Goose - Dawn O'Porter

RATING: ★☆☆☆☆

People who live in the UK might have heard about the YA Book Prize: it's an award for the best UK young adult book and the winner will be announced in March. However, there is already a shortlist with 10 of the best UK YA books of 2014. Up until March, I will read each of these books (one a week) and post a review - I'm reading the books in the same order as the YA Book Prize twitter account is. 

I reached a point in the YA Book Prize shortlist where I honestly didn't know which book was going to win. So many of the books I've read have been amazing in so many different ways. 

This week, I discovered one book that I think should absolutely not win the YA Book Prize. I always try to be a fair, critical yet nice reviewer, but Goose by Dawn O'Porter makes that kinda hard to do. Spoiler alert: I didn't like anything about this book.

Plot

It's a year and a half on from Paper Aeroplanes, and Renée is now living with her Aunty Jo. They even have geese, and Renée likes to sit and watch them, wondering if she'll ever find 'the One' - someone who will love her no matter what, and be there for her no matter how bad things get. She and Flo are in their final year at school, and they've got some tough choices to make - like will they go to university? And if so where - and will they go together? Renée's usual ambivalence on the matter shocks Flo, who had assumed they'd continue as they were, the best and closest of friends, forever. She feels as though she needs Renée's support more than ever, so when a handsome young boy enters Flo's life, she finds herself powerfully drawn to his kindness, and his faith. Renée and Flo's friendship will soon be tested in a way neither of them could have expected - and if Paper Aeroplanes was a book about finding friendship, Goose is the novel that explores whether it's possible to keep hold of it.

Flo and Renée

Now I have to start off by saying that I've never read Paper Aeroplanes so if I'm misinterpreting things because I missed book one in the series, then please do let me know.

On to the book though - as you can tell from the summary it is a dual perspective between Flo and Renée. Both are 17, ready to graduate and so called smart girls, yet both have the voices of 14 year olds. 

Their narrative reads incredibly immature. It's the way an adult talks about a teenager when they're talking about how dumb they are. They have no depth, they have no intelligence and they constantly make dumb decisions. They're 17. They're human. They're not dumb. They deserve a way better voice.

Flo gets dragged into this bible group, even though she'd never been religious before, and suddenly goes from a zero to a hundred with her believes. Now I don't think that that can't happen, however I think it's safe to assume Flo would be a bit more critical - think things through. She's not 12 anymore.

Renée goes on an opposite journey - one that involves a guy who is THE BIGGEST PRICK ever. Does she care? Sort of. Does she still sleep with him? Yes, because obviously 17 year olds have no back bone? (I'm trying to think what the author was thinking when writing this story) It makes Renée extremely annoying, because as a reader you just can't understand why she sleeps with the guy. It's okay if you want her to make bad decision, but explain it to us.

Show, show, show

And about that explaining.... While Renée's decision is never explained, everything else in the book is. Constantly. The whole time. Tell. Tell. Tell. There's barely any action and we just get told SO much unnecessary background information. Okay, both girls have lost a parent - we know that, we get told that 20 times. But show it to the reader! Show us how that influences their personality; show us why that's the reason they make the decisions that they do. Don't just tell us how hard it was for them, show us.

I literally skipped page after page with background information that was either not relevant, a repetition of stuff I already knew, or so badly told (the clichés in this book, my god) that I couldn't read it. Pages. 

The writing in this book just wasn't my cup of tea. The telling was the biggest thing I hated, but I also though the dialogue was unnatural and then you have unrealistic girls? I really can't say much positive about the writing skills about Dawn O'Porter.

Rating

Unsurprisingly, this book is one out of five for me. I don't want to give zeros, because I understand how hard it is to write a book and I respect everyone who has done the work, but I can't think of a single thing I liked about this book. I don't understand how it got nominated for the YA Book Prize. I just.. I don't know. I think this is the harshest review I've ever given a book, but I have to stay true to myself and just can't give it anymore.

Want to read how I'm usually a way nicer reviewer? Check out these reviews!

Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

RATING: ★★★★★

The Golden Prince clearly wasn't the historical fiction I was looking for, but since my 2015 resolution is to read more historical fiction, I picked up another book right after: Grave Mercy.

Though Grave Mercy is a combination of historical fiction and fantasy, it was just the book I needed. I LOVED IT and if you love Reign (the tv-show), I can guarantee you'll love this too. If you don't, then you'll probably still love this book because it's that amazing!

Plot

I wanted to copy the Goodreads summary here (as I usually do), but I honestly don't think it does the book justice, so I'll summarize it and try to do it spoiler-free!

