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Lucy Powrie

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Five Things Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Taught Me

Posted on 10 June, 2016

It’s May 2013, the day offers a burning heat and the air conditioning is on. I am out. I can picture it so clearly – the day I read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. The day I felt something shift; I would not come out of it the same person.

I’ve never read a book quite like Fangirl where I have felt like I could be a part of it. I’m sure that Rainbow Rowell somehow followed me about when she was writing Cath because I feel like I am her. It’s the book I turn to when things are a bit fuzzy in my head, when I want to lose myself in the fan fiction or escape for a little bit. It is my favourite book of all time.

Recently, needing that escape, I found it once again in Fangirl. It was my first full re-read since I read it that day in 2013 and a lot has happened since then – I’m no longer the 13 year old I was then. However, I did notice that I have learnt a lot from it, and I really wanted to share that today.

Here are the life lessons that Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell taught me:

1. Sometimes it is totally acceptable to have an Emergency Kanye Party

You know sometimes you feel so full of emotion that all you can do is dance it off? This is a good thing to do. Dancing, no matter how bad you are at it, will always make you feel better. The stupider the dance moves, the better you will feel afterwards. This is a fact.

2. You don’t have to go out and party to have a good time.

I am not, by any means, a party animal. Like Cath, you’re more likely to find me curled up with a book or writing than at a party and reading Fangirl made me realise that this is okay. Being introverted isn’t a problem and not everyone likes going out. Cath made me feel like I was less alone in this feeling!

3. “Are you rooting for me?”

Find someone that you are rooting for, that you want to succeed. And find someone that will root for you in return, whether that be a friend or a loved one.The people in Cath’s life support her and there’s the clear message in Fangirl that the people who don’t care, that won’t support you in return, aren’t the ones that matter.

4. Do what you love. Write what you love.

For Cath, it’s her fanfiction and she loves the world of Simon Snow, so she writes about it.

5. Some books will always stay with you – treasure them.

There are some books that I read and loved years ago, but have returned to after and not loved as much. Fangirl, though, will always stay with me and will always mean something to me. Likewise, for Cath, the books she loves are the fictional Simon Snow series and, even though she’s getting older and people find it weird that she loves them so much, they matter to her. You shouldn’t let other people get in the way of that.

Have you read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell? What did it teach you? Tell me your favourite thing about it in the comments below!

REVIEW: Nightwanderers by C.J. Flood

Posted on 3 June, 2016

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It has been three years since C.J. Flood’s award-winning debut novel, Infinite Sky, was released, which I described as “deep and heartfelt“. In Nightwanderers, Flood returns with her signature emotional read to deliver a book that is guaranteed to grip readers long after they’ve put it down.

Nightwanderers is a story of friendship and family, centred around the protagonist, Rosie, and her best friend Ti. Rosie and Ti have been best friends for years and are inseparable, but when Rosie betrays Ti, things start to change. What starts is a chain of events that will test not just their friendship, but their family ties too.

Perhaps the thing I loved most about Nightwanderers was the emphasis on friendship over romance. Whilst there are undertones of romance, the focus was mainly on Rosie’s relationship with Ti and the other friendships she builds over the course of the novel. Flood cleverly highlights the different dynamics that different groups of friends share, and uses this to further the strains put on Rosie and Ti’s friendship.

Usually in YA books, it can be typical to kill off parents, or to have them disappear altogether, but one of Nightwanderers’ strengths is how parent-child relationships are weaved into the narrative. They play a major role in the book and drive the story forward through their interactions; it was refreshing to read about and really made the book.

Flood builds on the beautiful, stand-out voice she created in Infinite Sky to create impact and an emotional connection that is very rarely achieved so thoroughly.

I am excited to see where Flood’s writing career takes her next and will be awaiting her next book with baited breath. Nightwanderers is a stunning UKYA novel that will capture the hearts of everyone who reads it, and I hope it paves the way for more friendship and family based novels.

Ideal for fans of…

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard – for how important friendship is.

Book In a Tweet:

Not all friendships are good for you, but sometimes you’re good for each other. Nightwanderers was a very magical read.

