The Borrow A Boyfriend Club by Page Powars

Pages: 288

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 14th of September 2023 

Need a prom date? Want to impress your friends? Or make your ex jealous? Just call...

THE BORROW A BOYFRIEND CLUB

When sixteen-year-old Noah starts at a new school, he has a plan to ensure the students see him as his true gender: join the school's secretive Borrow a Boyfriend Club, where members rent themselves out to their classmates for dates. The endless "accidental slip-ups" that plagued him at his last school will be a thing of the past once he joins the club; after all, it has "boy" right in the title.

But he fails the audition. Desperate, he strikes a deal with the club's prickly president, Asher: he'll help lead the nearly-bankrupt club to victory at the school's fundraising dance competition, and in exchange Asher will allow Noah to prove his skills as a boyfriend in a series of tests that include romancing Asher himself.

As Noah passes test after test, his fake romance with Asher starts to feel surprisingly real, and Noah is faced with a dilemma. If he fails to win the dance fundraiser the club will go bankrupt, and he'll not only lose the new friends he's made - the whole school will know he isn't "boy enough". But if Noah succeeds in securing the club their victory, he'll have to follow the most important, unbreakable rule of the Borrow a Boyfriend Club: no real girlfriends (or boyfriends) allowed.

Will Noah risk breaking the rules for a chance at love?

What I Have to Say 

This was such a cute story with some really strong emotions inside. It went deep into the need a trans boy has to be accepted as a boy both by his classmates and by his family. I really felt for Noah every time he didn't feel enough or every time his parents called him N. 

I liked the cast of characters in this book, though sometimes there were a few too many boyfriends to keep track of. It was nice to be handed a little hint about the character's personality at the start with "the popular one" or "the sporty one" or "the influencer one" and then learn more about their personality beyond that as we went through the book. 

And I loved how supportive this club was to each other and to Noah. It really had such a feeling of found family to it. I can imagine them sticking together through everything. 

4 stars 

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

A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Harper Collins 

Released: 31st of August 2023 

When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season--no matter that he was not the husband Eliza would have chosen.

But ten years later, Eliza is widowed. And at eight and twenty years, she is suddenly left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future. Instead of living out her mourning quietly, Eliza heads to Bath with her cousin Margaret. After years of living according to everyone else’s rules, Eliza has resolved, at last, to do as she wants.

But when the ripples of the dowager Lady Somerset’s behavior reach the new Lord Somerset—whom Eliza knew, once, as a younger woman—Eliza is forced to confront the fact that freedom does not come without consequences, though it also brings unexpected opportunities . . .

What I Have to Say 

I love these books so much. The characters are just so sassy and real. Margaret was a treasure and I loved Melville's wit so much. Also this book stands alone from A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting and while I was sad none of the characters in that book appeared, it does mean that readers can pick up Scandal without having read Fortune Hunting! 

There was something so refreshing about seeing a widow as a character in this book. While I don't read much Regency so I don't know what's the norm, most of the regency books I've read are young girls looking for a husband, so it was refreshing to see a widow with her own money and no need to rely on a man looking her way to save her family. Though of course we knew that romance was coming, it was nice to see someone living in this time who didn't necessarily need it. 

I also really felt for Eliza. This was her second chance at love after having married for her family. It was her chance to actually have a love match and be with someone who didn't disparage her all the time. I was really invested in her journey. 

If you haven't picked up one of these books yet, you definitely should. Even if you don't read regency or romance, these are just so refreshing to read! 

5 stars 

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

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

Pages: 400

Publisher: Gollancz 

Released: 7th of March 2023 

Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what’s a witch to do when he won’t leave her side—and she kind of doesn’t want him to?

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can’t leave Mariel’s side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).

But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she’s dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she’ll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both.

What I Have to Say 

This was a funny, easy read. It was full of wit and charm. While it was a bit too horny for me, I appreciated that most romance fans like a bit more sex in their books than me. There were parts that were predictable, but all in all I had a good time reading the book. 

