Okay I am apparently blind because I did not realise this was a Pride and Prejudice retelling until I started reading other people’s reviews - but I cOkay I am apparently blind because I did not realise this was a Pride and Prejudice retelling until I started reading other people’s reviews - but I can totally see it now! And honestly this was a fantastic retelling, the author did it very cleverly. This book was just so uplifting - it’s sapphic enemies to lovers, it’s fast paced and easy to read, brilliantly British. There’s absolutely fantastic representation of ADHD in this book, that was very believable and carefully, thoughtfully written. This is a snarky, sarcastic, messy book, and Eloise the main character was at times a little bit hard to like, but I had such a great time. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author. This is another YA book that I think should be in every secondary school, not only for the ADHD representation, but also for the fantastic discussions of teenage friendships and discovering your sexuality. The romance is so sweet, it’s so wonderful to be on the outside of Eloise’s head and to KNOW why Isabel is avoiding her and flushing every time they talk while Eloise is completely oblivious - just adorable. I didn’t love the amount of miscommunication, and some of the dialogue felt a bit stilted at times, but this author is definitely one I can’t wait to read more from....more
This explores such a difficult topic, of teenage pregnancy in a country where abortion is illegal, and it was honestly scary to explore. I loved that This explores such a difficult topic, of teenage pregnancy in a country where abortion is illegal, and it was honestly scary to explore. I loved that we got both of Mel and Sid’s POVs - it was a very poignant, and bittersweet, and intense novel. This book showcases how different pregnancy is for a mother versus a father, particularly in teenage relationships, and the difficulties a woman goes through when making decisions about her own body. It’s written very respectfully, and clearly the author has done her research and taken care when having these conversations. There’s a lot of character development that I really enjoyed, and I can definitely see the author’s future potential too. I think this is a very important book, and one that should be in every secondary school library....more
This is incredibly beautiful - what a love story! Shane and Eva had insane chemistry and I just felt so much emotion whenever they were on page togethThis is incredibly beautiful - what a love story! Shane and Eva had insane chemistry and I just felt so much emotion whenever they were on page together? They come together fifteen years after first meeting, and they’re both in a much better place and it just goes to show how a person can truly be “right person, wrong time”, and I was just rooting for them the whole time. Both characters go through so much growth, even in just the seven days in present day, let alone the fifteen years that this book spans. This was full of emotion and hope and heartbreak and I loved it so so much.
The only reason this isn’t quite a 5 star read for me, was the character of Audre - she kept breaking me out of being immersed in the world, because I had to keep checking what age she was. Why was this 12-year-old acting 17 years old? It was just really jarring to me, because yeah you can have wise kids etc etc, but that is not how a 12-year-old behaves, I’m sorry :((
Other than that, absolutely gorgeous, stunning, I’m constantly thinking about it <3 ...more
Wes and Ada were literally perfect together and you cannot convince me otherwise. The way he knew exactly how she’d rWes Ryder, King of Communication!
Wes and Ada were literally perfect together and you cannot convince me otherwise. The way he knew exactly how she’d react to things and was patient and waited for her and knew how to talk her down from running away from her feelings - chef’s kiss. I just love all the characters too - I’m fully invested in this group of characters, from the dad Amos to the little niece, they’re all just adorable and I love them. I also really enjoyed the discussion of depression in here with Wes, I thought it was very carefully handled and an accurate representation. I do think that with another 30 pages or so, we could have unpacked the situation with Ada’s ex-husband more, it felt quite unfinished in that area. But other than that, I really enjoyed it! ...more
This was exceptionally cute and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I was going to. I just loved the chemistry between Emmy and Luke SO much, like thThis was exceptionally cute and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I was going to. I just loved the chemistry between Emmy and Luke SO much, like they really were made for each other and I adored it - like him helping her learn to ride again after her accident??? So cute. And no third-act breakup!!!! That’s what we love to see!!!! Considering this is the author’s debut, I thought the characters were written really well and I’m excited to see where the series goes, and I really liked how Luke and Emmy’s relationship felt pretty realistic - admittedly, there was a bit of insta-love, which as we all know I do not enjoy, but I liked how they transitioned from hate-to-love to friends-to-lovers to just adoring each other. It was really good!...more
Thank you forever and ever to Walker Books YA for my ARC, I am eternally grateful!
