Pretty Little Memoirs - a YA Book Blog

Where The Storyline Continues. . .

2019

Book Review: “Coven Deception” by D. H. Davis

Coven Deception 

Author:  D. H. Davis

Published by: Austin Macauley Publishers on August 30th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Supernatural // Fantasy

Similar Books I’ve Read: Sunkissed, The Rise, Dead Until Dark


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.

Forbidden romance. Secrets and lies. Supernatural species. The town of Arcane Grove has a lot going on! Meet Brooke Lesley, a seventeen-year-old witch attempting to balance having a normal teenage life with having the impending responsibility of taking over as head of her coven.
One day, when an unfortunate incident reveals to Brooke that she’s been at school with a vampire for the last year, the sworn enemy of witches, things get a little complicated. Brooke finds herself feeling an intense, uncontrollable desire she’s never felt before; and ignoring friends, family and history, she embarks on a forbidden relationship that could jeopardise everything and ignite a centuries-old feud.
While Brooke battles with her coven and her conscience, she must also find a way to face an evil that threatens not only witches, but the entire town of Arcane Grove. Can she defend her coven, her town and her heart?

First Thoughts  

I have been longing for a witchy meets vamps read to slip into my TBR, so when D messaged me on instagram to connect, I knew that Coven Deception was going to be a great read. Under 150 pages and giving me all the Halloween vibes, I started reading late Saturday evening and literally couldn’t stop, finishing it in one.



My Review

Although I love some slow-burn types of romances and friends-to-lovers, you’ve got to give it up for the brilliance of forbidden romances. They have been the highlight of many a vampire-human book over the years, but when it comes to Coven Deception, the rules are a little different. This is a witch-vampire situation that gets complex and dangerous and oh-so-enthralling as the pages turn. Despite a slow start of trying to get into the swing of things and learn the ins and outs of how the world in Coven Deception works, as soon as I got into the groove of the story world, I was hooked. And being that it’s under 150 pages and I ate this up in one bite, as I got closer to finishing Brooke’s novel – and loving her counterpart in Jessie – I didn’t want it to end.

See, Brooke – our main character – is going to someday very soon take over as Coven leader. She’s seventeen at the moment, but when you’re eighteen, you’re at your most powerful and that means everything. But despite having that weighing on her, she still wants to be a regular ol’ person with a teenage life that doesn’t involve so many rules and Coven responsibilities. The balance is quite the central axis of the novel, where Brooke is trying to balance her life, her Coven, love life, school and even more that piles on her plate when it’s revealed that she’s actually been at school with a Vampire for the last year. It wouldn’t be so awful if they weren’t the literal sworn enemy of her kind, witches. But that doesn’t stop her from feeling things and crossing lines that she should never. 

Overall, Coven Deception was one of those novels that despite being short, is very mighty in its power. I loved the character development of Brooke over the span of the story and even though I loved her, Jessie was such a magnetic character and his personality really shone. I’ve always been a sucker for a novel with Vampires and this is no exception. I’d recommend this novel highly to pre-YA and early YA readers that love supernatural books that are easy reads with perfect pace. Loved highly! (And can’t wait for book two!)




D. H. Davis grew up in Coventry and has always had a love for fantasy fiction. After leaving school, she gained a degree in Occupational Therapy and worked in children’s mental health services. In recent years, she has turned to teaching both, Health and Social Care and English, combining her two passions.

Huge thank you to D. H. Davis for sending me her amazing book!

Have you read Coven Deception? What did you think?

Would you be a vampire or witch if you could pick? Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!

happy reading!

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Young Adult Books With Plus-Size Characters


Hello lovely readers! I’m back with another topic post that’s close to my reader heart. As a Plus Sized avid reader, I love reading about people who look just like me. There’s absolutely no shame in being any shape, any weight, any version of yourself – and that’s definitely what this post’s intentions are, to love yourself regardless of physical appearance and attributes – and today, I’ll be sharing a highlight of what my favourite (or want-to-reads) books with Plus Sized characters are! Read on. . .


