Fan Mail: A Letter to David Eddings

 Fan Mail is a feature where I write fan letters to authors I admire, am inspired by, or are simply brilliant. Fan mail is to show my love for these authors in a fun way that's different from a review.
Dear David Eddings,

    I never used to like reading. It was a chore I had to do for school, something so incredibly boring, I couldn't understand why anyone would want to do it for fun. There were certain stories that I read (because I had to) that I enjoyed, but those were very rare occurrences, and reading itself just wasn't for me. Until my dad handed me your Pawn of Prophecy, the first book in the Belgariad series.

    Before he did so, I had been reading the Harry Potter novels. I loved them, but still didn't find any enjoyment picking up anything else. That series was a fluke, they were the only books I'd read for pleasure. But I would rave about them. My dad, a huge high fantasy fan, could see some similarities between what I loved so much about the Harry Potter books and the books he read. For weeks he tried to get me to read Pawn of Prophecy. He would go on about the sorcerers, and the evil god, and this orb of power, and the quest. In the end, I decided to read Pawn of Prophecy just to get him to stop. I'd prove him wrong; I'd read it, and I wouldn't like it.

    I fell in love with it.

    When I read Pawn of Prophecy, something clicked into place. It was like a revelation, like a curtain had been pulled away,  and I thought, "Oh, so that's what reading is all about!" I can't tell you what it was about Pawn of Prophecy that suddenly turned me from a non-reader into a reader. Although the plots themselves are very different, there's nothing, genre-wise, too dissimilar between Harry Potter and Pawn of Prophecy that has me thinking, "That's what did it." Even when I re-read the Belgariad, which I've done several times over, there's nothing particularly spectacular about Pawn of Prophecy on it's own that I can see that caught my heart as it did. (Really, the whole series merges for me, I can never remember where one book ends and another begins until I read them, but I know on my recent re-read, as much as I still love Pawn of Prophecy, on it's own, I was thinking it's only the very beginning of the story; that the most amazing parts come much later.) But there was something about that book, and the ones that followed in the Belgariad, the Mallorean, and your other series, that had me wanting to read more and more - and unlike with Harry Potter, I wasn't just open to book by other authors, I needed them.

    And now, here I am, 16 years later, a completely avid reader. I've been running a blog devoted to reading for the past six years, I'm a bookseller, and I've read more books than I could ever imagine wanting to read before Pawn of Prophecy. Your book changed my life; I can't even imagine what I would be doing with the majority of my free time if it wasn't for your book. Maybe I would have found a different book that would have made me a reader, maybe I never would have. But I feel such such a rush of love for Pawn of Prophecy and it's characters whenever I think of them. Reading your books always feels like coming home to me, and I'm filled with an excited contentment whenever I open the pages. It's always difficult to answer the question, "What's your favourite book?" There are so many incredible novels, important, powerful novels, brilliantly entertaining novels I've read over the years, it's hard to choose just one. But I always say Pawn of Prophecy, because it will always have a place in my heart.

    I'm so grateful to you and the books you wrote for opening my eyes to the wonder of reading, for providing me with a way to escape my own life when it was needed. It's weird to think and probably weirder to hear, but Garion, Polgara, Belgarath, Ce'Nedra, Barak, Silk and all the other characters in the Belgariad series feel like family, and it's so wonderful to have them welcome me back whenever I go for a visit through the pages. This letter doesn't really do any justice to how grateful I am, and I'm sorry for that.

    I can only say, thank you for your words.

Best wishes,

Jo
xxx


So who was the author who got you into reading? What was the book?Was was it about it that had you falling in love with reading? Tell me all! :)

Review: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard—falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be. From Goodreads.

Courtney Summers' books have been raved about for as long as I've been blogging, and it was always my intention to read them at some point. Then recently, Summers wrote on her Tumblr about how Some Girls Are was banned from a South Carolina high school summer reading list because of constant complaints from a student's parent. Banning books is something that makes me so angry, so upon hearing the news, I ordered myself a copy of Some Girls Are in support - and it's absolutely brilliant.

Regina is one of the most popular girls in her high school. She and her friends are feared and awed at the same time. Fellow students are there for their entertainment, to be mocked, to be humiliated, to be brought down. When Regina is sexually assaulted by her best friend Anna's boyfriend, Donnie, it's the beginning of her own downfall. Anna doesn't believe he tried to rape her. She is convinced by another member of the clique, Kara - who hates and is on a lower peg than Regina - that Regina actually slept with Donnie, consensually, behind her back. Now the clique is out to make Regina's life a living hell. They trash her locker, they reveal her secrets, they create a website of hate about her. As time goes on, the bullying gets worse and worse. Her only solace is Michael, an outcast she helped outcast. Regina treated him so disgustingly, and Michael has a hard time forgiving her. But there's nowhere else for Regina to go, and his honesty - as well as her treatment - is making her rethink everything. She's suddenly seeing Michael in a completely different light, and there's the hope of something more... but will her ex-friends allow Regina to have anything good in her life?

Some Girls Are is a terrifying story, and a hugely upsetting one. Although I was nowhere near as badly bullied as the people in this book, I knew these girls. I knew what they were capable of, and I did my utmost to be invisible to them. Reading Some Girls Are brought back the fear and intimidation I felt on a daily basis. Whether you've experienced it or not, it's impossible to read this book and not feel horrified at the lengths these girls go to hurt and torment Regina. It's shocking, but yet unsurprising. And it's upsetting to watch just how bad things get for Regina.

I need to talk about Michael, and how amazing he was. I'm a little worried my description is making Michael seem like a walkover who just allowed Regina to come into his life because it's Regina, or out of intimidation. Michael is a pretty strong guy, despite having next to no friends at school. The girls made it quite clear that he is the social parriah, and no-one is to give him the time of day. Rumours flew around about him and how he's dangerous, and no-one will go near him. He doesn't give Regina an easy time, at all. In fact, he confronts her with the truth of her actions over and over, and they argue, and Regina has nowhere to hide from the light he's shining on this person she was, because she has nowhere to go, but facing it is unbearable. By the time the book ends, Regina is a better person, but she's far from perfect. It's hard to shake off treating people in a way that's all you know, and she uses it whenever she can to try to get back at her old clique, and does some awful things herself. But Michael has her questioning it all, and it's great to see this affect he has on her.

