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Stay Another Day
When three very different siblings, Fern, Rowan and Willow, go home for a Christmas reunion at their family home in Edinburgh, it's not long before some VERY BIG SECRETS threaten their cosy holiday ...
The McAllister house on Arboretum Road has seen 120 Christmases since its completion.
This year, FERN is bringing her gorgeous boyfriend home and she wants everything to be perfect.
But her twin brother ROWAN would rather go on the pull than pull crackers with the family.
And their younger sister WILLOW is terrified of Christmas Day.
With FOUR sleeps till Christmas,
THREE secretive siblings,
TWO hot houseguests,
And ONE juicy secret ...
This Christmas, there will be some BIG surprises under the tree.
Sometimes at Christmas, you don't get what you want, you get what you need...
Sweet and sour, funny and moving, and very, very Christmassy - the perfect book to curl up with this holiday.
The McAllister house on Arboretum Road has seen 120 Christmases since its completion.
This year, FERN is bringing her gorgeous boyfriend home and she wants everything to be perfect.
But her twin brother ROWAN would rather go on the pull than pull crackers with the family.
And their younger sister WILLOW is terrified of Christmas Day.
With FOUR sleeps till Christmas,
THREE secretive siblings,
TWO hot houseguests,
And ONE juicy secret ...
This Christmas, there will be some BIG surprises under the tree.
Sometimes at Christmas, you don't get what you want, you get what you need...
Sweet and sour, funny and moving, and very, very Christmassy - the perfect book to curl up with this holiday.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2021
60 people are currently reading
2249 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
January 14, 2022
Every Juno Dawson book I've read so far is a blast from beginning to end and this queer Christmas tale is no exception. It's sarcastic, it's horny, it's chaotic, it's heartfelt. As a gay who loves Christmas and Edinburgh this is the perfect book for me. It's exactly the sort of thing I would love to watch every Christmas, so I hope we'll get to see more queer stories on TV in the coming years.
December 15, 2021
Stay Another Day was a raw commentary on society, privilege and relationships. It talks openly and honestly about mental health and featured some of the best OCD rep I’ve read. There was a lot of hope in this book, a lot of figuring out what you want and what makes you happy, and a lot of healing.
I found multiple parts of this book emotional, Juno Dawson creates such relatable and real characters, it’s hard not to feel the emotions they feel. I found multiple different parts of this book relatable where I didn’t expect to, and it really hit me.
Aside from all of the hard hitting stuff, this was a fantastically cosy Christmas read. The home this is centred around just felt the epitome of a festive family home and I could see it so clearly in my head. I think this is a book that will stick with me for a while in both imagery and message.
I found multiple parts of this book emotional, Juno Dawson creates such relatable and real characters, it’s hard not to feel the emotions they feel. I found multiple different parts of this book relatable where I didn’t expect to, and it really hit me.
Aside from all of the hard hitting stuff, this was a fantastically cosy Christmas read. The home this is centred around just felt the epitome of a festive family home and I could see it so clearly in my head. I think this is a book that will stick with me for a while in both imagery and message.
December 3, 2022
Siblings Fern, Rowan and Willow are meeting up at the family home for Christmas. However as we count down to the big day, secrets will be uncovered and relationships broken.
This felt just like an episode of Skins, if Skins was Scottish and set at Christmas time. There's a lot of sex, drugs and just general debauchery mixed in with heavy discussions of mental health and eating disorders. It wasn't a light Christmas read by any stretch, and although this read like YA, and the characters maturity levels were very much YA, the subject matter seemed to jar against this. That isn't to say 19 year olds don't get up to this sort of stuff (I was no angel) but it did seem to stretch the imagination some what. Or maybe I was just a really sheltered teenager.
I really liked the writing, and overall I found the plot interesting and the characters well developed eith a nice satisfying ending that holds up to the spirit of the season. However, I just found this a little intense on the heavy topics and not really what I was expecting. Essentially, I wanted more of the 'Last Christmas' section, and less of the getting shit faced at a rave.
This felt just like an episode of Skins, if Skins was Scottish and set at Christmas time. There's a lot of sex, drugs and just general debauchery mixed in with heavy discussions of mental health and eating disorders. It wasn't a light Christmas read by any stretch, and although this read like YA, and the characters maturity levels were very much YA, the subject matter seemed to jar against this. That isn't to say 19 year olds don't get up to this sort of stuff (I was no angel) but it did seem to stretch the imagination some what. Or maybe I was just a really sheltered teenager.
I really liked the writing, and overall I found the plot interesting and the characters well developed eith a nice satisfying ending that holds up to the spirit of the season. However, I just found this a little intense on the heavy topics and not really what I was expecting. Essentially, I wanted more of the 'Last Christmas' section, and less of the getting shit faced at a rave.
September 12, 2021
Well I bloody loved this.
