BooksEtc Issue 8 | October 2020
Magazine
FROM THE EDITOR
Hello!
How the heck is it OCTOBER? This year has been the longest, shortest, craziest roller-coaster ever. I hope you are your loved ones are safe, well and together. In this months issue we get SPOOKY for Halloween. Do you celebrate it? No? Well thats okay, you'll totally find some amazing reads, some fantastic reviews, glowing articles and more to delight and fright this month. This month we wlcomed Tracy Truffles, Jem, Vicki and Sam on board as a guest reviewers! Thanks so much ladies, we've loved having you. Also we were lucky enough to have a flipping sensational cover image from Taz @TheLatteLibrary and with hand lettering and embellishments done by Kit Cronk Studio @Kitstercronk - thank you both so much!! Lets get into it...
Jayse x ANY FEEDBACK? BOOKSETCMAG@GMAIL.COM @BOOKSETC_MAG WWW.ISSUU.COM/BOOKSETCMAGAZINE
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Editor - Jayse - @Itsmejayse Cover by Taz - @TheLatteLibrary Hand lettering by Kit - @kitstercronk Contributors Tamika - @Paperbackandflickchick Blue - @Bluesfairytales_ Ange - @Pnrbookloverreviews Casey - @Through.thepages Ellie - @Labsandliterature Guest Reviewers Tracy - @TruffleBooks Jem - TheGingerPageTurner Vicki - @AntipodeanBookclub Sam - @SamReadsRomance
Copyright Š 2020 Books Etc Magazine All rights reserved, material in Books Etc Magazine is protected under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968. No material may be reproduced in part thereof or in whole without written consent from the copyright holders. Copyright responsibility for supplied material rests with the provider. The opinions expressed in Books Etc Magazine are those of individual contributors and not necessarily those of its editors and publishers. Every attempt is made for accuracy, however information and figures contained in this magazine have been provided to us by the advertisers and their sources. No warranty is given by Books Etc Magazine as to the accuracy of any figures or information contained in this magazine. Perspective purchasers are urged to rely on their own enquiries.
CONTENTS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
ISSUE 8 | OCTOBER 2020
'IN TAZ WE STAN' THE LIFE AND TIMES OF @THELATTELIBRARY We are so thrilled to have sat down with the amazing Taz from @TheLatteLibrary.
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SPOOKY READS
AUTHOR EVERLY FROST
Love Halloween?
Australian Paranormal Romance author Everly Frost sat down with our contributor Casey. Check out their amazing discussion.
LOVE SPOOKY? We got you boo!
Page 30➤
Page 10 ➤
FRIENDLY REMINDERS Page 20 ➤
ALYSHA KING
We take a moment to remind ourselves whats important with words from Sarah, Page 28➤
We dive into the wonderful world of Indie author Alysha King... Page 23 ➤
Page 47 ➤
We announce the winners of this fabulous giveaway...
Have you noticed that a lot of Bookstagrammers say the same things? Here's some of the most funny phrases I've heard, and probably used myself...
Pull all the books out of bookshelves for photos
Hold a memorial for a broken bookish mug
Spend hours on one photo
Make fo od just f or photo s
Lie on the ground surrounded by books whilst asking someone to take pictures of you. Rainbow shelves
y n a m w o h e e s o t t s u j , R B T r i e h t t n u . h Co t a e d o t m e h t h s ru c ly e k li ll i w s k o o b Page 4 ➤
kish o o b e h t l l a s Buy candles
Buys random fake plants
Someone asks what book should I read? Bookstagrammer looks around confused... Scouring Scouring op op shops shops for for just just the the right right cup cup and and saucer. saucer.
