Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

Pages: 416 

Publisher: Penguin 

Released: 27th of July 2023 

*Squid Game at an American High School - the twisty YA thriller that everyone will be talking about in 2023.*

Twelve girls. Three rounds. One ultimate prize . . . for the last one left alive.

Edgewater Academy is a school for the very rich and very powerful.

Adina Walker is neither of those things. Alone and outcast, when she gets into a fight with a fellow student (and former friend), her scholarship to a top college is revoked, and her world falls apart.

Until she's invited to The Finish.

Annual games for the brightest and the best, hosted by power-family The Remingtons, the winning prize for The Finish is everything Adina wants. This is her chance at the life she's dreamed of.

Then the contestants start to die.

Love, revenge, pride - all are on the line. This isn't a game any more . . .

Horrific and engrossing in equal measure, THEIR VICIOUS GAMES is also a thoughtful and clever commentary on race and class. Ace of Spades meets The Inheritance Games, this is a game you'll want to see through to the finish.

What I Have to Say 

This book was amazing! I honestly keep waiting to get bored of reading about people killing each other in deadly competitions, but I never do! This one sucked me in from the start with the voice of the main character. She was sarky, compassionate and in many ways innocent. I can't really say what it was that set her apart but it was just fantastic. 

This book also surprised me. Through most of the book, I thought I knew what was going to happen. But there were mysteries there and twists that changed things. It felt fresh and original, which is impressive from an idea that has been done so often before. 

Just everything about this book was completely perfect. I'm so glad that I read it. 

5 stars 

My thanks go to Penguin and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Sing If You Can't Dance by Alexia Casale

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Faber and Faber 

Released: July 6th 2023 

An entirely original and much-needed own-voices perspective from a teenager coming to terms with her disability as she's coming of age. Ven had her life all planned out. her dance group were going places and so was she. Then she passes out right in the middle of a life-changing performance. And she's forced to admit that she hasn't been feeling right for a while now. Ven is about to discover she has an illness that threatens to ruin everything. No more dancing. even walking is proving a challenge, and standing. But don't you DARE feel sorry for her! Ven is no victim, and she is in charge here. Sure, her future is going to be different. but that doesn't mean it's over. Because if you can't dance, you can always sing!

What I Have to Say 

Loving the amount of disability rep I'm seeing in fiction at the moment. This was went a bit down the negative side at the start, authentically portraying the doubt and issues shown by someone still coming to turns when they have a disability, but it ended really upbeat. I was really happy that it showed how once you get the right support you can still live your life. 

Support in general was a big message of this book. I loved how every one of the Singers had something going on in their life and how they grew to support one another, even when it had nothing to do with the singing group. It really showed how important friendships can be. 

The author chose not to disclose what disability this is based on and I respect her choice so I won't make any guesses into what it might be, but I have to say I feel this choice was made assuming the potential readers would be abled. If someone was disabled in the same way that Ven is and was looking for a book to help them deal with it, I'm not sure whether they'd find this book. It's a pity really. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Faber and Faber and Netgalley for providing me with this copy to review. 

The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Harper Voyager 

Released: 8th of June 2023 

In the second installment of Juno Dawson's "irresistable" fantasy trilogy (Lana Harper), a group of childhood friends and witches must choose between what is right and what is easy if they have any hope of keeping their coven--and their world--from tearing apart forever.

Niamh Kelly is dead. Her troubled twin, Ciara, now masquerades as the benevolent witch as Her Majesty's Royal Coven prepares to crown her High Preistess.

Suffering from amnesia, Ciara can't remember what she's done--but if she wants to survive, she must fool Niamh's adopted family and friends; the coven; and the murky Shadow Cabinet--a secret group of mundane civil servants who are already suspicious of witches. While she tries to rebuild her past, she realizes none of her past has forgotten her, including her former lover, renegade warlock Dabney Hale.

On the other end of the continent, Leonie Jackman is in search of Hale, rumored to be seeking a dark object of ultimate power somehow connected to the upper echelons of the British government. If the witches can't figure out Hale's machinations, and fast, all of witchkind will be in grave danger--along with the fate of all (wo)mankind.

