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As Estrelas, o Caos e Eu
Por vezes, só precisas de um pouco de caos na tua vida.
A Meg é a típica nerd de ciências que sonha mais com as estrelas lá em cima do que com o mundo cá em baixo. Mas está prestes a receber uma missão carregadinha de realidade. A mãe partiu inesperadamente numa das suas viagens loucas e deixou a Meg a tomar conta da irmã bebé.
Esta promoção a adulta da casa, mais rápida do que um foguetão, veio na pior altura possível: o momento em que está a decorrer um concurso cujo prémio é uma visita à sede da NASA. Nada mais, nada menos do que o grande sonho da Meg. Para dificultar ainda mais as coisas, o seu rival, o Ed, também está na corrida. Pelo meio, ainda há um avô meio louco, galinhas, hamsters, um adorável cão baboso de ar maléfico, uma mãe com muito para aprender, colegas de escola populares e insensíveis, e, obviamente, uma fantástica história de amor entrelaçada no meio de todo o caos. Dividida entre a responsabilidade de cuidar de um bebé e a vontade de conquistar as estrelas, a Meg vai precisar de um verdadeiro milagre cósmico para não perder o norte. Mas há quem diga que os milagres acontecem!
«Hilariante e comovente, este livro é imperdível.» — The Guardian
A Meg é a típica nerd de ciências que sonha mais com as estrelas lá em cima do que com o mundo cá em baixo. Mas está prestes a receber uma missão carregadinha de realidade. A mãe partiu inesperadamente numa das suas viagens loucas e deixou a Meg a tomar conta da irmã bebé.
Esta promoção a adulta da casa, mais rápida do que um foguetão, veio na pior altura possível: o momento em que está a decorrer um concurso cujo prémio é uma visita à sede da NASA. Nada mais, nada menos do que o grande sonho da Meg. Para dificultar ainda mais as coisas, o seu rival, o Ed, também está na corrida. Pelo meio, ainda há um avô meio louco, galinhas, hamsters, um adorável cão baboso de ar maléfico, uma mãe com muito para aprender, colegas de escola populares e insensíveis, e, obviamente, uma fantástica história de amor entrelaçada no meio de todo o caos. Dividida entre a responsabilidade de cuidar de um bebé e a vontade de conquistar as estrelas, a Meg vai precisar de um verdadeiro milagre cósmico para não perder o norte. Mas há quem diga que os milagres acontecem!
«Hilariante e comovente, este livro é imperdível.» — The Guardian
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2017
26 people are currently reading
1243 people want to read
About the author
Jenny McLachlan
53 books304 followersI have always loved reading and I studied English at university just so that I could read a bit more. Next I found my way into secondary teaching and discovered that I loved it too: I got to read more books, show off and hang out with very funny teenagers. What a great job!
Teaching English also encouraged me to write. Soon I had planned and started lots of different stories, but they were all abandoned and shoved to the back of a drawer. Then, one day, the plot for Flirty Dancing came together; Bea’s story was so alive it was like a film running in my head and I knew it was a story I would finish.
Over the next few years, various exciting events distracted me from Flirty Dancing: I got married, travelled the world, was chased by an angry elephant (and a pack of dogs) and I had two babies. While I was sitting on trains, swimming in the Outback and raising two crazy girls, I kept thinking about Bea, and her friends, Betty, Kat and Pearl, until I realised I had planned three more books.
In 2013, after attending the Winchester Writers’ Festival, I plucked up the courage to send Flirty Dancing to Julia Churchill, a brilliant children’s fiction agent at A.M. Heath. With dazzling speed I was then signed by Bloomsbury to write the four books in the series.
Teaching English also encouraged me to write. Soon I had planned and started lots of different stories, but they were all abandoned and shoved to the back of a drawer. Then, one day, the plot for Flirty Dancing came together; Bea’s story was so alive it was like a film running in my head and I knew it was a story I would finish.
Over the next few years, various exciting events distracted me from Flirty Dancing: I got married, travelled the world, was chased by an angry elephant (and a pack of dogs) and I had two babies. While I was sitting on trains, swimming in the Outback and raising two crazy girls, I kept thinking about Bea, and her friends, Betty, Kat and Pearl, until I realised I had planned three more books.
In 2013, after attending the Winchester Writers’ Festival, I plucked up the courage to send Flirty Dancing to Julia Churchill, a brilliant children’s fiction agent at A.M. Heath. With dazzling speed I was then signed by Bloomsbury to write the four books in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
September 12, 2017
Such a gorgeously penned and emotive novel, dealing with the themes of love, loss, and finding one's self. Ultimate space nerd, Megan, has so much to teach the reader about identity and, of course, the solar system.
Aside from our shared love for outer-space, Meg made for such an endearing protagonist due to her immediately likeable nature. Her battles with her debilitating social anxiety, as well her new home-life struggles, could have made this a disheartening read. But her quietly witty personality and her engaging inner-monologues made this more of a hopeful read than a despairing one.
Whilst Meg battled her demons, both real and of her own creation, the reader was also provided with an enlightening conclusion. For the reader was also invited to share in learning the moral of this story: that life's only constant is chaos. No amount of structure can prepare you for the disorder inevitable in every life, but finding those who can share the turmoil with you, makes it that much more bearable.
Aside from our shared love for outer-space, Meg made for such an endearing protagonist due to her immediately likeable nature. Her battles with her debilitating social anxiety, as well her new home-life struggles, could have made this a disheartening read. But her quietly witty personality and her engaging inner-monologues made this more of a hopeful read than a despairing one.
Whilst Meg battled her demons, both real and of her own creation, the reader was also provided with an enlightening conclusion. For the reader was also invited to share in learning the moral of this story: that life's only constant is chaos. No amount of structure can prepare you for the disorder inevitable in every life, but finding those who can share the turmoil with you, makes it that much more bearable.
April 8, 2018
Ahhhhhh! It was so cute and adorable and perfect and just ! ! ! All the stars!
LOVED:
~ The biscuit club
~ Protagonist wants to become an astronaut & dreams big!
~ MC loves science. There's never enough of that!
~ Friendships with so much development
~ That cover! TBH it's the only reason I read the book & it is gorgeous
~ The spine is gold and shiny. I know I'm superficial, but the book is just so pretty!
~ Beautifully written
~ Meg's development is a rollercoaster
~ Will give you the warm and fuzzies
~ Romance was adorable, but not overdone
~ Super cute!
NEEDED MORE:
~ Resolution in that ending
~ Biscuit club, but mostly Jackson because I don't know much about him
~ Pages in the book it should have never ended
EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS!
LOVED:
~ The biscuit club
~ Protagonist wants to become an astronaut & dreams big!
~ MC loves science. There's never enough of that!
~ Friendships with so much development
~ That cover! TBH it's the only reason I read the book & it is gorgeous
~ The spine is gold and shiny. I know I'm superficial, but the book is just so pretty!
~ Beautifully written
~ Meg's development is a rollercoaster
~ Will give you the warm and fuzzies
~ Romance was adorable, but not overdone
~ Super cute!
