The #YAtakeover 2.0 Schedule

The #YAtakeover takes place from the 19th August until the 21st August 2016. All of the times are in BST (British Summer Time). Times will differ depending on country. +1 hour for GMT.

19th August 2016

Bullying in YA

 

Time: 7.00pm-7.45pm BST

Interview panel: E.R. Murray, Eve Ainsworth, Jenny McLachlan and Susin Nielsen

Host: @ChelleyToy

 

Some of your favourite YA authors will be discussing the various kinds of bullying from different viewpoints and the affects on the victim. 

The Big Fat YA Quiz

Time: 8.00pm-10.00pm BST

40 questions on YA lit including book cover questions, quotes, emojis and more. Be the first to reply to the question with the #YAtakeover hashtag, answer the most questions and you'll win a bumper YA prize (UK and Ireland only) which will include copies of:

• C. J. Skuse's The Deviants,
• Taran Matharu's The Novice,
• Manuela Salvi's controversial Girl Detached (advance copy),
• Leo Hunt's 13 Days of Midnight,
• Sarra Manning's London Belongs to Us and
• Lucy Saxon's Take Back the Skies

20th August 2016

LGBT: You Be Who You Want to Be

 

Time: 9.00-9.45am BST (+1 hour for GMT)

Interview Panel: Lisa Williamson
Host: @YAundermyskin

Lisa and Robin discuss sexual identity and being true to yourself as well as some of key themes in their award-winning books.

Supernatural Seduction

Time: 10.00am-10.45am BST

Interview Panel: Julia Gray, Katharine Corr and Lu Hersey

Julia, Katharine and Lu discuss the myths in their stories and how these shape their writing.

  

Where do you read?

Time: 11.10am-11.50am BST

Where do you read? Post pictures of your favourite reading spots across Instagram and Twitter, using the #YAtakeover hashtag. Bookshops, parks, beaches and more - we want to know! There will be a book prize for the most unusual reading spot and the most creative picture. We may throw in another spontaneous prize or two on the day. You can post as many times as you like. 

'It's Behind You': Horror in YA

Time: 12.00pm-12.45pm BST
Interview Panel: Alex Bell, Danny Weston and Dawn Kurtagich
Host: @HowlingReviews

Our panellists discuss the different kinds of horror and what inspires them to write for the genre.

Peer Pressure in YA

Time: 1.00pm-1.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Claire Hennessy and Patrice Lawrence
Host: @Jenny_books_art

Debut authors Claire and Patrice discuss peer pressure and the impact it has on their characters and stories, exposing and exploring issues that include body image, crime and drugs.
   

Unheard Voices

Time: 2.00pm-2.45pm BST
Interview Panel: Alex Wheatle, Jon Walter and Robin Talley

 
Two acclaimed authors discuss representation in YA fiction, covering the challenges and obstacles they have faced in their careers and those that exist in the wider field.

YA Thrillers 

Time: 3.00pm-3.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Emma Haughton, Liz Flanagan and Sue Wallman
Host: @ohhiimjosh

We unearth the relationships between friends and family and the emotional aspects of Liz's and Sue's stories and how they channel this into pulse-pounding, thrilling narratives.

Let's Talk Depression in YA

Time: 4.00pm-4.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Jay Asher
Host: @HowlingReviews

'13 Reasons Why' was published almost a decade ago and it's never been more relevant. We'll look at depression in this panel and try to unearth why this iconic book has stood the test of time. 

Hope and Resilience

Time: 05.00pm-05.45pm BST
Interview Panel: Eliza Wass and Jeff Zentner
Host: @HowlingReviews

Eliza and Jeff explore hope in their stories and the resilience of their characters.

Blood is Thicker than Water
 

Time: 6.15pm-7.00pm BST

Interview Panel: Clare Furniss, Ellen Hopkins, Liz Kessler and Sarah Crossan
Host: @AnnaliseBooks

Our panel discusses four very different family portraits.

'To Infinity and Beyond'
 

Time: 7.15pm-8.00pm BST
Host: @yablooker

 

Join us for a Twitter chat on Sci-Fi in YA with our special guest, Meaghan McIssac.

21st August 2016
 

Dazzling Debuts

 

Time: 9.00am-9.45am BST

Interview Panel: Alwyn Hamilton and Lauren James
Host: @demoniqueshadow

 

Alwyn and Lauren take us through 'Rebel of the Sands' and 'The Next Together',  their writing techniques and their experiences as debut authors.

