The Sky is Mine

This book totally took me by surprise and blew me away. A teenage girl gets tangled up in blackmail after the boy who rapes her uses photographs he's taken to control her. I thought this was the main plot point of the book but it actually centres around her and her mother moving to a refuge to escape her abusive stepfather. It's a very well written book and sensitively handles tough issues. A must-read.

In this book we meet Izzy, a girl who's being blackmailed into sleeping with a guy, Jacob from her school while at home she and her mum are domestically and verbally abused by Daniel, Izzy's stepfather and her mum's husband.



Grace is her best friend but spends most of her time now with her girlfriend Nell and makes Izzy jealous of their close bond as she feels pushed out and unwanted.



However as things keep worsening with Jacob and Daniel, her mum one day decides enough is enough and the pair up and leave with dramatic consequences...



This book tackles many girlhood topics and I recommend it for teens to read.



I loved this book Izzy is a body positive hard as nails girl who has to deal with so much life rubbish from loss, rape, consent issues, blackmail, friendship drama and maybe falling in love, Izzy is a teen who raises many issues and tackles them all alongside her rebecoming herself mum, new love interest and with a kicking playlist to boot for ultimate positive vibes, this book was a fantastic debut knocking these topics out of the park, you need to read this book!



Many thanks for the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I had a hard time when I first started reading this book. It made me mad. Very mad. Mad at Izzy. Mad at Jacob. Mad at Grace. Mad at Steph. Mad at Max. Mad at Daniel. To the point that I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish it. I’m so glad that I stuck with it though. How a book about so many horrible and difficult topics can still be so heartwarming is no easy feat and this book is just that. Even though nothing is told in graphic details, you really feel what these characters go through at the hands of their abusers. It will make you sad. It will make you mad. It will make you want to inflict bodily harm on fictional characters. To see both Izzy and her mom start to get back to the people they were before the abuse got me in all the feels. Thank you NetGalley and Oneworld Publications for providing me with and ARC of this book.

Stunningly written with important and relevant messages for teens/young people to hear. Izzy is an amazing, fresh and instantly relatable character who I was rooting for from start to finish. The story is heartbreaking and explores traumatic issues with senstive, empathetic writing that's confronting in all the right ways without ever shying away from what needs to be told. I cried a lot, both for Izzy and all those in the world affected by #metoo/domestic abuse/rape culture. The rays of hope in the story are so important and the guts and bravery Izzy displays gave me the biggest lumps in my throat. An important book for young people as well as the people who work alongside them.

Due for release in February 2020, I'm pretty convinced that this will be a hit read.
Plunged straight into the life of our main character, Izzy, it takes a while to establish quite what's going on. We see Izzy get drunk at a party and she is threatened by someone in her college who vows to send round an embarrassing picture from the party unless she does what he asks her to. There's no doubt that Izzy would be perfectly in her right to ignore this and call him out - but we see how insidious such attitudes are, when even his mates try to justify his behaviour by calling it 'banter'. As a parent this horrified me, and I am really scared that anyone could ever think such behaviour is okay.
Izzy finds herself in a difficult situation. She fears just what this boy could do, so she goes to his house. He rapes her - no matter what name he gives it - and continues to try and threaten her into doing what he wants her to through her fear of what others will say.
Izzy says nothing. This is totally believable - however much you wish it weren't. Against the backdrop of Izzy's home-life it becomes even more relatable. She sees her once vibrant mother as a shell of herself. Her step-father controls everything and we are, slowly, given details that chronicle a horribly abusive relationship.
Eventually Izzy's mother leaves, and Izzy gets the opportunity to reflect on her experiences and how to move on from them. Some elements of this are easier than others.
There was a lot packed into this read, but I am sure it will strike a chord - in some way - with many readers. Though elements of the story felt resolved far too easily, there were some positive outcomes that did inspire hope.

A great account of a young girl dealing with abusive issues at school as well as at home. The characters were well fleshed out and for Izzy in particular there was a great deal of development throughout the novel.