December 20, 2021
3.5/4⭐️ (pls check tw’s)
- i really enjoyed this
- really unique but easy to follow storylines
- characters felt reaaaaally real - i could picture them all easily
- discussed some quite serious topics but still felt adequately christmassy
- not sure what it is but somethingggg felt off ?? idk if me + the style of writing didnt glue and i just felt like some of it was kinda cringey and like it’s trying a bit toooo hard to be modern/relevant ??? but genuinely think it’s personal preference & this style just isn’t really my favourite !
- i really enjoyed this
- really unique but easy to follow storylines
- characters felt reaaaaally real - i could picture them all easily
- discussed some quite serious topics but still felt adequately christmassy
- not sure what it is but somethingggg felt off ?? idk if me + the style of writing didnt glue and i just felt like some of it was kinda cringey and like it’s trying a bit toooo hard to be modern/relevant ??? but genuinely think it’s personal preference & this style just isn’t really my favourite !
December 25, 2021
*2.5 stars (rounding down)*
How can one book contain so much drama ??? While it definitely kept me hooked, it was a lot a lot a lot, to the point that the implausibility of it took away from the book for me. Would make a good film I bet.
I struggled giving this a 2 star or a 3 star because while I did like the openness and honesty about internalised homophobia and eating disorders, I felt it was trying to include maybe too many trigger point problems. There was also, OCD, alcoholism, mental illness, and I feel focusing on one or two of those topics would have been better then including them all. I think it was bordering on trying too hard to be new and fresh and woke.
I also found the parts narrated by the house very jarring - I see what the author was doing but it just didn't work for me. Also, I don't mind reading about dislikeable characters, but Jesus Christ, it was very hard to warm to most of them and to sympathise with them after they did extremely shitty things. The second hand embarrassment was REAL and at times made it unbearable to read.
Maybe 2 stars is harsh but that's just my take on it. Drama filled, definitely readable, not the worst writing style. Just not for me. I'd give Juno Dawson another shot for sure.
How can one book contain so much drama ??? While it definitely kept me hooked, it was a lot a lot a lot, to the point that the implausibility of it took away from the book for me. Would make a good film I bet.
I struggled giving this a 2 star or a 3 star because while I did like the openness and honesty about internalised homophobia and eating disorders, I felt it was trying to include maybe too many trigger point problems. There was also, OCD, alcoholism, mental illness, and I feel focusing on one or two of those topics would have been better then including them all. I think it was bordering on trying too hard to be new and fresh and woke.
I also found the parts narrated by the house very jarring - I see what the author was doing but it just didn't work for me. Also, I don't mind reading about dislikeable characters, but Jesus Christ, it was very hard to warm to most of them and to sympathise with them after they did extremely shitty things. The second hand embarrassment was REAL and at times made it unbearable to read.
Maybe 2 stars is harsh but that's just my take on it. Drama filled, definitely readable, not the worst writing style. Just not for me. I'd give Juno Dawson another shot for sure.
December 22, 2023
3.5 stars.
December 18, 2021
I’m already a massive Juno Dawson fan after reading her London Trilogy series and Proud and when I saw this book I knew it wouldn’t just be a “cosy Christmas read”. It gave me those Christmas vibes I wanted but with the edge I was looking for. That messy real life edge that actually happens instead of the fluff we usually see this time of year. Yuk!
Now this had its romance vibes but it was also filled with so much hard stuff. Mental illness is something that touches most families and it doesn’t go away just because it’s Christmas and Juno’s raw take on it it’s just done so delicately and perfectly well, I just can’t recommend all her books enough.
I absolutely loved that it was from the three siblings POV and usually when this happens I always have one I can’t wait until it gets back into but I adored all three and loved all their voices.
This book was so witty and funny but really pulled on the heart at points too. I just adored it and can honestly 100% see me going in for a reread next Christmas.
TW: Eating Disorder, Self Harm, Mental Illness.
Now this had its romance vibes but it was also filled with so much hard stuff. Mental illness is something that touches most families and it doesn’t go away just because it’s Christmas and Juno’s raw take on it it’s just done so delicately and perfectly well, I just can’t recommend all her books enough.
I absolutely loved that it was from the three siblings POV and usually when this happens I always have one I can’t wait until it gets back into but I adored all three and loved all their voices.
This book was so witty and funny but really pulled on the heart at points too. I just adored it and can honestly 100% see me going in for a reread next Christmas.
TW: Eating Disorder, Self Harm, Mental Illness.
January 14, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this festive read filled with heaps & heaps of messy family drama with a dash of Christmas cheer.
“Everyone is struggling with something. It’s why we’ve got to be kind to each other, even when it’s really fuckin’ hard. You just don’t know. You can’t tell by looking.”
This is definitely not your typical cute festive romance read filled with happy & nearly flawless characters - it is messy, it is raw & so much more & guaranteed to pull you in from the start.