Turns *looks to chapte r 55... around guiltil y* Share embarassing stories Page 5 ➤
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Review B y C ase y - @T hr o ugh. T he Page s
Enveloping darkness, forbidden romance, 1800’s New Orleans. If this has caught your attention then The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh is a book for you. Set in 1872 New Orleans, the main character Celine finds herself in a strange new world having fled her native home of Paris after a traumatic experience. She thinks she will find a new start, a fresh start, a new home but little does she know that the place she is pinning her dreams on is one that set to destroy them and her in the process. The city is ruled by dark and dangerous creatures of the night and from the moment Celine arrives murders seem to follow her every move. Enter the beautiful, the dreamy, the dark Bastien - our gorgeous and dangerous love interest. Sparks fly between the pair, they should stay away from each other, but will they, or will they give in and set themselves on a course for disaster? From the moment I heard about this book, only a few weeks ago, I knew it was a book I needed in my life and stat! I could not put this down, an absolute page turner for me. I am a sucker for a vampire story and when there is romance involved I'm here for it. The writing is impeccable, I found I could easily picture the scenes, feel the tension, fear and passion of the characters, and oooh the way Ahdieh describes the scrumptious food left me salivating. I was taken on a dark and dangerous ride that had my heart thundering at points - I loved the spooky moments as much as the romantic moments. This Halloween you should definitely treat yourself to this deliciously dark and dangerous read.
ON SALE 7/10/20
Spooky
READS
By Jayse - @itsmejayse Halloween: the time of year when Australia fully embraces American culture and commits to the pumpkin decorations and cotton wool cobwebs. I adore the holiday not just for the costumes, parties and decorations but also for the community engagement it promotes.
This year, thanks to the global pandemic, Halloween will look and feel very different but we can still celebrate and immerse ourselves in the spooky culture with a good book. Here are my top three recommendations for spooky YA reads this Halloween.
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Spooky
READS
Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall Published by Walker Books Australia A throwback to a 2019 release but I cannot leave this book out because it single handedly made me afraid to go outside in the dark as a 28 year old woman. As the legend goes, once a year a path appears in the forest and the ghost of Lucy Gallows beckons. Sara’s sister Becca took that path a year ago and hasn’t been seen since. Sara has been struggling and when she and her estranged friends receive a mysterious text inviting them to “play the game” to find Lucy Gallows she is positive that this is the only way to find Becca. What they don’t know is that the path is rarely forgiving and they will need to draw on all their strengths to survive. Sara and her friends record their journey along the path in a mix of texts and videos. This means the majority of the story is told in transcripts. Between these, the reader is given snippets of Sara and some of her friends and how their journey on that path affected them and the dangers that have followed them home. Another book I couldn’t put down despite the literal chills it gave me. It is clever and shocking and delivers true horror. The YA horror genre is usually unsettling but never crosses the line into the adult horror genre but Rules for Vanishing does a great job straddling that line and at times crossing over. Read this book if you loved The Blai Witch Project. Page 13 ➤
Spooky
READS
Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis Published by Penguin Books Australia Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker and nothing can scare her… until she gets to Harrow Lake. There are two things Lola knows about Harrow Lake: 1. It is where her father shot his most disturbing slasher film 2. There is something not right about this town The town is strangely obsessed with the film that put them on the map, there are strange disappearances happening which the police aren't taking seriously and there is someone or something stalking her every move. If Lola can’t find a way out of Harrow Lake, it might just be the death of her. Full of 80’s horror movie vibes and references, Harrow Lake is an eerie and creepy YA thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. The underlying mystery is well written and the surrounding characters have their own stories to tell along with the urban legends within this little town. A must reads for lovers of the horror genre. Read this book if you loved literally any 80’s horror movie!
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Spooky
READS
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James Published by Walker Books Australia What if death is only the beginning? When Harriet Stoker dies in an abandoned building she discovers a group of ghosts. These ghosts welcome Harriet into their world and friendship group. They teach her how being a ghost works and share with her that every ghost has a special power that will awaken. Harriet is more interested in unleashing her own power than making friends and will destroy anyone and anything in her path. But Harriet is about to learn that the afterlife can be a very dangerous place to make enemies. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker was an unexpected gem! It is so much more than a simple ghost story and was a book I simply couldn’t put down. Harriet is a morally grey protagonist who is rather unlikeable. Thankfully the other ghosts make up for her and it is in their stories that this book shines. The plot is deliciously dark and has a unique and intriguing take on ghost lore. The twists and turns in this book are frequent and the ending will leave you shocked! Read this book if you loved Beetlejuice and The Haunting of Hill House.
