Aussie Book Review: Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar
Kirsty Eagar- Night Beach Format- ebook Source- Review copy/ netgalley Publisher- Penguin AU Publication date- 26th April 2012 Synopsis- Imagine there is someone you like so much that just thinking about them leaves you desperate and reckless. You crave them in a way that's not rational, not right, and you're becoming somebody you don't recognise, and certainly don't respect, but you don't even care.And this person you like is unattainable. Except for one thing...He lives downstairs.Abbie has three obsessions. Art. The ocean. And Kane.But since Kane's been back, he's changed. There's a darkness shadowing him that only Abbie can see. And it wants her in its world.A gothic story about the very dark things that feed the creative process. Review- I read some amazing reviews for Night Beach by Australian author Kirsty Eager, from fellow Aussie bloggers Bree , Shelleyrae and Mandee . So I downloaded a copy from Netgalley and added it to my Kindle to take overseas with me. By the time I started to read the ebook on my flight to India, I had completely forgotten what the story was going to be about, other than it being a YA novel.Night Beach was a completely unexpected experience, I had no idea what was going to happen next and I was completely drawn into the eerie world of Abbie and Kane. I love how the author didn’t limit herself to the usual YA paranormal formula and came up with something completely unique. The Australian surfing backdrop added another element to the story and actually served as a platform for progressing the story.The dynamic between Abbie and Kane is full of tension and uncertainty and I could relate to Abbie- her uncertainties, her naivety and her innocence. How many young girls have a crush on the bad boy who they think they never have a chance with? The author didn’t try to make Kane into a godlike being like many YA novels, although to Abbie he may appear that way but as a reader he seemed real, flawed and had the potential to be whatever I wanted him to be even if he didn’t live up to those expectations.Abbie is a smart protagonist, who is creative and lives in a borderline fantasy world, she sees the grey between the black and white and she grows as a character from passive and naïve to assertive and determined. There were times like Abbie, I became unsure about what was reality and what was illusory which drew me in even further.I’m not sure what else to say about Night Beach without giving away the details of the plot other than if you’ve thought about picking up this book then I recommend doing it sooner rather than later as you’ll be hooked from beginning to end! I intend to seek out Kirsty's earlier books.
4.5/5 rating
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About the author: Kirsty Eagar grew up on a central Queensland cattle property and spent her school holidays at the beach. After studying economics, she worked on trading desks in Sydney and London before changing careers, wanting a life where she could surf every day. She travelled around Australia for a couple of years, worked a variety of jobs and began writing fiction. Her debut novel, Raw Blue, was published by Penguin in 2009, and won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Young Adult fiction. Saltwater Vampires, her second novel, was shortlisted for the 2011 New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards. Kirsty lives with her husband and two daughters on Sydney’s northern beaches.
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This book was read as part of the AWW2012 challenge: