Trouble

by Non Pratt

In this dazzling debut novel, a pregnant teen learns the meaning of friendship—from the boy who pretends to be her baby’s father.

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”

Told in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, Trouble is the story of two teenagers helping each other to move forward in the wake of tragedy and devastating choices. As you read about their year of loss, regret, and hope, you’ll remember your first, real best friend—and how they were like a first love.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, Coming Of Age

381 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2014

About the author

Non Pratt started her career working on non-fiction activity books at Usborne, before becoming an editor at Catnip Publishing. Her debut novel TROUBLE shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and the Branford Boase Award, with rights sold to the USA, Germany and Brazil. Her second novel, REMIX came out in 2015 and a novella, UNBOXED for Barrington Stoke in 2016. Her third novel with Walker Books, TRUTH OR DARE will come out in 2017.

Reviews

[rubywednesday · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trouble had so much potential. For the first hundred pages or so, I really thought it would be a new favourite. But as it progressed, it just didn’t work for me.

It had some good points. The author did a great job making the dialogue, social interactions and thought processes of the teenager characters realistic and relevant. There are countless people in the world actually like these characters. I often read YA where it feels like no-one on earth in any way resembles the characters we’re reading about. Of course, the fact it was set in an average area in the UK made it easier for my Irish self to relate to than some of the American stuff I read.
Non Pratt also made the two voices distinct and full of life. Considering the POVs switched every few paragraphs it was both necessary and welcome.

The characterisation was good. I liked Hannah and Aaron and I could at least sympathise with the rest of them. And I really respect that Pratt didn’t sugarcoat their world. The drank and had sex and acted recklessly and did all the things some adults like to pretend kids don’t actually do.
But despite all those positive points, as the book went on I genuinely started to find it weak and distasteful.

The blurb and the text state that Hannah is smart. But she really is not. She is does badly at school. She only handles herself socially by putting down other people and portraying herself as really sexual. She’s not even emotionally intelleigent. She is funny and lively but she’s hugely immature.

There was no character development. None. While both characters issues are eventually brought to the surface, we never see them learn from them or behave differently than they did before. Plus, once all their baggage is out in the open the reader never sees the consequence of that. I wanted to see Aaron come to terms with his friends’ death and maybe make amends with Penny. I wanted to see the shit hit the fan at Hannah’s house when her family found out who the father really was. But nada. The revelation is all we get.

I’m not one of those pearl-clutching adult readers of YA. I love to see real life situations portrayed in books for teens and I don’t care about thinking of the children or whatever. I expect young people to act like young people and that includes make less than perfect choices and mistakes and everything else. Nor do I think books have to teach lessons or guide kids in any particular direction.
However, I think it does everyone a dis-service when authors are straight up unthinking and irresponsible with how they write teens. The kids can be blindly ignorant but if you’re portraying parental figures as caring and involved and responsible, then you know, they should actually act that way.

I just can’t get past how dumb and unrealistic they were. If I surveyed the parents of like a hundred 15 year old boys, how many of them would allow him to pretend to be the father of the child of another 15 he just met? Um, none. What if the kids father was a teacher in the high school they both attended? What if the boy was severely emotionally damaged and just vulnerable in general?

NO PARENTS WOULD GO ALONG WITH THIS. THEY JUST WOULDN’T.

And when Hannah finally revealed that her 18 year old stepbrother was the father of her child, oh her parents were mad. And upset. But no-one mentioned how it was, you know, technically rape. The age of consent in the UK is 16. I don’t want to take away Hannah's autonomy because we saw her perceived consent firsthand. But she was young and naive and she felt like she loved Jay and he wasn’t that interested in her. I don’t think the text even touched on this and certainly her mother, who worked in a family planning clinic, didn’t. UGH.

There were a bunch of weird ideas about sex in this book. In places, it felt voyeuristic. The details were too much, imo, when it came to kids. Not the crass banter or the casual sex. Just the way the author handled it. It was very matter of fact about the fact that these people were all having sex, which I appreciated. But then there was slut-shaming aplenty and the underlying message that it was ok to say mean things about the people you don’t like. The chapter about Hannah’s pregnancy horniness was weird to read, considering we saw very little of her other pregnancy symptoms. And it was always the physical ones rather than the mental or emotional ones. Did we need to know how she felt? And for a book that took such a warts and all approach, there was no mention of masturbation which really was the ideal solution.

It was weird about consent. The line about ‘no-one can make me do anything. Least of all that’ fell squarely into victim-blaming territory. It was weird about promiscuity. It was sometimes ok for people to badmouth it and other times it wasn’t. Then we find out that Jay was the first guy Hannah slept with it and there was only what, two, others after. So she wasn’t actually that fond of sleeping around? And somehow that changed how people saw her situation? Idk it was weird.

I found it problematic. Maybe I’m too old. But I just don’t want to read books that reinforce negative ideas. Readers deserve better. As characters, Hannah and Aaron deserved better.

Not to mention, it was far longer than it needed to be. The story arc was basically non-existent. There was no real resolution. The style was annoying. I hope you like checking back and forth with both characters constantly and there were lots of niggling little things that pulled me from the story.
What were they going to do after the baby was born? Why was Tyrone such a babe-magnet? And most importantly, why was Hannah always worried about the caffeine content in hot chocolate?

[Paula M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll be very honest now and say that the main reason I bought this one is because the cover really caught my attention. I feel like having the sperms in there made the book stands out and it makes the book more intriguing.

But the cover isn't the only one that stands out, the story itself is powerful, thought provoking and brutally honest. I've never read a book about teenage pregnancy that is so real and fun.. yes, you heard me, fun.. Well, I've never been pregnant, but when the tine comes that I have a bump on my tummy (not just because I ate a lot) but because I'm pregnant, I want to be like Hannah. But, I don't want to be in her situation. Not ever. So first, I want to pat the author in the back for being so brave by putting the truth out there when it comes to teen pregnancy and the ups and downs of being a teenager.

Hannah got pregnant. Who's the Daddy??? Ssshhhh! It'll shock you.Just find out when you read the book.

There's Aaron. Silent and loner Aaron who thinks that by getting close to Hannah and her friends, he can forget the things that happened in his old school. Now, when Aaron found out that Hannah is pregnant, he decided to tell everyone that it's his. And why is that? Because he's stupid! Lol just kidding. But anyway, this is where my conflicting feelings starts.

Characters. I love Aaron. A lot. He's real. I have friends that are Aaron so it's easy to be inside his head. I don't know what to say anymore about him but I can confidently say that any reader will find it hard to hate this guy. You'll be frustrated, yes, but c'mon! He's a teenager with issues. Now, Hannah on the other hand is different. I want to symphatise, I really do. But IT'S SO FREAKIN' HARD. She's funny, witty and full of angst but she's also.. dumb. That's why while reading I can't help but think that she deserves everything that is happening to her. She's not acing at school, she doesn't think through the things that she does and she can't think about anything but sex. That's why she got pregnant in the first place. Oh did i mention that she's just 15???

