I started writing this at Christmas. YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WATCHING You’re back home after four years working abroad, a new husband in tow. You’re keen to find a place of your own. But for now you’re crashing in your big brother's spare bedroom. That's when you meet the man next door. He’s the head teacher of the local high school. Twice your age. Extraordinarily attractive. You find yourself watching him. All the time. But you never dreamed that your innocent crush might become a deadly obsession. Or that someone is watching you.
This is the third novel by Lisa Jewell I have read and reviewed, Since She Been Gone is still pretty much my favourite but now I can see patterns in her works. Like Teenagers and Adults being on the same level, with kids tending to know more than adult characters. That's probably true of life as well.
There are a lot of unlikeable characters at play and people doing morally wrong things.
The setting of this book involves a group of rich people, living in fancy houses and lot of strained relationships.
There is Autism Rep in this book and makes me go okay. It's not terrible, maybe bad aspects to start
with, I wasn't sure where she was going with this character at the start. We do have a character that's probably socially stunted, perhaps more from the way he's being raised than being on the spectrum. Jewell goes on that labels are a good thing so I can get behind it and the characters are involved with the plot. It's definitely on the better side of Autistic rep, and there's more than one character with it. It's more on the exampling side but makes sense with the plot.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Gate Locks. It's a decent thriller in a world with bloated failed shockers.
Read: 20/12/2019 to 22/12/2019
Reviewed: 26/12/2019 - 18/03/2020
Narrator/s: Gabrielle Glaister
Medium: Audiobook
Published Date: 12th July 2018
Publisher: Cornerstone Digital
Source: Library
Content Warning for Book: I'm not sure, but memory says: Death, Suicide,
The Truth about Keeping a review schedule, it's really hard for me.
A stunning coming-of-age tale from poet and writer Savannah Brown. Sydney's dad is the only psychiatrist for miles around in their small Ohio town. He is also unexpectedly dead. Sydney believes the crash was anything but an accident. And when the threatening texts begin, and June Copeland - homecoming queen and golden child - appears at his funeral out of nowhere, she's sure of it. But through Sydney's newfound relationship with June, she's given a glimpse of a life without the darkness of an unresolved grief and the chance, just maybe, of a fresh start. Until it's clear that the secrets won't go away, and the truth might bring everything crashing down... Imperfect friendships, the shadow of grief and the sweet pain of romance - this is a poetic, thrilling ode to being human
I first heard about this book when Savannah Brown did a video announcing it but I can't actually remember how much she said about it in that video, but I've been keeping a lookout since.
The main character Sidney is gay and has a Queer friend. This is an established fact at the start of the novel and is just a fact about the character. Homophobia is a topic of the book and the character was previously outed. This is not a major part of the book but also is, like real life. I mean, yes the character is gay and that affects the way people treat her but that's not the story. It does have a Queer romance. You know what I mean. Hopefully.
This novel's plot does have thriller elements and it could be written as a thriller. The main reason I wouldn't classify it as a thriller due to pacing and that's not where the emphasis is. It reminds me of Cat Clarke's book (which are I love and are also often Queer), in its dark contemporary dealing with real things and a bit of mystery but has more focused on character development.
I really liked the writing style of this book, it's pretty sometimes without being too much. It's told in first-person and works great for the story.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Noises in the Night. I really like this book and I wish I was a better reviewer. I mean I'm literally reviewing when I should have reviewed it last year, but you can still buy it now.
Read: 5/3/2019 to 17/3/2019
Reviewed: 20/03/2019 - 26/02/2020
Published Date: 7th March 2019
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Netgalley/Owned
Content Warning for Book: Death; Death of a Parent; Domestic Abuse (Mostly off-page); Homophobia; Harsementl Stalking; Life endangerment; Being Outed; Forced Outed; Content Warnings are given by the author. I also have trigger warnings and things this book contains in my tags as always (my old system).
Disclaimier: I received e-arc of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher. I also brought it before I finished reading it and I late with my review again as this came out on 7th March 2019.
The truth is that she eats nothing but raspberries. Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party. But did you know Alice was sexting Brandon when he crashed his car? It's true. Ask ANYBODY.
