Monday 24 December 2018

Top 5 | Books On My Christmas Wishlist

Merry Christmas Eve! As crazy as it is to think it's this time of year already, it's time to talk about those lovely books I am hoping to find under my tree on Christmas morning. While I've been cutting down on the amount of books coming into my possession recently, a few shiny new books for Christmas can't hurt, right?

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1. Girl Made Of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake - I've heard nothing but amazing things about this books, I'm desperate to see what the hype is about.

2. Love, Life and the List by Kasie West - Kasie West is one of my favourite authors and this is one of the few of her books I don't yet own.

3. Meet Cute by various authors - I quite enjoy an anthology and this one features many authors I love. 

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4. Four Three Two One by Courtney Stevens - I've heard great things about Courtney Stevens and the synopsis of this really sounds like my cup of tea.

5. Pivot Point by Kasie West - Like I said, Kasie West is one of my favourite authors but I have yet to read her paranormal/fantasy duology.

We'll see what Santa brings, if I've been good enough of course.

What books are at the top of your wishlist?

Sophie :)

Tuesday 11 December 2018

Mini Reviews | Easy Prey & Dear Evan Hansen

I don't have an awful lot to say on these books, both were just middle of the road 3 stars for me, so I thought I would just share my few thoughts in a more casual review. I thought I would share a few things I liked and a few things I didn't like about each book and you can decide from that whether you think these would be books you would enjoy. Both of these books were received fro publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Image and video hosting by TinyPicEasy Prey by Catherine Lo
Published On: October 12, 2018
Published By: Amulet Books
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mystery
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★
Amazon | BD | Goodreads

Only three students had access to a teacher’s racy photos before they went viral. There’s Mouse, a brainy overachiever so desperate to escape his father and go to MIT that he would do almost anything, legal or not. Then there’s Drew, the star athlete who can get any girl’s number—and private photos—with his charm but has a history of passing those photos around. And finally there’s Jenna, a good girl turned rebel after her own shocking photos made the rounds at school last year, who is still waiting for justice. All three deny leaking the photos, but someone has to take the fall. This edgy whodunit tackles hot-button issues of sexting and gossip and will have readers tearing through the pages to reach the final reveal.

I Liked...
- The plot. It was fast-paced and the story was very interesting. It was definitely engaging and you were kept wondering how situation were connected and how things would come together in the end. The premise was interesting and a lot of relevant topics were addressed and debated from various points of view,
- The characters. All three main characters were so different but each had their own issues and storylines aside from the main plot. I really enjoyed reading from each characters perspectives, all of which had their own distinct voice. They were not the most likeable group of characters but they didn't need to be for me to enjoy them.
- The majority of the book. This was a really fun, enjoyable book for the first three quarters of it. I was really enjoying the story and the characters, like I said, and was generally having a good time. I thought it was cleverly written, it kept me wanting to read on and find out what happened next and I was flying through it. Sadly, it didn't last.

I Didn't Like...
- The end. I understand why this book ended the way it did, I understand what the author was trying to do. I just didn't agree with it. I don't like how things worked out and was quite disappointed by the ending. I wanted something better.
- That it was predictable. I had guessed who 'done it' pretty early on was just waiting to find out how and why. I know some people like to be able to guess the culprit but it always annoys me when I'm not surprised by the reveal.
- I can't think of a third thing, it was really just the ending that I didn't like.

Image and video hosting by TinyPicDear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich
Published On: October 9, 2018
Published By: Penguin Random House
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★
Amazon | BD | Goodreads

When a letter that was never meant to be seen draws high school senior Evan Hansen into the Murphy family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell. That the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend. Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore. And Connor's wealthy parents have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his 'closest friend'. As Evan gets pulled deeper into their family, he knows that what he's doing may not be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be? No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. But when everything is in danger of unravelling, he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.

I Liked...
- It's Dear Evan Hansen. I love this musical so of course I'm going to enjoy that this book is based on the show.
- The story. Like I said, I love the show and as this is the story of the show, it's safe to assume I would enjoy the story.
- The characters. Again, they are the same as the show. However, they really came to life in the book. They were all very well written and I really enjoyed reading about all of them.

I Didn't Like...
- It just didn't translate well. The story alone without the music and stage production just didn't live up to the standard of the show. It fell a bit flat.
- I was bored. As much as I love the story, I found it boring in this format. It took me too long to get through it and I lost interest.
- I was disappointed. I set my expectations too high as this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. Sadly, it didn't meet my expectations, which is probably more my own fault than the book itself.

Both of these books have their positives but neither blew me away. However, I can see why so many people have enjoyed them, they just weren't for me.

Sophie :)

Sunday 9 December 2018

Top 5 | Books I Want To Read Before The End Of The Year

I can't believe it's that time of year already when I'm thinking about those last books I want to get to before the year is over. This year has completely flown by! I'm happy that this year I am not rushing to get in those last books for my Goodreads challenge, since I completed that a few months ago. However, there are still some books I would like to squeeze in before the end of the year.



Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle - I like to read at least one Christmassy book and this is one I have been meaning to get to for the past couple of years. I always love holiday themed books so I can't wait to give this one a go.

The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan - I wasn't really sure if I wanted to read this after only giving Dash & Lily's Book Of Dares 3 stars last year. However, I set myself a challenge of finishing 5 series and this is the only one I have time for. I guess I'm almost cheating to complete my goal but I might love this one, who knows!

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord - I don't know how many TBR lists this book has been on but I was determined to read it this year. Except I haven't. I would say it's probably more of a summer read but I guess I'll just have to pretend it's July.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - I have read hardly any fantasy (or anything other than contemporary really) this year and I want to change that. So maybe I don't have time to read as many as I would like, but this is one that I have been wanting to read for a while. It was also a Christmas present a couple of years ago so this seems like a good time to finally get around to it.

