Useless by Tanya Landman

When Rob gets a new stepdad he hates him as he feels his dad's been replaced however soon he realizes that his dad chose to leave and the things he liked best about him made him harder to be around...

All about trouble at home and parental issues this is a quick read all about the topic of living but not having that parent be around or reliable and the effect that has on your life growing up.

By Popular Demand Gracie Dart Book 3 by Jess Vallance

In book three we see how Grace tries to become more popular and make new friends. However, we soon see you can't force these things as she comes to learns as she by chance falls in with a popular girl and so her friends do too.

As she helps her new friend to run her cake and entertainment party business she also deals with the crush she has on her, only her new friend is straight...

We also see how Grace comes to realise alike in the other books just how much true friends matter and how you should pay attention and help them in times of need. Gracie always has such an adventurous life and experiences some odd and hilarious at times too situations which this book didn't lack at all once again.

Royal Rebel by Carina Axelsson

In this book we meet Princess Lily of Waldenburg who goes by the alias Tiara Girl on YouTube as she wishes to be allowed to vlog but is forbidden by the royals to do so.

Instead she continues in secret in her fun self made  disguise of pink wig, sunglasses and customized outfit so no one will realise it's her!

However when the palace arrange an interview with Lily by her favourite teen magazine on the same day she secretly has an interview with them as Tiara Girl Lily must get her friend Leonie to help her not get caught!

I loved this book I feel it's like the Princess Diaries in modern times with Gossip Girl names thrown in, Lily, Waldorf becoming Waldenburg etc and it worked super well with cute royal animals and the feminist edge it was a great fun read and not long either very modern with the rise of the internet for youngsters to engage and monetise video's how they do these days!

Guest Post by Kate Mallinder - Why stories about friendship are more important than ever

If I had been more organised, I would have written this blog weeks ago, sent it to Eve and be on with my next writing project. But I wasn’t. So now I’m writing this with my husband working from home and my children all being schooled at the kitchen table. We are the lucky ones who get to stay in as our way of helping slow the spread.

This new world we find ourselves in does make writing a cheery, upbeat piece about a new teen novel interesting. What I had planned feels too frivolous in the circumstances. We’re living through history and life is unrecognisable from just a month ago. Why are we even thinking about fiction when we have all this going on?

I’ll be honest: that question floored me for a few days as I tried to get my head around what was happening. But as the mental dust settled, I realised: stories are actually hugely important in times of crisis. Stories can talk about the big life truths in a way nothing else can. Fiction can literally show (not tell) what it means to be human, our need for connection even though we’re apart, that society is strengthened when we pull together.

That, and losing yourself in a good book is a pretty awesome way to while away a few hours.

So then. Asking for a Friend. What’s it all about? Well, it’s the stories of Agnes, Hattie and Jake; each struggling with something – a sister who’s moved out, being ghosted by friends or a worry about health they can’t talk about. All three feel isolated and friendless.

So when Agnes decides to go away for a ‘study break’ to look for her sister, Hattie and Jake both think it’s the perfect escape from their everyday lives. They only know each other a little, so none of them say what’s really bothering them, preferring to try and battle their problems on their own. However as their stories unfold and they face a life-changing situation together, they begin to trust, begin to share, begin to become friends.

It’s how friendship can be found in the unlikeliest of circumstances. It’s how a friendship can grow. It’s how friends support each other, no matter what.

I was supposed to be talking about why I wrote Asking for a Friend, how I wanted to explore friendships and how they start. But that’s now not the focus. This is a story teens can lose themselves in and enjoy friendships while they’re apart their friends. It’s an escape. It’s feel-good. It’s a book that’ll make you smile.

You can order a copy of Asking for a Friend from Firefly Press and it will be sent to you when it publishes on 21 May – as an incentive to order in April, this copy will be signed and come with an Asking for a Friend badge. Kate’s debut, Summer of No Regrets, is also available from any book shops that are open and also Firefly’s online bookshop, in case you need a feel-good fix in the meantime.

