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ankysbookbubble's review against another edition
3.0
Love, Heather had an awesome beginning, and since YA thriller is one of my favourite genres, I had a lot of expectations from this book.
But unfortunately, as the story progressed, it started getting a tad bit boring. And the fact that I figured out the "twist" pretty early on left me dissatisfied.
Pete was probably my favourite character, and his scenes were the ones I looked forward to. I also liked the way Stevie's struggle was portrayed at the end. There was no sugarcoating, just the plain truth.
Overall, it wasn't a bad read, but it didn't become a favourite either.
But unfortunately, as the story progressed, it started getting a tad bit boring. And the fact that I figured out the "twist" pretty early on left me dissatisfied.
Pete was probably my favourite character, and his scenes were the ones I looked forward to. I also liked the way Stevie's struggle was portrayed at the end. There was no sugarcoating, just the plain truth.
Overall, it wasn't a bad read, but it didn't become a favourite either.
girlglitch's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I am shook.
Love, Heather is an explosive and daring thriller about teen bullying and revenge. It's also a brilliant coming of age story about growing up surrounded by rape culture, misogyny, transphobia and the pressures of social media, and what that can do to a girl when her world turns against her.
But even before the revenge plot kicked off I was hooked. Petrou really gets inside the heads of her characters, and Love, Heather is worth reading for its depiction of teen friendships alone. Stevie is a fantastic protagonist, with a wonderfully distinctive voice. She's a big movie buff, and at times her narration reminded me of an indie film - which sounds awkward but somehow, really works. I felt like I was being picked up and pulled along by a narrative wave that's writhing out of Stevie's control, and it made for a totally intense and immersive reading experience.
In short, I loved it. It's been a while since I read something so creative and captivating. Love, Heather is going to stick with me for a long time.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Love, Heather is an explosive and daring thriller about teen bullying and revenge. It's also a brilliant coming of age story about growing up surrounded by rape culture, misogyny, transphobia and the pressures of social media, and what that can do to a girl when her world turns against her.
But even before the revenge plot kicked off I was hooked. Petrou really gets inside the heads of her characters, and Love, Heather is worth reading for its depiction of teen friendships alone. Stevie is a fantastic protagonist, with a wonderfully distinctive voice. She's a big movie buff, and at times her narration reminded me of an indie film - which sounds awkward but somehow, really works. I felt like I was being picked up and pulled along by a narrative wave that's writhing out of Stevie's control, and it made for a totally intense and immersive reading experience.
In short, I loved it. It's been a while since I read something so creative and captivating. Love, Heather is going to stick with me for a long time.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
alongreader's review against another edition
3.0
Stevie knows her school has its cliques, but she doesn't think they were too bad until she falls foul of the popular girls. Alone both in school and at home, she finds friendship with other outsiders. Together they start to get their revenge on the bullies, until things start going too far and the line between bully and victim blurs.
This seemed like it would be a really good read. However, it's extremely slow paced. The whole first half of it is setting things up - it could easily have been done much faster, but no one even mentions revenge until 48%, it's all just set up until then. The revenge itself is mostly done offscreen and just discussed afterwards. Stevie was occasionally childish and self absorbed, but as a teenager that's justified. And I'm not sure I understand the revelation about Dee.
I don't want it to seem like this is a terrible novel. It was interesting and I liked all the shout outs to classic movies. I am a bit confused about how old the characters are; it says fourteen at one point and they're in ninth grade, but they're described as drinking and having sex and they certainly act older. I hope they are older, to be honest.
Not an awful read, but not a great one either.
This seemed like it would be a really good read. However, it's extremely slow paced. The whole first half of it is setting things up - it could easily have been done much faster, but no one even mentions revenge until 48%, it's all just set up until then. The revenge itself is mostly done offscreen and just discussed afterwards. Stevie was occasionally childish and self absorbed, but as a teenager that's justified. And I'm not sure I understand the revelation about Dee.
I don't want it to seem like this is a terrible novel. It was interesting and I liked all the shout outs to classic movies. I am a bit confused about how old the characters are; it says fourteen at one point and they're in ninth grade, but they're described as drinking and having sex and they certainly act older. I hope they are older, to be honest.