I really liked the characters. They were both relatable and had a good amount of humour in them. It felt like they were nice well rounded characters who had decent backstories. Though the backing characters were a little more like caricature, they were also fun to read about. 

I loved Mariel's plant magic so much. I loved that she was so good at it even though she couldn't see it and how Ozroth saw it instantly. I also like how the demon realm was made out to be this society that was so much better than ours despite the whole soulless demon thing. 

I don't know if I will read on or not. I might do out of curiosity, though I do think this would have worked well as a standalone. 

 

4 stars

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

To Be Perfectly Honest by Jess Vallance

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

The second book in a brilliantly funny YA series featuring the trials and embarrassing tribulations of teenager Gracie Dart.

Uncovering a family secret, Gracie decides she's had enough of lies and pledges to be completely honest to everybody she meets.

For fifty days, nothing but 100% brutal honesty at all times. But total honesty doesn't always go down well when you've got

What I Have to Say 

I was really upset to find that I didn't like this book. I loved the first so much, but I think with the concept of being honest, too many people got hurt in Gracie's misadventures for me to feel any sympathy with her. 

In the first book I felt she was a little dumb and took things to extremes but in general she was sweet and easy to like. But with her decision to be honest and specifically to tell the whole truth it meant that she was just really harsh to everyone around her. Because quite often we hide things and don't tell the whole truth to people just to be kind to them. Because if everyone went around being so blunt about everything the whole world would be filled with arguments and hurt feelings. I really feel like Gracie should have come to this realisation earlier. 

I really hope that the next book is better, because I like Gracie's way of seeing the world around her. I like how she viewed this whole honesty thing as a research project. I want to like her again. 

But for this book, I just found that I couldn't. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key books for providing me this free copy for review. 

Against All Gods by Maz Evans

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384 

Publisher: Chicken House 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

In the series finale of Maz Evans' bestselling Who Let the Gods Out? series, Elliot faces his darkest period yet. As well as facing up to his fears, he realises that the future of mankind - and the survival of everything he holds dear - is at stake. But can a bunch of misfit gods, a lost constellation and a mortal boy stand up to the daemon hordes?

What I Have to Say 

This series is silly, has a cringe-worthy sense of humour and I love it so, so much. It's fun to see a load of really bad puns and over the top characters all keeping in touch with the essence of Greek Mythology. Using very British humour on Greek characters may see a little weird at first, but they connect with the heart of the myths and make them into characters that children will love to connect to and enjoy. 

With each book of the series, I've learned to love the characters all over again, coming back to them and remembering the joys of their personalities and interactions. It was really great to see all the characters come together for the last book, bringing back characters I've forgotten from the earlier books as well as others that we've met more recently. The final battle was as epic, compelling and written with all the heart and humour that the books in the rest of the series have had. 

I will miss Elliot and his family of gods and constellations. I'm glad to see his story come to a conclusion and for him to finally find peace, but I have to admit, I will miss these guys. I might cringe at Hermes being such a bro or feel that maybe Zeus's womanising is a little over the top (although it is Zeus.... can it be over the top?), but I love them despite that, because the ridiculousness of it  is a part of what makes these books great. 

I can't wait to see what Maz Evans does next! 

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

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 240

Publisher: Puffin
Released: 4th of October 2018 

The original, magical story with a brand new cover from Quentin Blake! 

October 2018 marks 30 years since Matilda was published! This brand new jacket comes with a never-before-seen illustration of Matilda as the Chief Executive of the British Library - one of the careers that Quentin Blake himself has imagined that Matilda might have at 30 years old.

Matilda Wormwood

A remarkable child with a magical mind.

Mr and Mrs Wormwood

Matilda's parents - liars, swindlers and TV addicts.

Miss Trunchbull

Headmistress of Crunchem Hall and the world's biggest bully.

