I am a huge fan of YA and this book blew me away. When revenge goes wrong what do you do? Wow. Bullying is never right. In this book those who were being bullied wouldn't put up with it anymore, and they would do whatever it took to get back at those who inflicted pain on them.

'How bad does it have to be for us to do something? How much bad? How bad can we be in return?'

As a 90s kid, this book almost reads like a horror/cautionary tale to me. I'm lucky enough to be just old enough that I survived school years without everyone owning a mobile phone and when social media was in its infancy, yet young enough to 'get' it.

This book comes across as current and is no doubt going to appeal to teenagers/YA while also being intriguing enough to capture the attention of a not quite so young adult; I really enjoyed the references to films like Carrie and Mean Girls, the characters are well formed and the story is intense and makes you want to keep reading. Its quite a feat to pull off really!

It toes the frail line between what is revenge and what is just bullying and I found it fascinating the way the author explored the morally grey area between the two.

I hope this book does as well as it deserves to do, it's the type of thing that I would actually love to see be made into a film too!

I was so interested in the premise of this book and I'm so sad to say the amazing premise was overshadowed by lackluster characters and iffy timing. The first 25% was spent watching Stevie lazily react to the changes around her. There's a lot of pointless teenage drama and not a lot of substance. I didn't learn anything about our characters or the world. Everything seemed to drag on forever and nothing happened. For being best friends for so long, Stevie and Lottie didn't act like it at all and I wasn't really emotionally stirred by their breakup. We don't see Stevie's partner in crime save for just a few brief mentions in the first fourth of the book and I really didn't believe their new friendship.

I wasn't blown away or hooked by the first fourth and so I skimmed the rest of the book. It tackles a really good topic and yet I just didn't get it. I did love Stevie's reaction to the trans character and it was really nice to see someone just really defend and get right on board with someone transitioning. We see just a few sentences of questioning and then Stevie uses the correct name and pronouns. It was so refreshing to see such a positive reaction to a trans character. It's not that hard to use the correct name and pronouns.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

That was completely eye-opening and sobering. Bullying is so very wrong and destructive. Never more so than in today's age of social media where everyone feels they are entitled to a platform and the whole world is just hanging on them to weigh in on things. It is so much easier to sit behind the protection of a screen and tear apart someone else's life without having to consider the consequences...but I digress. This is a supposed to be a book review. Our heroine, oddly NOT named Heather, is your typical awkward young teen. Stevie is just out of reach of being one of the popular kids, but she isn't quite part of the geek squad either. She's the subject of some bullying, because teenagers can be awful, mean-spirited mini-arseholes!! Enter Dee, who convinces her that these people deserve a little payback. Thus the beginning of Love, Heather, a series of pranks against those most deserving, with each act sealed with the Love, Heather signature. But soon, things spiral out of control. More people become involved and the acts of revenge become more hateful and damaging, leading to a final act that has enormous consequences for so many. This book tells the story of why we all need to do our part to be a little kinder and accepting of one another - and the lesson needs to start early in life.

Rating: 4/5
Queer: two trans characters! (cw: transphobia is mentioned throughout; not by the main character herself)
ARC: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: (paraphrased; taken from book summary)
Bullying is a tough, tough experience, and when Stevie and Dee decide to punish those for vengeance, things get out of control. Stevie feels alone and unprotected, desperate to find justice in the things happening to her. Dee has the idea to get them all back with a few pranks, signing them with Love, Heather - in honour of the ‘80s revenge flick.

The ‘pranks’ grow from being between Stevie, Dee, and their group of friends, to being done by anonymous people. And when it finally swallows them whole, one will reemerge changed, with a plan for one final, terrifying act of revenge.

Review:

Well, holy shit! I’ll be the first to say: I’m more into lighter reads, with fluffier topics, and generally avoid darker, edgier stuff. But this? SO. WORTH. THE. READ. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Totally worth it.

First, I want to say: I absolutely love how quick Stevie is to adjust to Pete. How she stands up for him. How she is totally accepting, and wants to ensure that Pete know she’s in his corner. I think this was an excellent way to show how profound the effects of having a strong adult in one’s life is, and even when Stevie felt that she was losing Pete, she never once stopped standing up for him.

I felt for Pete a lot, because he tried to reach out, but it wasn’t quite enough for Stevie. And that’s not Pete’s fault at all. He couldn’t have understood the magnitude of what was happening, not really. Not just from seeing Stevie in class. Plus, he had his own journey to go on, and he was probably very much wrapped up with his family life.

I love Lottie, even when I was frustrated with her antics in the beginning. About half way through one of Stevie’s thoughts, I had the epiphany: Lottie simply felt more comfortable talking about her stuff with Paige than Stevie. And that’s totally okay. From Stevie’s perspective, it wasn’t, and I get why it hurt. But Lottie needed to deal with things on her own. Perhaps she could’ve communicated her needs more, but she’s a strong girl. She distanced herself from people who didn’t make her feel good anymore, which I love about her.