NEEDED MORE:
~ Resolution in that ending
~ Biscuit club, but mostly Jackson because I don't know much about him
~ Pages in the book it should have never ended
EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS!
April 29, 2017
Stargazing for beginners is such a great contemporary and although there is the cliche nerd girl ends up liking popular boy it was so cute and adorable I didn't care.
Meg is a teen, smart, ambitious, shy, and riddled with social anxiety when presented with groups of people. She can seem stand offish or "snobby" which rang true if you're awkward and shy a lot of people can see you like this which sucks but hey so can people, especially high schoolers.
Meg's mum is a free spirit to say the LEAST, after her Mum decides a unexplained trip will be fun Meg's A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD is left caring for her baby sister, she does have the option of going to her grandpas but umm uhhh he has chickens, hamster powered electricity and maybe a brewery with the chance of exploding plus he smokes inside and is all round a freakin mess. He's clever and sharp but eccentric and seemingly carefree so it's not the best environment for a baby let alone a human.
Deciding stuff her Family Meg takes care or her baby sister, goes to school, studies her speech for the chance to win a trip to a space station and maybe get that one step closer to her dream of becoming an Astronaut.
I really loved Meg's resolve, her finding a place in herself and a responsibility, but my fave thing was all the relationships she developed.
Meg found a connection with her baby sister she didn't know she could have, she made un expected friends who were an amazing edition to the story and helped push her and support her, she got crazy with science and had fun, she was still shy and had anxiety but she worked on it and found she could be weird and talk science while having .
The ending just felt like the feeling you get after watching a warm and fuzzy teen movie everything's just perfect and I was smiling about how happy for Meg I was.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Meg is a teen, smart, ambitious, shy, and riddled with social anxiety when presented with groups of people. She can seem stand offish or "snobby" which rang true if you're awkward and shy a lot of people can see you like this which sucks but hey so can people, especially high schoolers.
Meg's mum is a free spirit to say the LEAST, after her Mum decides a unexplained trip will be fun Meg's A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD is left caring for her baby sister, she does have the option of going to her grandpas but umm uhhh he has chickens, hamster powered electricity and maybe a brewery with the chance of exploding plus he smokes inside and is all round a freakin mess. He's clever and sharp but eccentric and seemingly carefree so it's not the best environment for a baby let alone a human.
Deciding stuff her Family Meg takes care or her baby sister, goes to school, studies her speech for the chance to win a trip to a space station and maybe get that one step closer to her dream of becoming an Astronaut.
I really loved Meg's resolve, her finding a place in herself and a responsibility, but my fave thing was all the relationships she developed.
Meg found a connection with her baby sister she didn't know she could have, she made un expected friends who were an amazing edition to the story and helped push her and support her, she got crazy with science and had fun, she was still shy and had anxiety but she worked on it and found she could be weird and talk science while having .
The ending just felt like the feeling you get after watching a warm and fuzzy teen movie everything's just perfect and I was smiling about how happy for Meg I was.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review
March 25, 2017
I really loved this. In such a short contemporary, it manages to balance strong friendships, a family drama and a little bit of romance that was well grounded in friendship first. Meg's passion for space was so strong and it was great to see a character with a hobby. Like a Jacqueline Wilson book for an older audience, I had such a fun time reading this!
March 26, 2018
Jenny McLachlan's stories make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, and Stargazing for Beginners was no different. From the lovely opening scene describing a young Meg sitting in a cardboard spaceship that her grandfather made her, I knew it was going to be a powerful story – I love YA novels featuring female characters with a passion for science.
Continue reading this review over on Pretty Books.
Continue reading this review over on Pretty Books.
July 24, 2017
Jacqueline Wilson for young adults!
March 20, 2017
Fifteen year old Megara is an aspiring astronaut and in the midst of preparing for her presentation, an opportunity for an all expenses paid vacation to NASA headquarters, when her free spirited mother leaves for Myanmar, a Southeast Asian country where she will aid underprivileged communities. Her mother also leaves behind Elsa, an infant who cannot comprehend where her mother is and expects her elderly father to shoulder the burden of two children.
Rather than place Elsa in the dangerous environment of her grandfathers home, Meg decides to become Elsa's primary caregiver while balancing school and preparation for her presentation. Meg's mother was infuriating and left me feeling irate. Free spirited is for those without obligations, her mother has two young children and an elderly father who excuses his daughter's behaviour. Although her grandfather is reluctantly accommodating, his home resembles an unhygienic menagerie and refuses to inconvenience himself for his young granddaughters. Her grandfather is lovely, but why would any responsible adult allow a fifteen year old girl to accept responsibility for an infant sibling.
Being a preoccupied adolescent consumed by science, Meg and step sister Elsa are relatively strangers, sharing the same irresponsible mother and little else of significance. Through circumstances, the two sisters begin to care for one another. It was wonderful to see Meg being supported by new and unlikely friends in her mentoring program, especially sarcastic and resolute Annie who is a student with Autism. A friendly rivalry and gentle friendship were the foundation of an enchanting romance.
Although it was lovely and incredibly entertaining, the adult characters within Stargazing For Beginners were irresponsible. From their mother and grandfather, to the caregiver at Elsa's daycare center who suspected their mother may have been absent. How did the school facility not realise the change in her behaviour? The responsible and astute student now unpolished and exasperated has gone unnoticed.
Jenny McLachlan is a magnificent author, a wonderful storyteller and an absolute delight. Amusing, entertaining and incredibly charismatic.
Rather than place Elsa in the dangerous environment of her grandfathers home, Meg decides to become Elsa's primary caregiver while balancing school and preparation for her presentation. Meg's mother was infuriating and left me feeling irate. Free spirited is for those without obligations, her mother has two young children and an elderly father who excuses his daughter's behaviour. Although her grandfather is reluctantly accommodating, his home resembles an unhygienic menagerie and refuses to inconvenience himself for his young granddaughters. Her grandfather is lovely, but why would any responsible adult allow a fifteen year old girl to accept responsibility for an infant sibling.
Being a preoccupied adolescent consumed by science, Meg and step sister Elsa are relatively strangers, sharing the same irresponsible mother and little else of significance. Through circumstances, the two sisters begin to care for one another. It was wonderful to see Meg being supported by new and unlikely friends in her mentoring program, especially sarcastic and resolute Annie who is a student with Autism. A friendly rivalry and gentle friendship were the foundation of an enchanting romance.
Although it was lovely and incredibly entertaining, the adult characters within Stargazing For Beginners were irresponsible. From their mother and grandfather, to the caregiver at Elsa's daycare center who suspected their mother may have been absent. How did the school facility not realise the change in her behaviour? The responsible and astute student now unpolished and exasperated has gone unnoticed.
Jenny McLachlan is a magnificent author, a wonderful storyteller and an absolute delight. Amusing, entertaining and incredibly charismatic.
May 9, 2025
Stargazing for Beginners was an unexpectedly awesome a new fave for me - swoony, fun and a little bit quirky. I found the whole novel to be so charming and completely refreshing and addictive reading experience.
