Remember those great Aussie books I mentioned? Well, I'm about to review two. There's something about Aussie Contemporaries that has me hooked. I find myself looking up more and more. And hey, I've come up with a great selection to add to my TBR pile. The covers, by the way, are just as gorgeous in person. Cath Crawley, like Melina Marchetta, just seems to get it. What I mean by that is - when you think of yourself as a teen, and when you read these two books - it's just deja-vu all over again. Not so much the events, but the characters, their worries, their voices (!!). People that you find yourself nodding along to and loving. Give me cussing that doesn't seem forced, sex and relationships that are realistic and relevant to the plot, family relationships, something thought-provoking, and romance that makes me swoon and I'm a goner. I got those things here. And I have to say, it's so great and refreshing. To see well written characters that sound and act thier age. That you can really relate to.
Oh guys, just look at those quotes below. they make me grin and laugh all over again and are such reminders of why I fell hard for these two books.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE BEAUTIFUL POETRY & THE QUOTABLE MOMENTS <333
(7 June 2010 - Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers: UK)
"You notice how the moon's been coming out earlier and earlier lately? Like it's saying, 'Fuck the rules. I'm here.'"
Dave's got his face to the wall when I sit next to him. He's half crying, half holding it in. "I said go home, Charlie. I don't want to talk about it." "So don't talk," I say. And I hold his hand while he washes the last sixteen years out.
"You think she'd go out with anyone because she's not like you. She's gorgeous. Fucking gorgeous. You've spent too long in this place to see."
A LITTLE WANTING SONG features grief, but it's not 'punch you in the gut' kind of grief. There are family relationships with an underline of neglect that are explored, but again, it's not heavy handed. There's betrayal and wanting, but it doesn't have your heart racing. I guess what I'm trying to say is that all these things are explored in the novel but in a more quiet, subtle way. This is more of a personal preference though. I like to feel that punch in the gut, that fury and unbearable wanting. I think Jellicoe Road is always going to make me have these expectations. And that's not this books fault at all. It beautifully handles these topics: it does. It's pretty much a case of It's me, not you. (After reading GRAFFITI MOON, it made me see the quietness of this book as charming rather than something that held it back.]
A part of me wants to dig right into the premise, but I think I'll hold up on that front because I think it's best if you explore their journey for yourself. I have to say, it was a very smooth read for me. Once it was apparent that I was pretty much devouring the book, I decided to read the second half outside. I've only ever done that with JELLICOE ROAD. So I have a feeling that whenever this urge takes over - it means something very very good ;)
A part of me wants to shout. "It's not real! Things don't work that way." Because bad boys like Luke don't love and stay loyal to a girl, they don't shrug away sex because she means that much to him. Girls like Rose don't suddenly find themselves liking a person after hating everything she stands for, for so long. And nobody can be as beautiful and talented as Charlie and be so self- conscious. And hey, You can't love a girl as much as Dan has always loved Charlie and sit back and watch your two best friends make her miserable. But this book made me believe those things. I think I wanted to believe them.
It's important to remember that there are things that made this book special and memorable for me. Those lovely lyrics that Charlie writes were definite highlights and stuck with me for a while, the way her 'butt' jokes made me laugh. The moments where Charlie wants so much for her father to look at her and not see right through her, the times when Rose feels so suffocated by the place she lives in that it terrifies you to imagine ever feeling the same. Her ambition and fierceness. How Dan is just so damn sweet and honest, how he takes the blame for each of his friends time and time again despite the consequences, and the way Luke is so hopelessly in love with Rose. I could forgive that boy time and time for his careless mistakes for dealing with Rose' harsh words, for truly getting her and always being there for her. There's something so good about that boy - no matter what people from the outside may think.
It is hopeful and funny and completely charming. Guys, I think I have a new favourite author ;) This book may be more subtle in some aspects, but there's definitely something there that reminds me of the magic in Melina Marchetta's work. So I don't even have to think twice when I say GRAFFITI MOON is next on my 'must read' list. Give this one a go guys. (of course I then ended up reading it, yay!). I have a feeling you will adore it <3
"Un-heard of," Luke said when a little space cleared for him and Dave. "You see that, Rosie? Girls love us." "It's not you. It's Dave." "Dave?" Dave asked. "Yeah, dickhead," I said. "You."
“Her eyes always bothered me when we were kids. They still do. They make mine ache trying to see where they end.”
“If my like for you was a football crowd, you’d be deaf ’cause of the roar. And if my like for you was a boxer, there’d be a dead guy lying on the floor. And if my like for you was sugar, you’d lose your teeth before you were twenty. And if my like for you was money, let’s just say you’d be spending plenty.”
