Waiting On Wednesday (53)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, in which we highlight an upcoming book release we're eagerly awaiting.

This week I'm waiting on The Reluctant Hallelujah by Gabrielle Williams. You may have heard of Gabrielle's other novel, Beatle Meets Destiny, and you may have also read it and so can agree with me that it was fabulous. I'm very excited for this, especially for its intriguing synopsis:

  But there I go, getting ahead of myself. Skipping straight to the part where I was front-page news and they were calling me Dorothy, instead of starting at the beginning...

When Dodie's parents go missing just as final year exams are about to start, she convinces herself they're fine. But when the least likely boy in class holds the key – quite literally – to the huge secret her parents have been hiding all these years, it's up to Dodie, her sister, the guy from school, and two guys she's never met before, to take on the challenge of a lifetime. So now Dodie's driving – unlicensed –to Sydney, and being chased by bad guys, the police, and one very handsome good guy.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

The Reluctant Hallelujah is being published by Penguin Australia on the 22nd of February, 2012.

Feel free to leave a link to your own Waiting On Wednesday post in the comments, and I'll be sure to have a look.

Review of Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

As it turns out, today is the 26th of January (crazy, right?). It's a little known fact that this day 223 years ago was when the First Fleet arrived in Australia. It's a public holiday, and celebrated with barbecues and parades and the like. Here at the Handley residence, Australia Day isn't a big deal, but I felt like I should do something for the occasion and I reasoned that what better than read a book by an Australian Author? So I read Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams.

Imagine your name is John Lennon, only everyone calls you Beatle.

And then you meet your dream girl and her name is Destiny McCartney.

But what if you're already with the perfect girl? 

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

I was captivated right from beginning, from the explanation of Beatle and his twin sister being born six weeks apart. Scattered throughout the book were interviews with other twins with interesting and entertaining stories to tell, which we later find out go into a documentary Beatle and his sister feature in.

You fall in love with Beatle and Destiny as soon as you meet them. Perspective between them alternates, and you hear both of their unique stories. There is so much chemistry between the pair and their conversations are hilarious.

I loved the superstitious themes, I loved Beatle and Destiny's juxtaposed family dynamics, and I loved the narration that felt perfectly true to the teenaged characters.

But what I did I love the most about this book? The setting! I've never read a book set where I live. It was weird (in the best way possible) to have been to and know about all the places the characters go.

Beatle Meets Destiny is quirky, cute, funny, (especially the stalker plot) unconventional love story. It's short and light, and I give it a 5 out of 5.

_______________________________________

I read this book for the Aussie YA Reading Challenge.