BLOG TOUR: The Worry Tree from Queer Up by Alexis Caught

Hello, my fellow bookworms! Today is my stop of the blog tour for Queer Up by Alexis Caught, a guide for LGBTQ+ and questioning people, as well as those who are curious and want to learn more. I’m so happy to be able to take part in the tour for this wonderful book because it’s packed with stuff that is close to my heart. 

In this empowering and uplifting book, award-winning podcaster Alexis Caught sets out to help queer and curious teenagers explore their LGBTQ+ identity and understanding. Alongside the author's personal experiences are first-hand stories from notable LGBTQ+ figures, providing a inclusive account of what it means to grow up queer. With chapters on questioning, coming out, friends and family, love, sex, shame, pride and allyship, this is insightful, thoughtful and reassuring book is essential reading for any questioning teen and their allies looking to support them. 

The aspect of this book I’m going to be discussing today is an exercise named The Worry Tree, a perfect tool for those of us who find ourselves overthinking and worrying more than what is typical. 

It’s something I talk about frequently on my blog and social media, but I’ve suffered with mental health issues throughout my teens and adulthood. It was something that I didn’t even begin to understand until I saw discussions on social media and realised that the things I was feeling had labels and reasons. I would definitely say that my confusion over sexuality contributed to that in some way. Growing up, I felt like I was the odd one out because I wasn’t following the same sort of paths as my peers. The older I got and the more I learned, I was able to answer some of the questions I’ve always had about my sexuality. Not all of them just yet, but that’s okay. 

The Worry Tree is a tool to help us break our worries up into smaller, more controllable chunks. It’s similar to tasks I was given during my time in CBT, and those tasks helped calm me and feel like I could handle things a bit more. 

I’m so glad I was able to take part in this tour and have the opportunity to read Queer Up. It’s a book that I desperately wish I’d had when I was younger and needed to feel like I belonged. 

Be sure to check out the other wonderful blogs taking part in the tour:

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BLOG TOUR: Writing in Verse | Baby Teeth by Meg Grehan

Today I'm honoured to be closing the blog tour for Baby Teeth by Meg Grehan, who is sharing her thoughts about writing in verse!

Hello! My name is Meg Grehan and my new book Baby Teeth has just been released. It’s about a vampire named Immy who has lived countless lives but has never loved as deeply as she does in this life. It’s about love, desire and identity and is written in verse. Thank you so much to Queen of Teen Fiction for sharing my post about writing in verse! 

I’ve always loved writing, as a kid it was my absolute favourite thing to do. I’d sit at the little writing desk my dad built for me and write all day. I wrote a lot about fairies and mermaids as a kid and as a teenager I wrote about love and mysteries. Then I stopped writing. I was busy with college and work and my new life as an adult and I didn’t make time for writing, no matter how much I missed it. Then I discovered verse, and fell head over heels for this new way of writing and expressing myself. When I first decided to try writing in verse I was nervous, what if I just wasn’t good at it? What if I just couldn’t do it? But it all just came naturally to me. Writing in verse may seem daunting, but it’s all about trusting your instincts and writing what feels right to you. I would encourage anyone to give it a try, it’s a very liberating way to write! 

I’m a very visual writer, I love finding images that inspire me and am constantly on pinterest or journaling about my ideas and I think that that’s really helpful when writing verse. You have so few words to work with that it’s important to choose the right ones. I find journaling and finding pictures help me really distill my ideas and narrow down exactly what it is I want to say or express. I think rhythm and pace are also so important when you’re writing verse so sometimes I find it helpful to think of it as music, to let myself fall into a rhythm and just let the words flow. Writing in verse is all about trusting yourself and just letting the words come as they please. It’s such a fun way to write and using so few words means even what you choose not to say is important! 

I think anyone who is interested in writing should try writing verse at least once, just to see what it's like, you might love it!

