Young Adults Swearing

Something I love whenever I come across it in Young Adult books is swearing. The main reason is that for some reason proper adult like people seem to think that teenagers don't know swear words. Oh, trust me they know swears and in fact they probably know far ruder things than you. Also this knowledge doesn't magically appear in their head when they turn 13 either. I've probably known swears since I was able to keep secrets. I've also known that I wasn't meant to say them in front of adults.

Most YA novels tend to have what I call a School Vocabulary. The sort of language you would use when in fear of being overheard by a teacher/adult that would give you in trouble for swearing; or stuff that you just don't want adult to hear because you know "ADULTS".

There is a want to keep kids innocent long as after they've been exposed. If anything this is going have negative effects more than good ones. Books are safe places where difficult subjects can be attacked. But to be honest this post isn't about how its important that your kids learn about issues that will most likely come across in the real world. No, this is frankly just my want for there to be swear words in YA because it would be far more realistic than a character who uses alternative swears.

I'm not saying all YA books should have swear words in them because people don't just go spurting swears everywhere you go. Swear words have their places in real life and they should have that place in the fictional place as well. Young teens probably swear more than adults do. Fuck is one of my favourite words and I will admit that at the age of thirteen I over-used that word. Yes, I could use 'really' or 'very' instead of 'fucking' but it wouldn't be as strong. 'I really love that' is not the same as 'I fucking love that’. It is the extreme and sometimes the extreme is called for. Say for perhaps when you running from a demon.

I know even with adult books swear words are sometimes frown upon. I have the same argument. The extreme is sometimes needed. People swear. Everyone swears. I'm not saying all books should have swear words in them, but when the situation the character has found themselves in calls for it.

Frankly, if your biggest concern is that your kid reads a cruse word then you should probably reassess your priorities. Hell, maybe your thirteen year old might even stop swearing so much if weren't such a big deal. Maybe YA books are way to teach them when it's appropriate to swear.

I'm not campaigning for the C word here. Just the F,Ss, As and Bs (not so much that last one). I could actually argue that shit or shite is not even a real swear world. Is Crap considered a swear word? There is also no real non-swear word alternative ('Darn' totally does not count. It is a swear word but it is an annoying one). If you drop something on your foot, you either swear or grunt in pain. Its swear or say nothing, when something goes wrong. Someone would say that you should just say nothing but that's unhealthy. You need to let your emotions out.

My point is that I swore when I was eight and I swear when I'm Eighty. I wouldn't have a strange love for YA books with swear words in them if it was the norm. You'll accept death, heart-ache, life in endangerment of a favourite character but not the vocabulary that goes with them. Don't you think that's rather odd?

I think the reason that swear words are generally frown upon is that they have usually have sexual contention or are sometimes to describe sexual things. Sex is another taboo in YA and society in general. Human beings for some reason to do not like to be remind that we are actually animals, which is also why other bodily function are consider bad things to bring up in a way as well. We're accept fictional violence a lot easier for some reason.

The one reason I decided to write this post because there has been some controversy to do with a book called "When the Dogs Bites" by Brian Conaghan, which is about a boy with Tourettes. If any situation called for swearing, it would be that one. People with Tourettes cannot always decide what they say and do. This could also lead us into should YA novels have warnings on them. Bitch, they already do. Lots of them will say on the back not for Young Readers. Others explain more why. It already thing and proper ratings would lead to censorship.

You will be able to find reviews that will tell how "mature" a book is. The summary will give you good idea as well.

Got sort off topic. Should YA have Swearing or "Profanity" in them? Sometimes. More often than they actually do at the moment.

Good Days Sirs and Madames. Good Day. See you next week.

Book Review: Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

This a sequel, why don't they ever make that clear on Netgalley?


If you’re not true to yourself, why should anyone else be?
In her second year of high school Rose Zarelli is determined to become Rose 2.0 - as in, innovative...superior...improved.
Improved how? Well, Rose is setting some ground rules. This year she absolutely most definitely will NOT:
1) do things just because other people want her to
2) randomly shoot her mouth off
3) worry about whether she’s someone’s girlfriend—or not.
And most important of all she determined to tell off Jamie Forta, the boy who might just have broken her heart, once and for all and move on.
After all she’s older and smarter now. She can totally pull this off.
How hard can it be? Right? Right?

This book was rather baw. It has all these issues in it Homophobia, bullying, child abuse, spouse abuse, drug addiction, grief and the mention of a creepy sexual experience. I did not care about any of these as I did not care for any of the characters. Which is quite the fault for contemporary romance, it's not like it's fantasy or something plot driven. You shouldn't really care about the characters. Frankly, there all could have dropped dead and it would have just been something that happened.

Also why is every punishment being banned from sports. Are American schools really that dumb? Very convenient that everyone that needs punishing takes a sport very serious.

It was just a very what was the point? I was hoping for something more than the romance. You did have some friendship action going on but it was rather stereotypical. I just no. I'm not actually sure now why I wanted to read this book, it weird I really can't remember.

It just seem all unlikely, the author was just shoving issues into the book. I get the whole "Trying to show that you don't really know what going on with other people and why they do the things they do" but it didn't feel real.

I didn't get the ending, why the hell did no one just tell the police the truth?

Basically no one learned or gained anything. I gave it the baw rating of 2/5 stars and recommend it to someone who has yet to go High School so that would mean preteens over here and likes that sort of thing.

Book Review: Falling by Cat Clarke

I stand by that gay and house party is all you need to know. Oh, and Cat Clarke likes to break heart.

