Book-review post!
(Two YA and two contemporary women's fiction this time around, all 2012 releases. Feeling moderately up to date! Also, three out of four titles here have moments that are likely to induce sobbing. Just sayin'.)
John Green – The Fault In Our Stars
Regular readers of this blog will be aware of my wariness of hype. I did a fair bit of dithering over whether or not to buy the book in hardback, then gave in and devoured it within twenty-four hours. And. OH. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I will just say: page 153 was the point where the book went from 'yeah, okay, this is good' to 'that just stole my breath a little bit'. Pages 202-3 were perfect. Page 213 BROKE ME INTO TINY PIECES. As did almost every page after that. (I'm not especially prone to getting sad over kids-with-cancer books. I devoured far too many Lurlene McDaniel novels in my impressionable youth. But the realness of this, the quirky vivid sometimes-snarky feel of it, takes it many steps beyond the predictable.) This is being added to my 'YA books to recommend to grown-ups and make them realise the brilliance that exists in YA' list.
Felicity McCall – Large Mammals, Stick Insects, and Other Social Misfits
Very funny and smart and witty book set in Derry, focusing on the activities of Aimee McCourt Logan, a compulsive fifteen-year-old listmaker, and her friends. The story centres around a cross-border co-operation project between their school and a South Dublin one, but there's lots more going on. It deals with heavy issues without ever being overwhelming, and is readable and amusing without ever feeling fluffy. One to watch out for.
Jojo Moyes – Me Before You
Grown-uppy one about a twentysomething named Lou who ends up working as a carer for a grumpy man, Will, who became a quadraplegic after a motorbike accident. Lou's life has been a small one; Will's was adventurous and challenging until his accident. They form an awkward sort of friendship, and then Lou finds out the reason she's only been hired for six months. This is wonderfully funny at times, and will break your heart at others. Well worth reading.
Sarah Webb – The Shoestring Club
Julia is twenty-four and a bit of a mess. She drinks too much, doesn't know what she wants to do with her life, and the love of her life is engaged to her ex-best friend, Lainey. When she finds herself working full-time for her prickly older sister, Pandora, in Pandora's designer swap shop, she has a chance to use some of her creativity – but it's not an answer to her problems by any means. Her ex, Ed, is still lurking around, and one particular episode of binge drinking has her family – including her feisty grandmother, Bird – concerned and watchful. Part of the story focuses on Julia's scheme to get to wear the perfect dress to Lainey and Ed's wedding, to prove she's over it all, and the club she sets up to time-share the dress; there's also lots about the family dynamics and Julia's relationship with the boy next door, Jamie. (I adored Jamie from his very first appearance – what a dote.) Very readable, with a central character that I sometimes wanted to hug and sometimes wanted to applaud. Already looking forward to the sequel – from Pandora's POV – and hoping to learn more about the other members of the Shoestring Club.