Look at that dress - LOVE THIS COVER!

It's 19th century Britannia and Ismae is seventeen years old when she is married off to a farmer. During their wedding night, he discovers that she has strange scars all over her back and decides to beat her up. Ismae is saved by a local "herbal woman", who transports her to a covent. The covent honours the God of Death. Turns out that Ismae is his daughter and the scars on her back are proof that she cannot be killed (though her mother tried). 

Now this covent is not very Sound of Music like. These nuns kill in the name of the God - the God marks people and shows the nuns how they should kill that person. Ismae is trained by the nuns and then send out on a mission at court. 

Ismae, can we be best friends?

So as you can probably tell from the summary, Grave Mercy incorporates elements of magic in a historical timeframe. The book still read a lot like a historical novel to me, but if you want a completely truthful account, this is not the book for you (and you should probably read a textbook instead of fiction).

If you don't mind some magic, then you'll love the book and mostly important Ismae. She's our main character and we see everything through her eyes. This is extremely effective in this book, because there's a constant question of who's good and who's evil. By only seeing what Ismae sees, the reader struggles with that question and that's what keeps you reading.

Ismae is a teenager that's mature beyond her age, meaning that even though this is officially a young adult book, it doesn't really read like one. She's very goal-focused and is not easily distracted by men. 

Furthermore, she's just so damn realistic. She had a rough life and that made her hard, yet she tries to open up and let people in her life. This is hard for Ismae, but I admired her so much for that - she really is a survivor and you keep rooting for her the whole way through.

Cliché love story and badass action

The only thing I didn't like about this story is that some elements are so cliché. Ismae is put in the household of a youngish, rich, good-looking noble man. Now I don't need to tell you how that will end - the moment you read that, you know. It doesn't ruin the book, and I actually loved seeing Ismae fall in love with someone because it showed a different side to her, but I just wish it was done in a less cliché way. Why not someone more unexpected? This constant bickering turning into romance has been done so many times that it got boring to read.

That being said, for me the action made up for the romance part. Whenever Ismae had to beat someone up, it was unexpected, surprising and always more kickass than I thought it would be. I loved seeing a girl use her femininity to beat people up. If I had to compare her to another fictional character, it would be Black Widow: she's a woman and she will forever stay feminine, but she'll use that to seduce you and then kill you. Yes. Perfect kind of protagonist.

Rating

Even though the romance was flawed, I have to give this book five stars. I just LOVED it so much and was so in love with Ismae and her world that I just wish I could read it for the first time again. It's going to take a long time before I stop pushing people to read this book, because seriously, READ IT!

Only Ever Yours - Louise O'Neill

RATING: ★★★★★

People who live in the UK might have heard about the YA Book Prize: it's an award for the best UK young adult book and the winner will be announced in March. However, there is already a shortlist with 10 of the best UK YA books of 2014. Up until March, I will read each of these books (one a week) and post a review - I'm reading the books in the same order as the YA Book Prize twitter account is. 

Only Ever Yours is not a fun read. It's not going to leave you warm and fuzzy. You're honestly not really going to like any of the characters. You'll relate to them though. And you'll hate that you do.

Only Ever Yours is a book unlike any I've read before and I think most people haven't read a book like this. It's painfully confrontational about society and about being a girl in our society and that makes it the most important book I've read in the last few years.

Plot

In a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. At graduation, the most highly rated girls become “companions”, permitted to live with their husbands and breed sons until they are no longer useful.

For the girls left behind, the future – as a concubine or a teacher – is grim.

Best friends Freida and Isabel are sure they’ll be chosen as companions – they are among the most highly rated girls in their year.

But as the intensity of final year takes hold, Isabel does the unthinkable and starts to put on weight. ..
And then, into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride.

Freida must fight for her future – even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known. . .

Freida and Isabel

Only Ever Yours is is the story of Freida, Isabel and their last year in high school. Freida is the main narrator and I most admit that I honestly hated her at the beginning. She says and does things that are completely typically teenager-y and she's the most unloyal friend you could have. If you share those sentiments at the beginning of the book, I just want to tell you to stick with it. She doesn't change, but you change when reading about her world. 

Only Ever Yours is Impossible to Review

The trouble with reviewing this book is that it's hard to pinpoint one thing that makes it so powerful to read. It's a combination of amazing writing, great world-building and a female character cast that represents every teenage girl out there. It just ticks all the boxes and this review is so short, because I think it's a book you need to read without too much knowledge about it. The ending also leaves you feeling all type of ways and any small spoiler of that would take away the shock effect you will feel. I threw this book on the floor after I finished it because I was just so "NOW WHAT? WHY? WHAT?" and that makes the reading experience so perfect. Don't ruin it for yourself by reading too much about the plot, just start - it's a quick read.