This is a great story of re-claiming power and the struggles that come along with this. Having the parallel stories with Izzy and her mother help to demonstrate the different ways that women have to deal with this and some of the road bumps that they encounter along the way.

The main reason this wouldn't be able to be adapted for a standard classroom is the strong language and some very upsetting scenes. Would recommend for higher level readers who are more mature.

Wow! This book dealt with several teenage issues: bullying, sexual assault, domestic abuse, friendship, family.... I thought these issues were handled well.

This is not what you call a typical feel good book. Yet, I felt hopeful when it ended. And to me, the two most important words when reading a book are "I felt" .. And i felt sad, i felt angry and I felt like I wanted to reach out and hug her.

I want to thank net galley and the publisher for an ARC which did not impact my review.

Izzy and her mum have been living a life of trauma. Her mum's husband of 9 years, Daniel, was supposed to be their prince charming, and he certainly comes across that way to everyone else. But behind closed doors there's another story. After years of insidious gaslighting and abuse Izzy and Steph have reached a crossroads; Do they stay and succumb to the numb acceptance of the misogynistic abuse they are subject to from all areas or do they take tentative steps back to themselves and each other.

This is a powerful and emotive tale where the fear and confusion is claustrophobic and leaves you breathless. But it's balanced out with a healthy dose of optimism. Izzy's hope is jarred up and shut away, literally, but eventually comes to fill the sky and offer a way forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me sight of an eArc in exchange for an honest review. The Sky is Mine is published in February 2020.

A story of a daughter and mother who what seem to face more bad than good situations in there lives. They do overcome it in the end, I shows a good take on relationships between mothers, daughters friends and all the people who aren’t worth having in your life.

Some trigger warnings apply but it never goes in to over detail, but still makes you understand and add to the story.

A great read of hardships and how to overcome and become.

Good characters, lyrical writing and something worth picking up.

Izzy's world is spiraling out of control and she feels she has no one to lean on. Her friend Grace is caught up with her new girlfriend and her mother is too scared to listen to Izzy's fears about her stepfather David. So when things start to go really badly for her, she has nowhere to turn. David's behavior is getting more erratic and there is nowhere for her to turn.

David is a typical gaslighting abuser, who has ulterior motives in everything he says and does. Things have to be David's way or all hell breaks loose. He's controlling, verbally abusive, and he's starting to act beyond inappropriate with Izzy bordering on sexual abuse. The lingered touches are just the beginning for her.

Izzy's mother is a typical abused wife, in that she doesn't want to rock the boat. She's been at the mercy of David's abuse more times than they can count, so she knows what speaking up can do. Sadly, because she's in this position, it means that Izzy's needs are often ignored in favor of appeasing David. I wanted to hate her mother for her clear neglect of Izzy's emotional needs, but you can't hate a person for being in that situation and doing what they can to get through the day.

As far as Grace, she's not that great of a friend. Some of it is indeed Izzy not sharing what is really going on at home, but a lot of it is Grace being self-involved. I do understand that Izzy has created a bit of a codependence situation with Grace and she doesn't know how to take care of herself. So the friendship feels very one-sided. Grace does earn a shot at redemption as we're nearing the end of the book, and she does it well.

Izzy has such low self-esteem, it stems from years of David's abuse, keeping her down. A person that goes through this isn't going to carry their head tall, and that's so evident in the situations Izzy finds herself in. I loved watching Izzy blossom when she was away from David and she found someone who sees the light that shines deep from within. This is a great book for any reader, sufferers or not will find value in Izzy's situation and the hope that there can be something better in life. Well done.

I feek this book will be a total hit once released, I am so happy to have had the privilege of reading such a well-written story! So many different topics are discussed in this novel including bullying, sexual assault, domestic abuse, friendship and family... all crucial topics for the young adult. Going through the ups and downs of adolescence with Izzy, her mom and the other characters was both beautiful and heartbreaking .. a must read!

