The Sky Is Mine by Amy Beashel

In this book we meet Izzy, a girl who's being blackmailed into sleeping with a guy, Jacob from her school while at home she and her mum are domestically and verbally abused by Daniel, Izzy's stepfather and her mum's husband.

Grace is her best friend but spends most of her time now with her girlfriend Nell and makes Izzy jealous of their close bond as she feels pushed out and unwanted.

However as things keep worsening with Jacob and Daniel, her mum one day decides enough is enough and the pair up and leave with dramatic consequences...

This book tackles many girlhood topics and I recommend it for teens to read.

I loved this book Izzy is a body positive hard as nails girl who has to deal with so much life rubbish from loss, rape, consent issues, blackmail, friendship drama and maybe falling in love, Izzy is a teen who raises many issues and tackles them all alongside her rebecoming herself mum, new love interest and with a kicking playlist to boot for ultimate positive vibes, this book was a fantastic debut knocking these topics out of the park, you need to read this book!

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

The Secret Cookie Club Book 1 by Martha Freeman

In this book, four girls meet at summer camp but don't get along at first, however in the style of Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, Grace, Emma, Olivia and Lucy, decide to keep in touch with each other by sending a letter and cookies to each other in turn.

The girls face issues surrounding death, money, siblings and school in this first book starting a great new series I enjoyed the friendship that developed between the girls despite each girls situation and lifestyle at home they all kept up staying in touch and I really can't wait for more!

Bookshop Girl Book 2: Life's A Beach by Chloe Coles

We catch up with best friends Paige and Holly as they embark on an adventure out of their boring town and head for Skegton On Sea and a book festival full of surprises awaits them once they arrive.

From a hot boy knocking Paige off her feet, an erotic fiction writing elderly lady and discovering that working a book festival isn't as easy as it many actually sound!

It was an hilarious read and kept me so entertained as we see how the book festival really tried Paige's patience as authors aren't how she expects and things go crazy wrong. I can't wait for more adventures with Paige and Holly in the future, especially as things are going well romance wise for the pair!

Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Katherine Webber

Reiko has suffered a huge loss years ago when her sister Mika died. Since then she has been haunted by what her sister missed out on and strives to achieve the best she can to do so in her honour as she never got to achieve such things as Homecoming queen etc.

So when she gets talking to Seth an outsider from the popular group she hang round in normally, she feels like she must keep him a secret but she treats him harshly to hide him away from her glossy popular life until he has enough and soon enough as they make it official, Seth changes...

Luckily, Reiko has her best friend Dre by her side constantly supporting her in the book and former friend Libby too before she changed and betrayed her in a way.

I didn't enjoy the way the book went, Seth took control after using Reiko for popularity while he came across as so caring for her but did highlight how people can use and dump you. I would've preferred to see Reiko end the book on a happier note where as I feel like the story was unfinished in many ways as there could be more to do with the friendship dynamic to play out as well too.

George by Alex Gino

In this book we meet George whom knows he's in fact a girl and so is transgender wanting to be her true self Melissa.

As she struggles with how to tell her closet people, her mum, brother Scott, best friend Kelly etc she also wants to play Charlotte in the play their school is putting on of Charlotte's Web.

However dealing with school bullies and hiding her girl magazines at home mean that soon enough things come to a head with the help of Kelly opening show night could be the turning point of her life she craves...

A perfect short story about being your true self despite whatever you may be faced with you must be true to your heart and that point is made perfectly clear even when challenged by her mum.

What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K Arnold

When her boyfriend Seth breaks up with her, after her parents have split up too, Nina is heartbroken and in disbelief as she also discovers she's pregnant.

After and incident with Seth and his ex Appolonia months before, she is stunned he leaves her but really the sex was never great as proved by when Seth buys a creepy not sweet anniversary present.

All the while we see why girls aren't displayed always as perfect things but how we supposedly are to guys especially, from hairy legs, periods, pregnancy accidents, using the toilet like any other human and needing to have perfect hair, make-up, outfit, body etc.

We also see frequent mentions of Eros and Thanos the Greek gods throughout the book as plot deals with sex and love as the gods believed themselves. We see the torture Nina puts herself through over the breakup and how it leaves her searching for an explanation about how love works. It was a bit flat for me as a story as I hoped for a more typical plot than I got and would have liked to have seen more about the baby and parents in the story.

