Tag: NetGalley

Harry Moon #1: Wand Paper Scissors – Mark Andrew Poe

I’m conflicted about this book. I like the idea of living in a town where it’s perpetually Halloween. I’d previously read another book in this series, Harry’s Christmas Carol, and quite enjoyed that so I had fairly high hopes for this, the first book in the series.

Harry is performing his magic show at his school’s annual Scary Talent Show but Titus, school bully and the evil mayor’s son, has other ideas. Titus is desperate to win and is prepared to do whatever it takes to make Harry withdraw from the show. Add to that a strange mix of magic and Christianity, a talking rabbit and some questionable content.

Quite a few things had me scratching my head including:

  • Why this quote was included in the first place and how it made it through the editing process. Hao was the newbie when he moved to town in the third grade. “Are you black or Asian or Indian or what?” asked Bailey when Hao came into the third grade classroom.
  • When Harry gets told he needs to rise above name calling after telling his parents about the school bully accosting him on his way home from a rehearsal, lifting him into the air and cutting off some of his hair with sheep shears.
  • I’m not sure what 16 year old girl is going to be excited about being a magician’s assistant for a 13 year old boy she used to babysit at his middle school talent show. I’m also not sure how I feel about them kissing.
  • There are multiple obvious Harry Potter parallels, the most obvious of which is the whole wizard in training called Harry thing. Harry also manages to walk past people undetected because he was able to make his cape and anything under it invisible.
  • It’s mentioned that Harry is aware of another boy being physically abused by his father, which is then passed over with Harry thinking about how lucky he is that his father doesn’t hit him. Meanwhile this other kid is wandering around with welts.

Despite my problems with this book I quite liked the illustrations. My favourite was the row of pumpkins, with the one on the end winking.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Harry Moon is up to his eyeballs in magic in the small town of Sleepy Hollow. His archenemy, Titus Kligore, has eyes on winning the Annual Scary Talent Show. Harry has a tough job ahead if he is going to steal the crown. He takes a chance on a magical rabbit who introduces him to magic. Harry decides that the best way forward is to DO NO EVIL and the struggle to defeat Titus, this battle turns epic. 

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Creature Files: Predators: Discover 20 of Nature’s Most Ferocious Hunters – L.J. Tracosas

This is the sort of book I would have loved to borrow from the library when I was a kid. It provides information about 20 predators, including wolverines, bald eagles, polar bears and Tasmanian devils. Readers will learn where each predator lives, their size and weight, and some introductory information about how they live.

Special attention is paid to claws and how each animal uses them, whether for hunting, defending themselves, climbing or burrowing. There are photos of each predator, including a close up of their claws.

My favourite facts were:

In one meal, a full-grown wolf can eat up to 20 pounds of meat – that’s like eating 80 hamburgers.

A grizzly’s claws can be up to 6 inches (15.2 cm) long and as thick as a person’s finger.

Once they sink their teeth in for even a single chomp, the Komodo dragon’s work is done. Their spit contains so many bacteria that even if dinner manages to get away, it’ll eventually collapse from the poison.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker&mayer kids! for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

There’s no need to fly around the world to see the more fearsome predators out there Creature Files: Predators brings them straight to you! Check out incredible animals from the arctic to the savanna.

Don’t make any sudden movements, because from the savanna to the snowy Arctic, vicious predators are poised to pounce! In Creature Files: Predators, you’ll take a tour around the globe, learning about hunters like the lightning-fast peregrine falcon and the elusive snow leopard.

Experience the fascinating world of claws and talons through this guide filled with juicy facts to chew on – like how grey wolves can eat up to twenty pounds in one meal, and the largest land predator (the polar bear) can weigh up to 1,200 pounds. Animal lovers will find plenty of tidbits, such as which creatures are fastest, where they live and what they eat.

With beautiful photos on every page, this interactive tour also includes maps and even three realistic replica claws of some of the world’s most fearsome predators!

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Zen Pencils: Creative Struggle – Gavin Aung Than

Using well known examples from literary, scientific, artistic and musical greatness, Gavin Aung Than has compiled a collection that highlights both the struggles and successes of these creative lives. Comics are used to illustrate quotes from each person. These are accompanied by a short summary of their lives.

