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contemporary

Book Review

The End of an Era | The Princess Diaries: Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot

Posted on 19 October, 2015

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I can’t believe I got to read this book. When I finished reading The Princess Diaries series OVER THREE YEARS AGO, I never imagined I’d be reading about Adult Mia’s life. It was all my dreams come true when I found out there would be a new Princess Diaries book!!!

The Princess Diaries series was the first YA book series I ever read, so they mean a lot to me and they’re a favourite of mine. The latest instalment, Royal Wedding, was equally as amazing as the rest and, after finishing, I was left screaming, “MORE!” I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to let Mia go.

We all know the likes of Cinderella, Elsa and Snow White, but they do not compare in any way to Mia. I loved seeing her all grown up and, although she hasn’t changed since her teenage years, she has matured in a way that is recognisable to diehard Princess Diaries fans.

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I think one of the things that makes me laugh most in the books is the mentions of the films of Mia’s life. We all know the actual Princess Diaries adaptations weren’t exactly faithful to the books (I will never get over Nice Grandmere, however much I love Julie Andrews), so for Meg Cabot to mention them in the books is hilarious.

I feel as if Mia and Michael are my children who just happen to be older than me. That’s not weird, is it? I’ve grown up with them and they are the epitome of RELATIONSHIP GOALS. I just want to smoosh them and hug them.

Royal Wedding was so perfect and I can’t stop reading it over and over again. If you’ve read it, please rave with me about how good it is. I need a Royal Wedding support group.

Have you read Royal Wedding? Did you love it just as much as I did?

Book Review

REVIEW: Love Hurts, edited by Malorie Blackman

Posted on 9 February, 2015

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Recently I’ve loved reading anthologies, such as My True Love Gave To Me, edited by Stephanie Perkins, so when I came across Love Hurts I knew I wanted to read it.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. Here are just a few reasons why:

The majority of the book was made up of extracts from already existing books, and not new short stories.

I had read lots of the books already so there was no need to read the extracts for many of them, and I also had no interest in reading the extracts of the other books. So, really, I found the majority of the book seemed pretty useless to me.

The short stories didn’t stand out.

There was nothing about the short stories that made me want to read them. I couldn’t connect with them at all, and I was left feeling frustrated by the end. They felt so forced and there was no way to connect with them with only a few pages for it to reach its potential.

However, I do think Love Hurts will appeal to readers who are new to contemporary YA and want to explore the genre further. I’m also a big fan of many of the authors’ books, so my review does not mean any harm to them. It just wasn’t my thing, and so I was left feeling dissatisfied with it.

Book Review UKYA

REVIEW: The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Posted on 12 January, 2015

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The buzz around the release of The Art of Being Normal has been crazy! So many of my trusted friends and fellow reviewers have loved it so the pressure was on when I chose to read it myself.

Williamson has created a novel I wish had been written years ago. It’s incredibly brave – I don’t think there’s anything too similar to it published at the moment – and it stands out because of its themes and content. However, I’m sad because I wish there were more books just like The Art of Being Normal. I’m going to make it my mission to seek them out! I hope it leads the way to similar books being published.

David has one wish: he wants to be a girl. It’s something that only his two best friends know. As he starts a new school year, Leo Denton starts in year eleven, a boy shrouded in mystery. He is determined to be invisible. The school year plays out and the two boys find out that things at Eden Park School don’t stay secret for long.

I really loved both protagonists and especially how distinguishable they were. Each stood out on their own but also interacted well together, which is what I love in a multiple perspective novel.

David was such a loveable character. Being the same age, I thought I could relate to him a lot and really sympathise with his situation. I wish he were my friend!

Leo’s character development was amazing to read. It was almost as if it was unfolding in real time and I loved seeing him grow and change. Authors take note – this was a perfect character arc!

Please, please, please read The Art of Being Normal! I want to scream from the rooftops about it, and I know I’m not the only one!

Book Review UKYA

Me and Mr J by Rachel McIntyre

Posted on 9 January, 2015

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I was so excited when I received a copy of Me and Mr J to review because I’ve loved the sound of it since it first came to my attention a few months ago.

A theme I see a lot in YA is privileged characters that come from a rich background and get whatever they want. I was pleased to read in Me and Mr J that McIntyre has decided to push this trope away and Lara, the protagonist, and her family aren’t in the most ideal financial situation. It was very refreshing to read!

The main plot point in Me and Mr J is the student-teacher relationship. It was important to me that this felt realistic because I’m in school myself and I believed it was only possible to have a certain degree of believability. I was pleasantly surprised that I became very invested in the relationship.

A major theme in the novel is bullying. Lara’s mistreatment from her peers was heart-wrenching and I just wanted to reach inside the novel and give her a hug. Whilst I wouldn’t actively seek out a book about bullying myself, I do think this is an element that will appeal to many young people. It was also good to read an original novel about bullying – many of them blur into one for me!

Written in diary extracts, Me and Mr J was a quick and easy read that got me thinking and I found it very engaging. I can see it being read by many because it’s easy to relate to whether you’re a teenager or an adult.

I enjoyed Me and Mr J and am looking forward to reading more from Rachel McIntyre in the future.

Book Review

REVIEW: Vendetta by Catherine Doyle

Posted on 2 December, 2014

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You know that feeling when you read an amazing book and you have to re-evaluate everything you once thought about life? Vendetta was that book for me. It completely destroyed me.

Vendetta is the version of Romeo and Juliet you wish Shakespeare had written. In one sentence, it’s Shakespeare meets the Mafia – dramatic, spellbinding and phenomenal.

