The Woman Who Wanted More by Vicky Zimmerman

In this book we meet Kate whom is in love with Nick an avid tv and puzzle lover. The couple are set to move in when suddenly Kate finds herself hurt, upset and back home with her fun time loving mum. Not great at forty...

So when her friend suggests volunteering, she winds up baking for an elderly ladies home where she meets grumpy writer Cecily who encourages her to chance her desires as she had an exciting life travelling and falling in love obviously with hardships too including the war.

As Kate finally takes her job and love life in hand following her fortieth birthday party then fail after from Nick will she learn that self love is more than enough for her and focus on putting her happiness first?

As she becomes a waitress she finds happiness and her life starts to fall into place with the arrival of a new man, her old man Nick and catfish ex get to see how well she's doing without them whilst Cecily becomes proud of her for her efforts with her old cook book opening new doors for her.

Based on the real life story of Cecily this book is a heartening look at friendship but crushing as it's a lot based on true fact. However the end is lovely but sad. I was really moved by the generation age gap friendship that develops and each character is very similar as they soon find over the course of them book. I thoroughly  recommend this book especially if you love cooking or baking, it may even inspire you to try it!

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

Family Game Night And Other Catastrophes by Mary E Lambert

Annabel, Leslie and Chad live with their parents in a house full of stuff hoarded by their mum.

Drew and Rae, her best friend and crush, Annabel tries to hide her house situation from them, her dad leaves early for a trip and then their grandma shows up causing them to have a family game night suddenly to fake everything is ok despite their dad leaving despairing about his wife's obsession.

However as the kids especially the sisters try to clear out their house of their mum's hoarded mess, Annabel discovers that her mum might just have a good reason why she began hoarding and why she seems sad a lot of the time and can she being her dad back home to stay?

It was a serious middle grade read dealing with all aspects of family life that suffers from hoarding and how it can effect health and the happiness of all effected by it. The children seemed more like the adults as their mum was misbehaving typically not wanting to let her 'treasure' go. I really enjoyed this book and it's a quick easy read for younger readers too.

She Myself And I by Emma Young

As her body fails her, Rosa prepared to have her brain transplanted into a new body, the body of a dead girl, Sylvia after her brain died in an accident but her body was left in a working order.

Dealing with the two collisions, her mind in the other girl's body, she meets Joe who helps her to accept and understand who Sylvia was and realise she deserves a chance to live after all without having to feel guilty nor wonder whom the strange guy is following her around or if the press are into her case being the first in future brain transplants a pioneering thing...

It was a book which really was serious but in a good way. We see how it's so much to cope with as you see a girl struggle with her identity due to unforeseen circumstances she never asked for at all. The drama and situation was full on and seeing her try and cope with all the changes showed how strong teens can be facing huge medical operations.

I'll Be Home For Christmas by Various For Shelter

This is an anthology of short stories based around various people and their versions of home. The stories range and all feature many things from broken families, new step siblings and parents, being gay and coming out, love and crushes, friendship and work.

From the anthology my favourite was Juno Dawson's Homo For Christmas, a story about coming out to your parents as in his case he has a boyfriend and is very happy with him but is anxious anticipating his mum's reaction.

All for a great cause, homelessness these stories are gripping and hard hitting as well as being fantastic quick reads.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Two lives collide after a twist in their stories brain them to meet by chance one November 9th at a restaurant where eighteen year old Fallon is meeting her father and Ben sticks up for her despite being a stranger he fakes being her boyfriend on the night she's leaving to go live in New York.

They leave with a promise to her future self and future Ben that they meet up every November 9 until they are twenty three. Ben will write a book of their story while Fallon will grow her confidence in herself and date despite feeling less than perfect and not attractive because of her fire scars and pursue her acting on Broadway.

As their lives evolve many twists lie ahead for the two, from deaths, births, other Colleen Hoover book characters making appearances and their relationship reaching it's decision point.

The last few chapters though! This climax suddenly brings us full circle in another twist in the plot revealing many secrets which Fallon will be the decider over what happens next for the two.

Faceless by Alyssa Sheinmel

Maisie Winters is a normal sixteen year old girl. She was looking forward to prom with her boyfriend, Chireg and going to college or University with her best friend Serena. A passionate runner, she could've got a scholarship.

Yet her life gets changed forever one night. A thunderstorm causes a tree she's running by to collapse on her as she was approaching her home mere houses away. A neighbour put out the electrical fire happening to her. Yet after waking from a coma, she can't begin to comprehend what has changed.

Waking to find severe burns to her left side and her face, Maisie finds the strength to get a face transplant after her nose, chin and cheeks burnt off severly and learn to love life again no matter how much it can throw at you to deal with. Sure it takes time and a break up too, doubling the blow but Serena and her parents support despite their arguing and splitting up.
Maisie is a very strong girl and shows the extent of her courage to try and rebuild her life, not become a stranger like she feels at first towards her new face.

I really enjoyed this book and am glad to have finally checked it off on tbr list!