A world where I don't give 5 stars to a Jandy Nelson book is not a wThank you forever and ever to Walker Books YA for my ARC, I am eternally grateful!
A world where I don't give 5 stars to a Jandy Nelson book is not a world that I want it to live in - and luckily, this was another 5 star read from her! I've been waiting god knows how long to read a new Jandy Nelson book, so best believe when I got the ARC of this I jumped at the chance to read it (like if you had told 12-year-old me that I would get the chance to read a new Jandy Nelson book EARLY?! I'd have literally lost my mind). There is just something so magical and beautiful about her writing. I can already tell, just like with her previous two books, that this is one that I will reread time and time and time again, just to take in the gorgeous sentences she weaves together. This is so heartfelt, so soul-wrenching, so joyful and devastating at the same time.
I fell for each and every character in this book - Dizzy, Miles, Wynton, Cassidy, the mum, the dog, the ancestors, every single person, I adored and wanted to wrap up in a hug. While the pacing is slow, it allows you to devour every single word and feeling that the author evokes, and I flew through it - in fact I wish it had been longer, I truly did not want it to end. I loved discovering the history of the Fall family alongside them, through fairytale-like recounts and flashbacks and betrayals. I cried, I laughed, I breathed this story.
I truly cannot wait for this book to come out and get all the recognition it deserves. Jandy Nelson I am begging you, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not make me wait another 10 years for your next book, I literally need five per year.
"When the world tips over, joy spills out with all the sorrow."...more
Very pleased to say that after just one book, I am officially an Abby Jimenez girlie!
This was so cute and warm and sweet and I just want to DIE thinkiVery pleased to say that after just one book, I am officially an Abby Jimenez girlie!
This was so cute and warm and sweet and I just want to DIE thinking about Justin and Emma, I love them so so much! Like I literally feel like I was on drugs while reading this because I am addicted to it, it was so freaking GOOD. It made me laugh, it made me cry, I just felt every emotion, and that is what I WANT from a good romance book, so this delivered perfectly. Justin was THE book boyfriend, and there's this one paragraph in particular towards the end of the book that really sealed the deal for me with him, I can't stop thinking about it. This book is the literal definition of "If he wanted to he would", and my standards are irreparably high now.
This was my first Abby Jimenez book, and I really loved how shocked I was by the events that unfolded in this book, whereas I think that if you're someone who has read some of her books before, you'll have a different experience in terms of just waiting for the characters to find out what you already know, so I really love how the author has managed to create these two vastly different experiences for her readers with this book, both of which are fantastic. I can't wait to go back and read more of her work, I'm so so sooooo excited!!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
I was unsure about this book for Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
I was unsure about this book for the first 25% - I was struggling to stay invested in the story and it felt a bit stiff at times; I worried that I was going to be one of those rare people who don't hype up Rachel Lynn Solomon's work! But after the 25% mark, I was IN. The chemistry between Chandler and Finn kicked off, Finn was the PERFECT book boyfriend, the communication and respect was out of this world - I loved it. It was also so funny, and yet at the same time could touch on serious notes with topics such as OCD, abortion, and generalised anxiety disorder. There was also Jewish representation, which I felt was done well (although I am not Jewish myself so please refer to Jewish OwnVoices reviewers!).
This romance felt really unique, and I loved the discussion on careers as well, and how sometimes you can be working a job that just drains you and isn't your dream - and whether you should change your career in your thirties. I loved the nerdiness involved as well, with Lord of the Rings and ComicCons abounding throughout the novel!