Sharp, funny, provocative, and joyous, Juno Dawson's sequel reimagines everything you think you knew about her coven and her witches in a story that spans continents and dives deep into the roots of England and its witchcraft. Ciara, Leonie, Elle, and Theo are fierce, angry, sexy, warm--and absolutely unapologetic as they fight for what they believe in, all in the name of sisterhood.

What I Have to Say 

I wasn't sure going in how this book would be as I really loved Niamh in the first book. But I actually warmed to Ciara really quickly considering she was a murderer who made deals with demons. Actually it was really interesting the way that Dawson dealt with all her characters in this book. It showed people as not really good or bad, but that they made choices that were good or bad. Ciara definitely made some bad choices and I certainly wouldn't trust her with anything (especially Theo) but I  really grew to understand her and why she made those choices and began to believe that she could make better ones. 

Theo is my favourite character and I would die for her. Her friendship with Holly is wonderful and adds to the themes of friendship and sisterhood that are abundant in these books. It was interesting to see them changing and developing especially with the things that happen during this book. 

That ending though. If you don't like books ending on cliffhangers, you definitely need to wait until the next book comes out before you read this one. The ending was killer and I need the next book right this second. My advice is to get all three books when the next one comes out, put them in a pile beside your favourite reading chair and devour them all in one go. 

5 stars 

My thanks goes to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Thing About Lemons by Tasha Harrison

Pages: 320 

Publisher: UCLan Publishing

Released: 1st of June 2023 

Ori Reynolds has just made the biggest mistake of her life. One that’s resulted in:

1) losing all but one of her friends,

2) feeling like the World’s Most Terrible Person,

and

3) having all her fun summer plans cancelled.

And, as if things couldn’t get any worse, she now has no choice but to go on a road trip with her estranged grandad Claude to his home in the French countryside.

Talk about life giving you lemons!

However, while Ori scoffs at her mum’s suggestion to “make lemonade”, her sour situation is about to turn significantly sweeter than she could ever have imagined…

What I Have to Say 

I tried to read this book with an open heart, because people make mistakes and it can be hard to move on from. Love is complicated and falling in love with the wrong person can be really difficult. But even though she didn't intend to kiss him, Ori was scheming to "get to know Jackson better" behind her friend's back. The fact that this led to cheating, was really not surprising. (This is all on page one, by the way.) 

So after not warming to Ori at all, she spent most of the book wallowing in her teenage drama. I read a lot of YA, so I don't use the term "teenage drama" lightly. This was just too much angst and self-pity for me. And then she very quickly moves on to the next boy she decides to have a crush on, after deciding really quickly that Jackson is not for her. I just felt if he was so easy to move on from, why did she kiss him in the first place?! 

So yeah, to say this book wasn't for me was a massive understatement. I just did not get on with it at all and would advise other people to stay away unless you can get really into teen drama. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and UCLan Publishing for providing me with this copy for review. 

Twice Hexed by Julia Tuffs

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Orion Children's Books 

Released: 23rd of June 2022 

Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Sex Education - Jessie Jones has just discovered she's a witch, but she still has to deal with the patriarchy. A feisty, funny YA series about discovering your place ... and your power.

After a summer of surfing, sunbathing and fine-tuning her new witchy skills, Jessie starts Year 11 feeling hopeful. She feels like her life-ducks are finally in a row - and at school, she has her sisterhood of Summer, Libby and Tabitha supporting her. Callum Henderson and his toxic masculinity minions have eased off enough for it the girls to feel like they can breathe again, so this year should be a breeze, right?

Wrong.

New year, new troubles.

Mysterious new girl Sloane has just arrived ... and did she mention she's a witch?

Twice the powers, twice the problems...

The funny, angsty, punchy YA series is perfect for fans of Holly Bourne.

What I Have to Say 

Jess is back and she's in trouble. This time it isn't just new powers she's got to deal with. New girl Sloane is on the scene and she is baaaad news. 