Although I own two other books by Juno Dawson, this was the first one I read & I’m pleased to say I cannot wait to read the rest of her books. I absolutely love her writing style & how she brings a diverse group of characters to life. I couldn’t help but grow attached to the characters & rooting for them to find happiness.
“I think it’s because to love and be loved you have to open yourself up to the possibility of being hurt. You have to take off the armour. You have to show your soft bits to someone. You have to be vulnerable, and that’s the scariest thing there is.”
The book is written from multiple POVs - Rowan who is 19, his twin sister Fern & their 17 year old sister Willow. Each of the characters were written so well & complex, that I could almost immediately tell whose POV I was reading without even looking at the chapter heading. There’s no denying that each characters has their own flaws & mistakes, but that just made them all the more realistic & easy to learn from.
My favourite character was definitely Rowan - he is such a cutie beneath his tough, nonchalant & emotionally unavailable exterior & his POV was hilarious most of the time, filled with a lot of witty comments & confidence.
Two other favourites were Syd & Thom, although each character in this book played such an integral role in the storyline & the development of the group of characters as a whole.
I loved the fact that the group of characters were all so diverse.
This book addresses difficult subjects such as mental health, eating disorders and self harm. I recommend looking up TW for this one. 🤗
“Everyone is struggling with something. It’s why we’ve got to be kind to each other, even when it’s really fuckin’ hard. You just don’t know. You can’t tell by looking.”
This is definitely not your typical cute festive romance read filled with happy & nearly flawless characters - it is messy, it is raw & so much more & guaranteed to pull you in from the start.
Although I own two other books by Juno Dawson, this was the first one I read & I’m pleased to say I cannot wait to read the rest of her books. I absolutely love her writing style & how she brings a diverse group of characters to life. I couldn’t help but grow attached to the characters & rooting for them to find happiness.
“I think it’s because to love and be loved you have to open yourself up to the possibility of being hurt. You have to take off the armour. You have to show your soft bits to someone. You have to be vulnerable, and that’s the scariest thing there is.”
The book is written from multiple POVs - Rowan who is 19, his twin sister Fern & their 17 year old sister Willow. Each of the characters were written so well & complex, that I could almost immediately tell whose POV I was reading without even looking at the chapter heading. There’s no denying that each characters has their own flaws & mistakes, but that just made them all the more realistic & easy to learn from.
My favourite character was definitely Rowan - he is such a cutie beneath his tough, nonchalant & emotionally unavailable exterior & his POV was hilarious most of the time, filled with a lot of witty comments & confidence.
Two other favourites were Syd & Thom, although each character in this book played such an integral role in the storyline & the development of the group of characters as a whole.
I loved the fact that the group of characters were all so diverse.
This book addresses difficult subjects such as mental health, eating disorders and self harm. I recommend looking up TW for this one. 🤗
December 9, 2022
Leuk boek, maar wel hééél veel drama in een paar dagen tijd. Haha.
January 2, 2022
Stay Another Day by Juno Dawson
“Stay Another Day” discusses themes often openly avoided such as eating disorders, mental illness and self harm. This book, although depressing at times, does show light in the dark for victims of these events.
I personally enjoyed reading from Fern, Rowan and Willows perspectives; I truly could feel the pain, and joy they felt. Christmas is often associated with happiness and positive emotions, but ultimately this is not the case for everyone. I felt this book could offer support for those who struggle at Christmas and educate us that enjoy it.
I enjoyed the broad range of characters featuring in this novel and felt this book sums up some avoided topics extremely well. I also felt this novel shows that even though families may look perfect there Is always much more depth.
Willow was the particular character who I enjoyed reading about and when I reached the end of the book I truly felt I had seen her grow. I appreciate how Dawson presented Fern and Rowan and the conflict they experienced towards the conclusion of the book.
For me I felt the book was overall well paced, however I felt in the last 100 pages that things were rushed and certainly would have preferred for the last 50 to be spread throughout the novel.
The epilogue at the back of the book really pushed up the rankings for me. Knowing the peace Willow found in storm massively summed the book up for me, this along with the other glimmers of hope throughout the novel made it feel like a worthwhile read.
Overall I would recommend this for anyone who wants a read that will resonate with them, and I will certainly be reading Juno Dawson’s other books.
“Stay Another Day” discusses themes often openly avoided such as eating disorders, mental illness and self harm. This book, although depressing at times, does show light in the dark for victims of these events.
I personally enjoyed reading from Fern, Rowan and Willows perspectives; I truly could feel the pain, and joy they felt. Christmas is often associated with happiness and positive emotions, but ultimately this is not the case for everyone. I felt this book could offer support for those who struggle at Christmas and educate us that enjoy it.
I enjoyed the broad range of characters featuring in this novel and felt this book sums up some avoided topics extremely well. I also felt this novel shows that even though families may look perfect there Is always much more depth.
