Welcome to our year of reading Oz YA…

So as regular readers might have gleaned from last year, blogging was not quite as easy or as regular (ahem!) as we would’ve liked. So we’ve come up with a brand new idea…we’re going to have our own two-person book club 🙂

Well, it’ll start as just the two of us but we’re hoping all you YA fans out there might join us for a robust discussion (and possibly some ramblings) about one of our greatest passions – reading!

If you’d like to join us in our journey, you can check out the books we’ll be reading each month in the panel on the right.  Please leave us your comments we’d love to hear what you think.

So fasten your seat-belts everyone…first up is Rose’s pick Game Theory by Barry Jonsberg.

The Messenger, amirite?

Hi. It’s me.

I don’t believe it either.

The Messenger, amirite?

This book was really super awesome. I loved how each card was a mystery and the solving of each mystery and how cleverly organised the whole thing was.

Didn’t like the ending though. I think I’d have preferred if it ended when Ed’d solved the last clue of the last card.

Although to be fair I’d probably be really mad about how we never got to find out who was delivering the cards. So what do I know.

The character dynamics were cool, and it was very well written. It’s almost like this guy has da skillz to write something like The Book Thief. Oh wait.

Oh, and you’re wrong. The Doorman looks like this;

Okay, time for Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley.

See you soon,

❤ Rose

The Messenger and The Doorman

Hey Rose,

Glad you’re feeling better! Although, as your health improves so does your ‘tude – what’s that all about? It’s got whiskers on it!

Anyhow, a weird thing has been happening. You know, how I said I thought I’d read The Messenger. Well, yes, I had. The first time I read it, I was obsessed with the plot and solving the central mystery of the book. I won’t do spoilers here but suffice to say I was disappointed with the resolution.

But this time, kind of already knowing that things don’t wrap up that neatly, I’m just really enjoying the ride with Ed Kennedy. He’s a self-deprecating, caring cabbie who lives on his own with a stinky cross-breed called The Doorman. When Ed gets home from work he makes himself a coffee and one in The Doorman’s bowl, complete with sugar the way he likes it. I love this!

I reckon The Doorman looks something like this guy!

And there’s a whole heap of great cameo characters as well. So it’s weird, I’m letting myself just go along for the ride and it’s enjoyable. I must admit I’m getting a bit nervous as I approach the end because well, you know…

Also, I have this vague idea that Ed is some sort of Jesus/Saint character and that there’s a whole deeper level to this book that people (er, deeper than me) could really get off on.

Anyway, will be interested to see what you think.

Love Mum

The Messenger…when will be begin?

Dear Rose,

It seems you may be on the mend – alleluia! That calls for a DT meme:

The Messenger by Markus Zusak is our May book and neither of us have begun – not a

May

good sign. I have a strong feeling that I read this book many moons ago on a holiday in Queensland. I also have a funny feeling that I er, wasn’t swept away…but we shall see. I did love The Book Thief … The Messenger was his first book so you know, draw your own conclusions.

In case anyone is curious, I have not been slacking off on the reading front. In fact, I’ve recently read My Side of the Mountain and Hatchet for book group – both of which to be honest were quite tedious. But this month we’re doing MURDER – my suggestion – and I’m enjoying re-reading Arsenic for Tea. It’s the second in the brilliant Murder Most Unladylike  series and is set in period England, mostly in a girl’s boarding school and features all those wonderful Famous Five kind of things like secret passages, English tutors who turn out to be spies and loads of ‘bun breaks’.

I have also been trying to get my head around the fundamentals of Grammar (for readers who may not know I’m back at uni doing Prof Writing and Editing at RMIT) and prepare for the KidLit conference on Saturday where I will meet the editor of my dreams. I hope that doesn’t sound creepy!

Wish me luck…

Love you, Mum