Book Review: The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

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.

Book Review: Monsters by Emerald Fennell

In my tourist trap of a town, the body showed up at the lake.

A blackly comic tale about two children you would never want to meet. Set in the Cornish town of Fowey, all is not as idyllic as the beautiful seaside town might seem. The body of a young woman is discovered in the nets of a fishing boat. It is established that the woman was murdered. Most are shocked and horrified. But there is somebody who is not - a twelve-year-old girl. She is delighted; she loves murders. Soon she is questioning the inhabitants of the town in her own personal investigation. But it is a bit boring on her own. Then Miles Giffard, a similarly odd twelve-year-old boy, arrives in Fowey with his mother, and they start investigating together. Oh, and also playing games that re-enact the murders. Just for fun, you understand... A book about two twelve-year-olds that is definitely not for kids.

This is a murder mystery from the pov of someone who likely behind a murder mystery when they grow up.

I found the writing style in the opening to be off-putting as it read "special needs" (fake) that a certain book I hate wrote in completely. The style gets better as it goes on, I don't know if changes or I got used to it. The book is completely from the point of view of the girl, with her dead parents and neglectful at best aunt and uncle.

This deals with a lot of things common to Serial Killers, I didn't enjoy of how much of a follower the girl was, as I don't buy that narractive that female serial killers need a male counter-part to wake the killer. It seems more sexist than fact, a way to get less time when you're caught and is why female serial killers are likely to get a way with it as we speak.

The resolution was okay, it was set up fine, There was a part I just didn't buy. The journay was better than the end.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for obvious deads. This was an interesting book that plays with clichés and does a decent job of it. If you have a fascination with death and serial killers, then this is worth your time.

I got this book for review off Netgalley and published by Hot Key Books on 3rd September 2015. (I got it from the library recently so I'm finally getting to it.)