The Sunday Lunch Club is the story of the Piper family who meet on a semi regular basis to have Sunday LunI thoroughly enjoyed The Sunday Lunch Club.
The Sunday Lunch Club is the story of the Piper family who meet on a semi regular basis to have Sunday Lunches. From the first page I knew I was going to love their lunches and I wasn't wrong. The family is a quirky mix of siblings along with their grandmother, their children and a variety of friends invited along. I loved each and everyone of the characters. I loved seeing their stories unfold and the joy of a new chapter and therefore new lunch where I could catch up with the family and really feel like I was sat amongst them at the table catching on on the recent gossip.
On the face of it this story felt like it was going to just be a light and fluffy read. Don't get me wrong I love that kind of story but I also loved that it went that bit deeper dealing with issues which really tugged at the heart strings.
In short I loved it. I cannot wait to read Juliet's next novel....more
Clean is a brilliant YA read and a perfect example of how YA fiction can be used to tackle more mature ideas in a thoughtful way to make a real impactClean is a brilliant YA read and a perfect example of how YA fiction can be used to tackle more mature ideas in a thoughtful way to make a real impact on its reader.
Clean does not hold back. It tackles a broad range of issues including drug addiction, gender identity, eating disorders, mental health and toxic relationships. For me this was the real strength of the novel showing the reader an incredibly realistic account of how deeply such issues can affect those dealing with them.
Clean focuses primarily on the story of Lexi. Lexi is an incredibly interesting character. She's super rich and completely spoilt and makes the most benefits her privileged lifestyle brings her. Initially she's one of those characters which you might think you are going to hate meeting her for the first time as she's being carted off to rehab for her drug addiction. However over the course of the book I found myself really getting behind her as I started to understand the real pain she was going through and struggles she had to overcome particularly in regards to the toxic relationships she had been in.
One thing this book does particularly well is trans representation. There is a trans character called Kendall. Kendall is a brilliant character in herself. I always found her contributions to scenes to be sharp and witty. The portrayal of her struggles with her eating disorder are put across in a thoughtful way. However why I particular loved Kendall is just because she's there. She's there and the fact she is there isn't a big deal. She interacts with Lexi in such a normal way and Lexi in return just accepts her for who she is. There's also an almost throw away comment of a line which mentions a young trans male whom Lexi had previously interacted with at school. I've found many novels with trans characters where the story is so focused on their coming out and / or transition. While of course these novels are important, we need more representation like those in Clean showing normal young trans men and women just going about their lives. This is especially important in a time when the trans community are represented so unfairly and unkindly by certain media outlets and the bigots who buy their rubbish papers or watch their awful TV programmes and think they have the right to spew venom under the guise of free speech. Hopefully with more portrayals like those in Clean in books, films and TV programmes things will start to change even if that change doesn't come about as quickly as we'd like.
In short I loved Clean. It's addictive reading which had me hooked from the outset. Juno Dawson's best work to date. ...more
I've hated books featuring circuses since I was small and it's putting me off this even though I know it'll be beautifully written. Might come back toI've hated books featuring circuses since I was small and it's putting me off this even though I know it'll be beautifully written. Might come back to it...more
I thought this book was really awesome. It is a perfect example of what I want from good a UKYA novel
I loved the characters because they felt so real.I thought this book was really awesome. It is a perfect example of what I want from good a UKYA novel
I loved the characters because they felt so real. Their story made me feel like a teenager again in the way it just captured that essence of being young and confused and angry. I thought how it did pain grief and suffering was really poignant.
I loved how the story kept me guessing throughout as you start to work out both what happened in the recent past but also where it is that Eden might be. It was effortless to read. This is a good thing. I hate novels that feel like a real slog to get through. I want my books to be a pleasure to read. This book was an utter pleasure as the writing flowed beautifully meaning I zoomed through in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.
All in all a perfect example of the brilliance of UKYA. I'll be very impatiently waiting for Liz's next book....more
The Last Summer of Us is a brilliant contemporary read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the summery feel of the story. I loved seeing the friendshiThe Last Summer of Us is a brilliant contemporary read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the summery feel of the story. I loved seeing the friendship between the three and the bittersweet feeling I got as I read it as you knew that this part of the three main characters lives was about to end.
