Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch by Katy Birchall

Morgan isn't a normal thirteen year old, she can cast spells as taught how to by her mum and Dora her mum's best friend who's like a sister to her and home schooled Morgan until now when she can finally go off to school.

But being able to cast spells with the click of her fingers soon causes chaos for Morgan as she catches the attention of Owen, bully Felix who thinks she's a freak and Iris whom she's put in a group with to dance for the talent show.

Feeling like a social outcast a few spells should help to change things instead, her head teacher can't stop dancing, Felix is chased by hoards of bats and Morgan accidentally also causes dragons to appear too!

Just what will she do next and can she stay friends with Owen when they discover what each other is?

Never one to read teen fantasy fiction I actually really enjoyed this book as I have all of Katy's previous books and found myself fully invested in the drama of witch life and general teen life issues. I enjoyed the witches vs warlocks aspect too and the secrets in the book that need to be kept mean the next book will surely have tons more drama with that cliff hanger of an ending!

Belly Up by Eva Darrows

In this book we meet Serendipity or Sara as she gets called mostly, after her ex Aaron broke her heart by getting another girl, she goes to a party and meets Jack, who she has drunk sex with this creating her a baby she later calls, Cass.

Thee book focuses on how Sara handles moving in with her grandma, making new friends at a new school, finding her baby daddy, her chosen new future and of course actually giving birth!

It was a realistic look at teen pregnancy and also the danger of reckless sex and the impact on your life one choice can make I enjoyed the language style of Sara being quite unique voiced as she came across humorous, sarcastic and just like a teenager does. The girl power of the family in this book is brilliant and some families I don't doubt are just like them and it made the book more joyous to read especially with Jack an his father's impact in the novel.

I can't recommend this enough, totally worth the hype it's been getting lately!

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.

Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

Bex is new to LA as she looks into pursuing her dream of being a TV scriptwriter and ultimately have her own TV show.

As she moves in with her cousin Parker a gay make-up artist and her idol growing up, she tries to figure out how to tell him she's gay too and no, not to just copy him.

At the TV studio where her favourite werewolf drama is filmed however she soon learns behind the scenes things are less than perfect but she does have the executive producer Jane on her side while Malcolm a fellow scriptwriter takes an instant dislike to her.

From parties with the famous and stars of Silver Falls and handing her own version of a script for an episode to her boss whom rips it off a his own!

As she falls for Shrupya an actress playing the role she wrote in her script to make a gay couple happen in the show they fall into a natural relationship which could crumble after Malcolm changes the script after a homophobic rant by Archer the straight white male lead in the show.

The book featured heavily on the LGBTQ community and also having YouTube actresses being included too. I liked the cast being a mix of cultures and identifying as various types of people, shows it's a great modern young adult book and up to date with the times! I also picked up on The Brightsiders being talked about, another great book by Jen and the sneaky hints didn't go unnoticed. I really enjoyed the way the plot went and loved the story even though after reading about the script she wrote I kinda guessed correctly the way it would play out there was still great drama and so didn't expect the love interests either which was an obvious great addition. A perfect teen read if you love movie's, TV or LGBTQ relationship dynamics.

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

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Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee by Mary G Thompson

Amy and Dee are cousins two years apart when they get taken from by their local river and are hidden away in a woods in a secluded cabin with their captor, Kyle.

Only years on, Amy is now back and finding her way home aged sixteen and now preferring to be called Chelsea, after that is what her captor called her for so many years.

Meanwhile, Lee, Dee's older sister and her mum push for answers about what happened to Dee whilst we see through Amy's flashbacks just what happened to her and what the pair endured while being captured and unable to be free.

I thoroughly loved this book and the creepy doll mystery around Kyle and why he took and what he did to the girls during their lost years. It built up the mystery and kept me hooked on discovering everything. One of the best YA mystery books!

Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done by Sarah Mylnowski

When April learns her father has a new job and plans to move April and her step mum with him, she puts her foot down to stay as she's loved up with her boyfriend, Noah and her best friend Vi is older and wants to stay with her.

However, Vi and April plot to live together as Vi's mum is not at home and is working away leaving the girls free to live however they wish. They gain a hot tub and cat as well as new friends whilst they learn some hash real life truths along the way about money, love and friendship.