Rumour
has it that Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the 'slut
stall' in the girls' bathroom at Healy High for everyone to see. And
after star quarterback Brandon Fitzsimmons dies in a car accident, the
rumours start to spiral out of control. In this remarkable novel,
four Healy High students - the party girl, the car accident survivor,
the ex best friend and the boy next door - tell all they know. But exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.
Jennifer Mathieu is the author of Moxie which has been talked about a lot. I thought this was the follow up but it's actually Mathieu's debut which makes sense because this does feel more like a debut, potential with room to grow. I think just never been published officially in the UK before, or maybe they have a re-go at it. It was originally published four years ago anyway.
This book is told in multiple points of view in first talking, each talking about what they know of Alice Franklin and their perspectives on the rumours about her. I think this works well and show the show spread of rumours. The characters are given motivates for doing what they do that makes them some what sympathetic sometimes but still pretty dislikeable. Some where rather samey.
I appreciate what this novel was going for. There's this big secret at one point, however, it in a way it supports slut shaming. I think it was meant to be question what you hear, except I don't think it does a good enough of job of saying that. I think would have been better as an obvious lie, or rumour that spread out of control.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for grilled cheeses. I do like this book and it pretty short (I apparently read it in three hours). I get what it was going for with the slut-shaming, it missed the mark somewhat. It does add and support narrative against slut shame, with the emphasis on small town rumours I get what it was meant to be. This was Mathieu debut and know her eventual follow-up Moxie is meant to be geniusly feminist (or something). I did enjoy the process of reading this book (I never know what to say about books with important messages) and if you like a book that tries then go for it.
I got this book for review off NetGalley and is being published by Hodder Children's Books on 8th March 2018.
'I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in - to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied.'
Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn't mean to become mute. At first, she's just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn't be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn't your real father is a pretty big deal. Tess sets out to find the truth of her identity, and uncovers a secret that could ruin multiple lives. But can she ask for help when she's forgotten how to use her voice?
This is an interesting book in that the main character doesn't stop speaking straight after the 'traumactic event' and develops an imaginary friend or a Tulpa I guess. I went into this book basically blind. I must have read the summary of this book where I request it for review and brought it (the cover is really cool) so mostly went on the fact that Annabell Pitcher is award winning writer who has really interesting titled books. I think that worked for this book, but I'm not the person to advocate for that (I intentionally spoil myself all the time to find out if something is worth investing the time in). Still nothing I considered a spoiler is in this review.
Tess is a typical awkward teenager who's relationship with her parents is secretly stained. Major secrets on both sides. There were times where I wanted to shake Tess but I'm certain that was intentional. Tess has bad decision making skills, so generally a realistic teenager. Her relationships with the other characters are complex and the important one all have some form of lie attached to them.
Tess also spends a lot time of arguing and lying to herself in a form of Mr Goldfish. While this done mostly well, there were times where Tess described communication would have been noticeable to the people around her.
I think the silence that Tess develops is done well. That mainly comes from the fact it does develop and immediately after the cause. Its starts with Tess not wanting to say anything for spoiler plot reasons. Then from this she trapped in continuing not to say anything as the book goes on. I have Select Mutism so I have dealt with being unable to talk in awkward situations myself and found Tess emotions and reactions to this to be realistic. Her interaction with teachers (especially one near the end) were very reminiscent to my own. This is definitely the best book I've read so far where the main character is mute for most of the book.
That being said I declared that Main characters that don't talk was going to be a trend and I think I can say safely say it is a trend now so I might keep an on going rank with books that try the whole Selective Mutism experience on for size. I'm going to write why that problematic in another post and not side track this review for a book that does a good job of it to criticize the ones that don't (that being said I found a book that can only be pigging backing on this one). For those unaware of Selective Mutism, this is not nor is it meant to be a portrayal of it. Selective Mutism would come into play if it was long-term issue and she did talk in situations she was comfortable in. Still successfully captures some of the things you experience if have Selective Mutism.
A big part of the book relies on Tess making big leaps and doing stupid stuff. I know people can be blinded by what they want to be true, other realitity but Tess is meant to be a teenager and
often she would have a complete disregard for reality. We have Mr Goldfish to prove that she does see the reality, it just she talks about her fantasy as though they could actually become reality. She also seems to live in a world where no one else has complicated families e.g. step dads. I mean if somehow not in her own life, this stuff is on TV and various other media now.
