Book Review: Hunter and the Grape by Eoin C. Macken.

Eighteen-year-old Cat is on a mission to find Sophie Durango, a girl who has stolen his heart (and his virginity). Fleeing his hometown in Albuquerque, with a few dollars and no real plan, he heads for Los Angeles and finds himself with an infuriating travelling partner, the quirky Star. The pair form an unlikely bond when their bus breaks down in the middle of the desert and they are forced to accept help from an old man and his sullen friend. Re-naming themselves Hunter and Grape they begin a journey of self-awareness, facing up to the past and discovering what true friendship means.

This is the second YA novel from author, actor and screenwriter, Eoin Macken. Like his debut, Kingdom of Scars, this is a contemporary look at a young male's coming of age. Set along the dusty roads of New Mexico, the novel is brought to life with descriptive detail and memorable characters. The dialogue is simple and extremely effective, almost like a play divided into numerous Acts: Act One: A roadside encounter where the two main characters encounter each other for the first time; the initial bus journey and the development of a tentative relationship forming. Act Two: An isolated cabin where the teenagers witness the grief of a stranger. Act Three: Another dusty roadside, further character development and background stories. Act Four: A new friendship with a homeless man and his dog and a trip to Las Vegas. Act Five: An unscheduled trip to Los Angeles and the search for Cat's dream girl; a stolen bike, a new friendship with a lonely french man and a dip in the ocean. The scenery is minimal, as both Hunter and Grape are the main attraction. Their individual stories are all the audience needs. 

These teenagers are both victims of their upbringing  and their circumstances. They are two lost souls who have found each other during their lowest moments. Without each other they may have travelled different paths, but together they complement each other and makes their pilgrimage one of adventure with semi-security. They need each other, despite their initial resistance. Damaged by their pasts, they need to face the realities of the present and learn to wade-into the future.

This is YA fiction, but with a leaning toward drama. A little slow to start, it builds up as the Acts progress and the characters reveal some of their back-stories. Hunter is struggling to be the alpha-male (lots of fist fights and hard-ons) and Grape uses her feminine charms far to much for my liking (including kissing random men to avoid confrontation). There is a sexist undertone throughout the novel which, as an adult reader, I found uncomfortable. I hope that young adult readers will realise that this is not the way gender should be categorised. However, Hunter is a genuinely nice guy, with a good heart, and matures as he travels on his journey. 

A charming, road-trip novel which takes two damaged teenagers on an unlikely adventure through the blistering heat of New Mexico and on to the more capable landscape of Los Angeles. Hunter and the Grape is refreshingly different to other YA novels, with an edgy and arty feel, which would be magnificent on stage or screen. Ideal for older teenagers and young adults alike.

*We received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review.

Hunter and the Grape is published by Ward River Press and is available in TBP and ebook format. You can order your copy with Free Worldwide Postage HERE. The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

The Treatment by C.L. Taylor. Review from Mia Madden, aged 13.

Review from Mia Madden, aged 13.

This is the stunning YA debut from C.L. Taylor. It is about sixteen-year-old Drew Finch, who's brother, Mason, has been sent to a reforming school.  One day, Drew meets Dr. Cobey, a person who has been working at the school. Cobey gives Drew a letter from Mason saying that the school has been brainwashing teenagers. She dismisses it at first, thinking that her younger brother is just pranking her, but then she starts to grow worried. What if her brother is being serious? What if Norton House actually was brainwashing teenagers?

She does a little bit of research and finds nothing, except for a single person claiming to know the truth about Norton House. Drew meets up with this person, who calls themself Zed Green. Zed brings her boyfriend, who was a victim of Norton House's 'treatment'. The boy, that was once a rebellious skater-kid, was now a mindless, polite, contributor to society. Drew decides to take action. She has to find a way to be sent off to Norton House to rescue Mason, without raising too much suspicion. Will she get to the school to save Mason? And will she be able to avoid the treatment, herself?