Huge thank you to Meg for the fabulous post! be sure to check out the other stops from the tour:

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BLOG TOUR: Jenny Downham’s writing process and emotional journey for Furious Thing

Hello, fellow bookworms! Today I’m excited to be kicking off the blog tour for Furious Thing, with a guest post from Jenny Downham about her writing process for the book!

I never plot books in advance.  I use freewriting techniques instead.  This is where you write continuously for a set period without worrying about where the words are taking you. Do enough freewriting in enough locations over enough weeks and months and a story begins to emerge and themes, characters and location begin to clarify.   

With Furious Thing, I simply started with the notion of scapegoating – where one person in a family gets blamed for everything that goes wrong.  It’s something that’s always fascinated me.   

I wrote about a golden family, then a 15-year-old girl, Lexi, who was ‘different’ from this family.  She says, ‘I’m an ogre compared to the rest of them.’  

Then her anger unveiled itself and I realised that families who scapegoat one of their children often have something to hide.   And that sometimes the scapegoated child refuses to accept their role.   

Once I’m sure of the story’s direction and tone I begin to work on ‘main event’ chapters.  These provide stepping-stones for the whole.  For instance, I knew I needed a scene where Lexi flouts family rules and has to face the consequences.  I wanted a scene where she feels desperately alone and another where she feels hopeful and loved.  I take these first draft chapters to my writing group for feedback.  It’s incredibly useful to have your story reflected back at you.  Early readers often see things you don’t know are there and want to see scenes you might not have considered including.   

I have to keep my emotional distance, otherwise there’s a danger the writing becomes indulgent.  It’s important that I can step into each character’s shoes and find their motivation.  This means that even though I might love Lexi and want her to triumph, I also have to understand the people who stand in her way and why they act the way they do.   

Lexi was great fun to write though.  She’s so impulsive and writing from the point of view of someone who doesn’t consider outcomes before they act is enormously freeing.  She might not be as academic as her siblings, but she’s emotionally eloquent.  She was constantly getting into trouble for creating chaos and I had to get her out of it.  I loved that about her. 

Huge thank you to Jenny for the wonderful post! Be sure to check out the other blogs taking part this week: 

 

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BLOG TOUR: First Day of My Life by Lisa Williamson

Hello, fellow bookworms! Today I'm excited to be taking part in the blog tour for The First Day of My Life by Lisa Williamson. 

Pages: 375
Format: Hardback

Publisher: David Fickling Books
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: January 7th 2021

Buy the Book: Book Depository

There are three sides to every story... It's GCSE results day. Frankie's best friend, Jojo, is missing. A baby has been stolen. And more than one person has been lying. Frankie's determined to find out the truth and her ex-boyfriend Ram is the only person who can help her. But they're both in for a shock... EVERYTHING is about to change.

This story is told in three parts, from the perspective of Frankie, her best friend Jojo, and then her ex-boyfriend Ram. Jojo has been distant, and Frankie is determined to get to the bottom of it, but the theory she has in mind couldn’t be further from the truth. 

First Day of My Life begins in the present, when Frankie is picking up her GCSE results, but we get to go back and see how the whole story unfolded for the other characters. It managed to capture my attention super quickly, and I flew through it in just a few days. The element of mystery in the first half regarding the missing baby had me questioning whether everything was what it seemed. 

It’s no secret that I absolutely adore stories that focus on friendship. Friends can be some of the most powerful relationships in a person’s life, and those we make during our childhood and teen years can help shape us for the future. We get to see that the bond between Frankie and Jojo is one that gets tested and strained over the course of the book, but is strong enough to overcome even the biggest obstacles. 

 

With the characters being so different from each other, despite how close they are, it makes for a more unique reading experience during each switch in narration. It was especially interesting to get Ram’s perspective because whilst he’s connected to both girls, he’s still outside of their close-knit friendship.  

• Addictive reading. Once I got started, I couldn’t put the book down! The element of mystery that revolves around finding out each character’s backstory kept me reading until I found out more.  

