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Royals
Six teenagers. An empty shopping centre. No Wi-Fi. And … a baby? Acclaimed author Tegan Bennett Daylight’s first novel for young adults reconceives Lord of the Flies for Gen Z.
A group of teenagers alone in an empty shopping centre, with everything they could possibly want ... and a baby?
With no phones, no internet and no way out, Shannon and five other trapped teens are completely disconnected from the outside world ... and their online lives. It’s hard to say whether they’ll be driven to delinquency, or – even worse – forced to make friends irl. Will the limitless bubble tea, Maccas and new sneakers be enough to keep the six teens satisfied until they can find a way out, or is this the start of something much more sinister?
In Royals, her new novel for young people, acclaimed author Tegan Bennett Daylight upends Lord of the Flies to find out what really happens when there are no adults in the room.
Praise for Royals
‘A real page-turner of a book, full of vivid characters, intrigue and genuine warmth. The setting is so realistically unsettling, and the teenagers so likeable, that I was hooked from the beginning.’ Alice Pung, author of One Hundred Days and Laurinda
‘If Stephen King did The Breakfast Club it might turn out a bit like Royals ... A page-turning romp with a serious message at its core’ Kate Emery, author of The Not-So-Chosen One
‘This glorious fever dream of a novel explores the limits of consumerism alongside the possibilities of human connection, all the while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.’ Erin Gough, author of Amelia Westlake Was Never Here
A group of teenagers alone in an empty shopping centre, with everything they could possibly want ... and a baby?
With no phones, no internet and no way out, Shannon and five other trapped teens are completely disconnected from the outside world ... and their online lives. It’s hard to say whether they’ll be driven to delinquency, or – even worse – forced to make friends irl. Will the limitless bubble tea, Maccas and new sneakers be enough to keep the six teens satisfied until they can find a way out, or is this the start of something much more sinister?
In Royals, her new novel for young people, acclaimed author Tegan Bennett Daylight upends Lord of the Flies to find out what really happens when there are no adults in the room.
Praise for Royals
‘A real page-turner of a book, full of vivid characters, intrigue and genuine warmth. The setting is so realistically unsettling, and the teenagers so likeable, that I was hooked from the beginning.’ Alice Pung, author of One Hundred Days and Laurinda
‘If Stephen King did The Breakfast Club it might turn out a bit like Royals ... A page-turning romp with a serious message at its core’ Kate Emery, author of The Not-So-Chosen One
‘This glorious fever dream of a novel explores the limits of consumerism alongside the possibilities of human connection, all the while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.’ Erin Gough, author of Amelia Westlake Was Never Here
280 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2023
23 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Tegan Bennett Daylight
24 books36 followersTegan Bennett Daylight is a fiction writer, teacher and critic. She is the author of three novels and a collection of short stories, Six Bedrooms, which was shortlisted for the 2016 Stella Award, the ALS Gold Medal and the Steele Rudd Award. She lives in the Blue Mountains with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
March 16, 2023
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Royals is probably not a book I would normally pick up, however I was sent a request from the publisher and it sounded a little quirky, and I enjoy books that are a bit different.
A group of teenagers find themselves locked in a shopping centre, all technology frozen. I loved the concept of this story! The teenagers don't know each other and there are no phones, which means no texting, no Snapchat, no Instagram. They are going to have to talk to each other, face to face!! 🤯
Tegan Bennett Daylight has used a group of Western Sydney teenagers as her protagonists. I think the author is showing a side to these teens we don't often hear. They are responsible and basically kindhearted. A group of kids who wouldn't normally hang-out together were forced to rely on each other.
The story bogged down a little in the middle and it was a little contrived with its range of diversity but I was happy to let that all slip by because I loved the magical realism element and how the teens opened up to each other and that the whole story was so quirky and we weren't given any reason for the whole thing. The book finishes and the reader is still left with a why. When I finished reading I was like "what just happened"!!
12+ years
allusions to sex
underage drinking
*I received a copy through Netgalley
Royals is probably not a book I would normally pick up, however I was sent a request from the publisher and it sounded a little quirky, and I enjoy books that are a bit different.
A group of teenagers find themselves locked in a shopping centre, all technology frozen. I loved the concept of this story! The teenagers don't know each other and there are no phones, which means no texting, no Snapchat, no Instagram. They are going to have to talk to each other, face to face!! 🤯
Tegan Bennett Daylight has used a group of Western Sydney teenagers as her protagonists. I think the author is showing a side to these teens we don't often hear. They are responsible and basically kindhearted. A group of kids who wouldn't normally hang-out together were forced to rely on each other.