Not an awful read, but not a great one either.
toridreamingx's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for a digital ARC in an exchange for an honest review. This review will be on good reads as well as a short review on my Instagram Blog.
This book hits multiple hard hitting topics that we have in today’s society and it shows you how easy it can be for people to turn their heads or go along with people that would have a negative impact on those hard hitting topics. When I first started reading the book I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did as the last few chapters. The end definitely made it worth the read, with a twist that was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. The twist hits that topic of mental health and I absolutely loved it!
This book hits multiple hard hitting topics that we have in today’s society and it shows you how easy it can be for people to turn their heads or go along with people that would have a negative impact on those hard hitting topics. When I first started reading the book I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did as the last few chapters. The end definitely made it worth the read, with a twist that was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. The twist hits that topic of mental health and I absolutely loved it!
cocopurplebooks's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 80%. *Triggering Content.*
This is another case where the cover of the book is actually better than the actual book. Many of the characters were extremely annoying especially the main character Stevie. I felt bad for the bullying she endured but she was so self-absorbed and I didn't really like the way she treated Lottie. She was too into Lottie's family business and she seemed oddly jealous of her. Too many triggering stuff happens in the book and I felt like the author was trying to cram so many things into the book. I skimmed to the end of the book and it looked like a shooting incident occurred. I understand the theme of the novel but it wasn't done well at all. It's sad because this book could've been a lot better if it was written better. Oh well...
This is another case where the cover of the book is actually better than the actual book. Many of the characters were extremely annoying especially the main character Stevie. I felt bad for the bullying she endured but she was so self-absorbed and I didn't really like the way she treated Lottie. She was too into Lottie's family business and she seemed oddly jealous of her. Too many triggering stuff happens in the book and I felt like the author was trying to cram so many things into the book. I skimmed to the end of the book and it looked like a shooting incident occurred. I understand the theme of the novel but it wasn't done well at all. It's sad because this book could've been a lot better if it was written better. Oh well...
cberlin's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the first three quarters of this book. I felt like the author really captured how fraught the high school experience is, specifically how complicated female friendships can be and how quickly things can escalate. This book is about a girl named Stevie who starts off the book with a solid support system, including her best friend Lottie, and how things slowly deteriorate from there. After losing all of her friends, Stevie and a new friend decide to turn the tables on the bullies of the school.
I think that the author dealt with teenage angst well, however, the end of the book really fell apart for me. I found it to be very convoluted and confusing, and kind of heavy handed with the way it tried to address the Me Too movement. I feel that this aspect of high school could have been handled in a much more tactful and realistic way, which is way I had to take off a few stars. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
I think that the author dealt with teenage angst well, however, the end of the book really fell apart for me. I found it to be very convoluted and confusing, and kind of heavy handed with the way it tried to address the Me Too movement. I feel that this aspect of high school could have been handled in a much more tactful and realistic way, which is way I had to take off a few stars. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
jenacidebybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, via Netgalley for an honest review.
“The high school cafeteria. The great leveler of high school movies. It's where the entire mass of beauties and weirdos come together to eat and do so much more: try to fit in, wish lunch would end, laugh with friends or stare at people they have crushes on. It is universally different and the same...”
…
“Nothing really seems to be happening, but everything matters.”
Things at Woepine high school have gotten out of control. What started as a few harmless pranks to get back at few bullies and ruthless popular kids, quickly turned into a full-on war where anyone could be next. It wasn't just the Haves vs. the Have Nots anymore, anyone can be a target and anyone could be taken down. But things weren't supposed to go this far. Dee said that they just needed to be taught a lesson. That once they knew what it felt like to be cast aside and stepped on, that it would end. But Dee took things too far, and Stevie let her. But when Stevie finally becomes the target of a callous prank at a party, it is everyone who will feel the force of this final act of revenge.
“No one will tell. No one says anything.
I didn't do anything, they're thinking.
They did everything.
They did nothing.”