I loved how these books take normal teenage issues and add in magic. The first book was sexism and bullying. This time it's friendships and mean girls. It was perfect the way that Sloane was introduced and started throwing up red flags straight away. It's a familiar story and with a bit of dark magic it gives it just that hint of the supernatural. 

I said in my previous book that it was a bit predictable and how that was actually quite nice. And this one is much the same. Toxic new girl comes and starts separating the main character from her friends. It was relaxing as I read it, because I knew that it would all turn out okay in the end. I knew that Jess was good at heart and will do the right thing. 

The only thing I wasn't keen on was the animal death, but that does come hand in hand with dark magic, so I was prepared for it. I was also a bit disappointed because it looked at the start like they would talk about the actual issues men face (toxic masculinity for example) and expand on the feminist message, especially with Sloane being so anti- man, but they didn't. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Orion's Children's Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

Something, Certain, Maybe by Sara Barnard

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books 

Released:  1st of July 2022 

Rosie is ready for her life to begin, because nothing says new life like going to university. After years of waiting and working hard, she's finally on the road that will secure her future.

Except university turns out to be not what she hoped or imagined, and although she's not exactly unhappy – really! – she might be a little bit worried that she doesn't really like her course much. Or her flatmates. Or really... anything? But it's normal to be homesick (right?) and everything will have settled in a month or two, and it's totally fine that her friends seem so much happier than she is, and that the doctors don’t seem to know what’s wrong with her mother.

But then she meets Jade, and everything starts to look a little brighter. At least, it does if she’s only looking at Jade. But is first love enough when everything else is falling apart? 

What I Have to Say 

I love these characters so much!! It's really nice to keep coming back to Caddy, Suze and Rosie in each of these books. Especially this one since having read Fierce Fragile Hearts, I've seen snapshots of it without knowing what happens! It was really nice to see it parallel Suze's story, while also being something that entirely stands on it's own. 

The story itself, while a little predictable, was comforting to read. I think the reader is deliberately put in the position of knowing exactly what Rosie should do and it's about the journey she takes to get there, rather than what happens next. While there is drama that I didn't see coming, the final resolution was one I could see coming a mile off and I was so glad to see Rosie finally get there. It may have felt just a little flat, but the rest of the book more than made up for it. 

I'm really glad that this book highlighted the fact that Uni is not always the right path and not everyone enjoys it, because I think it's important for young people to know that they've got options. I remember being that age and feeling that Uni is just what you did next and while that worked out well for me, it doesn't for everyone. 

All in all this was just an incredibly comforting book and I hope this isn't the last we've seen from these characters!! 

My thanks go to Macmillan and Willow Publicity for providing me with this copy for review. 

Toxic

Pages: 400

Publisher: UCLAN Publishing

Released: 7th of July 2022 

Llewella has straight-A grades, a lead in the school play, a prefect badge, a successful blog and a comfortable life. Despite this, she feels like a brown, chubby square peg at a school full of thin, white girls. She's never had a best friend. Could the new student at sixth form - glamorous, streetwise Aretha - be the one? Llewella and Aretha get tight, quick. 

Before long, Llewella is following a diet Aretha has designed for her and has abandoned her own passions to dive headfirst into Aretha's world. She's determined to be the most loyal, greatest friend she can be, even when Aretha says and does things which make her feel the opposite of great. Even when the anxiety disorder she thought was cured starts to re-emerge. Isn't that how friendships work?

Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, Diet Culture, toxic friendship

What I Have to Say 

This was a book that was easy to read and easy to get in with. Llewella was a character who was really likeable and I enjoyed reading her thoughts. For someone who knew what was coming, Aretha was easy to hate, but I could also see what Llewella saw in her so the friendship didn't see unrealistic at all, just toxic. 

There were trigger warnings at the start were useful, but it was also obvious that the author had put a lot of thought into how to make the book as sensitive to triggers as possible. As someone who is sometimes sensitive to eating disorder triggers and diet culture, I didn't find the book triggering at all. I really appreciated the thought that had been put into it. Of course that's not to say that the book wouldn't trigger someone else, so please check the warnings, both on this post and in the front of the book before reading. 

I really thought this book was just spectacularly well done. I could really see where the relationship was heading and I was worried for what Llewella would have left at the end of it. Well worth the read. 

