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michalice's review
5.0
I have hear so many fantastic things about Trouble that I could not wait for my copy to arrive, however I still had some reservations about whether I would like this book or not. I have read books that people raved about and not liked them at all, but have also loved books that others don't really rate too high, so it was with some trepidation that I began reading Trouble. My review will hopefully be spoiler free, but still give you a general idea of what the book is like and how much I loved it.
After making it through a couple of pages of Trouble I was hooked, plain and simple, and I sat on the sofa, occasionally fidgeting to get feeling back in my legs, feet, and did not move until I had finished reading, Trouble finds a way to grab hold and not let go until the final word.
Aaron is new to school, and has the disadvantage and embarrassment of his father being a teacher there. He is also hiding something that happened prior to move, and is the result of the move to a new school, but it isn't elaborated on until later on in the book, we just know he is running from something he regrets and blames himself for.
Hannah is 15 and pregnant. She has a reputation in school for sleeping around, and for her age and the amount of people she has slept with already isn't really that good, so I could sort of see where her reputation has come from. She has had safes ex with with the boys she has slept with, except one, so while we are left questioning who the baby Daddy is, she knew from the minute she found out she was pregnant. She is scared, alone, and is terrified to tell her Mum, who works at the health clinic, so it is her Nan who is her emotional support and goes with Hannah for her first scan, which is also how her parents find out the truth. I thought it was hilarious how they were told and saw it coming, so I could not help but giggle in the lead up to the revelation.
As Trouble progresses I had mixed emotions. I felt sorry for Hannah having to go through this situation, initially without a lot of support, she looses her friends but gains some amazing new ones. While this is also Hannah s fault for being pregnant, it also takes two to tango, and I wish the father would have stood up and supported Hannah with all the decisions she has to make. Aaron I wanted to give a huge squishy hug to. He claims responsibility for something he had nothing to do with, and is so supportive of Hannah and what she is going through. Yes they have arguments and disagree on things, but somehow Hannah and Aaron manage to make this work for both of them. I think we all need a fake baby daddy in our lives, with or without the baby.
I went through 200 pages with me thinking I knew who the father was, and I called him all kinds of names that I can't repeat. When the actual truth was revealed to say I was shocked is an understatement. I had no idea this person was the father, they didn't even register on the list of names I initially started with. I actually looked at the words for a few minutes, willing my brain to absorb the details, to really take in that this was the truth, that this person was the father.
I devoured Trouble, I could not put it down, and every single review that raves about Trouble, that says how fantastically amazing it is, is absolutely correct. Trouble makes you laugh, cry, and want to give lots of squishy hugs to Hannah and Aaron. But Trouble also focuses on the serious matter of teenage pregnancy but its done in a tasteful way with lots of humour mixed in. After spending time with all of these characters, I really think my Mum and Dad had an easy time with myself and my sibling growing up ☺
Find out more about the author and the book at the Trouble tumblr page
After making it through a couple of pages of Trouble I was hooked, plain and simple, and I sat on the sofa, occasionally fidgeting to get feeling back in my legs, feet, and did not move until I had finished reading, Trouble finds a way to grab hold and not let go until the final word.
Aaron is new to school, and has the disadvantage and embarrassment of his father being a teacher there. He is also hiding something that happened prior to move, and is the result of the move to a new school, but it isn't elaborated on until later on in the book, we just know he is running from something he regrets and blames himself for.
Hannah is 15 and pregnant. She has a reputation in school for sleeping around, and for her age and the amount of people she has slept with already isn't really that good, so I could sort of see where her reputation has come from. She has had safes ex with with the boys she has slept with, except one, so while we are left questioning who the baby Daddy is, she knew from the minute she found out she was pregnant. She is scared, alone, and is terrified to tell her Mum, who works at the health clinic, so it is her Nan who is her emotional support and goes with Hannah for her first scan, which is also how her parents find out the truth. I thought it was hilarious how they were told and saw it coming, so I could not help but giggle in the lead up to the revelation.
As Trouble progresses I had mixed emotions. I felt sorry for Hannah having to go through this situation, initially without a lot of support, she looses her friends but gains some amazing new ones. While this is also Hannah s fault for being pregnant, it also takes two to tango, and I wish the father would have stood up and supported Hannah with all the decisions she has to make. Aaron I wanted to give a huge squishy hug to. He claims responsibility for something he had nothing to do with, and is so supportive of Hannah and what she is going through. Yes they have arguments and disagree on things, but somehow Hannah and Aaron manage to make this work for both of them. I think we all need a fake baby daddy in our lives, with or without the baby.
I went through 200 pages with me thinking I knew who the father was, and I called him all kinds of names that I can't repeat. When the actual truth was revealed to say I was shocked is an understatement. I had no idea this person was the father, they didn't even register on the list of names I initially started with. I actually looked at the words for a few minutes, willing my brain to absorb the details, to really take in that this was the truth, that this person was the father.