I would never be able to do this book justice. I absolutely adored it. It's probably the best book I've read this year and I would be surprised if it doesn't win some form of award. C.L. Taylor is now my favourite (non-Irish) YA author. I just couldn't see the end coming! I love Drew's character, probably because she reminded me of myself. At one stage, she claims she was Emo. I'm sort of an Emo now. I mean if she listens to Evanescence, Fall Out Boy, Paramore and other bands that I like, she's basically an older, British, fictional version of me! Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book for ages 11+.

The Treatment is published by HQ Young Adult on 19th Oct 2017, in PB and ebook format. You can pre-order your copy via amazon link below:

**We received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review...

LMFM #LateLunchBookclub July recommendations.

      

#LateLunchBookclub 

July Recommendations

  
 Friday, 7th July.

Here are the books I have chosen for July's #LateLunchBookclub. It can be hard to please all readers, so I have chosen from different genres in the hope of finding you a perfect summer read. All these books are available from your local bookstore, library or online. (Remember, if you can't find a book in-store, your bookseller can order it in for you.)

I really hope you enjoy the recommendations and feel free to leave me a comment on the blog, twitter: @margaretbmadden or facebook: Bleach House Library. Follow #LateLunchBookclub for all LMFM book reviews, interviews and chances to win some book bundles.  #LateLunchBookclub Podcasts are also available on the LMFM website. So, here we go...

JULY READS

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Female Fiction: The Woman at 72 Derry Lane by Carmel Harrington

On a leafy suburban street in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband, Matt. The perfect couple in every way, Stella appears to have it all. Next door, at number 72 however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad-tempered and rarely seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she’s lost it all…including her marbles if you believe the neighbourhood gossip.

But appearances can be deceiving and when Stella and Rea’s worlds collide they realise they have much in common. Both are trapped in a prison of their own making.

Has help been next door without them realising it?

With the warmth and wit of Maeve Binchy and the secrets and twists of Liane Moriarty, this is the utterly original and compelling new novel from Irish Timesbestseller Carmel Harrington.

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General Fiction: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.

Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive – but not how to live

Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.

One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted – while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she’s avoided all her life.

Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than… fine?

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Thriller: Honeymoon by Tina Seskis

There's trouble in paradise . . .

For as long as she can remember, Jemma has been planning the perfect honeymoon. A fortnight's retreat to a five-star resort in the Maldives, complete with luxury villas, personal butlers and absolute privacy.

It should be paradise. But it's turned into a nightmare.

Because the man Jemma married a week ago has just disappeared from the island without a trace. And now her perfect new life is vanishing just as quickly before her eyes.

After everything they've been through together, how can this be happening? Is there anyone on the island who Jemma can trust? And above all - where has her husband gone?

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Non-Fiction: The Boy Who Gave His Heart Away by Cole Moreton

‘How do you say thank you to someone for giving you their heart? It is the greatest gift a person can ever give.’

Marc is a promising young footballers of 15, growing up in Scotland. A few hundred miles away in England, Martin is a fun-loving 16-year-old. Both are enjoying their summers when they are suddenly struck down by debilitating illnesses. Within days, the boys are close to death.

Although their paths have never crossed, their fortunes are about to be bound in the most extraordinary, intimate way. One of them will die and in doing so, he will save the other’s life.

This is a deeply powerful and dramatic story. It is extremely rare for the family of a donor to have any personal contact with the recipient of their loved one’s organ. Yet remarkably, the mothers of these two boys meet and become friends, enabling the extraordinary, bittersweet moment in which a mother who has lost her son meets the boy he saved. Reaching out and placing her palm flat against his chest, she feels the heart of her son beating away inside another. Her boy, the boy who gave his heart away.

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Young Adult: Girl In Between by Sarah Carroll

I know the mill has a story cos there’s something strange going on. I heard something. I’ve decided that I’m going to find out what it is later today when Ma leaves. Cos even if it is scary, we live here and we’re never leaving. So if there’s something going on, I need to know. 

