The Words I Have Yet To Say Out Loud by Ieisha Brown

This collection was a really good deep look as the complexities of life as we journey through it. Showing how you can feel like an outsider and isolated, yet be surrounded by people as you don't fit in by liking the same things they do. How childhood trauma can make you feel fearful of fitting in or never feeling you've found your place and trying to be strong yet, feeling weak inside deep down and how trauma makes you grow up fast having your childhood less happy more sad times. One really deep hitting poem about worth and realising how others treat you initially sets the tone of the relationship from the start and know where to not waste your energy alike a poem about friendships and relationships showing the complex ways friendship breakups can effect you even deeper than a romantic relationship it was really hard hitting because I relate so much to those aspects and think many of us can, it was a truly stunning collection to read.

Texts I Never Sent by Ariel Day

Heartbreakingly beautiful texts that have been typed and remain unsent to an ex. A simple yet effective way to find some closure and freedom from your thoughts and emotions for sure. I think many if us can relate to the thoughts and feelings captured in the messages and concept of the book. Beautiful and heartbreaking words.

Sunny Days And Sea Breezes by Carole Matthews

When Jodie escapes to the Isle Of Wight to her brother Bill's holiday houseboat, she meets neighbour and chainsaw carver Ned, bristly Ida who secretly loves Ned, fake statue George and vibrant, nosy Marilyn.

Wanting to wallow in depression and grief at first, due to a huge loss she's getting away for afresh refreshing start from to allow herself to heal, she's left her estranged husband behind in London along with best friend Della.

We soon learn about Chris her husband and Megan and Beth, not all was as it seems in her situation and why she escaped London life at first but let me assure you the conclusion to the book doesn't disappoint and I rooted for Jodie to be true to what her heart wants a sunny escape from life in a book!

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

Opposite Of Always by Justin A Reynolds

In this book Jack at a party meets Kate, a girl he falls for hard only she is sick, with sickle cell and is facing death all through the book.

As Jack tries to save Kate from her death, he travels through time to try and redo the past to spare her life as he loves her only he also must correct everything he did wrong to his best friends Franny and Jillian as they face issues with their parents being absent and struggling to get by money wise too.

However I didn't see a shock twist after Jack's third attempt to save Kate coming which changes the whole outcome you expect to see happen.

Yet as we got through all scenarios of time travel to save Kate, we make the realisation that saving someone can actually save yourself as your feelings and decisions change your life too and how time travel may not ever always make things perfect if it did exist in real life throughout the novel to me the book proves the fact that everything happens for a reason and how we learn from our mistakes the unlikely couple are cute at times but to me also Jack does border too much on coming across too strong as a boy interested in the girl and Kate plays it more cool where usually it's the other way around!

Accurately represents how teen relationships can be totally worth a read and may be relatable to you that way too!

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

One Day In December by Shari Low

Set in December around Christmas and new year, many lives are set to change in many, many ways...

Lila is seeing surgeon husband to Bernadette on the quiet whilst unbeknownst to her, her proposal to him is about to go awry despite Bernadette leaving him...

Lila's boyfriend Cammy however is planning to propose to her not knowing she's cheating on him!

Caro however has had a massive shock as online she discovers her dad has a double identity. However, that's not all as she finds out she may also have a sister, Lila!

A story with where we learn just how much complicated relationships can really change and become broken or better for good or bad. We see the efforts of a man wanting to keep a family together despite his actions and another man wanting to settle down. The male characters show the two sides of men in fiction and real life and it was good to have both included and not just a cheat for once. Another good book by Shari once again!

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

Indecent by Corinne Sullivan

Imogene is new to her job at a privileged boys school where she meets Adam, a pupil who intrigued her as she firstly finds out more about him then in turn after briefly talking, he pursues her and starts a relationship with her.

Then he tells the school head and he is believed over her. She pursued him, though really they were in it together and he went cold on replying to her. He bragged about dating their last apprentice to join the school to her and now she's just another one to add to that list.

Throughout the novel we read flashbacks to when Imogene was the boys age and deciding what to do for college, career and her first love and sexual encounters too.