Consent by Nancy Ohlin

In this book we meet Beatrice and see how her life changes when she gets a new music history teacher who she finds attractive. After he discovers her talents they become an electric pair as they share their love and passion of music and piano together and Dane encourages her to achieve her potential as a pianist at college.

However, after they get carried away in their passion, the couple find themselves discovered by and unexpected source...

This couple was electric and both in my eyes happy with their relationship despite the ages and legalities i do feel it was a nice romance and not a pressured one but alas the law wins over for them. I truly loved the book and the forbidden romance within!

Giant Days by Non Pratt

Starting out at university, three girls make friends, Daisy, Susan and Esther they may be very different people but they look out for each other.

Susan and Rather become rightly concerned when Daisy hangs around a lot with cult like group at the university called The Yogic Brethren after signing up to their group during the welcome activity fair for new students and they appear to spread throughout the whole campus. But students go missing and Daisy acts strange attending these meetings which include wearing creepy masks to get into meetings.

They do also do normal university students things like going to student union's and getting drunk as well as flirting with guys, even seeing guys they know from before uni at uni. Discovering their tastes in things changing and who true friends are.

I didn't really get into the book but it was well written and I finished it eventually. The concept was intriguing and links to drugs and money being mistreated makes sense as it fits into the university setting as people try new things and experiences but shows how it can go to the extremes in this book! The characters were all their own people and I liked the differences they had from one being a bit gullible to other gutsy and invested in their lifestyle like true students they were believable.

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

Proud by Various and Juno Dawson

One of the most hyped up teen books is finally here and I'm so excited and not just because it's put together alongside Juno Dawson!

Written by various authors the stories gathered in the book focus of different aspects of LGBTQ+ issues that they may face.

Simon James Green focuses on a gay penguin couple and two guys realising their feelings at prom.

Kay Staples features a Travelodge near Leicester, my hometown of all places! Where two guys find themselves hiding out at to discover their romance after a big lottery win as one of them tries to figure out if they're really a girl or just a boy who's into dresses and make up etc

David Levithan focuses on a choir singing Katy Perry as two boys feelings are growing for each other and look for acceptance from their families.

While Tanya Byrne focuses on Orla a teen coming to understand her sexual preference and how she falls for a girl, Reeba and also touches on death and grief.

Michael Lee Richardson focuses on a football team and their inclusivity of LGBTQ community members. As the main character is transgender and gay too. With a crush on a fellow team mate. The issue of using a binder is also talked about briefly which is refreshing to read as it's hardly ever mentioned.

Karen Lawlor focuses on a group of frenemies after Darcy is overheard being mean about our main character, Lizzie's best friend. However the two girls face conflict and discovery about their true feelings towards each other...

Jess Vallance focuses on the life of seventeen year old learner driver Lucy as she comes to realise her true feelings towards her friend, Fizzy.

The anthology does include also poems and fantasy themes based stories too of which just weren't my natural preference from this collective book.

Over all this is a powerful collaboration and celebration for the talented LGBTQ+ community involved in or set to read this beauty of a book purely based on the inclusivity and understanding of issues faced by the members of their community. It was heart warming, emotion tugging, fun, realistic and eye opening and everyone can take something away from this book of not just to be proud of ourselves.

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

In Paris With You by Clementine Beauvais

Tatiana and Eugene met years ago as teenageers, thanks to Tatiana's sister Olga and her boyfriend, Lensky.

For Tatiana it was love at first sight of the young man Eugene.

However years later after the crush has faded, Eugene is the one infatuated if not obsessed with Tatiana but as she is set to move for a new job, will the pair staying Paris or leave together?

A very different and emotive book, it was not what I was expecting and was more poetic than young adult novel like though the expressionism was appreciated and enhanced the novel greatly padding it out else it would simply be a love story with a tragedy partly reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, only in modern day. I did enjoy it but not the expected hype build up I'd seen online about it and it seemed more of an adult fiction that young adult fiction.

