In a Nutshell: Falling in love, taking a stand, and standing tall
Exploring an unforgettable relationship between two young women and obstructive social inequalities, this is a thoroughly thought-provoking, engaging read. I was mightily impressed by the author’s debut Countless, and this confirms her prowess at covering big social and emotional themes with heartfelt depth. Joni’s family is struggling to make ends meet. With her mum working all hours and her dad incapacitated by a bad back, she brings in extra cash with a weekend job at the local library. It’s at the library that Joni meets Annabel, daughter of a big shot businessman and benefactor. Joni has good reason to dislike posh Annabel, but her first reaction soon shifts to overwhelming attraction, a feeling that turns out to be mutual. The scenes in which Joni and Annabel visit each other’s homes are incredibly affecting, with the passion of their first intimate encounters and increasing closeness contrasted with the class chasm that separates them. Their life chances are as different as their life styles. While Annabel has a huge house and an actual lake, Joni’s family is on the brink of being evicted as a result of a corporate buy-out of their estate. As is clear from Annabel’s situation, money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does keep a roof over your head, and so with time running out Joni steps up her involvement in her brother’s campaign to save their estate. Throughout Joni’s spirit and sense of hope are inspirational. Despite the unfairness she and her family must fight in order to survive, she holds onto to the belief that “things can change, if you keep trying”. Highly recommended for readers who like their YA to mix real-life issues with romance, and I loved the twist that makes the political all too personal.
| Primary Genre | Young Adult Fiction |
| Recommendations: |
Skylarks’ gives you a great insight into lives that you never normally think about, with the story creating a picture in your mind.
The story follows Joni a young girl whose trying to hold her family together, with money being tight and her unable to work, everything seems thrown at the family all at once. Joni tries to help her family out by working at the library where she meets Annabel. Annabel is the complete opposite to Joni, yet there’s an unexplainable electricity when there together. However so many obstacles come Joni’s way that she doesn’t know who to trust and is losing faith in everything. When Annabel’s parents find out they clearly believe that some differences are impossible to overcome.
The story was interesting as it incorporated two different walks of life and also explores sexuality.... Read Full Review
a gripping and heart-warming story and I’d really recommend it to anyone my age.
Despite the fact that it’s not a typical book I would read, I really enjoyed this novel.... Read Full Review
This story was equally beautiful and engaging, I really enjoyed it.
This book explores some of the important issues that young adults face today. There is both an LGBT love story and the story of a modern, working class family, which creates balance. Therefore, I would highly recommend this book as I believe that it has something for everyone.... Read Full Review
