My Best Friend The Suffragette by Sally Morgan

Christine is brought up in a family against suffrage and makes friends with Mary who is a wannabe detective who is a suffragette as her family support it. The two communicate with letters back and forth which tell the story as the girls families suffer for the effort of getting the vote even pulling in some historic people references too.

A great way of telling a story which is unique as well as being a gripping but fun historical read children can get into easily and get a taste of the time back then with the dedication it took women to get to vote.

Women In Sports by Rachel Ignotofsky

When I saw this book I was so super happy. As a girl, I've actually always preferred male sports and been parts of Cricket, Golf, Football, Badminton and now weight lifting groups as well.

We often get judged for it and unfairly so and a book about women doing great in sports is just what is needed in society to be celebrated more.

The book goes through a timeline of history as well as including a wide range of sports. It talks of the challenges the women faced and some consequences were even death in past times!

This book would be brilliant for schools, in modern day we need women and young girls to not give up on sports and think its for boys and it's a subject I am passionate about greatly. An empowering and inspiring book with many modern athletes we know doing great today from Serena Williams to Simone Biles and Nicola Adams.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me a copy to review!

Secret Suffragette by Barbara Mitchelhill

When close to her family home the suffragettes appear fighting for women's rights, Daisy knows she's interested in joining and helping out even though folk around don't like them, mostly the men who feel like her dad to her mum that they won't and should control their wives.

However after her mum loses her job she gets up the fight to campaign harder despite the consequences after trying to get better working conditions which angers her husband and forces him to throw out their mum and move in their horrible auntie.

Daisy sticks by her mum and helps her right for women's rights despite being so young and shocked by the actions she sees the women doing around her. A courageous young girl, Daisy is a good role model of a strong girl who knows what she believes in and it was a thrilling read about an interesting time in history.

Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard

Helen is a semi God and living with her dad Zeus and half sister Aphrodite after moving back to London and leaving her grandma's.

Her friends Noor, Daphne and Yasmin all planned to throw a New Year's Party which at last minute gets relocated to Helen's behind her dad's back and there she meets Marco, her dreamy guy who gave her her first kiss!

However with family around, Eros and Apollo her dad is always out with his new girlfriend Lisa and despite being head of the Gods seems to be distracted beyond normal.

However when her family break the rules about revealing powers to humans and gaining massive fame, on TV and YouTube, the family are landed in all sorts of serious trouble as they're called up to court to come on trial for their actions thanks to Marco revealing evidence he had despite promising Helen he wouldn't...

I saw what was coming in this book and figured Marco was a shifty character from the moment we meet him in odd circumstances however the twist at the end was and wasn't a shocker and the outcome was what I hoped and overall while it became predictable for me, the humour and tone of teen voice from Helen is so spot on it was super enjoyable and as someone who struggles to read fantasy I can't recommend this enough!

Lorali by Laura Dockrill

This book is about mermaid Lorali whom winds up on a beach in Hastings naked with legs after finding out from her mum Queen Keppel about her real father, leading her to reject the sea. She gets found by Rory whose supposed to be celebrating his birthday but instead sets about helping the girl he found and takes her to hide by his home.

His best mate Flynn's grandfather knows about mer folk and knew Lorali's heritage thanks to his love of antiques and history.

As the mer folk led by Queen Keppel send Opal to the human or walkers land to help campaign for the return of their princess, they tell the walkers of their existence shocking them especially when their children come at risk.

Then Lorali gets taken from Rory as his other best friend betrays him as he teams up with the pirates after Lorali. However, Lorali is taken by the Cavities and so the Cavities vs pirates fight ensues.

Overall I enjoyed the book.
Told from a split perspective of Lorali, Rory, the sea personified or another story character I really liked the idea of a mermaids story being told as a tapestry on their tails. I do however have a hard time getting into fantasy fiction books and did find it a hard slog to get through but from persevering, I feel it was worth it. I would have liked there to be a more developed base plot line about Lorali ending up on the beach and what she planned on doing though and I wouldn't think she'd be willing to wander off with any human the way her mer folk spoke of them, surely she would be felt more uneasy.

A sparkling tale of history and fantasy.

How To Write A Love Story by Katy Cannon

Tilly doesn't date the boys in her school and has long thought of herself beginning to date when she's older much to the disappointment of her grandma who's a best selling romance author.

Ahead of her finishing her novel, Tilly's grandma Bea is struck down with pneumonia and unable to finish her work, Tilly tries to help her by finishing her work using her grandma's notes on the final book in her longest series so far.

Yet she never banks on her grandma approving so much of her work and she tasks Tilly to begin writing a book but Tilly has no idea where to start and so with her school being in full Valentine's celebration mode, sets about getting involved and inspired!

With her friends Rohan and Anja supporting her choice as they know it's her passion and desire to become an author, at school her book club helps her realise more about life and the way to develop her story as she realizes that newcomer Zach provides the perfect meet cute for Tilly that sparks her off into thinking up idea's. Drew, a fantasy book lover is always around just what is Tilly about to realize about love and boys? Also just what is happening to her grandma lately too? All the changes throughout the book and the journey Tilly goes on discovering about love is like most teens go through and health worries too are relatable and despite saddening the book, there's enough to enjoy and keep it fun and upbeat!

