Junior Review: Love Requires Chocolate

Ravynn K Stringfield cleverly weaves French touches throughout the novel, giving the reader a deeper insight into life as a student abroad in Paris.

Core character, Whitney Curry has thoroughly prepared herself for a semester abroad, arming herself with the perfect, yet extensive to-do list in order to experience the Paris magic at its best. 

Wanting to live the life of her idol, Josephine Baker, Whitney aims to set foot in all the places she did. Although she feels prepared for this trip, unexpected locations (and people) may leave her ideal trip up to chance.

Determined to keep her love and school life separate, the line between the two gets blurred and both her head and heart are overwhelmed.

Junior Review: White Noise

The beautifully written debut novel, White Noise by author Raelke Grimmer explores themes of autism, mental health, romance, grief, friendship and identity.

Facing the world through the lens of autism, 15-year-old Emma navigates her way through the struggles of grieving by regular runs with her dad around East Point Reserve, the only thing gifting her reprieve. 

When her life does not go as planned, the grief of her mother’s death eventually overcomes her in a tidal wave that is hard to endure.

Emma’s best friend Summer has always strived to be the best at sport, aiming to be honoured with a place in the Sports Institute Program. 

The trial day finally comes, everything Summer has been dreaming of for years, only to find out her best friend Emma has been privileged with the special place on the team, not her! This is not how things were supposed to turn out, yet the repercussions of this decision can make, or break even the strongest of friendships.

Junior Review: The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks

The novel, The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks by author and illustrator Katie Kirby, is one book in the incredible seven  book Lottie Brooks series, additionally working as a standalone read. 

Having sold 650 000 copies of the Lottie Brooks series internationally, it is clear that tween girls around the world hold Lottie Brooks and her awkward life dear in their hearts. 

Through a sense of relatability, Kirby touches on topics of friendship, puberty, identity, and crushes.

It’s the beginning of a new year and everything in Lottie Brooks’ life seems to be going unusually well: Daniel as her boyfriend, the ‘Fun Police’ (Lottie’s Parents) becoming less anti-fun, and The Queens of Eight Green are better than ever. 

Junior Review: I Hope This Finds You Well

I Hope This Finds You Well is author Natalie Sue's brutally honest fictional debut novel. This YA title is layered, relatable and darkly funny.

Jolene, the main character suffers with mental health issues anxiety and depression, lacking many social skills. 

Working in a mundane office with her deceiving co-workers, Jolene has a coping mechanism, a way to release her emotions toward each colleague.

Of the few emails she sends and receives, she expresses her blunt thoughts at the end of her message and changes the font colour to white. 

Jolene has never forgotten to change the colour, until now; causing the line between her work life and her love life to blur.

The more Jolene finds out about her colleagues through a newfound glitch in her emailing system, the more things in her life start to unravel. She must do what is necessary to maintain her job, slowly slipping from her fingertips.