Willow was the particular character who I enjoyed reading about and when I reached the end of the book I truly felt I had seen her grow. I appreciate how Dawson presented Fern and Rowan and the conflict they experienced towards the conclusion of the book.
For me I felt the book was overall well paced, however I felt in the last 100 pages that things were rushed and certainly would have preferred for the last 50 to be spread throughout the novel.
The epilogue at the back of the book really pushed up the rankings for me. Knowing the peace Willow found in storm massively summed the book up for me, this along with the other glimmers of hope throughout the novel made it feel like a worthwhile read.
Overall I would recommend this for anyone who wants a read that will resonate with them, and I will certainly be reading Juno Dawson’s other books.
January 2, 2022
5⭐s for my first read of 2022! Thank you so much to Hachette Children's for sending me a review copy of Stay Another Day 🤍 inclusivity, Rowan's humour, Christmas traditions and scandalous romance really made this one of the best contemporaries I've ever read! loved it 😌
check trigger warnings before reading, it addresses a lot of issues in detail!
check trigger warnings before reading, it addresses a lot of issues in detail!
December 15, 2021
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
When twins Fern and Rowan return home for Christmas, they are preparing themselves for whatever battles they will face walking through the doors. Extroverted "Scottish twink" Rowan brings his non-binary friend Syd home to meet his Tory father, and Fern comes with her boyfriend Thom, who ends up knowing one member of the family a little bit too well. And then there's youngest daughter Willow whose eating disorder struggles have consumed and broken the entire family for year, and everyone is at boiling point. Will they all survive until Christmas Day?
In true Juno Dawson style, this was fun, glittery and all kinds of dramatic in the best kind of ways. Juno is so good at writing relatable yet horrible characters who show all the flaws of being human and selfish in the best ways - it definitely took me a while to warm up to Rowan, and figure out why he was so casually cruel to everyone, and uptight Fern, and tragic Willow. I felt for their parents a lot who seemed to be treated badly for no reason in particular. But I soon found myself welcomed by the kind of crazy family, and enjoying my time with them.
The 'love triangle' part of this book was actually really good, and I did enjoy where it went - it was sweet and complicated all at the same time, and I felt for everyone involved in what seemed like a possible situation. There's not many times you can say a love triangle really worked well and this time, it did!
I really loved Syd, and part of me would have liked so much time with them other than them apparently being there to be everyone's agony aunt. I do like how they do seem to become part of the family, by retuning the next year but I don't know, I feel like there was a lot of potential with Syd's character that never truly happened. They were just there in the background.
I can't speak from experience but I think that Willow's chapters and her struggles with her ED and intrusive thoughts were done really well. But at the same time, they could be very triggering for people suffering from intrusive thoughts when it comes to food. Juno Dawson never shies away from some of the horrible things in life, such as the things people will say or do when they feel desperate, alone and struggling. I appreciate this with her writing though it does mean you don't always like her characters.
I do think this dragged a little bit at the end - and the whimsical sections of the Christmas being told by the house were a little weird for me as it just jarred with everything else in the book - and while I still liked this, it's probably my least favourite of Juno's books I've read.
3.5 stars
When twins Fern and Rowan return home for Christmas, they are preparing themselves for whatever battles they will face walking through the doors. Extroverted "Scottish twink" Rowan brings his non-binary friend Syd home to meet his Tory father, and Fern comes with her boyfriend Thom, who ends up knowing one member of the family a little bit too well. And then there's youngest daughter Willow whose eating disorder struggles have consumed and broken the entire family for year, and everyone is at boiling point. Will they all survive until Christmas Day?
In true Juno Dawson style, this was fun, glittery and all kinds of dramatic in the best kind of ways. Juno is so good at writing relatable yet horrible characters who show all the flaws of being human and selfish in the best ways - it definitely took me a while to warm up to Rowan, and figure out why he was so casually cruel to everyone, and uptight Fern, and tragic Willow. I felt for their parents a lot who seemed to be treated badly for no reason in particular. But I soon found myself welcomed by the kind of crazy family, and enjoying my time with them.
The 'love triangle' part of this book was actually really good, and I did enjoy where it went - it was sweet and complicated all at the same time, and I felt for everyone involved in what seemed like a possible situation. There's not many times you can say a love triangle really worked well and this time, it did!
I really loved Syd, and part of me would have liked so much time with them other than them apparently being there to be everyone's agony aunt. I do like how they do seem to become part of the family, by retuning the next year but I don't know, I feel like there was a lot of potential with Syd's character that never truly happened. They were just there in the background.
I can't speak from experience but I think that Willow's chapters and her struggles with her ED and intrusive thoughts were done really well. But at the same time, they could be very triggering for people suffering from intrusive thoughts when it comes to food. Juno Dawson never shies away from some of the horrible things in life, such as the things people will say or do when they feel desperate, alone and struggling. I appreciate this with her writing though it does mean you don't always like her characters.
