Diary of a Confused Feminist

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Pub Date 6 Feb 2020 | Archive Date 5 May 2020
Hachette Children's Group | Hodder Children's Books

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Description

*SHARE YOUR REVIEW OF DIARY OF A CONFUSED FEMINIST ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON A RETAILER REVIEW PAGE TO RECEIVE A FREE FEMINIST T-SHIRT AND BE ENTERED INTO A PRIZE DRAW TO WIN A CONFUSED FEMINIST COMFORT BOX*

"I honestly feel like, in an equal world, there would be more penis admin . . ."

Kat wants to do GOOD FEMINISM, although she's not always sure what that means. She also wants to be a writer, get together with Hot Josh (is this a feminist ambition?), win at her coursework and not make a TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT of herself at all times.

But the path to true feminism is filled with mortifying incidents and when everything at school starts to get a bit too much, Kat knows she's lost her way, and the only way forward is to ask for help . . .

Join Kat AKA the Confused Feminist as she navigates EVERYTHING from menstrual cups and mental health to Instagram likes and #TimesUp in her HILARIOUS, OUTRAGEOUS and VERY EMBARRASSING diary.

*SHARE YOUR REVIEW OF DIARY OF A CONFUSED FEMINIST ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON A RETAILER REVIEW PAGE TO RECEIVE A FREE FEMINIST T-SHIRT AND BE ENTERED INTO A PRIZE DRAW TO WIN A CONFUSED FEMINIST COMFORT...


Marketing Plan

Share your review of Diary of a Confused Feminist on social media (be sure to tag @teambkmrk) OR leave a retailer review to receive a free branded feminist t-shirt AND to be entered into a prize draw to win a Confused Feminist comfort box, which includes:

• A proof copy of the book with a removable pin badge

• A branded mug

• A t-shirt

• A Green & Blacks chocolate bar

• A notebook

• A menstrual cup 

To claim your free t-shirt, email team@bkmrk.co.uk with a link to your review and address details. 

Competition closes 6th Feb 2020 and is open to those in the UK and republic of Ireland only. T&Cs apply. Find out more here: http://bit.ly/DOACFNGTCs


Share your review of Diary of a Confused Feminist on social media (be sure to tag @teambkmrk) OR leave a retailer review to receive a free branded feminist t-shirt AND to be entered into a prize draw...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781444955040
PRICE £7.99 (GBP)
PAGES 384

Available on NetGalley

Send to Kindle (PDF)

Average rating from 142 members


Featured Reviews

Kate Weston has burst onto the Young Adult Fiction scene like a fully-formed Louise Rennison (still very much missed) for the #MeToo generation. Her sparkling debut brings belly laughs from the opening chapter. If 42 year old me was somehow transported back to high school in a 15 year old body, I would soooooo want to be pals with Kat, Millie and Sam. How I wish I'd had an ounce of their conviction and forthrightness (is that a word?) at that age. I certainly wish this book had been around when I was in my teens. It would have made life a lot more bearable. I shall be purchasing copies for all my nieces and highly recommending to my own friends too. It's fun, light-hearted and hilarious whilst touching on some more serious issues and the age-old teenage angst. I found it uplifting. Aside from that, it's strewn with loads of cracking references and facts, both historical and current. This book needs to be a TV series! Loved it!

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I cried with laughter, I cried with sorrow. If I had a time machine, I'd definitely send a copy of this back to my teenage self. Here are three reasons I loved Diary of a Confused Feminist (and think everyone should pre-order it now!)

1) It's laugh out loud funny. I made the mistake of reading it while sitting by my toddler, waiting for him to fall asleep, and had to stop because I was in danger of waking him up even more; I just couldn't stop giggling!

2) It portrays mental health in a very realistic way. I wish I could have read this book as a teenager, because I know how much I would have related to Kat's internal monologue (and I still did in so many ways). This is a brilliant book for teenagers who have ever experienced anxiety, or even ones who haven't and want an insight into what it is like. The coping strategies in the book are ones readers can take on board and I liked the realistic approach to treatment - NHS therapy has a huge waiting list and I know plenty of teenagers who have never managed to start CBT because of waiting times.