Plot. The plot is what I love. There's no sugar coating. No pretentions. Here it is. The harsh truth. Here's what happens when you're 15, got pregnant, and you don't have any idea how to reveal to the world who the the baby daddy is. I loved Aaron and Hannah's friendship, their character's development and how they tackled their own problems with the help of each other.

Some problems I had with Trouble..

- what happens now that the baby is out in the world?
- what is the score of Hannah and Aaron's relationship? Do they even have on?
- having sex at 15?
- WHY IS AARON SO STUPID?
- who names their baby girl TYLER? it can be cute but i was weirded a little

Anyway, other than all of that.. I enjoyed reading Trouble. I was frustrated, it got me laughing and it made me think. I don't think it's for everybody though, but it's worth giving a try!

YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS REVIEW HERE.

[Stacey | prettybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah and Aaron are fifteen-year-old students, attending the same school and studying for their GCSEs, yet they couldn't be more different. Hannah is quick-witted, smart and loves to have a good time (although not quite as much as her peers like to think she does), but school work is rarely on her mind as much as boys are. Aaron is a quiet boy who prefers to keep to himself, hiding from the world, trying to overcome what happened at his old school. He can barely think about it himself, let alone tell anyone else. He avoids making friends and instead volunteers at a retirement home, looking after an old man, Neville, who doesn't even seem to like him very much. Hannah and Aaron are unlikely friends, but when Hannah falls pregnant, Aaron steps up and tells everyone that he's the father.

I've said before that I find British young adult contemporary novels to be much gritter than their American counterparts. Although I love the 'really cute' or 'really sad' contemporary novels that I tend to go for, Trouble is neither. It's a brilliantly written and wonderfully authentic and realistic novel to add to the top of the pile of this increasingly popular genre. It's also interesting to see just how different the two covers are. If cigarette smoke was removed from the cover for John Green's Looking for Alaska , I'd love to know what they'd make of sperm on the cover of Trouble! (I think it's a fantastic cover, by the way.). Trouble stands out because it does not shy away from the awkward, uncomfortable and often harsh reality of teenage life, but it's still funny and touching, with two endearing characters that you'll enjoy spending time with.

Trouble is a novel about normal British teenage life, but it looks at a controversial issue: teenage pregnancy. It isn't judgemental or stereotypical and it avoids being unrealistic or idealistic (which I feel Juno falls into, even though I enjoyed it). It's easy to stereotype pregnant teenagers, but Non Pratt looks behind these stereotypes to tell the story of two fantastic individuals. I rarely give books five stars, but Trouble is so incredibly honest, tackling a lot of troubling (no pun intended!) issues, not just teenage pregnancy, that I feel it deserves it. Its honesty also comes from its unique narration. Alternative perspectives are not uncommon, but I've not come across one that has such short chapters – sometimes only half a page long – and I wouldn't have expected it to work so well. Trouble seamlessly switches between Hannah and Aaron to gives us a genuine view of what's happening for both teenagers and shows us how easy it is to misinterpret someone else's intentions. We watch as both Hannah and Aaron develop as characters – Hannah realises she does not have to be who her friends expect her to be and Aaron starts to enjoy life a little more.

Trouble is an extremely fun, wonderfully British and compassionate novel with a serious side. I started to read Trouble shortly before attending the Walker Blogger Night, just to see what it was like, and before I knew it, I was dropping my current book and taking it to work with me. If you enjoy young adult contemporary, you will want to have Trouble on your shelves. Everyone will be talking about this year and you won't want to miss out.

Head over to the Trouble Tumblr to find out more about the book!

Thank you Walker Books for providing this book for review!

I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.

[Ylenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Sara ➽ Ink Is My Sword · Rating 2 out of 5]

✪✪
Teenagers are awful, at least according to this book.

“It's too much to be forgiven when all you want is to be blamed.”

wtf was that ending! WHAT!

💭Pre-reading thoughts:
I have been wanting to try something by Non Pratt for at least four years and finally, I AM DOING IT.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before going into this I thought it was going to be a 'who was the father' mystery, so I was really surprised when that's not what it was, like, at all. I really liked Hannah and Aaron and would love to read a sequel about their lives after the birth!

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the writing but I feel like so much is unresolved and it ended quite abruptly!

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fucking love this book.

I FUCKING LOVE THIS BOOK.

Some of the reasons why I love this book:

This book is amazingly colourblind. I think perhaps two or three characters have their racial phenotype referred to. Otherwise, it's a perfect example of being able to read the characters as whatever way you think of these people, with hints based on their names. Interestingly, I think to write this book in an American context wouldn't allow the author to do this. Racial identity in the UK is hardly a non-issue (thanks, UKIP, really appreciate your efforts to bring back bigoted facistism), but the school where no one is really paying attention to their peer's races, or even cultural identity doesn't seem like a stretch from my North-East London point of view.

This is a really sex positive story, for one about teenage pregnancy. There's a misinterpretation of a scene of being forced, which gets resolved into something's that is both sex positive, about enthusiastic consent, and champions boys who call peers on bad behaviour. Yes, there's examples of perfectly teenage behaviour, with lying about conquests and such, but that doesn't diminish the sex positivity.

Most importantly, for a story with a pregnant 15-yr-old, no adult ever shames her for having had sex, or getting pregnant, even if they judge her for choosing to have the baby. There's a culture of slut shaming from some of the douchebag teenage characters, but it is not universal, and Aaron (the male lead) calls them on it, if not out loud, then in his head/narration.

And there ISN'T A ROMANCE, because Hannah has bigger things going on, you know. There are characters in relationships, there are 'in love with you' moments, there is deep love between characters, but there is never any moments where a romantic choice becomes greater or more meaningful than a platonic love. This is really about families of birth, families of choice, and the adaptation of characters to new situations. There are step families, and half siblings, and absent parents, and nuclear families. And these are all as valid as who chooses you, if you choose them.

Most of the families give SO MUCH SHIT about their offspring. This is possibly just my own bias, because I end up reading a lot of isolated child/teen characters, but these families are in love with their kids. They will move their own lives, they will make bad calls and then apologise for them, they will decide where their loyalties lie and follow through on it. Bad parents are allowed to be dropped, they don't have to remain as an influencing figure - these kids have agency to choose their story, and their parents have agency and mostly choose to do positive things.

On the sex positivity, it's not only teenagers who are sexual, sexually active, or horny and anything. There are extremely awesome elderly characters who are friends, and confidants, and still allowed to be sexual, to have pasts which aren't romanticised, and be interested in now, and not be examples of 'in my day,' as a contrast with modern sexual or social mores being pulled into play by grandparental figures. Sex was sex in the past, as it is now, and teenagers do it.

The elderly characters not only have agency, and the trust of the teen characters, and pasts, but they are friends, not mentors. That is something which I found completely awesome about Trouble. They are allowed to still be awesome in their own right. They're not just foils for the younger characters to learn. They are active, opinionated, sassy characters in their own right.

The main villain, if she could be called such, is nuanced. She is reactive, and manipulative, and the realisations of Hannah about her feed into a detailed and sensible way to think about the classic teenage bitch stereotype. She is not a stereotype, even as she ticks all the boxes. She is needy and insecure, and gets just enough flashback time in order to follow this through and for her to make sense, even in her villainy.

