Tag Archives: Young Adult

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

September 14, 2020Book ReviewBook to Film, Contemporary, Mental health, Stephen Chbosky, Young Adultskyebjenner

The Perks of Being a Wallflower YA edition: Amazon.co.uk: Chbosky ...

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Book to Film, Contemporary, Mental health, Young adult
Dates read: 16th August 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Year: 1999
5th sentence, 74th page: She lifted off the pillowcase, and there I was, standing in my old suit, looking at an old typewriter with a fresh ribbon.

Charlies’ not the biggest geek in high school, but he’s by no means popular.

Shy, introspective, intelligent, yet socially awkward, Charlie is a wallflower, standing on the threshold of his life whilst watching everyone else live theirs. As Charlie tries to navigate his way through uncharted territory – the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends – he realises that he can’t stay on the sidelines forever. There comes a time when you have to see what life looks like from the dance floor.

After finishing this novel, I sat staring at the cover for a good five minutes. Just. Staring. And you know… understanding. Understanding why this is a fairly popular book and why it was made into a movie. This is just phenomenal. And gut wrenching. And beautiful and just… I’m really not sure I’m going to half the words to write this review. It is just such a great story and I absolutely adored it.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is kind of a coming of age story. But it’s just so, so, so much more. It is a story that left my heart seriously hurting after turning the final page. But, it also left me with a big smile on my face – one that I tend to get only when I’ve read a particularly amazing novel. One that is well written and insightful. And, in spite of all of the tragedies and horrible, heart rending moments throughout this – there is an overwhelming feeling of hope.

This is a great reminder of living life and finding / embracing those who you love. But more so, finding those who actually love you for you and who you are. It’s a reminder that even if you’re a bit of an “outsider”, there is someone out there who will love you completely and without reservation. Someone who will make you feel like you’re coming home, just by being there in your life. It’s a great idea and something that made me constantly think about my own friends and the ways in which they help to lift me up on the worst of days.

This is a phenomenally written novel. And, I honestly don’t understand how such a tragic and intense story feels so damn beautiful. It doesn’t feel sad and tragic at all. Rather, it feels hopeful and beautiful. And, well, not quite light, but uplifting in the most confusing of ways.

<- More mental health

More young adult ->

Image source: Amazon

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

August 6, 2020Book ReviewCamelot, Camelot Rising, Kiersten White, Magic, Young Adultskyebjenner

The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising, #1) by Kiersten White

Title: The Guinevere Deception
Author: Kiersten White
Series: Camelot Rising #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Camelot, Magic, Young adult
Dates read: 18th May – 10th July 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: “He might not be human.”

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution: send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife… and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail.

The catch? Guinevere’s real name – and her true identity – is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old – including Arthur’s own family – demand that things continue as they have been, and the new – those drawn by the dream of Camelot – fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long, knotted black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

I had thought that this would be a fairly easy read. One that I would just whisk through and enjoy without being totally floored. I was wrong. So completely and totally wrong. This story had surprise after surprise after surprise after… every page bought something new to light that I just wasn’t expecting. White managed to turn everything on its head. Repeatedly. Nothing was what I expected. And everything pulled me further into the world that White has so lovingly crafted as her own.

At first I loved the fact that Guinevere is the tough, powerful, magical being in this story. That she’s the one who is to protect Arthur and Camelot. As the story unfolded and things steadily got turned more and more on their head… I started to feel really, really sorry for her. There were so many revelations, difficulties and tragic moments throughout that my heart almost hurt at the end of this novel.

I love that there are a number of strong, independent women in this novel. And those who don’t fit that mould are barely mentioned. It’s nice to read a historical fiction / story of Camelot that doesn’t have women who, although strong are just falling in love and blindly following their menfolk. Rather, there are hints of love and companionship throughout, but nothing that deters Guinevere and her cohort from their chosen path. And, ultimately, when Guinevere is in trouble… it’s the women who ride to her rescue. Doesn’t exactly make me like Arthur all that much… but I’m hoping that in the next novel, he will redeem himself…

The men in this novel kind of drive me nuts. They’re stupid and tend to disregard the women who are by them. In particular, I found Arthur a little too quick to disregard Guinevere’s warnings and power. There may be a few reasons why that are revealed towards the end of the novel… but I still found him annoyingly high-handed and difficult.

