REVIEW: We Are Young

WE ARE YOUNG

by Cat Clarke

Pages: 384

Publisher: Quercus Children's Books

Publication Date: 3rd May 2018

Received From: Quercus Children's Books

On the same night Evan's mother marries local radio DJ 'Breakfast Tim', Evan's brand-new step-brother Lewis is found unconscious and terribly injured, the only survivor of a horrific car crash.

A media furore erupts, with the finger of blame pointed firmly at stoner, loner Lewis. Everyone else seems to think the crash was drugs-related, but Evan isn't buying it. With the help of her journalist father, Harry, she decides to find out what really happened that night.

As Evan delves deeper into the lives of the three teenagers who died in the crash, she uncovers some disturbing truths and a secret that threatens to tear her family - and the community - apart for ever...

It is no secret that I adore Cat Clarke's books and her honest approach to storytelling. However, this is something about this book that is truely special. The story itself is a raw and powerful one that will hit you right in the feels and once I opened that first page I could not put it down. I will say now that this is one of those reviews that isn't going to tell you much about the story but I hope it shows you WHY you need to read this book.

We Are Young is Evan's story after the night her mother marries local DJ Tim. It should have been a happy day but when they get the call Evan's new step-brother has been in an accident everything changes. This book follows Evan as she tries to uncover what really happened that night and why her step-brother, Lewis, was the only one to survive the crash. Although what she finds is more that she could have ever imagined. We Are Young is a gripping and gritty story that will have you flipping through the pages to find out the truth of what happened that night... question is, are you ready to know what really happened? 

We live in a time where women are finding their voice again and there is something about Evan that speaks to the girls of today and tells them that they should never be ashamed to speak up. There is a fearlessness to Cats story telling that leaves a lump in the back of your throat, as a writer she has never shyed away from writing the grit of a story and We Are Young is no exception. Evan is a YA protagonist to be proud of, she is a main character young girls can look up to. A voice that shows people make mistakes, they fuck up but you learn from your mistakes and they don't define you.

There is a huge emphasis on mental health in this book and I'll be honest it was not an easy book to read for me! There are moments that left me with tears in my eyes and my skin crawling but it felt honest and real. There was no sugar coating in this story and We Are Young is one of those books that makes me proud to be a supporter of YA fiction!

Overall I adored this book. It was hard and it was challenging but it has put across a voice that needed to be heard. Evan is by far my favourite main character of Cat's and the story was empowering, chilling, heartwarming and kick ass! I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did and I can't wait to see what awesomeness Cat has in store next. 

**I received this book as an ARC from Quercus Children's Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

REVIEW: An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of Downworld

AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOTABLE SHADOWHUNTERS & DENIZENS OF DOWNWORLD

by Cassandra Clare
Illustrated by Cassandra Jean

Pages: 208

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: November 3rd 2016

A very special anthology that's a must for all fans of the Shadowhunter novels!

Featuring characters from Cassandra Clare's international best-selling novels from the Shadowhunters world including The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, this anthology showcases beautifully illustrated portraits from Cassandra Jean – creator of The Shadowhunter Tarot – alongside never-before-known details from Cassandra Clare about all your favourite characters.

So this review will be kept short but sweet! I won this book is a Maximum Pop! Books giveaway on twitter as part of a shadowhunters bundle and I have to say I'm a little in love with it! I've been on a bit of a shadowhunter binge recently and this is the perfect little companion book for all Cassandra Clare fangirls.

An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of Downworld is a beautifully illustrated account of all your favourite characters from the shadowhunter books. It is split into 5 sections, The Infernal Devices, The Last Hours*, The Mortal Instruments, The Tales From The Shadowhunter Academy and The Dark Artifices, with each part showcasing amazingly drawn portraits and snippets of never before seen facts on the characters. It helps put a face to the name - if your imagination needs a bit of help that is - and it is a wonderful companion to the best selling series.