Big Bones by 

The latest teen novel from the sparkling Laura Dockrill, introducing Bluebelle, and her moving, hilarious take on food, body image and how we look after ourselves and others
A heart-warming teen story from the unique voice of Laura Dockrill, about Bluebelle, aka BB, aka Big Bones – a sixteen-year-old girl encouraged to tackle her weight even though she’s perfectly happy, thank you, and getting on with her life and in love with food. Then a tragedy in the family forces BB to find a new relationship with her body and herself. Moving, memorable and hilarious.


Why I want to read: Already a staple on my TBR shelf, Big Bones is the exact mesh of tropes that I adore in YA fiction. Even though I tend to read the higher teen level of books (with characters older than the characters in Big Bones) this is exactly what I would’ve loved to read especially when I was in my early teen years. I can’t wait to delve into this beauty!

If It Makes You Happy by 

High school finally behind her, Winnie is all set to attend college in the fall. But first she’s spending her summer days working at her granny’s diner and begins spending her midnights with Dallas—the boy she loves to hate and hates that she likes. Winnie lives in Misty Haven, a small town where secrets are impossible to keep—like when Winnie allegedly snaps on Dr. Skinner, which results in everyone feeling compelled to give her weight loss advice for her own good. Because they care that’s she’s “too fat.”
Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the diner—but it’ll go away if they can’t make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. But Granny doesn’t want her to enter—so Winnie has to find a way around her formidable grandmother. Can she come out on top?


Why I Want To Read: If It Makes You Happy doesn’t focus solely on the fact that Winnie, the main character, is Plus Size. It focuses on her shooting for her dreams, striving to be more than just “the fat girl” trope that has been giving us eye-rolls for days. I can’t wait to get this book – it’s highly on my to-get list soon! I can already feel like just from the blurb that I’m gonna love Winnie so much.

No Big Deal by 

‘It’s not my body that’s holding me back. I think it’s more of a problem that people tell me my body should hold me back.’
Meet Emily Daly, a stylish, cute, intelligent and hilarious seventeen-year-old about to start her last year at school. Emily is also fat. She likes herself and her body. When she meets Joe at a house party, he instantly becomes The Crush of Her Life. Everything changes. At first he seems perfect. But as they spend more time together, doubts start to creep in.
With her mum trying new fad diets every week, and increasing pressure to change, Emily faces a constant battle to stay strong, be her true self and not change for anyone.
A warm, funny inspiring debut YA novel from Bethany Rutter: influencer, editor and a fierce UK voice in the debate around body positivity.


Why I Want To Read: No Big Deal has only been on my radar very recently and I’m already kicking myself that I haven’t read it yet! I took a little sneak peek inside on Amazon with the look inside this book feature and I didn’t wanna stop reading. So on my next trip to Waterstones, I’ll definitely be popping this lovely in my basket. Emily is a character that I wish I had written: facing an inner battle between what the world sees her as and how she feels inside. With huge body positive vibes, this one is not to be missed!


There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.
The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?
Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.
Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.
Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?


Why I Want To Read: Sandhya is one of my favourite YA authors. After reading When Dimple Met Rishi, I knew that anything that followed was going to be incredible. And then Sandhya made one of her leads, the beautiful Sweetie Nair, Plus Size. The novel touches on her being “fat” and that this is a breaking point of her ever finding someone to love her, according to her Parents. So, ultimately, even though we all know Sweetie is gorgeous – and that others find her beautiful – someone else’s opinion on beauty can be so detrimental to us, especially those closest to us. 

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger


Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.


Why I Read This: This was one (maybe even the first) book I read with a character who was described as “fat” or bigger than the other girls. And despite feeling like this (the DUFF) in my own life growing up, with thin friends, reading Bianca’s story and the journey of self-love that she goes on, was so incredible, cementing The Duff as one of my favourite books (and books into movies) in YA lit.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy


Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.
Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.
With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Why I Read This: there was no stopping me when I was offered the chance to be on the blog tour for Dumplin’ when it first came out. I received a big box of Dolly Parton-esque things and a beauty queen crown and felt like the luckiest girl ever. Then I read the book – flicking pages faster and faster, falling in love with Willowdean’s personality and her friends and love for Dolly – and for a second, I forgot that being fat had anything to do with someone’s quality of being beautiful. Willowdean is a character that is beautiful inside and out, and as she grows closer to finding love, feeling pretty and singing songs loudly, I just couldn’t wait until the day they’d make a movie of it. And then they did – and it was incredible!