You're not supposed to kiss someone who ISN'T your Boyfriend.

It's petty much the first rule of relationships.

But that's what I did last night.

It's a hot summer night, Cam is having the party of the year, and Anna has big plans. Her best friend Tilly's come out, and Anna wants to set her up with the only other gay girl in school. That should take the heat off Anna and her own guilt over cheating on Cam. 

As the party hots up, Anna sets off a chain of events that will change all their lives forever.

A powerful novel about sexuality and growing up, realistically and frankly portrayed by acclaimed YA novelist Cat Clarke. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers of 14+.

Okay, I like to start by saying this is a book meant for Dyslexic readers so its very short, but still bloody fantastic. I also think that the paper is a bit different from normal book paper. Like slightly thicker and more yellowy if that makes sense.

I really like this book, there's foreshadowing and god the title is perfect in so many ways (okay, two ways) and want to go all English essay on it. Though, like I said this very short so I don't think there's much I can say without spoiling it.

This book does feature a sexual crist and awkward conversations. Having been in a similar (though not totally the same) situation, can tell you that is handled in a very realistic way. You can feel the awkwardness and I was having flashback. 

I really love the three main characters, Cam, Anna and Tilly. You do start to feel for them in the short space of time and you will care about what happens to them. 

This not a happy ever after book (but what books that I love are) and if you've ever read any of Cat Clarke books this is her typical sort of ending. I was pages away from the end and just thinking Oh no something terrible going to happen. Tears were shed. 

Oh, yeah, this book is also set in Scotland. It has no effect on the story but books set in my homeland are rare. It just mentioned in passing.

I might actually do a spoiler book discussion of this book on my booktube channel. We see if I find time. I gave this book Five/Five stars and recommend it to everyone, but especially people who like a little heartbreak which is the same with all Cat Clarke's books.

Book Review: Doll Bones by Holly Black

 Creepy Doll action with a male protagonist (mostly).


Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. 

But one night the girls pay Zach a visit and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – which claims to be made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .

The main and important thing that is missing from the above summery is the Game. The trio (no, they never refer to that in the book) have this elaborate story going on which they act out with dolls which is the main reason Zach is so upset that about his father throwing out his toys. (From the honest point of view of twenty year old, I'd still be playing with dolls if I hadn't moved when I was 12 and they some how never made it into the house. Instead I write more and go through session of watching others play with dolls on Youtube). 

Zach instead of telling Poppy and Alice the real reason the Game is over, lies to them, saying he doesn't care about the game anymore. The Doll a.k.a. the Queen of their kingdom turns out to be haunted and leads them on to a quest.

The main theme is growing up and change, partly afterlife. Both are very depressing. The growing up theme includes drastic changes, growing apart and first romance which I ignored mostly as I'm actually still an eight year old that's not at all interested in that.

I'm a big fan of creepy dolls that are haunted and compared to all the other ones I've came across this doesn't really cut the mustard if solely basing it off that. I just don't think a real creep level is ever reached. Stuff happens but never constantly, though it is meant to be in question on whether or not the whole thing with the doll is actually true. You meant to wonder if Poppy has made the whole thing up with the purpose of leading Zach back into the game. I suppose its a better mystery than a horror (even twelve year old level).

There are few very unrealistic things that happen, which can be let to slide since this is a kid's book and makes the plot more interesting. I just say "Bus station" and "harbour" which will make sense once you read this book.

The three main characters are well defined. I personally think the strongest part of book is their friendship and the issues they work out through the book. Twelve is that awkward age where a lot of friendship from childhood can die or be severally weakened (Of course this tends to happen in Scotland more to do with this being the age to start Secondary school, but still). There hints of deepness to the characters, however this being a 250 page book, the hints were fine.

There are some lovely illustrations in this book by Eliza Wheeler. Petty and creepy. I do have a favorite illustration but it bit of a spoiler if I say which one. If actually interested its the one that features the label that been in my last four reviews (including this one).

Overall, I gave this books 4/5 stars. A few minor problems with it, but its still very good books. I probably eventually get my own copy, but not for a while as I'm broke and spent my pretty book fund on Sherlock Holmes (I regret nothing).

Disclaimer: I got this book off NetGallary. So for free for Review. Don't worry that doesn't effect my opinion at all. 

Driving is no longer for the Youths

I have gave up my driving lessons. This is because I can't afford to drive. I can actually afford the lessons, but I'm no longer insured to drive because its frankly too expensive.  There also the cost of taking the theory and then the practical. I know I've already paid the fifty quid for my provisional. Well, I guess I have a ID for the sake of it.

I spend £80 every month for my lesson which actually quite cheap, but that 36.36% of all the money I get for my bursary. I've not give up completely on driving. I'm just disenchanted by it all.

Its annoys me so much that its Sexist to give women lower rates because in percentages woman are the safer driver, but it okay to be give young drive outrageous rates because theres a high percentage that says that Young people are worse drivers. If that sexism, then that must be ageism. Well, it doesn't take a genius to realise that Young Driver are always new driver and won't have the same experience as our non-young counterparts. Its not the fact that new driver that are getting (extremely) higher rates. Older new drivers are not given the same rates.

So basically, no one (unless your parents are loaded) will be able to afford to drive until they well into their twenties.

So thats what bugging me this week, we could take bets for next week.
Will it be rant, an odd piece of creative writing, book related or odd rambing because I couldn't think of a topic to write on.