Rating

Yes, this is already the end of my shortest, and yet hardest to write, review ever. I really REALLY want to discuss some things with readers, but I can only do that with people who have read the book. If you have, please find me on social media and rant / rave with me about all the different elements in the book. This is a five star book for me and I promise that if you pick it up you'll understand why and why I didn't want to spoil even the tiniest thing for any reader. Be surprised by the book and yourself and let it change the way you look at things.

Liked this review? Find the other YA Book Prize reviews!

Lucy Ribchester in Waterstone's Covent Garden

Today I had the pleasure to go to a talk with Lucy Ribchester, the author of The Hourglass Factory in Waterstone's Covent Garden.

I had never heard of Lucy before, but read the summary of her book on Goodreads and was immediately intrigued with the story. It takes place in 1912 London and combines suffragettes, circus artists and corsets in one story - what's not to love about it? (As you all know, I have a weakness for suffragettes so I was easily convinced to go)

The talk started off with Lucy reading the prologue of her story, which I always enjoy. I love hearing the writer do the voices they imagine their characters to have. As you can see from the picture, Lucy was a pro and her Northern accent only made the reading better!

Then it was time for the real talk and it was pretty amazing. There was discussion about historical fiction (Lucy thinks genres are useful but historical fiction is too broad to say all books are bad or good), her love for London and the crazy amount of research she did for this book - like binders of stuff! Lucy is one organized writer!

Then the discussion moved on to the suffragette movement and my favourite quote of the evening was uttered here by Lucy. She said that though she loved that the suffragette movement was successful, she doesn't agree with everything they did. She even questioned if the fact that the suffragettes never hurt someone who wasn't part of their movement (something they're always praised for) was due to luck or design. It might be controversial, but I think that's an excellent question/way of looking at the movement!

Though there was a lot more said, the main focusses were Lucy's love for Miss Marple (there was even some talk about Marple fan fiction at some point) and Angela Carter.

I never heard of Lucy, who is also by the way a Costa Shortlisted Short Story author (no big deal), but I am so happy I got my hand on her book AND got it signed. It sounds amazing and I can't wait to read it and fully explore 1912 London!

UKYA Extravaganza - Eve Ainsworth interview!

Hello everyone, if you have been reading this blog for a while you'll know that 1. I love you and 2. I've been trying to read more UK YA books. I am fortunate enough to be part of the UK YA Extravaganza blog tour AND to interview one of the most awesome authors coming to the Extravaganza on the 28th of February in Birmingham. (All the information of the official Twitter here). 

The author I got paired up with is Eve Ainsworth, the author of the newly published, and already crazy popular, 7 Days! It's on my to be read list for a while, because the reviews have been amazing and the book tells the story about bullying from both the victims and the bullies side. If you want to read why Eve chose that topic, read an interesting post here. 

 

Interview

Hi Eve, first off: Congratulations on the publication of 7 days! How does it feel to be a published YA author? 

Absolutely amazing and just a little bit mental. This is the moment I’d dreamt about for so long. I can’t believe it’s finally here – I’ve done it!

What gave you the idea to write about bullying?

I think it’s always been in the back of my mind, somewhere – hidden away. When I started working at a local secondary school, I was really exposed to it. I became aware of the the different experiences students were having and perhaps more interestingly, I was talking to those that bully. 

Was it important for you to add the perspective of the bully (since that’s usually neglected in YA)?

Yes, very much so. There are always two sides to a story. In a court of law, we always hear the defence for a crime. In fact, this has always interested me. I like to know why someone might act in a way that we cannot understand or forgive. There are normally always reasons. No one is born a bully.

Is UKYAextravaganza the first book convention you’ll attend as an author and how excited are you for it?

I guess it’s the first public one I’ve attended. I was invited to the Scholastic Blogger Bookfest which was amazing and gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet some of the UKYA blogging community. 

I’m always excited to have the chance to meet more authors, bloggers and readers. I think the celebration of UKYA s a wonderful thing and it’s great to see it growing in strength. I’m proud to be part of it.

What are you looking forward to most?

Being part of an amazing group of authors. Hopefully talking lots about 7 Days.

Any co-author you look forward to meeting?

All of them, seriously. They are all amazing, I’m honoured to be part of it.

Anything that makes you nervous about UKYAextraveganza ?

No not really. I guess I’m a little nervous about reading my book out loud again (only because I hate the sound of my own voice!)

I think its such a supporive environment, it would be hard to feel nervous.

