Diagnosed by Brenda Snow

I was drawn to this book relating to the chronic illness focus as a fellow spoonie, with life long conditions to learn to cope with them and the effects on altering your life. I do also have to add the tagline is very much true in a journey with chronic illnesses many swears are said in pain more often than not or when something goes wrong! I really enjoyed hearing how despite diagnosis it didnt define Brenda's life and she has been able to when she can enjoy it to the full despite dealing with MS/multiple sclerosis and all that entails which a friend's mum has and I have some experience on how life altering it has been for her too altering life beyond recognition before diagnosis. I also completely got the diagram of the journey a chronic illness diagnosis takes you on too which I remember going through myself as you grieve your old life before diagnosis and question how life could've been without diagnosis for the future without being dealt the hard card of chronic illness. A hard hitting but real, honest, account of dealing with and adapting to life after diagnosis I feel like I can relate too and others will do too.

Somewhere In The Sunset by Estelle Maskame

When Gracie and Luca break up out of the blue, Gracie is shocked and heartbroken after years together creating their influencer life together in their shared YouTube channel. Meanwhile, trainee police officer, Weston has found himself newly single after his girlfriend breaks up with him. After a chance meeting the two can't keep away from each other, their lives become intertwined in many fun, sweet and sometimes very serious scenes. A sweet but sexy summer read that had sizzling scenes between the couple but my word the end was breath taking, Estelle has written a cracking New Adult debut and I hope she writes many more in the years to come!

Radical Love by Zachary Levi

In my time off reading I discovered Chuck a TV show I grew up aware of but not a viewer of being born in 1996 not 1990 alike my cousin's I was always aware of things they were into and then came to discover again as I grew up and to the age they loved them. Then, I watched Shazam! I was hooked and invested into the fun adult Zachary Levi was and after watching Chuck and many of his Instagram Live video's alongside me discovering and watching Chuck from start to end within the first couple of weeks of the pandemic lockdown starting. I then discovered this book, not only a refreshing, open account of a mental health breakdown and then getting back to life working on yourself and healthier habits, but a male in his forties being so open about it is honestly just great to see and I'm sure will encourage other older males to check in and realise they too can help their lives change for the better. Zachary may be a great actor, but his awareness and openness to help others and encourage mental health and trauma discussion is so refreshing to read about all the ways open and available to us to reflect and change and the fact that it's never, ever to late to help yourself, others and create a better you.

Somehow, Somehow Nyanda Foday

A memoir of sorts in prose about the pandemic. Call it a coincidence but when I read the summary I knew it would be interesting to read an account in verse and as it turns out was very similar and relatable to my own experience. As someone who has dealt with depression and others who struggled maybe even for the first time during the lockdowns that occurred the accounts in the book were not only relatable but raw and honest with the emotions written into each part of the book which told the authors story of their life in and out of lockdown during the occurrence of Covid ehilst they were away at university in their own little world of sorts at times locked in and away from others at some times. I really enjoyed the book, relatable, emotional, honest and a reflective book it's hard to believe how far we've come back to a semblance of normality since them first lockdown days.

The Summer Of Hopes And Dreams by Lynsey James

Cleo wanted to be a professional dancer until twelve years ago a car crash breaking her leg in two places ended that dream. Instead, a nightmare happens as she keeps getting rejected from any dance teacher job she applies for.

Cleo goes to Carb Counters with her friend Emma and new girl Zara being there too as they all try to lose weight to reach their separate goals.

At the gym however, personal trainer, Scott is always helping her out of situations with the equipment there and soon enough they get friendly with each other.

Amanda then gets in touch, her bully from her school day gone, inviting her to their school reunion. She also starts popping up in their local pub and also at the gym as sure tries and fails to steal Scott away from Cleo!

As their relationship grows stronger, Cleo also becomes the new Carb Counters leader after Marjorie gets sacked by her boss upon Cleo standing up for the groups and their feelings over how she made them all feel week by week.

Reminiscent of Sue Watson's books as reviewed on here previously, this book is a summer read full of love, friendship, humour and a dose of sticking up for yourself during trying times! I really would encourage you to read this one if you enjoy easy read books as the storyline flowed well and didn't lose track of anything happening for onceand Cleo is a strong female after all she has faced but it's made her stronger over the years from being weaker before.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Because Of You by Eve Ainsworth

In this book, Poppy is Struggling with her mum moving in her boyfriend after throwing her dad out months ago.

