The Pants Project by Cat Clarke

Liv's just started middle school but is hiding a secret deep down, she knows she's a boy, transgender and hates the school's uniform being sexist that girls have to wear skirts not trousers.

This spurs her on to petition and make a change along with the support of best friends Maisie and Jacob who's own battle is with hyper mobility syndrome while Jade the school bully has her own fun with the situation while the school head has a meltdown when the petition campaign makes the local news!

Her two moms and her brother all accept her for who she truly is as she eventually works up the courage to be the real him and brave coming out in the open about his feelings deep down.

A raw and emotional book about a transgender teen fighting for their belief's and taking a stand. I enjoyed this book and found it interesting with all the history through childhood memories we got to relive as he dealt with his feelings growing up.

I'll Be Home For Christmas by Various For Shelter

This is an anthology of short stories based around various people and their versions of home. The stories range and all feature many things from broken families, new step siblings and parents, being gay and coming out, love and crushes, friendship and work.

From the anthology my favourite was Juno Dawson's Homo For Christmas, a story about coming out to your parents as in his case he has a boyfriend and is very happy with him but is anxious anticipating his mum's reaction.

All for a great cause, homelessness these stories are gripping and hard hitting as well as being fantastic quick reads.

We Are Young by Cat Clarke

When Evan and Billy attend their mum's wedding to Tim, they never expect the night to go how it does.

The evening turns sour when their new stepbrother, Lewis has been in a car crash with strangers and is in intensive care. What's even more strange is that Lewis doesn't ever hang out with anyone else so just who died?

This is a gripping book with mystery being the heart of the story as Evan tries to piece together just why the crash involved all people she knew and just what they were doing together. Evan is a likeable character and also a realistic teenager dealing with sex and relationships alike most teens do along with new step parents to deal with as well. There are references to drugs and suicide raising awareness of how they can go unnoticed but not without consequence.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Girlhood by Cat Clarke

I couldn't believe my eyes when I stopped this book available for review, the latest young adult fiction novel from Cat Clarke!

Having previously read and enjoyed all of Cat's books, I'm so excited to share a review and overview of this book with you all!

Set in Duncraggan Academy, an expensive boarding school, Harper is trying to get on with her life after the death of her twin sister, Jenna who died because of heart failure as a result of a post Christmas diet of Harper's suggestion.

Harper has a key group of friends at the Scottish boarding school, Ama, Lily and Rowan. Kirsty becomes a talked about 'legend' after surviving initiation which the four friends make her undertake as it's essential for new students.

Kirsty and Harper both bond over their shared loss of each one's sister, Kirsty's sister died as the result of a car crash in which Kirsty is now scarred on her body from.

The girls games, truth or dare and the like result in an awkward situation and Rowan and Harper become distanced over Kirsty. Harper really likes Kirsty whilst Rowan seems very off towards her and wary.

The title being Girlhood shows it's true of the novel as we see Harper becoming distanced from her core group of friends as she becomes closer to Kirsty.

However, the truth surrounding Kirsty and her past comes to light and the girls have to help Harper realise before anything can happen to her, after all Kirsty likes shooting at the Clay pigeon's, would she shoot Harper?

You'll have to read it to find out what happens!

In the book, Harper is bisexual and rowan is lesbian, the sexual themes are unique as in older boarding school books I can't recall a same situation where it has been pointed out. Also, the girls are accepted and not outcast for being their true selves. It also shows that death can be a bonding opportunity over recent losses at the same time even though it's a bittersweet deal.

Cat Clarke has written another stellar book and is sure to be an essential teen read this year, pick it up when it's released!