History Is All You Left Me

By Adam Silvera

5/5

“Griffin has lost his first love in a drowning accident. Theo was his best friend, his ex-boyfriend and the one he believed he would end up with. Now, reeling from grief and worsening OCD, Griffin turns to an unexpected person for help. Theo’s new boyfriend. But as their relationship becomes increasingly complicated, dangerous truths begin to surface Griffin must make a choice: confront the past, or miss out on his future.”

This book is absolutely beautiful from start to finish. It made me cry a lot and it is a story that will stick with me for a very long time. The story is written in alternating chapters of ‘History’, which explores Theo and Griffin’s relationship from start to finish, and ‘Today’, which explores the friendship between Jackson and Griffin.

I think grief is portrayed excellently in this book. No character is being judged for grieving differently than others and Griffin’s parents really understand and support what he is going through. His grief was unique to him which is an important message – no one grieves the same and this is ok! Griffin and Jackson’s (Theo’s ex-boyfriend) friendship was really special and I liked how it developed throughout the book as they started off really disliking each other. I liked Jackson’s character a lot despite disliking him at the start of the book as I was purely ‘Team Griffin.’ Wade is definitely my favourite character, as although we didn’t see too much of him, he was a really integral part to the story. I did also like Griffin’s character but he acted very selfishly at times. Theo was a character that I grew to really hate – I loved him at the start of his and Griffin’s relationship but he grew to be incredibly selfish and manipulative. I think what was the most upsetting was Griffin losing his best friend rather than him losing the love of his life.

Mental health is also a key component to this book but it is not the main focus. I myself don’t suffer from OCD so I can’t comment on how well it is represented but Griffin did see therapy in a positive light which I thought was brilliant. The other characters took Griffin’s illness really seriously and tried to make life as easy as possible for him in regards to his compulsions which was excellent to see.

I highly recommend this book to everyone – it will definitely make you cry but I think it’s a really important story in regards to grief, mental illness and also healthy relationships.

and a Happy New Year?

By Holly Bourne

3.5/5

I have been highly anticipating this little novella since I finished reading What’s A Girl Gotta Do? I love Holly Bourne’s writing and I was very exciting to see Evie, Amber and Lottie again.

The story is written in hourly sections as the countdown to midnight begins and in each section there are three chapters, one for each of the girls, which I enjoyed because the story is about how they’ve all drifted apart from another so it was interesting to see each girls reasons for this and how they individually felt about things. I especially liked Amber’s chapters as I feel she really matured as a character in the time between the books. However, I found that I really did not get along with Lottie’s character anymore, which is a shame because I really liked how outspoken and confident she was but in this book she just seemed too confident and a little cocky. I loved the chapters from Evie’s perspective, they tugged on the heartstrings as we watched her internal struggle with how she feels about Oli’s relapse.

This is a really fun, but emotional, book about friendship and relationships set at one of the most magical times of the year. I highly recommend if you are a fan of Holly Bourne and The Spinster Club, or if you just want something quick and easy to read.

Whisper To Me

By Nick Lake

3.5/5

This book was absolutely nothing like I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a fluffy, cheesy chick-flick but instead I got a rare story about mental illness, in particular Schizophrenia. Most YA books that cover the topic of mental health deal with anxiety and depression so it was really interesting to read about a different illness.

When I first started reading this book and Cassie was hearing a voice, I thought it was a supernatural/paranormal book due to Cassie believing the voice was real, meaning myself as a reader thought the voice was real. This is what made the book so gripping; for some time I thought the voice was real and that all threats it made were going to come true. However, when Cassie realised that the voice was all in her head, this did not make the story any less thrilling. It opened my eyes to what someone suffering with Schizophrenia really goes through and it is utterly heartbreaking.

I love the format of this book as Cassie is writing an email to her ex-boyfriend apologising for all the things she put him through when she was struggling with her mental illness, so we get a first-hand experience with the ‘voice.’ Unfortunately, we never find out of the boyfriend reads this email and agrees to meet Cassie but from hearing about his character through Cassie’s narrative, I think (and hope) that he does agree to meet. I love the whole ‘murder mystery’ element of this book also; there is a ‘Houdini Killer’ who is killing girls who are, what Cassie’s voice describes as, ‘whores’ (I really hate this word and I don’t condone the use of it). What is most interesting is how the men and women react differently to this killer, with some men believing it is the girls’ fault for dressing so provocatively (a major topic in the media today).

I liked most of the characters in this book but one I really did not like is Cassie’s father. I understand that he has some issues of his own but he was a really nasty, vile man and it would have been nice to see him also get some help at the end.

Overall I did really enjoy this book but I feel it is one of those that if you read it again, it wouldn’t hold the same suspense or excitement as it did the first time which is why I only gave it a 3.5/5 as I can’t see myself reaching for it again.

The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting

By Holly Bourne

3.5/5

Anyone who has read my reviews before, follows me on Bookstagram or is a personal friend of mine knows how much I love Holly Bourne’s books. Her characters are really relatable, incredibly witty and, to some extent, experience the things that all teenagers go through.

Unfortunately, The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting really did not live up to my expectations. As I much mentioned before, I dislike third person narratives and this had one throughout so I couldn’t really relate to the characters. I thought the plot was very far-fetched in places also; Bree infiltrated the popular group so quickly and easily which would never happen, and I really didn’t like the student-teacher relationship but I understand why it was put in there. Honestly, I just really didn’t like any of these characters.

I liked the acknowledgment to mental health and how Bree wasn’t judged when her ‘friend’ found out. I also liked watching how Bree’s relationship with her parents grew and developed, especially with her mum who was a character that I did quite like. This book was rather sad, as it shows the lengths that people will go to to prove they’re worth something, or to gain popularity/be liked, and I did really like this.