It was unrealistic in many actions such as being given a cat and just spending money suddenly on a hot tub but relatable in the fact that STD's are real and can happen to anyone as well managing finances as an older teen, not younger and that cheating partners exist too. It was fun and it did keep me entertained with their crazy antics and many wild times.

Lying About Last Summer by Sue Watson

Skye witnessed her sister Luisa being murdered poolside at their old house last summer. This summer, she is returning to a nearby grief activity camp for a week to try and move on and accept her sister's death.

All she knows is her sister was in a relationship with Nico, a bad guy and a drug user whom didn't seem right for her unlike their old farm shop working friend Toby.

At the camp, she discovers creepy Joe who seems over friendly and too controlling who's girlfriend committed suicide. Meanwhile she befriends Brandon, Fay and Danielle.

As time wears on, Skye starts to receive messages supposedly from Luisa on their messaging app only something somethings seems off as Skye realises it can't truly be her, can it?

So Skye sets off investigating all those at camp with her, from drug takers and old friends, before a final explosive near death this book may start slowly, but the investigation culminates in a satisfying way for sure as a minor plot also overtakes the original one. I found by the end I was thoroughly satisfied with a nice quick mystery thriller and Sue has a couple more you should check out as well if you like this one!

Piglettes by Clementine Beauvais

Mireille is used to winning the top award for being ugly, started by her ex friend from school, Malo.

As she discovers this years ranking, falling short of winning gold, she befriends Astrid and Hakima whom become quick friends to her.

They all have a reason to get to Paris by July 14th, as on that date, Mireille's real but secret father the president's husband is part of a party of which Hakima's brother whom is an ex soldier who's lost his legs in the war, wants to raise awareness of his inquiry into events that happened out at war.

The girls all use Mireille's bike's and borrow a trailer to use to sell sausages to fund their trip as they gogo, united by their love of good food.

As they venture on, more publicity builds from stalking reporters to more social media roar about them and their journey.

Malo also surfaces along the way and causes hassle and they also experience new things from parties with alcohol to getting your first period and making memories and lasting friends or sisters.

I loved Mireille's sarcasm and humour she was a vibrant, witty and unforgettable character from the start of the book and really knew how to handle any situation thrown at them, I also loved how she called Kader, her crush 'the sun' as he's so hot to her, truly relatable to teen girls with a huge crush! The story itself had such deep meaning behind their quest as they set out to prove ugly girls are great girls and looks aren't everything as they raise money for a good cause and do it together having fun and making memories. Meanwhile the vibe of the book being about breaking standards of beauty set in schools and by society as we harshly judge each other is so true and relevant now Clementine did a great job with!

Lucky Break by Rob Stevens

Leon's twin Lenny passed away a year ago while not looking when crossing the road, since then their mum wants to keep Leon away from anything dangerous to the point of extreme worry all day everyday for her now.

New student, Arnold provides a welcome distraction for Leon with his strange ways and regular misunderstanding a of situations. Arnold is a foster kid and left alone by his foster family whilst they go to visit sick relatives, he needs somewhere to stay and Leon helps by sneaking him into his!

Together, they wind up in a few very extreme situations from finding a wallet, helping a homeless guy, winning big on arcade slot machines, causing a fake bank job and then getting questioned by the police!

Arnold shows Leon it's okay to remember Lenny by enjoying rugby and cricket as a family as Lenny would've loved to have them playing it with him still now if he was alive still.

Leon also reveals to his over anxious mum that he doesn't need her trying to always protect him and tells of his guilt he feels from not being able to save his brother.

As a random choice of book to review, it swung it for me having cricket, death and comedy mentioned in the write up. Comedy and death in a novel could be a bad choice but here it works, Lenny was a joker and loved to have fun especially by playing cricket and we see the emotional turmoil the memories have his family in, super understandable and relatable too. Arnold provides welcome distraction and is a guy Penny would've loved to hang out with like Leon too.

A touching novel with a comedic edge!

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

Damage by Eve Ainsworth

Gabi is a skater, best friends with Amira whom has lost her dad and has anxiety/panic attacks and Freddie, Amiras boyfriend.