Overall I would wholeheartedly recommend giving this a read if you, like myself, have a soft spot for the shadowhunting world.

*The Last Hours is Cassandra Clare's next shadowhunter series which is said to be a sequel to The Infernal Devices. CLICK HERE for more information on the upcoming trilogy.  

REVIEW: The Bone Witch

The Bone Witch

by Rin Chupeco

Pages: 400

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: March 7th 2017

ISBN: 1492635820
Received From:  Sourcebooks Fire 

Summary 

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.
In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.
Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!

Review

This is probably one of the trickiest reviews I have had to write in a while because I'm stick between my head and my heart when it comes to my opinion. The balance between the writing style and the story. There is a list as long as my arm of things I loved about The Bone Witch but that can be said for the things that frustrated me. So I've decided to set this review up a little differently to normal, it will have the same stuff as always, but I think the best way to get across how I felt reading The Bone Witch is with a good old pros and cons. 

However, first things first the story! The Bone Witch follows Tea as she discovers she has the power of necromancy which is the rarest of form of magic and it makes her potentially a very powerful Asha. Asha's are like witches, they have magic to them and through years of apprenticeships they learn to hone their crafts. Tea and her newly resurrected brother Fox are taken from their quite lives and moved to the Willows to start Teas training. She has power inside her the Asha have not seen in a long time but can she use it to protect the ones she cares about? 

The Characters

Pros - I loved Tea and Fox's relationship. The Dark Asha and her familiar... serious feels!! Tea on her own however took a little time to grew on me but it was the moment she wanted to help her male friend become and Asha that won me over. I'm a big fan of any female (fictional or not) that can't understand what is wrong with a boy wearing a dress! He looked fabulous and I really started to admire her from then on. The majority of the characters made me laugh, they were believable and that definitely helped enhance the story. 

Cons - I only really have one when it comes to the characters and that is Tea starts the book as a 12 year old and I really struggled with that. By the end she is still only 15 and as a slightly older reader - e.g. no longer a teenager - it was hard to connect with her at times. 

The Story

Pros - The fundamentals of the story were really interesting. A young girl desperately claws at the ground and lost in her grief does the unimaginable. She brings her dead brother back to life and in hand sets herself on a path no one could have imagined. The use of runes to cast spells gave me shadowhunter vibes that I LOVED but instead of using their skin the marks dance threw the air and on the ground in a unique and exciting manner. I also want to quickly mention the heartglasses, they are a beautiful idea where the author took the notion of wearing your heart on your sleeve and made it her own. I'm not sure how I would feel with my heart on display for the whole world to see but it made for a lovely addition to the story. It was able to keep my interested from start to finish and I DO want to know what happens next (no matter what I say next). 

Cons - The story is told from two different time frames, one where Tea is an Asha Apprentice and the other is when she is 17. Now to begin with I wasn't sure I liked the split time frame because we didn't know Tea well enough to really care about what she was doing 5 years from now. However, that passed by the second third of the book and I quite looked forward to seeing what was happening at the end of each chapter. BUT at the end of the book Tea is still only about 15 so there was no real conclusion to why she is the way she is now. I understand that it is being left open for book 2 but I think I would have preferred if time had caught up with itself and we were going into the second book with all the information. As it is, yes I want to read book 2 but I'm left slightly dishearten by the end of The Bone Witch. As if it was working up to something that never happened. 

The Writing

Pros - Whatever I say in the cons part below I want to point out that the actual writing style is effortless!! It is easy to read and the story flows without problem.

I once heard an Irish actor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers I think but don't hold me to that) say something along the lines of, Irish people will use 10 words when you only really need to use 3. Which is what came to mind when I was reading this book. But even with all the extra parts it didn't actually take away from the natural flow of the book. 