This has made me really excited to read Rachel Lynn Solomon's past romances, and I would highly recommend reading this!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
Oh man, I really did not want thiThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
Oh man, I really did not want this series to come to an end! The main theme of this book was friendship and healing, and just as with the themes the first two books embodied, it was handled beautifully. Wendell was a much more central character to this book compared to his more subdued role in the second installment, and I loved to see that because he is definitely my favourite character in this series. We find out why Wendell died in this installment and it was really beautiful to see him understand what happened to him and come to terms with his death. The artwork was of course gorgeous, with a really lovely colour palette, and I loved how the colour palette switched from cold colours in present day, to warm colours when we were seeing flashbacks to Wendell's life. This graphic novel series is really fantastic, and I hope to see much more from Brenna Thummler in the future!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love an end-of-the-world type o3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love an end-of-the-world type of story, and I loved how this book focused on the present day leading up to the impact of an asteroid, and the past, flashing back to important moments in the main character's life. There were a lot of complicated family dynamics going on here, and heavy discussion of topics such as mental health, particularly suicidal ideation and depression, both of which I thought were portrayed really well. I really loved how the relationships Avery had with her parents, with her brother and his family, with the friends she made and with the girl she loves, all strengthened and developed despite the chaos and horror of knowing what's to come.
I do think that there were definitely aspects of the story that needed further development - a lot of the time, it felt as though plot twists and characters were being thrown in there without any real buildup to them, and completely unnecessarily. It felt quite chaotic, which I guess fits the vibes, but doesn't work for any emotional impact. I also felt like the love interest was pretty unlikeable to me - she was very self-centred, even in scenes when Avery was trying to comfort others or save others, it seemed to be all about how the love interest was feeling....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is by no means an easy read, althoughThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is by no means an easy read, although the author does have a really lovely writing style that is easy TO read - if that makes any sense. I've loved the author's other books so I knew I really wanted to pick this up and I'm so glad I did - this was such a raw depiction of grief, and it was very powerful.
"Sad is a small word to carry so much pain."
In this book we follow Emmy, whose sister has just died by suicide. I thought the author handled this really sensitive topic very gently and with care, which was lovely. There's of course a lot of confusion and heartbreak and anger for Emmy, and the book follows the impact of this death on Emmy and her family, as well as the world given that her sister was a celebrity. The book also deals with the impact of social media upon a person, which is of course very prevalent in today's society.
One part of this book that I really loved was the multimedia format. Throughout the book there are inclusions of tweets and articles showing what is happening in the outside world. I also really enjoyed how at the start of the book, in the very raw first days of grief, there are maybe one or two sentences per page, but by the end of the book, the chapters are formatted far more standardly, showing, I think, how Emmy slowly starts to move forward....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I haven't yet read this author's first booThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I haven't yet read this author's first book Every Summer After, but now I am DESPERATE to read it. Meet Me at the Lake was SO GOOD. I loved how we flipped back and forth between ten years ago, when Will and Fern first meet, and present day, where they meet again after the death of Fern's mother. It was really poignant and hopeful, and I love a good second chance romance so much.
A massive part of the story is Fern's relationship with her mother. Coming to terms with her death, after they'd had a tumultuous relationship throughout Fern's life, was really hard to read but also really beautiful. Of course, the romance is also incredible - I adored the love interest Will, and the vulnerability that he and Fern displayed together. This truly was a second chance romance done right, with longing and heartbreak and hope and spark. The timing wasn't right for these two ten years ago, but seeing them rediscover each other in the present day was really gorgeous.
