Candice captured the story of Cyn’s mum and dad beautifully - at times I was infuriated by Cyn’s dad but he was also grieving. I loved the grace Candice gave both parents and how she handled the cultural differences that have a funny way of playing out when a family is dealing with stronger forces than they are used to. However I applaud the author for such an important subject matter, and for exploring all the different ways people can grieve and how a lost loved one can affect a family unit, I just felt like there was so much more space for more. For me personally, it's a 3* - 3.5*, but if I'd had this as a teen, it would have been a 4 0r 5 stars, so it's hard to do a simple star rating. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing -

Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite - Books - Hachette Australia Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite - Books - Hachette Australia

The story's twists were predictable far ahead. It contained repeated phrases such as 'it was like she was reading my mind'. Physical perfection was rated very highly. Morality loomed high. I thought this book had the potential to be a good book, but instead, it was underwhelming and poorly written. I am no stranger to Candice Brathwaite’s writing; I'm certainly not a fan, but I do believe she has produced much better work than this without sounding too rude. I do not think fictional writing is for everyone. The thing that causes a lot of Young Adult books to be unsuccessful is that people write for an audience that they don’t already have. Unless you're well-established like John Green, you have to develop your style of writing before trying to put yourself in a box for a specific genre. Cuts Both Ways did a poor job of targeting a particular audience. The plot line is a Victorian melodrama of the modern day, with unlikely but predictable coincidences. It is engaging and fast paced. The story would have had wider resonance if the posh kids had been usual entitled middle class rather than ridiculously rich. Having servants in the modern day, with other kids, even in a private school, seeing this as normal, is ridiculous.This is the second time I’m reading about Joint Enterprise law in fiction. I love learning new things through fiction. It is the story about Cynthia. She is starting a new school and leaving her old life in London behind. The murder of her older brother has had her family moving away from the living memory of the crime but Cynthia struggles when it comes to her new way of life. Cuts Both Ways is a riveting mixture of contemporary, romance and mystery that completely captures your mind.

Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite | Hachette UK

Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical MomentsThere were some parts of the book that really made me cringe although this was a good thing as that is exactly what the author was going for in my opinion. The first was when Cyn is at a party hosted by the Goddards and another guest is rude to her for being on her mobile phone because she automatically assumes that she is there to work and so goes to call out "the help".