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The Girl Who Cried Wolf: A compelling YA read about the search for hope and understanding
'A wonderful read' - Jeff Gardiner, author of Pica
'A genuine treat from start to finish' - Bookmark That
'A powerful coming of age story' - Things in Her Head
What if Death is just a big lie?
A growing up story with a difference, and a startling debut, The Girl Who Cried Wolf shows the tumultuous transition from teenager to young woman and is a story about believing in something, whether love, faith or simply yourself.
Anna Winters is beautiful, reckless and entirely self-absorbed. She spends more time thinking up reasons to call in sick to school than she does studying for her A levels. She shies away from her family, from responsibility – from anything in fact that doesn’t involve peach cider and endless parties with her friend Jules.
Anna assumes that her headaches are an inconvenient symptom of her wild lifestyle, until a doctor tells her that she has cancer…
As a terrifying black cloud descends upon her, Anna finds solace in Michael, another patient in the oncology ward. Michael shows Anna a chink of light in the darkness and sees beauty behind her illness and loves her sassy wit. He makes Anna forget she is ill.
Michael recovers; but Anna’s prospects worsen. And in emergency surgery, as she hovers between life and death, she is given a stark glimpse of why her life is so broken, and as she realises the simple fulfillment of being truly content, fears it may now be too late…
'A genuine treat from start to finish' - Bookmark That
'A powerful coming of age story' - Things in Her Head
What if Death is just a big lie?
A growing up story with a difference, and a startling debut, The Girl Who Cried Wolf shows the tumultuous transition from teenager to young woman and is a story about believing in something, whether love, faith or simply yourself.
Anna Winters is beautiful, reckless and entirely self-absorbed. She spends more time thinking up reasons to call in sick to school than she does studying for her A levels. She shies away from her family, from responsibility – from anything in fact that doesn’t involve peach cider and endless parties with her friend Jules.
Anna assumes that her headaches are an inconvenient symptom of her wild lifestyle, until a doctor tells her that she has cancer…
As a terrifying black cloud descends upon her, Anna finds solace in Michael, another patient in the oncology ward. Michael shows Anna a chink of light in the darkness and sees beauty behind her illness and loves her sassy wit. He makes Anna forget she is ill.
Michael recovers; but Anna’s prospects worsen. And in emergency surgery, as she hovers between life and death, she is given a stark glimpse of why her life is so broken, and as she realises the simple fulfillment of being truly content, fears it may now be too late…
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2016
11 people are currently reading
2170 people want to read
About the author
Bella James
2 books220 followersAuthor Biography
Bella James is the author of The Girl Who Cried Wolf, and the sequel -Girl With a Wine Glass- (This is the new American-published version of Hunger Moon) which will be released December 2018.
She writes gritty and intense novels that pull no punches in the trials of transitioning from child to adulthood.
Bella worked for many years with young people who were facing exclusion from mainstream schools, and is a passionate crusader in dispelling the challenges we face all our lives -trying to fit into a world that doesn’t always accept us for who we want to be.
As well as her passion for books, Bella is a Reiki practitioner and well-being counsellor, specifically for young people living with addiction and disordered eating. Her love of spiritual philosophy influences many of the words she writes, with an aim to heal broken hearts and minds, through reading and group therapy.
Bella James is the author of The Girl Who Cried Wolf, and the sequel -Girl With a Wine Glass- (This is the new American-published version of Hunger Moon) which will be released December 2018.
She writes gritty and intense novels that pull no punches in the trials of transitioning from child to adulthood.
Bella worked for many years with young people who were facing exclusion from mainstream schools, and is a passionate crusader in dispelling the challenges we face all our lives -trying to fit into a world that doesn’t always accept us for who we want to be.
As well as her passion for books, Bella is a Reiki practitioner and well-being counsellor, specifically for young people living with addiction and disordered eating. Her love of spiritual philosophy influences many of the words she writes, with an aim to heal broken hearts and minds, through reading and group therapy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 17, 2016
This is a stunning debut. I am a very tough critic when it comes to evaluating writing, but this book delivers. The prose is lyrical and flows effortlessly.The characters are very real and extremely well-developed, with the protagonist demonstrating a nice arc as the story concludes. I loved the pacing; it kept me turning pages and pulled me away from my own work. Like all great books, The Girl Who Cried Wolf forces you to realize what's truly important in life. I can't wait to read more from this very talented author.
