Review archive

A bittersweet and intricate collection of poems, Natalya Newman

spring clean
Sabreen Islam
2022
Self-published

 

 

 

 

 

September 26, 2022

spring clean by Sabreen Islam, published in 2022, is a bittersweet and intricate collection of poetry. Islam writes about memories both painful and nostalgic, teaching readers that a spring clean is necessary to release and confront pain.

“now that all the dust is gathered / i begin to clean”

This poetry collection turns to self-reflection and looking back on the past in preparation for the future. Islam’s poems in this collection range from carefree breaths of fresh air to grounding and pained revelations, and this variety and contrast makes Islam’s creativity and depth of emotion stand out.  Read more

September, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: ,

A story of darkness told with warmth, Ciara McLellan

The Haunting
Margaret Mahy
Hachette
Originally published 1982
Republished 2017

 

 

 

August 24, 2022

From the opening of The Haunting to its satisfying conclusion, Margaret Mahy delves into the secret legacy gifted to select members of the family, and how the family’s secrets, even ones deeply buried in the past, constrain the relationships of the Scholar family.

Eight-year-old Barney has been haunted before, but this time, it’s different. We see this in the very first sentence of the book, which hooks us nicely into the beginning of this wonderful adventure. “When, suddenly, on an ordinary Wednesday, it seemed to Barney that the world tilted and ran downhill in all directions, he knew he was about to be haunted again.”  Read more

August, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: , , , ,

A story that hooks in the reader from the first page, Jessica Dowling

Impossible: My Story (Young Reader’s Edition)
Stan Walker
HarperCollins
Pub. 2020 (new edition 2022)

 

 

 

 

May 26, 2022

I absolutely loved this book.

Most autobiographies I find hard to read, but this one, Impossible: My Story by Stan Walker, was the best. Horrible things happened in Stan’s childhood, but it was great to read how he got through it all. I think it was amazing of Stan to talk about his childhood. It shows courage.

I love how this book is all about Stan’s journey and what he did. I loved how his family was based a lot in the story and how he embraces his culture.  Read more

May, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: , , , , ,

A magical adventure with powerful themes, Ashika Hira

The Rarkyn’s Familiar
Nikky Lee
The Parliament House
2022

 

 

 

 

 

April 26, 2022

The Rarkyn’s Familiar by Nikky Lee is a riveting tale about a girl and creature that must travel through the Empire to break their bond. Told from multiple perspectives, this novel allows us to really experience and understand the world Lee had created. The Parliament House published this book in 2022 and it takes us on a journey through the Illredan Empire, following a human girl, Lyss and Skaar, an aetherling creature from the Otherworld. Together they must make it across the country to save themselves from the monsters looming on the horizon, all the while being chased by a powerful mancer and The Order.  Read more

April, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: , , ,

A must-read for future explorers, Hannah Anderson

Amundsen’s Way: The Race to the South Pole
Joanna Grochowicz
Allen & Unwin
2022

 

 

 

 

April 26, 2022

A race to the southernmost point, with a latitude of 90 degrees, the South Pole. With the British team close behind, Roald Amundsen and his team of Norwegian explorers set off to make history.

Amundsen’s Way: The Race to the South Pole is an incredible book written by Joanna Grochowicz. It follows Into the White: Scott’s Antarctic Odyssey, which is about the British expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott in the race to the South Pole.

Roald Amundsen has spent his whole life yearning to go on expeditions and make history.  Read more

April, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: , , ,

A story about special and timeless connections, Grace Fonoti

The Island of Lost Horses
Stacy Gregg
HarperCollins
Pub. 2014

 

 

 

 

April 19, 2022

Stacy Gregg’s The Island of Lost Horses has everything a keen reader could want: suspense, drama, and best of all, horses. It is about a girl named Beatriz who loves horses but has never actually ridden one. She lives on a floating boat with her mum, who studies jellyfish.

When they find an island with horses, Beatriz knows that something is different. Something is calling her to the island, drawing her in. She decides to go investigate more, and to her surprise, finds a sole inhabitant.  Read more

April, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: , , ,

The genuinely honest story of an inspiring musician, Renee Eleftheriou

Impossible: My Story (Young Reader’s Edition)
Stan Walker
HarperCollins
Pub. 2020 (new edition 2022)

 

 

 

“I made the impossible possible…”

Those simple words really do tell this story. The first chapter of Impossible by Stan Walker really hooked me to read more because it showed what kind of person the author is- not as a singer but as a human being, and how he got to where he is today. From the time he was exposed to drugs and violence, to winning Australian Idol, this is Stan Walker; this is his story.

To sum this book up in a few words would be seriously hard but they would include heartbreaking, inspiring and powerful.  Read more

April, 2022 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers: , , , , ,

A sweet and relatable heroine and setting, Amelia Nelson

The Life and Times of Eddie McGrath
Brigid Feehan
OneTree House
Pub. 2021

 

November 23, 2021

The Life and Times of Eddie McGrath is a book about a young girl, unsurprisingly, called Eddie McGrath. She lives in Wellington and wins a national competition to give a speech at the Beehive.

Before I delve in further, I would like to point out a few key things.  First, one thing I like about this book is that it could be set ten years in the past or ten years in the future, as a lot of the details about exactly where and when the book is set are extremely vague.  Read more

November, 2021 Tanya Prince Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers:

A story about following your heart, Caitlin Fuldseth


The Calling
Fleur Beale
Penguin Random House New Zealand
Pub. 2021

 

October 22, 2021

The Calling by Fleur Beale is a well written book about a 15 year old girl named Molly, a Catholic whose mother’s dying wish was for her to become a nun. Molly has spent every day of her life since her mother passed caring for her father and her three younger brothers.

In order to keep the peace after marrying a woman who refuses to live in a house with a Catholic, Molly’s father gives her an ultimatum. She can give up her religious beliefs or she can marry the man across the road and leave her home for good.  Read more

October, 2021 Tanya Prince Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers:

Real conversations and humour, Taylor Shaw

The Pōrangi Boy
Shilo Kino
Huia
2020

 

 

10 March, 2021

The Pōrangi Boy, written by Shilo Kino, was a wild ride of a read. Based in a small rural town in New Zealand, it carries big themes such as fighting stereotypes, racism, cultural identity and whānau. A lot happens in this book, especially in the beginning. There is one big event that separates the past and present, but I won’t spoil it for you just yet. This book was inspiring, funny and a little crazy, literally. Pōrangi means crazy in te reo Māori.

The story follows 12-year-old Niko, a Māori boy who tries to prove to everyone that he isn’t pōrangi.  Read more

March, 2021 Melissa Review archive, Scroll down to see reviews submitted by YA readers:
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