This is like a perfect summer read - easy, nostalgic, sweet, and also emotional. I'm now really excited to read the author's debut, and see what all the hype was about there!...more
Wow, Jennette McCurdy is so so talented - her words are incredibly powerful. The strength and courage she must have to write about her experiences andWow, Jennette McCurdy is so so talented - her words are incredibly powerful. The strength and courage she must have to write about her experiences and share them with the world - unreal. I enjoyed how fast-paced this book was - while it was easy to read, some of the points made still hit very hard, and you could see how she wrote from the perspective of the age she was at the time of the events - innocence and naivety were coming through in situations where you just felt for her because of what her mother was putting through. I do think that some events were skipped over that could have added to the book - for example, the audition for iCarly, because we see her book the role and all of a sudden it’s three years into filming - but I appreciate that this biography isn’t focused so much on iCarly and is way more focused on how Jennette grew up under the eye of her mother. This was an incredibly difficult read with many triggers - eating disorders, mental abuse, emotional abuse, cancer, and more - but I truly hope that everyone reads this book if they can, because I think it is incredibly impactful, and I will be thinking about this book for years to come....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Oh my god this was SO GOOD! SO, SO GOOD! TThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Oh my god this was SO GOOD! SO, SO GOOD! This is so impressive for a debut novel, like can you imagine how amazing this author's fifth or tenth book is going to be, if her debut is this good??
It's a very emotional story tackling a lot of difficult topics such as racism, homophobia, religion, and suicidal ideation, but everything was handled so gently and with such care, you can really tell how much the author loves her characters and that just makes you love them as well, especially our main character Yamilet. Family dynamics play a huge role for every character in this book, and some of these family dynamics were absolutely beautiful to read about. There are wonderfully realistic sibling dynamics, not to mention the really lovely way that Yamilet's relationship with her mum grows and develops throughout the novel.
YA needs to be more like this and I'm so glad that this book is out in the world. I would highly recommend reading this, it was so fantastic!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Picture this: I'm sat on a 5 hour long traThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Picture this: I'm sat on a 5 hour long train journey, reading this whole book in one sitting, having to stop at multiple points and physically force myself not to burst into tears in front of all the other passengers. This had me SO emotional - the PR package I was sent included tissues with this book, and boy were they needed! It was literally gutpunching at times (especially the scenes between Evan and his mum).
This does take a bit of work to get into - the prose is very poetic and dreamy, and I did find myself in the first few pages unsure of whether I would actually like this or not (I already had pretty high expectations from the stunning cover alone!). However, once I was in, I was fully in - I loved these characters, I loved the concept, the notion of meeting again and again in different lifetimes and being drawn to certain souls. It was honestly just so beautiful, and completely full of hope too.
I wish it had been longer so I could have spent more time with these characters. Admittedly, I did prefer Evan's POV to that of Shosh, but I think that's more of a personal preference based on what they were going through/finding Shosh's alcoholism to be quite uncomfortable to read personally. I also just adored Evan's little brother Will and his obsession with E.T. - he has my whole heart.
This won't be the book for everyone, and I can understand why, but for me I absolutely loved it and desperately need to read more from this author now....more
I truly don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this before, and I have no idea how I feel about that! There’s not a whole lot of plot but there I truly don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this before, and I have no idea how I feel about that! There’s not a whole lot of plot but there is a whole lot of character, and while I don’t know if I can say that I necessarily LIKED the characters, I did feel a lot of emotion around them, and I wasn’t expecting to feel that, and I did come to care for them if not like them. The friendships within this book are painfully messy but that makes them feel very realistic, especially in the scope of fame that these three friends go through right at the start of their friendship.
The writing was impeccable; it was truly so well crafted, you could tell that this book had been cared for and loved, and that was really special. The ending was, after what happened two thirds of the way through (IYKYK), a bit anticlimactic, but I understand that that is probably the point - life is anticlimactic.
I’m not much of a gamer but my boyfriend is, and seeing some of his favourite games (hello, Persona!) scattered throughout this book was really fun. It felt like little Easter Eggs for me that I could chat to him about which was cool for someone who has only ever really played The Sims.
I think the whole point of the book is that life is complicated, it doesn’t go where you expect no matter how hard you try to force it - you can’t program life, sadly. It's not one of my favourite books I've ever read, but I will be thinking about it for a long time....more
Oh my goodness. This is a book I will think about for a long, long time. It was incredible: fascinating, powerful, moving, and mysterious. I was compleOh my goodness. This is a book I will think about for a long, long time. It was incredible: fascinating, powerful, moving, and mysterious. I was completely immersed in this world; Ava Reid did the most incredible job with worldbuilding, and I need like 10 more books set in this world immediately. This was so eerie and atmospheric, I kept feeling like I would look up from the book and find myself on those clifftops at Hiraeth.
