Blog Tour Review: Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

Firstly, thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: April 17 - 21 2017
Date Released: May 1st 2017
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"When BFFs Charlie, Taylor and Jamie go to SupaCon, they know it’s going to be a blast. What they don’t expect is for it to change their lives forever.
Charlie likes to stand out. SupaCon is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star, Reese Ryan. When Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

While Charlie dodges questions about her personal life, Taylor starts asking questions about her own.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about the Queen Firestone SupaFan Contest, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe."

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With a diverse cast and great representation, Queens of Geek is a heartwarming Aussie YA that speaks to the fangirl/boy in all of us.

I found it so refreshing the way Wilde told the story through two different perspectives – Charlie and Taylor who are best friends but have basically opposite personality traits. Charlie presents the con from a celebrity POV. A famous YouTuber turned movie star she’s quite outgoing and very sure of herself. I like that she didn’t let the fame get to her and she was so nice to all her fans. On the inside though, Charlie’s still struggling through a breakup that really tore her up. Her feelings are a mess and it’s clear her ex was manipulating her. I liked her journey to self-actualisation throughout the book, coming to terms with who she is, accepting herself after her messed up relationship made her doubt herself and really understanding what she wants. In the other perspective we have introvert Taylor who suffers from anxiety. Through Taylor we can relate to the long lines and waiting to meet our idols. Her apprehension at being in such a large crowd, the thrill and adrenaline of being with likeminded people – I lived it. Then there was her anxiety which Wilde wrote so well – the sudden overwhelming emotions, the panic out of nowhere. For Taylor, the con was about stepping out of her comfort zone to go for what she really wanted.

The two main secondary characters – Jamie and Alyssa – were great. Jamie’s a bit of a geek and I liked that he didn’t trying his suppress his fanboying. Bonding with Taylor over a favourite book series, he’s a genuinely nice guy but not perfect. Then there’s Alyssa, a really famous YouTuber who is honestly such a sweetheart. I adored her kind and cheerful demeanour. Just like Charlie, she didn’t let the fame get to her and she was so appreciative of her fans, knowing she wouldn’t be where she is without them.

I guess the romance is where this book faltered slightly for me. There’s two love stories going on at the same time here. One is really slow burn which I love; there’s lots of flirting disguised as friendly banter. The tension is cute and I just wanted them to get together. On the other hand, the other romance was insta-love to me. I loved each person individually, and I definitely wanted them to get together but it was just a bit too quick for my liking. Everything was happening in leaps and bounds, from the first meeting to flirting and touching and feelings and I was like wow ok slow down it’s been 3 days.

Plot wise, the story is set in the con and centres around Charlie and Taylor making their way through the weekend at SupaCon (San Diego Comic Con anybody?) discovering themselves. Wilde’s writing is fresh and easy to read, I was drawn into the story immediately. My favourite aspect of this book is that it’s not only Aussie YA, but it’s so diverse. Taylor has anxiety, Charlie is Australian Chinese and bisexual. Like omg can it get any more perfect? For ONCE a Chinese MC that’s ‘normal’. She doesn’t have a Chinese name as her English name, she’s not going to uni to be an accountant or doctor or lawyer – none of the stereotypical Chinese stuff I’m so sick of when authors attempt diversity. If Wilde didn’t mention Charlie’s Chinese I wouldn’t have known and I could relate because I’m Australian born Chinese. I have an Anglicised name, I like Chinese food but that’s not all I eat, I really suck at maths. To be properly represented is an amazing feeling. I’m not bi so I can’t speak for the rep but it felt real reading it, and I’ve heard this was done right from various bi friends. From what I read, Jamie and Alyssa aren’t white either – based on Jamie’s last name he sounds Latino/Filo and Alyssa is black? It’s just wonderful having a non- full white cast but everybody bonds over their fandom.

Queens of Geek is a fun, refreshing read filled with all things geeky that you’d find at a convention. The diversity representation is wonderful and heartwarming.

Review: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Firstly, thanks to Quirk Books for this review copy <3

Date Read: March 23 - 30 2017
Date Released: April 4th 2017
Publisher: Quirk Books
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.
Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise."

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When I heard about Geekerella I knew it was the book for me. Fandoms? Conventions? Cosplays? Oh my god this was my high school and uni years.

Our modern Cinderella is Danielle (Elle), a regular high school teen who seems odd to outsiders but seems familiar to those of us who are dedicated fans of anything. Elle is an extremely passionate Starfield fan, having grown up with the intergalactic TV series and it’s what connected her parents. She knows every episode off by heart and is faithful to the show’s original cast and story. Elle also writes fanfic and keeps a dedicated blog of her thoughts on the show, this is a true fan girl right here (doesn’t that sound familiar?). Can someone be annoyingly selfless? Because I found Elle to be selfless to the point of spineless and never sticking up for herself. Whatever people wanted, she did their bidding no complaints. I was screaming GIRL SAY NO COME ON but nope she let people walk over her, bully her, taking it all in stride. Just once I wanted her to be like the Princess Amara or Prince Carmindor she adored, the way they took the initiative to act rather than sit back and let their enemies defeat them. There’s a lot of development required for Elle, she’s got to learn to go for things.