Cons - The book could easily have been 300 hundred pages rather than 400 if we had simply cut out all the unnecessary descriptions. I really do understand painting a picture but this was like painting the picture, the frame, the wall and the dog! Trust that the reader has enough imagination to read between the lines! It is a common issue I've had with books recently that the author feels the need to point out every little thing that is going on and it can be frustrating. Sometimes I can overlook it because the books not all that good BUT The Bone Witch is a good book!!! Its got everything it needs to be amazing which is why this particularly frustrated me. 

Overall I've giving this book 3 out of 5 because it has everything i'd expect and more. The issues I have with it are more irritations than flaws as they distract from the story but they don't make it bad. I'm a strong believer that a good story can out weight a lot of things and I did enjoy The Bone Witch. I just feel personally that it could have used a little more refinement but overall I would recommend it! 

**I received this book as an ARC from Sourcebooks Fire to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

INTERVIEW: Kendare Blake

Q&A with Kendare Blake

Author of Three Dark Crowns

What was the inspiration behind Three Dark Crowns?

A bee swarm. I was at a book event in Oregon in 2013, just before Antigoddess came out and there was like, a ball of bees in a tree. Literally, a ball made of bees. Hundreds and thousands of them.  Lucky for us, there happened to be a beekeeper there, who assured us we were safe, and told me all about bees, that there was a queen in the center of the ball, and that was who they were trying to protect, and that the queen probably laid her queen eggs back at the old hive, and when the new queens hatched they would kill each other for the right to take over.

I thought that was delightfully brutal, and HAD to do it to people.

You have 3 very strong protagonists, what was the most challenging part to making them all individual?

Thankfully, they sort of took care of that themselves. I thought at the start that I would have a favorite. That one sister would become the lead protagonist over the other two. But it didn’t happen. They all have their strengths, and weaknesses. Their admirable qualities. Their…less than admirable qualities. And I found I couldn’t choose between them.

Readers though, seem more able to pick sides. But not the same side! I get messages about Team Mirabella and Team Katharine, and Team Arsinoe. Even Team Jules, who could really be considered a fourth protagonist.

What would you say Katharine, Mirabella and Arsinoe’s strongest and weakest qualities are?

Mirabella’s strongest quality is her love for her sisters. Of course it’s also her biggest problem, as it’s in direct conflict with her desire to fulfill her responsibilities to the island as its Chosen Queen.

Arsinoe’s strongest quality is her inner stubbornness. It goes hand in hand with her staunch loyalty to her friends and foster family. Her biggest weakness would be her somewhat fatalist attitude…that she was born to lose so the only thing to do is be pissed about it and cause a little trouble. But she’s working on that.

Katharine’s strongest quality would have been her desire to please. She very much wanted to make Natalia proud, and do what was expected of her. But after what happened to her over the course of the book…I think we’ll see a whole host of new strengths from Katharine.

How did you come up with the idea of Fennbirn?

The concept of Fennbirn borrows heavily from the legend of Avalon. The protective mists and the association with mystical women. The society of Fennbirn followed logically from the inspiration of the bee hive: in that it is matriarchal.

Speaking of Fennbirn, there is a strong emphasis on female empowerment throughout the book with the women on Fennbirn holding all the power. Why was that?

It lended itself rather naturally from the original inspiration of the bee hive. Ruled by a queen, filled with female workers. I was very excited to write about a matriarchy, a government and a society that had always been dictated by women, and contrast it with the patriarchal suitors from the mainland.

Who was your favorite character to write and why?

I love to write the animals. So Hank the rooster was fun, and Camden the cougar. The poisoners were probably my favorite society to write about. And Billy, the first mainland suitor, was surprisingly fun, too.

The UK publication of Three Dark Crowns saw a cover for each Queen, out of curiosity, which is your favourite cover?

I actually love Katharine’s. The snake. So cute. But I have loved all of the covers for Three Dark Crowns. The German cover is striking, and on a white background, and the Persian cover is very graphic novel-like. And of course I love the US cover as well.

If you had a gift would you have an elemental, poisoner or naturalist?

Naturalist. I want an animal familiar, and also, I really want to be able to ripen my avocados and stuff whenever I want.

