The First Move

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Juliet thinks Ronan thinks someone like Ronan could never be interested in someone like her - and she wouldn't want him to be anyway - he always acts like he's cooler than everyone else.

My incredible mum and dad paid for it,” she says. “That was the start of everything really because the tutor said I could write and to keep going. I kept trying, although I got a lot of nos at first.” The turning point was when she applied for the Penguin Random House WriteNow programme in 2020. Jenny was one of 14 out of 3,700 entrants selected for mentorship by a Penguin editor. “It changed everything for me,” she says. It is still so rare to see disability representation in YA and Ireland provides a vulnerable and honest look at it. There is frank discussion of the impacts it can have on everyday life and how it changes your entire perspective on life. However, this is no inspiration porn. Instead, Juliet lives with her disability, which does affect every aspect of her life, but she is not solely defined by it. She is a sweet, hopeful and somewhat naive teenage girl, learning to adapt to a world that does not want to adjust for her. It leads to some real moments of anger and frustration that hit home. Ronan is also a fractured, flawed and fantastically human character that I adored. His rage at the world reminds you how rarely you truly know what is going on with someone. Upon waking up one week later, Ireland was told the virus had developed into encephalitis: inflammation of the brain. While unconscious, she underwent two brain surgeries and had a tube implemented to drain fluid from her brain to her abdomen. Although she’s now recovered, the tube is there to stay.Ronan’s contained emotions, as well as his somewhat strained relationship with his mother, make starting at a completely new school daunting; the planning and approaching both his social life and school environment through chess makes for a niche but refreshing read, allowing more to be seen of his thought process as he references pieces moving or patterns/move sets of Grandmasters.

It was amazing, but then I had huge flares six weeks after the births,” Jenny explains. “Chris did a lot of the night feeding with Lyla because getting up was too painful for me, and my parents helped out a lot.” The First Move is an uplifting and inclusive own-voice YA romance debut. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Alice Oseman and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. About This Edition ISBN: In fact, the family angst was the best thing about the book, and it was really, really good. In addition to the sections about Renia's mother, there's the stuff with her birth daughter. This is developed really slowly, and Lohmann doesn't make it into some sort of insta-connection. It feels realistic, both painful and hopeful at the same time, and I really liked it. I also liked Renia's relationship with Sarah, Miles’ daughter, in whom she sees bits of herself. Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration

Workplace Wellbeing: What to do when you're not even remotely interested in another meeting

Editorial director Carmen McCullough acquired “binge-worthy” summer thriller Liar’s Beach by Katie Cutugno, securing UK and Commonwealth rights from Jocelyn Lange at Random House US. Described as “a high-stakes YA thriller full of secrets, lies, privileged teens and beach parties”, it is out in May 2023. Jenny began writing in the sleep-deprived days after Rory was born, and got more serious about it in 2017 when she did a writing course with the literary agency, Curtis Brown. Bob Mortimer wins 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction with The Satsuma Complex In 2020, she was chosen for the scheme, and began having regular calls with an editor who coached her through finishing the novel. Then, in the autumn of 2021, Ireland was offered a two-book deal with Penguin Random House. “My kids still remember it as the day I said the ‘F-word’ three times in a row. Of course, it was truly warranted. It changed my life completely.” Both instantly engaging and finely nuanced, The First Move is a YA romance with real-life resonance and uplifting vibes. Always honest on the realities of living with a long-term condition and mental health struggles, it’s also happy-making, wholesome, and a whole lot of fun, with well-developed characters readers will root for and relate to.

Commissioning editor Tom Rawlinson scooped debut YA thriller Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington from Jenny Meyer of The Jenny Meyer Literary Agency for publication in July 2023. “This engrossing read about The Finish – a brutal and elite game where the rules can be changed at any minute – will make you think as it thrills,” the publisher said. Knowles commented: “Dark secrets, quests, enemies and lovers. Family curses, morally dubious villains and summer feuds – our 2023 YA titles truly offer something for every reader whatever their genre of choice. It’s an exciting time for YA and we believe these books and their talented, creative authors are about to make it even more exciting.”I never plan anything. I wish I did. I have friends who plan, and it looks like a lovely way to write but my brain doesn’t seem to work that way. Apart from the time that I write (5am-7am) it’s all a bit chaotic. I just have a general idea, an idea of the midpoint and a vague idea of the ending before just diving in and seeing where the characters take me.

The beautiful story is important because every year about one in 10,000 children in Ireland is diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. According to Arthritis Ireland, there are an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 under-16s with the condition. Over the next five years, Ireland wrote four novels, all unpublished. Then, in 2019, she suffered another serious health scare. “All I remember is having a sore throat before it happened and feeling really depressed for a day or so,” Ireland recalls. She experienced headaches, vomiting and a spinning room before admitting herself to hospital. She was sent home—the doctors believed it was a migraine.

Featured Reviews

I'm not the target audience for a YA romance, but who cares? The gorgeous cover immediately drew me in.