Trouble by Non Pratt

Fifteen year old Hannah has gotten herself into a terrible situation. Not only is she underage to legally have sex, she finds herself pregnant and by a boy who should be unobtainable to her. She confides in her gran about the situation who is super supportive even as Hannah's cool crowd abandons her including best mate Katie whom was her main drinking buddy.

Hannah then meets Aaron, the new boy with a dark secret about his past whom is the son of the school's new teacher. She makes a great friend in Aaron who voluntarily offers himself as a stand in father for her unborn baby and supports Hannah through the rubbish she gets at school, as she breaks the news to her family about just whom the real father is and becomes her best friend and maybe more...

This book is great for breaking many barriers about underage pregnancy, sex with the wrong person and death and it's many after effects. This books was very honest about the struggles of friendship issues and fake friendships too with the way that Katie turns against Hannah, joins the popular crowd who then turn against her like she did to Hannah, showing karma gets you in the end as often said!

I really loved this book and it's lived up to it's title about there being trouble!

Girl In Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Known for being the silent girl in treatment, as she suffers with selective mutism. Charlie Davis is a self harmer who has been through a lot.

We see snippets of her life whilst she tries to heal from her self harm addiction whilst in hospital. Upon being released, we see her mum give up on looking after her and so she goes to move to where here best friend Mikey lives.

She struggles a lot throughout the book and as we learn deeper into the background with her parents and her running away from home and living on the streets it becomes clear how much it has messed up her views as she disassociates a lot during tough times and even at one point tries to self harm again when things don't go as she planned them to.

Her job she gets at True Grit a sort of coffee house and restaurant, doesn't pay to great but she does get closer to older man and rocker style guy Riley whom is a heavy drunk and drug addict.

The book focuses on how she copes with life despite all the bad, the storylines of suicide, addiction and death only make the emotional journey in this more realistic and necessary to modern day as many turn to self harm to cope with problems instead of choosing to speak out about them instead.

The inconceivable life of Quinn by Marianna Baer

When sixteen year old Quinn finds herself astonishingly a pregnant virgin, it shakes up her family's world.
Her father a candidate for congress and so the limelight becomes heavier surrounding the family throughout her pregnancy.

Her boyfriend, Jesse and her friends all stand by her and support her through the media onslaught and people insisting she's the 'new Mary' from the Bible.

The book also deals with the situation of believing you have experienced trauma for example rape very well. Quinn goes through a period of time trying to dig up memories which she can't complete, a classic sign of trauma normally.

However, this book has an underlying myth/fable fantasy storyline interwoven. Quinn's Grandma who is now dead, previously believed in 'The Deeps' as does Quinn but her father believes his mother was seriously depressed and made it up.

It was certainly a very different story to any other and in no way a straightforward storyline. But that's what made it more interesting, it wasn't predicable and caused me to go down many roots of thinking to try and figure out who could've got Quinn pregnant and the ending sure made it all come together perfectly!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson & Helen Oxenbury

This lovely book is the latest children's book from author of the famous Gruffalo children's book and illustrator of famous children's book from my younger days, We're Going On A Bear Hunt. Quite a team!

The story is short and beautifully crafted with simple language for children but enough mystery at who the Giant Jumperee is to keep them wanting you to read on!

The drawings are gorgeous and simply show the best work of Helen's talents encouraging children to ask and learn about the animals involved in the story.

As a huge animal fan myself, owning a rabbit, having a frog who lives in our garden, cat's roaming in our street and a love of elephants, personally the drawings were great for me too as the characters are a mix of them plus a bear!

I'm sure any child who loves animals will fall in love with this book and remember it fondly for years too come.

This book was sent to me for review from the publishers and I'm so happy and sure any young child would love this book!

Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Set within a Christian camp get together, Lori and Aki set each other the task of having a summer fling.

However, love is never easy and Christian Aki has a big secret to hide about her sexuality, she's bisexual and out to no one. Yet when she meets Christa, her world changes into secret get together and sneaking around, even though a photo circulates briefly of her and Christa and the pressures of keeping their connection secret threatens to be exposed.

Aki and Lori also have a difference of views and do fall out once but make it up after Lori admits what she did was wrong about her and a camp councillor, who's married too and shows the friendship bond in all it's strength and glory.