To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Martin


Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her sister goes off to college. But if she can just get through senior year, she’ll be able to escape to college, too. What she doesn’t count on is that her mother’s obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show, and now Savvy’s mom is pressuring her even harder to be constantly mindful of what she eats.
Between her mom’s diet-helicoptering, missing her sister, and worrying about her collegiate future, Savvy has enough to worry about. And then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now before it disappears.

Why I Read This Book: Savannah is one of those characters that stand out as someone who you’d love as your best friend. And the pressure from her mother to diet – to the extremes – because she is fat, is a highlight of the novel that personally I have never had to deal with, but I have definitely felt the pressure from society to “get thin fast” and have a “bikini body”. But as with most YA Contemporary books, Savannah finds love – and because they both have insecurities, they bond over their shared fears and grow closer, reminding each other to live in the moment, because after all, if we’re always worrying about the way we look, act, talk, etc, we’ll never remember the things that we’ve done. 



So that’s my list of favourite YA Books with Plus-Size Characters!


Did you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?


Let me know in the comments below or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Jackpot” by Nic Stone




Jackpot

Author:  Nic Stone 

Published by: Simon & Schuster (Crown Books) on October 17th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: Because of The Sun, The United States of Us


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Dear Martin –which Angie Thomas, the bestselling author of The Hate U Give, called “a must read”–comes a pitch-perfect romance that examines class, privilege, and how a stroke of good luck can change an entire life.
Meet Rico: high school senior and afternoon-shift cashier at the Gas ‘n’ Go, who after school and work races home to take care of her younger brother. Every. Single. Day. When Rico sells a jackpot-winning lotto ticket, she thinks maybe her luck will finally change, but only if she–with some assistance from her popular and wildly rich classmate Zan–can find the ticket holder who hasn’t claimed the prize. But what happens when have and have-nots collide? Will this investigative duo unite…or divide?
Nic Stone, the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out, creates two unforgettable characters in one hard-hitting story about class, money–both too little and too much–and how you make your own luck in the world.


First Thoughts  

As soon as I saw Jackpot as an upcoming novel for this year, I knew whether it landed on my doorstep or was swiped up at my local bookstore that it was definitely going to be living in my house! It checked all my boxes right away and when it arrived for review, I couldn’t believe my luck (pun intended…) 



My Review

I read Jackpot in under twenty-four hours (nothing out of place there!) and from the very first couple chapters, I fell in love with Nic’s writing style. Rico, our narrator, is a Senior in High School. She works as a cashier and has a routine that involves school, work, and back to taking care of her little brother every day. You can tell that Rico is completely dedicated to her family, but tired from the lack of getting to experience other things outside of her same old, same old. 

So when she sells a jackpot-winning ticket at the Gas ‘n’ Go where she works, she thinks that maybe if she tracks down the winner who hasn’t cashed in their prize, maybe they would repay her help. But she can’t go it alone, and after meeting Zan, Rico’s classmate (who also happens to be rich and popular and gorgeous and have some of the best character development from his first appearance) they team up to track down the jackpot winner together.

Throughout Jackpot, although it’s romance driven, and focuses on the bonds of relationships that grow and evolve and change throughout the plot as Rico and Zan get closer and track down the winner, this is so much more than a romance book. With greatly important Race and Class qualities, I just know this is going to hit home for so many readers and be something other than your A-typical rich girl gets the guy or vice versa. It’s raw, and honest, and the word that stands out the most is luck, because that’s what Jackpot is mostly about. And the purity of making your own, rather than searching for it.

Overall, Jackpot was some kind of wonderful. I really wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did, and I wish that I had read it slower to take it in more. The more that I read, the faster that I fell in love with the love that Rico had for her brother, her friends, and the world she was making for herself, without even knowing it. There’s so many reasons why you should read this (believe me, my notes page for this review was gushing with so much praise and I had to whittle it down so much from sounding like the ultimate fangirl.) I just can’t wait to read more from Nic Stone – highly recommended YA gem, five star worthy!







Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.
Stone lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @getnicced or on her website nicstone.info.

Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones 

Be sure to add Jackpot to your TBR list! You don’t want to miss this stunning read.


Have you had the chance to read Jackpot yet?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!


happy reading!

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Top 10 Most Anticipated Books of October 2019


Spooky season is upon us, everyone. And you know that makes my heart so freaking happy, because let’s face it, Autumn is the best season of all. Halloween is only next month and the air is getting crisp, colourful leaves are starting to scatter on the ground and I’ve already sampled my fair share of Pumpkin Spiced Lattes at Starbucks and bought all the candles. The idea of making my most anticipated list for next month came to me right before bed last night, when upon skimming my darker (and spookier) reads, failed to see any that I’d picked up this year. So I delved into my Goodreads pages and lists and found my most and highly anticipated reads of October 2019! Read on. . .

Reasons to read:

Alexandra is the author of To Kill A Kingdom, and that was THE BEST. I just pre-ordered this with Fairyloot, because they have a stunning Limited Edition hardcover in their fairy trove.

Dark magic + revenge = the perfect dark read!

Did I mention that this has all the cover goals?!



Into the Crooked Place begins a gritty two-book YA fantasy series from Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom.
The streets of Creije are for the deadly and the dreamers, and four crooks in particular know just how much magic they need up their sleeve to survive.
Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.
Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.
Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.
And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.
Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.



Reasons to read:

Jennifer is one of my ALL TIME favourite authors! I’d buy this anyways.

Government + mysteries + danger = YEP. GIVE. ME.

Returning back into the Lux world is a no brainer. Takes me back to my early blogging days!

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the world of the Lux with The Burning Shadow, the steamy, shocking second installment of the Origin series that will leave readers reeling.
When Evelyn Dasher crossed paths with Luc, she was thrown headfirst into the world of the Lux―only to discover that she was already far more involved in their world than she ever suspected.
Because the Luxen aren’t the only ones with a hidden past. There’s a gap in Evie’s memory, lost months of her life and a lingering sense that something happened, something she can’t remember and nobody is willing to tell her. She needs to find out the truth about who she is―and who she was. But every answer she finds only brings up more questions.
Her search for the truth brings her ever closer to Luc, the Origin at the center of it all. He’s powerful, arrogant, inhumanly beautiful, extremely dangerous…and possibly in love with her. But even as Evie falls for him, she can’t help but wonder if his attraction is to her, or to the memory of a girl who no longer exists.
And all the while, a new threat looms: reports of a flu-like, fatal virus that the government insists is being spread by Luxen. A horrifying illness that changes whoever it touches, spreading panic across a country already at its breaking point.

Reasons to read:

I got this recently as an ARC and I started reading the other night and I’m just hooked. 

Luck, love, money, romance = perfect for end-of-summer-into-autumn feels!

If Angie Thomas (author of The Hate U Give) loves this, you know you will.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Dear Martin –which Angie Thomas, the bestselling author of The Hate U Give, called “a must read”–comes a pitch-perfect romance that examines class, privilege, and how a stroke of good luck can change an entire life.
Meet Rico: high school senior and afternoon-shift cashier at the Gas ‘n’ Go, who after school and work races home to take care of her younger brother. Every. Single. Day. When Rico sells a jackpot-winning lotto ticket, she thinks maybe her luck will finally change, but only if she–with some assistance from her popular and wildly rich classmate Zan–can find the ticket holder who hasn’t claimed the prize. But what happens when have and have-nots collide? Will this investigative duo unite…or divide?
Nic Stone, the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out, creates two unforgettable characters in one hard-hitting story about class, money–both too little and too much–and how you make your own luck in the world.

Reasons to read:

Be still my Vampire-loving heart. The vamps are back!

That cover is giving me ~all~ the Halloween feels. I can imagine all the fun I’d have styling this baby on Bookstagram.

Renée is the author of many other incredible reads (most of which I own) and this looks to be none other than another fantastic edition to behold that she’s blessed us with!

New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.
In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city’s glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group’s leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien’s guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.
When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.
At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.



