Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q Sutanto

 Pages: 320 

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released:  7th of December 2023 

Seventeen-year-old Kiki Siregar is a fabulous gamer girl with confidence to boot. She can’t help but be totally herself… except when she’s online.

Her secret? She plays anonymously as a guy to avoid harassment from other male players. Even her online best friend―a cinnamon roll of a teen boy who plays under the username Sourdawg―doesn’t know her true identity. Which is fine, because Kiki doesn’t know his real name either, and it’s not like they’re ever going to cross paths IRL.

Until she transfers to an elite private school for her senior year and discovers that Sourdawg goes there, too.

But who is he? How will he react when he finds out Kiki’s secret? And what happens when Kiki realizes she’s falling for her online BFF?

What I Have to Say 

Okay first off I want to say I think this is a really great book. It had great characters, a strong plot and a good message of feminism and standing up to bullies. The only reason I'm rating it so low is because it hit really really close to home with me and I found that I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. 

The main bulk of this book is about school trauma and misogyny. It showed a very real situation in a school that had a really toxic environment. It really sheds light on the situation that exists in many Asian schools, where standing out or making waves is punished harshly. I really respect the author for taking a stance on this. 

The friendships in this book were my favourite part. Not only the main friendship between Kiki and Sourdawg, but the female friendships she has before the novel. It really shows a feeling of girls banding together and sticking up for one another. 

I'm really sad that I couldn't enjoy this book because of my own trauma, but I want to emphasise that this is a really good book that everyone should read. 

3.5 stars 

My thanks goes to Electric Monkey and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Away With Words by Sophie Cameron

Pages: 288 

Publisher: Little Tiger 

Released: 11th of May 2023 

Set in a world where words appear physically when people speak, AWAY WITH WORDS explores the importance of communication and being there for those we love.

Gala and her dad, Jordi, have just moved from home in Catalonia to a town in Scotland, to live with Jordi’s boyfriend Ryan. Gala doesn’t speak much English, and feels lost, lonely and unable to be her usual funny self. Until she befriends Natalie, a girl with selective mutism. The two girls find their own ways to communicate, which includes collecting other people's discarded words. They use the words to write anonymous supportive poems for their classmates, but then someone begins leaving nasty messages using the same method – and the girls are blamed. Gala has finally started adapting to her new life in Scotland and is determined to find the culprit. Can she and Natalie show the school who they really are?

What I Have to Say 

I adored this book. The idea of words manifesting into physical form when speaking aloud was just so fascinating to read and the fact that the characters then used the words to make art out of was very satisfying. I loved all the descriptions of the different colours and shapes of the words and the way they were put onto the page as well made this a really interesting book to read. 

I loved the main characters and the fact that they both had their own struggles made the book interesting. This book covered so many topics from moving countries and learning a whole new language, to selective mutism to bullying, it also brushed over a few other topics lightly with what the people at school were going through. 

I think this is a great book for any 9-12 child to read and also a great read for the grown ups. 

5 stars 

My thanks goes to Little Tiger and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Someone is Watching You by Tess

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 2nd of February 2023 

An abandoned prison. A deadly game. How far would you go for a dare?

Nia would do anything to win the approval of her boyfriend Scott and his friends, especially mean girl Olivia. When Olivia dares Nia to explore an abandoned prison, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to prove herself. Facing dark tunnels, distant noises and creepy mementoes left behind by incarcerated criminals will surely all be worth it.

But it isn't long before Nia and her little sister, Kayla, find themselves trapped inside. And then Kayla vanishes.

Suddenly, this feels like more than a game gone wrong. Someone is hellbent on making Nia and Kayla the prison's last inmates ...

An utterly compelling, terrifying thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, from remarkable new author Tess James-Mackey.

What I Have to Say 

This book was really tense. It was so enthralling that I read it in a day. I really wanted the main character to get out from under her "friends'" control and it hurt a bit when she kept doing what they said. 

It was however a bit predictable. The was only one or two twists that I didn't see coming. It made me feel good to guess them, but it also felt a bit disappointing because I felt like I knew what was coming. 