We learn how much issues matter to Christian groups as well as we see a very serious debate take place about relevant topics to today's society and how they try to do their bit to help make a change in the world to be more accepting and tolerable.

One of the best things about this book is the way it portrays coming out for the first time and having gay sex, an issue not talked about in any teen book I've read before and it's eye opening to see the way it's talked about openly which is a much positive thing to accepting others and involving everyone in being educated to create more understanding. I loved this book and believe the frankness and openness of the language is key and engaging, an essential read of the LGBTQIA fiction for teens out there!

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

Set in a diary format, we see into the life of her as she moves home from the set day to day life and finds herself on a downward spiral very rapidly.

After going to a party and being given a drink spiked with drugs the effects influence her to love the thrill and atmosphere which spur her on to leave home and live with her friend as they try to find the next fix day to day. They look out for each other until they decide to go home and get back to normal if they can.

However upon returning to school she faces the drug users turning on her as she becomes a quiet studious girl again breaking away from the drug crowd and choosing to hang out with her boyfriend in the library instead despite all the bulling she's facing from the drug users.

After losing her grandparents merely weeks apart, she winds up in a mental institute against her wishes after she was drugged unknowingly and the police take statements from the drug crowd at her school who convince the police she was pushing drugs onto them.

After getting out, life looks up as her boyfriend returns. Yet apparently as the diary ends, we learn the subject of the book died only three weeks after stopping keeping a diary.

This book shows the dangers of drugs firsthand and the pressure peer's can put on each other creating a stressful environment which may have attributed to her final drug use if it was self inflicted.

Secrets Of A Happy Marriage by Cathy Kelly

Bess Brannigan has recently become step mother to a family including Jojo, Bess's new step daughter whom is struggling to adapt into this new family. Bess just wants to get along with them all but she also craves her own child too despite having her daughter Amy from her first marriage. She is also stepmum to Paul whom has a family in another country.

Meanwhile there is also the cousins, Cari, Maggie and Trina. 
Ceri is a fierce careers woman in editing and could probably intimidate a lion the attitude she has and air about her!
However her ex fiancé Barney is on the the wedding list and she obviously can't forget the fact that he abandoned her at the alter on what should've been the happiest day of their lives! 

The book has many running themes such as the conception, lesbian, relationships, friendships and trust issues which I'm sure we can all individually relate to.

Hidden secrets, fights and trust gone awry with twists and turns ahead some predictable possibly but not overly obvious it's sure to keep you reading till the end!
Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

This Careless Life by Rachel McIntyre

After finishing her A levels, going to prom and stressing over the infamous, 'him' of her story, she is visited by Cass, whom is a TV producer, calling on Liv and her friends, Declan, Hetty and Jez to take part in a new TV show, This Careless Life.

Liv applied to take part after spotting an advert online when she was uploading her latest YouTube tutorial. She comes from a very rich family whom own vast amounts of land and many racehorses.

She didn't know however, her biggest secret was about to be exposed, a picture of a dead girl surrounded by paracetamol packets.

But this starts off a trail, all linked to the four auditioning and linked together they unravel a mystery surrounding this audition.

This book is like a modern inspector call's with added social media influence to expose events. It was a great, intriguing mystery which made it a page turner and gripping!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Reckoning Daze by Michael Beaulieu

Lindsey is a nineteen year old struggling actress. After the series she is starring in is cut short, she finds herself unsure of what's to come next for her.

Lindsey battles with anorexia, also with a diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder and heavy drug abuse, she talks a lot about her mother whom passed away and competing against her in terms of weight as she used to make Lindsey think she was fat by name calling her.

After a night out with her friends, they find one of their friends dead, unable to revive them. So just what happened?

Well, it's a shocking ending and shows how you can never fully know those who grow closest to you as secrets come to light between Lindsey and new love, Mark.

Lindsey is extremely self destructive in her behaviour towards herself as those closest to her pass away, her boyfriend included as Jesse committed suicide, she feels guilty and responsible so turns to self harm, drugs and anorexia to keep control as much as she can.

Its a very crazy book, I suggest you're late teens at least to read this to handle the issues raised. I found it good but a bit too much in parts. It does however show how sick the world can be.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Love Me Not by M. J. Arlidge

Set in Southampton, nine months after being in prison, DI Helen Grace is back out there fighting crime. Emilia our junior crime reporter disgraced from previous actions, is looking to turn her career around.