I do think this dragged a little bit at the end - and the whimsical sections of the Christmas being told by the house were a little weird for me as it just jarred with everything else in the book - and while I still liked this, it's probably my least favourite of Juno's books I've read.
November 15, 2021
Tw: eating disorders, self-harm, mental illness, homophobia
This book is pure chaos and stress but darkly entertaining. All the characters were kind of awful and messy which usually doesn’t work for me but I actually ended up rooting for each of the McAllister siblings despite their terrible behaviour. It definitely ended wrapping up a bit too neatly for all the drama that went on, but I get that’s Dawson wanted to end on a Christmassy high and I can’t blame her for that.
Full review here.
This book is pure chaos and stress but darkly entertaining. All the characters were kind of awful and messy which usually doesn’t work for me but I actually ended up rooting for each of the McAllister siblings despite their terrible behaviour. It definitely ended wrapping up a bit too neatly for all the drama that went on, but I get that’s Dawson wanted to end on a Christmassy high and I can’t blame her for that.
Full review here.
January 16, 2022
I started this one in my weekly bath and was shocked and annoyed when the water ran cold and I'd been in there for five hours and it was time to sleep so I had to put it down for the night. No one in this book is perfect, but all of them try to be their best, to varying degrees of aptitude.
I talk about my thoughts on this book in this BookTube video.
I talk about my thoughts on this book in this BookTube video.
December 28, 2023
i loved this on so many levels.
and i teared up, so pretty much a perfect book, at least for now.
”he would like that. someone who is just his, and he just theirs. it is a nice idea; belonging. this craving takes him by surprise.” p. 254
<3
and i teared up, so pretty much a perfect book, at least for now.
”he would like that. someone who is just his, and he just theirs. it is a nice idea; belonging. this craving takes him by surprise.” p. 254
<3
December 16, 2023
I read this book in a day! Such an enjoyable page turner and far less cheesier than other Christmas books I’ve read which made it the most enjoyable by far! Two done, three to go!
October 19, 2021
I had to read this, the title alone has earwormed me for days, never mind the Edinburgh setting. A Christmas Rom-Com that's very self aware, very smart and funny, and with a massively dysfunctional and painfully middle class family at its core.
Sure, the non-main characters aren't as fully fleshed out, yes its a little too neat, but I loved Rowan, Fern and Willow. Nice cameo from the Edinburgh Gay Men's Chorus too.
Sure, the non-main characters aren't as fully fleshed out, yes its a little too neat, but I loved Rowan, Fern and Willow. Nice cameo from the Edinburgh Gay Men's Chorus too.
December 5, 2021
What a fantastic Christmas book. Great writing, amazing characters and a gripping plot.
September 9, 2022
Wunderschönes, kurzweiliges Büchlein über drei Geschwister und ein Weihnachtsfest.
Willow, die Jüngste, hat eine Essstörung, die seit Jahren alles dominiert und die allen ziemlich auf den Keks geht (zu Recht!). Fern hat eine Beziehung mit dem perfekten Mann - Thom ist lieb, er ist wahnsinnig gut aussehend, er ist emotional intelligent, er ist zuverlässig, he's EVERYTHING was A-Type Fern sich wünschen kann... but she's just not that into him? Und Rowan, ihr Zwillingsbruder, ist sehr hübsch, super gay und wahnsinnig populär bei britischen Männern zwischen 18 und 50 - aber versteckt sich hinter einer Wand aus Sarkasmus und Unnahbarkeit und schafft es einfach nicht sich auf Commitment einzulassen.
Ihre Eltern waren immer das perfekte Paar, aber dieses Jahr scheint ihre Ehe zu bröseln - gasp?
Sehr schnell kommt außerdem raus, dass ... hmm, Spoiler?
Naaah. Das passiert innerhalb der ersten paar Kapitel, deswegen ohne Spoiler-tag.
Es kommt raus, dass Rowan und Thom mal einen wunderschönen Tag und eine wunderschöne Nacht zusammen verbracht haben und beide immer noch daran denken... ;) Davon weiß Fern aber nichts... (Kein Cheating! Zu dem Zeitpunkt waren Rowan und Thom beide Single.)
Und zu Besuch sind Tante (erneut frisch verlassen) und Cousine Kara (die vielleicht schwanger ist oder vielleicht auch nicht?), sowie ein Freund von Rowan. Da es ein "they" ist, kann ich hier nicht über die Person schreiben, aber "they" were pretty cool.
Cousine Kara war trotz ihres winzigen Auftritts mein absoluter Favorit. Sie war ja so entzückend. XD
Es war lustig, es war traurig, es war emotional und ich hatte alle sehr lieb. Sogar Willow ist mir ans Herz gewachsen. Ich will gar nicht spoilen, aber das Pärchen für das ich die ganze Zeit die Daumen gedrückt habe, ist am Ende auch tatsächlich zusammen gekommen!! Yes!
