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As publication draws ever closer, we’re so excited to share the latest reviews of Am I Normal Yet?.
Our friends atLoveReading4Kidshave a panel of amazing YA reviewers who read and review the latest and best books out there. We sent them early copies of Am I Normal Yet? and here’s what they thought:
‘I really enjoy the tone
and voice of the book. It is able to talk about the serious topic of OCD
while still being humorous. It is a perfect mix of informative and
amusing.’ – Charlotte, age 14
‘Teens are extremely lucky to have
this book available to them and I hope it reaches the widest possible
audience. An essential and vital book for teens today.’ – Jade
‘This was a great book
which had a gripping storyline as well as featuring important themes
such as feminism. It was very interesting and included relatable
characters.’ – Chloe, age 15
‘It was a real heart
wrenching book and I recommend every single teenage girl and boy read
it. I couldn’t put it down, a truly inspiring book. A massive 5
stars.’ – Rose, age 16
‘One of the most real and
honest accounts of teenage life in a fiction book I have ever read. It
was interesting, exciting, sad, and to top it all off it really made me
think.’ – Lauren, age 15
‘It was a real eye opener,
especially when paired with the issues of feminism and how it is
perceived. A definite recommendation for all of those wishing to read
between the lines.’ – Delilah
Summer is such a great time to catch up on your reading. It’s a win/win. If it’s sunny outside – HOORAY – you can lounge outside with a book. If it’s peeing it with rain – HOORAY – you can curl up under a blanket with a book. HOORAY FOR BOOKS.
Here are my top summer reads to get your through the turbulent British summer. I’ve included books set during summertime because that’s the sort of deep-thinker I am.
1) Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee I have been waiting for more Harper Lee since hope was BORN, and I cannot, cannot wait to get my grubby ravenous hands onto this. You know what? I’m not even sure if this is set in the summer, but I DON’T CARE. I’ve been waiting 50 years, I don’t need your rules.
2) Remix by Non Pratt Reading this book was like shoving my face into a pensieve and re-watching my 17-year-old self go to her first (and only) music festival. You’ll fly through it, and find yourself conveniently forgetting that time you got piss thrown at you at Reading 2003 and want to buy a festival ticket. I also loved the fact it was about female friendships. Ten points to Gryffindor!
3) How I Live Nowby Meg Rosoff This book just expertly captures how a teenager would deal with World War 3. Setting it away from the bombs of London, and instead in the hot summer of a sleepy British village, makes it even more creepy. Once you get over the slightly-concerning cousin-on-cousin sexiness, this book will grip you and stop you from breathing.
4) Just One Day by Gayle Forman The perfect summer YA romance. Allyson meets Willem on a train to London and, in a uncharacteristic bout of spontaneity, decides to go to Paris with him for the day. Reading the year-long fall-out from this split-second decision is just….ergh…so gorgeous! And, when Allyson shoves on a backpack and sets off to track Willem down again, you’ll get major wanderlust.
5) Blueby Lisa Glass A British surfing book? Hell yes! I’ve not actually read this one yet but hope to this summer. I’ve heard incredible things and it’s also being made into a movie which is FAB!
6) Tigers In Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann If you fancy something a little bit trickier and a little bit more chilling, this acclaimed novel is worth the extra effort. Set over several summers spanning many years, cousins Nick and Helen struggle to recover from the brutal murder in the town. But is the murderer hiding in their midst of their giant summer house? You. Won’t. Sleep. You also won’t like any of the characters, but that’s what grown-up novels are like.
7)Lobsters by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison This dual-narrative book about two teens losing their virginity is just pure comedy brilliance. Like a slightly-more romantic book-version of The InBetweeners, you will fly though it and laugh and laugh and laugh.
8) It’s Not Me, It’s You by Mhairi McFarlane I hate the term ‘chic-lit’. I think it’s a sexist tripehole of a word for a genre that doesn’t exist. *gets down off chair* ANYWAY – this book is written by a woman, and it is a romantic comedy, and it is really easy to read. It’s not chick-lit, it is just BRILLIANT. I cannot recommend this author – with her smart quippy female characters who care just as much about their careers and friendships, as they do about male-folk.
9) Summer Sisters by Judy Blume *SOBS* THIS BOOK IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND OHH, IT’S SO SAD AND BEAUTIFUL JUST READ IT. I LOVE YOU, JUDY!
10) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Summer is always a good time to re-read Harry Potter. Well… ANY time is a good time to re-read Harry Potter, especially if you believe reading certain books makes you a better person with a cleaner soul (which I do). If you don’t have time for the whole seven, this is the best one. I am willing to debate you on this.
What are you looking forward to reading this summer? Tweet me at #100DaysofNormal or @holly_bourneYA.
We’ve been overwhelmed at the reaction so far to Am I Normal Yet?. Here at Usborne Towers, we think it’s a pretty special book, however to hear this from other YA authors, bloggers and readers is so exciting! And we know Holly is so touched too. Here are a few of our favourites:
Am I Normal Yet? has college crushes and first date disasters, but for International Kissing Day we wanted a good dose of earth-shattering love and romance! So we’ve re-visited Holly’s debut novel Soulmates for a little bit of kissing action. You’re welcome!
