Lucy & Linh by Alice Pung

Laurinda is a posh school where every student is a high achiever and a hard worker. Only popularity isn't based on looks or grades in this school but who you're in with.

There on a scholarship is Lucy, whom witnesses a prank done by Amber, Brodie and Chelsea which sees her drawn into their group The Cabinet, purely by timing and chance. She starts to hang out with Amber especially a lot more and even goes to a party she's holding. The girls also meet up with the boys from their school too.

Lucy writes about her three terms to Linh and I found this confusing in the book as it's never made completely clear until right towards the end of the book who she is to her like a friend or relative etc. While there is some drama I found this book not exciting and a bit flat, the characters didn't seem to have distinct personalities and a lot of focus was on ethnicity which is great but only told us so much. The main focus is that Lucy changes from who she was before and becomes nothing like the person she once was or wants to be, I just feel it could've been more dramatic or easier to follow.

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

Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn

Eleanor is a princess and knows what she wants, to go to Rosewood School but it's at first against her parents approval until she wins them round.

Lottie is a girl from St Ives who's also heading for Rosewood after losing her mother but keeping alive her princess like thoughts and attitude.

When Ellie meets roommate Lottie she's amused where as Lottie takes a dislike to her new roomie after she shows she doesn't respect her or her belongings, it's clear they're opposites and will have to work through their issues.

This later involves Lottie taking the place of Ellie as she desires a normal life and not the forced one of being a princess!

Then Jamie, Ellie's childhood friend shows up to fins out what exactly is going on as reports fly that the princess isn't his friend Ellie but a stranger.

With boys and balls as well as royal duties including princess lessons, the girls could never have imagined their lives becoming the way they have or forming quite such a unique bond.

This book was a really great and anticipated read, as a follower of Connie's online platforms I expected this to be a Disney style tale and wasn't disappointed at all. A modern twist to the tale and being set around a boarding school added to the delight as the two main girls were forced into a strange bond which created tension, drama and lots of fun for us to read about. I got absorbed into the book and couldn't put it down it felt like I was there watching all the drama happening!

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

Say Her Name by James Dawson

A boarding school holds a deep secret, a group of girls known as The Elites along with Naya and Bobbie, two other students at the school and two boys all start messing with Bloody Mary one night after telling ghost stories.

What immediately follows over the next five days is a series of odd events leading Bobbie to solve the mystery as Mary keeps appearing around in reflective surfaces trying to pass through and tell her story.

As Sadie disappears first from the school eventually more of them disappear to solve just what Mary wants after they summoned her.

There is involvement of the boarding school rooted into the story with past pupil's and teachers making it an engrossing story which is just the right amount of scary to read before bed still as I did! It was a great creepy tale with the Scooby doo style investigative fun to keep you reading on.

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day

Heidi lives in a boarding school with her best friends. Her parents own the boarding school and her mum seems more like a sister the way she talks to Heidi for a lot of the book.

The book was very juvenile in its language and so tried my patience a lot sadly and I found it dragging on.

The idea of the story was good with Heidi having to create a fake boyfriend and deal with the history of the two of them etc. As well as her friend group being very varied with a gay friend and his boyfriend as well as a model and a goth as well as her boyfriend showing a true array of real life people cast in the mix.

If you are a young teen this book maybe for you but older teens you may find it a bit of a drag unfortunately.

Girlhood by Cat Clarke

I couldn't believe my eyes when I stopped this book available for review, the latest young adult fiction novel from Cat Clarke!

Having previously read and enjoyed all of Cat's books, I'm so excited to share a review and overview of this book with you all!

Set in Duncraggan Academy, an expensive boarding school, Harper is trying to get on with her life after the death of her twin sister, Jenna who died because of heart failure as a result of a post Christmas diet of Harper's suggestion.

Harper has a key group of friends at the Scottish boarding school, Ama, Lily and Rowan. Kirsty becomes a talked about 'legend' after surviving initiation which the four friends make her undertake as it's essential for new students.

Kirsty and Harper both bond over their shared loss of each one's sister, Kirsty's sister died as the result of a car crash in which Kirsty is now scarred on her body from.

The girls games, truth or dare and the like result in an awkward situation and Rowan and Harper become distanced over Kirsty. Harper really likes Kirsty whilst Rowan seems very off towards her and wary.

The title being Girlhood shows it's true of the novel as we see Harper becoming distanced from her core group of friends as she becomes closer to Kirsty.

However, the truth surrounding Kirsty and her past comes to light and the girls have to help Harper realise before anything can happen to her, after all Kirsty likes shooting at the Clay pigeon's, would she shoot Harper?

You'll have to read it to find out what happens!

In the book, Harper is bisexual and rowan is lesbian, the sexual themes are unique as in older boarding school books I can't recall a same situation where it has been pointed out. Also, the girls are accepted and not outcast for being their true selves. It also shows that death can be a bonding opportunity over recent losses at the same time even though it's a bittersweet deal.

Cat Clarke has written another stellar book and is sure to be an essential teen read this year, pick it up when it's released!