Wild East

A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth...Ashley has that rare ability to draw you in quietly and leave you feeling totally invested. I’m certain that if I had this when I was younger it would have changed my life, genuinely

Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer

A cocktail of prose, poetry and creative writing that welcomes all types of readers...Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece

DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry

An astonishing and emotional story...an amazing tale of self-reflection, acceptance, and achieving your greatest aspirations

screenrant.com

This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction

Waterstones.com

Compelling coming-of-age story inspired by the author’s own experiences

The Bookseller

A positive, uplifting tale that will inspire future word-smiths and those who dare to dream of better things to come

schoolreadinglist.co.uk

A brilliant verse novel for fans of Jason Reynolds

mrbsemporium.com

This book is really a love letter to words and writing, designed to help young people find their own voices as they watch Ronny embrace his

Nikki Gamble, Just Imagine

A love letter to poetry and rap lyrics. Celebrating diversity and identity, its verses are influenced by the creativity of Dean Atta, Manjeet Mann and South African writer Katherine Kilalea. Hickson-Lovence uses his personal experiences as the backbone of his narrative… Wild East empowers young adults to discover their own voices and to enjoy their creative abilities

Books for Keeps

I loved the way you name checked other writers and the power of their words...Most of all, I loved Ronny. I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness

Patrice Lawrence, author of Orangeboy

A book meant to be heard...It's the fresh, "spoken word" style that makes Ronny's story special

The Times

Loved this book. Raw, moving, and so accessible. A powerful spoken-word style verse novel

Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary

If you've never tried a verse novel, this could be one for you as it cleverly links rap, slam poetry and verse together...an ideal read for short attention spans or anyone who loves a fast read.

Children's Books Ireland

For reluctant readers in need of a gentle route towards poetry...heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way

The Sunday Times