Bruce Bogtrotter

Chocolate-cake-eating extraordinaire!

These are just some of the unforgettable characters from this classic story by the world's number one storyteller - now with a brand-new cover design from Quentin Blake to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the publication of Matilda.

What I Have to Say 

I grew up as a book loving child in a house full of books. Matilda was one of my favourite movies. I must have watched it hundreds of times over the year. So it seems crazy to me that up until now I hadn't actually read the original book! I have no idea why I never read it, I think it's a book I would have adored as a child. 

Unpopular opinion time: I never really got along with Roald Dahl. I read a lot of the books but there were only a couple that I actually liked and if I'm honest, even those I liked the movies more than the books. I just find them a bit gross. The descriptions of a lot of the characters, especially the villains, the way that Dahl as the narrator talks about the kids... Reading this as an adult, made the bits that I didn't like really clear to me. Especially as I could compare the bits I really enjoyed about Matilda to the bits  I really didn't like about the other books. Such as the Twits, which I really hated and is mostly comprised of the gross grotty bits.

Aside from my dislike of Roald Dahl, I really did enjoy reading this book. Despite how I feel about it, Dahl is a massive part of my childhood and it really took me back to that and to the movie that I really loved. It was nice to see the new illustrated cover by Quentin Blake (be sure to check out the other covers that have been released for the 30th anniversary) and it's so great to finally know that I've read this book and what I've thought about it. 

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

 

You Only Live Once by Jess Valance

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 23rd of August 2018 

Gracie Dart has always worked hard and she's got a wall covered with revision timetables and French verbs to prove it. But now GCSEs are behind her and she suddenly starts to think: what was the POINT of it all?

When Gracie thinks she's dying of a disgusting tropical illness, she starts to worry she's been wasting her best years being sensible. It's like people say: you only live once - so isn't it about time she started LIVING?

(OK, so the tropical illness turned out to be a fake-tan miscalculation. Anyone could make the same mistake.) 

When Gracie decides to do something, she does it properly. Gracie Dart is about to live out her dreams. However embarrassing.

What I Have to Say 

This is cringe done right! I've talked before about secondhand embarrassment and just feeling uncomfortable when characters have embarrassing moments and how I just don't like it, but this is a book that I really enjoyed because the character was pretty much a complete failure at so many things. I think it was written really well. The things that happened were genuinely funny and the whole book was filled with humour of all kinds. It felt like I was being encouraged to laugh with the character rather than at her. And she often laughed at herself. 

Gracie was so great in general. She was funny, smart and she tried hard, even if she did get carried away sometimes. She was easy to like and root for, I think. I took to her voice straight away. The other characters were really great as well. The granma was amazing and the little brother was great if a bit gross sometimes. Alsom Sarah was so cool and I want to see more of her! I want to see her and Gracie get together in the next book, they're so perfect together. 

I did feel a bit put out by the way Til's mum was discussed and the way her mental health was treated throughout the book. I hope that this changes for the next one. It made me really uncomfortable to have her dismissed as nuts when she obviously has really bad difficulties. 

All in all though, I loved the book and can't wait for the next one! 

My thanks go to Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Wild Robot and The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 279

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre 

Released: 2nd of January 2018 

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island. Why is she there? Where did she come from? And, most important, how will she survive in her harsh surroundings? Roz's only hope is to learn from the island's hostile animal inhabitants. When she tries to care for an orphaned gosling, the other animals finally decide to help, and the island starts to feel like home. Until one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her....

Pages: 288
Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre
Released: 9th of August 2018

Shipwrecked on a remote, wild island, Robot Roz learned from the unwelcoming animal inhabitants and adapted to her surroundings--but can she survive the challenges of the civilized world and find her way home to Brightbill and the island?