Gabi has lost her grandad recently and isn't coping with losing her closest relative and friend. Though we learn he had a bad drinking habit and perhaps wasn't the best influence around Gabi in her mums eyes at least as she reveals her childhood wasn't nice and why her mum left and her dad turned to alcohol.
It's also quite ironic that her parents work in and live in a pub, so naturally her granddad would've visited the worst place for him to be around.

Gabi finds an outlet to reach out online to strangers about her self harm and even though she thinks she's hiding it well in real life, her friends and crush, Alfie along with her mum, soon catch on to what is happening.

This is a powerful book looking at the subject of self harm and I can fully relate to this story. For me the grief of losing a close family member also led me down Gabi's path. It may be hard hitting and graphic to some readers but for sufferers it shows there's hope and you're not a freak or alone with this issue.
Eve has written another astounding, had hitting book here, not one to be missed!

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!

Sam & Ilsa's Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Sam and Ilsa are twins, only Sam is seen as the better half of the pair as Ilsa says. Sam is gay, a high flying musician and has it all going for him.

Ilsa however, is seen by Sam as a carefree party girl where as he feels tightly wound and gets anxious easier.

The pair are hosting a final dinner party for their six friends as they're set to graduate. There's KK Ilsas best friend, Johan whom is Sam's crush, Parker whom is Ilsas ex, Jason Sam's ex, Li another friend of Ilsas and finally a potential boyfriend for Sam found by Ilsa, Frederyk.

At the dinner party, hosted in their grandma's large appartment, Sam struggles to keep control so let's loose by drinking where normally he wouldn't while Ilsa tries to ignore Parkers attempts at reigniting their relationship while she also has a secret to share with the group. There's food aplenty, alcohol antics, a surprise thunder storm, crushes falling for others, kisses randomly happening, spur of the moment life decisions and individuals wanting to be exactly that for once in Sam and Ilsa's cases.

For me it wasn't gripping, it was a quick read though and the final reflection chapter made it for me a better read as we could see a bit more character evolution rather than just judging them from one night's actions but seeing how they've grown over ten years as they revisit the site of their last hurrah.

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

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson

Taken to the foundling hospital as a baby, Hetty is fostered until she reaches the age of six and is brought up with many siblings, Gideon, Martha and Eliza are also fostered from there too.

She hates the idea of going back to the foundling hospital when she's six as she'll have to stay until she's fourteen. But her not by blood relation brother, Jem says they'll marry and be happy together when she's old enough.

Hetty loves seeing the wonders of the Circus when it arrives from Elijah the elephant to her loved Madame Adeline whom invites her up to ride with her on her horse and calls Hetty her little star.

Then her time is up at home and she's forced into the Foundling hospital where she's trained to be a seamstress and makes enemies of Sheila and Monica but a friend in Polly even battling influenza together as tragedy strikes Hetty's old foster family life.

Then, suddenly Polly is adopted out of the hospital to replace a rich couple's dead daughter!

In a turn of events, on an outing for the jubilee, Hetty runs away when she spots the circus and ends up across London, in a close call with a man where she gets helped by a kind girl selling flowers and have a run in with an aspiring author, Miss Smith, whom returns Hetty from her jaunt to the foundling hospital where she finally learns her real mum would have called her Sapphire and was hiding in plain sight all along. In this historical mystery fiction.

I found Hetty a great character of a girl, strong willed and unafraid to be herself even when others disagree with her she holds herself strong and sure. It's shocking to think in the past many girls sufferred the way the foundlings did or served horrid masters but Hetty had something positive in the Circus to hold dear in her memories and heart as she yearned to return and perform one day and that goal as well as to be a writer showed her fiery spirit staying strong.

36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You by Vicki Grant

Paul and Hildy partake in a university study about thirty six questions that are asked between strangers to see if they fall in love by the end of the study.

Paul originally takes part as you get paid to do so while Hildy is curious about the study. As the pair delve through the questions, asking deeper and more hard hitting ones as time wares on, the pair become friends but are they closer to more than that?

A strange but intriguing premise which to me wasn't as fun as I expected it to be. Their getting to know each other while obviously forced seemed promising but didn't draw me in and I found myself quite bored with the storyline to be truthful unfortunately.

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

Mind The Gap by Phil Earle

When his best friend Mikey's dad, Vinny dies, we witness one boy's efforts he goes to to help his best mate get over and handle the death better than fighting with their estate's gangster, Trev.
Travelling all cross London we encounter people who didn't like Vinny at all by the end of his life unfortunately, as he was a failed big time actor who never got a big break. Meanwhile, Mikey's mum is a drunk and seems uninterested in her son's life.