In an old, abandoned mill, a girl and her ma take shelter from their memories of life on the streets. To the girl it’s home, her safe place, the Castle. But as her ma spins out of control and the Authorities move ever closer, the girl finds herself trapped – stuck in the crumbling mill with only the ghosts of the past for company.

Can she move on before it’s too late? 

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Short Stories: Joyride To Jupiter by Nuala O'Connor

 

A heartbroken man deals with his wife s Alzheimer's as best he can. The Jesus of O'Connell Street reflects on his situation, which isn't half bad. A too-young girl witnesses her father s shocking infidelity. A quiet murder on a riverbank. Imperfect lovers and unlikely friends thwart and bolster each other as they act out their dramas on the beaches of Brazil, in the bedrooms of Dublin, and in the wilds of North America.

 With prose both lyrical and profound, the award-winning Nuala O'Connor writes of maternal love and cross-generational friendship but here, also, are stories of ageing, suicide, and the buoyancy of new love. In these urgent, humane stories of ill-advised couplings, loneliness and burgeoning hope, we find O Connor's trademark humour and sensuality, and the quest for longed-for truths. A truly stunning collection by one of Ireland's finest writers.

       

   

Here's hoping you find some of these recommendations in your hands this summer. Enjoy!

Blog Tour: Perfect by Cecelia Ahern. Author Q&A and Review,

What an honour to be hosting a stop on the blogtour for Cecelia Ahern's latest YA novel, Perfect. On this stop, there is a fantastic Q&A session with the author. We are huge fans of Cecelia's books, here at Bleach House Library. You can read my review of Flawed HERE and thirteen-year-old, Mia, has reviewed Perfect for this tour.

PERFECT is the thrilling, shocking and romantic sequel to Cecelia Ahern’s bestselling YA debut FLAWED.

When we embrace all our flaws, that’s when we can finally become PERFECT… Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured – all her freedoms gone. Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with the complicated, powerfully attractive Carrick, the only person she can trust. But Celestine has a secret – one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save only herself, or risk her life to save all the Flawed. And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed…?.

Q&A WITH CECELIA AHERN

What made you decide to write a YA series?

I didn’t have a specific plan to write a YA series but when I came up with the idea for Flawed and Perfect, I knew I wanted to tell the story from the perspective of a 17 year old. I felt that was the best way to tell the story because although we’re constantly learning about ourselves throughout our life, teenage years are the years when you first really start to question authority and society, and start figuring out how you really feel about things, instead of what you’re being told to feel. I wanted to take Celestine from being that logical, obedient girl who thinks in black and white and turn her into somebody who questions, who doubts, who finds her own voice. She suddenly realizes she has to follow her own instincts, and her heart. We do this at different stages of her life when life throws us dilemmas but I wanted this to be the first big lesson in my character’s life, and also a voice and character that could teach society a thing or two.

Celestine and Carrick both rebel against a restrictive regime and are severely punished for it. Do you think our young adults should use their voices more, or less, in this age of ‘Fake News’?

I always encourage using your own voice. Celestine is not an obvious leader, she doesn’t realize her own strengths, she is not a leader because she wants to be but because she naturally makes the right choices. She brings compassion and logic to a society that has lost its humanity and I don’t think that shouting the loudest is necessarily what makes people be heard, it’s the strength of the character with quiet confidence that can truly gain a following. It’s not about shouting, it’s about leading by example, it’s about action, your own behavior, who you can influence in a positive way.

Do you find yourself noticing the restrictions of society more, since writing this series?

This story was inspired by my feelings on society so no I’m noticing it even more than before. I was inspired to write this by my belief that we live in a very judgemental society, one quick to point the finger at those who are different, who make life decisions that are frowned upon. I felt that we have a society that publicly shames, it’s almost like a sport at times, and it’s a form of entertainment for the media. It frustrated me to the point that I had to write this novel. We already label people, but this time I wanted to see what it would be like physically labeling people, branding them with an F. I’ve always felt strongly about inequality, so I suppose this was my way of condensing all my feelings on the issue and explaining it in a way that I knew how.

