If Birds Fly Back by Carlie Sorosiak

In this book, Linny's sister Grace is missing. All Linny knows is she leapt from her bedroom window and hasn't been seen since.
Linny is a budding film student and we get to read scripted flashbacks between Linny and Grace to understand past events or potential fantasized scenarios. Linny has a passion for looking through old missing persons cases to try and work pout why Grace left.
Sebastian, whom has a passion for science, doesn't fit into his mum's new family, he feels a detachment as he doesn't know who his father is until his mum has a call which changes that. He heads out to a Miami care home where Alvaro has been spotted.

Alvaro Herrera, an old film writer but still very well known, has turned up after three years missing and is now living in a care home. Linny works there and Sebastian heads there to discover his father only to discover both of them.

Linny and Sebastian grow closer after realising they both know people who have been or still are missing. The two of them go on many little adventures in the book in order to piece together the history of what happened during Alvaro's missing years and embark on possibly piecing together clues to finding Grace too.

The friendships in this book show how everyone pulls together and how they grow closer and tighter together throughout trying to discover what happened to Grace. The book also deals with the feelings between family and when you come from a mixed family home setting with Sebastian's background in California.

This book was kindly sent to me to review by the publishers!

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

For eighteen year old Alice, buying a lottery ticket for the first time she was shocked to hear just how much you could win, way, way up in the Millions.
Growing up since age nine with her cousin Leo's family after her parents passed away, Leo is like a brother and she looks out for him through all his boyfriend issues alike he looks out for her back with her college application and her huge crush on Teddy their other friend whom she buys the lottery ticket for as it's his eighteenth birthday.

The next day after the draw all their lives have changed and a kiss between Teddy and Alice keep us rooting for their budding romance.

Teddy does buy a lot and get swept up into the media spotlight and for a start, his gambling father reappears however Alice can spot trouble ahead after all the bad in hers and Teddy's pasts.

The novel was beautifully written and showed the good and bad of a young lottery win but proves that romance can hide itself well until situations reveal the real you to each other and you support each other through huge life changes.

It's heartwarming and a lovely read about the issues of gambling, luck, love and loss.

Many thanks to the publishers allowing me to review it for them!

I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson

Jemma's fourteen and has cerebral palsy, all the children are adopted in their house and they all deal with separate issues such as autism and behavioral based problems too.

Ryan from their road was murdered, a teenager stabbed one night by an unidentified hooded figure.

Sarah her carer is seeing both horrible Dan and kind and caring Richard. Yet Dan is always turning up, wants Sarah to quit her job and whispered in Jemma's ear, he killed Ryan.

So for poor Jenna, who has also been hit by the fact she has a long lost twin Jodi to meet, dealing with going away to college, she now has a suspected murderer in her house and dating her carer!

Yet, the harsh reality is she can't tell anyone, Dan presumes as parts of her don't work or work right, nothing does in her like her mind. We witness that Jenna is a highly intelligent character and is very caring about those around her she loves.

This book is a read you can't put down, it's gripping and thrilling whilst also eye opening in a life with cerebral palsy.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

Out Of Heart by Irfan Master

This book intrigued me from the start, for Adam's granddad has passed away leaving his heart as an organ donor.
Adam struggles with his feelings over his grandfather's passing but is strong for his mum, sister and extended family.
Then William lands on their doorstep, close to death and accepting of that fact, he feels connected to Adam and his family, which he is in a rather big way.
He has Adam's granddad's heart.
Him arriving causes friction before acceptance as well as Adam finally approaching his long term crush.

I really liked the fact that Adam relies on his drawing and graffiti as well as his sister also leaning on her sign language as she doesn't have anything right to say. William fits into the family and it shows how much we need each other.

The book tackles diversity, health and first love really well. It openly discusses feelings from all of these angles and how actions of the past can alter the future in such a huge way.
Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Ashton has been stuck in prison for four years, he is now eighteen and being released from serving his manslaughter charge. His mum signed release papers but like the rest of his friends and family, didn't want to see him.