I love it when my fave literary things align to create a a brilliant read. Stargazing for Beginners had so many magic components for me:
Meg is just so delightfully endearing.
Though there are deeper issues in this book ~ it did not cast a dark shadow over the whole tone of the book. I love finding novels that are funny, whimsical and light-hearted at the same time as dealing with some more serious themes.
I love how a motley crew of friends slowly assembled - the side characters felt like protagonists of their own lives - fully nuanced and unique and diverse in a way that reflects real life.
Some of the teachers in this novel really steal the scene. So. Hilarious and bumbling and charming. And, sneakily, caring and making a real difference. I love seeing teachers advocate for students - and teachers who don't mind being seen as daggy for the sake of genuinely caring for their students and wanting to inspire and nurture them.
The comedy! The laughs! Those awesomely awkward situations and moments!
And Ed! Swoon! Fun! Antagonistic kind of rivalry with this slow burn of maybe liking? So many classic scenes together. LOL at the science fair, and the takedown moment on the science excursion. And the showstopping finale!
Science! Smart kids. The whole universe and solar system and all that stuff :)
Finishing this book left me with a warm buzzing glow and I was straight away texting some reading BFF's to get on with reading it asap. Stargazing for Beginners was an ultimate feel good read with depth. Take note: it opens fairly dramatically and perhaps some of you may think: Eh? What's going on here? This might be too quirky for me? But it really settles into a groove and everything becomes so genuine and heartfelt I really believe so many people will find a lot to love in this upbeat, warm and fierce novel. Absolute fave for me - I'm still smiling just thinking about it now.
Add this contemporary YA to your TBR if you're looking for a breezy, charming read with a smart lead character.
4.5 stars * :)
I love it when my fave literary things align to create a a brilliant read. Stargazing for Beginners had so many magic components for me:
Meg is just so delightfully endearing.
Though there are deeper issues in this book ~ it did not cast a dark shadow over the whole tone of the book. I love finding novels that are funny, whimsical and light-hearted at the same time as dealing with some more serious themes.
I love how a motley crew of friends slowly assembled - the side characters felt like protagonists of their own lives - fully nuanced and unique and diverse in a way that reflects real life.
Some of the teachers in this novel really steal the scene. So. Hilarious and bumbling and charming. And, sneakily, caring and making a real difference. I love seeing teachers advocate for students - and teachers who don't mind being seen as daggy for the sake of genuinely caring for their students and wanting to inspire and nurture them.
The comedy! The laughs! Those awesomely awkward situations and moments!
And Ed! Swoon! Fun! Antagonistic kind of rivalry with this slow burn of maybe liking? So many classic scenes together. LOL at the science fair, and the takedown moment on the science excursion. And the showstopping finale!
Science! Smart kids. The whole universe and solar system and all that stuff :)
Finishing this book left me with a warm buzzing glow and I was straight away texting some reading BFF's to get on with reading it asap. Stargazing for Beginners was an ultimate feel good read with depth. Take note: it opens fairly dramatically and perhaps some of you may think: Eh? What's going on here? This might be too quirky for me? But it really settles into a groove and everything becomes so genuine and heartfelt I really believe so many people will find a lot to love in this upbeat, warm and fierce novel. Absolute fave for me - I'm still smiling just thinking about it now.
Add this contemporary YA to your TBR if you're looking for a breezy, charming read with a smart lead character.
4.5 stars * :)
July 21, 2022
I have read a book by this author before and it became one of my favorite books of all time. Naturally, I had really high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it did not meet my expectation for two reasons: One I find that the characters, particularly the mother annoying and finally I feel like the romance was forced thus resulting to the unrealistic portrayal of romantic relationship with that being said, I still enjoyed reading this book.
October 10, 2018
Cette lecture est franchement adorable ! C'est un roman doudou qui s'ignore et qu'on picore avec ce sentiment d'avoir dégoté un beignet au miel tant c'est savoureux. On a une héroïne forte et intelligente, qui adore les sciences et l'astronomie, mais qui préfère s'enfermer dans sa bulle pour se protéger. Il était temps qu'un big bang bouscule son existence bien rangée ! J'ai beaucoup aimé. C'est drôle, c'est tendre et très attachant.
http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...
http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...
March 7, 2019
This review also appears on Happy Indulgence.
I received a review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve read two of Jenny McLachlan’s books previously and enjoyed them but Stargazing for Beginners left me kind of disappointed. I found the plot to be extremely boring and the abundance of disliked tropes in this book made it hard for me to stay engaged and get through it.
This book follows Meg, a space-obsessed 15 year old, who suddenly finds herself looking after her one-year-old sister, Elsa, after her mother decides to take an impromptu trip to Myanmar to help sick kids. Meg is initially reluctant to take responsibility because she sees her sister as a bit of an inconvenience in her life and an obstacle towards her goal of winning a competition that will give her the opportunity to visit NASA’s headquarters in Houston. But she soon learns that achieving her dreams might require her to let others into her life. I think the only aspect of this book that I really liked was the science aspect. I loved that Meg was a STEM girl and that she was passionate about her studies and becoming an astronaut in the future. Her love for space and physics really came through in this book and made me really happy. But that’s kind of where it stops.
I didn’t like Meg’s character at all. I found her to be quite dislikable and difficult to connect with. This was probably in part to do with the fact that Stargazing for Beginners is targeted towards a younger YA audience but I usually don’t have much trouble connecting with younger characters. I just thought Meg was really cold and abrasive, and even though I was probably the same nerdy and introverted 15 year old, I found her really hard to relate to. And this was also true of most of the other characters in the novel. I thought they were a little bit too purposely quirky and none of them really seemed real to me. But can we talk about Meg’s mother and her disappearing into thin air? The absent parent narrative is one that I especially hate and the way that Meg’s mother disappeared was arguably worse than the alcoholic parent trope that we often see in YA contemporary. My mind just cannot comprehend the irresponsibility of her mother and what compelled her to neglect her two children… or how she managed to justify it to herself. Cannot compute.
On top of the issues I had with the characterization, I also found the plot to be boring and slow. There isn’t really anything that happens in this novel besides Meg going to school and sitting in classrooms, feeding and changing Elsa and writing a speech. There are some friendship elements as Meg makes friends with a random group of kids who sit around eating biscuits…but I found the development of these friendships to be really quick and a little bit unrealistic. I was honestly just a bit confused about the development of the plot and wasn’t really engaged in what was happening, which was why it took me a whole 6 days to finish what was supposed to be a fast-paced and short contemporary read.
The romance between Ed and Meg helped a little bit but my overall feeling about the romance was that it was a bit unnecessary. I don’t really believe that every YA contemporary needs a romance and this was one case where I would have preferred more plot and character development over the inclusion of a romance. I liked Ed as a character but he wasn’t really the nicest to Meg and I’m a little over the whole “he’s teasing you because he likes you” thing. My least favourite part of the romance was a trope that I actually discussed last week in my post, Five Most Disliked Tropes in YA Contemporary, and it irked me to no end that I pretty much predicted its presence in this novel.