Das einzige, was mich immer wieder aus dem Konzept gebracht hat, war das Alter.
Rowan und Fern klangen teilweise so world weary und erschöpft vom Leben und hatten so viel "Vergangenheit" (vergangene Beziehungen, Affären, Fehlentscheidungen, vergessene Schulfreunde etc.), dass sie sich angefühlt haben wie idk Ende zwanzig? Aber sie sind 19 (!). 19!
Neeee. Das hat sich einfach weird und falsch angefühlt. Das habe ich keine Sekunde lang geglaubt.
Also meiner Meinung hätte das Buch auch funktioniert wenn man sie älter gemacht hätte - mein Gott, wenigstens Mitte zwanzig!
Aber wenn ein Charakter über die Freunde oder Beziehungen aus der Schulzeit redet als sei das schon JAHRE her, aber er hat basically grade erst Abi gemacht, dann ist einfach nur absurd.
Also das wäre mein einziger, kleiner Kritikpunkt.
Ansonsten tolles Buch. Kann man auch gut außerhalb von Weihnachten lesen. :)
Willow, die Jüngste, hat eine Essstörung, die seit Jahren alles dominiert und die allen ziemlich auf den Keks geht (zu Recht!). Fern hat eine Beziehung mit dem perfekten Mann - Thom ist lieb, er ist wahnsinnig gut aussehend, er ist emotional intelligent, er ist zuverlässig, he's EVERYTHING was A-Type Fern sich wünschen kann... but she's just not that into him? Und Rowan, ihr Zwillingsbruder, ist sehr hübsch, super gay und wahnsinnig populär bei britischen Männern zwischen 18 und 50 - aber versteckt sich hinter einer Wand aus Sarkasmus und Unnahbarkeit und schafft es einfach nicht sich auf Commitment einzulassen.
Ihre Eltern waren immer das perfekte Paar, aber dieses Jahr scheint ihre Ehe zu bröseln - gasp?
Sehr schnell kommt außerdem raus, dass ... hmm, Spoiler?
Naaah. Das passiert innerhalb der ersten paar Kapitel, deswegen ohne Spoiler-tag.
Es kommt raus, dass Rowan und Thom mal einen wunderschönen Tag und eine wunderschöne Nacht zusammen verbracht haben und beide immer noch daran denken... ;) Davon weiß Fern aber nichts... (Kein Cheating! Zu dem Zeitpunkt waren Rowan und Thom beide Single.)
Und zu Besuch sind Tante (erneut frisch verlassen) und Cousine Kara (die vielleicht schwanger ist oder vielleicht auch nicht?), sowie ein Freund von Rowan. Da es ein "they" ist, kann ich hier nicht über die Person schreiben, aber "they" were pretty cool.
Cousine Kara war trotz ihres winzigen Auftritts mein absoluter Favorit. Sie war ja so entzückend. XD
Es war lustig, es war traurig, es war emotional und ich hatte alle sehr lieb. Sogar Willow ist mir ans Herz gewachsen. Ich will gar nicht spoilen, aber das Pärchen für das ich die ganze Zeit die Daumen gedrückt habe, ist am Ende auch tatsächlich zusammen gekommen!! Yes!
Das einzige, was mich immer wieder aus dem Konzept gebracht hat, war das Alter.
Rowan und Fern klangen teilweise so world weary und erschöpft vom Leben und hatten so viel "Vergangenheit" (vergangene Beziehungen, Affären, Fehlentscheidungen, vergessene Schulfreunde etc.), dass sie sich angefühlt haben wie idk Ende zwanzig? Aber sie sind 19 (!). 19!
Neeee. Das hat sich einfach weird und falsch angefühlt. Das habe ich keine Sekunde lang geglaubt.
Also meiner Meinung hätte das Buch auch funktioniert wenn man sie älter gemacht hätte - mein Gott, wenigstens Mitte zwanzig!
Aber wenn ein Charakter über die Freunde oder Beziehungen aus der Schulzeit redet als sei das schon JAHRE her, aber er hat basically grade erst Abi gemacht, dann ist einfach nur absurd.
Also das wäre mein einziger, kleiner Kritikpunkt.
Ansonsten tolles Buch. Kann man auch gut außerhalb von Weihnachten lesen. :)
January 23, 2022
I’m a bit late (or should that be early?) in the year - the end of January for reviewing Stay Another Day which I devoured just after Christmas but I reasoned to myself that as long as I reviewed it before the end of January, it’s still wintery enough to count! 😂
I’ve read and loved a lot of Juno Dawson’s fiction and nonfiction but this story was really something a little bit special. It takes place just before Christmas and follows three siblings: Fern, Rowan and Willow as they return to the family house in Edinburgh to spend Christmas together as is traditional in the McAllister household.