Willow is new to working in a coffee shop, yet an awkward scene occurs early on between her and a lady whose son, Daniel was killed by Willow's accused possible boyfriend Ashton.
At school she's best friends with Lisa, a new girl and mostly has her head in a book, she's super smart and wants to study biochemistry. She also testified Ashton was innocent at his trial as they had been friends for years, since she has suffered panic attacks and anxiety.

We also see Willow going on a few dates with Brayden who told her of Ashton's release originally to warn her. Ashton seems to accept that she needs to be happy and seems okay with her and Brayden as the book goes on initially.

There is also the factor that Willow keeps hearing creepy sounds and creaking around the house and woods which its seems her brother also hears too. Their mum doesn't believe them but it really freaks Willow and makes a lot of suspense and intrigue build up throughout the book.

It really keeps you guessing and especially to really find out what happened around the whole Daniel issue and how his death really occurred. Overall, it was a great book to read and especially when you read it at night as I did during this storm we have right now!

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

About Last Night... By Catherine Alliott

 

David dreamed of moving from London to live somewhere less hectic and so him and wife Molly moved to Herefordshire to indulge in country life, including living on a lovely farm.
However, Molly has the London townhouse left to her after David passes away and so is swayed to go back to her preferred good life she loved before as she has lived out in the country for five years so far with the children and farm to keep along with her money struggles and bailiff's.
So when and Uncle passes away leaving the townhouse supposedly empty Molly's mum tempts her to go and look at least which ensues into finding a strange man living there now.

I like how the book flashes back to how David and Molly were before he passed and how the true events surrounding their countryside move came about around the issue of a certain person they knew being involved. It was admirable hpow they stuck together for the children involved.

I truly loved all the elements to this book and how you think your life is sorted until someone causes it all to change. Molly was a likeable character who cares deeply about her children and didn't come across badly for how her past could've changed her. It's a great chick lit from Catherine yet again. Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review it.

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

At the start of this book, I was curious as to what was happening as our main character June pees herself on the school bus after drinking two cups of water given to her by Kathleen, who forbids her from going to the toilet. It becomes clear soon enough to us that her mum, Loretta drowned in the river by where she used to live with her mum and dad when she was younger.

As I read on through the book I found that the story was set between modern day and the events over the past few years of her life growing up from being ten to an elder teen. In the modern time, she meets Reverend Shaw and Mickey.

As the story continues, June receives a bike, her slip of freedom from Kathleen and her daughter Megan who submit June to a life of torturous abuse as well as force feeding, threatening behaviour most days just because of her race it is implied.

Whilst biking through the woods at a young eleven years old, she meets Blister, as she admires his paper shapes hanging up inside the family caravan, his parents Mr and Mrs Wick's and their array of adopted children. Their child Tom is also a sufferer of cystic fibrosis which comes up throughout the story.

June and Blister grow closer as the years go on and he is the only one who knows what her horrid home life is like. June can pretty much forget about the abuse when she's with Blister, but some events do of course trigger her to panic and have her memories effect her full force. A few brief events that occur are that at age thirteen June is bitten by snake, we witness step sister bully Megan lose best friend Anne. At fourteen June kisses Blister on his cheek as he made her paper butterflies. At fifteen the school bullying she has endured for years is still worsening as she and Blister try to go to a sixteenth birthday party after June gets a random invite which is a set up to embarrass June further in school. Blister and June endure a lot in this book as Blister is June's obvious only confidante in everything. But still a love grows which keeps June going through everything. As she grows up she faces situations at home with more guts and force but still her dad grows further away from her and unaware of the hidden problems poor June has faced.

This book is a great novel on discussing forms of trust, types of abuse, friendship, bullying and of course love.

Summerlypse by Gerardo Delgadillo

Colton likes Miranda, but she confides in him that she likes cheerleader Chloe before he has a chance to tell her how he feels.

To get away, Colton leaves town with his best friend Martin to go stay with Martin's grandma and meets Alex, a DJ who is deaf and upon meeting he mistakes for a boy, in a Mexican town.
There is a mystery around Sofi and her bodyguards as well as Alex needing a virtual stranger's help in the form of Colton.
Alex was in a horrific incident due to her dad's high powered business career, in which the bad guys killed her mum and left her deaf, she has a plan to restore her hearing with a special implant but she needs to raise the cash by winning a DJ contest first.
Colton gets taken to a secret meeting and comes face to face with Alex's dad whom forces him to help his daughter and offers a shocked Colton a gun, Car and phone on loan to enable him to help his daughter get treatment.