If you could pick anyone, whom would you cast as the three queens in a movie adaptation?

Oh, that’s a hard question. I’m better at casting the supporting adults. Like, it would be cool to see Anna Torv from Fringe somewhere, Natalia maybe, or Madrigal.

For the queens though….Mirabella needs intense emotion and solid beauty, but with a sweetness to her. Katharine should be delicate, with innocence and an edge. Summer Glau, ten years ago maybe. Or a young Eva Green. And Arsinoe has to be tough and contrary, who keeps their vulnerability hidden. Dye Shailene Woodley’s hair, maybe.

Lastly, if you could describe Three Dark Crowns in one sentence what would it be?

Triplet sisters with powers; whoops only one can rule.

THREE DARK CROWNS

by Kendare Blake 

Pages: 405, paperback

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Publication Date: 22nd September 2016

ISBN: 1509804552
Received From:  Macmillan Children's Books via Netgalley

Summary 

Three sisters. One crown. A fight to the death. 

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions. 

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn't solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it's not just a game of win or lose . . . it's life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. 

The last queen standing gets the crown.

CLICK HERE 

FOR MY REVIEW 

A MASSIVE thank you to Kendare for doing this! When I finished reading Three Dark Crowns I had so many questions about how the book came about and I'm sure I'm not the only one! I hope you enjoyed the Q&A as much as I did lovelies, as always leave your comments below. 

REVIEW: The Shadow Cabinet

THE SHADOW CABINET

by Maureen Johnson

Pages: 374, paperback

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Publication Date: 5th February 2015

ISBN: 1471401804
Received From:  Hot Key Books

Summary 

Grieving, shaken, and feeling very much alone, Rory's life as a member of the Shades of London has changed irrevocably. It's only been a matter of hours since Stephen was taken from her, possibly for ever. Her classmate Charlotte is still missing, kidnapped by the same people who tried to take Rory. Rory is no longer a schoolgirl haplessly involved in the dealings of a secret government unit. She is their weapon in a matter of life and death. 
With hardly a moment to think for herself, Rory is back to work. Charlotte must be found -- as must Stephen, if he is even out there. Lines must be drawn and forces rallied. Something is brewing under London, something bigger and much more dangerous than what has come before. The Shadow Cabinet holds the key to everything, and it is up to Rory to unravel its mysteries before time runs out... 

Review

**Spoilers if you haven't read the second book**

I started this series when I was still in college about five years ago now and I remember being terrified! The ghosts that haunted the streets of London literally were the thing of nightmare so when the second book came out, The Madness Underneath, I was hooked instantly. The ghosts may not have been quite as terrifying as the Ripper, who had made me cringe, but they were still scary. However, the reason I loved book two so much was that we go more of our all seeing ghost busting team! Saying that the ending of the second instillment broke me and when Hot Keys sent me the third book I couldn't bring myself to read it. With Stephen dead I didn't know if I really wanted to read on but after almost two years I finally picked The Shadow Cabinet off the shelf and started reading.

The Shadow Cabinet continues where we left on in The Madness Underneath. Stephen has just died, Charlotte is missing and the whole of London is on the hunt for Rory. This instalment of The Shades of London sees the team tackle the ghosts of their pasts and opens up a whole new world with the introduction of Sid and Sadie. These two gruesome characters are the reason behind Jane's madness and why she's so desperate to get hold of Rory. With ghosts old and new and a vital member of the team gone will this ghost busting team make it to the end of the book? Only one way to find out. 

""We see people come back all the time," I said.

"No. We see people who didn't leave. There's a big difference.""

Much like The Madness Underneath the ghost element that had scared and entranced me so much with The Name of the Star was missing and I was a little disappointed. Yes, there were ghosts and odd moments that felt like it was drawing on the foundations of the original book (especially in the second half) but it was mostly focused on one thing... Jane. In the second book Jane kidnapped Rory's 'friend' Charlotte and at the start of this book the hunt is on to find her. The whole story felt more about the people rather than the ghost to me and without Stephen and Rory and Callum not talking it really didn't grip my attention the way I hoped. 