July 21, 2017
The Girl Who Cried Wolf is an impressive work- and I speak (or write) as someone who doesn't normally read the kind of book that might be pigeonholed as "angsty YA" were it not for the superior writing and gritty but empathic style of author Bella James.
I always say that a book lives or dies by its characters- and this is certainly character-driven. It's not just possible to feel for the fate of main character Anna Winters- it's almost mandatory. The story pulls you in, the character is well-rounded, multi-faceted and soon becomes someone whose life the reader cares about- quite intensely in fact. That's no mean feat. There are so many books where characters are secondary to ome convolted plot, or worse yet, just secondary in general- wooden and one-dimensional, a cabal of cliches and sterotypes. Bella James has the skill to avoid such horrors and does so with panache.
Definitely one to pick up even if the genre isn't normally what you might read. Impressive.
I always say that a book lives or dies by its characters- and this is certainly character-driven. It's not just possible to feel for the fate of main character Anna Winters- it's almost mandatory. The story pulls you in, the character is well-rounded, multi-faceted and soon becomes someone whose life the reader cares about- quite intensely in fact. That's no mean feat. There are so many books where characters are secondary to ome convolted plot, or worse yet, just secondary in general- wooden and one-dimensional, a cabal of cliches and sterotypes. Bella James has the skill to avoid such horrors and does so with panache.
Definitely one to pick up even if the genre isn't normally what you might read. Impressive.
May 13, 2018
This book starts with Anna, who is quite frankly, a horrible bully. We follow Anna as she uses every excuse in the book as a reason not to go to school. It turns out that Anna is actually ill with a brain tumour and we follow her journey through her illness. She has a lot of hate in her, especially towards her Mother. This is a great story, featuring all the ups and downs of teenage life plus the added distress of cancer. The story is beautifully written by Bella James & I highly recommend this.
February 8, 2018
Great Story. I highly recommend Bella James YA Novel, The Girl Who Cried Wolf, a coming of age romance that deals with brain cancer from “over the pond” in Northumberland. Since I live in the “states,” I found it fascinating to learn about the UK’s school and health care systems. The girl in the story is snarky and funny. Her near-death experience is unique and well worth reading. Kudos to Bella James.
March 15, 2018
I really loved this book, the characters and the ups and downs between hope and despair made this novel an interesting read.
I love Anna flippant, careless and often obnoxious attitude because it makes her real and if not likeable, she is definitely an angry rebellious teenager I can understand and relate to. I loved the difficult relationship with her mother and the cathartic evolution of their connection.
A highly recommended novel that I think will make a great movie!
I love Anna flippant, careless and often obnoxious attitude because it makes her real and if not likeable, she is definitely an angry rebellious teenager I can understand and relate to. I loved the difficult relationship with her mother and the cathartic evolution of their connection.
A highly recommended novel that I think will make a great movie!
July 25, 2020
The voice rang true and then there was this awkward experience I can't say much about without ruining the plot, but that did not sit well with me.
October 28, 2016
Anna is a bully; a past master at inventing illnesses to bunk off school of get out of certain classes. She’s seventeen, drinks, is rebellious, abusive to her mother and jealous of her younger sister. However, there are moments when she does feel remorse for the way she is, then moments later she is carrying on in the same old way. When her sickness record sees her referred to a doctor she is shocked to discover she really is ill. Very ill. In hospital she meets fellow patient Michael. He’s kind and caring and she responds, but even then she manages to shoot herself in the foot and alienate him as she leaves for home. Anna’s near death experience on the operating table enables the writer to broaden the story and let us see the truth behind the lives of some of the other characters.
The book is well written although I wasn't particularly fond of Anna's character. Rebellious teenager is one thing but I felt she was simply selfish and oblivious of anyone else's feelings, although there are moments when she can be quite funny. Having said that I found myself totally hooked on this story. I really needed to know what was going to happen to her. I’m hoping there will be a sequel to this as I feel Anna and Michael’s story isn’t over yet, there's the potential for much more.
The book is well written although I wasn't particularly fond of Anna's character. Rebellious teenager is one thing but I felt she was simply selfish and oblivious of anyone else's feelings, although there are moments when she can be quite funny. Having said that I found myself totally hooked on this story. I really needed to know what was going to happen to her. I’m hoping there will be a sequel to this as I feel Anna and Michael’s story isn’t over yet, there's the potential for much more.
