Review: FLOORED

Disclaimer: eBook copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think the description ‘Breakfast Club meets One Day’ describes this novel perfectly!

Floored is a collaborative novel written by seven of my favourite UK Young Adult authors: Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson and Eleanor Wood. They are the reigning queens of UKYA, and I was so excited when I heard about this book last year. I think it’s an excellent idea to each have an author write a character – there are six characters and one ‘narrator’ who ties up each chapter. 

Our six characters are thrust together in the first chapter, and then they meet up each year after that, and we follow them on one day each year and see how their lives have changed. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book – I loved the time jumps, seeing how the characters developed and which life choices they made, and I also loved how the characters grew up over the typical YA age boundary and broke into university/adult life. This is something I’d love to see more of and I thought the time jumps between each chapter were the perfect vehicle for this.

I thought the format of the book was also the perfect vehicle for exploring issues like the characters’ different living situations, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexualities and disabilities. I loved the diversity in this novel and it didn’t feel shoe-horned in to the story. I also loved how this novel was set in the North of England (Manchester!) – as that is where I am from, and you don’t get too many novels at all set outside of an ambiguous English village or London. 

Considering this book is written by seven different authors, the writing didn’t feel out of place or ‘wrong’ – the book flowed beautifully and was engaging and addictive – I read this book in just over 24 hours, and just needed to know what happened next! I also felt that I could relate to each character – even the not-so-nice ones!

My one gripe would be that I would have liked a lovely definitive ending to tie this book up and I’m not sure I got that.

If you’re a fan of any of the authors involved, or just looking for a fun, addictive YA novel, pick up Floored at your next opportunity. 

 

YALC Reading List Part 10!

With just two weeks to go until the big weekend, we have two more installments of the reading list to go! The final part of the Reading List will be posted next Sunday.

You can catch up on the Reading List here – one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine.

73. Keris Stainton

Book to read: Counting Stars

So I didn’t know I already knew some of Keris’ work – I remember checking out Della says OMG! in a bookstore years ago but have never read any of her work. That should really change. Her most recent work, Counting Stars, sounds like it’s right up my street – Anna, an 18-year-old, moves to Liverpool for a new job with a new flat full of housemates. Then her job falls through and her housemates turn out to be a little mixed-up. Counting Stars was released earlier this year.

74. Martin Stewart

Book to read: Riverkeep

Riverkeep is Martin’s first novel, and has such a beautiful cover! The Danuk is a river, and the Fobisher family have kept it clean for centuries – and Wulliam is due to take over its care in a week’s time. Then Wull’s father is taken under the water and possessed by a dark spirit, and Wull must become the Riverkeep and take care of his father too. Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett.

75. Will Sutcliffe

Book to read: Concentr8

Will’s first YA novel, The Wall, was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize and the Carnegie Medal, but it’s been his most recent novel which has caused quite a stir. It was nominated for the YA Book Prize and has an interesting premise – an ADHD drug, Concentr8, is given to all troubled kids. Five of these kids find trouble when rioting breaks out in London, and they decide to take a hostage. This one sounds so promising, but Goodreads reviews haven’t been great – it’s currently standing at 2.97 so I’ll be unfortunately giving this one a miss.

76. Chris Vick

Book to read: Kook

I’ve seen a lot of hype for this book – it came out in April of this year in the UK and is due for release in August in the US. It’s a coming of age story about a boy, Sam, who moved from the big city to the coast, where there is nothing. He meets Jade, a surfer-girl, and falls in love with her, and surfing itself. Then their relationship barrels towards heartbreak. This one sounds fresh, but I probably won’t get round to reading it before YALC!

77. L.A. Weatherly

Book to read: Broken Sky

Broken Sky was revealed at last year’s YALC and is the first in a trilogy. Broken Sky was released this March, with the second book coming soon. The world L.A. has created is set in the echo of 1940s America and Amity, our main character, lives in a ‘perfect’ world. This sounds so promising, especially as the 1940s is an oft-neglected time period, and I’m a huge fan of YA historical fiction at the moment. L.A. is perhaps more well known for her Angel trilogy.

78. Eleanor Wood

Book to read: My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend

My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend is the story of a geeky girl gaining a rockstar boyfriend – Tuesday Cooper loves studying, music, wants to be a writer and wears vintage clothing from charity shops. She begins a music blog who nobody visits, until Jackson Griffith starts commenting – THE Jackson Griffith, former teen pop god who went off the rails. This sounds like such an interesting premise, one to check out if you’re a fan of Geek Girl!

Next week comes the final installment of the YALC Reading List!

See you then!