Special Features

77saturday – Whisper

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#77saturday is a blog feature / meme the #AusYABloggers do every Saturday.

The Rules:

  1. Pick up a Book (your current read, or the closest book to you, or your next read, etc.)
  2. Turn to page 77 (or 77% if you are using an e-reader)
  3. Find a Snippet, Sentence or Paragraph you like.
  4. Share it on your blog or Twitter or Instagram and link back to the @AusYABloggers and use the hashtag #77Saturday

 

Today’s Book

36356854. sy475 Whisper (Whisper #1) by Lynette Noni
Released: May 1st 2018 by Pantera Press
View on Goodreads

“Lengard is a secret government facility for extraordinary people,” they told me.

I believed them. That was my mistake.

There isn’t anyone else in the world like me.

I’m different. I’m an anomaly. I’m a monster.

For two years, six months, fourteen days, eleven hours and sixteen minutes, Subject Six-Eight-Four — ‘Jane Doe’ — has been locked away and experimented on, without uttering a single word.

As Jane’s resolve begins to crack under the influence of her new — and unexpectedly kind — evaluator, she uncovers the truth about Lengard’s mysterious ‘program’, discovering that her own secret is at the heart of a sinister plot … and one wrong move, one wrong word, could change the world.

The 77: “I’m amazed to be witnessing something so normal. Something I haven’t experienced in so long. My heart hurts as memories try to flood my mind, but I stay in the moment and enjoy the beauty of what is unfolding around me.”

My Thoughts

I’m reading Whisper in preparation for it’s squeal, Weapon, coming out on the 4th November – Supper exciting! I have no other thoughts for now other than – Shhhhh i’m reading – bye for now.

The #AusYABloggers Seventy-Seven Saturday was inspired by The Friday 56 by Freda’s Voice.

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

September 2019 Bookish Summary

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Total books read in August: 7
Comics/ Graphic Novels = 1 | #LoveOzYA / #LoveNzYA = 1 | the remainder = 5

The Ritual (Tales of Mentara #2) by Ashley Uzzell
A YA fantasy about a rag tag band of kids who end up accidentally trapped in another world.
I really like the world Ashley has created, I liked the plot, and I love the magic abilities Ashley has created for POV Charlotte. But in both the first and second book, while reading and being in the characters heads, they felt older to me, more like 15-19 rather than 9-13.
My Review | View on Goodreads

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
Mr Fox and his furry family and friends Vs Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Classic Roald Dahl. I read this out loud to my boys and they were both captivated. Mr Fox is still just as fantastic as I remember from my childhood!
View on Goodreads

Runaways, Vol. 1: Find Your Way Home by Rainbow Rowell
Vol 1 collects the first 6 episodes of Rowell’s reboot of Vaughan’s original series and what a fantastic reboot it is!! I’ve already gone and ordered the next two collections!
I don’t think you would need to have read all the previous series by Vaughan to enjoy Rowell’s reboot, she does summarise a little, but It makes it all that much more epic if you are already invested in the characters.
View on Goodreads

My Father’s Shadow by Jannali Jones
My Father’s Shadow is the kind of book you just can’t put down. The constant uneasy vibe that Jannali Jones has created with her magnificent writing propels you forward and keeps you right on the edge of your seat. It is an outstanding #ownvoices #loveozya debut. It is nail bitingly, edge of your seat brilliant!! A must read for all #loveozya aficionados and crime/mystery/thriller buffs.
My Review | View on Goodreads

Minecraft: Diary of a Minecraft Enderman Book 1 by Pixel Kid
My son brought this home from his school library for us to read, rather strange as he’s never played the game – Nevertheless it was an amusing read and quite easy to read out loud.
View on Goodreads

Nemesis (Circuit Fae, #4) by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge
Lesbian Fae queens, magic and mayhem, multiverses collapsing and colliding, action packed battles, love triumphing overall…it would have been better if I hadn’t come in at the fourth book in the series but…ummm…oops.
My Review | View on Goodreads

The Jinni (The Forbidden Wish prequel) by Jessica Khoury
This is the story of the Jinni we grow to love in The Forbidden Wish. You do not need to have read The Forbidden Wish in order to enjoy this short story, but you might find it contains mild spoilers.
Add to Goodreads

Conclusion: I managed to get three review books in during the month, and a few shorts and comics to boost those reading feels.