The way he says ‘do it’ makes me zing quite a bit.
‘Other guys like art. You like art.’ Go on, I think.
Go on and give me a kiss.
‘So what’s happening with you and Leo?’ I ask.
‘Did he leave you to get the van?’
‘It was like he wanted me to follow him but he
couldn’t tell me that so I followed him without being
asked.’
‘The stalker defence,’ I say.
‘He danced with me all night and recited poetry.
He was begging for a good stalking.
(Releasing 14 Feb 2012- by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers: UK)
I LOVE the premise of this book. I’ve actually never read a book that has anything to do with Graffiti, or a book that centres on everything happening within 24 hours. It’s a little strange to me because I like to take my time with my characters: really get to know them. And a part of me wants to say that maybe the time span is the reason I wasn't able to fall for Ed and Lucy, but really, who am I kidding. It’s just me. :/ (Let me make one thing clear. They had some great, funny moments together. I did enjoy their banter. So, maybe I didn't connect with them or love them. BUT, I did like them. )
I found that for once I didn't have to love the characters to want to root for them. I rooted for these two hard. So often I wanted to shake them both because the amount of times a misunderstanding would keep them from the truth was insane. On the other hand, the fact that we got to see things from Ed and Lucy pov was a definite plus and a nice touch.
You see, Ed feels like a loser. He dropped out of high school because he could no longer hide his dyslexia. The man who gave him hope just died, he can't find a job and he’s no longer with his ex. Worse-still, the girl he fancies broke his nose. Oh Ed, life isn't so good. The only promising things in his life right now are mates Leo and Dylan. Lucy on the other hand is looking forward to uni. That day she's celebrating with mates Jazz and Daisy when she spots the boys. She has a bone to pick with the one called Ed, but with a visit fast approaching to the cubicle of truth, it's only a matter of time until she's forced to face the facts.
What if. WHAT IF SHE KIND OF likes LIKES HIM! Ahh Lucy. She was badass and feisty. A don’t-fuck-with-me-or-I-will-punch-you-in-the-nose-SUCKA - kind of chick. I liked that about her ;)
THE CUBICLE OF TRUTH. Hehhee. I loved how they got all giddy and girly when it came to this. Just classic.
It has those lovely, laugh out loud, endearing moments. But truthfully, I spent a lot of time just observing Leo and Jazz. Because when they were near each other, I grinned like a child. I was all eyes and ears. Because I really enjoyed their moments. I connected with them. Like when he played with her plaits. Man, I swooned. Leo is my boy crush in this one. FO sure. ;)
And those poems, my god. They are freaking insane. I must have bookmarked every one of those beauties.
This is what surprised me actually. I expected to be all into Ed and Lucy after all the reviews I’d read, but surprisingly, I was all about Leo and Jazz. And even then, next on my radar were Dylan and Daisy. Because their bickering was just top notch. You knew that it was just bickering; that underneath it all they love each other hard. Dylan just happens to be a bit immature and a tad weird. The good kind of weird. If you know what I mean.
GRAFFITI MOON made me appreciate A LITTLE WANTING SONG. And I know that sounds horrible. But I do think I connected with it a bit more. If it wasn't for Leo, Jazz, Dylan and Daisy, I wouldn't feel so guilty whilst saying this. The thing is, it did drag at parts, but luckily, I loved Leo too much to ever truly doubt it. And then again, something interesting would always happen to keep me going. But really, when it comes down to it, maybe I was just annoyed that I didn't love Ed and Lucy like I thought i would.
Not to take anything away from GRAFFITI MOON because so many have fallen in love with it. And with good reason. It is fabulous and special in its own way. But personally, for me, there's one particular thing that makes this book fantastic. And without a doubt, that is the great banter and Leo' poetry.
“I look over at Ed. He's staring out the window giving Leo the thumbs-down. I wait till he's looking at me, then I give him two fingers up. He gives me two fingers back. I give him the middle finger. He gives it back to me. I don't know any more signs, so I make up one. Three fingers. Take that, mister. He sticks up four. I call your four and raise you five. He skips straight to ten and does something with his thumb that disturbs me. I bounce my hands on my lap. Ed bounces his lap right back.”
‘But then he picks up one of my plaits and he
twirls it, Luce. He twirls it round his finger and I get
twirls in the place. Maybe he’s thinking about Emma.
Maybe he’s meeting Emma later. It’s driving me crazy.
Should I ask Daisy to kick Dylan in the balls so I can
find out?’
‘It might ruin the mood.’
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