Chessboxer by Stephen Davies

In this book we meet Leah, a tough teen with a passion and set for stardom for her chess skills being ranked one of the best players there is and ranking higher and higher until she quits one day as the grief she has for her father gets too much and stifles her from her clear set path to being the highest ranking player there is.

Instead, she gets a pet python, gets a job at a donut shop and quits her blogging for others making it private documenting her life as she meets a blog reader, Kit who changes her life.

The air together play money in the park for money but she soon learns about chessboxing, a high intensity complex, thrilling game she desires to turn her talents too now and despite her mother's fears, leah is ruthless is getting what she wants to happen and refuses to back down...

All about loss, grief and pain as well as taking a stand for your future and discovering your passion in life, this is a fantastic high energy read about seeing your goal and achieving it no matter the odds or fears and proving you can and will succeed or at least try your hardest to get there and prove yourself.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review the book and take part in their bookstagram tour today too!

Check Mates by Stewart Foster

Meet Felix, an ADHD sufferer and normal teen just lively and unable to concentrate on tasks set to him very well for getting distracted.

His friend Jake likes to mess around too but Rebecca his more sensible friend concentrates and works hard and even likes chess, a big part of his granddad's life.

After losing his grandma, his grandad is lonely and shuts the world out while keeping all is wife's possessions close in their place like she's coming back home.

Yet his distraction is Felix and finding ways to get him to learn about things like his German history and how to do house tasks and play chess too!

Yet, Felix decides to do a list back to his granddad to get him to do something Felix enjoys. Only as his grandad sneaks in more chess tactics into tasks, Felix kind of becomes infected by a chess playing bug and joins the school team becoming a great new player even making his grandad proud.

This was such an amazing book, we have so much covered  from death and grief to health problems, finding your perfect hobby, fitting it and feeling let down by family not to forget harbouring huge life changing secrets! It was a fun book looking into the relationship between a grandson and his grandfather and unlike what I've read before in young adult fiction. I may not like chess personally but this book was still fun despite the involvement so don't judge it before you've read it!

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