#AmReading - #loveOzYA

Today I am featuring two books set in Australia and written by Australian authors. I am so excited, that we are getting gifted with more and more Australian YA books, because they are wonderful!

What I Like About Me
Jenna Guillaume
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES? This vacation is probably not going to be that.

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she’d be doing over vacation is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she’s spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her Dad is AWOL and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie’s already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she’s always loved. But Maisie’s got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this vacation is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn’t let anything, or anyone, hold her back.

Jenna Guillame’s American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie’s realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one’s body and celebrating one’s self.

Maisie had always looked forward to spending summer break at the beach with her family and the family of her mom's best friend. However, this year's vacation was off to a terrible start. Her father was absent, and her best friend was gaining the attention of Maisie's long time crush. But, oddly enough, it was her mandatory writing assignment, which helped Maisie through it all. Who knew that completing her school discovery journal would lead to Maisie discovering herself.

This book was pure joy for me! I swear! I had a smile on my face from beginning to end, and here are five reasons I found this book such an utter delight.

1. Maisie was fantastic! I swear, if Maisie was a real person, I would want to be her friend. She was witty and kind, and her observations, though usually delivered in a humorous way, were spot on. 
2. Beamer 😍 I could not have hoped for a more lovely boy to be part of Maisie's life. He was, at times, brash and loud, but he also had a sensitive side. He was nursing wounds of his own, and therefore, readily empathized with others. And, well, he brought the swoon too. There were many fabulous scenes featuring him, which I know would bring a smile to your face. 
3.  I am a sucker for a diary format. There is something about this format, that always works for me. It feels more intimate, and allows the narrators to speak in a very open and confessional way. The format worked brilliantly for this story, and allowed Maisie's incredible voice to shine. 
4. Watching Maisie grow and blossom was truly rewarding for me. I was the little sister, who never quite measured up, and I struggled with my weight as a pre-teen. I was also sort of the DUFF (except I am really smart), but I was often passed over by crushes for my prettier friends. Thus, I related to Maisie on many levels, and found her struggle with these issues really authentic. I felt her pain, and was therefore beyond excited to see her "winning" -- making friends, pushing herself outside her comfort zone, getting the guy. 
5. There were many relationships examined in this book, but the most important one, was the one Maisie had with herself. She had suffered criticism from people, who were supposed to love and support her. This was crippling for her self esteem and confidence. Watching her slowly develop a better relationship with herself, and begin to see all the ways she was amazing, was a wonderful thing. 

I cannot imagine anyone not being charmed by Maisie, and I dare you not to laugh, as you spend this rather educational summer break with her. I had an amazing and heartwarming time getting to know Maisie and all her friends, and am pleased I took this journey of self discovery with her.

It Sounded Better in My Head
Nina Kenwood
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

From debut author Nina Kenwood comes a tender, funny, and compulsively readable novel about first love and its confusions, and all of the awkwardness of teen romance.

When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset. Then Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, hook up, leaving her feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward. She’d always imagined she would end up with Zach one day―in the version of her life that played out like a TV show, with just the right amount of banter, pining, and meaningful looks. Now everything has changed, and nothing is quite making sense. Until an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even further.

It Sounded Better in My Head is a compulsively readable love letter to teenage romance in all of its awkward glory, perfect for fans To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Emergency Contact.

Natalie's life was undergoing some BIG changes. As if her exams weren't stressful enough, she had to await her university assignment, which would have a big influence on her future. She was also trying to adjust to the changing dynamic in her friend group, now that two parts of the trio were romantically involved. And to top it all off, her parents announced, on Christmas!, that they were getting a divorce. All of this was enough to elevate Natalie's anxiety levels, but THEN, she started receiving attention, of the romantic sort, and was totally at a loss for how to handle the situation. Natalie kept imagining, in her head, how all these scenarios would play out, but her reality never seem to match.

I have to say, they write some really charming, heartwarming, and relatable coming-of-age stories in Australia. I immediately bonded with Natalie, because I could tell we were kindred spirits, and I found her story so real and honest.

Natalie had suffered from cystic acne in her younger teens, and though she was able to control it, via several medications, she still bore all the physical and emotional scars. This image of herself as ugly, scarred, and unlovable was heartbreaking. The way she felt the need to hide herself, or camouflage any and all imperfections broke my heart. I have been suffering from cystic acne for over 30 years, so I related to Natalie so much. When she talked about how painful it was, or how much unsolicited "advice" she got from others, who have no conception of cystic acne, I felt her frustration.

Because I empathized with her on such a deep level, and saw a little slice of my life in her's, I really needed her to break-free of her past, to allow herself to take chances, and to begin to see herself in the present. Kenwood did me such a solid by gifting me with such a brilliant character to root for. She was super insecure, and slightly neurotic, but I loved her to pieces, and every bit of progress she made in her life was a reason for me to celebrate.

I went on and on about Natalie's health issues and insecurities, but make no mistake, this was a fun and funny book. People are throwing around the word "rom-com", and I am perfectly onboard with using that term to describe it. I especially saw the comical side of this story, when Natalie got herself into some sort of awkward situation. Lots of fun to be had, and many of those best moments occurred between Natalie and her love interest.

Due to her acne and poor self image, Natalie had yet to have won any boy's attention. Now, she was navigating a whole new world, and she was doing it in a hilarious and heartfelt way. I adored all the banter between the two, and they had some of the most painfully awkward conversations, but I gave Natalie a lot of credit for being honest and putting herself out there.

Not all the interactions were comedic, though. I was an absolute super-fan of this couple, and it was because you could see them, slowly, learning how to be together. Not only were they taking the time to understand one another, but they were learning how to be vulnerable with each other. They were sweet and adorable, and this is what I think first love should be.

Overall: A wonderful and amusing story of first love and self acceptance, which was sweet, charming, and relatable.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Have you read any books set in Australia?
Let us know in the comments!