The book flowed really well and had some great numerous points made. I also enjoyed the Spanish words which were in the book as it made it more real to the setting being Mexico, they didn't just speak only English throughout. The relationships and emotions where truly believable and empathetic towards the situation they have found themselves in.

This book was kindly sent to me for review by the publisher's.

On The Other Side by Carrie Hope Fletcher

What a great novel from a great YouTube personality and west end actress Carrie Hope Fletcher! As a fan of Carrie's, thank you to the publishers allowing me to review her first novel and I have indeed previously read her debut All I know Now which was a book by Carrie about her life so far and the lessons learned.

Now, Evie Snow has ended up in a middle ground, back at her old flat, number 72 and aged just 27 again. She is still dead but stranded in a limbo between heaven and back to life.

With the help of her old friend Lieffe, who works the flats lift, she attempts to settle her past secrets to allow her to advance on to the other side.

Throughout the book we learn of strict parents with old fashioned ideas and tales of forbidden love as well as forced marriages. The ideas are both still old fashioned and yet still modern day problems which makes the book stand out as one of the best at challenging people's views who shall read this book.

There is a fairytale style to aspects of the book aside from the previous as there is an intriguing scene with a rather humongous cat and a messenger dove of which reminded me of Snow White and Alice In Wonderland by Disney and of course, Evie's surname is Snow as well as Vincent, her forbidden love's surname being Winters and alas both to do with the white, snowy season of the year.

Outside The Limelight by Terez Mertes Rose

Dena Lindgren is a petite dancer and three years younger than sister, Rebecca. Dena is asked to be a soloist but knows it'll hurt her sister as they both deal with their dad's divorce.

Now in their early twenties as the story flashes forwards in time, Dena has had a relationship with fellow dancer Nicholas, her best friends are Lana and Sylvie, her dad has remarried and Rebecca seems bitter towards her still at times as does her boyfriend, Boyd.

There's also the fact that she's having a battle with fatigue and dizziness and it's beginning to affect her performance. Pretty swiftly we discover the cause is a brain tumour and her dance teacher Anders suspected so secretly all along. As she undergoes hours of horrendous surgery, her sister and parents wait anxiously tension between them all after Rebecca tricked her father into telling her what was wrong with Dena and not allowing Dena time to inform everyone at the dance school as she passes on the news.

As Dena recovers, we watch her torment at not being allowed to perform again yet and watch as we find her sister in a love triangle of wanting to break up with Boyd, date Anders and not seeing how her college teacher of science, Misha feels towards her. Though, as the novel goes on Misha and Dene become close friends as she learns he left behind medical training to teach and he understands her emotional frustrations at how her body is back and forth with healing and then needing more procedures again.

Meanwhile, her sister goes through a rollercoaster of friendship and relationship problems although she does try more with Dena to repair the cracks in their rocky relationship. Especially with Rebecca being offered a bigger role and able to dance, whilst Dena is not able to at the standard the company takes people on for performance's.

The book is alike to Lurlene McDaniels books of which also tackle young love and medical problems combined and alike E4 show Stage School in the ballet setting. It's a very touching book and is actually the second in a series I have discovered of which both are available on Amazon to buy and read. I highly recommend you read them for yourselves but read them the right way round too, I'm sure going to read the first one too myself now after enjoying this one so much.

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

Straight Expectations by Peggy Cryden

This book is a must read for anyone unsure or challenging their sexuality and/or their gender too. Also their family may find it useful as a guide to accepting the changes ahead.

After a detailed look into years of Peggy's own life, alike us all she grew up through a lot of turbulent events within family members, abusive partners, breaking up of relationships, teenage curiosity and growth.

Growing up is hard enough, but for Julia, she knew there was a bigger issues. Self doubt buried away for years until finally beginning the transition which is a big step, taking hormones, altering your look, continuing education and also therapy sessions.

