Hope

by Rhian Ivory, Rhian Tracey

The summer between school and sixth-form college. When Hope doesn’t get into drama college, and her friends do, all her plans fall apart. She’s struggling with anger, grief for her father and a sense that her own body is against her. She meets Riley on the ferry and his texts give her someone to talk to. But this isn’t a story about a boy fixing everything. It’s about trying new things and having the courage to ask for help.

‘A wonderful, believable read.’ Eve Ainsworth, Seven Days, Crush and Damage
‘Real characters to root for, laugh with, cry for, and a subject that should be more widely shared.’ Joanna Nadin, The Rachel Riley Diaries
‘I thoroughly enjoyed this little gem. It's out next week. You should check it out.’
Cat Clarke, bestselling Zoella & Whsmiths Book club author
‘Rhian Ivory’s Hope immediately won me over for its ability – rare among UK writers – to capture the modern Irish dialect without venturing into “Oirish” territory. Her own voice is completely believable and makes this issue-heavy story both authentic and engaging.’ Claire Hennessey, The Irish Times

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

296 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2017

Reviews

[KHATÚN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving this book 4 stars because I was looking for adventure, but found In real life crisis. Nonetheless, it was still good. Hope and Cassie remind me of Alexa and Katie (from the TV series on Netflix), and they represent how friendship can be. Ups and downs can come, and you may get into fights about things, but their bond never broke. They stuck together till the end. It also showed how a parent should react to stuff. I mean there was a few bits here and there where I rolled my eyes at Hope’s mother, because I thought that she didn’t really understand what was going on, but then again how can you? When a person is going through something, unless you are in their shoes, I guess you’ll never really understand what they’re going through. Then there was Dublin guy. He was the comedian in this book. Glad Hope found him in her darkest times.

[Rosanna Threakall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning in every way.

[Zaide · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hope was an inspiring book on how it feels when suddenly your life isn’t going how you expected it to.

Hope Baldi had her future all planned out, but after the recent loss of her father, then her failure to get into the drama college she’s always dreamed of, everything starts to fall apart. She starts to struggle increasingly with her emotions that often materialise as anger that leaves her regretting her actions, and her words after it’s settled.

What I loved about this story was that it was about a girl struggling against the tide and then finding her own way back to safety. She doesn’t make all the right choices, and she does react badly in some situations, but don’t we all? I found Hope to be completely relatable and have even felt like she did for much of the book.
The book also offers some insight into PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), a condition that isn’t widely known of, or discussed, but that affects a lot of girls and women.

There is a relatively small cast of characters but they were all as realistic and flawed as Hope, which I loved. Hope and her mother are navigating through a difficult time after the death of her father and are both keeping things from the other in an attempt to protect them.
Riley, who Hope meets at the beginning of the book, is the main source of levity and humour throughout. He initially annoyed me because he came across as quite shallow and only ever seemed to make overly flirty or sexual comments. But as the story progressed, we learnt a little more about his personal life and he did grow on me. I liked the banter they shared and I like that this wasn’t a story about love.
The only character I wasn’t that keen on was Callie, Hope’s best friend. She came across as quite selfish at times and seemed to blow up at Hope whenever she tried to confide in her. I don’t know if it was a jealousy thing or if she was just angry at Hope for shutting her out while she dealt with her problems but it got a little irritating towards the end.

Hope’s journey was slow but steady, and inspirational. Would definitely recommend to contemporary fans who are looking for something a little new that doesn’t focus on romance.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Hope, a 16 year old who lives and breathes her dream of becoming an actress, failing her audition feels like the end of the world. For her, with mum unable to find travelling for more auditions or visits and dad recently passed away, this means the end of the line with her dream. Hope does not know how to process this.

A chance meeting with an Irish boy called Riley on her ferry home provides a background to the main events of the novel. He is both a source of her frustration and a humorous support. As Hope struggles with her deteriorating relationship with her still grieving mother and with her best friend, turbulent moods and figuring out what she ~is going to do next if not acting, you're most definitely along for the ride.

