GUEST REVIEW: I Was Here - Gayle Forman

GENRE: YA

PAGES: 288
PUBLISHER: Simon and Schuster
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars
 

SUMMARY

This characteristically powerful novel follows eighteen-year-old Cody Reynolds in the months following her best friend's shocking suicide. As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she begins a journey of self-discovery which takes her to a terrifying precipice, and forces her to question not only her relationship with the Meg she thought she knew, but her own understanding of life, love, death and forgiveness.

 

REVIEW

Let me just start by saying that the blurb I have just given to you is not the blurb that I had previously read. In fact my blurb does not mention anything that happens in the book but instead it just has the note that Meg wrote to Cody. Due to this, I went into the book expecting it to be a YA contemporary novel about a girl trying to find herself after her best friend commits suicide however while this is what it was about, this wasn't the whole book.

One thing I would like to say before I start talking about my feelings towards this book is that I don't think it is suitable for younger readers. It includes quite a few swear words and a very small amount of sexual content. However, the main reason I would not recommend this to younger readers is because of what it is about. It is obviously a book dealing with the subject of suicide. Some of the things in this book are quite eye opening and they could potentially affect people on a deeper level. I cannot tell you what they are because it will slightly spoil a part of the book but only read this book if you are mature enough to be able to deal with a difficult subject.

Cody was a peculiar main character. Obviously having just recently lost her best friend, she was slightly emotionally detached from the reader and because of this you didn't really connect with her as much. At the start she was this angry girl who was being forced to face a life without her best friend. However, as the story went on, she became more real and we got to know her a bit more. We started to feel for her a lot more because we understood why she was feeling the way she was. Her many flaws became more clear but we understood why she did certain things even if they were slightly crazy. As she starts to decrypt the file, we see a different side to Cody and I felt as if we were seeing parts of Meg come out. We were seeing how Meg felt before through what Cody felt then. This also meant that I felt that I knew Meg despite not actually meeting her. I felt an emotional connection to her and I could see why they were so close. This made the story a lot more realistic and it meant that I could feel like I was actually part of the novel and not just reading it.

One thing I need to mention about this book is the romance. Having gone into this book not knowing about a romance, I felt that it was quite natural. Even though as soon as we met Ben, I knew he would be a potential love interest I kept questioning this because of what was revealed. I could not figure out how a relationship between them would work but I loved it. It wasn't a rushed relationship. It felt real and it felt as if it had happened the right way. She did see him as attractive but she never wanted to be with him because of Meg and I loved that. It wasn't any form of love at first sight and they did actually become friends first. The book mainly focuses on the loss of Meg and everything Cody does in order to deal with that and I liked the fact that the romance didn't overshadow this.

Gayle Forman has a lovely way of writing stories that I just adore. Having previously read and loved her If I Stay duology, I had high expectations despite reading Just One Day and not liking it as much. This book definitely did not disappoint. From start to finish, I was engaged and even though I wasn't reading it all the time, I was constantly thinking about what was happening because I wanted to know. There was a slight mystery aspect in this novel because of the encrypted file and that's what I loved. I wanted to know what was in this file. Once we did find out what was in it, I was shocked and I just kept reading. At times, I felt myself getting sucked in like Cody was and when you read the book ,you'll find out why that is really scary. Every part of this novel was full of symbols and hidden meanings and I loved it. Gayle Forman has this way of writing that just completely transforms something ordinary into something that holds a lot of meaning and I absolutely loved that. At times, I was a bit worried about how people would react to what was in the file because it is alarming and it did make me wonder what it can do to people however as you read on, this changes and Gayle Forman dealt with this subject so incredibly well. Forman did what she does best; she wrote about a depressing subject yet also somehow managed to stop you from becoming completely and utterly depressed.

In the end, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars because it was full of emotion, mystery and intrigue. I needed to know what was going to happen next. I was completely and emotionally involved with the characters and the story as a whole. This book comes out in January 2015 and I strongly suggest that you pick this book up if you feel that you can deal with this subject because it will change you slightly. If you haven't picked up If I Stay by Gayle Forman, I also suggest you do that. Thank you for reading this slightly odd review. I just don't know how to put how I feel about this book into words.

 

- Sofia.

REVIEW: Only Ever Yours - Louise O'Neill

GENRE: Dystopia/Issues

PAGES: 400

PUBLISHER: Quercus

FORMAT: Paperback

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Freida and Isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the School, they expect to be selected as companions - wives to wealthy and powerful men. The alternative - life as a concubine - is too horrible to contemplate. But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty - her only asset - in peril. And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. freida must fight for her future - even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known...

