Girlfriend doesn’t just mean a Girl with a Boyfriend
Originally published at tansyrr.com. You can comment here or there.
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
The Allen and Unwin Girlfriend books. This is a fantastic series of short YA novels, packaged beautifully, and distributed widely through Australia. The awesome thing about them is that instead of revolving just around standard romance tropes, they cover a wide variety of characters, situations and priorities. The relationships that are most important in the story can as easily be those of family and friends as well as romantic. And oh yes, there is at least one with a lesbian storyline - the beautifully written Always Mackenzie, which deals very well with the awkward line between friendship and something more, if you don’t even know how to define that “something more.”
Some of Australia’s best and most interesting YA writers have worked for this series, including Penni Russon and Kate Constable. Some of them are sports books! They are set in places other than Melbourne and Sydney - there’s even one set in Hobart (Little Bird).
The books are cheap, well packaged, and I can’t help buying one every time I see the shelf in the shops. Sadly apparently they haven’t sold as well as expected, and my friend Kate Gordon’s debut novel Three Things About Daisy Blue will be the last of the line.
I’m so sad about this, as it was awesome to see a great series of smart, diverse books for teenage girls. I wish more people had got as addicted to them as early as I had. Even buying two copies of several to send to Kaia in Sweden to help her capture an “Australian” voice in our co-writing wasn’t enough. Sigh.
(And, you know, secretly I wanted to WRITE one. Damn it.)
Other Days of the Book Meme:
Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you’ve read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve read more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your “comfort” book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your “to be read” stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?