#will kostakis

[slaughter-books]

Day 30: JOMPBPC: Read In September

My September, 2023 reading wrap-up! 💜

[jetwhenitsmidnight]

We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis

Release date: 3 September 2024

Genre: young adult contemporary coming of age

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

Part coming-out story.

Part falling-in-love story.

Part falling-apart story.

Harvey's dads are splitting up. It's been on the cards for a while, but it's still sudden. Woken-by-his-father-to-catch-a-red-eye sudden. Now he's restarting his life in a new city, living above a cafe with the extended Greek family he barely knows.

Sotiris is a rising star. At seventeen, he's already achieved his dream of publishing a novel. When his career falters, a cute, wise-cracking bookseller named Jem upends his world.

Harvey and Sotiris's stories converge on the same street in Darlinghurst, in this beautifully heartfelt novel about how our dreams shape us, and what they cost us.

Content warnings

Divorce, toxic relationship

Dementia, chronic illness

Implied sexual content

Alcohol

Xenophobia

Homophobia

Grief

Review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I did not expect this book to hit me so hard in my feelings.

These characters are so human; they mess up a lot (Sotiris especially), but they are constantly trying their best at the same time, while struggling to figure out their dreams. I love how the author doesn't flinch from making these characters so complicated and messy, but at the same time he manages to keep them sympathetic and real.

I figured out the connection between the characters at about 20% but I think it's not supposed to be a huge plot twist anyway so it's fine. I loved how their stories paralleled each other's right up till the ending—and that ending was devastating.

I feel like Sotiris' story received more focus, which makes sense in the book, but it makes it feel like Harvey's story doesn't get enough precedence, not to mention that Harvey's story also involves Sotiris but not the other way around, which makes their narratives feel unbalanced.

Overall, this is an excellent story with realistic characters, one that will be sticking with me for sure.

[feetymcfeetface]

will kostakis and Daniel lammin

[beautifulpaxielreads]

I'm a bit behind on my reading atm, so I wanted some light-hearted, fun, and relatively short reads. I'm hoping that these will fit the bill!

[auslgbtqya]

We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis

(2023)

From the Publisher:

A wonderful emotional rollercoaster of a novel about two young men, each on a journey of discovery. It's part coming-out story, part falling-in-love story, part relationship breakdown story, part extended Greek family story. It's warm and funny, a little bit heartbreaking, and completely satisfying.

'The enormous heart of We Could Be Something beats with a rare, thrilling authenticity. Every funny, smart, tough word of it rings true. I loved this book.' - Patrick Ness, bestselling author of A MONSTER CALLS and the CHAOS WALKING series

Part coming-out story.

Part falling-in-love story.

Part falling-apart story.

Harvey's dads are splitting up. It's been on the cards for a while, but it's still sudden. Woken-by-his-father-to-catch-a-red-eye sudden. Now he's restarting his life in a new city, living above a cafe with the extended Greek family he barely knows.

Sotiris is a rising star. At seventeen, he's already achieved his dream of publishing a novel. When his career falters, a cute, wise-cracking bookseller named Jem upends his world.

Harvey and Sotiris's stories converge on the same street in Darlinghurst, in this beautifully heartfelt novel about how our dreams shape us, and what they cost us.

Goodreads

[girlwhodoeskratom]

Dimitra Kostaki @ Moschino Fall/Winter, 1995 Ready-to-Wear

[marcdurm]

There’s something very poetic about Hector and Tsimi following each other on Instagram and I’m here for it

[bidamonalbarn]

I could never be noticed by a celebrity bc I'm far too worried about them thinking I'm annoying

[greekbooks-poll]

[fazcinatingblog]

I got halfway through We Could Be Something and have only just realised that one of the teenage protagonists is the dad in the alternative chapters???? Like the chapters are about the SAME FAMILY I'M SO MAD I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS, I GENUINELY THOUGHT IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT GREEK FAMILIES NO

also the guy who's *just* released his first book HE NEVER WRITES THE SECOND ONE?????? NO WTF

[slaughter-books]

Day 9: JOMPBPC: Time Travel

[pwlanier]

Kolosov A. "Flycatcher head" Author's work in a single copy. 2019. Head-vase. Chamotte, angob, pigments.