What I Have to Say 

(slight spoilers for The Wild Robot in the first two paragraphs, spoilers for both in the third)

So this has got to be both the weirdest book I have ever read and the most fun I have had in a long time. It starts with a robot massacre with otters playing with a severed robot head complete with pictures. It goes on to see Roz adopt a gosling (after accidentally killing it's family) a fact that is never addressed even after he finds out he's adopted. Roz talks to animals, climbs up and down cliffs and builds a house for her and her adopted baby goose to live in. I thought this would a kind of cute story about a robot learning to adapt to an environment with no humans but instead it 

was this strange, quite disturbing story of inter-species adoption and mass death. 

I'm being way too harsh. It's really fun to joke about this book, but actually I think it would be great for a kid. I think they would love Roz and Brightbill and really engage with their adventures. I did wonder while reading it whether the death, both of the robots at the start and of various animals and robots throughout the book might be a bit much, so maybe read it before giving it to your kid. But really, it would be fun for a kid to read on their own or with an adult. Plus it's great fun for adults to read and laugh at, sorry, but I gave my friends and running commentary as I read it and enjoyed it immensely. 

It was also very philosophical. It really looked deeply into what it would be like for a robot to learn how to live away from civilisation, how the AI would develop for self-preservation. The second book goes even deeper into the issue, showing Roz missing her family on her island and trying to get back there. Though it was a lot slower than the first book. It seemed really strange to me that Roz was being so slow at planning her escape. I definitely preferred the first book. 

As I said, a great book for early readers or reading aloud with a child, fun to laugh about if you're an adult.

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

All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 336

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 27th of July 2017 

Lenny is preparing for the apocalypse. Every night, she researches vacuum decay, designer pathogens, that inexplicable sleeping sickness knocking people out in Kazakhstan. Not many sixteen-year-olds are this consumed with the end of the world. But Lenny needs to have some sense of control. Her dad is dying of cancer. Her best friend Julian is graduating early and moving three states away. She's having to rehearse for a toe-curling interpretive dance show at school, and deal with her mum's indefatigable jolliness and smoothie-making in the face of the disaster they are confronting. The one thing keeping her hopeful is Dr Rad Ganesh - her father's oncologist. Surely Lenny can win him round to her charms - and he can save her father? 

What I Have to Say 

This was a good story with a lot of humour. Even in Lenny's obsessive research into the different ways that the world could end, as frightening as they were, there were jokes and comments and things that made them so obviously written by Lenny. It was a nice way to start each chapter and it was interesting to see how they changed with what happened throughout the book. 

All the characters were really strong too. Even though it might seem a little over the top sometimes, especially with the dance teacher, I like having that sort of thing, a character with a real sense of personality that adds to the humour. It makes for a lot of interesting ways in which they react to things and fleshes out the book so it doesn't seem to be just one or two characters who're holding everything up. 

This is a really serious subject, so I was really glad to see how they kept the humour up throughout the book, even when it could have gone really serious and depressing, there was a morbid joke or something to keep the mood up, even though it shouldn't be appropriate. 

This was definitely a really good book to read and I loved Lenny so much. It would be cool to have sequel though I don't know what it would be about. 

My thanks go to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384

Publisher: Piccadilly Press

Released: 28th of February 2017 

The Last Thing She Needs Is a Prince.

The First Thing She Needs Is Some Magic. 

Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother's new husband, her evil stepstepfather. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own.

Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some extraordinarily mischievous wizards, Anya sets off on a Quest that, if she plays it right, will ultimately free her land-and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low.

What I Have to Say 

This book is humorous, entertaining and beautifully feminist. Princess Anya is a wonderful twist on the fairy tale princess, embarking upon a quest, which soon because more like a series of entwining quests, in order to fulfill her sister promise and change her sister's lover back from frog form. And all she really wants to do is get back to the warmth of her library and her books. 

The characters were wonderfully quirky and all had their own characteristics that set them apart. I think my favourite was probably Ardent, the dog, who is excitable, easily distracted but very, very loyal, as all good dogs are.