I wasn't so keen on the ending. It seemed to end to abruptly, and it felt to me like things worked out a little too easily. After everything that happened, things are sorted within a few pages, and it just felt a little off. But it's only a few pages, and the book as a whole is amazing.

I am, I'm afraid, unable to review this book without talking about the banning of it. The parent who brought about the banning of Some Girls Are, who read the whole book, said it was "smut" and "trash". How this woman could even flirt with the idea that this book could be either is beyond me. It makes me so angry. This book is absolutely incredible. It's hard-hitting, it's terrifying, but it's so real, and for this woman to not just dismiss Some Girls Are, a book that shows the reality of how horrifying bullying can really get, as "trash" but also stop other teenagers from reading this book has me raging to the point where I'm almost crying. There are so many people who could be helped by this book. So many people who can see their own experiences reflected back at them, so many people who could read this book and think twice about either actively taking part in the bullying of another person, or laughing when they witness it, or being a part of the rumour mill. This book could even affect some people so much that they could actually help someone being bullied when they see it, stand up for them, do something. And those teens in that school are being denied the opportunity to have this incredible book affect and change them, and that is beyond wrong. I am livid.

Some Girls Are is such an important reads, and needs to be read. So do read it; support Some Girls Are and Courtney Summers, and fight against the banning of books. This is a book that could do so much good.



Published: 5th January 2010
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Courtney Summers' Website

Review: The Baby by Lisa Drakeford

The Baby by Lisa Drakeford (proof) - When Olivia opens the bathroom door, the last thing she expects to see is her best friend Nicola giving birth on the floor – and to say Nicola is surprised is an understatement. She’s not ready to be a mum, and she needs Olivia’s help. But Olivia has her own problems – specifically her bullying boyfriend, Jonty, and keeping an eye on younger sister Alice. And then there’s Nicola’s friend Ben, who’s struggling with secrets of his own … From Goodreads.

I read The Baby by Lisa Drakeford thinking that it might work for my upcoming Sex in Teen Lit Month II blog event, seeing as it's about the arrival of a unexpected baby. It doesn't quite work for what I want the month to highlight, but I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it! It's pretty good, and takes a serious look at the changes a baby can bring.

When Nicola gives birth in Olivia's bathroom at her birthday party, it's the beginning of a massive change. A change that doesn't just affect her, but Olivia, Olivia's boyfriend Jonty, their friend Ben, and Olivia's younger sister, Alice. Emotions rocket, relationships are put to the test, and decisions need to be made. Life isn't one big party, especially when there's a baby to think of.

The Baby was a completely different story to the one I was expecting. Considering the way the description goes, I thought the whole story would be set at Olivia's party, but it's actually set over five months. Each character gets a turn to narrate, and they all have their own sub-story, which intersect because of their relationships and baby Eliza.

I was a bit worried when I first started. Olivia's narration is first, and seeing as it's the night of her party, she's drunk, which could be the reason why, but I found her to tell more than show. The party is great, she gets on so well with so-and-so, but we don't really get to see why. I found her narration to be one of the weakest, I felt like she was quite young and selfish, but again, it could have been because she was drunk, because I preferred her a lot more in the other narrations. But her story is also a really important one. Her boyfriend Jonty hurts her. He's jealous and controlling, and he physically hurts her when Olivia doesn't bend to his wishes. It was shocking to read, but the focus shifts once everyone realise Nicola is giving birth in the bathroom.

Then it's Nicola's narration, and it's brilliant. She didn't know she was pregnant, and now she's a new mum. She's struggling to deal with it. She is full of awe and wonder and this beautiful little girl that she's brought into the world, but she's so unsure of what she's doing and being up with her at all hours is really taking it's toll. She has people - health visitors, social workers, midwives, and so forth - ask her all kinds of questions. Is this what she wants? What is she going to do about school? What about benefits? Who's the dad? Question after question, and so much pressure. And she has very few people on her side. It's a fantastic narration, and very realistic. I felt really sorry for Nicola, and just wished more people would help her and give her a chance.

Then we have Alice's narration. Eleven-year-old Alice is "weird", and people avoid her. I can't say for certain, but it seems to me that she might have a form of Autism; she's very intelligent, but doesn't understand social situations and gets things wrong. She doesn't have friends, and her attempts to make them, while saying completely the wrong thing, and the reaction this causes from others is just heartbreaking. She's bullied and laughed at, and she doesn't quite understand why. She just knows she shouldn't mention her imaginary farm animals, because people don't seem to like that. But there is a baby now, a baby that was born in her bathroom, Nicola's baby, and she so loves to visit and help out. I loved Alice's narration, because she is just so wonderful and has a fantastic way of looking at the world, and I just wanted to give her such a big hug. She's a really special girl, and I don't mean that in the derogatory way.

Jonty. As the story went on, the more and more I disliked him. He's not a very nice guy at all, and he treats others so badly, not just Olivia. And then we get his narration, and wow. My feelings towards him shifted. He isn't a great guy, but he has problems of his own, and I started to understand why he is the way he is. It doesn't excuse his behaviour, but I did feel some sympathy for him. And we see a real change during his narration. He does grow up a bit, and realises that he can't go on the way he has been. He sees things differently, and I ended up feeling quite proud of him.

Oh my god, Ben's narration! It was the most disappointing of them all! Ben is gay, and he's really into this guy, Josh, but doesn't know if he's gay. Then a huge bombshell is dropped, one I did not see coming at all, and I was feeling so much anguish and sadness and, oh my god, really?! It was just so surprising and in some ways so awful, and... then it just ends. Ben's story gets wrapped up, I suppose, but the whole story doesn't! Not in my opinion! There is more to that bombshell, more that I need to know. There is so much more fallout from it to come, and I cannot believe it just ends like that. This bombshell would change everything for everyone, but we don't see it, we don't see what comes, and I am stunned. There was huge potential for this story to continue and follow it through, and be SUCH an emotional story. Just thinking about what this means for the other characters really has me getting upset, and to not actually see it... I am so disappointed. It's a really bad ending, in my opinion. There's no real conclusion. Things are left open, but not in a way that makes me feel there will be a follow up novel. It's just left, and it annoys me so much.