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ON SALE 7/10/20
the life and times of @thelattelibrary
This month, we sat down with the incredible Taz from @TheLatteLibrary (on Instagram and youtube). This Australian bookstagrammer and booktube superstar has a simply beautiful Instagram feed which is filled with the most creative and innovative images. He product reveals for the businesses she represents are always on point. Taz also is known for body positive and posts regarding mental health making her one of the most accessible and open bookstagrammers out there. I absolutely adore her account and am STOKED that she agreed to be part of this month’s issue...
Jayse – Hi there Taz!!! Thank you SO much for taking some time out with me. Taz – I’m super stoked that you invited me on! Thank you so much for having me. Jayse – So, you know I adore your account. What gives you inspiration for your account? Taz – To be honest? I’m not even sure half of the time. My preferences change so often, hence so does my theme lol. I find my inspiration through the novels I read, but also through Instagram accounts that aren’t bookish. I’ve always intended to create a lifestyle/bookish account, and though I haven’t yet succeeded, I tend to look out for lifestyle accounts, but also body positive accounts. How do they inspire me and the content I produce? I can’t quite explain, but it’s a thing! I also come up with ideas in my head where I want to create something magical. Jayse – I love all the product reveal posts you do, how long do you plan them and how long would it take to put one of them together? Taz – It honestly depends. Some reveals I have planned as soon as I’m given the product to reveal, and others within the 24 hours prior. I endeavour to create an experience for each reveal. I want people to think, “Wow.” Not just for myself, but for the business I’m doing a reveal for. I want to grab people’s attention so then when the product goes on sale, they go and look at it, and essentially buying it. I take repping for businesses super seriously and want them to succeed. Jayse – When you are in a reading/inspiration slump, what strategies do you use to climb out? Taz - I give other aspects of my life a bit of attention. I listen to music more, put more effort into the gym. Eventually I find that I want to come back to reading quite quickly. I still haven’t worked out the perfect formula for getting inspiration back. It sucks.
I spend far too much time thinking about my Instagram account and the content I create. Sometimes brain storming photo ideas help, or reminding myself that if I can get a decent following, a publisher might give me more attention when submitting my manuscript. Jayse – What has been your favourite book of 2020 so far? Taz - It’s not a 2020 release, but man, I loved The Selection by Kiera Cass series. An easy read, but super addictive. I can’t even explain how much I loved it! Jayse – What draws you to a book? Cover? Blurb? Characters? Taz - Definitely the blurb. I’m not really a cover buy kind of person anymore, although I can certainly appreciate a beautiful cover. Jayse – With all the craziness in the world lately, how do you look after your mental health? Taz – Great question. I’ve been investing a ton of time into myself. If I’m feeling down, I’ll pour my emotions into my writing or have a good cry in the shower. The key for me is to not keep the emotions built up inside of me or else I will literally burst. Jayse – You recently got your first car!!! CONGRATS!!! When you get your license, where’s the first exciting place you’d want to drive to? Taz – Thank you! I’m so happy. It’s funny really. I’m a serious homebody so I don’t actually know. But man, would I love to have a google, find a pretty place and take some photos to create new content with? Hell yeah! Seems a bit over the top, but my mental health is at its best when I am in a creative place. Jayse – Do you celebrate Halloween? Taz – Nope. I’ve never been a fan of it. Sometimes I wish I was, because it does seem like it could be a lot of fun. Jayse - Do you enjoy spooky movies? Taz - I like thrillers, not so much horrors. Jayse – What do you use to take your booksta pics? Taz – I used a Canon 200D, Sony ZV1 or my phone.