 

 

Growing up and Moving out

Time: 10.00am-10.45am BST

Interview Panel: Alexia Casale and Keris Stainton

Host: @ChelleyToy

Alexia and Keris explore university and beyond (and the challenges their protagonists are faced with) in this discussion on coming-of-age YA.

Tech in YA

Time: 11.00am-11.45am BST
Interview Panel: Amy Alward and Keren David

Our panel discusses technology in their work and how this impacts on their stories and themes.

Rude, Crude and Uncouth: The Shouldn'ts, Couldn'ts and Wouldn'ts of YA Lit
 

Time: 12.00pm-12.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Jess Vallance, Manuela Salvi and Moira Fowley-Doyle

Our panel looks at taboo and censorship in YA.

Ha ha ha: The Funny Side of YA
 

Time: 1.00pm-1.45pm BST

Join us for a Twitter chat on humour in YA; why it's important and reading recommendations with special guest

Everybody Say Love!
 

Time: 2.00pm-2.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Joss Stirling
Host: @cityofyabook

Our panel discusses love in YA.

#SundayYA book club

Time: 3.00pm-3.45pm BST

Host: @_babblebooks

Rachel leads this joint book club with the YAfictionados. Our first YA read is 'Paper Butterflies' by Lisa Heathfield. Join in using the #SundayYA hashtag (just for this book club segment).

Keep your Friends Close

Time: 4.00pm-4.45pm BST

Interview Panel: C. J. Skuse and M. G. Reyes

C. J. and M. G. discuss lies, betrayal and friendship in this nail-biter panel.

The Affects of War

Time: 5.00-5.45 BST
Interview panel: Brian Conaghan and Michael Grant
Host: @ChelleyToy

Our panel looks at war, the affects and the scars it leaves behind.

What is Normal?

Time: 6.00pm-6.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Eric Lindstrom, Louise Gornall and Siobhan Curham
Host: @zarinatweets

Is there such a thing as 'normal'? And if so, what does it mean to be anything but 'normal'? Join our panel as they provide insight into an incredible deconstruction on the idea of 'normal'.

Fantastic Fantasy

Time: 7.00pm-7.45pm BST

Interview Panel: Melinda Salisbury, Samantha Shannon and Taran Matharu
Host: @Lottie_LovesB

Why fantasy? What inspires you? How do you create your worlds? Join our panel as they share their passion and enlighten us to some of the challenges associated with writing fantasy.

There will be tons of giveaways throughout the event across Twitter and Instagram. To be in with a chance of winning, follow us on Twitter @YAfictionados and on Instagram yafictionados. We will feature blog posts, giveaways, Twitter chats and interviews so be sure to mark this event in your calenders.

What I learned from the Lancashire book of the year award

This weekend, I had the absolute honour and privilege to be involved with the Lancashire book of the year award. For those of you that don’t know, the shortlist and the winner are all selected by young people. Chaired by Jake Hope, the young people spoke about their initial impressions, feelings and thoughts on the shortlisted titles. Jake was fantastic at facilitating healthy debate between the students and really digging deep to the root of why they liked and championed particular books.

Young Adult (YA) literature, in recent years, has covered some hard-hitting subject areas including sex, rape culture, mental health and war and the shortlisted titles this year really echo this darker content in showcasing themes ranging from terrorism to horror. Each of the titles on the shortlist exhibited different issues that challenged the young people which became apparent in the two author panels; Jake chaired an author panel that explored the horror genre (with Alex Bell, Leo Hunt, Simon Cheshire and William Hussey) while I chaired a panel that explored the representation of teenagers in YA literature (with Carla Spradbery, Eleanor Wood, Jeannie Waudby and Sarah Mussi).

This was the first time I had participated in an event with young people and I was struck by just how honest and articulate the judges were. To quote David Bowie: “children… as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of what they're going through...” This was evident in the judging process. The judges didn’t hold back on what they thought but more admirable still were the advocates that stuck to their guns and defended the titles they loved in front of twenty-four of their peers. We have this perception at times that we know what is best for young people. We think we need to censor stories and monitor how we speak to them but as shortlisted author, William Hussey said in his author panel, the worst thing you can thing is to speak down to and patronise young people. Young people are well aware of the issues and themes that are dealt with in these books. It was clear to me that they didn’t just read these books. They had spoken about them to friends and family. If they liked it, they really thought about why it was that they liked it and analysed these different elements.