Poppy lives her dad but hardly sees him now he's got a job but he also likes to drink and forgets about everything when he does...

In school however Poppy starts to have a tough time as she stands up for a girl who's getting picked on by a bully. However the tables turn as the bully who's her ex friend then turns her attention to Poppy and picking on her and when a video she takes of Poppy goes online things get out of hand...

I enjoyed this book but I did think there would be more incidents of bullying in the book, even though obviously any is bad enough! It raised so many issues from new families and missing parents, being bullied, fake friends and more it was a great little story though and another great book from a fellow Eve.

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The Prison Doctor by Dr Amanda Brown

Amanda Brown was a regular loved GP in her area until a change at the practice led her to a job in a youth prison for boys aged 15-18 firstly which taught her a lot.

From diabetic patients, severe suicide attempts, young men who grew up in care and feeling lonely without a mother's love and also winning round the prison governor too Amanda has had to prove her worth as a doctor which is obvious she did her job extremely well and was a genuinely caring and interested person in all their lives, making them mostly feel at ease and show their more human side of emotions not a hard prison face all the time.

Amanda describes her life working most recently in a women's prison too where a lot of her patients have been subject to abuse, rape, violence at home etc feeling safer in prison though some have become addicted to drugs making it harder for them to get control of their lives completely. In a really open look into life working in many prisons it gave us an exclusive look into what working in that environment must be like.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Noah Can't Even by Simon James Green

Noah and Harry are best friends whilst Noah has a crush on fellow classmate, Sophie whom he gets to work with on a school project.

His dad vanished when he was ten and hasn't been seen since whilst his mum has a cabaret act that is a ramshackle of a performance and makes Noah the but of jokes at school.

As Sophie invites him and Harry to a party it's their first teenage party and the night fuelled with alcohol and fun leads the boys to making a discovery of their own, that they're more than friends, possibly?

Then Noah discovers his mum has a shocking boyfriend which he can't believe...

There's also drunk girls to contend with, being blackmailed and a secret brother to discover! But as Harry stops talking to him when evidence of their relationship gets out and Noah's gran ends up in hospital, will the boys finally start talking again and make up and be an official couple at last?

The book has many sex references and awkward moments but lots of funny moments too reminding me of an older Mark Lowery's Roman Garstang. Noah reminds me of a young gay guy version of TV's Miranda as he had the same happy go lucky jokey manner about him and it's so fun. Noah is the type of guy whom would be a hilarious fun best friend and the book made me so happy from laughing this is the funniest book by far I've read! It was serious at times too don't get me wrong with the friends nearly falling out instead of accepting their feelings at first but overall, you will be grinning at the love, randomness and happiness in this book.

Jemima Small Vs The Universe by Tamsin Winter

Jemima Small hates how she looks bigger than the other girls and her surname, small for being her opposite.

She's proudly smart and is excited when an opportunity to take part in Braniacs her favourite TV show arises she's happy but at the same time, everything said to her by the kids, bullies, strangers all builds up.

Jemima has a great best friend in Miki who never fails to stick up for her while her old best friend Alina ditched her to hang out with Lottie who bullies Jemima.

As she faces joining far club forced to after being humiliated in school, she makes friends with others who feel like she does and makes a friend in Gina who runs the course.

Throughout the novel Jemima is courageous and learns that being herself is a great thing despite her issues around her weight, mum and bullies. She is a brave character and a typical teen when she wants to dye her hair rainbow which some of us can relate to! I loved her brainiac personality and zany family Tamsin has created a book that'll be forever important for girls now and in the future, her writing is some of the most relatable and hard hitting making the YA fiction we need.

The Eclair Affair Cornish Cream Tea Bus Part 2 by Cressida McLaughlin

Charlie and Marmite her yorkiepoo are back and setting up the Portgollow food festival to help raise the areas profile and make their businesses a success as she runs her Cornish Cream Tea Bus.

As she reunites with Oliver from The Marauding Mojito, Daniel invites her to the spa after her opens up about helping and failing to give her friend a job.

So on enough she has a choice to make and to address her feelings, safe Oliver but sexy and risky choice Daniel, who'll she realise her feelings for?

I love this story and read it in one sitting as soon as it was available I was that excited! The chemistry between the characters is building nicely and the business is helping the area slowly but hopefully surely, the book is light and fun romance which is as sweet as the cream tea's and eclairs I'm imagining being served on board!

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland

Alike her own life, Louise is very similar to Robin, her main character whom had a six year old daughter, Lyla Blue alike real life daughter, Darcy.