3) I loved the way friendship was presented in this story. Kat, Millie and Sam are a brilliant, hilarious trio who felt like real teenagers. I really enjoyed their chat names and would love to be part of their group.

I've got to three points without even mentioning the brilliant feminist messages in this story, or the tips for being a good feminist at the end. At a time when teenage girls are still often wary to refer to themselves as feminists (2 years ago, I listened to a five minute GCSE speaking exam about women's equality where the word wasn't used once!) I think this novel is important and necessary.

Thank you so much BKMRK for letting me review a copy of Diary of a Confused Feminist through Netgalley.

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Kat Evans is this generation's Georgia Nicholson. Weston brings the Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging-type novel up to date for Gen Z in this enjoyable book, with added feminism. Kat is completely relatable, as are most of her worries, and the relationships are completely believable. Weston also manages a nuanced discussion of both feminism and mental health within the book. A very enjoyable read.

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From the start, I love that the book makes a point of saying that feminism means different things to different people and that worrying about being a 'good' feminist is not productive at all. Feminism is the main focus but it deals with more here. I know this book is called Diary of a Confused Feminist buuuut there are three brilliant points without even mentioning the brilliant feminist messages in this story. It is laugh out loud funny (I actually SNORTED), I loved the way friendship was presented in this story and It portrays mental health in a very realistic way and Kat's internal monologue is so relatable.

I loved the relationships in this book, especially Kat’s friendship with Matt and her relationship with her family. I loved her dad, especially his understanding and support. Kat, Millie and Sam are a brilliant and hilarious trio who felt like real teenagers and I wish I'd had an ounce of their conviction and outspokenness at that age. Also, I enjoyed their chat names and would leave the Nerdherd to be part of their group (Sorry Zoey Redbird)

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It’s not often you read a book that includes the phrase, ‘You never know what’s going on in someone’s pants.’ However, Kate Weston has done it, so brava Kate Weston.

Now I’ve made you all want to read it, there’s a lot of other stuff to love about Diary of a Confused Feminist. The heroine, Kat, lives with her successful scientist mum (nice to see a bit of a change to the usual tropes there) her Dad, a comedy writer who appears to specialise in Dad jokes, her bathroom-hogging little brother Freddie and an adorable labrador called Bea. She also has anxiety and depression and is struggling to stay on top of her GCSE English coursework as well as her feminist activism while dreaming of becoming a top journalist. She’s worried about being single and maintaining her friendships with Sam and Millie who seem to be maturing faster than her.

This is a lovely and important book that’s a bit like Jacqueline Wilson’s Girls in Trouble series and a bit more like Ros Asquith’s bestselling Teenage Worrier series from the 80s and 90s, with a much-needed 2020s reboot. Buy it for your teenage feminists immediately.

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If you want a great throw back to your teenage years or something to get your daughter then this is perfect. Its witty, full of heart and on point.

It really reminded me of Angus, thongs and full frontal snogging (there was even mention of a cat named Angus and one of her friends had an older sister called Jas..) but had the addition of google searches/results and social media posts. I laughed every few pages, even at 30 I could still relate to some of the issues raised.

Her feelings about reading her mums back catalogues of Jilly Cooper at the age of 12 and on yoga videos really matched my own views …
‘This mornings yoga Video has a handy bit of meditation at the end. Frankly though I’m finding the yoga lady’s soothing voice is:
Making me angry
Filling me with hatred
Making me fear for my sanity’

The book also tackles the very real struggle that teenage girls face with anxiety which I thought was brilliant.

I really hope that this is made into a series as I would love to follow the girls as they grow!

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This was a very funny book. From the very start I found myself chuckling at the escapades of Kat and her two best friends Sam and Millie. I also loved the 'voice' of Kat - she is so astute and unique that she comes across loud and clear. I definitely would have wanted a friend like her in school!