My thanks go to UCLAN and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Lily's Just Fine by Gill Stewart

 

Pages: 320

Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing

Released: 11th of June 2019 

Lily couldn’t have planned life better herself. She lives in the best house in town and she’s dating the most popular boy in school. Everything else she can fix. Mum’s apathy? On it! The stuffy gala committee? Watch this space!

Tom has enough on his plate without trying to drag Newton St Cuthbert into the 21st Century. His sister is sick and there’s nothing anyone can do. Not doctors, not his parents, and certainly not Lily Hildebrand.

Sail away this summer with the unexpected romance of Scotland's most determined teenager.

What I Have to Say 

This book was lovely, such a comfort read even with the issues that the main characters had. Mostly I loved the set of characters. The main character would probably be a bit annoying if you knew her in real life but it was really fun to see her friends rolling their eyes, but going along with her latest scheme. It was clear that they loved her because she was like this not despite it. 

I thought it was a very good example of the coping strategy people have where they throw themselves into something so that they don't have to deal with their problems. It really showed exactly why that's a bad idea. 

It also showed the strain of being a teen carer. Having to care for her mum while she was only a teenager herself. I hope spreads some awareness of real life teens who are in similar situations. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Paper & Hearts Society by Lucy Powrie

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 355

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 11th of June 2019 

Tabby Brown is tired of trying to fit in. She doesn't want to go to parties - in fact, she would much rather snuggle up on the sofa with her favourite book.

It's like she hasn't found her people ...

Then Tabby joins a club that promises to celebrate books. What could go wrong? EVERYTHING - especially when making new friends brings out an AWKWARD BUZZING feeling all over her body.

But Olivia, Cassie, Henry and Ed have something that makes Tabby come back. Maybe it's the Austen-themed fancy-dress parties, or Ed's fluffy cat Mrs Simpkins, or could it be Henry himself ...

Can Tabby let her weird out AND live THE BEST BOOKISH LIFE POSSIBLE?

TW: Friendship endings, mental health, panic attacks

What I Have to Say 

THIS IS THE BOOK THAT HAS BEEN MISSING FROM EVERY BOOK LOVERS SHELF! Especially for contemporary fans. Lucy Powrie has written a book lovers dream, filled with references to so many of my favourite books! Every time a title of a book I loved was name dropped, I felt a rush of excitement!! It especially feature a lot of UKYA books, which Powrie has always been a big supporter of, which I found so great because it's always nice to get some good British culture in books that I can relate too! 

As a former resident of Bath, I loved the bits where they were in Bath. It's just always so fun to see familiar places in books. And though there were some very important places missed out (Sally Lunn's Buns? THE JANE AUSTEN CENTRE!!!) it was written so well that I can definitely forgive Powrie for her oversights. I very much loved the scene set in Topping's Bookshop as that is a lovely place to shop for books! 

The issues tackled in the book were so important and well written as well. Obviously, I want to spend this whole post fangirling about books, but it was so good to see Powrie tackle the break down of a friendship and the after effects of that kind of life event and how it can haunt you and follow you as you try to make new friends. 

This book has so many things going for it. I can't sing it's praises enough.

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hodder Children's Books for providing me with this free copy for review. 

The Year After You by Nina de Pass

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Ink Road 

Released: 14th of February 2019 

New Years’ Eve, San Francisco. The most promising party of the year ends in a tragic accident. Cara survives. Her best friend Georgina doesn’t.

Nine months later, Cara is struggling, consumed by guilt and grief. Her mum decides a Swiss boarding school will be the fresh start Cara needs. But Cara knows that swapping sunshine for snow won’t make a blind bit of difference. Georgina is gone, and nothing will bring her back.

Up in the Alps, Cara’s old life feels a million miles away. At Hope Hall, nobody knows about her past. And she intends to keep it that way. But classmates Ren and Hector have other ideas. Cara tries to keep her distance, but she’s drawn to the offbeat, straight-talking Hector, who understands her grief better than anyone. Her new friends are determined to break down the walls she has so carefully built up. And, despite it all, Cara wants them to. 