In conclusion: THIS BOOK IS FUCKING AWESOME.

[Mafi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Por vezes há livros que não precisam de grandes floreados para se tornarem favoritos. Não precisam de um grande enredo, de uma grande complexidade das personagens ou um grande assunto para ser debatido ao longo das páginas desse mesmo livro. Por vezes só precisam realmente que passem uma mensagem e "Trouble" é o exemplo disso.
---

Já há imenso tempo que um livro não me prendia assim! Adorei como a autora optou por contar esta estória que acaba por ser bastante simples e com um final em aberto. Pela dinâmica dos protagonistas, o livro faz lembrar "Eleanor&Park" e embora seja diferente, acho que quem gosta de Rainbow Rowell iria apreciar este "Trouble"!

http://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogsp...

[Anabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh just so cute!!!! especially the second half.

[carolina ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

Hannah and her best friend,Katie, are every friday at the park fooling around with the guys from the bascketball team. Everybody knows it, they have a reputation for it.
Then Hannah finds out she's pregnant and no one to go to.
Her best friend? She can't seem to be ale to tell her
Her mother? Neither.
The Father? Not an option
She goes to her grandmother,who she can trust not to tell her mother.
Her best friend is slipping away from her, when she finds out, she's just pissed off becaause Hannah didn't tell her sooner and goes to Marcy, former teen model and school's queen B, who makes sure everybody know it via Facebook.

Aaron is the new kid, nobody knows why he changed schools or where is he from. I love him

“Man, I’ve done a lot more than that with her. It’s Hannah Sheppard – it’s what she’s for.”I really do not like Fletch.
“She’s got a reputation as a bit of a … bicycle.”
“No, not ‘still’. It’s not for you to decide who I’ll be friends with.”

I won’t kiss her so I’m gay? Wow. That’s pretty arrogant.

He doesn't stand slut-shaming or any kind of agression against a girl, he reads a lot and he's so damn sweet to accpet being a fake father.
But, of course, theres his dark secret ; he killed his best friend.
Not killed killed like stabbed him or anything.
His best went on an exchange program to France and cheated on his girlfriend, Penny, Aaron's best friend. He was defending her and they got into a fight and Chris got in the way of a car.

Well, after the whole school finds out about Hannah's pregnantcy and starts guessing who the father is. Aaron goes to her home to talk to her and ends up being the fake father. It's believeble to them because the were alone once and every guessed they had sex but they really didn't.

For half of the book, the question is Who is the Father?
Options:
- Marcy queen B's boyfriend, Tyrone
- some guy from the basktball team, Fletch
And the Father is... Hannah's stepbrother, Jay.
They slept together on Jay's last night before going to college. Hannah was really in love with him. At first, i got really mad because HOW CAN YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR STEP-BROTHER? but she really loved him, she got fooled to see someone who wans't there.

Hannah and Aaron start being friends Hannah sees him as a hero but Aaron doesn't let her in because of his past.However, later he starts to trust her, and tells her everything.
Hannah decides to confess who the real father is to her family, she comfrots Jay but doesn't want to. That's why she waits to get her family together and confesses.

Hannah has made some mistakes but she's he first character i've ever read in a Ya novel who talks about periods, being horny and the fact that she really likes sex.

The ending left me wanting for more,it was too abrupt. I want to know what happens after the baby is born with Hannah and Aaron's relationship although it was good enough for me.

[Claire (Book Blog Bird) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This and other reviews can be found on my blog: Book Blog Bird

I picked up Trouble from the library, quite excited because it had been on my radar for a while. All I really knew about it was the blurb - it’s a contemporary YA novel about a fifteen year old girl who gets pregnant and a friend of hers offers to pretend to be the father.

I think I built this book up in my mind too much. I saw that it was about underage pregnancy and that it was all acclaimed and everything and I thought that it would be raising some really interesting moral questions and shining a light on teen and underage pregnancies, which is a perennially hot topic. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out for me.

Firstly, I thought the writing was good. Very good, actually, and I’d happily look out other books by Non Pratt because possibly I’d enjoy another of her stories better than this one. I really liked the dual narrative and I loved the way each character didn’t always have a complete chapter to themselves, sometimes it would just be like a few paragraphs, so to see them almost bantering backwards and forwards in their viewpoints was very effective.

I liked the way the families were so supportive of their kids. There are so many YA books where kids are cut adfrift either emotionally or physically from their parents that to see multi-generational families being so close and loving was really great. I also liked that Hannah and Aaron’s relationship didn’t develop past friendship. We don’t see enough boy-girl friendships in YA lit and it’s a shame.

Unfortunately I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. The popular crowd that Hannah is so distraught at being dropped from were so unpleasant that I just wanted to chuck a grenade into their midst. They had no redeeming features, as far as I could tell. The boys were a bunch of slut-shamers and the girls were all manipulative and evil.

I didn’t really connect with or like Hannah very much either. The blurb printed on the cover says, ‘Hannah is smart and funny.’

I got about halfway through the book and looked at this blurb again, wondering what I’d missed. Hannah complains and gripes and puts people down and snaps, but no, I really wasn’t seeing the funny. And I certainly didn’t think she was smart. In any sense of the word. Smart people don’t:

- Act like a sheep, following the crowd to make people like them

- Think that pulling out is an acceptable form of contraception (especially when their mum is a family planning worker!)

- Do their homework in the car on the way to school

Now, I know that Hannah’s decisions and reactions are realistic, and that people do stuff like this in real life, but she’s definitely not smart.

Sadly she doesn’t really develop over the course of the book. She stops wearing make up and reconnects with some friends that she used to hang out with (but only because the popular crowd have dumped her) but she doesn’t really develop. She doesn’t gain new insight, which is astonishing seeing as how her entire life has changed. We don’t find out her thoughts on impending motherhood. In fact, the only time her pregnancy is mentioned is when she has physical symptoms, like peeing and horniness.

I did like Aaron and I felt really bad for the terrible things that had happened to him, but he didn’t really seem to develop either. And I didn’t really understand why he offered to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s baby. It is explained, but I still didn’t really buy into it. And I definitely didn’t understand why his parents went along with it!

I was most definitely not a fan of Jay, who is Hannah’s stepbrother and who turns out to be the father of her baby. The age of consent in the UK is sixteen and Hannah was fifteen when they had sex, so technically that makes him a rapist, but this fact was completely skated over. So was the fact that he’s Hannah’s stepbrother. That just sat all wrong for me and I found the sex scene with him and Hannah a bit grim. I was making faces, and not good ones, and the fact that Hannah was completely in love with him made me like her even less.

The plot was okay and I liked the way it was split into Hannah’s three trimesters, but it didn’t really raise or answer any questions about or offer any insights into teen pregnancy and I felt that portraying Hannah as overtly sexy and a bit stupid seemed to be reinforcing the whole Daily-Mail-style ‘Teen pregnancy only happens to stupid, promiscuous people’ myth, which is both inaccurate and unhelpful. In all, the whole feel of the plot was like a soap opera (and I hate soap operas), where the characters are always screaming insults at each other and getting into fights and having to be physically held back by their friends. It just got a bit wearing after a while.