REVIEW

Ever since I have read this book I simply cannot stop raving about on our Waterstones Birmingham High St Young Adult Twitter @yabirmingham, in fact I think it's almost to the point of utter fangirl obsession!

It truly is a great book. It's clever, unique, interesting, and downright compelling. 

It touches on serious issues and deals with them in a scenario that is unreal and yet believable... it's full of dark humour, and it's not a book that everyone will "get" but I am really excited to be able to recommend this book to people, and can't wait for more people to read it as Louise O'Neill is a very talented writer.

- Gem

REVIEW: The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting - Holly Bourne

GENRE: Contemporary/Issues

PAGES: 464
PUBLISHER: Usborne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

This book will be released on 1/08/14 and can be preordered in store with a £3 deposit.

SUMMARY

Bree is a loser, a wannabe author who hides behind words. But when she's told she needs to start living a life worth writing about, The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting is born. Six steps on how to be interesting. Six steps that will see her infiltrate the popular set, fall in love with someone forbidden and make the biggest mistake of her life.

REVIEW

Wow, this book is awesome!

Bree is my ideal main character - she is relatable, funny, observant and even before she tried to become interesting, I wanted to know about her and her situation. 

After being rejected for a publishing deal for a second time something in Bree cracks and she feels she NEEDS to transform herself for the sake of the writing, and being able to see her transformation is brilliant. Holly touches upon lots of pop culture references and combines them all the create something new and unique. Important issues are dealt with and they never feel gratuitous, there is a point for them being in the story and I felt they were dealt with sensitivity and the Q&A with Holly at the end further highlights the importance of these issues (can't say what they are or I'll spoil it!).

As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author (I've already read and LOVED Soulmates, so bring on book 3!)

- Gem

Solitaire Book Launch Party!

We can now officially announce that we are so lucky to be hosting the Launch Party for Alice Oseman's Solitaire!

You might not have heard of this book yet. It's brand new. We announced it at our TFIOS party and here's what Alice had to say:

"Hello everyone!

I’m Alice Oseman, I’m nineteen years old and on the 31st of July, the amazing people of YA Birmingham are hosting the book launch for my debut novel, Solitaire. It’s going to be extra fabulous and you are all invited.

Solitaire is a coming-of-age story about a very pessimistic and very sarcastic sixteen-year-old girl named Tori Spring, who hates everything and is probably in love with her laptop. It’s also about an online group of prankers who decide they’re going to wreak havoc at Tori’s school. Tori Spring does not advise that you buy my book, but I strongly disagree. It has lots of awkwardness, many spectacular school pranks, a very annoying boy with glasses named Michael Holden, some Sherlock-style mystery-solving, numerous Tumblr references and teenage bloggers who get a bit carried away with themselves. It is definitely not a love story.

As you can imagine, I am very excited about all this and would love it if you could come to my launch, even if it is just to watch me drinking lots of wine and hyperventilating from excitement. I will draw pretty pictures in your copy of Solitaire, should you decide to buy one. And I’ll love you forever.

Hope to see you there!

Love Alice xxxxx"

We really think you're going to love Solitaire. If you've read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and loved it, then I guarantee you will adore this because it's 10 times better. And British. How many books open with an argument about Harry Potter Fandoms?? 

At 19 years old Alice really is an inspiration to anyone who thinks they can't get published. Come along to the launch and meet Alice and our big YA Birmingham supporters. She'll tell you about the book and answer any questions you have about the book and about writing.

We're going to have loads of lovely cakes and plenty of Diet Lemonade (and maybe something a little stronger for over 18s). You'll get your books signed and doodled on publication day and be part of something really special. I'm not joking when I tell you that Alice is going to be a massive star. 

See more about it on the Waterstones website

Find out more about YA Birmingham's events.

Visit Alice Oseman's blog.

The launch is on the 31st of July at 7pm. Tickets are just £1 and are available in store or on 0121 633 4353. This is your chance to meet an amazing up-and-coming author before anyone else!

YA Birmingham is proud to support Alice and Solitaire, young and British authors, and awesome literature on the YA scene. 