October 29, 2016
I was given a copy of this book from Accent YA in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book from start to finish! The main character, Anna was spoilt, obnoxious and a right pain in the behind but it was such a joy to read her journey and share her "ups" and "downs" with her illness and falling in love with the handsome Michael. The relationship with her mother was difficult to digest due to Anna being such a cow towards her, but when you find out the reason why Anna's mother has been so distant all these years, you understand a mother's true love for her daughter.
I found the pace of the storyline very easy going and witty. Anna behaved like such a "madam" but in the end her journey through her illness opened up her eyes to what really counts in life.
I enjoyed the relationship between Anna and Michael and was glad that he didn't give up on her by pushing Anna to show what true love looks and feels like . However, I was a bit disappointed that Anna didn't find out more about her father's violent and negative attitude towards her mother in order to confront him about it.
Overall, a wonderful book about life, love, life-changing decisions and what counts in life.
A definite 5 out of 5 stars!
I loved this book from start to finish! The main character, Anna was spoilt, obnoxious and a right pain in the behind but it was such a joy to read her journey and share her "ups" and "downs" with her illness and falling in love with the handsome Michael. The relationship with her mother was difficult to digest due to Anna being such a cow towards her, but when you find out the reason why Anna's mother has been so distant all these years, you understand a mother's true love for her daughter.
I found the pace of the storyline very easy going and witty. Anna behaved like such a "madam" but in the end her journey through her illness opened up her eyes to what really counts in life.
I enjoyed the relationship between Anna and Michael and was glad that he didn't give up on her by pushing Anna to show what true love looks and feels like . However, I was a bit disappointed that Anna didn't find out more about her father's violent and negative attitude towards her mother in order to confront him about it.
Overall, a wonderful book about life, love, life-changing decisions and what counts in life.
A definite 5 out of 5 stars!
May 22, 2018
Hmm. I'm on the fence about this one.
The Girl Who Cried Wolf follows Anna, a 17 year old girl in sixth form, who likes to take sick-days from school so she can go out drinking with her friend Jules. For Anna, that's all that really matters. Until, after one too many sick days, and too many crazy explanations, she's called into a meeting with a doctor who runs a few tests and announces that Anna may have cancer.
It turns out Anna has a brain tumour, and whilst receiving treatment, she meets fellow patient Michael. Cue love story. We follow the ups and downs of Anna's treatment and how the relationships she has with her friends and family change.
So going into this, I had The Fault in Our Stars vibes and I was certain this wouldn't have a happy ending. Spoiler alert: . I didn't warm to Anna as much as I think I was supposed to. She was rude and aggressive in the beginning for no reason, and every time I started to feel for her, she would do something that would remind me that she's not a likeable person. .
Overall, it was an okay story but maybe it wasn't for me.
The Girl Who Cried Wolf follows Anna, a 17 year old girl in sixth form, who likes to take sick-days from school so she can go out drinking with her friend Jules. For Anna, that's all that really matters. Until, after one too many sick days, and too many crazy explanations, she's called into a meeting with a doctor who runs a few tests and announces that Anna may have cancer.
It turns out Anna has a brain tumour, and whilst receiving treatment, she meets fellow patient Michael. Cue love story. We follow the ups and downs of Anna's treatment and how the relationships she has with her friends and family change.
So going into this, I had The Fault in Our Stars vibes and I was certain this wouldn't have a happy ending. Spoiler alert: . I didn't warm to Anna as much as I think I was supposed to. She was rude and aggressive in the beginning for no reason, and every time I started to feel for her, she would do something that would remind me that she's not a likeable person. .
Overall, it was an okay story but maybe it wasn't for me.
September 18, 2016
I\d never heard of this author, but picked the book up based on the description. Loved this story so much, spiritual, romantic and tragic, but told with a sense of humour. Anna's journey kept me gripped from beginning to end, couldn't put it down. Recommended.
April 7, 2017
I think this was probably a little over-edited it sped up way too much at the end. Otherwise I did like it, but didn't love it.
September 14, 2018
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
I was struck initially by the voice in this book. It was so well-established, and although the character of Anna is the hallmark of an unsympathetic character (frankly, she's a bit of a bitch), you don't want her to die. You go through the whole book wishing for her to live, which I attribute to the author's talent at making unlikeable characters likable.