But over all, The Baby is really good! I would recommend it for Nicola, Alice and Jonty's narrations and stories because they're just so brilliant! A disappointing ending, but on the whole, an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Chicken House for the proof.



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Published: 2nd July 2015
Publisher: Chicken House
Lisa Drakeford on Twitter

Review: Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers (review copy) - Mom,

I went to the store. See inside the fridge. I watered the plants. I cleaned out Peter's cage. I tidied the sitting room. And the kitchen. And I did the washing up.

I'm going to bed.

Your live-in servant,

Claire

Life on the Refrigerator Door is told exclusively through notes exchanged by Claire and her mother, Elizabeth, during the course of a life-altering year. Their story builds to an emotional crescendo when Elizabeth is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Stunningly sad but ultimately uplifting, this is a clever, moving, and original portrait of the relationship between a daughter and mother. It is about how we live our lives constantly rushing, and never making time for those we love. It is also an elegy to how much can be said in so few words, if only we made the time to say them.

A new edition of this simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-warming novel by Alice Kuipers. From Goodreads.

I have had Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers recommended to me twice; once, a number of years ago, and I only remember the recommendation because of the book's epistolary format, and again earlier this year when looking for books written in an unusual format. As it is with there being so many books you want to read, I've been intrigued by this book for ages, but never actually picked it up. Fortunately, due to this new edition just being released, I was sent a copy for review, and it's just so brilliant, and wonderfully surprising.

Claire's mum is an obstetrician, and is always busy at work delivering babies. Claire has school, an active social life and her babysitting job. They both always seem to miss each other, so they leave notes for each other on the door of their fridge. Their relationship is like any other between a teenager and her mother, although sometimes difficult as they both want to see each other more, wish the other was a little less busy. But then Claire's mum gets some devastating news - news that will change both of them individually, as well as their relationship.

The story is told solely through through the notes left on the fridge, and as the novel is only 226 pages long and some of the notes only being a few lines long, I read the whole book yesterday in under an hour. Even so, it was very emotional, surprisingly so, and very moving. It made me think about my own relationship with my mum, and how just earlier in the morning I'd left a note for her as we'd miss each other, about my dinner plans, but also to wish her well for something happening in her day. This novel made me wish I'd been able to wish her well in person, and I gave her a big hug when I saw her next.

When Claire's mum (who, as far as I remember, is never actually named in the novel, despite Goodreads' summary) is diagnosed with breast cancer, she plays it down. She's sure everything will be fine, it's nothing to worry about. Because of this, Claire worries less than she might have. Her mother is a doctor, her mother is also her mother, and so she believes her that there's no need to worry. And so life for Claire carries on as normal for the most part; boy worries, wanting to go shopping and spending time with her friends. However, her mum's struggles with the treatment and needs her daughter to help out a little more, or wish she'd seen her, or, on days when the treatment makes her ratty, they get into arguments. Claire is still thinking that her mum will end up fine, so she is a little selfish at times, and it's so upsetting when you, the reader, know her mum is just trying to protect her from the worry though she's really taking quite a hit. It takes a while for Claire to realise just how serious this is, and even then, she doesn't know the right thing to do. She tries to help her mum, do things she think she would like, that would make her smile, but actually do the opposite, because she's still quite young, even at 15.

As the story goes on and you see the two get closer through their notes, as they try to see more of each other and be more honest about what they're thinking and feeling, it gets very emotional. It's beautiful to see their relationship get better, but so hard to see Claire suffer emotionally about her mum, and her mum struggle with her cancer. Less than 45 minutes into starting this book, I was close to tears.

For such a quick read, Kuipers really sucks you in and takes you through so many emotions. It's a great talent to get a reader so emotionally invested in a story when it's so short and so quickly read, but I was completely gripped by these characters and their story, and so hopeful for them. A fantastic novel, a great read if you've got a spare half hour, just be prepared to have your emotions go through the wringer.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.



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Published: 30th July 2015
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Alice Kuipers' Website

Review: How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown

How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown (review copy) - Rapunzel sits alone in a tall tower block, and no one - not the postman, the baker, her auntie or even the prince - can bring back her sparkle. But when Rapunzel does finally open the postman's letter it contains an amazing offer that changes her life--- Read on to find out how the library saved Rapunzel! From the blurb.


The title of this book alone had me really intrigued. I was sensing a possible feminist fairy tale retelling, and that was exactly what I got, but so much more. How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown is a fantastic picture book, with all kinds of wonderful messages.

Rapunzel sits high up in the tower block where she lives, alone and miserable. Those who visit her try to help, but they don't seem to be able to reach her, she just stares out the window. Not even the Prince has any affect on her. When she finally opens a letter the postman delivers, everything changes. It's come from the library, and they have some important news that gets her smiling again!

How the Library is a book that promotes a good work ethic, with the idea that having a purpose is the key to a happy life. The letter Rapunzel receives is a job offer from the library, and now Rapunzel has some meaning to her life, she is back to her happy, sunny self again. Rapunzel doesn't need a man, she needs something to do.

It also seems to touch on mental health. Rapunzel is morose and despondent. She had "nowhere to go," "nothing to prove," "nothing to say," and "nothing to think". She won't eat, she won't leave the house, she won't talk to anyone, until her friends - the milkman, the postman, the baker and her auntie - orchestrate an intervention.

The lift had broken down, and no-one really wanted to climb all the stairs due to ill-health, but seeing how Rapunzel has shut herself off from the world in the tower - her almost self-imposed imprisonment - they realise they have to do more to help her, and they climb the stairs to her flat. They cook her some food and get her to eat, and are just there for her. And when she reads the letter, it's the one good thing she needs that turns her life around.