Holly Bourne emerged victorious with Am I Normal Yet? The young people had so many interesting comments to make. One boy mentioned how he lent the book to a friend that suffered from mental health issues and she could immediately relate to Evie and her experiences. Another girl commented on how depression, anxiety and depression (and other similar conditions) are “invisible illnesses” and how when people talk about cancer, it is treatment with a seriousness and respect that most don’t show for conditions pertaining to mental health. I spoke to a small group of the judges after the ceremony itself and asked, as this is a book about OCD and mental health, was it a book solely for people that experienced it? I was met with rather heated replies that it is useful to know this information so that they don’t judge others and that it has helped them to understand what some of their friends, family and peers might be going through. I found this a very heartening and encouraging message. I went on to ask a couple of boys if they felt they could relate to Evie; did it matter that she was a girl and that some of the experiences would probably be more geared towards girls than boys? No, it didn’t matter because they were able to understand the essence of the character. They could get inside her head and really understand the complexities of the decisions she made. In particular, they felt that by going on a journey with Evie, they were better able, and equipped, to understand more about mental health and OCD.

At the main ceremony, I was moved by a round of insightful, touching comments about what being a judge meant to each of the young people. They felt they had a voice and a responsibility to pick the right book. Reading the shortlisted (and longlisted titles) broadened their horizons and spurred them on to be more open-minded. The boys in particular were quite surprised that they enjoyed romance stories. The girls were more receptive to horror than they expected to be. I think this is a clear sign that the “boy books” and “girl books” mentality has gone out the window and today’s generation are learning to be more open-minded and receptive to a wider sphere of themes and genres within the books they choose to read.

A huge congratulations to all of the authors involved. Jake said to me that, while there must be a winner, there was a real sense that every author that was nominated was already a winner. This might sound clichéd but it’s true. There was a champion in the room for each of the shortlisted books and to know that that book resonated with even one person in the room is incredible in itself. That one book leads to another book and another and that book becomes more than just a book; it becomes a gateway into a world of books and the key to fostering a love of reading for that reader.

I've learned so much by attending this event. I've discovered that young people have an appetite to read and know what they want to read and how they want it to be presented. They understand the big issues that this year's shortlist have posed and made some poignant and insightful remarks around each of the books. As Sarah Mussi commented, we live in dark times. One has to turn on the radio or the TV, surf the net, login in to social media or pick up the Metro to discover the horrific things that are happening in the world. We must remember that young people see, hear and think about these issues and news events. We must understand that they have their own views and self-awareness and this needs to be represented in the stories that are written with them in mind. Sarah added that young people cut through the BS. They are the toughest audience to write for and she aims for the Everest peaks when it comes to a challenge. This is why she writes for them and this is what she finds so special about writing for young people, a sentiment that was echoed by many of the authors I spoke to. We must remember to champion well-rounded characters and not be afraid to tackle big issues. We must not patronise young people. They have their own minds and views: let them decide what they think of a book and allow them to be challenges.

Lancashire libraries has captured most of the key comments on the day. I implore you to check out what the authors said and more importantly, the comments from some of the young people judging the prize. Some really interesting comments too around #LBOY2016.

I want to thank everyone that made it possible for me to be involved and a special thanks to Jake who is a dear friend that chaired the horror author panel and the judging process in what can only be summed up as spectacular.

This book will break you: 'Beautiful Broken Things' review

'Beautiful Broken Things' by Sara Barnard

Review by Christopher Moore

 

Summary:

I was brave.
She was reckless
We were trouble.

Best friends Caddy and Rosie are inseparable. Their differences have brought them closer, but as she turns sixteen Caddy begins to wish she could be a bit more like Rosie - confident, funny and interesting. Then Suzanne comes into their lives: beautiful, damaged, exciting and mysterious, and things get a whole lot more complicated. As Suzanne's past is revealed and her present begins to unravel, Caddy begins to see how much fun a little trouble can be. But the course of both friendship and recovery is rougher than either girl realises, and Caddy is about to learn that downward spirals have a momentum of their own.

 

Review:

Beautiful Broken Things is one of those books that comes around once or twice a year and doesn't just tell an addictive story but rather, it makes you feel every ounce of pain, laughter, sadness and fear. Suzanne is a wild card, who I adore her, and changes everything. What's great about Suzanne is not so much what happened to her, it's the way it's portrayed in every moment. Abuse affects mental health and the consequences of that abuse are clear in her character. So many authors explore these issues but they disappear as quickly as they appear; suiting a need rather than spotlighting an important issue. Barnard gives a true representation of mental health, ensuring it encompasses the the sensitivity it demands.