Sonia is a polish mum and wife apprehended on her way to work as a probation officer by a couple on the road whom shoot her dead in the chest and leave her to be found by Helen.
She is the first victim of many within the twenty four hours.
Alan Samson was a  respected pharmaceutical for his family business for over thirty years then found brutally murdered whilst there's a woman and her baby trapped in his shop too.
He's the second victim of brutal murder, whilst the woman provides crucial information for DI Helen.

A story of two criminals, two lovers, who've faced too much wrong done to them to let things lie. They have hearts of stone with cold grudges towards the victims and towards each other...

A dramatic, thrilling, shocking story of how much love can get you so far but how much more hate can cause trouble and change lives forever.

Another fantastic installment to the series I've loved so far!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Wing is a teen whom is very different to others and not just because of her name. Not only is she mixed race being Chinese and Ghanian she is a fifteen year old with a huge passion about to reveal itself showing her a new world she never new existed.

When her older brother Marcus gets into a severe accident, Wing and her family are torn up inside with grief over what's happening. They wing up in tons of debt and eventually risk losing their house. Even one of Wing's grandma's gets a job despite her age and complaints.

Wing however, deals with her grief by magical realism and running. A dragon and lioness spur Wing on to challenge herself when she runs as she wants to be fast and powerful, strong enough to do good for her brother and what he's done as the family face a lot of hate for his action's cause's.

When out running, Aaron who is Marcus's best friend can't believe the talent Wing naturally has and has been hiding from everyone and urges her to join the running team which she does and through the team she makes great friends and falls in love.

She also is spurred on by Aaron and her new running club friends to try out for a Riveo, the specialist running trainer brand, to be their new campaign face. Of which their is a money prize as well which could save her family from losing everything.

Wing is such a rare treat of a character being mixed race which we rarely hear about in a lot of young adult novels. The dedication to running and passion is inspiring and proves dreams can all come true even when you don't know them yet. Love can come at random times deapite endless wishes for it and the book also opens up to us and motivated me at least to run even though I like to when I can anyway!

A Quiet Kind Of Thunder by Sara Barnard

Stefanie, or Steffi is a girl whom suffers with anxiety, introversion and selective mutism in her first year of sixth form. We know she likes to read and keep to herself from the start and is seen as invisible by other pupils until she is paired up with new student Rhys, who is deaf but Steffi and Rhys can communicate by sign language and feel comfortable in each other's company unlike the the other student's who haven't been able to really connect with Steffi at all apart from Tem.

Steffi's best friend September or Tem, who is a passionate runner and has grown up like a sister to Steffi as their lives have been interwoven by Steffi's mum helping Tem's family live safely from a refugee crisis center.

Over the course of the novel, we see the challenges sufferers of both conditions face day to day. We also see parental concern over Steffi wanting to go to university to study whilst her mum worries she won't talk to anyone and end up in a more anxious state. There is also the fact that her step brother died and he went off to university meaning he didn't see much of them at times and her dad and Lucy, his new wife missed out on some extra time with him.

The novel was super cute but also very realistic to teenage dating whether it be between Tem and Karam being one sensible, set on a path of dedicated education and one up for a party whilst pondering their future career still. Or, the situation between Steffi and Rhys, especially when want to prove to their families they can go away together on holiday safely which causes lots of concern's and conflict.

Overall, I think Steffi and Rhys are great! They gel throughout everything they go through even the few disagreements can't break these two but they do need to learn they're not burdens to each other as they each believe! We see how they both actually save each other towards the final part of the book and it was done heart stoppingly well, prepare yourselves!

Paperweight by Meg Haston

Stevie is our main character in this book, her brother Josh has passed away and now her dad has sent her to a retreat clinic for eating disorders. The distinct first feel is she's having a tough time coming to terms with events and has been drunk too much to cope with her feelings previously as well as impulsively cutting her hair in to an uneven crop thanks to her friend and sort of girlfriend of sorts, Eden.

We follow her on her journey to the retreat where she stays with twenty girls in total admission, four to a cottage each. She meets her therapist who is coincidentally called Anna when Stevie is suffering with what she believes is anorexia, then later her diagnosis is bulimia nervosa. In memory flashbacks, her mum seems to have controlled the household's food choices and is a perfectionist. She has abandoned Stevie and her dad to go live in Paris with her new boyfriend.

