Nick and Charlie - Alice Oseman

This is IN NO WAY biased, even though I think Alice Oseman is the BEST AUTHOR EVER, and that Solitaire is my FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME. :)

For those of you who haven’t read Solitaire, what are you doing? Buy it now! It follows Tori Spring as she takes her A-levels and deals with Solitaire - a secret organisation that is sabotaging her school. Solitaire was described as ‘The Catcher in the Rye for the digital age’ by The Times newspaper, and I couldn’t agree more. Tori hides behind her tumblr account, which actually exists! Those who grew up with tumblr, like I did, will absolutely love Tori.

But this novella isn’t about Tori. She’s mentioned briefly, which is lovely because she’s one of my favourite characters in literature and I’d missed her terribly, but the Charlie of ‘Nick and Charlie’ is Tori’s younger brother. 

Nick and Charlie have been going out for two years now. Nick is a year old than Charlie, and will be leaving soon to go to university. He is really excited, and that’s bumming Charlie out massively. Anyone who has gone through a similar situation, myself included, will relate to one or both of the boys as they struggle to keep their feelings to themselves.

This novella is available as an ebook on amazon, and at only 82 pages it’s a nice little read for over dinner or before bed. Sadly I had work, so I had to keep stopping - but it killed me to put the story down. It was so good, I loved both characters and I really hope Alice writes some more of Tori/Charlie/Nick...ANYTHING. I will read anything she writes.

You may notice I’m heavily fangirling in this blog post, but that’s because a few days ago I actually met Alice for the first time, and she was so amazing. I wish we could be best friends and go to Disneyland together, she’s THAT awesome.

And, I was also very lucky to win a piece of art that she made for the release of Nick and Charlie, and I’ll be showing you all either on Tumblr or Instagram when it arrives. Thank you so much Alice!

Nick and Charlie is amazing, so if you haven’t read Solitaire - read that, and then read Nick and Charlie. Because feels. ★★★★★

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My YALC highlights!

Last weekend, I went to the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) at London Film and Comic Con (LFCC). I would be here forever if I blogged absolutely everything, so I am going to just tell you my highlights of the weekend. This was really hard as I met so many lovely people that it was hard to choose who to include! All of the pictures are on my instagram if you’re interested.

I finally met Alice Oseman.

Many of you know will know that Alice is my favourite author. She was so lovely, and the panel she was on - YA: The Next Generation - was so interesting. I have my copy of Solitaire signed now, and this brilliant picture of the two of us - I’m going to have it printed and put on my bedroom wall.

I got my first ARC!

When I was scrolling through twitter on the beanbag chairs in the reading zone, I noticed that Kate Ormand was doing a giveaway of her upcoming book. The first person to ask her to join their circus would be given an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of her book, The Wanderers. I looked up, and Kate Ormand was stood against a wall, so I sheepishly went up to her and forgot what I had to say because I was so shy! But I said it, and she was so lovely. I’m reading it now and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you! 

Seeing Keris Stainton again

I absolutely adore Keris, I think she’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I was so overwhelmed when she ran at me and hugged me on Saturday, because I knew then that our friendship was mutual. I am so lucky to know someone as amazing as her, and she kept checking on me over the weekend because I was rather ill (and still am, sadly).

Meeting Louise O’Neill

As soon as I found out Louise would be coming to YALC, I knew she was a priority to meet. I absolutely loved her book, Only Ever Yours, and now I have a signed copy to cherish forever. She was so nice, and she deserves all the love and recognition she is getting for her amazing book. I can’t wait to read Asking For It.

Meeting Carrie Hope Fletcher

I haven’t been a ‘Hopeful’ that long, but I was overjoyed to meet Carrie after not being able to go to her book signing in Birmingham. She signed my Elsa phone case, which has now been taken off my phone and is awaiting a replacement case. And she wanted to hold Pascal in the photo, which I think makes the picture even better.

Seeing Melinda Salisbury again

Mel is one of those people, that you don’t realise what you’ve been missing in your life until they’re standing right in front of you. She’s so witty, and such a wonderful role model (even if she is a Slytherin) - she gave me brilliant advice about my migraines and made me laugh out loud when she stood on a chair in the pub to make a point. I just love her millions.

Meeting Lauren James

I cannot wait for Lauren’s book, and she was such a sweetheart for sending me a signed bookmark for having already pre-ordered her book. After missing her a few times over the weekend, I finally got a chance to talk to her and have a picture, and she is so lovely. I hope we meet again in the future.

Seeing James Dawson again

I saw James on the Saturday, but didn’t get a chance to speak to him, so I queued to meet him on the Sunday. He was in an amazing cosplay, naked Dany from Game of Thrones, and he absolutely killed it. I love his humour, and being around him always makes me smile - we always have artistic photos together.

Seeing Non Pratt again

It’s always a pleasure seeing Non, this is our third meeting now and I was so overwhelmed when SHE recognised ME! We talked about how much I loved Remix, and she was shocked to learn my favourite band is Bon Jovi. Yep, I was born long after my time... But Non, you’re incredible and I can’t wait to see you again!