The book reveals a full look into issues facing family, friends and obviously the individual making the transition. There is also a look into campaigning for LGBTQ rights which proves how much the issue raised truly still needs tackling as no one should face discrimination or abuse towards them.

Goose By Dawn O'Porter

I am a huge fan of Dawn from reading her debut novel, Paper Aeroplanes when it came out originally to her regular columns she writes for Glamour magazine. She has a really open way of describing the world and the realness makes to me the appeal of reading her books and columns so great.

In Goose, we catch up with Renée and Flo once again after the events of Paper Aeroplanes (go buy it and read it!).
In this book, Flo is heavily trying to find herself through God after realising she may not be able to rely on Renée being there for her as Flo has applied to university in Nottingham, however we learn later in the book about how Renée feels around university herself. The book also features many serious issues, losing a friend, finding love or friendship, worthless relationships and drug use. Even though the book has an old time feel to it, the oissues raised still matter and will continue to matter in modern day society now and to come.

Goose was an intense read and hit home with a lot of emotions in me, a great follow up to Dawn's debut novel.

Grieving by Ruth Coughlin

Ruth is a widow unfortunately to her husband William who sadly passed away from cancer. At the beginning of the book, we learn about how Ruth is coping with everything which is plain and obviously coated with sadness.  They had a life together in a marriage for over three decades, having that one person there for you everyday to going to having the other partners belongings everywhere but not them, not their physical presence, is a totally relatable and honest situation.

Ruth describes her husbands battle as he went through chemotherapy to help prolong his life and how it did shrink the liver tumor at first. It's unfortunate that liver cancer alike many other cancer forms often comes with a bleak diagnosis, however heartbreaking for the family and friends to accept.

Ruth and Bill went through so much together and in the book there are anniversaries remembered and happy times such as when Bill had his next novel published and celebrated with a party. Always managing to have as good a time as can be possible even when time is limited and unknown how long is left, Bill is an icon in the sense that the diagnosis didn't hold him back in his final months which is very admirable.

Heart wrenching and emotional, if you have been close to someone with terminal cancer as well, I hope you will read this book as well. I have had many family members in the past and currently fighting this horrible disease which takes so many from us each year. Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book, its been emotional but worth it.

Letters To The Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Declan is doing community service mowing the cemetery lawn after being drunk and driving into a building luckily, no one was hurt.

Juliet lost her war zone photographer mum some months ago, but writing notes to her and leaving them at the cemetery is the only way she's coping.

When Declan writes back to one of her notes left at her mums grave, it sparks off a conversation between the two unlikely to connect face to face (due to reputations).
Through the endless back and forth of the notes they realise each other has a front up, a facade to show the world one side of them whilst really there's more to both characters that each discovers after events in which they end up face to face.
By confiding in each other their darkest secrets online and by notes, makes them realise just how much they kept to themselves and how brave each of them are.

I have to say the book deals so well with the way death can affect us and impact our lives. This book is for anyone who has ever felt like they have no one when they have everyone around them.

The Great Cat Cafe Rescue by Katrina Charman

In honour of Valentine's day today, I have reviewed this lovely animal themed children's book set around the time of Valentine's day. This book was sent to me kindly by the publishers for review.

Isla's mum runs Abbey Park Vets as well as them owning a Cat cafe called Poppy's place after their cat. Tilda is Isla's sister who helps out and runs the website whilst Isla writes most of the blog posts for it. Milo is their younger brother who loves his cat Dynamo to pieces, he is also hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid to help him. This is a great feature purely because it can help children understand some disabilities easier and more clearly from an early age.

In this book, which is the third in the series so far, the cafe is struggling with rehoming the cats and finding them their 'forever homes'. Isla has the idea to have a 'Great cat-tacular event and advertise all the cats they have available to adopt in order to hopefully find them long term loving homes.
Isla also has her friends to help her plan the event when they're not preoccupied thinking of the upcoming Valentine's disco at school.
After an accident at the cafe which is the conservatory attached to their home, plans are put on hold and a cat, Milo's favourite, Dynamo, has gone missing.
Will the cat-tacular be able to go ahead and will they make the disco? One thing's for sure, they have an action packed Valentine's day.
I don't want to spoil the book, so you'll have to read it to find out what happens yourself, but I enjoyed it and it made me reminisce on when I was younger and read Lucy Daniels, Anna Wilson and Linda Chapman animal themed books.