I loved the story of the three friends as they embark on a road trip in a rusty old banger to give each of them time away from their different problems and to spend their last summer together. I really enjoyed seeing how their trip brought to the surface all the different things they had been worrying about underneath it all and gave them an opportunity to address all those things they had been ignoring.
I loved all the characters and the way they interacted together. It was really nice to see a really strong friendship between the three and look at the way in which they relied on each other and then considering the impact it would have once the summer was over. For me I really enjoyed getting under Limpet's skin over the course of the trip. She is at a stage in her life where is really struggling. She is coming to terms with her mother's death and dealing with all the gossip surrounding it. Add to this the fact that her father is also a mess and one of her best friends is about to leave and she is in a real state. Over the course of the story and the trip as her story comes out it is really telling about how much she has dealt with.
Special mention has to go to the fact I loved that this was UKYA not set in England. I loved that the story was set in Wales and seeing the feel that then have to the story.
All in all a perfect road trip story which is full of heart. Highly recommended. ...more
So cute. Challenges stereotypes about how women decide to dress. Truly diverse cast of characters. Really eye opening insight into the life of muslim So cute. Challenges stereotypes about how women decide to dress. Truly diverse cast of characters. Really eye opening insight into the life of muslim teens in Britain. Really well done and fabulous. ...more
Just awesome. A stunning debut which was really thoughtful and a perfect read for me. So fabulously well done making you fall for the characters and tJust awesome. A stunning debut which was really thoughtful and a perfect read for me. So fabulously well done making you fall for the characters and their stories entirely. I needed to know what was going to happen next and couldn't put it down as I needed to know what was going to happen next. ...more
I can't remember book one well enough to enjoy this. Need to come back toI can't remember book one well enough to enjoy this. Need to come back to...more
Trouble on cable street was a really interesting read for me.
The story is set in the backdrop of 1930s London in the east end. The history geek in meTrouble on cable street was a really interesting read for me.
The story is set in the backdrop of 1930s London in the east end. The history geek in me loved several things about it. Firstly I loved seeing the social history seen through the book. You really get a feel for the divide between the rich and poor and how most families lived on that poverty line to the point where they struggled to pay for the basics like food and medical care. I loved the detail any how you get that feel for how life was like for people at the time. The book also looks at the politics at the time. In the years before the Second World War Fascism was building a huge following across Europe. Most people know about Hitler and Mussolini and might have a vague idea about the Spanish Civil War happening but I've struggled to find anything in historical fiction aimed at children which references the British Fascists led by Oswald Moseley. This book focuses on the impact they had and the way they started to gain a following in the east end, the following they had and the policies they wanted to introduce to the UK which mirrored those of Nazi Germany.
I also loved this book because it had a young female led who was easy to relate to and a fabulous role model to the intended audience. I loved how she knew her own mind and was happy to stand on her own two feet and speak out against the things she thinks are wrong with the world.
A fantastic read which I enjoyed and a perfect example of how I think historical fiction should be done. It is engaging, fast paced and historically accurate doing justice to the times and people involved. Definitely a book I shall be pushing into the hands of my students whilst studying modern history. ...more
Weirdos and Bumskulls has been on my wishlist since I finished the first book in the series and as soon as I was offered it for review I read it as quWeirdos and Bumskulls has been on my wishlist since I finished the first book in the series and as soon as I was offered it for review I read it as quickly as possible. This is saying something because I am rubbish at reading past the first book in a series of late. I am so pleased to report that weirdos vs Bumskulls was just as good if not better than weirdos vs quimboids and I cannot wait for its publication so I can recommend far and wide.
The are several things I loved about this book. Firstly it is so so so funny. The situations Blossom finds herself in time after time are just hysterical from her attempts to date a variety of gorgeous mancakes to the ways in which she has to deal with her nudist, free spirited parents and their embarrassingly open approach to their sex life. I spent much if my time reading this book either cringing along with Blossom or laughing at the various situations she has found herself in. I adore blossom as a character. I love that she is just a normal teenage girl. She is one of the weirdos that I would have been friends with at school. I love that she isn't one of those bitchy girls at the top of the social pecking order and I love that she has a real warmth to her as seen in her actions and the way she treats those around her.