Despite the humour that surrounded all the characters, they were not only stereotypes and when they were, they had some sort of twist to make them different from the characters that are normally seen in fairy tales. They also each have so many wants that take the story in different directions and create conflict. It made it so that the story was not at all predictable, but at the same time, completely logical for each of the characters. 

This really is a beautiful story and would be perfect for younger readers who have an interest in fairy tales. Though people of all ages who can appreciate humour and ingenious twists. 

My thanks go to Piccadilly Press for providing me with this copy for review. 

Who Let the God's Out by Maz Evans

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 368

Publisher: Chicken House 

Released: 3rd of March 2017 

Elliot's mum is ill and his home is under threat, but a shooting star crashes to earth and changes his life forever. The star is Virgo - a young Zodiac goddess on a mission. But the pair accidentally release Thanatos, a wicked death daemon imprisoned beneath Stonehenge, and must then turn to the old Olympian gods for help. After centuries of cushy retirement on earth, are Zeus and his crew up to the task of saving the world - and solving Elliot's problems too? 

What I Have to Say 

With humour, adventure and some great interpretation of the Greek gods, Who Let the God's Out? was a pleasure to read. 

The way that Evans portrayed the gods was probably the best bit. As someone who has studied the Greek gods, I can say that even though it seems ridiculous, it isn't that far off. A lot of inspiration has been taken from various aspects of the myths, including Zeus' tendency to sleep with a lot of different people, to create characters that are fun to read while still reflecting their mythology. 

I definitely liked the way it was written and the relationships shown between Elliot and his mother as well as Elliot and the gods. I can't wait for more in the series! 

My thanks go to Nina Douglas and Chicken House for providing me with this copy for review. 

Trouble Makes a Comeback by Stephanie Tromly

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 1st of December 2016 

After a fall semester of fiascos: getting arrested, then kidnapped, then blown up in an explosion (all thanks to the weird but brilliant Philip Digby), Zoe Webster is looking forward to a quiet spring. Now that Digby has left town, she's finally built a regular high school life for herself. She's dating Miles, the alternate QB; she knows girls she considers friends; she's learning to enjoy being normal and semi-popular. Which of course is when Digby comes back: He's got a new lead on his missing sister and he needs Zoe's help.

Suddenly Zoe is tussling with a billionaire arch-villain, locking horns with armed goons, and digging into what makes the Digby family tick, even as she tries to navigate the confusing and emotionally fraught world of high school politics and locker-room drama. After all, it's hard to explain Digby to a boy like Miles, especially when Zoe isn't sure how she feels about Digby herself—or how he feels about her.

What I Have to Say 

This was a weird experience for me, because even though I remember loving the first book a lot, I just cannot remember what happened in it. This happens fairly often, let's be honest it's one of the hazards when reading as much as I do, but usually this isn't a problem when I read sequels and have forgotten the first book, because there's enough in the sequel to prompt my memory. But with this one, I just could not remember it at all. All I could remember was really liking it. 

But! That didn't effect my enjoyment of the book at all. I quickly got to know the characters again and remembered how much I liked them in the first book, because let's be honest, they have a fantastic dynamic. I loved the book so much despite not remembering anything. It had the same comfort and fun that I remember from the first book, with dramatic situations that only Digby could get them into. 

The thing I took most from this experience is that I like these books, despite how much I'd forgotten. It's possible that these books would be great ones to reread over and over because they're comfortable to sink into! There are definitely perks to having forgotten the first book. 

My thanks go to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review 

The Accidental Secret Agent by Tom McLaughlin

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 240 

Publisher: Oxford University Press 

Released: 2nd of June 2016 

Schoolboy turns secret agent in this hilarious spy spoof! Before you read this, I want you to carefully check that no-one is reading over your shoulder - go ahead, do it now. First off, that was terrible - really obvious. If I'm going to tell you top secret government information, you're going to have to be a bit more stealthy. Try again. Was anyone looking? No? Right, then I'll begin. This year the secret service made a major mix up, they mistook a 13-year-old boy called Kevin for a secret agent (I know, so much for an 'intelligence' agency). This was the sort of kid that would try and zip wire across a building and end up falling head first into a fountain with his bum on show, so can you imagine what happened when he was allowed access to the amazing sort of spy gadgets that James Bond would use? Despite this, it was up to Kevin to save us all from an evil supervillain. It was the most dangerous, daring mission in the history of the secret service, and also its biggest blunder.