Dee. Ooooh, boy. I have a lot to say about Dee, but without spoiling anything, I’m going to go with this: Dee is terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. I loved her. She gave me goosebumps with how readily abusive she was, and she was such a interesting character to read. She gave no fucks.

The ending: I didn’t see it coming.

Which I think speaks volumes about how important this book is. Because all the signs were right there when I looked back on it - hindsight is 20/20. But as soon as I realized where it was heading, I was like, “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.” On the edge of my seat (metaphorically, in reality I was lying on my bed desperately wishing I could read faster).

When the book was coming back from the pivotal moment, my mind was racing. And it was so damn good. The thoughts of Stevie, the recovery, the growth... it was very important.

And the note from the author made me very happy. I appreciated the additional view. I think this book could benefit from having a few pages at the end with phone numbers for help lines and stuff.

(Also, it was set in Ontario, Canada! What up! I rarely find books set here. So, that was a nice surprise to see my home terf dealing with topics that are usually US-focused.)

Anyway, it’s a heavy book! Worth the read! But that said...

There are a shit ton of content warnings that people should be aware of (below, under cut, censored) but the author does a really good job in dealing with them all, I think.

OUT OF CONTEXT SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CONTENT WARNING PURPOSES:

* s/xual assault and r/pe
* bullying
* transphobia (including, but not limited to, the t*slur, misgendering, misnaming)
* homophobia
* v/mit
* cruel pranks
* two girls kiss during truth or dare to please a straight male
* h/spital scene (no death)
* mental health issues
* absent parents
* cheating
* online harassment
* slut shaming
* g/n
* e/ting disorder

What an amazing YA thriller! Absolutely loved the storyline and the heroes. The writer spins a beautiful tale abd draws you in slowly but surely.

Stevie, a film buff has her own YouTube channel called FlickChick and her best friend Lottie. When a chance encounter brings them into the same social circle as the cool kids of Woepine High School, Stevie begins to feel the strain it causes on her and Lottie's relationship. A misunderstanding results in Stevie suddenly becoming the school pariah. Exiled by Lottie and the others and bullied relentlessly at school and online. With no one to turn to Stevie sinks into a state of depression...that is until Dee sends her a message. Dee is fearless and bold, everything Stevie wishes she could be. Dee convinces Stevie that the school bullies should pay for how they treat people, an anonymous revenge plot with each act signed Love, Heather. When the pranks begin to get out of hand, Stevie must decide if she wants out of the game for good or if she will see it through to the final act.

Love, Heather is a contemporary YA fiction novel that explores bullying in today’s society where the harassment doesn't end at school, often leaving no reprieve from the hate as it targets them at home and online via social media. With increasing acts of school violence, this hard-hitting novel looks at those acts that often escape the watchful eyes of parents and teachers. Although this book and its characters are fictitious, I felt that it captured the often tragic consequences of these actions. I really enjoyed this novel and found the characters very relatable. This novel does have some material that may be a trigger for some individuals however, I felt that the material was relevant to the plot and not graphic in nature. A very enjoyable novel with a strong message...a must read.

Love, Heather had an awesome beginning, and since YA thriller is one of my favourite genres, I had a lot of expectations from this book.


But unfortunately, as the story progressed, it started getting a tad bit boring. And the fact that I figured out the "twist" pretty early on left me dissatisfied.


Pete was probably my favourite character, and his scenes were the ones I looked forward to. I also liked the way Stevie's struggle was portrayed at the end. There was no sugarcoating, just the plain truth.


Overall, it wasn't a bad read, but it didn't become a favourite either.

So, I requested this book from Netgalley based on the cover alone (which I often do). I had no idea that it would cover one of my favorite movies of all time: Heathers! That was a great surprise, but I had no idea what was in store for me!

This novel covers topics such as transgender issues, date-rape culture, divorce issues, bullying, and violence. Many of these points were cleverly disguised and many were brought to the forefront with an urgent message.

And the twist??? OMG! The twist!!! I didn’t see it coming and I’m usually pretty good at guessing these things. And it’s a great twist!

With Heathers as one of the movie backdrops of the book, it should not be surprising what happens at the end, but it is shocking. And heartbreaking. As a teacher, this book scared me. As a reader, it entertained me (and taught me). Read this!

I feel privileged to have been allowed to read and review an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Crooked Lane Books.

Simply put, I adored it.

"Why doesn't anyone ever stop these guys? How different would the school be if they were as afraid as I am, if there were actual consequences for their actions, if they were somehow kept in line?"

