Unfortunately I didn't finish this book, as I couldn't get into it - nothing against the author or book, just not to my personal taste. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

I was unaware that this was a companion novel when requested and I haven't read No Virgin, so unfortunately will not be reviewing. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is the companion novel to ‘No Virgin’ which I read in November 2016. This is the court trial that Stacey has to go through to get justice. She wants to see the man who raped her sent to prison and for him not to be able to prey on innocent young girls and carry out such a heinous act again. We see Stacey question herself whether she is strong enough mentally to go through with the trial and face her attacker once again. Stacey needs this to start rebuilding her life and looking to the future of university. She tries to convince another girl who has been attacked to go to the police to build a stronger case. I really think that both of these books could have been one book together than two separate novellas, However I did like seeing the court case and how brutal it can be when things are twisted and people appear to be something they are not. We still had her best friend included and the court case brought her family closer together. This again had powerful messages of seeking justice and support.

I rated this 3 out of 5 stars

'No Shame' is the sequel to Cassidy's 'No Virgin', however can be read as a stand-alone book without taking away from the plot. It covers the story of Stacey Woods, otherwise known as 'Girl X', who has been raped. The entire book outlines the process of her trial and the outcome, and how she sets out to get justice.

I was really impressed with Cassidy's writing style and thought that she did such a delicate subject matter a great service. However, I did find it a little dull to read a book that from start to finish centres on the one trial. The way it is written means that you find yourself totally invested in Stacey's story, but when I came to the end of the book and the trial outcome, I thought: "Is that it?" I thought that there would at least be some tangents or sub-plots to bulk it out a bit; there is much more that could be done with this plot. It's a sensitive and important read for young adults, but it doesn't seem to go anywhere, and after finishing it I did not feel satisfied, as there just was not enough substance to it for me.

I got my copy as an EARC on Netgalley. This was a great follow up and conclusion to the first book, No Virgin. It felt real and raw and I think Anne Cassidy potrayed the tragedy of rape in a sensitive yet real way.

Rating: ★★★★

I liked this a lot better than the first book. I almost think that this could be better as a stand alone, but then it is useful to have seen the actual event happen in the first book. Either way, I really enjoyed reading this book. With the horror of the actual rape in the past, it wasn't as hard to read and it was really interesting to see how the court proceedings in a case like this would actually go down.

I was sympathetic and completely feeling for Stacey the whole time. It was very clear from every point how hard this was to do and her bravery really came through. I connected with her a lot more in this book than the last.

The ending was really well written as well. The results of the trail and how it kept you reading until the last word because of what was happening and how much you wanted Stacey to be able to move on with her life and go back to fashion design and all the things she enjoyed.

This is definitely a really interesting read and an important one. It shows the way that rape is handled in the legal system and how easily someone's actions can be twisted and used against them.

The second book in this series has been just, if not more, poignant than the first.

Since Stacey’s rape she has now decided to go forward and report it. She’s held back from all kinds of mixed up feelings and emotional. Without telling you too much, we can see Stacey maturing so much from this dreadful attack.
She’s had to rethink things about herself and her decisions that only she can learn to understand and forgive herself for her naivety but she was young, she is young.

And we can all be sucked in by others so easily sometimes no matter what age and make wrong decisions.

The case goes to court where Stacey has support around her, but she still needs to come to grips herself.

It’s not going to be easy in that courtroom.
Stacey gets ripped apart.

There’s a good turnaround in this story that will bring a tear to your eye.

I’ve sat and read book 1 and book 2 today.

My thanks to Bonnier Zaffre via Net Galley for my copy

A well paced story with characters who had depth. Created the tension and emotion of being in a court case and the emotions of teenage girls and the challenge they face

Having read the first one, this was a must. It did not disappoint. Not an easy read, but so worthwhile.

Actually 4 1/2 stars (Netgalley give us the 1/2 stars we desire)

After dealing with date rape in No Virgin, Cassidy now delves into the difficult circumstances of trail for rape.

Stacey manages to piss me off again in this book right from the beginning. Again she is making excuses for people who do not deserve it. I believe the author wants us to root for the protagonist because her cause is just, not because we like her. Rape does not give automatic infinite wisdom.

The narration is like a confession. This is not a cliche courtroom drama and there is no "You can't handle the truth" moment. This is a realistic, honest, brutal encounter with the whole court experience through Stacey. The before, during and aftermath of a rape victim's ordeal. Evoking a rage of emotions, this deals with this uncomfortable subject matter with in your face honesty.

It is important to seek justice, no matter the outcome. Letting yourself heal, is just as important.

I most acknowledge the not expected turn of events, and great ending.

The follow-up to No Virgin*, No Shame* sees Stacey Woods preparing for the trial of her rapist. But can you ever really prepare for a process which seems intent on putting you, the victim, on trial instead? Is this what justice means?

I felt the same disconnect between the characters and the plot as I did with No Virgin*, here it works better and helps portray the toll the trial takes on Stacey. A solid read which, once again, sensitively deals with difficult, yet important, issues.

The first book in this series, No Virgin, ripped me apart. This one is just as bad, in a different way. Stacy has been through so much already, and now she has to face this horrific trial. I loved how confusing and self contradictory her emotions were, because of course you would be after something like that. I also loved how much support she had. Far too often, in books like this the victim is depicted as being completely alone, but here Stacy has several people who are helping her in various ways, showing readers that it's alright to look for help when it's needed. This is a very important message.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

For years, my good friend Shirley has encouraged me to read books by Anne Cassidy. Now due to an ever growing TBR pile Cassidy’s books were always put on the backburner. That was until last year when I read a review copy of No Virgin. In No Virgin we follow the story of Stacey Woods during a difficult period in her life which leads to her being raped.

No Shame, No Virgin’s sequel follows the story and introduces the harrowing element of dealing with the eventual court case. In many ways, No Shame is a much more powerful novel because we see the udder degradation that rape victims have to go through even though the ordeal of rape is over they have to relive it and have it twisted and torn apart. Victim shaming seems to be the way of these cases. I have said it before on reviews that deal with this challenging subject, in most cases you are innocent until proven guilty. With rape victims they are liars until proven otherwise.

Cassidy has handled this subject with compassion and confidence. With Stacey, Cassidy tries to show the cocktail of emotions that she is feeling and deal with it in a sensitive way and it is with her years of experience writing for the YA audience that Cassidy absolutely nails this.

No Shame is definitely my sequel of the year. You can read both books now.

No Shame by Anne Cassidy is available now.

For more information regarding Anne Cassidy (@annecassidy6) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding Hot Key Books (@HotKeyBooks) please visit www.hotkeybooks.com.

For more information regarding Bonnier Zaffre Books (@BonniereZaffre) please visit their Twitter page.