The people included in this book faced various struggles including addiction, physical and mental illness, rejection, grief and lack of recognition of their genius during their lives. Despite these, and sometimes because of them, they persevered and have ultimately become known for their creations.

This is the type of book I’d usually purchase as a gift or borrow from the library for myself. However I didn’t encounter a great deal in this book that I wasn’t already aware of. For example, I’m sure most creative people already know the story of how Mary Shelley came up with Frankenstein.

Unfortunately I got put off while reading about Van Gogh, whose life was the first explored in the book. The insensitivity of “He even failed at committing suicide” made my skin crawl.

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I hope this book encourages people to persevere with their creative endeavours with the knowledge that, while there are no success only journeys, the journey is also important. If you don’t at least try you’ll never know what could have been.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Gavin Aung Than, creator of the innovative Zen Pencils, shares his passion for creativity and reveals how you, too, can live a creative life.

Zen Pencils: Living a Creative Life is a call to wake up the creative spirit inside you. Through Zen Pencils cartoon quotes on creativity from inspirational artists, musicians, writers, and scientists, you’ll discover what inspired each of the subjects to reach the full potential of their creativity. In each comic, the speaker of the quote is the character in the story. Imagine cartoon versions of Albert Einstein, Ludwig van Beethoven, Mark Twain, Isaac Newton, and Vincent van Gogh revealing the spark that ignited them to achieve their dreams! 

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The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid – Dylan Thuras & Rosemary Mosco

Illustrations – Joy Ang

Did you know that the marvellous word ‘chocolate’ came from Mexico’s Aztec language?

Can you imagine living in Mongolia and having someone bring a library to you on the back of a camel?

Whether you want to swim in a lake full of jellyfish, enjoy a swing ride in a cooling tower that’s part of an amusement park in the grounds of a nuclear power plant or take a zip line to school, this book has got you covered.

Because of my love for all things weird and wonderful I particularly enjoyed reading the obscure facts about each country you visit in this book. My favourite was:

Iceland has the world’s only school dedicated to the study of elves.

Although this book has added many experiences to my Bucket List, topping it is a visit (or maybe several hundred) to Coromoto’s Ice Cream Shop in Mérida, Venezuela. “About 60 of the 900 varieties are on sale at any given time.” I’m not sure whether I’d actually enjoy spaghetti flavoured ice cream, but I’d love to be able to say I tried it.

Next you’ll find me in an Austrian library. Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (the Austrian National Library) in Vienna has secret passages hidden behind bookcases! I don’t need any more information to sell me on this destination.

The writing style in this book felt like I was listening to a tour guide. At times I can find writing that directly addresses the reader annoying but it worked for me here. I can imagine a young reader trying to picture ten million shrieking bats flying above them in Zambia, then feeling reassured that they’re not on the menu because these bats only eat fruit.

Using size comparisons with objects kids are already familiar with was a great choice. It’s much easier to imagine how huge a blue whale is when you discover it’s longer than two city buses. There’s a good blend of history, culture, geography and mythology in this collection of interesting and quirky destinations.

Joy Ang’s cover illustration was one of the things that drew me to this book in the first place and I really liked the details she incorporated and the different perspectives shown; sometimes I felt I was standing looking across a vista and other times I was granted a bird’s eye view. While I enjoyed seeing all of the people and animals illustrated, some landscapes felt unfinished, e.g., Antarctica’s Blood Falls looked blurry and not that interesting to me, whereas photos of this location made me want to visit. If I read this book with a child I’m sure we’d be Googling photos of each of the locations to continue our exploration.

I managed to snag Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders on Kindle when it was recently discounted and am even more interested in reading it now.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Journey to the World’s Most Mysterious Places

Created by the same team behind Atlas Obscura, the #1 New York Times bestseller that has over 600,000 copies in print in its first year, The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventuruous Kid is a thrillingly imaginative expedition to 100 weird-but-true places on earth. And just as compelling is the way the book is structured – hopscotching from country to country not by location but by type of attraction. For example, visit the site of the Tunguska event in Siberia, where a meteor slammed into the earth in 1908 – and then skip over to the Yucatan, ground zero for the ancient meteor crash that caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs. Then, while in Mexico, tour the fantastical Naica caves, home to crystals ten times larger than the average person – then, turn the page to Vietnam to a cave so vast you  could fly a 747 through it. Illustrated in gorgeous and appropriately evocative full-colour art, this book is a passport to a world of hidden possibilities.