Many thanks to Kate for writing this post, fiction provides escape and can be a perfect way to escape the anxiety of life right now, be sure to check out Kate's previous book, The Summer Of No Regrets too I have a review up on my blog and Goodreads it was a fab read perfect for in the summer sunshine to relax with!

 

We Are The Beaker Girls by Jacqueline Wilson

In this second book of the new Tracy Beaker series focusing on her life out of care and with her own daughter Jess, we see how the seaside and antiques trade has really worked out for them after the disaster with footballer Sean.

However, Jess is worried about her mum getting back with Sean and her old friend Tyrone shows up and a surprise happens to do with him and Jess!

Meanwhile, Jess meets a strange boy or so she believes after he steals her ice cream but as Jess see's him around everywhere and gets to know him, a big secret is shared and the pair become quick friends as Jess tries to help out...

As well as all that, classic Tracy characters make a surprise appearance not just Cam and Justine but *spoiler* Peter and Adele in surprising ways!

It was a fabulous read and expertly crafted by Jacqueline I really loved how the characters have been successful despite their starts in life and how they get together again in shock surprise ways and the hint of possible romance between two of them as well I can't wait to see where that heads. Jacqueline has also made nods to modern society changes such as being gay which I don't recall being mentioned in previous books and Jess was a cheeky little character at times true to like her mum was too, a great read highly recommended!

Girl Out Of Water by Nat Luurtsema

In this book we meet Lou an avid swimmer until she doesn't beat her record and fails to make her swim camp dream come true to possibly compete in the Olympics one day.

She fights off jealousy as her best friend and only friend from her school, Hannah makes the team and thus leaves her behind even though they keep in touch during the novel via text as Lou tries to make new friends and Hannah starts to suffer with mental and physical health and raises alarm bells on Lou.

As Lou awkwardly tries to make friends she finds herself helping out three guys in her school who want to enter Britain Has Talent as synchronised swimmers.

Lou is a fun protagonist and a friend you could dream to have as shows her caring nature over her friend and family. I had heard a lot about this book, all good and I have to say I agree it is a great read as not many teen fiction books focus on swimming as a passion usually it's a lot of love and growing up topics instead of the love of a hobby which added a great soon on this novel.

Chinglish by Sue Cheung

Jo and her crazy Chinese and English aka Chinglish, family move to Coventry to live in two rooms above a Chinese takeaway her parents run.

As her younger sister makes friends with an older girl, shoplifts and smokes, her brother Simon was caught stealing and went to live with their grandparents while Jo is left longing for a better future than being married off or owning the takeaway!

We see Jo make friends with goth Tina, get her first boyfriend, deal with bullies, discover a passion for art as a career and also how disappointed she feels about her parents as we get to see how truly horrific home life can secretly be behind doors.

Raising awareness of domestic abuse/violence this book was open and honest showing the raw side of life within some families. I loved hearing about dancing bonkers goats and entering a competition to win a scholarship to fashion school which sounds crazy amazing and in general this book was a fabulous debut and everyone will laugh, cry and love this book, I guarantee.

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

Apple And Rain by Sarah Crossan

Apple lives with her nan but knows her dad and stepmum whereas her mum let her go willingly so she could live her life how she wanted to. Apple isn't popular but does make friends with Del the home-schooled boy whom lives in the house at the back of her band and is friends with Pilar at school until she gets taken by popular Donna and her group.

Yet as Apple's mum returns suddenly unexpectedly, she makes another shock discovery but also discovers so much from being a good poet writing about her true feelings to release them privately she also has to cope with her mum's drinking, parties, smoking and her other daughter, Rain whom at ten still carries a doll believing it to be real and mothering it even at school.

But then a good and bad thing happen to her at once leaving her with mixed emotions not even starting to add Egan into the mix too...