REVIEW: Journey to the River Sea

PAGES: 320
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

It is 1910 and Maia, tragically orphaned at thirteen, has been sent from England to start a new life with distant relatives in Manaus, hundreds of miles up the Amazon. She is accompanied by an eccentric and mysterious governess who has secret reasons of her own for making the journey. Both soon discover an exotic world bursting with new experiences in this highly colourful, joyous adventure.

REVIEW

Beginning in 1910 Edwardian England, 'Journey to the River Sea' by Eva Ibbotson tells the story of Maia, a thirteen year old orphan who is being sent to start a new life with relatives thousands of miles away....up the Amazon river! She doesn't travel alone however, as she is joined by her strange and unfathomable governess (Miss Minton) who secretly wants to take the journey for reasons of her own.

The world they encounter along the way is just as exotic as they had predicted, complete with new experiences and characters that they would never have met back at home. For Maia, the journey is intriguing and astonishing, yet when they finally arrive at their destination of Manaus, things aren't quite as planned. The long lost family they are to stay with are nothing if not odd, Mr Carter has tucked himself away from 'modern life', his wife is scared of the world around them and the less said about their twins...the better! All of this is sent to test Maia and Miss Minton but they take it all in their stride and they soon begin to enjoy the way of the Amazon.

This book is so beautifully written and the description of the surroundings, people and world in which Maia now lives will whisk you away with her. For me this was the quintessential story for children, featuring excellent characters with brilliant narration from Maia, lovely and vivid storytelling and subtle moral undertones (as is to be expected from stories like this). 

Journey to the River Sea reminded me of The Water Babies by Reverend Charles Kingsley as some of the themes are quite similar. I also couldn't help but think of Roald Dahl too as the descriptive passages are also very reminiscent of some of Dahl's books for earlier readers such as Esio Trot and The Magic Finger.

This was a very enjoyable read which is perfect for all ages but would be more suited for older children/younger teens as the underlying theme of finding your place in the world, separate from your guardians prevails throughout.

- Adam.

GUEST REVIEW: Divergent - Veronica Roth

PAGES: 496
PUBLISHER: Harpercollins
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice. Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs. Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead..

REVIEW

Desperate to read this before the I saw the film, I frantically searched for a copy of Veronica Roth's Divergent. The prestigious and reputable Waterstones came to the rescue and fuelled my YA book craving! It certainly wasn't difficult to find, as Divergentfinds itself in the dystopian sci-fi category (and it's not like this category is popular or anything!) I approached the story with an open mind, having read a mixture of reviews - some quite negative and too busy comparing it to The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), but most were positive and highly-engaged with the main character Beatrice, as she finds herself choosing her future, torn between family and what is right.

Set in a future divided into factions, each representative of 'the best' human traits, Beatrice belongs to Abnegation, a community dedicated to human kindness and selflessness, but she finds herself torn when labelled 'Divergent'. Will she leave her family to find her 'real' self? Can selflessness and bravery go hand-in-hand? You can read it to find out!

Beatrice, in her journey of self-discovery, comes across a whole host of characters, some stronger than others. I found Four a little bit unrealistic, but I guess there needs to be a love interest that isn't the cliche of Edward Cullen (sparkly vampire fromTwilight fame). I was glad that he had flaws and was, at times, a little rude to his 'Tris'. However, don't let the idea of a love interest put you off, as the main storyline is very effective. Beatrice not only has to contend with, at times, an ignorant love interest; she has to contend with her own survival! This is where the action begins and does not end. The novel is action-packed from start to finish and made breathing at a normal rate difficult!

As you read on through the novel, Beatrice becomes more confident and about as kick-ass as it gets. She jumps off buildings, climbs Ferris wheels and faces her fears. But the main plot-line of the trilogy doesn't come into focus until the end of the novel; I felt like too much of the time was spent developing her character in this one, but this was necessary to build to the main storyline of the trilogy. It definitely left me wanting to see the film and read the next two rather urgently!

- Ami 

(@mama_roach)

REVIEW: Don't Look Back - Jennifer L. Armentrout

PAGES: 368
PUBLISHER: Hodder & Stoughton
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

What if you had the chance to start again...but only if you promised never to look back? Samantha is popular, rich, and seemed to have it all...until the night she and her best 'frenemy' Cassie disappeared and only Sammy resurfaced, with no recollection of who she is or what happened. Sammy's a stranger in her own life - a life she no longer wants any part of. Losing her memory is a chance to start again. Then Sammy begins receiving mysterious notes warning her about that night, urging her to not look back. But she can't let it go. As she starts poking around in her past she begins to remember...and something sinister begins to surface.

