Beautiful Ever After by Katie Piper

In this next book following Katie and her life following her horrific acid attack she tells us How she went through a struggle to find love and how her family dream of having a baby too came true as a heartbreaking fact made its self known and how she had too be strong as her mum fell ill and one of her attackers came up to appeal for parole this book is full of true life drama.

Katie is a strong and courageous woman and this next book from her sharing the next chapter in her life was truly inspiring and a great reminder to let nothing hold you back, ever.

This Heart Of Mine by C.C. Hunter

Leah is a sufferer of the condition myocarditis, so when a transplant becomes available to her she takes the chance.

However, she doesn't expect that the heart she got lucky with was one of a twin's, leading her to Matt whom she knows from school and falls into a tricky love with as he reveals his twin Eric committed suicide, resulting in her new heart becoming available.

But when Leah and Matt both start suffering from dreams about Eric's last night alive they start to uncover what really happened that night suicide or otherwise...

This is a really deep and emotional read throughout from varying points of view. We can tell how everyone has been moved by the tragic events which is true to life when someone really does commit suicide. The way Leah and Matt come together is really natural and I feel shows how sharing grief despite their twist of events can help people move on and accept the unchangeable.

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

Cat's Cafe by Matt Tarpley

In this comic based around the lives of animals who interact daily with each other at Cats Café, we see how mental health is the base line and how anxiety, stress, lack of self love etc all effect the adorable animals and how they help build each other up and become friends with each other.

A book showing how a little kindness can go a long loving way I relate most to the anxious bunny especially on the anxiety reducing headphones part, that's totally me!

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

Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart

Ava survives a fire which claimed her parents and her cousin, Sara. After going through dramatic changes physically in hospital through endless skin grafts she is finally released home. Or rather to her new home where Sara used to live. Now with her aunt and uncle, th y get her to start high school and we see how the kids react to her

At her support group she meets Piper, a loud mouth car crash survivor who's in a wheelchair seemingly only temporarily she also likes music like Ava and likes a band called Atticus only in real life the words are by Atticus the poet you can find on Instagram who I'm a huge fan off and was great to see mentioned in the book.

As Ava gets encouraged by Asad and Piper to reclaim her place on the stage in drama not just hide away and be a stage hand as her voice is better than queen B Kenzies she learns about Kenzie and Piper and how they used to be friends and just how their relationship changed.

Ava also has to deal with her aunt and uncle wracking up debt in her name for her surgery needs and how she copes with the memories from the fire after she remembers how she escaped and has to also deal with the mental scars from their separate accidents as Piper needs her.

Ava and Piper deal with a lot that's relatable from being social outcasts in school, dealing with stares, whispered chatter about them, healing, depression, counselling, unrequited crushes and more the girls bond is a united, complicated unity that highlights how healing and recovery are better with a support network around you. It was a great tale about dealing with the aftermath of death and escaping that despite gaining life changing injuries.

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

Can You Hear Me? By Jake Jones

As a paramedic we see how Jake and his fellow paramedics have had to deal and cope in certain situations such as car crashes, births, drug abusers, time wasters, hoarders, asthmatics, copd sufferers, deaths, car accidents, babies, suicide attempts and psychotic episodes too the book is full of drama filled real life experiences and tough situations Jake has been forced into facing.

I have always been intrigued into life as a paramedic as we hear all too often of them getting abused on the front line of care which to me is horrifying. I wanted to be a paramedic or midwife growing up and personally having been helped by paramedics previously have had my eyes opened with this book how horribly they can be treated and the awful situations they can have to be in. Jake has written a fantastic raw book about life as a busy paramedic in this demanding role and hope more people will pick this up to see what life can be like as a paramedic too.

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

Sick Kids In Love by Hannah Moskowitz

In this book we meet Ibby, used to hospitals as her dad's a doctor who spend all, his time at work while she also has to go get IVs for her rheumatoid arthritis every so often which is how she meets Sacha.

Sacha has Gauchers and the pair meet by chance during their separate infusions and the pair fall for each other over the rocky path the novel sets for them.

However as anyone with a chronic illness knows, health can fail you whenever randomly and can cause you to fear others judgement and make you feel uneasy, can the pair overcome their fears and doubts to stick together especially when an hospital emergency happens.

I loved this book, not just for raising awareness of kids and teens getting sick with chronic illnesses which is never repped in young adult fiction but the love story isn't straight forward especially as Ibby has mom issues with her disappearing from her life when she needed her and the females in het family being shockingly awful too!

If you want a book full of drama or relatable issues health wise or just a sweet love story, pick this book up you won't regret it!