This Heathers re-imagining shares a theme with the 1988 film of taking down bullies and giving them a taste of their own medicine, but that's where the similarities end. Love, Heather is a gritty story about the complicated workings of teenage life in high school, and what drives a human to unspeakable acts when threatened or cast out by their peers. It touches on incredibly important issues of bullying, rape culture, social media witch hunts and the effects of social isolation. I came into this story expecting a lighthearted contemporary packed with drama and some epic payback, but what I got was a punch to the gut and a wicked threat to my tear ducts.
“The only thing this school has ever made me feel is different. Weird. A Freak. I tried to fit in, and then I tried to change that place, and neither worked. And so, I'll do things my way. I am an artist. A Maker. I'm not like anyone else. I am different.”
For most of this book, I was reveling in the creative pranks that went from juvenile to borderline felony-worthy. I love an underdog story. One where a quiet or less socially-inclined individual (or individuals) rises up to put an arrogant bully in their place. To show them what it feels like to have their physical and spiritual identity shredded to pieces because it doesn't fit into a specific social construct. It's a feeling most of us can identify with and have experienced, so naturally, I love when the “Weirdo” or “loner” rises up.
But let me tell you, this book goes from “Tuesday afternoon read” to “sitting in your room alone, staring off into the darkness for hours contemplating your feelings” really quickly.
Throughout the story there are little hints as to how our main character, Stevie, feels about her friends and her home life. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her mother, who she feels is a close friend to her. They would spend so much time together watching movies and talking, and when her mother suddenly gets a new boyfriend, Stevie is brushed to the side. At home, she feels forgotten and isolated. Gone are her coveted mother-daughter moments of bonding. But to make matters worse, Stevie's best friend turns on her as well. Lottie and her go from being inseparable, to barely speaking, in yet another case of Stevie being left behind. Lottie is inducted into a crowd of more popular kids, but they deem Stevie to be less than worthy of a position among them. They begin to bully Stevie, and Lottie sits back and does nothing to defend her friend. Stevie is left alone with no one to turn to, and no one to have her back.
“I try to be myself, but no one wants that.”
But when Dee enters the picture, everything changes. Dee is everything that Stevie isn't. She is sure of herself and her beliefs. Her convictions are strongly rooted inside her and she speaks her mind. She is fearless, strong, assured, alluring and infectious. And she sees Stevie and takes her under her wing, giving her a hand to hold onto. A voice to speak through and a friend to confide in.
“I hid from you, but you found me.”
She gives Stevie the confidence to take charge and make a difference in her life, and so together, they begin the “Love, Heather” movement: a series of pranks that are left with a message saying “Love, Heather”, to those who have hurt others or deserve a little payback. And just as fast, other kids in the school begin adopting the signature and performing their own acts of rebellion against the people who have wronged them. Eventually, the entire school is flipped upside down and nobody is safe.
It feels like this author dipped their hands into my heart and head and pulled out every spec of heartbreak, fear and social guideline that I ever found myself in. Laurie Petrou perfectly showcases the strange nuances in teenage life. The pressure to feel included and seen by your peers. The irrational importance of high school etiquette of what to say, think, and wear. She highlights the minuscule things we would latch onto and obsess over – a strategically placed period in a text or seeing someone from your school and pretending you don't know each other. The struggles to fit in and the awkward encounters in this story feel so real and raw, and it left me feeling anxious with flashbacks from my own experiences in high school.
Even if you have never seen or heard of the movie Heathers, I beg you to read this book. Give it to a teenager or a sibling, or just read it yourself and basque in the memories of how torturous teenage life was. But above all, remember this message and speak up when others are being bullied.
Sometimes all someone needs is a knowledge that they matter.
“The high school cafeteria. The great leveler of high school movies. It's where the entire mass of beauties and weirdos come together to eat and do so much more: try to fit in, wish lunch would end, laugh with friends or stare at people they have crushes on. It is universally different and the same...”
…
“Nothing really seems to be happening, but everything matters.”
