Getting invited to an advanced screening… On the way to the cinema… When the movie is starting… Five minutes after the movie has started… Every time Augustus Waters appears on screen… Every time anyone says the word “Okay”… Isaac’s eulogy… Augustus’s letter… The End… Grab a copy of The Fault in our Stars here Sarah McDuling is a contributor ... Read more

Love Letters to the Dead is a powerful coming-of-age novel that will grab hold of your heart and soul, drawing you into the narrator’s world so completely that finishing the book is actually quite upsetting – like having a door slammed in your face by your new best friend. As far as I’m concerned it’s one of the top Young Adult novels of the year. This book first came to my attentio... Read more

Every so often you hear about a book that’s being touted as a “global sensation”. Usually in such cases the film rights have been bought, the author is being labelled “the next J.K Rowling” and the general consensus seems to be OMG this is it! The New Craze! The Next Big Thing! And so on, and so forth. We’ve heard it all before, right? And yet it doesn’t seem to matter how many times I hear it,... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Karen Foxlee author of Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy Ten Terrifying Questions ——————– 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in Mount Isa in far North West Queensland.  It’s a mining town a long way from anywhere but an amazing place to grow up. Our playground was the dry Leichhar... Read more

Here’s what I knew about Norse mythology when I first picked up The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris. a)     Norse gods live in a place called Asgard. b)    Loki is the coolest god . Sure he’s evil, but he’s also played by Tom Hiddleston (see left) and therefore his evilness is cancelled out by his perfect male beauty. c)     Thor is the god of Thunder. He has very large muscles and a magic h... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Vanessa Garden author of Captivate Ten Terrifying Questions ——————– 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in Fremantle, Western Australia, and was lucky enough to live with the sparkling Indian Ocean on one side and wetlands on the other – so lots of swimming, raft-making and tadp... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Joe Ducie author of The Rig Ten Terrifying Questions ——————– 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in the North of England back in 1987, but grew up in Perth, Western Australia. I went to school all over the place, probably about six different schools between Perth and Barrow-in-F... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Yangsze Choo author of The Ghost Bride Ten Terrifying Questions —————————– 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I’m from Malaysia, but because of my dad’s job, I lived in lots of different countries when I was a child, such as Thailand, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. Then I went... Read more

Banish really surprised me. When I pick up a Paranormal Romance these days, especially in the Young Adult genre, I automatically brace myself for a barrage of tropes and clichés. 1) Average human girl meets brooding immortal boy – cue Love At First Sight. 2) Requisite villain does something villainous (at which point, I usually start yawning and skipping pages). 3) Happy ending. The detai... Read more

Sarah McDuling, the fearless editor of Booktopia’s Young Adult Buzz, takes a look at the latest offering from author Skye Melki-Wegner. I’m not really sure how to categorise Chasing the Valley. Unless “Phantasmagorical” can be considered a category? No? Okay, fine. Categorise this:  An insanely glorious blend of Steampunk Adventure and Dystopian Fantasy with a touch of Romance... Read more