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Cleo Howard #1
The Very Metal Diary Of Cleo Howard
The year is 1997. Cleo Howard is at a very awkward age, she’s sure she’s an adult, so why won’t everyone realise this? Why won’t her chest realise this? Why is Maths so hard? When will she stop feeling sad that her Dad doesn’t live with her and her Mum? Music and men are her twin fascinations and she thanks Almighty Lemmy for metal and mates. Her diary, which you now hold in your hands, is home to her deepest thoughts, fondest wishes and often what she had for tea.
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Tipper
18 books6 followersSarah Tipper was born in Oxford in 1974 and was very nearly called Robert. She enjoyed school, especially any classes that involved writing and that did not involve wearing shorts. She once sniggered her way through an entire assignment about the Cerne Abbas giant. At age thirteen Sarah started listening to metal. She was lightly teased for wearing tight jeans and an Anthrax or Slayer T shirt. This didn't bother her, she felt safe from the Bros dross culture other teenagers at the time were so keen on. Sarah's religion is heavy metal. Her favourite biscuit is the chocolate shortcake ring. The best gigs she's ever been to were Suicidal Tendencies, Manowar, Dedlok and Bolt-Thrower. She can't cope with the responsibility of having a pet but if she could she'd have a ginger rabbit called Ronnie (after Ronnie James Dio).
Sarah studied Psychology at the University of Reading. She missed her graduation ceremony because it clashed with seeing Black Sabbath. She went on to graduate with a Masters in Health Psychology from Coventry University. Luckily this didn't clash with anything and her Mum got a nice day out.
During the day Sarah does cancer research, squirting things at other things in a science type way. She started writing her first novel because a friend kept telling her to write a book and because another friend had inspired her to write a "things to do before you're forty list" and write a book made it on to this list.
Eviscerated Panda - A Metal Tale was written after twenty-four years of experience of going to gigs and drinking in rock pubs and twenty-five years experience of listening to metal. It was hugely enjoyable to write and Sarah hopes to create heavymetalworld, much like Terry Pratchett created Discworld. The sequel to Eviscerated Panda is half written. The author photo was taken by the lovely Bernie Galewski during a strange evening that involved giant pencils and a glittery skull.
Sarah studied Psychology at the University of Reading. She missed her graduation ceremony because it clashed with seeing Black Sabbath. She went on to graduate with a Masters in Health Psychology from Coventry University. Luckily this didn't clash with anything and her Mum got a nice day out.
During the day Sarah does cancer research, squirting things at other things in a science type way. She started writing her first novel because a friend kept telling her to write a book and because another friend had inspired her to write a "things to do before you're forty list" and write a book made it on to this list.
Eviscerated Panda - A Metal Tale was written after twenty-four years of experience of going to gigs and drinking in rock pubs and twenty-five years experience of listening to metal. It was hugely enjoyable to write and Sarah hopes to create heavymetalworld, much like Terry Pratchett created Discworld. The sequel to Eviscerated Panda is half written. The author photo was taken by the lovely Bernie Galewski during a strange evening that involved giant pencils and a glittery skull.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 27, 2017
An enjoyable nostalgic book about growing up in the 90s and being an alternative teen. I can definitely identify with a lot of it although I was more like Jenni than Cleo and I never got to hang out at a pub!
February 21, 2019
As a piece of teen fiction and a document of the time it is set, I had to give this a 4/5. Tipper's characters were plausible and anyone working in education will recognise them. Her character's observations of life - and of parents dealing with their own problems, but projecting - are both funny and touching. To be sure, this is an accurate summary of what it is to be 15 and how it was to be a metalhead at that time. I am eager to read the next few books and find out what happens to Cleo.
Having heard a young person come out with old-man comments in recent months about how music apparently makes people suffer depression, I now think books such as this should be on the YA shelves of every library and aggressively promoted. Surely in the years following the Sophie Lancaster murder, society should have grown the hell up.
Having heard a young person come out with old-man comments in recent months about how music apparently makes people suffer depression, I now think books such as this should be on the YA shelves of every library and aggressively promoted. Surely in the years following the Sophie Lancaster murder, society should have grown the hell up.