Hope was an emotional rollercoaster. I empathised for this frustrated, angry, hurting girl and I honestly believe most young people will. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would urge others to pick it up in September!

[Amy (Golden Books Girl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(received from Firefly Press in exchange for an honest review)
In this fantastic contemporary YA novel, Rhian Ivory tells the story of Hope, who is having to reevaluate her future plans after being rejected from every drama school she applied to, and is made to work with a singing team in a hospital by her mum to stop her moping. I thought the hospital setting was fabulous- it`s the closest to ones I`ve been in that I`ve ever read, and I also learnt some new information about hospitals/medicine, which I hadn`t expected going in. Hope was an excellent protagonist as she was really relatable and felt like someone you could actually come across. She also suffers from PMDD, a condition related to periods that I`d never heard of and I`m really glad the book raised awareness of it. I also liked the majority of the supporting characters and I especially liked Hope`s Nonno. The only thing I wasn`t keen on in Hope was her love interest Riley as I just couldn`t take to him as a character, but this is still a fantastic YA contemporary I seriously recommend reading once it comes out as I was so desperate to know how Hope`s story would unfold that I got through this in a single sitting.

[Kat Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful book! I breezed through it, which is a tribute to the skilful way the author handles some heavy subjects, such as grief, dealing with having your future plans derailed, and PMDD. It’s a brilliant portrayal of a smart, resilient girl learning to handle all that life throws at her, and coming to trust and depend on herself. I’ll be recommending this far and wide!

[gem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deliberately didn't read anything about this book before reading it, simply because I knew I was going to the launch at Waterstones Birmingham and that I wanted to go into it completely fresh.
The absolutely ace @ChelleyToy hosted the event, and from the outset I was completely captivated. Chelley had clearly read and LOVED #HopeBook and the questions she asked Rhian made me want to read it asap.
The book itself covers a huge range of topics and each one is described with care, attention and Rhian''s astounding ability to take anything and make it interesting and relatable.
Who would've thought a YA book could talk
about organ donation, a rarely heard of/discussed medical disorder (PMDD), tackling the fact you need to change your whole outlook on life, and couple it with a touch of romance - thankfully not the clichéd instalove of *perfect* characters.
At the beginning of the launch party Rhian's editor, Janet, spoke about the book and introduced the singing choir from Birmingham's hospital. Before this I had never heard of Singing Medicine, and yet as soon as I heard the ladies sing I was taken aback and amazed by the emotion they portrayed in their songs, and I could imagine how much that little bit of attention and uplifting spirit would benefit not only a patient but their family and other visitors. It made me wish I had experienced that whilst I was in hospital as my nan was poorly, as although it couldn't change the diagnosis I would've loved it on a personal level.
I started reading #HopeBook on the bus to work, and I was so annoyed when I had to get off and go to work... as soon as I finished my shift I started reading again and I didn't put the book down until I'd finished.
I felt like I'd experienced every single emotion possible:
Love for Hope and her finally coming to terms with what was happening to her and realising she was not alone (I have experienced something very similar with my endometriosis and could relate so well to her!)
Sadness at the patients that were in the hospital, and *sobbing* at the Singing Medicine choir who are SO TALENTED IT'S INSANE!
Anger at Hope's mum for not confronting Hope and actually asking her what was wrong, and anger at Callie for being a typical teenager (this is anger yet knowing this is exactly how people act so it's totally believable!)
Pretty much just swooning over Riley as I am a huuuuuuuge sucker for the Irish accent. I'm a westlife girl all the way :) I really enjoyed the way the relationship developed and it made me very happy that they didn't suddenly declare their love for eachother or fall in to bed.

I cannot accurately describe how much I adored this book, I think I need to re-read it and write notes as I'm going!

