Unreachable by Jimena Alvarez

A beautiful collection of honest poetry about various life situations you may find yourself. Borrowed Tears was a beautiful opening poem for this collection another poem, Hunger, about desire to progress constantly either in a job etc is relentless and insatiable the language of the poems pouring emotion, living completely up to the book's title.

That What Lingers by Tanyia Naidoo

Anyone who has felt the world against them at times, this collection of poetry feels like a friend saying I see the pain you're in I'm here, I get it. From death to feeling low or worthless trying to just carry on especially as bodies as homes or houses left to ruin trying their best to be fixed or copying others afraid to be yourself and stand out, there is something you can relate to in this collection.

Drowned Promises by Sara Simic

TW Alcohol abuse and violence. Growing up in an abusive household witnessing alcoholism turn into violent outbursts and hearing her father beat her mother, Rose escapes at night and meets a kind young fisherman, William, who's straight talking and kind to her. An aspiring artist, Rose gets through life dreaming of escaping to Paris to become a famous artist, yet, the pull to William is a strong bond she doesn't want to say goodbye. With a serious undercurrent to the whole book about abusive households and addiction, where love is not always displayed in a healthy way and showing to have passion to follow your dreams despite adversity is possible. There was also clever cover imagery and choice of colours tying in the plot line nicely and I enjoyed the characters soulmate style intertwined story too.

The Ghost In My Phone by David Grayson

These poems are so relatable while only being four to five lines, all the poems play a role in telling the story of love and loss. The final poem especially, about moving on, carrying on a tale of resilience in the face of how the relationship plays out reminds us love is great but even if it breaks down there is always the future and yourself to concentrate on to grow from the situation, a great reminder to all us readers.

Where No One Looked: 30 Quiet Days of Self-Return by Noah Grey

This was such a great book, one again I found myself nodding along feeling my thoughts heard right from the beginning. The book is set across 30 days, so thirty poems and writing about life and the very first one myself I have realised over the years becoming an adult, I was emotionally neglected growing up becoming quieter and never reaching out. I am glad to say as an adult, family is who I've met and made so with my friends now in my twenties who see me for the person I am and have my back whenever I need them, reflecting on my own past readng this book makes me thankful for them. It is a beautiful book to make you think deeply and question life and moments you have lived through as I found myself reflecting and sharing here definitely worth a read!

Just Trying To Exist By Aria Hill

Well from the first introductory page from the author herself, Aria, explaining why and how she came to write this book I have to say I can relate to her struggles growing up she references as I think many people will do, I have to say putting her honest experience in the book made it feel all the more personal from the start. The poems start from time before the pandemic, feelings during and feeling a sense of loss of life for how it was always so busy and friends and joy that seemed very far removed how social media became a sour, though once happy, place to turn to reminding you of old normal life. There was also discussion I'm saying a trigger warning here for, domestic abuse, alcohol abuse, eating disorders and isolation, each showing their effects of the author and her life at the time. Overall, this collection of poetry is one of my favourites I read it in one sitting to feel it then again to gather my thoughts and feel mu relatable feelings with the authors story. The final poem, You Made It, was easily the most truest reflection of past and hope for future and present, a poem of sorts to is all reading to realise life can get better. An astonishingly wonderful, emotion rich debut for an author I will absolutely be keeping up reading poetry from. I will end by saying this, love is in the little actions repeatedly showing you how well you are seen and loved for how and who your are which is unique, a whole message I have always felt close to telling others hence my online social handles, a message I can totally get behind pushing everyone to realise their unique person they are is special and wonderful, remember that today, read of this review.

My Story & Me by Kate Rosewood

This was a beautiful poetry book by Kate, is very honest opening up about her feelings of never feeling enough which I'm sure a lot of us can relate to and how when trying to please others so often you forget to do what makes you happy most of all. Each poem was powerful in it's writing tone and cleverly crafted to be so impactful and of course I can't not mention the use of colour, images and drawings to annotate many of the poems and give them even more of a personal touch too.

Love In Bloom Volume 2 The Darkness & The Light by Cheryl Bradshaw

This book was a really raw read facing some dark painful topics of abuse, rape and miscarriage. As someone who has friends who've deal with these separate situations this book hit me all the more honest each poem was at depicting each terrifying situation the author found herself in for the first part entitled The Darkness. However, in The Light part after all the pain life has shown and brought, Cheryl we see how adventure and love can change your life and in one poem, a note to single women, which I really agree with letting in a guy who you randomly meet and connect with, it does happen at some point I can agree! Another moving and emotional poetry book but definitely a trigger warning here for anyone who may find the subjects mentioned upsetting.

If My Body Could Speak by Blythe Baird

In this collection of poems the main themes are eating disorders, anorexia and rape and the culture surrounding it. There are also poems relating to sexuality, self worth and image as well as the usual self doubts being raised too.