The closer Cara grows to Hector, the more Georgina slips away. Embracing life at Hope Hall means letting go of the past; of her memories of that fatal New Year’s Eve. But Cara is quite sure she doesn’t deserve a second chance. 

What I Have to Say 

Exploring the themes of grief, loss and survivors guilt, this touching novel explores how deep the damage of losing someone in an accident can be. It deals heavily with the responsibility that someone can attribute to themselves when something like this happens and how moving on can feel like betraying the person you lost. 

The best thing about this book for me was how it showed that fears can sometimes not seem logical to an outside viewpoint. Cara is terrified of going in lifts and cars, because her mind tells her that if it crashes then it's her responsibility because she got in the car. This is the way that the mind can twist things based on past experiences, but de Pass when deeper, exploring the fact Cara is completely fine with planes. I've experienced this kind of logic in my own condition with my OCD a lot. People don't understand why this is fine but /this/ isn't. It's something that's hard to understand. So it made me feel really understood to see a similar twisting of logic and fear shown in The Year After You. 

I loved Cara so much as a character. I loved her interactions with Hector and with Ren. It was heartbreaking to see her story and the way that her fears and grief from the past controlled her. It all felt very real and well thought out. 

There's so much more I haven't said in this review, but these are the parts that really touched me.  I really, really recommend getting a copy and seeing Cara's story for yourself. 

My thanks go to Ink Road and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Proud edited by Juno Dawson

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Stripes 

Released: 7th of March 2019 

A stirring, bold and moving anthology of stories and poetry by top LGBTQ+ YA authors and new talent, giving their unique responses to the broad theme of pride. Each story has an illustration by an artist identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Compiled by Juno Dawson, author of THIS BOOK IS GAY and CLEAN.

A celebration of LGBTQ+ talent, PROUD is a thought-provoking, funny, emotional read.

Contributors: Steve Antony, Dean Atta, Kate Alizadeh, Fox Benwell, Alex Bertie, Caroline Bird, Fatti Burke, Tanya Byrne, Moïra Fowley-Doyle, Frank Duffy, Simon James Green, Leo Greenfield, Saffa Khan, Karen Lawler, David Levithan, Priyanka Meenakshi, Alice Oseman, Michael Lee Richardson, David Roberts, Cynthia So, Kay Staples, Jessica Vallance, Kristen Van Dam and Kameron White.

Following A CHANGE IS GONNA COME, winner of the YA BOOK PRIZE SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2018

What I Have to Say 

This was a fantastic anthology. The fact that I loved almost every single one of the pieces (I just wasn't that fond of the first poem) is something that I've never experienced in an anthology before. Some of my particular favourites were:   Penguins by Simon James Green (and the adorable artwork to go with it by Alice Oseman), The Phoenix's Fault by Cynthia So (a new author found for this collection and a beautiful story from a Asian-inspired fantasy world), I Hate Darcy Pemberley (another new author with a lesbian retelling of Pride and Prejudice) and the Courage of Dragons by Fox Benwell (a lovely story of D & D players sneaking around the school to make everything in it gender neutral).

Along with each story is a piece of artwork to go with it. The art made a really great addition to each story or poem, though art can be a lot more subjective than stories, so I did find some of them were just not art styles that I liked. I really liked their inclusion though, it made the book so much more than most anthologies.

With all the contributors, writers and artists alike being LGBTQ+, this is an amazing book based on many different perspectives and experience.

Whether you're LGBTQ+, questioning or an ally, this book is definitely a MUST READ,

My thanks go to Netgalley and Stripes Publishing for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Fierce Fragile Hearts by Sara Banard

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 354 

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

'This time around, I'm going to be so much better. I'm going to prove to them that it was worth waiting on me.' 

Two years after a downward spiral took her as low as you can possibly go, Suzanne is starting again. Again. She's back in Brighton, the only place she felt she belonged, back with her best friends Caddy and Rosie. But they're about to leave for university. When your friends have been your light in the darkness, what happens when you're the one left behind?

