I did love the strong emphasis on friendship here! The two main characters aren’t a couple and while they both crush on other people irregularly through the book, it’s such a small part of the story. And maybe death-defying act will help them escape their troubles - until those troubles catch up.

They both want to find ways to be more than just boring and lifeless numbers in the world. Will and Mattie soon fall into an easy friendship, where Will helps Mattie with her act, and also discovers things that he loves doing (like costume design) while Mattie thinks of ways to kickstart her brother out of his stalled life. Will, school jock and sweetheart of one of the most popular girls ever…is gay. But when they talk, the boy, Will, swears he won’t tell and offers a secret to Mattie so they can be sure neither will break. Until a boy from school comes to one of her shows. This is a little complicated by her new mentor being super cranky and barely leaving the house…and also Mattie’s desperate need for no one she knows to EVER see her performing.

The story follows Mattie who is determined to find the daughter of a late escape artist and be taught the art of escapology. Bring out references to Houdini! It’s actually a topic I’ve never read about in YA before, so I was extra keen to try this one out and loved how it wove in everyday highschool angst, friendship group complications, secret keeping, and (of course) a hobby that requires you to be straightjacketed and handcuffed and thrown in a pool. The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan is a captivating and actually super stressful story about a teenage girl who’s obsessed with escapology. Review: The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May January 17, 2019.

Flames by Robbie Arnott January 21, 2019.A Little Taste of Australiana – Picture Books to Whet Your Aussie Appetite January 23, 2019.Hadamar: The House of Shudders – Inspirational Beginnings by Jason K Foster August 21, 2019.Guest Review: Wilam: A Birrarung Story August 25, 2019.