I also found the lack of resolution in the plot a bit jarring. I wanted to know what was going to happen once the baby came home. I wanted to know how or if things were resolved with Jay. I wanted to know what was in the letter he wrote to Hannah. I wanted some resolution for Aaron with the people from his old life.

So yeah, not as great as I hoped it would be, but I wouldn’t completely rule out anything else by this author.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Win a SIGNED copy of Trouble on Book Passion for Life

Buddy read with Amber.

I’ll be honest, Trouble never really captured my attention until I went to an author Q&A/signing when Non Pratt visited Birmingham close to the end of 2014. It was then that I became more aware of the book and noticed the high praises. I adore YA contemporary but sometimes when something different comes along – like Trouble appeared to be – I hesitate. I start worrying if it’s going to be any good and if I’m going to enjoy it. I guess you could say I just needed a push in the right direction and going to the author signing was definitely the push I needed.

Trouble is Non Pratt’s debut novel and what an amazing story it is. After just a few pages I was quickly hooked and I found myself quickly devouring the story. Problem was, I was buddy reading the story with a fellow Goodreads friend and I had to force myself to slow down so I didn’t finished it within a matter hours. I just wanted to unravel the story because I found myself completely hooked by Aaron and Hannah’s stories.

Told from both Aaron and Hannah’s prospective, we first meet Hannah who enjoys going out with friends and getting drunk every weekend. It’s clear that Hannah is trying to get over a boy because she gets drunk to distract herself and tries to find comfort in any other boy’s arms. But when Hannah discovers she’s pregnant – at fifteen – Hannah needs someone in her corner because once she tells her parents, she knows she’s going to be in trouble when she reveals who the real father is.

Aaron – new boy at school – tries to fit in with the new crowd of friends but finds it difficult because of the difficulties he’s trying to overcome. It’s clear something terrible has happened to him but he blames no-one but himself. So when he discovers that Hannah is pregnant, he offers to pretend to be the father.

As Hannah and Aaron’s stories slowly come together, it’s clear to discover these troubled teens have so much more in common and together they try to overcome the difficulties of their lives together.

Like I said before, Trouble is an amazing read. It’s beautiful, raw and very real. I loved how Non Pratt really captured the real life issues that teens go through daily. I knew quite a few people in school who were like Hannah’s friends and it’s easy how you forget things over the years. Reading Hannah’s story about her drinking, sex and smoking, honestly it made me cringe, but these are the things that happen in ever day life for some teenagers. It felt realistic, honest and it’s a brave story.

I loved both Aaron and Hannah. I didn’t always agree with their actions but could always sympathise with them. Together, they were perfect. Even though it appeared to be just a friendship relationship – although I was rooting for more – but I could see why romance wasn’t added. These two didn’t need it in their lives because at that point of their lives, friendship was enough. It’s a tale of true best friends.

I bet your wondering why I didn’t rate it 5 stars if I loved the story so much. Well, that’s because of the ending. I loved how the story ended but just felt as though it needed more. It ended too soon after a major moment. I wanted to know what happened next. An epilogue would have been fantastic!

In all, Trouble was a pleasure to read and I wish there were more stories out like it. I’ll definitely been on the lookout for Non Pratt’s next novel.

[Sarah Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Trouble even more than I thought I would. At first I thought it was going to be a Juno-like story, but with characters that would fit right into Skins - not exactly people I'd relate to. I ended up adoring all of the characters (except the big jerks, obviously), and being drawn into the complex relationships. I loved the dual POV of both Hannah and Aaron; two very different voices that ultimately fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. The fact that they're both so quick witted made it all the more fun.

This isn't just a book about teen pregnancy, it's also about family, friendship, bullying, acceptance, forgiveness and overall... just appreciating what you have. It's left me all smiley :)

[Kara Babcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juno is a fun movie. Ellen Page nails it as the title character, conveying exactly the intended idea that a lot of the weirdness about teen pregnancy comes from our hang-ups, as a society, about young women/girls. In the movie’s desire to concentrate on how Juno navigates this brave new world, however, Michael Cera’s character—the babydaddy—plays only a minor role. That’s fine for the story Juno wants to tell. But I basically think now of Trouble as “like Juno, but with a father involved.” Not the father, mind you….

Hannah Witton recommended this book in one of her monthly favourites videos. Hannah is an amazing YouTuber who vlogs about sex education, feminism, and relationships, including her lovely Drunk Advice series. Check out her videos. I have no trouble understanding why she liked Trouble. Non Pratt (who I can only assume is just at good at wrangling dinosaurs as Chris Pratt) has created a novel realistic in its portrayal of teenagers yet optimistic in its outcomes.

I’ve been back in Canada for almost a year to the day now, after spending two years teaching students the same age as the ones in this book. While I had no illusions about what fifteen-year-olds are (or are not) getting up to, it’s definitely different to see it presented from their perspective rather than my perspective as an awkward twenty-something dude managing his first classroom…. (This, of course, is one of the reasons I love to read YA.) Hannah Sheppard (not to be confused with Hannah Witton, above!) and her friends are fifteen. They smoke, drink, and—oh yes—have sex. Lots of sex. And when they aren’t having sex, they are thinking about sex, talking about sex, and “pulling” (making out).

So I had flashbacks to teaching in England thanks to the setting of this book. I definitely recognized the type of school Pratt describes, with registration and mock exams and the dreaded GCSEs. I also had flashbacks to my own time in high school, which is not that long ago; I dredged up memories of peers and friends and compared them with the type of life Pratt portrays here.

I admit that part of my reaction is befuddlement, in the sense that I don’t really have a common frame of reference with Hannah here. I was never interested in engaging in these types of hormone-driven hijinks. I never really got why having girlfriends or boyfriends and making out and even having sex were such a big deal—didn’t anyone else realize that there were books to be read? How do you even read a book while having sex, anyway? That just seems awkward. And to this day I still have trouble getting myself in the mindspace of someone who finds all this stuff important or even interesting. It all seems rather messy and sticky and unappealing.

Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate Pratt’s depiction of Hannah’s sex and romance life. Not only does she capture Hannah’s voice with the first-person narration, but she also manages to say a lot about the way young women in our society begin to perceive themselves during adolescence:

We spent far too long messing about getting ready, so that by the time we came downstairs loads of Jay’s mates had arrived. I’m not going to lie. I was on the prowl. A summer of flirting with Tyrone and learning how to make a guy lose control had given me confidence.

Somewhere along the way, women figure out that in order to get by in life, they have to start pretending to be other people.

Pratt definitely shows Hannah, Katie, and the other 15-year-old girls as confident. But it’s the fragile confidence born from inexperienced enthusiasm, a confidence easily belied by the uncertainty Hannah exhibits later in the scene from above, when she loses her virginity. Nevertheless, it’s the key word, because it’s what Hannah has learned she is supposed to have. Be strong. Be confident. Confidence is sexy. In a lot of ways, this reminds me of Johanna from How to Build a Girl . Tired of being herself, Johanna finds the confidence required to create an entirely new persona in order to fit into the scene she wants to inhabit.