She has plans for twenty seven days time from her supposed, sixty day admission as it's the one year anniversary since she believes she killed her brother, Eden was there the night he died but not at the scene of death, she did however cause a scene just before.

Now though, Stevie plans to commit suicide and join her brother as she feels guilty living.

This book dealt with really strong issues, death, suicide, eating disorders, abuse, manipulative behaviour, love and LGBT related issues around that. It was well crafted but I do feel in part, for readers who are sensitive to eating disorder talk and about foods and food types etc, do not read it or be mindful reading it. It again proves how true to eating disorder talk it is though and really shines light on the situations eating disorder sufferer's go through.

I really did enjoy this book and it's already one of my top for the year so far!

Definitions Of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor

A chemist's is never usually exciting, but these two characters spark up talking to each other after both realising they have similar medications, for clinical depression.

Reggie, real name Regina, lives with her religious mum and her dad who goes with what her mum says. Her mum doesn't seem to understand fully the concept of Reggie's depression which we learn is down to two close people in her life leaving her.

Snake, a young guy who's so relaxed about every situation normally isn't now in the best situation at all. He's just met Reggie and yet his ex girlfriend Clara and school queen bee is seven months pregnant with his baby and yet it was down to a drunken accident and not a loving relationship unlike he feels for Reggie.

I loved the way that Reggie and Snake interacted by using teasing insults towards each other and because they both have an alternative style and different family make up's. I liked the fact that having two mum's was brought up as so far this is their first book I have read with this particular part of the storyline. I also appreciated that in this teen pregnancy story, the teens aren't breaking down or arguing but are accepting of the situation they have been dealt with. It was a refreshing and yet humorous read which made me want to keep on reading.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

Forbidden Dance by Deanna Roy

Livia and Benjamin have an instant connection.

Livia grew up shadowed by her father, being homeschooled and begging to dance ballet, now she's a teacher of ballet at Dreamcatcher dance school teaching young disabled children.
We also get a shock early on I won't spoil but at nineteen she has a lot of responsibility. Her best friend is Mindy, who is sixteen and an approved friend by her parents.

Blitz Craven was host of dance reality show, Dance Blitz. It had very racy performances and was alike TV show the bachelor. He's twenty six to Livia's nineteen and right from when they meet, there's heavy chemistry between them.

Livia and Blitz meet up a lot in the store room at the dance studio, a dark room they can hide away in together. Please be aware that this book does contain mature content and therefore read only if you're older than eighteen as it is a new adult fiction not young adult fiction.

I personally love the story of her being from a conservative family but we see she grows more daring throughout the book, showing that love wins over all obstacles despite Blitz returning to LA, he comes back to her and all I can say is I'm so hooked.

This book is part of a series and yes, I've added it to my kindle to buy wish list!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review the first book in what is set to be a daring, adventurous series.

Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl

The Royce's are a famous family, name and wealth = status and fame.

Currently:
Bentley Royce is presumed dead alongside her future brother in law after reports of their car going off the edge of a high cliff edge.

Flashback:
The Royce family are alike to our real life Kardashians.
Outrageous and all named after cars, Mercedes, Porsche, Bentley etc they juat scream watch me as they attend glitzy events and selfie to their hearts content.

Bentley is now used to the limelight, growing up alongside her family under its constant glow despite being shy and quiet when she was younger.

Now, the show is under threat of cancellation and Bentley can't help but think so what? She hides at Hollywood parties still and whilst doing so meets Asa, with whom she has a lot of common interests as they get talking and he doesn't know who she actually is. This fuels her dream of going to college still.

Her crazy mum Mercedes then on camera adopts a duck of all things! Porche's lippie's line isn't selling well and so the family need to rethink how they can rescue themselves put of debt and their show from being cut.

So, Bentley takes matters into her own hands, appearing at every club, store opening etc. Meanwhile, her brother, Bach, is gambling too much and her sister has got engaged to a wannabe rap star, Whitey. As the drama unfolds, Porches dangerous driving alerts all the family and she and Mercedes argue and clash a lot over the impending wedding, an engagement with a laugh out loud moment and Bentley finding out a huge secret about Whitey which see's her team up with her brother to try and stop the wedding!

Also from the beginning flashback, are they alive or are the reports true and not just over eager press lying about the truth?!