What I Have to Say 

It was so great to get to see Caddy, Rosie and Suzanne again, especially from Suzanne's view point, because I find Suzanne an amazing character. I love how perfectly she's written, a screwed up survivor coping with PTSD and her crappy family, who still, after everything she went to, defend her father and see her as being dramatic.

I felt so much for Suzanne. She's been through so much and now she's out in the world having to live on her own. Though at some points it's frustrating (ask for help, Suze!!!) you can't help rooting for her. It's like she's a friend. You can definitely see how Caddy and Rosie feel trying to support her. She's such a sweet person but her life is so hard and she has some bad habits when she gets triggered.

I just really really loved seeing it all from Suzanne's viewpoint. It worked perfectly, in the same way that the first book worked really well from Caddy's point of view. I just want so much more from these characters.

And it has a dog in it! What more can you ask for?

My thanks go to Macmillan and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Publisher: Chicken House Books 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

Asha lives on the family farm with her mother in rural India.

Her father is away working in the city, and when the money he sends stops suddenly, a wicked aunt arrives. She’s determined to seize the property – and the treasure rumoured to be hidden on the land. Guided by a majestic bird which Asha believes to be the spirit of her grandmother, she and her best friend Jeevan embark on a journey to the city, across the Himalayas, to find her father and save her home …

What I Have to Say 

This was a beautiful story of faith, adventure and family. I loved how determined Asha was, running away from home and fighting so many dangers in order to find her father and save her family. I also loved how deeply religion was woven into the story with Diwali and , showing the rich, vibrant spirituality of Asha's family and so many other hindu families in India.

The idea of ancestors and spirits were also very central to the book, as you can tell from the title, Asha's story revolves around a spirit bird, specifically the spirit of her grandmother returned in the form of a bird. The spirit bird brings magic to the story as well as reinforcing the feeling of family, even when Asha is out on her journey with only Jeevan for company, her grandmother is watching over her and keeping her safe. 

This is just a really, really gorgeous book filled with so much heart. I'm so happy I got the chance to read it. 

My thanks go to Chicken House for providing me with a free copy of this book for review. 

Nowhere On Earth by Nick Lake

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Publisher: Hodder's Children's Books 

Released: 10th of January 2019 

It starts with a plane crash.

There are survivors: a teenage girl and her little brother. They are running from something. But what?

Then the men arrive. They are hunting the girl and boy. And-

And that's all we can tell you ...

What I Have to Say 

Beautiful, unique and with so much heart beneath it all. These are all words I'm coming to relate to Nick Lake's writing. I didn't get along well with the first couple of his books that I tried to read, but Satellite and Nowhere on Earth have been so beautiful and spell-binding. I love his characters and the messages of hope and love that are at the central to his writing, especially with Nowhere on Earth. 

Emily and Aidan were beautiful characters. Emily with her love for Aidan and how much she cared of him, which despite being part of an alien defence mechanism to help Aidan survive, felt so real and beautiful. And Aidan. His love for Emily. The way he's so amazed by the beauty of earth and is apologetic and sad about the way his presence has affected the humans, because he can't help his defense mechanism kicking in and pushing them to look after her. 

The key themes of this novel are definitely empathy and love. It's shown everywhere. The message of how we as humanity view things as threats instantly without asking questions is very much an important reflection of our society and resonated deeply within me. 

Filled with Lake's unique, well thought out concepts of how things might really work in space and with alien life, this book felt as realistic as Satellite. I want everyone to read it. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hodder for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Girl in the Window by Penny Joelson

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 287

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released: 9th of August 2018 

Nothing ever happens on Kasia's street. And Kasia would know, because her illness makes her spend days stuck at home, watching the world from her bedroom window. So when she sees what looks like a kidnapping, she's not sure whether she can believe her own eyes . . . There was a girl in the window opposite - did she see something too? But when Kasia goes to find her she is told the most shocking thing of all. There is no girl. 

What I Have to Say 

A great story, raising awareness of how hard life can be when you have ME and live a mostly housebound (often bedbound) life and also how quiet streets can hold the darkest of secrets, but also the best of friends, The Girl in the Window has so much packed into it for just one short book. Although I found it didn't have as big an impact on me as I Have No Secrets did, I found it a really interesting and well written story of living with ME. 

