Trinkets by Kirsten Smith

In this book we read a split pov between:

Tabitha who is in an abusive relationship and feels she doesn't fit with her family.

Moe who has a bad girl reputation.

Elodie who is a kleptomaniac.

All the girls have in common is that they meet at shoplifters anonymous and become a misfit group of friends who steal together despite supposedly trying to get better at doing the opposite after getting caught!

It was a fun engaging read that had me intrigued from the start as to how the girls become friends as all they have in common is stealing making them a unique bunch of misfit friends however the topic isn't a usual seen plot point in any YA books I've read and I really enjoyed it as it played out throughout the book, fabulous read!

Salted Caramel Dreams by Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper

Jasmine and her best friend Kiera used to dream of opening an Etsy shop selling their unique designs together.

However as Kiara gets into basketball and begins to hang out with new friends then disses Jasmine, she decides her friendship is lost and when her mum pushes her to join drama club, she meets Courtney, Ava and Joseph. They soon become friends while her and Kiera drift until a need for new costumes arises and offers the girls a chance to reunite and share big news...

I liked the design passion and the clever link to her new friends being they too liked the same drink from the title which the girls had added and invented for the menu which they didn't know about.

All about friendship perils and perks a realistic teen story about going separate ways.

Something Like Happy by Sasha Greene

Nick tries to commit suicide driven by his depression and unfulfilling job, he climbs to the edge of a building...

Then Jade stops him, bearing the weight of her sister's suicide she wants to prevent anyone else going the same way.

Jade gets Nick to meet up with her and pursue her happy list from days out with Archie an old man
from an elderly folks home, to yoga and dinner dates together the pair find a unique kind of happy from such a horrible situation. But can it last?

This was a fantastic book all about the impact and choice of suicide. It was a deep and tearful read to get through but so much happened I flew through it in a day. A fabulous debut about an ever important topic.

Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry by Caroline Roberts

Rachel, mum Jill, granny Ruth and daughter Maisie are back in a Christmas adventure in their pudding pantry.

As they begin a pudding club which builds in success, Rachel finds herself too busy to see Tom while she discovers her ex has a new girlfriend in tow when he decides to make a rare visit to see Maisie while she discovers Tom's ex is also back, but why?

As the joy of Christmas arrives, hard work and heavy snowfall threaten to make this Christmas a tough time, can Rachel find herself having a good Christmas and spending time with Tom at last too or will plans to awry?

I loved that characters from Caroline's other books made an appearance too while there was a snowdog line which won me over being a huge The snowman fan! The cast of characters really made the pudding club come to life and the time of each character shone through it was a fabulous easy Christmas read with plenty of drama to keep you hooked on reading more I just can't wait for the next one now after that final chapter too!

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

My Mum's Growing Down by Laura Dockrill

Poems all about the kid being more grown up than the adult, these poems are brilliantly funny and tickle even the most serious adults! We hear about a mum who's reducing in age and a child playing the adult to their often embarrassing mum and all about the up's and down's they face too.

The poems are truly unique works of art and the rhymes are hilarious Laura has made a memorable book here anyone can enjoy and it's guaranteed to make you laugh!

One Day In December by Josie Silver

Laurie clasps eyes on a boy she can't forget.

A year later at her friend Sarah's Christmas party, she meets the boy from the bus and finds out his name is Jack and he's Sarah's boyfriend.

As the next year goes on, the pair waver with their feelings and not wanting to split up her best friend and her boyfriend, the following year she chooses to go on a trip to Thailand to escape from it all. While she's there, she can forget about the moments she shared with Jack and meets Oscar.

As the decade goes on, the girls each land their dream jobs, however one relationship falls apart and one progresses to heading for the aisle! A breakdown of a friendship, new job abroad and a new love around the world, each character winds up in the own ever after but are they all happy, read it to find out!

Told from Laurie's and Jack's perspectives, their stories collide in a unique and frankly harmless way until the drama ensues and forbidden love becomes an issue. They both go through the motions but drag Sarah through it with them all the while and later Oscar too. It was a great read and shows how life can present the most unique of meetings that can change your life for ever, this book is life changing for them and us as we share their story, a fantastic read for those who've been through tough love situations.

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

A Winter Retreat At The Paris Cheese Shop: Part 1 by Victoria Brownlee

After living together as a happy couple in Melbourne for eight years Paul has decided to call it quits with Ella as he attempts to go off to Thailand and discover himself as inspired by Jessyka, his gym cross fit buddy.