Robin deals with excelling in her career whilst trying to fit in with the school run mum's and fighting off the consuming loneliness which starts to hit her at times. Despite brushes with possible love in the form of Theo an English business man, it's a job in New York which lands her a beautiful future with new friends, a possible boyfriend and a dream career whilst also having the support of her aunt as well as her friend Lacey and her sharing many times together as Lacey fights to finally get pregnant as she so desires what  Robin has with Lyla.

Showing points about loneliness, dating and single parenting, it's honest and raw with emotional issues and the up's and down's of life mostly alone even if you have a young child or pet's at home and friends and family to call, the issues are all relatable and everyone who reads the book will feel for the characters I'm certain. It was an emotional ride but a lot of fun too with trips to New York and artist work with dates thrown into the mix too!

Yay You're Gay Now What? by Riyadh Khalaf

In this book by popular LGBTQ+ activist and member, Riyadh, he takes us through everything to do with being gay or otherwise from coming out and how to manage any and every situation possible to find yourself in.

From coming out and all the reactions you could be faced with, bullying, first time sex and masturbation, dealing with anxiety and worries as well as having famous faces and their stories also featured in this handy little book he !makes sure to cover whatever topic could be effecting the person choosing to read his book.

As a supporter of the community and having friends who've come out over time, this book sums up everything a gay, trans, any type of person at all could need to know and handy information for others who are LGBTQ+ too as many issues can be relevant to others as well.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

The Northern Lights Lodge by Julie Caplin

When Lucy leaves Bath and moves to Iceland to run the Northern Lights Lodge she meets Alex a Scot from Paris who's secretly there not as a bartender but to see for his friend if the hotel is worth buying.

Whilst the pair grow close and have many moments they are also faced with a whole TV crew films by an off the wall hotel documentary only one of the guys soon remembers Lucy...

As Lucy tries to hide a viral video from her old hotel job with slimy boring ex Chris unlike the electric chemistry she has with Alex.

Dealing with a hotel sabotage from inside, new management and Lucy getting kicked out her job shockingly thanks to Alex she winds up back home to best friend Daisy only for the new hotel manager wanting to meet her in Edinburgh and just what happened to Alex as he disappeared...

Wow. Making life changing decisions and finding not just a gorgeous sight as the country she winds up in but in her new man too Lucy gets it all but not without a harsh time over her secret which amped up the underlying tension throughout the book. With video drama and job unease there's still plenty of heart stopping moments in a good way not just had and everyone will enjoy this read as I've read nothing like it.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Rachel's Pudding Pantry by Caroline Roberts

Rachel works on the farm with her mum Jill, a great baker, her young five year old daughter Maisy, farm hand Simon and her dog Moss. Food is at the heart of this novel as they all enjoy Jill's cooking everyday sampling her delights.

Since her father's sudden death two years ago she took over the bulk of the work while they tried to recover and carry on despite the farm's struggle to make any money.

Trying to fix that, Rachel thinks selling her mum's puddings locally and on site will help boost their income after some investment to help set up a better life for them and Maisie's future when she inherits the farm one day too.

Along with Eve her crafty best friend as she can create amazing crafts and her daughter Amelia being Maisie's best friend, the girls help each others business ventures take off.

But as the novel goes on we see how flaky dad Jake flits in and out getting Maisie's hope up of being around more to spend time with her and angering Rachel and her family treating them this way.

As well as all that, farmer next door Tom and Rachel finally face the spark between then only to find out a past secret about Rachel's father might put out that spark for good...

This book is all for girl team family power, really positive making the girls run their own new business and try to save their livelihood whilst Tom was a fun guy who shows evident care about them all from the first encounter we read. I also like that Tom doesn't break up the girl power and encourages them unlike flaky Jake whom shows how unreliable some parents can be! It was a sweet treat of a read and is best read with a cake and a cuppa in hand under the sun, you certainly won't regret it!

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

When Good Geeks Go Bad by Catherine Wilkins

When Ella gets bullies at school by Olivia she is used to putting up with it until one day she decides being good gets you nowhere but being bad will perhaps get her noticed more!

The Butts are a group known who cause trouble and also get into detention all the time and through them Ella becomes a friend to them leaving best friend Jas out a bit.

After her mum moved out she hasn't bothered with her much and so subconsciously she starts acting out wanting her parents to notice her and pay her attention and love she feels lacking and so she begins behaving badly to get attention from her parents.