REVIEW

I loved Don't Look Back, my two favourite genres are YA and Crime and this was a perfect blend of both. Samantha is a fantastic character, I really enjoyed seeing how she developed as a person with every flash of memory that came back, and every interaction she had with one she knew. The writing was brilliant, I guessed very early on who the killer was from a subtle line, and there were other little clues along the way, although there were obviously a lot of red herrings too. I think the only reason I guessed so early was because I've watched so many episodes of crime shows and am usually right about the killer (geek!). 

Any one who likes fast paced and tense novels will love this, and I'd definitely read more from this author

- Gem.

REVIEW: A World Without Princes - Soman Chainani

PAGES: 448
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

It's all happy ever after in the School for Good and Evil...or is it? The second title in the NYT bestselling fantasy adventure series - perfect for girls who prefer their fairy tales with a twist. After saving themselves and their fellow students from a life pitched against one another, Sophie and Agatha are back home again, living happily ever after. But life isn't exactly a fairy tale...When Agatha secretly wishes she'd chosen a different happy ending with Prince Tedros, the gates to the School for Good and Evil open once again. But everything has changed and a happy ending seems further away than ever...

REVIEW

I LOVE this series!

World Without Princes picks up the story of Agatha and Sophie and focuses on their happily ever after...as you'd expect if you've read Book 1 (and you need to have for this book to make sense) all is not as it seems and quite quickly the situation becomes more dangerous.

They soon find themselves back at the School for Good and Evil and tensions are running high as Agatha and Sophie's actions have caused a chain of events that no-one was anticipating and now they must decide where their TRUE loyalties lie in both love and friendship. 

In essence this is a wonderfully refreshing take on the fairy tale genre; it takes what you know and turns it on it's head and is full of unexpected twists. The writing is vividly cinematic (and yes, there will be a film of book 1 in 2015ish, the plot is brilliant and the each character is individual and genuinely adds something to the story. I can't wait for book 3!

- Gem.

REVIEW: Trial By Fire - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

PAGES: 304
PUBLISHER: Quercus
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

At seventeen, Bryn is has the usual schoolgirl worries: a new boyfriend, a new school and a new home. But she has one major concern that her friends don't have: she is an alpha - a human girl in charge of her own werewolf pack. When Bryn and her closest friends, Dev and Lake, broke from the werewolf Callum's pack, it had all felt right. Together with Chase, Bryn's new love, they had rescued some newly made female werewolves from a despicable master and established their own pack, with Bryn as leader. Yet Bryn has always resented the rules of Pack life - the constant bowing to authority, the submission to the alpha. And she is determined to live differently, to run this pack openly and justly. Then one night, a badly beaten werewolf shows up on her territory. He needs help, sanctuary, care. But taking him in could violate inter-pack rules, and no one knows better than Bryn the costs of challenging those rules. Obedience is law in Pack life, but Bryn is going to break the rules, again.

REVIEW

I loved everything about this book! The story was amazing and intricately plotted, the characters were all unique, well defined and genuinely served to further the action and the descriptions of the places were wonderful. 

Lily and her identical other self were captivating, they reminded me of Elena and Katherine in the Vampire Diaries, but the plot adds to their depth of character and makes them even more interesting. 

The magic that powers the other world is brilliant, the idea of magic v science was really clever and I loved that it was set in modern times, yet seemed almost medieval. 

The tension builds throughout the novel to bring it to a dramatic ending that had me screeching at the book that it couldn't possibly end there because I wanted the next instalment straight away!

I can't wait to get this in to my shop, I know so many people who will love it as much as I do!

- Gem.

REVIEW: Rooftoppers - Katherine Rundell

PAGES: 288
PUBLISHER: Faber Children's
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2014.

SUMMARY

My mother is still alive, and she is going to come for me one day. Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck which left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive, but that means still possible. You should never ignore a possible. So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has - the address of the cello maker. Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - urchins who live in the sky. Together they scour the city for Sophie's mother before she is caught and sent back to London, and most importantly before she loses hope.

REVIEW

This book is beautifully written, it's feel is reminiscent of much loved classics like The Borrowers and Charlotte's Web - it just makes you smile constantly.