There was also a bit of a rush to resolve everything in the book. I would have liked more time spent on her friend Isabell. She mostly just a plot device than a character and her ending is bit unsatisfying.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Redundant Taxis. This was an interesting book that deals with realistic issues with uncommon ideas. Some parts could have been executed better, but as a whole it was good read with complicated life issues in it.
A cover that actually matches the novel behind it.
Romy
Grey wears her lipstick like armour ever since the night she was raped. The night she discovered that Kellan Turner,
the sheriff’s son, is not the golden boy that everyone thinks he is.
No one wants to believe a girl from the
wrong side of town, and so the truth about what Kellan did to her that night
has cost Romy everything. Branded a liar, her only refuge is the diner she
works outside of town, where no one knows her name or her past; becoming
anonymous now feels like her only escape.
But when a girl goes missing after a party,
Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more
girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first
time – and they certainly won’t now – but the cost of her silence might be more
than she can bear.
Rape is a hot topic right now, which is good as the public view of it is terrible and full of false notions. It is good that it has made into YA books with a big part of its audience likely to be effected by it in the future or have already been. Doesn't the world suck? Even if you never victim of it; its the fear girls are taught to avoid and effects the way you live your life, but it still almost tabbo to discuss it which is so damaging. This book deals with some of the common issues that rape victims face, e.g. having wanted to be with your rapist before the assault or rapist having a better reputation and more connections than you. Also corrupt police.
I think overall its is done well. Romy mental state matches up with what she been through and her trying to continue with her life whilst not being ready to. Romy characterisation is done well, the other characters do feel a bit flat, just a little bit but with the book being from Romy POV, that could just because that the way she see them.
The setting plays a big part with it taking place in a small town where everyone knows each other business including the police so its hard to get non-biased help and people think they know you from other people's opinions. This is also applies to the whole of society and the town worked well as a microcosm.
The plot of this book is good, there is a slight mystery but it as confusing as it is in life. My one issue with the novel, a big chuck of the books relays on Romy getting
in a situation that I have hard time seeing her doing with her
suspicious nature and I can't getting more into it without spoilers.
Like I said this book if from the point of view of Romy and therefore first person, This book is odd in that doesn't really have chapters. The novel isn't that long so this isn't really problem, but there were times where I was confused about the time line, though that could have been intention.
Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars for war paint. This is a good book with a serious topic. There were elements I thought worked really well and I really connected with the main character.
I got this book for review off Netgalley and it is being published by Macmillan Children's Books on 28 January 2016.
I was totally not attracted to this book by the fact Harley Quin calls the joker Mr J.
Fifteen-year-old Lara finds her soulmate. There’s just one problem – he’s her teacher. Lara's life has changed radically since her father lost his job. As
the eldest, Lara tries to keep upbeat, and the one outlet for all her
problems is her diary where she can be open about how dire everything is
at home, and worse, the fact that she’s being horrifically bullied at
school. And then a shining light comes out of the darkness – the new young
and MALE teacher, Mr Jagger. The one person who takes Lara seriously and
notices her potential. The one person who is kind to her. The one
person who she falls madly and hopelessly in love with. The one person
who cannot reciprocate her feelings … can he?
In refection I don't like the title of this book as its grammar incorrect and wellgrammatically rude. It should be "Mr J and I". I actually think the title is fine, but then again the main character is meant to be getting A* in her English Exam so you're think she know better even though school don't really teach grammar anymore. Okay, I'll stop wasting a paragraph by grammatically judging the title.
The book is written in the form of a dated diary which works both for the character and her story. Lara is likable and I really wanted things to work out for her.
This book deals with bullying, the extreme kind. There were a few times where she should have went to the police, nevermind the school and her parents. The ways she deals with the bully is quite realistic, except I feel Lara's emotionally level jumps about.
I give this book 3/5 stars for terrible Gran Gifts. This is a quick interesting read. The way the plot elements -even small ones- add up to make the ending, is something I really like.
I got this book off Netgalley for Review and it was published by Electric Monkey recently.