Have you read Nightwanderers by C.J. Flood? If so, let me know in the comments what you thought of it! If not, tell me about a character you’d love to be best friends with.

UKYA UKYA Book Club

UKYA Book Club Reveal and Announcement – June Titles

Posted on 1 June, 2016

I am very happy to finally be able to reveal the June titles for the UKYA Book Club, launching this month! The UKYA Book Club will run every month with two titles – one voted for by YOU, and the other chosen separately.

This month both titles were chosen on the UKYA Facebook page – you can join here to be able to vote for next month’s choice, and to join in with the bookish conversation.

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Milwood Hargrave

The Girl of Ink and Stars tells the story of Isabella, a young girl and mapmaker’s daughter who is forbidden to leave the island she lives on. When her friend goes missing, she offers to lead the search. Equipped with the maps that her father made, Isabella enters the Forgotten Territories to find a wasteland full of monsters and a legendary fire demon. Isabella discovers that her journey may lead her to unexpected places and to saving the island itself.

It’s had rave reviews so far, and was even chosen as the Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month for May. This is a title I am very excited to read!

The Next Together by Lauren James

Katherine and Matthew have a love that could last centuries… literally. Brought back again and again throughout the ages, they are destined to change history and also to fall in love. However, their love is also destined to end tragically. Set in the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle, as well as 2019 and 2039 England, Katherine and Matthew have no idea why they keep coming back, but they hope that the next together will be different…

The Next Together was one of my favourite books of 2015 and so I am extremely excited to re-read it again in June for the book club. It’s incredibly engaging and I fell in love with the characters immediately. It’s also perfect to read this month as a prequel novella, Another Together, is being released, so it gives you the opportunity to read both back to back.

You can follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #readukya, as well as joining in with conversation on the UKYA Facebook group. Everyone is welcome to join in – the more, the merrier!

There will also be activities running throughout the month on YouTube, this blog, and Twitter. Stay tuned for competitions, chats and more!

Will you be joining in with us in June? How excited are you to read both titles, and have you read either already?

Writing

The Pressures of Writing

Posted on 29 May, 2016

I’ve always loved writing. Words are like an extension of my own body and I turn to them through times good and bad. When I was around eight, I used to write stories based on the Sylvanian Families I used to collect and I loved nothing more than when I could spend lessons writing about imaginary worlds and flex my writing muscles. Now, I turn to poetry when I need to express myself and characters occupy my head, waiting to be brought to life on the page through magic metaphors and daring imagery.

Having the dream of making a living out of my writing, though, has come at a price. When I started my blog four years ago, I never thought I’d be able to get to know actual authors, or become a part of the YA community. Suddenly I got to know the ins and outs of writing a novel and become friends with people who wrote every day. And then the pressure set in.

It’s hard not to compare yourself to other people when they seem to be writing ALL THE WORDS or getting great book deals. I have a habit of crumpling at 2,000 words and giving up, and it’s hard to push through this and to not give up. I know that I’ll never reach my dream of publishing a book if I don’t finish that book, but sometimes that feeling can become so overwhelming that you feel as if you have to give up whilst you’re ahead.

It is, however, also possible to see a way out. I have to remind myself that I write for me and no one else. Writing poetry has helped immensely with this because I have no urges to share the poems that I write, no feeling that I need to share the stuff I’ve written to prove myself in some way. I know that some of my poetry is utter rubbish, but I also feel satisfied that at some point it helped me and allowed me to express myself. Poetry is my light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s hard not to succumb to the pressures of writing, but it’s also possible not to. I’m starting to believe in my writing and believe in myself. I can do this, and so can you.

Do you feel pressured to write a certain way or pressured to write amazingly? How do you try to overcome this? Share your advice!

Sunday Diary

EXAMS, EXAMS, EXAMS! | Sunday Diary

Posted on 22 May, 2016

Hello, lovely readers!

It seems like a long time since I sat down and wrote a blog post; things have been quite manic around here! I thought I’d catch you up on all that I’ve been up to in this post and hopefully fill you in.