This was a great book and a bit like the humour and tone of the Geek Girl series by Holly Smale. Ella is a girl people can relate to for an array of reasons from the ones mentioned above. It was a realistic telling of life as a teenager in the modern world especially when you forget your phone!

Love Among The Treetops by Catherine Ferguson

When Twilight meets Theo on a train as well as Olivia a clean eating fanatic who turns out to be now friends with her old school bully, Lucy, who made her life hell then and soon again, now. She also stole Twilight's first love away, Jason.

Her dad is fighting cancer while her mum and him are falling into debt. However she has a plan to help them by setting up her own business as a cafe as she loves to bake, it's her passion.

Also happening in this book, Paloma her best friend lost her mum and now wants to find her birth mum while Twilight gets on with her cafe plan, Lucy and Olivia open the clean food cafe and try to sabotage her in some truly rotten acts only Twilight learns it's her old love Jason who has all the answers to Lucy's behaviour.

With a huge but powerful twist at the end for Paloma, Theo and Twilight which changes all their lives the book just kept giving and you can't help but slowly fall in love with The Treetop Cafe!

I Spy The Boy Next Door Exclusive Preview!

I Spy the Boy Next Door
by Samantha Armstrong
Publication date: May 25th 2019

Synopsis:

Four p.m. spy sessions are the highlight of Mallory Taylor’s day. Observing the boy next door—one with a body and an attitude to match—has her perched beside her window so often it can’t be healthy.

When she finally convinces her mom to let her go to public school, Mallory comes face to face with her neighbor, Troy Parker. And he makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. His rejection awakens a newfound tenacity and maybe even a touch of recklessness. But when Troy starts to show up when she needs him the most, Mallory can’t help but wonder if there’s more to him than he’s let on.

Taking chances, breaking rules, and following her heart is all new to Mallory. And no one warned her just how fickle hearts can be. When she discovers that Troy isn’t at all the guy she imagined him to be, secrets rise to the surface that will change her life forever.

 This is a standalone mature YA/new adult contemporary romance.

Here's an excerpt for you all to get a feel for the book:

“Friends don’t cuddle,” I whisper.
“No, really?” The corners of his mouth tip up a fraction. 
The more he talks, the tighter my chest squeezes. The longer I look at him, the harder it is to keep it from crushing. 
My gaze flicks to his lips, and a shiver shoots through my veins. 
He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, and my eyes snap to his. 
Hungry. Wild. Daring.
The look works knots into my stomach.
I’ve fantasized what our first kiss would be like, and it’s always resembled the feeling I’m getting right now as I look into his eyes. It wouldn’t be something soft, or innocent. It would dance on the edge of dangerous. He’d kiss me hard and fast. Our lips would hurt, our breaths would turn ragged, and our chests would almost break from the racket inside. 
I gasp when his fingers brush along my jaw, trailing over my cheekbone, leaving me breathless. My eyes flutter open and shut. It’s hard not to lean into his palm. It’s hard not to lean into him entirely. 
His nostrils flare as he inhales a sharp breath and leans forward. 
My skin prickles with eagerness. I’m about to make the connection when my computer sounds from across the room.
We both jerk back, my pulse plummeting faster than it ever has. It’s like I’m in a fighter jet and the captain has just pointed the nose at the ground and opened up the throttle. 
Great. Just great!
Thanks a lot, Nicole. 
His hand drops, and he rolls onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. I can’t see his face, so I don’t know what he’s thinking or feeling. But I sure as hell know I’m going to virtually wring Nicole’s neck.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43724738-i-spy-the-boy-next-door?ac=1&from_search=true

Pre-order: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2L8db2E

AUTHOR BIO:

Samantha Armstrong's novels incorporate all of the feels--from swoon-worthy heroes to sweet-but-mostly-sassy heroines, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and panty melting-heat. She has written in multiple genres, but never strays far from romance.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Samantha Armstrong prefers to be tucked away writing whenever she can -- or, rather, whenever her adorable yet demanding baby boy allows.

A normal day for her includes diapers--lots of them--walks with both babies (i.e. human baby and dog baby), writing between naps, and staying up late to write even more. Then somehow fitting all the other stuff in between.

To sign up for information on upcoming releases, giveaways and more: https://www.samantharmstrong.com/subscribe

Author links:

https://www.samantharmstrong.com/

https://www.facebook.com/samantharmstrongbooks

https://www.instagram.com/samantharmstrong/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5011549.Samantha_Armstrong

Many thanks to Xpresso book tours for allowing me to post this!