I Hold Your Heart by Karen Gregory

Gemma first spots Aaron with his dog when her brother Michael is playing football.

She then has him arrived unexpectedly at her work before she spots him in school and he also leaves a comment on her YouTube channel.

A keen country music lover (who doesn't love Kacey Musgraves!?)  and aspiring artist thanks to the encouragement of her best friends Esi, Rachel and Cal she gets the opportunity to enter a music contest with Cal, only for Aaron to believe she's cheating with Cal, the he starts to track her phone...

As the relationship grows we learn of conflict with his mum and past love Cherie only spun to his merit not the truth, as he grows more angry and raging, controlling making her have unprotected sex, expensive gifts and keeping her away from her friends and family after showing her they don't appreciate her after he plants the idea in her head.

Many stereotypes of controlling behaviour gets shown and explored as we witness the sweet relationship sour very quickly until he can move on to the next unsuspecting girl making himself anger as the novel wears on and Gemma more insecure we can see the relationship is not how love should be at all with no compromise no safety and a lot more tears than should ever be shed. It is a true work of genius and a great addition to Karen's young adult fiction books I've loved before. Raising a sensitive topic to teens and hopefully opening their eyes to signs of abuse this is a book every term needs to read.

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

Sami's Silver Lining by Cathy Cassidy

In the second book of the Lost and Found series, we look deeper into Sami's life this time after he left Syria and fled with his family leaving his world behind to start again in Milford with his aunt and uncle who run a tailors like his parents used to.

As he settles into his strange new life he finds friends in the band and especially Lexie after he develops a crush on her.

The band struggle with adapting to their new keyboard player
who seems to have it in for Lexi as well as being unable to play the keyboard very well at all but has connections that could help them get heard.

As Sami comes to terms with discovering things about his family, helping the band to get better and spend time with Lexi as well as help with an art project, the boy who didn't belong anymore soon finds he can have a new home, with renewed hope and chances ahead.

A sure to win your heart read with many excellent points raised in the danger people have to flee from and how their lives can change so drastically. All about promoting friendship and fun Cathy once again makes this a fun but serious read too.

Wilde About The Girl by Louise Pentland

Following on from the first books antics, we join Robin as she faces a challenging time as she finds herself in an unexpected situation with her lover from  New York, Edward.

Meanwhile her friend Lacey is struggling to get pregnant still but her aunt Kath has found a new man, out of the blue! Whilst Robin and Lyla navigate many embarrassing mother moments and some also fun antics from play time to horse riding, crafting or just a good old party the pair are a cute duo to be championed!

The book was hilarious and had many moments in that were 'Miranda ' comedy alike. I found the storyline better in this second book as we see more of their personalities shine through from the characters in how they manage their relationships and deal with the delicate situations mentioned in the book from miscarriage to pregnancy. It was a lot of fun but very serious at times and was much like real life.

Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland

Alike her own life, Louise is very similar to Robin, her main character whom had a six year old daughter, Lyla Blue alike real life daughter, Darcy.

Robin deals with excelling in her career whilst trying to fit in with the school run mum's and fighting off the consuming loneliness which starts to hit her at times. Despite brushes with possible love in the form of Theo an English business man, it's a job in New York which lands her a beautiful future with new friends, a possible boyfriend and a dream career whilst also having the support of her aunt as well as her friend Lacey and her sharing many times together as Lacey fights to finally get pregnant as she so desires what  Robin has with Lyla.

Showing points about loneliness, dating and single parenting, it's honest and raw with emotional issues and the up's and down's of life mostly alone even if you have a young child or pet's at home and friends and family to call, the issues are all relatable and everyone who reads the book will feel for the characters I'm certain. It was an emotional ride but a lot of fun too with trips to New York and artist work with dates thrown into the mix too!

Vote For Effie by Laura Wood

Effie is new at her school and after a situation over lunch with a popular guy called Aaron, she decides to campaign for change and equality as it's a huge passion of hers.

Running for President at school not only leads her to friends but also gives her something to strive for as a goal and she works hard to win people over after finding out Aaron had been really only funding his football club with the money for all the clubs in school!

As she sets out to change the school we see Effie grow fiercer in her attitude to dealing with the boys and getting voted she also becomes part of a group of friends and finds herself fitting in which was great to read. I really hope this book inspires students to get involved in their school and clubs.

I Heart Hawaii I Heart Book 8 by Lindsey Kelk

Wow what a series and journey these books have now been! In this supposed finale to the series though again I hope not, we find Angela in her new job under Cici at her new company only leaving baby Alice with Alex so she can get back into her old life with a job.

However after Jenny offers her a trip to Hawaii, Alex has an accident and the MOB/mothers of Brooklyn group, a baby parent meet up exclusive elite group push Angela to join after they find out Alex is her husband she finds herself feeling weighed down and leaving it all for Hawaii isn't easy but at least she gets to have some fun, she thinks at first...