Things at Woepine high school have gotten out of control. What started as a few harmless pranks to get back at few bullies and ruthless popular kids, quickly turned into a full-on war where anyone could be next. It wasn't just the Haves vs. the Have Nots anymore, anyone can be a target and anyone could be taken down. But things weren't supposed to go this far. Dee said that they just needed to be taught a lesson. That once they knew what it felt like to be cast aside and stepped on, that it would end. But Dee took things too far, and Stevie let her. But when Stevie finally becomes the target of a callous prank at a party, it is everyone who will feel the force of this final act of revenge.
“No one will tell. No one says anything.
I didn't do anything, they're thinking.
They did everything.
They did nothing.”
This Heathers re-imagining shares a theme with the 1988 film of taking down bullies and giving them a taste of their own medicine, but that's where the similarities end. Love, Heather is a gritty story about the complicated workings of teenage life in high school, and what drives a human to unspeakable acts when threatened or cast out by their peers. It touches on incredibly important issues of bullying, rape culture, social media witch hunts and the effects of social isolation. I came into this story expecting a lighthearted contemporary packed with drama and some epic payback, but what I got was a punch to the gut and a wicked threat to my tear ducts.
“The only thing this school has ever made me feel is different. Weird. A Freak. I tried to fit in, and then I tried to change that place, and neither worked. And so, I'll do things my way. I am an artist. A Maker. I'm not like anyone else. I am different.”
For most of this book, I was reveling in the creative pranks that went from juvenile to borderline felony-worthy. I love an underdog story. One where a quiet or less socially-inclined individual (or individuals) rises up to put an arrogant bully in their place. To show them what it feels like to have their physical and spiritual identity shredded to pieces because it doesn't fit into a specific social construct. It's a feeling most of us can identify with and have experienced, so naturally, I love when the “Weirdo” or “loner” rises up.
But let me tell you, this book goes from “Tuesday afternoon read” to “sitting in your room alone, staring off into the darkness for hours contemplating your feelings” really quickly.
Throughout the story there are little hints as to how our main character, Stevie, feels about her friends and her home life. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her mother, who she feels is a close friend to her. They would spend so much time together watching movies and talking, and when her mother suddenly gets a new boyfriend, Stevie is brushed to the side. At home, she feels forgotten and isolated. Gone are her coveted mother-daughter moments of bonding. But to make matters worse, Stevie's best friend turns on her as well. Lottie and her go from being inseparable, to barely speaking, in yet another case of Stevie being left behind. Lottie is inducted into a crowd of more popular kids, but they deem Stevie to be less than worthy of a position among them. They begin to bully Stevie, and Lottie sits back and does nothing to defend her friend. Stevie is left alone with no one to turn to, and no one to have her back.
“I try to be myself, but no one wants that.”
But when Dee enters the picture, everything changes. Dee is everything that Stevie isn't. She is sure of herself and her beliefs. Her convictions are strongly rooted inside her and she speaks her mind. She is fearless, strong, assured, alluring and infectious. And she sees Stevie and takes her under her wing, giving her a hand to hold onto. A voice to speak through and a friend to confide in.
“I hid from you, but you found me.”
She gives Stevie the confidence to take charge and make a difference in her life, and so together, they begin the “Love, Heather” movement: a series of pranks that are left with a message saying “Love, Heather”, to those who have hurt others or deserve a little payback. And just as fast, other kids in the school begin adopting the signature and performing their own acts of rebellion against the people who have wronged them. Eventually, the entire school is flipped upside down and nobody is safe.
It feels like this author dipped their hands into my heart and head and pulled out every spec of heartbreak, fear and social guideline that I ever found myself in. Laurie Petrou perfectly showcases the strange nuances in teenage life. The pressure to feel included and seen by your peers. The irrational importance of high school etiquette of what to say, think, and wear. She highlights the minuscule things we would latch onto and obsess over – a strategically placed period in a text or seeing someone from your school and pretending you don't know each other. The struggles to fit in and the awkward encounters in this story feel so real and raw, and it left me feeling anxious with flashbacks from my own experiences in high school.
Even if you have never seen or heard of the movie Heathers, I beg you to read this book. Give it to a teenager or a sibling, or just read it yourself and basque in the memories of how torturous teenage life was. But above all, remember this message and speak up when others are being bullied.