I liked the theme of bullying and toxic friendships though. I really liked the characters a lot even when I didn't agree with their actions (except the toxic friends obviously). Kayla was my favourite because she was such a sweet little girl, even if her character was a bit flat. 

All in all, I'm glad I read it, but it's not one I'll pick up again, 

3 stars 

My thanks go to Hodder and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Twice Hexed by Julia Tuffs

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Orion Children's Books 

Released: 23rd of June 2022 

Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Sex Education - Jessie Jones has just discovered she's a witch, but she still has to deal with the patriarchy. A feisty, funny YA series about discovering your place ... and your power.

After a summer of surfing, sunbathing and fine-tuning her new witchy skills, Jessie starts Year 11 feeling hopeful. She feels like her life-ducks are finally in a row - and at school, she has her sisterhood of Summer, Libby and Tabitha supporting her. Callum Henderson and his toxic masculinity minions have eased off enough for it the girls to feel like they can breathe again, so this year should be a breeze, right?

Wrong.

New year, new troubles.

Mysterious new girl Sloane has just arrived ... and did she mention she's a witch?

Twice the powers, twice the problems...

The funny, angsty, punchy YA series is perfect for fans of Holly Bourne.

What I Have to Say 

Jess is back and she's in trouble. This time it isn't just new powers she's got to deal with. New girl Sloane is on the scene and she is baaaad news. 

I loved how these books take normal teenage issues and add in magic. The first book was sexism and bullying. This time it's friendships and mean girls. It was perfect the way that Sloane was introduced and started throwing up red flags straight away. It's a familiar story and with a bit of dark magic it gives it just that hint of the supernatural. 

I said in my previous book that it was a bit predictable and how that was actually quite nice. And this one is much the same. Toxic new girl comes and starts separating the main character from her friends. It was relaxing as I read it, because I knew that it would all turn out okay in the end. I knew that Jess was good at heart and will do the right thing. 

The only thing I wasn't keen on was the animal death, but that does come hand in hand with dark magic, so I was prepared for it. I was also a bit disappointed because it looked at the start like they would talk about the actual issues men face (toxic masculinity for example) and expand on the feminist message, especially with Sloane being so anti- man, but they didn't. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Orion's Children's Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

The Burning by Laura Bates

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 368 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK 

Released: 21st of February 2019 

 A rumour is like a fire. You might think you’ve extinguished it but one creeping, red tendril, one single wisp of smoke is enough to let it leap back into life again. Especially if someone is watching, waiting to fan the flames ...

 

New school.

Tick.

New town.

Tick.

New surname.

Tick.

Social media profiles?

Erased.

 

There’s nothing to trace Anna back to her old life. Nothing to link her to the ‘incident’.

 

At least that’s what she thinks … until the whispers start up again. As time begins to run out on her secrets, Anna finds herself irresistibly drawn to the tale of Maggie, a local girl accused of witchcraft centuries earlier. A girl whose story has terrifying parallels to Anna’s own…

Trigger Warnings: rape,  public humiliation, torture, bullying, cyber bullying, rumours, mention of abortion

What I Have to Say 

This only thing this book was missing was a bit more witchcraft. I loved the parallels that Bates used between Anna's story in the present and Maggie's story in the past, showing that the way women were oppressed in the past are still very much still being used today. 

Anna and Maggie were both normal girls who made the mistake of trusting the wrong guy. I loved how Anna delved so deeply into her research on Maggie, how the information wasn't as easy as just going to the library and reading a story that was laid out nicely for her in a book or too. I find the details of real historical research fascinating, making a mystery so much harder for a character to find and much more satisfying when they get the information. 

I've seen so many books about cyber-bullying and naked photos lately, so I'm just really interested in seeing Bates bring forward a new way to tell this story. Her characters and plot are interesting, but it's definitely the historical witch hunt element that sets this book apart from others of it kind. 

Another must read for feminists! 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this free copy for review. 