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

Jelly by Jo Cotterill

Jelly is the school class clown as we discover her insecurity at being the bigger girl at school. She suffers from some bullying comments made towards her many times about her weight building her insecurity as she lets out her anger against people by writing some rather emotional short poetry as a hobby.

She also has to battle with her mothers bad taste in boyfriends as they use her and treat her badly until by chance her mum finally meets a decent guy whom might just also make Jelly happy too.

As Jelly deals with puberty and entering the school talents show with her rather brilliant impersonation act, we see a brave girl emerge as she turns the cruel words said to her into a work of art and owns the stage for her performance.

The book cleverly shows how bullying can effect someone but also how it can in turn inspire them as well. It also shows how a plus size teen is a great choice of main character as Jelly is a normal teenager dealing with an array of issues like any teen of any size a first for teen fiction and I commend Jo for this!

It's Not Me It's You by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Avery has sworn off boys while completing her history assignment on her past relationships with boys throughout her schooling.

As her friend Coco, enemy Bizzy, best guy friend Hutch etc all weigh in on her relationship past too, we see from all their views the relationships Avery has had and been through.

From discovering her worst relationship to finding her heart's true desire and saving her prom too after her enemy destroys it all despite them both being on the prom committee.

It was a typical teen voice book and was good but not amazing as it was literally just about Avery's boy history and current prom situation a tiny bit. It was quite childish and Avery seems to always be defending herself in each relationship look back when she should just accept what happened and move on.

Behind Closed Doors by Miriam Halahmy

Josie lives with her mum in their house full of her mum's so called treasure, which is just charity shop buys hoarded so much they can't use hardly any rooms of their house and all their money funds the collection.

Tash lives with her mum and at times her mum's creepy boyfriend who seems to fancy Tash and make creepy advances towards her touching and striking her as well as trying to get into her room late at night.

When Josie's mum forgets to pay the council tax, she ends up in prison and Tash finds solace in the secret hoarder house after Josie confides in her about her mum and meets Tash stay as she isn't safe at home.

Throughout the novel we are the girls struggle to cope on hardly any money and having to plan showers, washing and food, as well as deal with serious criminals and getting boyfriends. It's light and dark, mixed in moods as they face better and worse times as they fight to survive together and not get taken into care. It was a remarkable read, fighting to survive and being made homeless aren't seen enough in YA books and this sets the standard.

Editing Emma by Chloe Seager

Comprised of internet posts day to day over September and October, as a form of online diary blog after her boyfriend Leon ghosts her, we follow Emma as she tries to move on. She starts to date Greg as Leon dates Anna or 'Apple ' and follow her life as shecopes with friendship drama and her private blog being made public knowledge!

We also see her friend Faith struggle to come out to her parents, Gracie and Emma falling out, Steph being on hand to try and help Emma move on with someone new and witness the antics of her wild mother trying to date and even including attending dance classes with her!

Grace, Steph and Faith are a typical friendship group as they help each other with coming out, dealing with break ups and generally cheering each other on as they negotiate school. Reminiscent of Georgia Nicholson, these teens are the modern version as they rely on the internet and social media to be in the loop and connected at all times. The book has a great plot showing the dangers and benefits of online and is a great slice of teen fiction.

Dead Ends by Erin Lange

Billy D is new on Dean's street and has downs syndrome, Dean is a typical hard guy starting fights and playing the rough guy act.

The pair start to hang out together as Dean learns he can stop getting detentions of he helps Billy D out, including helping him find his dad as it's his dream goal.

The pair also meet tomboy girl Seely, as Dean falls for her whilst she helps the pair out trying to find Billy D's dad even going on a road trip of sorts...

This was a very interesting book, a typical hard guy helping a guy with downs syndrome out at school and home as they live in the same street. It was surprising with the turn of events and raises awareness of the prejudice disabilities can cause as well as how harmful domestic violence can be on someone. It was a great emotionally charged book and even included a strange hobby for Dean's mum as she collects and wall mounts winning lottery tickets never cashing them in!

Everything All At Once by Steve Camden

A series of poem's set during a week in a school we meet an array of characters.

It perfectly captures all school situations you go to through from lessons and wishing you weren't there, school toilet states with graffiti, finding a crush to fights and friendship groups tight knit like family. Each poem captures a characters voice perfectly as a teenager experiencing things at school, some for the first time and others again and again. Anyone can relate to these poems!