Reasons to read:

With steampunk-meets-YA-space-and-futuristic-vibes, I clicked want to read faster than my brain could take in this gorgeous cover.

This stunning read is the holder of an #OwnVoices pitch-perfect plot with LGBT characters!

Being compared to The Lunar Chronicles is the highest compliment, and I 100% know fans of that series will be on this so fast.

The Lunar Chronicles meets Rook in this queer #OwnVoices science-fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Sharon Cameron.
A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher’s chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog — donning the moniker Technician — to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner’s tyrannical laws.
Nathaniel Fremont, the Commissioner’s son, has never had to fear the law. Determined to earn his father’s respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father’s elusive affection is worth chasing at all.
Their game of cat and mouse takes an abrupt turn when Eliza, a skilled assassin and spy, arrives. Her mission is to learn the Commissioner’s secrets at any cost — even if it means betraying her own heart.
When these uneasy allies discover the most dangerous secret of all, they must work together despite their differences and put an end to a deadly epidemic — before the Commissioner ends them first. 

Reasons to read:

Cute-AF cover with the sweetest title!

Witchcraft + demons + love + families = did someone write this especially for me?! My favourite things!!

Main character works at a bookshop. Could this be anymore perfect?

A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.
Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.
One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.
Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Reasons to read: 

Futuristic YA mixed with sisterhood bonds!

That cover is reason enough, but let’s talk about it. How stunning does it look? And it captures the vibe of the blurb, and everything the book is about, in a nutshell.

Compared to Black Panther? This book sure has a lot to live up to in hype. But you know what? It looks like it could definitely rival it – and give sisterhood a shining spotlight!

Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther–inspired Nigeria.
The year is 2172. Climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of earth unlivable. Only the lucky ones have escaped to space colonies in the sky.
In a war-torn Nigeria, battles are fought using flying, deadly mechs and soldiers are outfitted with bionic limbs and artificial organs meant to protect them from the harsh, radiation-heavy climate. Across the nation, as the years-long civil war wages on, survival becomes the only way of life.
Two sisters, Onyii and Ify, dream of more. Their lives have been marked by violence and political unrest. Still, they dream of peace, of hope, of a future together.
And they’re willing to fight an entire war to get there.
Acclaimed author Tochi Onyebuchi has written an immersive, action-packed, deeply personal novel perfect for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Marie Lu, and Paolo Bacigalupi.

Reasons to read:

I’ll already be reading this one very shortly after getting a beautiful ARC in the mail. But even before that, I’d heard so many things about this powerful read that I knew I’d be reading it either way.

Relatableness is something I need in a book – and I look for it whenever I’m reading. I need to relate to someone to find it enjoyable or gripping. Scars Like Wings is dubbed as relatable and not to mention, heartbreaking. I just really want to start reading this already. I just know I’m going to cry (don’t tell me that a book has never made you bawl), but that’s okay sometimes, because stories like this need to be out there.

Relatable, heartbreaking, and real, this is a story of resilience–the perfect novel for readers of powerful contemporary fiction like Girl in Pieces and Every Last Word.
Before, I was a million things. Now I’m only one. The Burned Girl.
Ava Lee has lost everything there is to lose: Her parents. Her best friend. Her home. Even her face. She doesn’t need a mirror to know what she looks like–she can see her reflection in the eyes of everyone around her.
A year after the fire that destroyed her world, her aunt and uncle have decided she should go back to high school. Be “normal” again. Whatever that is. Ava knows better. There is no normal for someone like her. And forget making friends–no one wants to be seen with the Burned Girl, now or ever.
But when Ava meets a fellow survivor named Piper, she begins to feel like maybe she doesn’t have to face the nightmare alone. Sarcastic and blunt, Piper isn’t afraid to push Ava out of her comfort zone. Piper introduces Ava to Asad, a boy who loves theater just as much as she does, and slowly, Ava tries to create a life again. Yet Piper is fighting her own battle, and soon Ava must decide if she’s going to fade back into her scars . . . or let the people by her side help her fly.
“A heartfelt and unflinching look at the reality of being a burn survivor and at the scars we all carry. This book is for everyone, burned or not, who has ever searched for a light in the darkness.” –Stephanie Nielson, New York Times bestselling author of Heaven Is Here and a burn survivor

Reasons to read:

Power obsessed villain in a city where citizens are divided by ability and giftedness? GIVE ME.