You Can't Hide by Sarah Mussi

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

When Lexi wakes up in the Hudson Medical Center, barely in one piece, she is unable to recall how she got there.

Nobody seems to be able to tell her.

Disturbing memories haunt her daylight hours. Nightmares stalk her sleep. 

With huge unanswered questions, like where is her Mom - why doesn't she visit? What's happened to her boyfriend Finn - and who is this friend, Crystal, who visits her a lot and of whom she has no recollection? Lexi sets out to discover what's happened.

But the more she searches for answers, the deeper and darker the mystery gets.

And as she begins to piece the fragments together, she remembers one thing: I MUST HIDE FROM CHARLIE.

But the question is: who is Charlie? And is he still out there?

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, bullying, 

What I Have to Say 

This was completely enthralling from the first page. The secrets, the loss of memory, the things that Lexi won't write because she's so worried about being found by Charlie? All of these added up to a great mystery. 

As the story unfolded, it grew darker. The pressure on her to go along with the bullying because she's so scared of Charlie finding them and hurting her and her mum. It makes it different from the typical bullying story, because if Lexi doesn't do what Finn's girlfriend says then a video of her will be posted on the internet and Charlie will know where to find her. 

I did have to wonder about some of the things Lexi did though. I mean she stood outside the school completely naked? And no teachers came out to tell her off? It seems pretty unlikely that no teachers saw her or at least heard the buzz from the other students and came out to find out what was going on. 

Still, it was a really great plot and I loved the ending. 

My thanks go to Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Blog Tour: All the Lonely People by David Owen

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Atom 

Released: 10th of January 2019 

Everyone tells Kat that her online personality - confident, funny, opinionated - isn't her true self. Kat knows otherwise. The internet is her only way to cope with a bad day, chat with friends who get all her references, make someone laugh. But when she becomes the target of an alt-right trolling campaign, she feels she has no option but to Escape, Quit, Disappear.

With her social media shut down, her website erased, her entire online identity void, Kat feels she has cut away her very core: without her virtual self, who is she?

She brought it on herself. Or so Wesley keeps telling himself as he dismantles Kat's world from across the classroom. It's different, seeing one of his victims in real life and not inside a computer screen - but he's in too far to back out now.

As soon as Kat disappears online, her physical body begins to fade and while everybody else forgets that she exists, Wesley realises he is the only one left who remembers her. Overcome by remorse for what he has done, Wesley resolves to stop her disappearing completely. It might just be the only way to save himself.

All the Lonely People is a timely story about online culture - both good and bad - that explores the experience of loneliness in a connected world, and the power of kindness and empathy over hatred.

What I Have to Say 

A look at online culture and community and the loneliness and alienation that exists in our society, All the Lonely People brings us the story of Kate, a girl who has had everything taken from her by the cruel bullying of an alt-right group. It delves deep into the feelings of loneliness and depression she feels at having her online identity stolen from her when she starts to actually fade from society, a beautiful parallel that is so well constructed to bring people right to the heart of her feelings. 

It hit me hard, because I know that feeling. I've felt all of Kat's feelings of isolation and the feelings that the Lonely people, a cult of people trying to disappear from the world just like Kat is. There's a feeling of deep depression where you feel like things would be so much easier if you just didn't exist, if you could just fade out of your life and become someone else, someone who has everything easier, who doesn't experience the same pain as you do, of giving up control and just letting someone else take the reigns instead, because it would be so much easier just to ride in someone else's life and not have to make all the decisions anymore. 

This is going to be a long post, but I just have to applaud David Owen on the beautiful balance of this book. The way that it showed the feelings of the Lonely People, Kat and Wesley and in a wider respect, those insecurities that everyone has. He truly showed things that everyone can relate to, but I especially want to talk about Wesley. This is NOT a love story between a member of an alt-right hate group and his victim. It's not even a friendship story. Because how could Kat ever forgive Wesley. It was perfect, the way that he was made to face up to what he was doing and change his ways without absolving him of the things he did or making Kat forgive him in order to help his character growth. It was the perfect way to show this story and give the message that people can change and recover even if they make mistakes or the wrong choices. It's an important message that I really think is important to give.

