Another Life Review

Title : Another Life

Author: Keren David

Release Date: 6th September 2012

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Kicked out of yet another boarding school, Archie couldn’t be happier to find himself back in London with old friends and an exciting social life. But he’s worried about his cousin Ty, who is facing a sentence in a Young Offender Institution and doesn’t seem to be coping. When he begins to learn surprising things about Ty, Archie goes on a mission to discover the truth about his cousin’s part. But who is the real Ty?

Ty is still struggling to fit in anywhere and after being charged with carrying a knife and being sent to a young offender's institute, things seem to go from bad to worse. Can Ty’s cousin Archie help or will he make things worse? What will Archie find out about Ty? Can Ty and his family ever escape from those trying to hurt him?

I was really looking forward to reading ‘Another Life’ as the other two novels in Keren David’s trilogy were brilliant and this one didn't disappoint. With much of the story allowing us to follow Archie, Ty's cousin, the book offers a lot more humour and light heartedness than the previous books. However, it also delves deeper into the dangers of gang culture and all in all the book covers a range of emotions and genres which is what makes it so beautifully constructed.  

All the way through, I sympathised with Ty and Archie which could be down to the first person narratives from their point of views. However, that doesn't mean they don't have character flaws (sometimes their thoughtlessness can put their families in danger). This is another aspect of Keren David's writing that makes her a fantastic author, her characters are believable, they have a varied mixture of emotions and her characterisation is outstanding.

I'm a bit sad that the series has ended and I wondered if Keren David might consider an Archie spin off (hint hint!) as his character was hilarious, so full of life and typically teenage! His attitude is really believable and his friends give the reader a better insight into Archie’s life, both before and after Ty (just as Archie visiting Ty’s home town gives us a deeper insight into Ty’s life before the crime). The way the novel is written definitely ties up a few loose ends from the characters' backgrounds. I think that this is possibly the best book in the series as it offers so much variety and displays Keren David’s talent brilliantly. I would recommend this series to readers who like an adventure and can appreciate good storytelling!

5/5 Absolutely brilliant! A must read trilogy.

When I was Joe Review

With the release of Another Life on 6^th September I wanted to read When I was Joe which has been on my ‘to read’ list since its release! When I was Joe won the Lancashire Book of the Year award in 2011 and I am pleased to say, it did not disappoint!

Title: When I was Joe

Author: Keren David

Release date: 7^th January 2010

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

It’s one thing watching someone get killed. It’s quite another talking about it.

But Ty does talk about it. He names some ruthless people and a petrol-bomb attack forces him and his mum into hiding under police protection.

Shy loser Ty gets a new name, a new look and a cool new image. Life as Joe is good. But the gangsters will stop at nothing to silence him. And then he meets a girl with a dangerous secret of her own.

Ty has witnessed something awful. When he tells the police, things only becomes more horrific as he and his mum have to go into witness protection after his life is threatened. Becoming Joe is strange and Ty’s mum is struggling to deal with their new life. But Ty finds he quite likes being popular Joe.

However, how long can Ty’s perfect life as Joe last when he can’t control his temper and how long will it be before the gangsters track him down?

I really really enjoyed this book. It offers comedy in the form of Ty’s humour and his mum’s young behaviour (I literally laughed out loud when she texted him with ‘wtf’). However, the book has a very serious back bone and I became emotionally involved with Ty and his ‘friend’ Claire. What Ty and his mum go through is truly awful. Not only are they constantly surrounded by the threat of violence from those Ty has accused but their everyday world is turned upside down too.

 Ty’s mum is studying for a degree with the Open University and doesn’t know if her credits can be transferred now that she has a new name. I know how hard my mum is working for her own Open University degree and something as simple as this revealed a new sense of the day to day difficulties of becoming someone else.  It was these little details that made the story totally believable and immersed me in the narrative.

Ty/Joe is a brilliant character. He attempts to withdraw himself emotionally from what is happening but finds that his emotions vent themselves in other ways. Keren David has created a character with lots of depth and I actually felt like I was delving into the mind of a teenage boy.

The reader is drip fed details of the crime that Ty witnessed and this made me want to continue reading to find out what had happened. Throughout the book I came to different conclusions as to what had happened and all were wrong! David’s withholding of information also offers different dimensions to Ty’s character as it is gradually revealed the extent of Ty’s involvement in the crime.

I’ve ordered a copy of Almost True (the second book in this series) from my local library and the first chapter was included at the back of this book but I didn’t want to get hooked before my copy came! An absolutely fantastic book, suitable for anyone who likes brilliant YA literature.

5/5 Give it a go if you haven’t already!

Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery Review

Title: Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery

Author: Keren David

Release Date: 4^th August 2011

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Lia’s mum is a nag, her sister’s a pain and she’s getting nowhere in pursuit of the potentially paranormal Raf. Then she wins £8 million in the lottery, and suddenly everything is different. But will Lia’s fortune create more problems than it solves?

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery- but what’s it really like? Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery will tell you everything you need to know.

Lia is a school girl who has won the lottery and this hilarious story takes you on her journey of fame and fortune. However, she finds her fame isn’t always positive, especially when she is hunted by the press after an unpleasant incident with her friend's Mum!

The novel is definitely chick lit, as Lia has to juggle dealing with an £8 million fortune and her love interest, Raf. I hope however, that this aspect of the novel doesn’t put off male readers as the book is truly funny. Interspersing the tale with key tips on how to behave with new found wealth, such as ‘Keep an eye on the price tags’(read the book to find out why), there is definitely something for everyone within the plot.

When reading this book, it was nice to come across so many cultural references, Lia is truly a modern girl living in modern times, with an interest in getting to know Raf, who everyone is convinced is a vampire (although Lia doesn’t see herself as a Bella Swan).  Lia’s friends Jack and Shaz are also taken along for the ride. Jack is a typical teenage boy, whose main concerns are how to convince his Mum to let him have a motorbike and how to get the girl he likes. Lia finds that her friend Shaz has more going on than she ever expected and struggles to understand her friend’s religious commitments that conflict with her own desire to spend a lot of money. Lia has to deal with the reactions of her friends and family and struggles to determine who wants to be her friend and who wants a share of the cash. Alongside this, Lia realises she needs to start being sensible with the money, not let the fame go to her head and maybe (just maybe) spend the money on something constructive.

Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery introduces some funny characters and some even funnier situations, while Lia attempts to deal with the pressure and her Mum’s request for a boob job - a thought she really, not surprisingly struggles to deal with! I cannot stress enough how much of an easy, light read this book is. Despite the sometimes heavy subject matter, such as bullying and suicide, Lia encounters many of the same problems as any other teen, with one exception… she’s just become a millionaire!

5/5 for hilarity     

Special thanks to Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the copy of the book.