“So,” he said, “do you still not believe in love?” I sighed, not wanting to admit I felt I could fall for him; that I’d already fallen for him, like a stupid lovesick puppy with no self-control. “Is that why you brought me here, to the romantic lights of suburbia?” I said, my voice sarcastic to cover my emotion. “To make a convert out of me?” Noah cupped my face in his hands as he leaned into me. My body went into sensory overload and I almost drowned in how good it felt. “Actually,” he murmured. “I brought you here to do this.” He dipped his face towards mine and our lips finally met. He kissed me slowly, tentatively. I closed my eyes, ran my fingers through his soft hair, and kissed him back. He tasted how he smelled, like apples. The world dissolved. It was just us. Our mouths. Our bodies. His hands moved down my back and I shivered. He gently pulled me closer to him. Every atom of my body was tingling. After what seemed like no time at all – but at the same time must have been ages – we broke apart. My eyes fluttered open, my head still spinning, and to my surprise I was greeted by complete darkness. “Noah. I’ve gone blind,” I said, opening and shutting my eyes to see if there was any difference. A different type of chill ran down my spine and my euphoric high was replaced with dread. I looked around me but there was only black. The landscape of lights beneath us had disappeared. My heart started thumping. Noah broke the tension by laughing. “You’re not blind, you drama queen. There’s obviously been some kind of power cut. Look, I’m waving. You must be able to see me in the moonlight.” I looked towards the direction of his voice, and yes, I could see a vague outline of his head. Relief found me. “Hang on,” Noah’s voice said. His form started getting clearer as my eyes adjusted to the dark. “I’ll get my phone out and we can use that for light.” I heard him shuffling in his pockets and kept blinking. “I should eat more carrots,” I muttered absent-mindedly. “What’s that?” “Nothing.”
Happy International Kissing Day everyone! For more Poppy and Noah (and many more steamy smooches), get your hands on a copy of Soulmates! What are you waiting for?
Evie in Am I Normal Yet? is a massive film buff – largely as she rarely left the house for two years due to her OCD. During the book, she gets introduced to The Bechdel Test by her new feminist friends, and has her eyes opened to just how screwed up, misogynistic and generally-broken Hollywood is.
The Bechdel Test is a simple way of showcasing how women are rarely given their own plot in films.
It’s scarily easy to pass. You just need: • Two (named) female characters, • To have only ONE conversation, • That isn’t about a man.
And yet SO MANY MOVIES FAIL.
But there are incredible feminist films out there, and slowly Hollywood is starting to wake up to the fact that people like stories about women! Here are my top 5.
1) The Stepford Wives (1975)
What’s it about: Joanna isn’t particularly pleased to be dragged out of New York to the suburban town of Stepford – especially as all the women there seem like perfect, domesticated cake-baking sex-robots… Oh hang on…that’s because all the wives ARE domesticated, cake-baking sex-robots. And the men of the town murder their wives and replace them with compliant machines.
Why it’s feminist: It’s an incredible bit of satire, but also scary as f*ck. Even though it was made in the seventies, a recent re-watch proved it’s still relevant now. And, with the somewhat-worrying increase in demands for female sexbots, like 1984, it may still turn out to be prophetic.
Best scene: The last scene – when Joanna meets her robot replacement – will chill you to the core and stop you sleeping for weeks.
2) Bridesmaids (2011)
What’s it about: Annie’s life is falling apart, but she’s happy for her best friend’s Lillian’s engagement. Seriously, she is! When she’s asked to be Maid of Honour, she’s introduced to Lillian’s other bridesmaids and starts feeling insecure about their friendship.
Why it’s feminist: This literally-piss-yourself funny examination of female friendship debunks a lot of myths…that women aren’t funny…that we only care about our relationships with men…that hen dos are fun… Its righteous success has paved the way for many more female-focused films like Pitch Perfect, and their subsequent success shows there’s huge demand for films like this. More please.
Best scene: It’s not particularly ‘feminist’ but the infamous food-poisoning scene is always going to win everything. Or maybe it is feminist. GIRLS POO TOO! WE REALLY, REALLY DO – GET THE HELL OVER IT!
3) Thelma and Louise (1991)
What’s it about: This cult classic follows two best friends, Thelma and Louise, on a girls-weekend gone wrong. After a man attempts to rape her friend, Louise shoots him dead and they go on the run from the law. Cue bad-ass roguery that makes the Bad Blood video look like child’s play (sorry Taylor, I do still love you).
Why it’s feminist: IT JUST IS! I’M TOO BUSY CRYING AND AIR-PUNCHING AT THE THOUGHT OF IT. JUST GO WATCH IT!
Best scene: The iconic ending…and…well…a pre-famous Brad Pitt’s cameo, and his pre-famous Brad Pitt’s butt.
4) Ruby Sparks (2012)
What’s it about: A lonely novelist with writer’s block starts writing about his idea of a perfect girlfriend. She’s quirky, pretty, and soooo into him. Then she magically turns up in his kitchen in real-life and he can control her using his typewriter.
Why it’s feminist: The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a common lazy-scriptwriting cliché that I’ve rolled my eyes at in cinemas far too often. This film demolishes it and shows just how dark it is as a concept, when you really think about it.
Best scene: When he starts controlling Ruby with his type-writer, getting her to repeat ‘you’re a genius, you’re a genius’ at him, over and over.
5) Strike! (1998)
What’s it about: A secret society of friends within a prestigious all-girls boarding school start a full-out protest against their school going co-ed. I’ve been searching online, and this film is currently very hard to find on DVD but do try!
Why it’s feminist: It’s fun, silly, has shed-loads of oddly-now-famous people in it, and actually has a lot of feminist heart under all the hockey-sticks and bra-stuffing jokes.
Best scene: Up Yours Ziggy With A Wa-Wa Brush. That’s all I’m going to say for now.
Note: I am aware that none of these choices have any main characters played by women of colour. I tried searching for films with strong-feminist themes that have a majority cast of WOC and I found I hadn’t seen them. I am ashamed of this! And hope to rectify it immediately. Intersectional feminism is very important, and it won’t do if it’s only white feminists on our cinema screens. I found this great list, and hope to make my way through watching it. I suggest you do too. Also, if you have any feminist film reccs, do send them my way!