From page 12 of How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel
by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown.
Ashdown has down a wonderful job of making How the Library a really diverse book with her illustrations, which is so wonderful to see. Not just in the characters who visit Rapunzel, but in the people out and about near the tower block. The Prince, who appears only briefly, is a person of colour, which is just brilliant - he's modern and trendy too!


From page 10 of How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel
by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown.
And this is probably not as important as all the other things How the Library covers, but it's so pro-libraries and reading! Not only does the library give Rapunzel a job, but she gets to read so many books and she learns so many things! One of the parting messages encourages girls to be more concerned with books than boys.

'So don't wait for your prince to show.
He might turn up, but you never know.
Pop down to your library and borrow a book -
there's SO MUCH to find out if only you look. (p25)

From page 17 of How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel
by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown.
Although this book is mostly pretty feminist, there are two ideas in How the Library that I find partially problematic. Once Rapunzel has read the letter and is happy again, she fixes the lift "in a ladylike manner!" (p17). I'm all for the idea that girls can fix things as well as boys, but I winced a little at how Rapunzel was "ladylike" while she fixed it. It's a small thing, but it perpetuates the idea that there is a "girlish" / "ladylike" way of doing things, and that there is a "boyish" way, and girls should be "ladylike". It's almost a mixed message; yes, girls can do things that are stereotypically things boys do, but only if they're ladylike while they do them. I know "manner" rhymes with "spanner", but I do wish they managed to make it rhyme without this idea.

Also, when her friends make it up to her flat, they find Rapunzel "sat alone with only her cats" (p14). Again, cats rhyme with flat, I get that, but it's the cat lady idea. The book might be saying girls don't need boys to have a full life, but still, without them, girls are alone with their cats. It feeds in to the stereotype, I think.


From page 14 of How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel
by Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown.
As I said, these are only small things. The book on the whole really is brilliant, with it's great message and by challenging gender roles, and would make a wonderful addition to child's feminist library.

Thank you to Frances Lincoln for the review copy.



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Published: Hardback (my edition): 11th November 2014, Paperback: 6th August 2015
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Wendy Meddour's Website
Rebecca Ashdown's Website

Help Amber Get her Education

Mental illness can not only affect a person's day-to-day life, but can change the course of it.

Fellow book blogger Amber, from The Mile Long Bookshelf, doesn't want to let her mental illness prevent her from getting the education she wants - or the life that education will bring.

Please help Amber to get her education. Read her story, and find out how you can help, here:

http://www.themilelongbookshelf.com/2015/08/i-need-your-help.html

(Writing this post from my phone, so I'm afraid I can't create links.)

Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - I am Outcast.
The kids behind me laugh so loud I know they're laughing about me. I can't help myself. I turn around. It's Rachel, surrounded by a bunch of kids wearing clothes from the Eastside Mall. Rachel Bruin, my ex-best friend. She stares at something above my left ear. Words climb up my throat. This was the girl who suffered through Brownies with me, who taught me how to swim, who understood about my parents, who didn't make fun of my bedroom. If there is anyone in the entire galaxy I am dying to tell what really happened, it's Rachel. My throat burns.
Her eyes meet mine for a second. "I hate you," she mouths silently.

Melinda Sordino's freshman year is off to a horrible start. She busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, and now her friends--and even strangers--all hate her. Months pass and things aren't getting better. She's a pariah. The lowest of the low. Avoided by everyone. But eventually, she'll reveal what happened at the party. And when she finally speaks the truth, everything will change. From Goodreads.

I first heard about Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson a long time ago, but due to it's subject matter, I never picked it up. Back then, rape was a subject I tried to stay away from in my reading. But when Speak was challenged in 2010 I bought a copy in support (FYI, it was challenged yet again in 2013). Still, it has taken me until now to read it, mostly because of the subject matter, partly because I had so many other books. However, having read Easy by Tammara Webber in 2013 and Asking For It by Louise O'Neill just recently, I knew I was now capable of reading about rape. Though now I'm thinking it probably would have been better for me to have read it before.

Melinda called the police on a summer party she was attending in August. Now she's starting her first year of high school and no-one wants to know her. Her friends have turned their back on her, and she's a social outcast. But no-one knows why she really called the cops, no-one knows what happened, and the more time goes on, the more she retreats from the world. Her grades are falling, she bunks classes, and she finds it harder and harder to speak. Because what happened to Melinda that night, at that party, is unimaginable, unthinkable, unspeakable.

Speak was first published in 1999, when I was 12, and apart from the odd Judy Blume novel, I didn't really read YA until I was at uni for one of my modules. However, I think Speak would have been best suited for me back then, despite steering clear from books featuring rape for a really long time. Speak is very much of its time, and times have moved on. I don't really like comparing books, but I think it's necessary here; Speak doesn't come close to books like Easy and Asking For It. Although Speak doesn't hide from the truth, it's not as in your face as books being released today. If you don't know what the book is about before you read it, you don't really know what happened until over half way through, there are only hints beforehand. Melinda is keeping quiet, trying to forget, and make it through each day.

If Speak wasn't about Melinda's rape, I know it would be a completely different story, I know that. I know what happened to Melinda affects her throughout the story. But I found it very hard to sympathise with Melinda. This isn't because I didn't like her; I didn't feel much of anything about her. I just didn't really care about her as a person. And with all the time she's not speaking, well, not a huge amount happens, really. The school year goes on, she plods through each day... nothing major happens until it does, quite a way into the book. I just wasn't really engaged in this story, I'm really sad to say. I just wasn't affected by this story, and that really troubles me - because it's about a girl who's been raped, I should be affected.

Part of me thinks that maybe I'm just too old for this book, or it's because it doesn't come close to the novels we publish today in regards to just how candid they are from the get-go. None of this means it was a bad story, though, it just didn't do it for me. Melinda had her moments of being a little amusing, and from Anderson's poem Listen, it's quite obvious that so many people loved, were deeply affected and helped by Speak. I'd say Speak is a great story to introduce younger teens to the subject of rape in fiction, but I personally much prefer the books we're seeing today.