Of course as I was writing I realized that I was writing about everything in our history; the Flawed rules mimic the anti-Jewish decrees in World War 2, Celestine’s moment on the bus that leads her to be Flawed was inspired by the Rosa Parks event on the bus during the civil rights movement. Children born to Flawed parents are taken away from them and raised in state institutions and of course in Ireland children of unmarried mothers were taken from them. Aboriginal children in Australia were removed from their parents by the government in order to dilute the gene pool. We have tortured each other because of race, sex and religion in the past, we still do now, I wanted to explore this inhumane behaviour to punishing people for the moral and ethical decisions they make.

How important is it to have a male protagonist alongside a strong female one?

When I write, balance is very important. I like to take a dark story and bring it to a place of light, take a sad story and inject it with humour, take something negative and bring it to a positive place. I need to have the balance also of male and female.

Are there any parts of you within the character of Celestine?

I certainly wasn’t the girl that Celestine begins out as, I was probably more like her sister Juniper, who was quieter, had one close friend at school, she just can’t wait to get through it so that her life can begin. She is more of an outsider, cynical of society and questions everything around her, something Celestine learns later.  However, despite Juniper quietly grumbling about the things that bother her, Celestine is the one that takes action. I think writing this book is my version of Celestine’s action. 

REVIEW BY MIA MADDEN, AGED 13.

This is the amazing new YA novel from Cecelia Ahern. It is the follow-up to Flawed and it catches up with Celestine North, the most flawed person in the history of the Guild. Celestine is on the run from Judge Bosco Crevan and his Whistleblowers and she just wants one thing: to find her fellow inmate, Carrick Vane. Celestine believes that Carrick has vital footage of Crevan lashing out at her and she wants to use this to bring him, and hopefully the entire Guild, down. 

Celestine makes new friends in more Guild evaders; Mona, Lennox, Fergus and Lorcan. While the group are going about as normal (as evaders do), Whistleblowers find their hideout and this squad is led by Celestine's ex, Art Crevan, son of the deluded Judge. Art claims to still be on Celestine's side but she is not so sure. Now she must choose between Carrick and Art. Who will she choose? Will she get the footage of Crevan before he gains control of the entire country?

Awestruck - That is how these two books left me. Flawed was the first book to almost bring me to tears and Perfect was not far off it either. And I am not the kind to cry at books or movies. (I did not even cry when a certain house-elf came to a tragic end in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows). With beautiful language, dramatic scenes and characters you will miss when you finish the book. I would rate Perfect 5*. 

Recommended for ages 12 +.

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Perfect is published is published by Harper Collins and is available in Hardback and ebook format. Published today, it is in all good bookshops or you can order your copy via amazon link below:

         

Book Review - 'The Butterfly Shell' by Maureen White. Guest review from Merith Jones.

Huge thanks to Merith Jones for guest reviewing this title for Bleach House Library.ie

The Blurb 

There are some things about me you should know. 

1. I always wear my butterfly shell - even when I’m swimming or sleeping

2. I don’t hurt myself any more

3. I believe in ghosts.

I’d better start at the beginning. The beginning of First Year. Here goes …

The story of a strange year and a very special shell.

Marie is hurting. Between the mean girls tormenting her by day and a ghostly cry waking her at night, her first year at secondary school was far from what she had expected. But Marie is now writing her story, the story of a very strange year and a very special shell which was found in a most unexpected place.

Click here to see Inside The Butterfly Shell

Review by Merith Jones 

How far do we protect our children’s childhood? Or do we accept the world as it is and offer the protection of knowledge?

Difficult issues in children’s fiction can be harder for parents to accept than the intended readers who are often more aware than we give them credit for, and, awareness does not necessarily mean the ‘focused on‘ that adults fear.

Maureen White offers a sensitive and astutely balanced view of a year in the life of Marie, a twelve year old newly facing the challenges of secondary school and the battle to establish an independent identity.

