Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Title: Confessions of an Angry Girl
Author: Louise Rozett

Release Date: 28th August 2012

Age Recommendation: 14+

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

In A Nutshell:
Confessions of an Angry Girl is about that horrible and confusing stage when you are in your early teens and it feels like everything is changing and you have no control. Although the characters can sometimes be irritating, it is realistic and compelling.

My Review:

Confessions of an Angry Girl is about that horrible and confusing stage when  you are in your early teens and it feels like everything is changing and you have no control. It's like magically, overnight, you are supposed to care about boys and clothes and makeup. And being popular should apparently be your top priority. For fourteen-year-old Rose, this isn't the case. She wants everything to stay the same. She doesn't understand why her best friend suddenly wants to join the cheerleading squad and is talking about sex. Everything is moving too quickly and Rose is still trying to come to terms with what her life means after the death of her father in Iraq over the summer.

Rose’s world has fallen apart. She’s angry, although she’s not really sure she is ready to confront why. She’s sad and doesn’t really know how to express herself and her grief. She’s vulnerable and feels alone but doesn’t voice this. 

The main problem for Rose is that she can’t understand why her best friend is suddenly changing. She gets frustrated with Tracey because she refuses to listen to her but what Rose needs to realise is that most of the time, you can’t tell someone something and expect them to believe you hands down, especially when it concerns matters of the heart. They have to come to realise these things on their own and as a friend, all you can do for them is be there for them when everything goes pear-shaped. I think almost everyone has experienced having a friend who has sold them out in their quest for popularity and it certainly hurts, but what Rose fails to see is that she is not completely innocent either. She has her faults, just like everyone else. And that is ok. That’s human nature.

Other things of note?

I read the book in one sitting. Despite the fact that certain bits annoyed me, it was realistic and compelling.

Rose and Tracey both got on my nerves but they are young and naïve and need to learn from their mistakes. What matters is how they come out at the end and deal with their respective situations.

There are underlying lessons throughout the novel that are important, such as explaining why and how friendships can change and that is ok to not what not follow the crowd and to be yourself. There is also the all-important sex-ed class. 

I haven’t said anything about the boys in the book. Matt, Tracey’s boyfriend, is a jerk and it is obvious from the beginning. Robert is a nice guy but really needs a reality check. Jamie is a bit of a mix and I’m undecided about him and Angelo, Jamie’s friend, is very sweet and I hope he has more page-time in a follow up.

Speaking of a follow up, I was slightly annoyed with the ending as I felt it left some things unresolved. I'm hoping that Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend, due for release in 2013, will be a sequel of sorts and tie up some loose ends.

 

Thankyou to Harlequin Teen Australia for this review copy.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits

Author: Katie McGarry

Release Date: 25th July 2012

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins--the smoking hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket--explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

In A Nutshell:

Pushing the Limits had me staying up until the early hours just to read a bit more of Noah and Echo’s story. First of all, the chemistry between the two… Yeesh! It was fiery, highly charged and fever inducing and totally had me blushing at some points. But, it is an emotional roller-coaster as two lost, lonely and broken people attempt to rebuild their destroyed lives. Does that sound too depressing? Never fear, you will fall in love with this book and the characters within.

My Review:

Oh gosh, I’m going to try not to gush too much over Katie McGarry’s debut novel Pushing the Limits. But OMG, love!!!

Ok breathe.

Pushing the Limits had me staying up until the early hours just to read a bit more of Noah and Echo’s story. First of all, the chemistry between the two… Yeesh! It was fiery, highly charged and fever inducing and totally had me blushing at some points.

But in all seriousness, it is an emotional roller-coaster as two lost, lonely and broken people attempt to rebuild their destroyed lives. Does that sound too depressing? Never fear, you will fall in love with this book.

Noah and Echo are searching for ‘normal’ while constantly being haunted by their pasts. Both have a desire for independence, Echo from her father and Noah from the foster system, but are trapped by the guilt and frustrations of the previous years. Echo struggles to live up to her father’s expectations while Noah fights to surpass the low expectations the system and society has always had for him.

Both their stories are ones that show how a life can change in an instant, for the better or the worse. It looks at the meaning of family - in all its variations, loyalty, the power of self-confidence, and how different a life can be when you have someone on your side who believes in you. These are emphasised by the supporting characters such as Lila, Isaiah, Beth and Mrs Collins. In Echo’s case, it interestingly looks at friendships and examines those so-called friends who only want you to be their friend if you are a certain version of yourself. Noah has to learn not to be so controlled by his emotions as he tends to act first and worry about the consequences later. As a kid who has been by himself for so long, he has to realise that he doesn’t have to do everything by himself.

As Echo and Noah search for happiness, be prepared for tears and to fall in love with these characters. They are definitely my favourite YA couple this year!

Have You Seen Ally Queen? by Deb Fitzpatrick

Title: Have You Seen Ally Queen?
Author: Deb Fitzpatrick

Release Date: 1st September 2011

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:

Ally Queen is fifteen, flat-chested and totally trapped in a tiny coastal town where the Killer Pythons are stale and there are only three types of people: bogans, surfies and spinach-munching hippies. How could her parents ever have thought moving to Melros was a good idea?

With her best friend miles away, and deep-and-meaningfuls only as long as a text message, it's a bad time for Ally to be having a personality crisis. She's torn between who she is and who she wants to be. No wonder she doesn't have a boyfriend - unless you count the irritating guy on the school bus who seems to be keen on her.

But first impressions can be deceptive...

In A Nutshell:
A realistic and relevant book for girls aged 13+ set in a fictional West Australian coastal town.

My Review:
Poor Ally Queen. At fifteen, she is struggling with the feelings of how unfair being a teenager can be when you don’t have control over your life. Her parents have uprooted her, and her little brother Jerry, to live in a small coastal town an hour south of Perth, Western Australia. Not only does she have to change schools, but she has to adjust to a whole new way of living.

For Ally, all she sees is that she has been pulled away from everything she is used to and separated from her friends. She doesn’t care about why they have moved or what the so-called benefits of living in Melros are, she just concentrates on the fact that she hates it.

Fifteen is a difficult, awkward and confusing time for a girl and Ally really struggles with feeling so out of place, especially since her family appears to be fitting in so well. She’s emotional and lashes out at those around her, even when she tries not to.

Ally is actually pretty unlikeable initially. She is selfish and whines all the time about how much she hates her life and how it’s all her parent’s fault. That said, I would be just as annoyed if my parents forced me to leave my home town and move somewhere where I didn’t know anyone. As a teenager, it’s often difficult to look beyond yourself and consider others, especially when the reasons for the change are not fully explained to you, as in Ally’s case.

The novel looks at how people deal with change and has Ally trying to cope with being bullied at her new school. It looks at how a family is affected and tries to manage with a loved one who is suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The setting was beautifully written and it was nice to read a book set in areas I know (I live in Perth, the city were Ally has moved from) and many of the locations that are talked about I am quite familiar with. One of the only things that annoyed me was that I thought some of the language Ally used was a little bit too stereotypically Australian which I don’t necessarily think a city girl would use.

Overall, a realistic and relevant book for girls aged 13+


Also by Deb Fitzpatrick: 90 Packets of Instant Noodles

A Straight Line to My Heart by Bill Condon

Title: A Straight Line to My Heart
Author: Bill Condon

Release Date: 1st August 2011 (Australia)

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
School is over, not just for the year, but forever. Tiff and Kayla are free, which is what they've always wanted, but now summer is nearly at and end and that means life decisions. Tiff is hoping her job at the local paper will lead to something more... But 'The Shark' soon puts her straight on what it takes to become a hard-nosed reporter like him.

At home, Reggie - the only grandad she's ever known - has quit the smokes and diagnosed himself as cactus. Then Kayla hits her with some big news. And into all this stumbles Davey, the first boy who has ever really wanted to know her.

Tiff is smart with words and rarely does tears, but in one short week she discovers that words don't always get you there; they don't let you say all the stuff from deep in your heart.

In A Nutshell:
A great new Aussie contemporary read that looks at what happens when you are faced with the fact that everything in your life might change and how you cope when there is nothing you can do to stop it. A fabulous story of growing up and going with the flow.

My Review:
You know how some books just make you feel at home? Aussie books such as Feeling Sorry for Celia, Guitar Highway Rose, Swerve, Graffiti Moon and Six Impossible Things evoke a feeling of comfort for me and Bill Condon’s latest release has now joined this list.

The story focuses around Tiff, who has just finished high school and lives in the small country town of Gungee Creek (a fictional Australian town that is described so well, I felt like I was sitting right there next to Tiff and Kayla, watching the Gungee Gunners lose the footy). Aside from knowing she wants to be a journalist, everything else in Tiff’s life is a bit uncertain. It’s the uncertainty of the future; growing up, friendships changing, moving away from home, the awkwardness of a potential boyfriend, family illnesses, the confusion of finishing school and expecting to know what you want to do for the rest of your life (in the case of Tiff’s best friend Kayla). And then Tiff starts to have doubts about wanting to be a reporter…

I think my favourite aspect of A Straight Line to My Heart is the character of Tiff. She’s a bit of a loner, somewhat quirky and a bit awkward, and she doesn’t always say the right thing. She’s very real. Tiff lives with grandpa-figure Reggie, a local legend and die-hard footy fan, lover of the Beatles and John Wayne movies, and Bull, part father figure, part big brother. While the three of them are not actually related (Tiff’s mother died when she was a baby and Tiff was taken in by Nell, Reggie’s wife and Bull’s mother), they have a comfortable and loving life. Most of the story skirts around the outside of what may happen when this little family unit will have to change with the natural progression of life, until the decision is made for them. I also love how Tiff’s love interest Davey is completely different from what you would find in many other YA male characters. While he doesn’t make me swoon, he is sweet and tries very hard and I think that is exactly what Tiff needs.

A Straight Line to My Heart was a quick read but by no means insignificant. It’s realistic and down-to-earth and reminded me a bit of The Big Crunch which I gushed over last year. A wonderful addition to the Aussie contemporary scene.

“There’s nothing quite as good as folding up into a book and shutting the world outside. If I pick the right one I can be beautiful, or fall in love, or live happily ever after. Maybe even all three. If you can’t get a boy, get a book, that’s my motto.”

Thankyou to Allen & Unwin for this review copy.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Title: What Happened to Goodbye
Author: Sarah Dessen

Release Date: 30th May 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
Mclean never lets herself get too attached...

After the scandal of her mother's affair, Mclean and her dad chose life on the road. But since losing her family and home, Mclean has lost herself too; she's been Eliza, then Lizbet, then Beth - changing her name as often as she changes towns.

Until now. Her neighbour, Dave, is like no one she's met before. It's as if she's always known him, and just like that, she becomes Mclean again. Is it finally time to stop reinventing? Or will Mclean turn her back on the new life she loves, without even saying goodbye...

My Review:
What Happened to Goodbye has a subtle storyline, one where the true point of the plot develops over time and I felt quite content sitting back and reading how Mclean's life would unfold. There were no massive revelations that shock Mclean to the core. Instead, the story starts two years after a major revelation and focuses on Mclean as she continues to struggle with the outcome of her mothers infidelity and her new family.

Mclean thinks she is fine. Sure her relationship with her mother is still rocky, but in general, she is happy living with her dad and moving around to different cities, being able to reinvent herself each time. She just floats through life, going through the motions. I felt watching Mclean struggle with her emotions towards her mother was very well written and realistic as well as how she is torn as to how attached she should get to her new friends. When Mclean finally realises that maybe she hasn't actually been happy and she finally lets herself feel at home, she realises that who she wants/needs to be, is actually herself.

Mclean and her mother really struggle with their relationship, with her mother constantly hounding her, only leading to Mclean pulling away more. Mclean struggles with the fact that so many circumstances are beyond her control. Her whole way of life and anonymity, disappeared and she is hugely frustrated that things can't just go back to the way they were. And even now, after everything is over, she still can't have control of her life the way she would like. It's frustrating and something a lot of teens can relate to.

I really enjoyed all the quirky, oddball characters, especially Deb and Jason. I thought they really made the story and I just felt at home reading about them. Unlike in other Dessen books, romance kind of took a backseat with it very slowly creeping up on Mclean. Dave didn't appeal to me as much as some of Dessen's other male leads have as just like the whole story, Dave is subtle. This said, all of Mcleans new friends are lovable and enjoyable to read about.

Before picking up What Happened to Goodbye, I had read four Dessen books, and enjoyed them all, with one being an all time favourite of mine. So starting a new book I felt very excited and all warm and happy inside. I enjoyed WHTG and I think Dessen fans will be super excited to get their hands on another title. This said, I think some might be disappointed due to the lack of major romance or plot turn-arounds but to me, this story wasn't supposed to be like that and I like its subtle approach.

If you are a first time Sarah Dessen reader I would recommend either The Truth About Forever, Along For The Ride, or my favourite, Just Listen. While WHTG is not my favourite Dessen novel, it does slot in nicely beside her other books and fulfills the hunger that fans have had since Along for the Ride was released in 2009.

Surf Ache by Gerry Bobsien

Title: Surf Ache
Author: Gerry Bobsien

Published: 1st November 2009 (Australia)

My Rating: 3/5

This is a story I think alot of teenage girls can relate to. Set in Australia, it is the story of Ella who is struggling with the changes happening in her life after her family move to another state. Making new friends and fitting into a new school and town is difficult , especially when all she can think about are her old friends, her now ex-boyfriend and her old dance school back in Melbourne.

When things start looking up in her new surf-obsessed town, Ella is forced to make a decision; does she want to say being Melbourne Ella, or accept her new life as Newcastle Ella.

This is a story about decisions and change. A good Aussie read for ages 12+