One of our Books of the Year 2016 | January 2016 Book of the Month As warming as a cup of hot chocolate on a winter’s day, Never Evers is guaranteed to leave readers happy and smiling. The story of two groups of teenagers on a school ski trip it is told in alternate chapters by Mouse (real name Matilda) and Jack. Max, the self-appointed leader of Jack’s gang is determined he and his friends will get off with girls on the trip, while Mouse has pressing concerns of a different nature. There’s an instant spark between our narrators but this path of true love will be interrupted by friends, a hamster and even a French version of Justin Bieber. It all makes for a fresh, funny romance, full of truths and charm.
Ending with a first kiss, this is for a younger audience than the authors’ debut Lobsters. Readers will also enjoy Half My Facebook Friends are Ferrets, another funny and honest look at first love. ~ Andrea Reece
A Piece of Passion from Barry Cunningham, Publisher School trips – love or loathe them, here’s the terrible truth with all its cringy, funny and frankly full-on embarrassing moments! Will it be all right in the end? Who knows! But that brilliant pair of comic friends Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison take us on a snow-filled, fun-packed journey no one will ever quite recover from! Makes me want to hide in the toilets all over again.
Never Evers, like Lobsters, is a dual narrative from both a boy’s and a girl’s perspective, which explores friendships and first experiences with the opposite sex. But this time, the story is focused on the early years of teen-dom and is packed with anxiety over the first kiss, dorm-room gossip and friendships forged on the ski slopes. The school ski trip isn't going to plan. Jack's bored; Mouse has fallen out with her friends. But when a French popstar - who Jack's a dead ringer for - arrives in the resort, the snowy slopes begin to get a bit more interesting ...
Kicked out of ballet academy and straight into a school ski trip, Mouse knows certain classmates can't wait to see her fall flat on her face. Meanwhile, Jack looks forward to danger and girls, but hasn't a clue about either. That's until French teen sensation Roland arrives in the resort - who Jack's a dead ringer for. When Roland persuades Jack to be his stand-in for a day, Jack, in disguise, declares his feelings for Mouse. But what happens when he's no longer a pop star - will it be music and magic on the slopes?
‘The book will strike a chord with readers of different ages and the descriptions are vivid... extremely engaging and it brings out the insecurities of being a teenager and the worries about being uncool ... Lobsters will make you laugh and cringe.’ MARTIN CHILTON, TELEGRAPH
‘Lobsters is frank, funny and honest.’ THE OBSERVER
‘Funny, awkward and full of genuine teenage passions and anxieties, Lobsters, told in the alternate voices of Hannah and Sam, is both tender and entertaining.’ JULIA ECCLESHARE
‘Funny and frank … David Nicholls for the YA generation.’ THE TIMES
Author
About Lucy Ivison, Tom Ellen
Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison met in the sixth form and have been friends ever since.
Lucy runs online teen magazine Whatever After, as well as teaching in girls’ schools across London specialising in building confidence and creativity.
Tom is a journalist and has written for ShortList, Time Out, Vice, talkSPORT, ESPN and Viz.