Marie reflects on the past year so we begin with the assurance of her survival of what promises to be a difficult adjustment. Until now she has been confident in her bookish world but soon learns that she is not seen as ‘cool’ and the allure of acceptance by the in crowd leads her to deny herself, the friendship of another less conventional girl and her integrity. Framing this is the ghostly presence of the lost sister after whom she is named and her feelings of inadequacy as a replacement daughter all of which lead her to dark places and self harm.

The authentic voice of Marie reflects the hopes and fears that are so fundamental to that desire for acceptance young readers will recognise but, following the dramatic incident which brings the story to a crisis she ultimately finds herself, her true friends and her own sense of value within her family.

 An uplifting and beautifully placed transitional read between the cosiness of younger fiction and the more adult themes of the Young Adult world.

Highly recommended.

The Butterfly Shell is published by The O'Brien Press and is available in PB and ebook format. You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, HERE. The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

"Blame" by Simon Mayo - Review by Mia, aged 12.

Review by Mia Madden, aged 12

This book follows sixteen-year-old Ant (Abigail Norton Turner) and her eleven-year-old brother, Mattie, who are inmates in a new family prison called Spike. They have been arrested, along with foster parents Dan and Gina, for what their parents have done. They call this 'Heritage Crime'.  Ant and Mattie have been in Spike for two years and will stay there until they reach eighteen.  They will then be moved onto nearby prisons, Holloway (for women) and Pentonville 9 for men.  

Talks of a riot spread through the prison and Ant sneaks into Holloway and Pentonville with help from her prison officer friend, Brian McMillan. She escapes from Holloway unscathed, but her luck does not stay with her.  She gets discovered by three strong, psychotic men and narrowly escapes with a fatally fatally wounded Brian.  The riot breaks out soon after Ant returns and Brian dies.  

Left with a code to crack that will save hundreds of people from arrest, Ant and friends free themselves from prison.  Will they be able to stop the Heritage Crime Law?

This was an amazing YA novel and the first of Mayo's books that I have read.  A real page-turner, with a tiny bit of bad language, but I didn't mind.  It was so good that I read it for three hours straight, took a break, then read it for another hour before finishing it that same evening.  Blame is in my top 25 reads (remember that I have read hundreds of books) ever.  It is pretty hard to get on to that list! 

I recommend this book for age 11+.

Blame will be published on 7th July by Corgi and will be available in PB and ebook format.  

Cover Reveal and Giveaway - 'A Darkness At The End' by Ruth Francis Long.

Thanks to O'Brien Press, I am delighted to reveal the cover of Ruth Francis Long's latest title, A Darkness At The End.  The final installment of the Dubh Linn fantasy trilogy, this title is published on 12th September 2016 and one lucky reader can get a first edition, hot off the press.*  To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, just enter via rafflecopter link at the end of the page.  Good Luck! 

THE BLURB

The final book in the contemporary fantasy trilogy set Dublin: and Dubh Linn, the fae world that exists in the cracks and corners of reality.

Angels, fae demons and humans are drawn into lethal conflict as the fate of the world hangs in the balance in the final installment in this urban fantasy. Holly, the fae matriarch, tries to sieze the power of heaven for herself, while Izzy has lost her memory and Jinx is dead ... or is he?

Confronted with ancient powers, sacrifice and treachery. War is looming within the ranks of the Sidhe. The angels and the demons begin to draw lines, daring each other to transgress and start another war ...

'fantasy lovers will adore the twists and turns … it’s wonderful to see Irish mythology in the hands of someone who knows what they’re talking about and resists presenting the reader with a twee view of the country' Inis Magazine about A Crack in Everything

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruth Frances Long writes dark young adult fantasy, often about scary fairies, such as The Treachery of Beautiful Things, A Crack in Everything, A Hollow in the Hills and the forthcoming A Darkness at the End. (O’Brien Press, 2016). As R. F. Long, she also writes fantasy and paranormal romance.

