The S-Word - Chelsea Pitcher

When I saw the blurb for this book on Netgalley, I knew it would be a book I'm interested in. I love me some serious contemporary writing and having literally just left college, I completely felt like I understood and could relate to the issues addressed in this book.
So when I wanted something a little more serious for my holiday reading, I knew this was the best book for that.
This looks to promising, it showed school in a realistic, edgy, harsh light that didn't glaze over the real issues surrounding most schools for teenagers. If a book can do that well, I'll support it until the end.

Synopsis: First, it was SLUT scribbled over Lizzie's locker. Then, it was SUICIDE SLUT, a week after Lizzie Hart killed herself - written in Lizzie's own handwriting.
Lizzie Hart's reputation is ruined when she is caught in bed with her best friend Angie's boyfriend. The weeks that follow make her life a living hell leading to Lizzie committing suicide. Angie feels like she could have done something to stop Lizzie but still has so many questions unanswered. A week after the funeral, pages from Lizzie's diary and graffiti start to circulate around the school. Angie starts an investigation into finding out who drove Lizzie to her death and avenge Lizzie. However, Angie's own anguish and anger over Lizzie's death and abandoning her best friend in her final weeks bubbles to the surface threatening to consume Angie.

Review: Well, this book was intense.

I think everyone has had experience in dealing with name-calling especially in a school environment. I know I certainly have, having been called a mixture of 'anorexic', 'bitch', 'neek/geek', 'weirdo' and 'poshy'. I think people don't quite appreciate how a name, how insignificant it might be to them, can cause such harm to someone else.
The events that happen to Lizzie that lead to her downfall are quite extreme to say the least and like the ultimate examples of bullying. I found the idea that a whole school would turn against one person quite extreme in my opinion because I doubt the things that happen to Lizzie would go that far.
Regardless, I loved that this book looked into the effects and the reasons behind why we define people with a tag. Like one person can only be a bitch or a slut or whatever and nothing else and I definitely think so many more books need to deal with these kind of issues instead of breezing over the reality of high school/college/secondary school.

There's also a look at real teenage issues like finding your own identity, sexuality, relationships, domestic violence, rape - all written in a sometimes harsh light that left me quite uncomfortable at times but sort of empowered too. Not many books can do that, but THE S-WORD certainly can.

Angie is a character that you are made to dislike. As she is part of the popular crew at her high school, she is mean, obnoxious, rude and manipulative throughout as well as this kind of casual, relaxed attitude to all that is going on around her. It's only really when you delve deeper into this novel, when all these surprises and secrets that Lizzie kept from her best friend come to light and the effects of the mysteries she is unraveling that we see a more humane, emotional person in Angie that does have a heart and did care for her friend. It's heartbreaking in a way, and I think that just adds more and more to the intensity of this novel. The same was how I felt for Lizzie. Although she's already dead from the first page, through Angie, the mysteries and her diary, the reader discovers Lizzie's true character as well, who it is clear is very different from those around her, especially Angie. I'm not sure how I felt about these characters in the end. While I was sad for Lizzie after all that happened, there was just a touch of something in the story that made is slightly unbelievable. Like ALL those things happened to one girl, I'm not sure. As I read in one review for this book, both Angie and Lizzie are very dramatic and I think it's this that stopped me enjoying the story completely.

The book is dark as much as it is intense and I liked this alternative style of showing this high school setting which isn't used very often which I think is best shown through the writing and themes. The writing itself is unique and that is so, so obvious from the first page. The narration I found was very choppy and at times rather unsympathetic and harsh which I really didn't like when talking about these themes. I found it got better as I got more into the story but it's certainly something that could have been refined. I don't know, maybe I'm just being critical or there is a purpose for having it that way but regardless, for me it just didn't work that well.
There are a lot of surprises running through the narrative, some more obvious than others (totally didn't see the surprise at the end coming!). I liked how this novel dabbled in many genres - thriller, contemporary, romance, mystery, all working quite well.

The day I finished this novel, I found out that a guy I had grown up with before losing contact with him when we were 12, had died at 18. It was that and this novel that impacted on me once again how short our lives are in reality even if being a 80 seems to far away at the age of 18. There are so many secrets and lies we all keep within ourselves that we could potentially leave without telling anyone and it's clear this effect happens to Angie as Lizzie's hidden knowledge attempts to consume her.
This is a hard-hitting novel with many uncomfortable moments, surprising revelations, themes that need to be addressed far more often and at it's heart, a dark, intense narrative that does make you think. Sure, there are lots of things that could be done differently or didn't work, but this is one of the only books I've read that deal with suicide, self-harm, rape, domestic abuse so vividly. And there is needs to be far more books like this before we can move forward and combat these issues.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book 

Author's Website: http://www.chelseapitcher.com/S-Word.html
Pages: 304
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Challenges: None

Related Reviews: 
Undone - Cat Clarke
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
Speechless - Hannah Harrington

Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend - Louise Rozett (#2)

**There may be spoilers for the first book in the series, Confessions of an Angry Girl. Check out my review here for that**

I can't believe it was only the beginning of the year that I discovered this series, it seems far longer. I really liked Confessions of an Angry Girl - I loved Rose's narrative, the characters and the realism that is shown across the page that made this book stand out. It also made me realise how much I love this genre of contemporary fiction, especially in the high school setting.
So I was so happy to see this on Netgalley while I was in the middle of my exams as I was dying to find out what happened next for Rose and Jamie, as well as what's up next in Rose's life.