The story bogged down a little in the middle and it was a little contrived with its range of diversity but I was happy to let that all slip by because I loved the magical realism element and how the teens opened up to each other and that the whole story was so quirky and we weren't given any reason for the whole thing. The book finishes and the reader is still left with a why. When I finished reading I was like "what just happened"!!
12+ years
allusions to sex
underage drinking
*I received a copy through Netgalley
March 5, 2023
Royals is a very strange Australian contemporary young adult novel that mashes up magical realism with teen angst into a nonsensical story that I would’ve given up on had it not been an ARC. I was sent an email inviting me to request it by the publisher and when I looked it up, there were no reviews available, but I thought the premise sounded interesting and I hadn’t read any YA in ages, so thought it would make a nice change. How wrong was I! This is my first 1-star read in over two years, and I feel bad about it, but I couldn’t find anything to like about it, it was deadly boring, and poorly written. It’s described as being like Lord of the Flies, but was more like Under the Dome for Gen Zers.
Shannon is a sixteen year old school student from an unspecified town to the West of Sydney, who wakes up in a mall to find her phone is frozen, she’s locked inside on her own, and the people she can see outside can’t seem to see or hear her. Then she finds five other teens and a baby in the same predicament. Scared and confused, they are initially suspicious of each other, but once they work out that anything they consume is miraculously replaced overnight so they can help themselves to whatever they like, it seems like a dream come true - but is it?
The main reason I kept going with this was for some explanation of what was going on, and to find out how they could escape the mall. I don’t want to post spoilers but can say that nothing is explained. The whole thing is told in Shannon’s immature first person past voice - which is perhaps the reason for the writing being so basic. She reports everything that they do, eat, find, and “steal” including every toilet visit, every dull conversation, and every cup of Bubble Tea (not something I’ve ever tried, it sounds disgusting, but Shannon drinks a lot of it - probably why she’s always going to the bathroom 🤣.) There was also no humour whatsoever, and only one character was actually likeable (Grace.)
The author has gone to great lengths to make her cast as diverse as possible, which felt rather forced. Much is made of Shannon’s androgynous looks, but she’s very insistent about how cis and straight she is. They’re all from very different backgrounds - it’s not even really mentioned how they all came to be in the same place, why they were selected, or how they can remember some things and not others. Then it ends leaving multiple frustrating plot holes. At least it was short. Obviously I’m not the intended audience, so perhaps younger teenagers will enjoy this, but I don’t recommend it for adults and won’t be reading this author again.
I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster Australia via NetGalley.
Shannon is a sixteen year old school student from an unspecified town to the West of Sydney, who wakes up in a mall to find her phone is frozen, she’s locked inside on her own, and the people she can see outside can’t seem to see or hear her. Then she finds five other teens and a baby in the same predicament. Scared and confused, they are initially suspicious of each other, but once they work out that anything they consume is miraculously replaced overnight so they can help themselves to whatever they like, it seems like a dream come true - but is it?
The main reason I kept going with this was for some explanation of what was going on, and to find out how they could escape the mall. I don’t want to post spoilers but can say that nothing is explained. The whole thing is told in Shannon’s immature first person past voice - which is perhaps the reason for the writing being so basic. She reports everything that they do, eat, find, and “steal” including every toilet visit, every dull conversation, and every cup of Bubble Tea (not something I’ve ever tried, it sounds disgusting, but Shannon drinks a lot of it - probably why she’s always going to the bathroom 🤣.) There was also no humour whatsoever, and only one character was actually likeable (Grace.)
The author has gone to great lengths to make her cast as diverse as possible, which felt rather forced. Much is made of Shannon’s androgynous looks, but she’s very insistent about how cis and straight she is. They’re all from very different backgrounds - it’s not even really mentioned how they all came to be in the same place, why they were selected, or how they can remember some things and not others. Then it ends leaving multiple frustrating plot holes. At least it was short. Obviously I’m not the intended audience, so perhaps younger teenagers will enjoy this, but I don’t recommend it for adults and won’t be reading this author again.
I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster Australia via NetGalley.
February 25, 2023
“I’m pretty sick of hearing how woke teenagers are…”
Is what I also thought of this book.
I did not enjoy this book at all . It is a typical contrived 2020s YA fiction, which is to say the following are included and/or briefly mentioned for the sake of it:
- Bubble tea
- Mental health issues
- Person with disability
- “...instead we made snowmen. And snowwomen"
- Race diversity
- Other kinds of diversity, e.g. LGBTQ
- Environmental issues
- Brand placement
- Pop culture references
This book tries so hard to be woke and I could not stop rolling my eyes throughout this read (reflecting on this book has my eyes swivelling in their sockets). I did not care for the uninteresting but immensely diverse and modern characters nor the drivel of a story. There was not even clever/funny dialogue to try and save it.
