You Can't Shatter Me by Tahlia Newland

Synopsis: 

Sixteen year old Carly wants to write her own life and cast herself as a superhero, but the story gets out of control when she stands up to a bully and he turns on her. Her increasing harassment forces her to battle flying hooks, giant thistles, doubt dragons, and a suffocating closet. Dylan, a karate-trained nerd who supports her stand, turns out to be a secret admirer, and while he struggles to control his inner caveman, Carly searched for her own way to stop the bully. An old hippie shows her an inner magic that's suppose to make her invincible, but will Carly learn to use it before her knight in shining armor risks all in a battle with a fire-breathing dragon?

Review:

I think everyone now a days is aware of the problem of bullying. I think everyone has at least one experience with bullying, be it being the victim, the person doing the bullying, or the person standing on the sidelines observing it. There has been a lot of talk about this issue, and a lot of different ideas about how to teach kids and teenagers about this problem. This is a book geared toward young adults, and it fits the bill. 

Carly is that brave girl who decides to take a chance, do the right thing, and stand up to a bully. Of course it doesn't end up all roses for Carly, which I personally believe is one of the reasons why kids don't stand up to bullies (or even adults sometimes). Carly and Dylan grow close while trying to conquer their own individuals problems while helping each other. 

One thing that is good about this book as that it examines the situation, the dynamic between all the individuals, from different perspectives. You get an insight into everyone, even the bully. Newland paints a picture of what it is like for everyone. This is a pretty good take on the issue, while still being a fun read for the young adult crowd. 

A Matter of Perception by Tahlia Newland

Synopsis:

Julia meets a descendant of the gods and faces having her memory wiped, but if he really wants her, she might end up with a god of her own. Ellen is given a choice, death or a half life amongst murderous sirens, but is there a possibility she hasn’t considered? Damien faces Eleanor in a battle of light in a desperate attempt to avoid his mistress’s punishment for a spell gone wrong, and a hole in the pavement becomes Norris’s passport to a longed for future. Nona faces death in an ancient temple but dreams of a modern cancer patient. Will either of them escape their fate? Finally, Sally discovers a pair of rose coloured glasses and a man that may or may not be a wizard.

Review:

This is a collection of short stories, which I have to admit isn't always my cup of tea, but this was actually a collection I enjoyed. Normally the short stories I do read have the same characters from series I like or involve the same group of people; this collection of short stories was a really interesting concept in that they all have to do with all the different ways to perceive the fantasy genre. One of the biggest problems I have with collections of short stories is that they are not always cohesive, but this collection does not suffer from that problem at all. 

I think I should start with the story I liked the least, which would have to be The Bone Yard, and that largely because I am on of those people who don't like stories that freak me out or scare me. But if you are one of those people who love the kind of horror/fantasy with a twist genre, then this story is so for you. 

Now there was a huge range of stories in this collection, and I think my favorite was the story Not Me, it can't be which was really sad but also a really touching tale. The characters were really vivid and it was so easy to identify with and really feel for. This story was for sure my favorite of all of them because of the characters. 

I thought the really fun story within the collection was Rose Coloured Glasses which is such an enjoyable read. This great pair of glasses allow for this girl to see people in a new light, and it is such a cool idea. 

I thought the writing in all of the stories was really well done and really enjoyable. So if you are someone who enjoys short stories, this is a really good collection of stories. I really did enjoy them all.