• Relatable. There will be so many readers who can see a part of themselves in one of these characters. It brings up important conversations about family and friends, education and the future.  

• UKYA. I just feel so at home between the pages of UKYA books, and it’s so important that we support them.  

There are plenty of little threads that weave together perfectly before the end of this story, leaving me satisfying with how everything was wrapped up. I ended up reading this during one of the most difficult weeks of my life, and it provided the little dose of escapism that I needed, so I’m grateful that I got the chance to pick this up!

Royal Rating:

Be sure to check out the fabulous blogs taking part in the rest of the tour:

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BLOG TOUR: Review of The Game Weavers by Rebecca Zahabi

Today I'm thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for The Game Weavers! It's been one of my favourite reads from this year, so I'm excited to finally be sharing my thoughts. 

Pages: 336
Format: Paperback

Publisher: ZunTold Books
Genre: Contemporary, Magical Realism
Release Date: October 25th 2020

TW: Homophobia, Abuse

Buy the Book: Book Depository

Seo Kuroaku has it all. Adopted as a boy by the formidable Sir Neil, he's the youth champion of Twine, the high-pressured national sport. Played in arenas where thousands come to watch, weavers craft creatures from their fingertips to wage battle against fearsome opponents. But this is a Britain of much darker times - and Seo is harbouring a secret. 

When he is outed, Twine can't help him. With the help of his little brother Minjun and Jack, the man he can't decide if he loves or not, Seo has to find a way to get his life back on track, whilst facing the biggest match of his life. 

In The Game Weavers, Rebecca Zahabi has created a fantastical yet hauntingly contemporary narrative which is both love story and fable - The Game Weavers is a coming of age story about the importance of intimacy, family and self-acceptance.

This book. Where do I even START? There’s nothing I love more than a story that takes place in a world parallel to ours, but twists reality ever so slightly. In The Game Weavers, everything is the same except for the existence of Twine. I’m so in love with the concept of Twine. It was what initially drew me towards the story in the first place. In this book, people are able to craft creatures via their hands using threads. Those who are talented at weaving can compete in Twine tournaments, which have the popularity and the fan base that football does in our own world. Twine consists of two players creating a battle ground and creatures that fight against each other. Whoever has the most ground at the end wins the game. 

Seojun is a professional at Twine and extremely popular amongst the fans. Borrowing from examples we see amongst our own popular sports’ fans, the viewers of Twine tend not to be accepting of minorities within the game, so when Seo is exposed for sleeping with men, his manager and fans react badly. The story follows Seo’s journey to accepting himself and discovering what he truly wants. 

One of the more beautiful aspects of this story is how character driven it is. Though there is a big focus on Seo’s sexuality and his growing relationship with Jack, a boy he hooked up with when he used to hide his identity on a dating app, the most important relationship in the story is that of Seo and his brother Minjun. Due to Seo being quite a few years older than his brother, the contrast between their chapters is perfect for showing us how the events vary through their eyes. It’s their bond that helps both of them progress through the story, eventually allowing Seo to realize what’s important to him, and how Twine shouldn’t threaten that. 

We also have chapters that follow Jack throughout the story, and I enjoyed getting to see his side of things as someone who was completely outside Twine. His life is so very different to Seo’s, and he’s an important part of helping Seo to realise that he shouldn’t have to sacrifice his personal life and disregard his own happiness for the sake of his career. 

• TWINE. In terms of the various fictional sports I’ve read about in the past, Twine has got to be on of my favourites. IT’S. SO. INTERESTING. Whilst the story itself read like a contemporary, Twine provided an interesting fantasy twist. It was described so vividly that every game played out like a movie in my head. 

• CHARACTERS. The side characters are just as interesting as the main characters, especially Seo’s main rival. Do they have flaws? Yes. Does that only make them a more interesting character who you root for to work through their problems? Absolutely. 