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

AUGUST 2019 BOOKISH SUMMARY

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Total books read in August: 3

The Forbidden Wish (The Forbidden Wish #1) by Jessica Khoury
A dreamy retelling of Aladdin, that dare I say I prefer to the Disney version. The writing is beautiful and the action captivating. This version has so many kickass female characters and that’s always a win for me. Girl power!
The biggest differences: the jinni is female! She is powerful, smart and cunning, but also lonely and sad. The princess is a great warrior, but also compassionate and caring of her people. And then there is her kickass Watchmaidens who are loving, loyal and fierce warriors also.
View on Goodreads

Silken Scales & Perfect Pitch (The Chameleon Effect, books 1 & 2) by Alex Hayes
By the end of the epilogue of Silken Scales I was hooked! Aliens, Action and Romance. What more could you ask for – well some Queer characters would have been nice.
Amongst the romance and alien slaying, there are some deeper things dealt with; mental health, alcoholism, and parental neglect/abuse.
All in all, I liked both books and I am keen to read the next one.
My review | View on Goodreads (book 1) | View on Goodreads (book 2)

Conclusion: August was a super busy and I only managed to get three books read and I am now super behind on my years TBR, but it was a AWESOME month.

On August 1st Shane and I went down to the Sydney international boat show and lusted after things we can’t afford.

I partook in the @AusYABloggers Buckley’s tour HERE.

Brooklynne and I chatted about Trans fiction and Brooklynne’s hunt for excellent Trans girl fiction. We discussed books we’ve read and books we are looking forward to reading HERE.

I took a solo trip down to Sydney to attend an event for the release of It Sounded Better In My by Nina Kenwood, view my review of the book is HERE.

I then attended a @read3rz_revu luncheon celebrating the release of The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim.

And then of course there was the Sydney Tea Festival that mum and I attended.

So a fantastic, but busy month 🙂

Past Monthly Summaries: Jan 19 ∣ Feb 19 ∣ Mar 19 ∣ April 19 ∣ May 19 | June/July 19 

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

CONVERSATIONS 002: QUEER BOOK CHAT

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Today, over on the #AusYaBloggers group site, I chat with the fantastic Brooklynne Michelle about the lack of good Transgirl fiction, some Trans fiction we are looking forward to reading and Queer books in general. As with the last Queer #AusYABloggers chat I took part in, we give some reading recommendations. You should definitely go check it out HERE.

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

June/July 2019 BOOKISH SUMMARY

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Total books read in June/July: 14

Comics/ Graphic Novels = 6 | #LoveOzYA / #LoveNzYA = 6 | the remainder = 2

Comics: In the last two months I continued reading the Runaways and Heartstopper series and started reading the Lumberjanes series.
I’m still really enjoying the Runaways and Heartstopper series. I love that as the series goes on Runaways, has gotten queerer. Currently there is one Lesbian main character and another shapeshifting genderfluid one – awesomesause!
Heartstopper is the queerest, most heart-warming and adorable comic series I’ve ever read.
And out of the three collected Runaways editions I read, I especially loved Vol 6, as we spent most of the issue just hanging out with the youngest Runaway, 11-yr-old mutant girl Molly – she’s kick ass and adorable.
I found Lumberjanes to be whimsical and super cute. It follows a group of girls banding together to deal with magical and evil things that start happening at their camp.

Poetry: I’ve also been trying to indulge in more poetry compendiums to fend off readers burn out. I really enjoyed being submerged in Amanda Lovelace and Omar Sakr’s worlds.

Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOZYA Stories – anthology.
I loved the variety of own voices rep! The story highlights for me were Light Bulb and Questions to ask straight relatives. A breathtakingly beautiful, dark and deep story. And while not really “YA”, still a brilliant personal essay. I felt both deep down in my soul.
View my Full Review | View on Goodreads

Devil’s Ballast by Meg Caddy
Devil’s Ballast is a fictionalised historical YA tale based on the life of female pirate Anne Bonny and is set at the start of Bonny’s pirating career. The friendship between Bonny and Read was the shining highlight of the book for me and I would love to read a sequel that follows the two creating pirate-y mayhem together.
View my Full Review | View on Goodreads

Hive (Hive #1) & Rogue (Hive #2) by A.J. Betts
I finished the last page of Hive, made a fresh cup of tea and started reading Rogue, so for me it was one 618-page epic dystopian Australian story. The only thing that could have made it better would have been some queer characters – But they were two lovely and exciting books that focused mainly on friendship and exploring the world around the protagonist.
View my Full joint Review | Hive on Goodreads | Rogue on Goodreads

Meet Me at the Intersection #ownvoices – anthology
Necessary reading for all Aussie teens and adults alike. A brilliant inclusive anthology featuring #ownvoices authors from marginalised groups. This anthology shows how beautiful and diverse Australia can be, but also how we need to look after each other better.
Stars In Our Eyes, Sheer Fortune, DNA, The Other Son and The Last Stop were highlights for me.
View on Goodreads

It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood
It Sounded Better in My Head is a new #LoveOzYA Contemporary YA Romance that is adorable, entertaining, relatable and warmed my heart. And while it may be a romance, there is also a heavy focus on friendship – which is always a winner for me.
Full Review COMING SOON | View on Goodreads

Buckley’s Unexpected Adventure by Dion Summergreene
I’m part of the #AusYABloggers tour for this #LoveOzMG title, it kicks off on Monday the 5th with review posts my myself and Star. So come back (pretty please) on Monday and or follow along with the tour HERE.
Full Review COMING SOON | View on Goodreads

Conclusion: June was that crazy that I didn’t even get a bookish babble reading round up posted. July was a little better. I did a Q&A with author Helen Scheuerer HERE and a Queer Book Chat HERE (over on the #AusYABloggers site) with fellow queer book lover and out and proud lesbian, Star.

I also partook in a seven day, no descriptions, black and white photo challenge on Instagram, which was kinda fun and changed up my feed for a while.

Shane and I signed up for the Camp Quality FUNx4, you can read about that HERE.

Past Monthly Summaries: Jan 19 ∣ Feb 19 ∣ Mar 19 ∣ April 19 ∣ May 19

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

Camp Quality FUNx4: Car 42

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This year my husband attended the 2019 Camp Quality FUNx4, which ran from the 1st – 6th July. As one of two mechanics on the event, tasked with ensuring all 13 cars made it through the event. My Uncle Gordon Trigg was the other mechanic on hand.

My family has been involved with Camp Quality for nearly thirty years. Firstly with my grandfather being a part of setting up the Newcastle Branch of Camp Quality, my grandfather and mother both attended camps in the early days as councilors. Later my Uncle entered the Camp Quality escapade in it’s second year as an entrant, then when back the next year with my grandfather as mechanical support and he has gone along every year since. Along side Ben Mildren, he now sets the courses for both the esCarpade and FUNx4 and attends both as the mechanical support.

In 2020, my husband Shane and I will be fundraising and attending as FUNx4 participants in Car 42.

The Camp Quality FUNx4 is a 4WD event is set to challenge experienced and amateur drivers alike tackling tricky terrain through some of Australia’s most spectacular 4WD playgrounds. All the while raising much needed funds for Aussie kids facing cancer.