Despite the obvious consequences of Hannah’s unplanned pregnancy, Trouble manages to be sex-positive. It is brutally honest when Hannah confides in us that she wants sex: “This last week or so has been UNbearable. I have never been so horny in all my life, and I think it might kill me if I don’t have sex soon.” More than that, however, this sex drive is by Hannah, for Hannah. Too frequently, women’s sexuality in media is an object of male desire—women are sexy for men, want sex for the benefit of a male viewpoint character. When Hannah refers to being “on the prowl” or “within perving distance” or otherwise discusses her body and her needs, she’s affirming that she wants sex for her own sake.

Furthermore, Trouble distinguishes between sex and romance and friendship in a nuanced way that a lot of YA doesn’t seem to do. It’s easy to conflate these three things—girl friends boy, girl falls for boy, girl sexes boy is a “natural” progression that quickly yields a formula for a summer YA read about “growing up.” And, you know, there is nothing wrong with that sequence of events. But I want some diversity in my relationships. I want platonic friendships among genders. Trouble comes close with the relationship between Hannah and Aaron.

I appreciate the ambiguity, especially towards the end. Pratt leaves Hannah and Aaron’s relationship status up in the air. They are friends, yes. More than that? Hard to say. Maybe. Trouble’s ending really only marks the beginning of the next chapter in Hannah’s life (and the life of her new baby). Rather than providing a trite epilogue, Pratt firmly reminds us that life gives no assurances: Hannah is only fifteen; there is so much more that will happen to her, good and bad.

Aaron’s perspective throughout the book is what differentiated Trouble for me from an experience like Juno. True, Aaron is not actually the babydaddy—and while his volunteering of those services might seem far-fetched, the juxtaposition of his rising star with Katie’s falling one says a lot about how something like being pregnant shows you who your friends are. The subplot about Aaron’s “shadowy past” teeters on the brink of cliché but never quite goes over—and at the very least, it serves to avoid making him into a manic pixie dream boy whose only purpose is to be Hannah’s friend.

The dual perspectives are a perfect juxtaposition. Both Hannah and Aaron are fallible human beings. They are foils for each other, calling each other out when the other is being an idiot, and generally supporting each other through some of the worst moments of their lives thus far. Although Pratt leaves the romantic status of their relationship up in the air, she establishes vehemently that whatever their feelings for one another, Hannah and Aaron are at the very least true friends. And I like that.

Trouble is a fun and exhilarating book that doesn’t overstay its welcome yet still leaves a lasting impression. If you’re a teen, you’ll recognize a lot in here. If, like me, you’re past those tender years, then you’ll probably see echoes of your past—or you’ll at least get a sense of what life is like for some teenagers these days. This is a book about empathy, compassion, and how crazy it is that women have to push babies out of their vaginas.

One of the men actually asks if the doll is to scale.

It can’t be. Babies aren’t that big except in hospital shows, where they don’t have minutes-old babies on standby for the end of a birth scene.

You can almost hear all the women let out their breath when she says no.

“This doll’s head is proportionally smaller than a baby’s.”

Go home, evolution. You’re drunk.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me cry in a coffee shop. Who would have thought that would happen with me. Brilliant book. Full review to come. :)

Oh how this book had so many feels, and I was on the verge of tears when it came to the end. Trouble is a book that I've always been conscientious about reading because of it plot line and teenage pregnancy. Its not something I really want to read about when I see it on a day to day basis. But was I wrong, yes! Miss Pratt created a far more beautiful rendition of a contemporary novel about love, consequences, but most of all friendship and sticking by each other in the toughest times of ones teens life.

What I loved was that it wasn't always about Hannah and her pregnancy, both of these MCs have a story to tell and told through a dual perspective. Hannah is your typical teenager, she likes a drink, she likes to party and she certainly likes having sex too. But one night, when she first took her V card, she didn't realise it was going to haunt her 4 months down the line when she becomes pregnant. She doesn't count on the baby daddy being around. So when a curious, new student named Aaron arrives she feels something right with him and before both too them know it, he's volunteered to be the fake baby daddy. I haven't read something like this before and I was typically a fan even when this book was first released. But one day it peaked my curiosity and I thought why the hell not. I wasn't disappointed instead I was elated, happy, tearful, it was beautiful seeing new lives being born. Not just a new born but the start of something magical.

There were moments in the book that made me inadvertently cringe. Especially in the beginning, I was certainly like 'Really!?', why would a teenager of the age of fifteen want to become someone like that, want to throw away their life and want to grow up in more ways than one. I think Hannah was someone pretty much like that, But she certainly had some slutty friends naming one, Katie. I actually wanted to really slap her. She was nothing but a wannabe bratty child and she makes Hannah's life a living hell while she hasn't got enough on her plate already. However let me highlight the WAS in that sentence. I think having another responsibility for not only yourself is something scary, frightening and is the unknown. Hannah comes a long way to accept that, and that's what aspiring in Pratt's writing and her character.

Aaron has his own story, his own battles that have haunted him. He is lost and lonely. He meets his best friend in a residential home. Oh Neville! Aaron felt safe and happy playing cards and spending with someone who needs some company, friendship. Aaron suffered happiness and sadness in such a short amount of time that he needs a focus. Hannah needs his support, a friend to rely on, and he wants to matter again, he needs to do something amazing. He becomes a fake baby daddy and he takes it with both hands and doesn't let go. There is something deeper between them but friendship is the beginning.

You find with this book you don't really connect with characters but you hear the, you listen to them, you hear their story which makes this a beautifully written and emotional novel to experience. If you know of anything similar in genre of this book. Please let me know. I want to hear people's stories like these to witness their happy endings. A book that makes me cry shows how truly amazing this author is. I need more and I can't wait to read Remix. Something entirely different.

Rating - 5

This review can be found my blog

[Nomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Trouble is written in an effortlessly engaging style I wasn't sure whether this would be my thing despite it having 5 star ratings from trusted friends. Look, it opens with a dose of partying, alcohol, random sexytimes, attitude and angst, and some school mean girl undertones. I have definitely outgrown these themes (they have never been my-kind-of-thing in YA) but Hannah's voice was so refreshing that despite everything I continued on. And I'm glad I did.

I was hooked on voice from the start -- but, IMO, the first 50-80 pages are the weakest. Things really gained momentum after a tenuous start and it soon became clear that this book is completely non-cliche, full of genuine heart, 3D characters and a plot that sails along unexpectedly (whatever you assume this teen pregnancy book is about, it isn't).

I love how Trouble is told in alternating POV -- like the plot, it is unconventional -- happily switching between Hannah and Aaron mid-scene, flipping back and forth in short bursts or sometimes holding one POV for extended lengths of time.

Also it would be criminal for me not to mention the swoon (in an unexpected and unpredictable way).

So many threads come together spectacularly in the last quarter of the book -- at this point the book really hits it's stride and the emotion and gut-punches are real and beautiful and balanced with ache and belonging and horror and hope. And the ending was just fantastic (although I could happily have gone on reading what happens next...)