Any fab UKYA book suggestions for the readers?

Seriously – there are too  many! 

Great reads of mine include Emma Haughtons – Now You see Me, Claire Furniss Year of the Rat and Non Pratt’s trouble. (Emma: Can't wait to pick these up!)

I also love anything written by Keren David, Hilary Freeman and Helen Grant.

And I’ve just started reading Sarah Crossan’s Apple and Rain which is gorgeous. 

Quick fire questions!

Favourite book?

The book Thief

Favourite narrator?

Paddy Clarke ( Paddy Ha ha)

Least favourite narrator?

Erm....difficult one, but i never took to Mrs Dean in Wuthering Heights. 

Favourite place to write?

In my garden

Favourite book cover? 

I love Liz de Jeager’s Banished. I love Anna McKerrow’s cover for her new book Crow Moon

I’m also just a little bit fond of mine.....

Finding A Voice : Friendship is a Two-Way Street - Kim Hood

RATING: ★★★.5

People who live in the UK might have heard about the YA Book Prize: it's an award for the best UK young adult book and the winner will be announced in March. However, there is already a shortlist with 10 of the best UK YA books of 2014. Up until March, I will read each of these books (one a week) and post a review - I'm reading the books in the same order as the YA Book Prize twitter account is. 

If one thing has been proven by the YA Book Prize shortlist, it is that there is no lack of diversity in UK YA. There have been horror stories, love stories and mythological stories and Find A Voice by Kim Hood is the journey of finding a voice (duh!) for two people who don't fit the teenage standards at all.

Plot

Jo could never have guessed that the friendship she so desperately craves would come in the shape of a severely disabled boy. He can’t even speak. Maybe it is because he can’t speak that she finds herself telling him how difficult it is living with her eccentric, mentally fragile mother.

Behind Chris’ lopsided grin and gigantic blue wheelchair is a real person — with a sense of humour, a tremendous stubborn streak and a secret he has kept from everyone.

For a while it seems life may actually get better. But as Jo finds out just how terrible life is for Chris, and as her own life spirals out of control, she becomes desperate to change things for both of them. In a dramatic turn of events, Jo makes a decision that could end in tragedy.

This is the story of how an unusual friendship unlocks the words that neither knew they had.

Jo : drama queen

I must admit that I find it really difficult to discuss this book. I finished it in one go, which is a good sign since it means I loved it so much. But on the other hand, I also read it so fast because it was just really easy to read. I know that I'm not the young adult age anymore and maybe it has to do with that, but I lacked a bit of depth in the book.

Jo is a great girl and narrator and the reader really roots for her. I was, until the end of the story, when she suddenly does something so stupid and so drastic that it just didn't make sense to me. It seemed out of character and it's my little pet peeve to hate on inconsistent characters. I immediately lost all sympathy for her.

She was just a bit too dramatic for me and though I understand her difficult background (she has a mentally unstable mother), I don't see the need for many of her actions. I admire her journey to finding her voice, but it would have been nice if she was less drastic and whiney about it in the process.

Chris : The Real Hero

Chris on the other hand was one of my favourite characters ever - even though he can't talk or do much. He has such a kind heart and I really wanted him to find his voice, or at least a way to express what he was thinking. The strength of Chris as a character is that he isn't a narrator and we don't even have dialogue with him, but Kim Hood shows us enough of his life and who he is to make us fall in love with him. 

It's so important that there is diversity in YA and showing a disabled person as a real person is amazing. I think it will really help teenagers to start treating disabled people like they are just normal people you can be friends with. I applaud Kim Hood for tackling such a challenge subject in such an easy read.

However, I wish I would have had more depth about the disability. Because the whole story is narrated by Jo, who has (albeit common) preconceptions about disability, I don't feel we learned enough about Chris. Jo does make a journey into understand Chris better, but the whole ending is so fairy tale that the lessons that are learned are kinda lost.

Rating

I'll give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars (yes, I'm doing half again). I didn't personally love it, but I think the topic is so so important that these kind of books should be encouraged. I think it's really one of those books that you should pick up yourself and read so you can decide if you love it or not. Even if you don't, like me, you'll still learn from it.

Like this review? You'll love these!

Waterstone's Children Book Prize

Hello everyone,

sorry for not being on here very much this past week - I went home for a couple of days and had a little book-vacation, which for me means not reading books at all.

BUT I'm back and excited to review Finding A Voice this week (a YA Book Prize book)!

I did want to share this though:

Waterstone's announced their Children Book Prize shortlist and it's looking all sort of amazing. 

Check out the link and let me know which one you love most! I can't wait to start reading Only Ever Yours today!