What I Read in January

What I Read in January

So, I managed to read 6 books in January which is 15% of my 40 book target for the year. goodreads.com tells me this is 3 books ahead of schedule so hopefully I'll be able to change my challenge to 50 books before the end of 2016. 

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery

The Little Prince on goodreads.com

I started the year with The Little Prince and initially rated it 3*. However after a fortnight I re-rated it as 4*. I did this because the book made a lasting impression on me that surpassed the normal length of thinking about a book after you've read it. I still think about it now after a month. This book is a story I will cherish and pass on to my children (when I have children). It is also great for adults and for those who take themselves too seriously. 

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies on goodreads.com

Once 2016 had started I decided to read a series I got for my 21st birthday in April 2015. I like to wait to read books until I know I'm 'in the mood' and it suddenly occurred to me that it was the right time to read Uglies. Once I started this series I found it hard to put the books down, I recommend this series! Uglies was my favourite book in the series and I rated it 4*. 

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Pretties on goodreads.com

Pretties was the second book in the Uglies series and I loved this book too - giving it a 4* rating on goodreads.com. I was stuck to this book and read it relatively quickly. I loved the characters in Westerfeld's writing as they had great depth and development throughout the story line. The adventure was fun too. 

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Specials on goodreads.com

After reading Pretties, I ended the original trilogy with Specials. I'm not going to lie - I was disappointed with this one. It was an awful, impersonal ending to the trilogy, of which the first two books were amazing. I felt like this book was rushed and clumsy. I rated it 3* because I loved the other two books - however if this was the first in the series I doubt I would have finished the book - never-mind read the entire series in one month. 

Help Me! by Donna M Zadunjsky

Help Me! on goodreads.com

Before I read the final book in the Uglies series, I read 'Help Me!' to review for Netgalley.com. Initially, I didn't like the style of writing but I came to realise it was effective and helped to provide me with an in-depth look at the character's lives and stories they had to tell. I rated this book 3* and I don't think I would read it again - However I would definitely recommend this book to those suffering from self-harm, depression, suicidal thoughts and friends of those struggling. There were messages of hope and recovery in this book that would be helpful for those in the situation. This book isn't one to read otherwise though, and I believe Zadunjsky could have done more with her writing to help those in need. 

Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Extras on goodreads.com

Finally, I ended January reading the last book in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I was hoping for great things in this book and I am happy to conclude that it was better than Specials. The story takes place years after the original series, yet Westerfeld effectively links the two times with the reunion of the Cutters and Tally Youngblood. In this book, we have a new set of heroes and a different world. The City they live in is advanced and their currency is reputation. I enjoyed this book and rated it 4*. (Review coming soon) I was sad to finish this series and the ending was abrupt - I wasn't ready for it. 

Dolphin Song by Lauren St John 

Dolphin Song on goodreads.com

I am concluding January by reading a book that I started months ago and was lent to me by a good friend. Lauren St John writes children's books with inspiring messages in them. She teaches us the value of nature and an appreciation of wildlife that we should never forget. If you love adventure and animals, then these books are definitely for you!  

I hope you all had a wonderful January! Keep reading. 

I will post my February Top Picks tomorrow. Let me know what you read in January in the comments below. I'd love to see what you've been reading. 

Love Charlie, Xx

HELP ME! by Donna M. Zadunjsky Book Review for Netgalley.com

HELP ME! by Donna M. Zadunjsky

First Published: 2015

Publisher: BookBuzz.net

Pages: 126

Rating: 3*

<Disclosure: This is a review for Netgalley.com. I am not getting paid for this review. This review is 100% my true opinions and is not biased in any way. I want my readers to have honest content on my blog>

HELP ME! on goodreads.com

This book is available on Amazon.co.uk for £4.70 in paperback or £2.02 in kindle edition. 

I really wanted to read this book as i thought it would be a development in YA fiction with themes of mental health. I thought the cover was great in terms of warning you of the content within. The subheading, 'Once I slice, it relieves so much pressure, I can breathe, again...' is suggestive also of self-harm and is a good warning to have on the front. I believe this is important for two reasons; firstly, there is no age limit on books in the Library, a child of any age could pick this up. The novella is extremely graphic and, I believe, not suitable for children under the age of thirteen. Secondly, the cover acts as a Trigger warning for those who are affected by the content of the book and want to avoid reading anything that may encourage their downfall of mental health. It acts the same way as 'spoiler alerts' so you can choose whether you want to read the article or not. 

I was a bit afraid to write this review as the book touches some sensitive topics. The main character, Mick, is dealing with trauma - The trauma of his best friend killing himself. Suicide is the most prominent theme within the book closely followed by self-injury. I believe this book is targeted to teens who are affected by self harm themselves, and for those who want to help a friend. This book would also be a good read for those in their final years of High School as it helps to break down false stigma surrounding mental health. It would be a good lesson before the students leave High School and go into a world full of labels and where mental health is profoundly misunderstood. I was very relieved to read that Zadunjsky hadn't glorified the act of self-injury as many others have done. 

This short novella comes to the conclusion that the best thing for you to do in this situation is to get help. Either by informing the sufferer's parents, their school teachers or guidance counselor - and by doing so, you could be saving their lives. Another important message in Zadunjsky's writing is that friends of the victim shouldn't carry a burden or sense of helplessness. They should try to help without feeling that it is their responsibilities. Teenagers are extremely susceptible to keeping everything to themselves and trying to fix the world. However Zadunjsky makes it clear to her readers that when someone is in this situation, they cannot be solely fixed by a friend and outside help is needed. 

Although this book provides us an in-depth view of one person's struggle with self harm, I would hardly say this book was educational. Whether that was the aim or not, I think that if you're going to 'go out on a limb' and talk to teenagers about mental health, there is more you could say in one book. On the otherhand, this is the first book in a series tackling mental health so I don't know what she [Zadunjsky] is going to bring to the table next. Overall, I thought she could have put more recovery strategies in the story to help first-hand sufferers who are reading this novella. 

I appreciated the helpful links in the foreword, and Zadunjsky did give the readers more information of the epidemic of suicides in young people. I cannot stress the importance of this, especially in young adult/teen books as readers are so impressionable and inquisitive at this age. By providing links, you allow teens to access helpful, educational websites rather than their own research which may take them to less helpful sites. 

When I started this book, at first, I found the prose difficult to read... Like a badly translated novel. However, as the book continued I discovered that it was a fast paced book. I read this in less than an hour and it wasn't only because the 126 page length of the book. The sentences were very short and the characters came alive, as though what I was reading was a diary excerpt. I congratulate Zadunjsky in her first Help Me! novella and I hope she continues to provide younger people with insights and information regarding mental health illnesses and issues.  The description of self harm within this book is very real and it is evident that the author has done her research. 

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book, although I don't think I would read it again. I certainly would not pay £4.70 for this book in paperback unless I felt it would help a friend. I would buy it on kindle, but as I said, I don't think I would recommend this book to others. (Unless they were suffering themselves with themes from this book, or they had a friend in this situation.) Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book, I believe it is important for High Schools and Libraries to have a copy of this book as it has helpful links and advice.