Category: Contemporary

‘The Divines’ – Ellie Eaton

The Divines is, I have to say, a curious read. A dramatic opening, then a lengthy exploration of the build-up to that moment interspersed with moments from our narrator’s present resulting in a perplexing ending that had me scratching my head rather.

A boarding school environment and somewhat toxic friendships were the key elements. Our main character Josephine looks back on her time at the school with detachment, and I could never tell whether her memories were deliberately obtuse or whether she was covering something.

I found the way the girls were described rather intimidating if I’m being honest. As an adult thinking about the behaviour of the girls collectively I wonder how on earth nobody questioned this. As such, I couldn’t help wonder to what extent her recollections were entirely trustworthy.

The book read rather like a puzzle that I still don’t feel I’ve solved. The ending casts a very new light on events, and I think this may be one to read again to see if I missed something obvious or if this mood is deliberate.

 

‘How to Save a Life’ – Eva Carter

No matter how well trained you are, knowing something in theory and being able to apply it practically are very different things. Nobody can know for sure how they’ll cope in a crisis…and having read this, I’d have to pray never to be put in that situation because it leads to a lot of pain and misery (or at least that’s how it felt).

Tim and Kerry have been best friends for years. They are celebrating New Year with friends as they reach the end of school. Kerry thinks Tim might be about to kiss her. But her eye is drawn to golden boy Joel, the town’s shining light/potential Premiership footballer. He has collapsed on the floor. With only her cadet training to rely on, Kerry attempts CPR. For eighteen minutes she works on Joel, determined to save the boy she’s always had a crush on. She expects Tim, who has also applied for medical school, to help. He doesn’t. He’s frozen, and doesn’t do what he needs to until the last minute…by which time everyone assumes he’s saved Joel. He doesn’t tell the truth.

And so begins eighteen years following these three around as they deal with the aftermath of that night.

The story takes us through the minutiae of their lives following Joel’s dramatic rescue. We watch them deal with life and all the things thrown at them, or not.
None of them are happy. Nobody seems to be getting what they want and they hover round each other, each blaming the others for how their lives turn out. People come and go from their lives and yet the focus is always on this bizarre triangle.

Unfortunately, all three characters make decisions that are infuriating. They are selfish and hurt those around them. We can sense how things might be different but just have to watch them orbiting each other, butting heads and getting frustrated by their inability to see a way out of their situation. Eventually, we assume things will be resolved but it felt like a long slog to reach that point. I’m sure there’ll be many readers who’ll find this life-affirming and heart-warming, who’ll fall in love with these three and their experiences and finish the book feeling they’ve been given the answers to how to save their own life. That wasn’t my experience.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in advance of publication.

‘Second First Impressions’ – Sally Thorne

Having had a bit of a thriller binge of late, this was a light-hearted romance that was just the tonic required.

Our primary focus was Ruthie, the daughter of a preacher, who is only twenty-five but definitely acts like an old soul in a young woman’s body. She works in a retirement village and as we get to know more about her, we see that she is her own worst enemy.

At the point in time our book starts, Ruthie has been left to manage the office. She finds herself caught in a strange situation…where she wants to take the next step to finding romance and moving her life forward though she lacks the impetus to do so. Thankfully she has her temp, Mel, who takes it upon herself to give Ruthie a helping hand. This gets something of a spanner in the works with the arrival of Teddy Prescott, the son of the new owner, who has his own demons to lay to rest.

Of course their first meeting is less than satisfactory. We know from the outset they are attracted to each other and what was nice to see was that everyone around them could also see it.

There were some incidental storylines running alongside this that provided a little light relief.

 