I was also surprised to learn that the author was not a teenager who was giving it a go at writing a stream of subconscious daydream.
The moral of this is to not judge a book by its cover.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
February 22, 2023*thank you to Netgalley, Tegan Bennett Daylight and
Simon & Schuster Australia for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Simon & Schuster Australia for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
January 24, 2025
Royals tells the story of a group of Sydney teenagers and one baby, who find themselves trapped in a mall, indefinitely.
I went into this book with no previous expec or understandings of what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. This story is a very easy read, and feel that it was resonate deeply with its intended target audience (Australian young teenagers; l'd say age 12-15.)
The story does move incredibly slowly; perhaps three sentences in the whole book that feel high stakes, despite the initial plot feeling that it should feel much more thrilling than it is. And, despite what you may expect from a somewhat sci-fi, could-be-dystopian-thriller, this book really is only slice of life. And, I quite enjoyed that change of pace.
This book isn't about escape, or fear; it's about getting to know the depths of each character, about the realism of teenagers, particularly Aussie teenagers.
I thought it was beautifully written, and quite uniquely so. Very easy to read, while giving you a very realistic, in depth perspective into the mind of the POV this story is written from.
As an Australian, hearing things like 'City Beach' and
'Dangerfield' and 'Big W', was a bit fourth wall breaking, which added to my liking of the book.
Overall, I rate Royals a 3.5 star.
I went into this book with no previous expec or understandings of what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. This story is a very easy read, and feel that it was resonate deeply with its intended target audience (Australian young teenagers; l'd say age 12-15.)
The story does move incredibly slowly; perhaps three sentences in the whole book that feel high stakes, despite the initial plot feeling that it should feel much more thrilling than it is. And, despite what you may expect from a somewhat sci-fi, could-be-dystopian-thriller, this book really is only slice of life. And, I quite enjoyed that change of pace.
This book isn't about escape, or fear; it's about getting to know the depths of each character, about the realism of teenagers, particularly Aussie teenagers.
I thought it was beautifully written, and quite uniquely so. Very easy to read, while giving you a very realistic, in depth perspective into the mind of the POV this story is written from.
As an Australian, hearing things like 'City Beach' and
'Dangerfield' and 'Big W', was a bit fourth wall breaking, which added to my liking of the book.
Overall, I rate Royals a 3.5 star.
May 20, 2023
Royals by Tegan Bennett Daylight is a YA novel set in a Western Sydney shopping centre. A group of teenagers, a 12 year old and a baby somehow become trapped in a shopping centre when time seems to freeze at 5.17pm. Shannon, the narrator, is a 16 year old girl with anxiety problems. She is a bit of a loner however, as the group spend more time together they bond quickly. They find out things about each others lives in the outside world and even start to forget about life with technology. This is a rather unusual story but I quite liked it. Rather than this book being described as 'Lord of the Flies for Gen Z', I found this book to be like a season of Big Brother! Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Simon Schuster Australia for my digital copy of Royals. 3.5 Stars.
January 10, 2024
I actually loved this. A bunch of young people trapped in Penrif Plaza, eating everything they want from the food court and taking new clothes every day and sleeping in the beds at Forty Winks? Perfect. It’s true, the diversity of the characters felt a little contrived but I think the author went a really long way in balancing the slight awkwardness of that with as much nuance as possible. Shannon’s disinterest in Jordan and Tiannah - completely realistic. Her compassion for James’ adhd because of her experience with her brother - so sweet. The teens’ silliness and boredom and ultimately, their good and caring natures - all of this rings true for what I know of gen z kids.
