Review of 'The Power' by Naomi Alderman

The Power is a pick from my 2018 bucket list of things I *have* to get through before the end of the year (worringly I've got quite a few left still, considering we're in November!). It's something that I've wanted to read since it came out, and I had such high hopes for it that I was left feeling a little deflated. Don't get me wrong, it was a good book, and definitely an interesting read, but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Review of 'Fierce' by Gin Phillips*

It's rare that I sit and read a book in one sitting. If I don't like a book, it's hard to force myself to read it all, and if I like it, I want to treasure the story and make it last a little longer. Fierce is a book that's designed to be read in one go, as the story takes you through an intense tale of one afternoon. I gave this a good go, but after reading two-thirds of the way through I put it down for the day because it just wasn't gripping enough for me to get through the whole thing (and if I'm honest, I can't really think of a book that would be, so there's no shade being thrown here).

Fierce tells the story of Joan's and her four year old son Lincoln's disastrous trip to the zoo one Sunday afternoon. It's their favourite place to spend time together, until they hear shots fired. Two gunmen are making their way around the zoo and Joan has no idea where's safe. She calls her husband, and keeps in touch with him over the phone, but as it starts to get darker she fears that the phone light will attract the armed men, and abandons it in some bushes. 

Joan will do anything to protect her son, even if it means making questionable choices to leave others behind. But as Lincoln gets more tired and upset and loud, Joan realises that they need to do something drastic, because they can only hide for so long ...

This was quite a gripping read in some places, but I just felt as though it was missing that big twist that shocks you and changes the force of the novel. There were quite a few parts where I felt the narrative dragged, and there wasn't enough action to rectify it. It was definitely readable, and I'm glad to have pushed myself out of my comfort zone by trying to read it in one sitting, but I'm not sure if it's something I'd recommend.

*This book was gifted to me, but as always my words and opinions are my own*

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Review of 'Stand Tall Little Girl' by Hope Virgo

Books about mental health can be a bit of a challenge for me. Whilst I find them inspiring and thought-provoking and beautiful, they can awaken thoughts that I've been trying to squash down and get rid of (although I guess it's probably good to end the repression). 

Stand Tall Little Girl was such a powerful read for me. It's a true story, and almost a memoir, of the author's struggle with anorexia as a teen, and moving into adulthood. Hope started developing the illness when she was 13, and the book follows her hopsitalisation and eventual recovery. This all makes it sound pretty straightforward, but Hope opens up about the devastating effects that eating disorders have not only on your mind and body, but on all aspects of life and those around you.

There are snippets from Hope's mother in the book, which I think are so important, explaining how things can get out of hand when you have an eating disorder. I always see people asking 'how did the parents not notice?!' when a teen gets to a point of extreme illness due to an ED, and Hope's mum explains how hard it actually is.

I think it's so important that Hope shows there's no quick fix to an ED, and the reality of relapse, even when it's way down the line from the start of your recovery journey. This was a book I really connected with, and I would definitely recommend it, especially to parents of teens that want a better insight into what might be going on.

Hope's also doing some fantastic charity work to raise money for the Shaw Mind Foundation, and you can donate here if you want to support her!

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Review of 'Extraordinary Means' by Robyn Schneider

It's been a little while since I read this (I'm super behind on reviews, but I WILL CATCH UP WITH YOU 2018 BOOK PILE), and I'd almost forgotten how much I loved this until I picked the text up again. This is one of my favourite YA reads of the year, and it came at me totally unexpectedly. I downloaded it to my Kindle, thinking it would be pretty average, and it blew me out of the water so much that I started to hunt down everything Robyn Schneider's ever written.

This dystopian YA starts off with Lane moving into Latham House. All he wants to do is to be back at school studying to ensure he gets the best possible results in his tests to set him up for the future. But Lane is sick. A rare form of TB has emerged in modern society, and Lane has tested positive for this. He's not showing the signs of his illness yet, but at some point it'll happen, and there's no going back. 

Latham House is part boarding school, part hospital. Lane's completely isolated from his family, friends back home and his old life. Although he's not sick yet, a lot of the other kids are and life at Latham is tense. There, Lane meets Sadie, a girl he once knew from a summer camp years ago. There she was shy and quiet, but she owns the room here, making everyone chuckle. 

All Lane has ever wanted to do is study to become the perfect student, but as his illness starts to catch up with him, he's forced to realise that there are other things in life worth enjoying.

This is an incredible coming-of-age story that broke my heart a little as well as making me smile. The characters were so easy to connect with, and I feel as though I've left a little bit of my heart back in Latham. I would definitely recommend this if you're a fan of YA fiction! 

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Review of 'A Game of Thrones' by George R. R. Martin

I know, I know, I'm really late to the game on this one. Although I wonder how many people have even attempted this mighty tome vs watching the TV show? A second disclaimer for this post is that I'm not actually a massive fan of the series. I've watched bits of it, dipping in and out, but I've always had the idea of reading the books first in the back of my mind.