How has the internet made your life better and how has it made it worse?

As part of this tour, I was ask to think about my own use of the internet. As someone who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, the internet was a huge part of my life and informed a lot of my childhood, so obviously, I have a lot of thoughts about this. 

The Good 

Let's start with the easy one. I have made so many friends online. As a teenager, it was an easy way to connect with people who I shared the same interests with. I spent so much time online, having fun and talking to people from around the world who I never would have met. 

In adulthood, this has only grown more because as adults, especially adults who work from home or are unemployed, we don't have the guarantee of seeing our friends every day. Sites like Twitter and facebook have meant that I can get in touch with friends who don't live near me and keep up with their lives. I've kept up close friendships with people from Uni who, without the internet, I'm certain I would have lost contact with. I've also made new friends, from foreign countries. I have two particular friends on twitter who I couldn't imagine my life without. They have given me so much and are always there for me when I need them. They are possibly the only people I talk with every single day and I love them so much. 

The Bad 

Okay so the internet isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It definitely hasn't been for me, as much as it's given me some really great things. 

First up, I want to talk about the social pressure. Whilst being able to talk to people every day can be such an amazing thing, there's also a lot of people online who get offended if you DON'T talk to them everyday. It's caused a lot of problems, because while there are some people I can keep up this kind of communication with, these are rare, special people. Most people, I manage better with a casual relationship where we just talk when we have something to talk about. I've had a few people get mad at me for this, because so many people just expect it from their friends. 

Talking of people getting mad at me, online we mostly communicate through text. Which while it can be easier and less tiring to talk this way, you can't always convey tone and meaning as easily as you can in person. Having Autism, this doesn't come naturally to me. So I have gotten into a lot of arguments with people because of misunderstandings whether it's their misunderstanding or mine. It's led me to believe that we really need to work on using empathy with every interaction, if only everyone in the world would subscribe to that. 

So what is my overall opinion of the internet? 

Let's be honest here, I'm a blogger. If I didn't have the internet, I wouldn't be able to have such a great time reviewing books and being part of the bookish community! Of course I'm pro-internet. It's convenient, useful and so much fun. The good parts definitely outweigh the bad. Though as the book shows, it's created a bit of a breeding ground for hate groups and makes it so much easier to bully, send death threats or spread prejudice. As much as I love the internet, I have to acknowledge the negatives. But the thought I want to leave you with is that I wouldn't be here writing this post without the internet! My life has definitely been improved by having the internet in my life.

 I am so grateful to Sophia Walker and Atom for providing me with a copy of the book and the opportunity to be part of this tour. 

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK Children's 

Released: 27th of December 2018 

Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.

Clue meets Riverdale in this page-turning thriller that exposes the lies five teens tell about a deadly night one year ago. 

One year ago, there was a party.

At the party, someone died.

Five teens each played a part and up until now, no one has told the truth.

But tonight, the five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion in the hills, expecting to compete in a contest with a $50,000 grand prize. Of course…some things are too good to be true. They were each so desperate for the prize, they didn’t question the odd, rather exclusive invitation until it was too late.

Now, they realize they’ve been lured together by a person bent on revenge, a person who will stop at nothing to uncover what actually happened on that deadly night, one year ago.

Five arrived, but not all can leave. Will the truth set them free?

Or will their lies destroy them all?

What I Have to Say 

This Lie Will Kill You gripped me right from the first page. The secrets, the lies, the mysterious murder mystery dinner party that they're invited to, which they know and the reader knows that is definitely far more sinister than the invitation would suggest. 

It was just perfect. The emotions from each of the characters, the lies and secrets that are revealed throughout the book. It kept me wanting to know more and more without leaving me too long between each snippet of information that I got bored and frustrated. 

And the story when it came out was dark and full of conflict and passion and so many twists. No one is who they seem and everything was captivating. 

