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REVIEW: Seed by Lisa Heathfield

Posted on 29 April, 2015

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I haven’t read a book in a long time that has completely blown me away and given me an “OMG!” moment. Seed completely changed that, however. It was AMAZING!

Pearl has always lived in Seed, a community that worships Nature. When a new boy and his family are welcomed into Seed, Pearl starts to notice the cracks in her seeminly perfect world. Why doesn’t she know who her mother is? Why aren’t they allowed medical care? Seed is a crazed cult, and Seed will never let her go.

Heathfield has created a dangerous but charming community with enigmatic Seed. I could feel myself sinking into Seed’s mindset whilst reading it and I could feel myself being pulled towards it. The worshipping of nature particularly appealed to me and so it was almost as if I was Pearl fighting to find out the truth behind a seemingly perfect world.

One part I specifically loved was the opening scene because it’s one of the only YA books I’ve read that talks about menstruation, which I think is important to be acknowledged because it barely is for something so major in a teenager’s life.

Whilst Pearl could be frustrating at points, I completely understood why. It was fascinating to see her internal struggle between wanting to love Seed and knowing that it was corrupt.

The ending had me reeling! It was SUCH a shock! You’ll know exactly what I’m talking about if you’ve read it; I still haven’t quite recovered from it!

I was so happy to have loved one of my most anticipated UKYA reads of 2015 so much and I can’t wait to read the next installment in 2016. Phenomenal!

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 UKYA Uncategorized

MINI REVIEW: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Posted on 6 September, 2013

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I thought Code Name Verity was hard-hitting, but Rose Under Fire was painful in comparison. The companion novel to the award-winning success of Code Name Verity was just as good and maybe even more emotional.

Set in part in the brutal concentration camp of Ravensbrück, Rose Under Fire follows the life of American pilot and recreational poet Rose Justice.

I really liked Rose and found her story a very sad one indeed. The one problem I did have with her was that she wasn’t as easy to connect to and invest in as the main characters of Code Name Verity and I think this was because we got to see a lot of their history and background.

The treatment that Rose received whilst in Ravensbrück was appalling and we only got to see her side of things. To think of the things that other people had to face is just awful to think about. The rabbits, especially. It made me feel sick to think of the things that they’d been through.

Rose Under Fire was written beautifully. I cannot fault Wein’s ability to draw me in and make me unable to put her books down. This was glued to my hand and I longed to be reading it when I wasn’t.

I can’t wait to see what’s next from Wein because this really was a treasure to read. Highly recommended!

Side note: Only a mini review today because I’ve already posted two reviews this week and I went back to school yesterday. Thank you!