Contemporary #LoveOzYA that I Wish Existed When I Was Still in High School

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Full disclosure, I did read this book when I was still in high school, but in the very last week as I was completing my VCE exams, and is the book that made me fall in love with reading once again. The writing within this book is completely stunning and for me to try and articulate how much it plays on your emotions would not explain how beautiful this story is. I read this book in a single sitting of four hours, and when I finished I was ugly crying trying to catch my breath and stop the tears streaming down my face at 3am the night before my English exam. Its a love story between characters as much as it is a love story to books and secondhand bookstores, and a true coming of age story. An absolutely stunning read.

A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews

My go-to book to recommend, this is another beautiful story that also brought all the tears to the surface. This book read like a song that you never wanted to stop and as much as I needed to know what happened next, I also didn't ever want it to end. Like the way that particular notes sound beautiful together and then are etched with cadences and key changes for emphasis, this story felt like I could not only hear an orchestra playing my favourite song but that I could read it as well. It's the sort of book that I wished for a happy ending, the same way that you hope a minor movement touches your soul and has you pleading that the next will finish with a major chord. And it did just that but still left the future undecided and under no illusions that life isn't a fairytale and doesn't magically just fix itself. But don't let that stop you picking this book up and reading because this it is quite simply exquisite.

What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume

There was so much about this book that I really enjoyed, and when I was reading it had been a while since a book had completely hooked and enthralled me, and even longer since one had me laughing out loud on a crowded train despite trying to control my reaction. Firstly, I see so much of myself in Maisie, and I bet every teenager can relate in someway or another to the characters, the journey of discovering what you like about yourself, where your relationships stand with others, and even trying to navigate parental drama. Secondly, this book was so well written. It was humorous and entertaining, and yet all the deep emotional scenes felt just as real. There is so much more I could say about this book, but I'll finish my saying this, if you choose to read it, I highly doubt you will regret it!

I am out with Lanterns by Emily Gale

It was very refreshing to find a book that explored the many sides of a story that exist, especially in high school when there are so many perceptions and misunderstandings involved. This book dealt with so many of the emotions and social issues teenagers face and it was written in an exquisitely nuanced way that made sure I wanted to keep reading every single perspective.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu

High school me relates so much to Alice Dyson - the bookishness, the whispering and gossip behind my back, even the smell of salt in the school hallways. And Teddy, there was so much about him that made me want to be friends with him in my own life. The writing was so satisfying and the characters were full of so much depth. A truly heartfelt read.