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

Dancing The Charleston by Jacqueline Wilson

In this book, Mona lives with her auntie who cares for her after her mum passed and so did her dad too when she was just a baby and he was in the war.

Her auntie is a seamstress for a lady and when the lady passes the pair worry they'll be made homeless.

Mr Benjamin the youngest son, moves in after his mum passed who's the kindest of all the Somerset's and likes Mona a lot even if he is very flamboyant with his tastes and company he keeps.

He does however turn Mona and her aunt's lives around as her aunty gets an amazing knew job for Harrod's!

However after Mona falls out with her friends after getting a trial to go to a proper high school giving her a better looking future, she befriends the Somerset children and they go on an adventure to London which a shock twist comes out there about Mona's mother everyone knew but her...

I really enjoyed this book, as someone who had a grandma who made theatre costumes I could relate to Mona's feelings about talented seamstresses and sympathise over how she felt her familial loses too being so young and we know how grief is at that age. Friendship can be fickle and that point came across well too overall this book was another great by the one and only Jacqueline Wilson.

Something Like Happy by Sasha Greene

Nick tries to commit suicide driven by his depression and unfulfilling job, he climbs to the edge of a building...

Then Jade stops him, bearing the weight of her sister's suicide she wants to prevent anyone else going the same way.

Jade gets Nick to meet up with her and pursue her happy list from days out with Archie an old man
from an elderly folks home, to yoga and dinner dates together the pair find a unique kind of happy from such a horrible situation. But can it last?

This was a fantastic book all about the impact and choice of suicide. It was a deep and tearful read to get through but so much happened I flew through it in a day. A fabulous debut about an ever important topic.

The Bakery At Seashell Cove by Karen Clarke

Meg and Sam are a young couple engaged and soon to be married. Meg works part time in a cafe and the rest of the time in the old bakery as it awaits sale after the death of its owner.

Nathan whose overseeing the sale catches her eye and she starts to daydream about him much to the amusement of Cassie and Tilly her friends.

When she gets the chance to take part in Britain's hidden gems tv show she talks of never knowing her father and her mum's agoraphobia amongst things and soon the world or at least programme viewers learn their business.

Sam is too interested in Cycling and so she looks on Facebook and discovers George, a woman secretly in their cycling group. Whilst his family always seem to disapprove of Meg and judge her harshly.

Meg's mum suffers with agoraphobia and is also constantly pushing Meg to get pregnant ASAP as she is unawares of her daughter's growing unease and feelings about her situation.

So when Freya a rich local woman and her husband want to buy the bakery to become an ice cream parlour, Meg is unhappy but then an anonymous buyer appears...

Facing up to her relationship and work life woes Meg needs to turn her life around fast and make herself truly happy forever.

This book was a lovely chick lit, women's fiction read and was full of drama. The writing was engaging and there were some hilarious one liners at times in this book. Meg's story will probably be relatable to women out there suffering the same issues. I would've liked some different scenarios with whom the anonymous buyer turns out to be but you shall have to judge that for yourself!

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

Clementine For Christmas by Daphne Benedis-Grab

In this book, Josie and her bulldog Clementine visit kids at the hospital to cheer them up as Christmas approaches.

Oscar is having a bad time at home with his parents constantly arguing and not bothering with him

Gabby is secretly sick with epilepsy after being forced to move school after he ridicules her over it. Now with new friends at a new school, she finds herself facing the seizures as they come back full force...

Gabby is a strong character for dealing with epilepsy like she does and makes her a role model to other kids dealing with the issue as she learns not to let it rule her life. Oscar is a kid who's dealing with issues a lot of kids and teens do sadly but the pair together show how friendship can come from nowhere between two random people and to never rule anyone out of being a good possible friend.

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan

In this devastating story told in verse, we see how Joe suffers with his family, his sister Angela is always there for him however their drunk mum left them to travel and escape while their aunt Karen helped for a while but couldn't cope as their older brother Ed got sent to death row and is awaiting execution.

We see how Joe arrives to visit him during his brothers final months of life, appeals his case and finds a friend in Nell.

Filled with twists and sadness this is a powerful and devastating novel told in verse and once again is a brilliant book by Sarah Crossan.

Unraveling Rose by Brian Wray & Shiloh Penfield

This children's picture book comes with a twist, a necessary and useful message entwined in a cute story of having fun with friends.

Based around the life of a boy and his stuffed toy rabbit, Rose we see them play together until one day Rose's compulsions get too much for her and take over her life as she becomes fixated on a loose thread she has hanging off of her and it becomes all she thinks about.

The illustration's are so beautiful and Rose rabbit had such detail that children can fall in love with her cute raggedy design while engrossed in the tale.