READ IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Les McFarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

*not a review, just an opinion *
Absolutely fabulous book. I think it’s an important book. Deals with some teenage problems, e safety problems, family problems, menstrual issues. Just fabulous. Contains strong language and sensitive topics. All dealt with so well. But would need careful recommendation
Review to follow.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this - Hope and her mum are experiencing some difficult issues including bereavement but the characters, relationships and friendships make for a lovely uplifting read. I'd especially recommend this for anyone going through GCSEs and A-Levels, particularly at results time – Hope fails her audition for drama school and has to find a workable Plan B for her life, a relatable situation for so many people! Also I had never heard of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder before - it's quite a common and debilitating condition for women and girls but so many suffer in silence not knowing they have it.

[Lucy-May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope is a very emotional book that covers a lot of issues that made me very sad & very happy. Rhian has got teenager interaction between crushes spot on & I identify a lot with Hope (possibly enough to have a chat with my GP). I wasn't too fond of her best friend though.

This book falls into the contemporary category & Rhian has written that part of the book very well; the diverse & realistic characters & their lives all fit together really naturally & none of it felt forced or just done to tick a box.

I think this is a really important book for teenagers that will help a lot of period-sufferers to feel less alone. I have a couple of unanswered questions about Hope's mum but part of me thinks that may be deliberate.

I feel very honoured to have been among the first to have access to an uncorrected copy of the final book - a huge thank you to Firefly for trusting me.

Extended Blog Review: https://writingwolves.wordpress.com/2...

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I read this in 5th...

[Ella Storey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an emotional roller coaster. I was crying and laughing way more than I should have been. Riley is definitely my favourite character!

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope is a talented singer facing a tough time, rejected from her drama school of dreams that she and her dad imagined her going to.



Now her dad is gone and Hope feels sad and alone she can't face her GCSEs and rejects her friends despite her discovering her violent mood swings are more than just PMS after talking with a lady she works with at the hospital she help out singing at she discovers she had PMDD, something very much unknown.



She also has to recover her voice after messing up her audition and decide on her new future plans while she also navigate a the possibility of a chance at love with the guy whom saved her life as she was onboard a boat...



It was a touching novel and very much emotional as we see a young girl cope with death, new dreams, love possibly and PMDD which I had never heard of but seems very much like more information should be made known to girls about it.

[Megan Collis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't entirely what I expected but still good, I did like how the story line progressed however there was ups and downs to the book and points where I rolled my eyes at a character.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I won a copy of this book. Thanks to Firefly Press*

Hope dreams of getting into drama college, but when she fails to do so her plans fall apart.
Hope is also dealing with the grief of her father's death, and an anger that takes over her body, making her say and do things that she doesn't mean.
What will Hope's Plan B be?
Why does Hope feel like her body isn't her own?

Hope was a relatable protagonist, and I enjoyed reading as she found who she was.
I had never heard of PMDD before and found it scary that some women have to go through it. Periods are bad enough as it is.
While the writing style isn't one of my favorites - I felt that it could have flowed better in some places - it was easy enough to follow.

Overall this was an enjoyable read.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope tackles some big topics: grief, sickness in children, organ donation, periods and PMDD, which was something I'd not previously been aware of. I like it when a book teaches me something new without it feeling forced or like a lesson. This book is quite an emotional rollercoaster with lots of drama, sadness, and, of course, hope. I felt that Hope realistically portrayed fragile teenage friendships and I particularly enjoyed the messaging between Hope and Riley, which felt very natural. As someone who's had a few Plan Bs, I was really glad that Hope found hers!

[Katie Hurse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was book was doing some great stuff, educating on menstrual conditions and symptoms as well as dealing with grief and rejection. Unfortunately I think the educational elements, whilst admirable and appreciated, were too obviously placed, like: ‘this is the exact medical definition of the condition, it’s symptoms and treatment’ rather than feeling like genuine conversation between characters.