Sometimes all someone needs is a knowledge that they matter.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Love, Heather by Laurie Petrou is an emotionally compelling young adult novel that deals with bullying.
Fourteen year old Stevie and her friend Lottie Sherman are excited about starting high school. The two teens have been friends for most of their lives but cracks begin to emerge when Lottie begins hanging out with the popular crowd. Stevie is also included in a few outings with the girls, but without warning, she is suddenly viciously bullied by group members. The attacks on Stevie are relentless and the bullying occurs both at school and online. Lottie turns her back on Stevie who is then befriended by new student, Dee. Thrilled with their budding friendship, Stevie is nonetheless a little concerned when Dee turns into a vigilante and begins targeting the students involved in the bullying. Suddenly other teenagers also join in with the pranks and the situation becomes even more volatile as the bullying intensifies.
Stevie and Lottie have always spent a lot of time together and Stevie feels like she is part of the Sherman family. Her own parents are divorced and she lives full time with her mother. Visits to her father are sporadic and Stevie's mom is involved in a new relationship. The schism between the friends happens just as the Sherman family is dealing with their issues which leaves Stevie without her usual support from Lottie's mom.
As her feelings of alienation continue to deepen, Stevie and Dee are inseparable. Dee's revenge pranks resonate with other classmates who have been bullied and an all out war ensues. School officials appear to be oblivious and as the months pass, Stevie has doubts about Dee's vigilante justice, but she does little to rein in her friend. With the end of the school year fast approaching, Stevie becomes even more isolated but she accepts an invitation to an end of year party at one of her classmates' house. This fateful decision sets Stevie on a desperate path that careens out of her control.
Love, Heather is a poignant young adult novel that offers an insightful but dark portrait of bullying. Stevie is a sympathetic character who feels like she has no one to count on as she falls victim to vicious bullies. The storyline is engaging but the pacing lags a bit about the halfway through the story. With a stunning plot twist, Laurie Petrou brings the novel to an intense conclusion. A gritty young adult novel that I recommend to older teen and adult readers due to mature subject matter.
Fourteen year old Stevie and her friend Lottie Sherman are excited about starting high school. The two teens have been friends for most of their lives but cracks begin to emerge when Lottie begins hanging out with the popular crowd. Stevie is also included in a few outings with the girls, but without warning, she is suddenly viciously bullied by group members. The attacks on Stevie are relentless and the bullying occurs both at school and online. Lottie turns her back on Stevie who is then befriended by new student, Dee. Thrilled with their budding friendship, Stevie is nonetheless a little concerned when Dee turns into a vigilante and begins targeting the students involved in the bullying. Suddenly other teenagers also join in with the pranks and the situation becomes even more volatile as the bullying intensifies.
Stevie and Lottie have always spent a lot of time together and Stevie feels like she is part of the Sherman family. Her own parents are divorced and she lives full time with her mother. Visits to her father are sporadic and Stevie's mom is involved in a new relationship. The schism between the friends happens just as the Sherman family is dealing with their issues which leaves Stevie without her usual support from Lottie's mom.
As her feelings of alienation continue to deepen, Stevie and Dee are inseparable. Dee's revenge pranks resonate with other classmates who have been bullied and an all out war ensues. School officials appear to be oblivious and as the months pass, Stevie has doubts about Dee's vigilante justice, but she does little to rein in her friend. With the end of the school year fast approaching, Stevie becomes even more isolated but she accepts an invitation to an end of year party at one of her classmates' house. This fateful decision sets Stevie on a desperate path that careens out of her control.
Love, Heather is a poignant young adult novel that offers an insightful but dark portrait of bullying. Stevie is a sympathetic character who feels like she has no one to count on as she falls victim to vicious bullies. The storyline is engaging but the pacing lags a bit about the halfway through the story. With a stunning plot twist, Laurie Petrou brings the novel to an intense conclusion. A gritty young adult novel that I recommend to older teen and adult readers due to mature subject matter.
becandbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Trigger warnings:
I want to be clear that I went into this book expecting something much different to what I read. And honestly, if I had actually read the synopsis I would likely not have requested an ARC.
Love, Heather is a story about when bullies fight back. Stevie is a film-enthusiast who, as many teens in school, ends up falling out with her best friend and experiencing bullying as a result. When new-girl, Dee, starts at the school, however, she pushes Stevie and others who experience bullying, to push back.
The story itself was engaging and well written. But I honestly felt a little uncomfortable about certain story inclusions being a little bit too "shock-factor" for my liking. I won't elaborate too much, as it will result in spoilers for the book.
In addition, the "twist" at the end has been done before. In a big way. Granted, I didn't see it coming. But I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the reveal.
I do want to give a shout-out to how well the book dealt with the soul-crushing way bullying can impact on a teenager at school. The topics of isolation and the insane need for connection and friendship within this story is well and truly ingrained in the story. But overall, this book just didn't work for me.
Spoiler
extreme bullying, assault/violence, sexual assault, transphobia, gun safety, toxic relationshipsI want to be clear that I went into this book expecting something much different to what I read. And honestly, if I had actually read the synopsis I would likely not have requested an ARC.
Love, Heather is a story about when bullies fight back. Stevie is a film-enthusiast who, as many teens in school, ends up falling out with her best friend and experiencing bullying as a result. When new-girl, Dee, starts at the school, however, she pushes Stevie and others who experience bullying, to push back.
The story itself was engaging and well written. But I honestly felt a little uncomfortable about certain story inclusions being a little bit too "shock-factor" for my liking. I won't elaborate too much, as it will result in spoilers for the book.
In addition, the "twist" at the end has been done before. In a big way. Granted, I didn't see it coming. But I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the reveal.
I do want to give a shout-out to how well the book dealt with the soul-crushing way bullying can impact on a teenager at school. The topics of isolation and the insane need for connection and friendship within this story is well and truly ingrained in the story. But overall, this book just didn't work for me.
Note: Review copy received via NetGalley. This does not impact opinions within this review.
blog • trigger warning database • more links
Happy reading! ❤
nzlisam's review against another edition
4.0
Eye-opening, timely, emotional, with jaw-dropping twists!
When fourteen year old Stevie is ostracised and bullied by the popular crowd, her best friend since childhood, Lottie, turns her back on her and sides with them. Unhappy and alone, Stevie is taken under her wing by fierce, fearless, loner Dee, and the two hatch a plan to strike back – give the bullies a taste of their own medicine. But when other students decide to exact their own revenge, things soon escalate into violence and vigilantism. Stevie is helpless to stop it, and does she really want to?
Love Heather accurately portrayed a wide range of serious relevant social issues that teenagers will unfortunately likely encounter more than one of in their high school setting, and/or home environment. Covers everything from vicious physical, verbal, and cyber bullying, targeted exclusion from a clique and the sudden cessation of a long term friendship, hate crimes and harmful pranks, sexual harassment and assault, transitioning and gender identity, divorce and adjusting to a parent's new partner, mental illness, attempted suicide, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and feelings of isolation and abandonment. Whew! This may sound like a lot to process, but the author handled, and weaved together, all the topics seamlessly.
The biggest twist, and the ending, threw me for six. My immediate reaction was dissatisfaction that some elements weren't fully realised/explained, but I've since done some research, and concluded that A: I'm wrong, and B: am far too influenced by dramatic portrayals in pop culture.
Laurie Petrou did a masterful job of not only showing the effects of Stevie mourning a breakup with a friend she considered a sister, but also the loss of closeness and family unity she shared with Lottie's parents. The Sherman's was a second home for Stevie, a sanctity she often escaped to when her own parents were in the midst of divorce.
I had no trouble identifying with the subject matter. When I was twelve I was ditched by my best friend of two years, and I think most of us have experienced this, and the feelings of loneliness, shame, anger and embarrassment associated with being betrayed by someone you care about. I am also a teenager of divorce, so can completely relate to what Stevie was going through having to deal with her parents new relationships. Stevie had my upmost sympathy from the beginning, and I was fully invested in her well being, and happiness. On a lighter note, we both shared an interest in teen movies from the 80’s and 90’s. The title Love Heather pays tribute to the cult 1988 movie Heathers, a teen staple during my high school years.