Synopsis: It is the start of Rose's sophomore year and after the drama and bullying of the year before, she wants to keep her head down and out of trouble.
But even before school starts again, Rose gets involved in a serious argument between two boys that continues throughout the school year. There's also the sudden popularity of Tracey - Rose's best friend - that leaves Rose behind the times. But most of all, there's Jamie Forta - the lovely guy who asked her to prom and broke up with his girlfriend, Regina for her. But Rose is always asking the question, is she his girlfriend? Or is she more his 'almost-girlfriend'?

Review: Okay, if you want like a basic review of this book, just go to the last paragraph because simply, I loved this book. So much. Like it made my day, my week, my month, my freaking year because I needed a book like this to get me back on the reviewing and reading drive, to make me feel better about myself at a low point and to just appreciate my love of reading. BECAUSE THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD.
*cue fan-girling, ranting, the word 'love' being repeated MANY times*

I loved this book, I really did. I mean, I thought the first book was pretty good and a great debut but whoa...this builds much more on Confessions of an Angry Girl and more introducing some new characters as well as newer, serious themes plus showing the effects on Rose from the first book.

I think it's the characters that make this story what it is. Sometimes contemporary books have characters that for me, just seem so unrealistic and unnecessary at times and it just makes me enjoy the book much less. Rose is far from that, and I think her honest narration, stark and the teenage angst that comes across the page makes the issues addressed in this series much more realistic and make an impact. I understood Rose's problems in finding herself, finding who she is in her teenage years, because I've gone through that. There was one poignant quote that I remember about your reflection in the mirror being completely different to what you think you look like in your head which had me shouting 'YES. YOU UNDERSTAND ME' in my head. Because I've thought, and still do think that  - ah I'm just such a fan of Rose really.
The problem with Rose in the first book is that she seemed really young and when it daunted on me that in the first book she's only 14/15 - I don't know, it just seemed young. I think that is lost a little bit gladly in this book as Rose turns 16, which is good to see and made me enjoy this book far more.

The characters are all incredibly diverse and original to one another and their relationships keep developing with Rose and with one another. A few of my favourites were Tracey and Angelo (WHO can't love him?!) who bring some needed humour and sarcasm to a book that could overwhelm at times. They've very quick-witted and also the loveliest characters to Rose.

As I said, the narration is so real and it is the writing that made me zoom through Confessions of an Angry Girl and this book because it engages you so much from the first page. I literally was having to slow my reading down because I didn't want the book to finish, knowing the next book I read will never match. In short, the narration has this real element to it that addresses these deeper issues many times throughout, such as bullying, homophobia, domestic violence - but it's always mixed with humour at just the right moments (mostly a sarcastic remark from Rose or Angelo just being Angelo).

And then there's Jamie. The love interest, you could say. I don't know what I think of him really, I mean there is something irresistible about him and I can totally see why Rose likes him. But, there are times when I'm wondering why Rose puts up with the 'almost-girlfriend' thing, because it seems sometimes he could be leading her on. I just hope he sorts it out, and at the end, when he just like judges her?! AH. So I like Jamie. But he can be such an idiot at times.

So yeah. I really, really liked this book mostly because the focus was off the whole thing Rose has with Regina and onto other stronger issues to be explored. There's so much going on underneath Rose's narrative that I can just see all these things coming out in later books. Rose is still the amazing, feisty narrator most readers loved as well as the best minor characters I've come across making this one of the best books I've read this year, and this series is definitely becoming one of my favourites. It's like Rose understands me and the feeling of knowing that I'm not alone in trying to find who I am, in facing all these issues at school or home or with myself - it's indescribable how good that is.
If you haven't read Confessions of an Angry Girl, READ IT. And then this one. I just sincerely hope that the third book comes out soon and that this series gets the success it completely deserves.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for letting me review this book. 

I give it a 5 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.louiserozett.com/author/Louise_Rozett.html
Pages: 288
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Challenges: None

Related Reviews:
Confessions of an Angry Girl - Louise Rozett (#1)
Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters - Meredith Zeitlin

Confessions of an Angry Girl - Louise Rozett (#1)

I liked the sound of this from the moment I read the synopsis - a contemporary that portrayed high school/secondary school in a way that I can relate to thrown in with some cat fights, deceit, romance and betrayal - perfect little read.
On the cover, I love this cover, especially the utter simplicity of it. For those that have read the book, it makes sense like the necklace and I love that aspect of some covers. On another note, I dislike the font on the UK cover. It's the same photograph but the font just clashes and contrasts horribly in my opinion with the simplicity and elegance of this cover (have a look here). Meh, do not like it.