April 6, 2023
This book was ok-iiissh for some parts of it seeing as how it wasn't so horrible that I discontinued reading. However, I will admit that I didn't like how about quarter of the book just droned on about the interviews that the characters were giving each other and I definently don't like the fact that the book ended too abruptly without much explanation. I wanted the ending to be something more meaningful and conclusive. Like why were they in the shopping centre weird-time-messing-thing? Why only them? Why was Juno (the baby) found alone? The whole book was mainly them living however they liked in a shopping centre and making friends with each other so there wasn't really a plotline going there- there wasn't really any meaning to the book. It was more like: wake up, do whatever we want, eat, sleep, and drama. Shannon was a confusing narrator: not clear what she thought of any of the other characters really. It was like a COVID lockdown but worse by 100x and I'm surprised they held out for more than a month. In my reality, I would've lasted a week before going nuts 😂. But so far all I've said are pretty negative stuff (this book is just not for me I guess and I can't say the weird feeling it gave me was good) so I'd like to put one positive I agree with. I did like how Shannon made a point about how people think she's a lesbian or non-binary (and she's not) just because her face looks like a boy and her blue hair is, I believe she said in the book, "1cm long" (so I'm assuming that she's had it shaved). Shannon is obviously upset when she talks about how most people think she's a boy because she's got a bit of a flat chest and because of her hair and face. I think the bigger meaning is that there's more to eye if people look closer and not make any assumptions and judge based on looks. I totally agree with that but there wasn't much elaborated on it and for the beginning of the book I thought Shannon had cancer because of the lack on explanation. Overall, I spent about 3 hours straight finishing this book (late at night) and I did get spooked out and a sense of loneliness and loss for the characters because the situation they were in really got to me. Made me want to scream most of the time. Not something I would reread and especially enjoy though. This could be a book for those wishing to confront their identity as a teenager living in this world and those issues we must do something about. (would not recommend though)
Now I'm going to not so secretly highlight my blunt points:
- at least I found one thing to agree with but this was meh
-also too much diversity in each character so that it was over the top
-the ending made me grind my teeth
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1.5 stars
Now I'm going to not so secretly highlight my blunt points:
- at least I found one thing to agree with but this was meh
-also too much diversity in each character so that it was over the top
-the ending made me grind my teeth
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1.5 stars
April 9, 2023
This book REALLY took me by surprise. The premise had me really excited to read it, and although the book was very different to what I expected, I truly, truly loved it.
We're sent into an alternate-universe-time-loop-bubble situation, in which we're stuck in a shopping centre with five other teens and a baby. When everything is free, nothing is off limits. But as the centre draws them in over time, and the characters begin to lose track of their lives before, suddenly getting out is life-or-death -- but do they really want to leave? Forming close family-like bonds with each other, drinking bubble-tea every day, and having unlimited luxuries might not be so bad.
I loved the way the plot (okay, there was no plot) moved at an absolute snail's pace. I loved that for the most part it felt incredibly low stakes. This book is NOT going to be for everyone. It's entirely character driven and pretty much nothing happens. It was EXACTLY what I needed. This isn't an apocalyptic sci-fi story about kids who turn into heroes. It's almost literary fiction in that it explores the state of humanity more than anything else, and is a deep dive into what teens are actually like.
The Australian vibes and teen vibes were done immaculately. Being set in an Aussie shopping centre that felt so close to home made this book an incredibly immersive experience, and each of the teens was written with such authenticity and care, especially with all the diversity. (Diversity that felt so well done, also - not an author ticking off a representation checklist but truly going in-depth and making the characters be diverse in a way that affects the story, but without that being their only trait.)
There was just the right amount of romance! I loved that this focused more on friendship dynamics but had a hint of feels.
James and Shannon's friendship (or more...?) was the absolute highlight for me. Their dynamic and depth was so stunning, and the way they were near-opposites but immediately felt so comfortable with each other gave me butterflies. We always need more quiet-girl + himbo duos.
I was a tiny bit disappointed that we didn't get more at the end, although the ending definitely got me in the feels, so I know the author made the right choice. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it last night.
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC, on behalf of #LoveOzYA.
We're sent into an alternate-universe-time-loop-bubble situation, in which we're stuck in a shopping centre with five other teens and a baby. When everything is free, nothing is off limits. But as the centre draws them in over time, and the characters begin to lose track of their lives before, suddenly getting out is life-or-death -- but do they really want to leave? Forming close family-like bonds with each other, drinking bubble-tea every day, and having unlimited luxuries might not be so bad.
I loved the way the plot (okay, there was no plot) moved at an absolute snail's pace. I loved that for the most part it felt incredibly low stakes. This book is NOT going to be for everyone. It's entirely character driven and pretty much nothing happens. It was EXACTLY what I needed. This isn't an apocalyptic sci-fi story about kids who turn into heroes. It's almost literary fiction in that it explores the state of humanity more than anything else, and is a deep dive into what teens are actually like.
The Australian vibes and teen vibes were done immaculately. Being set in an Aussie shopping centre that felt so close to home made this book an incredibly immersive experience, and each of the teens was written with such authenticity and care, especially with all the diversity. (Diversity that felt so well done, also - not an author ticking off a representation checklist but truly going in-depth and making the characters be diverse in a way that affects the story, but without that being their only trait.)