<- More Kiersten White

Untitled ->

Image source: Goodreads

One Small Step… by Amie Kaufman

July 30, 2020Book ReviewAliens, Amie Kaufman, Australian Authors, Begin End Begin, LGBTQI, Science Fiction, Young Adultskyebjenner

Image result for begin, end, begin book cover

Title: One Small Step…
Author: Amie Kaufman
In: Begin, End, Begin (Danielle Binks)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Aliens, Australian authors, LGBTQI, Science fiction, Young adult
Dates read: 30th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Only a few people have ever returned from Mars to Earth, but it’s possible, just very expensive.

She’s the first born Martian. And rightly famous for it. But what if what she wants isn’t the life that has been mapped out for her? How can she figure out how to take that first, small step into her own future?

This was such an amazingly cute, engaging and brilliant short story. It also perfectly encompassed the theme of “beginning” which is featured in the Begin, End, Begin collection. After all, it is about a girl on the precipice of adulthood, trying to decide what she wants to do with her life and her future. The fact that she was the first person born on Mars and is somewhat of a celebrity just helps to add to the potency of the storyline.

There are two coming-of-age battles that are fought and dwelt upon beautifully in this short story. The first is the decision about whether or not to go to college on earth. What one wants to actually do with their lives in the future. And, ultimately, how much of this decision is based upon your own needs, and how much is based upon the desires of those who love you. I know that it was a battle that I constantly had to fight when I was trying to make decisions about my future.

Secondly, there is the little fact that the lead narrator is actually LGBTQI+. Her constant battle with not knowing how to reveal this fact and desire to do so… it’s kind of precipice-feeling. And so, when she finally makes a decision about her life at the end, you are just so damn happy. It really made my heart swell two more sizes.

This is a fantastic, perfect coming-of-age story that takes you to that precipice of the future. That will either make you think of your own potential future, or those moments like this that feel so important and all powerful… just ready for you too to jump of that cliff and start your own reality.

<- Begin, End, Begin

I Can See The Ending ->

Image source: Harper Collins Australia

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

July 27, 2020Book ReviewDC Icons, Fantasy, Sarah J. Maas, Superheroes, Young Adultskyebjenner

Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Catwoman: Soulstealer
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Superheroes, Young adult
Dates read: 28th – 29th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: I gotta work.

WHEN THE BAT’S AWAY, THE CAT WILL PLAY.

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. Batman is off on a vital mission and Gotham is at the mercy of the new thief on the prowl. Joined by the cunning Poison Ivy and notorious Harley Quinn, she wreaks havoc across the city.

Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the ultimate heist?

I knew that this was going to be an amazing story. A beautiful, iconic superhero who is also a little grey and a seriously sexy, kick ass chick. One of my favourite authors. And a greatly descriptive novel. I knew it would be phenomenal and brilliant. Yet, I still didn’t quite expect how fantastic this would actually be. How flawless. How amazing. How completely, totally and utterly unforgettable.

So I may not have lots and lots of knowledge about the DC comics and superheroes. I know bits and pieces, and Batman seems to be getting a lot of attention in remakes and retellings lately. But I feel like, just having read this, I know so much more. The underbelly of Gotham City and the strength of Catwoman just sing from the pages. I love that Maas is able to write a story that is seriously dark, but maintain all of those wonderful aspects of hope that most superhero stories have.

I loved the romance that filtered throughout this story. You know from the very beginning that Selina and Luke are going to end up together in some format. But the journey to get there was rife with difficulties and horrors. Moments which make you just want that happily ever after all the more. That makes you reach for it and hope that there is a nice moment at the end of all of the battles. Particularly when the release of the joker hangs over the whole storyline – it makes the fleeting moments of courtship so much more fun.