Ella was expecting a proposal, not this and so was her mum too!

So post breakup, her friend Billie is there with wine and cheese as Ella recalls meeting Paul as a student in France and how he's changed into a high flying financial man since then but it inspires her to make a bold move and quit her job and live in Paris for a year. In her words, 'to drink wine and eat cheese!'

So she heads off to Paris where she explores all the little coffee shops and finds her dream cheese shop where she buys some great cheeses she falls in love with. Ella also looks for work and finds a cafe with an Australian server of all coincidences and finds a hot mystery man...

Who knows where Ella's journey will take her eventually? She is a headstrong and impulsive woman for sure taking on Paris alone and not a hundred percent certain of the language! She's hugely likeable and this book was a lovely easy read to immerse myself in, I could imagine walking Paris streets myself, I love it!

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

The Little Bakery Of Hopes And Dreams by Kellie Hailes

Callan lives in his bakery with young daughter Mia as Christmas approaches, Josie find herself arriving at their bakery and applying for the job going as front of bakery assistant.

Abigail was Callan's wife who sadly passed away and left him to coepwith Mia and running the bakery, which it's obvious he's failing to manage as his bakes aren't up to much instead being hard and not the gorgeous delicacies his wife used to bake, which is where Josie comes in and changes things...

In a really sweet read Kellie has centred a whole story around a bakery that revives its Christmas spirit with renewed love and a new match made family thanks to Christmas spirit and magic. I loved the way the characters didn't fall for each other straight away but slowly and then suddenly especially little Mia as she comes to love and accepting Josie being around. I also love that Josie was the main characters name as my auntie Josie would've loved this book of she was here still and being nearly a year on since losing her, I encourage anyone who loves Christmas as much as she did to definitely give this book a read, it was quick and eventful but leaves you feeling happy and content with the story you've devoured and the sweet Christmas bakes you had too!

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

The Bakery At Seashell Cove by Karen Clarke

Meg and Sam are a young couple engaged and soon to be married. Meg works part time in a cafe and the rest of the time in the old bakery as it awaits sale after the death of its owner.

Nathan whose overseeing the sale catches her eye and she starts to daydream about him much to the amusement of Cassie and Tilly her friends.

When she gets the chance to take part in Britain's hidden gems tv show she talks of never knowing her father and her mum's agoraphobia amongst things and soon the world or at least programme viewers learn their business.

Sam is too interested in Cycling and so she looks on Facebook and discovers George, a woman secretly in their cycling group. Whilst his family always seem to disapprove of Meg and judge her harshly.

Meg's mum suffers with agoraphobia and is also constantly pushing Meg to get pregnant ASAP as she is unawares of her daughter's growing unease and feelings about her situation.

So when Freya a rich local woman and her husband want to buy the bakery to become an ice cream parlour, Meg is unhappy but then an anonymous buyer appears...

Facing up to her relationship and work life woes Meg needs to turn her life around fast and make herself truly happy forever.

This book was a lovely chick lit, women's fiction read and was full of drama. The writing was engaging and there were some hilarious one liners at times in this book. Meg's story will probably be relatable to women out there suffering the same issues. I would've liked some different scenarios with whom the anonymous buyer turns out to be but you shall have to judge that for yourself!

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

Clementine For Christmas by Daphne Benedis-Grab

In this book, Josie and her bulldog Clementine visit kids at the hospital to cheer them up as Christmas approaches.

Oscar is having a bad time at home with his parents constantly arguing and not bothering with him

Gabby is secretly sick with epilepsy after being forced to move school after he ridicules her over it. Now with new friends at a new school, she finds herself facing the seizures as they come back full force...

Gabby is a strong character for dealing with epilepsy like she does and makes her a role model to other kids dealing with the issue as she learns not to let it rule her life. Oscar is a kid who's dealing with issues a lot of kids and teens do sadly but the pair together show how friendship can come from nowhere between two random people and to never rule anyone out of being a good possible friend.

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan

In this devastating story told in verse, we see how Joe suffers with his family, his sister Angela is always there for him however their drunk mum left them to travel and escape while their aunt Karen helped for a while but couldn't cope as their older brother Ed got sent to death row and is awaiting execution.

We see how Joe arrives to visit him during his brothers final months of life, appeals his case and finds a friend in Nell.

Filled with twists and sadness this is a powerful and devastating novel told in verse and once again is a brilliant book by Sarah Crossan.