• DETAILS. There are so many little things in the background that help this story feel truly authentic. At one point there are protestors who think the weaved creatures have feelings and that Twine is cruel. It’s only mentioned in passing but it made me question whether they did. Small details like this help immerse us in the world even more. 

• ATMOSPHERE. Whilst this book can be heartwarming, it can also be chilling too. Seo’s relationship with his manager, Sir Neil, had me on edge a lot of the time. And I also found it terrifying how in this world, acceptance towards the LGBTQ+ community had regressed. We are always so close to out own world taking steps back, and we’ve seen examples of just how much over the past couple of years, so it hits painfully close to home. 

The blurb for this book immediately called out to me with how interesting the concept was, but I didn’t expect to utterly adore it as much as I did. Injecting a little bit of everything, Rebecca Zahabi is a master at twisting the reality we know into something new and exciting. The Game Weavers is easily one of my favourites from the year so far.

Royal Rating:

Be sure to check out the fabulous blogs taking part in the rest of the tour:

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BLOG TOUR: Paper Avalanche by Lisa Williamson

Today I’m excited to be taking part in the blog tour for Paper Avalanche, the latest novel by one of my favourite UKYA authors, Lisa Williamson! For my stop on the tour, I’m going to be sharing my thoughts on all three of these wonderful stories. Let’s jump right in with the newest.

Paper Avalanche

Pages: 384 | Publisher: David Fickling Books | Buy The Book: Waterstones

I’m always looking for YA that tackles topics I don’t often see in fiction, so Paper Avalanche immediately called out to me. Ro Snow wants to be invisible to the world, resigning herself to the fact that she can’t have a normal life. She won’t allow anyone to get close to her for fear they’ll discover the truth about her mum and the home they live in. Bonnie is a compulsive hoarder, and Ro does everything she can to keep social services off their back. But then she meets Tanvi, and her whole world changes. 

There’s nothing I love more than a story that focuses on the importance of friendship. The friends we make throughout our lives and the experiences we share with them all play a part in shaping who we are. Tanvi doesn’t force Ro to change anything about her life. She simply helps her to see what she should be doing, as a teenager making her way through high school. She’s been caring for her mum for so long that she’s become more like the parent than the child. 

• Tanvi. Ro’s growing friendship with Tanvi is the most heart-warming part of this story. They’ve led completely different lives and have such contrasting personalities, yet they still manage to share a bond. 

• Eye-opening. Hoarding is a word that people throw around without understanding what it’s truly like to experience. What I loved about this story is that instead of focusing on the person who hoards, it shows us what it’s like to be a person who needs to live alongside it. Ro doesn’t have anywhere else she can call home, and she feels responsible for looking after her mum. There are so many young people who might not have the same home environment as Ro, but are in a situation where they feel trapped by their own home life. This story gives us a glimpse into that world. 

• Ro Snow. Everything about her growth throughout the book is inspiring to read. 

• Fast paced. Paper Avalanche manages to cover so much without feeling rushed. We get a good feel for what Ro’s life is like day-to-day whilst seeing how she deals with things long-term. 

Stories like this are an important tool for shedding light on things we don’t often understand. Ro might be fictional, but young people like her deserve to know that there are people to support them and that their voices should always be heard.  

The Art of Being Normal

This book was love at first blurb for me. From the moment I heard about it, I was desperate to get my hands on it. It follows David Piper, a character who was born a boy, but wants to be a girl, and Leo Denton, a new boy at school who’d rather blend into the background. Filled with lively and witty characters, and packed full of raw emotion, it’s a story that made me both laugh and cry. It became an instant favourite. 

• This book taught me so much. It’s a perfect example of why we need diverse stories in YA to openly discuss important topics. 

• Reminds people that they are not alone. Whilst every person has their own induvial experiences, there will be people out there who connect with the emotions of the characters in this story. 

• It’s honest. School can already be difficult for so many young people, let alone someone who is going through something as personal as David’s journey. This book doesn’t shy away from showing the harm bullies and ignorance can do. 