There was just the right amount of romance! I loved that this focused more on friendship dynamics but had a hint of feels.
James and Shannon's friendship (or more...?) was the absolute highlight for me. Their dynamic and depth was so stunning, and the way they were near-opposites but immediately felt so comfortable with each other gave me butterflies. We always need more quiet-girl + himbo duos.
I was a tiny bit disappointed that we didn't get more at the end, although the ending definitely got me in the feels, so I know the author made the right choice. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it last night.
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC, on behalf of #LoveOzYA.
April 11, 2025
i knew from the moment that i was 10 pages into this book and read the line “before we could say anything a tall and super buff eshay scared the shit out of us by appearing round the corner.” that i was going to dislike this book.
as many others have said in their reviews, the writing of this novel feels amateur, like a young teen trying to write their first book, but once you find out the author is in their 50s you can see why it feels so off. it’s an older person trying too hard to appeal to a younger audience.
the whole story tries far too hard to be “woke”, with every character having to be a minority in some way, from a character in a wheelchair to two indigenous characters. i love inclusivity in books so much, but in this case it felt forced, like the characters were being reduced to their “labels”
and then the ending… oh boy… i knew i was in for it when there were only 30 pages to go and nothing had even been mentioned about an attempt to get out. their escape was rushed, and quite frankly ridiculous (why did it take them several months to return to the places they’d been in the first place?), and then there is no explanation of what actually happened to them. the ending leaves you with more questions than it answers. why were they trapped there? why them? what was trapping them there? why were they forgetting everything? how did they remember each other when they escaped when they’d been forgetting inside the plaza? are they still aged, or have they reverted to their original ages? what about clothes? and the phone that shannon stole?
overall this book felt unfinished. a great premise that could have been great if it had been executed well, but unfortunately it fell very flat
as many others have said in their reviews, the writing of this novel feels amateur, like a young teen trying to write their first book, but once you find out the author is in their 50s you can see why it feels so off. it’s an older person trying too hard to appeal to a younger audience.
the whole story tries far too hard to be “woke”, with every character having to be a minority in some way, from a character in a wheelchair to two indigenous characters. i love inclusivity in books so much, but in this case it felt forced, like the characters were being reduced to their “labels”
and then the ending… oh boy… i knew i was in for it when there were only 30 pages to go and nothing had even been mentioned about an attempt to get out. their escape was rushed, and quite frankly ridiculous (why did it take them several months to return to the places they’d been in the first place?), and then there is no explanation of what actually happened to them. the ending leaves you with more questions than it answers. why were they trapped there? why them? what was trapping them there? why were they forgetting everything? how did they remember each other when they escaped when they’d been forgetting inside the plaza? are they still aged, or have they reverted to their original ages? what about clothes? and the phone that shannon stole?
overall this book felt unfinished. a great premise that could have been great if it had been executed well, but unfortunately it fell very flat
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2023
I like what the author was doing here. I enjoyed getting to know these characters.
July 7, 2024
um ok so starting off, terrible! the attempt for inclusion did not feel genuine or nice, it felt very forced. by the first page the main character was already throwing a chair at the window trying to escape the shopping centre, then no one considers leaving the shopping centre but with 20 pages to go they magically all realise the food is tricking them into not wanting to leave, so they attempt to leave and she escapes with 3 pages to go, talk about a rushed book. actually this book was far from rushed because for 258 pages all I read about was how the decided to spend their time in a shopping centre, i do not care what movies you watched or how often you went into your “head quarters” forty winks. I don’t think this book could’ve been shorter, it was already incredibly short but it was pointless. another issue I thought I had but I did not notice at all was the fact there are no chapters, it was just 70 pages chunks of text split into four parts. i probably didn’t notice because there was never a change in scenery, every single page was about a “woke” teenager in a shopping centre, that is my life I actually don’t care what they decide to do. Also this supposedly suicidal (idek) guy randomly just starts saying he loves the main character, like the main character realises she’s in love with him and then just every interaction after that he says “i love you” i’m sorry but no loving eshay is doing that. dont get me started on the awful portrayal of an eshay, tegan bennett daylight mentioned countless times how this guy was the most loveable person in the world, eshay and popular are like antonyms. i’m rambling on so much but I have so much to say and don’t get me wrong i read this book in a day, i enjoyed it but it was atrocious, so so bad, an absolute ball to read but only because it was so foolish. daylight has an obsession with kissing her friends, suicide and lgbtq inclusivity (if I didn’t know better itd feel mocking it’s so bad, i also don’t know better so I could’ve read a massive joke and had no idea). the fact one girl hadn’t cut her toe nails in a while was certainly not something i needed to know nor did I need to know the main character was jealous of this other guy for having friends like actually get over yourself. i did not need to know two characters lost their virginity to eachother, i did not need to know about moon, they didn’t shut up about the movie moon, i didn’t need to know anything in this book but a delightful read nonetheless. I also forgot to mention that there were no plot points really until the fourth last page when everyone in the shopping centre starts multiplying until the main character is getting pushed to the roof from how many items are flooding the halls, but she escapes less than a minute after so don’t worry!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2023
Although it isn't my usual type of read, I found myself drawn in by the blurb of Royals and how ridiculous it sounded. I also loved the idea of it being set in Australia and being able to recognise the shops and references.