N.B. You might be interested to know that words such as "retarded" and "spaz" are used in Speak. I don't think such words were as looked down on back when this was published as they are now, but they did make me wince to read them.



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Published: 20th March 2008 (originally published in 1999)
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Laurie Halse Anderson's Website

Inappropriate Language in Books - Are Authors Contributing to the Problem or Being True to Life?

I've been thinking recently about inappropriate language in books. The protagonist of my current read has used some words that aren't really appropriate, and that can be offensive, and it's made me think.

When inappropriate language is used, is the author simply being true to how their characters might speak, or by using it, are they telling readers it's ok to use such language?


There are definitely times when certain words/terms that are inappropriate are used for the right reasons. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley is one book that comes to mind. Set during intergration of black students into white schools, certain racist language is hurled at the black students. Set in the 1920s, Talley is being true to the behaviour of people back then. Talley is in no way condoning the language, it's being used to show how awful white people were - even if you didn't know this kind of language was not acceptable, you would pick it up from the novel.


From page 24 of Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

Don't Let Me Go by J. H. Trumble is another; an LGBTQ novel that deals with homophobic attacks. Using such language in this kind of novel is necessary to show the disgusting attitudes and behaviour of the attackers. Again, it's not condoned, and you're clear that this language is not on.


From page 18 of Don't Let Me Go by J. H. Trumble
But what about books that aren't using language in this way, the books that have their characters use words they probably shouldn't, either in inappropriate ways, or words that are just politically incorrect and offensive? For example, if "gay" was used as a synonym for "stupid", I.E. "That's so gay." Obviously, we all know that's wrong, but ignorant people do say this kind of thing. There are also the words used a while back to describe people with special needs that we all know are seriously offensive, but are hurled by people when someone makes a mistake, or, perhaps, used when someone gets excited.

When authors have their characters use these words in this way in their books are they contributing to the problem, or just representing the language that is used, being true to the character, however wrong the language is?


In the novel I'm currently reading, Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen, there are three instances that I can remember of Melinda using political incorrect words formerly used to describe people with special needs, and they make me wince a little. I can't work out if this is ok because it's representative of who Melinda is, or if it's a unwise decision on Anderson's part. Speak was originally published in 1999, so quite a while back - I don't know if that makes any difference, were we using this kind of language more then and it wasn't seen as so bad? I just don't know.


From page 196 of Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen
So tell me what you think! Is it right for authors to represent the language people use, or are they in the wrong to use such language in their writing at all? Could they be seen as condoning it? Or are they just being true to life?

Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most Books From

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme run by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most Books From.
I really, really, really like this topic! Long before I started blogging there were several authors I fell in love with, and a few more I've discovered along the way, so I love that I get to rave about them! A good excuse to take awesome photos of my books, too.



David Eddings - 19
David Eddings is the reason I read. Without him, this blog probably wouldn't be here, I probably wouldn't have read any of the following books, and I would have lived a life without much imagination. So I am hugely grateful for Eddings, and so happy my dad forced me to read Pawn of Prophecy when I was... 12!

Books read:

• The Belgariad (5)
• The Mallorean (5)
• Belgarath the Sorcerer (prequel to The Belgariad & The Malloreon) 
• Polgara the Sorceress (prequel to The Belgariad & The Malloreon)
• The Elenium (3)
• The Tamuli (3)
• The Redeption of Althalus

I love these books so much I've re-read them countless times. Eddings does have more books that I've yet to read, and I really should get to them. I did start The Elder Gods, the first in The Dreamers, but for some reason I never finished it. Must rectify that.



Rachel Caine - 18
So, a short while before I started blogging, I had to read The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer for my Young Adult Fictions module at uni. These books introduced me to urban fantasy, and Amazon recommended all these other books based on that new love. Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampire was one of them, and I instantly fell in love with Claire and Morganville!

Books read:

• The Morganville Vampires (15 - though I've not reviewed them all)
• Weather Warden (2/9)
• Prince of Shadows

I'm really behind on the Weather Warden series, but they are so good too! Adult urban fantasies about people who can control different aspects of the weather, and there are djinn! I also have Undone, the first in the Outcast Season, Working Stiff, the first in the Revivalist series, Devil's Bargain, the first of the Red Letter Days duology, and Ink and Bone, the first of the Great Library series to read! More catching up to do!



Robin Hobb - 15
Oh, how I love Hobb! I adore her books, adore them! And I love how she has so many original, fresh, unpredictable stories all set in the same high fantasy world! Can't get enough of Fitz and the Fool! (The photo isn't as awesome as I thought it was originally. Sorry about that.)

Books read:

• The Farseer Trilogy (3) 
• The Liveship Traders
• The Tawny Man (3)
• The Rain Wild Chronicles (4)
• Fool's Assassin (first in the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy - only book published so far)
• The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince (prequel to all)

So looking forward to the sequel to Fool's Assassin, Fool's Quest! Hobb has another series, The Soldier Son Trilogy, but I didn't finish the first book, Shaman's Crossing. It bored me at the time, but I'll finish it at some point.



Rachel Vincent - 14
Rachel Vincent was another author Amazon suggested to me once I got into urban fantasy. I loved the Shifters, about werecats as some might describe them, and everything that followed! Such a massive fan of Vincent, I want to read everything!

Books read:

• Shifters Series (6)
• Soul Screamers (7)
• Unbound Series: Blood Bound (1/3)

I have the sequel to Blood Bound, Shadow Bound, though I've not yet read it. Also really excited for Lion's Share, the first in her new NA Wildcats series (a follow up series to the Shifters that she's self-publishing), and getting my hands on The Stars Never Rise, the first book in Vincent's new YA series, and Menagerie, the first in her new adult series.



Jeaniene Frost - 11
Yet again, another urban fantasy author Amazon recommended, and OH MY GOD, do I love Jeaniene Frost's books! All the books I've read so far are all set in the same world, with books starring side characters of those in her Night Huntress Series - about a half-vampire who kicks bad-vampire butt! Amazing!