This book is all about forbidden love and lust as we see both of the characters involved go hot and cold for each other at times though Imogene seemed mostly for the relationship despite her being his teacher. Overall it is believable but I would've preferred a split perspective and not just her perspective split between her age now and when she was Adam's age.

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

Nowhere Else But Here by Rachel Cotton

Rose and everyone at school knows Theo has been missing for two days, posters are up everywhere now so when Theo lands on her doorstep with secrets to hide and Rose can keep him hidden but safe, he takes her offer.

She lies to her parents, her best friends Grace and Naya and they all notice she's acting strangely and then she meets Theo's parents in school. She also knows the reason, or a reason why Theo ran away, even if her parents later tell her they found out the real reason, along with him being in her room.

No more secret movie nights, sleeping close or shared kisses in her room, he is with his mum though now safe. But Rose is angry with her parents but relies on her friends after finally confiding what had happened.

Eventually they have to talk and realise their feelings are there between them but then more secrets come out about her ex boyfriend and Theo after the way her ex treated her.

The book was a very different concept, the way Theo just turns up and relies on Rose to keep him a secret. I can't say I found it wholly believable but I liked the idea nonetheless. I did approve of the deeper reason Theo runs away and found it understandable why he would lie though he should be able to tell Rose as she helps him so much.  I do think a split perspective and seeing Theo as his life goes back to being with his mum and possibly flashbacks to deeper worse times to back up the reasoning of running away. Aside from that, the second half they fell into a loving but intensely dramatic relationship like a lot of young first loves can be.

An intense way of discovering love suddenly.

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

Sunshine and Sweet Peas In Nightingale Square by Heidi Swain

Once happily married, now eight years on Kate and David are separating.

She meets Lisa, John and their brood of kids as well as Harold whom are her new neighbours. She also meets Robert, who tells her all about the green space project while Lisa and her set about helping new mum Heather Cole with baby Evie.

Whilst exploring Prosperous Place, they alert the owner Luke to their presence by accident but have a rather funny face to face encounter minus the serious tone too!

There's a Valentine's takeaway between friends where the friends all find out a shocking revelation about Luke and the Wentworth family legacy.

There's a shock pregnancy, surprise animal findings, new friendships and ex's turning up out of the blue as drama and tension builds between Luke and Kate.

This was a sweet read all about moving on and finding the best parts of life come together all at once, friendship and romance all in one place for Kate. Heidi writes another great romance once again.

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

The Big Dreams Beach Hotel by Lilly Bartlett

Rosie works in a hotel where she has just celebrated three years at, however her boss has shocked them all by selling the hotel and so in transition, Rory is sent in as the hotel company from the US makes staff, restaurant and building changes.

Rosie left the USA after an experience with Chuck as she began an intense relationship with him whilst she had just planned his companies work Christmas Party. But then it effects her relationship with Digby as she would sacrifice anything for love and Chuck despite what a user he turns out to be, a Tiffany necklace broke their relationship, along with lies and Rosie was heartbroken but better off without him!

But now in Scarborough, Rory and her are getting close while she fights off the feelings reminding her of her failed relationship, can she make this work between them as he will be leaving in the coming months?

I enjoyed reading this book, even if I did think it was longer and more drawn out but I did enjoy the split past/present split narrative as we died find out all about Chuck and their past not just her life now with the odd sentence thrown in. Lilly is a new author to me and she's definitely one to watch out for new books from in the future!

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

Sunshine Is Forever by Kyle T Cowan

Hunter is depressed and so he goes off to a camp where they help through therapy to work on the teens and their history.

Whilst at camp, he meets Corrine a very out there, confident girl who he finds himself in a form of relationship with despite relationships being banned at camp. Although she wants to break them free, just as maybe he feels the camp could possibly benefit him...

We learn during the book of the turmoil he feels of guilt by his parents and everyone else he thinks, blaming him for not being able to prevent a harrowing incident occurring to his sister.