Prince Charming comes in the form of hottie teen heartthrob Darien Freeman who’s been cast in the role of Prince Carmindor and I loved his character so much. There’s the juxtaposition of what he does from his point of view, such as requesting someone to take him off a signing schedule, to how the act is actually perceived – he comes off as pretentious and self-entitled. The poor guy only wants a break from the media and paparazzi, to take a breather, but everybody is breathing down his neck. I thought Poston did a great job of portraying how difficult it must be to be a teen celebrity, especially one controlled by others and trying to please everyone. It’s a different side to the glamorous lifestyle, lacking freedom and making things like going to the vending machine to buy something, an extremely hard thing to achieve. I liked his own journey of trying his best to do the role of Carmindor justice because for him it’s personal – he’s a Starfield fan too. Along the way he learns what he really wants out of life.

I found the modern twist Poston put on the characters to be really fun and creative. There’s the typical evil stepmother and stepsisters but the stepsisters are YouTube beauty vloggers who are materialistic. I also liked that there’s more to the stepsisters than meets the eye. Then we’ve got the ‘fairy godmother’ who is just so fitting… and the very literal pumpkin. I had a right laugh when I got to that part. The characters represented their original fairy tale monikers but held their own as Poston’s creation. Also props to Poston to the natural way diversity was incorporated.

The romance is sweet and develops in the back-and-forth of text messages which I found really cute. I thought it was fitting given how the story has social media/technology driven vibes. The conversation has this prince and princess theme in the form of Carmindor and Amara. It’s here the two are able to voice their truths and find a reprieve from their everyday problems. At the same time, the method of communication presents the issue of safety because two strangers texting each other never having met… it’s almost like online dating? You really don’t know who’s on the other end. Both Elle and Darien voice this concern which is good and they don’t ever really talk about meeting – which is like BUT YOU MUST from the perspective of the reader. There are swoony moments, angsty moments and just how does a text message manage to slay me? Don’t you feel it’s easier to talk to someone and say what you really want to say via text/IM?

The plot being centred around a fandom and cosplay is just ughh *hugs this book* it gave me all the fuzzy feelings. It took me back to a time when I used to write (horrible) fanfiction, and spend my nights reading HP fanfic. I was transported to the world of cons and cosplay (I actually went back to my photos of Animania, ah the nostalgia). This was a world that spoke to me and I got it. I got the difficulty of Elle getting her Starfield cosplay correct, to the buttons and crown (there was this one time I wanted to cosplay Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts and making the robe is HARD, I didn’t go through with it). There’s the whole online community, everybody different in real life but united by their fandom, it’s so supportive and fun. Watching Elle navigate her fandom world as she raced against the clock to get her costume together was so exhilarating.

Basically, I adored Geekerella and I thought Poston did an amazing job turning a much loved classic into a relatable modern fairy tale of fandoms, love and friendship. Never underestimate the power of a fandom y’all.

Review: The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub

Firstly, thanks to HarperCollins Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: February 22-24 2016
Date Released: March 1st 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Contemporary (AUSSIE YA YES #LoveOzYA)
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Five teenagers. Five lives. One final year.

The school captain: Ryan has it all … or at least he did, until an accident snatched his dreams away. How will he rebuild his life and what does the future hold for him now?

The newcomer: Charlie’s just moved interstate and she’s determined not to fit in. She’s just biding her time until Year 12 is over and she can head back to her real life and her real friends …

The loner: At school, nobody really notices Matty. But at home, Matty is everything. He’s been single-handedly holding things together since his mum’s breakdown, and he’s never felt so alone.

The popular girl: Well, the popular girl’s best friend … cool by association. Tammi’s always bowed to peer pressure, but when the expectations become too much to handle, will she finally stand up for herself?

The politician’s daughter: Gillian’s dad is one of the most recognisable people in the state and she’s learning the hard way that life in the spotlight comes at a very heavy price.

Five unlikely teammates thrust together against their will. Can they find a way to make their final year a memorable one or will their differences tear their world apart?"

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I remember someone once saying on Twitter how Aussie books are much more character driven than US books which are more plot driven. Melina Marchetta definitely comes to mind and I realise it’s the character driven books I love best. After reading The Yearbook Committee I can definitely say the characters have stuck with me.

What do you get when you combine a school captain who used to be star of the soccer team, a politician’s daughter who’s overly enthusiastic, an opinionated girl who hates Sydney, the popular girl’s best friend, a scholarship student from a poor background, and shove them onto the Yearbook Committee? Unwillingness to cooperate and absolute chaos that’s what. It’s bloody brilliant.

