What's A Girl Gotta Do? | Holly Bourne | Review

Sunday, 14 August 2016

What's A Girl Gotta Do? | Holly Bourne | Review

The finale to Holly Bourne's Spinster Club trilogy has arrived, (aside from the novella 'And A Happy New Year...?' due out later this year), and this time it's Lottie's turn to tell a story. I read the vast majority of this book on London Underground trains to and from YALC, and I make a point of this for a reason which I'll outline below.

In this book, Lottie decides to start a project, the Vagilante Project, where she must call out every instance of sexism that she sees. Her project gains traction, gathering attention from the press, but also gains trolls and hate towards Lottie as well. With concerns from her parents and teachers that the project may be affecting her future plus with growing hate from trolls, can Lottie keep it up?

Holly's a fantastic writer. The Spinster Club trilogy features three main characters; Evie, Amber and Lottie. Each book in the trilogy focuses on the story of one of them. Am I Normal Yet? for example focuses on Evie's story and Evie's experiences with OCD and mental illness. However, all three stories are weaved in with one another. I really like this.

All three of the Spinster Club books have a focus on feminism, and just like she's done with the last two books, Holly has presented the theme in a unique way. It's feminism, but the book shows you just how out of place things some people may do every day can seem. For example, one of the examples of sexism you read about Lottie calling out is when a waiter or waitress in a restaurant hands the bill to the man instead of the woman, just assuming that the man is the one who will be paying.

But it's a funny book too. There are lines and jokes and phrases used in this book that really will make you laugh, and I think it's a great combination of both taking these very important topics like sexism and feminism, but also combining it with friendship and humour.

Whilst there is still a novella to come, I was gripped by this book. I usually never read books on trains because I can't focus on them, but I really was gripped by this book, which is why I made a point of saying I read most of this on the way to and from YALC on Tube trains. Plus Holly was there and signed my copy, which was great too!

I would recommend that anyone who wants to read this book also reads the other two Spinster Club novels, but they all work by themselves so if you just read this one or any of the other two you may find references that you would get if you did read the previous novel, but you should be able to read them all independently. And I definitely think you should be reading this book.

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Bookish Links #21

Wednesday, 10 August 2016

Bookish Links #21

Welcome to another Bookish Links roundup post where we share some of the articles, videos and blog posts we've enjoyed lately!

1. Bookseller For A Day! - ever wondered what it would be like to run a bookshop? This article from Buzzfeed is all about an Airbnb bookshop in Scotland!

2. Looking For A Summer Read? - why not try picking up a non-fiction title? Check out these awesome ideas from Brit + Co that are anything but boring!

3. Author Recommendations - we always love discovering authors we haven't read before and enjoyed Samantha's recent post on three of her favourite Filipino writers. Have you read any of their novels?

4. Page Marker - so many books, so little time means the need for multiple bookmarks and we love these cute magnetic designs from Happy Hello Co.

5. Nerdy Bookworm Box - how awesome does this UK-based monthly subscription box look?! Have you tried out the Nerdy Bookworm Box or any other bookish subscription services?

6. Genre Swaps - if you've ever wondered what your favourite novels would be like if they were written in a different genre you'll love this post from Emily over at Loony Literate.

7. #OwnVoices - in this post Nuzaifa takes a closer look at the important issue of diversity in the stories we read and shares her thoughts. What are your thoughts on this issue?

8. Writing Recipe - in this post Lucy shares her top writing tips that helped her break the 2,000 word road block on her own project. Definitely one to check out if you're working on your own novel or short story!

9. Vacation Dreams - who doesn't love a good road trip? We really enjoyed Hannah's guest post on which characters she'd love to road trip with. Who would make your list?

10. 19 Years Of Harry Potter - our final post of this roundup comes from BB blogger Anjali, who recently shared a post on Harry Potter a whole nineteen years after the release date of The Philosopher's Stone. What does the Harry Potter universe mean to you? Let us know in the comments!