What I Have to Say 

There's something really enjoyable in reading books like this. Books that from the very start are made up of completely wild concepts that make it clear that this isn't something to take more seriously, because the joke is in the very title. It's a hilarious concept to set up the jokes to come. 

I think I liked the sister best. It may be because I'm a girl, but I found it really amusing how she swept in and did a lot of the actual spy work with more competence. Although I enjoyed Kevin stumbling along trying to do these things, I just gained a lot of enjoyment in how good at the spywork his sister actually was. 

This book is definitely a great one for any boy or girl who daydreams about being a spy. The humour is very good and will lead to a very entertaining read. 

My thanks go to Oxford University Press for providing me with this copy for review. 

How Not To Be Weird by Dawn McNiff

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 272

Publisher: Piccadilly Press 

Released: 7th of April 2016 

Woody wants to get un-weird - and fast! And he'll find help in the most unlikely of places.

Woody is forever worried about being different. He thinks himself weird and a bit of a wuss, and two bullies Della and Casey make sure he doesn't forget that. It doesn't help that his mum is slightly bonkers. She dresses up as a sheep for a living - mostly for her job as a children's entertainer. And not to mention the fact that she forces Woody to wear old granny jumpers that she finds down the local charity shop. Gooner the dog doesn't help either, always getting Woody in some awkward, smelly and rather messy situations! 

But Woody's got a plan to get unweird - and fast! Just in time for his first day at secondary school. He starts off with some rules . . . 'Don't listen to Mum about anything to do with your life, ever'. . .and. . .'don't wear old lady clothes'. And with the help of his way more normal, yet rather extravagant GlamMa and the discovery of his Dad's peculiar lucky charm, he soon finds a new sense of charm, un-weirdness and a heap load of shenanigans come his way! 

What I Have to Say 

A cute story embracing weirdness and difference, despite what the title says, How Not To Be Weird has many important messages about being your own person and knowing what you want. Woody is an interesting, quirky and naturally weird character who suffers a lot of self esteem issues who I'm sure many children and young teenagers can relate to. 

In general, I enjoyed the book. I found Woody fairly easy to relate to in a lot of ways but with some differences to make him interesting. He felt like a real kid, struggling to fit in and thinking that he had to change everything about himself to fit in, I know I felt this way when I was his age.

The only complaint I really have is that the story wasn't really compelling. I didn't have the drive to read on and find out what would happen next. The ending was fairly predictable and it just didn't capture me. 

All in all, it was good though. I like the style that McNiff writes in and will continue to read her books. 

My thanks go to Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

Superhero Street by Phil Earle

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 192

Publisher: Orion Children's Books 

Released: 25th of February 2015 

Mouse is desperate to be a superhero. To find that power that will make him stand out in the crowd. But his every attempt ends in failure. He can't even get any attention at home as his five brothers (triplets AND twins) take every second of mum and dad's attention. When mum foils a bank robbery while on duty as a lollipop lady, she and Mouse are lauded as superheroes. Joining forces with Mouse are The Z List - a group of unlikely crime-fighters. But in their midst is a traitor hell-bent on revenge. Will Mouse be super enough to spot this danger, and is he brave enough to do anything about it?

What I Have to Say 

I have so much love for this book. I'd only read Phil Earle's Young Adult books before picking up Superhero Street, so I wasn't sure how he'd write for children. It's so different, but I like both of his styles. His Middle Grade books are far less serious. They're written in a style that reminds me so much of Roald Dahl, a lighthearted approach to writing with a lot of funny jokes and asides to the reader. 