Inevitability seems to pull Mikey to the underground not just to find his best friend but there he finds something he needed more than anything.

As death can effect us all in different ways, here we witness the anger and frustration after a close death coming out of Mikey showing how not processing it can hold you back as he just wants a reminder of his dad.

A short to the point read about death and it's aftermath, inspired by a real story which sounds fascinating too.

Nobody Real by Steve Camden

Marcie and Thor are a team or so it seems to Marcie. The trouble is, she's real and Thor isn't. Abandoned by her mum and pulling away from her dad who grows distant, Marcie finds herself seeking friendship and comfort and that comes from her old imaginary though up friend Thor, a boy with bear arms, arms of comfort and warmth it seems.

I am unsure whether Marcie is suffering with her own mental health alike her dad whom seems depressed throughout the novel. Marcie does talk with others around her but seems to never allow herself to get close to anyone which seems likely to the factor of her mother not being in her life now.

This is a book anyone can relate to as I'm sure we all yearn at some point to be a carefree child again needing to be taken care of and not have to face all life's responsibilities thrust our way.

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

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? By Liz Kessler

When Jessica suddenly starts to disappear, Izzy her best friend tells her and together they work to uncover what's happening whilst also having fun with the situation at hand.

A few weeks previous, her mum's friend Nancy gave her a necklace for her birthday, only when she first removes it does the invisibility stop!

They take it upon themselves to a start investigating into what's happening and bring their friend Tom, a geeky boy from their school year along as the usage of crystals causing the powers comes into play as they discover who's behind it and what caused the effects in the few it has given powers to.

Soon a large research history comes to light as well as a kidnapping twist in the plot comes into the book, the secrets revealed to Jess make her realize she may have been quick to judge some of the people involved...

I enjoyed this one and was super happy to have crystals leading to powers happening and changing people. The kids in this were great characters as the plot flowed on super well.

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.

Super Awkward by Beth Garrod

Bella is fifteen and a half with a lot of unfortunate events which are hilarious but still tragic to her as she faces the embarrassment of them!

Her best friend Rachel is having her sixteenth birthday party on the night Bella's mum takes her and her thirteen going on thirty year old sister away to an odd mystic Meg style retreat. As if this isn't bad enough, her ex Luke texts her a picture of him kissing a new and unidentifiable girl which makes Bella wonder who it is.

Then close to the end of her holiday, she meets seventeen year old Zac. Musician, college student and with a crazier mum possibly than her own! They met under laughable circumstances and clicked over their shared same style humour and Bella finds herself crushing hard.

Yet as the book progresses, Zac turns up at her school as a sixth form helper to the lower years! That's not all either as a huge reveal about his home life becomes apparent too.

As Bella tries hard to save her prom which hangs in the balance of severely endangered, Luke starts to cause a lot of trouble, will he manage to split up Bella, Rachel and Tamsin for good?!

Also, look out for the ending, a sure to make you shriek with happiness moment!

A fun, girly, gritty and witty read! It's full of awesome hilariously jaw dropping moments, unputdownable and perfect to read in the sun and summertime!

Definitions Of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor

A chemist's is never usually exciting, but these two characters spark up talking to each other after both realising they have similar medications, for clinical depression.

Reggie, real name Regina, lives with her religious mum and her dad who goes with what her mum says. Her mum doesn't seem to understand fully the concept of Reggie's depression which we learn is down to two close people in her life leaving her.

Snake, a young guy who's so relaxed about every situation normally isn't now in the best situation at all. He's just met Reggie and yet his ex girlfriend Clara and school queen bee is seven months pregnant with his baby and yet it was down to a drunken accident and not a loving relationship unlike he feels for Reggie.

I loved the way that Reggie and Snake interacted by using teasing insults towards each other and because they both have an alternative style and different family make up's. I liked the fact that having two mum's was brought up as so far this is their first book I have read with this particular part of the storyline. I also appreciated that in this teen pregnancy story, the teens aren't breaking down or arguing but are accepting of the situation they have been dealt with. It was a refreshing and yet humorous read which made me want to keep on reading.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book!