This book was a really good read for how complex depression can be due to trauma and the therapy mixed with camp is obviously used to show a case of one method of escapism and treatment combined to try and prevent suicide. The language was raw and honest but could trigger people if effected by depression and suicide themselves.

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

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.

You Know Me Well by David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Mark and his best mate/wannabe boyfriend Ryan are two teens who go to gay pride together. While there Mark gets scouted for a modeling company but as he let's loose at the party full of strangers, he sees Kate from school.

Kate is there with Lehna, her best friend as well as June and Uma. Lehna wants to introduce Kate to her cousin Violet another lesbian whom Kate fancies but has never met.

Kate and Mark get talking at the pride and so starts a great friendship between the two as they try and get the love interests each so wants, successfully and unsuccessfully. We see how the two are there to support each other as Mark supports Kate when her artwork starts to get displayed and sold sharing in her joy despite his misery friendship rules.

It was a heart warming and affirming book showing how friendship can blossom unexpectedly and love can be tricky especially young, gay love too but shows how celebrated the gay community is.

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Working in a museum over summer, Bailey meets Porter. At first she can't stand him but soon they become a really cute couple. Not to mention they bond over some horrific past incidents, for Bailey she was shot and her mum divorced her dad and moved away. Whilst for Porter, he saved his dad from a great white shark despite it getting his fathers arm, he survived.

There's also the added mystery of Bailey using her nickname, Mink online to chat to a person called Alex. Despite never having met face to face, Bailey wants to know them in real life.
She soon does though!

It was predictable with the storyline and a retelling of other stories together. Despite that it was well written and enjoyable just not overly exciting as hyped it got.

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day

Heidi lives in a boarding school with her best friends. Her parents own the boarding school and her mum seems more like a sister the way she talks to Heidi for a lot of the book.

The book was very juvenile in its language and so tried my patience a lot sadly and I found it dragging on.

The idea of the story was good with Heidi having to create a fake boyfriend and deal with the history of the two of them etc. As well as her friend group being very varied with a gay friend and his boyfriend as well as a model and a goth as well as her boyfriend showing a true array of real life people cast in the mix.

If you are a young teen this book maybe for you but older teens you may find it a bit of a drag unfortunately.

99 Days by Katie Cotugno

As Molly returns back to her hometown, takes up her old job again and crosses paths with old friends whom are now new enemies in some cases, gets entangled with Patrick and Gabe Donnelly once again, life is proving to be tricky and pressuring her to make a decision before its too late.

There's also the fact that everywhere she goes, still people call her a slut and give her the side eye. Slowly Molly does make friends and also peace with her past decisions and actions.
We see how her adoptive mum exposed her secrets about cheating on her boyfriend in her latest book. Which unfortunately for Molly, exposed it all to her friends and the town people.

This book reminds me of Abbi Glines The Vincent Brothers books and I enjoyed them although this book is more suitable to younger readers compared to them.

The Cows by Dawn O'Porter

Well of course I'm reviewing Dawn's latest book!
If you've seen past posts on here, you'll have seen my review of Dawn's previous book, Goose.

However I'm also really excited to be partaking in the blog tour to accompany the launch as well!

(Photo of Dawn courtesy of: David Loftus)

Tara works for a production company ran by a secretly gay boss, Adam and has a six year old daughter, Annie. When she goes on a date with Jamie, Stella's boss they hit it off and on her way home the texts get steamier between the two and so she accidentally ends up being filmed in public, indecently.

Stella's identical twin, Alice has died of ovarian cancer, her best friend has just announced that she's pregnant and Stella wishes she was pregnant and not newly dumped. She still wears her sister's clothes and even takes on her persona online on Tinder to find a man to have a one night stand with to get her wish of a baby before she has her mastectomy as her mum had breast cancer and carried the BRCA gene.

Cam writes a blog, an extremely popular one that can pay for her to live single in London. She has a younger lover by eight years she writes about as well as the fact she doesn't want children.

As all the drama ensues through out the book, Cam writes to stick up for Tara in all her media and going viral frenzy. Stella, who reads Cam's blog can't possibly understand how she can't not want children as it's her dream. We follow all their stories as they collide and there's hilarious moments ahead for sure! Also look out for the police officers names, truly made me laugh!