After many activities whilst away she comes to realise she's glad to return home but the Mascara press trip does lead her and Jenny to have a heart to heart about IVF and the struggle to get pregnant, there's also a book to be written by Angela if she can as the MOBS get it arranged for her and friendship drama with Jenny after a video being made public...

This one to me had less drama at the beginning and the Hawaii trip started off quite tame and I wasn't feeling it but it did pick up as it is Angela and her zany crew of friends with the best drama coming at the end of their trip. I'm always one to enjoy the more heart to heart moments of books not the drink parts! I loved the twist about the book Angela writes and it's title, that was super clever and full circle and does wrap up like the series is actually definitely now over, though I do hope for more novellas at least, maybe?.. A girl can dream!

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

Yay You're Gay Now What? by Riyadh Khalaf

In this book by popular LGBTQ+ activist and member, Riyadh, he takes us through everything to do with being gay or otherwise from coming out and how to manage any and every situation possible to find yourself in.

From coming out and all the reactions you could be faced with, bullying, first time sex and masturbation, dealing with anxiety and worries as well as having famous faces and their stories also featured in this handy little book he !makes sure to cover whatever topic could be effecting the person choosing to read his book.

As a supporter of the community and having friends who've come out over time, this book sums up everything a gay, trans, any type of person at all could need to know and handy information for others who are LGBTQ+ too as many issues can be relevant to others as well.

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

The Northern Lights Lodge by Julie Caplin

When Lucy leaves Bath and moves to Iceland to run the Northern Lights Lodge she meets Alex a Scot from Paris who's secretly there not as a bartender but to see for his friend if the hotel is worth buying.

Whilst the pair grow close and have many moments they are also faced with a whole TV crew films by an off the wall hotel documentary only one of the guys soon remembers Lucy...

As Lucy tries to hide a viral video from her old hotel job with slimy boring ex Chris unlike the electric chemistry she has with Alex.

Dealing with a hotel sabotage from inside, new management and Lucy getting kicked out her job shockingly thanks to Alex she winds up back home to best friend Daisy only for the new hotel manager wanting to meet her in Edinburgh and just what happened to Alex as he disappeared...

Wow. Making life changing decisions and finding not just a gorgeous sight as the country she winds up in but in her new man too Lucy gets it all but not without a harsh time over her secret which amped up the underlying tension throughout the book. With video drama and job unease there's still plenty of heart stopping moments in a good way not just had and everyone will enjoy this read as I've read nothing like it.

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

All The Things We Never Said by Yasmin Rahman

Mahreen is a Muslim teen whom feels she can't compete or stand out in her family against her brother or cousin who are both high achievers and has what she call The Chaos in her mind telling her to cut and causing her depression.

Cara is a disabled wheelchair user after a car crash changed her and her mum's lives forever and she feels stifled by her mum now too.

Olivia is a girl from a rich broken family background with a sinister secret about her mum's new boyfriend and wants to escape her life.

The girls get put together after they each individually sign up to a suicide pact website, MementoMori.

Only as the girls complete the tasks and hang out more they become friends. Until things change after they stop doing the tasks set to them from the website and instead have their lives ruined by the person behind the website as they manipulate all the information about the girls as they can. As each girl hits a new low, one of them goes too far but with the girls not talking, can they come together to save each other in time?

The plot reminded me of the Hollyoaks teen self harm pact with a digital edge from the website involved in this book. It doesn't belittle mental health but shows the sinister extent teens could go to harm or end their lives. The website reminds me of the anorexia buddy websites we hear about causing harm to teens mental health and this book broke down boundaries that mental health only effects one type of person as we get the three very different girls all suffering. I particularly like Olivia telling her story in verse as she came across as a ghost in her own home forgot by her mum as she suffered abuse unnoticed. This book will make you appreciate all the good in the world, as it can be horrifically dark.

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

Cinders And Sparks: Magic At Midnight Book 1 by Lindsey Kelk

In this reimagined version of Cinderella we meet Cinders and her loyal dog Sparks as they live with her palace designer dad, step mum and step sisters whom still the latter detest her and give her all the household chores.

However as Cinders makes it to the ball thanks to her fairy godmother Brian showing Cinders she can perform magic, its there she meets Joderick, a young prince looking to marry...

Though, Cinders doesn't know the royals believe fairies to be dangerous and unkind to them and set about trying to keep them away and end them!

As Cinders battles with her mind over what to do to save the fairies and keep the royals happy, she can't hide the fact she can perform magic and soon trouble happens in the castle as she gets sent away she finds herself searching for help, her fairy godmother and a cast of other fairy tale characters may be able to help her, if she finds them...

Cinders in this book has been touched with a modern edge that works, it's fun and fascinating to get lost in such an enchanting tale and is left open for a book two set to have more adventure within for us!

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