There is a final note at the end of the book advising about OCD and traits to watch out for in children from early on but of course OCD can come on at any age.

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

Only We Know by Simon Packham

As Lauren moves to a new school and tries to start afresh from the past, she soon comes across a student she knows and should know her from years before, Harry.

As she start to receive strange 'gifts' at school, she gets really freaked out to the point she returns to where it all should've got better before it got worse for her.

This book features a plot around mental health and gender and I'm not going to spoilt the main plot by revealing anymore than that as you can pick and choose what you think is up with Lauren as the story goes on, the ending is explosive as her worst nightmare comes true and she faces events bravely as her true self.

This is a book about the whole spectrum of acceptance and deeply involves personal issues and mental health. I really enjoyed this book and didn't see the events at the end coming at all, Lauren is a brave girl facing events and despite the family all moving I could understand Tia her sister's anger and actions. It was superbly written and keeps you hooked!

The Ice Garden by Guy Jones

Jess is alergic to the sun, sick of being covered up, of hospitals and doctors she waits till night when she sneaks out without her skin protection on.

At the hospital she meets Davey, a boy in a deep coma and she writes him stories which she reads to him in the hope he can hear her.

Playing in the local park in the dead of night, suddenly scared and rightly so she goes through a hedge where she stumbles upon the Ice Garden. There she discovers Owen, a boy made of ice and when they exchange token gifts, Jess finds she can be in the sun again, however magical cures can't last and when a choice must be made, it is obvious to Jess she can't escape herself and her condition forever...

Over all we have to wonder whether Davey remembers her or her stories if he ever wakes after crashing in the hospital too...

The book features a lot of magical realism, Jess and her condition is a real issue the book raises awareness of as it is a true rate condition that some people suffer with terribly. The idea of storytelling saving lives was a nice idea and allowed Jess an adventure and bought her some happiness after she's sick of tests at the hospital and the usual day to day life she has.

Fat Angie by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo

Angie or as she's known at school, fat Angie, put on weight after her sister at eighteen suddenly joined the army and now is missing presumed dead meanwhile her family fell apart as her dad moved out leaving her with her mum and brother Wang who has turned into a criminal and been in major trouble.
Also, Wang's therapist is dating their mum.

At school, Angie isn't popular and so when new girl KC starts to hang around with her she can't believe it as well as one of the most popular jocks in school Jake standing up for her against a violent bully. Stacey Ann is the worst bully but everyone seems to throw degrading weight comments her way.

KC reveals she knew Angie before moving and knows about her sister, the pair also find themselves having mutual feelings about each other despite Angie being warned by Jake that something's not right about the situation that Angie later ends up in while trying to live up to her sister's sporty history and lose weight too.

This book was amazing, it brought up a lot of mental health issues from PTSD, self harm, borderline personality disorder and behavior disorders too as well as bullying and how it progresses and shows everyone's transparency.

Wishbones by Virginia Macgregor

Feather was a small and light baby, her mum however is obese and seemingly always has been on the larger side of the scale which over time has attracted local press attention as her mum has many phobias and one means she can't leave their house and she actually hasn't in thirteen years.
(This reminded me of Tracy's mum in Hairspray.)
Virginia has her best friend Jake and his mum, Steph around for her to rely on. Jake has a girlfriend we learn early on as Feather nearly full on kisses him as she leaves to go home to celebrate new years at home with her parents.

Unfortunately, events take a turn for the worst and Feather's mum is rushed into hospital, resulting in the village watching on as a crane is used through the living room window to reach her mum and get her out. This is a wake up calk for Feather who sets out on getting her mum healthy again after learning her mum weights over 30 stone. She tries to entice her mum to eat healthy foods, invites the local slimming group round and wishes her mum would make friends again especially with Steph.

Throughout the novel the issues surrounding weight gain such as depression and postnatal depression arise as well as the issues surrounding weight loss in the form of character, Clay whom feels guilt over past events and suffers severely with anorexia.

The novel is great for raising awareness around the mostly silent issue of male anorexia and also pushes the point that it's never just about the food, it's mental abuse we often use towards ourselves in the form of past horrible memories and feeling towards ourselves.

The book has a brilliant mystery woven into it around the issue of Clay arriving and Feather's mum acting weird around him raising Feather's awareness that's things aren't right.

There is a great contrast between healthy and competitive swimming in Feather and proving that passions shared through families can keep them together even if one takes a step back and how families share the same interests.

This book is sure to be a hit with many of us young adults and teens alike. This book was sent to me by the publishers for review and I can't rate highly enough that this book is one of 2017's best to come out this year for sure.