I devoured Trouble, I could not put it down, and every single review that raves about Trouble, that says how fantastically amazing it is, is absolutely correct. Trouble makes you laugh, cry, and want to give lots of squishy hugs to Hannah and Aaron. But Trouble also focuses on the serious matter of teenage pregnancy but its done in a tasteful way with lots of humour mixed in. After spending time with all of these characters, I really think my Mum and Dad had an easy time with myself and my sibling growing up ☺
Find out more about the author and the book at the Trouble tumblr page
patchworkbunny's review
5.0
Non Pratt does an amazing job of presenting a character who isn’t particularly likable and making her more human at every turn. From the start, Hannah spends her weekends getting tarted up to get drunk, chat up boys in the park and have sex. Or that’s the picture that is painted. There’s no sudden reveal of a different life, but slowly things are put into place. It just highlights how easy we make presumptions about teenagers.
Hannah herself has a lot to answer for her reputation. It’s a mask she puts on at school, a place that is a minefield. The characters are all convincing, from the bitchiness and immaturity to the moments of kindness and comfort. They feel real. Hannah’s snarky but fragile narrative is full of humour and the sense of loneliness her situation lands her in.
I have been pondering how subjects I wouldn’t usually be drawn to become more appealing when told through young adult eyes. I’m not fond of reading about pregnancy, as a rule, but the story of a teen pregnancy is a world of difference to an adult with their own independence, whether the baby was planned or not.
The narrative switches between Hannah and Aaron so we get to see both sides of the story, although he does have plenty of things going on unrelated to Hannah, but they explain why he has offered such a big thing. He does seem a bit too good to be true, yet you can’t help but like him. He does offer out of a sense of guilt yet is a good person. I loved that Aaron is a friend more than a love interest. Yes girls and boys can get along without there being sex, or romance, involved.
Hannah herself has a lot to answer for her reputation. It’s a mask she puts on at school, a place that is a minefield. The characters are all convincing, from the bitchiness and immaturity to the moments of kindness and comfort. They feel real. Hannah’s snarky but fragile narrative is full of humour and the sense of loneliness her situation lands her in.
I have been pondering how subjects I wouldn’t usually be drawn to become more appealing when told through young adult eyes. I’m not fond of reading about pregnancy, as a rule, but the story of a teen pregnancy is a world of difference to an adult with their own independence, whether the baby was planned or not.
The narrative switches between Hannah and Aaron so we get to see both sides of the story, although he does have plenty of things going on unrelated to Hannah, but they explain why he has offered such a big thing. He does seem a bit too good to be true, yet you can’t help but like him. He does offer out of a sense of guilt yet is a good person. I loved that Aaron is a friend more than a love interest. Yes girls and boys can get along without there being sex, or romance, involved.
thewallflower00's review against another edition
3.0
Not the best first act -- it takes a long time to get to the primary conflict of the novel. The main character spends her time snogging, smoking, and drinking in the park after school. They gossip about who likes who, who kissed who, but it's all among her incestuous group of friends. So her difficulty is no surprise. The other main character is just blah. It's not a super-serious book, and yet it misses any plot twists or character-changing events. It all seems to be one middling line, not very up-and-down.
I guess I'm disappointed because it's not the novel I thought it would be. I'm not saying I wanted "16 and Pregnant", but it reminds me too much of The Casual Vacancy. Maybe this is the way English novels are written, in a soap opera-y style where no one is very likable.
It's also very British. I wished I had gotten it as an eBook so I could look up some of the terms and slang being used. I'd probably still bring it to a desert island with me, but it'd be at the bottom of the pile.
I guess I'm disappointed because it's not the novel I thought it would be. I'm not saying I wanted "16 and Pregnant", but it reminds me too much of The Casual Vacancy. Maybe this is the way English novels are written, in a soap opera-y style where no one is very likable.
It's also very British. I wished I had gotten it as an eBook so I could look up some of the terms and slang being used. I'd probably still bring it to a desert island with me, but it'd be at the bottom of the pile.
princessjulia's review
4.0
4/4.5
I had a vague idea about what this book was about before I went into it, I didn’t know much about it though and truthfully I’m happy it worked out that way as I feel like this is one of those books you don’t need to know a lot about before you read it. The way Non Pratt writes is fantastic, the story truly just unravels itself naturally and before you know it you’re gripped, breathless waiting for the next thing to happen – considering I read this book in less than two days must mean that statement has some truth to it.
I had a lot of fun reading this book; it wasn’t ‘funny’ in its quiddity but it made me smirk numerously, mostly due to the quick wit of the two main characters. ‘Han’ and ‘Aaron’ - the two main protagonists, I absolutely fell in love with, they were both so real and understandable; there wasn’t a moment where I doubted their actions as characters – which was brilliant!