Mazes and maps and the main character is the key?! Do I need any more incentive to read this book?!

In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.
Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal’s” memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier.
To prove her allegiance to the Shadows and rescue her mother, Etta must steal a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. So she sets out on a journey in which she faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past in order to set things right in her world. 

Reasons to read:

Dark and witchy = perfect October read.

That cover (and blurb) gave me literal chills. 

This one is in my top three on this list that I am most excited for! I am loving the sound of this “darkness becomes her” kind of feel.

Olivia Foster hasn’t felt alive since her little brother drowned in the backyard pool three years ago. Then Kara Hallas moves in across the street with her mother and grandmother, and Olivia is immediately drawn to these three generations of women. Kara is particularly intoxicating, so much so that Olivia not only comes to accept Kara’s morbid habit of writing to men on death row, she helps her do it. They sign their letters as the Resurrection Girls.
But as Kara’s friendship pulls Olivia out of the dark fog she’s been living in, Olivia realizes that a different kind of darkness taints the otherwise lively Hallas women—an impulse that is strange, magical, and possibly deadly. 

To see more titles that I’m eager to read in October, follow my Goodreads October 2019 Bookshelf that will be updated throughout the next month:

What are you looking forward to most about October?

In fact, what is your favourite kind of read this time of year?

Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!

happy reading!

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Blog Tour: “That Asian Kid” by Savita Kalhan

Welcome to my tour date on That Asian Kid’s International Blog Tour by Savita Kalhan. This is the second (and definitely not the last) book I’ve read by Savita – read on to find out just why I loved this incredible novel!

That Asian Kid

Author:  Savita Kalhan

Published by: Troika on August 1st, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Books I’ve Read By The Same Author: The Girl In The Broken Mirror 


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.

Despite his hard work and brains, Jeevan, is doing badly in his GCSE English literature class. His teacher, Mrs Greaves, dislikes him intensely and Jeevan is convinced that he is the victim of racial prejudice. 

Can he stand up for what’s right? When he comes upon her in the woods outside school in a compromising situation with another teacher, Jeevan can’t help but film the scene on his phone. 

With this secret new ammunition at his fingertips – dare he upload it to social media?

First Thoughts  

I have been in such a book funk lately. This is the first book I’ve picked up since my last review and I’m so ashamed that I’ve not been as avid of a reader in the last month or so. Life has been pretty hectic for many reasons, and with that, books have been far from my mind. But then with my tour date coming up, I picked up That Asian Kid and began reading. Sure, it took a second to slip back into bookish Becca mode, but then something magical happened. . .



My Review

Although 90% of the time I read, it’s a female narrator (or at least follows a female driven/focused character) this time was a refreshing change, and it totally paid off. Jeevan is totally driven, but has one of the most likeable personalities I’ve read to date. Despite trying his very best in all his school work now that he’s got GCSE’s to think about, his English Lit teacher has clearly taken a dislike toward him. Not only that, but Jeevan knows exactly why, and it has everything to do with racial prejudice. The thing is, armed with only a suspicion, although leaning in that direction, Jeevan is hesitant to stand up for himself and out his teacher for her behaviour. But then an opportunity arises – he stumbles upon her in a rather dubious situation with another teacher outside of school and films it on his phone. Jeevan has all he needs as a sort of leverage to use against the hate he’s received from her, but there’s this underlying grip of not wanting to stoop to her level and out her. 

You can tell from the get-go that Jeevan is a sweet young boy who just wants to try his best, live a drama-free life and have a laugh with his mates. Savita has such a way with words – gripping, yet powerful – and the way Jeevan’s story is read can be interpreted in so many ways to many different people. It’s so eye-opening, that these kinds of things still happen, or ever happened at all. I FELT every emotion, the highs and the lows that came with Jeevan’s chapters, reeling from choices and actions. 