Her romance with fellow patient Michael does give you The Fault in Our Stars vibes, but that's about where the similarities end. In fact, I figure those that loved The Things We Learn When We're Dead by Charlie Laidlaw (which I loved) will also like this book. It also deals with dying and a chance at redemption.
Anna's journey to The Sphere, or that magical place of limbo between living and dying gave her an insight into her past mistakes and the plight of others that she never gave another thought to.
I loved the idea that even a nasty bitch can redeem herself and learn from her mistakes, because in this world, it is so easy to get caught up in someone's past and not see that they can change (of course, if they don't apologize or take responsibility, that's a different story). But Anna was truly remorseful, and she wasn't perfect by any means, but she was constantly trying and I believe that is a start.
This book also deals with family abuse and postpartum depression, which is something I rarely see covered without making them issue-books. That might be a trigger for some people, so be aware of it if you choose to read this book.
I was a little confused after Anna gets out of her limbo, because at times it seems like she's forgotten some of what she learned and remembers other things clearly, which may have been intentional of the author.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. It's a quick one you can get out in one sitting, but that doesn't mean it doesn't pack a heavy punch. It deals with learning to love fearlessly, and living your life the best you can, because you never know when it's going to be cut short.
f t c: I was sent a review copy courtesy of Accent Press UK.
I was struck initially by the voice in this book. It was so well-established, and although the character of Anna is the hallmark of an unsympathetic character (frankly, she's a bit of a bitch), you don't want her to die. You go through the whole book wishing for her to live, which I attribute to the author's talent at making unlikeable characters likable.
Her romance with fellow patient Michael does give you The Fault in Our Stars vibes, but that's about where the similarities end. In fact, I figure those that loved The Things We Learn When We're Dead by Charlie Laidlaw (which I loved) will also like this book. It also deals with dying and a chance at redemption.
Anna's journey to The Sphere, or that magical place of limbo between living and dying gave her an insight into her past mistakes and the plight of others that she never gave another thought to.
I loved the idea that even a nasty bitch can redeem herself and learn from her mistakes, because in this world, it is so easy to get caught up in someone's past and not see that they can change (of course, if they don't apologize or take responsibility, that's a different story). But Anna was truly remorseful, and she wasn't perfect by any means, but she was constantly trying and I believe that is a start.
This book also deals with family abuse and postpartum depression, which is something I rarely see covered without making them issue-books. That might be a trigger for some people, so be aware of it if you choose to read this book.
I was a little confused after Anna gets out of her limbo, because at times it seems like she's forgotten some of what she learned and remembers other things clearly, which may have been intentional of the author.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. It's a quick one you can get out in one sitting, but that doesn't mean it doesn't pack a heavy punch. It deals with learning to love fearlessly, and living your life the best you can, because you never know when it's going to be cut short.
f t c: I was sent a review copy courtesy of Accent Press UK.
September 20, 2018
For more review, please visit my blog.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars
Main takeaway: a short, yet absorbing book about love and hope that will give you chills!
*I received this book from the publisher, Accent Press Books, in exchange for an honest review as part of the novel’s anniversary blog tour. I received no compensation for this review and the opinions expressed are in no way influenced by this transaction.*
Anna Winters lives a reckless life of partying and shirking responsibilities, driven into further acting out by her anger and her hatred for her mother. But when she’s diagnosed with brain cancer and meets fellow cancer patient Michael, Anna is terrified and must face her own demons before it’s too late. She must learn to believe in something before she loses Michael, her family, or even herself.
Anna Winters is complicated. Her heart is full of so much love and so much hate at the same time, every action and word is like a puzzle. While she can be vindictive and defensive, she can also be loving and helpful and kind. She is a child pushed into the darkest moments of life and lacks the knowledge, the experience, and perception to handle it. Michael, on the other hand, is calm as water, and deeply in love with this volatile Anna.
The two of them captured me. Anna drew me in on the very first page, and I consumed this novel. I could not put it down, and was sneaking in bits and pieces during the work day. Without revealing too much, James beautifully discusses death and fear and reckoning in a way that sent chills down my spine and tears from my eyes. And the animal lover in me cried for loving Marley.
The Girl Who Cried Wolf is a very short novel, albeit almost too short. I would’ve loved to gotten to know Michael more deeply and to see their love story more in detail. But I loved every minute of this novel, and will definitely be returning to Bella James for more.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars
Main takeaway: a short, yet absorbing book about love and hope that will give you chills!