This tale isn’t just about teen pregnancy, although the story is revolved around that, it’s about so much more; there are issues like bullying and depression, friendship and family life.
The only problem I had with this book was that it was a little too predictable but it doesn’t take from the story at all, so, honestly this book is pratically flawless! Read this book, it is so good!
www.threebookbloggers.tumblr.com
I had a vague idea about what this book was about before I went into it, I didn’t know much about it though and truthfully I’m happy it worked out that way as I feel like this is one of those books you don’t need to know a lot about before you read it. The way Non Pratt writes is fantastic, the story truly just unravels itself naturally and before you know it you’re gripped, breathless waiting for the next thing to happen – considering I read this book in less than two days must mean that statement has some truth to it.
I had a lot of fun reading this book; it wasn’t ‘funny’ in its quiddity but it made me smirk numerously, mostly due to the quick wit of the two main characters. ‘Han’ and ‘Aaron’ - the two main protagonists, I absolutely fell in love with, they were both so real and understandable; there wasn’t a moment where I doubted their actions as characters – which was brilliant!
This tale isn’t just about teen pregnancy, although the story is revolved around that, it’s about so much more; there are issues like bullying and depression, friendship and family life.
The only problem I had with this book was that it was a little too predictable but it doesn’t take from the story at all, so, honestly this book is pratically flawless! Read this book, it is so good!
www.threebookbloggers.tumblr.com
lisawreading's review
4.0
I enjoyed this British import about a pregnant teen and the boy who volunteers to be her pretend baby-daddy. Told in alternating voices, Trouble shows events unfolding from both Hannah and Aaron's perspectives. Each teen is hiding a big secret, and as they develop a deep bond of trust and friendship, they each find something they'd been missing. Trouble is touching and funny, smart and relevant. Recommended for anyone who enjoys contemporary YA that doesn't come with a sugar coating.
alleamitchell's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
i struggled to finish this book. it was good however, it didn’t quite compare to books i’ve read in the past which made my hopes higher for this book unfortunately.
mom2triplets04's review
4.0
Once you get over the London writing style and inappropriate words it was a very good story. Hanna gets pregnant at age 15. There are lots of twists and turns and keeps you engaged in the story.
jenlouisegallant's review
3.0
Interesting turn of events in the book, which I certainly wasn't expecting. While it did end a bit abruptly for my tastes, I think the story of how the two main characters came together was well written.
girlinthepages's review against another edition
4.0
Trouble is a novel that has not received the hype and attention that it deserves. It was recommended to me by fellow blogger Becky at Blogs of a Bookaholic, and when I found it at my library, sitting on the new releases shelf, untouched, I eagerly grabbed it, knowing that Becky and I share a lot of similar tastes in books. After reading it in less than 48 hours, I have to say that Trouble was the most candid, honest, and raw contemporary of 2014 that I’ve read, and that Non Pratt is absolutely brilliant in her portrayal of teenagers and their school and family lives.
First off, yes this book features teen pregnancy, yet I’m hesitant to call it a book about teen pregnancy because it’s so much more than that. Pratt manages to write a book about a hot-topic “issue” without making it feel like an ISSUE. This isn’t a morality tale or a soapbox for slut-shaming or preaching the consequences of bad decisions. This is a book centered on two distinct characters with two distinct voices, and how each have their share of hopes, fears, regrets, and joys, and Hannah is NOT defined by her pregnancy, rather it serves as a platform for her to grow into herself and learn to value herself. By no means is Pratt condoning nor shaming teenage pregnancy, rather she is showing how Hannah utilizes a controversial situation to find herself through how she handles (and chooses) her consequences.
I think where Pratt really shines as an author and where Trouble is a really fantastic novel is in the portrayal of flawed characters, and how they are not “perfect” but readers still can’t help but root for them to want to overcome their obstacles and succeed. Neither Hannah nor Aaron is inherently, instantly “likeable,” yet I found myself liking them in spite of their less-than-impressive behavior (at least at the beginning). Take Hannah, for instance. Pratt is pretty uncensored in her portrayal of teenage partying, from sexuality to alcohol abuse to cliques and fighting. Part of me wanted to dislike Hannah because of some of the choices she makes, especially her seeming lack of respect for herself in the way that she presents herself to her male peers and whom she initially befriends. Yet I found myself liking Hannah in spite of her questionable choices, for attributes other than her popularity or her sexuality, which she’s reduced down to in the beginning. Through the narrative Hannah becomes determined, insightful, and resilient, choosing to keep her baby and buck some of her bad habits for the greater good of her pregnancy, her plucky courage and candid narrative blending complimentary to Aaron’s quiet yet haunted narrative, and the both of them feed off each other, exposing each others’ secrets and helping each other heal, all the while showing the importance of having your first, true best friend, who’s importance doesn’t hinge on them becoming a love interest.