Stargazing for Beginners had some great astronomy elements but fell short in its execution of the plot and characterization. I found most of it to be quite boring and the contemporary YA tropes that were in this book made it quite hard for me to digest.
I received a review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve read two of Jenny McLachlan’s books previously and enjoyed them but Stargazing for Beginners left me kind of disappointed. I found the plot to be extremely boring and the abundance of disliked tropes in this book made it hard for me to stay engaged and get through it.
This book follows Meg, a space-obsessed 15 year old, who suddenly finds herself looking after her one-year-old sister, Elsa, after her mother decides to take an impromptu trip to Myanmar to help sick kids. Meg is initially reluctant to take responsibility because she sees her sister as a bit of an inconvenience in her life and an obstacle towards her goal of winning a competition that will give her the opportunity to visit NASA’s headquarters in Houston. But she soon learns that achieving her dreams might require her to let others into her life. I think the only aspect of this book that I really liked was the science aspect. I loved that Meg was a STEM girl and that she was passionate about her studies and becoming an astronaut in the future. Her love for space and physics really came through in this book and made me really happy. But that’s kind of where it stops.
I didn’t like Meg’s character at all. I found her to be quite dislikable and difficult to connect with. This was probably in part to do with the fact that Stargazing for Beginners is targeted towards a younger YA audience but I usually don’t have much trouble connecting with younger characters. I just thought Meg was really cold and abrasive, and even though I was probably the same nerdy and introverted 15 year old, I found her really hard to relate to. And this was also true of most of the other characters in the novel. I thought they were a little bit too purposely quirky and none of them really seemed real to me. But can we talk about Meg’s mother and her disappearing into thin air? The absent parent narrative is one that I especially hate and the way that Meg’s mother disappeared was arguably worse than the alcoholic parent trope that we often see in YA contemporary. My mind just cannot comprehend the irresponsibility of her mother and what compelled her to neglect her two children… or how she managed to justify it to herself. Cannot compute.
On top of the issues I had with the characterization, I also found the plot to be boring and slow. There isn’t really anything that happens in this novel besides Meg going to school and sitting in classrooms, feeding and changing Elsa and writing a speech. There are some friendship elements as Meg makes friends with a random group of kids who sit around eating biscuits…but I found the development of these friendships to be really quick and a little bit unrealistic. I was honestly just a bit confused about the development of the plot and wasn’t really engaged in what was happening, which was why it took me a whole 6 days to finish what was supposed to be a fast-paced and short contemporary read.
The romance between Ed and Meg helped a little bit but my overall feeling about the romance was that it was a bit unnecessary. I don’t really believe that every YA contemporary needs a romance and this was one case where I would have preferred more plot and character development over the inclusion of a romance. I liked Ed as a character but he wasn’t really the nicest to Meg and I’m a little over the whole “he’s teasing you because he likes you” thing. My least favourite part of the romance was a trope that I actually discussed last week in my post, Five Most Disliked Tropes in YA Contemporary, and it irked me to no end that I pretty much predicted its presence in this novel.
Stargazing for Beginners had some great astronomy elements but fell short in its execution of the plot and characterization. I found most of it to be quite boring and the contemporary YA tropes that were in this book made it quite hard for me to digest.
February 7, 2017
Stargazing for Beginners is Jenny McLachlan’s best novel yet. That is saying something; I’ve been a fan of her books since Flirty Dancing. Megara (Meg) is clever and resilient and comically unaware of her own appeal. The story packs a real emotional punch because Meg is dealing with a lot of chaos and too much responsibility (I was reminded a little of Clare Furniss’s brilliant The Year of the Rat). It’s cosmically informative, it’s laugh out loud funny, romantic (Ed is perfect!) and true and touching about teenage friendships. McLachlan writes with real warmth, the readers can feel how much she cares about her characters and so, by extension, about them. Readers need writers like her on their Earth crew.
March 12, 2017
I absolutely adored The Ladybirds series, and was looking forward to reading Jenny McLachlan's latest book. So I was super excited when I received an ARC last week.
Thank you so much, Bloomsbury Australia. :)
Meg is fifteen, loves science and maths, is really clever, and wants to escape Earth by becoming an astronaut. She also spends a lot of time by herself because her interests don't fit in with what the other kids like. Plus she's always competing with Ed, and wants to beat him in the upcoming Reach for the Stars competition. If she wins, she'll get to visit NASA and start making her dreams come true. But in order to do that, she'll have to overcome her fear of public speaking.
When her hippie mother decides to suddenly leave the country to volunteer and help children in Myanmar, Meg is left alone to look after her baby sister. Their grandfather is there to help, but most of the time is more a hinderance than anything else. So she carries on, looks after her sister, covers for her mother, and even starts to make friends while forced to attend the Biscuit Club. But will her mother's actions ruin her chances of freedom?
I love the cover for this book because it's simple, yet pretty and effective. It's so Meg. Meg--or Megara--is a girl who's always loved science, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. I really liked how she refused to compromise who she was and what she wanted, so instead chose to keep other kids at arm's length. It wasn't that she didn't trust or dislike them, just found it easier to keep her distance. I always love an independent character with flaws. But when chaos strikes and she's forced to look after her baby sister, it puts things in perspective.
I also really liked the other characters. Annie was a lot of fun and didn't take crap from anyone. Plus she didn't let a disability stop her from doing what she wanted. Rose was a kind and understanding girl willing to help others. Jackson was mostly distracted, but was a good kid. Even Bella and Raj weren't bullies, just didn't understand Meg most of the time. And Ed, what a lovely character he turned out to be!
Funny how Meg's uncertainty and her determination to be left alone sometimes caused needless friction where there was none. She also did this with her sister. Never bothered to spend any time with her until she didn't have a choice.
Lastly, I have to mention the two characters that were so disappointing and frustrating that they bothered the hell out of me. Meg's mother is a free spirit, but her actions in this story are plain selfish. That she volunteers and wants to help others, but dumps her baby daughter on her teenage daughter was appalling and even hypocritical. And that her grandfather pretty much enables this behaviour, and is somewhat irresponsible himself is terrible. But you know what? As much as they bugged me and I disliked their actions, it was a fair portrayal about family and people. About how becoming parents and grandparents doesn't magically mean that someone's personality, hopes and dreams fade.
Still, this didn't affect my overall enjoyment of this book because at the end of the day, it was a fair representation of different types of people. Though I do kinda wish their mother had been held accountable for her mistake.
Stargazing for Beginners is a really cute, fun and interesting coming-of-age story about a girl who plans for everything, except the chaos theory. Meg wants to escape the world around her by learning about space, where she thinks she'll find freedom and like-minded people. But what she finds out (the hard way) is that sometimes, in order to reach your dreams and true potential, you need a support crew to help along the way.
I had a great time reading this!