Drama filled and sure to leave you wanting more, Margaret Stohl has written a book I think I love more than her her Beautiful Creatures series! Thanks to the publishers allowing me to review it for them!

7 days by Eve Ainsworth

As the title suggests, this book is set over seven miserable days for Jessica who lives with her mum and younger sister Hollie on an estate. Their mum works as a cleaner and they can't afford new clothes and food etc is sparse. Not just because Jessica eats a lot of the wrong foods choosing a packet of biscuits over toast etc as a meal.
Her dad isn't around but instead is off living a new life with his girlfriend and new baby.
But poor Jessica is in a living nightmare at school, aware of the bullies, Kez, Marnie, Lois and Hannah.
They belittle her and call her fat, Stig because of the state of her, push her and talk about her online in mean ways. At her school, Philip is her friend, Hannah is an old friend from primary days and Lyn knows her from where she used to live. Yet Hannah and Lyn are friends with her bullies too and can't risk being seen with her.

We also see Kez's point of view on the situation and we see how she thinks digs about Marnie. She also doesn't want to he like her mum whom has a drunk abusive husband and loves Marnie and her mum's relationship wishing her and her mum were like that. She's jealous and angry at her life but bullying gives her power.

An upcoming party at Lyn's means the girls hatch a plan against Jessica after Kez sees Lyn and Jess together which results in dangerous situations for both girls.

This is an essential read about the heartbreaking way school can be for some pupils and how bullying can break someone and how they can overcome it.

The Witch's Kiss & The Witch's Tears by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

I never usually enjoy fantasy books, yet, these two have won me over!

Merry is a young witch, living with her brother, Leo and her mum. She and her gran have practised magic but her mum and brother don't her mum believes it is dangerous, which it is and can be as we find out.

An ancient love gone wrong between Gwydion who was unrequitedly in love with his childhood friend, Edith. Gwydion made the kingdom same and the reward was to be marriage to Edith, however, the king didn't want to allow the lower class Gwydion into royalty and so Edith marries Aiden and has a baby boy, Jack whom Gwydion places a curse on to be the King Of Hearts.

Merry and the neighbours around them who are magic including Merry's young friends, whom support Merry on what she is facing in that she needs to stop Gwydion and keep them all safe and unharmed.

An ancient parchment reveals to Merry and Leo, they need to go to the lake and retrieve the two puppet hearts which can stop Gwydion and the King Of Hearts from what they are doing which is stabbing people whom believe themselves to be in love.

It is at the Black Lake where Merry and Leo first encounter Jack, though they soon learn he has two sides, the evil killing side which he feels trying to take him over all the time yet he can be normal for bouts of time between it having control of him again. They learn how Gwydion controls Jack to make him obey him and Merry dreams of Jack as well as fancying him!

I'm not spoiling this book further but it was an enticing and gripping read I read in one afternoon and then read the next sequel in the evening!

The Witch's Tears is the sequel and this book focuses on Merry learning and failing still how to manage her magic and finally get it to work right for her.

We also see the arrival of some new male characters, Leo's new love interest, Ronan, whom steps in to stop Simon beating up Leo after he's come out as gay. Then we meet Finn whom ends up trapped in a protective spell cast on Merry and Leo's Grans home after she has disappeared mysteriously and so the main aim of the book is to find their Gran and stop the evil at work quite literally.

We soon learn of enchantment extractors whom steal wizard and witch magic have also killed Flo, Merry's friend so just whom has Merry and Leo's Gran and what are their plans?

The Witch's Tears being set only three months apart, shows how love and loss can be healed and then another form of the same issue can arise. Grief is big in the book and I expect more to come in the next book but I'm not going to spoil anymore of the plot in The Witch's Tears.

Many thanks to the publisher's for sending me The Witch's Tears!

 

The Little Teashop of Lost and Found by Tricia Ashley

Wow, okay so I'm a huge Tricia Ashley fan, as I think most people who've ever picked a book of hers up are! They're always a great chick lit read and never let's you down. This one for me was even better that normal though, because Haworth in Yorkshire is one of our family's favourite places to visit.

In this book, Alice has grown up knowing she's adopted, we see a flashback and know Liz her real mum, had had to give up her baby. Her adoptive dad passed away when she was eighteen and her adoptive mum changed toward her but she still had her best friend Lottie there for her.

