Geek Drama- Holly Smale

The Blurb

“My name is Harriet Manners and I am a geek.”

Harriet Manners knows that the hottest observed place on earth is Furnace Creek in Death Valley. She knows that dolphins shed the top layer of their skin every two hours. And she knows just how badly auditions can go, especially when you’re a model. But she has no idea what to do when her arch-nemesis decides the school play is the perfect opportunity to humiliate her…

Can GEEK GIRL survive the bright lights of the stage?

The Review

I read the first two Geek Girl books last year when I was in hospital and they were such a tonic-  YA books full to the brim with slapstick humour and an entertaining plot.  They covered friendship (and bullying), first love, family and were crammed full of strange and interesting facts which Harriet shares with anyone who'll listen. 

Geek Drama is book 2.5 of the series and was released for World Book Day.  It's not a full length book, but these 128 pages squeeze in a lot of story.  There are the same hilarious characters throughout- Harriet and her family, Harriet's best friend Nat (who always wanted to be a model- and then Harriet inadvertently stole her dream), arch enemy Alexa and stalker Toby.  I loved getting to find out more about them in this novella length read.

As Nat decides she's ready to pursue her new dream of being an actress, the girls audition for parts in the school production of Hamlet.  It's an unconventional adaptation of the play in every sense, but that only enriches the entertainment value provided- I wouldn't expect anything less than slightly madcap in a Geek Girl book!  The moment when Nat realises her role isn't quite what she expected was laugh out loud funny-I could see it so clearly in my mind.  I want these books to be made into films SOOOOOO badly.

These books are fabulously funny yet also convey the importance of friendship, being true to yourself and developing resilience.  I love how Holly Smale strikes that balance between comedy and issues that are important to teens (and beyond.  I'm in my mid thirties and still need to work on developing a thicker skin). 

I can't wait to read the third and fourth books in the series- I'm a Geek Girl fangirl and proud of it!

Geek Drama is out now published by Harper Collins Children's Books.

All I Know Now- Carrie Hope Fletcher

The Blurb

We all know that growing up is hard to do, and sometimes the only thing that makes it better are the reassuring words of someone who has walked that bumpy road just a few steps ahead of you and somehow ended up as a fully-functioning adult. Carrie Hope Fletcher is that person. Thanks to her phenomenally popular YouTube videos, Carrie has become an 'honorary big sister' to hundreds of thousands of young people who turn to her for advice, friendship and, most of all, the knowledge that things will get better.

Carrie has created a safe and positive space for young people to connect and share their hopes and concerns online, and now she will share her most personal thoughts and experiences in her first book, ALL I KNOW NOW. It includes Carrie's thoughts on some of the topics she's asked about most regularly: bullying, body image, relationships and perhaps the scariest question of all: what does the future hold for me? With warmth, wit and a sprinkling of hard-won wisdom, Carrie will provide the essential tools for growing up gracefully . . . most of the time.

The Review

I'm really not the target audience for this book.  I know I say that a lot, especially when it comes to YA fiction, but this is different.  This book is non-fiction, aimed almost exclusively at the teen market. 

I'm a married woman. 

I'm a mum. 

I have worked in the same field for seventeen years. 

Surely I should have figured life out a bit by now?!  That I purchased All I Know Now for myself proves that's not the case... 

I know I'm not alone in being an older reader of this book.  Yes, a lot of Carrie's fans (or 'Hopefuls') fall into the teen age bracket, but she's also won a host of older fans for her honest, open approach, her good nature and humour, and her positivity.  She's a vlogger with a difference- she doesn't talk exclusively about fashion, or make up, or books.  Instead, she uses her vlog, tumblr and twitter to connect with fans and answer their questions, sharing her own experiences and reinforcing that you need never think you have no one who cares.  I suppose in some ways she's an agony aunt or a wise older sister, someone who's got your back and has a waiting ear to listen to your problems.

All I Know Now is just like her vlog, but in book form.  It's chatty, and easy to read, and it's mostly a very positive and upbeat collection of stories that remind you you're stronger than you think.  Each chapter is a life lesson, something to mull over whilst candidly sharing Carrie's personal stories. 

This book is a perfect way for Carrie to impart what she's learnt.  She shares her own experiences of notable milestones and those difficult adolescent moments- bullying, peer pressure, sex, relationships, self confidence- and because it's written in Carrie's typically chatty style, it makes you feel like you're listening to a friend, giving you advice over a pot of tea and a slice of Victoria sponge, not just flicking pages in a book. 

I read this book when I had a lot on my mind, and Carrie's words were genuinely comforting to me.  They were a big, warm blanket which made me feel safe. Thank you for that, Ms Fletcher.

So, to wrap up this review, I want to say that whatever your age, whatever your outlook, whatever your dreams...you can learn from this book.  It encourages introspection and self awareness, and is a perfect way to help you reassess what is important to you.  Not to anyone else, YOU. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. 

