Yearbook, by Holly Bourne

A book I picked up based on inaccurate marketing! When doing research for the pride window for the bookshop, I was scouring our catalogues for things with LGBT+ characters and themes. Thankfully, there was a lot to choose from and our window was a rousing success! Also thankfully, Yearbook turned out to be an enjoyable, albeit straight, read.

Paige is an anonymous student. We all know her; or were her. She does her homework, keeps her mouth shut, and gets through the days like she’s supposed to. But she’s a wallflower; she sees things. She sees the bullying, the cruelty, and the injustice that burns through every single school across the country. The mean kids do mean things; the nice kids do nothing; and the status quo is maintained.

But all that fear, anxiety, and desperation to blend in at school is merely practice for when Paige gets home to her mum and, most notably, her dad. Their household is a minefield of fight, flight, freeze, fawn. Poor Paige is not ok.

She finds solace in her little ways. She talks to her Amazon Alexa every evening, taking any advice and company she can get. She hides in her little corner of the library, escaping by getting lost in other people’s worlds. And she leaves notes all over her own:

“I exist.”

And someone finds them. And they write back. And they meet. And it’s wonderful, and fun, and fulfilling, and normal. But it isn’t enough. There is too much pain in the world for Paige to ignore and when that pain starts to seep in and ruin this one pocket of joy in her compulsory existence, she has to take a stand. And she does. And it’s fabulous.

This is a classic coming of age story, with unfriendly looming adult problems and adult fears. It is extremely real, raw, and at times, uncomfortable. Even as an adult reader, there were moments in this book that were hard to read. It is marketed like Mean Girls, but it’s really more of a Perks of Being a Wallflower. If you know what I mean, you know what I mean. I would read it with caution if you are a young reader, and definitely talk to people in your life about the things you learn. Boundaries, honesty, and bravery are important parts of growing up!

Overall, one of the most surprising reads I’ve ever picked up, since its cover alludes to only the most superficial aspects of the story. But it's funny, dark, satisfying, and totally adorable. I’ll definitely be trying on some of Holly Bourne’s other books on for size!

- Sian

Paperback, £7.99. Find this in the Young Adult Fiction section!