*I received this book from the publisher, Accent Press Books, in exchange for an honest review as part of the novel’s anniversary blog tour. I received no compensation for this review and the opinions expressed are in no way influenced by this transaction.*
Anna Winters lives a reckless life of partying and shirking responsibilities, driven into further acting out by her anger and her hatred for her mother. But when she’s diagnosed with brain cancer and meets fellow cancer patient Michael, Anna is terrified and must face her own demons before it’s too late. She must learn to believe in something before she loses Michael, her family, or even herself.
Anna Winters is complicated. Her heart is full of so much love and so much hate at the same time, every action and word is like a puzzle. While she can be vindictive and defensive, she can also be loving and helpful and kind. She is a child pushed into the darkest moments of life and lacks the knowledge, the experience, and perception to handle it. Michael, on the other hand, is calm as water, and deeply in love with this volatile Anna.
The two of them captured me. Anna drew me in on the very first page, and I consumed this novel. I could not put it down, and was sneaking in bits and pieces during the work day. Without revealing too much, James beautifully discusses death and fear and reckoning in a way that sent chills down my spine and tears from my eyes. And the animal lover in me cried for loving Marley.
The Girl Who Cried Wolf is a very short novel, albeit almost too short. I would’ve loved to gotten to know Michael more deeply and to see their love story more in detail. But I loved every minute of this novel, and will definitely be returning to Bella James for more.
July 2, 2017
WOW!
What an incredible read. I actually went in with certain misgivings because I thought it would be cliche, but after reading it, I was enthralled with the whole story.
So much happening, but I was never overwhelmed. Such a great read!!
What an incredible read. I actually went in with certain misgivings because I thought it would be cliche, but after reading it, I was enthralled with the whole story.
So much happening, but I was never overwhelmed. Such a great read!!
August 4, 2018
A great read, beautifully written and with a unique twist, though Anna remained unlikeable even to the end. Still not sure if the story ended abruptly, too early or if it was the perfect end.
October 3, 2019
Lol the gurl cri
June 1, 2017
Fascinating book, what a teenager and how she grew as time went on. The family was definitely a sad situation. Would recommend it to all and especially teenagers who need to see the other side.
March 23, 2018
This book was really interesting to read.
Anna is bully and far from charming, but her dark humour made me love her and cried with her.
Her love story with Michael is so touching and is so worth to read this book.
About to start the next book!
Anna is bully and far from charming, but her dark humour made me love her and cried with her.
Her love story with Michael is so touching and is so worth to read this book.
About to start the next book!
May 8, 2017
This story from debut author Bella James was for me an exceptionally good read, from the quality of writing within this book to the description and emotional content of each and every situation that the characters face and go through. Anna Winters the main character is a young girl that avoids going to school all the time by faking illness so that she can go drinking and partying with her friends until one day she is sent to a doctor that discovers that she has cancer. Now Anna is a character that you will either love or hate i'm still trying to make up my mind about her as she is a selfish self absorbed teenage girl that only thinks that the world revolves around her and is oblivious to the needs and feelings of everyone else. She is vile and always angry to her mother Lillian and dotes on her estranged father when he returns home as he is always normally away on business. She meets Michael another cancer patient while going through treatment in hospital and they form a bond.
Michael I wish that we got to see a little more about him and his illness and his recovery as little is mentioned about it apart from the obvious. He is a calming gentle boy that sees past Anna's angry persona and they fall in love. But Anna even as they become romantically involved still has the attitude that everything is all about her and when a miracle happens she is still as angry and nasty as ever. I really found it hard to feel sorry for her as she is always so ungrateful about everything even the fact that she is alive after going through all that she does still doesn't stop her being a diva through and through.
As with all good stories there are always skeletons lurking in the closet or hidden secrets that will change all the things that you thought you knew about the characters, so when Anna has a bit of an out of body experience you get a glimpse of things that will explain why Anna and her family are as dysfunctional as they are.
Once I started reading this story I just couldnt put this book down till Id finished it and got to the exceptionally wonderful ending. It left me wanting more but happy at the same time. This book deserves every one of it's 5 stars!