It's a thought-provoking, lingering story of power and female friendship. The main characters are all girls. The males are background characters. They might be interesting in other circumstances but it's Caddy, Suzanne and Rosie that make the story. It's their story and in terms of friendship, it's one of the best stories I've read. It doesn't dwell on bitchy, gossip types. It doesn't centre around cosmetic surfaces. It doesn't trivialise friendship. It's a three-way friendship that is equal parts love and sisterhood; a see-sawing power dynamic between three striking characters. 

Reasons you should read Beautiful Broken Things:

• A book title that excites you (and one that sums up the story beautifully);
• A B-E-A-utiful cover - seriously though, tell me you don't want this bad boy (girl?) sitting on your shelf;
• Characters that leap off the pages and into your hearts;
• A story that will live in your head and your heart for years to come;
• It covers some really important and sensitive issues but it doesn't detract from the Brighton setting, the memorable characters and the pulse-pounding story;
• Did I mention it's se in Brighton? BRIGHTON;
• It will break and destroy you;
• It will make you laugh out loud and possibly cry;
• It's my joint favourite 2016 read so far this year (along with Lisa Heathfield's Paper Butterflies).

I can already see this on the Carnegie and Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlists for 2017. Do you really need anymore convincing? Get a copy, devour it and tweet me and Sara your thoughts.

Rating: 5/5 Stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 

Christopher Moore:

Christopher is a co-founder of the YAfictionados blog and is best known as the YAblooker. He is a twenty-five year old book blogger who has previously worked in marketing and consumer insight for various publishing houses and writes in his spare time. He loves to travel and will read anything YA-related and some general fiction and fantasy.

'How Not to Disappear' Sets the Bar for YA in 2016

'How Not to Disappear' by Clare Furniss

Review by Chris

Summary:

Our memories are what make us who we are. Some are real. Some are made up. But they are the stories that tell us who we are. Without them we are nobody.

 

Hattie's summer isn't going as planned. Her two best friends have abandoned her: Reuben has run off to Europe to 'find himself' and Kat is in Edinburgh with her new girlfriend. Meanwhile Hattie is stuck babysitting her twin siblings and dealing with endless drama around her mum's wedding. Oh, and she's also just discovered that she's pregnant with Reuben's baby.

 

Then Gloria, Hattie's great-aunt who no one even knew existed, comes crashing into her life. Gloria's fiercely independent, rather too fond of a gin sling and is in the early stages of dementia. Together the two of them set out on a road trip of self-discovery - Gloria to finally confront the secrets of her past before they are erased from her memory forever and Hattie to face the hard choices that will determine her future.

 

Non Pratt's Trouble meets Thelma and Louise with a touch of Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey. Clare Furniss' remarkable How Not To Disappear is an emotional rollercoaster of a novel that will make you laugh and break your heart.

 

Review:

There is so much to love about this story: the relationship between Hattie and her great-aunt, the exploration of her rollercoaster relationship with her best friend Reuben, how she grows, develops and deals with her pregnancy, the physical journey (echoed in the mental and emotional journeys Hattie and Gloria undergo) and Hattie's twin siblings. And Gloria - let's not forget Gloria and her gin slings.

 

At first, I found the story to be a little bit slow but once it gets going, once Hattie meets Gloria, the story really begins and the characters jump off the page with so much life and warmth. I don't want to divulge too much but there's plenty in here with the pregnancy, Gloria's story and Hattie's only family. If you're going to pick up one YA book this Spring, make it How Not to Disappear.

 

Furniss played my heartstrings; at times, with a bow but more often, with a hacksaw. I'll never be the same again. I can't recommend this story enough. Comfortably falling into the category of #diverseYA (for its exploration of mental health and the often under-represented third generation-first generation relationship among other issues), this story will emotionally sucker-punch you over and over again and it's chock full of compelling characters. If Furniss was worried about one-off success (with The Year of the Rat), she need not fear; How Not to Disappear is, without doubt, a 2016 YA highlight.

 

 

Rating: 5/5 Stars  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 

Christopher Moore:

  

Christopher is a co-founder of the YAfictionados blog and is best known as the YAblooker. He is a twenty-five year old book blogger who has previously worked in marketing and consumer insight for various publishing houses and writes in his spare time. He loves to travel and will read anything YA-related and some general fiction and fantasy.