I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was the other week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo. Thank you to Bloomsbury for hosting the giveaway at YALC that allowed me to pick up a copy.
Jo used to be the perfect high-school girl – class president, popular, bright and successful. But when nude photos of her were leaked to the entire school, her grades plummeted, her friends fell away and now she’s a reckless, difficult social outcast. The girl who ‘deserved’ it.
Then her former best friend Maddie disappears. Everyone else assumes Maddie has just run away but that doesn’t add up to Jo. To discover the truth, Jo needs to get back in with the group of classmates who have shut her out: the boys who betrayed her and the clique of girls who whisper behind her back. And she has to make it look as if she wants to be there.
The only way back in is through Hudson. An old fling with his own reasons for finding Maddie, he persuades Jo to fake date him. And it works. But as the truth about Maddie’s disappearance comes to light, so do long-hidden secrets from Jo’s past. Who is Jo really trying to find—Maddie, or the girl she herself used to be?
Publication Date: 30th April
TW: sexual assault, rape, traumatic flashbacks, grooming, kidnapping, blackmail
My Thoughts:
Not Like Other Girls was a gut-punch of a YA mystery.
I am such a character driven reader and Adamo smashed it out of the park for me. Jo came into my life and stole a sliver of my heart instantly. Outcast and mistreated for such disgusting reasons, Jo gets caught up in a mystery only she seems to care about. This book fills with me with rage – the kind that simmers over to a boiling point. Adamo holds nothing back in confronting rape culture and the patriarchal power structures that allow it to continue. You see it culturally in the shaming of female sexuality and the twisting of narratives to suit preconceived ideas. Jo is a character that pushes against those ideas – she is funny, kind and intelligent but hides it behind a strategy of survival in her more cutting, emotionally isolated facade. She is deeply hurting and no one wants to have to face that hurt.
This is a nuanced and emotionally devastating read at times that deals with sensitive and triggering topics, so be aware of the content and proceed accordingly. Adamo clearly infuses the book with such heart and emotional authenticity that really hit home for me. This is exemplified in her author’s note, which was so honest and moving.
On the mystery side, this is a well-executed book packed full of twists and turns. These are not just treated as surprise reveals for the reader though, they all have consequences and emotional depth for the characters on page. Each new piece of the puzzle feels like another drop in the ocean. You can feel hopeless as new information is unfolded but Jo’s story is ultimately one that is tinged with hope for the future. She can learn to build a life for herself that is not defined by the past, but instead confronts it.
Not Like Other Girls is such a brilliant YA mystery – Adamo has carefully crafted an emotional and complex read.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Dead Happy by Josh Silver. Thank you to Rock the Boat for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
By some miracle, Seb has survived the HappyHead programme, only to find himself stranded on a remote island under the guidance of a freakishly beautiful couple.
Far from home, Seb reluctantly teams up with Eleanor again and the pair are forced to compete in a series of ever stranger trials to prove their connection. All the while, he can’t stop thinking about Finn. Determined to find him, Seb’s search uncovers an even darker reality.
Can he escape the island and expose the sinister truth behind HappyHead?
Publication Date: 2nd May
TW: indoctrination, homophobia, violence, torture, emotional abuse, physical abuse, blood, injury detail, conversion therapy
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed HappyHead, finding it an ominous thriller that rang too true. Silver has really levelled up in this sequel, with an increase in tension and horror.
This sequel and the setting of Elmhallow also has distinct touches of Lord of the Flies. The isolated nature of this island and the ever increasing feverish nature of their devotion is incredibly unsettling. These tasks become stranger and more daunting, both physically and emotionally. It is psychological warfare that sends shivers up your spine. Silver shows the gradual indoctrination of this cult-like group, with the temptation of acceptance and love being weaponised against these vulnerable young people. We also go a step further in terms of dehumanisation and othering from the first book. There is also an interesting thread about institutionalisation and the mental health crisis that Silver explores too.
Within it all, we have our central trio (ish) of Seb, Finn and Eleanor. I thought these characters were excellent in the first book and Silver takes up their development a notch here. We get more insights into your lives and why this particular experiment might have them in their clutches. It allows for some moving moments, but also for some excellent character arcs. Around them, our supporting characters are also given more depth and we particularly get to spend time with the odd couple who run Elmhallow. Their story again is devastating and sends a clear warning of alternate paths taken.
We also get to uncover a little more behind HappyHead’s history and this story is heart-breaking as it is horrific. The ultimate motivations behind it speak to real life issues, but through a twisted lens. In our current political climate, they are particularly sickening. Silver is delivering one hell of an impactful message here and I can only hope it is listened to.
Dead Happy is a thought-provoking read, with touches of horror, in this claustrophobic and chilling read.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald. Thank you to Faber for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Meet Finlay. He’s studying for his nursing degree at Glasgow University, against all the odds. But coming straight from care means he has no support network.
How can he write essays, find paid work and NOT fall for the beautiful boy at uni, when he’s struggling to even feed himself?
Meet Banjo. He’s trying to settle in with his new foster family and finish high school. But he can’t forget all that has happened, and his anger and fear keep boiling over.
How can he hold on to the one good person in his life, when his outbursts keep threatening his already uncertain future?
Can Finlay and Banjo let go of the past before it drags them under?
Publication Date: 2nd May
TW: violence, child abuse, drug use, addiction, homophobia, bullying
My Thoughts:
Glasgow Boys was a touching and terrific YA debut from a bold voice that I will certainly keep listening to.
McDonald seized my heart with this gritty, raw and relatable book that just soared. Few YA contemporary books have stuck in my head quite like this one did. It is frank and often brutally honest in its depiction of the themes explored. I loved how it explored class, the care system and the bonds we forge in life. Also running through the book is an exploration of sexuality and relationships that was again characteristically honest and nuanced. It is a story of finding yourself and owning your place in the world. McDonald is not afraid to go into the gritty parts of life, but the core of the story always remains with some light and hope.
The characterisation was off the charts as well. Finlay and Banjo have come from care and some of the worst circumstances in life. They are such vulnerable young men just trying to survive and find a place in the world that will accept and love them. McDonald gives them such strong and distinctive narrative voices and you fall in love with both of them instantly. In particular, the use of dialect from McDonald adds a layer to their narration that hooks you in even further. Both are flawed and McDonald keeps them authentic in their messiness and their mistakes. However they are both deeply loving and wonderful people. Their character arcs over the course of the book are nothing short of astounding. McDonald just imbues their story with so much raw emotion, but it is ultimately one full of joy and love and hope.
Glasgow Boys was raw and riveting in its vulnerability, McDonald carves out a story ultimately of love and hope against the odds. She has certainly made a name for herself here with me.
A Short Book Lover 
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