• Friendships and family. The very heart of this story. We’re shown how important it is to have people there for us, and to allow people to support us when we need it.

My full review for this story was posted back in 2015, if you’d like to read more!

All About Mia

Mia is the middle child. Her older sister, Grace, is as clever as they come and everyone adores her. Her younger sister, Audrey, is destined for Olympic success. Mia feels like an afterthought. With no idea what her ‘thing’ is in life, she struggles to find her place after Grace returns home from her gap year. 

Mia is the exact type of character I love. She’s someone who has a true learning curve throughout the story, making plenty of mistakes and hurting people along the way, but learning in the process. Characters like Mia always feel authentic and true to reality. There are so many students of her age who have no idea what their next step is in life, and everyone copes with it differently. But we can find our place in the end, no matter how pointless it can seem. 

• The characters. Whilst Mia herself is a wonderful main character, her family and friends are just as interesting. Seeing their relationships shift over the course of the story had me hooked. 

• Relatable. Though my life is very different from the one Mia leads, her feelings towards her future are ones that myself and so many others are familiar with. 

• It’s all about the journey. Mia isn’t always a likeable character. She makes bad choices, she can be selfish, and she doesn’t seem to care. But the further we delve into her story, the more we understand why she acts the way she does. Learning slowly along the way makes for a better pay off at the end.

I’m so grateful I’ve been able to read these three stories. Lisa’s characters always stay with me long after I’ve closed the books. I look forward to her future projects! 

Be sure to check out the fantastic blogs taking part in the rest of the tour:

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BLOG TOUR: Review of That Asian Kid by Savita Kalhan

Hello, fellow bookworms! Today I'm excited to be taking part in Savita Kalhan's blog tour for her latest novel, That Asian Kid.

Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Troika
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: 29th August 2019
Buy The Book: Book Depository

Despite his hard work and brains, Jeevan, is doing badly in his GCSE English literature class. His teacher, Mrs Greaves, dislikes him intensely and Jeevan is convinced that he is the victim of racial prejudice. Can he stand up for what's right? When he comes upon her in the woods outisde school in a compromising situation with another teacher, Jeevan can't help but film the scene on his phone. With this secret new ammunition at his fingertips - dare he upload it to social media?

That Asian Kid follows Jeevan in his journey to prove that he’s being unfairly treated by one of his teachers at school. In the run up to his GCSEs, one particular teacher is purposefully marking him down, and he has a sinking feeling that it’s because of his skin colour. When Jeevan finally captures video evidence to prove his theory, he ends up in a battle with himself over whether or not he should post the footage.

With the help of the people around him, Jeevan attempts to figure out the best way to solve his problem at school. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but the treatment he’s facing is part of a much wider problem. If he doesn’t speak up, who will?

Jeevan is exactly the type of character I love - someone who’s faced with a decision that tests his morals. Not only is the story pushing him to think about what’s right or wrong, it also challenges us readers to question what we’d do in that situation. When you’re handed a weapon to bring someone down, is it better to get revenge immediately, or wait and see if you can get justice instead? I love the questions that this book throws at us through Jeevan’s situation. He is an incredibly smart, and kind-hearted character, but he’s also still a young boy who’s facing a situation that he shouldn’t have to, pushing him to possibly make bad decisions.

The teacher in question, Mrs Greaves, is a painful reminder that people like her are sadly still employed in places that give them power over others. The way she treats Jeevan is purely down to her own prejudice, and it’s scary to think about kids who might actually have to go through situations like this in reality, who are too afraid to speak up because they don’t have any proof.

This book wouldn’t be the story that it is without Jeevan’s friends. They make him question his choices throughout, providing insight that he’s too upset and angry to see in the moment. Each one of them gave us a new perspective.

• Makes you think. Not everything is as simple as it looks. To others, Mrs Greaves’ treatment of Jeevan appears to just be a teacher disciplining a pupil who plays up in her class. But through Jeevan’s eyes, we see the level of manipulation she goes to in order for things to work out her way. 