The book sheds light on dealing with various issues and the dangers of a videos going viral but finding friends in unexpected places. But seriously, it challenges the stereotypical gender role of a woman, to prove as the title suggests, we don't all have to be made to breed and we're not all bitchy characters, we have our own opinions on life and women can be happy alone, married, have children or have none at all.

Another great book from Dawn, many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review the book for them and take part in the blog tour for the release as well, now go check out the other reviews and Q & A's as well guys!

Strawberry Crush by Jean Ure

Mattie cant believe it, her cousin, Maya who is only twelve has got another huge crush and its only growing more and more on the older, eighteen year old Jake.

Mattie and Maya are cousins, their mum's being twins however a main theme in the book is how unstable a home Maya has. Maya's father is always away on an adventure trying to find out what extravagant idea he dreams up and then brings home but never pursues and so he remains jobless whilst Maya's mum is her only stable parent in her life whilst she has no male attention from her father, she turns to caring older Jay.

Mattie quite simply and understandably, plays the worried friend and concerned cousin role. She eventually figures out where her cousin keeps disappearing off to when she no longer catches the bus to school with her or goes to her friends in the school holiday's and decides to tell her mum what's happening until thankfully, a huge secret about Jay comes out at school.

Maya is a perfect example of how situations which could've happened as she was clouded with a strong list for this unattainable elder boy, when really, Mattie was right to act how she did being concerned despite Maya's anger and disagreement at the start.

I really enjoyed this book and praise it for raising the issue of the age gap in younger years and the danger that is posed there and so educates younger readers of target audience at what could happen in real life not just in a book.

My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend by Eleanor Wood

This book was everything I've hoped it would be!

Set around the life of eighteen year old Tuesday, yes that's her name! We see her personal blog shared only with her boyfriend, her mum and best mates Nishi and Anna, accidentally attract the attention of the twenty three year old ex and now once again rock star, Jackson. We see how her and Jackson become closer by emailing back and forth before eventually arranging to meet up when Jackson plays his comeback gig at Glastonbury.

All the while this is going on however, Tuesday is supposed to be revising toward her English exam which is her last one to come for the end of her A-levels and the one that matters the most to her personally as she wants to be a writer, hence why she started up her blog in the first place. The exam is set to be the Monday after Glastonbury but will she make it back in time, or will Jackson keep her attention instead? Read the book to find out!

I really liked the character of Tuesday and found her to be very true to a typical modern day teenager and she really showed intuition in terms of how to keep things going your way even when a lot of bad stuff has happened. She also has very typical mixed feelings towards her mum and how she handles having boyfriends and husbands which influences Tuesday and how she portrays love in the novel though she sees her current boyfriend treats her terribly eventually.

If you enjoyed Zoella's Girl Online books, you will love this one which originally came out before Zoella's acclaimed series.

Forbidden Dance by Deanna Roy

Livia and Benjamin have an instant connection.

Livia grew up shadowed by her father, being homeschooled and begging to dance ballet, now she's a teacher of ballet at Dreamcatcher dance school teaching young disabled children.
We also get a shock early on I won't spoil but at nineteen she has a lot of responsibility. Her best friend is Mindy, who is sixteen and an approved friend by her parents.

Blitz Craven was host of dance reality show, Dance Blitz. It had very racy performances and was alike TV show the bachelor. He's twenty six to Livia's nineteen and right from when they meet, there's heavy chemistry between them.

Livia and Blitz meet up a lot in the store room at the dance studio, a dark room they can hide away in together. Please be aware that this book does contain mature content and therefore read only if you're older than eighteen as it is a new adult fiction not young adult fiction.

I personally love the story of her being from a conservative family but we see she grows more daring throughout the book, showing that love wins over all obstacles despite Blitz returning to LA, he comes back to her and all I can say is I'm so hooked.

This book is part of a series and yes, I've added it to my kindle to buy wish list!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review the first book in what is set to be a daring, adventurous series.