Beautiful Bodies by Kimberley Rae Miller

In this memoir about lifestyle, nutrition and bodies, Kimberley opens up on her life and opinions about how harmful so called diet culture can be in modern day.

Talking openly about her struggles with weight and anorexia like behaviour, to gaining all the weight back after another restrictive and dangerous diet.

Talking about diet culture and media influence, as well as her own early modelling days and adults telling her younger self to watch her weight, we learn how damaging and worrying it plants itself into youngsters and still happens nowadays too.

She also talks about refeeding syndrome and how it takes time to repair metabolic damage once it has occurred, it can take months to repair properly a damaged metabolism.

Kimberley has opened her life to us for judging, relating and commiserating with through every high and low all women face she is brave and beautiful for doing so, any girl who has struggled will appreciate this book.

The Rules Of Seeing by Joe Heap

Kate is married to Tony an abusive man who leads her to meet Nova in the hospital.

Nova has just had an operation to give her some restored sight after being born blind and finally she can see, she has to learn to live all over again hence the Rules of Seeing that she creates and also with the help of Kate as they meet up again months later...

Throughout the book we see how Nova saves Kate and Kate saves Nova from abusive Tony stalking them and her harsh mother vanishing her Nova becomes Kate's lifeline and Nova finds with Kate she can navigate new and exciting things from learning colours, shapes, seek the sky, Paris and people this couple become a proper pair got to like a jigsaw in love as they become one despite all the efforts Tony goes to as he progressively becomes more psycho from stalking them to the thrilling ending which took me by such surprise I got goosebumps reading it.

This book was captivating and I honestly loved the characters, concept and the thriller element in this book!

I liked the fact that Kate seems to be bisexual as she leaves Tony for Nova but of course we don't ever need to label sexuality I liked the fact that Nova was A bubbly character as Kate was more serious they really balanced each other out and the fact the book was set in months over years shows how their connection grew more and more especially as we read from split character perspectives.

A must read book of 2019!

Lost & Found Book 3: Sasha's Secret by Cathy Cassidy

Sasha feels pressured, at home her life isn't perfect as her parents argue a lot and there's always an air or tension around. At school, she gets to hang out with her friends and after of course too at band practise but she is trying to hide a huge secret, her absence see which remain undiagnosed through the first half of the book.

As Matt a wannabe news reporter comes along with the Lost & Found band as they head away to record their debut EP, she can't keep faking she's ok being around everyone 24/7 and soon enough Jake notices what's up...

With boy drama and figuring out her dreams for the future in this book Sasha has a lot to face.

I was surprised to discover absence seizures as I've never ever heard them mentioned before and especially in this book it was inspired by Cathy's daughter Cait and her struggle with the condition and it's especially great that's the reason they're included. I also loved the fact that The Chocolate Box series tied in to this new story with Jake being involved and didn't realise it was that Jake at first! Sasha was a genuine and great teen girl character dealing with a lot of issues in all aspects of her life which is super relatable, Matt was the perfect villain and I sussed the way the story would go and it was executed very well indeed!

I can't wait for the next instalment in this series now!

Edie Browne's Cottage By The Sea by Jane Linfoot

Edie following her break up with Marcus partakes in a skydive which is followed up with a supposed unrelated stroke.

Recovery is hard and slow and so Edie sets off to stay with her aunt Jo in Cornwall as she can't drive or work and needs to relearn things from reading, writing, maths skills to even wanting to get her sense of taste back after that vanishes too!

Her arrival causes a stir with a handsome man next door, Barnaby catching her quite literally when she first arrives.

Between crafting classes with her ballet mad auntie Jo and renovating her house too as they need to sell to make money, she finds her career coming in handy as she helps her auntie alongside Barnaby and her new craft club friends to decorate the buildings out back in their yard to make into work accommodation and make them some much needed money.

Barnaby also creates Sheperd's huts and so she also helps him to decorate them and to sell them. Through her time in Cornwall she befriends Cam, whom Barnaby is the guardian of and the boy grows find of Edie as he does her...

She also gets Dustin a service dog to help her and he comes to her rescue and form a good bond together.

However with a potential sale of their house and her ex Marcus showing up too alongside all the drama the stroke left from fainting to learning everything a new agin, what does Edie's heart truly want?

Stay or leave Cornwall?

Go back to Marcus or maybe take a chance on Barnaby?

Edie was a rare character in women's fiction to come across, from being seriously ill and daring too she will leave a mark on you and make you grateful for your life. This book was a fun sweet read and the cakes you read about will have you wanting to get baking or buying too as well as the craft talk make you want to have a go too, it did for me anyway!

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