I liked this a lot -- it was engaging and a read I found myself heading back to, consuming it in a couple of days. I am impressed with this debut and have a feeling Non Pratt could easily become a fave YA author of mine. A shaky start for me that built in awesomeness to a spectacular ending. So watching out for what Pratt has next.

Thanks to Trinja and Emily (both awarding Trouble 5 shining stars and fave reads of the year) for bringing this book to my attention :)

*If we're talking stars: I'd say 3 stars for the first half and 4.5 stars for the second half.

[Shannon A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 4.5 stars
Gahhhh. Just finished this and I'm laughing and crying at the same time!! When I started Trouble, I was skeptical and didn't know if I was going to finish it, but I kept reading because it had great ratings from a lot of people whose opinions I trust. But WOW, I ended up loving this book. It's so original and beautiful in its own way. Endearing and real. I SO recommend this one!!!

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting to read trouble for a long time and I am delighted to say it didn't disappoint. Trouble is the story of Hannah and Aaron. Hannah is 15 and pregnant and Aaron is the new boy at school who pretends to be the father of her child. It was the perfect read for me for several reasons.

Firstly the voices of both Aaron and Hannah are spot on. The way they think, the way chat about things with their friends captures all those thoughts and feelings of a 15 year old and it draws you completely in. As a result I was the with them from page one and had to keep reading as I needed to know more about these characters. Hannah is clever and funny and whilst she does necessarily use it in the traditional way at school you really get the feeling that she is the sort of girl you would have wanted to hang out with when you were at school. Aaron is absolutely adorable and I loved his loyalty and finding out more about his past and why he was the way he was. Not only were the two main characters spot on the whole host of secondary characters from the other kids at school to Aaron elderly friend Neville (whom I must admit I have a special soft spot for) were brilliantly well done too.

For me this book is all about friendship and the main characters learning what it is to be a good friend. As the book goes on you get to see shifts in the social groups both Hannah and Aaron associate with and it is brilliant to see them at that last stage of high school going into adulthood as they suss out which of their friends are true friends and deserve the loyalty the other can offer.

One thing I do love about this book is the way in which teenage sex is handled. It isn't judgemental and sees sex as an ordinary part of growing up and teenage life as it should be. It doesn't have a preachy message about it either although it does comment on the way in which society can look down on teenage girls who enjoy doing the deed. I also loved how one of the characters was gay but he wasn't included as a gimmick or put on a pedestal but treated normally. We need more of that in YA fiction please.

Ultimately for me the best part of the book was the relationship between Hannah and Aaron and seeing how it develops over the course of the book. I loved how they bonded but still fell out and argued like proper teenagers. I loved seeing Hannah through Aaron's eyes and I loved seeing how they supported one another through some really though situations.

All in all a fantastic read, heart warming whilst dealing frankly with serious issues in a sensitive and funny way. I for on will be recommending this far and wide for a long time to come.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was first brought to my attention by someone I follow, who recommended this book to everyone she possibly could, giving it a glowing review. I like most books that she does, so when I saw it in the library I thought "why not?". And Becky was not wrong, it was a very good book. But it's one of those books that have me completely torn - on one hand I love the issue it tackled, it had very real characters and the book engaged me. But then I didn't like the way it dealt with certain issues.

I loved the characters, they were very real, discussing real things and doing things teenagers do. I know many people would completely disapprove of this, and think it's not typical of teenagers, but yes teens are out seeking drinks and having sex at 15. Ignore it and condemn it as much as we may like, but it happens. There are few that don't, and that is fine too, but many do and it's an element of teen life that this book does not ignore. The book flicks between Hannah and Aaron's points of view, which is a style that I completely adore in any book. I love the way that not only do we see more into each individual's lives and thoughts, but you can see how how their impressions of the other character develops as the events unravel.

The book is, as highlighted by the blatant sperm on the front page, about teenage sex and pregnancy. And as it is blatant on the front, it is also throughout (although there are no explicit sex scenes). It is very honest, which is definitely what helps make the characters real and relatable. It take a controversial topic, and turns it upside down, making you laugh throughout. Although Hannah is pregnant, she doesn't necessarily act the way one would expect her too. Additionally, the focus is not solely on her pregnancy, with only an occasional reference to some of the pregnancy symptoms, but on her relationship with her friends and their arguments, and her family.

However, with out spoiling it, I didn't like who the father turned out to be or how it was dealt with. Technically, Hannah falling pregnant at fifteen would be statutory rape, combine this with the father, would this realistically be ignored by the parents and not perused any further? There was, to my recollection, no mention of how the parents dealt with who the father was. For me, it took a book that could have been very realistic and made it less so.

Despite my quibbles, I thought this was a very good book, and would recommend it to older readers who enjoy reading twists on more controversial topics.


For this review, and others like it, see: https://tumblingintowonderlandbooks.w...

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hannah Shepard hooks up with guys to distract her from missing the real love of her life. People label her as a slut and it doesn't really help that she gets pregnant.

Aaron Tyler lost someone he cared for and wanted a fresh start to make a difference in the hopes of redeeming himself. He pretends to be the father of Hannah's baby in the hopes of relieving some of his guilt.

I liked the relationship of the two characters as well as their individual personalities. I would have liked to know if they developed into a more romantic relationship and their future plans. Would Hannah go to College in the future? Would Aaron still be their to act as a faux father for the baby? Things like that. But I enjoyed the book and recommend it others.

[aimee (aimeecanread) · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 2.5 star read.

The first half was really dragging, but things picked up after a while and I like how the book ended. Full review to come!

[Dahlia]

Really liked this one <3

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trouble Review on K-Books

Note: Before I go on to review this book I just want to say that this is possibly the hardest review I have ever wrote. Nothing that I wrote was ever good enough for the masterpiece that this book is. I started this review 5 times before I decided to sit down with some pen and paper and handwrite the review. (I do this when I really can't write a review as it helps me get my thoughts into words.) After all the trouble starting this review I am so thrilled with it and proud of it. This is possibly the best review I may have ever wrote. Thank you for checking it out.

"Kittens are about as sexy as granny pants."

Trouble, the debut novel from Non Pratt is totally breathtaking. This is definitely one of those incredibly rare books that you find every once in a while that totally blows you away and you know that it will stay with you for a long time afterwards.

It is incredibly rare for me to pick up a book and read it immediately after buying it but Trouble was one of those. After hearing so many amazing things about this book I just had to read it. Everything that I heard about Trouble was completely right. This book is something special. It is not your typical YA Contemporary novel. It's raw, edgy and fresh. If there was only one book that I could recommend and urge people to pick up this year it would be this one.

Hannah is fifteen and pregnant. Suddenly faced with motherhood alone she doesn't know what to do or who to turn to. When new guy in school offers to pretend to be the father to protect her from the students, who have turned into vultures, at school, Hannah accepts. They are thrown into a beautiful friendship but both Hannah and Aaron are keeping big secrets. What will happen when they all come to light? Will it tear the best friends apart or can their friendship stand all weathers?