Jayse – Any tips for other grammers to improve their feeds? Taz – Technically speaking, lighting is your best friend. If you can get that down pat, you’re pretty sweet. Truth is, so many people like different things. You ultimately have to do what you want to do and back yourself. My biggest tip though, would be to clean your lens. Whether it’s your phone or camera, clean it before you take photos. Sometimes I’ll scroll through and blurry or dirty photos. Give the lens a clean for a crisp photo! đ&#x;˜Š Lastly, lets do a quickfire round!! Pizza or Pasta? Pizza Favourite season? Autumn Favourite brand? Don’t think I have one. đ&#x;˜Š What are your essential daily items? Phone, coffee, Spark & Sparrow mint lip balm and candle to burn in the office. What game are you currently playing? I’ve been playing a bunch of CS (Counter-Strike Global Offensive) of late What book are you currently reading? Playing Nice by JP Delaney Last five star read? The Selection Beach or Mountains? Definitely mountains! What’s your coffee order? Depends on the occasion. At work I get an almond flat white. On the weekends I get a venti soy vanilla latte from Starbucks. Thanks for sitting down with us Taz – major love for you x
Blurb Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…And an intoxicating romance. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’ s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’ s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that’ s been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’ s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’ s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems…
Review next month...
Alysha By Jayse - @ItsMeJayse
KING
This month we were lucky enough to score and interview with the amazing independent author Alysha King. Alysha’s novels, The order of the Rose and The Dragons Heart, both from the Rose Chronicles, are described as an epic, dark, magical fantasy about a young girl's struggles to save her family whilst trying to understand the power she never knew she possessed. These honestly sound SO far up my alley it’s not funny! (It’s a series which is high on my towering TBR list). Let’s take a trip into Alysha’s world and mind… Jayse - Hi Alysha!! Alysha – Hey Jayse! J – Let’ s chat about your books, as someone who hasn’t read them as yet, what should readers expect? A – Well, from people who have read them I’ ve been told they give real Star Wars but with magic vibes, which was totally unintentional but I’m happy to accept that description. It’ s all adventure, magic, betrayal, mystery, with a little romance on the side. J – Sound’ s like an epic adventure! What lead to you writing them? A – I’ ve been writing this series for a LONG time, but to put it short, I came up with the idea whilst camping during the 2000 Olympics and it just wouldn’t go away so I wrote it down. It was originally only going to be a standalone but the more I wrote, the more I realised this was definitely going to be a series. Page 20 ➤
J – Is The Dragons Heart the final book in the series or are we expecting more? A – Nope – The Dragon’s Heart is the second book of the trilogy. Book 3, The Innocent, will be coming out start of December and it’s a doozy. J – When you’re writing, do you have any rituals? A – Tea – I always have to have a cup of tea with me. Also, I write best at night (no kids!). J – You also have your own bookmark store!! Can you tell us a bit about that? A – Of course! I’m one of those people who, if I see something other people have made, I go “I could do that”. So, when I joined Bookstagram last year and found all these awesome bookmark stores, of course I wanted to make my own. They’re all designed by hand (with the exception of one or two) and I mostly focus on quotes from books, especially fun quotes. I also like to focus on books by authors in LGBTQ+ community and with queer rep as they tend to have the least merch available. My bookmark store can be found at @quotation.marks.bookmarks. J – On top of all that you have a thriving bookstagram account, how do you keep on top of all that? A – You assume that I stay on top of it all… I’m generally terrible at organisation but I have lots of friends on Bookstagram who keep me going. I take a bunch of pics on the weekend and when I get a moment I post and throw up whatever random Q would best go with it (I am definitely not one of those people who pre-plan their captions – kudos to those people!). I generally just try to have fun with it all otherwise it would become too much of a chore. J – What has been your favourite read thus far this year? A – It’s a toss-up between Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard and Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. Invisible Boys gave me major Looking for Alibrandi vibes and is an amazing binge read. Aurora Burning… well, everyone’s pretty much read that by now so all I’ll say is Kaaaaaaallllllll!!!!!!! J – Does the work of other authors influence your writing? Who would you put down as an influence?