I did enjoy this book yet I don’t think I will be in a rush to reread it. However, it has definitely not put me off Holly Bourne’s work and I will be the first in line to pick up a new book of hers when one is next released.

Am I Normal Yet?

By Holly Bourne

5/5

The first thing that I loved about this book is that a tackled a mental illness that is often overlooked and that no one but the sufferer truly knows the extent of. I haven’t read many books on mental health but those that I have read have discussed depression and anxiety, which are no less important than any other mental illness, but I feel as though people are more aware of them and understand them better than other illnesses. I think many of us will be guilty, at some point, of dismissing OCD as just wanting things to be clean and tidy, and even saying things such as, “oh, my bedroom always has to be clean. I’m so OCD!” I’ll admit that I am guilty of this, despite knowing that OCD is so much more, and reading this book has really opened my eyes to what those with OCD suffer with and I’ve come to realise that they are incredibly brave people.

While this book is incredibly sad as you watch Evie’s illness spiral out of control, it is also very uplifting as she has true friends that make her laugh and feel “normal.” Evie, Amber and Lottie calls themselves “The Spinster Club” and they discuss feminism and how boys do not know how to treat girls properly, something which Evie experiences first-hand as she goes on a couple of dates in an effort to make herself “normal.” The family dynamic is also really important in this book as it shows how mental illness affects those around you. My favourite character in the book is Rose, Evie’s younger sister, how is incredibly wise for her age and the sort of person you would want fighting your corner. Rose also goes through her own problems throughout the book and I feel this is what makes her a better sister to Evie because, to some extent, she understands what Evie has gone through.

I would highly recommend this book to everyone and I honestly believe it should be a mandatory read as so many people are dismissive of OCD and I think it would really change people’s perceptions if they read this book to understand what people who suffer with OCD really go through.

All The Bright Places

By Jennifer Niven

2.5/5

I told myself after reading When We Collided by Emery Lord that I would read more books on mental health and that is exactly what I did. All The Bright Places, I think, primarily deals with bullying and how much bullying can negatively impact on someone’s life. Finch is bullied for being different and he finds comfort and friendship in Violet, a popular girl who lost her sister in a car accident. They meet on the top of the school bell tower, both with the intention of jumping off. Instead, they help each other down and the book follows their journey of trying to further help each other. But as Violet gets better, Finch only seems to get worse.

Honestly, this book really didn’t live up to my expectations. It is very much rated positively on Bookstagram but I didn’t like how much mental illness was dismissed in this book but I supposed it is only reflective of what society is striving to get past. I also found it to be very predictable and so I did not find myself shedding a tear like many other readers have done. This book really fell flat for me and if you are interested in reading books surrounding mental health, I would definitely recommend When We Collided over All The Bright Places.

However, this book was a very quick read and I read it in one sitting. Perhaps I might give it another read in the future and find it more enjoyable but for now, unfortunately, it suffers a low rating.

When We Collided

By Emery Lord

4/5

Firstly, this book is incredibly poetic so if you don’t like flowery image and long description this isn’t the book for you. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but I had seen a lot of positive comments on Bookstagram (the Instagram book community).  I didn’t actually realise that it was a book about mental health. I haven’t read very many books about mental health, I could probably count them all on one hand in fact. I wasn’t engrossed in this book from the first few chapters which is usually something I like to be; I actually thought I was going to end up putting it down and reading something else because I really disliked the character of Vivi. However, as I learnt more about what she was going through, I realised how easy it is to judge someone when you don’t know the full story and by the end of the novel, I sympathised with Vivi and felt as though we ended as firm friends. The character of Jonah, on the other hand, I loved from the beginning to the end. I thought he was incredibly strong and brave and I especially liked seeing him in the family dynamic with his five other siblings. I also haven’t read many books where there has been a strong family environment and so this was another thing that made me really enjoy this book. I thought all characters went through a lot of development which is good to see in a YA novel.

I did give this book a 4/5 purely because of how long it took me to get into it.

I am not usually one to read the Author’s Note at the end of a novel but I found myself continuing to read it when I reached the end of the book and the words of Emery Lord really stuck with me. She says; “I worry that we’re not talking about mental health enough. And if we’re not talking about it enough, how can we possibly shine enough light into places that can feel very dark and very lonely?” Following these words, I am going to make it my mission to read more books on issues surrounding mental health as I do believe it is really important to beat the stigma and to give people, who suffer bravely everyday with all kinds of mental health issues, a voice.

The Mara Dyer Trilogy

By Michelle Hodkin

5/5

If you have not read this trilogy you need to read it now. Filled to the brim with suspense, action, passion, and a beautiful boy named Noah Shaw, these books are perfect for any Young Adult fan who is looking for something a little bit different. I am writing this review after re-reading these books and I found that I picked up on so many little clues and understood the books a lot more the second time round; that is one of my main issues with these books, it can get very confusing. Also, if you have an incredibly weak stomach like I do, you may find some of the chapters a bit disturbing as I found myself having to skim read a couple of pages because I was feeling a little nauseous. But that isn’t to say the books are filled with violence. Whilst there is a little of that, as Mara says at the end of the novel, this story is primarily a love story. And Noah Shaw has definitely made his way into my top 5 book boyfriends. I adore the family dynamic of these novels and Daniel (Mara’s brother) is my favourite character and everything I would want in an older brother if I had one.

If you love books that keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you thinking about them for days and weeks later, this trilogy is the one for you.  As Cassandra Clare says, these books are “haunting and dreamlike” and I cannot agree more!