Noah Goes Nuclear by Simon James Green

In this short fun story we see Noah and Harry along with their other school friends head off on a school trip.

Of course only Noah could get into a situation where he's in a compromising position!

Full of drama and hilarious antics as per the usual Noah and co group tend to get into this mini book is a great little adventure into the wild life of Noah!

Love, Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson

In this book Frankie is enemies for a start with Sally a girl who's mean to her after assuming her mum is a drunk after an incident at their school.

However as the book goes on, Sally befriends Frankie after seeing her out with Sammy her best boy friend from next door who evidently likes Frankie a lot more...

As Frankie learns about her feelings she's dealing with, coping with the drama of her sister's, her mum's MS worsening and their dad's new life situation everything feels out of control for her to cope with.

It was a refreshing read to have a chronic illness as a central issue and a girl struggling to come to terms with her sexuality too probably the most relevant Jacqueline Wilson book about right now and I just know this will help many girl comes to terms with their feelings and accept them too I do wish that we saw more of the alcoholic storyline from Sally's mum though as many kids are also effected by that however maybe we can have a follow up book as the ending left one to be desired...

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

My Brother's Name Is Jessica by John Boyne

In this book Sam idolizes his older brother Jason a talented footballer and the two have a close sibling bond as their parents don't have a lot of time for them as they work for the government in parliament.

However, growing up Jason comes out one day to the family with his secret. His parents react badly thinking it's a silly phase while
Sam is curious and doesn't care just wanting Jason to be happy again especially as Jason gets bullied at school for his girly longer hair, scrunchie and scarf he wears despite comments and bullying.

Can the family survive the truth from Jessica?

Showing bravely how coming out can make it break a family and the stress and upset it can initially cause this was a brave and bold read which I hope will open people's eyes to how coming out is a massive huge deal to admit who they really truly are.

The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan

Stevie likes Chloe a girl at school she has more feelings for than anyone or anything else before.

As she tries to bring it up with her mum as her dad isn't around, she winds up at the library where a kindly librarian helps her and tells her it'll all be ok.

I really enjoyed this novel being told in verse and focusing on a younger character coming to terms with their sexuality where as it's usually older teens or twenties when the subject of sexuality is raised. It showed how truly consuming and confusing it can be coming to terms with and wondering how your family and friends will react to you coming out.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Michael is a gay guy and he's known he was since he was a child and wanted to be friends with girls and play with Barbies.

However as he grows up, he faces bullying, first crushes, finding his best friend Daisy and how she too comes to terms with her sexuality and also heading off to university and discovering drag blossoming into his true self.

A bold fabulous story about becoming the real you despite the bumps along the road this was a powerful novel told in verse and a moving unique story.

Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

In this next part of Nick and Charlie's story we see them embark on a trip to Paris with their classmates where they try to keep their relationship under wraps while their friends also get into relationships and their teachers get close too, there's also matters of bullies and eating disorders which crop up too, this trip isn't short on drama at all.

I love this series full of the usual teen drama mental health, lgbtqia themes and characters it's such a cute modern romance and I root for these guys I can't wait for more more more!

Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano

Dylan is forced to go on one of the newspaper £9.50 holiday deals to a caravan park in Cornwall along with him is his best friend too and once they get to the caravan park it soon becomes clear they're in for an interesting time from oldie Elviss to dancing hamsters, not forgetting the cute boy, Jayden next door.

However after a lot of incidents Jayden starts to come across as more of a nightmare as the cracks start to show in his perfect image Dylan see's him as leading him to a change of thoughts after an incident at the swimming pool...

Only as he and his mate start to partake in the crazy so called fun of the park, he finds that Nibbles the crazy hamster may not be as bad as he thought right away and that his brother Jude needs protecting from bullying Jayden's brother, Troy a little terror who wreaks more havoc than Dylan does only to people and not the actual holiday park!

I loved this book it has been one of the funniest books I've read whilst also having and LGBT edge as our main characters are gay and having to deal with coming out, finding love and dealing with homophobic language from bullies.

Noah Could Never by Simon James Green

Noah and Harry are a couple! Result!