Books read:

• The Night Huntress Series (7)
• Night Huntress World (2)
• Night Prince Series (2/4 - Also kind of part of the Night Huntress World series, it's just Frost found more stories for Vlad, and it expanded into its own series - was one book, then became a duology, then a trilogy, and now we have a fourth book expected. I don't know if it'll continue after that)

I have the third Night Prince book waiting for me, Bound by Flames, which I'm excited about. I have to say, I do not like the covers for the books in the Night Huntress World or Night Prince series. They're too sexy. Yes, they are a bit more paranormal romance-y than the Night Huntress books, but not so much they need to ooze sex on the covers. I find them so cringey! Just look at them! But look at the cover with Cat on, on the left. Kick-ass cover, as are all the others. Not cringey. Siiiigh. Excited to get my hands on The Beautiful Ashes, the first book in Frost's Broken Destiny NA Series.

(Side note: Arrrgh RE The Beautiful Ashes cover being changed! Ok, yes, if they want to "at a glance" make readers aware that the book has sexual content in it, fine, but god. NA doesn't have to be sexually explicit! It's not necessary! I'm put off by most NA now because of how they seem to be full of sex. Give me more story, PUR-LEASE! So, although I'm looking forward to The Beautiful Ashes, I'm a little nervous about it, too, now. We'll see, I guess.)



J.K. Rowling - 10
Had to mention J.K. Rowling, didn't I? Just had to. Not really much to say: Harry Potter is awesome!

Books Read:

• Harry Potter Series (7)
• Quidditch Through the Ages
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Tales of Beedle the Bard

I do have The Casual Vacancy, but I'm yet to read it.



Freya North - 9
I first discovered Freya North when a copy of Pip (that you can just see hiding in the photo) came free with a magazine. I instantly fell in love with the romantic comedy, and have sought out all her others for a while. This was a long before I started blogging, though, so I haven't reviewed any of them. Perhaps a re-read is in order - especially of Pip as it's still my favourite!

Books read:

• Sally & Chloe (2 - 2 in 1 omnibus, but can't find it online)
• Polly
• McCabe Sisters (4)
• Love Rules
• Pillow Talk

As you can see, I also have Secrets and Chances, but I've yet to read them. This makes me so sad, because North has released several other novels too - Rumours, The Way Back Home and Turning Point - and I need them all! Also, if someone wants to buy me all the books in their beautiful wavey matching covers, I might just love you forever.



Karen Chance - 8
Yup, another Amazon recommendation. Amazon was really good to me all those years ago. Karen Chance writes absolutely brilliant, fast paced urban fantasies jam-packed with action about various supernatural creatures. Both series are set in the same world, but both main characters, for the most part, never cross paths, but still know the same people. You don't get a moment to rest with these books, there's always something going on, always the possibility that someone might die in any given moment. I LOVE THEM!

Books read:

• Cassie Palmer Series (5)
• Dorina Basarab Series (3)

Lauren Oliver - 7
Oh, how I love Lauren Oliver for her awesome storytelling and brilliant writing! She is amazing!

Books read:

• Before I Fall
• Delirium Trilogy (3)
• Liesl & Po
• The Spindlers
• Panic

I also have Rooms, Oliver's first first adult novel, The Vanishing Girls, another stand-alone YA, and Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head, Oliver's soon-to-be-released MG written with H.G. Chester., to read, which I am excited about!



Tammara Webber - 7
My favourite NA author! And the only one I've come across so far who doesn't saturate every chapter with sex. There's always a story, normally one with serious topics with at it's heart or woven into the romance plot. They do seem to be getting a little racier, Sweet has probably been the raciest so far, which makes me slightly uneasy when I think about future books, but the story surrounding it all is always just so brilliant and fantastically told. I love Webber, I really do.

Books Read:

• Between the Lines Series (4)
• Contours of the Heart Series (3)

I will always read whatever Webber writes. I have to.

I am behind on so many books, it's not even funny! So what about you? Have you read any of these authors? Or any here you'd like to? Who have you read the most of? Link me to your posts! :)

Review: What Was Never Said by Emma Craigie

What Was Never Said by Emma Craigie (review copy) - 15-year-old Zahra has lived in England most of her life, but she is haunted by memories of her early childhood in Africa: the warm sun, the loud gunfire, and happy days playing with her older sister before "the visitors" came. It is hard for Zahra to make sense of everything that happened, and the terrible events are impossible to talk about, but when three familiar women arrive unexpectedly for tea, Zahra realises that the dangers of the past could still destroy her.

What Was Never Said is the powerful story of a girl navigating the demands of two very different and conflicting worlds; a tale of surviving loss and overcoming fears. From Goodreads.

About the important subject of female genital mutilation (FGM), What Was Never Said by Emma Craigie is a book I just had to read. A very shocking and eye-opening read.

Zahra moved with her family to England from Somalia when she was five, to escape the civil war. Now 15, she is troubled by memories of life back in Somalia and struggles to move forward from the events she witnessed. Then one day visitors arrive to her home, visitors from Somalia. Zahra recognises these women, and is filled with fear. All she knows is she and her little sister Samsam have to get away, to escape the same fate as her older sister, Rahma.

FGM is something I know very little about, but something I've always been horrified by. I know it can go wrong. I know girls who have this done can experience pain for the rest of their lives, more so when having sex. But I didn't know too much about why certain cultures performed FGM on their girls. What Was Never Said covers all these things through Zarha's experiences. The story focuses on Zahra trying to keep her and her little sister same, away from the cutter.