Sophie is a fantastic character; gutsy, tomboyish, determined and full of hope - she's never willing to "ignore a possible". That message is a constant throughout the book, and as the plot progresses you really will Sophie on to succeed in finding her mother. Mateo and the other Rooftoppers are brilliant, each person has a distinct personality and they add something to Sophie's quest. Charles was a favourite character of mine! I could picture him perfectly.

There's only one thing I was a bit disappointed about which was that I felt it ended rather abruptly. I wanted to know what became of each of the characters! I can only hope that she might do another book, as clearly there are many adventures the Rooftoppers could tell us about

- Gem.

REVIEW: Amy and Matthew - Cammie McGovern

PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: Macmillan Children's
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Amy is unflinchingly honest about her limitations. Born with cerebral palsy, she can't walk or talk without help. But trapped inside this uncooperative body lies a brilliant mind and a luminous spirit - a girl capable of truly loving and worthy of being loved in return. Matthew has his own set of challenges - a mind consumed by unwanted repeated thoughts, obsessive rituals and a crippling fear that he can't explain. But underneath all of the anxiety lies a deep seed of hope for someone to come along who believes in him...This is the story of Amy and Matthew. It may not be a fairy tale romance or set in an imagined world far from our own. But the love they share is real. And yes, there's magic in it.

REVIEW

I didn't really know what this book was about, the blurb is deliberately vague other than to say it's a love story. I started reading it on Sunday morning and I soon found it was Sunday night and I'd finished it! Amy is funny, insightful and doesn't let her Cerebral Palsy stop her from doing what she really wants - it's not her body that is limiting her actions, it's her mother. She has spent her life surrounded by adult helpers but hatches an ingenious plan to get to know people her own age - pay them to help her get around school. Matthew becomes one of her helpers and they soon become friends. 

The interactions betweens the two of them are sweet, funny and full of hope for a better future. It's a very different kind of love story - it's bound to draw comparisons to Fault in Our Stars simply because the teenagers aren't 100% "normal" and are suffering from certain conditions, but it's really nothing like it. It's much more about Amy and Matthew's personal journey, the romance is just a side effect of that really. Anyone who likes stories that will make them laugh and surprise them should definitely give this a go!

- Gem.

GUEST REVIEW: Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

PAGES: 380
PUBLISHER: Usbourne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Anna is less than thrilled to be shipped off to boarding school in Paris, leaving a fledgling romance behind - until she meets Etienne St Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all... including a girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with a longed-for French kiss?

REVIEW

‘Anna and the French Kiss’ is the debut novel from Stephanie Perkins, first published in 2010. I’ve known about ‘Anna’ for the better part of three years, and only just got my hands on it. It moved instantly to the top of my To Be Read pile, and before I’d even finished it, it shot straight into the list of my all-time favourite books.

Anna Oliphant gets sent by her newly-minted dad to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year. SOAP (School of America in Paris) has English speaking students, but almost everyone speaks French as fluently as the locals - Anna’s language barrier is only the first obstacle. 

She’s adopted by football-playing Meredith and her group of friends, including the “boy masterpiece” that is Étienne St. Clair. 

St. Clair has it all: he’s charming, he’s got great hair, he speaks fluent French, he’s beautiful, he’s smart, he’s funny, he’s quirky - but he’s also got a college girlfriend. Anna is determined to ignore or downplay the connection they have. Until tragedy strikes in St. Clair’s family, and it’s Anna that manages to be there for him - and then they can’t ignore what’s between them, and Anna and St. Clair start to become Banana and Étienne.

GOOD PARTS

The characters are the best part of this book. Every character is interesting, and reading their interactions is like eavesdropping on conversations with your own friends.

It’s probably no surprise that the main two characters are my favourite, but they’ve earned the spots. Anna is an every-girl: she learns to be brave, she’s funny, she tries to do the right thing, she wears Batman pyjamas, she drools in cake shops. Étienne is the perfect romantic hero: adorable in every way with flaws shooting right through him that never make him less lovable. Paris, the setting of the book, seems like a character itself: Stephanie’s descriptions and her way of poetically weaving the city into her sentences bring it to life.

LESS GOOD PARTS

Finding negatives about ‘Anna’ was a struggle: it took a re-read to find any, because after the first read my head was full of fluff and the rose-coloured glasses were firmly on. To nit-pick, the ending feels slightly rushed, after the detailed and faithful narrative - but given how much more time I could happily have spent with the characters, there’s no wonder I wanted a longer ending.