Utterly raw and relatable we can feel the emotion seen between the lines of each poem and I found so many of them relatable especially the ones focusing on Anorexia as I too have suffered in the past it was a true collection of heartfelt work.

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

A Shape Of My Own by Grace Bowman

In this book we meet Grace the author as she takes us through her past to present story of her life with anorexia and all the stages she went through with it.

From losing boyfriends and friends to losing control over her life as good became the main focus of her life and things like socialising and enjoying university became mixed up with varying emotions over her battle with food. We see what a toll or took on her parents as they watched her lose weight and regained too as well as when she finally managed to get to university and break free into the world on her own with a proper graduation job and finding her new love.

Grace's story is one that is honest and raw with all emotions splayed out page by page in her effectively captivating writing. It was a truly brutal battle and a hard one Grace pushed to try and overcome but I was truly blown away by her account of becoming herself again after losing her way.

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!

What Lexie Did by Emma Shevah

Lexie and Eleni are as close as twins, growing up together after spending their lives literally by each others sides as Lexie helped Eleni stay alive after she had to have many operations on her heart as a young baby.

Now, their huge Greek family is divided after a lie and secrets hidden from the family by Lexie. Also missing Eleni as she becomes best friends with new girl Anastasia Lexus feels left out and a bit lonely.

As she tries to get her mum talking to her sister and her family again to reunite the two halves of their huge family once again, she comes to realise how different life could've been growing up but more importantly that the truth is always best and lying is the worst thing ever not to mention how her grandma and God would feel watching her lie to everyone...

A family divided by a lie this book shows how harmful lies can be and the impact they have on all those effected not just the one person telling the lie. We see how friendships can be changed and how death can cause people to react differently. It's an emotional and honest book sure to win your heart.

Soft Thorns by Bridgett Devoue

Bridgett is an amazing girl I followed on instagram many years ago when I found her beautiful poetry on there. With moving poetry about an array of topics from beauty, life, love, pain, eating disorders, abuse, depression and more. They're all serious but moving and beautifully written poetry worthy of a read by anyone whom has been affected recently or in the past by any of the discussed topics. She perfectly captures imagery of a romantic relationship and all the up and down sides of it you can go through.

I never knew that Bridgette suffered with chronic pain, as do I and found myself relating to her voice so much in certain poems for sure.

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

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord

Paige is dealing with a lot, her divorced parents are now back dating whilst Paige is suffering with a recurring nightmare of drowning every night after her boyfriend Aaron drowned months before now.

Moving on, she joins in with Quizbowl and thus grows closer to Ryan and Max who are cousins and after liking Ryan before, now finds herself having more in common with Max despite her still dealing with emotions from her past maybe she can finally move forwards?

This book was really great about teens dealing with grief in respect of love and especially under the circumstances Aaron sadly passed away due to. The brief dynamic of a love triangle simmering with Paige and her boy thoughts is gripping and we slowly feel warmer towards one boy or the other or at least I was rooting for one more than the other!

Trouble by Non Pratt

Fifteen year old Hannah has gotten herself into a terrible situation. Not only is she underage to legally have sex, she finds herself pregnant and by a boy who should be unobtainable to her. She confides in her gran about the situation who is super supportive even as Hannah's cool crowd abandons her including best mate Katie whom was her main drinking buddy.

Hannah then meets Aaron, the new boy with a dark secret about his past whom is the son of the school's new teacher. She makes a great friend in Aaron who voluntarily offers himself as a stand in father for her unborn baby and supports Hannah through the rubbish she gets at school, as she breaks the news to her family about just whom the real father is and becomes her best friend and maybe more...

This book is great for breaking many barriers about underage pregnancy, sex with the wrong person and death and it's many after effects. This books was very honest about the struggles of friendship issues and fake friendships too with the way that Katie turns against Hannah, joins the popular crowd who then turn against her like she did to Hannah, showing karma gets you in the end as often said!

I really loved this book and it's lived up to it's title about there being trouble!

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

Set in a diary format, we see into the life of her as she moves home from the set day to day life and finds herself on a downward spiral very rapidly.

After going to a party and being given a drink spiked with drugs the effects influence her to love the thrill and atmosphere which spur her on to leave home and live with her friend as they try to find the next fix day to day. They look out for each other until they decide to go home and get back to normal if they can.

However upon returning to school she faces the drug users turning on her as she becomes a quiet studious girl again breaking away from the drug crowd and choosing to hang out with her boyfriend in the library instead despite all the bulling she's facing from the drug users.

After losing her grandparents merely weeks apart, she winds up in a mental institute against her wishes after she was drugged unknowingly and the police take statements from the drug crowd at her school who convince the police she was pushing drugs onto them.