Over the years, a move to Cornwall and later Scotland, losing a fiancée and being left a small but comfortable sum of money, she returns back to her Yorkshire roots and continues her love for cooking and baking in the form of her Teashop she transforms from a mess of dust balls and disarray, into a flourishing business. She also fits into the Giddings family, taken in and made sure she's treated like family by them as she's new back to the area and their family goes back a long way living there.
They may not be her true parents, family etc but they do care for her and help her unravel the mystery around her birth mother.

I really loved this book and I liked the fact Alice wrote and that the genre she writes is fantasy horror retellings!
As always, a delightful read by Tricia, thanks to her publishers for allowing me a copy to review!

Antisocial by Jillian Blake

Anna has split up with her boyfriend and basketball star over the Christmas break and no, he gave her no reason for the split.

We also learn Anna suffers with Anxiety and so her social phobia doesn't help the issue around high school clique's.
Add into the mix that her friends - whom she hasn't hung out with or kept up to date with - are now ignoring or just putting up with her coming back to them.

There's also the matter of kind, goofy Jethro whom Anna has nearly had a thing with twice. She totally hasn't admitted she likes him and has kept denying it. Yet when he helps her out at a party, it seems there's a lot of feeling still there!

Next, there's the small matter of a serious social media leakage of people's most private stuff online they though was theirs alone.
People's internet history, messages, photo's etc end up being the talk of the school and cause many relationship issues among the friends. Anna and her group seem to think it's the work of Haven, a jock who's known for doing and sharing things for a kick but this is extreme even for him they agree, so they need to learn who's doing it and stop them.

The book is super important in this day and age of technology growing constantly and the pressures of social media, social acceptance and the fact it can take it's toll and also bring out the worse side of people. It also shows in the book how it can endanger future education and job offers as pictures are out there for the world to see.

If you like The Clique book series and TV shows, Gossip Girl and 90210, I'm sure you'll enjoy this like I have!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me a copy to review for them!

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

A group of four boys, the Sauce Crew as they were known are now made of one sole member, Carver.

The other three, Eli, Mars and Blake tragically died when colliding with a truck.
Carver blames himself as he was texting them when they crashed.

However, Blake's gran is the only relative not to blame Carver, but to celebrate the life her grandson had with him. Carver's guilt also means he takes over Blake's chores he did at his gran's as she can't get down and weed to garden or now the lawns.
They also celebrate Blake's life by having a Goodbye Day for Blake together.

Carver bottles up a lot of his emotion but does open up to Jesmyn and Blake's gran about how he feels. He does suffer anxiety as the threat of possible jail time rests undecided over his head and see's Dr Mendez about his panic attacks in order to try and handle his emotions better and grieve. He and Jesmyn are talented students, Jesmyn in piano and Carver with his creative writing. They both appreciate and support each other's talents encouraging each other they do have a future to hope for.

This book shows the true horror of losing those closest to you but the flip side as well, showing who stands by you when you need them most. We see Carver go through a true rollercoaster effect of up's and down's throughout the book, love and loss play huge roles in this book. We also see Carver imagine his friends still with him throughout scenes in the book as he can't let them go at first. I really enjoyed it as it wasn't all solely focused on death, there are times of friendship flashbacks and happy moments for Carver with his sister and Jesmyn too.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review it for them!

Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen

Petula is a sixteen year old pessimist whom suffers from panic attacks. She believes she is a realist and nothing good comes from being an optimist. She attends YART which is a youth creative art group and counselling. She also fears germs and accidents, death and generally, life and any catastrophe that could entail. Her sister Maxine died and her mum has a small army of cats to find forever homes for.

I loved the cats being named after book characters!

Petula then meets wannabe director Jacob, he has a bionic arm and also attends counselling. We also learn that Petula blames herself for the death of her younger sister, Maxine who was three and even years on now, can't forgive herself for what happened. Petula feels like she needs to keep herself safe and alive as she's here not Maxine as well and seeing how life has changed and the atmosphere the family skirt around the issue in the room with them still unattended too by proper communication. She soon learns from having to work with Jacob on a school project, the tragedy around the loss of his lower arm and subsequently that he feels built he lived and not his two best friends.