OVERALL

‘Anna’ is a great read. I raced through each page, stopping only to regret how close to the end I was. I actually laughed out loud, visibly cringed, clapped my hands in glee - at one point I had to put the book down while my cheeks cooled off from flaming in reaction to Anna’s own embarrassment. Anna and Étienne might be my OTP, and I can’t wait get another glimpse of them in the companion novels, ‘Lola and the Boy Next Door’ and ‘Isla and the Happily Ever After’.

- Kay.

GUEST REVIEW: Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

PAGES: 480
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. Without Wren Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words ...And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible...

REVIEW

People always see me reading books around school and a lot of people don’t know me that well, so to start a conversation they usually ask me what my favourite book is. In the past, I have never been able to answer it properly because I’ve never had a definite favourite, I love so many books and it’s hard to just choose one. Also this person would also judge me based on the book I say, so I always chose carefully. But ever since last September, the answer to this question was clear. Fangirl is my favourite book. Then of course, a lot of people who I talk to have never heard of the book so they ask why I like it so much. I still do not know how to answer this question, because there are many reasons as to why I love this book. I recently discovered that my goodreads review isn’t exactly great because I didn’t know what to write. So this is my first proper review as to why I love this book. I’ll try to make it as non-spoilery as possible but just to make sure only read on if you have read the book.

Rainbow Rowell has this way of writing which I absolutely love. Before reading Fangirl, I had read Eleanor and Park and that’s how I got excited about the release of Fangirl. Eleanor and Park was a great and lovely book that really hit me with the feels. What I loved about Eleanor and Park was that she made me feel like I could relate to the characters, despite being nothing like them. During Eleanor and Park, I felt a special connection to both characters and this made me excited for Fangirl. But this isn’t a review of Eleanor and Park, that shall be for another post.

Fangirl started off with a sentence that just captured me right away and after reading the first page I couldn’t put it down.

There was a boy in her room.

Now I understand that isn’t exactly the best opening sentence but what caught my attention was the way that Cath reacted. Going into this book, I had a feeling I would be able to relate to the main character somehow, but I didn’t think she would be almost an exact replica of me and that’s what I loved. My experience with fangirls, led me to believe that they aren’t generally like me. I’m used to encountering the sort of fangirls who scream and cry at everything to do with their fandom, which attracts attention. I’m the sort of girl who hides behind my books and prefers to go unnoticed. And that is exactly what Cath was like, as you could tell from her reaction to there being a boy in her room. She froze and panicked and went silent, which is exactly what I would do. This then got me interested in the book and I flew through the first few chapters quickly.
   

REVIEW: Flirty Dancing - Jenny McLachlan

PAGES: 256
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

This book publishes July 2014.

SUMMARY

Bea Hogg is shy but fiery inside. When national dance competition Starwars comes to her school looking for talent, she wants to sign up. It's just a shame her best friend agreed to enter with school super-cow Pearl Harris. Bea will fight back! But when school hottie, Ollie Matthews, who also happens to be Pearl's boyfriend, decides to enter the competition with Bea, she will have more than a fight on her hands. This warm, nuanced, hilarious story about friendship, fortitude ...and dancing is impossible not to fall in love with. Jenny's voice is fresh and convincing, and she handles both darker and lighter elements of the story with equal panache.

REVIEW

I found this book really enjoyable and incredibly funny! Bea is a wonderful character; It's really easy to relate to her fun loving home character and quiet at school character. Having been paired with the schools best looking guy and her ex-best friends love interest for a televised national dance competition is enough the terrify anyone, but when Bea is forced to put up with snide remarks and bullying from Mean Girl Pearl (Ha!)

It's interesting to see that as the story progresses she really develops as a person and she realises that "Though she be but little, she is fierce!" just like her nan always says! This is the kind of book you sit down and read all in one go (as I have done today!) and it will make you laugh out loud and smile throughout.

Perfect for fans of Holly Smale, Jacqueline Wilson and Louise Rennison.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Charm and Strange - Stephanie Kuehn

GENRE: Contemporary/Issues
PAGES: 272

PUBLISHER: Electric Monkey

FORMAT: PB

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 5 Stars

This book refers to an uncorrected advanced edition.

SUMMARY

No one really knows who Andrew Winston Winters is. Least of all himself. He is part Win, a lonely teenager exiled to a remote boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts the whole world out, no matter the cost, because his darkest fear is of himself ...of the wolfish predator within. But he's also part Drew, the angry boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who, one fateful summer, was part of something so terrible it came close to destroying him. A deftly woven, elegant, unnerving psychological thriller about a boy at war with himself. Charm and Strange is a masterful exploration of one of the greatest taboos.