Royals was pitched as Lord of The Flies for Gen Z and follows a group of 6 teenagers stuck indefinitely in a shopping centre with a baby, with no access to the internet or the outside world. Unlimited bubble tea, maccas, gaming consoles and designer clothes/shoes but they are forced to get to know each other in real life. It really was as ridiculous as it sounds and nothing at all like LOTF (aside from them being trapped).
I do think a younger YA audience might enjoy this one however I felt the plot was lacking any substance and parts of the book were a struggle to get through. Despite being in her 50's, the author wrote exactly like how a young teenager sounds, so much so that I had to check and make sure the author wasn't actually a 16 year old.
There was also a lot of diversity and representation in the characters which was nice to see, and I do feel like the characters developed a little bit throughout the novel. As a neurodivergent (ADHD) queer woman, I will only speak on the diversity/disability that I personally experience and represent. I do feel like the character with ADHD was over-stereotyped and there was some potential misinformation about their medication and behaviours that really bothered me. The character was also described as "taking up a lot of space" because of his ADHD which was quite frustrating to see written in a YA book as I have spent a lot of time in therapy as an adult trying to move away from that thought process. I would hate for a young person with ADHD to read that and think that others perceive them as "too much" or "taking up space" just because of their disability. There was also a comment about the MC 'looking like an atheist' which made absolutely no sense to me.
Overall, a quick read but probably not one that I would personally recommend, I'm hoping there are some changes made the the final version.
Thank you Simon Schuster Australia & NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I post about diverse & queer novels @niksreadss on Instagram
Royals was pitched as Lord of The Flies for Gen Z and follows a group of 6 teenagers stuck indefinitely in a shopping centre with a baby, with no access to the internet or the outside world. Unlimited bubble tea, maccas, gaming consoles and designer clothes/shoes but they are forced to get to know each other in real life. It really was as ridiculous as it sounds and nothing at all like LOTF (aside from them being trapped).
I do think a younger YA audience might enjoy this one however I felt the plot was lacking any substance and parts of the book were a struggle to get through. Despite being in her 50's, the author wrote exactly like how a young teenager sounds, so much so that I had to check and make sure the author wasn't actually a 16 year old.
There was also a lot of diversity and representation in the characters which was nice to see, and I do feel like the characters developed a little bit throughout the novel. As a neurodivergent (ADHD) queer woman, I will only speak on the diversity/disability that I personally experience and represent. I do feel like the character with ADHD was over-stereotyped and there was some potential misinformation about their medication and behaviours that really bothered me. The character was also described as "taking up a lot of space" because of his ADHD which was quite frustrating to see written in a YA book as I have spent a lot of time in therapy as an adult trying to move away from that thought process. I would hate for a young person with ADHD to read that and think that others perceive them as "too much" or "taking up space" just because of their disability. There was also a comment about the MC 'looking like an atheist' which made absolutely no sense to me.
Overall, a quick read but probably not one that I would personally recommend, I'm hoping there are some changes made the the final version.
Thank you Simon Schuster Australia & NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I post about diverse & queer novels @niksreadss on Instagram
February 23, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Tegan Bennett Daylight for providing me with an ARC of this novel In exchange for an honest review
I honestly don’t know how to review this cause I hate being an ass
I hated it,
the story could have been good but it wasn’t executed. The author tried to put too much diversity into the characters and it felt too much to me and I can only read the words forty winks so many times before I wanted to scream.
I didn’t like the writing either so that didn’t work any favours. There’s also a part that is written incorrectly that Inhope gets edited before final release.
I’m unsure if the way it was set out to read would be the final published book but the parts were long and I’d prefer chapters to make it seamless as some transitions were confusing aswell.
And then it ended 🥶
Wouldn’t recommend
I honestly don’t know how to review this cause I hate being an ass
I hated it,
the story could have been good but it wasn’t executed. The author tried to put too much diversity into the characters and it felt too much to me and I can only read the words forty winks so many times before I wanted to scream.