What I also really enjoyed about Trouble was that it wasn’t an isolated narrative about Hannah and Aaron, it was a narrative that included their families as well. There’s no absentee parenting here or oblivious siblings, rather both families have fleshed out relationships with their children (for better or for worse) and both families have to deal realistically with the implications of having a pregnant fifteen year old in their care. I found Hannah’s mother to be one of the more interesting adults in the books, as she’s a nurse at a Family Planning Clinic and then has to learn to practice the counseling and tolerance she gives to young mothers she helps at work to her own daughter. Hannah’s grandmother is also an awesome character, who is an advocate of Hannah making her own choices for herself and her baby from the very beginning, rather than being biased from a generational perspective.
Overall: I also would like to point out that Trouble is a British novel, and I think this is partly why it’s a grittier contemporary (just compare the British and US covers!), more so than any YA American contemporary I’ve read, and I really appreciate the realistic portrayal. It’s just so honest, and it’s an honest story about two individuals more than it is anything else, even teen pregnancy. I’m really happy to have read this and seen a contemporary YA that doesn’t shy away from taboo topics or subtly dance around them, but faces them head on, ugliness and all.
This review was originally posted at Girl in the Pages.
First off, yes this book features teen pregnancy, yet I’m hesitant to call it a book about teen pregnancy because it’s so much more than that. Pratt manages to write a book about a hot-topic “issue” without making it feel like an ISSUE. This isn’t a morality tale or a soapbox for slut-shaming or preaching the consequences of bad decisions. This is a book centered on two distinct characters with two distinct voices, and how each have their share of hopes, fears, regrets, and joys, and Hannah is NOT defined by her pregnancy, rather it serves as a platform for her to grow into herself and learn to value herself. By no means is Pratt condoning nor shaming teenage pregnancy, rather she is showing how Hannah utilizes a controversial situation to find herself through how she handles (and chooses) her consequences.
I think where Pratt really shines as an author and where Trouble is a really fantastic novel is in the portrayal of flawed characters, and how they are not “perfect” but readers still can’t help but root for them to want to overcome their obstacles and succeed. Neither Hannah nor Aaron is inherently, instantly “likeable,” yet I found myself liking them in spite of their less-than-impressive behavior (at least at the beginning). Take Hannah, for instance. Pratt is pretty uncensored in her portrayal of teenage partying, from sexuality to alcohol abuse to cliques and fighting. Part of me wanted to dislike Hannah because of some of the choices she makes, especially her seeming lack of respect for herself in the way that she presents herself to her male peers and whom she initially befriends. Yet I found myself liking Hannah in spite of her questionable choices, for attributes other than her popularity or her sexuality, which she’s reduced down to in the beginning. Through the narrative Hannah becomes determined, insightful, and resilient, choosing to keep her baby and buck some of her bad habits for the greater good of her pregnancy, her plucky courage and candid narrative blending complimentary to Aaron’s quiet yet haunted narrative, and the both of them feed off each other, exposing each others’ secrets and helping each other heal, all the while showing the importance of having your first, true best friend, who’s importance doesn’t hinge on them becoming a love interest.
What I also really enjoyed about Trouble was that it wasn’t an isolated narrative about Hannah and Aaron, it was a narrative that included their families as well. There’s no absentee parenting here or oblivious siblings, rather both families have fleshed out relationships with their children (for better or for worse) and both families have to deal realistically with the implications of having a pregnant fifteen year old in their care. I found Hannah’s mother to be one of the more interesting adults in the books, as she’s a nurse at a Family Planning Clinic and then has to learn to practice the counseling and tolerance she gives to young mothers she helps at work to her own daughter. Hannah’s grandmother is also an awesome character, who is an advocate of Hannah making her own choices for herself and her baby from the very beginning, rather than being biased from a generational perspective.
Overall: I also would like to point out that Trouble is a British novel, and I think this is partly why it’s a grittier contemporary (just compare the British and US covers!), more so than any YA American contemporary I’ve read, and I really appreciate the realistic portrayal. It’s just so honest, and it’s an honest story about two individuals more than it is anything else, even teen pregnancy. I’m really happy to have read this and seen a contemporary YA that doesn’t shy away from taboo topics or subtly dance around them, but faces them head on, ugliness and all.
This review was originally posted at Girl in the Pages.
amongthewildflowers89's review
5.0
After taking a long hiatus from reading my goal is to read more in 2022. I picked this up from a thrift shop for $1 because the cover was interesting. Such a heart warming, easy read. I liked how the dual narrative went back and forth quite quickly, as if you were in each persons mind at the same time.