REVIEW

Oh God. How do I even begin to describe something that I adore so much without giving away the truth of it? Charm and Strange is an incredible, powerful book that is just so compelling I was almost breathless when I finished it. It has a calm, sad feel and the world around me disappeared and I sank into the narrative.

Perhaps I should start by saying how I came to read this book.

A proof of this had been sitting on the shelf at work. No cover really, just blank and black with the title. I'm terrible when books don't have a cover, I almost like to prejudge a book and be proved wrong. I read the blurb and thought it sounded quirky and interesting. My initial thought was that it was a werewolf book, and certainly people on Goodreads have listed it as a paranormal book. Reflectively this really annoys me because they have either formally categorised it without reading it, or they have read it and didn't pay enough attention. However, I noticed it on display at work and chatted to a colleague about it, and became determined to give it a go. 

I genuinely don't want to give anything away about it and that makes it so difficult to review. It's so important to go into this blind to experience the full impact of it. It's like nothing I've ever read before. Charm and Strange is a narrative that unveils a boy's fragmented mental psyche and also the story behind it. It teases out facts through Win's interpretation of events and I was so desperate to know what had happened, what he had done or what had happened to him, that made him become quite so withdrawn. I had no idea, though. I wasn't prepared. There were so many hints and clues as to what had happened but when I finally realised it was like being punched in the chest. It's strange that something so devastating can also be compelling to read, but's its so interesting to read about the development of personality through trauma. I find the brains ability to cope, adapt and change to help us try to cope with situations infinitely interesting.

As a bookseller, it's a tough one for me. I'd be reluctant to recommend this to anyone too young because I think it could be a little frightening, and some of the things Win does can be quite funny if you don't understand the sadness behind it. I'm talking 17/18+. There are still elements of hope and Win is incredibly strong considering how much her has had to deal with on his own. Adults should find a lot to get to grips with, though. It's allegory is so clever (yet heartbreaking) that perhaps it needs a reader with a little more life experience to understand it in a way it deserves. 

Part of me doesn't want to tell people about this book. You know that feeling when you like an underground band that you think is amazing and then everyone loves them and it changes the way you feel about it? I never what that to happen. I know thats how a lot of John Green's long-term fans feel. I don't want someone to turn round and go, 'I don't get it'. Then I'd have to roll my eyes at them, call them a moron and not associate with them any longer. And that's a lot of effort. 

I suppose what I'm saying is read Charm and Strange if you're not a moron, if you're ready for a challenge, and if you're ready to have your heart broken. I'm in awe of it.

"The story that was too big for me to tell, the one that grew to fill the depths of my being and the far corners of my mind. It’s how I lost my system of meaning… but I haven’t lost everything."

- Bex. 

REVIEW: Fire and Flood - Victoria Scott

GENRE: Fantasy
PAGES: 384

PUBLISHER: Chicken House
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Tella's brother is dying. He's got cancer, and Tella is helpless to save him. Or so she thought. When an invitation arrives for Tella to compete in the Brimstone Bleed, a deadly competition that will lead her through treacherous jungle and scorching desert, she doesn't think twice. Because the prize is a cure to any illness. But Tella will be facing more than just the elements.

REVIEW

I was so surprised by this book, the blurb makes it sound a bit Hunger Games-ish, but it is SO MUCH BETTER than that! It has a fantastic and unique twist that makes the plot unlike any other YA book I've read. Tella is a brilliant character; she's brave, feisty, determined but above all she feels "real". Coming from the present world, not a dystopian world, makes it much easier to relate to her as she strives to reach the end of the trials. I laughed out loud lots of times, and I also sobbed my eyes out at least twice! I can't wait for book 2.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Thirteen - Tom Hoyle

GENRE: Alternative History
PAGES: 336

PUBLISHER: Macmillan Children's Books
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Born at midnight in London, on the stroke of the new millennium, Adam is the target of a cult that believes boys born on this date must die before the end of their thirteenth year. Twelve boys have been killed so far. Coron, the crazy cult leader, will stop at nothing to bring in his new kingdom. And now he is planning a bombing spectacular across London to celebrate the sacrifice of his final victim: Adam.