The book also features simple yet detailed sketches to help the book come to life and will stimulate children's imagination and keep them engaged. The story flows very well and is full of action and animals. It also entertains the idea of young relationships becoming more than friendships, the girls are pre-teens by around a year, but two of the girls have dates to the disco. It shows how each young person feels at the age when feelings start to change as you enter the beginning of your teenage years.

My Life As A Bench by Jaq Hazell

The title of the book made me wonder just how this book was going to be. It was amazing in my opinion! A totally different and wild out there title that viewing now I realise combines life and death in one.

When someone passes away often a bench is left dedicated to them in a certain place, people living will still us the bench. That happens in the book certainly, just with our main character Lauren or best referred to as Ren being a soul like presence at her bench dedicated to her from her family after she has died.
Ren moves from Devon to find her dad in London after her boyfriend has moved on from her and Ren sees a video of him together with another girl. Upon finding her dad, she enters his life and is eventually accepted into his family now with a young daughter and step-mum for Ren to get to know.
Ren settles into school well with a group of friends and catches the eye of a boy called Gabe, she and Gabe become close but watch out when you read for her friends reactions to the drama that ensues.
I don't want to spoil the book, but a terrible incident occurs and a wrongly placed blame means Ren must break through to someone living to get the wrongly accused set free again.

This book is a stunner in my opinion and is definitely one that will always remain in my top ten easily! Enjoy!

Following Ophelia by Sophia Bennett

Mary and Harriett are cousins and now Mary is also becoming a servant like her cousin Harriett. Mary is new to London and its busy city life with horses and carriages and busy people rushing around with jobs to do and people to meet.
Mary reflects on the life she has left behind as she worked in a haberdashery shop. Very happily until being let go and left to this life upon recommendation by Harriett.
Arriving at her new home to be a lowly servant as she seems to feel she is introduced to the other servant, Annie an Irish maid who at first seemed unkindly towards Mary and her choice of fine dress upon arrival.
As we delve into the story, Mary makes friends with Felix, a painter and he introduces her to the story of Ophelia upon seeing a painting featuring her when she is so alike to Mary.
This sparks off Mary becoming Persephone, withe the help of Felix and his friends, Roly and Kitty. Persephone, who is a new socialite from Kent allows Mary to see both sides of life alike Ophelia new. She learns of love and society rules, feeling thrilled and saddened over events which occur and prove to her life can be awash with different joys and heartaches alike.
Its a great read from Sophia Bennett, I have enjoyed all her novels thus far and look forward to more books from her.

This book was kindly sent to me for review by the publishers.

Stronger Than BPD by Debbie Corso

I have reviewed this book as it was sent to me for review kindly from the publishers.

I have to say firstly, I recommend this book if you or someone you know has Borderline Personality Disorder. I personally have a friend who has been diagnosed with BPD and she wants to read this book now too after me telling her about it.

In the book the author describes how the condition can cause such intense emotions that lead to uncontrollable situations. The author describes how she ended up in accident and emergency most times as no one else could help to keep her calm as often is the way with people with BPD, my friend is the same.

BPD can be triggered by traumatic events, suppressed memory can also lead to PTSD and that often coincides with BPD.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is used to treat suicidal patients with a BPD diagnosis. Obviously the overall aim is to prevent the situation of suicide but also teaching skills to be able to cope more with the BPD and running emotions.

The basic breakdown of DBT comes into four categories;

Personal relationships, coping with distress, paying attention to your life, coping with your emotions.

The activities in the book are capable for BPD sufferers and others alike with mental health issues such as bipolar disorder.
For example the most common technique mentioned in the book is mindfulness which is very popular anyway, focusing on living in the moment and not focussing on the past you.

