LoveReading Says
Pacey, racy and reeling with real-life struggles, comforts and joys, Juno Dawson’s Stay Another Day is a cracker of a Christmas novel, with a compelling home for the holidays set-up - if you watched the TV series Why Women Kill, you’ll also appreciate how the novel is framed through the 120-year history of the family home. Sparkling with the author’s trademark talent for writing authentic dialogue (funny, thought-provoking, always on the mark) and rounded characters, this seasonal story is as satisfyingly-formed (and moreish) as a chocolate orange.
When the three McAllister siblings convene at the family home in Edinburgh for Christmas, secrets, lies and lusts come together to create an absolute banger of a novel. Star student Fern, a self-professed embodiment of Lisa from The Simpsons, arrives from London with her stunning boyfriend, Thom, while her twin Rowan (gay, an aspiring actor, and consumed by FOMO) brings his best friend Syd. Though Fern is, as always, determined to enjoy the perfect family Christmas, she notes that “Christmas with a mixed-race boyfriend and a non-binary and mixed-race best friend is a potential minefield. Where are you from? But where are you really from?” Then there’s the twin’s younger sister, Willow, still living at home and constantly scrutinised due to her anorexia.
As the big day draws closer, past liaisons and unfolding secrets envelop the family like a tangle of Christmas tree lights, setting the scene for a series of snowy showdowns and a whole lot of soul-searching. Hearty, satisfying stuff, with seasonal cheer shining bright through the real-life strife.
Joanne Owen
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Stay Another Day Synopsis
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, from the best-selling author of Clean.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781786541086 |
| Publication date: |
12th November 2021 |
| Author: |
Juno Dawson |
| Publisher: |
Quercus Children's Books an imprint of Hachette Children's Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
352 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Young Adult Fiction
|
| Other Genres: |
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Juno Dawson Press Reviews
A gripping, personal tale of fame and misfortune - BBC Radio 2
I loved the contrast of cosy Christmas spirit and gorgeous romance with the acerbic humour and grit you'd expect from a Juno Dawson novel - One to Watch - The Bookseller
Dawson has a gift for writing believable teenagers characters, and Meat Market is a powerful counterweight to light-hearted literature that still portrays modelling as the stuff of dreams - The Guardian
Juno Dawson slashes through the glamour of the fashion industry ... combining blockbuster appeal with piercing commentary on modelling, body image and consent - The Observer
Well-researched and hard-hitting, the novel doesn't skimp on the glamour but neither does it skirt the darker side of fashion - Financial Times
An unflinching expose of the darker side of fashion - i newspaper
A compelling story with an important - and timely - message - S Magazine (Sunday Express)
Having worked as a journalist on the fringes of the fashion industry, Dawson started to realise there were problems - namely, models were often very young, nameless and simply bodies who were not treated well by those around them. Meat Market is a gripping page-turner, an expose of the dark and often seedy side of the industry, addressing timely themes around #MeToo and #TimesUp. - The Independent
Juno Dawson is one of the hottest writers of young adult fiction and non-fiction in the UK right now - Bustle
Guaranteed to be your summer read - GLAMOUR
Engaging, enthralling...Dawson's book is heartbreaking, painful, and worth every second. . . you won't be able to put it down as you get drawn into Jana's world - Happiful magazine
Honest, raw, this timely expose is essential post-#MeToo reading - Image
Meat Market shines a probing spotlight on the fashion industry, exposing its dark underbelly with a frankness that's refreshing. Yet what makes this such a compelling and timely read is how Dawson balances the ugliness with humour and heart without being moralistic - Culturefly
It's a totally compelling and compulsive read - WRD magazine
In an era of #MeToo and #TimesUp, this is an important read - Woman's Way
Juno Dawson covers topics applicable and of interest to Young Adult readers with honesty and realism - NB Magazine
There is something incredibly genuine about this novel in its depiction of the beauty trade's ugly side. . . Dawson manages to make Jana's story feel timely and universal without ever straying into cliche - The F Word
Intoxicating - Tortoise