She lives in Wicklow and works in a specialized library of rare, unusual & occasionally crazy books. But they don’t talk to her that often.

In 2015 she won the European Science Fiction Society Spirit of Dedication Award for Best Author of Children’s Science Fiction and Fantasy.

www.RFLong.com/, @RFLong on Twitter, R. F. Long on Facebook, RFLong on Tumblr, RuthFrancesLong on Instagram

A Darkness At The End will be published by O'Brien Press on 12th September 2016 and will be available in PB and ebook format.  Ruth's other titles are currently available in all good bookshops and via amazon links below:

* Please note that winner will receive their prize in Aug, straight from the printers :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review - "Caramel Hearts" by E.R. Murray.

Life is not a bed of roses for fourteen-year-old Liv.  Her Mum is in rehab, her father disappeared when she was a toddler and her sister, Hatty, has dropped out of college to take over the reins.  The two girls are determined to make things work so they can avoid a social services intervention.  They had been in foster care before and will do anything to keep Liv at home.  As if this is not hard enough, Liv is now being targeted by the school bully and is losing her best friend, Sarah.  When she finds an old hand-written book of recipes, she uses the world of baking to add some sweetness to her bitter life. But can some cakes and cookies make her pain melt away? 

ER Murray has written a YA novel that is both heartbreaking and inspiring.  Liv is a teenager with a temper, but for a very good reason.  She has had a difficult childhood and is torn between hating her alcoholic mother and wanting her approval and love.  The discovered recipe book is a rare glimpse into her mothers happier moments and Liv hopes that some of the happiness will rub off on her.  However, creating buns, fudge and cupcakes can be an expensive past-time and Liv struggles to find ingredients.  Enlisting the help of the school dinner lady, she attempts to re-create her mother's dreams.  All her plans go awry when, in a moment of madness, Liv does something terrible and it leads to a chain of uncontrollable events.  The bullying increases, her friendship with Sarah collapses and the boy she has feelings for is slipping through her fingers.  How can things get any worse? 

It can be hard to discuss addiction with children.  They have an image in their mind of what an alcoholic looks like, and if they have had no contact with one, they struggle with relating to their stories.  In this novel the author has used a very real story, set in a very real world, to show that any one of us can be touched by addiction.  Liv is a memorable character, with her sassy nature hiding her despair and loneliness.  She is terrified she will be removed from her home and placed into foster care, and has painful memories of being separated from her sister.  Like many kids who have never met their fathers, she has an idealised notion of him and thinks h may be the answer to all her prayers.  In chapters reminiscent of  Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, Liv decides to track her father down, meeting some strange and wonderful characters along the way. 

This is a touching, yet honest look at what it is like to live with anger, fear and uncertainty in your life.  To not know when there is going to be food in the fridge or whether you can afford to wash your clothes.  It looks at the idea of hope and how children believe in its power.  It also addresses reality, in a non-judgmental way.  Children don't need to be spoken to in a condescending way, they just need the truth and to know that someone is watching their back.  Bullying is cleverly interwoven throughout the novel, without sugar-coating it.  Girls can be especially cruel and Liv is the victim they have hand-picked for their campaign.  To balance the darker moments, ER Murray has included achievable recipes into the book, which are sure to tempt even the toughest teenager.  

This YA novel is bound to be a hit with kids aged 12-16; that age where they are too old for toys, too young for deep relationships and have more questions than answers.  It is written with love and hope and this flows through the voice of Liv.   She may have a hard life but she is determined to make the most of it, even if she makes some mistakes along the way.  Just like everyone of us...

Caramel Hearts is published by Alma Books and is available in paperback and ebook format.

Blog Tour - "Flawed" by Cecelia Ahern. Review and Goodie Pack Giveaway.

Flawed is the debut YA novel from bestselling author Cecelia Ahern and to celebrate its release

I have a limited edition goodie pack to give away to one lucky reader, thanks to the lovely people at Harper Collins.  To enter, just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!