This book has been a very eye opening read into the world of Borderline Personality Disorder. I am definitely more aware of how others with the condition must feel in certain situations now too.

Hello Me It's You by Anonymous, Hannah Todd

As someone who knows others as well as myself, who have suffered with mental and physical health issues, this intrigued me to read this book. The publisher has very kindly allowed me a copy to review.

This book is a collection of letters written by people, mostly anonymously, years after they were around sixteen years old. Upon their reflection on their own personal struggle with mental health and opens up to us to read, empathise and realise again there should be no stigma around such a huge subject that effects so many of us around the world.

The author herself states in the beginning of the book, she herself was diagnosed with anxiety and depression which are two most aware of common mental health issues that effect so many of us.

In between each of the letters written, there is a quote to inspire and give us a sense of hope in a beautiful paintbrush style water stroke text.

The story's told in each letter are intimate and honest allowing us to feel how they feel/felt and allows us to think of how they tackled their health issues.

For me, letter 9 stood out for pain as I suffer with Fibromyalgia. As well as letter 10 during which is written, distraction is key as I have found that has helped me when I have an anxiety moment or think back on my own issues in my teens with more severe issues.

Overall this books talks on subjects of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self harm, body dysmorphia and more mental health issues so openly it's refreshing and I honestly hope we can stop the stigma.

If you are suffering with your mental health, there is help, this book may help open up otherwise please talk to a family member, friend, GP or if you are in school or college a counsellor or teacher.

Quick Read 2017 A Very Distant Shore by Jenny Colgan

This book arrived at my door yesterday thank you to Amazon for remembering I'd ordered this quick read book back at Christmas.

Now, I love Jenny Colgan and currently own all of her books she has written to date and have tonight added this one to that dedicated shelf. This book didn't disappoint, I wanted it to go on and on!

In this book, Saif is a doctor and Lorna is a resident on Mure a little Island off of Scotland. The two meet after Saif is sent to the island from a refugee camp. His arrival causes a stir in the village and for him too as he doesn't know where his family or friends are. Lorna however meets Saif under unfortunate circumstances of her father being seriously ill with unexplained headache's.

I wont spoil the book as it is so quick to read and is a heart warming but tear drawing read, a real bundle of emotions were felt through relatable circumstances in one case. 

Angel Dust by Sarah Mussi

I have had this book on my wishlist for so long when I randomly found this novel in my local Poundshop with its gorgeously dark angel cover, I picked it up and was super happy.

Upon reading the whole book, I did enjoy it but as I always find with most fantasy novels, I can't ever a hundred percent feel engaged with the story.

With this book, we join Serafina who is an angel sent to collect the souls of the dying and can for see the events occurring. Upon going to earth to collect one soul in particular, from a young gangsta character called Marcus, its a classic case of love at first sight. Though we don't quite know what she sees in him fully. Serafina can't let Marcus die and so takes out a contract with Larry the devil which is unknown to her at first, to keep Marcus alive to allow her time to try to save his soul.

After seeing Marcus tempted by crime again after a threat to his family's safety Serafina fall from heaven to hell and finally to Earth in an attempt to become human and show Marcus love is more powerful in a last attempt to get him to repent his ways and send his soul to heaven.

Overall this novel focusses on the lessons of love and loss, how both can effect us and how our lives can change from having and giving it. It was a good read but the once was enough for me as often is with books of the fantasy genre.

Crochet Stories: Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland by Pat Olski

I am a huge crafty person from painting and jewellery making as a young child, to now being hugely into cross stitching, knitting and crocheting.

As a child I think everyone gets introduced to Alice in Wonderland and the amazing story has every young child enchanted and wondering how likely the events are to occur to them too quite possibly! For me, little juice pots made me think and pretend I was going to shrink to the size of a small child doll.

This book was kindly sent to me to review and I loved the way the book reads. Not just straight forward into pattern after pattern of each character, between each one pretty much is an excerpt of a scene from Alice in Wonderland. Enabling a family friendly like feel to the book as a whole.

The patterns are intricate and finely detailed. Characters are portrayed as alike as I personally feel possible to the ones drawn in the picture books and all are sure to have children engrossed in the classic tale that will share the magic of storytelling from generation to generation.