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L Armentrout - Again, I haven't read as many mystery/thriller books as I would have liked this year. This is a YA mystery/thriller that I have had on my shelf for a while but never picked up. BooksandLala recently reread this for Lalathon, which gave me the push to finally want to give it a go.

Those are the five books I really want to get to before the end of the year. There is a very good chance I won't get around to all of these, my track record with TBR lists is not that great. However, I will try my hardest. 

Which of these should I pick up first?

Sophie :)

Friday 7 December 2018

Wrap Up | November 2018

I keep having the best intentions of getting back to blogging more regularly but life just keeps getting in the way. I am definitely struggling to manage the stress of my final year of university combined with the craziness that comes with the Christmas season. However, I am hoping that things will start to calm down at least a little bit in the next couple of weeks and I can feel a bit less like I'm drowning in to-do lists. Despite how crazy busy things have been, I still managed to read 5 books in November. I'm quite happy with that number, given the circumstances, but sadly most of the books I read were pretty average.


Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich -
This was one of my most anticipated books of this year as I really love the musical the book tells the story of. I expected great things, but was ultimately disappointed. This book follows a boy with severe anxiety who ends up tangled in a lot of lies following the suicide of one of his classmates. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like this story translated very well to this format. As much as I love the show, the story itself without the music and the other entertainment factors added from the performance, the story fell flat. I found it quite boring and it ended up taking me a while to get through. I did have my expectations set too high but this turned out to be a pretty average read for me.
Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han -
This was a reread as I wanted to refresh my memory of this story before continuing on with the series. This series follows a girl who spends every summer at a beach house with family friends including two brothers, one of whom she has has a crush on for as long as she can remember. I didn't love this book the first time around and my feelings were the same the second time around. I found the relationship drama was just to much and other aspects of the story, which should have had more focus, were pushed to the side.
Rating: 3/5 | Review

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han -
This is the second book in the Summer I Turned Pretty series and I felt pretty much the same about this book as the first. There was far too much unnecessary relationship drama that took away from some of the more important story lines. The characters really annoyed me throughout this book, Belly especially. To be honest, I don't really remember a whole lot about the plot so it clearly wasn't a very memorable story. It was another average read, I got through it quickly but I doubt I will ever pick it up again.
Rating: 3/5

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins -
This was another reread and one that I didn't have any intentions of rereading until suddenly I was. This is the only book in the series I had only read once and when I saw the audiobook available through my library I decided now was the time to pick it up again. I wouldn't be reading the way I am now if it hadn't been for this series so it will always have a special place in my heart. I had a really great time rereading this and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time around.
Rating: 4/5

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han -
The third and final book in the Summer I Turned Pretty series. If I hadn't been determined to finish this series I would most likely have given up on this one. These characters infuriated me so much with all of their incredibly stupid decisions and I wanted to throw my book out the window at times. I knew exactly how it was all going to play out, it was predictable and just not really an enjoyable read. Conrad was about the only thing I liked in this book to be honest.
Rating: 2/5

While I am happy with the number of books I managed to read during a very busy month, I am a bit disappointed that I didn't really love most of them. Here's hoping December is a better month in terms of quality.

Did you read any new favourite books in November?

Sophie :)

Saturday 17 November 2018

Mini Review | What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Image and video hosting by TinyPicWhat If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
Published On: October 18, 2018
Published By: Simon & Schuster
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 433
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★½

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a show-stopping romance when you least expect it. 
Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its own business. If it had his back, he wouldn’t be posting a box of his ex-boyfriend’s belongings. 
But after a chance meeting at the post office, the boys leave wondering what exactly the universe does have in store.


I really wanted to love this after really enjoying books I have read from these authors previously. I expected an adorable relationship I wanted to root for, which I got. I expected some great friendship groups, which I got. I expected a fun, engaging plot, which I almost got. I'll be honest, I got bored.

I enjoyed the first section of this and then things went downhill for me. I thought the meeting and the search to find each other was a lot of fun to read about and really kept me engaged. However, I just wish that section had lasted longer. Once that part was over I got bored and stopped losing interest in where the story was going. I also started to really dislike one character.

Arthur made me so mad. I didn't have a problem with him to start with, but eventually the way he was acting towards certain situations and the way he was treating Ben sometimes just started to really get on my nerves. I wanted to like him, as I was really rooting for their relationship, but by the end I just didn't.

I liked it, but I didn't fall in love with it. It was an enjoyable read, despite dragging in some parts and making me lose interest. It's clear that Becky and Adam work well together and I definitely think they could write my new favourite book if they were to continue writing together. However, this one just wasn't there for me.

Overall, I can see why others would love it and perhaps this was more a case of 'it's not you, it's me'. If you love previous books by these authors and you're looking for an adorable relationship, great friendships and a more slow paced plot, I would definitely recommend checking it out. I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to.

Tuesday 13 November 2018

Wrap Up | October 2018

The second half of this year is crazy and I can't keep up! Blogging has taken a major back seat while I attempt to stay on top of everything else going on in my life but I am determined to try and do better. Despite posting basically nothing on the blog, I have managed a bit of reading in the past month. I haven't read as much as I would have liked having only read three books, which is the least I have read in a month this year. However, October is historically my worst reading month, I have only managed one book in October for the past few years.



Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han -
I started this series in August and instantly knew I just had to finish it straight away. I have really enjoyed this series as a whole and loved this final book. I thought it was a really great ending to a really loveable series. I have loved all the characters throughout and, while they do things and make decisions that annoy me, I loved seeing how their stories wrap up. The relationship between Lara Jean and her sisters is easily my favourite aspect of this series and it played just as important a role in the final book, I could read about their relationship forever. I'm sad to have finished this series but I'm so glad I read it and can't wait to no doubt reread it in the near future.
Rating: 4/5

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera -
I read books by both of these authors for the first time this year and knew I wanted to read more, so when I found out they were bringing out a collaborative work I had to pick it up. This book follows two teenage boys living in New York who happen to meet in a post office while one is sending a box of things back to his ex-boyfriend, but fail to get each others details. I absolutely loved the whole searching for each other plot, I thought it was fun and exciting and I just wish it had lasted a little longer. Unfortunately, I didn't love the rest of the book quite as much. I liked the relationship to begin with but found myself getting irritated by Arthur 90% of the time. I did enjoy the story but I didn't love the characters and it seemed to go on a little too long. I wanted to love this but I think I liked the idea more than the book itself.
Rating: 3.5/5 | Review To Come

Easy Prey by Catherine Lo -
Oh I have such mixed feelings about this book! This is about three students who had access to naked pictures of a teacher prior to them being leaked on the internet, yet all three deny doing so. I really enjoyed the majority of this book. I liked the story and found the characters interesting, it was generally a good book. However, I worked out who had done it very early on and while I understand why things happened the way they did, I really did not agree with it. Part of me wants to rate this book really low on the basis of my feelings on how things evolved but, at the same time, I do think it was cleverly written and an overall enjoyable read.
Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come


A poor reading month in terms of numbers and a pretty average reading month in terms of quality. I'm hoping for one final big push now that were heading for the end of the year, hopefully I can read some new favourites in the next couple of months.

How was your reading month in October? Did you find any new favourites?

Sophie :)

Tuesday 30 October 2018

Mini Review | That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

I've been majorly slacking recently and haven't had a chance to review any of the amazing books I have been lucky enough to receive eARCs of over the last few months. In fact, I've been slacking so much that I have now forgotten so much about these books that I can't even write a full review. I will try to do better, but for now you'll have to make do with this half-assed, two month late, attempt at a review.

Image and video hosting by TinyPicThat's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger
Published On: August 28, 2018
Published By: Hodder Children's Books
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon | BD | Goodreads

It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story--that she died proclaiming her faith. 
But it's not true. 
I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight . . . but I'm not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did--and didn't--happen that day. 
Except Sarah's martyrdom is important to a lot of people, people who don't take kindly to what I'm trying to do. And the more I learn, the less certain I am about what's right. I don't know what will be worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up . . .


*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

As someone who has a strange interest in books about school shootings, this immediately interested me. It's a very different perspective of a school shooting as it revolves mostly around the aftermath and how the survivors deal with what happened to them. I found it particularly interesting that the main story focused less on the shooting itself, but instead on the situation surrounding Sarah. This story was inspired by a true story from the Columbine shooting, yet it was still such a unique take on the topic and a very interesting read.

This book is not action packed and full of drama, but it is incredibly important. It focuses very much on the survivors and the victims, and the importance of remembering them rather than the perpetrators. It is explicitly stated that the shooters name will not be mentioned in the book, and the idea of fans that support shooters in these situations explored, which is a very real concept. This book does a great job of highlighting the genuine issues surrounding press coverage and the way society discusses these situations in a way that makes the reader think about their own actions in similar real life situations.

Overall, the characters in this book were nothing particularly special, in fact I can't really remember them all that much, and the plot was not the most thrilling or exciting you will ever read. However, it is an incredibly important story highlighting some of the very real issues in today's society and how this kind of tragedy can impact the lives of those involved.

Monday 1 October 2018

Wrap Up | September 2018

I started off this year so well! For the first few months I was reading at least 6 books a month, but now I can't seem to get past 4. In previous years I would be over the moon with that number of books in a month but now it's a bit disappointing for me, I wanted to read more! Despite the number not being as high as I would have liked, the quality was there. I, who rarely gives out five star ratings, gave two books that honour in September. I guess I can't complain too much.



PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han -
This is the second book in the To All The Boys I've Loved Before trilogy. After reading the first book in August, I immediately watched the movie and then, of course, just had to keep on reading the series. I didn't like this book quite as much as the first but I did still really enjoy it. I wasn't too happy about going from one love triangle in the first book to yet another one in the second, it was a bit too much for me. However, I really love the characters in this series and it was great to read more about them. The relationship between Lara Jean and her sisters is the best so I was glad to have more of that in the second book as well. Despite not completely loving the plot of this second book, I still loved reading it and can't wait to see how the series ends.
Rating: 4/5

It Ends With You by SK Wright -
This is a YA mystery/thriller about a girl who is murdered and her bad boy boyfriend is the main suspect. This was an interesting take on the generic mystery/thriller. The story itself was nothing new, popular girl gets murdered and everyone assumes the boyfriend with the poor family background is to blame, but the way the story is told is quite unique. I found it interesting to hear the story from six different perspectives and a couple of different timelines. It was a little confusing at first and took some time to get used to who everyone was but it made things more intriguing and added to the mystery. Unfortunately, there was just too much about the book that I didn't like. Some relationships were too strange, some of the characters really annoyed me and none of the plot twists or reveals were surprising. 
Rating: 2.5/5 | Review To Come

Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan -
This was a reread for me. It follows three teenagers in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and how their lives are changed. I loved this book when I first read it but since that first read I knew I wanted to reread it around the anniversary, as I felt I didn't fully appreciate it the first time around. It's hard to explain but rereading it when I did was a completely different experience. I have a full review that gives my more detailed thoughts but there were a couple of minor things I highlighted negatively in that review that I disagree with now. So basically, check out that review for my full thoughts but ignore any of the negative comments, I absolutely adore this book and you should definitely read it!
Rating: 5/5 | Review

This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay -
I have mentioned my love for medical memoirs several times on here but I have never loved one as much as I loved this one. This is Adam's stories of being a junior doctor in the NHS. The book is packed full of hilarious stories that those who work in healthcare can most likely relate to in some way, and those who don't can get an idea of some of the things healthcare workers deal with on a daily basis. I was laughing out loud constantly, which doesn't happen often when reading, and just adored the way the stories were told. However, it wasn't all lighthearted and laugh out loud funny, the realities of life as a junior doctor in the current NHS were apparent. The struggles and horrendous expectations were well documented and this book does a great job of quashing some of the inaccurate statements made about junior doctors in the press. This book made me laugh, it made me cry, but most importantly it made me proud to do the job I do and proud of all the selfless staff giving up so much of themselves to work within the NHS.
Rating: 5/5

Hopefully I can get back to reading more than four books in October! If not, I'll be more than happy with the quality of my book picks being just as good as those great books I read in September.

Did you read any 5 star reads in September? What was your favourite book of the month?

Sophie :)

Tuesday 18 September 2018

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke And The Bookish, now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Lists galore, I can think of nothing better!

This week's theme is Book's On My Fall TBR. As I have mentioned many times, I rarely stick to any TBR lists that I make but I like to make them anyway. There are a few books I have been wanting to get to for a while, as well as some thrillers that I have been putting off until this time of year, so let's hope I can get to them this season.

1. Giant Days by Non Pratt - I love to read a college/university themed book around 'Back To School' time and as I have just started back at university, this seems like the perfect book to read soon.

2. Easy Prey by Catherine Lo - An October release that I won an ARC of at YALC. This is about a photo leak scandal involving a teacher.

3. Dare To Fall by Estelle Maskame - I have read all of Estelle's other books, and loved them, so I need to get around to this one soon. I don't really know what this is about but I expect to love it.

4. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L Armentrout - This is a YA thriller about two friends that go missing but only one comes back. It is up to her to work out what happened and where her friend is, but she can't remember anything.

5. I Stop Somewhere by TE Carter - I like some dark contemporaries in the Fall and this is definitely dark. It follows a girl who has been sexually assaulted, but I don't know much more than that.

6. City Of Glass by Cassandra Clare - I'm still determined to finish this series by the end of the year but I'm not sure how likely that is. I at least want to get to the third book.

7. Panic by Lauren Oliver - I have owned this book for far too long, I need to finally read it! I know very little about this other than it involves a high stakes game in a small town.

8. Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris - This is an adult thriller that I have been hearing some good things about. It sounds to me like a domestic thriller about a seemingly perfect couple hiding some secrets 'behind closed doors'.

9. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - This has been on my Fall TBR for a couple of years now but I'm hoping now that it has been adapted I'll have that extra motivation to finally pick it up.

10. Illuminae by Aime Kaufman & Jay Kristoff - I tend to be more in the mood to read Sci-Fi & Fantasy during the colder months and this is one that keeps catching my eye when I'm looking for my next read.

That is my Fall TBR. Will I read these books? Not likely. What are you hoping to read during the next few months?

Sophie :)

Thursday 13 September 2018

Mini Review | Toxic by Nicci Cloke

Image and video hosting by TinyPicToxic by Nicci Cloke
Published On: July 26, 2018
Published By: Hot Key Books
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 304
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | BD | Goodreads

Hope has never been happier. She's on her way to Crete, after a group of her friends have made her an honorary 'lad' and let her tag along on their boys' holiday. There's a slight complication in that one of those boys, Logan, is Hope's ex-boyfriend, but they're still friends and Hope's pretty confident it won't be too awkward. 
The next couple of days are exactly what Hope was hoping for - lazy days in the sun, and long, drunken conversations. She can't help but notice that Logan's flirting with her. Logan and Hope end up alone and Hope is horrified when, after she leans in to kiss him, Logan completely rejects her. Embarrassed and annoyed, Hope is on a mission to get drunk, and with the alcohol flowing, and the sun going down, Hope's starts having a great time. 
The next thing Hope knows, she's being woken up on the beach by two strangers. It's 9 o'clock the next morning and she can't remember anything about the previous night . . . what on earth happened?

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

  This book was not what I expected at all. From the synopsis, this sounds like a mystery trying to uncover what happened to Hope after she wakes up on the beach while on a 'lads holiday' with no recollection of how she got there. However, there is a lot more to this book.

  It's split into three sections, each with a different narrator. The first follows this holiday that Hope goes on with her male friends, including ex-boyfriend Logan. This was a really fun storyline that really got me in the summer mood and made me want to go on holiday. It also featured the mystery aspect of what happened to Hope, as well as another mystery that is revealed throughout the book.
The second section focuses more on the aftermath of the holiday and how friendships have changed due to the events that took place. There are a lot of important topics covered in this section, most prominently mental health and asking for help. This was an incredibly important section and one that I found really struck a chord with me.

  The third section very much relates to the title of the book. This section really draws attention to toxic friendships, but it also deals with topics such as homophobia and sexual abuse. This is not the light and fluffy read the cover might lead you to believe, it deals with some really hard hitting stuff and this final section does go to some quite dark places.