What I’ve Been Up To

It’s exam season at the moment, so of course my brain is floating around in a world of revision and my hands are aching from writing constantly for hours. At the time of writing this, I have 13 exams left to go and have done 7 – I feel like I’m actually making a dent in them now! I can’t wait to finish, but I only have a month left now. I’m sure it will go quickly! Good luck to everyone else doing exams at the moment!

I also had my last day at school on Thursday. It’s crazy to think it’s all coming to an end, but it’s nice to be on study leave now and have more time to revise (and read. Did you think I wouldn’t take advantage of the extra reading time?)

One of my favourite things at the moment is ICE CREAM. I cannot get enough of it! How can you resist when it looks like this anyway..?

Best part of my weekend ?pic.twitter.com/sZVk2lIA8Y

— Lucy Powrie (@LucyTheReader) May 7, 2016

What I’ve Been Reading

Mainly, lots of revision guides. Being so all over the place with exams has meant that I’ve hit a tiny reading slump and am reading about fifty books at once, which is never helpful. However, there are a few books I’ve been enjoying:

Girl Up by Laura Bates, which is a great feminist read for teens. I’ll be doing a full review once I’ve finished it because I’ve loved it so much. Highly recommended from me!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – I’ve been meaning to read it for YEARS but picked it up on a whim last night and I am hooked. I’ll hopefully finish this over the summer!

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf – I have no idea when I’ll finish this, even though it’s very good and I’m liking it, but it’s not one of my priorities at the moment. It’s the kind of book that takes ages to read just one page and that isn’t helping with my reading slump at the moment!

How has your week been? Are you reading anything good at the moment? Let me know by leaving some love in the comments!

Blog Tour

5 Reasons to Read… The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Posted on 30 April, 2016

To celebrate the release of The Raven King, the final book in the Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater, I was asked to be a part of the blog tour, run by Scholastic. Of course, I jumped at the chance because I’m a MASSIVE fan of the books, so here are my five reasons to read the series!

1. The Characters Will Feel Like Your Best Friends

The whole series is driven by the characters and the roles they play in the plot. In fact, you could take the whole plot of the series away and still have amazing characters left behind, who don’t feel fictional but instead feel like you’ve known them your whole life.

I love Gansey to within an inch of my life, Ronan grew to become one of my favourite characters over the course of the series and I want to live in 300 Fox Way with Blue, Maura and the other members.

2. The Lyrical Words

I almost feel as if I could fall into each sentence and swim around in the world that Maggie has created. Each word feels calculated to either break or melt your heart and I felt so affected by all of it together that I took me so long to read The Raven King because I had to take my time to absorb everything.

It’s been a pleasure to see Maggie evolve as a writer throughout the series.

3. The Journey and Experience

I loved the series from the moment I read the first page of The Raven Boys and since then I’ve waited years to finish the series. I have fond memories of reading each of the books and that enhances the reading experience so much. It’s the best feeling in the world to revisit them and bring all of those memories back!

4. CARS (but mainly the passion)

Even though my knowledge of cars is zero, I love seeing Maggie’s passion for them come through in the series. Take out the cars, though, and there is still passion. The passion the characters have for finding Glendower, for each other, and the passion the readers have for the books. Which leads me nicely on to…

5. The Fandom

Even after you’ve finished reading the series, it isn’t over because the fandom is there to welcome you into its arms. I’ve loved scrolling through the tag on Tumblr since I finished The Raven King, relating to comments left by other people and seeing different thoughts on the events that happened. I love the community aspect, which I definitely didn’t expect when I started the series!

The Raven King is out now!

Have you read The Raven Cycle series? Share your love for it in the comments below!

Uncategorized

April in YA : Top Picks

Posted on 4 April, 2016

April is an exciting month for new book releases, with new titles by big author names, as well as debut authors too. Here are some of my top picks that I think everyone should read this month:

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Huntley Fitzpatrick is the author of My Life Next Door, which was published in the UK earlier this year, and What I Thought Was True is a contemporary companion novel to it. Huntley’s books are perfect to get you in the mood for summer, have great romances and are incredibly cute.