There were new elements introduced to the series however, with more information into Jane's background, all things occult and a little firecracker named Freddie who tries to integrate into the ghost hunting team. Although With Stephen gone its not exactly the best timing at I can totally see why Callum doesn't approve as it feels a bit like they are trying to replace Stephen. The story line as a whole is good although it may not have been all I hoped for it still kept me interested and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. 

I'll admit the first part dragged on a bit but I love the series so much and I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. The second half was much more like the Shades of London books we've come to know and love and if you haven't yet read it I would recommend it. I won't say too much else as I don't want to give the game away but when book 4 is realised (as far as I know there isn't a title yet, but I will keep you posted) I will be reading it. Although unlike with the others I think I'll be reading more out of curiosity than seer excitement. Worth a read if you haven't already, as I do have high praise for the rest of the series. 

**I received this book as an ARC from Hot Key Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

REVIEW: Carry On

CARRY ON

by Rainbow Rowell

Pages: 518 (paperback)

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date: February 25th 2016

ISBN: 1447266943
  

Summary 

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who's ever been chosen
That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. 
Half the time Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here - it's their last year at Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up. 

Review

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a massive Rainbow Rowell fan! I can't even pretend I don't fangirl over her and when it came to Carry On I was so excited to sit down and read it. Fangirl is my all time favourite contemporary read and when it was released that Rainbow was writing the book Cath spent so much time swooning over I couldn't help but do my happy dance... yes there really is a dance. I wasn't able to get around to reading Carry On when it first came out due to uni commitments but I FINALLY get to share my thoughts on Rainbow's latest books... there will be gushing, you have been warned.

"Sharing a room with the person you want most is like sharing a room with an open fire."

Carry On follows the narratives of a group of wizards, also know as mages, as they try to complete their last year at Watford. However, Watford isn't any normal school it is a school where magic is taught and magical greatness is made. Over the last six years Simon Snow and his roommate Baz have tried to kill each other countless times and the reason for this is simple. Baz is evil and Simon is the 'chosen one' - even if he is useless at the job! However, in their final year at Watford everything changes and as in any good 'chosen one' tale there is a big bad wolf character out to blow down the world of mages... his name... the humdrum!

Okay, so to start with I wasn't actually that sure about Carry On and being a massive fan of Rainbow that is really hard to say. It felt a little on the babbley side and I struggled to get into it.

HOWEVER, it may have taken me a month to read the first 150 pages, I read the other 368 in less than twenty-four hours. I think the reason for this is that to begin with there is a lot of setting the scene (and rightly so) because as a reader we have to be filled in on the last 6 years of these characters lives before we can really get to the present day. But once I hit book two - it's in four sections - I was hooked and didn't want to put it down. I NEEDED to know what Simon and Baz where up to and that is one of the signs of a great writer.

The story does have a Harry Potter element to it, I mean HP has filled our lives - and hearts - for the last decade and a bit, so any story about witches and wizards at a wizardry school sparks comparisons. You also have the orphaned chosen one and school nemesis from a well known wizarding family. However, saying that there is a lot of originality to Carry On, especially when it comes to the way Rainbow creates magic. Rainbow plays with words, with her magical language built up of cliches and well known phrases. The theory behind the magic being the normals (that's us muggles by the way) give words meaning and the more they say certain saying the more power they give them. Things such as, Carry On, Take a Break Have a KitKat and even old nursery rhymes are spells and I have to say I loved that! Rainbow isn't an english author however, the continuity was perfect and the references were relevant which made me smile... especially the little nod to Ant and Dec!

The parts I really want to swoon over are total spoilers so I'm not going to say too much more. What I do want to talk about though is BAZ. Keeping in mind I'm now 24 it feels a tad strange gushing over an eighteen-year-old vampire but thats just what happened. Baz is one of the funniest and most sarcastic bastards I've ever read. He's a hat tilt to all the misunderstood baddies we've come to love to hate and he's just this bundle of sarcastic yummieness.