The book deals with the typical broken family but adds so much more to it as her mum actually returns only to let her down once again in many ways, she also has to deal with more typical issues being a teen girl and some of the story is shocking adding a thrill to the book hooking me in to the point I had to just finish it, I loved it.

Princess In Practise The Rosewood Chronicles by Connie Glynn

Lottie is back protecting Princess Ellie along with Jamie whilst she finally tells her old friend Ollie the truth about what's happening.

As students in the school begin to fall ill seemingly after rating Tompkins chocolate bars, Binah the girls friend helps them to uncover the mystery of why Leviathan are poisoning the bars that the students eat at school.

Lottie also discovers her families history with Lilli and William and Henry and Edith...

Lottie and Ellie's friendship also takes a different turn to maybe more in the future...

I love the second novel a lot more than the first as the story is obviously developing and relationships are developing too which creates more gritty and gripping drama for us to enjoy reading. I can't wait for the final part to see where the characters and up!

Jemima Small Vs The Universe by Tamsin Winter

Jemima Small hates how she looks bigger than the other girls and her surname, small for being her opposite.

She's proudly smart and is excited when an opportunity to take part in Braniacs her favourite TV show arises she's happy but at the same time, everything said to her by the kids, bullies, strangers all builds up.

Jemima has a great best friend in Miki who never fails to stick up for her while her old best friend Alina ditched her to hang out with Lottie who bullies Jemima.

As she faces joining far club forced to after being humiliated in school, she makes friends with others who feel like she does and makes a friend in Gina who runs the course.

Throughout the novel Jemima is courageous and learns that being herself is a great thing despite her issues around her weight, mum and bullies. She is a brave character and a typical teen when she wants to dye her hair rainbow which some of us can relate to! I loved her brainiac personality and zany family Tamsin has created a book that'll be forever important for girls now and in the future, her writing is some of the most relatable and hard hitting making the YA fiction we need.

With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Emoni is a teen mom in school with her babygirl Emma to care for she had with Tyrone her ex.

Malachi joins her class and elective, cookery which is what Emoni is passionate about and the pair strike up a relationship of acquaintances as Emoni knows boys are trouble despite her loving her Emma.

She dreams of being a chef and working creating magical dishes of food for people and has done all her life. Raised by her abuela while her mum passed and her dad flits in and out of their lives, they struggle for money and so when she helps to fundraise so they can all go to Spain on a trip, it looks to be a life-changing experience.

I loved Emonis situation though Tyrone got away with doing hardly any parenting unlike Emoni and his family are trouble for sure speaking harshly of Emoni but not their son for his role in baby making!

Emonis best friend being a lesbian was also included but not a great deal but she was a fun bubbly character to contrast the hard worker Emoni is and make the pair a good friendship match. The writing was very emotive and I enjoyed the journey we were taken on during the novel.

After all the hype I was wary to pick this book up, but I'm glad I did as it was a great read with a main character with courage to follow her dreams even when it got tough and a supportive family too.

And Then We Ran by Katy Cannon

Have you ever wanted to go against your parents wishes?

Lizzie, Megan's high achieving sister has died in a horrific accident. Off the back of that, Megan finds her parents pushing her to become like Lizzie and not study her photography she is so passionate about!

Megan knows Elliott, her old best friend could however help her.
She needs to be married before a certain date to inherit her grandma's old London house enabling her to study in London and set up her photography business on the side.

Elliott, goes along with the plan but realises along the way, feelings lie in wait and every hold up to get them to Gretna Green on time only makes him realize, maybe they're more than friends given time and a chance.

This book shows how spirit and determination can get you a long way. Highly fun and seriously amazing to imagine happening in real life! I loved this book from cover to cover and you will too!

Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon

In this book, we meet Rosie a girl with Downs syndrome whom is in love with her boyfriend Jack. The only trouble is her dad who wants them to split up as Jack has anger issues due to his head being hurt as a baby.

So when Jack gets sent away to deal with his anger, he writes to Rosie via postcards her dad hides away but she discovers.