However each sibling is bringing something a little different this year and there is one big secret that threatens to ruin Christmas. With so many unique and different personalities in the house and with each sibling feeling a different way about the upcoming celebrations, it’s going to make for an interesting holiday period.
People who know me well realise that whilst this may not sound like the typical kind of book I’d enjoy, if it has that little something extra, in other words - a gritty, realistic edge to the writing/plot, I’m here for it and I’ll shout loudly about it. Stay Another Day brings everything I wanted and so much more besides.
Not only do we have fantastic representation from the LGBTQIA community in the narrative but these characters have something exciting, something beautiful and something so authentic about how they live, work, play and interact with each other. I feel as if I could live next door to a Fern, go for a night out with Rowan and enjoy an old favourite film with Willow.
Yet in addition to all this, there is a darker undertone to the story and it addresses some much deeper issues that the characters are dealing with including eating disorders, mental health and infidelity. For me, it just made the story even more beautifully authentic as sadly some of the time, life isn’t all puppies, butterflies and rainbows. I loved how the author brought that real life edge and combined into a heartwarming, hopeful and memorable novel that I automatically want to read next Christmas.
Five perfect stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
I’ve read and loved a lot of Juno Dawson’s fiction and nonfiction but this story was really something a little bit special. It takes place just before Christmas and follows three siblings: Fern, Rowan and Willow as they return to the family house in Edinburgh to spend Christmas together as is traditional in the McAllister household.
However each sibling is bringing something a little different this year and there is one big secret that threatens to ruin Christmas. With so many unique and different personalities in the house and with each sibling feeling a different way about the upcoming celebrations, it’s going to make for an interesting holiday period.
People who know me well realise that whilst this may not sound like the typical kind of book I’d enjoy, if it has that little something extra, in other words - a gritty, realistic edge to the writing/plot, I’m here for it and I’ll shout loudly about it. Stay Another Day brings everything I wanted and so much more besides.
Not only do we have fantastic representation from the LGBTQIA community in the narrative but these characters have something exciting, something beautiful and something so authentic about how they live, work, play and interact with each other. I feel as if I could live next door to a Fern, go for a night out with Rowan and enjoy an old favourite film with Willow.
Yet in addition to all this, there is a darker undertone to the story and it addresses some much deeper issues that the characters are dealing with including eating disorders, mental health and infidelity. For me, it just made the story even more beautifully authentic as sadly some of the time, life isn’t all puppies, butterflies and rainbows. I loved how the author brought that real life edge and combined into a heartwarming, hopeful and memorable novel that I automatically want to read next Christmas.
Five perfect stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
December 29, 2021
This is not your ordinary fluffy Christmas story where everything is perfect. It’s far from perfect. If you want to read this, beware of the Trigger Warnings (eating disorder and self-harm).
At the beginning I didn’t really connect to the writing style and found some things disrespectful and stereotypical. I really appreciated the lgbtq+ rep and a non-binary side character! It was a book full of diversity and that’s amazing, but that made the stereotypes even more disturbing.
The story was very original though! I never read a Christmas book that tackled these topics. Also, the chapters of the house talking were really original too and I loved them!
Something I still don’t understand is why on the cover it says ‘ONE BIG SECRET’ because there were many secrets revealed in this book so??
I really enjoyed the end though and that made up for the beginning, so I still enjoyed this book. The characters were also really great, especially their character development! So yeah I have mixed feelings about this book lol
At the beginning I didn’t really connect to the writing style and found some things disrespectful and stereotypical. I really appreciated the lgbtq+ rep and a non-binary side character! It was a book full of diversity and that’s amazing, but that made the stereotypes even more disturbing.
The story was very original though! I never read a Christmas book that tackled these topics. Also, the chapters of the house talking were really original too and I loved them!
Something I still don’t understand is why on the cover it says ‘ONE BIG SECRET’ because there were many secrets revealed in this book so??
I really enjoyed the end though and that made up for the beginning, so I still enjoyed this book. The characters were also really great, especially their character development! So yeah I have mixed feelings about this book lol
December 23, 2023
This book was SO CLOSE to being a five star for me. That is until the badly stereotyped Glaswegian characters came on the scene and the badly written West of Scotland Scots (note to non Scots authors… even if you’re Scottish… DO YOUR RESEARCH. And no, that doesn’t mean just swallowing the Scots dictionary either.). I totally understand that the author had good intentions, but I will never be ok with someone degrading the West and uplifting the East buying into that age old Edinburgh is better and Glasgow is the pits. Believe it or not most of us aren’t scumbags that look like shit and drink buckfast with our dinner! Ridiculous and ICKY!
