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cammie mcgovern

Lucy Recommends… [7] – Diversity

Posted on 27 April, 2015

It’s time for another Lucy Recommends… today! I love writing these recommendation posts so much because it means I get to talk about lots of my favourite books.

Today I’m going to be recommending diverse fiction. They’re diverse for lots of different reasons and I would highly recommend all of them.

Crow Moon by Anna McKerrow

Crow Moon is one of my favourite books of 2015 so far and it’s the perfect diverse read. One particularly diverse element that stands out is the religious diversity in it because Crow Moon is a dystopia set in a pagan community. It was incredibly realistic and broke away from the typical stereotype of paganism. I loved it!

Amy & Matthew by Cammie McGovern

One of my favourite diverse reads, Amy & Matthew (also known as Say What You Will in the US) is about a girl with cerebral palsy and a boy with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I loved the juxtaposition between the physical and mental health condition and it also has a rather interesting twist at the end!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare always manages to create lots of amazing diverse characters in all of her books – racially, sexually and religiously. They all feel like your best friend!

The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell

When I read The Last Leaves Falling at the end of 2014, I knew it was something special. It follows the story of a Japanese boy called Sora who has a neurodegenerative disease and it discusses important issues such as assisted suicide and having dignity when dying, which are all very current issues.

Follow Me Down by Tanya Byrne

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Tanya talk about writing Follow Me Down and I think she writes diversely perfectly. A murder mystery novel set in Wiltshire, it’s about a Nigerian teenager called Adamma and is told in alternating timelines. I loved it!

What are your favourite diverse reads?

Book Review

REVIEW: Amy & Matthew by Cammie McGovern

Posted on 17 March, 2014

You know a novel is truly flawless when you feel as if it’s natural; the words flow into one and you are witnessing the events through the characters’ eyes without fault. That’s how I felt when reading Amy & Matthew.

One of the easiest ways to describe Amy & Matthew is to quote from the text itself: ‘there were many ways to be a freak. Amy had no choice, but other people did. If you worked hard and concentrated, you could hide your freakish thoughts.’ Amy has cerebral palsy, which limits her communication and movement. It’s her senior year and she decides she’s going to replace the aides who usually help her with students. Step in five peer helpers. Matthew has noticed Amy since they were young and so offers to help. The thing is, Matthew has his own problems to battle. For fans of Eleanor & Park and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Amy & Matthew will blow you away.

I think I fell in love with this novel from the first page. It was understanding and meaningful and it had me completely hooked. I can tell this book will touch a lot of people once released, just as it touched me. I was wary before I started reading it, I must admit. Books dealing with such subjects are becoming ever popular (and for good reason) but there is a certain atmosphere surrounding them that isn’t needed. As it’s only a recently emerging trend, it can always be worrying beforehand; you never really know what to expect. I didn’t need to be worried though, because I loved Amy & Matthew.

The thing I loved most about this book was it wasn’t your typical romance book. From the title you would expect it, but it’s really not. To call it a romance novel would be a dishonour because it’s so much more than that. It’s the blooming friendship between two people as they discover themselves at the same time and explore the changes of the world around them; it’s the differences between the two and how they bridge the gap. In two words: truly stunning.

I don’t want to talk too much about both Amy and Matthew because I think the brilliant thing about this book is discovering their personalities and hidden depths for yourself. I thought I knew who they both were but then things would happen and I had to reassess. It was such a refreshing way to read because you don’t often get that.

Simply, you should go out and buy Amy & Matthew straight away. It challenges preconceived notions and will blow you away.

Book Haul

Letterbox Love (24)

Posted on 15 February, 2014

Letterbox Love is a UK based feature where book bloggers showcase the books that they received that week, be they e-books, paperbacks, hardbacks or any other format. It is hosted by Lynsey from Narratively Speaking.

I haven’t posted a Letterbox Love in ages, so I thought I would post one today. These are all the books I’ve received since the start of February, and I’m so excited about all of them.

To Review:

Mutant City by Steve Feasey sounds so exciting and I don’t read much apocalyptic, futuristic fiction so I’m sure this will be a nice change. Thank you to Bloomsbury for the review copy! When The Rock Splits the Sky by Phillip Webb has me intrigued and I can’t wait to start it. It sounds so, so good! Thank you, Chicken House! Then we have Amy and Matthew by Cammie McGovern which sounds like a beautiful contemporary that I can fall in love with. Think Wonder and the like. Thank you, Macmillan! It has taken all my willpower to not start Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon immediately because it sounds like exactly my type of book. Thank you, Bloomsbury! Flirty Dancing by Jenny McLachlan has been compared to Geek Girl by Holly Smale which I loved so I’m very excited to read it. Thank you, Bloomsbury! I was hoping I would be sent a copy of Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott to review because I’ve heard amazing things about it; it sounds amazing! Thank you, Chicken House! I love Greek mythology and so Goddess by Laura Powell sounds like it will be right up my street. Thank you, Bloomsbury! And finally we have The Glass Bird Girl by Esme Kerr. I think this is slightly younger than YA so it will be nice to read something a bit different. Thank you, Chicken House!

Bought:

I bought The Lord of the Flies by William Goulding because I do want to start reading more classics (more on that soon!) and it has a very intriguing premise – a group of school boys stranded on an island. I can’t wait to read it. After enjoying Here Lies Bridget a few years ago, I decided I would try New Girl by Paige Harbison, which is based on Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Finally we have Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs. I’m a huge fan of the first book in the series and so I am very excited to read the sequel.

I was so pleased when my copy of This Star Won’t Go Out arrived in the post. It tells the life of Nerdfighter Esther Earl who died of thyroid cancer in 2010 through her diary entries, pictures and pieces written by those around her. It was such a beautiful book and I will be posting a review of it very soon, so keep an eye out!

When Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi dropped through my letterbox I was so excited and started it straight away. Let me tell you, I was not let down! I’ll be posting a review of it very soon!

I had to buy Dead Silent by Sharon Jones because it turns out my review of the first book, Dead Jealous, is featured in it! I’m quoted inside the cover and I squealed so much when I found out. I’ve never been quoted before and so it was a very momentous occasion.

Won:

I was so excited when I won a copy of Liz De Jager’s Banished. I’m currently reading it and really enjoying it. It’s been compared to City of Bones, but I think it’s better! It’s out at the end of the month so you all need to go out and buy it please, on my orders!

That is my massive haul! I’m rather lucky to get so many amazing books. Thank you to all the lovely publishers who sent me review copies.

What did you acquire this week? Have you read any of these books? Let me know below!