Using her initiative and wanting to be with Jack, Rosie plans with her friend Lou's help, a way to get to Brighton and sets off with her bag of belongings including her birthday money to fund her trip.

Only things don't go to plan and she finds herself encountering kind strangers, new friends, kind mum's, then a darker world of secret work and the dangers it can lead you into to, especially when you can't escape...

Rosie is determined, brave and severely in love. This book was amazingly bold and daring whilst it captivated me from the start with the unique collision of characters and plot. We go on a journey with a smart protagonist proving her parents she able to do things and not giving up on love especially.

An absolutely astounding debut from a brand new author in YA!

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Dara and Nick are sisters who've been torn apart by a tragic traffic accident and a broken friendship.

As Nick struggles to accept what happened and what she truly lost, all is not as it seems as a nine year old girl goes missing mysteriously and the action grips us in a psychological twister of a book!

As Nick tries to cope with moving back in with her mum, you won't expect the end twist and I didn't at all but so much did and didn't make sense due to it looking back on what I read. However, it was an amazing twist and worked okay but the missing girl part could be been so much more than we got! It kept me reading but overall I can only keep thinking of more to change and add.

The Graces by Laure Eve

River as she calls herself, is obsessed alike most of the new town she lives in now with her mum, with the Grace family. Tales of them all being witches and able to do magic have been around for years since a bad birthday party the Grace's held.

The three, Fenrin, Thalia and Summer all have an essence of a magical quality to them and an air of mystique and intrigue which means River tries to fit in with them as a mystery surrounding her father's disappearance becomes clear over the novel after she discovers a secret about Fenrin and Wolf his friend.

As events escalate, the group fractures in a gripping twist of events and danger becomes imminent...

You go into the book intrigued by the blurb, then you get blown away by the world you get transported into as magical realism becomes their reality as supposed witches exist and we see River try and infiltrate them and become one of them, accepted into their group due to their talents. However, sexual tension builds between River and Fenrin only for it to not be acted on and instead a revelation made. As well, I feel River could be about to admit she's also Gay or Bi as she jokes she isn't but possibly she could still get with outsider Marcus too. Besides all that I am still unsure whether they are all witches or what, all I know is the family seen like the Cullens from Twilight in description.

Misfit by Charli Howard

Aspiring model Charli grew up battling with anxiety, depression, OCD and eating disorders anorexia and bulima.

Her turbulent life she lays all to bear and free to judge by us as she gives us an insight into her crazy life growing up abroad, in a boarding school as well as struggling to fit in at school and in the adult world to get a good boyfriend and a sparkling brilliant career all however, at the cost of her true happiness we soon learn as she struggles to become a signed model.

Despite aspiring to be a model and shrinking in size, Charli had to learn to live herself despite the harsh critics and the way she discusses her treatment from certain modelling agencies is truly horrific and appalling.

Frank in her account and her battle with mental health, Charli had told her account and story with strength and courage to make the most of her now more positive movement thanks to finding a respectful modelling agency that embraces more shapely women after all women are curvier most of the time!
Embracing the body positive movement for sure, Charli and her book will remembered for how modelling has changed and how it can effect young girls too.

Not If I See You First by Ally Carter

Maddie's dad was a guard for Logan's father, the president of the United States and The First Lady. Until an attack leaves him with an injured leg, years later him and Maddie are living in Alaska where Maddie trains hard still to be able to protect herself and her father.

As the years passed, she wrote to Logan but never heard back until he shows up in Alaska planned by his parents with Maddie's father agreeing and thus bringing danger to Maddie and her father as Russian and corrupt agents show up just as Maddie's dad is called away on business as a storm is moving in. As the agents work to kidnap Logan, Maddie is determined to protect him as Logan is to protect Maddie. As they work apart alone and together they face many outdoor challenges relates to Alaskan weather and outdoor terrain as well as gun risks and that means getting away together, alive - if Maddie is still alive by the end of this fight...