Also…. SPOILERS AHEAD
I’m sorry but I would not be as ok as Fern was about Rowan and Thom getting together after her and Thom break up. Major ick. Nope. It’s a no from me
Also…. SPOILERS AHEAD
I’m sorry but I would not be as ok as Fern was about Rowan and Thom getting together after her and Thom break up. Major ick. Nope. It’s a no from me
November 27, 2022
After reading proud by the author and having wanted to read wonderland for ages I decided since its the holiday season to give this sone a go. It wasn’t my favourite read of the year as for some reason it didnt rlly jell fully with me. Maybe it was the triggering topics or the fact it wasn’t overly sassy not sure but it did hook me in. Easily can tell it written by a British author as lots of references to British culture which I enjoyed
July 28, 2021
I absolutely loved this. It’s classic Juno - funny, sharp, wholesome. I adored the bisexual rep, the discussion of mental health and the discussion of break ups. The definition of camp as Christmas. J’adore!
January 23, 2023
would of been a five star read if the older sister wasn’t such a bitch (woops) yet i read the last two hundred pages in one sitting so it was definitely worth it :)
December 28, 2022
GUYS! If there was ever a book to help me out of a reading slump this is the one!! I bought this last Christmas and never got round to it but I’m so glad I finally picked it up now after waiting all year for it to be the right time lol.
First of all I want to say what an absolute GEM is Rowan’s character?!! I love him so much; he brought so much humour to the book, and though at times the gen z references were a tad cringe, on the whole it worked. The first twist was crazyyyy!!, the second one I didn’t like, I felt it was unnecessary as it eventually didn’t lead anywhere…. However it did add the plot I’ll give it that. Fern’s character was really complex but really simple to understand and I liked that. I didn’t like some of her… decisions… but apart from that ~decision~ she was very real and relatable. I hate to say it but Willow was annoying 🫣. I’m sorry I know she was probably constructed to be that way a little bit but she was so whiny and her outburst about Thom was… well🫥. The rest of the characters were pretty interesting and enjoyable to read about. And it being set at Christmas really gave it a purpose. I definitely recommend this book but check trigger warnings first ( luckily they are at the front of the book)! A great book to finish my Christmas 2022 reads 🎄🥰
First of all I want to say what an absolute GEM is Rowan’s character?!! I love him so much; he brought so much humour to the book, and though at times the gen z references were a tad cringe, on the whole it worked. The first twist was crazyyyy!!, the second one I didn’t like, I felt it was unnecessary as it eventually didn’t lead anywhere…. However it did add the plot I’ll give it that. Fern’s character was really complex but really simple to understand and I liked that. I didn’t like some of her… decisions… but apart from that ~decision~ she was very real and relatable. I hate to say it but Willow was annoying 🫣. I’m sorry I know she was probably constructed to be that way a little bit but she was so whiny and her outburst about Thom was… well🫥. The rest of the characters were pretty interesting and enjoyable to read about. And it being set at Christmas really gave it a purpose. I definitely recommend this book but check trigger warnings first ( luckily they are at the front of the book)! A great book to finish my Christmas 2022 reads 🎄🥰
September 25, 2021
Reading a Christmas romance in September feels odd, but I can honestly say the setting does not detract from what is a wonderfully heart-warming story.
Our story focuses on the McAllister family, and their annual Christmas celebration. The three children are grown up now, but heading home for Christmas is something they’re all looking forward to.
Over the course of their celebration, untold secrets are discovered and each of the family has to come to terms with something affecting their life. It’s not pretty, but it feels difficult to do anything other than love these characters and how they move through some MAJOR events.
Set against a rather magical snowy Christmas, this has a whimsical feel that you can’t help but enjoy. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication.
Our story focuses on the McAllister family, and their annual Christmas celebration. The three children are grown up now, but heading home for Christmas is something they’re all looking forward to.
Over the course of their celebration, untold secrets are discovered and each of the family has to come to terms with something affecting their life. It’s not pretty, but it feels difficult to do anything other than love these characters and how they move through some MAJOR events.
Set against a rather magical snowy Christmas, this has a whimsical feel that you can’t help but enjoy. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication.
December 16, 2021
There are parts of this book that I found frustrating, with most of the characters being kinda awful at times, but overall I enjoyed it. Syd was definitely my favourite character, but by the end I appreciated all of the main characters in the story and I thought the ending was perfect. This book covers difficult topics such as mental health and eating disorders - the latter is a huge theme throughout the book. The amount of drama throughout this story was absurd, I cannot imagine any family having *that* much drama in such a short amount of time, but it made for an interesting read and kept me hooked.
December 20, 2023
CW: mention of Harry Potter on page 6 (and two other times) but these mentions are from a perspective of criticisms (which I was happy about!)
I adored this book. At first I thought the main charcters were annoying, but then I started to love them. Once the drama started picking up I could not stop reading. It was lovely, the way people communicated was lovely. This felt like a breath of fresh air and I might have to read it again next year 😍
I adored this book. At first I thought the main charcters were annoying, but then I started to love them. Once the drama started picking up I could not stop reading. It was lovely, the way people communicated was lovely. This felt like a breath of fresh air and I might have to read it again next year 😍
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