Seeing Alexia Casale again

I love Lexi, and it’s always so lovely to see her. It seems incredible to think I’ve only known her a year, and I get on with her better than people I’ve known my whole life. That’s how lovely Lexi is, she will be nice to anybody. And her costumes were amazing!

I narrowed it down to ten things or else we’d be here forever! Thank you to everyone who made it such an incredible weekend, it really took my mind off things and I was so happy to be in a community where I belonged!

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Lorali - Laura Dockrill

This took me so long to read, what with my new job and the events of YALC (which I am writing a blog post on, it is coming!!) but I absolutely loved it.

Lorali is a mermaid princess, who has been transformed into a human. She meets Rory, a ‘Walker’ to her people, on a beach in Hastings, and he takes her in. Their first encounter had me in stitches, and I loved Lorali’s innocence. The story is told alternatively from Lorali and Rory’s perspective.

Most authors would just tell the story from their perspectives wouldn’t they? Not Laura. I found it slightly confusing at first, but as I got into the book I realised what a brilliant idea it was.

A third perspective, the sea, sees all and fills in the blanks that Rory and Lorali’s stories cannot possibly tell you. For example, the sea tells us about Lorali’s family’s desperate search for her, both in the sea and on land. 

She also explains how mermaids came to be, which I found fascinating, especially Lorali and her family’s individual stories. Personally, I think the sea’s narrative made this book as good as it is. It reminded me of Death narrating The Book Thief, making sure the reader is as well-informed as possible.

This book has romance, action, humour, and PIRATES. What more could you want? Nothing? How about some...FEMINISM? Lorali’s mother is the Queen of the Whirl, and there has only ever been female leaders under the sea - but that doesn’t mean that men can’t rule.

Although my stunted reading schedule meant I didn’t get into it as quickly as I’d hoped, once I got to halfway through the book I was HOOKED - Laura has done such a good job with this book, and I hope many of you will pick up this brilliant book.

My copy of this book, is signed and battered from the love I gave it reading. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did - buy this book! ★★★★★

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Lobsters - Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison

Slowly, I'm getting through the books I'm going to be taking to YALC, and it just so happens that both of these authors are going to be there!

This novel is told from two perspectives, something I absolutely love. Sam and Hannah are going to university in September, and only have the holidays to find their lobster. Anyone who has watched Friends knows that a lobster is someone's soulmate, and I'm hoping that it is actually a Friends reference. I must admit, the title is actually why I bought the book.

Sam and Hannah meet in a bathroom at a party, and as they bond over hot Ribena, they know they are each other's lobster. But they don't exchange names or numbers, so Sam is known to Hannah's friends as 'Toilet Boy' and Sam refers to Hannah as 'Ribena Girl'.

Neither of them have had sex, and worry about going to university as virgins. Most of their friends have done it, although Hannah's friend Tilly is - hilariously - in 'hymen limbo' which I absolutely cried laughing at. Finding their lobster and losing their virginity are very important to both of them.

Although they didn't arrange to meet up again, fate steps in the way in the form of Woodland Festival in Devon. I love books where fate steps in, as Serendipity is one of my favourite films. I wouldn't say it's the teenage version of it or anything, but just that I really enjoyed the element of fate in the book.

I really enjoyed this book, it had me laughing so hard in places, and worrying in places too. The ending completely took me by surprise, but it ended on a very funny note and I loved that. Sam and Hannah were both incredibly likeable, and I loved reading both of their stories. ★★★★★

The Last Leaves Falling - Sarah Benwell

My auntie - Blondie Camps - gave me a copy of The Last Leaves Falling for my birthday, which is March 21st. As you can see, I couldn't wait that long and opened it early, not to mention finished it 4 days early as well. I'm SO glad I read it as soon as I had it, it is amazing!

Sora has ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - and he will die. At first, I didn't think I'd be able to finish the book knowing that, but I don't regret it at all. I got very attached to him and his story, despite knowing I would have my heartbroken somewhere along the line. I loved his family, especially his grandparents, Ojiisan and Bah-Ba. The love he is surrounded by as he deteriorates is overwhelming  - and the friends he meets of the chatroom KyoToTeenz, Kaito and Mai, are wonderful people. For someone who has always been judged for his condition, he's finally met someone - two of them, in fact - who won't.

There is a lot of hatred directed at the teenagers in Japan, through the medium of anonymous emails trying to induct them into a mass suicide pact. But in all of this hatred, there is so much love. The love Sora family have for him, that he has for them, as well as the love of Kaito and Mai. Everyone has dreams, and not everyone follows them, but they should, because some people - like Sora - just can't.

I loved this book, it was thoroughly beautiful. It really made me take a good look at my life and how happy and lucky I am. I can't wait to read what Sarah writes next. I don't know Sarah as well as I would like to, as I've only met her once, at YALC last year. But I know two things about her: she wears amazing t-shirts, and she writes beautiful books. She also wrote happy birthday in the copy she signed for me, so I love her for that. Thank you for all the feels.

Verdict: 5/5, of course! :)