What I loved about the book was that it brought up mental health and the issues young people face now - particularly anxieties which are aggravated or created through social media.
It felt a little too 'perfect' in that she had a supportive and open family and any issues she had with her friends seemed to resolve themselves much quicker than I felt was realistic (working in an all girls school myself means I see some serious grudges but Kat and her friends seem much more mature than maybe their ages suggest). I also think that more often than not teenagers would be far less open about their mental health struggles.
However, by portraying an open dynamic I think it models excellent behaviour and would encourage young readers to do the same.

Kat was definitely a confused feminist as she seemed to misunderstand that it is about equality but aligned it with notions such as not being able to think about a boy she liked as it made her a bad feminist. It was lovely to see her journey into a greater understanding not only of feminism but of herself.

I have already pre-ordered a copy for my school library.

Thanks to Hodder Children's and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

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*4.5 Stars*
This was a hilarious, refreshing, and relatable book that follows our main character Kat, who just wants to be a good feminist. Entering her GCSE year in school (important exams you take at 16 in the UK) Kat is feeling confident, she has her two best friends, supportive parents, plans for activism, and a love for writing. But as the year goes on, and her friends start getting boyfriends, and she's feeling left behind by family friends, and like she's just not clever or feminist enough, her life starts spiralling.
What I Liked:
-The writing. I don't think I've ever laughed out loud at a book, like ever. But I laughed out loud continuously throughout this book, without it feeling forced or unnatural. This was a genuinely relatable book, that never felt like it was an adult trying to write as a teenager, but just a teenagers thoughts and feelings.
-The subject matter. This book is aimed at girls from 15 to 16 and I think it hits the target market perfectly. But even at 20 I found this book to mirror my experiences and I could still connect with it. The trials and tribulations of being a teenage girl I think are pretty universal, and the ups and downs she has with her friends, family, school, and her self image were all extremely relatable. This also discusses anxiety, panic attacks, and depression which felt pretty accurate as someone who suffers with all of those. And I was thrilled that this book actually contained Kat going to therapy. The reason I gave this 4.5 Stars was because I did feel like some of the drama was petty and wasn't nearly as dramatic as it was made out to be, but I have had a very different life experience to Kat and most teenagers thanks to chronic illness, so I think that was more of a me thing than a fault of this book.
-The characters. Each character had such heart and soul in this book and they felt like completely real people. I loved Kats friends and her family as well as pretty much the whole supporting cast. I loved how supportive her family was and that her parents took her mental illness seriously. I also love how much her friends loved her and how much she loved her friends. It was so lovely to see the support Kat received and each character really jumped out from the page.
-The feminism. I think this book did a fantastic job at exploring the thoughts and feelings most people have when they start learning about feminism and become feminists. It's a total learning experience, and this book really conveyed that it's a process and no one does it perfectly. I think it will be really comforting to teenagers just entering the feminist space, and I loved everything Kate Weston had to say on feminism.
What I Didn't Like:
-Like I said, really the only thing I didn't like is at times it felt a bit too dramatic. But I had a very different high school and life experience, so I do think that it was almost certainly just a me thing. But it did take away a bit of the enjoyment for me because I did get a bit frustrated with it. I just have a very different perspective.
Overall, this is a must read book for literally anyone. I would highly recommend it to fans of Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging, either the movie or book series, because it definitely had that vibe and sense of humour. I would also recommend it to anyone looking for good mental health rep, or books that discuss feminism in a very accessible way. This was such a pleasant surprise and I hope everyone picks it up.

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I'm not usually a reader of YA texts but this one looked irresistible - I love a funny book and this one is written by a former stand up comedian. I was intrigued about the messages about feminism being given to teens too - I am way off being the target readership for this book but the topic and the humour appealed. Given the diary format, I was hoping for a female Adrian Mole for the new generation.

