Novel Review: Radio Radio by Graham Marks

Rating (Out of 5): ~2-2.5

Genre: YA Contemporary; Script

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Release Date: 2003

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A group of kids want to start a radio station. They have known each other a long time and have shared their plans for years. And finally they do it - setting up in an empty flat they soon find themselves not only having to deal with the complications of running a pirate radio station but also fending off the attentions of competing broadcasters.

The Cover:

I don't mind the cover above, and think it fits relatively well, especially given the radio plot and that it's written in script, like you might hear it over the radio. It works. The cover on Amazon works just as well, too.

Review:

I picked this book up forever ago, and finally decided to read it, since it’s so short. But while it’s a short book, I did not really enjoy it.

It’s told in script format, which was okay. I suppose it went by fast because of it, but it also made it harder for me to connect to the characters. But I've always had that problem so that might just be me.

It’s about a group of characters who decide to make a radio show, during the time that radio is being heavily watched and censored. They’re doing it in secret, and trying not to get caught, because they can get in serious trouble for it. That part I found interesting.

But then there’s drama between the characters. Some of them are friends, some of them are exes and current boyfriend/girlfriend. One of the characters was unhappy in her relationship, in it just cause, and her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. Then this other character thinks that her boyfriend is interested in his ex, and she gets seriously depressed about it. I just didn’t care, honestly. I didn’t care about any of them.

The ending was good, I guess, at least for the radio show part of it. But I’m glad it’s over.

Review: How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Scholastic

Spoilers?: No.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From bestselling author Natalie Standiford, an amazing, touching story of two friends navigating the dark waters of their senior year.

New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn't made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea, and soon they form an unexpected friendship. It's not romance, exactly - but it's definitely love. Still, Bea can't quite dispel Jonah's gloom and doom - and as she finds out his family history, she understands why. Can Bea help Jonah? Or is he destined to vanish?

Review:

I feel a little unsure about this book. It's just one of those books that makes me unsure. It gives me the feeling that I don't know if I enjoyed it or not, if it was good or not. I just don't really know about it.

It's about Bea, a girl who moves to this town, and Jonah, the loner boy who already lives there. Bea doesn't really fit in very well, she's a little odd, but she starts hanging out with some of the girls at the school. Despite that, though, she's drawn to Jonah. So she starts hanging out with him, and talking with him through a radio show. And they make a connection, that's not quite romantic, but I guess something more? But then they find something out about Jonah's family, the reason why he prefers to stay by himself, and the part that's been kept even from him.

I got a feel for who both of the characters are, but I don't think I really related to either one very well. But I don't think that was the writing, and more on my part. They were good characters, they were just a little displaced, maybe from me in particular. But I liked their relationship, I did like them, and I kind of got their relationship. I've read a couple of books where the characters have a relationship beyond friendship and romance, but for some reason I haven't really been able to connect with any of them. I get those kind of relationships, I do, so I don't know why I have such a hard time with the books when they do them.

The part about Jonah's home life, with his family and the secrets, was really good. It was done really well. But, saying that, I don't think I really like the ending. I understand why he did it, even if I don't really understand how he did, or why he did it to Bea in particular. It wasn't a very happy ending, even if it wasn't a depressing one. It's realistic, but a bit tragic, actually.

I did really enjoy the radio part of the book. I've read, and even seen, several things with radio in them, and I have enjoyed all of them. I love most things when it comes to radio, unless it's in real life. Because, for some reason, I kind of hate radio in real life. I can never find a good channel, not one that has very good music, and there are always way too many commercials. I haven't found a really good talk show, but I probably haven't looked hard enough. It's terribly upsetting to me.

There are lots of things that don't give me one set emotion. This was a good book, and yet the ending makes me not know if I really liked it. I liked the characters, but I didn't really connect with them. There are lots of things that go in to this book, and it all makes me not know what to tell you.
I think I'll just call it a good book, say that I will be reading her other books, and leave it at that.