Andrey Kolosov was born on July 29, 1955 in Moscow. Priority areas: photography, calligraphy, silkscreen, heliography, xylography, video art. The works are in the collections of the library. Lenin, the Academy of Design of Japan, the Louvre (department of graphics and poster) and other museums of modern art, in private collections - Gelman, Kostaki, Borisov.

Art Molotok

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

🦘 Booklr Reads Australian - Authors on My Shelves 🐨

so, I’ve been trying to think of a way to recommend a lot of Australian authors really quickly for Booklr Reads Australian. what I came up with was just to give y’all a giant list of all the authors I have at home! 

most of them are YA and/or fantasy authors, and I’ve marked my favourites with an asterisk (*) but if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an ask 😊

1. Sarah Ayoub 2. Eugen Bacon 3. Shirley Barber * 4. AJ Betts 5. Danielle Binks * 6. Cally Black 7. Steph Bowe * 8. Alice Boyle 9. JC Burke 10. Meg Caddy * 11. Frances Chapman 12. Wai Chim * 13. Claire Christian 14. Lyndall Clipstone 15. Claire G Coleman 16. Katherine Collette 17. Harry Cook 18. Cath Crowley 19. Robyn Dennison 20. Cale Dietrich 21. Lauren Draper 22. CG Drews * 23. Michael Earp 24. Kate Emery 25. Sarah Epstein 26. Alison Evans * 27. Fleur Ferris 28. Carly Findlay 29. Helena Fox 30. Lisa Fuller 31. Emily Gale 32. Meg Gatland-Veness 33. Sophie Gonzales 34. Erin Gough * 35. Leanne Hall * 36. Pip Harry 37. Sonya Hartnett 38. Adam Hills 39. Simmone Howell 40. Megan Jacobson 41. Amie Kaufman 42. Melissa Keil 43. Nina Kenwood 44. Sharon Kernot 45. Kay Kerr * 46. Will Kostakis 47. Jay Kristoff 48. Ambelin Kwaymullina 49. Benjamin Law 50. Rebecca Lim 51. Gary Lonesborough * 52. Kathleen Loughnan 53. Miranda Luby 54. Tobias Madden 55. Melina Marchetta 56. Ellie Marney * 57. Freya Marske 58. Jodi McAlister * 59. Margot McGovern * 60. Nikki McWatters 61. Anna Morgan 62. Jaclyn Moriarty 63. Liane Moriarty 64. Garth Nix 65. Lynette Noni 66. Carly Nugent 67. Poppy Nwosu 68. Kate O’Donnell 69. Shivaun Plozza 70. Michael Pryor 71. Alice Pung 72. Emily Rodda * 73. Autumn Royal 74. Omar Sakr 75. Holden Sheppard 76. AG Slatter 77. Jo Spurrier 78. Krystal Sutherland * 79. Jared Thomas 80. Hayli Thompson 81. Gabrielle Tozer 82. Christos Tsiolkas 83. Alicia Tuckerman 84. Ellen van Neerven 85. Marlee Jane Ward 86. Vikki Wakefield 87. Lisa Walker 88. Jessica Watson * 89. Allayne L Webster 90. Anna Whateley * 91. Samantha Wheeler 92. Jen Wilde * 93. Rhiannon Wilde 94. Lili WIlkinson 95. Gabrielle Williams 96. Rhiannon Williams 97. Fiona Wood 98. Leanne Yong 99. Suzy Zail 100. Nevo Zisin 101. Markus Zusak

[justangelicxox]

Ξύπνησα έτσι.

[qnewsau]

Vic bookshop owner wants books to be more white and less gay

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/victoria-bookshop-owner-wants-books-to-be-more-white-and-less-gay/

Vic bookshop owner wants books to be more white and less gay

The owner of a Victorian bookstore chain has apologised after she called for more picture books with “just white kids on the cover” and less “wheelchair, rainbow or Indigenous” representation.