  While I did generally enjoy this book, some aspects didn't quite meet my expectations. The characters were all pretty average and I didn't have a strong connection with any of them. I also found the mystery aspect to be anti-climactic and not really necessary to the story, other than to emphasise how awful certain characters were. I also found that the three sections, though not set out as three separate sections, were very distinct in their separation and so the story didn't flow as well as it could have. On top of that, things did start to drag a little towards the end and I found myself getting a bit bored.

  Overall, this is a good book with many layers to it. It deals with some difficult, hard-hitting topics, but important topics that need to be discussed. These topics were, I feel, handled sensitively and written well. Though there were aspects I found disappointing and I was bored at points, the main themes of each section were interesting and engaging for the most part. It was not at all what I was expecting, and definitely not the story the cover would suggest, but I did enjoy it and would recommend it to those who like darker contemporaries with a bit of summer fun thrown in.

Tuesday 11 September 2018

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Five Hidden Gems


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke And The Bookish, now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Lists galore, I can think of nothing better!

This week's theme is Hidden Gems. These can be books that you feel didn't get enough buzz when they were first published, or books that seem to have been forgotten about over the years. I have compiled a list of the top ten five books that I loved but haven't heard anyone talk about.

When I read this at the beginning of this year, I had no idea what to expect as I had not heard a single person talk about it. I had heard some hype surrounding Amanda Maciel's previous book, Tease, but not her most recent release. I ended up really loving this complex and intense story about sexual assault and victim blaming.

This series has been talked about a little bit, and quite a lot recently on this blog, but nowhere near enough in my opinion. This is one of my favourite YA contemporary series following a girl who finds herself developing feelings for the bad boy stepbrother she has just met. I definitely think more people need to read and talk about this series.

I seem to remember a little bit of buzz around this book when it was first published in 2015, which I think is why I picked it up in the first place. However, since then I haven't heard a single person talk about it. I finally got around to reading this a few months ago and really enjoyed it. It is about a boarding school for teens with an illness they are trying to find a cure for. It is both a fun boarding school/camp style story and a heartbreaking love story.

This is an older book, which is likely why I have never seen it mentioned. It was published in 2012 but it is one I would strongly recommend picking up. A girl in a small town is caught kissing someone who isn't her boyfriend, a town hero who is serving in Afghanistan, but to clear her name she would need to reveal a secret she promised never to share. It is a heartbreaking story but definitely worth the read.

It's been a while since I have mentioned this series on my blog. This is a Christian Fiction series, which is pretty light on the Christian and more focused on some crazy characters. I absolutely love this series but never hear it talked about, most likely due to it being classed as Christian Fiction. That is definitely an important part of the books but this series has so much more to it and I would love more people to give it a chance.

If you have read any of my picks, please let me know as I would love to chat about them! 

Sophie :)

Monday 10 September 2018

Down The TBR Hole | Round 8


Down The TBR Hole is a meme created by Lost In A Story in which you attempt to reduce your Goodreads TBR. It basically involves organising your Goodreads 'Want To Read' shelf by date from oldest to newest, looking at the first 5-10 books and decided whether you're still interested or not.

Image and video hosting by TinyPicThe Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner

This book follows a girl who feels responsible for the death of her younger brother and one summer meets a boy who looks just like him. This sounds like a story of dealing with grief and trying to move on. While this seems like it could be a great book, I don't think I'll ever get around to picking it up.




Judgement: Go
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On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

I know very little about this book but it sounds like a woman with a complicated past moves to Scotland and meets someone who might discover her secrets. I have recently decided, after some not so great experiences, that I am only reading books set in Scotland if they are by Scottish authors. This was something that proved difficult to find. Samantha Young is Scottish!! And that is pretty much the only reason I want to read this book.

Judgement: Stay
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Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

I have heard a lot of people say this is their favourite Colleen Hoover book. I really want to give her a fair chance so having not yet read any of her books, I don't want to take any of them off my TBR just yet.




Judgement: Stay
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Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols

This is a YA contemporary romance about a girl who, after a fling with the new guy, decides she isn't interested in a serious relationship. However, their undeniable chemistry begins to cause problems for Will's new relationship. This sounds like a pretty standard contemporary romance and nothing particularly different from the others I already have sitting on my bookshelves.

Judgement: Go
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All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

This is a NA romance about the daughter of the college football coach, desperate to get out of her father's shadow, and a football player, desperate to become the star quarterback. I haven't read a lot of NA but I do love books set in college. I also quite enjoy a bit of sport in the story so I think this will be something I would enjoy.


Judgement: Stay


I'm slowly getting there with my Goodreads clear out but it is definitely taking a lot longer than I expected, especially as I seem to be adding books faster than I am taking them off. I am really enjoying rediscovering some of the books I forgot about, there are so many advantages to doing this.

Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?

Sophie :)

Wednesday 5 September 2018

Wrap Up | August 2018

I know I say this every month but can someone please tell me how it is already September? August was such a busy month for me as I was making the most of my last summer as a university student. Reading took a bit of a back seat, and let's not even talk about blogging, but I still managed to read 4 books. My life is getting back to normal now and definitely nowhere near as busy, so hopefully I can read more in September.