All in all a fantastically funny laugh out loud read which you will not be able to put down. If you love Georgia Nicholson (or similar titles) you'll adore Blossom and this wonderful series of books. ...more
Close to the wind is a beautiful read which I thoroughly enjoyed and captivated by throughout.
Close to the wind is the story of Malik and his grandfaClose to the wind is a beautiful read which I thoroughly enjoyed and captivated by throughout.
Close to the wind is the story of Malik and his grandfather who are trying to flee their country, which has been takeover my the military, on a sailing ship. The only snag being they don't have tickets or the means to buy them. I enjoyed the story for a variety of reasons.
Firstly I was captivated by Malik and his Grandfather's story and their mission to escape their home in a country which has become a scary place. The methods and lengths they have to go to in order to survive are jaw dropping and you feel for them every step of the way. The story was told from Malik and seeing how things play out from his more innocent point of view is utterly heartbreaking. For me this book is about family and the lengths you go to keep those you hold dear safe.
All in all a beautiful and heartbreaking read which you will not be able to finish dry eyed. ...more
Put simply I adored this book. It is a perfect romantic YA read and I cannot recommend it enough.
For me this book did several things perfectly.
FirstPut simply I adored this book. It is a perfect romantic YA read and I cannot recommend it enough.
For me this book did several things perfectly.
Firstly the storyline was effortless to follow meaning I couldn't put it down. I have always been a fan of Keris's books so it isn't a huge surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed it because I love her writing style and characterisation. If you've not read any of her books I'd compare this book in particular to a Sarra Manning title but aimed at a slightly younger audience.
I adored how brilliantly diverse this book was in its characters but also how it wasn't done in a gimmicky way. I loved that not all the characters were white straight girls and actually therefore so much more representative of the diversity of modern Britain. This story in particular is about a teenage girl called Kitty who realises she is gay and explores her realising this and the blossoming romance with a girl she has just met. I loved just how normal it was. The story could have easily been the story between a girl and a boy in the feelings that were developed between them but I loved how actually the romance just happened to be between two girls. I adored Kitty and Dylan as a couple and seeing their relationship develop.
Special shoutout needs to also go to Kitty's family who were all just lovely from her liberal minded grandmother and to her gay older brother. I also loved loved loved that Kitty had the extra family pressures of her mother being ill. By that I mean that I loved how she went home and cooked dinner for her family because she was needed to step up to it because of the pressures the family unit were facing and it was just done in a matter of fact way. So many times in YA fictions parent's just don't exist or are there to purely facilitate their children's existence by means of providing food, housing, money. Again I loved the realistic normalcy of it all and the potential role model Kitty is to those kids out there who aren't waited on hand and foot by stay at home parents whose sole existence is to serve them.
Bravo to Keris and Catnip for this wonderful little book which is heartfelt and gorgeous throughout. I cannot wait for the rest of the series. ...more
I adored Girl with a White Dog and thought it was absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait for it to be released so I can buy several copies and give to evI adored Girl with a White Dog and thought it was absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait for it to be released so I can buy several copies and give to everyone I know.
Girl with a white dog does several things well for me. Firstly it discusses Nazism and the holocaust in a sensitive and thought provoking way. All too often I get angry with books which deal with issues such as Nazism as a gimmick to sell their book and make it more interesting rather than because they have a story to tell or something to say about the issues around it. This book is perfect in the way it handles it and that makes the history teacher in me very very pleased.
Next I loved the characterisation in this book. All the voices are so authentic and I loved how these kids sounded like the ones I teach. There's actually one quote about a history teacher that one of my students could have happily said themselves because it is spot on. Also I loved how the characters were diverse without being in the book for show. You have characters who are disabled and they are just there as they should be. Nothing makes me rage more than the token disabled / gay / non white characters thrown in and pointed out regularly for being a special little minority snowflake to show how 'with-it' an author is. This book treats people from a more diverse background just as they are and should be like everyone else in the book.