Looking for a good mystery? Look no further. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Island by M. A. Bennett

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 304

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 9th of August 2018 

Link is a fish out of water. Newly arrived from America, he is finding it hard to settle into the venerable and prestigious Osney School. Who knew there could be so many strange traditions to understand? And what kind of school ranks its students by how fast they can run round the school quad - however ancient that quad may be? When Link runs the slowest time in years, he immediately becomes the butt of every school joke. And some students are determined to make his life more miserable than others . . . 

When a school summer trip is offered, Link can think of nothing worse than spending voluntary time with his worst tormentors. But when his parents say he can only leave Osney School - forever - if he goes on the trip, Link decides to endure it for the ultimate prize. But this particular trip will require a very special sort of endurance. The saying goes 'No man is an island' - but what if on that island is a group of teenagers, none of whom particularly like each other? When oppressive heat, hunger and thirst start to bite, everyone's true colours will be revealed. Let the battle commence . . .

What I have to Say 

This book was amazing, even though I hated almost every single one of the characters. As with STAGS, this is a novel full of privilege teenagers who treat each other in the most hideous ways. Link starts off as pretty much the slave of the school, forced to do everything his classmates tell him to do. So when he ends up with them on the island and is the only one able to make fire... Well shall we just say he takes full advantage.

The thing is, as much as I grew to hate Link throughout the book, it was still exciting to see what he was going to do next. It was like watching a disaster movie, you want to see just how bad it can get.

A lot of the plot twists, I saw coming, but that didn't put me off reading further the way that it sometimes can. It just made me look forward to when the character discovered what I'd guessed.

As with STAGs, this is a great book, but be prepared to see some awful sides of humanity

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review.  

S.T.A.G.S by M. A. Bennett

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 294

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 10th of August 2017 

Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S. Just when she despairs of making friends Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin' shootin' fishin'. When Greer learns that the invitation is to spend the half term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S., she is as surprised as she is flattered.

But when Greer joins the other chosen few at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, she realises that Henry's parents are not at home; the only adults present are a cohort of eerily compliant servants. The students are at the mercy of their capricious host, and, over the next three days, as the three bloodsports - hunting, shooting and fishing - become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realisation that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school...

What I Have to Say 

There are few books that can keep me up and reading late into the night these days. STAGS was the first one in a while, but it was just so good. I didn't want to stop reading, even when I knew there would be a while before the action got really good again. 

It was all just so ominous. Even when Greer was trusting Henry and putting the "accidents" that happened down to just bad luck, there was this background sense that they were being toyed with. I'm not sure how much that's because of what it says in the synopsis. If the synopsis left us questioning more over whether they are just genuinely accidents, would it have felt so ominous? It would be something I'd like to know. 

I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters.  The friendship that formed between the three victims and the way that they barely knew each other before, but being in the house drew them closer together. 

After the way it ended, I'm really hoping for a sequel. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Pants Project by Cat Clarke

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 272

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky  

Released: 7th of March 2017 

"My name is Liv (Not Olivia)... I'm not technically a girl.

I'm Transgender. Which is a bit like being a transformer. Only not quite as cool as cool because I probably won't get to save the world one day."

A Transformer is a robot in disguise. Liv is a boy in disguise. It's that simple. Liv knows he was always meant to be a boy, but with his new school's terrible dress code, he can't even wear pants. Only skirts.

Operation: Pants Project begins! The only way for Liv to get what he wants is to go after it himself. But to Liv, this isn't just a mission to change the policy- it's a mission to change his life. And that's a pretty big deal.

What I Have to Say 

This is a book that highlights how badly school dress code can be damaging to transgender teens. I grew up having skirts as the school uniform policy. Even while being cis, I hated it but even as I began to understand transgender and the issues surrounding it, it was never something that crossed my mind that would be a problem. This book opened my eyes to the small ways in which transgender kids can be hurt every day. 

I loved Liv as a character.  I love his love of comics and zombies and the way he builds up a good group of friends around him. Friends who don't care that acts differently to the girls in his class. The only problem is the bullies. And the skirt he has to wear every day. 

