The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Reviewed by Daisy Young
I’m not normally a reader that obsesses over a writer’s specific book and eagerly awaits the sniff of a sequel. Nor am I a reader who impatiently counts down the days until said sequel is released…but with TJ Klune I have to make an exception!
With the release of Somewhere Beyond the Sea, it was time for me to reread the book that kindled my love of cosy found-family fiction: The House In The Cerulean Sea.
Klune’s writing is the epitome of cosy meets magical and low stakes meets a slightly sinister undertone. At first glance, the story seems to follow Linus Baker – a middle-aged workaholic – who truly believes he is doing the best work he can at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. However, when you get into the nitty-gritty of this story, there is so much more! We (and Linus) meet the residents of one very special magical orphanage. Through these six children, Linus learns more about the work of his company, but also how his feelings of isolation are recognisable in each of these children. Yes, he’s in the home of the Antichrist who continuously threatens to bring about the end of the world – but he is also a young boy plagued by nightmares and bad memories who just wants to be loved; something the outside world seems intent on not doing.
“Hate is loud, but I think you'll learn it's because it's only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you're not alone, you will overcome.”
Love is a central theme in many of Klune’s works and it’s certainly no stranger here. The love that blossoms between Linus and the children is so wholesome and his adoration of their seaside, clifftop home is the perfect soul-warmer on a chilly day. However, my favourite depiction of love is between Linus and Arthur Parnassus – the resident guardian of the orphanage. Arthur is a charming yet complex character, who is entirely endearing. Despite having a troubled past of his own, he ensures every individual in his care feels safe, valued and supported – and that includes Linus. Arthur is completely smitten with our resident protagonist and it’s delightful, watching them work their way through their feelings. (And the “GO GET ‘EM LINUS!” cheering you find yourself doing at the end is entirely natural.)
I would highly recommend any of Klune’s works to anyone who is looking for a gooey feel-good read, that might make you ugly cry at some point. However, for those who have yet to discover Klune and are looking to understand what kind of writer he is – The House In The Cerulean Sea is the book I would urge you to read.
The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
Reviewed by Marisha Puk
You may have heard of The Kissing Booth, since it’s now been made into not one but three films on Netflix (all of which have a huge fan base in their own right), but if you haven’t already read the book I would say it’s even juicier.
Originating from a Wattpad story with a cult following, Reekles originally wrote the story when she was just fifteen years old! The book is the epitome of a BookTok sensation and it is the perfect read as we come into the last weeks of sun this summer.
The main character, Elle Evans, and her friend Lee decide to open up a kissing booth for her school fair, but she has no intentions of sitting in it. Lining up kissers to sit in the booth instead, Elle and Lee think they've come up with the perfect plan: until one of the kissers chickens out. Then comes Noah Flynn, older brother to Lee and the popular guy with a tendency to be turbulent. He has a bad boy image and not the type of boy that Elle ever imagined she'd be with, let alone share her first kiss with.
It is this unexpected moment of them kissing that leads to their will they or won’t they relationship. This book isn’t only about a romantic relationship though. In it, we see a wonderful example of friendship between Elle and Noah’s younger brother, Lee.
This book is a perfect young adult novel to curl up and binge read, especially as it is followed by another two books so the fun can keep going. Overall, I really love Reekles original and heartfelt storyline and it is a wonderful read. It's perfect for fans of Holly Bourne and John Green.
Comments