Joining Catwoman with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy was not something that I expected. I’m not sure if it’s something that comes about in any of the other stories, or if it’s done in this fashion. But it was certainly something that I loved. After all, they’re three strong, powerful, intelligent and independent women. Even if they may be a little off-kilter with their moral compasses and morals. They may actually be my favourite trio of protagonists that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in a long, long time.

All throughout this novel I knew that Catwoman had some kind of motive for her actions. I figured she wasn’t just a narcissistic thief. And that there was a reason for all of the mayhem that she was causing. I guessed bits and pieces of it, but it wasn’t until that grand reveal at the end that everything clicked into place. Which, for me, is one of the reasons why I love a Sarah J. Maas book so much.

<- Batman

Superman ->

Image source: Goodreads

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

July 25, 2020Book ReviewGwendolyn Clare, Historical fiction, Ink Iron and Glass, Steampunk, Young Adultskyebjenner

Title: Ink, Iron, and Glass
Author: Gwendolyn Clare
Series: Ink, Iron, and Glass #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Steampunk, Young adult
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: So, that left only one option available to her: she would have to scribe a laboratory for herself.

Our best weapons are words.

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother – a noted scriptologist – constantly alters and expands their reality.

But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology – and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of thse fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

In this thrilling debut, worlds collide as Elsa unveils a deep political conspiracy seeking to unlock the most dangerous weapon ever created – and only she can stop it.

Wow. This was just… wow. And I don’t even remember when I bought it. Or why I didn’t read it straight away. Because… seriously… wow. This was awesome, powerful and brilliant. It was filled with all of those wonderful steampunk moments, and the aspects of young adult stories that I already know that I love. The fact that it is based in historical Italy, instead of Victorian London like many steampunk stories… that just added to the feeling of “wow”. I should really find a better word, but this one just seems to work so well…

One of my favourite things about this novel is probably just how powerful Elsa is. Most of my books feature a female lead who is powerful. But there is something so much… extra about her. Something which definitely drew me in from the very beginning. Add that to the creation of different worlds and realities… and the access to these realities is through a portal in a book… I found this to be one of my favourite worlds that have been built in a long time. There was something so eerily and beautifully familiar about all of it… whilst being completely new and refreshing.

I love that there are three main affinities for the “mad children”. And one of those is Alchemy… I’m still a little vague as to exactly what alchemy encompasses. But I do love that Skandar is the creation of one such “mad boy”. He may be my favourite, quirkiest creature yet. Definitely the most unique, a squidlike cuddle monster who can also attack and kill others… I may be a little ghoulish and blood-thirsty. But it was an idea and execution that I particularly enjoyed. And it kind of helped to make some of the more serious moments… less serious.

Leo and Elsa are a great couple in this. I love the way they fall for each other and the constant banter that they have. Their histories are intertwined and their futures even more so. And although there are moments in which you’re not entirely sure if they’re going to actually make it… you really just can’t help but hope for the best. Or at least, that’s what I’m hanging out for in the next book… when I have enough money to actually buy the next book…

<- More Gwendolyn Clare

Mist, Metal, and Ash ->

Image source: Goodreads

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

July 25, 2020Book ReviewJessica Brody, Romance, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Unremembered, Young Adultskyebjenner

Unremembered (Unremembered, #1) by Jessica Brody

Title: Unremembered
Author: Jessica Brody
Series: Unremembered #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Romance, Science fiction, Time travel, Young adult
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Especially given you… well, celebrity status.

When Freedom airlines flight 121 went down, they didn’t expect to find anyone. Alive, that is.

But there was one survivor. Which is why a sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage – alive – is making headlines across the globe.

Even stranger is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. but can she really trust him? Can she trust anyone?

I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for quite a while. Ever since I read Unstolen. It looked kind of cute and intriguing. But honestly, that was the extent of my thought process. It was always a book that I’ll get to at some point. And then I needed a book with a title starting with a U for a reading challenge… and wow. This is not just good. It is ridiculously good. I actually couldn’t believe how much this pulled me in. And just how quickly.