Only Noah now sets to broaden his horizons and bulk up in a gym, only it doesn't go to plan especially when his mum's ex Josh works there! Especially when Noah gets dragged into selling protein shake only to be forced out of business...

He has to deal with his mum's drag queen friend sleeping on their sofa, his father living back with them, his new half brother, a pregnant Jess and the school having French exchange students. Including Pierre, Harry's hot exchange student. While Noah gets left to handle eighteen year old Eva, a soon appearing to be shady girl as she hangs around in select company only.

In this book we see his dementia affected Gran have her seemingly fake tiara stolen by his dad and Eric as they plan to sell it only of course it doesn't go to plan, Noah and go track them down whilst Noah himself thinks he's being followed by a couple in an Astra.

Noah also feels more pressure as Pierre makes a pass at him and can't decide whether or not to tell Harry about it especially as he feels never enough for Harry and seems to have a low self esteem about his body.

Noah brings all the laughs once again and even a trip in this novel where we see a drag queen face off...only in Noah!

Full of fun and joy we are the gang of students all go off together on a mini road trip to help save his grans tiara and to make a huge discovery about it too whilst Pierre is a heart stealing cad or is trying to be as he could've split Noah and Harry up!

All the drama and joy Noah brings eh! Simon has a great talent for writing witty and moving stories with some of the best antics happening in YA books I've seen!

Noah Can't Even by Simon James Green

Noah and Harry are best friends whilst Noah has a crush on fellow classmate, Sophie whom he gets to work with on a school project.

His dad vanished when he was ten and hasn't been seen since whilst his mum has a cabaret act that is a ramshackle of a performance and makes Noah the but of jokes at school.

As Sophie invites him and Harry to a party it's their first teenage party and the night fuelled with alcohol and fun leads the boys to making a discovery of their own, that they're more than friends, possibly?

Then Noah discovers his mum has a shocking boyfriend which he can't believe...

There's also drunk girls to contend with, being blackmailed and a secret brother to discover! But as Harry stops talking to him when evidence of their relationship gets out and Noah's gran ends up in hospital, will the boys finally start talking again and make up and be an official couple at last?

The book has many sex references and awkward moments but lots of funny moments too reminding me of an older Mark Lowery's Roman Garstang. Noah reminds me of a young gay guy version of TV's Miranda as he had the same happy go lucky jokey manner about him and it's so fun. Noah is the type of guy whom would be a hilarious fun best friend and the book made me so happy from laughing this is the funniest book by far I've read! It was serious at times too don't get me wrong with the friends nearly falling out instead of accepting their feelings at first but overall, you will be grinning at the love, randomness and happiness in this book.

Alex In Wonderland by Simon James Green

In this book Alex gets a summer job at Wonderland an arcade in his town on the seafront after his best friends Will and Anna become a couple and make plans together just the two of them leaving out Alex.

However at Wonderland he meets Ben and Efia after a bit of embarrassment ensues, as well as Caleb who runs the seafront lemonade stand too and another hilariously awkward moment again!

We see how Wonderland is under fire from an anonymous source and that property developers want to get their hands on the seafront to sell it for building accommodation on but how the group try and come up with ideas to refurbish the arcade and bring back customers to make a profit again.

This book was brilliant for showing how loneliness is a very real thing people fear and how love can come from unexpected people. It really makes you laugh as there's some great jokes and innuendos as usual Simon James Green style. The story being set in an arcade was truly brilliant I haven't come across a teen fiction set in one until this book and I'm sure we all love the arcade when we go on holiday. Alex was a wonderful character being sure of his sexuality but also having an unrequited crush on his best friend makes for relatable reading for teens too. Overall this book is outstanding and a perfect summer read, I loved the police interview,  quirky flamingo and the scene in the chemist particularly, now I hope you're intrigued enough to go pick this book up!

Yay You're Gay Now What? by Riyadh Khalaf

In this book by popular LGBTQ+ activist and member, Riyadh, he takes us through everything to do with being gay or otherwise from coming out and how to manage any and every situation possible to find yourself in.