Susanne Horman has owned the Robinsons Bookshop chain since 2007. There are a number of the indie bookstores across Melbourne.

At the weekend, a series of Susanne’s posts from her personal Twitter X account, written last month, circulated online.

In the posts, she called for Australian publishing to put out more “white family stories” with “white kids” on the covers, and less “wheelchair, rainbow or Indigenous” representation.

“What’s missing from our bookshelves in store?” Susanne Horman wrote in a now-deleted post, accompanied by the hashtag #weneedbetterstories.

“Positive male lead characters of any age, any traditional nuclear white family stories, kids picture books with just white kids on the cover, and no wheelchair, rainbow or indigenous art, non indig [sic] aus history.”

In another post, she also vowed not to stock diverse books that are “against white Australians” and “cause harm and make Australians hate each other”.

“Books we don’t need: hate against white Australians, socialist agenda, equity over equality, diversity and inclusion (READ AS anti-white exclusion), left-wing govt propaganda. Basically the woke agenda that divides people. Not stocking any of these in 2024.”

‘So wildly out of pocket’

At the weekend, an Instagram account coffeebooksandmagic shared the now-deleted social media posts, with hundreds of commenters calling them out.

The account owner clarified she’s “not one for willy nilly ‘cancelling’ but the comments … are so wildly out of pocket that I have no problem suggesting a widespread boycott would be appropriate”.

“[Susanne Horman] has not only said she wants more white people on covers and in books, but goes further to say that she won’t be stocking anything that … well, what, exactly? Isn’t about white people?” she wrote.

“And then somehow manages to claim that she’s fighting division.

“This kind of mentality has no place in the modern landscape and I truly hope it will eventually die out with the generation that’s as archaic as her website.”

Ouch.

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Emily | books 📚 and magic ✨ (@coffeebooksandmagic)

Robinsons Bookshop apologises for comments

Speaking to The Age, Susanne Horman issued an apology to Robinsons Bookshop staff and “anyone who was offended by the comments”. She claimed they had been “taken out of context”.

In a Facebook statement, Robinsons Bookshop also apologised and said the posts “misrepresented the views” of the company.

“We clearly state, so there is no misunderstanding, that we fully support and encourage stories from diverse voices [and] minorities,” the post read.

“We are most definitely stocking these important topics and the authors that write them.

“As a business, we will continue advocating for positive hope-filled stories that bring out the best in all our community and make all people feel supported and fulfilled.

“We ask everyone to treat all of our staff with kindness and respect.”

Read also:

Gay author Will Kostakis invited to Catholic school, told not to say gay

Holden Sheppard’s queer novel Invisible Boys to become TV series

Brisbane’s Queer Readers recommend their must-read books this summer

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[auslgbtqya]

We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough

(2023)

From the Publisher:

From the author of the award-winning The Boy from the Mish, comes a compelling coming-of-age YA novel about sixteen-year-old Jamie Langton finding his future and navigating the challenges of racism, family and friendship in a small Australian town.

The thought comes to me: This is how I die. Dally is going to lose control and crash us into a pole or a house and we will be killed on impact.

The justice system characterises Jamie Langton as a 'danger to society', but he's just an Aboriginal kid, trying to find his way through adolescence.

Jamie lives in Dalton's Bay with Aunty Dawn and Uncle Bobby. He spends his downtime hanging out with his mates, Dally and Lenny. Mark Cassidy and his white mates - the Footy Heads - take every opportunity they can to bully Jamie and his friends. On Lenny's last night in town before moving to Sydney, after another episode of racist harassment, Jamie, Dally and Lenny decide to retaliate by vandalising Mark Cassidy's car. And when they discover the keys are in the ignition… Dally changes the plan. Soon they are all in Mark Cassidy's stolen car cruising through town, aiming to take it for a quick spin, then dump it.

But it's a bad plan. And as a consequence, Jamie ends up in the youth justice system where he must find a way to mend his relationships with himself, his friends, his family and his future.

'A lightning bolt to the soul. The Boy from the Mish announces a bold, necessary new talent.' WILL KOSTAKIS

Goodreads