Split by Muhammad Khan

Salma wants to be an actress more than anything more than her communities judgmental eyes and her hard working mother's wishes

Salma has a huge audition to possibly get to play Cinderella only after things go wrong a ripped dress and a non binary fairy godmother in the form of Billie later can she finally get her chance to be her full non split in two self and get closer to her dream?

I really enjoyed this book as Salma is feisty and doesn't give up on her dream despite fearing judgement. She was a fabulous character and the LGBTQIA rep was the best I've read in any book as well as the tone of language I really felt the terror Salma must have felt when the gangster lads were about. The aspect of a modern Cinderella and a Pakistani one was a modern twist and I wish we could really see the play happen, I just wish this was a full length novel it was so good!

Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

Bex is new to LA as she looks into pursuing her dream of being a TV scriptwriter and ultimately have her own TV show.

As she moves in with her cousin Parker a gay make-up artist and her idol growing up, she tries to figure out how to tell him she's gay too and no, not to just copy him.

At the TV studio where her favourite werewolf drama is filmed however she soon learns behind the scenes things are less than perfect but she does have the executive producer Jane on her side while Malcolm a fellow scriptwriter takes an instant dislike to her.

From parties with the famous and stars of Silver Falls and handing her own version of a script for an episode to her boss whom rips it off a his own!

As she falls for Shrupya an actress playing the role she wrote in her script to make a gay couple happen in the show they fall into a natural relationship which could crumble after Malcolm changes the script after a homophobic rant by Archer the straight white male lead in the show.

The book featured heavily on the LGBTQ community and also having YouTube actresses being included too. I liked the cast being a mix of cultures and identifying as various types of people, shows it's a great modern young adult book and up to date with the times! I also picked up on The Brightsiders being talked about, another great book by Jen and the sneaky hints didn't go unnoticed. I really enjoyed the way the plot went and loved the story even though after reading about the script she wrote I kinda guessed correctly the way it would play out there was still great drama and so didn't expect the love interests either which was an obvious great addition. A perfect teen read if you love movie's, TV or LGBTQ relationship dynamics.

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

Goodreads:
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Girl Detatched by Manuela Salva

Aleksandra is a sixteen year old who's just lost her beloved gran and is left to live with her mum, Megan is her neighbour whom helps her by introducing her to Camilla, Dani and Kayley as well as Ruben.

Going from shy stutter sufferer though she doesn't on stage though her beloved theatre is closing down. But through it all Ruben is her new boyfriend whom she adores and as her first, is clueless to see the world she's sinking in to.

While Megan leads her into a dangerous group as girls disappear with the other guys, get bought presents of clothing and make-up and Aleks feels uncomfortable as Ruben makes her take her clothes off by drugging her with ecstasy and giving her alcohol until she can't stay awake.

As she changes her look, is failing school and was raped as she horrifically recalls her theatre friends gather her up and confront and threaten the bullying rapist and friends though they unearth a video, from that night Aleks was with them at a party.

Then they decide to get their own back and revenge on Ruben and his twisted group of so called friends, a court battle ahead with Megan finally an ally, sisters against the cruel monsters.

The book was intense, emotional turmoil for such a young teen to have to face along with so many other life changes that should be happy instead are sour after falling into the wrong crowd. A look into a life we overlook in young adult fiction as I've never read a book about this subject before. Rape and prostitution is a harrowing thing for anyone to face and go through, unimaginable but the author dealt with the subject covering all elements in a hopeful way of justice being served.

Powerful look into a dark hidden world...

Confessions Of A High School Disaster: Chloe Snow's Diary by Emma Chastain

Chloe is starting high school but is typically unsure of whether she'll fit in, wear the right clothes and not never have her first kiss meanwhile, her mum is an author and is away for months to come working on her newest book to come.

Hannah is her best friend and Hannah also makes friends with Zac who is in a band and Tris from the school's drama production group. Just before starting high school though she meets Mac by the local pool but finds out online he has a girlfriend, Sienna.

As she befriends Tris, a fellow actor in the school play and her new gay best friend, they realise first love can go either the easy or hard way as well as throwing other partners into the mix for added drama, of course!

When her mum spontaneously comes home and goes away again, soon Chloe realises why as her dad and a certain teacher are caught together...but later finds out what her parents have been keeping from her while she discovers her new high school life and friends. She may be settled there but now home is full of uncertainty for her making her super emotional.

Chloe has a lot of life lessons from sex to first love, crushes to divorces and issues many teens really face, this Angus, Thongs and perfect snogging style diary novel is a great new way of informing young teens what could be happening in their lives, around them or to come while being hilarious and funny throughout. I have always loved teen fiction set in diary format but this is one of the best I've read so far!

Pretty Happy by Kate Hudson

In her book actress Kate discusses all about how being happy is to do with making our bodies and minds work together for not just harmony but optimal power.

Stop being self critical and trusting your body and how it feels, accepting what your body needs is a huge step. Kate tells us how pregnancy changed her body and mindset along with getting the right nutrition and exercise when she wanted or resting when needed anyway as she has such a busy workload and family life to contend with. This will resonate with most adults who will pick up the book I'm sure!

Working on her brand Fabletics, (a favourite of mine), she wanted the core message to be that anyone can be healthy and active and always change up things to keep it fresh and challenging your body. Kate tells us how tracking your feelings and journaling goals and changing negative energy to positive can benefit you so much more than staying unchanging and unchallenged.

The book is extremely detailed and well written even though Kate states many a time she's not trained to give this advice she explains everything thoroughly with quizzes and pictures throughout to aid her points.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Two lives collide after a twist in their stories brain them to meet by chance one November 9th at a restaurant where eighteen year old Fallon is meeting her father and Ben sticks up for her despite being a stranger he fakes being her boyfriend on the night she's leaving to go live in New York.

They leave with a promise to her future self and future Ben that they meet up every November 9 until they are twenty three. Ben will write a book of their story while Fallon will grow her confidence in herself and date despite feeling less than perfect and not attractive because of her fire scars and pursue her acting on Broadway.

As their lives evolve many twists lie ahead for the two, from deaths, births, other Colleen Hoover book characters making appearances and their relationship reaching it's decision point.

The last few chapters though! This climax suddenly brings us full circle in another twist in the plot revealing many secrets which Fallon will be the decider over what happens next for the two.

Waiting For Callback Take Two by Perdita and Honor Cargill

In the second book of the series, this book follows on from where Elektra had just landed her first serious movie job, throwing her into a life of film work, on set drama and no traditional school.

The downside however, is that she misses out on time with her boyfriend as he's off in Transylvania filming his highly awaited vampire film. Rumours fly all about romances on set and as Elektra and those around her worry for her, she finds a herself making a tough decision.

Will it pay off? Read it to find out!

I really enjoyed it, a lot more action with there being a film made now in the book and it was more entertaining with the range of new characters in the novel.

Waiting For Callback by Perdita & Honor Cargill

In this book, we follow the journey of Elektra Ophelia as she signs up with an acting agency and experiences her normal teen life at school and drama club whilst also attending many auditions for varying roles of interest.

Each role Elektra gets put forward for is very different to say the least!

From squirrel voicing to playing a carrot on an advert, the book has hilarious highs then the usual teenage larks come in to play.
From a best friend argument to kissing a boy at a party and then her mum later seeing them together! The book keeps you entertained and is a great read for any other fifteen year old girl like Elektra.

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!

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!