I loved Mouse a lot and definitely need to go back and read Demolition Dad so that I can catch up with the characters on Storey Street before the next book comes out, because this is certainly a series that I want to continue reading. 

The illustrations by Sara Oglivie weren't the style of art work that I really like, but they were really funny and enjoyable. They definitely added a lot to the story and were worth the extra minute it took my tablet to load as a I turned the pages. 

This is a definite read for children who like superheros or even children who you want to introduce to superheros. I also think that reading it as an adult is really enjoya

Baker's Magic by Diane Zahler

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 336

Publisher: Capstone

Released: 1st of February 2016 

Bee is an orphan, alone in a poor, crumbling kingdom. In desperation, she steals a bun from a bakery, and to her surprise, the baker offers her a place at his shop. As she learns to bake, Bee discovers that she has a magical power. When a new friend desperately needs her help against an evil mage, Bee wonders what an orphan girl with only a small bit of magic can do. Bee's journey to help her friend becomes a journey to save the kingdom, and a discovery of the meaning of family.

What I Have to Say 

This book was really cute and very funny. It was one of those eccentric books that doesn't take itself too seriously, with characters who crack jokes whenever they can. 

I loved the bakery setting and the magic that Bee used. Magic in books are often big impressive spells from people who know what they're doing, but every so often, you find a book with innate magic that they practice without knowing that they're doing it. It works so well for Bee and  I love the way that she bakes the feelings that she's feeling at the time into anything she bakes. It can't be stopped as well, so it's really interesting the way she has to control herself or calm herself down, or not, as the occasion warrants. 

This is a bit young for some readers, but honestly I think everyone should read it. It's a great story and it's so lovely to connect with a book like that. It's almost like being a child again. 

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

Demon Road by Derek Landy

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 512

Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books

Released: 28th of August 2015

Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves.

Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…

What I Have to Say 

 I only started reading Derek Landy's books recently (so late, I know). Not only are  his inventiveness and humour the things that make him the amazing author that he is, they are also the thing that I think I like most about him.

Demon Road is a really good book to highlight the amount of creativity that he puts into his work. 

The style of this book is much more serious than that of Skullduggery Pleasant. Although both possess serious plots and stories (at times), Skullduggery Pleasant is written in a more lighthearted style whereas this one on the most part is on the serious side, whilst still managing  to maintain it's humorous moments.

I did feel however, that there were moments when the humour was written more in the style of Skullduggery Pleasant than Demon Road. It wasn't a big deal, but it jolted me out of the book a little. At other times the humour blended perfectly, so I'm certain that Landy will get used to the style by the next book. 

I think my favourite thing about this book was how much of a teenager Amber was. Even though she had to be very grown up and brave running from her parents, she still had times when she dug her heels in and showed the ultimate stubbornness that only teenagers possess.

Few books show teenagers as they really are and when they do, it's very easy for them to come across as annoying but this was perfect. 

I really like this series and can't wait for the next book. 

The Kiss by Lucy Courtenay

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 336

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Released: 2nd of July 2015

'Aphrodite kissed a mortal once by the light of this moon, many thousands of years ago. It drove him crazy. The next person that he kissed - boum. The craziness travelled like this from person to person. It travelled through time. Everywhere - boum! Tu comprends?'

'Where did it end up?' I whisper. His lips are on my cheek now.

'It ended with me. And now I am going to pass it to you. You will like that, mermaid?'

Imagine the perfect kiss. A legendary kiss that makes people crazy with love. Imagine a summer's night, on a moonlit beach in the South of France, as French boy Laurent kisses 16-year-old Delilah after the best chat-up line she's ever heard.

BOOM!

Delilah is pretty sure the Kiss is fiction, despite her head-spinning holiday fling. But with all the sudden crushes, break-ups and melt-downs happening back at home, the Kiss starts looking a little too real for comfort. If only Delilah could keep track of where it's gone ...