‘The Boyband Murder Mystery’ – Ava Eldred

I’ve never found myself being so enamoured with a boyband that I could fully understand the mentality of those who find themselves immersed in the fandom. I know it happens, but there’s something inherently worrying for me that people can become so attached to a construct that they come to define themselves by it. The friendships forged in the name of such fandom can, I’m sure, be intense…and perhaps my lack of understanding for such a situation is why I found myself not quite as engaged with this as I hoped to be.
The Boyband Murder Mystery sounds as if it should have all the ingredients for success. A world-famous boyband, a close friend, an inter-group relationship and something alarming that happens which threatens to rock the band to its core should make for an interesting story, but there were times within the story where I found myself not being quite sure what I was reading.
Our main character is Harri, a nineteen year old in her first year at university, who has spent the last five years defining herself by the friendships formed around her love of the boyband Half Light. For Harri, the boys (Frankie, Kyle and Jack) are everything and she – along with the other millions of girls like her – is convinced she knows everything about the boys, would do anything to save them and can’t live without them.
When Frankie is arrested on suspicion of murdering his best friend, Evan, nobody can quite believe it. Harri and her best friend Jas – who she has never met, and doesn’t really know – are determined that they will use their knowledge of the group to do whatever it takes to prove Frankie’s innocence.
Now, a far more interesting story might have been if such a person had murdered someone…but the focus is really on the girls, so we assume he is innocent and watch as they carry out their own investigations – without ever coming across a police officer – and try to work out who is responsible for setting him up.
There’s no doubt this was entertaining. The story itself, however, felt crazily far-fetched and I found myself quite irritated by Harri and her inability to interact with anyone in the flesh – but it was a good way to while away a few hours. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this before its publication.

‘The Yearbook’ – Holly Bourne

Holly Bourne does it again, with a timely reminder that school is not – for everyone – the best time of their lives.

The dramas, the traumas, the rumours – it’s time to expose it all… The Perks of Being a Wallflower meets Mean Girls in this scathingly funny and relatable high-school takedown from the queen of UKYA.

After a fairly slow start that had me unsure if this was quite what I expected, the story finds its stride and culminates in a positive message that will inspire hope (even if it might not seem wholly credible).

Paige Vickers has got used to seeing herself as a nobody. She’s so used to living under the limelight of her brother and managing the fallout of a toxic home life that she tends to hide in school. Quiet, but highly observant and genuinely amusing, Paige is the voice for all those who wish they had the chance to tell it like it is.

When the school Mean Girls posse – who have spent years systematically bullying anyone deemed unworthy – take over the Yearbook preparations we can see there’s something big brewing. Paige watches in horror as she sees them prepare to leave their legacy…a book full of falsehoods. But, is it up to Paige to call them out?

With the confidence from finally being heard – a side story romance that is straight from the silver screen in its adorable factor – Paige decides it’s time to tell her truth.

Thank you so much Holly Bourne for another must-read for me to recommend to students, and to the publishers and NetGalley for letting me read this prior to its May release.

 

‘Run, Rebel’ – Manjeet Mann

A fascinating exploration of some affecting issues. Though tackling highly charged subjects, there is a sense of hope radiating through the core of Run, Rebel that fills the reader with confidence.

Told in verse, it was no surprise to see Mann referencing Elizabeth Acevedo and Poet X, amongst others. Every word of this felt special, and I really hope it is a book that those shadowing the 2021 Carnegie Awards take to their hearts.

Our main character is Amber. A teenager on the cusp of adulthood she is a talented runner, amongst the best in the country at her distance, and the world should be full of possibilities. But she is trapped, and in real danger of losing herself.

Amber’s biggest issue is her alcoholic father, and the grip of terror he holds on her family. She has already lost her older sister to an arranged marriage. He beats her mother, and as a young woman she is expected to conform to her father’s expectations in order to maintain her family’s honour.

Following Amber’s train of thought we are privileged to see her reaction to the demands placed on her. We come to understand her desires, and we travel with her on the journey to gain the freedom so many of us take for granted.

While her father was a deeply unsympathetic character, it was interesting that Amber’s complex feelings towards him were explored fully. The characters of best friend Tara, the PE teacher who quietly has Amber’s back and her mother were interesting – they each played their role in Amber’s story and offered a wider context to Amber’s situation.

I really liked the structure to the story too – focusing on the different stages of rebellion offered a clear framework to the stages of Amber’s journey, but allowed us to recognise the vital steps that make up such a seemingly minor step.

‘Maybe He Just Likes You’ – Barbara Dee

A timely read, and one I’ll be highly recommending to my students – male and female.

Our main character, Mila, is a student like so many others. Shy in some situations, self-conscious and keen to do the right thing. Very aware of how her peer relationships are changing, her experience will resonate with many readers.