What I really loved about this book was how kind and caring Kasia was. I've been housebound myself for a while with Agoraphobia, so though I don't know how it feels like to have ME, I do know what it's like to be trapped at home and the boredom and the pain of living within four walls that Kasia feels is so very accurate. But despite how small her world has gotten she still reaches out to her neighbour and offers so much kindness to the lonely old woman who lives next door, completely changing the woman's life with a pureness of heart that is so wonderful to see. And of course that's not the only person Kasia reaches out to, there's the mysterious girl in the window.... 

The mystery of the girl across the street isn't so dramatic as I Have No Secrets. There's no real danger towards Kasia until near the end of the book. Most of the core mystery is just looking out of the window wondering about the girl she catches glimpses of, but this doesn't make it too slow like it would with another book. I think partly because Kasia's life is slow, really slow. The nature of her illness makes it so that it has to be. And so you fall quickly into Kasia's routine. It adds to the feel of the novel rather than detracts from it. 

With this second fantastic book, Penny Joelson is fast becoming a favourite author of mine. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Electric Monkey for providing me with this copy for review.

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 368

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Released: 14th of June 2018 

After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts.

But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence.

This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking.

What I Have to Say 

I think Dee Montgomery is one of my new favourite characters. Though Reagan is the protagonist and she was great as well, Dee was just a beautifully layered character, with her showbiz persona of Lilah and her true self Dee, she brought a fantastic insight into how a showbiz persona can be both honest and different. Because Lilah was Dee in the end. The girl she showed to the public may have been a bit more polished and presented, but she was still completely recognisable as Reagan's best friend Dee. 

I love a good friendship story and Dee and Reagan's friendship made a really good one. It was good to see a friendship surviving the pressures of stardom and a boy coming in who wasn't in any way for the girls to fight over, which I thought might happen when he was first introduced. 

Dee and Reagan have such different stories as well. Their former relationships are full of heartbreak and upset, but they still face the same dilemma in the end. The question of whether it's worth it to put your heart out there. 

A good book for anyone who's a fan of strong friendships and a little bit of romance. 

My thanks go to Netgally and Bloomsbury for providing me with this copy for review. 

Little Liar by Julia Gray

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384

Publisher: Anderson 

Released: 7th of June 2018 

 Nora has lied about many things. But has she told her most dangerous lie of all?

There’s a new art assistant at Nora’s school, and he’s crossed a line. Nora decides to teach him a lesson he won’t forget.

But not everything goes quite to plan, and Nora needs an escape. She befriends the rich and talented Bel, who longs for a part in a remake of a famous film. Bel is unpredictable, jealous and crazy, but she opens up a new world for Nora, and that makes her irresistible. 

As events start to spin wildly out of control, Nora must decide where her loyalties lie – and what deceits she can get away with.

What I Have to Say 

This book gripped me right from the very start. There was so much mystery, so much happening and  a main character who couldn't be trusted, let alone believed. Little Liar was such a good story that was impossible to predict. I loved Nora so much, despite how much she lied and how awful she was to the people around her, there was something about her that made me want her to succeed. Despite being a terrible person, she was incredibly likable. 

Bel also was a great character. She made me think a lot about the manic pixie dream girl trope and how there is a friendship version as well. Bel is beautiful and unpredictable and spontaneous. There are often books about quiet girls befriending girls like her and having their world changed around them. Of course it usually ends in tears. 

Little Liar was no exception and I enjoyed the book right until the very end. I was very sorry to finish it and have no more to read. I'm really excited to explore other books by Julia Gray. 

My thanks go to Anderson and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Storm-wake by Lucy Christopher

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Chicken House 

Released: 5th of April 2018

Moss has grown up on the strangest and most magical of islands. Her father has a plan to control the tempestuous weather that wracks the shores. But the island seems to have a plan of its own once Callan -- a wild boy her age -- appears on its beaches. Her complex feelings for Callan shift with every tide, while her love for the island, and her father, are thrown into doubt...