There was so much emotion put into this book. Stories and women are at the forefront of this novel, despite the dark academia/paranormal/horror elements; the way that women are so often quietened, stolen from, held responsible for men’s actions - it is all the foundation of this story, and I thought Ava Reid tackled it beautifully. There were a lot of moments where I had a lump in my throat, where I felt so much for Effy and what she went through.
Effy and Preston also have my whole heart. They were fantastic main characters, both genuine and real, and I wanted to protect the both of them. The way they come to care for each other is beautiful, and as a reader, you slowly fall in love with them at the same time.
This book just completely swept me off my feet. Breathtaking. I want to read it for the first time again already. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really ought to have read A Cub3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really ought to have read A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow before reading this; I think this story would have had more of an emotional impact upon me had I known more of Flora's backstory. I do think that the depiction of grief within this story is well done, and while Flora could be quite a frustrating character, as she was very self-absorbed, I think this can be forgiven considering what she's been through. Girls are allowed to be angry as well and I liked how the author showed this, and showed Flora's character development as she slowly moves forward in her life.
Love triangles aren't my favourite trope, and while this one wasn't done badly by any means, I still don't think it was necessary. It was obvious from the beginning who Flora was going to end up with, and I don't understand why that wasn't carried out to its full potential and the other love interest could have just been a friend? I also think that given the nature of what Flora's going through with her grief, figuring out her feelings for two different people at the same time meant that you couldn't be fully invested in either.
Overall, an enjoyable read, but I would definitely recommend reading A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow first!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love Ashley Herring Blake's romances so Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love Ashley Herring Blake's romances so much and this one was no exception! Iris is a fantastic main character and it was so great to get to know her better underneath all of her swagger that you saw in the first two books. Stevie as a character was admittedly not my favourite, BUT the anxiety representation was really wonderful and I did like her character development as the book went on.
I think my biggest issue with this book, is that Iris has been judged her whole life for not wanting to date, not wanting marriage or babies, just wanting to hook up, and she is judged throughout this book for that as well - and yet her story arc is to realise that everyone around her was right and she was wrong? I also wished that Stevie and Iris would just TALK to each other at times.
However this was a great addition to the series, and that end scene made me SO emotional, it was so full circle. It was so great to see Claire and Delilah and Astrid as side characters and their love for Iris (even if at times misplaced) did shine through the pages. I also did really like the grand gesture, which Ashley Herring Blake writes amazingly, it was so wholesome and summed up Iris and Stevie perfectly. And the Shakespearean play added a different level of drama and pining that I loved!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Andrew Joseph White is such a hidden gem aThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Andrew Joseph White is such a hidden gem and I desperately need more people to read his books so I can talk to them about them!!
Just like the author's debut, this book was raw and violent and honest and I just love how the author's voice shines through in his writing. Of course, be aware that with this book (and the author's debut), there are a multitude of trigger warnings, not only for the horror elements but also for deadnaming, misgendering, transphobia, ableism and sexual assault.
I really loved the use of a Victorian era backdrop to this story; it of course added to the gothic atmosphere, with the beginning of modern medicine alluding to the medical horror that will occur within this book (including a graphic, non-medicated, at-home C-section). Despite the gore, which is something I always have to brace myself for with this author's writing because there is no holding back, there are so many emotions that you go through with these characters; rage, despair and love, and it is just so heartwrenching. I wanted to gather the characters up and give them all a massive hug and protect them from this world, and I love it when an author can make me care about their characters like that.
Andrew Joseph White is absolutely an auto-buy/auto-read author for me; although I have to get past the body horror, I just love the writing and the emotions you go through with these books and I can't wait to see what comes next for this author!...more
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