vibes from and because you know who he is from Susie's perspective, you simply HAVE TO HATE HIM...I mean, who wouldn't? However, Sebold does briefly write about Mr. Harvey's past, which appeals to your sense of empathy and while reading this book there was a part of me that tried to understand where he was coming from (but then I reminded myself that he was a horrible horrible horrible person and I went back to hating him). 

Although it would seem that the saddest part of The Lovely Bones is having to see someone's family and friends go through the mourning process, but it actually isn't. What I thought was really tragic was that Susie watched everyone she knew - the boy that was her first kiss, her younger sister, even the last human she brushed past before she went to heaven - grow up and do all the things she missed out on. Susie should've been there with her friends graduating from High School, going to University, getting married and buying a house. If that was me, I think I'd be happy for everyone that I love, but there would be a part of me that would think...well, that should be me too.

Even though this book is magnificent, one thing I was a little annoyed about - SPOILER ALERT - was the ending. I really wanted to see an ending to the Lindsey vs. Mr. Harvey plot-line or have Susie's body found and Mr. Harvey getting convicted of the crime. I wish Susie's family, Ruana, Raj and everyone else in their town had the chance to see Mr. Harvey go to jail - but they never get that opportunity. In fact, he does get away. I mean, - SPOILER ALERT the fact he dies is still a great ending and in a way the story does come full circle, however the last few pages feel rushed to me. 

Despite that, Sebold is a master storyteller and truly gives Susie a voice, which she uses to paint a picture and bring the story to life. With her words, you're able to develop all of the people in Susie's life - and all of their secrets - in your mind as you read.

Favourite Quotes:

• “Sometimes the dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had.”
• “Because horror on Earth is real and it is every day. It is like a flower or like the sun; it cannot be contained.” 
• “You look invincible,' my mother said one night.
  I loved these times, when we seemed to feel the same thing. I turned to her, wrapped in my thin gown, and said:
  I am.”
• “There was one thing my murderer didn't understand; he didn't understand how much a father could love his child.”

RATING: 4 STARS

If you've read the book, want to read it, or had never heard of it until now, make sure to leave a comment telling me about your thoughts!

Thanks for everything, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate) and Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to 2017!

- Tyra xo