A – Yes, absolutely. It’ s changed over the years. At first it was writer like Isobelle Carmody and Phillip Pullman, and now I draw a lot from Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. A lot of Jay , though – his stuff is fantastic and really gets me thinking outside the box with my own writing. J – If you ever experience writers block, how do overcome this? A – I don’ t really experience much writer’ s block mostly because if I come up against a plot-hole or issue that I need to resolve, I like to force myself...outside the box. I mean, I’ m writing a fictional world in which anything is possible, therefore I can essentially create any reality or solution. I just have to come up with the right fit. I feel like writer’s block comes from looking at what you already have and not being able to see past it or being unwilling tog et rid of what we’ ve already written (which can be so painful for a writer). I just start by thinking of any other possibility or solution – the more ridiculous the better. List it down, flesh it out, and if that doesn’ t work, think of something else. I use it as an exercise rather than a hinderance, and many times I end up coming up with other ideas that I end up using later as well! J – Thanks so much for chatting to us Alysha!! đ&#x;˜Š it’ s been a blast. A – Thanks for having me – it’ s been fun! You can find copies of Alysha's books via her website www.alyshaking.com or at most online book retailers. Make sure to keep your eye out for the final book in the trilogy The Innocent due out in December. Follow Alysha on Instagram @alyshaking_author
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ON SALE NOW
FRIENDLY reminders
- Post long reviews. - Or don't. - Only buy new releases. - Only borrow from your library. - Only get books second-hand. - Never buy books at all. - Only read physical books. - Only read audiobooks. (YES, it counts as reading.) - Only read graphic novels or comics or manga or picture books. - Only read ebooks. - Read 1 book a year - Read 365 books a year - (If this is not already clear from reading the above points, DO WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.) - If you constantly compare your work to someone else's, you will inevitably be disappointed. - You don't have to like all the popular books. - You don't even have to read all of them. - Don't take an hour to set up a photo if you don't want to. It's not everyone's jam. - Take an hour to set up a photo if you DO want to. Sometimes you have that idea in your head and can't rest until you express it properly. - It will take years to build a following. Page 28 ➤
- Or it might happen overnight. - Literally no one knows. - No, seriously. We're all shouting into a void and hoping someone can hear us and shout back. Sometimes they do. Sometimes you have to keep shouting. - If we all thought, acted, and consumed content in the exact same way, there would be absolutely no point in having social media. There would be nothing interesting to consume. - Unless you are actually a professional photographer, your photos will not be "perfect" when you start out. None of ours were. Quite frankly, a lot of people's photos looked like poo to start off with and we just kept going until we found something we liked. - You may not even notice this because Instagram gives you the option to archive posts and a lot of people will archive older posts if they only want to show the photos they're most proud of. - You will go through different stages of having a theme, hating your theme, loving your theme, not having a theme, and wishing you had never heard the word "theme". - Find the people/accounts that you enjoy and follow them. - Be happy. If it's not making you happy, make a change. EDIT: one last thing. Don’t shame someone because their process is different to yours. Be kind. Copied with permission from Sarah - @CommasAndAmpersands Page 29 ➤
EVERLY frost
By Casey - @Through.ThePages
Everly Frost is the USA Today Bestselling author of YA and New Adult urban fantasy and science-fiction romance novels. She is an Australian author who brings her childhood day dreams of new worlds to life in her collection of fantasy and sci-fi novels. Bright Wicked is the newest edition to an extensive collection of books that Everly has written in her renowned career. We were lucky enough to chat with her this month... Page 30 ➤
Casey - Hi Everly! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions today. First off can you tell us a little about your latest novel Bright Wicked?