Michael I wish that we got to see a little more about him and his illness and his recovery as little is mentioned about it apart from the obvious. He is a calming gentle boy that sees past Anna's angry persona and they fall in love. But Anna even as they become romantically involved still has the attitude that everything is all about her and when a miracle happens she is still as angry and nasty as ever. I really found it hard to feel sorry for her as she is always so ungrateful about everything even the fact that she is alive after going through all that she does still doesn't stop her being a diva through and through.
As with all good stories there are always skeletons lurking in the closet or hidden secrets that will change all the things that you thought you knew about the characters, so when Anna has a bit of an out of body experience you get a glimpse of things that will explain why Anna and her family are as dysfunctional as they are.
Once I started reading this story I just couldnt put this book down till Id finished it and got to the exceptionally wonderful ending. It left me wanting more but happy at the same time. This book deserves every one of it's 5 stars!
May 22, 2017
CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!! This book had me after the first page. Bella James opens with Anna, a girl who has an irresistibly quirky voice. At first, I only adored Anna, a fun loving, sassy 17-year-old. As I learned more about her I still liked her but became very aware that she had nasty streak. Let's just say girl needs a little attitude adjustment. As the story progresses Anna undergoes a major health scare, falls in love, and learns the truth about her family (Which was absolutely riveting to read! Well done, Bella James!). My favorite scene was an afterlife scene. I loved how Bella described the afterlife. How it worked, who was there and why, how Anna learned of her family secrets, and even was forgiven there. It was truly lovely and very well done. Go read it now!!!
May 23, 2017
Very interesting concepts. A lot happens. and i mean a LOT.
I liked it very much
I liked it very much
June 23, 2020
Excellent easy read. Funny sad but true to life. These things really do happen
August 31, 2016
I really wanted to love this book. From the blurb I fully expected this to break me and read like the fault in our stars, but that didnt happen for me. While the raw story is a good one and should break your heart, in truth I failed to really connect with this story and its characters.
This is the story of Anna, who is a reallz angry girl, always missing school and coming up with planty of reasons. Instead she much rather gets drunk and shies away from any responsibilty. She never really worried about her headaches, thinking those could be the result of hangovers and lack of sleep. But when she is forced to have a medical check up she gets the worsed possible news, its cancer. During the hospital stay she falls for a boy in recovery.
I am just really unsure if I liked Anna or not. She is always so angry. even when she is faced with something good and happy she still moans and turns it into a negative. And while i unserstand she is going through the most horrible time in her life I failed to see her progress in her behaviour.
I enjoyed the story of her family. The struggle her mother went through was heartbreaking. Anna's sister was a favourite of mine. But it didnt save the story for me.
What disspointed me the most was that even the story between Anna and Michael wasnt very heartwarming. He felt almost like an afterthought to the story and I literally failed to see the moment when they fell in love. He was just suddenly there.
If I could have emotionally attach myself to the characters and the story this would have been wonderful. Instead it felt like a list of events, time passing to fast and switching from one big event to another.
Honestly I am gutted. I did manage to finish this book, which means I honesty didnt hate it but I didnt love it. Such a shame too.
Its worth noting the copy I have received wasnt the final edit and that maybe some things will come accross in a slightly better light once its finished.
Thank you to Accent Press for my copy of this book.
This is the story of Anna, who is a reallz angry girl, always missing school and coming up with planty of reasons. Instead she much rather gets drunk and shies away from any responsibilty. She never really worried about her headaches, thinking those could be the result of hangovers and lack of sleep. But when she is forced to have a medical check up she gets the worsed possible news, its cancer. During the hospital stay she falls for a boy in recovery.
I am just really unsure if I liked Anna or not. She is always so angry. even when she is faced with something good and happy she still moans and turns it into a negative. And while i unserstand she is going through the most horrible time in her life I failed to see her progress in her behaviour.
I enjoyed the story of her family. The struggle her mother went through was heartbreaking. Anna's sister was a favourite of mine. But it didnt save the story for me.
What disspointed me the most was that even the story between Anna and Michael wasnt very heartwarming. He felt almost like an afterthought to the story and I literally failed to see the moment when they fell in love. He was just suddenly there.
If I could have emotionally attach myself to the characters and the story this would have been wonderful. Instead it felt like a list of events, time passing to fast and switching from one big event to another.
Honestly I am gutted. I did manage to finish this book, which means I honesty didnt hate it but I didnt love it. Such a shame too.
