Category: Young Adult

‘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.

 

‘What Beauty There Is’ – Cory Anderson

The tale of Jack and Ava is bleak, but you can’t help but fall under their spell.
Each of them knows what it’s like to have a secret. They’ve spent years learning to hide the reality of who they are. They each know how others judge them because of their family.

Jack’s father is in prison for his involvement in crime. His mother has given up, and when Jack finds her hanged in her room, he vows not to let his younger brother down. He buries his mother, then sets about trying to do whatever he can to find the money his father is rumoured to have hidden and look after his brother.

Unfortunately, his father’s ex partner (who also happens to be Ava’s dad) and others are determined to get their hands on the money. Jack is at risk and he has to trust someone who has the capacity to hurt him greatly.

We follow the boys as they search for a way to escape what looks inevitable. We see the growing closeness between Jack and Ava, and we see our two main characters forced to make difficult choices as they determine how they want to live life for themselves.

I can’t begin to understand the background of either of these two, but their grit and determination was admirable. I’m curious to know more about the sheriff who ultimately helps them out, and the ending certainly implies we’re not done with this story yet.

Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication in exchange for my honest thoughts.

 

‘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.

‘Lost in the Never Woods’ – Aiden Thomas

 

Lost in the Never Woods takes something we see as familiar and offers us a distorted version of that world.

It’s been years since Wendy Darling and her brothers went missing in the woods near their home. Wendy returned, with no memory of what happened in the time she was away, and since then she experiences crippling anxiety whenever she thinks of the woods.

A fairly regular teen, Wendy volunteers at the local hospital. She loves telling stories to the kids, and her stories often feature the irrepressible Peter Pan and tales of his daring. Recently she’s been obsessively drawing images of a young boy, Peter, and a tree.

On her way home one night Wendy almost runs over a boy. There’s an immediate attraction on her part…and when it’s clear that he knows her name, Wendy begins to think that perhaps Peter Pan is not the boy of her dreams. He exists, and he says he needs her help.

Children are going missing and Peter needs Wendy.

What follows is strange.

Slowly, Wendy and Peter risk everything in their quest to find the missing children and restore order to Peter’s Neverland.

This is a coming of age story with a pinch of magic. For those who dream…

‘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 Girl in Red’ – Christina Henry

The Girl in Red was a book I picked up to read as part of the PopSugar 2021 Challenge. I didn’t know anything about the author and I wasn’t sure quite how you could set up a reimagining of a tale as well-known as that of Little Red Riding Hood. Having finished the book today, I can safely say this was a surprise hit.

The story behind this really does feel as if it could be written for our times. We don’t know how or why, but the world within this book has been hit by something known colloquially as the Cough. Those who become infected may show no symptoms, but this airborne virus spreads quickly and can leave people dead within days. They cough up copious amounts of blood, and there appears to be no vaccine available to cure them.

Cordelia, or Red as she prefers to be known, is something of a heroine to admire. She lives with her brother and parents in a rural town. Fascinated by science she has been worried about the things she has heard, and has been making plans for how to survive should the worst happen. Determined not to be forced into a camp (where many seem to think they will be safe) Red has been tramping the woods for days, carrying everything she thinks she will need to keep alive. Admirable for anyone, but given that Red has a prosthetic leg I could not help but admire the fact she was determined to do what was needed to keep alive.

We follow Red as she travels across country, determined to avoid roads and potential threats, in her journey to get to her grandma’s cottage.As she travels we are given flashbacks to explain how she comes to be travelling alone.

There’s no denying this has its gruesome moments. The details of the mutation and how it impacts on people was scary. The things she has obviously gone through to get to this point are not for the faint-hearted. However, there are moments that show how even in the darkest moments we can be hopeful, and there will always be the potential to create a better future.

 

‘Last One to Die’ – Cynthia Murphy

When Niamh heads to London for a summer drama programme she could not have imagined the events that she’d get caught up in.

Upon her arrival at the rather grotty hostel she’s due to stay in, a young woman asks if she’ll swap rooms. Niamh does. Later that night the girl in her original room is killed. On her first day, a student tries to befriend her. That night, she’s attacked. And so begins a pattern of accidents/attacks…their one common strand is that the girls all look like Niamh.

Naturally, this is a creepy situation. Unlike most, Niamh doesn’t head home the moment these weird things happen – instead, she tries to get on with her course and the work placement at a Victorian museum.

Without giving anything away, what Niamh uncovers is a story that started a long time ago. In the cold light of day, it’s all preposterous…but you can (with a little will) overlook this as you’re reading.

Focusing on Niamh’s perspective means we don’t get to join all the dots quite in time. Some elements really do stretch the bounds of credibility, and our resolution felt like a bit of a damp squib after a bold start.

 

‘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.