I felt the adults in Stevie's life were an accurate portrayal. Yes they made mistakes, and failed to see the warning signs, but just like teenagers, adults have numerous worries, responsibilities, and issues, and furthermore, they aren’t perfect. This novel would be an excellent opportunity for adults and teens to read this together, open up discussion, and compare notes of instances Stevie and the adults surrounding her could've breached the gap, and reached out to one another. And also suggest things they could've done differently along the way.
Content wise, there's strong language, name calling and slurs of a sexual nature, as well as all the trigger warnings laid out in paragraph two. It's written, and marketed for a YA audience, Stevie was only fourteen, and above are things teenagers are exposed to on a daily basis (I don't like it any more than you do, but that's the reality), so 12 plus.
I'd like to thank Netgally, Crooked Lane Books, and Laurie Petrou for the e-ARC.
Love Heather is available now!
When fourteen year old Stevie is ostracised and bullied by the popular crowd, her best friend since childhood, Lottie, turns her back on her and sides with them. Unhappy and alone, Stevie is taken under her wing by fierce, fearless, loner Dee, and the two hatch a plan to strike back – give the bullies a taste of their own medicine. But when other students decide to exact their own revenge, things soon escalate into violence and vigilantism. Stevie is helpless to stop it, and does she really want to?
Love Heather accurately portrayed a wide range of serious relevant social issues that teenagers will unfortunately likely encounter more than one of in their high school setting, and/or home environment. Covers everything from vicious physical, verbal, and cyber bullying, targeted exclusion from a clique and the sudden cessation of a long term friendship, hate crimes and harmful pranks, sexual harassment and assault, transitioning and gender identity, divorce and adjusting to a parent's new partner, mental illness, attempted suicide, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and feelings of isolation and abandonment. Whew! This may sound like a lot to process, but the author handled, and weaved together, all the topics seamlessly.
The biggest twist, and the ending, threw me for six. My immediate reaction was dissatisfaction that some elements weren't fully realised/explained, but I've since done some research, and concluded that A: I'm wrong, and B: am far too influenced by dramatic portrayals in pop culture.
Laurie Petrou did a masterful job of not only showing the effects of Stevie mourning a breakup with a friend she considered a sister, but also the loss of closeness and family unity she shared with Lottie's parents. The Sherman's was a second home for Stevie, a sanctity she often escaped to when her own parents were in the midst of divorce.
I had no trouble identifying with the subject matter. When I was twelve I was ditched by my best friend of two years, and I think most of us have experienced this, and the feelings of loneliness, shame, anger and embarrassment associated with being betrayed by someone you care about. I am also a teenager of divorce, so can completely relate to what Stevie was going through having to deal with her parents new relationships. Stevie had my upmost sympathy from the beginning, and I was fully invested in her well being, and happiness. On a lighter note, we both shared an interest in teen movies from the 80’s and 90’s. The title Love Heather pays tribute to the cult 1988 movie Heathers, a teen staple during my high school years.
I felt the adults in Stevie's life were an accurate portrayal. Yes they made mistakes, and failed to see the warning signs, but just like teenagers, adults have numerous worries, responsibilities, and issues, and furthermore, they aren’t perfect. This novel would be an excellent opportunity for adults and teens to read this together, open up discussion, and compare notes of instances Stevie and the adults surrounding her could've breached the gap, and reached out to one another. And also suggest things they could've done differently along the way.
Content wise, there's strong language, name calling and slurs of a sexual nature, as well as all the trigger warnings laid out in paragraph two. It's written, and marketed for a YA audience, Stevie was only fourteen, and above are things teenagers are exposed to on a daily basis (I don't like it any more than you do, but that's the reality), so 12 plus.
I'd like to thank Netgally, Crooked Lane Books, and Laurie Petrou for the e-ARC.
Love Heather is available now!