Never Evers by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

This is Tom and Lucy's second book. Their first 'Lobsters' was shortlisted for both the YA Book Prize 2015, and The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2013. Not having read this first book, but hearing good things about this second one, I was keen to get hold of a copy. I was also interested in reading it because it's aimed at a slightly younger audience than 'Lobsters' (a definite teen book due to content). 'Never Evers' is aimed at the tween market (12-14yrs), which my daughter, unbeknownst to her due to unfamiliarity with this book market lingo, is part of.

After struggling through the first 30 or so pages (girls being horrid to each other, boys just thinking about 'getting off' with girls) I was starting to think I couldn't read any more, but then the humour set in and I really enjoyed it. I finished it the next day. 'Mouse' has been kicked out of ballet school for not being good enough, and has returned to her old school just in time for the school ski trip. On that trip is Lauren, who she beat into getting the place for ballet school and who has since seemed to hold a grudge. Mouse is reunited with her old friends Connie (who is just hilarious and decided to bring her pet hamster on the school trip) and Keira. Also arriving at the same ski resort from a different school is Jack, Max (who decides the main reason for the trip is to kiss a girl and buy fireworks - random) and Toddy (who has some great cool one liners).

Jack falls for Mouse immediately, but many circumstances come between them, including the horrid Lauren and the local French pop star Roland (I just kept thinking of Justin Bieber as a comparison). Misunderstandings, accidents, lies, hamster bites, snow storms - they're all in there, and they all make a perfect package. I will definitely be passing this on to my daughter.