Now, I love Ally's previous novel's about spies as I grew up watching M.I.High around the same time of the books release! I never care for survival stories but nonetheless found myself hooked needing to know if they survived not and wanted to see if the pair realized how they truly feel towards each other despite past mix up's and let down's they may be feeling. It was a gripping page turner and I loved it, a great return from Ally!

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

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

With her mum dying from cancer, Lina is left to go stay with Howard whom she believes is actually her father in Italy where he lives in a World War two cemetery of which when Lina goes on her morning run, meets Ren whom is also Italian American and will be attending school together.

When she gets her hands on her mums old journal she realises a lot of secrets where between them and it leaves her to trace down her real father and uncover what happened to her mum before Lina was born. Her friend from home Addie keeps in touch after Lina decides to stay despite her first nerves and Addie enjoys the drama but obviously helps Lina in any way she can as well as with Ten and his friends she meets.

It was such a great read and so different with being a mystery built into a loss story about the years before Lina would never know about along with her mum enjoying Italy as much as she is now she's settled in and soaking up the culture, places and hobbies.

Skylarks by Karen Gregory

After birthday celebrations at a restaurant for her brother, Jack, Joni first spots Annabel. As Joni learns Annabel has joined the library too to work, the pair get closer forcibly but soon learn they're completely opposite in their way of life.

Joni's family and their home is threatened while Annabel lives in a huge home with plenty of cash for boarding school available, not that Annabel liked boarding school. Both of them may be studying for A Levels, but Joni and her family have a petition to see through about saving their home after her parents have already lost their jobs, but can they get more signatures and involvement with their petition in time?

Joni has experienced being with a girl before while Annabel had never acted upon her feelings. Until now that is.

Unfortunately, by part three I had predicted what was going to happen but it's not to say the story wasn't great at all as it was and went how I wanted it to go sadly! I understand the Skylark was a symbolism of their freedom and love also with how they recreated and became alike them themselves through their actions. Utterly brilliant plot and refreshing to see lesbian relationships unjudged in teen fiction for once too by the characters parents.

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

Like Other Girls by Claire Hennessy

Lauren attends St Agnes's a posh girls school her mum is the head teacher of which causes issue for her as home issues get dragged into school later in the book.

Her old best friend Steph is transgender becoming Evan and through flashbacks to the past and events between herself and Steph show us a whole new side to their relationship as more than friends.

Lauren herself is a cis girl and is a member of a local LGBTQIA group where she makes good friends with Ellie and Steph also used to attend their meet ups until things became awkward between the pair.

In the book we early on see reckless sex and heavy drinking mentioned as she falls in with boyfriend Justin and his friends whom are scum in the language they use about Lauren. Justin is a flake of a boyfriend and coldly cuts her out of his life as she desperately tries to contact him as she suddenly realises she's late and now pregnant.

We see her battle with abortion and where to get one as she lives in Ireland and soon outs a clinic to a newspaper whom blast the story. She also flees to England to seek an abortion over there as her only resort which sees her use devius ways to afford it.

All this time though, she keeps it to herself and confides in no one and starts drinking more and more until she attends therapy and finally opens up to how she truly feels about everything that's happened in her life.

In the upcoming school musical she has to play a man singer which angers her as she watches the other girls get better roles she wished for but she turns the situation around after confiding  in her friends about the newspaper story on abortion not being fair was through her and so the play becomes her own.

This was a hard novel to get into but eventually it picked up after about one hundred pages and more drama was thrown in from the abortion perspective. While a good book with that storyline, I did wish for more with her friends and their love lives as mostly it seemed confusing to keep up and would've preferred it to be a little easier to follow who was what and  with who. I do commend it as a good novel about LGBTQIA issues but for me I need  to possibly read up on the more newer types of sexuality to appreciate it more, the abortion side was well played out as it's real life events still as people fight for abortion to be legal in Ireland and so is doing well raising further awareness in the future generations.