I’ve been wanting to read Doyle’s debut novel for what feels like forever, so I had to start it immediately as soon as a copy dropped through my letterbox (after loudly jumping around, screaming, “I HAVE CAT’S BOOK! CAT HAS WRITTEN A BOOK!”). No matter how much you know about Vendetta beforehand, nothing will prepare you for what’s actually inside. It’s a book you can speed through in a day because it’s impossible to put down. Bit of an issue when you’re trying to be productive!

The protagonist, Sophie, is such a realistic voice who I instantly warmed to. It was easy to feel as if you were in her position, which made the narrative so much more awesome. I’m not usually a massive fan of first person, but it worked so well.

Vendetta has a romance that is unlike anything I’ve seen in another novel. Each of the five boys in the book are incredibly swoony and so well written. They’re basically a huge selling point just on their own.

It’s not often that I feel like crying because of the awesomeness of a book. In fact, I can’t remember a time it’s happened before, but Catherine Doyle changed all of that for me. I became so emotionally attached to the story that I couldn’t bear to finish reading it. I cannot wait to read the next book!

READ VENDETTA AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN! I guarantee you’ll love it!

Book Review

REVIEW: Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

Posted on 21 November, 2014

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I was reluctant to read Belzhar at first because I’d read very mixed reviews. However, I decided to finally read it on a whim, and I’m very glad I did!

Jam Gallahue has been sent to a school far away from her family in the hope to recover from a devastating disaster: her boyfriend dying. The Wooden Barn is a school for people just like her, so when she’s put into a special and exclusive English class called Special Topics, she doesn’t think much of it. It’s only when the class are given a special journal writing assignment that things start to change dramatically for her and her classmates.

At first glance, Belzhar is a contemporary novel dealing with the effects of grief and loss. It then takes a psychological turn that I loved because it added a whole new element to the book. I’m quite glad I didn’t pay too much attention to the synopsis!

I loved the closeness of the Special Topics group because it demonstrated that it’s possible to have a book that features strong friendships. Each character developed at a constant rate, each one seeming as familiar as the protagonist, Jam.

Jam herself was a good character, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to read about her further. I liked her for the duration of the novel, but I doubt that she’ll be memorable enough to think about again in the future. Her story has ended satisfactorily and so I’m content with leaving her as we left her at the ending.

A note for all you future readers of Belzhar: The title may not make sense right now, but it will do once you get deeper into the novel. I love the feeling of when a book title finally falls into place – it’s very magical!

I feel as if I should fully explain why I chose to rate Belzhar five stars because it definitely wasn’t a perfect book. Whilst Belzhar did exceed my expectations, it was the literary techniques used and shock ending that sealed the five star fate. I love books that break out of the regular mould, and Belzhar definitely did that.

It also deals with mental health in an approachable and understanding way; it was very easy to relate to.

I enjoyed Belzhar, especially its originality and ability to amaze. I would recommend it to people looking for something a bit different to read!

Book Review

REVIEW: I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Posted on 14 November, 2014

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I’ve only ever read one other novel by Forman before – Just One Day – and I really enjoyed that. I didn’t have any expectations going into I Was Here because it sounded a lot grittier than your typical contemporary, so I was very pleasantly surprised.

Following the suicide of her best friend, Meg, Cody realises that something is a little bit suspicious. Meg never showed any outward signs that she was unhappy, but Cody feels guilty for not being there for her friend. Starting to investigate, she realises there was a side to Meg that she knew nothing about.

Forman has written an interesting and gripping start, with a distinct character voice. It felt as if I was Cody and experiencing the events through her eyes but with enough detachment to make it an intimate but comfortable reading experience.

Cody was such a whole character. By that I mean that we got to see every side of her. Her doubt at times was brilliant to see because it’s not often that we get to see such a mentality in characters.

I Was Here isn’t your conventional suicide contemporary novel and that was so, so refreshing. It also didn’t feel as if it was a book just there to fulfil a trend – it was completely genuine.

The romance was everything I look for in a brilliant contemporary book. It was slow burning and realistic. I can tell a good romance when I feel like I’m rooting for the characters and that is exactly what happened.

I really enjoyed I Was Here and will be seeking out more of Forman’s books that I haven’t yet read very soon. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good, mysterious contemporary novel that can be read very quickly. It kept me on the edge of my seat and was unputdownable!

Book Review UKYA

REVIEW: Code Red Lipstick by Sarah Sky

Posted on 13 October, 2014

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Distinctive and original, Code Red Lipstick is the outstanding debut novel of a future UKYA star. Sky is the UK equivalent of Ally Carter, with Code Red Lipstick exceeding the Gallagher Girls books in many ways.

Jessica Cole’s father is a former spy, having to turn into a private detective after developing MS. When he disappears, MI6 refuse to let Jessica help, so she takes matters into her own hands. On her own in Paris, Jessica’s investigation leads her to find out about Allegra Knight, former supermodel with a lethal side. Her new product, Teenosity, means the start of a nightmare for teens all over the world.

Code Red Lipstick proves that you can have a kickass female protagonist with female features. Jessica is a model, has awesome makeup-disguised weapons, and is also extremely easy to like at the same time. Jessica is the type of person you can see as a friend, although one that will most often know more about you than you know about yourself.

Set in Paris, it was obvious that I was going to enjoy it because I love everything to do with France. I was pleased to see there weren’t any cliché French stereotypes so we see the city through the eyes of an English person spending time there. Most definitely not a tourist perspective, though…

I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, which is out in early 2015. Code Red Lipstick was everything I wished for and more.