The first character we’re introduced to is Charlie who’s moved to Sydney from Melbourne and basically hates the move and anything in Sydney. I really disliked Charlie in the beginning because she felt the need to give a negative opinion on EVERYTHING. She seemed so ingrained in her beliefs and it was like everybody else should share those beliefs or they were wrong. And she felt the need to express her ideals at every possible moment, even when it wasn’t right for the situation. On the flip side I liked that she stood her ground and didn’t let anybody shutdown her feminist views. She definitely thaws and becomes easier to be around with as the book progresses. I liked that she has her moments of weakness and it’s obvious she’s a teenage girl too who has crushes and occasionally wants to drop the tough act.

Gillian was an interesting one. She was way too enthusiastic for my liking and tried so hard to please everyone. And I think because she tries so hard is one of the reasons why people treat her as a doormat. She won’t get angry at anything anybody does to her because she wants them to like her. But this girl has such a big heart. Despite the bullying she receives from her classmates and her horrible mother who gives her hell about her weight, and a father who cares more about his votes than his own daughter, she always has a smile on her face. Gill was the one who everybody in TYC came to like and could get along with.

For once a golden boy who is actually a good guy! The school captain Ryan is a genuinely nice guy and it was no wonder he got voted in as school captain. Not just because he’s good at soccer but because he cares about his role. He took being the school captain seriously, ensuring students did the right thing and being friendly to everyone. He also takes the yearbook seriously too because the principal gave him the responsibility. If Gill was the glue that kept everyone together, Ryan was the driving force behind it all. He’s the type of guy who’s like “I don’t care what shit is between you guys, you are going to get this done.” Love people like that! And Ryan isn’t without his own troubles. He struggles with a future where the one dream he was set on has crumbled. It was refreshing to see this because most high schoolers are the reverse – their future looks so uncertain because they don’t know what to do with their lives, but there’s endless possibilities.

One of my favourite characters was definitely Tammi. I found that she had the most growth throughout the book (these tend to be my favs). She starts off as the best friend to the popular girl who silently stands around as her best friend gets whatever she wants and does whatever she wants. Tammi matures though and quickly realises her best friend isn’t as perfect as she thinks. My favourite part about Tammi is that, no matter what her boyfriend says, she won’t let herself be pressured into sex. I think it’s becoming more and more a common thing in high schools these days and for Tammi to care about her body and not give in is awesome. Ladies (and gentlemen), reminder that you shouldn’t do something because somebody else tells you to. No matter what it seems like, it’s not a race. Don’t EVER let anybody pressure you into sex (or anything really). Do it because you want to when you’re ready. If he/she won’t wait for you, they’re not worth it.

Then my favourite who probably comes in just a little in front of Tammi, is Matty. I just wanted to hug this boy, hoodie and all. I like them smart and broody. Kid won an academic scholarship into a Catholic school! And beneath the hoodie, he’s actually sweet and caring ahhh love love LOVE. Poor guy is working two jobs to support himself and his mum who’s had some kind of breakdown and is obviously suffering from mental illness. He’s tough but he’s also coming apart at the seams. It was wonderful having him as a character as a fresh lens on the rich kids at Holy Family.

We’ve also got a great cast of secondary characters. There’s the other students at Holy Family, the teachers who are definitely questionable, and this really awesome principal. Ayoub brings in diversity through the families and friends of our MCs such as Gillian’s brother, and Matty’s best friend who I adored. Mo doesn’t bag Matty out for being smart and winning a scholarship, but actually supports and respects him. There are so many more characters but you’ll just have to discover them yourself. It’s these guys who make the main characters really shine and add depth to the story.

All of this is set against the backdrop of Sydney’s inner-west and ERMAGHERD you guys this is my fav part of reading. I haven’t read a book where I had “a sense of place” (as Melina Marchetta put it at the launch) since Melina’s own books. It feels so good to read a book and know where Burwood Westfield is, to be able to picture Burwood Park, to crave El Jannah (chargrilled chicken with this amazing garlic sauce they make), to think back to my own lunch at Burger Project a few weeks ago. Just like the characters in TYC, I walked the streets of this book. And it felt like coming home. This book felt like home to me. Ayoub does the setting so freaking well it was like a character of its own.

Then we have all the issues this book tackled. Through the diverse characters we’re able to see bullying, the differences in socioeconomic background prevalent in Sydney, mental illness, disability, peer pressure for everything you can possibly think of, the pressure to do well in the HSC and what happens after, and what I believe is a growing problem in NSW’s education system – the qualifications of teachers.

All of these very relevant themes are beautifully interwoven through our five MCs into an ending that reminds you this is reality. I can’t get over the amazing characterisation; freaking top notch. Each one of these characters have left a lasting impression. The Yearbook Committee became so much more than getting a yearbook out on deadline. Ayoub managed to encompass all the moments of Sydney high school life into 320 pages – the tears, the joy, the friendships and everything in between. EVERYBODY GO READ THIS OMG.