Each week our friendly library staff and special guests review their latest YA reads. Head over to our Instagram account @librariesinwyndham to see all of our recommendations.
Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
This week’s YA Book of the Week is ‘Revelle’ by Lyssa Mia Smith
Reviewed by Education and Youth Librarian Carrie
Lyssa Mia Smith's debut novel, Revelle, is a captivating historical fantasy set during the 1920s prohibition era on the magical island of Charmont.
The story follows Luxe, the star of the Revelle family's struggling circus-style show, who is on the brink of ruin due to prohibition and scarcity of alcohol.
Luxe is offered the chance to help Dewey Chronos, their biggest rival, take care of the family's financial problems by posing as his fiancée. However, a chance encounter with island newcomer Jamison who Luxe develops feelings she has never experienced before, and secrets she has inevitably kept may threaten everything she cares for most.
Read as a dual POV with Jamison, an orphan and newcomer to the island, embarking on an emotional journey to unravel the island's secrets. The novel is filled with twists, turns, and magic-based intrigue, with the protagonist Luxe being a compassionate and three-dimensional character willing to sacrifice her own dreams for the family.
I really enjoyed the world building which was rich in detail and vibrantly immersive. The setting was based in New York and had Moulin Rouge / The Great Gatsby influences, which stuck out to me the most.
I also loved exploring the complex nature of her relationships-be the strained familial bond with her cousins Collette and Millie (whom she’s been distant with for years) or the fiercely swoon-worthy, star-crossed relationship she has with love interest Jamison (who sounds just dreamy btw)
To borrow a copy, check our catalogue
Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu
Alice Dyson plans to spend her final year of high school studying hard and flying under the radar. That is until a strange encounter with school troublemaker, Teddy Taualai, which sees them having an impromptu dance-off. Unbeknownst to Alice and Teddy, their dance-off is filmed and quickly shared around the school, making them everything that anyone can talk about.
While Alice is perturbed at the sudden gossip surrounding them, Teddy is unfazed and quickly takes the opportunity to insert himself in her world. Though Alice finds the presence of loud and messy Teddy overbearing to begin with, it isn’t long until she considers him a real friend. As the school year goes on and Alice’s once small life begins to expand, she must grapple with the once unthinkable reality that Teddy is more than just a friend and someone whose presence she now cannot go without.
I really enjoyed this contemporary story of friendship and first love. A sweet and funny story about growing up, letting loose and being true to yourself. Author Poppy Nwosu crafts such wonderful and complex characters and writes so well to the Australian high school experience.
Reserve a copy of ‘Making Friends with Alice Dyson’ today!
Reviewed by Education & Youth Librarian, Anna.
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black is a YA fantasy read full of gripping turns and fascinating characters. Set after the war that took place in Black's Folk of the Air series, The Stolen Heir follows Wren as she tries her best to survive as a solitary fey living in the human world. Living off of food scraps and a desire for vengeance, Wren's life is turned upside down when Oak Greenbriar, the crown prince, proposes her a deal: she will help him find what he is searching for, she will have her revenge, and they will both take down a common enemy in the process. Set in an enchanting world of magic and cruelty, beauty and romance, The Stolen Heir plays host to a variety of twists and turns that will make you hold your breath until the final pages. This book was really good, and you don't necessarily have to have read Black's previous novels to understand it's context, however I'd recommend those, too! This series is perfect for anyone who loves a high fantasy romance with lots of great characters and interesting twists!
Reviewed by Education & Youth Librarian, Alisha ✨
Court of the Undying Seasons by Adrianne Strickland
Fin, our protagonist, is a young woman who hates the ruling vampire class who took her mother away from her as a child. Her father’s death had left her an orphan, eking out a meagre living doing the worst jobs. But at least the vampires mostly leave her and her village alone.
Until she is selected to undergo the trials to become a vampire at the dark gothic Castle Courtsheart. Will she fail the trials and become a thrall to do the bidding of those monsters against her will? Or will she die and come back as a monster herself?
As Fin leaves her human world we learn about a brutal, fascinating world. One which is soon plagued by a murder mystery as students begin to be killed, and not even in the combat or the teleportation classes!
This book was a turn pager! It has interesting powers and dilemmas to consider, relationships with varying power levels, a diverse cast of humans and vampires, and PLENTY of tension between the mystery, violence and romance.
The author did a great job showing us Fin’s temperament and character as she underwent many changes and faced different conflicts, but also showing us many other characters with fully developed personalities and priorities of their own. Now that I’ve seen so much of Fin’s story, I’d love to see some more of theirs!
Reviewed by Education & Youth Librarian, Stephen.
Place a hold on ‘Court of the Undying Seasons’ here
Recommended for ages 16+ contains numerous mature themes.
Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker
What a great read, old family ties based in New Orleans with magic to tie it all together.
Blood Debts, the debut novel from Terry J. Benton-Walker, manages to be super-fast paced while also allowing time to let everything soak in. There are twists, twins and teens in this contemporary fantasy that leaves you wanting more.
A dead father and a sick mother, sixteen-year-old twin protagonists find the true reason of their mother sickness, a curse placed upon the family in the form of a ‘hex doll’. The pair must reconcile their personal differences, their opinions on magic and try to trust one another if they ever hope to succeed.
Underneath this all sits the tension of magical and non-magical communities whose disputes grow stronger each day and seem to be on a path towards disaster. The magic system in this book is just awesome. Tied deeply to African American stories, it is great to see a new take on some old fantasy troupes.
I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for Wyndham Libraries to get the second book when it becomes available. Once I started, I just could not put it down – highly recommended.
To borrow a copy, click here
Reviewed by Education & Youth Services Librarian, Declan