Who knew one kiss could cause this much trouble?

What I Have to Say 

For this book, think Chick Lit meets a Shakespearean farce, with a scattering of Greek mythology thrown in. It took me a while to get into the style of it, but once I got what they were doing, I loved it. It was really funny. 

I really liked the main two girls. Their friendship is one of the most real that I've seen because they fight and they make up, showing that not all friendships are easy. It's something that quite a few YA books are starting to do and it's a trend that I hope continues because perfect YA friendships lead to unrealistic expectations in real life. 

The ending felt a bit rushed though. The bits with the musical and Tabby were fine, but the rest of Delilah's personal resolution seemed to be resolved without any actual resolving happening. (Sorry for being vague, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers). I don't know if anyone else felt the same, but I just felt that wasn't a good enough reason to gain that resolution. 

All in all though, it was a really fun read. 

The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK

Released: 2nd of July 2015 

When the Princess of Nova accidentally poisons herself with a love potion meant for her crush, she falls crown-over-heels in love with her own reflection. Oops. A nationwide hunt is called to find the cure, with competitors travelling the world for the rarest ingredients, deep in magical forests and frozen tundras, facing death at every turn.

Enter Samantha Kemi - an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam's family were once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom, but they've fallen on hard times, and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete with the dazzling powers of the ZoroAster megapharma company? Just how close is Sam willing to get to Zain Aster, her dashing former classmate and enemy, in the meantime?

And just to add to the pressure, this quest is ALL OVER social media. And the world news. 

No big deal, then. 

What I Have To Say 

When I first read this author, under her maiden name of McCulloch, I knew she was going to be good, after a little bit of honing. And I'm really, really happen that my instincts we right. Because as much as I liked the Oathbreaker books, this book had the perfection that I wanted. 

Also, these were a lot more fun than the Oathbreaker books- almost pure fun, but with enough tension and danger to make the series a wonderful read. Oh and a bit of cut-throat competition too.

This is not a book for people who want a serious read. It is written in a lighthearted style from the start, especially the bits with Princess Evelyn. This is definitely a must for fans of the Princess Diaries because it really has a similar sort of writing style and wacky adventures that I adored from Mia in my childhood. 

The It Girl by Katy Birchall

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Egmont

Released: 7th of May 2015

Everybody wants to be a famous It Girl. Don't they?

Anna Huntley's aims in life:

1) Must keep my two lovely new (and only) school friends by not doing anything in usual manner of socially inept dork and outcast.

2) Train Dog (my labrador) to high-five. This is probably the most ambitious life goal on this list.

3) Do not set the school's Deputy Queen Bee mean girl's hair on fire (again).

4) Work out whether 2) and 3) constitute being socially inept or outcastish.

5) Go to Africa and give out rice.

6) To hide in a cupboard FOR LIFE with Dog now Dad is engaged to one of the most famous actresses EVER, the paparazzi want to spash my face all over the papers and everyone in school (and The World) is soon to discover the level of my social ineptitude.

7) Is rice a bit done now? Maybe I can give out chocolate in Africa too. I do like chocolate. Must work out how to do it from the cupboard... 

What I Have To Say 

I don't know about anyone else, but I would love to have a friend like Anna! I think she's wonderful and hilarious and I would gladly have someone to act out scenes from the Lion King with. My dog may even be small enough to life up like Simba during the Circle of Life! Although she might be a bit too wriggly and over-excited... 

The book was quirky, funny and full of lists (I like lists in books). It was full of hilarious happenings from a very quirky characters, who I loved. Although it had a bit too much of the ideology that nerdy equals bad, I loved it from start to finish. 

Some of the background characters didn't really have much personality, or were stereotypes (school mean girl and her friends), but Anna certainly had enough personality to carry the whole thing. I have never seen a character quite like her. She reminded me very much of myself as a teenager. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a nice quirky funny book as it's definitely very uplifting.