REVIEW

An action-packed and exciting novel that ramps up the tension with each chapter. Adam is a great character - despite being thrust into an incredibly dangerous and strange scenario, he was brave and determined to protect those around him and to survive. Coron was a fantastic villain; it was scary believable as there really are people that are that warped and believe in their delusions. 

It was impressive for a début novel, the only thing that let it down ever so slightly was that the end sequence was a bit too short - it felt like it had been built up so much that it could've used a bit of extra time. But overall I was very impressed and I'd definitely read more by this author.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Banished - Liz De Jager

GENRE: Supernatural
PAGES: 304

PUBLISHER: Atlantic Books

FORMAT: Paperback

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Kit is proud to be a Blackhart, now she's living with her unorthodox cousins and sharing their strange lives. Especially since their home-schooling includes spells, fighting enemy fae and using ancient weapons. But it's not until she rescues a rather handsome fae prince, fighting for his life on the edge of Blackhart Manor, that her training really kicks in. With her family away on various missions, Kit must protect Prince Thorn, rely on new friends and use her own unfamiliar magic to stay ahead of Thorn's enemies. As things go from bad to apocalyptic, fae battle fae in a war that threatens to spill into the human world. Then Kit pits herself against the Elder Gods themselves - it's that or lose everyone she's learnt to love.

REVIEW

WOW! I loved this book so much!

Kit was a fantastic character; fesity, funny and very loyal and determined to protect Prince Thorn. I was captivated from the outset, the plot drew me in instantly and it was a brilliant fantasy novel. There is a quote in the book, "Everything you can imagine is real" and this is the perfect summary for this book; every kind of thing you could possibly want in a fantasy novel is done to perfection. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but all I will say is that I was really excited reading this book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the 2nd book! Now please!!!

- Gem

REVIEW: Wake - Amanda Hocking

GENRE: Supernatural
PAGES: 356

PUBLISHER: Tor
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 3.5 Stars

This review refers to an uncorrected advance edition.

SUMMARY

Beautiful. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Thea, and Lexi have caught everyone's attention, including the eye of practical Harper. But it's her sister, Gemma, they've chosen to be part of their group. Sixteen-year-old Gemma seems to have it all - carefree, pretty, and falling in love with the boy next door. But her greatest passion has always been the water. She craves late night swims under the stars, where she can be alone yet belong to the sea. Lately she's had company. Penn, Thea, and Lexi spend their nights dancing, singing, and partying on the cove - and one night Gemma joins them. When she wakes up groggy on the beach the next morning, she knows something has changed. Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. As she uncovers the truth about her new mythical powers, Gemma is forced to choose between staying with those she loves or entering a dark world brimming with unimaginable secrets.

REVIEW

I love Amanda Hocking's writing, it immediately draws me in and I suddenly realise I've only got 50 pages left of the book as I've become so absorbed in the story.

Although it's pretty obvious what is going on straight away, the plot is intriguing and the characters are interesting. Gemma becomes tangled up with a new clique, her sister, Harper, is not happy about this and slowly but surely the new clique's hold over Gemma becomes more and more.

It reminded me of the film The Lost Boys - but instead of male vampires it's female mermaids! What's not to love! 

If you want an easy to read, enjoyable novel that's not the same as all the mainstream YA books out there, this is definitely the book for you. And if you haven't read the Trylle Trilogy, read that too!

- Gem.

REVIEW: Northern Lights - Philip Pullman

GENRE: Alternate/Fantasy/YA
PAGES: 448
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

"Without this child, we shall all die." Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world...

REVIEW

This is one of my all time favourite trilogies and I try and re-read the books once a year. I love everything about them, from the incredible world building and the ideas behind the parallel worlds, to the amazing cast of characters; some that I love, and some that I love to hate! Lyra is the ultimate heroine; she is just a normal girl, but at the same time it's her normalcy that makes her so special as she is trust into situations and worlds that are truly incredible. She fights for survival, she fights for justice and she fights for what she believes in and she won't let anything or anyone stand in her way. 

As the trilogy progresses the worlds and the story become darker and the danger becomes ever more present, but as this happens, the level of interest in the story intensifies beyond belief. I feel sad that some people base their perceptions of this trilogy on the golden compass film because it did not do justice to how incredible this story is. 

This is the kind of trilogy that you really just need to read for yourself because once you have read it all the way through you will be so astonished by how complex and amazing it is that you will want all your friends to read it and you will want to read it over and over again! 

A fantastic and spellbinding series that deserves to be read for many years to come.

- Gem.