If you've read or written an interesting bookish article you think our readers would enjoy please let us know - it may be featured in a future post!  

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Fix | Ferret Steinmetz | Review

Monday, 8 August 2016

Fix | Ferret Steinmetz | Review

*Image provided by publisher.

**Book provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Continuing the story of bureaucromancer, and wanted man, Paul Tsabo, and his efforts to keep his daughter, the worlds youngest 'mancer, safe from non-magical people and the hive mind Unimancers. Aliyah is no longer the little girl she was. She's thirteen and in desperate need of socialization. When things go wrong, she ends up in the hands of the Unimancers, whom she discovers have some problems of their own. In Paul's search to rescue her, he loses much of himself. 

Review:

This world is completely fascinating to me. I love the idea that our greatest hobbies, the things we can lose ourselves in for hours, can become our form of magic (bibliomancers unite!). Seemingly useless skills like a knack with forms, kite flying and even rock balancing, can have magical traits that allow you to do some really interesting things. Unfortunately, magic comes at a cost, called flux, and it presents itself as serious bad luck. The more magic you use, the stronger the flux is, the more damage it can do. Your worst fears (like the death of a loved one) will come true. This was most evident in this world's history where, during World War II, reckless 'mancers attempted to win the war for Germany by unleashing all their magic, only to create a continental rift in reality that has never been closed.

Of course, for me, a great world alone does not make for a great book. Fortunately Steinmetz complements this world with strong, interesting characters. Aliyah, the worlds youngest 'mancer, has always been strong willed, but in this book she really comes into her own. She finally finds what she needs to help her control her magic and, therefore, her flux. I truly appreciate how much character growth was put into this book, especially for Valentine, my favorite character. 

This book is a wonderful discourse on how both sides of an argument can both completely right and completely wrong at the same time. I kinda wish we had this sort of magic in the real world so both sides of arguments could see their own faults before passing judgement on those they feel have wronged them. Also, having a real-life donut test like Paul got put through would be a real time saver. Turns out the Vanilla Kreme is a sign of reckless rebellion.

If you're interested in stories about magic in the real world, a father who'd give the world to save his daughter, video game magic, and restoring the world, this is a great series to pick up. 

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Features | 5 Books that Should be Movies

Friday, 5 August 2016

Features | 5 Books that Should be Movies

Today we're talking movies that are yet to be. I've got five books to share with you that I think would make amazing movies. Five books that, to be honest, I'm kind of annoyed aren't already movies. If they were, I would be the first in line at the box office.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

I know everyone and their mother is hankering after an Eleanor & Park movie and I would definitely love that too but the Rainbow Rowell novel I really want to see given the movie treatment is Attachments. I'm sure a great writer/director could do something really fun with Beth and Jennifer's emails and Lincoln having to read all of them from his lonely little office at the newspaper. The whole novel is just so charming and with its nineties setting I can totally see this as a classic You've Got Mail style movie.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

I know the movie rights for 13 Little Blue Envelopes have officially been bought so hopefully we will get to see this movie soon! It's one I've wanted to see ever since I first read the book. Ginny's story of rushing all over Europe as per her aunt's posthumous instructions is just such a great basis for a movie and between Ginny's coming-of-age and all the opportunities for beautiful shots of European cities, it could be really special. I can't wait for this movie to get here!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn

I love Christmas movies. I also really like the movie adaptations of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Naomi & Eli's No Kiss List, both of which are, of course, based on books co-written by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn. So I think it's a pretty safe bet that if Dash and Lily's Book of Dares is ever made into a movie, I am going to be all over it. Of course, New York in the holiday season is always a great draw for a movie but honestly, I think the real draw would be seeing Lily's outfits on the big screen. 