Super Awkward by Beth Garrod -
I was reading this in preparation for YALC but didn't quite finish it in time. This is the first book in a series following awkward teen, Bella Fisher, as she navigates high school and boys. I really enjoyed this book, it was pretty much exactly as the title suggest. It was laugh-out-loud hilarious and had me constantly cringing. It did feel a little young, at times I thought Bella seemed a lot younger than she was meant to be. However, this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I can definitely see myself continuing with this series in the future.
Rating: 4/5 

My (Secret) YouTube Life by Charlotte Seager -
I picked this book up at YALC as early copies were available. I thought it sounded like something I would enjoy as it is about the reality of life online. It follows both Lily, a very popular YouTuber, and Melissa, Lily's biggest fan who wants her life to look just as amazing. I really don't know how I feel about this book as a whole. I really enjoyed reading Lily's chapters, I found her story very interesting and really felt for her as she dealt with her struggles. Melissa, on the other hand, I couldn't stand. I didn't enjoy her story at all as it just seemed so incredibly stupid. I ended up skimming her chapters because I was getting too annoyed at her. If this book was solely Lily's story, I would be giving it at least 4 stars. However, that was not the case.
Rating: 2/5

That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger -
After loving The DUFF by Kody Keplinger, her 2018 release was one of my most anticipated of the year. I find books about school shootings very interesting to read, but had yet to find one I didn't dislike. This book follows the survivors of a school shooting, including the best friend of one of the victims who everyone believes died proclaiming her faith, a story that is not actually true. I didn't really know what to expect from this but it was a very interesting read. It was less about what happened and more about how it had impacted the lives of those affected, which I feel was written well. This is such an important and prevalent topic, making this an important book at the moment. It was a difficult topic handled well and I would definitely recommend picking it up.
Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han -
I have had this book on my shelves for years but never got around to reading it. With all the hype surrounding the movie, I knew it was time to pick it up. I'm pretty sure everyone knows what this is about. Lara Jean has written letters to every boy she has ever had a crush on and stores them under her bed with no intention of every sending them, until one day they are somehow sent. This completely lived up to the hype for me. It was a fun, cute story with a really great family dynamic. I loved the relationship between the three sisters, that was by far my favourite aspect of the book. In fact, I loved pretty much everything about this book. I can't wait to continue this series.
Rating: 4/5

While I didn't read as much in August as I would have liked, I'm happy to have read three books I loved. I guess it wasn't too bad a reading month. Hopefully September will be another good reading month.

Did you read anything great in August? How was your reading month?

Sophie :)

Monday 6 August 2018

Mini Review | Floored by Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury. Lisa Williamson & Eleanor Wood

Image and video hosting by TinyPicFloored by Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson & Eleanor Wood
Published On: July 12, 2018
Published By: Pan Macmillan
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★½
Amazon | BD | Goodreads

When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shouldn't be here at all, but who wants to be here the most. 
And one more person, who will bring them together again on the same day every year.

*A copy of this book was provide by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book has been described as The Breakfast Club meets One Day and I can't think of a better description for it. Written by seven of the UK's best YA authors, Floored follows six complete strangers, whose lives are brought together by the events of one day, as they all come together on that same day each year.

This wasn't at all what I was expecting, partly because I didn't actually read the synopsis, but it was a pleasant surprise. With such big UKYA names, I knew I would love the writing and I was not disappointed. Each characters was written by a different author, therefore they all had their own individual voice, yet were not so distinct that changing between characters perspectives felt drastically different. This helped the story to flow well, as did the seventh 'character' of the narrator who really helped to join the six individual stories together.

As I mentioned, we meet these characters on one day over several years, and while that was fun it did bring about my one issue with the book. Each character grows and develops throughout the book; however, we don't really get to see much of the development as it is done in the years between the characters meeting. That makes complete sense in the context of how the story is written, but for me it meant that I did not feel as connected to the characters as I would have liked.

Despite this, I did still really enjoy the characters. They are all very different and each have their own issues that they are dealing with in their lives. Through these characters, important issues such as disability, socioeconomic status, sexuality and so many others are discussed. These authors explored a lot of issues surrounding young people and did so with great sensitivity. While I did have some issues with a few characters every now and again *cough* Hugo *cough*, I did enjoy reading about every one of them and found myself invested in each of their stories.

Overall, this is a great advert for the quality of YA we have in the UK. These seven authors have done something so unique, fun and unlike anything I have read before. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these characters and seeing where the story took them over the years. I really hope this is not a one off and these authors collaborate again in the future, but for now I plan to go and read all of their individual works, because this book was so well written.

Friday 3 August 2018

Haul | YALC 2018

Between January and June 2018, I acquired a total of 29 books. Between July 27th and July 29th 2018, I acquired a total of 23 books! I knew I would get a lot of books during YALC, so much so that I took a small extra suitcase with me to bring them all home in, but I didn't quite expect to get almost as many books as I had acquired in the first 6 months of the year. I suppose I better get on with hauling them or we'll be here all day.


The Crash by Lisa Drakeford - A car crashes into a house and everyone involved has to deal with the aftermath. One of the lovely people on the Chicken House stand recommended this to me and I was so intrigued.

The Baby by Lisa Drakeford - A girl, who didn't know she was pregnant, gives birth at her friends birthday party. Again, this was recommended to me by the same lovely person on the Chicken House stand and it seemed like my kind of book.

Freshers by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison - Following a boy and girl as they start university. I've been wanting to read more uni books recently, specifically set in UK university, and I've heard this is hilarious.

Penguin 2018/2019 Yearbook - This is Penguin's book of extracts from their 2018/2019 releases. I was so excited to get my hands on this as it includes extracts from some of my most anticipated upcoming releases.

The Truth About Lies by Tracy Darnton - A girl with an incredible memory remembers everything, including who killed her roommate. I heard Tracy Darnton talk about this book on a panel and was completely sold, so I had to go and buy a copy and get it signed.

Close Your Eyes by Nicci Cloke - This is the story of a school shooting. After reading Toxic by Nicci Cloke, I knew I wanted to read more from her. This sounds like my kind of books so I made sure to pick it up.

Clean by Juno Dawson - It's basically described as Gossip Girl goes to rehab. I have been wanting to read something from Juno Dawson for a while now and this just sounds amazing.