+++Spoiler Alert+++

There is a lot to handle in this book. Trigger warnings everywhere. And the book is heavy and at times hard to read. But as Izzy begins to gain strength, you can feel all of that heaviness lifting. The Sky is Mine is raw and honest and not for the faint of heart. The end feels like a beginning. This is a powerful read that is well worth your time.

This book is so important. And so beautiful. Heartwrenching.
The book tackles the theme of rape, domestic violence, friendship and toxic relationships in a very positive and hopeful light. The author has shown a very good coping side of such issues, the harsh truth and reality that seeps deep.
I loved the easy flow of the writing. It connected two scenes so well. The transition between past and present was a bit difficult to grasp in the beginning though I got used to it later.
I loved how the author did not go deep into describing the characters by stating details. Instead, she made us readers see the characters through the MCs eyes and understand them. I know, it sounds vague because that's what they always do but it was different in this book. Like, there wasn't any concrete statement of what the other person was wearing or something. It was subtle and creative, I felt. There wasn't much descriptive details but it was still vivid. There writing was highly poetic and that's what I loved.
Sure, the writing style is new and different, and might be a bit confusing in the beginning but then you get used to it.
It was so heartbreaking to read Izzy's story, her voice. Her mother's story was equally touching. I loved the hopefulness of this book. It shows that there is light, that they is a way. I cannot really explain in words what the story stands for, what all it manages to throw light on, but it is a book that you all shouldn't miss it on.
I loved it and would totally recommend!! Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. All views expressed are fully mine.

"Daniel's voice is a can of Coke - I know the rising bubbles are in there but can't be sure how fierce they'll be until he opens the can. It's always tricky to tell how much he's been shaken."

The Sky is Mine follows the teenage protagonist Izzy as she tackles a smattering of very heavy topics for a child of 17. The story opens with Izzy being bullied and sexually harassed by a waste of space at her school named Jacob. Then we come to find out that although school life isn't the best for Izzy, her home life may be even worse. She lives with her mum and her stepfather Daniel, who happens to be a gaslighting and abusive waste of space. To top it all off, Izzy can't really even talk to her bestie Grace about her troubles, as Grace has found a special lady friend and doesn't make time for Izzy like she used to.

I really dug Beashel's writing style. A lot of her phrases and word choices were very clever. It reminded me of Becky Albertalli's style (the author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat).

"Mum let me take the tiny shampoo and the tiny shower gel from the tiny bathroom, maybe as tiny compensation for not seeing through that tiny hope she'd given me."

I also thought Beashel did a great job of having our three female characters (Izzy, her mom Steph, and her bestie Grace) grow throughout the course of the novel. It wasn't that they started out as weak and unrealistically became badasses by the end. It was more that they started out as unsure and struggling badasses at the beginning and grew to learn to let their badass flags proudly fly by the end.

The downfall of this book to me is that Beashel tried to cram waaaay too many very heavy topics into one small book. Although I already mentioned bullying, sexual abuse, and gaslighting, there is also teenage pregnancy, rape, abortion, and physical abuse. I believe this book would have been much more powerful if Beashel had more thoroughly tackled a smaller subset of these issues instead of skimming the surface of all of them.

Izzy is a girl who experiences way more than a 17 year old ever should, the death of a parent, domestic violence, rape, love, friendship. She experiences a complete rollercoaster of emotions that as a reader you experience with her - it is hard not to, as her character is so relatable and vulnerable. I really felt on her side throughout and willed her to get through everything and see things for what they were and people for who they were! The plot was well written, my only qualm would be that Max just seemed to disappear towards the end and he had been mentioned throughout, I suppose that I expected him to have a bigger part in the whole picture, maybe?

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, the characters and plot were very well written and fit with the YA genre well. I would definitely recommend this book for others to read and would read more by this author.

Firstly, I want to say thank you to Rock the Boat publishing for sending me a copy of this book for review I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Trigger warnings for rape, coercive control, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, revenge porn and abortion.