Alright, so this is a bit of a teeny little romance. Which is why I gave it one less star than I probably would have otherwise given it. I do tend to find that star-crossed lovers can get a bit of an overbearing trope. And for the majority of this novel, that was kind of how I felt about that main relationship. But then… but then it really started to develop. As more of Sera’s history was revealed, her relationship with Zen became less and less irritating and more and more developed. And now? Now I can’t wait to see how that will develop in the next two books in this trilogy. Started out a bit eh, but the relationship quickly built upon itself and developed into a great aspect of the storyline.

I knew that there was a time travel aspect to this novel. After all, it says so on Goodreads. But this wasn’t quite the time travel that I was expecting. There is surprise after surprise throughout this novel that makes you constantly reconfigure and question the whole time travel angle. And at the very ending? You’re still kind of questioning things. Still wondering if you have all of the information about time travel locked away into your brain. And what you’ve probably missed… it makes for a seriously intriguing and great way to tell a time travel story.

Aside from the teeny / young adult storyline and the very unique take on time travel… I absolutely adored how Brody is able to play with the idea of memories and thoughts all the way throughout this story. In each and every moment, you’re questioning what is real and what is manufactured. And how memories can be stored. How much influence memories actually have on our personalities… it’s a fascinating realm to play with and Brody did an absolutely fantastic job of making you think through each and every sentence.

<- More Jessica Brody

Unstolen ->

Image source: Goodreads

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

July 24, 2020Book ReviewAlexandra Christo, Fairy tales, Mermaids, Retellings, Young Adultskyebjenner

Title: To Kill a Kingdom
Author: Alexandra Christo
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Mermaids, Retellings, Young adult
Dates read: 27th – 28th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: “Have you known for a while?” Sakura asks.

I have a heart for every year I’ve been alive.

There are seventeen hidden in the sand of my bedroom. Every so often, I claw through the shingle just to check they’re still there. Buried deep and bloody.

Princess Lira is siren royalty and revered across the sea until she is cursed into humanity by the ruthless Sea Queen. Now Lira must deliver the heart of the infamous siren killer or remain a human forever.

Prince Elian is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world, and captain to a deadly crew of siren hunters. When he rescues a drowning woman from the ocean, she promises to help him destroy siren kind for good. But he has no way of knowing whether he can trust her…

I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for a while, and I kind of figured that it was just going to be another cute little retelling. I was excited to read it, but wasn’t desperate to. And then I read this. And honestly… WOW! This is an AMAZING Little Mermaid retelling. I honestly just can’t get it out of my head. It’s dark, it’s fun and it’s weirdly sweet…

Probably one of my favourite things about this novel / retelling is that Lira is completely predatory. She isn’t the nice, sweet, innocent mermaid of the Disney stories. Or even the kind of sad sack from the original Hans Christian Andersen story. Instead, she is tough, hungry and completely powerful in her own right. I also love that she is seriously sarcastic and aggressive in so many, many, many ways. Which, of course means, she fits perfectly with Elian. He’s also a pretty intense predator, and a pirate. Although, in this battle, I think it’s actually Lira that I found more intimidating and powerful… just as it should be.

Although this is a really nice little romance, it’s definitely not going onto my romance shelf. It’s a little unromantic in many places, and although it does still follow that fairly typical YA romance pattern… there is something a little extra about it. Something that doesn’t give me romantic feelings, but rather, happily ever after, big smile feelings…

The world building, characters and story line of this novel is just phenomenal. It made the story completely impossible to put down and forget about. Impossible to forget and stop thinking about. What makes that fact really horrible… this is a standalone. I would love to find out more about how Elian and Lira get along in the new world that they’ve created. Find out more about Lira’s cousin… there are so many more stories I want told from this world!!!

<- The Crooked Place

More Alexandra Christo ->

Image source: Goodreads

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi

June 29, 2020Book ReviewContemporary, Farah Naz Rishi, LGBTQI, Science Fiction, Young Adultskyebjenner

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi

Title: I Hope You Get This Message
Author: Farah Naz Rishi
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, LGBTQI, Science fiction, Young adult
Dates read: 23rd – 27th May 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Harper Teen
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: Derek had been crushing on Mia Jimenez – a junior and the current president of the Video Game Club – since day one of their freshman year.