One day Mila finds herself caught up in a situation that she is uncertain how to deal with. A group of her male classmates trick her into giving someone a birthday hug. Over subsequent days she finds the boys coming up with excuses to touch her. This makes her feel uncomfortable, but she worries about who she could talk to.

Her best friend Zara says it’s flirting. Others in their group suggest she should tell someone about it. They recognise it’s making her feel bad, but none of them are able to articulate what is happening.

Following events from Mila’s perspective allows us to identify with her and her reactions. It was fascinating to see how some of the characters reacted to events, and this is certainly a book that would make people pause awhile and consider what part they might play in encouraging all to feel comfortable in themselves and their environment.

 

 

‘Kate in Waiting’ – Becky Albertalli

A huge presence and the kind of book you’ll read with a big grin on your face, even when things aren’t going well.

Our main characters are Kate Garfield and her best friend Anderson Walker. Friends for years they are known for their strange rituals, and their shared crushes. During their recent summer camp they’ve both developed a crush on the same boy, Matt.

From the off we’re plunged into their little world and their shared fondness for drama. There’s the expected cute friend moments, a bit of drama and a general sense of expectation.

As they wait to audition for their annual theatre production, a proverbial spanner is thrown into the works…crush Matt has transferred to their school.

Cue problems.

Kate and Anderson vow not to let a crush derail their friendship. Sometimes the reality is quite different. Of course, though we see this from Kate’s view it is evident from fairly early on that she’s not the most observant of people and I was desperate to see if/when she’d open her eyes and see what was in front of her.

This is another Albertalli hit in the making, I’m sure, and I’m grateful I got the chance to read this before its scheduled April publication thanks to NetGalley. I’m not even that into theatre but still found myself captivated by this.

 

‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ – George M. Johnson

All Boys Aren’t Blue covers so many areas, but I would urge people to read it, even if you don’t see it as having direct relevance to you.

Part memoir, this series of reflections offer an insight into the author’s life as a child and growing up (as he calls himself) black and queer. We journey from an early memory of having his teeth kicked in at five years old to dealing with the death of a close friend at college and, along the way, get to hear about family members and the various events that he recalls shaping him as he grew up.

I was struck, more than anything, by the love and strength gained from family. Things may not have always been articulated, but there’s a clear sense that when it counted they would have your back. You might be held to account, but you would always be loved – and it strikes me that this may well be the best gift you can give someone.

So many of the memories were tinged with sadness and made me feel angry that they had to be experienced, but if all of us were to pinpoint moments that shaped us I’m sure that not all of them would be positive. As so eloquently written in the latter stages of the book, reading about the experiences of others can help us define ourselves and for this reason alone I would recommend this book. While so much was nothing like my own experiences, that search for yourself and the need to find your family will resonate with most readers.

I’m in awe of Nanny and the devotion she has so clearly inspired. I feel privileged to have been allowed to see inside our author’s head, and grateful to have been given this opportunity.

 

‘The Last Girl’ – Goldy Moldavsky

Thanks to the publishers for granting me access to this via NetGalley prior to its scheduled April 2021 release.

The Last Girl is a must-read for horror fans…a lovingly crafted homage to movies that revel in gore, jump-scares and violence. Even readers like myself (who can only read horror stories during the day and who can conjure up threats from the merest hint of shadows and strange noises) will find themselves sucked into this story.

Even knowing the rules doesn’t always help. Sometimes you are up against something for which it’s hard to be prepared.

Our story focuses on new girl Rachel who’s started at an exclusive school where her mum teaches. She is not naturally sociable, and the trauma of killing a masked invader to her old home is something Rachel does not want to share with anyone. She is befriended by Saundra who is desperate to fill her in on the school gossip, but then Rachel finds herself part of a secret club.

Like Fight Club, the rules around this club are tight. Members cannot associate with one another, and nobody should talk about it. The Mary Shelley Club has a seemingly innocent aim, to gather and share a love of horror movies. Another aspect of the Club is the challenge that each member faces…to scare someone.
Initially, like Rachel, we see the Club as harmless – but there are signs that’s not the case. Before long we have a decidedly more dangerous scenario, and the question is whether Rachel will survive this experience.

Not to be taken too seriously, and not something you’d ever want to experience in reality, but self-aware enough to feel the author was having just as much fun writing it as I did reading it.