Such a fun look at a special era in time. The young us party girl scene that was so iconic for so may years. Such a fun nostalgic take on what it was to be a so called “slag”

Thank you to NetGalley and the Borough Press for the ARC of this book!

When I saw the title and description of this book, I was instantly intrigued. As a 90s baby who grew up in the 00s, I knew the nostalgia would hit for me. And it did.

Sisters Sarah and Juliette are heading on a boozy road trip, finally giving them chance amongst their busy lives to dig up the past and hash out some of their demons.

This book is really witty, some of the lines I couldn’t resist highlighting with my Kindle.

And the nostalgia of the flashback chapters, I was right there with Sarah as she fought desperately to be noticed, to feel something.

I will say that this will be a polarising read for anyone who doesn’t like character-driven fiction.

I enjoyed this book but it did take me quite some determination to get through at times, but it really picked up in the final quarter!

Very candid, witty exploration of the relationship between sisters.

I am so sorry, I have tried three times to pick this book up and read it, I am really struggling to get through it . I have to say I can not finish this book and I do NOT like DNF'ing , I read over 140 books in 2024 and i think I only DNF'd 3 books so it is not something I typically do.

My apologies and I thank you for the opportunity to have had the chance to read this .

Respectfully Another Read by Angie

I didn't love this nor did I hate it. I enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters but I wasn't really compelled by them? Like I didn't particularly care about what happened.

Sisters Sarah and Juliette are going on a whisky-fuelled campervan road-trip across Scotland to celebrate Juliette’s birthday – and they’re going to dig up some demons from the past.

The blurb for Slags shows great promise and I was hoping for a light hearted novel in the timeless style of the popular British television series like Birds of a Feather (1989 to 1998) or Shameless (2004 to 2013). However, Slags did not work for me and I found it a BAD 1 star read.

Most of this story was from Sarah’s point of view, which is not a problem, in itself. What was infuriating is the constant switching back and forwards in time between the 15 year old Sarah and the 42 year old Sarah on holiday in Scotland. Those teenage years of a school girl were tiresome to read and the boredom made this book very easy to put down. You can’t even put those teenage years down to back story or character development as there is a gap of 27 years in the narrative. I did not like the teenage years at all and it spoiled any enjoyment I was hoping to get from this book. But the dual timeframes continued and I battled onto the very end. There is no drama, twists or big reveals in the final pages, just that feeling you get when visitors leave and you can get on with something far more interesting.

The 42 year old Sarah was more interesting than the 15 year old and the comparing of notes with Juliette, her sister, was very run of the mill. I found Slags to be a lazy read with lazy writing. Emma puts great emphasis on Sarah renting a Hymer B500 motorhome for their trip around Scotland and then claims that Juliette climbs onto the bonnet of the campervan. There is no bonnet to climb upon the Hymer B500, just an access panel to check the oil, water, screen wash and drive belts.

I had hoped for some humorous and witty dialogue between the sisters, like that between Sharon and Tracey in Birds of a Feather. Sadly, Sarah and Juliette do not have a sharp banter and this is the best snippet I could find throughout the whole book…

‘Prefer Ireland, myself. Better dairy products. You’re probably lactose intolerant, aren’t you?’
‘What would make you think I was lactose intolerant?’
‘All the young people are these days.’

Slags has two stories interwoven into each other - Sarah at 15 and Sarah at 41.
41 year old Sarah has taken her sister Juliette on a roadtrip for her birthday; they discover and discover the other throughout their journey. Interspersed with these chapters is 15 year old Sarah, shaping the future for older Sarah.

The book was an interesting read; Unsworth is an unapologetic author who tells the stories with a brutal honesty. It's a girls story; it's complex and tricky but also funny and moments of heartwarming in it. I'd definitely read her other novels having read this!

As someone who loves a lot of dialogue, this one didn't land well with me. Don't get me wrong, I love the premise, but I just wish I loved the outcome. It's not a terrible book, but also not a stand out for me

I really enjoyed this book. I've been in a reading slump over Christmas and picked this up.

I found it an easy read, the narrative was easy to follow and the two sisters had a very believable relationship.

Sarah and Juliette are sisters, and we get to know them better with flashbacks to the teenage years in the 90s.
The novel reads like a diary because of its rawness, hilarity and reflection.
The humour and the drama were at times relatable, at other times, curious/entertaining.

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

Set in the present but with half the story telling the past teenage years of two sisters. Funny and heartwarming in places it’s equally gritty and details how hard teenage love and growing up can be.

Fairly enjoyable read although I struggled to connect or really get into the story especially because of the switching narratives. The book was well written and I liked the coming of age feel to it, I just wish I enjoyed it more

This novel offers a deeply layered exploration of identity, relationships, and the baggage we carry through life. The dual narrative of Sarah at 15 and Sarah at 41 creates a compelling contrast between youthful naivety and midlife disillusionment, drawing readers into her world with raw honesty and a touch of dark humor.

This book is a candid, funny, and often painful look at the messiness of life and the enduring ties of family. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with a mix of humor and heart, set against a beautifully rendered Scottish backdrop. Whether you’re reflecting on your own teenage missteps or navigating the complexities of midlife, this novel is sure to resonate.

Sisters Sarah and Juliette are going on a road trip, fuelled by alcohol and memories. Digging up demons and unanswered questions from the past.
The book alternates between the present day Sarah and Sarah as a fifteen year old discovering herself amongst a multitude of hormones.
Teenage Sarah was relatable and the storytelling was humorous. The book was nostalgic, sad, affectionate and thought provoking.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

I am a big fan of Emma Jane Unsworth’s previous novels so was excited to receive an advance copy of Slags on NetGalley.

Told in a dual timeline, the story explores the relationship between two sisters. One side of the story is told from Sarah’s point of view recounting her teenage years, the other is in the present day as she and her sister go on a road trip in a campervan around Scotland,

I really enjoyed reading Slags and found it to be humours and moving, and I’m sure there are parts where most readers find themselves identifying with the characters. The structure of two narratives teases out events from the past and their long term effects on Sarah. Overall a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. This book was so nostalgic for me as a teenager in the 90’s following Take That, drinking hooch and smoking menthol cigarettes. This story was written so accurately and really explores the minefields of teenagers growing up. The story looks at friendships and family relationships from 2 different time periods, teenagers and 40 plus adults. The friendship between Sarah and Nessa reminded me of my best friend at that age. A really enjoyable read that I would recommend.

After reading the description for this book I was desperate to read it! I was so excited when I got accepted for an early arc on Netgalley, thank you to the publisher.

The story follows sisters Sarah and Juliette as they take a camper van trip to celebrate Juliette’s fortieth birthday.

The story switches between timelines to Sarah’s last year in school to the current time on the trip. I loved the timeline of Sarah’s teenage years, it was full of nostalgia, with sad and happy moments along with the friends who you thought would always be around.

I was eager to know what happened to Sarah as a teenager and I flew through this in a couple of sittings.

I loved the brutal honesty from the author too. You do sometimes forget how difficult the teenage years were at times. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

Fabulous book, two sisters on a road trip through Scotland. Talking of their present day issues and remembering past explorations and their teenage years. Well written, playful, funny and an insight into growing up and coming of age, and middle age all combined

Wonderful book. Focuses in two sisters who could so easily be portrayed as caricatures but they are incredibly deftly painted. Moving, grim and, ultimately, hopeful,