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trouble

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Cover Lovin’

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but sometimes I can’t help it. In the past few years, cover design has improved so much and there are always gorgeous new books being released. Here are a few of my favourites!

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When you take off the dust jacket of The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, revealed is this gorgeous illustration by Chris Riddell. I’m a huge fan of the illustrations in the book, and the dust jacket of this hardback is even translucent so you can see the illustration through it.

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adore the post-it notes on All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. Whilst I haven’t read it yet, I’m really looking forward to because it has been a major 2015 release. The cover stands out so nicely on my bookcase and is so bright! I love this shade of blue on covers.

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All of Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle books have amazing covers and I particularly love Blue Lily, Lily Blue. It’s as if you can see each layer and I think you could put it in a frame and hang it on your wall – it’s that appealing!

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Trouble by Non Pratt has perhaps the best cover on a YA novel EVER. Yes, that really is an egg being fertilised on the front. Being about teenage pregnancy, I love how you instantly know what the book will be about, and it’s admirable because it breaks down unnecessary barriers that should have been broken down a long time ago.

What are your favourite covers?

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My Favourite Books of 2014

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Whilst I definitely didn’t read as much as I usually do in 2014, there were many amazing books that I did read. This year has felt like one massive reading slump, but each of the books featured on this list captured my heart and I’ve been recommending them non-stop since reading them.

Vendetta by Catherine Doyle

Out on 1st January, this is the most recent edition to my list. Vendetta is Catherine Doyle’s debut novel and I’ve read many books by well-established authors that I didn’t love half as much as I loved Vendetta! It’s thrilling and adventurous – I couldn’t put it down!

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I love all of Rainbow Rowell’s books so I couldn’t miss Landline out of my list! I read it at a very special time and all of Rainbow Rowell’s books are like a big, warm hug. It’s hard not to fall in love with every word!

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

I am OBSESSED with this series! I’ve started to watch the TV series, but I much prefer the books. I’ve now read the second and third books, which I loved even more. Incredible!

Have a Little Faith by Candy Harper

Candy Harper never fails to make me laugh. I read the two Faith books earlier in the year and I love them! They’re the funniest books I’ve read in a long time and so easy to read. I’d recommend them to anyone!

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Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton

Wow! This book amazed me when I read it – it has LGBT, feminism and diverse characters. I fell head over heels in love with it!

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

I don’t think I’ve spoken about The Virgin Suicides on the blog yet, but I have a few times on my YouTube channel. Whilst it’s primarily targeted at adults, I think this book has a huge crossover appeal and I’d love to see more teenagers reading it. It’s a haunting read that will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished it.

Winger by Andrew Smith 

Winger is a truly original novel that portrays teenage life and experience perfectly. It even has cartoon images that I adored when reading it! READ IT, READ IT, READ IT.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Although this book is hated by many, I was one of the people who loved it. Even though it was written over 60 years ago, it’s still very current a bookish rite of passage! Definitely worth reading at least once during your lifetime.

Trouble by Non Pratt

Trouble is a brilliant book all about teenage pregnancy! Non isn’t afraid to tackle subjects that many authors shy away from and I can’t wait to read more from her in 2015!

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

And now for my favourite book of the year… Solitaire! My review of Solitaire is the easiest review I’ve ever written and I will not rest until I get everyone to read it. It’s phenomenal and I haven’t seen a bad review for it in the five or so months since its release.

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Book Review UKYA

REVIEW: Trouble by Non Pratt

Trouble was my most anticipated novel of 2014 and so I was very excited when I was gifted a copy from the lovely Debbie at Snuggling on the Sofa. It feels as if I’ve been waiting for this book my entire YA-reading life. I cannot praise it highly enough.

Hannah is 15 and pregnant. Teenage years are hard anyway, so add a bump into the equation, and you have Trouble. The thing is, though, Hannah’s baby is fatherless. So when new boy, Aaron, steps forward for the role and offers to become a stand-in father, it’s unclear if he has ulterior motives or is just trying to be a good person.

Told in alternating perspectives, we get to know both of our protagonists, Hannah and Aaron, very well throughout and the thing that struck me the most about their similarities is that they’re both going through tough times. This leads for a very exciting read; with so many twists and turns it’ll give you whiplash. I’m usually a very good girl and get my beauty sleep, but Trouble kept me up reading until late (shhh…Don’t tell my mum!) because I couldn’t bear to put it down; I was hooked!

Hannah’s pregnancy was dealt with in a very good manner and it was easy to sympathise with her. Pratt has realistically portrayed her as a spirited British teenager, and conveyed her feelings to pregnancy and life so well. It was so good to get to know Hannah within the pages.

Aaron was such a complex character and so interesting. Because of the depth to his character, I enjoyed reading the chapters written from his perspective and it offered a nice contrast between Hannah’s character and his because they were quite different in many ways. He was so kind and caring towards Hannah and truly devoted.

I can’ t finish my review without talking about the authenticity of both Hannah and Aaron’s teenage voices. It makes me smile to think about it because it makes me want to shout from the rooftops about UKYA fiction. You all know how much I love it, anyway, and I think Trouble is right up there with all of the award-winning UKYA. It’s captured teen life so, so well, and I think this is a major selling point for those teens who don’t read as much as others: it’s so relatable they’ll fall straight into the story.

I don’t think I’ve read a book quite like Trouble before, so I’ll definitely be seeking more out now. It came at a time when I was in a bit of a reading rut and couldn’t get out of it. I can’t wait for you all to read it and love it just as much as I did.