FUNx4 is Camp Quality’s newest outback motoring fundraiser. Hailed as Australia’s happiest 6-day 4WD adventure, in 2020 the event will begin in Caboolture on Monday 1st June, will travel through the Glashouse Mountains, Kenilworth and LandCruiser Mountain Park before finishing with three days exploring Fraser Island on Saturday 6th June.

Camp Quality provides services and programs specifically made to support children 0-13 facing cancer, who are dealing with their own diagnosis, or the diagnosis of someone they love, like a brother, sister, mum or dad. It is an extremely worthy cause and every donation no matter how big or how small helps! For more information or to donate click HERE.

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂

Helen Scheuerer: Author Q&A

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Helen is a YA fantasy author from Sydney.
You might know her as the author of THE OREMERE CHRONICLES, or as the founding editor at WRITERS EDIT.

Please welcome Helen.

Hindsight is a marvelous thing. Looking back now that the third book in your The Oremere Chronicles is complete, is there anything you wished you’d done differently?

You’re absolutely right about that! I learnt so many things over the course of writing these three books, the biggest being: the importance of planning. While I’m more than happy with how the series turned out, I would have saved myself a lot of hassle and heartache if I had of planned a tad more meticulously!

I also learnt how hard it is to juggle multiple projects; writing one book, editing another and marketing another… It’s draining work and often I’ve felt that I’m stretched too thin. However, not much can be changed in this regard, it’s just the nature of publishing I’m afraid!

I am fascinated by how authors come up with the ideas for their books. Can you tell us a little bit about where the inspiration for The Oremere Chronicles came from?

I get asked this question quite a lot and the truth is, I still don’t have a real answer for it! For me, these books weren’t the product of a lightning bolt of inspiration. I made a conscious decision to write what I loved reading and over the course of NaNoWriMo one year, Heart of Mist (Book I) was born.

When it comes to finding inspiration, the settings are actually the best example. I have found inspiration all over the world: Sydney beaches, Scotland, Prague, New Zealand… There are tidbits of these places in the details of my continents, landmarks and cities.

I know I can’t be the only one fascinated by people’s lives. (Hands up if you’re a YouTube vlog addict like me). Can you take us through a normal day in the life of Helen the Author?

You’re definitely not the only one, Sarah! I love this stuff.

A normal day looks a little something like this for me:
6.00 – Get up and make a tea
6.30 – Review the To Do List (usually made the night before)
6.45 – 8.45 – Creative writing and/or plotting (books, prequels)
8.45 – 9.00 – Breakfast
9.00 – 11.30 – Creative writing round #2
11.30 – 13.00 – Go for a run & lunch break
13.30 – 16.30 – Emails, calls, social media, marketing tasks
16.30 – 17.00 – Reassess To Do List
17.00 – 18.30 – Creative writing round #3
18.30 – 19.30 – Dinner

Of course, it’s not always that strict. Though, around launch time, it’s even worse (starting earlier, finishing later).
I’ve learnt recently not to be too hard on myself and to be a little more flexible, however, I’m definitely the sort of person who thrives on routine!

Do you have any other projects in the works you can let us in on?

Ohhhhh I have so many projects in the pipeline, Sarah!
I can tell you that there are two projects planned for 2020, but that’s all I can say for now unfortunately.
Right now, it’s all about War of Mist hitting the shelves on July 25 🙂

If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out book one:

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Heart of Mist by Helen Scheuerer
Genre: YA, Fantasy, #LoveOzYA
Publication: August 31st 2017
Publisher: Talem Press

In a realm where toxic mist sweeps the lands and magic is forbidden, all Bleak wants is a cure for her power.

Still grieving the death of her guardian and dangerously self-medicating with alcohol, Bleak is snatched from her home by the Commander of the King’s Army, and summoned to the capital.

But the king isn’t the only one interested in Bleak’s powers.

The leader of an infamous society of warriors, the Valia Kindred, lays claim to her as well, and Bleak finds herself in the middle of a much bigger battle than she anticipated.