Tell Me No Lies by AV Geiger - This is the sequel to Follow Me Back, a thriller about fan obsession and trolling, which I just recently picked up on ibooks. This was available for free with another purchase so I decided grab it and binge the series.

I Stop Somewhere by TE Carter - A hard-hitting contemporary about sexual assault. I have heard so many amazing things about this book.

Nowhere Else But Here by Rachel Cotton - I don't know anything about this book but Ink Road publish some of my favourite books so I really wanted to support them and this was one of the only books on the stand I didn't already own. Also, this was written by a seventeen year old!!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stane: Scots Edition by JK Rowling and Matthew Fitt - Harry Potter translated into Scots, I just had to. Even as a Scot myself, I think I'll struggle with this one.

My Heart Goes Bang by Keris Stainton - This is another uni story and one I have had my eye on for a while. I decided to pick it up at YALC so that I could go and get it signed, which was a great idea as Keris Stainton turned out to be one of my favourite people that I met the whole weekend!

One Small Thing by Erin Watt - A forbidden romance between and girl and the boy involved in the death of her sister. This is another one I have been desperate to get my hands on since before it was even published.

Sweetfreak by Sophie McKenzie - Another book about trolling and online hate. Sophie McKenzie wrote one of my favourite books when I was younger, Girl, Missing, so I'm interested to see how I feel about her writing now.

The Last Summer Of The Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood - I'll be honest, I picked this up because of the cover and the fact it has the word 'summer' in the title. All I know is it takes place during the summer.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson - A girl interested in true crime tries to solve a cold case involving her new school. I heard Emma from emmmabooks talk about this book on her channel and she raved about it so much I have to read it.

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth - I heard Elizabeth Klehfoth talk about this book during her panel and had to pick it up. She described it as for anyone who loved thrillers and boarding school, which is definitely me.

My (Secret) Youtube Life by Charlotte Seager - The My Kinda Book stand were selling mystery books, where the books are wrapped so you don't know which book you're getting, so of course I had to get involved. This was the book I got, which I know nothing at all about.

Izzy & Tristan by Shannon Dunlap - A modern-day retelling of Tristan and Iseult. This is one of the few ARCs I managed to pick up and it is one that I am very excited about.

Giant Days by Non Pratt - A novel based on the graphic-novel series, and one of my most anticipated releases of the year. Early copies were available at YALC and you even got a free reusable coffee cup.

Easy Prey by Catherine Lo - Another ARC and another book with online aspects. A teacher's inappropriate pictures get leaked and there are only three student's who could have done it. This is one I am incredibly excited for.

If You're Lucky by Yvonne Prinz - This is another mystery/thriller, I believe, and one I don't know much about. I picked this up for free with another purchase but I'm interested to give it a go.

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp - Another book about a school shooting. I have been desperate to read this since it was first published but haven't been able to find it anywhere in the UK. As soon as I saw it on a stand, I grabbed it and even let out a little squeal of excitement.

Those are the 23 books I picked up at YALC. I think it might take me a little while to get through all of these but I will be well stocked up for a while. If you were at YALC, what did you pick up that you're most excited about? Which of these books would you recommend I pick up first?

Sophie :)

Wednesday 1 August 2018

Wrap Up | July 2018

The one thing I hate about doing monthly wrap ups is that moment when you realise another month has come and gone already! July was a bit of a mixed month for me. I started out well and was totally in the mood to get all my pre-YALC reading done. However, after my first book of the month I hit my major slump that usually happens about once a year and I ended up reading a bit less than I have been reading the past couple of months. Luckily for me, YALC is pretty much the best cure for a reading slump so I'm hoping I'm now back on track. I ended up reading 5 books in July, four of which were in preparations for YALC and one that I picked up while there.


Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard -
I've had this on my shelf for ages but finally picked it up as Sara Barnard was one of the authors at YALC. I bought this before I had heard anyone talking about it, but after hearing some mentions of unlikeable characters, I sort of put it to one side. I don't tend to love books with unlikeable characters and so I went into this with lowered expectations. This books was a complete surprise, I absolutely loved it. It follows two childhood best friends and the new girl, and focuses a lot on the changes in friendship dynamic when the new girl joins the friend group. It is definitely not light and fluffy, there are a lot of serious topics discussed and it does get very dark, which I enjoyed. I loved how friendship focused it was rather than usual romance and, despite my worries, I loved the characters and how complex they were. I also thought it was written incredibly well, so I can't wait to pick up more of Sara Barnard's work.
Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come

Toxic by Nicci Cloke -
Again, this book was one I read in preparation for YALC. I would describe Toxic as a contemporary with mystery/thriller aspects. It follow a group of guy friends and one girl who go on a lads holiday and that holiday kind of changes everything for them. Though the synopsis suggests the main plot of the book revolves around the mystery of what happened to Hope after she wakes up on the beach after a drunken night out, there is a lot more to it. This book focuses on toxic friendships and deals with important topics, such as homophobia, sexual assault and mental health. I thought it was incredibly clever and well-written, with the mystery keeping the reader intrigued and turning the page while at the same time focusing on some very important topics. I will definitely be picking up more of Nicci Cloke's books.
Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come

Solitaire by Alice Oseman -
Once again, more YALC preparation. I have heard nothing but amazing things about this book for years now but just never got around to it. I finally made it a priority and, I will admit, my expectations were pretty high. That may have been my downfall here as I just didn't get it. This book was not for me. I liked the writing, but I couldn't stand the characters and I didn't really understand the point of the story. I thought the plot was fine, it was intriguing enough, but I'm still not sure I could accurately explain what the book it about. Like I said, I enjoyed the writing so I would like to read more from Alice Oseman, her newest release looks like something I would enjoy, but this book just wasn't for me.
Rating: 2.5/5 | Review To Come