These bits aside, I was determined to read A Game of Thrones in 2018. It's the biggest book I've read all year so far, weighing in at almost 800 pages, and I'm pretty sure it's the biggest one that I'm going to have read before the new year. Usually I'm not a fan of long books, simply because they can drag, and I'm keen to get cracking on the next read. But, this was something I loved.

The first book takes you through the first season of the show, ending in the same place. The level of detail in it was intense, but it was something that really spoke out to me because it meant that I could truly integrate myself into the world of the book.

A Game of Thrones tells the tale of Robert Baratheon, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and his friendship to Ned Stark. Robert's wife Cersei is a malicious character, and Ned is determined to protect his king against her. When he fails to do so and Robert passes away, the whole kingdom is thrown into turmoil. At the same time, Ned's bastard son Jon Snow (you know nothing) joins the night watch, to protect the North against invaders from beyond the wall. Daenerys Targaeryn is also fighting her own battles, after being forced to marry Khal Drogos against her will.

The book is told from a variety of narratives that fit together seamlessly, and the strands of plot I've mentioned above are only a small part of all the different aspects of plot in the book. I honestly think it's a testament to Martin's writing that despite the masses of plot lines that we weave in and out of, and the intense number of characters, everything is clear and easy to follow.

It's the first fantasy novel I've read in a while, and reminded me of why I love the genre. I've now purchased the second book in the series, and if I do read another lengthy book this year, you can bet that's going to be it.

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Review of 'The Vagina Monologues' by Eve Ensler

Towards the start of 2018, I set myself a book bucket list of all the things I wanted to read this year. It's been a while since I read a play, and I kind of miss it, so The Vagina Monologues took pride of place as the only play on the list. I've heard amazing things about it, which made me worried that I'd be let down when I read it, but this was so far from the truth. 

The Vagina Monologues is one of the most thought-provoking things I've read all year. It made me reconsider my own body, the political landscape that my body fits in, and why we should celebrate all women's bodies. It brought things that I always knew deep down out into the open where I could really consider them. For instance: body hair and its politicisation. I know body hair is politicised, I know that women used to be happy to have body hair everywhere until razor companies started targeting us to double their profits (a true story). But, I'd forgotten how much stigma comes with any kind of body hair: pubes and you're dirty, armpit hair and you're a raging feminazi, no hair and you're no longer a virgin. And we never stop to think about the weird insistence on going back to this hairless childlike state, and why it's so appealing. 

This is just one of the topics that the book covers. It also looks at domestic abuse, sexual abuse, childbirth, masturbation, sex, etc, from a whole range of different perspectives. My one warning for this book is that if you're a victim of sexual assault, the monologues in this book may be triggering. 

I'm so grateful I read this, as it completely opened my eyes to a whole range of things. There was an incredible foreword by Gloria Steinem in my copy, which absolutely made the book ten times better and helped to explain the fundamental theories behind the monologues, and give them a bit more substance.

This book could be quite triggering, as previously mentioned, but I really do thing it's a very important thing for all genders to give a go, to understand the politics and depth of meaning behind the mighty vagina.

Have you read it? What did you think?

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Review of 'Saint Anything' by Sarah Dessen

I am a lover of the cringe. Give me OTT love stories with cliched statements (totally including the one in the picture above in this), and my guilty pleasure is revealed. Sarah Dessen was one of, if not the, favourite author of my teens. Her books resonated with me, comforted me and were something that I could come to in any mood and they'd make me feel a little better (and a little teary).

Up until recently, I hadn't read a Sarah Dessen book in YEARS. I'm talking six or seven of them. I was a little scared that Saint Anything would break my heart, realising that it was something that only teenage me could enjoy. Thankfully I was wrong. I plunged straight back into this and remembered why I loved Dessen's books all over again.

Saint Anything tells the story of Sydney, a girl who's always been overshadowed by her older brother Peyton. He's the golden child of the family who can do no wrong. That is, until he ends up in prison for a drunken hit and run. With her family struggling to pay lawyer fees, Sydney offers to transfer from her private school to a state one. Leaving her friends behind, Sydney has a chance to re-invent herself.

She hates the new school, and misses her old life, until she befriends Layla Chatham. Soon Sydney becomes an extra part of the Chatham family, who have few material possessions, but a lot of love: the exact opposite of her own. Layla's older brother Mac is another person drawing her to the family. A loving brother to Layla, Mac soon draws a little closer to Sydney ....

But things don't go so smoothly. Layla would never forgive Sydney if she got involved with Mac, and Sydney's parents disapprove of any of her friendships at her new school. When things start getting more complicated with Peyton's arrest, Sydney feels things slipping out of her control.

I loved this book SO much. Sarah Dessen has come back up as one of my favourite YA writers because her writing is just so powerful. Her characters are believable, you can follow their development throughout the book, and they're all complex. I always find myself falling a little for the guy in the love story, and the friendship between Layla and Sydney is beautiful. I would definitely recommend this if you're a fan of YA books!

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