In the case of Bright Wicked, I actually started with the plot twist that isn’t revealed until the third book. I then planned out the events of Aura and Nathaniel’s respective pasts, Everly - Hi! Thanks so much for because it’s their history and
Which is to say that although nature sparked the idea behind Bright Wicked, the emotions of freedom, loss, courage, trust, and sacrifice play heavily into the events of the story and the path Aura and Nathaniel walk as
interviewing me! Bright Wicked is a fantasy romance in which fae and humans collide. When Aura Lucidia, the fae queen’s champion, unwittingly invokes an unbreakable law, she binds her fate to the human warrior,
beliefs that drive both characters, especially Nathaniel as his entire life’s goals culminate in meeting Aura at the start of the first book. I don’t always plan out a book so carefully. I’m currently writing a
they progress from mortal enemies to questioning their beliefs, to fighting the attraction between them, and ultimately being willing and determined to lay down their lives for each other.
Nathaniel Shield. Now they have three days to break the spell that will force them to fight to the death at the end of the third
series with only the major plot points figured out, and I’m Casey - Do you relate to any of loving the spontaneity and the characters in this book or journey of discovery that comes any of your others?
day.
with that.
Each book in the series spans the events of a single day as
Everly - Aura’s athleticism and Casey - What would you say was fearlessness are definitely your key inspiration point characteristics I envy, but don’t
Aura and Nathanial hurtle behind this book? What sparked toward the final battle. Secrets the idea? and lies are revealed, battles are fought, but what Aura and Everly - The key inspiration for
have! But I actually relate most closely with a character named Tansy in the Assassin’s Magic series. Tansy is flawed, makes
Nathaniel don’t count on is Bright Wicked was starlight. Pure mistakes, but is determined to falling in love, knowing that one and simple. But in terms of the find love. I guess there are of them is fated to kill the other. other themes and events of the pieces of book, generally speaking, I draw me in every character I write. I Casey - Could you tell us a bit my inspiration from emotions, think it’s inevitable as an author about your writing process? which might sound intangible to discover parts of yourself in How do you go about plotting but let me explain. Every book I your characters. out a series like this one? write has to excite me. Every action scene, every interaction Casey - Other than your own Everly - My writing process between the characters needs to books, can you recommend always starts with the main make me fall in love with them, some reads for lovers of Bright character. I started with Aura’s to feel what they’re feeling. I Wicked? motivations, goals, flaws, and want my readers to get goose strengths before I built the bumps, to be on the edge of Everly - I asked my readers this world around her. It’s only when their seat, scream, laugh, cry, question! For lovers of Bright I understand my main character and feel all of the emotions Wicked, they suggested Ella that I can create the main love when they read one of my Summers’ Legion of Angels interest who brings out her best books. series, Leia Stone’s Fallen (or possibly her worst) Academy series, and pretty Page 31 ➤
much anything written by Jaymin Eve, starting with supernatural Academy. Casey - Can you tell us your most favourite part about being an author and why?
One is This Dark Wolf, in which a wolf shifter born with a human soul has been cast out of her pack, but now her rescuer seeks to use her to destroy his enemies.
Everly - My favourite part about being an author is
The second is a dark fae co-write with Jaymin Eve that is set in our world—the
being able to feed my introverted soul with as much adventure, action, and as many new worlds as I want, all at the touch of a keyboard.
details are hush-hush for now, but possibly with some mafia crossover. I’m really excited about both of these.
Casey - In addition, what is it like being an Aussie author? Do you think being Australian gives you a little something extra?
Casey - Your books are based in the Fantasy genre. Is this your favourite genre to read or is there another?
Everly - The first thought that popped into my mind about being an Aussie author is time zones! Being an Aussie author means juggling time zones around the
Everly - The Fantasy genre is definitely my favourite genre to read. I also enjoy contemporary romance—the ones with
world on social media and working with other authors overseas.
happy endings.
As for having a little something extra, this isn’t so
Casey - Lastly as a bit of fun can you sum up Bright Wicked in just three words?
much as an author, but Aussie readers are really lucky (myself included) because we’re in the future. Books release here first!
Everly - Forbidden. Fate. Fae. Thanks so much!
Casey - Are you working on anything currently? Can you tell us a bit about it? Everly - I’m currently working on two book series at the same time. Both are dark urban fantasy novels for older, new adult readers.