After getting out, life looks up as her boyfriend returns. Yet apparently as the diary ends, we learn the subject of the book died only three weeks after stopping keeping a diary.

This book shows the dangers of drugs firsthand and the pressure peer's can put on each other creating a stressful environment which may have attributed to her final drug use if it was self inflicted.

This Careless Life by Rachel McIntyre

After finishing her A levels, going to prom and stressing over the infamous, 'him' of her story, she is visited by Cass, whom is a TV producer, calling on Liv and her friends, Declan, Hetty and Jez to take part in a new TV show, This Careless Life.

Liv applied to take part after spotting an advert online when she was uploading her latest YouTube tutorial. She comes from a very rich family whom own vast amounts of land and many racehorses.

She didn't know however, her biggest secret was about to be exposed, a picture of a dead girl surrounded by paracetamol packets.

But this starts off a trail, all linked to the four auditioning and linked together they unravel a mystery surrounding this audition.

This book is like a modern inspector call's with added social media influence to expose events. It was a great, intriguing mystery which made it a page turner and gripping!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Wing is a teen whom is very different to others and not just because of her name. Not only is she mixed race being Chinese and Ghanian she is a fifteen year old with a huge passion about to reveal itself showing her a new world she never new existed.

When her older brother Marcus gets into a severe accident, Wing and her family are torn up inside with grief over what's happening. They wing up in tons of debt and eventually risk losing their house. Even one of Wing's grandma's gets a job despite her age and complaints.

Wing however, deals with her grief by magical realism and running. A dragon and lioness spur Wing on to challenge herself when she runs as she wants to be fast and powerful, strong enough to do good for her brother and what he's done as the family face a lot of hate for his action's cause's.

When out running, Aaron who is Marcus's best friend can't believe the talent Wing naturally has and has been hiding from everyone and urges her to join the running team which she does and through the team she makes great friends and falls in love.

She also is spurred on by Aaron and her new running club friends to try out for a Riveo, the specialist running trainer brand, to be their new campaign face. Of which their is a money prize as well which could save her family from losing everything.

Wing is such a rare treat of a character being mixed race which we rarely hear about in a lot of young adult novels. The dedication to running and passion is inspiring and proves dreams can all come true even when you don't know them yet. Love can come at random times deapite endless wishes for it and the book also opens up to us and motivated me at least to run even though I like to when I can anyway!

Definitions Of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor

A chemist's is never usually exciting, but these two characters spark up talking to each other after both realising they have similar medications, for clinical depression.

Reggie, real name Regina, lives with her religious mum and her dad who goes with what her mum says. Her mum doesn't seem to understand fully the concept of Reggie's depression which we learn is down to two close people in her life leaving her.

Snake, a young guy who's so relaxed about every situation normally isn't now in the best situation at all. He's just met Reggie and yet his ex girlfriend Clara and school queen bee is seven months pregnant with his baby and yet it was down to a drunken accident and not a loving relationship unlike he feels for Reggie.

I loved the way that Reggie and Snake interacted by using teasing insults towards each other and because they both have an alternative style and different family make up's. I liked the fact that having two mum's was brought up as so far this is their first book I have read with this particular part of the storyline. I also appreciated that in this teen pregnancy story, the teens aren't breaking down or arguing but are accepting of the situation they have been dealt with. It was a refreshing and yet humorous read which made me want to keep on reading.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

A group of four boys, the Sauce Crew as they were known are now made of one sole member, Carver.

The other three, Eli, Mars and Blake tragically died when colliding with a truck.
Carver blames himself as he was texting them when they crashed.

However, Blake's gran is the only relative not to blame Carver, but to celebrate the life her grandson had with him. Carver's guilt also means he takes over Blake's chores he did at his gran's as she can't get down and weed to garden or now the lawns.
They also celebrate Blake's life by having a Goodbye Day for Blake together.

Carver bottles up a lot of his emotion but does open up to Jesmyn and Blake's gran about how he feels. He does suffer anxiety as the threat of possible jail time rests undecided over his head and see's Dr Mendez about his panic attacks in order to try and handle his emotions better and grieve. He and Jesmyn are talented students, Jesmyn in piano and Carver with his creative writing. They both appreciate and support each other's talents encouraging each other they do have a future to hope for.

This book shows the true horror of losing those closest to you but the flip side as well, showing who stands by you when you need them most. We see Carver go through a true rollercoaster effect of up's and down's throughout the book, love and loss play huge roles in this book. We also see Carver imagine his friends still with him throughout scenes in the book as he can't let them go at first. I really enjoyed it as it wasn't all solely focused on death, there are times of friendship flashbacks and happy moments for Carver with his sister and Jesmyn too.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review it for them!