I love Huntley’s books, so What I Thought Was True is highly recommended from me. It has everything I look for in a great contemporary!

Love Song by Sophia Bennett

If you love listening to One Direction or 5 Seconds of Summer, you’ll love reading Love Song. It tells the story of a teenage girl called Nina who goes on tour with a band called The Point, as assistant to the lead singer’s fiancée. There’s the expected drama that comes along with looking after a diva, but it also offers friendship, self-discovery and adventure.

I read Love Song so quickly because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next and it’s definitely my favourite of Sophia Bennett’s books so far. Sophia Bennett is an incredibly talented UKYA writer who I love, so Love Song is a must-read recommendation from me!

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Emery Lord is another amazing contemporary writer, who also wrote Open Road Summer. When We Collided is her first novel to be published in the UK and it sounds like an emotional coming-of-age tale about mental health, as well as romance thrown in. Perfect!

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Alexandra Bracken is the author of the best-selling The Darkest Minds trilogy, and Passenger is her latest release post-publication of the final The Darkest Minds book. Passenger tells the story of a hunt through time; I love time travel novels so this sounds perfect for me. I can’t wait!

Chasing the Stars by Malorie Blackman

Described as an Othello retelling in outer space, Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman returns with Chasing the Stars this month, the first YA book published since her time as Children’s Laureate. Malorie is the Queen of YA so of course Chasing the Stars is going to be phenomenal.

The Art of Not Breathing by Sarah Alexander

The Art of Not Breathing is Sarah Alexander’s debut novel and has one of the most breath-taking covers I’ve seen all year. I think the description sums it up best:

“Since her twin brother, Eddie, drowned five years ago, sixteen-year-old Elsie Main has tried to make sense of what happened – one minute he was there, the next he was gone. Eddie’s body was never found and her parents and older brother refuse to talk about it. Fed up with school and disintegrating family relationships at home, Elsie escapes to her secret hiding place – an disused boathouse – where she can eat as many Mars bars as she wants and listen to the rain. There she meets seventeen-year-old Tay McKenzie – cool, mysterious and addicted to freediving. When Tay introduces Elsie to the underwater world, she wonders if the answers she seeks are at the bottom of the sea, and she’s determined to discover the truth about that tragic day.”

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven King is the conclusion to Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle series and is highly anticipated by readers all over the world. The characters feel like best friends and the plot is reaching a dramatic crescendo, so I know a lot of hearts will be broken to see it finish at the end of this month.

I’ve fallen head over heels in love with this and know I’ll be reading it as soon as I can get my hands on a copy. I do, however, know it will completely destroy me and I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself once I’ve finished it. Cry for a very long time, probably?

What books are you looking forward to reading this month? Are there any on my list that you’ve already read and loved?

Dear...

Dear February… | 2016

Posted on 10 March, 2016

Dear February,

You were a month of changes, decisions and growth. The promise of spring fills me with hope and I think I’ve begun to see your beauty for the first time, February. Usually you are a time for reflection and remembrance but your longer nights and lighter mornings have somehow captured my heart and the wind whispers sweet notes of the better things ahead. For spring is somehow better and you are in between, February; not quite winter but not yet ready for spring.

New life pops up, from tiny buds on trees to lambs leaping in fields filled with fresh grass and I watch as the cycle continues and we are only a tiny part of it. A minuscule grain of sand in an unfathomably vast Earth.

I have fallen in deep, deep love with reading again, with reading for pleasure and enjoyment. I know that when I read I can switch off the tiny voice in my head that frets and worries too much, and I can become somebody else; it’s an adventure from the comfort of my own chair.

You have reminded me this month, February, not to take things for granted. Life is a cycle and I have seen both sides of it this month. It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone, even if they are only a beloved pet, but it does make it easier to know that life is continuing and will continue. It has put a smile on my face that remains even when you can’t quite see it, but I know it’s there. It makes me feel untouchable.

There is always a way to escape the labyrinth, February, and you have reminded me that we only have to find the right path. It may take time, but eventually you will get there.

I think I’m beginning to love you, February. Thank you.

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