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've wanted to read Hope for quite a while, have owned a copy of it for a good amount of time aswell. The gorgeous cover drew me in aswell as the synopsis though I went into it still pretty clueless as to what happens.

To my surprise, Hope is about periods, more specifically; PMDD. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Never have I read a book that talks about this disorder, and it's rare that periods whatsoever are mentioned in a book. And for this, I'm really glad. Main character Hope really struggles with PMDD but as the book progresses she seeks help for it.

I couldn't connect with the story however it was a really easy and quick read so I have no complaints, and there was a few scenes where I felt emotionally attached to some characters, I certainly felt bad for Hope as she felt lost and unsure of her future.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book manages to cover such a range of issues without feeling like they are crammed in for the sake of it. Some of these issues are seen as taboo but this book brings them to light and highlights to readers that they are worth talking about and if you have the problems you should find someone to talk to. I bought this book before one of my Music college auditions and planned to read it if I didn't get a place. Although I luckily did get one, I found that I could deeply empathize with Hope and the process of planning for the future and finding a plan B. But the thing that we learn from this book is that sometimes a plan B can turn into a plan A.

[Amelia Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always happy to read book and discover that it's beautiful both inside and out. I didn't expect much from it, and I got everything:tears of joy and sadness, laughing at cheesy jokes and getting to know some new things that I didn't know anything about. I honestly enjoyed every page and I even downloaded app mentioned in the story, and I have to thank the author for that. I really want to know more about what happens next in the story, but I'm also quite pleased by the way it ended.

[Lauren James]

For anyone who wants more representation of periods in books, you need to check this one out. Contemporary YA set in the Midlands.

[Blossom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting. When she was learning about herself and finding the courage to tell her mother i started to cry. Riley started off weird and dodgy, annoying me when he didnt take her pain seriously, but I like his growth in the book and I began to like him and Hope's state with each other. This was a book with a mixture of themes...health, friendship, family, organ transplants, kids in critical state in hospital. Her friend and thier argument annoyed mea bit as she seemed so self centered in it all, which does not help Hope who found it hard to talk about it to anyone, can u just shush and stop making it about you... so what if she told a doctor before you...I would too! But then again character development I guess?

[Laura Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grabbed this at the library - I love a YA novel, even though I’m well passed the target age. This exceeded expectations. Any book which moves me to tears more than once and also makes me chuckle has to be good. A sensitive depiction of grief, friendships and coping with chronic illness and disappointment. A really good read

[Leia Stardust · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rate this book 4.8/5

The only thing I have lowered the rating for is because of some of the constant language that is not good for children to read.

I like how this book addresses Mental Health and it voices things that people would be fearful to say.

It was an amazing book though, kept me wanting to read more of it.

- Leia Stardust

[Libraryliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, teen book. PMDD and some trauma.

[Spines and Spokes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t really remember this as read last year but I recall it being average, very easy reading for target young adult audience

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn’t really get into this book, might be good for some but wasn’t my thing. Great to have more awareness about menstrual conditions though.

[Wren James]

For anyone who wants more representation of periods in books, you need to check this one out. Contemporary YA set in the Midlands.

[Inayah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend this book because it has an interesting plot line.

[Nav (she/her) 🌧 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Positives:
- Interesting first chapter that leaves the reader with questions and wanting to keep reading.
- The discussion of organ donation by black and ethnic minority groups is not something I have seen before and by including it in the book it feels like a good way of starting conversations.
- I like how the story wasn't afraid to show the dark and messy parts of life.
- The short chapters make the book quick and easy to read.

Negatives:
- I didn't really understand Hope and Callie's friendship at times, especially the way it seemed Callie needed to know everything that was going on in Hope's life.
- Callie comes across as quite selfish at times and it is difficult to feel for her.
- I really wasn't too keen on the interactions between Hope and Riley and I never looked forward to reading those parts.
- The book isn't that memorable and I will not remember or think about it for a long time after reading it.