Trouble is so amazing. I seriously can't praise it enough. I find it difficult accepting that this in Non Pratt's debut novel. It reads like she has been doing this for years. Her incredible writing completely captures you and pulls you in at the start and won't let you go until you have demolished the book. Trouble is told from split perspectives from our two lead protagonists, Hannah and Aaron. Non completely nailed split perspectives. Both characters voices were superb and there was no 'hang on who is speaking here' confusion that sometimes happens in split perspective novels. She completely nailed them both and made the characters voices so authentic. The writing really is phenomenal.

Hannah and Aaron are the perfect characters to read about because they are so totally not perfect. They both have had tough pasts to deal with and all I wanted to do was hug them both. They have to deal with so much and it's truly beautiful and inspiring to see their friendship blossom and see them conquer everything together.

One of the most amazing things in this book is that Non Pratt doesn't sugar coat what teenagers are like in the 21st century Britain, nor does she hide what they get up to. I admit not all teenagers act like this but you can't deny that a lot of them so. Every school has a Kate, who will backstab and step on anyone to get to the top of the popularity cycle. (By the way I hated her so much. I wanted to jump in the book just to punch her.)

Non most definitely did a very brave thing writing a YA Contemporary book with no main romance. Yes this book isn't a romance. It is so much more and about something so much more important. True Friendship. And how true friendship can withstand everything, It is truly beautiful, uplifting and moving. I loved that there was a little hint of romance at the end. Hannah and Aaron have such a beautiful and perfect friendship so that little hint that it could be more had the hopeless romantic in me aww-ing and squeeing a little.

My one little issue with Trouble is the ending came way too fast. I really wanted more and I as left with so many questions. What happened with Katie? What happened to Aaron and Hannah afterwards? What happened to Jay? I felt the ending was a tad bit rushed but I still loved it and it does not take away from the beauty of this masterpiece. I would love to see a sequel to see what happened to everyone after the end of the book.

Trouble is such a raw, emotional ad beautiful story. This is not just a book. It is something that gives you perspective on everything in life. This book truly moved me and I know it will stay with me for a very long time. It truly is a masterpiece. Nothing will ever really live up to the beauty that is in those pages in Trouble.

"Now, when I look at her, I finally see someone I trust. Someone I love."

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been going back and forth whether I should rate three or four stars. For a good chunk of the book I would say it was firmly at a three but I was very satisfied with the ending so I'm going with four for now.

This is a dual perspective contemporary ya novel about two teens one of whom finds herself pregnant at fifteen and the other a boy that just moved schools dealing with starting over in a new environment after troubles at his old school. They strike up an unlikely friendship and find themselves leaning on each other through what becomes a very difficult transition for both of them. While the protagonists are very young this story deals with a lot of serious topics such as bullying, depression, teen pregnancy and sexual content.

As for my thoughts, I've seen the pro/con type lists working for a lot of reviewers so I thought I'd try that. I'll start with the con column because I like to end on a high note.

DISLIKES:
• Hannah. I found myself not liking her like 70% of the time. Her promiscuousness took some getting used to, but that didn't bother me so much. It mostly had to do with the fact that she had no problem with cheating, was incredibly impulsive (not in a good way) and could be quite judgmental. Thankfully she does go through some serious character development, but boy was she hard to relate to.
• There was a lot of girl hate in here. Under the circumstances it makes sense. I mean, what pregnant teen doesn't get any grief from her peers? Having none would be unrealistic. This particular trope is one I'm tired of but it was not completely out of place.
• Slut shaming. Everywhere. ^^^
• JAY. Where to even start. Not only did he not support her pregnancy but he slept with his stepsister when SHE WAS ONLY 15!!! That's like double illegal, dude. I know he's written that way on purpose but I can't stand the guy
• Marcy. There were other characters that I disliked more than her but she was the most underdeveloped. She embodied that typical villainess-queen-of-the-school-out-to-ruin-people's-lives-for-little-to-no-reason mean girl trope. She was even a model. Cliche much? That was kind of lazy writing on her part because Marcy was portrayed as basically all bad. There is not a single (sympathetic) mention of her being a victim of cheating, which she very much was.
• The side character friends were really enjoyable but not as developed as I'd have liked. I would have loved to see a scene where Hannah and Anj discussed their former friendship and falling out after she had that epiphany about how toxic her relationship with Katie had been compared to Anj

WHAT I LIKED:
• The writing. The prose wasn't particularly memorable but it's worth mentioning that the two POVs were very distinct from each other. Hannah and Aaron's perspectives were so different. It really was like being in two separate minds. A lot of writers cannot pull this off.
• Aaron was great. My favorite part tbh. He could be a bit of a martyr at times, but I found the portrayal of his coping mechanisms very realistic. I especially appreciated the apathy aspect of his depression being shown, as I can relate big time.
• Hannah had a boatload of character development and learned to be so much more selfless
• Not only were the parents of both characters present in their lives, but they were supportive- not all the time- but they truly cared about their children's physical and mental health.
• There were people besides just Aaron who stood by Hannah when she got outed. She had other friends.
• Both main characters had meaningful relationships with old people. Aaron volunteered at the retirement home and Hannah visited her gran regularly. I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I LOVE fictional friendships between people with huge age differences even though it's kinda gimmicky to have the whole wise old advice giver thing going on. I live for that one.
• This probably bothers people, but I liked the fact that they were friends, possibly more? It showed that guys and girls can still be really close without it necessarily being more, but they weren't strictly not more either. But it's mentioned that there are times when people are not in a place emotionally to be in that kind of relationship and should focus on other things.

In all I would definitely recommend this if you are not too sensitive to the above topics. Sorry for the extreme rambliness of this review.

[Dulcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at my blog The Bibliolater

Reasons why TROUBLE will be your new favourite book:

1. It explores family themes like no other book. When you start this book, it’s pretty obvious this will explore families (I mean, there’s fucking sperms on the cover, what do you really expect?), but I never knew it would do it just so well. I loved the dynamics between everyone because they were so realistic, and family life was captured so well. Hannah’s family really became my own while I was reading this.

2. I adored all the characters! Trouble is told with 2 POVs, and I cared about each of the characters completely equally. I was really rooting for them all the way, and I found their story so captivating. I was hooked throughout the whole book, and found it really hard to put down, because of how much I just wanted everything to be okay! They had so much depth, and were so complex. Everything became too real, so I just didn't want the book to end!

3. SO. MUCH. FRIENDSHIP. This might have been one of the biggest ideas, and I loved it! It showed how much a true best friend can mean to us, and this was the aspect that really helped me. The platonic relationship between Hannah and Aaron made me realise so much about my own life, which was one fo the reasons I found this book so touching. It hit really close to home, and although this won't make it everyone's favourite book, I think it was really moving, and important for everyone.

4. It’s feminist. If you’ve read this, you might be thinking: “What on Earth is she talking about?!”, but hear me out. It doesn't explicitly deal with gender politics. But I found that the way this dealt with issues like slut-shaming, and misogyny in sex, really opened my eyes (and will do to so many other people). Let me explain further:

Hannah is known for being ‘easy’ in her school. Everyone has the idea that she’s slept with loads of guys, so she’s worth less. (Bear with me for this bit). The other protagonist, Aaron, doesn’t believe in any of this. He doesn’t think of Hannah any differently, even though his ‘friends’ are miming her giving them a blow job, and being really horrible about her behind her back.