What Was Never said is quite a short novel, only 200 pages long, so not only did I fly through it, but it's quite a tight, compact story. You learn about what happened in Somalia, what happened to Zahra's older sister, and all that led to the move to England. However, because of how short it is, and the focus on staying same, we don't learn as much about the Muslim culture in general, or about the specific beliefs some Muslims - in the case of this story (though it does point out that this isn't the case for all Muslims) - have about FGM. We learn why they perform FGM, but not the why behind their beliefs so much. Even so, what we are told is unbelievably shocking. This from a flashback to when they were in Somalia:

'Aunty Noor was speaking, "You need to face up to it. Look at her. It won't be long. How are you going to protect her? You need to think of the future."
"Anyone can steal from an open purse," said Grandma.' (p96)

And when Zahra explains to a friend, Krysty, her fears about the women who turned up at her house:

'"Women who carry out this practice, of... Well," I pause. I don't know how to sound real. I can't help talking like an information leaflet. "In my culture there is a tradition of, um, performing... of cutting young girls. You know, like circumcision, but for girls. Sometimes it's called FGM."
"Oh my God. What are you saying? That you think they had come to cut you and your sister?"
"I don't know. I was scared that they would."
"Come on. Surely people don't really do that nowadays?"
"They do. In lots of countries. Egypt, Africa... It's a very old tradition. People think it's good, keeps women clean and pure. You know."
[...]
"So, what, it's like women can't enjoy sex or anything?"
"It's not just cutting, usually they stitch you up... stitch up the vagina. It's so you can't have sex. Not easily. To keep you pure."' (p79)

It's terrifying to imagine, even more so when you think that this is a very real thing facing, or experienced by, many girls around the world. So when Zahra is faced with this fear, she is so brilliantly brave to get her and her sister out as soon as possible. She doesn't know if she's done the right thing, if maybe she's misunderstood, or what she's going to do now she's out of there. She's scared about what might be waiting at home, but worried about where she's going to go, how she can get out of this rather than just stall it. But she knows she can't let it happen. She won't. She has so much courage, and I am filled with so much admiration and love for this young girl who is trying to keep herself, but mostly her six-year-old sister, Samsam, safe and whole. It's a hard-hitting novel, and really gets you thinking. In her Acknowledgements, Craigie tells us, "According to the World Health Organisation between 100 and 140 million women and girls worldwide are living with the consequences of FGM." And yet this is something we hear so little about. It makes me so angry. Why aren't we hearing more? Why aren't we being told how we can help?

Amazingly, there are a few other issues touched upon in this novel. They don't get developed very much, but there is enough to make us uncomfortable and think about things like cultural stereotypes, pressure to conform to (other) cultural traditions, racism and treatment of black people by police, and child grooming/abuse. As well as treatment of women within culture, it also touches on other aspects of sexism.

'"Why do you want it all in the living-room? Isn't it easier if everyone helps themselves in here?"
Noor untied her apron. "If we have it in the living-room the men can easily help themselves in seconds."
"Oh sorry of course. We've got to make sure the men are happy. Can't have them making any effort to feed themselves." [sic]' (p28)

What Was Never Said is a brilliant book. Without being too graphic or heavy-handed, it doesn't shy away from the truth, but forces you to sit up and listen. FGM is still being forced on girls, a fact that's almost too horrific to comprehend - but there is help out there. This doesn't have to happen. A really amazing story, and one that should be read and discussed.

Thank you to Short Books for the review copy.



Buy from:




Published: 7th May 2015
Publisher: Short Books
Emma Craigie's Website

On Reworking Once Upon a Bookcase - Inspired by Lucy of Queen of Contemporary

Lucy of Queen of Contemporary has posted on her BookTube channel a video, Be the Change You Want to See, about the direction she's now going to go in with her channel. With Lucy's permission, here is her video:


I'm not a BookTuber, but you don't need to be to be inspired by this video. Lucy has really got me thinking about content and originality. She talks about how she wants to use her channel to talk more about books rather than just hauls, etc, and how she wants to talk about diversity and other important topics.


She got me thinking about my own content. Over the past several years, I've had a few knocks in my personal life. The blog had to go on the back burner for a while. I still read books, and posted reviews, but anything more than that wasn't really happening. Things have moved on since them, but I guess I've kind of got stuck in a blogging rut. Other than my recaps and the occasional Top Ten Tuesday post and cover reveal, all I really post on here are reviews. I've tried to have a few more A Novel Cover Up posts, but they've not really happened, no matter the emails asking for updates I've sent.

Lucy has shown me it's more than time for me to try and rework my blog content. I am hugely into books on diversity, and I think this shows in the books I read and review, but more than that, I'm not doing very much. There are important topics that I, too, want to focus on, and I have plans to discuss them... but strangely, those are for elsewhere, for work. Sure, I work at a bookshop, and these ideas will (hopefully) help us sell more of the books I love so much, but I should also be making plans for things to do for my blog. It's time to rethink, it's time to plan, and it's time to post and talk about books more.

Because of how my content is at the moment, I tend to try and get two to three reviews up a week. But maybe I should start trying to schedule my reviews, and have other posts during the week as well. Mix things up a little, rather than posting as soon as I've written. I really need to think about what it is I want on my blog. Like Lucy says, content I'm going to be proud of.

What would this mean? What content do I like reading? Well, I read Paper Fury religiously, not just for Cait's humour and personality, but for the wide range of posts she has on her blog, mostly the really insightful and detailed discussions she has about every topic under the sun. So maybe more discussions? It's something I'm going to think about. I'm getting myself a notebook, I'm going to sit down, and I'm going to brainstorm what I want this blog to be, what I want to share with you guys, and what I think it's important to do/say in regards to the topics I'm so passionate about.

Hopefully, there will be some changes here soon, though it might take a while. I hope you'll bear with me as things move forward with Once Upon a Bookcase. I'm planning on putting in some hardwork, and reading a little wider when it comes to blogs; work out what works for me and what doesn't, and see be inspired by what other people are doing. Not copying, obviously, but working out what it is exactly I enjoy on other blogs, and then seeing how I can use that to create my own original content.

A lot of work ahead, but I'm feeling inspired and motivated, and I'm hoping Once Upon a Bookcase will still be a place you will want to visit, but maybe for more reasons. :)

Cover Reveal: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Today, I'm delighted to be taking part in the cover reveal for the UK cover of Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. Are you ready for the gorgeousness that is this cover? Are you? Because, seriously, this is a thing of beauty!