From coming out and all the reactions you could be faced with, bullying, first time sex and masturbation, dealing with anxiety and worries as well as having famous faces and their stories also featured in this handy little book he !makes sure to cover whatever topic could be effecting the person choosing to read his book.

As a supporter of the community and having friends who've come out over time, this book sums up everything a gay, trans, any type of person at all could need to know and handy information for others who are LGBTQ+ too as many issues can be relevant to others as well.

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

A Walk In Wildflower Park by Bella Osborne

Anna and Liam have split up after supposedly being on the way to getting married in the future.

After moving away, landing at wild flower park alike Sophie her best friend living next door, married with kids and currently pregnant, Anna thought she too would be by the time she hit thirty, when she's twenty eight and suddenly single once again.

Meanwhile from Sophie's perspective she wishes her nightmare kids and do nothing husband weren't holding her back career wise like they are and feels they take her for granted especially when Dave doesn't plan holidays or treats for them to do instead just messes around with his gaming.

After Hudson joins their company and Anna and Sophie hear he's gay it doesn't stop Sophie having a huge crush on him and later when Liam shows up again unasked for Anna and Hudson tells a lie that's so huge but could it come true for them?

The book is full of drama from Sophie going into labour on the park, Hudson going to New York with Anna to show her his hometown and where they could end up working with some really cute moments, university reunion invites keep arriving making Anna uneasy and Connor not being fully boyfriend material in a huge drama involving her parents and some drugs as well the book takes many twists and turns and drama you don't see coming it felt like a thriller not just chick lit!

Anna being alone takes on a cat from the shelter which is lovely to read adoption isn't ever hardly raised as an issue in books and especially as it links her to her cat's former owner who loved him so much she took him to him and have an old man many forms of friendship.

I loved the depth in this plot Bella's books keep on bringing more!

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

The Weight Of A Thousand Feathers by Brian Conaghan

Bobby is a boy with a lot on his mind, getting his mum her pills and aiding her around their home as well as looking after his brother, Danny a few years younger than his seventeen, too.
He has a good friend in Bel whom fancies him but nonetheless stays his best friend and helps watch over his mum while he goes to young carer meetings.

It's at the young carer meetings he has the chance of a break, a short holiday whilst also making friends with other young careers including Lou a boy he has strong feelings towards as he doesn't romantically like Bel but Lou.

At home he watches his mum deteriorate more into her illness day by day and it saddens him, upsets and frustrates his mum that she can't care for her children but that they have to role reverse and care for her. As her MS starts to cause more and more bodily failures, she asks her Bobby to end her life as is worsening quicker and wishes for no more suffering.

Meanwhile his friend Lou becomes a rock for him as well as his poetry to release his emotions and he finds out secrets can make or break a bond as truths get shared.

This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story. I picked this book as I know an MS sufferer and seen her struggles develop year after year since her diagnosis. I personally have the pain condition fibromyalgia and osteoporosis and spend days in a different but not dissimilar completely status of pain. Sharing tales of suffering and hardship on family members like in this book is key to letting others know they can reach out no matter how hard it may seem, someone will get it, guaranteed. The struggles the family face are alike so many real life experiences and the moral right or wrong of what their mum asks for is often talked about and debated.

Overall, this book has many fun moments that are sweet between mum and son but mostly is a heartbreaker.

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!

Some Girls Bind by Rory James

Jamie is gender queer binding her chest and hiding her secret from her friends Levi, Nora and Eric as well as her family and brother Steve in this novel told in verse.

Over the course of the novel we witness her friends come out to mixed reactions and approval as well as disapproval too.

Jamie is a good, bold and proud character whilst also being anxious over reactions she could face. The book raises issues straight to the point around gender and sexuality and the fluidity people can have freely now. It is a good bold read and will surely open eyes to the subject matters raised.

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

Read Me Like A Book by Liz Kessler

In this book, in her final run up to her last A level exams, Ash finds herself dealing with her parents divorce, falling out with her best friend and discovering her sexuality whilst keeping up here school work.