Everything All At Once by Steve Camden -
I wanted YALC to encourage me to pick up something new and outwith my comfort zone. One thing I don't read at all is poetry, so I thought that would be a good place to start. Everything All At Once is Steve Camden's newest release; a poetry collection following a week in a secondary school. I enjoyed this more than I expected I would. I thought it was very clever to follow a week of school and loved that the poetry told an overall story. I really enjoyed the poetry itself more than I thought I would, as it is not something I have really appreciated much in the past. I do think I need to give this a second read, perhaps slower this time, to fully appreciate it.
Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come

The Baby by Lisa Drakeford -
On the last day of YALC I was wondering around the stands looking to take advantage of some of the end of weekend offers available. I noticed that Chicken House had one book I was desperate to read, but in order to take advantage of their 3 for £10 offer, I needed some suggestions. One of the lovely people on the stand told me about this book and explained that it was about a girl who gives birth at her best friend's birthday party because she didn't know she was pregnant. I was instantly sold! This was the first book I picked up post-YALC and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be asking for recommendations again. This was a really interesting story about the complexities of friendship, the consequences of your mistakes, and forgiveness. I enjoyed the characters and that the way it was written allowed the reader to see everyone's perspective and understand the story from all angles. I had never heard about this book before but I would definitely recommend it.
Rating: 3.5/5 | Review To Come

I read a lot of UKYA in July and I didn't even notice until now! Though I am disappointed to have not read as much as I have done in previous months, reading more UKYA has been a goal of mine for the past year and a bit, so that does make me pretty happy. Hopefully that can continue over the rest of the year.

Did you have a good reading month in July? What was the best book you read?

Sophie :)

Saturday 21 July 2018

Tag | Mid-Year Book Freakout 2018

We may have past the half way point of this year but I never do things on time so it's no surprise I'm late to the party with this tag. I have been doing the Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag since 2015 but it seems to be pretty popular this year, I've been seeing it everywhere! This tag basically just looks back on your reading during the first half of the year and I always find it a lot of fun.



1. Best Book You've Read So Far In 2018
I have read some really great books this year, it's hard to pick just one favourite. I probably have to say I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman. This book wasn't at all what I expected and I ended up loving it way more than I thought I would. It follows three characters over one day as they meet for the first time and help each other with their personal problems. 

2. Best Sequel You've Read So Far In 2018
For once, I've actually read a few sequels. The best one was definitely Did I Mention I Need You? by Estelle Maskame, the second book in the DIMILY trilogy. I loved following Tyler and Eden as their relationship progressed and they spent a fun summer in New York. It was great fun to read but also dealt with some more serious issues. I absolutely love this series, and this book in particular.

3. New Release You Haven't Read Yet But Want To
Listen To Your Heart by Kasie West. I love Kasie West but I can't keep up with her! I haven't read her two most recent releases yet but I really need to get to them as soon as possible. Listen To Your Heart sounds like the perfect summer read so I'll hopefully get to it really soon.

4. Most Anticipated Release For The Second Half Of The Year
There are so many books I'm looking forward to in the second half of the year but my number one will probably have to be Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich. This is the book adaptation of the musical that I absolutely adore. I can't wait to get my hands on this book, I'm so excited you have no idea.

5. Biggest Disappointment
From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon. I expected to really like this book but it just wasn't for me. As much as I want to love Sandhya Menon's books, I just don't seem to click with them.

6. Biggest Surprise
Lucky Girl by Amanda Maciel. I picked this up completely at random with no idea what to expect and ended up giving it 5 stars! It's a very important story about sexual assault, victim blaming and friendship. 

7. Favourite New Author
This is another one where it's very difficult to pick just one, I have read some amazing new authors so far this year. I'll go with Becky Albertalli. I have read two of her book so far this year - Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah On The Offbeat - and really enjoyed both of them. She's definitely a new autobuy author.

8. Newest Fictional Crush
I don't really have any new fictional crushes yet this year. I guess I did like Bill from Save The Date by Morgan Matson

9. Newest Favourite Character
So many! I really loved Snake and Emily who were introduced in Did I Mention I Need You? by Estelle Maskame. They were really fun characters and I loved getting to know them a bit.

10. Book That Made You Cry
Wonder by RJ Palacio. This book made me sob my little heart out. It's so beautiful, I loved it so much. Even thinking about it makes me a little bit emotional, it's a really great book.

11. Book That Made You Happy
Royals by Rachel Hawkins. There were several things about this book that annoyed me but in general it was just a really entertaining read. I had so much fun with this book and didn't stop smiling the whole time I was reading it.

12. Favourite Book To Movie Adaptation You've Seen This Year
I haven't seen any yet! I was determined to see Love, Simon but just never had time to go.

13. Favourite Review/Post You've Done This Year
I've really been slacking on my blog and haven't really been all that happy with the content I've been producing. This is something I definitely want to work on in the second half of the year.

14. Most Beautiful Book You've Bought So Far This Year
Eve Of Man by Giovanna & Tom Fletcher is beautiful. Even underneath the dust jacket looks amazing.

15. Books You NEED To Read By The End Of 2018
All of them! I would like to get through some of the books that I've had on my shelf for a few years now, I think that is probably my main priority for the rest of the year.

It's been a pretty great reading year so far, I have read some really amazing books. Hopefully things continue this way for the rest of the year. How has your reading year been so far? What's been the best book you've read?

Sophie :)