I didn’t like the writing either so that didn’t work any favours. There’s also a part that is written incorrectly that Inhope gets edited before final release.
I’m unsure if the way it was set out to read would be the final published book but the parts were long and I’d prefer chapters to make it seamless as some transitions were confusing aswell.
And then it ended 🥶
Wouldn’t recommend
February 27, 2023
This reminded my of Carousel by Brendan Ritchie but this feels like it is for a younger audience.
I enjoyed the first part of the book and felt satisfied with the ending, but the middle was quite dull, although I can see that the author was trying to give the reader more background about the characters. It just felt like a stilted, monotonous way of going about it. Even the characters tired of the routine.
In a nutshell, I like the concept of the story but not a lot happens and there seems to be no major peak or intrigue, just a lot of brand naming and descriptions of what they ate and names of shops they got things from.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed the first part of the book and felt satisfied with the ending, but the middle was quite dull, although I can see that the author was trying to give the reader more background about the characters. It just felt like a stilted, monotonous way of going about it. Even the characters tired of the routine.
In a nutshell, I like the concept of the story but not a lot happens and there seems to be no major peak or intrigue, just a lot of brand naming and descriptions of what they ate and names of shops they got things from.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
May 20, 2023
I went into this book without really reading anything about it and having only the vaguest idea of the premise and ended up absolutely loving it. I listened to it as an audio beautifully narrated by Shabana Azeez.
I have often thought about what would happen if someone (or perhaps myself) were locked in a shopping centre after it closed and that’s what attracted me to this book. However, there was so much more depth and detail to this story than just a bunch of teens left to their own devices. Tegan has skilfully conveyed the relationships and histories of these characters in a way that had me on their side and deeply invested in the outcome of their story. Including the baby as part of the group was also a very clever touch that added another level to this multi layered story.
I loved Shannon, from whose POV the story is told and seeing her relationships develop with the other characters. Watching how each of these personalities handled the stress and unpredictability of their situation felt incredibly real. Tegan is certainly a great observer of people to have made this feel so realistic.
If you enjoy a YA read, then I recommend that you get your hands on a copy of this book, or the audio, and see for yourself. It’s suitable for ages 12+.
I have often thought about what would happen if someone (or perhaps myself) were locked in a shopping centre after it closed and that’s what attracted me to this book. However, there was so much more depth and detail to this story than just a bunch of teens left to their own devices. Tegan has skilfully conveyed the relationships and histories of these characters in a way that had me on their side and deeply invested in the outcome of their story. Including the baby as part of the group was also a very clever touch that added another level to this multi layered story.
I loved Shannon, from whose POV the story is told and seeing her relationships develop with the other characters. Watching how each of these personalities handled the stress and unpredictability of their situation felt incredibly real. Tegan is certainly a great observer of people to have made this feel so realistic.
If you enjoy a YA read, then I recommend that you get your hands on a copy of this book, or the audio, and see for yourself. It’s suitable for ages 12+.
March 3, 2023
This was a very quick and easy read. Essentially a bunch of teens get stuck in a time loop and have to try workout how to get out but set in 2020/2021 Australia. Personally I was picturing Melbourne with how they talked about lockdowns but don’t know if there was ever a specific reference. Good representation in what could have been a very basic book but turned out better than your average YA. Personally, I enjoyed the book. It was a good mix of struggles and fun in a short time span. Would definitely recommend more towards teenage readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
This book was something that al my friends said they enjoyed reading with their siblings last year, so I thought I'd give it a go. Personally, this was not the book for me. There wasn't a plot, it was more of a filler in between like an airplane flight to somewhere. The characters and the diversity in them was really sweet and I am still a little confused about the overall story.
May 28, 2023
Merrily read in a day.
I did pick up this novel thinking that it would have more troubleshooting about the situation they're in, but a solid 200+ pages contain nothing of the sort.
Despite this I did enjoy the characters, finding out bits about their struggles, and generally relaxing into a nice YA story that was neither long nor anxiety inducing. Definitely needed more kitten cuddles though.
I did pick up this novel thinking that it would have more troubleshooting about the situation they're in, but a solid 200+ pages contain nothing of the sort.
Despite this I did enjoy the characters, finding out bits about their struggles, and generally relaxing into a nice YA story that was neither long nor anxiety inducing. Definitely needed more kitten cuddles though.
October 4, 2023
This book was actually surprisingly good, I didn't expect much from it as the cover just caught my attention at the library, however the story-line was actually fairly interesting.