After having sex with Dylan, a guy she tries dating only it never feels right, she finds herself in a worse state and relies on talking to her English teacher Miss Murray and soon falls deep into an unrequited crush developing into love.

Doubting herself and whom she likes as her parents separate for good filing for divorce and her dad getting a new girlfriend her best friend and her heal their friendship and hit up the gay bar helping Ash decide once and for all her true sexuality and forget the stresses of her A levels coming up.

This is the book everyone doubting their sexuality should read. It was gripping, truthful, shocking and of course relatable as Ash is a normal teen struggling with growing up whilst her parents arguing all the time then divorcing of course affect her. All the issues made the book hook me in especially as she falls for her female teacher which added a while other dynamic to the book. You should totally read this ya book, no matter your age you'll be hooked.

Wild Blue Wonder by Carlie Sorosiak

Three siblings, Quinn, Fern and Reed all fell in love with their friend Dylan one summer at camp only there's a shocking twist i didn't see coming...

Quinn tells the story in perspectives split to current day and back in the summer at camp which their parents own. Now, the siblings aren't close like they used to be and Fern is staying out more with friends like Reed stays at his. Quinn however sticks with Hana her friend and fellow camp counsellor as well as new boy Alexander.

The book deals with grief and how moving on and accepting the loss of someone can hinder us for ages after. The family as a whole all are affected but each in different ways as they cope differently to each other as they all knew the person. It was moving, emotional but hopeful too as we see Quinn learn to accept what happened. Anyone who's lost someone can relate.

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

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

Twinkle fancies Neil so when she starts getting emails signed off from N and admirer she lokes to believe they're from him.

However, as she works with Sahil on a film project after he approached her, she finds herself realising Sahil isn't so bad, he's helped her when Hannah the mean girl makes a jibe at her and notices when her friend Maddie isn't sticking up for her.

The pair work on a film together and hope to enter it into a film festival as their chance of making it as director and producer.

The book deals with family issues, friendship woes, LGBTQ issues and relationships as well as the worry about does he/she like me which is a common YA trope. Twinkle's perspective is made up of written letters whilst Sahil features with blog posts and texts to his friends which show his feelings in their full glory. The final quarter of the book was thrilling to see what happened to all of the relationships in Twinkle's life and I particularly enjoyed a Romeo and Juliet style scene!

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

Leah On The Off Beat by Becky Albertalli

Set a year after the events in Love, Simon, we meet Leah who is bisexual but isn't out to her friends, just her mum.

Abby still dating Nick, is a girl Leah used to like and possibly still does even though Garrett is also showing an interest in her too as the pair hang out more.

As prom and graduation are about to arrive, we see loved up Simon get promposed to while the girls stress over their college choices after failing to get in for some of them. However after Abby goes through some relationship drama with Nick, she heads off to Athens with Leah as the pair take a campus tour and get close while there where feelings take a toll on them both and it becomes an emotionally charged trip.

Leah is a talented artist and draws for a hobby and uploads them onto her art blog. Leah is also the drummer of the girls and Garretts band which is an issue as the band faces separation as they part ways for college.

This sequel was everything romantic, cute and LGBTQ friendly to the maximum! If you want a cute read about prom, love and friends this book is for you and it was super to see the characters lives beyond Love, Simon.

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

The Art Of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

David secretly dresses up as a girl, he knows he's not actually a he inside. He is a girl born that way in the wrong body. He endures torment from Harry the bully at school who calls her a freak show. Still, Essie and Felix her friends and a couple themselves are always there for her, whatever the issue.

Then David meets Leo, born a girl and now a boy he himself knows the challenges all round the issue of being transgender. The pair face off Harry bullying but Leo has his own issues of navigating the love life unbeknown to him before. Alicia his friend wants more than friendship and wants to go to the Christmas ball together.

But as the pair have found each other at crucial times of their lives who knows what may happen between them as they head off on a specific journey to find someone, together...

A beautiful read about both sides of transgender transitions which is a great twist and highlights this book to be a good influence on the teens hopefully picking it up and becoming more open and accepting towards the issues around the subject.
A book full of inspiring characters for sure.