Aaah, isn't that the coolest cover reveal gif you ever saw?! I love it! Want a better/longer look at the cover? Want to know more? Read on...



She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is. From Goodreads.
How amazing does this sound?! I am SO excited for this book! And that cover! I'm told all the yellow/gold will be foiled, but even if it wasn't isn't it just so gorgeous?! I love the effect of the rippled sand as a background! And I just love the whole style! So, so pretty! It's a shame Faber & Faber aren't publishing it until 4th February 2016! We're just going to have to wait to get our mitts on this one. But oooh, how I'm eagerly anticipating it!

Review: Asking For It by Louise O'Neill

Asking For It by Louise O'Neill (proof) - It's the beginning of the summer in a small town in Ireland. Emma O'Donovan is eighteen years old, beautiful, happy, confident. One night, there's a party. Everyone is there. All eyes are on Emma.

The next morning, she wakes on the front porch of her house. She can't remember what happened, she doesn't know how she got there. She doesn't know why she's in pain. But everyone else does.

Photographs taken at the party show, in explicit detail, what happened to Emma that night. But sometimes people don't want to believe what is right in front of them, especially when the truth concerns the town's heroes... From Goodreads.

Before I start this review, I feel I should give some context about my love of Louise O'Neill's first book, and my anticipation for this one. People who follow me on Twitter and Once Upon a Bookcase will know by now what a huge fan I am of O'Neill's debut novel, Only Ever Yours. It affected me hugely, and I still rave about it to anyone who will listen, almost a year after first reading it. Even now, I'll remember something I read in those pages and something new will occur to me, making me think. Reading Only Ever Yours was a major turning point for me in terms of understanding society's treatment of women, and put me firmly on a feminist path. It blew me away, and I will continue to push it into the hands of everyone I can for being such a important, powerful and brilliant novel.

So you can understand how I have been eagerly waiting for Asking For It, O'Neill's second novel. I have just finished, and there are no words to describe how in awe I am of O'Neill. Asking For It is even more incredible than Only Ever Yours.

When Emma attends a house party, she expects it to be just like any other. She'll drink, she'll dance, she'll have fun, and she will be the most beautiful girl there. Girls will be jealous, and boys won't be able to take their eyes off her - as it is where ever she goes. She can have her pick of any of the boys, and that's just how she likes it. What Emma doesn't expect is to wake up the next morning on her front porch with no recollection of the events of the night before or how she got there. She doesn't expect her best friends to turn their backs on her. She doesn't expect the looks, the whispers, the malicious disgust-filled slurs thrown at her from everyone at school. She doesn't expect the photos, the explicit, degrading photos, that appear on Facebook. And, as she discovers what happened to her, the last thing Emma expects is for complete strangers to lay blame at her feet.

Asking For It is split into two parts; the first, the days leading up and immediately after the rape, and those same days a year later. I did not like Emma, but I could see the reasons for her being as she was. She had been brought up being told she was beautiful. Everyone told her so. Her mother ingrained it into her that being beautiful was important, and so her sense of worth was based on how she looked. Therefore she must be the prettiest at all times, and others must think she's the prettiest - she must be wanted, must be desired. Not only does she feel entitled to the attention she receives, but she needs it - who is she otherwise? I did not like her. But after she's raped - the rape she can't remember - she completely changes, becoming a mere shell of who she used to be. Despite how much I disliked her, it was unbelievably heartbreaking to see this change.

When Emma - and us readers - discover what happened to her, it's horrific. Realising that she was violated, raped, but also that photo after photo after photo was taken of her while it was happening, that these photos were put online, that everyone had seen them, and people were leaving such disgusting comments about her, about her body... being with her for this is so unbelievably hard. My heart bled for her, and I was feeling so much I had to stop reading. It was so painful, it was raw.It hurt so much, I was beyond being able to cry. I just sat there struggling with this unimaginable situation Emma was in, as her whole world crumbled at her feet.

And then things got worse. Not only did this happen to her, not only were those photos taken and seen by everyone, people blamed her. At the time it happened, and a year on. Emma made some bad decisions; she drank excessively and she took drugs. Because of this, and the short and low-cut dress she was wearing, people blamed her for what happened. The overheard conversations, the comments on the photos, the emails she was sent. The people discussing the "Ballinatoom Case" online, on radio, on TV, in newspapers. What did she expect? She was asking for it. The rage I felt! No-one seemed to realise that it doesn't matter what she was wearing, how much she drank, that she took drugs. No-one seemed to realise that she should be able to do these things without fear that she would be attacked and have control of her body taken away from her. The disgusting things people said, the excuses they made for Emma's attackers, the sympathy they had for them. Even the system, which seems to go in favour of the rapist than the victim! I got so angry! Then I got so scared, so, so scared. This is a story, fiction - but it's not. This happens; people are raped, and then they are sometimes blamed. People side with the guilty. Normal, every day people side with the rapists.

Reading about the immediate aftermath of Emma's rape was bad enough, but seeing how she was being treated a year later, the brilliant light O'Neill shines on rape culture... it's terrifying. Because you hear about it, and you know how disgusting it is, but until you see it through the eyes of the victim, I don't think we can really understand. And my heart broke. For Emma, for everyone who has been through this, for everyone who chose to suffer in silence rather than be on the receiving end of all this... . For everyone who has had the control of their body forcibly removed from them, degraded, violated, and told it was their own fault. The anger, the fear, the sadness. It's almost enough to make you lose hope in humanity.

But then you have O'Neill, and people like her, who give you hope by doing what they can to fight against rape culture. I have absolutely no doubt that Asking For It will do just what Only Ever Yours did. People will buy it, read it, talk about it... and it will make people think. It will open people's eyes. They will be as deeply affected as I have been. They will also get angry - because there is no-way anyone can read this and not get angry - and Asking For It will spread like wildfire. Because it's undeniably important and unbelievably powerful. And I believe, while it spreads, Asking For It will change lives.

Thank you to Quercus for the proof.



Buy from:




Published: 3rd September 2015
Publisher: Quercus
Louise O'Neill's Website