Heart of Mist is the gripping first book in The Oremere Chronicles, a fantasy series of epic proportions.

HELEN CAN BE FOUND ON
TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK & HER WEBSITE

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Helen before. We did a Q&A on the #AusYABloggers site [HERE] & Helen did a guest post on The Adventures of SacaKat [HERE], after the first book in the The Oremere Chronicles, Heart of Mist, was released. Make sure to check them out to.

The Oremere Chronicles CAN BE FOUND AT Amazon AU, amazon US & booktopia.

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

May 2019 Bookish Summary

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Total books read in May: 4
Comics/ Graphic Novels = 0  |  #LoveOzYA / #LoveNzYA = 1 |  the remainder = 3

River Stone by Rachel Hennessy #LoveOZYA
River Stone is the first book in a new dystopian trilogy. It has a fresh and unique feel that drew me in right from the start and kept me hooked until the last page. It is a story of survival, of adapting, of friendship, of being human, and of being a teenager living in the shadow of expectation.
Published May 1st 2019 by MidnightSun Publishing [My Full Review] [View on Goodreads]

The Little Wave by Pip Harry #LoveOZMG
The Little is a delightful Middle Grade verse novel, and even though it deals with grief, bullying, navigating new friendships and the struggles of low-SES families, it is an immensely enjoyable read. Regardless of your age it will leave you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart.
Published May 7th 2019 by UQP Books [My Full Review] [View on Goodreads]

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
An adorable YA graphic novel about friendship, family, young love, expectations, identity, fancy fashion and following your dreams.
Published February 13th 2018 by First Second [View on Goodreads]

Concrete Queers – issue 5 (poetry), 8 (music) and 11 (home).
Concrete Queers is a zine made by queer people for queer people, edited by Katherine Back and Alison Evans.
I enjoyed reading all three of the zines, but maybe Poetry and Music slightly more – I’ve always had an affinity for both.
Find out more at the Concrete Queers Website and Alison Evan’s etsy zine store.

Conclusion: It was a bit of a slow reading month unfortunately, but I had a lot of other things going on (non-bookish). Fingers crossed I get to devour more books this month.

I made the trek from Newcastle down to Parramatta for the Sydney Writers Festival all day YA love fest. And It was well worth the effort. I got to catch up with some fellow book bloggers and bookstagrammers and attended some fantastic sessions.

I only managed to post two reviews up on the blog during May BUT….. I published a personal essay I wrote about social expectations, sexuality and realisations that come with age. Titled: Me, myself and the land of self-reflection. You check it out HERE. And I published a post titled: Promises to my sons. Part poem, part letter, written to my sons. Check it out if you dare, HERE.

Past Monthly Summaries:
Jan 19 ∣ Feb 19 ∣ Mar 19 ∣ April 19

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂
Until next time, enjoy your shelves 🙂

Promises to my sons

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I will lose my shit and yell at you.
I will lose my cool and fly off the rails. It’s what I do.
I will swear repeatedly, and I don’t fucking care if you swear, as long as you grow up to care about the world and the people around you.
As long as you always try your hardest, I don’t care if you fail.
I don’t care who you love as long as you are happy, and that person isn’t human trash.
I will love you even when you make me angry.
I will love you even when you hate me.
I will show you that women hold the power of life.
I will teach you that you should worship the women in your life.
I will teach you not to force yourself onto anyone; emotionally or sexually.
I will teach you that consent can only be given when someone is sober and of sound mind, that consent cannot be coerced or pressured.

You are white,
and you are male,
and if I ever catch you abusing that privilege I will knock you down.
I will raise you as an equalist.
I will teach you that human is human.
Love is love and blood is blood.
Race, religion, gender, sexuality and bank accounts mean nothing to a bullet, mean nothing as your body decomposes.
I will raise you to see that every living thing has value.
I will raise you to be a hu-man.

 

Thanks for visiting sarahfairbairn.com 🙂