When Stevie's best friend turns on her and everyone in school follows, school becomes a nightmare for her. In her new found isolation and loneliness, she meets the confidently individual Dee, and together they decide to take revenge on the bullies who are making her life hell.

For anyone who's ever been the victim of bullying, this book will resonate. It is an incredibly honest and insightful story, and at times uncomfortable to read. The book addresses so many issues that young people today face - bullying on social media, mental health, rape culture, gender identity etc. - and it does this with intelligence and respect.

I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of YA contemporary novels. It was genuinely fantastic and I can't wait to read more by Laurie Petrou.

As an 80s / 90s movie lover, I was excited for this read. I loved Stevie's passion for movies and her YouTube channel. The premise of the book was so good, but there were parts that fell short for me. Dee was so interesting but her character was rushed at the end and could have been fleshed out so much more. I feel like there was so much "extra" in the middle that made the ending rushed and a bit forced. I struggled to get through the middle of the book - it felt long. I did enjoy the beginning and the ending. There were so many big topics in the book, bullying, rape, transgender identity and mental illness. It was a lot, but for the most part, worked well together.

A hard hitting look into the teenage psych. This book delves into the tough issues that all teenagers deal with at some point such as bullying, eating disorders, LGBTQ, social media and cyber bullying, fake friends and just the trial and tribulations of growing up in general. I'm sure the topic of this book will hit close to home withany who will read it. I found the plot to be original and thought the characters felt real and relatable. This story was heartbreaking, expertly written, gritty and truthful.

When Stevie is abandoned by her childhood best friend and abruptly shoved to the bottom of the high school totem pole, she and a small group of friends decide to take matters into their own hands and get back at the bullies that have been tearing them down. But as many high school matters do, things began to spiral out of control.

The beginning was very reminiscent of going through high school as a young girl in any era. The author perfectly captures the subtlety of feelings that arise from small passive-aggressive barbs that even your friends throw at you, as well as the aching loneliness of being left behind. I also loved the classic movie aspect. I'm an older millennial so I'm very much familiar with Heathers, Almost Famous, Ferris Bueller, etc. and enjoyed all of the interspersed references.

Here is what I struggled with. I hated Stevie, and I don't think I was supposed to. I found her to be a lousy friend, jealous and insecure, at times incredibly egocentric and dense. She co-opted Lottie's lived experience to get attention on her YouTube channel by presenting herself as this ally and tried to tell her how she should feel in an incredibly difficult, emotional time. Lottie was 100% right when she told her she always found an ax to grind and made everything into a battle. Stevie likes playing the victim.

Accuracy issues for me... As someone who has had a family member transition, it is not as easy as Stevie made it seem to make your own mental transition from calling them she/her/Rhonda to calling them he/him/Pete. It's not a switch that you can flip in your head. I still consciously work on it several years later, but Stevie gets it 100% of the time, perfectly within a minute of being told?

Finally the Dee character... I can't say much without including spoilers, but I found her character's inclusion in the beginning of the book very odd and incongruous with the end. I had to take a star off for the ending... it was such a sudden and frankly ridiculous escalation and the tying in of the rape culture phenomenon was transparently proselytizing. If it fit the narrative, I wouldn't have minded, but it just didn't track with the rest of the story.

2.5 stars but rounding up for the first half of the book

Oh, man. Wow. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Love, Heather is important and heavy and hard-hitting and unfortunately a realistic look into so many peoples lives.

I first requested this book because of the Heathers reference figuring I was getting myself into a dark comedy. I wasn’t. This is not a comedy, but I’m glad I kept reading anyway.

Love, Heather follows high school freshman Stevie as she navigates her absent mother, crumbling lifelong friendship with her best friend, the transition of an old family friend, and the trials of being 14. And that’s all before the bullying starts.

This book takes what you think you know about bullying and flips it onto its head. It’s going to be SUCH a good book for discussion. I recommend it to parents of teenagers as well.

TW- bullying (a broad spectrum of it), sexual assault, transphobia, slut shaming, mental illness

A darkly, wicked and at times timely tale of bullying. #LoveHeather is a suspenseful, thrilling novel that young adult will gravitate toward.

Once I finished reading this book, I was utterly stunned. I couldn’t quite comprehend the journey this book took me on and how the story played out. There is so much to unpack here and there are so many important things explored so I’m going to try and pin the main ones down whilst giving you my review

Heathers inspired – The acts of vengeance in this book are inspired by the 80’s film Heathers, in which the popular crowd are taken down by a couple of outsiders. Much like in the film, in Love, Heather the acts of revenge start spiralling out of control and Stevie starts to realise this, but is too caught up in the whirlwind that she and Dee have created.