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Ellery Hathaway #2: No Mercy – Joanna Schaffhausen

I fell in love with Bump immediately in The Vanishing Season and now he’s back, shedding fur throughout the pages of No Mercy. Ellery and Reed are back, too. After the events of the first book (you could read this book as a standalone but I’d highly recommend reading them in order) Ellery has been suspended from her job and forced into group therapy with other survivors of violent crimes.

Because this is Ellery she’s not so interested in looking inward because, ugh, feelings! Rather, this is the perfect opportunity to get herself personally involved in the crimes affecting some of the other group members. Ellery starts investigating an unsolved sexual assault, whose perpetrator may be responsible for a number of other assaults. She also manages to get entangled in a historic arson case despite the convicted arsonist having already spent decades in prison.

Naturally Ellery, who is strong, determined and at times petulant, jumps in head first and pretty soon Reed, FBI profiler and the man who rescued her from Francis Coben’s closet many years ago, has joined her in Boston. Even though Ellery basically has Reed wrapped around her little finger I still really like him, or maybe I just want him to cook for me. No matter how much I like Reed he’s a runner up to his adorable daughter, Tula, who’s my favourite human character of this book. Sorry, but no human could ever own a piece of my heart like Bump does!

I loved that there was more of a focus on Ellery and Reed’s relationship in this book. Their initial interactions in the first book were understandably awkward because of their shared history up to that point. While they’re still finding their way they’re more comfortable in each other’s presence and they’re building a more equal relationship, although Reed still feels the need to protect Ellery and Ellery still understandably chafes at physical and emotional closeness with any man, even Reed.

Cover Rant: When I reviewed The Vanishing Season I’d only seen the American cover and thought it was nice enough, if a bit tame as a representation of Ellery’s personality and story. Then I saw the UK version which, pardon the pun, nailed it! The American cover for No Mercy again falls short for me while the UK version shines. The American cover for this book doesn’t give the reader any sense of who Ellery is or what this story is about. I think Ellery would be disappointed that there isn’t anything gritty or honest about this cover. Sure, looking outside the window you can tell that the story has moved to the city, but the matches on the UK cover? They grab my attention and make me want to know more!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to read this book. Please publish the third book soon! I’m hanging off a cliff here waiting to find out what’s next for Reed!!!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Police officer Ellery Hathaway is on involuntary leave from her job because she shot a murderer in cold blood and refuses to apologise for it. Forced into group therapy for victims of violent crime, Ellery immediately finds higher priorities than “getting in touch with her feelings.” 

For one, she suspects a fellow group member may have helped to convict the wrong man for a deadly arson incident years ago. For another, Ellery finds herself in the desperate clutches of a woman who survived a brutal rape. He is still out there, this man with the Spider-Man-like ability to climb through bedroom windows, and his victim beseeches Ellery for help in capturing her attacker.

Ellery seeks advice from her friend, FBI profiler Reed Markham, who liberated her from a killer’s closet when she was a child. Reed remains drawn to this unpredictable woman, the one he rescued but couldn’t quite save. The trouble is, Reed is up for a potential big promotion, and his boss has just one condition for the new job – stay away from Ellery. Ellery ignores all the warnings. Instead, she starts digging around in everyone’s past but her own – a move that, at best, could put her out of work permanently, and at worst, could put her in the city morgue.

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50 Wacky Things Pets Do – Heidi Fiedler

Illustrations – Marta Sorte

I absolutely loved 50 Wacky Things Humans Do: Weird & amazing facts about the human body! so naturally I wanted to read about wacky pets as well.

With information ranging from gross (toads eat the skin they shed) to amazing (salamanders can breathe and drink through their skin) this book provides interesting facts and theories about various furry, feathered and scaly pets.