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

Wave Me Goodbye by Jacqueline Wilson

When ten year old Shirley thinks she's going on holiday to the country she thinks her Mum is going too, until it dawns she's going alone, evacuated because of the imminent war.

On the train she is sat next to Jessica, a St Agatha's convent girl where they are looked after and taught by nuns to be proper ladies though the other girls on the train from that school are mean to Jessica and Shirley but they still become form friends quickly.

Upon arriving in the countryside, Jessica and Shirley have to split up as they aren't going to stay at the same places, it unsettled them but they promise to stay friends. Shirley winds up left with a few other children and so they're forced into villagers with rooms. Shirley ends up also placed with Kevin a boy who's also ten but very tall and Archie a young bald boy. They stay with the mysterious Chubby, a bossy housekeeper and her friend Lady Waverley.

In the countryside they still have to attend school and horrid Marilyn from back in London is also there though all the children are scared of their mean teacher who shouts a lot and uses threats of the cane style contraptions on the kids hands to keep them behaving.

Shirley later sends a postcard to her Mum which describes how it was on her first day and how horrible she found it, however it causes her Mum so much concern she travels to meet the women taking care of her daughter and is so horrified she wants to take Shirley to stay with her boss's relatives.

Mrs Waverly also lets Shirley in on her secret room and confides in her about why she keeps what she does in there, it is very moving only a situation involving Kevin and him then running away leads him and Shirley into a dangerous encounter.

Throughout the book, as expected from a novel set in wartime England, there's old time language and what would be considered minor swearing but time appropriate. There's mentions of objects from wartime England and the caricatures depicted the time and theme of the book tremendously. Shirley was a great character and she really earnt a place in my heart over how kind she was and cheeky when necessary!

I was super excited to read this book and it fulfilled my dreams of it being a great book once again from Jacqueline. It was an emotional journey and super realistic keep your tissues ready!

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

Alice is in her forties, living up north after moving from her home in Brixton with her children, leaving her parents suffering Alzheimer's in full time care. She is able to run her unique map crafting business in peace by day to keep her family afloat.
Derry is her best friend she met through taking her children to school day in day out and worries for Alice when she takes in the possibly forty year old strange man she has watched sitting on the beach getting soaked by the pouring rain.

Carl is missing and Lily his new Ukranian wife is clueless how to find him when he doesn't exist on police database as reporting him missing.

Carl has no memory of who he is but goes with Alice and so becomes 'Frank', the mystery man.

Rabbit cottage has been Kirsty, Gray, Pam and Tony their mum and dad's holiday home full of happy memories year after year.
That is until stranger Mark starts hanging around Kirsty and Gray becomes suspicious of him.

Throughout the book, the story is unravelled around twenty years apart in actions to consequences to date.

Highly intoxicating reading, mysteries and questioning ahead when you pick this book up, you have to!

You and Me, Always by Jill Mansell

Since Alice's mum passed away of cancer when she was little, Coral her mum's best friend brought her up alongside her now sadly dead husband, Nick.

Alice's mum Jo had written her a series of letters to reach her on set birthday's only this year in the final one for her twenty fifth, the love of her mum's life's surname is finally mentioned as the bracelet he gave her mum is now left to Alice.

Alice and her friend Patsy along with her younger brother, Dan care for Alice and don't want her to get hurt but are so happy for her when he does respond to Alice's letter and comes to meet her, Declan is as thrilled to meet them all as he was to meet her mum years ago. He also catches the eye of Coral who can't believe it's a real crush she's feeling and goes into denial but she can't fight those feelings...

There's also the factor that by chance, Alice is dating Eddie Tessler a film star. Yet when media get hold of her story and her father sells his lies they end up involved in a whole new load of drama.

It was so so so much better than I anticipated, having struggled to get into this book I really struggled on and loved it by the end. The characters are so quirky, the places chaotic or quaint in description as well as the storylines in the book being so explosive with drama, lies and betrayal.

You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

Emma comes from a family of high achievers but has always felt lost.

Peter has his alcoholic police sheriff whilst being a high achiever.

Emma concocts a plan to travel to North Carolina arriving just about on her seventeenth birthday as she wants to find out about a brother she never knew, Thomas her twin.

After a break down and a pick up, Emma and Peter become travel buddies along with their companion of a stray three legged dog. As the two travel to Gettysburg, have a run in with the police, make it to the cemetery where she feels closer than ever to her whole self and find her family waiting for her after realizing what she uncovered and maybe things can finally get better between the family at last.

I read this book in an hour and a half before bed and it was obviously that good! I really enjoyed the journey though the family size did make me mix up a few characteristics of characters with similar names but that was just me otherwise the story was fun despite the edge of sadness.

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Tori follows her curiosity of the mysterious trail of post it notes to find a computer with Solitaire, a new empty blog open on the screen. Then she meets Michael a new guy before her old childhood friend Lucas also resurfaces.

Meanwhile her brother, Charlie is recovering from anorexia and self harm and we see how protective she is over him as he gets attacked by a bully who Solitaire later ensures gets a taste of his own bullying back.

Through the book, Michael and Toria grow closer while her best friends grow distant and more involved in other plans than friendship until Solitaire progresses. Then she realises, Solitaire or more importantly, who runs Solitaire is trying to talk to her and it's revealed to shows Toria who she can really trust and who cares for her truly.

It was hard to understand the whole concept of Solitaire and their plan overall but it was okay and had some good themes raised with male anorexia and self harm.