Bullying – This book does an incredible job at exploring Bullying and the many different ways it can happen in the social media age. Given that I was a teen not so long ago and it’s only been around 4 years since I left high school, the depiction of bullying and social pressures felt VERY realistic and true to life, in my opinion. While the instances of bullying in the novel range from snide comments to more serious acts of physical and sexual violence, I respect the fact that Petrou doesn’t shy away from portraying these terrible but sadly realistic incidents. Just because it doesn’t happen to you personally, doesn’t mean it’s non existent and I think this will resonate with readers who may currently be in high school or those who have left semi-recently.
Female friendship – Love, Heather delves into the complicated, messy and loving world of female friendships. This theme was something I could relate to personally as my friendships are one of the most important things in my life. I feel like readers will be able to relate to the painful emotion of losing a friend, or feeling them becoming more distant and how all encompassing this feels when you’re in your teens. It does feel like the end of the world and for characters like Stevie who rely heavily on her best friend, as she doesn’t have a close bond with her mother, it can mean even more.

Stevie – The protagonist of this novel is a young teen named Stevie who at the outset of this novel is secure in her beliefs and life. She has her childhood best friend, Lottie along with Lotties parents who are like her second family and she is doing well at school. Pretty fast though, things seem to go downhill and she finds herself ostracised and targeted every single day. I felt so much empathy for her especially when it comes to her home life, where her mother is completely self centred and oblivious to the pain Stevie is in. While I definitely don’t support Stevies actions in the later part of the novel and at the end, it’s clear to see it was a culmination of things which results in a terrible final act.

Overall, I strongly believe that Love, Heather is a deeply important and timely novel which explores a variety of issues facing teens today. Ranging from bullying, depression, eating disorders, trolling on social media to sexual harassment and assault. While it’s not without its flaws, it’s a powerful portrayal of the high school experience nevertheless.

I read this in one day. Its such a facinating story. The scary thing about this book is how human it is. How human Stevie is. It showcases the journey of how someone can become something else entirely.
I think its also easy to forget how much our words and actions impact others and how easily we can impact someones mental health.

In terms of writing, i feel as though the middle dragged a little bit, i felt my self skimming some paragraphs just to find the next bit of action. Also the whole character of Dee just confused me a little, but maybe that was the point.
I think its a interesting read especially regarding alot of crime in the US at the moment. It highlights the importance of mental health all throughout the book and how we all can help others not feel so alone in this world.

I did feel a little like the author tried to downplay some of Stevie's actions with Love, Heather and the end scenes and i really wish she hadn't. I dont know if ill be the only one to think this but im going to be honest and say considering her actions, alot of the time it felt like she got off easy.
I rated this a little higher than I was going to just for how raw her emotion was in the beginning and how much i feel that people can relate to it, but from about a third into the book it did get a little weird.

3.5
I recieved an arc of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley!!

Love, Heather is a young adult thriller.
Dee and Stevie decided it was time to payback the bullies in their high school. So they started some minor forms of revenge and would sign it with a note saying "love, heather" as a homage to their favorite '80's flick. For awhile, it worked. It seemed the bullies had learned a lesson, until anonymous people started joining in with violent acts.

The book shows you how difficult bullying truly is, especially now. it also proves how all these little things can add up into one powerful horrible thing.

Love, Heather by Laurie Petrou shows the raw side of being a teenager when friendships hinge on something as simple as how you answer a text or what you wear. The teenage years can be brutal. Just when all of Stevie’s friends turn on her and make her the school slut along comes Dee, an edgy new-comer who is not afraid to call people out. Dee is sick of the way some teens treat each other and decides it’s time to turn the tables. At first it is little pranks meant to embarrass the bullies and make them back off, always signed with Love, Heather. Everyone is wondering who Heather is. Some are calling her a hero, some call her a bully herself, others start mimicking “Heather” by doing their own revenge stunts always signing “Love, Heather”. Soon it is out of hand and the pranking becomes worse. Stevie feels she needs to try to do something to take it down a notch, but Dee presses on. Someone is going to get hurt.
This book kept me interested until the end...no spoilers, but the last several chapters could have been wrapped up more efficiently. Once the climax happened, it was time to wrap it up. I applaud the author for her no-holds barred look at bullying in schools. It’s tough and she captures it perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book!

Stevie's world is constantly changing around her. Her lifelong best friend is slipping away, her mom is dating, her dad is woefully out of touch with her life, and she's losing the security of life how she knows it. At the moment when her world is fracturing around her, she discovers a new friend, Dee. But will Dee be savior or her downfall?

This book is an amazing portrait at how a thousand little cuts can turn into a dangerous wound that can cost a life. It shows how insidious bullying is, and how it affects every corner of one's life, especially today. There's a huge twist that was unexpected, but as I looked back after finishing the novel, I saw how perfectly it was set up. I