My Review 

"I am a girl of definitions, of logic, of black and white.  Remember this."

So begins the YA debut of Cecelia Ahern.  These are the words of Celestine North, a teenage girl who is on the cusp of womanhood.  She has an average life with her middle class family, an adoring boyfriend and a love of mathematics and structure.  A bright young thing, with her whole future ahead of her, one chance moment on public transport brings her whole world to another level.  She is now 'Flawed' and her life no longer belongs in the realm she grew up in.  Suddenly she is public property and her every move is monitored for media scrutiny.  Can a girl who has been flawless her whole life survive in the world of the Flawed?

It is hard to give an overview of this novel without making it sound too political, so I will do my best to simplify things, starting with the author's own words...

"The Flawed are regular citizens who have made moral or ethical mistakes in society."

In this fictional city, there is a new way to rule.  Previous Governments have made a mess of things, so the citizens decided to take matters into their own hands.  They introduce The Guild, a committee made up of judges, who are the new leadership,deciding who is 'flawed' and how they should be punished.  The repercussions of being found guilty are permanent ones.  The guilty shall be branded for life and find their movements restricted.  Like the Jews in Nazi Germany, they must wear armbands displaying their 'shame' and while they are not imprisoned, they are constantly undermined and treated as second class citizens.  The problem with all this 'morality policing' is quite simple.  It is extremely subjective.  If the head Judge wants his way, he will get it.  End of.  This becomes a problem for Celestine when she shows respect to a 'Flawed' man on the bus and has to face the consequences.  While Judge Crevan is a family friend and the father of her boyfriend, Art, she suddenly sees herself being used to set an example to the whole county.  Her trial seems rigged from the start and pretty soon everything she has believed in is being called into question. 

This is Cecelia Ahern's first YA novel and she enters the genre with a bang.  Celestine is a good girl, trying to find her footing in the adult world and, like any young woman, is bound to make mistakes. But this is another world.  A world led by peers rather than politicians.  When a country learns to mistrust a government, and hands over its administration to a chosen few, it is fraught with its own problems.  The author has bravely addressed this concept, through the eyes of a young adult, rather   than the daughter of our former Taoiseach of Ireland.  Idealism is always hovering around the minds of teenagers and this novel shows how 'forward-thinking' can actually backfire tremendously.  The scenes of torture involved with the branding of citizens are graphic and memorable, bringing shadows of  Nazism to the readers mind.  The Guild are indeed terrifying party, with 'show-trails' and pre-determined sentencing echoing Stalin's regime.  But, at the heart of this book, there is a young woman who can finally see what her world is made of.  The secrecy, the lies and the hidden agendas of people in power.  Not so different to the government her people pushed aside.  

YA has been riding high on the bestseller lists for a number of years now, with John Green showing that young adults can appreciate a good book as much as the rest of us.  The Twilight Saga, The Book Thief, The Hunger Games and our own Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours and Asking For It.  All great sellers, with movies and merchandise and added bonus for many.  This title is a perfect bridge for a teenager moving onto the next level.  Minimal reference to sex, no gratuitous violence (apart from torture scenes) and it addresses bullying, young love and familial relationships.  There are love interests, making it perfect for casting agents in Hollywood, and I can almost see the range of merchandise, on its very own stand, in the near future.  I think Cecelia has got her timing just right, with other authors following her lead very soon.  Hopefully there will be still be room in the market for the authors moving from their original genres.  Flawed is a strong story, once the reader gets past the initial grounding required to set the scene.  Celestine is a character that will surely inspire many young girls (especially the quieter, more studious ones) and there will be many a swooning teenager when they encounter Carrick, a young man who is also 'Flawed'.  I am not the intended audience for this title, but I lost myself in the concept of morality policing and turned the pages just as fast as any other thought-provoking novel.  I can only imagine that the YA market will lap it up...

Flawed is published by Harper Collins and is available in Hardback and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

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Book Review - "Flawed" by Cecelia Ahern.

