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Blog tour: Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney
Title: Bad Habits
Author: Flynn Meaney
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: 11th February 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“Alex is a rebel from the tip of her purple fauxhawk to the toes of her biker boots. She’s tried everything she can think of to get expelled from her strict Catholic boarding school. Nothing has worked so far – but now, Alex has a new plan.
Tired of the sexism she sees in every corner of St Mary’s, Alex decides to stage the school’s first ever production of The Vagina Monologues. Which is going to be a challenge, as no one else at St Mary’s can even bear to say the word ‘vagina’ out loud . . .”My review:
Bad Habits is set in a Catholic boarding school with traditional values and features a set of fun and outgoing characters keen to make a difference to the way certain taboo topics such as sexuality and sexual health is perceived. With a fun undertone and witty comebacks, it showed a lot of promise from the start and I was keen to find out how these topics will be developed, especially through the actions of the main character, Alex.
The most noteworthy aspect of Bad Habits for me was the character development. Each character started out with their own perceptions and beliefs on how The Vagina Monologues should be produced and this gradually changed throughout the course of the book to allow for wider appreciation and outside of the box thinking without removing the feminist aspect. Alex’s character stood out the most and her constant perseverance to produce The Vagina Monologues was noteworthy and admirable. However, I especially liked seeing the progress in Mary Kate from shy and reserved to assertive and more outgoing.
The writing in Bad Habits is crisp and entertaining and several of the slapstick encounters at the school made me laugh out loud. There were a few cringe worthy moments but they were overshadowed by the witty dialogue and key focus on the important subject matter. The lively and engaging style of the writing fitted the plot and character development well and kept my interest until the end.
I would highly recommend Bad Habits to readers interested in feminism discussed in an unusual setting and anyone looking for a fun and charming read.
Many thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Bad Habits is now out to buy!
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Book review: The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man by Jonas Jonasson
Title: The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man
Author: Jonas Jonasson
Genre: Humor/Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication date: 7th August 2018
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“It all begins with a hot air balloon trip and three bottles of champagne. Allan and Julius are ready for some spectacular views, but they’re not expecting to land in the sea and be rescued by a North Korean ship, and they could never have imagined that the captain of the ship would be harbouring a suitcase full of contraband uranium, on a nuclear weapons mission for Kim Jong-un …
Soon Allan and Julius are at the centre of a complex diplomatic crisis involving world figures from the Swedish foreign minister to Angela Merkel and President Trump. Things are about to get very complicated …“
My review:
After following Allan Karlsson in The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of The Window And Disappeared, I was eager to find out what other troubles and adventures he would spontaneously throw himself into. He is by far one of the most fascinating and stubborn characters I have had the pleasure of discovering and I was hoping for an equally whimsical and daring set of events in this sequel.
This book starts with a lot of promise as Allan and his companion Julius find themselves facing a tricky dilemma which ultimately leads to a domino effect chain of events. I was reminded of and quickly warmed to the author’s satiric style of humour and was keen to see how the story line develops despite the borderline unrealistic events.
My main concern with this book was that there was too much focus on current politics and although I enjoyed the light banter, it became tiring after the first few puns. I applaud the author for his courage in implementing these delicate aspects but would have preferred just a few jokes about world leaders thrown in instead of constant reminders.
Allan and Julius’ adventure was delightful to follow and their antics were similar to those in the first book. However, it felt like there was something missing and the character development was not as sharp as I would have expected. Nevertheless, I am happy to have read this addition to Allan’s adventures and I would gladly read any other book by this author.
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Book review: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Title: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Author: Rachel Joyce
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Transworld Digital
Publication date: 15th March 2012
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“When Harold Fry leaves home one morning to post a letter, with his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking. To save someone else’s life.”
My review:
Oh, what a treat this book was! I had come across many positive reviews before starting it but I didn’t realise what an adventure I was in for and could not have imagined how much I would enjoy the journey. It is one of those books to be read slowly, each moment treasured and savoured with the need to stop and reflect on the story unfolding before us after finishing each chapter. Filled with both lighthearted and heavier elements, it is a true reflection of one’s journey from a quiet and simple life to the contrasting sudden need to embark on an adventure, although somewhat accidental, and let fate decide how each moment unfolds.