Thief! by Malorie Blackman

The first book I ever picked up by Malorie Blackman was not like most people who usually have read the Noughts and Crosses series. Instead, I read Boys Don't Cry and I was hooked into reading her books that way.

In this book, we meet Lydia who is in a new school and unsure whether to fit in, which any teen wants, but means risking getting into trouble as the group she wants to join requires her to steal to get in. Immediately I didn't like the character of Anne who is a bully towards Lydia as she is a tgret to Anne and her best friends, Frankie's friendship.

After a lot of action I'm not going to spoil here for you, we find ourselves in an almost sc-fi, dystopian event of what has become of the town, the group of children Lydia wanted to fit in with and what happened to Lydia and her family after the main events of the book.

Overall Malorie explores the events of peer pressure and fitting in extremely well and shows us how events can make life altering decisions for us and how every action we take sets off a trail of future events.

Cry For Help by Cathy McGough

Firstly, the gorgeous colour and imagery of the cover drew me to want to read this particular book and so I was sent it digitally to review.

This book really is an interesting read, there are supernatural characters from witches to vampires and fairies as well as gnomes and elves who are all seemingly watching over the humans from somewhere with G.O.D and Lucifer actually working together, which is shocking!
However the reason they are watching over the humans is apparent as the story evolves and we find that each person we are introduced to for whatever differing reasons no longer wants to live.
The book may seem fantasy to begin with but touches on real issues around the subject of death, suicide, mental health and the stability in the way we view the world and how we each view things different to others.
I recommend this book if you want to read something powerful and different to the normal.

My Battle With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Beckie Butcher

I was kindly sent this from a Goodreads giveaway.

Personally suffering myself from Fibromyalgia, a condition which very often can coincide with chronic fatigue syndrome I felt emotional reading this short insight into Beckie and her diagnosis journey.

I read it and cried and empathised with her journey as she realised her life was changing forever alike me to my own diagnosis.

In this book she talks about her faith a lot too and how she leant on her faith in God to help her through.

Beckie also talks about procedures she had experienced such as Nucca. In a hope to heal her body which unfortunately can't heal completely and is like a rollercoaster of one day being better, worse or manageable at best.

A lovely short insight to CFS and will be sharing it with my family to read as well.

Storm in a C cup by Caroline Flack

So, I love the X Factor and found a gorgeous white hardback copy of this book in a charity shop, upon reading it, I was so right to buy it!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this autobiography and found out so much about Caroline. The book let’s us view her life and see her dedication to her passions, family and friends from her little home town and from her immediate family to her celebrity family and friends such as Olly Murs and the rest of the X Factor family.

I had no idea the smiley and upbeat television presenter we see on TV had trained in the performance industry nor the plain fact she has a twin! (I could’ve googled that fact I’m guessing but in the book of course there are stories about the two and their family.)

Throughout the book I felt like she was open and honest about everything and laid her emotions bare for us to feel and we can commiserate or celebrate each moment she depicts with us from a terrible heartbreak, moving out and going to university and of course, being on stage. She has lived so far an amazing and interesting life of highs and lows with advice for how to cope with situations after they've happed and she can reflect with a more clear, open mind.

This book is an eye opening and honest look back on Caroline’s life so far, tear jerking and laughable in seperate parts, I sincerely hope you pick it up too!

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Tape By Steven Camden

I was looking forward to reading this and even though the story wasn't as I expected how I'd imagined, I did really enjoy the twists and turns the two interwoven characters ensued through.

The story is set two decades apart with Ryan in 1993 and Ameliah in 2013. Ameliah finds a set of cassette tapes in her Nan's house where she lives now her mum has passed away.
On the tapes she hears a voice and discovers the person talking knew her mum and now Ameliah wants answers as to who this person is who knew her mum so much.
Ryan in 1993, starts talking into his tape recorder after having to adapt and put up with a new stepmum and a stepbrother joining his family. He copes by making mix tapes of his favourite songs as well. Then he meets a girl and his life changes...