I think the writing style would be engaging for kids and the bite sized chunks of information get the point across without getting into information overload territory. While I already knew some of the facts, others were new to me. Then there were those that I wasn’t sure if I already knew or not but still found fascinating, including the potential for rabbits to get cavities from eating carrots.

A couple of my favourites facts were:

Goldfish use teeth in their throats to crush their food. They don’t have stomachs. Instead they break up food and absorb nutrients in their intestines.

Chameleon eyes can move independently, so they can look in two different directions at once.

Marta Sorte’s illustrations are so cute! I mean, look at this ferret dancing!

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And this baby seahorse getting ready to chow down!

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There were a few instances in this book where the answer to why animals do a certain behaviour was that we really don’t know or that it may be because of one of several possible reasons. I found this frustrating but other readers probably wouldn’t.

I enjoyed this read and would happily reread it. Overall though, I preferred 50 Wacky Things Humans Do.

Thank you to NetGalley and Walter Foster, Jr., an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Have you ever wondered why your dog chases its tail or how your cat manages to land on its feet every time?

50 Wacky Things Pets Do takes an up-close look at all the weird and funny things our pets do, from dogs snacking on poop and guppies jumping out of tanks, to cats meowing and ferrets dancing happily.

Paired with equally wacky illustrations, 50 wild and incredible facts are presented, along with educational information about each animal’s habits and personality quirks. Whether seriously strange or downright silly, these wacky facts are sure to delight kids while they learn all about pets and their peculiarities.

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Who Are You Calling Weird?: A Celebration of Weird & Wonderful Animals – Marilyn Singer

Illustrations – Paul Daviz

A few years ago I became mildly obsessed with a documentary series called Weird Creatures with Nick Baker. It sparked an interest in wonderfully weird animals I’d never heard of before or knew very little about, so this book essentially jumped out at me.

From the Pacific barreleye with its see-through head to the leafy sea dragon that looks like seaweed, this book provides an introduction to some of the world’s most unusual animals. It even includes a couple of my favourites, the star-nosed mole and the three-toed sloth.

I enjoyed the down to earth, conversational tone of the writing and the focus on conservation and how each animals’ differences help them, e.g., for camouflage or protection. I discovered some animals within the pages that were new to me and learned some interesting facts about some I was already familiar with.

The illustrations were colourful and fun with a dash of quirkiness. I would have liked to have seen a photo gallery accompanying them though (perhaps at the end of the book) as I found myself searching for photos of the animals that were new to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – words & pictures for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Celebrate the weird, wonderful, and the downright bizarre in this compelling compendium of unusual animals. From the green fur of a three-toed sloth, to the pink and wiggly appendage of the star-nosed mole, there’s something new to marvel at on every page.

Delve into the forests, burrow under the ground, and dive into the deep to discover nature’s most peculiar creatures and learn about their behaviour, diet, and habitat, as well as folk beliefs about each animal.

Hidden away in Earth’s forests, caves, and oceans, these creatures might look or behave in peculiar ways but, as you will soon find out, every oddity serves a purpose:

  • The long, skeletal finger of an aye-aye, used by this lemur to tap on trees to locate hollow tunnels where delicious insects hide
  • The barrel-shaped eyes of a Pacific barreleye fish that turn upward to watch for prey above through its transparent head
  • The big, bulbous nose of a proboscis monkey designed to attract mates
  • The armour-like scales of a pangolin that are so tough that even lions and tigers can’t bite through them.

Come face-to-face with the most curious creatures from across the globe, and decide for yourself who’s the weirdest of them all. 

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The Dreamers – Karen Thompson Walker

I really enjoyed this book and I’m still not entirely sure why. I read until 3am and then continued as soon as I woke. I’m guessing it was partly because I found the writing so beautiful and partly because I find human behaviour fascinating and am always interested in seeing how people respond differently to similar circumstances.

It starts at the college. A student goes to sleep and cannot be woken. We follow a variety of people: college students, professors, medical professionals, new parents and preppers as they navigate the progression of a previously unknown illness that’s sweeping through their geographically isolated town.