• Jeevan’s family. I adored them and the way they treated the situation once they found out the truth. It’s rewarding to see Jeevan learn to open up to them more towards the end, understanding that he needs their support to get through this correctly. 

• The humour. Despite the seriousness of this story, it still manages to pack plenty of funny moments.

Racism happens around us, whether we are able to see it or not. I hope this story opens eyes to the fact that stuff like this isn’t always obvious, it happens between the lines and we need to start reading it. Jeevan’s journey is certainly an unforgettable one.

Royal Rating:

Huge thank you to Savita for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful tour. Please check out the other bloggers joining in!

 

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BLOG TOUR: 'The Words That Fly Between Us' Guest Post by Sarah Carroll

Hello, fellow bookworms! Today I'm excited to be taking part in the tour for the wonderful new novel by Sarah Carroll, The Words That Fly Between Us!

The inspiration behind The Words That Fly Between Us

I actually handed up five ideas for novels to my publishers – from historical fiction to dystopian and fantasy – and they were rejected for various reasons. So I decided to pitch an idea that had more in common with my first book, The Girl in Between. It would be a story told from the perspective of a young girl and based in modern-day Dublin. With that in mind, I went for a walk for a bit of inspiration.

Wandering around Dublin’s city centre with its Georgian buildings, I have often looked above the street-level shops to the top floors and wondered what goes on up there? On this particular day, I thought, what if you were a young girl who lived in a Georgian house and you were the only one who knew that the attics on your row were connected, what sort of mischief would you get up to? Obviously, you’d get involved in other people’s business, but what would you really be doing up there in the shadows in the first place? You’d be running away from something, of course. The house itself, the atmosphere so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

But that’s not really it, is it? Ultimately, it is yourself that you are running away from and in the end, you are going to have to come down and face your fears.

And then I had it. It would be the power of words that drove you up there, and it would be the power of words that would ultimately release you.

Clearly, I’m interested in the power of words, how they can strangle and suffocate. Why? Well, if I’m going to get all psychoanalytical on it…

As a teenager, I was badly bullied in school. There was one girl who had it out for me. But it was an insidious type of bullying, so hard to put your finger on. Sometimes it was the silence that followed a joke I made, or the look that was thrown my way, or the party I wasn’t invited to. But usually it was the sly meaning behind the words directed at me.

My diaries from the first three years of secondary school are a pretty heartbreaking read. I didn’t know how to stand up for myself. How could I, when I couldn’t even describe exactly what was happening. It was this feeling I decided to try and recreate with The Words That Fly Between Us.

There are three characters that have to deal with bullying in the book, the main character, Lucy, her mother and her friend, Megan.

Lucy must deal with how her father’s varying moods dictate the mood of the whole house, and how his opinions shape the way she sees herself. It is as much the weight of the words that are unspoken as those he directly speaks. They shape her world to the point where she becomes obsessed with the way they fill the spaces in the house, until her only escape is through her art and through the attic.

By contrast, Megan has no escape, as she is bullied both face–to–face and online.

I’ve often wondered how much more difficult the bullying I endured would have been if it was in this day and age, where the bully can follow you home from school via social media. And so this is the direction that Megan’s bullying takes.

It took me three years to finally stand up to the person who enjoyed tormenting me in school, and when I did, it wasn’t some huge showdown (okay, actually, it kind of was, but you wouldn’t believe me if I told you what happened!). Ultimately, what I needed to do was find the words to stand up for myself. It was as simple and as difficult as that. I can honestly say that at age sixteen, when I did find those words, it changed my life. And I think this is probably the deep-rooted reason why I chose to write this book.

It was a very important lesson in my life, and one I wanted to share: accepting who you are and finding your own voice are the things that will give you the strength to become who you want to be.

Huge thank you to Sarah for the guest post! Be sure to check out the rest of rest of the awesome blogs taking part in the tour:

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