Synopsis: Meet fourteen year-old Rose Zarelli. She's a word-geek, or geek in general. She has the total of two friends. Starting high-school. Her father died a few months ago. Oh and she's really really angry...

Review: I read this book in a record (for me) two days. I was off ill with a really terrible cold so was confined to my bed and read for THE WHOLE DAY. Literally, I only got up for toilet breaks and lunch.

My first impression when starting Confessions of an Angry Girl was that Rose didn't seem angry to me at all. She seemed like any teenager in that she hated high school but she didn't seem angry about everything as the blurb led me to believe. The novel follows Rose's antics throughout her freshman year at high-school (or Year 10 to English folk) which involves getting over her father's sudden death, having no maternal support or brotherly support for that matter, her best friend wanting a career in popularity rather than friendship, the affections of an older, attractive and um, taken guy. Oh and making enemies with the queen bees of the high-school, the cheerleading team most of all Regina (yes, her name IS Regina like Mean Girls Regina. BUT SHE'S WORSE) who has some serious vendetta against Rose after the suspicion that Rose and said older, attractive and taken guy are having a thing. This guy, Jamie Forta, is Regina's boyfriend...
For me, it wasn't until the rivalry developed between Rose and Regina with the addition of the lovely yet too fragile Jamie that actually the anger Rose has is expressed. So after like halfway through the book, the ANGER ARRIVES BIG TIME.

If you were meeting Rose in person, her reserved and quiet self would never show this angry girl that Rozett is trying to convey. However, through Rose's strong, feisty narrative voice, the raw emotion of her fury is very clear and it is this that I think improves Rose's character to a strong lead. In short, I did find her a little weedy at times on the surface until her anger came apparent. The emotion and annoyance in her voice has been remarkably shown in a way that I only realise upon finishing this novel.
Rose is your real, troubled teen and I felt very connected with her as she realistically goes through the peril and confusion of her teenage years. I understood her confusion towards the whole idea of sex and love, her attitudes towards drinking and just her cynicalism of the social ethics of a high-school/secondary school for teenagers nowadays. Rose may not be the most likeable protagonist, but she is one of the most realistic.
I really liked her feistiness and cynicalism that reminded me a little of Kat in 10 Things I Hate About You, she acts as a feminist for the teenage generation (and being a slight feminist myself, I was definitely pro-Rose). My only problem with Rose was that she felt too young to be 14 in the plot. That may be the point but I felt she should have been a little older to experience the things that happen to her. She acted much younger than a 14 year-old to me too, perhaps I was just a mature 14 year-old (that was like 4 years ago sooo I may have forgotten...). It just didn't seem to fit with her age for me.

Adding to the awesomeness of Rose, we have a bunch of hilarious, annoying and just plain lovely characters. I liked Jaime, his gentleness, sarcasm and the older tone to him I think worked well with the story. Angelo and Peter, her brother were some lovely additions to the story that kept it different and entertaining. Now onto the annoying. We all remember the boom of Mean Girls don't we? Meet Regina, the antagonist of Confessions of an Angry Girl (I personally think the name has been used on purpose). We remember the cattiness, rudeness and just plain stupidness of Regina from Mean Girls? AMPLIFY THAT BY LIKE 3 AND YOU HAVE THE OTHER REGINA. Oh my. She is scaaaaary, I would not like to be in Rose's shoes. And the annoying thing: she gets so hung about the fact she thinks Rose and Jaime are TOGETHER when she herself may not even be TOGETHER. She is pure evil.
And then we have Tracey who I have to say wins 'Worst Friend Ever' hands down. I liked the friction and the differences displayed throughout between Tracey and Rose but after a while when Rose goes through quite a lot, I felt Tracey just became this character that was constantly opposite with Rose. A friend that felt she needed to talk to Rose because she's known her so long. I think we all have at least one of those in our lives.

I did really enjoy reading this book, I enjoyed all the little secrets, the drama playing out and mostly the realism that Rozett displays through Rose that I think any teenager would be able to relate to. This is a perfect series as a survival guide to high-school/secondary school. I liked most aspects of the novel, the only one I really did not like was the ending. It is clear that Rozett is trying to end Confessions of an Angry Girl for the sequel in the series, but I did feel it was a little TOO open. Without revealing too much, there are a lot of loose ends that are yet to be tied up upon ending the book. There is still doubt between Rose and Jaime's relationship (which from the title of the next book I think will be cleared up) and ah Rose!

This is a lovely little find on your bookshelf to pass a sick day, like me, or boring, dreamy afternoon away that should keep you hooked with the plot and the interactions of the characters. I felt that the romance and ending could have been a little more developed but I hope that the next book will sort that out! So looking forward to getting my hands on a copy!

I give it a 4 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.louiserozett.com/author/Louise_Rozett.html
Pages: 272
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Challenges: None

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this through Netgalley.

The next book in the series, CONFESSIONS OF AN ALMOST-GIRLFRIEND is out July 2013