I felt as though I was watching snapshots of peoples’ lives from a distance. Maybe it was because the narrative circled around so many different people or maybe I failed to make connections I should have but, while I found the writing beautiful in many places, I didn’t feel anything for the people whose lives were being so greatly affected. I liked some of the characters but wasn’t affected when their lives were turned upside down.

I also never felt the expected sense of urgency while I was reading. Perhaps this was intentional as the writing did have a dreamlike quality at times, although I’d been more prepared for a nightmarish feel. The narrative just seemed to waft over me and it read more like a series of character studies than the drama I had hoped for.

While I didn’t feel, I did think. I enjoyed pondering the nature of reality, consciousness, what it means to sleep and dream, how trees communicate with one another and various philosophical debates that reminded me of when I was at university. Thinking my way through this book seemed to help distract me from the fact that a lot less happens in this book than I’d expected.

I spent a lot of the book waiting to find out what the dreamers were dreaming and, while I did get some answers and there were some satisfying conclusions, I was also left with a bunch of unanswered questions. Some people who seemed integral to the story simply faded away without resolution. Rebecca’s story, which I was initially quite interested in, became tedious and annoyed me. Then there was the psychiatrist who I expected to add a lot to the story but didn’t really leave an impression on me.

I think what really kept me glued to the pages were the outcasts. I’m a sucker for people who for whatever reason just don’t fit in and this book had several that I loved. I could have easily done away with a few other characters to spend more time with Mei, Sara and Libby.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

In an isolated college town in the hills of Southern California, a freshman girl stumbles into her dorm room, falls asleep – and doesn’t wake up. She sleeps through the morning, into the evening. Her roommate, Mei, cannot rouse her. Neither can the paramedics who carry her away, nor the perplexed doctors at the hospital. Then a second girl falls asleep, and then another, and panic takes hold of the college and spreads to the town. As the number of cases multiplies, classes are canceled, and stores begin to run out of supplies. A quarantine is established. The National Guard is summoned. 

Mei, an outsider in the cliquish hierarchy of dorm life, finds herself thrust together with an eccentric, idealistic classmate. Two visiting professors try to protect their newborn baby as the once-quiet streets descend into chaos. A father succumbs to the illness, leaving his daughters to fend for themselves. And at the hospital, a new life grows within a college girl, unbeknownst to her – even as she sleeps. A psychiatrist, summoned from Los Angeles, attempts to make sense of the illness as it spreads through the town. Those infected are displaying unusual levels of brain activity, more than has ever been recorded. They are dreaming heightened dreams – but of what?

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Borderlands Volume One: The Anthology of Weird Fiction – Thomas F. Monteleone

DNF @ 24%

I had never heard of ‘weird fiction’ prior to reading this book’s blurb and was immediately intrigued. I usually enjoy stories that have unexpected twists and turns or cover terrain I haven’t encountered before. I love weird stuff!

So it both surprised and disappointed me that this book wasn’t for me. I did enjoy the first story, The Calling by David B. Silva. It reminded me of Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected with its macabre ending, so I had hope for the rest of the stories.

I found the second story so disjointed and jarring that I kept putting off finishing it. I finally decided I had to finish it to get to another story I’d connect with more so I pushed through to the end and then slogged through another three stories. I didn’t like a single one.

Perhaps if I’d read these stories when this anthology was first published in 1994 I would have found them shocking but most of what I read felt either clichéd or bad weird. I acknowledge that I may be missing out on some gems by throwing in the towel at this point (there are some really positive reviews for this book) but I think I can live with that, especially when I read some reviews commenting on the amount of stories featuring women being abused by men.

Whenever I rarely DNF a book I usually feel guilty about it and plan to give the book another shot in the future because I don’t want to miss out on any magic that I didn’t find for whatever reason during my first attempt. I don’t think I’ll be doing that with this book and I’m probably more sad than anything because I was really looking forward to discovering this amazing new (to me) world called ‘weird fiction’.

Thank you to NetGalley and Riverdale Avenue Books for the opportunity to read this book. I really wish I had loved it.

Once Upon a Blurb

It’s hard to believe, but this anthology first appeared 28 years ago. In re-reading the stories in this gathering of the weirdest tales, I am also reminded of how strikingly fresh and original the material remains. 