I liked the way this was shown to be not true. It’s a really big issue for teenage girls today, and it was explored so well, if you want to look for the themes. It's another really important message that I took away from this book, and I think if you're willing to think about it a bit, it's really educational. Also, Hannah's self esteem and self worth is not dictated by these disgusting men. She knows it isn’t true, and that’s one of the reasons why I love this book so much.

5. It’s emotional af, but in a good way. There were sad points (yes, I did well up in the school library. I was having a tough day, ok?! *sniffs*), but there were also times when this book was so uplifting. I loved how happy it made me feel (the ending... it was perfect!). SO MANY FEELS HERE. It was sad and happy all at once, but overall, it was light-hearted (even if it dealt with some really hard topics), and such an enjoyable read.

6. It’s super meaningful, and has so many brilliant messages for you to take away. There’s some pretty heavy themes in the second half of the book, but they were dealt with so well, and the book was still kept light and enjoyable. These dark feelings a character had were really important, and weren’t glorified in any way. It was real, dark, yet uplifting because of how well they were dealt with.

7. It’s a sex positive YA, and deals with it really well. Although this won’t appeal to everyone, I think if you’ve made it this far, you’ve seen the cover, and you’ve seen the sperms! I think you’ve probably twigged that this book is (to some extent) about sex. I liked how it was shown, as it wasn’t the typical fade to black scenes. There certainly wasn’t any “and then I didn’t know where he ended, and I begun” crap that seems to be in 50% of the sex scenes I’ve read. It was so honest, which I think is so important in YA fiction.

[L A i N E Y (will be back) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the writing. Story also not bad it’s just not very memorable.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

From the moment I saw the summary of Trouble I knew I had to get my hands on it. The quick and dirty summary is when Hannah finds out she is pregnant, she can’t disclose who the father of the baby is. Aaron the new boy at school does something unthinkable and offers to take on the role and support her in every way that he can.

Trouble is at times a gritty and realistic portrayal of the lives of teens and teen issues – Pratt touches on drinking, drugs and definitely sex and she doesn’t hold back, and at times, a lighthearted story of friendship and love. She approaches the sensitive subjects with a bit of humor and a lot of seriousness, because above all the situation the characters find themselves in is absolutely a serious one.

Pratt has created amazingly layered and captivating characters in the form of Hannah and Aaron and we get their stories in alternating chapters. Both of them are struggling with what is going on in their lives… Hannah in a very apparent way, and Aaron in a way that is a bit less apparent but none-the-less hard for him.

I truly loved the eventual rallying of Hannah’s family upon hearing her news. Her relationship with her grandmother was such a wonderful part of her story. And Aaron’s relationship with the cranky Neville added some necessary levity to the overall story.

What I loved most though was that Pratt isn’t preachy in telling her story. She doesn’t use this opportunity to present a cautionary tale to scare young girls into not having sex. Hannah isn’t shamed by her peers for having sex or even for getting pregnant and that’s something to commend.

And while it may seem that a romance might be imminent for our two main characters, that isn’t what this story is about. Instead both have much more important things to think about. And you’re going to be surprised by this… but I loved that about the story. Instead these two focus on building a true friendship.

I don’t know if I can pinpoint what exactly it was about this story that hooked me… but I found that I couldn’t put this book down once I started it, staying up all night to read. There are no huge moments filled with action and suspense, but what you will find here is a lovely story about family… both the family you are born with, and the family that ends up choosing you. And life with them is messy and confusing and frustrating and sad but ultimately filled with love, and that’s what shines through. Mistakes may be made, and there is definitely some disappointment, but the love is always there.

I know… you’re probably wondering why I didn’t give this five full stars. So here are my nit-picky comments – I thought the end was a bit rushed, and even though I know it’s a bit greedy, I wanted a bit more there at the end. But that’s it. This was pretty much a perfect read for me.

If you’re looking for an issue book that isn’t preachy … a story with characters that will have you wishing they were real people, then you definitely need to pick up Trouble as soon as you can!

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally at www.danio710.blogspot.com

WOW!!! That was pretty damn near perfect. And I don't mean in the conventional way, absolutely positively the opposite. Non Pratt has crafted an elegant coming of age tale about a girl, a boy, a bun in the oven and all the trouble that ensues when one boy, a new boy, decides to take on the role of 'baby daddy'. When I first came upon this book while browsing through GoodReads, I thought to myself, "Not really into the whole teen pregnancy narrative", Katie Cutugno's "How To Love" had caught my attention now and again, but I have never decided to pull the trigger when it came to stories about teen pregnancy. Why? I am not quite sure. Perhaps it is the litany of Teen Mom propaganda that is constantly thrust in my face when I turn on my television. All in all, I thought it would be a very big waste of my time. BOY, AM I HAPPY THAT I GAVE IT A SHOT!!!

This book is pretty amazing, let me tell you why. Have you ever read YA contemporary novels and been sucked into some preposterous, completely unbelievable romance, well, I have, CONSTANTLY, most times I don't mind, but sometimes, sometimes I crave something with a bit more substance, cue 'Trouble'. What fascinated me most about this novel was that it was authentic and unassuming. The characters, for example, are prefect misfits, they aren't your stereotypical YA character, they have flaws, glaring ones at that. They make poor decisions and make destructive choices, but yet, you want to take a deeper look. You end up hoping, against all odds, that they will find their way. Any novel that makes you root for characters that in the beginning you were annoyed by is a RESOUNDING SUCCESS.

Because although we may claim "I don't judge, not at all" we all do, maybe not all to the same extent, but it's something that is pretty unavoidable. So for this novel to elicit emotions such as, compassion, sadness and empathy, all for characters that at times seemed irredeemable is pretty fantastic. Another thing I loved about this novel was the entirely platonic relationship between the main characters. I for one remember being around 7-8 years old and having a best friend named Robert, back when boys and girls being friends didn't mean distant wedding bells. I remember how effortless and uncomplicated that friendship was, which makes me wonder, Why can't there be more YA novels with this kind of platonic relationship between main characters? Are we really always on a quest for love and romance that we will jam it into any situation regardless of how inappropriate and ineffective it is for the narrative.

All that I really want to say, before I go off on a tangent, is that Non Pratt has created a real-life story about teen pregnancy, one that isn't glorified, one that is full of complications and bumps in the road, but one that is dazzling and unprecedented in its beauty.

[Irina Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bold, humourous, sensitive and extremely engaging book - one that I, sadly, would have passed upon (because teen pregnancy) if I hadn't decided to give the first chapter a try and gotten completely sucked in.

As I am not currently able to write a decent review since my life is chaos, I will leave you this as an apology gift, because it says all the things I want to say.

Hannah and Aaron are characters I absolutely fell in love with.
They are flawed as people, and that makes them nuanced, believable and extremely sympathetic characters.
And yes, I have a couple niggles, but I don't even want to mention them, because you should let nothing put you off this wonderful story, even if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea. Its vibrant characters and dynamic, juicy plot will steal your heart, keep you guessing and hoping, and leave you desperately needing another Pratt book right the fuck now, because this woman is a goddamn sorceress.