There was a fair amount of character growth, some feel parts were overly cliche, and the end was a bit random, but the overall idea was cute.
There was a fair amount of character growth, some feel parts were overly cliche, and the end was a bit random, but the overall idea was cute.
December 18, 2023
[Really 3.5 stars]
I would have rated this higher if I liked the main character (Shannon).
I would have rated this higher if I liked the main character (Shannon).
July 4, 2025
4.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book way more than I should've. It was a cute cozy lil read and I loved the Aussieness of it. The last part of the book did get weird, but I guess something needed to change to get them out, but apart from that, loved the premise.
I enjoyed this book way more than I should've. It was a cute cozy lil read and I loved the Aussieness of it. The last part of the book did get weird, but I guess something needed to change to get them out, but apart from that, loved the premise.
August 22, 2023
they’re my children now
March 9, 2023
It was an interesting read with a variety of characters which I enjoyed. I found it easy to read. I liked their diverse backgrounds and different ages. I felt like the middle of the story seemed to drag on with everyday shopping life dragging on. I would have preferred to read more about the ending and even find out what happened after they left the shopping centre.
I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster Australia via NetGalley.
I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster Australia via NetGalley.
December 3, 2023
Good YA novel about teens and a baby stuck in a shopping centre. Written by a Blue Mountains author and was relatable by the description of the centre in Penrith. I found it a little stilted in parts although I’m not the target audience for this novel. Passed on to the teen at home for a second opinion.
May 1, 2025
*3 Stars*
Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.
This was interesting enough - in a way I’m honestly not sure how to interpret the ending and what I’m supposed to believe happened to them all. For a YA book and some of ways the characters talked, I enjoyed it more than expected. Not a favourite but not a bad book either. Just different. An easy read.
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Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.
This was interesting enough - in a way I’m honestly not sure how to interpret the ending and what I’m supposed to believe happened to them all. For a YA book and some of ways the characters talked, I enjoyed it more than expected. Not a favourite but not a bad book either. Just different. An easy read.
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The Storygraph
June 23, 2023
A group of teenagers (and a baby) discover they are trapped in a shopping centre. But this is no ordinary situation - they slowly come to realise that the reality is more sinister than just being locked in for the night.
As one reviewer said, “If Stephen King did The Breakfast Club it might turn out a bit like Royals.”
As one reviewer said, “If Stephen King did The Breakfast Club it might turn out a bit like Royals.”
March 2, 2023
I was drawn to Royals out of curiosity based on the precis above. It intrigued me and I was interested to know what appeals to YA readers today. I think I should have chosen another story.
The story begins with Shannon waiting to meet her brother in the shopping centre. She falls asleep and when she wakes she notices her phone is stuck at 5.17pm. The centre is empty and as she walks around the centre she meets 5 other teenagers, all with their phones stuck at 5.17pm.
They discover they not only have an endless supply of food from the food court they can take anything they need from all the shops.
I enjoyed the beginning, but it gradually got more and more boring and repetitious. How many times do you have to mention bubble tea, Maccas and Forty Winks? The concept was good but there was virtually no plot and little depth to the story.
The characters were a diverse group but the attempt to be an ‘inclusive’ story got a bit over the top. They all become likeable as the story unfolds.
The shopping centre itself has its own personality and character with food and items taken from the shops being replenished overnight.
Maybe I’m a stuffy old grandmother but the use of four letter words concerned me especially for the younger teens in the YA group.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Tegan Bennett Daylight for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
@netgalley and @simonandschuster
My rating 2*
The story begins with Shannon waiting to meet her brother in the shopping centre. She falls asleep and when she wakes she notices her phone is stuck at 5.17pm. The centre is empty and as she walks around the centre she meets 5 other teenagers, all with their phones stuck at 5.17pm.
They discover they not only have an endless supply of food from the food court they can take anything they need from all the shops.
I enjoyed the beginning, but it gradually got more and more boring and repetitious. How many times do you have to mention bubble tea, Maccas and Forty Winks? The concept was good but there was virtually no plot and little depth to the story.
The characters were a diverse group but the attempt to be an ‘inclusive’ story got a bit over the top. They all become likeable as the story unfolds.
The shopping centre itself has its own personality and character with food and items taken from the shops being replenished overnight.
Maybe I’m a stuffy old grandmother but the use of four letter words concerned me especially for the younger teens in the YA group.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Tegan Bennett Daylight for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
@netgalley and @simonandschuster
My rating 2*
July 30, 2025
this book was preetty good. it was so good words can even describe how good this book was: it was preetty good.
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