Mini Review | Toxic by Nicci Cloke

Toxic 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.

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.

1. Lucky Girl by Amanda Maciel

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.

2. Did I Mention I Love You? trilogy by Estelle Maskame

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.

3. Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

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.

4. If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

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.

5. In Between (Katie Parker Productions series) by Jenny B Jones

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 :)

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.

The 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



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



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



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



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 :)

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 :)

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

Floored 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.

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 :)

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 :)