Overall though I really did love this book, yes it had a rocky start in my opinion but once I got into it it was perfect. Carry On is a love letter to fan fiction and just reading it you can see how much the author loves books. The references as perfect and the little nods to other well know books are effortless and respectful. I'm so happy Rainbow decided Simon and Baz's story needed to be told after Fangirl because as well as being a great stand alone book I also now understand Cath from Fangirl better. Mostly because I'm now fangirling with her!

"I know Simon and I will always be enemies...
But I thought maybe we'd get to a point where we didn't want to be." 

Tour Post: MY HEART & OTHER BLACK HOLES

MY HEART & OTHER BLACK HOLES

by Jasmine Warga

Pages: 320 (paperback)

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Publication Date: 12th February 2015

ISBN: 9781444791532
Received From:  Hodder Children's Books

Summary 

Aysel and Roman are practically strangers, but they've been drawn into an unthinkable partnership. In a month's time, they plan to commit suicide - together.

Aysel knows why she wants to die: being the daughter of a murderer doesn't equal normal, well-adjusted teenager. But she can't figure out why handsome, popular Roman wants to end it all....and why he's even more determined than she is.

With the deadline getting closer, something starts to grow between Aysel and Roman - a feeling she never thought she would experience. It seems there might be something to live for, after all - but is Aysel in so deep she can't turn back? 

Review

"You aren't allowed to die without me."

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this book from Hodder Children's Books for review and I can’t thank them enough! My Heart & Other Black Holes is a stunningly written book that is both unique and heart-wrenching. I couldn't put this one down! It gripped hold of me from the very first chapter and didn't let me go until the very last page - and even then I didn't let go. 

My Heart & Other Black Holes tells the story of Aysel and Roman. Both teens have had a rough couple of years and its become too much for them. This isn't the typical YA book, it's the story of how these two teenagers came together and decided they wanted, no scratch that, needed to die. Both Aysel and Roman have different reasons to wanting to end their lives, but this is one very strong connection between them and that's family or more accurately, what happens to you when the unimaginable happens to the people you love. 

For me personally it was the character's the really made this book. Yes, the story was interesting but it was the richness of the these two characters that drew me in and had me holding my breath. It was this idea that depression isn't always visible. We've constructed and idea of what it means to be ‘depressed’. I mean you hear it all the time don’t you? "Oh god, she looks so depressed!" or "Why is he so depressing all the time?"  But it's not that simple, and Roman’s character shows that perfectly. On the surface Roman has everything, but there's this illness inside him that he can't escape. I think that's what I love about this book, it's that it is real and relatable. Even if you haven't suffered to these extremes you can connect with the characters and that makes them come to life. 

My Heart & Other Black Holes is one of those books that stay with you well after you've read that final sentence. I wish I was able to travel back in time and give a copy of this book to my 16 year-old self. I'd recommend this book to anyone, but if you feel like or have ever felt like you just can't cope then this is a perfect book for you. 

Overall I can't praise Jasmine enough for this book. It's everything a story like this should be and it is one of those books I'm proud I got to read. It's not sugar coated, there are no rose tinted glasses, just raw emotion and beautifully written sentences. 