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

Eden Summer by Liz Flanagan

After Jess heard her best friend Eden has gone missing, she sets off on finding her herself by recalling everything since the beginning of the summer when Eden lost her sister and Jess was attacked before that.

Both suffered and are suffering through their traumas and we are how much the girls rely on each other for support

Liam Eden's boyfriend and Jess shared a kiss but it's more while Eden went off with a guy called Tyler whom she trusted with Her shocking secret discovery about her family and sister.

Set over a day whilst Jess tries to find Eden, we see the emotional toll and distraught it causes them all from parents to friends and strangers. Grief and pain is sewn into each page which grips you and pulls you into the story more and more. It was a great mystery thriller as well as featuring mental health battles too a lot is covered and it's a great YA read!

Always And Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

Wow what a finish to the Lara Jean trilogy this was, with a death, engagement, wedding, break up, college applications and friends parting ways to go achieve their dreams its all change ahead for Lara Jean and co!

As she applies and misses her most favoured college Lara Jean finds herself a little unsure of what's ahead for her as best friend Chris is going travelling on a gap year and her boyfriend Peter got in to their most favoured college while Lara Jean didn't. Facing a future apart or long distance the couple has a minor bump which they seem to work through while the Song family expands another way...

I really enjoyed the sisters and the reality of growing up as the girls talk more of body changes, boys and sex as they all have such differences in age between them. We can all relate to choosing colleges and finishing school too of course.

A sweet wrap up to the Song girls trilogy giving them a fantastic send off!

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Lara Jean is a girly girl with five letters, one written to each boy she ever loved letting her feelings live on paper leaving her free from the past relationship. She lives a homely life with her Obs/Gyn  working father, two sisters with her the middle and unfortunately no mother but they keep her spirit alive.

When Margot her older sister breaks up with Josh before heading away the college, she struggles to imagine her sister not around all the time. She also can't understand why she broke up with Josh but secretly is happy they can still hang out as she used to like him before he dated Margot.

Only that doesn't happen!

When the letters accidentally disappear along with her hat box, Peter approaches her as the first boy to have received the letter to him followed by a camp crush's letter being returned then Lucas who's gay tells Lara Jean he's flattered and likes his letter. Of course, Josh also gets a letter from past Lara Jean too after he told her he had a crush on her when they were younger!

But she doesn't expect that Peter and her will turn fake love into real love to make his ex girlfriend and her ex childhood friend jealous. The two later get into drama over a ski trip and then secrets come out surrounding the letter mystery and Lara Jean, Margot and Josh have some things to tell each other too!

A lot of drama but girly goodness in a book unlike any other I've read. I particularly like Chris who is Lara Jean's complete opposite yet a great friend full of drama from sex, partying and drinking! I can fully appreciate the greatness of Jenny Han and her Lara Jean creations!

Truly Madly Awkward by Beth Garrod

Bella is back! Along with Tegan and Rach of course as the girls are excited about a competition to win their favourite band The Helicans to come and play a concert at their school. However, there's many stages and other schools to compete against as the radio station prolongs the process over a number of rounds per week.

Fit Adam and Bella go on a date that turns out to be just a friend date, much to Bella's disappointment, naturally.

Meanwhile Tegan is acting strangely with more and more gymnastics practise along with a strange Jaden Smith lookalike hanging around her a lot too...

As well as the boy drama, concert excite in their school goes crazy as Bella becomes a mini celeb all the students are rooting for and their headmistress too as she wins their way through the rounds of the competition by luck and effort alone. Bella also has to deal with her mother launching her new dog ice cream shop, Give A Dog A Cone! Let alone a new lodger taking up residence in their home in the form of, Shay a so called high flying TV producer.

There's tons of drama from Bella's ex Luke or Puke as she prefers to call him! As he's now dating so called model Ska, but there's more than meets the eye with the shifty pair.

As per usual, Bella promises hilarity and a side stitch from laughing so much as you read!

This is a super fun book and the second part in Bella's series so far and I totally can't wait for more as Bella and Adam may finally get to where they both secretly want them to be at!