Goodbye,Perfect by Sara Barnard

      

Book Name: Goodbye,Perfect. 
Author : Sara Barnard.

No. of Pages: 300.

Publisher: Pan Macmillan.

ISBN : 1509852867.

Price: 399 INR.

About The Book 

Eden McKinley knows she can’t count on much in this world, but she can depend on Bonnie, her solid, steady, straight-A best friend. So it’s a bit of a surprise when Bonnie runs away with the boyfriend Eden knows nothing about five days before the start of their GCSEs. 
As the days pass and things begin to unravel, Eden is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the world, her best friend and herself.

Book Review

The book is about Eden McKinley and the various phases she goes through when her best friend Bonnie has Runaway with her boyfriend Jack. The book takes you through Eden’s journey as she is dealing with the mess that has been created due to bonnie being rouge and suddenly Eden is the focus of attention as everyone suspects that Bonnie must have confided in Eden about such a drastic decision.

Although Eden knew that Bonnie had a Boyfriend named Jack, and other than this there’s nothing that she knows about the guy her best friend is in love with. In a shocking revelation by Police and Bonnie’s mother that Bonnie’s secret boyfriend is none other than Mr. Jack Cohn, their music teacher.

Though Bonnie informs her whereabouts to Eden, she refuses to tell this information to the police and elders around her as she believes that everyone is against the couple due to their huge age differences as convinced by Bonnie herself. “A promise is a promise and a best friend is a best friend”

Eden is disheartened with such a drastic decision by Bonnie to runaway with Mr. Jack Cohn just before the start of their GCSE’s since Bonnie is the girl who lives for the exams and is the head prefect of their school and is a straight A student, unlike Eden who is a rebel and takes the most stupidest and impulse decisions.

Eden unaware of the depth of the matter keeps Bonnie’s secret from everyone around her but stumbles on the #bringBonnieback and the news coverage only to discover a different angle than what Bonnie had told her. Now convinced to bring her best friend back starts a journey through which Eden discovers the importance of people around her and learns that not every promise has to be kept. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do even when you are going to lose that one person who matters to you, for what is right for that person.

This book explores so many angles about Eden’s life and what make her the person that she is.The book is about dominance, lost friendships, bad decisions and much more.

Rating:4/5

About the Author

Sara Barnard lives in Brighton and does all her best writing on trains. She loves books, book people and book things. She has been writing ever since she was too small to reach the 'on' switch on the family Amstrad computer. She gets her love of words from her dad, who made sure she always had books to read and introduced her to the wonders of second-hand book shops at a young age. She is the author of Beautiful Broken Things.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange of an honest review.

I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan

               

          

Book Name: I am Thunder and I won't stop.
Author : Muhammad Khan.

No. of Pages: 306.

Publisher: Pan Macmillan.

ISBN : 1509874054.

Price: 399 INR.

About the Book

Fifteen-year-old Muzna Saleem, who dreams of being a writer, struggles with controlling parents who only care about her studying to be a doctor. Forced to move to a new school in South London after her best friend is shamed in a scandal, Muzna realizes that the bullies will follow her wherever she goes. But deciding to stand and face them instead of fighting her instinct to disappear is harder than it looks when there's prejudice everywhere you turn. Until the gorgeous and confident Arif shows an interest in her, encouraging Muzna to explore her freedom. 

But Arif is hiding his own secrets and, along with his brother Jameel, he begins to influence Muzna with their extreme view of the world. As her new freedom starts to disappear, Muzna is forced to question everything around her and make a terrible choice - keep quiet and betray herself, or speak out and betray her heart?

Book Review

The book is about Muzna Saleem, a 15 year old British Born Pakistani Muslim girl who has been raised by conservative parents , who love her to the core but are always controlling her life.

The day Muzna was born it was declared that she would become a Doctor after her A levels. Muzna writes stories in her spare time and dreams of becoming a writer as her friend Salma mentions “you don’t hear of many Muslim authors, do you?”

Muzna is that kid who is overtly introverted and shy not conversing to anyone and expressing her thoughts freely except for her best friend, as a result she’s bullied in her school for her health and she faces racism due to the increasing terror of Islamic States in the UK.

Due to some unpredicted circumstances Muzna has to change her school and when she starts in her new school, she decides to let the world know of her writing talent and in the process is acquainted with a charming British Pakistani boy Arif.

Arif’s sudden interest in her life sweeps her over her feet and she begins to explore a path she never would have chosen. Unknown to her she is the victim of radicalization by Arif and his brother. At every step she is well aware that something is wrong but is overly protective of Arif and his love for her.

This book is so intense and gripping and it surely gives you a peek of reality of how young blood like Arif and Muzna is exploited in the name of religion and faith. Every day we hear that some teenager has joined hands with Islamic States and wonder what made him take such an extreme step.

This book gives you the exact idea of how teenagers are being brainwashed by extremists and are made to believe that you are serving the God. I feel everyone should read this book irrespective of age, gender and faith.

Overall I loved this book as it has touched various elements that exist in our day to day lives. 

Rating: 4.5/5

About The Author 

Muhammad Khan is a maths teacher in a secondary school in Tooting and takes his inspiration from the children he teaches, as well as his own upbringing as a British-born Pakistani. He lives in South London and will be studying for a creative writing MA next year at Roehampton.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Pan Macmillan India for sending me the book in exchange of an honest review.