Thank you so much, Bloomsbury Australia. :)
Meg is fifteen, loves science and maths, is really clever, and wants to escape Earth by becoming an astronaut. She also spends a lot of time by herself because her interests don't fit in with what the other kids like. Plus she's always competing with Ed, and wants to beat him in the upcoming Reach for the Stars competition. If she wins, she'll get to visit NASA and start making her dreams come true. But in order to do that, she'll have to overcome her fear of public speaking.
When her hippie mother decides to suddenly leave the country to volunteer and help children in Myanmar, Meg is left alone to look after her baby sister. Their grandfather is there to help, but most of the time is more a hinderance than anything else. So she carries on, looks after her sister, covers for her mother, and even starts to make friends while forced to attend the Biscuit Club. But will her mother's actions ruin her chances of freedom?
I love the cover for this book because it's simple, yet pretty and effective. It's so Meg. Meg--or Megara--is a girl who's always loved science, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. I really liked how she refused to compromise who she was and what she wanted, so instead chose to keep other kids at arm's length. It wasn't that she didn't trust or dislike them, just found it easier to keep her distance. I always love an independent character with flaws. But when chaos strikes and she's forced to look after her baby sister, it puts things in perspective.
I also really liked the other characters. Annie was a lot of fun and didn't take crap from anyone. Plus she didn't let a disability stop her from doing what she wanted. Rose was a kind and understanding girl willing to help others. Jackson was mostly distracted, but was a good kid. Even Bella and Raj weren't bullies, just didn't understand Meg most of the time. And Ed, what a lovely character he turned out to be!
Funny how Meg's uncertainty and her determination to be left alone sometimes caused needless friction where there was none. She also did this with her sister. Never bothered to spend any time with her until she didn't have a choice.
Lastly, I have to mention the two characters that were so disappointing and frustrating that they bothered the hell out of me. Meg's mother is a free spirit, but her actions in this story are plain selfish. That she volunteers and wants to help others, but dumps her baby daughter on her teenage daughter was appalling and even hypocritical. And that her grandfather pretty much enables this behaviour, and is somewhat irresponsible himself is terrible. But you know what? As much as they bugged me and I disliked their actions, it was a fair portrayal about family and people. About how becoming parents and grandparents doesn't magically mean that someone's personality, hopes and dreams fade.
Still, this didn't affect my overall enjoyment of this book because at the end of the day, it was a fair representation of different types of people. Though I do kinda wish their mother had been held accountable for her mistake.
Stargazing for Beginners is a really cute, fun and interesting coming-of-age story about a girl who plans for everything, except the chaos theory. Meg wants to escape the world around her by learning about space, where she thinks she'll find freedom and like-minded people. But what she finds out (the hard way) is that sometimes, in order to reach your dreams and true potential, you need a support crew to help along the way.
I had a great time reading this!
April 2, 2017
I absolutely adored this! I actually read it entirely in one sitting today, I didn't want to put it down... Meg was an awesome character, in fact ALL of the characters were awesome - I loved the Biscuit Club to bits, loved Ed, loved Bella - the dynamic between her and Meg was just great, you could tell Bella was kindhearted and Meg's friend throughout but poor Meg was just too suspicious! Bless. Her trials and tribulations of looking after baby sister Elsa made for a fantastic read as well, as did her display at the science show... gotta admit I loved the nerdy side of this too :) Pretty much everything was just perfect and I am definitely keeping my review copy on my kindle for all time.
April 4, 2017
Review also on my blog:
Stargazing For Beginners By Jenny McLachlan (Boolino Book Review) |
https://emmajanemason.wordpress.com/2...
Space, the final frontier they call it. The great unknown and one of life’s many mysteries surrounds us on a daily basis. We humans go about our everyday lives completely oblivious to the fact that our sun that we use to tan and relax in is a dying star. Our moon is our natural (reflective) nightlight as we sleep. And the stars make twinkling pictures for us in the night sky and guide us home when we are lost. Fancy a bit of stargazing dear readers? Do I ever have the book to share with you! Grab a blanket and a pair of binoculars as we gaze from the chaos that is Earth. If we are lucky we might see a shooting star or even toast some marshmallows. Poyekhali!
The wonderful people at Boolino have sent me a gorgeous copy of Stargazing For Beginners By Jenny McLachlan published by Bloomsbury. I squealed with delight the moment I saw this book. Not only is the cover a beauty and has shiny gold lettering but it’s about a topic I have always found fascinating; life.
For fifteen year old Meg, life on earth for her is non-existent. The life for her is amongst the stars and planets millions of light years away in undiscovered galaxies. Imagine her surprise when her free-spirited mother drops her baby sister Elsa on her and jets off on yet another charity mission half way across the world. Meg must now face her biggest challenge in life yet. Can she prep her speech in time for the NASA competition while trying to look after her sister, make friends, fall in love and keep on top of her homework? Houston, we have a problem.
Meg is such a relatable character to teenagers. She’s shy, hates public speaking and doesn’t know how to socialise with people her own age. From what I remember from being a teenager, it’s tough. Really tough. Trying to fit in and find your own place while still being true to who you are is difficult. There are so many changes at that age that a lot of teens find hard to cope with. Meg can talk about atoms and constellations but she struggles when it comes to talking about the latest Ed Sheeran song. It’s an alien concept to her, another world that she finds hard to make sense of. It’s comforting to know that characters like Meg exist in literature, that make us geeks/nerds feel less alone.
“This is why I want to go to be an astronaut: life on Earth is way too complicated.”
McLachlan is a master at developing Meg’s character as the story progresses. Meg learns from her mistakes and is forced to go out of her comfort zone. She tends to rely on logic and facts but soon finds herself listening to the beat of her own heart. It’s heartwarming to read and I shed a little tear as Meg did her speech at the end. It made me release that we all have our own Earth team. Family and friends who support us. We don’t have to do it alone, and only need ask for help should we need it.
The way McLachlan employs imagery is cosmic to read. I found the use of the state of Meg’s flat as a reflection of how she is feeling worked perfectly. Only towards the end when she tries to clear some space does she start to begin to think differently and beyond the chaos. Up until that point only her room is precisely how she wants it, she can control the chaos within her four walls. What she can’t control is everyone else. She has to learn to accept it for what it is and try to deal with the situation as best she can. That sometimes life needs a little bit of chaos and it’s not always a bad thing.
The strong theme of chaos is very present in this book. More and more teenagers are looking after their siblings and have an absent parent. We only need watch Children In Need and can see how real this crisis is. A lot of teenagers are being forced to take on adult responsibilities before they are ready to, causing a domino effect that tumbles out of control. Stargazing For Beginners gives teenagers hope and shows them that there is always someone willing to help. That wishing on stars is not as silly as it sounds and one day, things will get better for them.
“I’ve realised that space isn’t an escape from the chaos of human beings, it’s something I have because of the chaos of human beings.”