This is a story about activism and friendship. About finding who your friends really are. The only problem I had with it was the way they dealt with the bullying. It's the same way as bullying is dealt with in every other book. It's showing the textbook way of dealing with bullies and as most schoolchildren know, it just doesn't work. It felt a bit too moralistic of a story in that way. 

Really though, this is a story to inspire. It's a story of how you can change the world or at least your little bit of it. 

My thanks go to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Close Your Eyes by Nicci Cloke

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 304

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 23rd of February 2017 

Southfield High School is oh so normal, with its good teachers, its bad, and its cliques. But despite the cliques, there's a particular group of friends who have known each other forever and know that they can rely on each other for anything. 

There's the twins: Aisha, rebellious, kind, and just a tiny bit worried about what the hell she's going to do once this year is over, and Vis, smart, quiet and observant. Then there's Remy, the loudmouth, and Gemma, who's more interested in college boys and getting into the crap club in town. And then there's Elise: the pretty one.

But at the start of Year 11, when the group befriend the new boy, Elijah, things start to change. The group find themselves not as close as they used to be. 

What I Have to Say 

This was such an interesting read. I love the way that it was set out, so that the even though we knew from the start what was going to happen, it wasn't revealed until later exactly who was involved and how it would unfold. It was so fascinating to be introduced to the characters and get to know them in the time leading up to the event so we could see what drove the events to happen. 

It was told in several different ways as well, There were twitter feeds and blog posts were a good way to show what was going on and the way that the people both inside and outside the school would react. 

The I was quite excited by the twists as well. It was a good way to separate this book from others with the same topic. 

 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

Haunt Me by Liz Kessler

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Orion Children's Books 

Released: 6th of October 2016 

Joe wakes up from a deep sleep to see his family leave in a removals van. Where they've gone, he has no idea. Erin moves house and instantly feels at home in her new room. Even if it appears she isn't the only one living in it. Bit by bit, Erin and Joe discover that they have somehow found a way across the ultimate divide - life and death. Bound by their backgrounds, a love of poetry and their growing feelings for each other, they are determined to find a way to be together.

Joe's brother, Olly, never cared much for poetry. He was always too busy being king of the school - but that all changed when Joe died. And when an encounter in the school corridor brings him face to face with Erin, he realises how different things really are - including the kind of girl he falls for.

Two brothers. Two choices. Will Erin's decision destroy her completely, or can she save herself before she is lost forever?

What I Have to Say 

This was such a great read. I've read a fair amount of paranormal romance, but I've never read one like this. I'm not sure whether that's because there was a gap in the market or if I just hadn't read the right books, but I have to say that I needed this book in my life even if I didn't know it yet. 

Not only was it a really interesting concept, but the writing was beautiful. It was easy to fall into the voices of the three characters and sympathize with each of them. Erin especially was a joy to read. She had a personality that felt familiar and very real. 

The story was beautiful, a touching story of two damaged people trying to recover and heal and one dead boy, finding love amongst the living. It was dramatic, heartbreaking and just beautiful, especially the ending. 

I recommend this to anyone who likes a little bit of paranormal fiction. 

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released: 30th of June 2016

June's life at home with her stepmother and stepsister is a dark one – and a secret one. She is trapped like a butterfly in a net. 

But then June meets Blister, a boy in the woods. In him she recognises the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away from her home and be free. Because every creature in this world deserves their freedom . . . But at what price?

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Child Abuse, Racism

What I Have to Say 

This book was grim! I like sad books, but this was depressing levels of sad. Obviously it is a pretty dark subject matter, so I was expecting it to be a pretty dark read, but what I wasn't expecting was the second half. The child abuse in the first half was interesting and a good view into what many children are suffering through, but the second half, I just didn't need. 

The main reason I didn't like the second half is that I kept thinking of people who are going through child abuse reading it. Children and young adults who are suffering like June does might pick up the book in order to feel less alone or seek advice of how to escape the situation. And what they will find reading this book is a very grim picture. 