And when one fateful day, a young man from the outside world washes up on the beach, speaking of the Old World, nothing will ever be the same.

What I Have to Say 

Lucy Christopher's beautiful writing, combined with her imaginative retake of The Tempest make a beautiful book that's perfect for anyone looking to escape to a beautiful island full of dark secrets. I loved the characters, so connected to their Shakespearean counterparts but also so unique and full of life. 

I loved the close friendship between Moss and Callan, the way they were so close that they belonged to each other in a way that if there had been other children around, probably wouldn't have been the case. It was a unique relationship and so interesting to explore, especially when other people are added to the picture. 

This is the kind of book that makes you want to read it a few times. There's so much detail in the book and so many secrets that come out, meaning that there's so much more to pick up on in the second reading. I'm looking forward to a second and maybe even a third reading. 

My thanks go to the Chicken House for providing me with this copy for review. 

We Are Young by Cat Clarke

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384 

Publisher: Quercus Children's Books 

Released: 3rd of May 2018 

On the same night Evan's mother marries local radio DJ 'Breakfast Tim', Evan's brand-new step-brother Lewis is found unconscious and terribly injured, the only survivor of a  horrific car crash.

A media furore erupts, with the finger of blame pointed firmly at stoner, loner Lewis. Everyone else seems to think the crash was drugs-related, but Evan isn't buying it. With the help of her journalist father, Harry, she decides to find out what really happened that night.

As Evan delves deeper into the lives of the three teenagers who died in the crash, she uncovers some disturbing truths and a secret that threatens to tear her family - and the community - apart for ever... 

What I Have to Say  

This book was great but definitely not one if you're not into dark books. The tagline on the cover sums it up perfectly, the further you read into this book the darker and darker it gets and considering that it starts with a very gory car accident, that's pretty dark. 

At it's heart though, this is a book about family. It's about how family can be pulled together or pulled apart and how important it is for a family to support and trust each other, no matter what. Throughout the book, you see Evan getting closer to her step-brother, Lewis, as hard as that is, as she supports him at the hospital and tries to uncover the truth behind the crash. 

This was a great mystery and showed some really interesting and easy to like characters. It was a really great read but not for the faint of heart. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Quercus for sending me this copy for review. 

Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books 

Released: 8th of February 2018 

When I was wild, you were steady . . . 

Now you are wild - what am I? 

Eden McKinley knows she can’t count on much in this world, but she can depend on Bonnie, her solid, steady, straight-A best friend. So it’s a bit of a surprise when Bonnie runs away with the boyfriend Eden knows nothing about five days before the start of their GCSEs. Especially when the police arrive on her doorstep and Eden finds out that the boyfriend is actually their music teacher, Mr Cohn.

Sworn to secrecy and bound by loyalty, only Eden knows Bonnie’s location, and that’s the way it has to stay. There’s no way she’s betraying her best friend. Not even when she’s faced with police questioning, suspicious parents and her own growing doubts.

As the days pass and things begin to unravel, Eden is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the world, her best friend and herself. 

What I Have to Say 

Sara Barnard is probably one of my favourite authors and while this book didn't blow me away quite as much as Beautiful, Broken Things or A Quiet Kind of Thunder, I still really liked it. It was really interesting to see the narrative of a teacher-student relationship from the perspective of a best friend. While obviously her choice to be loyal to her friend and keep her location a secret was obviously not the right one, I can understand how hard it can be to know what to do in this situation. 

I did feel that maybe it would have been good to see more of Bonnie before she ran away. We were left listening to Eden talk about what Bonnie was like before and how her friend seemed to be completely different to the way she thought she was, but we only really met the Bonnie who had been groomed, the Bonnie who thought she was in love and so we only had Eden's thoughts on the subject. 

I think the thing that made this book for me though was the relationships between Eden and her family. Being adopted and forming relationships with a new family is always an interesting topic to read about. It was really nice to see such a positive relationship between her and her adoptive parents and the contrast between the relationship with her biological sister and her adoptive sister. It was good to see a fresh take on the adoption subject. 

My thanks go to Macmillan and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review.