As its title implies, Borderlands contains fiction that resides out there on the edge, on the perimeter of what’s being done in the field of horror, dark fantasy, and suspense literature. When I solicited material for what I hope will be the first of many volumes, I made it clear I didn’t want stories that employed any of the traditional symbols and images of the genre. I wanted writers to expand the envelope, to look beyond the usual metaphors, and bring me something new. 

Some fresh meat, so to speak. 

So, dig in! 

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I Had Such Friends – Meg Gatland-Veness

Charlie Parker, who was loved by everyone (including his teachers), has died. The entire school has been deeply affected by his death at the beginning of Year 12. Well, everyone except Hamish and his only friend Martin. Hamish hasn’t been the same since a tragedy in his own family years ago and he thinks he knows what Annie, Charlie’s girlfriend and the prettiest girl in school, is going through.

Back then, I thought I was invincible. Back then, I didn’t realise children could die.

It’s a hard book to review for a couple of reasons. Most of the time I didn’t even like the main character, particularly when he kept ditching his only friend because someone more popular was suddenly paying attention to him. I also spent most of the book wondering why a specific character suddenly wanted to spend time with Hamish when they were polar opposites in most respects. This is explained towards the end but, although I liked the other character, I didn’t really take to their unusual friendship. I had guessed a big reveal early on so I didn’t feel the impact of that when it happened.

Some conversations work better in dark rooms where faces are hidden by the quiet.

At times it felt like I was playing YA Social Issue Bingo while reading this book (look at length of my content warnings list if you don’t believe me) but at the same time it was realistic because many high school kids really do have to deal with all of these issues and more.

I appreciated that this book highlights the fact that you really don’t know what is going on in other peoples’ lives. Behind the smile of the prettiest girl in school there could be a world of pain. Beneath the bravado of the star football player there may be secret shame. I wish that these kids had been given help for their problems or at least been able to tell a trusted adult instead of another kid who didn’t know what to do to help.

I loved that not only does the author live in the same county as me but we even live in the same state. For those of you living in America you will probably never understand how wonderful it feels to actually find your local area represented in a book when it happens so infrequently. Whenever I find a book by a local author I always relish all of the minor details.

In this book the distance between places was measured in kilometres and the temperature was in celsius so I didn’t have to convert any numbers in my head as I was reading. A character ate Vegemite on toast for breakfast. I love Vegemite! The beat up car one of the characters drives? I drive one of those! The tar melting on the road and sticking to the bottom of your shoes? Welcome to summer in Australia!

Once Upon a Nitpick: In chapter 15, Hamish and another character go to the beach. It’s specifically noted that the other character leaves his football in the car and Hamish has a little internal monologue about why this is the case, but on the next page Hamish takes a photo of the other person with the football on the beach. However they never go back to the car to retrieve it.

The sentences that addressed the reader only served to pull me out of the story and the repeated use of “As you know” irritated me. For example,

I guess I don’t need to tell you that Martin hated the beach. As you know, he couldn’t really swim, and he didn’t look too great with his shirt off.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pantera Press for the opportunity to read this book. I’m interested in reading this author’s next book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

When Charlie Parker dies, it affects everyone who knew him. Everyone, that is, except for seventeen-year-old Hamish Day, the boy who lives on a cabbage farm and only has one friend. But Hamish soon finds himself pulled into the complicated lives of the people left behind. Among them is Annie Bower, the prettiest girl in school. As he uncovers startling truths about his peers, his perspectives on friendship, love, grief and the tragic power of silence are forever altered.

Meg’s own teaching experience has enabled her to delve deeper into the true nature of a universal high school experience. I Had Such Friends will speak to high school students/teenagers on a personal level, and foster important conversations among Australian youth, school and family culture on issues including abuse, failure and neglect.

With hard-hitting themes including unrequited love, abuse, neglect, sexuality, bullying, prejudice, death and suicide, I Had Such Friends is a poignant journey of self-discovery, grief and the tragic power of silence. A gripping look at adolescent pain with a narrative maturity that accurately reflects its YA milieu, I Had Such Friends resonates with young adult audiences and pushes them to reflect on their own ‘sliding doors’ moment.

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