I'm not going to spoil the story, its extremely well written and a great story in the style that we are exploring two lives and what has happened in the twenty years between them.

I would recommend you read this boy or girl and share it with your friends too!

Candy by kevin Brooks

What a book!

The story opens us to life of Joe. 

A teen whom is on his way to a doctor’s appointment on a pretty normal day, that is until he catches the eye of Candy.                             Joe is smitten, the feelings so strong he stumbles over his words and ends up buying her a meal in McDonald’s, like most teenagers do.   But no teenager is like Candy in that she is known by Iggy.                     A large man whom ‘owns’ Candy as she fu ds her drug habit with prostition thanks to Iggy. Iggy could easily kill Joe as he so threatens in the McDonald’s and take him away from Candy. Joe perseveres despite the threat to his life and so we further intsee his struggles at home with his parents dating again, his mum hasn’t visited him or his older sister, Gina in years. As well as his dad hating the fact his daughter is dating a black man. This hilights quite a severe problem which society still suffers with unfortunately. 

Throughout the story we see Joe and Candy still being friends and at times more than friends a but never quite a couple. Joe tracks Candy down and tries to help her get away from Iggy and the squat she’s living in which creates a suspenseful and thrilling end to the novel as Iggy tracks them down as well as having Gina held hostage.

Its a page turner, well worth a read and is definitely one book full of dramatic twists that you won’t forget about!

Bliss By Shay Mitchell & Michaela Blaney

This book is more adult fiction I believe so please bare that in mind!

I was hoping for a more juicy, twisted plot but was let down.
This story I found unfortunately predictable and over done before.

The main characters, Demi, Leandra and Sophia are a privileged, party girl trio looking for a good time with an enforcement on trying to each find their Bliss.

In parts the book made me laugh and yet in others it made me cringe too as the girls hooked up with guys and yet they also made me angry strangely as I wanted them to make wiser choices and care for themselves better and not settling for being 'kept by a guy' and sponging off him and his success as a certain character repeatedly does. To me I personally feel that over steps the mark as Shay has a younger following due to Pretty Little Liars, if I was say fifteen and picked up this book, I would feel like I needed a guy to feel happy and secure when modern day we women van achieve success ourselves.

Overall it was a feeble attempt at what with more work could've been a stunning, sparkling celebrity debut novel.

Girl hearts Girl by Lucy Sutcliffe

Picking this book up at first, was due purely to the colourful imagery on the cover and then the title, I noticed was different to others I've read before as the book is titled girl heart girl and I found out, written by young YouTube Lucy who writes her memoir detailing her coming to terms with her sexuality and finding her girlfriend online.

The couple in real life were still together at the time of Lucy writing and are currently not together although they have a huge following on YouTube I have since discovered.

This book starts out with Lucy depicting the scene of her living in England growing up in Oxfordshire, moving to Plymouth to undertake her film degree and finding her way through all the scenes modern teenagers go through first, high school and dealing with sexuality, whether you like someone or not, dealing with homophobic people in her life and coming out to first her friends, then parents and family.

The memoir is also different in the way a young couple meet through online blog site Tumblr. A bit like a modern fairy tale as what fifteen year old doesn't use the internet!

This book will make you commiserate with the young Lucy, laugh and feel like you are a witness to the actions that have happened so far in her young life.

Simply unput downable, a pleasurable read from cover to cover!

Welcome every reader!

Hello!

I'm Eve, twenty and from the Midlands in England. It's a pleasure to be writing to whomever shall read this blog. I love to read, was brought up surrounded by books and now I have a huge, forever growing day by day collection of books.

My favourite genres tend to be autobiographies, biographies, women's chick-lit and young adult fiction ranging from contemporary to murder and crime mysteries. I do tend to stick to these categories but from time to time challenge myself to read a different genre too.

I find myself reading a book everyday pretty much cover to cover, they tend to suck me in and immerse me in a world I get so easily lost in when I eventually realise the time in reality, you can guarantee its been a few hours and I've probably forgotten to do something!

Anyone relate?!

Anyway, I'm off to read some more and I'll update here soon,

Till then!

Enjoy your reading and recommend me books too if you want to 📚