I loved that this book made contrasts between the past and current events making them relevant and current to young minds and encouraging children to think for themselves and see parallels between the two. It's so important for children growing up in a world fun of propagandised newspapers and scaremongering headlines from extreme political parties they they learn that they don't just have to accept what is in front of them and can fight to make the world a better place.
All in all I adored this book and cannot wait for more people to read and adore it too. ...more
Dead ends is one of those books that completely draws you in making you not want to put it down for even the briefest moment. I thoroughly enjoyed eveDead ends is one of those books that completely draws you in making you not want to put it down for even the briefest moment. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and utterly fell for the relationship that develops over the course of the book.
Dead end is the story of the unlikely friendship between Dane and Billy D. Dane is the local thug, at risk of permanent expulsion from school, and BIlly D is a teenager with Down's syndrome. I loved that this book had a main character with a disability and I loved how it challenged perceptions and quick judgements society makes of people who have such disabilities. We need more of this in YA fiction please.
I loved seeing how the friendship between Billy D and Dane develops over the course of the book. To start with Dane is having none of it and treats Billy D poorly but as Billy works his magic Dane softens to him and a strange friendship develops. I loved seeing how they interacted and they they learnt from one another. I particularly enjoyed seeing how Dane changed as a result of his friendship with Billy and how much he learnt from him. I also loved how Billy wasn't portrayed as a weak victim of a character which do easily could have happened had this book not been so thoughtfully and insightfully done.
All in all a fab story with a brilliant relationship at its heart which draws you in from the first page. Highly recommended. ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed Roomies mostly because I loved seeing a friendship develop via emails. The story is split narrative and tells the story of two giI thoroughly enjoyed Roomies mostly because I loved seeing a friendship develop via emails. The story is split narrative and tells the story of two girls who get in contact after they are assigned to be roommates for the coming academic year and follows their story in the led up to their first day at college.
I particularly liked seeing how their friendship develops over the course of the book when the only contact they have is via the back and forth of emails. I liked seeing how intense it could get even though they hadn't met and I loved how it changed the nature of how they were with each other and the misconceptions both had about the other.
Really easy to read as you just keep wanting to know more...more
Can't remember book one enough to get into it. Need to locate a copy or borrow one for a reread and come back to this. Can't remember book one enough to get into it. Need to locate a copy or borrow one for a reread and come back to this. ...more
I think Georgia Nicholson has met her match and her name is Blossom Uxley-Michaels!
I wanted to read Weirdos and Camel Toes from the first time I heardI think Georgia Nicholson has met her match and her name is Blossom Uxley-Michaels!
I wanted to read Weirdos and Camel Toes from the first time I heard about it and purely because of the name. As soon as I read the press release that came with it I was sold. Quite honestly this book is absolutely hilarious and kept me happily amused giggling like a loon for an entire afternoon while I raced through it in one greedy sitting as I found myself incapable of putting it down.
Blossom is a 15 year old weirdo. She sits on the very outside of the social circle at her school alongside her two best friends Petrina and Walter. As a result she spends her teenage days not being invited to parties, lusting over the hottest boy in school from afar and putting her with her completely mad hippie parents. However this is all about to change as Blossom is determined that things will be different this year starting by working on the school radio.
For me what made this book brilliant was Blossom's outlook on life. She has that fantastic combination of being a weird and awkward teenager along with the drive to want to change and become cool. However the way she goes about trying to achieve that state of coolness is done in a hilariously funny and very uncool way. What's more is the way she is written makes her so relatable to the point where I can see shades of my teenage self in her that I want to cringe along with her while she's off on her latest madcap adventure. I absolutely adored her embarrassment scale and seeing the whole variety of things that she encounters that she finds utterly mortifying on a daily basis. What I also loved about this book was the way in which the whole cast of secondary characters was quite diverse but they weren't included as a token gimmick but just there in a very normal way as they should and would be in a normal high school. It was a really nice comment on how tolerant and accepting I believe teenagers today are on the whole and I'm so glad that this is being reflected in YA books.
A brilliant read which make you laugh like a loon and keep you completely engrossed from the first page to the last....more