Seven days. Seven days. The Earth might end in seven days.

When news stations start reporting that Earth has been contacted by a planet named Alma, the world is abuzz with rumors that the alien entity is giving mankind only few days to live before they hit the kill switch on civilization.

For high school truant Jesse Hewitt, though, nothing has ever felt permanent. Not the guys he hooks up with. Not the jobs his underpaid mom works so hard to hold down. Life has dealt him one bad blow after another — so what does it matter if it all ends now? Cate Collins, on the other hand, is desperate to use this time to find the father she’s never met, the man she grew up hearing wild stories about, most of which she didn’t believe. And then there’s Adeem Khan. While coding and computer programming have always come easily to him, forgiveness doesn’t. He can’t seem to forgive his sister for leaving, even though it’s his last chance.

With only seven days to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide even as their worlds are pulled apart.

Holy crap. This book was amazing. It was brilliant, funny and completely impossible to put down! I absolutely adored this novel. And just. Wow. At first I was actually kind of pissed off at the open-ended nature of the ending. But, the more I’ve thought about it, the most I’ve realised just how amazing it truly is.

I really loved the idea that we are not actually the dominant race in the universe – that really, we’re just a genetic experiment. Kind of like sheep. Or cattle. Or something else that we figure is just something to play with and watch. Without really wondering too much about our hopes, dreams and desires. It kind of helps to put you in your place and remind you that the universe is filled with mysteries – of which we know nothing about.

There aren’t many stories that so seamlessly follow the lives of three separate characters. Yes, they eventually all join up and you find the common threads (like the common threads we constantly find in our own lives). But it’s the fact that even when they are completely separate, the characters are each so beautifully distinct and unique. It is impossible to get any mixed up and you fall completely under the spell of each and every one of them. They are all just so wonderful and intense, with their own somewhat difficult and tragic battles to face.

This is a fantastic story that you just won’t be able to put down. There is a great SciFi aspect to it that is enthralling – the transcripts from Alma that are the discussion of our continuation. But there is also the beauty in humanity. There are the absolute best of humanity throughout this story, and the total dickheads, Rishi doesn’t try and pretend that humanity is filled with the good… but rather a mix of both good and bad. This is a wonderful story that still kind of made me hope at the end. And it’s definitely a fantastic book to be reading at this time in the world… with all of the insanity surrounding us.

<- Farah Naz Rishi

Science Fiction ->

Image source: Goodreads

Billy Thunder and the Night Gate by Isobelle Carmody

June 8, 2020Book ReviewFamily, Fantasy, Isobelle Carmody, Young Adultskyebjenner

Billy Thunder and the Night Gate: Isobelle Carmody: 9780141300986 ...

Title: Billy Thunder and the Night Gate
Author: Isobelle Carmody
Series: The Gateway Trilogy #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Family, Fantasy, Young adult
Dates read: 10th – 15th May 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year: 2002
5th sentence, 74th page: Covering it over, she thought is was much better in sotires, where no one ever seemd to have to go to the toilet or eat or bathe.

Rage Winnoway’s mother has been asleep since she had a terrible accident. In a quest to find healing magick, Rage and her animal friends travel through a strange gateway to Valley, a land of mythical beasts, talking dogs and streets that change shape.

But Valley is no paradise. Harsh guardians rule a sinister black city, and fugitive witch folk work forbidden magick.

Rage desperately wants to go home, but the one person who can help her, a wizard, has disappeared. Her only guides are the treacherous firecat and an enchanted hourglass…

I first read this book when I was a lot younger. And it’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure of picking it up. But now that I have… wow. It’s just as good as I remember. I picked up so many new nuances and moments throughout. And, having had the pleasure of actually talking to the author for an interview once, I can also see a bit more of her personality through the pages. All of which I found exceedingly pleasurable and wonderful. Fun and still impossible to put down, even if I did know exactly what was going to happen…

As a child, I related a lot to Rage and her loneliness. That, and her extreme attachment to her dogs. As an adult, I really haven’t changed. I still feel like I don’t quite belong with the rest of my friends, and don’t actually have that many friends. And I have a super strong connection to my dogs. The main difference between then and now? I’m happy with that reality. I have managed to collect a few true friends that I enjoy spending my time with… and the rest of it? I’m more than happy in the pages of a great book like this with my dogs fighting for primo-lap space.