Its worth noting the copy I have received wasnt the final edit and that maybe some things will come accross in a slightly better light once its finished.
Thank you to Accent Press for my copy of this book.
January 10, 2017
Anna is that teenage girl we’ve all known or been. Quite frankly she isn’t very nice. She’s disrespectful to her mother, skives off school, indifferent about her friends, horrid to her lovely little sister and generally angry. I didn’t like her at first, and neither will you, but that’s ok – I don’t think we’re meant to. In fact Anna doesn’t like herself much either.
And things only get worse when she discovers she has cancer.
They say life works in mysterious way, and for Anna having her life taken away from her is the awakening she needs to make her realise just how precious life is…and what she needs to do to come back fighting.
This book is much more than just a love story, it’s a modern day fable which has everything you want from a YA romance. Coming of age teen? Check. An unlikely love story? Check. An interesting family dynamic? Check. But wait, there’s more. There’s a poignancy I wasn’t expecting coupled with plenty of comic timing and some great lines. Bella James has that rare ability of making a story light and current; skimming the surface of frivolity while still giving her readers a depth that makes them stop, flick back the pages, and re-read the shiny nuggets of brilliance hiding among the fun.
This book will make you think, then think again. Young girls will totally ‘get’ ‘The Girl Who Cried Wolf’ and hopefully take heed of the message, whereas older YA fans will read it and wish they had read it twenty years previously.
Protagonists Anna and Michael are not characters you forget in a hurry. You will whizz through the story, because whizz you will, wanting to finish as quickly as you can…while hoping it never ends. And it hasn't ended yet as I found out James is bringing out a sequel - 'The Hunger Moon'. Can't wait!
And things only get worse when she discovers she has cancer.
They say life works in mysterious way, and for Anna having her life taken away from her is the awakening she needs to make her realise just how precious life is…and what she needs to do to come back fighting.
This book is much more than just a love story, it’s a modern day fable which has everything you want from a YA romance. Coming of age teen? Check. An unlikely love story? Check. An interesting family dynamic? Check. But wait, there’s more. There’s a poignancy I wasn’t expecting coupled with plenty of comic timing and some great lines. Bella James has that rare ability of making a story light and current; skimming the surface of frivolity while still giving her readers a depth that makes them stop, flick back the pages, and re-read the shiny nuggets of brilliance hiding among the fun.
This book will make you think, then think again. Young girls will totally ‘get’ ‘The Girl Who Cried Wolf’ and hopefully take heed of the message, whereas older YA fans will read it and wish they had read it twenty years previously.
Protagonists Anna and Michael are not characters you forget in a hurry. You will whizz through the story, because whizz you will, wanting to finish as quickly as you can…while hoping it never ends. And it hasn't ended yet as I found out James is bringing out a sequel - 'The Hunger Moon'. Can't wait!
February 14, 2017
A wonderful read. Bella James has created a very realistic protagonist in Anna - she's a complicated and yet sympathetic character. She faces huge challenges and has a few personal issues to deal with. Great use of dialogue to create tension and depth of character. The novel contains a few surprises and goes in directions you might not expect - and that's a good thing. The themes are handled sensitively and overall the novel is uplifting. 'The Girl Who Cried Wolf' examines what it means to be alive, and as one character says: "The road is more difficult for some, but that does not make it less extraordinary or beautiful or worthwhile'.
January 6, 2023
This book was brilliantly written! Bella has a way with words that really draws you and even though the main character is far from likable, she is incredibly believable. Be warned there are also moments where this book becomes a real weeper. That said, I loved it and would definitely like to read more by this author in the future.
November 20, 2017
(UPDATE) Finally managed to sort my mind and made a review.. hahaha. So just check it out here
---> https://thingsnherhead.tumblr.com/pos...
Will make a review in my blog when my mind functions properly.. I'll just put it here first so as to update my dying Reading Challenge.hahaha.
---> https://thingsnherhead.tumblr.com/pos...
Will make a review in my blog when my mind functions properly.. I'll just put it here first so as to update my dying Reading Challenge.hahaha.
October 25, 2016
Very absorbing read - Whilst reading this book I found I could not put it down. Bella captures the true meaning of life in this book and it is a very fantastic book.
March 29, 2017
good read
August 29, 2017
Really enjoyed, it was a fantastic book and I would defiantly recommend it. Bella James is a really good author and I really liked this book!
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