Birthday by Meredith Russo

Eric and Morgan have known each other since they were born and always spend their brithday toegther.

However when Morgan loses her mum, she shuts off from the word after trying and failing to come out to her friend about really being a girl, trapped in seemingly a boy's body and tha she's actually transgender.

As they grown up, we see how they both question their sexuality over thoughts they have for the other, how they feel attracted to each other and especially how they deal with girls who they encounter.

There's a heavy aspect of homophobia bought up too as in their small town, many of the football players speak horrifically about gay people and especially Eric's dad is a very cruel man pushing his family away and seemingly only caring about how rich he can be, a fickle bitter man indeed.

Morgan was a brave and strong character throughout even if I was screaming when little young Morgan wasn't heard coming out about her true self when she was with Eric for their first birthday mentioned in the book!

I really enjoyed this book, not only for the transgender topic being handled and executed so well but the eighteen year development of a loving relationship, the pair truly were made for each other and this book's ending is movie style for sure this should be adapted and be a Netflix craze for all to see!

Not If I See You First by Ally Carter

Maddie's dad was a guard for Logan's father, the president of the United States and The First Lady. Until an attack leaves him with an injured leg, years later him and Maddie are living in Alaska where Maddie trains hard still to be able to protect herself and her father.

As the years passed, she wrote to Logan but never heard back until he shows up in Alaska planned by his parents with Maddie's father agreeing and thus bringing danger to Maddie and her father as Russian and corrupt agents show up just as Maddie's dad is called away on business as a storm is moving in. As the agents work to kidnap Logan, Maddie is determined to protect him as Logan is to protect Maddie. As they work apart alone and together they face many outdoor challenges relates to Alaskan weather and outdoor terrain as well as gun risks and that means getting away together, alive - if Maddie is still alive by the end of this fight...

Now, I love Ally's previous novel's about spies as I grew up watching M.I.High around the same time of the books release! I never care for survival stories but nonetheless found myself hooked needing to know if they survived not and wanted to see if the pair realized how they truly feel towards each other despite past mix up's and let down's they may be feeling. It was a gripping page turner and I loved it, a great return from Ally!

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

The Summerhouse By The Sea by Jenny Oliver

Ava ends up in hospital after reading a text then being hit by a car, a dramatic introduction to her indeed! Her brother Rory sends her ex boyfriend Jonathon to her aid. Claire her sister in law meets her at home when she's discharged.

After admitting to Rory she may have a touch of FOMO, she decides to go to Mariposa in Spain and soak up the sun while having a nice time like how she remembers it being when she was younger. Whilst sorting through stuff in the old family home, she finds her mum's fancy gowns and discovers Flora and Tom, the actor her teenage self had a crush on now owns the house on the hill with a vineyard!

Her brother and his son join her there after #vileRory starts on Twitter after he says some things that are heavily judged online...

She and Tom get close as she opens up her old family home as an Air BnB, making a business and life for herself there as she thinks of staying in Spain!

A thrilling joyful read despite the books premise and starting chapters. Overall I found this a great summer read with characters holding their own with enough back story and life issues to keep you rooting for the couples involved.

Sunshine Is Forever by Kyle T Cowan

Hunter is depressed and so he goes off to a camp where they help through therapy to work on the teens and their history.

Whilst at camp, he meets Corrine a very out there, confident girl who he finds himself in a form of relationship with despite relationships being banned at camp. Although she wants to break them free, just as maybe he feels the camp could possibly benefit him...

We learn during the book of the turmoil he feels of guilt by his parents and everyone else he thinks, blaming him for not being able to prevent a harrowing incident occurring to his sister.

This book was a really good read for how complex depression can be due to trauma and the therapy mixed with camp is obviously used to show a case of one method of escapism and treatment combined to try and prevent suicide. The language was raw and honest but could trigger people if effected by depression and suicide themselves.

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

Generation Next by Oli White & Terry Ronald

When Jack moves school after being badly beaten up by bullies, he finds himself making friends with a group with his same shared interest in media as well as catching the eye of Ella, whom he first sits next to in class. The group he meets soon invites him to Austin, the group's leader's house to hang out in their technology den where they come up with their GenNext idea from watching gigs online as well as using social media.

As the website takes off being talked about all over the internet, the group face a huge live meeting abroad about the future of GenNext as Hunter's uncle dodgy company want to buy GenNext and threatens releasing a sex tape between Hunter and Ella if they refuse.

Throughout the book, friendship is tested and bullies play a huge role in the story. There's also the fact that Jack's mum faces cancer and he still goes ahead with the meeting abroad which personally I don't think I could do. It was a good book but I would've liked there to have been more about GenNext and what they were posting etc.

Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler

Mara is a high achiever, sights set on Yale with hopefully Valedictorian honors at the end of her time in school.

Until hurricane V her niece a year younger than her moves in and creates hell for her. Where Mara is straight edged, V smokes pot, acts like all the boys want her and she let's them have her if rumours are true and she even has a thing with Mara's ex, Travis.

Yet Mara also has issues at work too, Claudia she works with fancies their boss James. However, James and Mara seem to be having sparks fly between them so just how will that play out and not break any hearts?

The book is ultimately about fitting in and doing you not what somebody sets for you. We see V find stability she needed while Mara develops her dreams and separates her dreams from her parents idealisation for her future. Once again Carolyn has written a great book, the second in the series, Guyaholic, I read before this one and remember we see V get more settled and enter a relationship too, worth a read!

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.

My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend by Eleanor Wood

This book was everything I've hoped it would be!

Set around the life of eighteen year old Tuesday, yes that's her name! We see her personal blog shared only with her boyfriend, her mum and best mates Nishi and Anna, accidentally attract the attention of the twenty three year old ex and now once again rock star, Jackson. We see how her and Jackson become closer by emailing back and forth before eventually arranging to meet up when Jackson plays his comeback gig at Glastonbury.

All the while this is going on however, Tuesday is supposed to be revising toward her English exam which is her last one to come for the end of her A-levels and the one that matters the most to her personally as she wants to be a writer, hence why she started up her blog in the first place. The exam is set to be the Monday after Glastonbury but will she make it back in time, or will Jackson keep her attention instead? Read the book to find out!

I really liked the character of Tuesday and found her to be very true to a typical modern day teenager and she really showed intuition in terms of how to keep things going your way even when a lot of bad stuff has happened. She also has very typical mixed feelings towards her mum and how she handles having boyfriends and husbands which influences Tuesday and how she portrays love in the novel though she sees her current boyfriend treats her terribly eventually.

If you enjoyed Zoella's Girl Online books, you will love this one which originally came out before Zoella's acclaimed series.

Faceless by Alyssa Sheinmel

Maisie Winters is a normal sixteen year old girl. She was looking forward to prom with her boyfriend, Chireg and going to college or University with her best friend Serena. A passionate runner, she could've got a scholarship.

Yet her life gets changed forever one night. A thunderstorm causes a tree she's running by to collapse on her as she was approaching her home mere houses away. A neighbour put out the electrical fire happening to her. Yet after waking from a coma, she can't begin to comprehend what has changed.

Waking to find severe burns to her left side and her face, Maisie finds the strength to get a face transplant after her nose, chin and cheeks burnt off severly and learn to love life again no matter how much it can throw at you to deal with. Sure it takes time and a break up too, doubling the blow but Serena and her parents support despite their arguing and splitting up.
Maisie is a very strong girl and shows the extent of her courage to try and rebuild her life, not become a stranger like she feels at first towards her new face.

I really enjoyed this book and am glad to have finally checked it off on tbr list!