In her YART group, there is a right bunch of amazing characters which each were unique and enjoyable. I really love the evolvement of this in a book as it is used in schools or at least it was when I went to my high school nearly ten years ago now.
I enjoyed the time in the group and made a beautiful papier mache mask I still own and a folder of sketches too. It helped me through high school and even though Petula doesn't allow herself to at first enjoy it. She does and the people along with the situation too as they eventually become friends through some cool adventures.

The book deals well with trust issues and friendships as well as loss and love of course. It shows the good and bad of situations quite literally but with hilarity it places to keep it a gripping read. Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review it for them!

The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins

Iris Parker was eighty seven but has suffered a heart attack and sadly died, leaving behind her three middle age daughters, Dee, Rose and Fleur.

We first meet the girls at the will reading of their mum's after she passed away two months before. We soon learn why the sisters havent been in touch with each other and not just through their mum for years due to the argument that stopped them all talking was over their mum's care plan after she had a stroke. The sisters soon learn that they need to spend a year rekindling their relationships with each other to inherit the money left behind.

Dee lives in Cornwall but now her landlady has also passed away, her teo sons want to sell the house which currently means Dee is losing her house unless she gets her sum of will money sooner to allow her to buy, she relies on her best friend Anna for support through all the drama.

Fleur is a high power professional. Opposite it seems to how she was as a child she likes to come across as all put together and likes to have it all, a business success in property she is the richest money wise between them all.

Rose is secretly suffering behind the hard face mask she wears, a secret health war means her husband and kids are facing losing her and Rose just wants to not have to break her sisters hearts as well.

As the story goes on we are hit full force with the reality of coming to terms with changes, trying new things and the reality of death and its wake.

The story is endearing and adventurous as their mum and her two friends whom helped her set up the Kicking The Bucket List left Daniel a man unknown to the sisters at first, in charge of guiding them through the list as their mum beyond the grave forces them to become sisters again. However Dee believes Daniel is her soulmate whilst really he's taking advantage of his situation with the girls in an awful way.

Cathy Hopkins has smashed the chick lit genre right here, I love her young adult fiction but this shows how talented she truly is once again and more so. Brilliant and tear jerking from Cathy, thanks so much to her publishers for allowing me to review her latest book!

A State Of Grace by Rachael Lucas

Grace is fifteen and has autism, she struggles to deal with things like noise, in the way other people can. This causes her to have to up and leave classes at school when she feels overwhelmed.
Grace however, adores her horses and loves animals, she has best friend Anna looking out for her and a younger sister called Leah who loves TV and learning what its like to become a teenager as she's thirteen.

When we get deeper into the story, we find Grace is looking forward to a party coming up. She and Anna choose between outfits together and end up having so much fun hyped up together they break Anna's bed from bouncing on it!

Anna wakes early most mornings if not all, to go to the stables and help out. Whilst she's there, Gabe comes hurtling by and falls of his bike before briefly chatting to Anna and carrying on his ride. At the party a game of spin the bottle takes place at which, school bully Holly, sits by Gabe hoping she'll be picked to kiss Gabe only Grace ends up being kissed by Gabe.
Life n many ways, Grace doesn't like change though.
Her mum's new friend Eve is around too much, drinking more with her mum too, her dad and mum seem on the rocks and her sister Leah is acting over thirteen and more like Holly would.
Then there's the fact Gabe is now her boyfriend and understands her Autism as he has ADHD.

The book is all about changes, growing up, alcohol and the effects of it on different ages in different ways, finding first love and overcoming bullies or negative people/friendships in your life. It was a really engaging read as well and reveals a closer look into the life of an autistic person too. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thank the publishers for allowing me to review it for them!

Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant

Eva is a geek, a math loving geek whom even has a favourite calculator! She has been involved in helping out to tutor students. She is told by Josh, one of the popular school footballers, that she looks like a librarian with her glasses, but a cute one which boosts her low confidence. She has a serious issue with touching other people's belongings in an OCD behavioural way. But, she sees a pattern or a vision, a part of that person that isn't on show to the world, a secret. Both her parents are dead and so she has been raised by her mum's sister and pastor husband whilst they cope with quadruplets too.
Charlotte is her best friend and her opposite, tall, blonde and plays the cello.

Zenn, is a guy whom is struggling with math and is late when we originally meet him in the book, to meet up with Eva as she tutors struggling students and Zenn is new to the school.