I have had my eye on this book for a fair amount of time, it definitely seemed to be a book that I would enjoy reading … I was right! The Sky is Mine did not disappoint me. What I will first say is that if any of the above topics are likely to trigger you please think before you pick up this book it may not be the right time for you. However, I would also like to add and assure you that Amy deals with each of these so wonderfully and delicately in a way that opens the eyes of the reader to the complexity of each of these issues. I deal with a lot of these topics in my work life, I deal with the victims and the perpetrators so I would like to think that I have a fair amount of knowledge on the subject areas. You can tell that Amy has done her research, she does these topics so much justice in so many different ways.

I loved the characters in this book … apart from Daniel and Jacob obviously. I want to punch them. Izzy is such a wonderfully heartbreaking character. I really did feel for her and her mum. I felt the raw relationship between them throughout and I loved watching this grow and develop from being so so broken at the start. I also enjoyed Grace and the diversity that she adds to the story. Daniel and Jacob whilst I really disliked them for obvious reasons, they were also very good characters. The portrayal of them being perpetrators was done so well, I could feel my anger growing as the plot continued and had so many emotions towards them and those also involved.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. This is not your typical feel good book in the majority but it is an important book that you need to read. I devoured this in one sitting and literally felt every emotion possible. What really hit me is at the end of the book the details and contact number for Women’s Aid and other organisations are at the back. This is something that we do not see enough in books with triggering content however it is there and so important. I really hope that this book reaches out to somebody who can really relate and they get the help that they need.

I would recommend that everyone picks this book up. You will not regret it!

I enjoyed this book, it’s such an import book, this needed to have been written and should be widely read and available in libraries and schools easily. It’s emotional, heartbreaking at points, it has several areas of trigger (see below) but worth reading so, so much if you won’t be triggered. Watching Izzys relationship with her mother grow along the book is so beautiful, so well written, this is such amazing writing from Amy. Amy deals with all the issues in this book so well and sensitively, I really cant undersell what an amazing book and how she is an absolutely fantastic author (and I’ve never read her work previously). Izzy is an amazing character and you experience the story with her, feeling every raw emotion as she has her journey, it is heartbreaking at times, but you know what it is so full of hope too. I won’t say too much more as I don’t do plot summary (as it’s on the book) or spoilers ! I will just simply say you really need to read this book. I feel this will be a book of 2020 and should be up for many awards.

Note trigger warnings for rape, control, domestic violence, abortion etc

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Sky is Mine is an exceptionally powerful and emotional read, exploring the themes of abuse and control in a realistic and thought-provoking way. Izzy’s story is a call to young girls everywhere to stand up and make themselves heard That this book is essential reading for every teenager is without doubt, but more than that, the themes and messages will resonate with people of all ages [This book contains material which some readers may find distressing, including discussions of rape, coercive behavior, domestic violence and abuse.] Her mum Steph and best friend Grace have always been there to save her. But with one under the control of her stepfather and the other caught in the throes of new love, Izzy is falling between the cracks.

This was a tough read for me. There were very tough themes such as rape, violence, toxic relationships to name a few. Its not an ugly look at it though but more of a hopeful look at it. This whole book radiates with HOPE and over coming challenges.

I don't want to say too much for those that haven't read, but Izzy's story will touch you!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

The Sky Is Mine by Any Beashel is thought provoking, full of emotion and leave you raw to the core. This story explores the themes of abuse and control in a realistic and at times hard to read way. I couldn't put it down. Be prepared to go thru a roller coaster of emotions with this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. This great book is out in two weeks.
I really enjoyed this book, though I will give a content warning that it does deal with domestic violence, rape and body image as I know that these are hard topics for some people.
The book follows Izzy, a young girl trying to find her feet at College with the opposite sex. Izzy is not confident when it comes to boys and hasn’t had a boyfriend before. Izzy is also trying to deal with her home situation, as her mother is basically mute and their relationship is crumbling just when they need each other the most. They must find their voices if anything is going to change in their lives.
This is a really powerful book and the topics it explores are ones that yes we find hard to deal with but we need to talk about them and we need books like this to help us do that.
I enjoyed uncovering the lies, the betrayals and the secrets in this book. It is well written and you want to find out what’s happened from the first page. I hope you enjoy it too.