This is the diary of Kat, a 15 year old girl who is struggling with Year 11 at school. She wants to spread the feminist message, but worries that she isn't great at feminism as she thinks in distinctly unsisterly ways about the school bully and boyfriend-stealer, Trudy. Her two best friends both pair off with boyfriends, leaving Kat alone and depressed. As she struggles with her mental health, she learns a lot about herself, her place in the world and how she can really make a difference.

There's loads of great things about this book. The funny bits were really funny - I did laugh out loud a couple of times. The book also has lots of really positive messages for young women, especially about female solidarity, the value of support networks and the power of friendship. An interesting reading list of feminist texts emerges through Kat's own reading choices and there is also the promotion of a period poverty charity that Kat takes to heart. All good messages in my view. I also loved Kat's family - reading this as an older woman, I really hope that I'm walking the same fine line between supportive and loving and totally embarrassing to my own kids!

The book also deals unflinchingly with teenage mental health, something approached sensitively and in detail. For me, this was another positive message, although it did make the tone of the book slightly uneven - from the slapstick elements of the opening chapters to the depths of Kat's anxiety seemed a big swerve. I'm really pleased that it was included - anxiety affects lots of young women - but I was really there for the laughs. I hope the rest of Kate Weston's readers aren't as shallow as me!

Overall, this is a witty and engaging book that is packed full of positive messages for teen girls. I'll certainly be recommending it and will look for more books by this writer.

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A YA novel in the vein of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging updated to include the #wetoo movement, dealing with anxiety issues, being targeted by the popular gang at school and of course feminism.

I was impressed at the heart and humour of our heroine Kat as she navigates growing pains with wit and insight and insecurity. It made me chuckle a few times and wince at others. (Who wants to remember how painful secondary school could be?!)

The story does follow a few well trodden plot paths, but I was pleasantly surprised at the outcomes of many of Kat's situations. The nuggets of feminism history and activism are nicely dropped into the story in a much less heavy handed way than other books from this genre and I learned some stuff I didn't know too. I also really appreciate YA novels set in the UK. When I was growing up, I was reliant on the brilliant Judy Blume and Paula Danziger books when I was an adolescent and had to transpose my growing pains through a US filter. I recommend this for any young budding feminists in your life (that includes boys as well as girls!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Children's Group for providing an ebook copy of Diary of a Confused Feminist.

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Kat is a typical teenage girl, with typical teenage problems: she wants to be a good feminist, get together with ‘Hot Josh’ ace her coursework and not embarrass herself all the time. But being a true feminist is not as easy as she thought and when everything starts to become a bit too much to handle, she knows she needs to ask for help.

Diary of a Confused Feminist is an entertaining and positive look at the trials and tribulations of being a teenage girl in today’s world. Told through 15 year old Kat’s diary entries, this book covers everything from social media to mental health, penis admin to the menstrual cup, in a sensitive but light hearted way.

The story is fantastically written and combines laugh out loud funny moments with emotional and serious topics such as bullying and anxiety. I love the positive message it is giving to young girls - be yourself, no one is perfect and there is no right way to be a good feminist!

Kat’s character was well written, and accurately portrays how many young girls feel in this social media centric world; where the pressure to look, act and be a certain way is worse than ever before. Although there were moments where Kat was insightful and confident, there were also moments where she was awkward and immature. What I liked about this book was that it said it’s okay to be all these things, because she’s young and still learning who she is. Because of these pressures Kat begins to struggle with her mental health. Personally I think Kat’s anxiety was an accurate representation. It expressed the all-encompassing nature of mental illness. The way it makes you question everything and leaves you feeling useless or worthless will likely feel relatable to anyone who has suffered from something similar.

I think it also demonstrated that the pressure to be a “good” feminist is real but that sometimes it can be confusing knowing what that looks like as it changes all the time. It’s okay to want equal opportunities but to think a boy is hot. It’s okay to not end up with the boy and accept yourself for who you are. The key message in this book is that feminism means different things to different people and that’s alright.

I don’t have a teenage girl but if I did I’d be telling her to read this book. Funny, insightful and honest.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Diary of a Confused Feminist is available from 6th February.

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher (Hachette Children’s Group) for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly

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