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Book Review UKYA Uncategorized

REVIEW: The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaimain & Chris Riddell

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I read The Sleeper and the Spindle one evening near Christmas and I became totally absorbed. For the half an hour or so I spent reading it, all of me was invested in the characters and plot as the story weaved on.

It’s hard to perfectly describe The Sleeper and the Spindle and do it justice at the same time. A darker version of Sleeping Beauty, it’s steeped in mythology and ancient tale.

The illustrations by Riddell are beautiful – black and white with gold highlights. The double page spreads were magnificent and I believe the illustrations added a side to the book that wouldn’t be picked up on otherwise.

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I loved how dark The Sleeper and the Spindle was! Gaiman has written a modern day Brothers Grimm that targets an older audience than younger fairy tales.

The Sleeper and the Spindle was everything I hoped for and more. A perfect wintery read!

Book Review UKYA

REVIEW: The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

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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

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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

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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 Uncategorized

REVIEW: My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins

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I was incredibly excited when a copy of My True Love Gave to Me popped through my door. Firstly because the cover that greets you is beautiful and secondly due to the amazing authors whose short stories are included.

Edited by Stephanie Perkins (author of Anna and the French Kiss), My True Love Gave to Me is a festive-themed anthology, featuring short stories written by authors such as Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor and David Levithan. Each story is uniquely tailored to the author’s individual style so whilst they may not be writing in their usual style, their original stamp is still evident.

The stories all fit well together and stood out on their own. I think there’s a distinct lack of Christmas novels, and what sets My True Love Gave to Me apart is that it is a combination of lots of different traditions and customs. I loved reading about each one because each story offered something different.IMG_0353

My favourite story by far was Stephanie Perkins’, which I will be reading over and over again. It touched my heart! Other notable favourites include Jenny Han’s, Kelly Link’s and Ally Carter’s.

I think, though, that the story that wowed me the most was the one written by Laini Taylor because it was so different to everything else in the anthology. Taylor created a whole new world in just under 50 pages, which is an incredible talented thing to be able to do. I want more and more of her story!

I have no doubt that many people will buy My True Love Gave to Me solely based on the design. It has a cover I could marry, a beautiful built-in bookmark, and the most gorgeous endpapers I’ve ever seen. Each chapter header also has a different graphic – a brilliant inclusion!

My True Love Gave to Me really got me in the holiday spirit, and I especially loved the sharing of different customs – pagan, Jewish and Christian, to name a few. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!

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Book Review

REVIEW: Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

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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

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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

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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.