One of the things that I have always found characterises Carmody’s writing is the use of a message in her writing. In the case of this novel, it is that sometimes rules aren’t that good. Sometimes you need to break the rules and stand up for yourself if the situation asks for it. The other message is about love and family. Not leaving those you love behind and staying loyal and true to those whom you love. Both are integral, unforgettable aspects of this storyline and you walk away feeling like being yourself is enough. And that you should always try to stick around for the ones that you love.

There is nothing so good as returning to a well-loved story from your childhood. Except, maybe, returning to a well-loved story from your childhood and discovering that you love it just as much as an adult. After all, it can be a little crushing when your memories don’t quite hold up to the reality. That is certainly not the case for this novel. Whether your young or old, male or female, if you like fantasy… you’ll love this.

<- More Isobelle Carmody

The Winter Door ->

Image source: Amazon

That’s Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

April 5, 2020Book ReviewContemporary, Kody Keplinger, Young Adultskyebjenner

Image result for book cover that's not what happened

Title: That’s Not What Happened
Author: Kody Keplinger
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Young adult
Dates read: 25th February – 6th March 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Hodder
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: She was young, only twenty-three, and very pretty with golden-blonde hair that fell in loose waves to her shoulders.

It’s been three years since the Virgil County High School shooting. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall. Everyone knows Sarah’s story.

But it’s not true.

I know because I was there when she died. This might be my last chance to set the record straight … but I’m not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did – and didn’t – happen that day.

And the fake Sarah story is important to a lot of people, people who don’t take kindly to what I’m trying to do. The more I learn, the less certain I am about what’s worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up …

This is a seriously intense book. Wicked, brilliant. But fairly intense. Mostly because of the subject matter that it deals with – school shootings in America. I finished this. Put it aside, and then just said “WOW”. There are no other words for it…. Just…. Wow.

I’ve always been grateful / happy to be an Aussie. And this kind of just completely drove that home. Partly because in all of my school days we had TWO lockdown drills. And that was it. Actually, we had more bushfire drills than lockdown drills. There have been no mass shootings since 1996 (since before I even went to school). And then reading a story which features the survivors of such a thing… the pain, the horror…. I just can’t imagine it. And for that I’m glad.

I’m not a huge fan of the media, never really have been. And I’m honestly banned from watching the news when anybody else is around because I frequently yell at the TV… very loudly. Which meant it was really interesting reading a book which featured the ways in which the media gets it wrong. And the consequences of that. The different stories that can come out of one moment… regardless of how and why they started, but everyone has their own story – one which might not necessarily agree with others. But everyone’s story does deserve to be heard. At least, that was the strong, very strong message I got from this. It started out being driven by the truth, and then it started to be more about the loss of a voice in the frenzy of the media.

Although it wasn’t a driving factor of the storyline, I really liked that this story had an asexual lead. Other than Sherlock Holmes, I haven’t had the privilege of this kind of character. And even in Sherlock, it’s not out and out admitted. This is completely out in the open, honest and realistic as to the experience. Yet, there isn’t a big deal made out of it – it’s just an aspect of this character that you come to love and treasure.

If you’re anything like me, you probably won’t be able to put this down. It is intriguing, engaging and absolutely soul wrenching. Yet, there is a lightness and relatability to it that I really wasn’t expecting for this subject matter. I also loved that it was written in a slightly different format to most of the novels that I read. A format that really told the story brilliantly.

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Image source: Pan Macmillan South Africa

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.

Tag Archives: Young Adult

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

One Small Step… by Amie Kaufman

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi

Billy Thunder and the Night Gate by Isobelle Carmody

That’s Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger