Review: Scott Pilgrim Series by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Publication Date: August 2004- 2010

Source: Borrowed from library

Publisher: Oni Press

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Blurb: 

Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rockband, he's "between jobs" and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? The short answer is yes.

I didn't know much about the comics going into them but I had seen the movie a few times before and so knew the basic plot around the Scott Pilgrim story. I was hoping for more depth and side adventures than was portrayed in the film but unfortunately I didn't really like the comics as much as expected. 

The Scott Pilgrim series tells the story of Scott, a lazy slacker twenty-something who lives with his roommate Wallace and plays in a band with a couple of his friends and is dating a high school girl who he doesn't really like. Then his boring monotonous life is turned upside down by the arrival of Ramona Flowers - the most a-typical manic pixie dream girl ever written. 

Dream Crate: YA Feminism Crate

The people over at LootCrate have been collaborating with bloggers to design their own crate based on any theme they would like to see. I was so excited by this idea as I love the idea of LootCrate and have watched so many unboxing videos and blog posts online of different bloggers crates, that designing my own sounded like fun. 


I decided to go with a YA Feminism Crate. Encompassing two things I am passionate about- YA literature and equality. Lets dive into the crate I would create; 


Books;

So the first item in my crate would be books of course! Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill and Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne.  But these books are two of my all time favourite books that I've read, written by the most amazing and well spoken women I've had the pleasure of meeting and talking to IRL. 

I'm not going to go into too much detail as to what these books are about (asides from that they are fundamental, in my eyes, YA feminist thought provoking literature) so click on the covers to see my review of the novels! 

Frida Funko Pop!

I would also include a funko pop, which often come with these subscription boxes, of the inspirational and amazing Frida Kahlo. Frida is an inspiration. She defied cultural and societal  norms and gender stereotypes in favour of self expression and being happy in her own skin. Her art was also extremely personal and moving and she aimed for personal success and happiness. A true inspiration. 

Favourite Female Characters

Happy International Womens Day! 

I thought I'd celebrate the day by posting a little on a few of my favourite fictional female characters in YA . This list isn't a conclusive list but just a few of the fictional women I hold dear to my heart. Click the covers to see my reviews!

Harriet - Geek Girl 

Harriet from the Geek Girl series is one of the most relate-able, funny and heart warming characters I've ever read.  Harriet is dramatic, intelligent, a loyal and good friend and also a caring person. She shows that not only can you be incredibly intelligent and then become a model, but you can do all of this and still remain true to your roots and own your geek-iness! 

Georgia Nicholson - Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series

Georgia is one of the most dramatic, over the top, outrageous character....ever. She attracts drama and makes silly mistakes but this is one of the sides to her that makes her so relate-able. Georgia is a loyal friend, although she can stray and be selfish at times, but this all makes her so much more realistic. 

Georgia is such an iconic, laugh out loud character that once you read you will never forget. She is strong willed, opinionated, dramatic but also strong. She goes through a lot of growth over the series but still at the end she is the same Georgia the reader has come to know and love. 

Arya Stark - A Song of Ice & Fire Series

Arya is such an interesting character. She is definitely more of a tomboy in comparison to the previous girls on the list. She is also probably the youngest on this list. Arya lives in a very dangerous and adverse world that would especially be dangerous for her as a girl. But Arya is strong, self motivated, independent and determined to shape her own future and constantly move forward and survive. 

Arya is not your typical girl but she does have a lot of aspirational characteristics that female readers can look up to and take some sort of inspiration from. Definitely one of the best characters in  the series. 

Review: No Virgin by Anna Cassidy

Publication Date: November 3rd 2016 
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Source: Received from publisher for review


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Blurb: 

A raw, powerful, moving tale about a girl attempting to deal with the aftermath of a sexual attack.

My name is Stacey Woods and I was raped.

Stacey is the victim of a terrible sexual attack. She does not feel able to go to the police, or talk about it to anybody other than her best friend, Patrice. Patrice, outraged, when she cannot persuade her to go to the police, encourages Stacey to write everything down. This is Stacey's story.

 (*Trigger Warning for abuse, rape, sexual assault*)

Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a full honest review. 

I had been really looking forward to reading this but with exams and college, I knew I needed to read it in a time where I could just sit down and fully give my attention over to it until I had finished it. When I started the book I did not want to put it down and I tore through the pages of Stacey's story until the end. 

The book deals with a lot of issues such as family life, friendships, teenage emotions, infatuation and ultimately abuse and rape. I think it is obvious Cassidy has done her research into the topic and the story comes across as raw and painful to read. The build up to the attack happens in a way which makes you understand Stacey, her life, her ambitions, personality and dreams all come across from the story in such an authentic way that you feel yourself identifying with her. 

Review: Cherry by Lindsey Roisin

Publication Date: August 16 2016
Publisher:  Hot Key Books
Source: Received Copy In exchange For Review

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Blurb: 

There's a first time for everything . . .

Layla, Alexis, Zoe and Emma are four best friends with not a lot in common. Well, except one thing . . . But they're determined to lose 'that thing' by the time they graduate high school. Yes, the time has come to Do It. To make love. To have all the sex. It's momentous, it's huge, it's important and it's life-changing. Or . . . is it?

Although each of the girls sets out with a pretty certain idea of what the Big Moment will be like, as they'll discover, life doesn't always work out the way you expect. And in their search for something huge, important and life-changing, they'll discover that they already have it - in each other. 

Cherry is one of those novels you read and you just sort of wish you could go back n time and hand it to your younger self. Cherry is a novel about a group of friends who make a pact to lose their virginity before they finish secondary school. The novel has been described as "american pie but with girls" and I think that is probably the most accurate description of the novel. 

Cherry was also one of those novels that you can read and find yourself in, something happens and you're like "oh my god that is literally me". I found that happening often and feel that so many readers could identify with this novel too. The theme of the novel is not only about losing your virginity and having sex for the first time but also about friendship, relationships and discovering yourself. 

Review: What Light by Jay Asher

Publication Date: 18 October 2016
Publisher: Razorbill publishing
Source: Received

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Blurb: 

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other. 

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.
By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

I received this book in my goody bag when I attended Dept Con 2 last year in October and was so excited to read a christmassy contemporary. But because of college work and exams I only got around to reading it now. This was a good and nice book to kick off my reading for 2017. 


I wasn't sure if I would like this book because, unpopular opinion alert: .....I DNF'd 13 Reasons Why.....I know, I know, everyone and their dog loves that book but for me I really just couldn't get into it. But I will watch the Netflix series definitely! 

So I wasn't really confident that I would enjoy this book but I decided to give it a go and I'm glad I did because this book was a good cute read to get me over my reading slump and back into reading. 

Most Anticipated Releases of 2017

Hey everyone. Here is my annual round up of just a few of the 2017 releases I am looking forward to!

There are so many amazing upcoming releases that narrowing this list down was difficult but here are the top few I am eagerly awaiting the release of!


1) Our Own Private Universe  by  Robin Talley         (Publication Date: January 31st ) 

Fifteen-year-old Aki Hunter knows she’s bisexual, but up until now she's only dated guys—and her best friend, Lori, is the only person she’s out to. 

When she and Lori set off on a four-week youth-group mission trip in a small Mexican town, it never crosses Aki's mind that there might be anyone in the group she’d be interested in dating. 

But that all goes out the window when Aki meets Christa.











2) We Come Apart  by  Sarah Crossan & Brian Conaghan    (Publication Date: February 9th )

Nicu has emigrated from Romania and is struggling to find his place in his new home. Meanwhile, Jess's home life is overshadowed by violence. When Nicu and Jess meet, what starts out as friendship grows into romance as the two bond over their painful pasts and hopeful futures. But will they be able to save each other, let alone themselves?


For fans of Una LaMarche’s Like No Other, this illuminating story told in dual points of view through vibrant verse will stay with readers long after they've turned the last page.