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A review by justagirlwithabook
On the Subject of Unmentionable Things by Julia Walton
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Phoebe Townsend is your average high school teen. She has a fairly good relationship with her parents, is on top of her school work, and she loves writing, especially for the school's newspaper. But there's one more aspect to Phoebe that no one knows: she runs an anonymous blog and Twitter account all about sex.
But it's not quite what it appears to be. Phoebe is just naturally curious and loves research, so her blog posts just happen to be about all the things she learns (which is ALWAYS backed up with citations and unbiased sources!).
So what happens when the town mayoral candidate, Lydia Brookhurst (former beauty queen and outraged citizen), discovers that the author of this "scandelous" blog actually lives in their own town? It becomes a battleground between truth and misinformation, personal opinions and desires and facts. Will Phoebe manage to get through it all unscathed and maybe manage to also inform some of her peers while she's at it?
What I enjoyed:
- The writing overall was really well done and fast-paced.
- There was not any point when I found myself bored or felt that the storyline was dragging. Something was always happening!
- As a current junior high librarian working and living in a very politically-charged environment, I appreciated that so much of this book covered what feels like is my every day life. These are the conversations I'm having with parents, adults, other teachers, and kids. I felt like the content of this book was riduculously relevant, and I love how Julia Walton just calls it out for what it is.
- There were some hilarious laugh-out-loud moments especially in the first half of the book and I really enjoyed those moments (all the awkward teenage sort of stuff).
What I didn't enjoy:
- There wasn't anything I really didn't enjoy. The only downside to this one was that I felt it would be best suited in a high school setting and definitely a must-buy purchase for a public library! As a middle level public school librarian, I don't think it would be the best fit that I was hoping for (there is one particular scene that, while not too explicit, is still detailed enough that it would likely be hard to keep it in our library at this level).
Overall:
I really enjoyed this read. The first parts had me laughing out loud and trying to stay a little more quiet in public settings (those are the best kinds of books!). I enjoyed Phoebe's character and her desire to stick with the truth, even when it got hard. I loved the elements of romance that were incorporated, but Walton wasn't at all too heavy handed with those aspects. I especially loved the education approach to sex, how matter-of-fact it was, how informative it was, and how it essentially did everything that Phoebe's own blog set out to do. I think this would be a beneficial and straight forward read for any teen looking to find out more or to ask questions but through a fiction outlet, one that allows them to learn without embarrassment or judgment. I think for adults who enjoy solid YA realistic fiction (with some laughs!), you'll find a good one here!
A big thank you to Random House Children's / Random House Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the e-ARC! This one publishes August 23, 2023!
But it's not quite what it appears to be. Phoebe is just naturally curious and loves research, so her blog posts just happen to be about all the things she learns (which is ALWAYS backed up with citations and unbiased sources!).
So what happens when the town mayoral candidate, Lydia Brookhurst (former beauty queen and outraged citizen), discovers that the author of this "scandelous" blog actually lives in their own town? It becomes a battleground between truth and misinformation, personal opinions and desires and facts. Will Phoebe manage to get through it all unscathed and maybe manage to also inform some of her peers while she's at it?
What I enjoyed:
- The writing overall was really well done and fast-paced.
- There was not any point when I found myself bored or felt that the storyline was dragging. Something was always happening!
- As a current junior high librarian working and living in a very politically-charged environment, I appreciated that so much of this book covered what feels like is my every day life. These are the conversations I'm having with parents, adults, other teachers, and kids. I felt like the content of this book was riduculously relevant, and I love how Julia Walton just calls it out for what it is.
- There were some hilarious laugh-out-loud moments especially in the first half of the book and I really enjoyed those moments (all the awkward teenage sort of stuff).
What I didn't enjoy:
- There wasn't anything I really didn't enjoy. The only downside to this one was that I felt it would be best suited in a high school setting and definitely a must-buy purchase for a public library! As a middle level public school librarian, I don't think it would be the best fit that I was hoping for (there is one particular scene that, while not too explicit, is still detailed enough that it would likely be hard to keep it in our library at this level).
Overall:
I really enjoyed this read. The first parts had me laughing out loud and trying to stay a little more quiet in public settings (those are the best kinds of books!). I enjoyed Phoebe's character and her desire to stick with the truth, even when it got hard. I loved the elements of romance that were incorporated, but Walton wasn't at all too heavy handed with those aspects. I especially loved the education approach to sex, how matter-of-fact it was, how informative it was, and how it essentially did everything that Phoebe's own blog set out to do. I think this would be a beneficial and straight forward read for any teen looking to find out more or to ask questions but through a fiction outlet, one that allows them to learn without embarrassment or judgment. I think for adults who enjoy solid YA realistic fiction (with some laughs!), you'll find a good one here!
A big thank you to Random House Children's / Random House Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the e-ARC! This one publishes August 23, 2023!