I received an ARC of this title, for review purposes, via netgalley.com.

"I am a girl of definitions, of logic, of black and white.  Remember this."

So begins the YA debut of Cecelia Ahern.  These are the words of Celestine North, a teenage girl who is on the cusp of womanhood.  She has an average life with her middle class family, an adoring boyfriend and a love of mathematics and structure.  A bright young thing, with her whole future ahead of her, one chance moment on public transport brings her whole world to another level.  She is now 'Flawed' and her life no longer belongs in the realm she grew up in.  Suddenly she is public property and her every move is monitored for media scrutiny.  Can a girl who has been flawless her whole life survive in the world of the Flawed?

It is hard to give an overview of this novel without making it sound too political, so I will do my best to simplify things, starting with the author's own words...

"The Flawed are regular citizens who have made moral or ethical mistakes in society."

In this fictional city, there is a new way to rule.  Previous Governments have made a mess of things, so the citizens decided to take matters into their own hands.  They introduce The Guild, a committee made up of judges, who are the new leadership,deciding who is 'flawed' and how they should be punished.  The repercussions of being found guilty are permanent ones.  The guilty shall be branded for life and find their movements restricted.  Like the Jews in Nazi Germany, they must wear armbands displaying their 'shame' and while they are not imprisoned, they are constantly undermined and treated as second class citizens.  The problem with all this 'morality policing' is quite simple.  It is extremely subjective.  If the head Judge wants his way, he will get it.  End of.  This becomes a problem for Celestine when she shows respect to a 'Flawed' man on the bus and has to face the consequences.  While Judge Crevan is a family friend and the father of her boyfriend, Art, she suddenly sees herself being used to set an example to the whole county.  Her trial seems rigged from the start and pretty soon everything she has believed in is being called into question. 

This is Cecelia Ahern's first YA novel and she enters the genre with a bang.  Celestine is a good girl, trying to find her footing in the adult world and, like any young woman, is bound to make mistakes. But this is another world.  A world led by peers rather than politicians.  When a country learns to mistrust a government, and hands over its administration to a chosen few, it is fraught with its own problems.  The author has bravely addressed this concept, through the eyes of a young adult, rather   than the daughter of our former Taoiseach of Ireland.  Idealism is always hovering around the minds of teenagers and this novel shows how 'forward-thinking' can actually backfire tremendously.  The scenes of torture involved with the branding of citizens are graphic and memorable, bringing shadows of  Nazism to the readers mind.  The Guild are indeed terrifying party, with 'show-trails' and pre-determined sentencing echoing Stalin's regime.  But, at the heart of this book, there is a young woman who can finally see what her world is made of.  The secrecy, the lies and the hidden agendas of people in power.  Not so different to the government her people pushed aside.  

YA has been riding high on the bestseller lists for a number of years now, with John Green showing that young adults can appreciate a good book as much as the rest of us.  The Twilight Saga, The Book Thief, The Hunger Games and our own Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours and Asking For It.  All great sellers, with movies and merchandise and added bonus for many.  This title is a perfect bridge for a teenager moving onto the next level.  Minimal reference to sex, no gratuitous violence (apart from torture scenes) and it addresses bullying, young love and familial relationships.  There are love interests, making it perfect for casting agents in Hollywood, and I can almost see the range of merchandise, on its very own stand, in the near future.  I think Cecelia has got her timing just right, with other authors following her lead very soon.  Hopefully there will be still be room in the market for the authors moving from their original genres.  Flawed is a strong story, once the reader gets past the initial grounding required to set the scene.  Celestine is a character that will surely inspire many young girls (especially the quieter, more studious ones) and there will be many a swooning teenager when they encounter Carrick, a young man who is also 'Flawed'.  I am not the intended audience for this title, but I lost myself in the concept of morality policing and turned the pages just as fast as any other thought-provoking novel.  I can only imagine that the YA market will lap it up...

Flawed is published by Harper Collins on 24th March 2016 and will be available in Hardback and ebook format.