Encouraging people to follow their dreams no matter how big or small is always, always important and I love how McLachlan involves this throughout the book. As someone who was always told I couldn’t write because I had dyslexia, I strived to prove people wrong. And boy did I. I got my degree (2:1 might I add) in Creative Writing and Film Studies.*sticks tongue out* So you can imagine how much of a friend I found in Meg when I discovered that she had big dreams. Big dreams that made people give her the same look I got when I replied to, “What do you want to do with your life?” Dreams that made me, like Meg doubt whether it was possible, but our determination surged us through to success and the chance to prove everyone wrong. Never give up on your dreams and who you are. Shine bright like the shiny sparkling star you are because after all, we are all stardust.
I found myself smiling, tearing up and laughing throughout this book. You can not help but feel good once you finish the last sentence. I challenge anyone who reads this to not go through the emotions, I double dare you!
I give Stargazing For Beginners By Jenny McLachlan a Five out of Five paw rating.
It’s witty, creative and overall gives you this warm fuzzy feeling that you can’t help but love. A story of never giving up and holding onto your dreams. With a dash of chaos, friendship and love thrown into the mix it’s the perfect coming of age story.
I am already looking forward to reading more of McLachlan’s work as there was an extract for Flirty Dancing at the back. Her writing style is addictive and one that makes you not want to put the book down until the very last page. Another talented author added to my list!
Hip hop wiggle wiggle
Stargazing For Beginners By Jenny McLachlan (Boolino Book Review) |
https://emmajanemason.wordpress.com/2...
Space, the final frontier they call it. The great unknown and one of life’s many mysteries surrounds us on a daily basis. We humans go about our everyday lives completely oblivious to the fact that our sun that we use to tan and relax in is a dying star. Our moon is our natural (reflective) nightlight as we sleep. And the stars make twinkling pictures for us in the night sky and guide us home when we are lost. Fancy a bit of stargazing dear readers? Do I ever have the book to share with you! Grab a blanket and a pair of binoculars as we gaze from the chaos that is Earth. If we are lucky we might see a shooting star or even toast some marshmallows. Poyekhali!
The wonderful people at Boolino have sent me a gorgeous copy of Stargazing For Beginners By Jenny McLachlan published by Bloomsbury. I squealed with delight the moment I saw this book. Not only is the cover a beauty and has shiny gold lettering but it’s about a topic I have always found fascinating; life.
For fifteen year old Meg, life on earth for her is non-existent. The life for her is amongst the stars and planets millions of light years away in undiscovered galaxies. Imagine her surprise when her free-spirited mother drops her baby sister Elsa on her and jets off on yet another charity mission half way across the world. Meg must now face her biggest challenge in life yet. Can she prep her speech in time for the NASA competition while trying to look after her sister, make friends, fall in love and keep on top of her homework? Houston, we have a problem.
Meg is such a relatable character to teenagers. She’s shy, hates public speaking and doesn’t know how to socialise with people her own age. From what I remember from being a teenager, it’s tough. Really tough. Trying to fit in and find your own place while still being true to who you are is difficult. There are so many changes at that age that a lot of teens find hard to cope with. Meg can talk about atoms and constellations but she struggles when it comes to talking about the latest Ed Sheeran song. It’s an alien concept to her, another world that she finds hard to make sense of. It’s comforting to know that characters like Meg exist in literature, that make us geeks/nerds feel less alone.
“This is why I want to go to be an astronaut: life on Earth is way too complicated.”
McLachlan is a master at developing Meg’s character as the story progresses. Meg learns from her mistakes and is forced to go out of her comfort zone. She tends to rely on logic and facts but soon finds herself listening to the beat of her own heart. It’s heartwarming to read and I shed a little tear as Meg did her speech at the end. It made me release that we all have our own Earth team. Family and friends who support us. We don’t have to do it alone, and only need ask for help should we need it.
The way McLachlan employs imagery is cosmic to read. I found the use of the state of Meg’s flat as a reflection of how she is feeling worked perfectly. Only towards the end when she tries to clear some space does she start to begin to think differently and beyond the chaos. Up until that point only her room is precisely how she wants it, she can control the chaos within her four walls. What she can’t control is everyone else. She has to learn to accept it for what it is and try to deal with the situation as best she can. That sometimes life needs a little bit of chaos and it’s not always a bad thing.
The strong theme of chaos is very present in this book. More and more teenagers are looking after their siblings and have an absent parent. We only need watch Children In Need and can see how real this crisis is. A lot of teenagers are being forced to take on adult responsibilities before they are ready to, causing a domino effect that tumbles out of control. Stargazing For Beginners gives teenagers hope and shows them that there is always someone willing to help. That wishing on stars is not as silly as it sounds and one day, things will get better for them.
“I’ve realised that space isn’t an escape from the chaos of human beings, it’s something I have because of the chaos of human beings.”
Encouraging people to follow their dreams no matter how big or small is always, always important and I love how McLachlan involves this throughout the book. As someone who was always told I couldn’t write because I had dyslexia, I strived to prove people wrong. And boy did I. I got my degree (2:1 might I add) in Creative Writing and Film Studies.*sticks tongue out* So you can imagine how much of a friend I found in Meg when I discovered that she had big dreams. Big dreams that made people give her the same look I got when I replied to, “What do you want to do with your life?” Dreams that made me, like Meg doubt whether it was possible, but our determination surged us through to success and the chance to prove everyone wrong. Never give up on your dreams and who you are. Shine bright like the shiny sparkling star you are because after all, we are all stardust.
I found myself smiling, tearing up and laughing throughout this book. You can not help but feel good once you finish the last sentence. I challenge anyone who reads this to not go through the emotions, I double dare you!
I give Stargazing For Beginners By Jenny McLachlan a Five out of Five paw rating.
It’s witty, creative and overall gives you this warm fuzzy feeling that you can’t help but love. A story of never giving up and holding onto your dreams. With a dash of chaos, friendship and love thrown into the mix it’s the perfect coming of age story.
I am already looking forward to reading more of McLachlan’s work as there was an extract for Flirty Dancing at the back. Her writing style is addictive and one that makes you not want to put the book down until the very last page. Another talented author added to my list!
Hip hop wiggle wiggle
July 19, 2019
Couldn't be more perfect Middle Grade contemporary.
Meg is a space nerd with a big opportunity to go to Houston by giving a speech in front of a crowd. She's the one among the two selected from her school. The other one is Ed King. The perfect , flawless and popular Ed King who's always hanging out with the mean girl who basically makes Meg anxious.
As if things weren't bad enough , Meg's Mom leaves her and her sister Elsa to take care of themselves. Elsa is a toddler who has bad temper. What would meg do ? Would she win her dream?
A heartwarming story which made me end up in happy tears since a long time (An effect of reading so much fantasy, I tell ya). Meg is an introvert and recently alienated because her friend moved to Australia. Meg is a really amazing 15 y/o who I connected so much with. She's a nerd , hates being vulnerable and she takes everything in her own hands on a crisis.
Annie is my fave. She's a disability rep with a great heart who ends up Meg's best friend.
Ed King is a typical boy who has a classic ???? On Meg and revealed as a softie outside school.