And thank you so much Everly for chatting with me today. It has been an amazing insight into you as a writer and person as well as your amazing book.
Everly's books Available from www.OffTheBookPages.com.au OR other leading online bookstores. Amazon.com Booktopia.com Page 32 ➤
ON SALE 2/12/20
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By Tamika - @PaperbackAndFlickChick Let me preface this review by saying that I have never read a Stephen King book, including IT and horror/scary movies are also my least favourite genre. But its spooky season so I thought I would revisit this scary movie duo which I have watched an enjoyed! Being a huge wuss, I first watched IT when it was released on Netflix, in the middle of the day with all the lights on expecting to be scared senseless. Luckily for me, but possibly a let down for others both IT and IT Chapter 2 were only a little scary but not overly so. What got me most were a few well-timed unexpected jump scares as well as overthinking about the concept of the story afterwards. You know, like what if your biggest fears really did come to life?! That thought is absolutely terrifying!! Therefore, although the movie didn’t completely bring the scare factor the original concept created by King is fantastic. The casting and acting of the movies were also top notch! Every single actor was emotive and embodied the characters completely. Even the casting of the adult characters perfectly matched that of the children and the commitment to acting so that key personality traits and facial expressions stayed the same was really something impressive! Like I am still not convinced these weren’t somehow the same people aged up or down! Honestly, I would recommend these movies on the acting and character development alone! You know what? I would recommend it based on Ben alone! What a precious cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs! These movies also have a surprising amount of comedy given the underlying theme of fear, and you know what? I am not mad about it. Overall I am going to give these movies 4 out of 5 stars, because although they aren’t as scary as they probably could be to me the acting and the underlying themes of learning to face your fears and being stronger together is what really makes the movies. Page 35 ➤
By Tamika - @PaperbackAndFlickChick
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Review By Tracy - @TruffleBooks
In Permanent Record, we meet Pablo, a 20-year-old working at a health food store that doesn’t really have his life figured out just yet and is struggling to figure out his finances. He’s drowning a little from his credit card and student loan debts after he dropped out of college and lacks direction and motivation. Then on a fateful night shift at the store, he meets Leanna Smart. One of the world’s top celebrities and their banter and chemistry is undeniable. Thrown into a whirlwind after meeting Leanna, Pablo has to navigate a new possible relationship, trying to understand the intricacies of Leanna’s life, while trying to understand his career ambitions and figuring out what exactly he wants to do in his life. This novel was incredibly relatable for young adults. The pressure that many teenagers feel in high school and beyond to know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their life and what major they need to have at college; not to mention how to pay for college. Pablo was a great character and I loved that this story concentrated on his development rather than the relationship because, at the end of the day, this novel is about how he needs to get himself together and learn to do what’s right for himself and others. It was written so well with incredibly witty and funny dialogue, and especially as the romance wasn’t shoved front and centre but was obviously part of the bigger picture as Pablo gained more experience in the world. Mental health is another important topic that is experienced, explained and supported perfectly in this novel. With both main characters in this romance being biracial, this book was filled with diversity and important family relationships, and I could directly relate to many of their experiences. Bordlining between young adult and new adult, this heartfelt and emotional story dug deeper into the tough, realistic decisions young people are faced with. A great and prominent improvement from Choi’s debut ‘Emergency Contact’, Permanent Record is definitely not one to miss. Page 37 ➤
Review By Sam - @SamReadsRomance
I loved her. Despite everything. Despite the lies, the betrayal, the hurt. Despite the Archbishop and Morgane le Blanc. Despite my own brothers. I don't know if she returned that love, and I didn't care. If she was destined to burn in Hell, I would burn with her” – Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin is a enemies-to-lovers, fantasy romance about a witch and chasseur that a few amazing bookstagrammers decided to buddy read this month in preparation for the release of Blood & Honey. Now we are all uniquely different in what genres we like so it was going to be interesting to hear everyone’s thoughts and opinions. What was supposed to take 4 weeks took me 1. It started a little slow for me and took me a few days to actually get to the end of part one but once I did I devoured this book! (sorry to my fellow buddy readers) If you love enemies to lovers, drama, witches, a whole lot of banter and two people who are perfect for each other than this book is for you! Lou is now one of my favourite characters, she is sassy and takes no shit and Reid was strong headed and HOT! Their chemistry was off the charts, their banter was so amazing and this book was just what I needed! I devoured this book and fell in love and you bet I ran out and picked up a copy of Blood & Honey straight away because I could not wait to see what happens next! I can’ t wait to hear what my fellow S&D Buddy Readers think and for them to read Blood & Honey! Have you read this and enjoyed it, let me know?