I'm not saying that it's a bad story to tell. I think that any story whether it is a positive or a negative one deserves the right to be told, but I feel that, in YA especially, there is more responsibility to the readers who might be suffering and until there is a suitable number of positive books out there on a particular subject, I feel that writing negatively about such a subject might only cause pain. 

That's not to say that it's a bad story. It may have been a bit too dark for me, but there are many aspects that a reader could enjoy and the story-telling was perfectly done. The characters were well written and easy to engage with  and the feeling of sympathy for June was very quickly established. 

If you like dark books then this will be a very good read, I just worry about the message it sends to people like June. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Electric Monkey for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir by Lesley Allen

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Twenty7

Released: 14th of April 2016 

Almost too terrified to grip the phone, Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show.

The subject is bullying, and Biddy has a story to tell.

Abandoned by her mother as a baby, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time watching the birds - until Alison Fleming joins her school.

Popular and beautiful, but with a dangerous, malevolent streak, Alison quickly secures the admiration of her fellow students. All except one. And Alison doesn't take kindly to people who don't fit her mould . . .

What I Have to Say 

This is a touching story of the effects of bullying and how it can change a persons view of themselves. The way that this can last all the way into adulthood was a very big part of the story and highlighted quite how much of the issue that this is. 

It was written in such a way that doesn't so much make you empathize with Biddy, so much as care for her in a very protective way, much the same as the people who try and help her in the book. She is so isolated that you feel so sad that she lives her life that way. 

There's an innocence to Biddy, that I think is what makes this book special and not just another book about bullying. She goes about her life, believing what other people think of her. I've never seen a character quite like her. 

This is a truly beautiful book. 

My thanks go to Twenty7 and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

The List by Siobhan Vivian

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384

Publisher: Mira Ink 

Released: 7th of April 2015 

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

What I Have to Say 

This is a fantastic look into the superficial nature of high school, bullying and what other people's perceptions can do to people, good or bad. The List goes into the wide range of the actions that The List has on the people on it, showing that even if a girl gets called pretty, it's not always a good thing. 

It was really good to see the issues that the "pretty" girls face, the eating disorders, the sways in popularity and the way that having the eyes of the school on them changes how they feel themselves. It shows above all that popularity comes at a price, whether that's the easy way it's lost or the way it's gained. 

For anyone who likes stories of high school cliques, bullying and mean girls, this is a must read. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Mira Ink for providing me with this copy for review. 

A Seven Letter Word by Kim Slater

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 305

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books 

Released: 24th of March 2016

'My name is Finlay McIntosh. I can see OK, can hear perfectly fine and I can write really, really well. But the thing is, I can't speak. I'm a st-st-st-stutterer. Hilarious, isn't it? It's like the word is there in my mouth, fully formed and then, just as it's ready to leave my lips . . . POP! It jumps and ricochets and bounces around my gob. Except it isn't funny at all, because there's not a thing I can do about it.'

Finlay's mother vanished two years ago. And ever since then his stutter has become almost unbearable. Bullied at school and ignored by his father, the only way to get out the words which are bouncing around in his head is by writing long letters to his ma which he knows she will never read, and by playing Scrabble online. But when Finlay is befriended by an online Scrabble player called Alex, everything changes. Could it be his mother secretly trying to contact him? Or is there something more sinister going on?

What  I Have to Say 

Often in books, I find that when there is dialogue to show stuttering, it just irritates me. But with A Seven Letter Word, I found it very easy to read those parts. It may be that it was well researched so the stutter was very realistic, or just that I felt more sympathy with the character, but it didn't seem to trip me up or slow down my reading or any of the other things that normally put me off. 

This book was the sort that you can fall into. The characters and the world are as easy to sympathize with and understand. Finlay'se attempts to find his mother and win the scrabble championships are ones that you can fully support and get behind.

I also really loved Maryam. I think that a fiery female former scrabble champion in a hijab was exactly what this book needed. Without her, it wouldn't have been the same book and she made a wonderful friend for Finlay while adding a bit of diversity to the book. 