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer is kind of a secret favourite of mine. I love the premise of it (the ghost of Marie Antoinette is looking for revenge in modern day Paris) but the execution wasn't always everything I hoped for. That's exactly why I would so love to see it as a movie. I think taking the plot of this novel and turning it into a movie would be a perfect opportunity to iron out a few of the kinks, plus we would get to see ghostly Marie Antoinette exacting her revenge! How great would that be?

Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier

Born Confused is such a rich novel that it might be a little difficult to squeeze it down into two hours but I think it has the potential to be a beautiful movie, both visually and emotionally. Dimple's story of trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in the world is told in such a beautiful way as it is that I could already see parts of what a movie might look like in my head as I read it. Let me tell you, it was good. In the right hands this would be such a great movie and I really hope that happens one day.

What books would you love to see as movies? Let me know in the comments!

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(RE)Sisters | Various Authors | Review

Wednesday, 3 August 2016

(RE)Sisters | Various Authors | Review

Edited by Jane Bradley, Published by For Books Sake

Featuring a diverse range of characters, genres, styles and subject matters, compiled following a global call for submissions, (RE)Sisters explores today's teenage girls' fears, frustrations, strength, stories, potential, and power. A fierce, fearless and topical tribute to girls' rebellion and resistance, (RE)Sisters is defiant, distinctive and unapologetic. Just like its heroines.

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A wonderfully diverse set of stories and wholly distinct voices, (Re)Sisters is a fantastic collection of short stories and pieces of flash fiction that showcases female writers from all backgrounds and writing experiences.

The collection features all sorts of narratives and snippets of life, both very close to reality, some that bend reality and others taking themes from our World and placing them in totally different settings. As the title of the book implies the stories are centred around women and girls of all ages around the theme of rebellion. Many of the girls are rebellious in both big and small ways - some shout their rebellion in the streets, others run away from the status quo, a handful are quiet fighters in the shadows of gritty, oppressed worlds.

The writers selected cover the whole globe within their stories, feature different sexualities and races, and the anthology covers a great range of genres from harrowing contemporary fiction to Atwood-esque Dystopia. Though the stories are wholly varied, the writing quality across the board is fantastic - a testament to Bradley’s eye for talent clearly.

Though it’s tough for me to pick a favourite - I loved them all so much! - you’d be hard pressed to not find a story you either relate to or truly enjoy reading. For me (Re)Sisters is the perfect read for any YA loving feminist (and may be an eye opener for those who aren’t!).

*cover via GoodReads

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Orphan Black Vol. 1 | John Fawcett, Szymon Kudranski, Graeme Manson, Jody Houser & Cat Staggs | Review

Monday, 1 August 2016

Orphan Black Vol. 1 | John Fawcett, Szymon Kudranski, Graeme Manson, Jody Houser & Cat Staggs | Review

If you caught my recent review of Gregory E. Pence's What We Talk About When We Talk About Clone Club, you'll know it's no secret that I'm an Orphan Black fan. Although I'd heard about the graphic novels a little while back, I only recently discovered that Vol.1 was available at my local library, and that felt like a nudge that it was time to delve into a new version of the Orphan Black universe!

The graphic novel is based on the TV series and features illustrations of all our favourite characters/actors from a selection of artists. Story-wise this volume delves into our introductions to five of the most familiar clones; Sarah, Helena, Alison, Cosima and Rachel, showing how complex and different the clones really are. With that in mind, for those who have watched the show there isn't a whole lot of new information to be found within these pages, although there are a few interesting snippets that weren't featured on screen. For those who haven't seen the show.... well, I can imagine it may be a bit of a confusing read.

Although the storylines closely follow those already explored on the show, I still enjoyed this quick read and would recommend picking it up if you're a fan, in particular to see the variety of artwork included. If you're more interested in exploring parts of the story never before seen on screen, there is also a second Orphan Black graphic novel series focusing on Helsinki. If the description is anything to go by, Vol.2 sounds like a much more interesting exploration of the universe fans have come to love and I'm definitely planning on picking it up soon!

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