Empower yourself.  Buy it.

All I Know Now is out now in ebook and paperback, published by Sphere.

Wonder/The Julian Chapter- RJ Palacio

 

The Blurb

'My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.'

Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren't stared at wherever they go.

Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?

The Review

I honestly don't know where to start with this one.  I'm not sure there are enough superlatives in the dictionary for me to spout out, and I don't know if I can convey how much love I have for this book.  But I'll try and explain to you just why I love Wonder so much.

First, let's talk about August.  He's different.  Or rather, he looks different, but as you read his thoughts and fears you appreciate that he's actually experiencing life in exactly the same way as everyone else.  He's nervous about starting a new school, he worries what people will think of him, he doesn't want to be judged purely on his Star Wars obsession.  But because August looks so different to his peers, he is stared at wherever he goes, openly mocked, ignored or told he is repulsive.  Life for August isn't easy.  He can't just be a ten year old boy, he's 'The Freak', 'The Ork'.  The other children at his new school don't understand why he looks like he does, and most are afraid of him purely because of his appearance. 

August is ridiculed throughout, particularly by privileged Julian and his hangers-on.  It is uncomfortable to read and I am not ashamed to admit there were tears on numerous occasions.  However, the friendships August does make shine through.  His lunchtime pal Summer is beautiful inside and out, and as warm as her name would suggest.

Told through the eyes of August, his family and his peers, it examines how one person can affect the lives of people around them.  It will cause you to consider your own actions and words more closely, and although I wouldn't call it an easy read because it will challenge your thinking (emotive-yes, engaging- yes, easy-no), it is beautifully simplistic in its message. 

 

 

As an adult reading Wonder (particularly one who has worked in education for the last sixteen years), I was especially interested in the portrayal of the teachers in the book.  Mr Browne, the English teacher with a penchant for precepts, is wonderful.  He encourages children to be introspective, to become better people and most of all to 'choose kind'.  Every child should have a teacher like him for at least one year of their schooling (I very fortunately had a brilliant teacher for two years, Mr Richards, who taught kindness and empathy alongside poetry and creative writing).  The Head teacher, Mr Tushman is also a brilliant character.  I'd say he has a quiet power, and a real knowledge about just what is going on inside his school walls.

 

It is impossible to explain just why this book is such a hit with adults and children alike except to say it is truly unique, and a book which deserves to be read, and reread until we are all better, kinder people.  It is one of my favourite reads of the year, hands down.

 

So my final message to you is to choose Wonder.  And most of all, choose kind.

 

New editions of Wonder contain The Julian Chapter (which can also be bought separately), giving the viewpoint of the ringleader and bully.  Equally as well written as Wonder, and just as powerful, I was brought to my knees by this addition to the book.  It could so easily have been overkill, but RJ Palacio judged this one just right. 

 

WIN!

 

To raise awareness of Anti-bullying week, the publisher has very kindly given me a 'Wonder Bundle' to dish out to one lucky reader.  To enter, simply comment below telling me why you should win, or tweet using the hashtags #bwbwonder and #choosekind.  A winner will be selected at random on Tuesday 26th November. Due to postage costs, I am sorry that this is a UK only competition. 

 

 

 

Being Binky- Binky Felstead

I make no bones about the fact that I love a bit of reality TV, and Made in Chelsea is possibly my favourite of all of the reality series I watch.  I like the glamour, the bitching, the fashion-plus as a bit of a London fanatic too there are regular glimpses of notable landmarks and quirky bars and cafes.  It is a far cry from life in South Yorkshire working as a dinner lady.

Binky has always been my favourite female cast member.  She seems a bit more down to earth than some of the other girls and is one of those irritating people who always appears effortlessly gorgeous.  I have a bit of a crush on her.  And I want her hair.  So when I saw she had a book out I was full of excitement.

Unfortunately, I wasn't blown away by Being Binky.  I was interested in her childhood, her experience of being bullied at school and how she came to be part of Made in Chelsea, but felt there was little in the way of juicy gossip or meaty revelations.  The book mostly covers her time up to starting on Made in Chelsea, whereas it would probably work better if it was based more around the relationships between cast members, her honest opinions on key moments in the series and how her life has changed.

There are lists of 'top tips' for things like 'how to apply fake tan' and 'how to date a Chelsea boy' which are really not relevant to me.  This is definitely aimed at the younger market, I would say 16-18s.  The pictures of Binky growing up will give any girl hope- puberty served her well- and I was amazed at how her Mum hasn't aged at all!

Overall, I was disappointed.  I love Binky and thought there was so much potential, but this book fell a bit flat for me.  It would have been better being marketed as a teen book, as a quick look on Amazon shows that other older fans of the show have had similar thoughts to me.  I can imagine younger readers will enjoy it as an easy read and find the lists fun, but for me it could have been so much more.

Being Binky is out now, published by Simon and Schuster.

With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.