ON SALE NOW
Review By Vicki - @AntipodeanBookclub
17th century England was a place of turmoil. The Civil War raged between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians and women were being hunted by the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins. He tortured women together with his female team of “prickers” who sought witches’ marks on the skins of the accused by pricking them with needles. He tied them up and threw them into water to see if they would sink or swim and deprived them of sleep until they confessed. He even wrote a book about it, The Discovery of Witches. This is the backdrop to Finbar Hawkins’ YA novel, Witch. Evey and her little sister Dill watch from the woods as their mother is murdered by four witch-hunters. Cursing them and swearing to exact revenge, they escape to their mother’s coven. But Dill’s legs are little, she’s not intent on vengeance and Evey’s jealousy of her as their mother’s favourite grows. She abandons Dill to the coven and sets out to revenge her mother by herself. Without Dill to temper her, Evey’s rage and fury rise. She starts to come into her power, a magic that she never believed herself to possess. With the help of a kind friend and a sympathetic family, she rains her fury down on a town of men; men that had murdered, maimed, colluded and tortured, bringing to life the phrase a “murder of crows.” Laced with magic, this is a novel about sibling rivalry, betrayal and female power. The dialogue echoes the language of the time and as the story builds to its turbulent end, the pages fly by. If you’ve ever longed for the crackle of magic at your fingertips then this is a book for you. Page 32 ➤
IRON & INK DESI GNS
WWW.IRONANDINKDESIGNS.COM
REST! I think we as an online community forget that we are entitled to a break, we are entitled to taking time out and we are entitled to let ourselves rest. I've seen a number of accounts putting up apologies when they have been away or alerting their followers that they'll be having a break - why do we have to do this? Instagram and Bookstagram in particular seems to have become a chore, a job, an obsession even for some and we need to remember that our health and welbeing comes first. If you need a break, GURL you go take your break, get you some sun, dance, sing, go buy a new book or two, treat yourself to a pedicure, go eat your favourite meal. Take care of you! x Page 45 ➤
BLUE'S
RANT Blue is recharging her RANT batteries this month, but will be back with an insanely epic rant next month. Connect with Blue
Instagram @bluefairytales_ Blog www.bluefairytales.com.au Page 46 ➤
ON SALE 6/10/20
To celebrate the release of Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford and The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter we teamed up with Harlequin to bring you this giveaway.
WINNERS ARE....*DRUMROLL PLEASE* Bookishuniversee - 1x Crown of Coral and Pearl and ImLadrisLibrary - 1x The Evil Queen Thank you to everyone who entered - massive thank you to our sponsor of this giveaway Harlequin Australia, we truly appreciate it.
NEXT MONTH WE'VE GOTTA DO THIS AGAIN NEXT MONTH? SHITE...
ISSUE 9 | NOVEMBER 2020
KINGDOM OF THE WICKED REVIEW We take a look at one of the most anticipated books of the year Kingdom of the Wicked.
MARIA V SNYDER We scored an interview with international bestseller, Maria V Snyder. Our guest interviewer Shauna gets all our questions answered.
BLUE'S
RANT You best believe our girl Blue has another epic rant for us.
BOOKSTA TIPS We take a look at insta story templates. What to use, whats out there and what's FREE!!!
Cover Cover image: image: Taz Taz @TheLatteLibrary @TheLatteLibrary