**I received this book as an ARC from Hodder Children's Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.** 

Online Forums

by Jasmine Warga

So complete disclosure: I didn’t actually visit any online suicide forums when I was writing the novel. Those types of websites are dark and destructive and toxic and so I didn’t want to give them any traffic, but I knew of their existence from articles in the paper I had read. (I also felt very strongly about making the online suicide forum in the book fictional for the reasons above.) All that said, I think those darks corners of the Internet are so complicated because I very much understand the need to find and connect with other people who are feeling the same way that you are. Obviously I am not advocating for finding a suicide partner online, but rather explaining that I understand the popularity of certain problem-driven tags on websites such as Tumblr for example. I know what it’s like to feel like no one in your life understands what you’re feeling or going through, and to desperately want to find another human being to which you can relate.
In lots of ways, I think I wrote the book to explore those murky and complicated facets of the Internet. The Internet gives us the ability to connect with people we never would’ve before had the opportunity to meet. This is an amazing thing. It can put us in contact with people who may understand how we are feeling. But it can also put us in contact with people who may be a negative influence or with whom we may develop a toxic and destructive relationship.It is such a complicated question of whether two people who are suffering from the same affliction—be it anorexia, suicidal ideation, self-harm—can help each other by forming a relationship in which they share their feelings or whether that relationship is doomed to be toxic. Maybe with the correct supervision (such as group therapy) these relationships can be beneficial because sometimes there is nothing more precious than knowing someone understands exactly what you are going through; or maybe these relationships will only ever deepen and heighten the problems that pre-existed the relationship. I don’t have the concrete answer to that, and I also don’t think my book has the answer to that. Rather it’s a question I was interested in raising and I’m hoping my book will open up discussions about this issue.
I do believe human connection and communication are integral and very important. Communication can often be lifesaving. And the modern world we live in is full of so many wonderful advancements that make it easier than ever to communicate and connect, but those advancements have also brought on lots of new questions. And so to that effect, I’m interested in writing books that ask those questions, not necessarily books that give answers.

Q&A with Jasmine Warga

author of My Heart & Other Black Holes

What was the inspiration behind My Heart & Other Black Holes? I started to write the book after the death of one of my closest friends and my grief served as chief inspiration. But while the novel stemmed from grief, to me, it’s really a book about love (in all its forms, especially self-love) and the importance of human connection.
 Did you have to do a lot of research for the book being as it’s such a serious subject? I actually didn’t. I mostly wrote from my own heart, gut, and experiences. The book isn’t meant to be a full study of depression, but rather a singular story about two individual people who are struggling with mental illness. All that said, my editor did have the finished manuscript reviewed by a psychiatrist and I was so happy when he said he found the book to be authentic, thoughtful, and responsible.
 What’s the one song that can always shake your bad mood?
 Is it cliché of me to say Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”? But that’s been my go to song for that recently :)
 Who was your favorite character to write and why?
 Probably Aysel for the sheer reason that I know her better than any of the other characters since I spent several months inside her head. She was my narrative companion and so I feel the closest to her. If you could pick anyone, whom would you cast in a film adaptation? Yikes! This is so hard because I’m not that familiar with many actresses and actors. I’m not sure…I really would just want two people who would try to bring the story to life with authenticity and passion. I know this is a cop-out, but if I was ever so lucky to see the book made into a movie, I’d trust the casting director!
 What three books would you recommend to readers of My Heart & Other Black Holes?
 I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson (mostly because it’s one of my most favorite books ever and got me through a really difficult period in my life), Weetzie Bat (because it’s my favorite YA book from when I was younger), and The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood because I recommend it to everyone and I want every person in the world to read it because it’s beyond amazing. What was it about this particular subject that made you want to write a book? In other words, why teen suicides? I don’t think that there was ever a moment where I sat down and decided to write a teenage suicide novel. Rather, Aysel’s voice came to me, and I became fascinated with her character, and it’s her voice and character that led me to this story. But now that it’s finished, I feel really passionate about speaking out about suicidal ideation and depression in hopes of reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness.
 What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you? Two things—the first being seeing a project through to the end. I’m notorious for giving up on things at the midway point. It’s hard for me to stay interested enough in a story to finish it. And second, endings. I find endings to be really hard as both a writer and a reader.
 In one sentence tell us why we should read My Heart & Other Black Holes? Ah! Another tough question! I guess I would love for readers who enjoy darker, quirkier stories with a dash of romance to give it a shot.
 Lastly describe your book in five words… Go! 
Quirky. Heartrending. Kinetic. Love. Understanding.