July 28, 2016
Cleo Howard's diaries are what every metalhead who grew up in the '90's wished we had. The female, metal orientated version of Adrian Mole, this book is a fun read and often makes the read flinch and squirm as they remember their own teenage years. Who didn't sneak in to the pub when they were underage? Who didn't feel awkward for being supposedly different when everyone else was so boringly normal? This is a fun, flirty read and will no doubt bring back a million memories about those loud, fun younger years. Highly recommended for any music fan! (But then I would say that because Cleo's goldfish is called Mustaine and, well, I'm a Megadeth fan!)
September 19, 2020
I really liked reading this story/diary. I found myself captivated in the world of Cleo Howard and the year long story told.
The friends, family and other characters are well thought out and brought to life as you get a real feel for how Cleo Howard is as a person through the style of writing used. The progression of Cleo's life over the year is also well described and related. That I felt a familiarity with the main character may come about from living in similar economic and environmental circumstances where we share similar likes and dislikes. Cleo's media interests paralleled many of my own at around a similar age, and in fact still are relevant today. Enjoyment of Red Dwarf seasons when they came out, high praise for Lemmy and 80s metal bands.
I was going to give this 4 stars but I have changed my mind mainly because there is honestly nothing I dislike about this story. My personal preference, I was not bored reading it, I read it rather quickly by my standards and I actually looked forward to each page. Great job to the author! Five stars!
The friends, family and other characters are well thought out and brought to life as you get a real feel for how Cleo Howard is as a person through the style of writing used. The progression of Cleo's life over the year is also well described and related. That I felt a familiarity with the main character may come about from living in similar economic and environmental circumstances where we share similar likes and dislikes. Cleo's media interests paralleled many of my own at around a similar age, and in fact still are relevant today. Enjoyment of Red Dwarf seasons when they came out, high praise for Lemmy and 80s metal bands.
I was going to give this 4 stars but I have changed my mind mainly because there is honestly nothing I dislike about this story. My personal preference, I was not bored reading it, I read it rather quickly by my standards and I actually looked forward to each page. Great job to the author! Five stars!
November 4, 2018
I liked this, it was a fun bit of late 90s nostalgia and it made me want to go and buy Sarah's other books as this is sort of prequelly to the Eviscerated Panda (I know right? Great title) series.
It didn't exactly pull me along in a terrifying twisty plot, but then it was never meant to. It reads like a fifteen year old girl's diary, which is what it is meant to do (not in a pervy way).
Liked it a lot.
It didn't exactly pull me along in a terrifying twisty plot, but then it was never meant to. It reads like a fifteen year old girl's diary, which is what it is meant to do (not in a pervy way).
Liked it a lot.
July 30, 2017
The Very Metal Diary of Cleo Howard. Was one of the best read I had in a while. Great job on the book.
I highly recommend this book. I read it and thought it was a great story. I can't wait to read more story from this author. I give this book 10/10 and a 5 star review. I hope everyone who buys this book enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you for the great read.
I highly recommend this book. I read it and thought it was a great story. I can't wait to read more story from this author. I give this book 10/10 and a 5 star review. I hope everyone who buys this book enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you for the great read.
October 16, 2020
I purchased this book because of the amazing reviews on Amazon and oh boy, they were all right. Such a good book
with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. I couldn't put this down until I ended. Can't wait for book two!
with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. I couldn't put this down until I ended. Can't wait for book two!
April 1, 2019
Quick and welcome read
So I was more punk and ska and rather earlier but it read very honestly. A great getaway from some of the heavier stuff I’ve been reading recently.
So I was more punk and ska and rather earlier but it read very honestly. A great getaway from some of the heavier stuff I’ve been reading recently.
March 31, 2015
Think I enjoyed this one the most out of all the Eviscerated Panda books. A different approach making the prequel into a diary, and it covers a wide enough variety of things that - even if you've read the earlier books - you don't really know what's going to happen (or has happened... what tense should I use here?)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews