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Undeniable
After Gabi's relationship with her long-time boyfriend Max falls apart, she just needs to get away—and she finds the perfect escape in a summer internship for her favorite TV show in London. All the gorgeous actors in the cast will more than distract her from the Break-Up.
Then she meets Spencer Black: student, show extra, expert flirt. Spending time with him is fun, intoxicating, and uncertain. Their relationship is heating up when he lands a featured role on the show. Will his newly found fame break them apart, or is Spencer the one?
Then she meets Spencer Black: student, show extra, expert flirt. Spending time with him is fun, intoxicating, and uncertain. Their relationship is heating up when he lands a featured role on the show. Will his newly found fame break them apart, or is Spencer the one?
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
About the author
Liz Bankes
19 books57 followersLiz Bankes grew up in Sevenoaks (or One-oak as it should be called since six of the oaks fell down).
As a child she was passionate about books, the Beano and Ryan Giggs.
She has been writing since she was little, drawing plenty of cartoons and comic strips, giving them to her family to read and then waiting patiently (staring at them intensely) until they laughed. In year 6 she co-wrote, with a friend, The Sealyham Story (like the Iliad, but in Wales), which was scandalously ignored by all the major literary prizes. Then at secondary school she wrote a story about a woman who killed people and turned them into pies. Instead of a referral to a psychologist the school gave her a creative writing prize and sent her on her way.
Since then she’s been writing book reviews and blog posts (find out more on her blog site) and, secretly, more stories.
Irresistible is Liz Bankes' first published book.
Source : http://www.piccadillypress.co.uk/teen...
As a child she was passionate about books, the Beano and Ryan Giggs.
She has been writing since she was little, drawing plenty of cartoons and comic strips, giving them to her family to read and then waiting patiently (staring at them intensely) until they laughed. In year 6 she co-wrote, with a friend, The Sealyham Story (like the Iliad, but in Wales), which was scandalously ignored by all the major literary prizes. Then at secondary school she wrote a story about a woman who killed people and turned them into pies. Instead of a referral to a psychologist the school gave her a creative writing prize and sent her on her way.
Since then she’s been writing book reviews and blog posts (find out more on her blog site) and, secretly, more stories.
Irresistible is Liz Bankes' first published book.
Source : http://www.piccadillypress.co.uk/teen...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 13, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Undeniable by Liz Bankes
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: November 24, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
After Gabi's relationship with her long-time boyfriend Max falls apart, she just needs to get away—and she finds the perfect escape in a summer internship for her favorite TV show in London. All the gorgeous actors in the cast will more than distract her from the Break-Up.
Then she meets Spencer Black: student, show extra, expert flirt. Spending time with him is fun, intoxicating, and uncertain. Their relationship is heating up when he lands a featured role on the show. Will his newly found fame break them apart, or is Spencer the one?
In this steamy love story, the drama is just as real off-screen as it is on.
What I Liked:
This book was cute. It's pretty rare that I might call a book "cute", but when I do, it's usually about a contemporary novel. This is a light, fluffy contemporary romance novel, with a lot of humor and huge dose of awkward. Gabi is such a unique character, as crazy and awkward as she is. While it's clear that I didn't completely love this book, I'm glad I gave it a shot. Thank you, Bloomsbury, for the review copy!
Gabi just broke up with her boyfriend of three years, Max, about a month ago. Now, for the summer, she's headed off to London for an internship for a TV show that she loves, The Halls. She's only a runner, fetching coffee and whatnot. But at the set, she meets one of the extras, a handsome, flirtatious, and clever guy named Spencer. At first they're just hanging out, but things start to heat up. But is Gabi ready to move on? And is Spencer, an actor, the right guy to move on with?
First I'll talk about Gabi - she is a very different and fresh character in YA. She's so awkward, and she literally says what she is thinking without thinking about it. This really bothered me at first - this girl has NO filter, and never thinks through what she wants to say. But eventually, I either got used to it, or stopped caring. She's hilarious, she's off the charts bats**t crazy, but I can see why people like her. I personally don't think I could handle her though, fyi. She's... difficult. Especially for someone as sarcastic and direct as me (but direct as in I will tell you the truth, even if it insults you. No games.)
So I think I liked Gabi. She has a lot going on - besides breaking up with her boyfriend of three years. They were really close, and had something going on that shocked everyone. And something happened in Gabi's family, and it tilted the axis of Gabi's world. And then she broke up with Max. And now she's in London. So many changes, in a short time!
Spencer is a hot extra on the show. He flirts with everyone, but seems to be interested in Gabi. They hang out, explore London, but then things take a different turn. Gabi initially didn't want to engage in anything with him but... she started to think less about Max when she was with Spencer. Plus, Spencer is a good guy. Nice, charming, handsome, thoughtful.
And then he lands a bigger role in the show, and things start to get a little less honeymoon-y for them. Gabi and Spencer had been keeping their budding relationships under wraps, but now Spencer is telling everyone that he and his character are both single. And he is pushed towards his co-star, Heidi. Gabi brushes off this... until she can't.
This book actually has two plots going on, in a way. We have everything currently happening, told from Gabi's POV. And then, in italics, pretty much before every new chapter, we have a couple of pages of what happened before Gabi came to London. What happened to Gabi and Max. What happened to Gabi's family. It's slowly revealed, bit by bit, which I think really worked for this story. It was all I could do not to skip ahead and find out exactly what had happened in the past!
I liked the pace of the story, as well as what was happening in the story. Gabi grows as a character as the book goes on, though she is still her awkward, crazy self. The book really centers on Spencer and Gabi's relationship, but it is also a lot about Gabi's breakup with Max, and her close friendships with three other girls.
The ending of this book is... weird. I'm not sure I like it or hate it. I think it has enough closure to be acceptable for a standalone, but I can't help but want more. See below.
What I Did Not Like:
A couple of things bothered me. First - Gabi is a difficult girl to like. Honestly, I hated her in the beginning. She is SO awkward. Like it's borderline vertically challenged. She can't keep her balanced, and she falls out of a train. She has no filter and probably needs a muzzle - I'm not even a little bit kidding. She says things and does NOT think about what she says. It bothers me so much that she doesn't THINK; she just blurts out things. It's endearing to some, but I would probably smack her within five minutes of knowing her. Did I mention that she is awkward? So awkward. I cringed so many times. But I also laughed a lot - laughed at her. It's so funny to laugh at some of the ridiculous things she does and says.
I did like the amount of humor in this book though.
So it was a pretty big thing, to be annoyed with the protagonist for quite a bit of the book. At some point, either I got used to her, or she stopped being *as* annoying. I can safely say that she is a unique character in YA contemporary (which is rare!), but I'm not sure if she's all that likable. You might struggle with her!
The other big thing I didn't like was the ending. Like I said above, the book wraps up and we definitely have an acceptable degree of closure but... it wasn't enough. There were certain things we needed to know specifically about Max and Gabi that we aren't made aware of. I didn't like how fluid the ending was, how fluid Gabi's relationships became. If that makes sense. Hopefully I didn't spoil anything - nothing here is specific. But basically, the ending is a bit vague and not satisfying, though it does wrap up like a standalone should.
The romance wasn't *as* steamy as I'd expected. Sure, there are plenty of mentions of things and actions that COULD be steamy. But nothing is even close to explicit (like, a young adolescent or maybe even MG reader could be fine with this book). I feel a bit misled, because I was thinking that there would be some steamy Katie-McGarry-YA type of romance. Not quite. Again, there are things that could be seen as steamy, but these things are very vaguely alluded to.
Would I Recommend It:
I can't say I'd recommend this book, because it's not particularly memorable (except maybe Gabi, she is so odd) or lovable. I mean, I liked it (I think), but I didn't love it, and I probably wouldn't tell someone else, "You should totally read this contemporary novel I just read!". There are better contemporary in YA! This one was okay though.
Rating:
3 stars. On the dot, in the middle. I enjoyed it (for the most part) while reading, but I probably will never reread it. It's possibly that it just wasn't my thing, and someone who isn't bothered by the things that bothered me might LOVE this book. I already know contemporary isn't my favorite genre in YA lit, so there's that! I do try with YA contemporary though.
Undeniable by Liz Bankes
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: November 24, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
After Gabi's relationship with her long-time boyfriend Max falls apart, she just needs to get away—and she finds the perfect escape in a summer internship for her favorite TV show in London. All the gorgeous actors in the cast will more than distract her from the Break-Up.
Then she meets Spencer Black: student, show extra, expert flirt. Spending time with him is fun, intoxicating, and uncertain. Their relationship is heating up when he lands a featured role on the show. Will his newly found fame break them apart, or is Spencer the one?
In this steamy love story, the drama is just as real off-screen as it is on.
What I Liked:
This book was cute. It's pretty rare that I might call a book "cute", but when I do, it's usually about a contemporary novel. This is a light, fluffy contemporary romance novel, with a lot of humor and huge dose of awkward. Gabi is such a unique character, as crazy and awkward as she is. While it's clear that I didn't completely love this book, I'm glad I gave it a shot. Thank you, Bloomsbury, for the review copy!
Gabi just broke up with her boyfriend of three years, Max, about a month ago. Now, for the summer, she's headed off to London for an internship for a TV show that she loves, The Halls. She's only a runner, fetching coffee and whatnot. But at the set, she meets one of the extras, a handsome, flirtatious, and clever guy named Spencer. At first they're just hanging out, but things start to heat up. But is Gabi ready to move on? And is Spencer, an actor, the right guy to move on with?
First I'll talk about Gabi - she is a very different and fresh character in YA. She's so awkward, and she literally says what she is thinking without thinking about it. This really bothered me at first - this girl has NO filter, and never thinks through what she wants to say. But eventually, I either got used to it, or stopped caring. She's hilarious, she's off the charts bats**t crazy, but I can see why people like her. I personally don't think I could handle her though, fyi. She's... difficult. Especially for someone as sarcastic and direct as me (but direct as in I will tell you the truth, even if it insults you. No games.)
So I think I liked Gabi. She has a lot going on - besides breaking up with her boyfriend of three years. They were really close, and had something going on that shocked everyone. And something happened in Gabi's family, and it tilted the axis of Gabi's world. And then she broke up with Max. And now she's in London. So many changes, in a short time!
Spencer is a hot extra on the show. He flirts with everyone, but seems to be interested in Gabi. They hang out, explore London, but then things take a different turn. Gabi initially didn't want to engage in anything with him but... she started to think less about Max when she was with Spencer. Plus, Spencer is a good guy. Nice, charming, handsome, thoughtful.
And then he lands a bigger role in the show, and things start to get a little less honeymoon-y for them. Gabi and Spencer had been keeping their budding relationships under wraps, but now Spencer is telling everyone that he and his character are both single. And he is pushed towards his co-star, Heidi. Gabi brushes off this... until she can't.
This book actually has two plots going on, in a way. We have everything currently happening, told from Gabi's POV. And then, in italics, pretty much before every new chapter, we have a couple of pages of what happened before Gabi came to London. What happened to Gabi and Max. What happened to Gabi's family. It's slowly revealed, bit by bit, which I think really worked for this story. It was all I could do not to skip ahead and find out exactly what had happened in the past!
I liked the pace of the story, as well as what was happening in the story. Gabi grows as a character as the book goes on, though she is still her awkward, crazy self. The book really centers on Spencer and Gabi's relationship, but it is also a lot about Gabi's breakup with Max, and her close friendships with three other girls.
The ending of this book is... weird. I'm not sure I like it or hate it. I think it has enough closure to be acceptable for a standalone, but I can't help but want more. See below.
What I Did Not Like:
A couple of things bothered me. First - Gabi is a difficult girl to like. Honestly, I hated her in the beginning. She is SO awkward. Like it's borderline vertically challenged. She can't keep her balanced, and she falls out of a train. She has no filter and probably needs a muzzle - I'm not even a little bit kidding. She says things and does NOT think about what she says. It bothers me so much that she doesn't THINK; she just blurts out things. It's endearing to some, but I would probably smack her within five minutes of knowing her. Did I mention that she is awkward? So awkward. I cringed so many times. But I also laughed a lot - laughed at her. It's so funny to laugh at some of the ridiculous things she does and says.
I did like the amount of humor in this book though.
So it was a pretty big thing, to be annoyed with the protagonist for quite a bit of the book. At some point, either I got used to her, or she stopped being *as* annoying. I can safely say that she is a unique character in YA contemporary (which is rare!), but I'm not sure if she's all that likable. You might struggle with her!
The other big thing I didn't like was the ending. Like I said above, the book wraps up and we definitely have an acceptable degree of closure but... it wasn't enough. There were certain things we needed to know specifically about Max and Gabi that we aren't made aware of. I didn't like how fluid the ending was, how fluid Gabi's relationships became. If that makes sense. Hopefully I didn't spoil anything - nothing here is specific. But basically, the ending is a bit vague and not satisfying, though it does wrap up like a standalone should.
The romance wasn't *as* steamy as I'd expected. Sure, there are plenty of mentions of things and actions that COULD be steamy. But nothing is even close to explicit (like, a young adolescent or maybe even MG reader could be fine with this book). I feel a bit misled, because I was thinking that there would be some steamy Katie-McGarry-YA type of romance. Not quite. Again, there are things that could be seen as steamy, but these things are very vaguely alluded to.
Would I Recommend It:
I can't say I'd recommend this book, because it's not particularly memorable (except maybe Gabi, she is so odd) or lovable. I mean, I liked it (I think), but I didn't love it, and I probably wouldn't tell someone else, "You should totally read this contemporary novel I just read!". There are better contemporary in YA! This one was okay though.
Rating:
3 stars. On the dot, in the middle. I enjoyed it (for the most part) while reading, but I probably will never reread it. It's possibly that it just wasn't my thing, and someone who isn't bothered by the things that bothered me might LOVE this book. I already know contemporary isn't my favorite genre in YA lit, so there's that! I do try with YA contemporary though.
June 6, 2016
*2.5 stars*
February 22, 2016
I didn't have very high hopes for Undeniable so I'm really surprised how much I liked it.
It was just a fun, fluffy contemporary and I really enjoyed it.
The characters were fairly plain and maybe a little annoying at times but I didn't hate them. At times, I could really relate to Gabi.
I think my favorite part about this book was the conversions between Gabi and Mia. They reminded me of my best friend and I.
I really liked the plot and setting. I did wish there was more about Gabi adjusting to living in a new country.
Overall, Undeniable was a really fun, fast read. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I was going to and I'm definitely going to check out Liz Bankes other books.
It was just a fun, fluffy contemporary and I really enjoyed it.
The characters were fairly plain and maybe a little annoying at times but I didn't hate them. At times, I could really relate to Gabi.
I think my favorite part about this book was the conversions between Gabi and Mia. They reminded me of my best friend and I.
I really liked the plot and setting. I did wish there was more about Gabi adjusting to living in a new country.
Overall, Undeniable was a really fun, fast read. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I was going to and I'm definitely going to check out Liz Bankes other books.
Did Not Finish
November 25, 2015Pages read: 31
I was holding out hope for this one because I've been desperately craving some shippy contemporary novels. Unfortunately, I can no longer deny that this book is not what I've been waiting for.
Undeniable tries so hard to be voicey and hilarious, but the problem is that I'm rolling my eyes and groaning rather than laughing. Gabi is awkward to a degree even I can't relate to. In one of the first scenes, she gets off a train in the underground, fails to mind the gap and lands next to the tracks. The cute boy love interest lifts her back up by her armpits. Like, what even is that? Everything she does is a level of awkward the word awkward doesn't really prepare you for. I've known a lot of awkward people in my life but holy shit.
Contemporaries are so voice-driven, so when it's off like this for me, it's just not going to work.
I was holding out hope for this one because I've been desperately craving some shippy contemporary novels. Unfortunately, I can no longer deny that this book is not what I've been waiting for.
Undeniable tries so hard to be voicey and hilarious, but the problem is that I'm rolling my eyes and groaning rather than laughing. Gabi is awkward to a degree even I can't relate to. In one of the first scenes, she gets off a train in the underground, fails to mind the gap and lands next to the tracks. The cute boy love interest lifts her back up by her armpits. Like, what even is that? Everything she does is a level of awkward the word awkward doesn't really prepare you for. I've known a lot of awkward people in my life but holy shit.
Contemporaries are so voice-driven, so when it's off like this for me, it's just not going to work.
November 19, 2015
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Undeniable is a young adult contemporary romance by Liz Bankes. First off, I should say that I saw this book as more of a crossover between young adult and new adult. I think it will appeal to both upper YA readers as well as NA readers. Undeniable is a quirky and fun contemporary romance story that plays out a fantasy of almost all teens. Gabi lands an internship on the set of her favorite tv show and starts a whirlwind romance with an up and coming actor. I mean, come on, who hasn't thought about the possibility of running into, and hitting it off with your favorite actor? (I know you are lying if you say you haven't) Also, I wanted to say how much I liked the cover of Undeniable. I love that it is mostly greys with some pops of color. Gabi, however didn't match the description and image I had in my head, but that is a minor point.
Gabi is a kooky young lady. Some might even say crazy. Ok, I say she is totally crazy. She is a lot to get used to at first. The book is told in first person so she is your narrative. And she is scatterbrained and loose lipped. The result is a ton of short sentences that don't always logically flow. It was almost stream of conscious in that aspect, but after a while you get used to the rapid fire thought and learn to just hang on for the ride. You are at Gabi's whim. She grew on me as the story went on. I really liked that we got to see both her present with Spencer as well as slowly had her past with her ex boyfriend Max revealed.
The romance in Undeniable is really cute. The summary does a great job of pointing out that it is equal parts sweet and sultry. I really liked Spencer, even though he is way too much of a flirt for my tastes. He has a big enough personality to roll with Gabi and unpredictable nature. That was what I liked most about him. He wasn't deterred by the crazy. If you like European settings in book and you like the world of Hollywood (or London) acting, then Undeniable is a really cute read for you to try out.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Undeniable is a young adult contemporary romance by Liz Bankes. First off, I should say that I saw this book as more of a crossover between young adult and new adult. I think it will appeal to both upper YA readers as well as NA readers. Undeniable is a quirky and fun contemporary romance story that plays out a fantasy of almost all teens. Gabi lands an internship on the set of her favorite tv show and starts a whirlwind romance with an up and coming actor. I mean, come on, who hasn't thought about the possibility of running into, and hitting it off with your favorite actor? (I know you are lying if you say you haven't) Also, I wanted to say how much I liked the cover of Undeniable. I love that it is mostly greys with some pops of color. Gabi, however didn't match the description and image I had in my head, but that is a minor point.
Gabi is a kooky young lady. Some might even say crazy. Ok, I say she is totally crazy. She is a lot to get used to at first. The book is told in first person so she is your narrative. And she is scatterbrained and loose lipped. The result is a ton of short sentences that don't always logically flow. It was almost stream of conscious in that aspect, but after a while you get used to the rapid fire thought and learn to just hang on for the ride. You are at Gabi's whim. She grew on me as the story went on. I really liked that we got to see both her present with Spencer as well as slowly had her past with her ex boyfriend Max revealed.
The romance in Undeniable is really cute. The summary does a great job of pointing out that it is equal parts sweet and sultry. I really liked Spencer, even though he is way too much of a flirt for my tastes. He has a big enough personality to roll with Gabi and unpredictable nature. That was what I liked most about him. He wasn't deterred by the crazy. If you like European settings in book and you like the world of Hollywood (or London) acting, then Undeniable is a really cute read for you to try out.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
November 28, 2015
A cute story with a nice setting. Wasn't into the characters though.
September 10, 2015
Nothing special really, fun I guess but at times some of the characters really made me mad, namely Spencer and Gabi. Spencer before at times he acted like a freaking jerk and then he was all cute, sweet and lovey-dovey. Gabi because even if I understand that she might not be comfortable talking about Max with Spencer I feel like she should have been honest later when they starter dating, even more because she said "I love you Max" in her sleep while she was in bed with Spencer at one point in the beginning of their relationship. To be honest my favorite of them was Max. I won't judge on the started dating another guy barely a month after breaking up her 3yr old relationship with Max because I kind of did something similar once and really, I don't see the problem since she's single and at first they wanted nothing from each other, it just kind of developed.
I was hooked from the beginning, I liked the beginning of the story more, it was a really easy read, but I felt that there was something missing for me.
I was hooked from the beginning, I liked the beginning of the story more, it was a really easy read, but I felt that there was something missing for me.
August 30, 2013
Gabi can’t wait to embark on a summer full of adventure and distraction in London, working as a runner on her favourite TV show, The Halls – think the O.C. set on a university campus but with even more drama and even hotter guys. Newly single after a very-long term relationship, Gabi is more than ready for a not-so-serious summer romance, and it might just be that Spencer Black, a sexy extra on The Halls is the one to sweep her off her feet.
But is Gabi open to love, or does her heart belong to someone else – and is Spencer really all that he seems? Gabi’s life is about to take a turn for the dramatic; it’s like she stepped right into one of her favourite storylines from The Halls. But will Gabi’s story have a happy ever after, or is her summer of fun about to turn into a case of broken hearts all round?
Read the full review: http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot...
But is Gabi open to love, or does her heart belong to someone else – and is Spencer really all that he seems? Gabi’s life is about to take a turn for the dramatic; it’s like she stepped right into one of her favourite storylines from The Halls. But will Gabi’s story have a happy ever after, or is her summer of fun about to turn into a case of broken hearts all round?
Read the full review: http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot...
October 15, 2015
FIRST THOUGHT: Undeniable is mostly cute, and it does have some pretty fun moments. But I wasn't too keen on Gabi, and it felt like I could never 100% place her age right when it came to her voice. I wasn't invested in the romance either; was actually wishing for more development and focus on the friendships and family stuff.
December 14, 2016
2.5-3 stars. Review to come.
September 17, 2016
*3.75*
AGGGGGGGHHHH
AGGGGGGGHHHH
October 13, 2013
I had never read any of Liz Bankes books before, but when I was sent it to read from the publisher I looked forward to it.
From looking at the front cover I didn't actually know it was in the YA category, I thought this looks very adult and could perhaps dip into the Erotic area. I was very wrong. From reading the back cover I thought it would instantly be a hit with teens and those in their early 20's.
This book seems to have everything, the reality T.V, 'The Hills' type show being shot and obviously the attractive actors and actresses; this twinned with romance was always going to be a hit.
Gabi moves to London for the summer on work experience, her Granny is an actress and managed to get her a job as a runner on the hottest T.V series to be filmed for a while. This turns out to be Gabi's favourite series and she can not wait. However she is also recovering from a broken heart, this being one of the reasons she decided to move to London for the summer.
Very quickly Gabi meets Spencer, who has a small part in the series, they click right to begin with, but Gabi knows she is not there to develop relationships but to hopefully enhance her career.
The book is split into present and flash backs that Gabi has with her ex, Max. Max is a character we only really see from Gabi's point of view, she paints him to be caring and loving. We learn a lot about Max and Gabi's relationship through these flash backs and it is written very well.
There are many characters in the book that arrive at different times, this was done well as I didn't become lost with the characters, but felt it needed them. You develop feelings through the book for the characters and I must say I loved Gabi, she was funny, down to earth and an average teenager. My feelings for Spencer changed as I got further into the book and by the end my thoughts had changed again. The main person I felt sorry for was Max, I don't want to give too much away, but he is a genuine nice guy.
Undeniable is a very quick read, I read in less than 24 hours, it was easy to slip in and out of and would appeal to the younger audience. Some of the scenes in the book are a bit steamy though I think for younger teens and there is a guidance on the back to be read by over 15's. I also enjoyed this book as I found it rather funny, this was something else I did not expect from the book. This made me want to continue to read it, this is not a long novel and could easily be read in a few days. I did find that I preferred the first half of the book and I found I read this quicker, this I feel was because it had funnier parts to it, however I did enjoy the rest of the book too.
Like I said I had never read any previous books by Liz, however I notice that we meet some of the characters in the previous book. This does not matter and you do not have to of read it to understand this one. After reading this book, I would like to read the previous.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this to review.
For this review and more please visit:
Mrsbbooks2011.blogspot.co.uk
From looking at the front cover I didn't actually know it was in the YA category, I thought this looks very adult and could perhaps dip into the Erotic area. I was very wrong. From reading the back cover I thought it would instantly be a hit with teens and those in their early 20's.
This book seems to have everything, the reality T.V, 'The Hills' type show being shot and obviously the attractive actors and actresses; this twinned with romance was always going to be a hit.
Gabi moves to London for the summer on work experience, her Granny is an actress and managed to get her a job as a runner on the hottest T.V series to be filmed for a while. This turns out to be Gabi's favourite series and she can not wait. However she is also recovering from a broken heart, this being one of the reasons she decided to move to London for the summer.
Very quickly Gabi meets Spencer, who has a small part in the series, they click right to begin with, but Gabi knows she is not there to develop relationships but to hopefully enhance her career.
The book is split into present and flash backs that Gabi has with her ex, Max. Max is a character we only really see from Gabi's point of view, she paints him to be caring and loving. We learn a lot about Max and Gabi's relationship through these flash backs and it is written very well.
There are many characters in the book that arrive at different times, this was done well as I didn't become lost with the characters, but felt it needed them. You develop feelings through the book for the characters and I must say I loved Gabi, she was funny, down to earth and an average teenager. My feelings for Spencer changed as I got further into the book and by the end my thoughts had changed again. The main person I felt sorry for was Max, I don't want to give too much away, but he is a genuine nice guy.
Undeniable is a very quick read, I read in less than 24 hours, it was easy to slip in and out of and would appeal to the younger audience. Some of the scenes in the book are a bit steamy though I think for younger teens and there is a guidance on the back to be read by over 15's. I also enjoyed this book as I found it rather funny, this was something else I did not expect from the book. This made me want to continue to read it, this is not a long novel and could easily be read in a few days. I did find that I preferred the first half of the book and I found I read this quicker, this I feel was because it had funnier parts to it, however I did enjoy the rest of the book too.
Like I said I had never read any previous books by Liz, however I notice that we meet some of the characters in the previous book. This does not matter and you do not have to of read it to understand this one. After reading this book, I would like to read the previous.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this to review.
For this review and more please visit:
Mrsbbooks2011.blogspot.co.uk
August 20, 2013
Undeniable is a great read and is, if possible, miles better than Liz's first book Irresistible. It's hot and addictive and I wish we had more British fiction like this. I think it's been labelled as New Adult, but I'm not sure I'd put it into that category myself. Aside from a couple of steamy scenes and a seventeen-year-old protagonist, there's not much new or adult going here. Whatever labels you want to give it, there's no denying that it's a fantastic teen read that I'm sure will fly off the shelves.
Gabi moves to London for a summer internship as a runner on a popular teen TV show (great setting!), The Halls, about a group of students. She's getting over a break up and doesn't intend to even look at the opposite sex, until she meets the delightful Spencer. His curly hair and slightly bad boy attitude hooks her and slowly she's drawn into his world. Honestly, reading this is like watching a 90's teen film with your friends. Fun!
I liked all the characters in this book, especially Gabi. I initially thought she could be irritating, but she's not. Instead she's funny and clumsy, kind of like an older version of Georgia Nicolson, and comes out with some hilarious one-liners. She's a little naive when it comes to new boys and knowing what she (and he!) wants, but I think that's understandable at her age. Spencer was my next favourite and, although I don't necessarily think he's right for Gabi, he isn't your typical wannabe actor boy. He also has a great sense of humour and is caring and kind, though his only downfall is that he's blinded by the impending glitz and glam that accompanies young stars of a TV show.
There are lots of other characters too, all well-rounded and realistic. Gabi's friends, Mia, Rosie and Nish are especially well realised and, if you've read Irresistible, you'll already be familiar with Mia. Gabi's Grandma also features in Undeniable, and she's a kooky, cool lady who's dealing with her own life obstacles. Gabi's story unfolds throughout the whole of this book, mostly through conversations with her friends and an excellent use of flashbacks. I felt sorry for her at times, but I could also see that she made the right decision, regardless of the fallout.
Undeniable is an intelligent, quick read that is perfect for teenagers (age 15+, as the back cover says). Once I started reading I couldn't put it down and, even now, I'm still craving more. I hope Liz Bankes and her books get the recognition they deserve, as she really is an author to watch when it comes to British YA fiction. I'm eagerly awaiting her next book, and I hope it's as good as this one!
Gabi moves to London for a summer internship as a runner on a popular teen TV show (great setting!), The Halls, about a group of students. She's getting over a break up and doesn't intend to even look at the opposite sex, until she meets the delightful Spencer. His curly hair and slightly bad boy attitude hooks her and slowly she's drawn into his world. Honestly, reading this is like watching a 90's teen film with your friends. Fun!
I liked all the characters in this book, especially Gabi. I initially thought she could be irritating, but she's not. Instead she's funny and clumsy, kind of like an older version of Georgia Nicolson, and comes out with some hilarious one-liners. She's a little naive when it comes to new boys and knowing what she (and he!) wants, but I think that's understandable at her age. Spencer was my next favourite and, although I don't necessarily think he's right for Gabi, he isn't your typical wannabe actor boy. He also has a great sense of humour and is caring and kind, though his only downfall is that he's blinded by the impending glitz and glam that accompanies young stars of a TV show.
There are lots of other characters too, all well-rounded and realistic. Gabi's friends, Mia, Rosie and Nish are especially well realised and, if you've read Irresistible, you'll already be familiar with Mia. Gabi's Grandma also features in Undeniable, and she's a kooky, cool lady who's dealing with her own life obstacles. Gabi's story unfolds throughout the whole of this book, mostly through conversations with her friends and an excellent use of flashbacks. I felt sorry for her at times, but I could also see that she made the right decision, regardless of the fallout.
Undeniable is an intelligent, quick read that is perfect for teenagers (age 15+, as the back cover says). Once I started reading I couldn't put it down and, even now, I'm still craving more. I hope Liz Bankes and her books get the recognition they deserve, as she really is an author to watch when it comes to British YA fiction. I'm eagerly awaiting her next book, and I hope it's as good as this one!
January 27, 2015
I must admit I have got to the point where I'm wary about books that fall under the NA category and mostly only read this because I'd enjoyed the author's first book and because there are so few British authors writing books that could be considered NA and I do love championing British authors on my blog.
I am delighted to say I loved this book. It was funny and full of heart. I loved the main character Gabi to pieces and was completely hooked in by the storyline.
Undeniable is the story of Gabi. Gabi has recently split up with her boyfriend and decides to move to London for the summer to get away from it all and as a bonus work as a runner on the latest TV show The Halls. For Gabi this is a perfect opportunity to get her head sorted and fan girl over for favourite TV stars. I loved Gabi from the outset. She's the sort of girl you want to be best friends with. She is loyal and really sweet when it all comes down to it. She is brilliantly funny in pretty much everything she says as the girl as no filter and just says whatever crazy thing she has going on in her brain. This leads to some real laugh out loud comedy moments which had me giggling all he way through the book.
Another thing I loved bout this book was the hot love interest Spencer who comes onto the scene pretty soon into the book. He's gorgeous and sweet with Gabi and there are some sexy times scenes which were extremely steamy. I really enjoyed seeing the scenes between them and how their relationship grew and changed as he stepped more into the national stoplight after getting a new role on the show Gabi works as a runner for.
Special mention needs to go to Max. Please can we have more Max in future books? I can't tell you too much about him for fear of spoiling the book but I will say I absolutely loved him.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was that Gabi's past and the reasons why she decides to get away from it all and move to London are slowly uncovered via a series of flashback scenes which I really enjoyed to get that insight into why she was doing the things she was.
Finally the things I really loved about this book was the way in which Gabi's friendship with her girly friends was portrayed. I loved their interactions as they felt so authentically teenage and I loved how the author caught that so perfectly in the book.
All in all a fab romantic read which I thoroughly enjoyed which an engaging storyline and a main character you can't help but want to root for.
I am delighted to say I loved this book. It was funny and full of heart. I loved the main character Gabi to pieces and was completely hooked in by the storyline.
Undeniable is the story of Gabi. Gabi has recently split up with her boyfriend and decides to move to London for the summer to get away from it all and as a bonus work as a runner on the latest TV show The Halls. For Gabi this is a perfect opportunity to get her head sorted and fan girl over for favourite TV stars. I loved Gabi from the outset. She's the sort of girl you want to be best friends with. She is loyal and really sweet when it all comes down to it. She is brilliantly funny in pretty much everything she says as the girl as no filter and just says whatever crazy thing she has going on in her brain. This leads to some real laugh out loud comedy moments which had me giggling all he way through the book.
Another thing I loved bout this book was the hot love interest Spencer who comes onto the scene pretty soon into the book. He's gorgeous and sweet with Gabi and there are some sexy times scenes which were extremely steamy. I really enjoyed seeing the scenes between them and how their relationship grew and changed as he stepped more into the national stoplight after getting a new role on the show Gabi works as a runner for.
Special mention needs to go to Max. Please can we have more Max in future books? I can't tell you too much about him for fear of spoiling the book but I will say I absolutely loved him.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was that Gabi's past and the reasons why she decides to get away from it all and move to London are slowly uncovered via a series of flashback scenes which I really enjoyed to get that insight into why she was doing the things she was.
Finally the things I really loved about this book was the way in which Gabi's friendship with her girly friends was portrayed. I loved their interactions as they felt so authentically teenage and I loved how the author caught that so perfectly in the book.
All in all a fab romantic read which I thoroughly enjoyed which an engaging storyline and a main character you can't help but want to root for.
October 20, 2013
Gabi is thrilled when she gets the chance to work as a runner on her favourite TV show. She gets to rub shoulders with the dreamy guys she sees on TV and add a pretty impressive job on her CV. So while she will be missing out on a summer of fun with her friends, she gets to spend it with the stars in London and getting over her ex.
And what better way to get over a guy, but to flirt with a new one? Spencer is an extra on the show and drives Gabi to distraction. As things hot up between them, Spencer lands a minor role and suddenly he’s the coolest thing since sliced bread. Gabi has to contend with keeping her new relationship secret and watch as he kisses another girl everyday right in front of her...and listen as he denies to the world that he’s with her.
Turns out the glamorous life isn’t so charmed after all.
Undeniable was an easy read and while at times it was frank and humorous, I just couldn’t get into it. The promise for a great book is there, but it fell flat for me. As a New Adult book I expected it to be a little more mature than it was. Instead it felt like the Georgia Nichols books with sex scenes thrown in. I think if it stayed true to YA and kept it cleaner, or really went for it with NA it would have been amazing, but as it stands it falls somewhere in the middle.
This will probably be a great book for people venturing into the new world of New Adult.
And what better way to get over a guy, but to flirt with a new one? Spencer is an extra on the show and drives Gabi to distraction. As things hot up between them, Spencer lands a minor role and suddenly he’s the coolest thing since sliced bread. Gabi has to contend with keeping her new relationship secret and watch as he kisses another girl everyday right in front of her...and listen as he denies to the world that he’s with her.
Turns out the glamorous life isn’t so charmed after all.
Undeniable was an easy read and while at times it was frank and humorous, I just couldn’t get into it. The promise for a great book is there, but it fell flat for me. As a New Adult book I expected it to be a little more mature than it was. Instead it felt like the Georgia Nichols books with sex scenes thrown in. I think if it stayed true to YA and kept it cleaner, or really went for it with NA it would have been amazing, but as it stands it falls somewhere in the middle.
This will probably be a great book for people venturing into the new world of New Adult.
December 9, 2015
This review was originally posted on About to Read. For Fairytale fashions, reads, and more visit abouttoread.com
***
Undeniable did not start out well for me. It didn’t end well for me either. I think my key problem here is that I’m too old for this one. Had I been in middle school, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.
Despite the promise of glitz and glam from the TV show/movie star setting, I got very little of that and much more annoying teen. The main character is kind of an idiot — I just couldn’t stand the way she spoke. It was very juvenile and all the topics covered were angsty teen drama nonsense. I’m sure that’s enjoyable to read at a younger age when we’re angsty teens ourselves, but as an adult, reading this novel was kind of painful.
The plot was all fluff, as you would probably expect from the premise. That doesn’t bother me since sometimes I just need a little fluff in my life, but nothing about the story made up for how much I disliked the main character.
If you are actually in middle school, or maybe even high school, this might be a better fit for you than it was for me. I think a younger me really would have enjoyed this one. Older me was just happy to be done with it.
***
Undeniable did not start out well for me. It didn’t end well for me either. I think my key problem here is that I’m too old for this one. Had I been in middle school, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.
Despite the promise of glitz and glam from the TV show/movie star setting, I got very little of that and much more annoying teen. The main character is kind of an idiot — I just couldn’t stand the way she spoke. It was very juvenile and all the topics covered were angsty teen drama nonsense. I’m sure that’s enjoyable to read at a younger age when we’re angsty teens ourselves, but as an adult, reading this novel was kind of painful.
The plot was all fluff, as you would probably expect from the premise. That doesn’t bother me since sometimes I just need a little fluff in my life, but nothing about the story made up for how much I disliked the main character.
If you are actually in middle school, or maybe even high school, this might be a better fit for you than it was for me. I think a younger me really would have enjoyed this one. Older me was just happy to be done with it.
January 2, 2017
I saw this book a few years ago at Barnes & Noble, but never got around to buying it. So when I ordered it online, I was super pumped! This book was pretty good. Would I read it again? Maybe. I probably will at some point. It's not that I didn't like the characters or that they weren't interesting, I just wanted more. I felt like I was always on the edge of my seat, waiting for something huge to happen, or a big bombshell to be dropped. I would've liked to have the chance to maybe get to know Spencer more, or something. It's not that the book isn't good, it is, it's just that a lot of it felt like exposition. I won't spoil the ending in case any of you want to read it! Gabi is ridiculously awkward, which is a bit hard to get used to at first but it's definitely interesting and refreshing. Overall, I would recommend this book as a book you should read during the summer or when you want some contemporary books that don't make you think too much, but not as a book you need to run out and get right now.
