How do you pick up the pieces after life has served you enough trauma for a lifetime? Charlotte, aged 17, is trying to recover in a world that owes her nothing, but has taken so much. In our season 3 finale, we dive into Girl in Pieces‘ representations of self-harm, hospitalisation, and unhealthy relationships, andContinue reading “S3E6. Girl in Pieces Review”
Tag Archives: young adult
Interview: Megan Williams on Let’s Never Speak of This Again
Let’s Never Speak of This Again follows Abby as she navigates a changing dynamic with her best friend, particularly when tragedy strikes. What does being best friends really mean? How do you support a grieving friend while managing your own feelings? In this podcast interview, we speak in-depth with author Megan Williams about how sheContinue reading “Interview: Megan Williams on Let’s Never Speak of This Again”
Interview: Robyn Dennison on Blind Spot
When Dale stumbles into a bedroom at a party and sees a drunk girl being undressed by a group of guys, he backs away and runs. He’s pretty drunk himself, but he knows what he saw. Why didn’t he stop them? Why did he run? Blind Spot follows Dale as he grapples with the aftermathContinue reading “Interview: Robyn Dennison on Blind Spot”
S3E4. Challenger Deep Review
Neal Shusterman is one of our favourite authors, so it was a no brainer for us to dive into a book he’s written about an often stigmatised mental health disorder. Joined by Leah from YA Book Chat, we discuss the experiences of delusions and hallucinations; hospital-based treatments of mental health disorders; and the role ofContinue reading “S3E4. Challenger Deep Review”
Interview: Allayne L. Webster talks Selfie
In this special interview, we chat with Allayne L. Webster, who recently published her tenth novel, Selfie. In Selfie, we meet year 8 student Tully, who is shocked to find herself the new best friend of teenage influencer Dene Walker. We chat about teenage friendships, the impact of social media on trust and identity, andContinue reading “Interview: Allayne L. Webster talks Selfie”
Interview: Nina Kenwood on Unnecessary Drama
We are very excited to chat with the wonderful Nina Kenwood about her latest novel, Unnecessary Drama. Nina’s debut novel, It Sounded Better in My Head, has been shortlisted for multiple awards and has been published in six languages. (It is also one of Priscilla’s favourite YA novels.) Our conversation covers topics like high-functioning anxiety,Continue reading “Interview: Nina Kenwood on Unnecessary Drama”
Interview: Miranda Luby on Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over
In this special podcast episode, we chat to the author of Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over: Miranda Luby, award-winning author, freelance journalist, copywriter and communications professional. Sadie Starr is her debut novel. We chat about perfectionism, disordered eating, and performative social activism. Miranda shares insights into her inspiration, writing, and thoughts around how weContinue reading “Interview: Miranda Luby on Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over”
Why ‘One of Us is Lying’ makes me uncomfortable
It’s hard to miss Karen McManus’ books in the YA section of your local bookshop. With their distinctive minimalist covers, they stand out. McManus has now written five books, including One of Us is Lying – her 2017 release and most popular book so far, with over 450,000 ratings on Goodreads. Its sequel, One ofContinue reading “Why ‘One of Us is Lying’ makes me uncomfortable”
The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill
The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid. Branded as a story told through ‘a searing feminist lens… a book with the darkest of undercurrents’, it follows Gaia, the youngest daughter of The Sea King. She falls in love with a human boy and longs to find out what happenedContinue reading “The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill”
S02E08. A Monster Calls
What does it mean when a monster shows up at your window? For our final review episode of Season 2, we discuss A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness with special guest, author Mat Larkin. We talk about the stages of grief, middle grade tropes, surprisingly therapeutic monsters, and all the feels! Mental health issues covered:Continue reading “S02E08. A Monster Calls”