Meg's mom is the surprise of this book. She is loving , a bit hippie and loves travels. She's also a great Disney fan with dumbo tattoed in her back. Who wouldn't love her??
Meg's confidence and crisis solving capacity is really inspiring through out the book.
Perfect read for a cozy winter or book hangover. Thanks Jenny . For writing this book. Thanks Jatin for recommending this book.
Meg is a space nerd with a big opportunity to go to Houston by giving a speech in front of a crowd. She's the one among the two selected from her school. The other one is Ed King. The perfect , flawless and popular Ed King who's always hanging out with the mean girl who basically makes Meg anxious.
As if things weren't bad enough , Meg's Mom leaves her and her sister Elsa to take care of themselves. Elsa is a toddler who has bad temper. What would meg do ? Would she win her dream?
A heartwarming story which made me end up in happy tears since a long time (An effect of reading so much fantasy, I tell ya). Meg is an introvert and recently alienated because her friend moved to Australia. Meg is a really amazing 15 y/o who I connected so much with. She's a nerd , hates being vulnerable and she takes everything in her own hands on a crisis.
Annie is my fave. She's a disability rep with a great heart who ends up Meg's best friend.
Ed King is a typical boy who has a classic ???? On Meg and revealed as a softie outside school.
Meg's mom is the surprise of this book. She is loving , a bit hippie and loves travels. She's also a great Disney fan with dumbo tattoed in her back. Who wouldn't love her??
Meg's confidence and crisis solving capacity is really inspiring through out the book.
Perfect read for a cozy winter or book hangover. Thanks Jenny . For writing this book. Thanks Jatin for recommending this book.
February 7, 2017
This was an absolutely lovely YA read.
15 year old Meg is an aspiring astronaut who dreams of escaping Earth. Meg is stuck with a super flaky hippie Mother who one day up and leaves Meg in charge of her toddler sister to go on a volunteer holiday to...Myanmar. I'll tell you, it's easy to hate Meg's mum who tells her that they have no money to pay for a trip to a NASA camp for Meg but can afford airfare to Myanmar. What a load of rubbish. Actually kind of disappointed the author tried to redeem Meg's awful mum in the end. Social services should have been called.
Even though Meg muddles through taking care of her baby sister Elsa with the help of her Grandad and some surprising new school friends, it's a situation a 15 year old never should have been put in.
In the end Meg learns quite a bit from this experience and the reader will enjoy experiencing this along with Meg.
Of course there is a slight tinge of romance thrown in here, but it's not out of place and is actually quite sweet.
Great read for ages 12 and up.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review, but my opinions are my own.
15 year old Meg is an aspiring astronaut who dreams of escaping Earth. Meg is stuck with a super flaky hippie Mother who one day up and leaves Meg in charge of her toddler sister to go on a volunteer holiday to...Myanmar. I'll tell you, it's easy to hate Meg's mum who tells her that they have no money to pay for a trip to a NASA camp for Meg but can afford airfare to Myanmar. What a load of rubbish. Actually kind of disappointed the author tried to redeem Meg's awful mum in the end. Social services should have been called.
Even though Meg muddles through taking care of her baby sister Elsa with the help of her Grandad and some surprising new school friends, it's a situation a 15 year old never should have been put in.
In the end Meg learns quite a bit from this experience and the reader will enjoy experiencing this along with Meg.
Of course there is a slight tinge of romance thrown in here, but it's not out of place and is actually quite sweet.
Great read for ages 12 and up.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review, but my opinions are my own.
June 30, 2018
Nunca li nada sobre universo, estrelas, planetas, galáxia de uma forma tão leve e divertida. Um romance que para além de nos incutir a curiosidade pela astrologia, debruçasse na relação entre filhos e pais e o seus papeis no seio familiar.
;)
;)
April 5, 2017
Stargazing for Beginners to a straight up brilliant book. It's well written, well researched. The characters are strong and hold this story with this wild personalities. Meg may be one of the most relatable characters I've read about in terms of how she feels afraid to speak out. It's interesting to show how what other people see to be harmless jokes can have a serious affect on someone's self-esteem, and it's so heartwarming to read about her overcoming that fear.
I definitely appreciated this more living in England and having visited the University of Sussex and all the surrounding places. It makes this story familiar and really close to home, which I think works really well considering the themes that are discussed throughout.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, would definitely recommend!
Full review can be found here: https://atlaspeaks.blog/2017/04/04/ga...
I definitely appreciated this more living in England and having visited the University of Sussex and all the surrounding places. It makes this story familiar and really close to home, which I think works really well considering the themes that are discussed throughout.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, would definitely recommend!
Full review can be found here: https://atlaspeaks.blog/2017/04/04/ga...
April 14, 2018
Many thanks to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) for the ARC! I have voluntarily reviewed Stargazing For Beginners.
This book was such a pleasant read! The author manages to give us a little bit of everything, enough so no emotions are more overwhelming than others: Stargazing For Beginners is funny, emotional and true to teenage friendships, something I greatly appreciate when it comes to Young Adult books. I enjoyed the real characterization of each character and situations which are not all that uncommon; in short, it stuck to reality. Being a big lover of space, I enjoyed information about cosmos throughout the book and this alone, was such a huge bonus for me! It's a book I will recommend further - especially to my younger sister who will definitely receive a copy of it once the book will hit bookstore shelves.
This book was such a pleasant read! The author manages to give us a little bit of everything, enough so no emotions are more overwhelming than others: Stargazing For Beginners is funny, emotional and true to teenage friendships, something I greatly appreciate when it comes to Young Adult books. I enjoyed the real characterization of each character and situations which are not all that uncommon; in short, it stuck to reality. Being a big lover of space, I enjoyed information about cosmos throughout the book and this alone, was such a huge bonus for me! It's a book I will recommend further - especially to my younger sister who will definitely receive a copy of it once the book will hit bookstore shelves.
April 8, 2017
Poor Meg has a completely insane family, which is probably why she like to be so organised. It feels a little bit childish to start though I think she is in her early teens, but the end is wonderful and well worth the read. I could completely relate to Meg's nerves at trying to get her speech just right, I'm going through something similar, wondering how to get my own astronomy enthusiasm across. An uplifting and inspiring read.
February 2, 2017
I adored this book, read it in one sitting. It's just enough parts mad, emotional, and funny to keep you wanting to know more and perhaps even want for such a revelation of belonging yourself.
Wonderful plot, and a great characterisation of young teenagers. As someone who was also very nerdy and bookish, this really was easy and great fun to relate to.
Can't wait to recommend it to friends!
Wonderful plot, and a great characterisation of young teenagers. As someone who was also very nerdy and bookish, this really was easy and great fun to relate to.
Can't wait to recommend it to friends!
April 22, 2017
Top-notch teen novel that doesn't use swearing or drinking or sexing to engage readers.
Meg is obsessed with becoming an astronaut but has to accept she can't do it on her own. Great budding friendships, adorable romantic lead, and strong family drama.
Meg is obsessed with becoming an astronaut but has to accept she can't do it on her own. Great budding friendships, adorable romantic lead, and strong family drama.