With mystery, bullying and scrabble, you really can't go wrong with this A Seven Letter Word 

My thanks go to Macmillan for providing me with this copy to review. 

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 191

Publisher: Orchard Books

Released: 1st of June 2009 

From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, hallways hum “Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. Until they are not. Leo urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her - normal.

What I Have To Say 

I read this book in a day, partly because it was short and mostly because I was completely hooked on it. The mystery of who Stargirl is and what she's going to do next is so captivating that it holds the reader to the page just as much as it captures the attention of the students at her school. 

This is a story about identity and daring to be different. It shows a lot about conformity, bullying and what happens to people who dare to stand out from the crowd. But mostly, it's about seeing the world differently. It's like a fairy tale from start to finish, showing Stargirl as an ethereal character who catches the spirits and excitement of everyone around her. 

It truly is a beautiful story. The character of Stargirl is built up in a way that keeps her mysterious and elusive while still hinting at her feelings so that she feels both real and unreal at the same time. 

I'm not sure how the sequel will hold up, as I feel that maybe this story is better as a stand alone book, but I look forward to reading it anyway. 

My thanks go to Orchard Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. 

The Girl In The Well is Me by Karen Rivers

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 224

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Released: 15th of March 2016 

Newcomer Kammie Summers has fallen into a well during a (fake) initiation into a club whose members have no intention of letting her join. Now Kammie’s trapped in the dark, growing increasingly claustrophobic, and waiting to be rescued—or possibly not.

As hours pass, the reality of Kammie’s predicament mixes with her memories of the highlights and lowlights of her life so far, including the reasons her family moved to this new town in the first place. And as she begins to run out of oxygen, Kammie starts to imagine she has company, including a French-speaking coyote and goats that just might be zombies.

What I Have to Say 

This was a very quick and easy read. I pretty much read the whole thing in one sitting. There were funny bits and sad bits and very strange bits for example when Kammie was running out of oxygen. I felt it really captured the stream of consciousness of a young girl and the disorientation of her situation. 

However, even though this is written for a younger age range than I often read, I felt that it was perhaps written down too much, The fact is that kids are a lot smarter than adults often give them credit for. 

Even so, it was a nice little story. It went through many themes of bullying, identity and changing to fit in, as Kammie reflects on her struggles to make a place for herself in her little town in Texas. A cute read, but not really one that will stay with me for long. 

Delicate Monsters by Stephanie Kuehn

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 240

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Released: 9th of June 2015 

When nearly killing a classmate gets seventeen-year-old Sadie Su kicked out of her third boarding school in four years, she returns to her family’s California vineyard estate. Here, she’s meant to stay out of trouble. Here, she’s meant to do a lot of things. But it’s hard. She’s bored. And when Sadie’s bored, the only thing she likes is trouble.

Emerson Tate’s a poor boy living in a rich town, with his widowed mother and strange, haunted little brother. All he wants his senior year is to play basketball and make something happen with the girl of his dreams. That’s why Emerson’s not happy Sadie’s back. An old childhood friend, she knows his worst secrets. The things he longs to forget. The things she won’t ever let him.

Haunted is a good word for fifteen-year-old Miles Tate. Miles can see the future, after all. And he knows his vision of tragic violence at his school will come true, because his visions always do. That’s what he tells the new girl in town. The one who listens to him. The one who recognizes the darkness in his past. 

But can Miles stop the violence? Or has the future already been written? Maybe tragedy is his destiny. Maybe it’s all of theirs. 

What I Have To Say 

This book was definitely not my kind of book. I don't really like this. Books where they seem to intend to be graphic or shocking. Books where they have random masturbation for no apparent reason other than the fact that they want to shock the readers. Although in this particular instance I can forgive the masturbation because it was a fairly big plot point. But I never in any instance care about the fact that a character doesn't want to wipe themselves after going to the toilet because she likes the feeling of warmth between her legs. That was unnecessary and completely un-needed and I never want to read a sentence like that in a book again. 

Honestly I think that's all that needs to be said about this book. The writing was good and I had no objections to the plot other than the fact that it wasn't really for me.