My favourite aspect was by far the varied and conflicting characters that Harold stumbles upon during his pilgrimage. From dogs to strangers hoping to use his newfound fame for success, the story really explored every possible character you can imagine meeting during such an endeavour. The circumstances Harold finds himself in are equally diverse and it was a joy following his pilgrimage across the country. Perhaps the most poignant feature is that with each blister and drawback, he never once gave up and continued the journey believing that he could still save his friend.
This book is a great example to others showing how the enthusiasm and willingness to change life’s course can truly make a difference to both ourselves and our surroundings. Despite the uneventful life that Harold led, a sudden change of heart was enough to push him into an exciting and adventurous journey inspired by his desire to help a friend in need. I would truly recommend this book to anyone wishing to read a captivating book with a dash of joy, friendship and dedication.
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Book review: The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland
Title: The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae
Author: Stephanie Butler
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Zaffre
Publication date: 19th April 2018
My rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis:
Ailsa Rae is learning how to live.
She’s only a few months past the heart transplant that – just in time – saved her life. Life should be a joyful adventure. But . . .
Her relationship with her mother is at breaking point.
She knows she needs to find her father.
She’s missed so much that her friends have left her behind.
She’s felt so helpless for so long that she’s let polls on her blog make her decisions for her. And now she barely knows where to start on her own.
And then there’s Lennox. Her best friend and one time lover. He was sick too. He didn’t make it. And now she’s supposed to face all of this without him.
But her new heart is a bold heart.
She just needs to learn to listen to it . . .My review:
This was a simply marvelous read and I thoroughly enjoyed discovering the courageous and quirky Ailsa Rae. The author has developed a very likable character in Ailsa and it was a pleasure joining her in her adventures such as learning to Tango, discovering love and finding her father. Despite the tough subject matter, the author explores Ailsa’s courage through her positive stance in receiving her new heart by fearlessly throwing herself into all life has to offer. I especially liked her dedication to her blog and the connection she developed with her followers, basing each decision on their comments but also enjoyed her persistence and willingness to make her own decisions as her confidence grew.
Seb plays an interesting part in this book and I enjoyed seeing his friendship with Ailsa flourish. Although their mutual condition of post-operation recovery originally unites them, it soon becomes clear that there is a romantic touch to their relationship that they are keen to explore. However, I still don’t believe that the romantic part of this book overrides the other predominant themes and I would struggle to mark this book as romance only.
For me the most appealing part of the book is the need to find your true self and live life to the fullest. The author took a very difficult subject and presented this concept beautifully through Ailsa’s character which made this book even more engaging and enjoyable to read. I think I will remember it for a very long time and I am glad to have stumbled across it.
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Book review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Title: The Rosie Project
Author: Graeme Simsion
Genre: Humour
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: 11th April 2013
My rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis:
Love isn’t an exact science – but no one told Don Tillman. A thirty-nine-year-old geneticist, Don’s never had a second date. So he devises the Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie – ‘the world’s most incompatible woman’ – throwing Don’s safe, ordered life into chaos. But what is this unsettling, alien emotion he’s feeling?
My review:
I didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading this book but I was pleasantly surprised by the quirky characters and crisp writing style. Don is utterly bizarre but also charming in his own way and I immediately warmed to his character. I particularly liked the contrast of Rosie, relatively normal when compared to Don, and her ability to dilute the strange settings they sometimes found themselves in during “The Father Project”. The other minor character, Gene, offered a lot to the story in terms of the science and logic behind both projects and the mechanics of Don’s mindset which, without giving too much away, I thought was key towards the end.
Particularly notable throughout the book are the very witty scenarios, misunderstandings and quirks in Don’s life such as lobster Tuesdays and the hilariously described cocktail incident. These flaws make for a very vivid and fun personality that the reader cannot help but love. By building the complex wife questionnaire we immediately understand and admire Don’s simple and straightforward thinking and this is later repeated in a more elaborate form with “The Father Project”. The author develops several key themes here and expands on the familiar notion of the difficulty in finding a suitable partner and the fact that quite often opposites attract even though we may not in be control of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it doesn’t reflect my usual choice. It was enjoyable and unlike many similar reads I found myself laughing out loud several times and keen to discover the mind of Don Tillman. However, the slow pace and abrupt ending may not suit other readers, an important aspect to consider when deciding to pick up this book.