June 9, 2017
Read in two sittings over two days. Such an adorable yet touching read!
Review will be up on my blog soon;
alwaysandforeverreading.wordpress.com
Review will be up on my blog soon;
alwaysandforeverreading.wordpress.com
February 9, 2023
Que livro adorável! 🥹💗
Gostei muitoooo
4.7⭐
Gostei muitoooo
4.7⭐
Read
February 28, 2025Um dos livros que me trouxe o gosto pela leitura ❤️
April 6, 2017
Meg is an out and out science geek. She dreams of being an astronaut and wants desperately to win the competition to visit NASA. Unfortunately Meg also has an incredibly selfish and immature mother...
We get to watch Meg look after her younger sister and keep her own interests ticking along after her mother hops on a plane and disappears to Thailand.
I got very irritated by the selfishness of mother, and couldn't get over how lenient our writer was towards her.
Good-humoured and not badly written; just very unlikely
.
We get to watch Meg look after her younger sister and keep her own interests ticking along after her mother hops on a plane and disappears to Thailand.
I got very irritated by the selfishness of mother, and couldn't get over how lenient our writer was towards her.
Good-humoured and not badly written; just very unlikely
.
June 5, 2017
A book about an intelligent young girl who absolutely loves space and dreams of being an astronaut… That’s a big YES from me!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really loved Meg. I thought she was a wonderful character and a great example to young people of how loving Science is not a bad thing. I did have a rather significant issue with her mother though. Meg’s mum is beyond irresponsible and it really bothered me but it also gave us the chance to see Meg bonding with her baby sister and if there’s something I am a huge sucker for it is sibling relationships. Meg’s friendships were wonderfully written and I thought that the romance was well done too.
This book also showed the effects of Meg’s anxiety without the book becoming about her anxiety, which I loved. Meg didn’t fit easily into her new lifestyle, she didn’t breeze into a relationship, she didn’t become a super popular person and just win her way to the top. She worked hard, she overcame her fears, she felt so real and I think Meg will resonate with many teenage readers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really loved Meg. I thought she was a wonderful character and a great example to young people of how loving Science is not a bad thing. I did have a rather significant issue with her mother though. Meg’s mum is beyond irresponsible and it really bothered me but it also gave us the chance to see Meg bonding with her baby sister and if there’s something I am a huge sucker for it is sibling relationships. Meg’s friendships were wonderfully written and I thought that the romance was well done too.
This book also showed the effects of Meg’s anxiety without the book becoming about her anxiety, which I loved. Meg didn’t fit easily into her new lifestyle, she didn’t breeze into a relationship, she didn’t become a super popular person and just win her way to the top. She worked hard, she overcame her fears, she felt so real and I think Meg will resonate with many teenage readers.
May 21, 2019
Okay. I really liked this book. I am shocked too. To begin with I found Megs character annoying, self centred and totally detached from her own life. Her mother was irritating, irresponsible and borderline child abusing. This book might make it to my top 10 list OF ALL TIME if when she came back form her little trip, Meg gave her a good slap across the face and gave her a good talking to about, I don't know, LOOKING AFTER HER CHILDREN instead of swanning of to Malaysia or whatever to look after different children.
I began to become attached to Meg as I realised she wasn't a bitch, she was just incredibly driven for her goals. Her struggles with her sister was endearing and really highlighted Meg's character development.
Now Ed. As a 14 year old girl that honestly thought she was born 35-ish years too early, I loved Ed with every fibre of my being. He was a classically polite gentleman that has been totally phased out of modern literature, replaced by shallow, vapid children that are just so 'misunderstood'. His little salute in THAT bit after the bench *squeak* made me melt a LOT.
Her friends were great, enough said, almost. It really showed the climate of british teenage life in a tasteful manner. I especially loved Annie with her FUCK EVERYONE attitude that us rarely seen by characters with disabilities. An annoying aspect of disabled characters in books is that they are so goddamn annoying. My life is so hard, pity me. Yes life is obviously hard for you, but can we talk about something else please?
In conclusion, I wanna kidnap Ed.
Nuf said
I began to become attached to Meg as I realised she wasn't a bitch, she was just incredibly driven for her goals. Her struggles with her sister was endearing and really highlighted Meg's character development.
Now Ed. As a 14 year old girl that honestly thought she was born 35-ish years too early, I loved Ed with every fibre of my being. He was a classically polite gentleman that has been totally phased out of modern literature, replaced by shallow, vapid children that are just so 'misunderstood'. His little salute in THAT bit after the bench *squeak* made me melt a LOT.
Her friends were great, enough said, almost. It really showed the climate of british teenage life in a tasteful manner. I especially loved Annie with her FUCK EVERYONE attitude that us rarely seen by characters with disabilities. An annoying aspect of disabled characters in books is that they are so goddamn annoying. My life is so hard, pity me. Yes life is obviously hard for you, but can we talk about something else please?
In conclusion, I wanna kidnap Ed.
Nuf said
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2017
Really, REALLY enjoyed this. Science is my thang and I loved learning more about the cosmos in this book.
Meg is obsessed with science and is determined to become an astronaut and to take the first step on this daunting journey she must win the trip to Houston. The only problem is, to win she must do a speech in front of a LOT of people, which is going to be very hard considering Meg cannot even give the speech in front of her dog and baby sister.
I loved all the characters in the book. They weren't all one-sided i.e. Bella wasn't actually a bully, she just didn't think before she spoke, Ed was popular as well as extremely smart, Annie was a fantastic friend despite being angry all the time. The author allowed her characters to be more than just labels.
Meg herself was captured perfectly. I can identify with the whole not putting your hand up because class mates will take the mick and I'm glad by the end of the book she really doesn't care whether people call her geek. In fact, she is proud to be a geek which is how it should be! Being smart is NOTHING to be ashamed of and this book got that message across perfectly, without being preachy in any way.
Female characters interested in any STEM subject are rare so this was so refreshing! I highly recommend you pick up a copy - suitable for 12+ as it's very clean teen.
Meg is obsessed with science and is determined to become an astronaut and to take the first step on this daunting journey she must win the trip to Houston. The only problem is, to win she must do a speech in front of a LOT of people, which is going to be very hard considering Meg cannot even give the speech in front of her dog and baby sister.
I loved all the characters in the book. They weren't all one-sided i.e. Bella wasn't actually a bully, she just didn't think before she spoke, Ed was popular as well as extremely smart, Annie was a fantastic friend despite being angry all the time. The author allowed her characters to be more than just labels.
Meg herself was captured perfectly. I can identify with the whole not putting your hand up because class mates will take the mick and I'm glad by the end of the book she really doesn't care whether people call her geek. In fact, she is proud to be a geek which is how it should be! Being smart is NOTHING to be ashamed of and this book got that message across perfectly, without being preachy in any way.
Female characters interested in any STEM subject are rare so this was so refreshing! I highly recommend you pick up a copy - suitable for 12+ as it's very clean teen.
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