Eva struggles with her college applications, she feels she should stay home and help with the kids but does want to study despite the huge debt. Charlotte fits in with the popular crowd after being asked to homecoming by Josh and subsequently she hangs out with Eva less too. Meanwhile, Eve starts to hang out in the art room and eat her lunch there with Zenn after he's done her family and church a favour. Zenn and Eva meet up and have their first kiss as well as Eva meeting Cinde, his mum.

As Eva grows closer to Zenn, she discovers the reasons to why she can't get any more visions/feelings when touching him or his clothing anymore, items around him that aren't his are still an issue though.

The surprise however, is a secret which drags up around eighteen years of history they never even knew they had between them both.

It was a gripping but heartwarming read dealing with love, loss and of course, proving even geeks fall in love when it's right. Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Happy World Book Day! Geek Girl 6: Forever Geek by Holly Smale

So I am so excited to review this book! Thanks to the publishers, for sending me a copy, I have finished reading the whole Geek Girl series including the two specials Holly also released.

In this book, we are taken with sixteen year old Harriet, her best friend Nat and her grandma Bunty, to the sunny side of the world; Australia! After a funny scene at the airport upon arrival in Sydney involving Harriet and a way too heavy suitcase for any girl to lift, they find themselves staying in a stunning hotel much to their surprise after who booked it and what it's called.

With promises of time to relax and enjoy the culture, as per Harriet's love of facts, as well as allowing her time to partake in modelling jobs of which there are some surprises in store as another modelling job includes some unexpected events!

Whilst in Australia, Harriet also hatches plans with Nat to help her get her big fashion breakthrough by ensuring team JINTH, aka all their usual friends back home in England have set up social media accounts for Nat and her fashion business and after a slow start, a chance meeting and full fashion flair outfits on display to many open mouthed witnesses, Nat may just get her fashions out there. Possibly after a Harriet based disaster first!

This book features the usual Harriet facts about the random and amazing world, hilarious scenes unimaginable before reading the book and just who will Harriet end up with? Lion boy Nick or Jasper from home?

It's sad to say goodbye to such a brilliant series but whatever Holly writes next is sure to be as crazily fun and addictive, never mind as stunningly successful as this glittering, adventure filled series has been!

Happy world book day everyone, hope you read today!

Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten

Set at Waverley school in New York, Kate has a scholarship to study and lives in a crummy flat rented from a Chinese couple whom she also works part time for. She had an abusive, murderous father and not a great time growing up.

Olivia is a rich girl, her dad isn't around a great deal as he works hard and away from home. Her mum has passed away and so she lives with her apartment cleaner, Anka whom is Polish.

Kate knows Olivia was in the year above her before disappearing for a year, but not why she did and so she looks up Olivia's record at school and discovers just what happened to her the past year despite what Olivia originally tells her.

Olivia and Kate become swift friends and super close and so eventually she invites Kate to live with her.

Meanwhile Mark is the director of Waverly school and Olivia is drawn to him and so Olivia finds herself trapped in an abusive sexual relationship. Due to the lack of love I feel Olivia has had surrounding her during her life as well as her mental health struggles. She also used to cut herself when younger and unfortunately, Mark abuses her leaving her disgusted with her body as she has cuts and bruises all over her body he made.

Fortunately, Olivia and Kate work together and upon discovering a photo album full of pictures of his victims in his flat they confront him together when he comes over to their flat to collect Olivia, resulting in a death and shock for the others.

This book is reminiscent of Gossip Girl and the Private series by Kate Brian. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to review it.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

This book was kindly sent to me for review by the publishers and its a great geeky read to enjoy!

A modern day retelling of Cinderella mixed in with a Comic Con style event is the center of this novel.

Elle's life is ruled by her stepmum, Catherine whom is a wedding planner and thinks highly of herself. She blames poor Elle for her father's not buying them a bigger house, earning and leaving them with more, more, more and poor Elle has to put up with it.
Although, she has her escapism in the forms of Sci-Fi she adores to indulge in to escape her life.

We also experience the flip side of things, life in the form of the actor new to her favourite show, Darien and the life he leads and how he unexpectedly meets Elle.

I don't want to spoil it but I loved how the two met up and Elle recreating her outfit for her how she did and all the work it took and learning from YouTube was very real!

I really loved all the modern references in the book to running blogs, using social media etc as obviously the classic tale of Cinderella would have no idea of any technology let alone the concept of it!