December 5, 2015
I'll give it 3 1/2 stars, only cause she made me laugh.
It was great, here's a fan girl living her dream of working on her favorite show. She was funny, she had some issues, & then well, I don't know what happened.
I think I read the ending twice, cause I had no idea what happened. Hell, I still don't after digesting the story.
Her friends sounded great, very supportive, but we didn't get to know them deeply. Other than one's rich, another a lesbian, and another that I've known since 2nd grade.
Max, her ex, was made to sound to sensitive, he almost sounded like a welcoming mat for Gabi. Spencer, her summer fling, was great until the fame got to his head, then he just turned into an ass. Didn't find myself swooning enough for him, to me let ignore how he treated Gabi in the second half. Dbag...
The ending, yeah, not even gonna bother with that...
It was great, here's a fan girl living her dream of working on her favorite show. She was funny, she had some issues, & then well, I don't know what happened.
I think I read the ending twice, cause I had no idea what happened. Hell, I still don't after digesting the story.
Her friends sounded great, very supportive, but we didn't get to know them deeply. Other than one's rich, another a lesbian, and another that I've known since 2nd grade.
Max, her ex, was made to sound to sensitive, he almost sounded like a welcoming mat for Gabi. Spencer, her summer fling, was great until the fame got to his head, then he just turned into an ass. Didn't find myself swooning enough for him, to me let ignore how he treated Gabi in the second half. Dbag...
The ending, yeah, not even gonna bother with that...
May 26, 2014
Imagine there's a super hot TV show centered around gorgeous young adults and their lives together. Imagine you get a summer job on TV set as a runner. This is Gabi's summer job and it's her dream job. Of course, there's one actor on the set, Spencer, who's doing all the flirting and getting Gabi's attention. Gabi has left her gang of close friends behind including a very serious at one time boyfriend named Max. This is a fun summer romance novel showing all the ups and downs of dating someone famous at the same time getting over a past relationship.
September 9, 2015
I had a whole review and somehow it didn't save, and I didn't copy it in time. Oh well. TLDR version: Very funny, loads of British humor, more of a "New Adult lite" than the bubble-gum YA it looks like from the cover.
July 6, 2016
A coming-of-age, entertaining easy read, the main character is very funny. There a few grammatical errors which interrupted the flow a couple of times though. A book for work and I recommend it to young adult readers.
November 16, 2013
N'aw this was cute and soso funny! I laughed so much.
December 24, 2016
I really enjoyed the journey that she took, when on her internship!
March 15, 2017
At first, I thought that this book is gonna be fun, but when I was reading it, I noticed that the characters are plain. Overall, it's funny and full of heart.
November 7, 2017
<3 This was a quick and fun read, with a hilarious main character. I laughed out loud so many times!
December 26, 2017
I don’t know man. I enjoy it but at the same time I don’t enjoy it
March 13, 2026
I feel this is aimed at young adults. It was a ok read but for me I feel it was missing something. It had cute moments and funny bits but It just wasn't enough for more than 3 stars. It did keep me hooked though because I wanted to see what happens with Gabi and Spencer.
July 5, 2021
2.5… was v hopeful but the ending was so rushed and ruined in my opinion
January 19, 2022
Small chapters and a simple story... not bad .. i liked it
July 21, 2016
Undeniable by Liz Bankes was an interesting novel that seemed to be aimed towards the Young Adult audience.
This book was nothing special for me. I was left feeling rather lost and upset that this book wasn't as good as the synopsis had implied. The plot was well thought out and it could have been a fantastic novel, but the writing style was not my cup of tea.
The writing style seemed to be aimed towards a pre-teen audience while the subject matter seemed to be aimed towards a Young Adult audience. This left me feeling rather confused while reading the book. The maturity of a Young Adult novels words was not there, and the subject matter just didn't match the writing style. Discussing sex while speaking in a pre-teen tone seemed extremely strange and I felt very off reading it. The steamier parts of the novel made me feel even worse, since the writing style did not match the subject matter.
Overall, the plot was fantastic and the author had a great idea of where to go, but the writing style just didn't match the content of the novel. I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't what I had hoped it to be. The author is fantastic, and I don't want this review to let her down. She is incredible at writing! Her ideas were great and her writing was great, they just didn't match in this novel.
Perhaps someone just coming into the Young Adult scene from reading Pre-teen novels would enjoy this book. It seemed like it would be a good stepping stone from one genre to another.
Two out of five stars.
I received an ARC copy from Goodreads First Reads.
This book was nothing special for me. I was left feeling rather lost and upset that this book wasn't as good as the synopsis had implied. The plot was well thought out and it could have been a fantastic novel, but the writing style was not my cup of tea.
The writing style seemed to be aimed towards a pre-teen audience while the subject matter seemed to be aimed towards a Young Adult audience. This left me feeling rather confused while reading the book. The maturity of a Young Adult novels words was not there, and the subject matter just didn't match the writing style. Discussing sex while speaking in a pre-teen tone seemed extremely strange and I felt very off reading it. The steamier parts of the novel made me feel even worse, since the writing style did not match the subject matter.
Overall, the plot was fantastic and the author had a great idea of where to go, but the writing style just didn't match the content of the novel. I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't what I had hoped it to be. The author is fantastic, and I don't want this review to let her down. She is incredible at writing! Her ideas were great and her writing was great, they just didn't match in this novel.
Perhaps someone just coming into the Young Adult scene from reading Pre-teen novels would enjoy this book. It seemed like it would be a good stepping stone from one genre to another.
Two out of five stars.
I received an ARC copy from Goodreads First Reads.
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