Overall, That Asian Kid is that book you need in schools, in libraries, in everyone’s hands. It’s moving, a stunning swift force in YA. Just when I thought Savita couldn’t outdo The Girl In The Broken Mirror, she follows it up with this firecracker. I thoroughly loved Jeevan, his family, his friends, the moments that felt real. This wasn’t a light read, and it can feel super heavy at times, but it’s needed for the most important message: no matter what the colour of your skin is, you should never be treated any differently than anyone else, and if you are treated differently or singled out, you should always tell someone – because it’s not right, and it never will be. Thank you Savita for truly widening and developing my knowledge amongst your powerful words and characters that live on even after the last page is closed. Huge five star read!

Savita Kalhan was born in India, but has lived in
the UK most of her life. She graduated from Aberystwyth University with a
degree in Politics and Philosophy. She was a Batik artist before going to live
in the Middle East for several years where she taught English and began to
write. Now living in North London, she spends her time
writing, playing tennis, and growing vegetables and super-hot chillies on her
allotment. Savita runs a very enthusiastic teen reading group at her local
library in Finchley, who enjoy reading and talking about books as much as she
does. Her debut teen novel, The Long Weekend, was published by Andersen Press, and is a tense
thriller about two boys who are abducted after school. It was short-listed for
the Fabulous Book Award 2010. Her YA novel The Girl in the Broken Mirror was
published by Troika Books in 2018, and her next YA novel, That Asian Kid, was
published on 29th August 2019.
If you would like to know more about Savita,
you’ll find her on Twitter @savitakalhan, or visit her website – www.savitakalhan.com

Amazon UK – Book Depository 
Don’t forget to stop by the other tour dates on this incredible tour for Savita! If you can’t afford to grab a copy online or instore, definitely try libraries/borrow from a friend. This is such a powerful book – it needs to be in your hands! 
What did you think of That Asian Kid?
Do you ever get in a reading funk – and if so, what gets you out of it?
If you’ve read this book, what character did you like best? And what part moved you the most?
happy reading!

Blog Tour & Guest Post: Take A Chance On Me by Beth Garrod


Welcome to Day Three of Take A Chance On Me, the blog tour! Today I have a sparkling review of Beth Garrod’s latest read, a lovely Guest Post about Insta Vacay’s and the lowdown on your must-have summer read!



Take A Chance On Me

Author: Beth Garrod

Published by: Scholastic on July 4th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary Romance

Similar Books I’ve Read: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Kissing Booth


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.


The brand-new sunny, funny, feel-good rom com from bestselling Beth Garrod, perfect for fans of TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE and THE KISSING BOOTH. Meg had a disastrous first kiss she would rather forget, but this is the summer she puts it behind her. 

This is the summer she has a perfect, swoony, just-like-in-the-movies kiss with a hot boy – and what better setting than the sun-drenched Greek island she’s holidaying on? But with three very different boys vying for her attention, this mission to reset her first kiss may be more complicated than she bargained for…



First Thoughts  


I’m guilty of having only read one previous book by Beth (although they’re all in my TBR stack!) previous to delving into Take A Chance On Me. But the well-known fact around the YA World is that Beth’s books are honest, hilarious and addictive. So when I got the chance to take this little read on vacation with me, I delved in right away in scenic beach views to get the perfect authentic experience. 




My Review


Picture this: you’ve got the perfect summer read, you’re staying on the English Riviera, the temperature is close to 30’c on the coastline and you’ve just met one of the funniest book characters you’ve had the chance to meet in a long time. That was my summer, last week. And it was so much better with Take A Chance On Me in my bag on long, hot days and beach trips. 


Meg, our main character, has had a shall we say, quite disastrous history of her first kiss that she would very much love to start forgetting. And that’s what this summer is all about. She has a gorgeous setting to restart her journey for the best kiss ever: a lush Greek island and perhaps more than she bargained for when one of the world’s hottest film stars is revealed to be shooting his newest movie on the same island she’s on holiday. Now, the thing is, there’s not just one boy that wants to lock lips with Meg. There’s three. And this summer that was supposed to be all about getting a do-over for that horrendous first kiss (and sheer horror of having a nose breaking curse) turns more complicated by the second. What’s a girl to do when there’s multiple options for a second first kiss?


I couldn’t put down Take A Chance On Me. Somehow, because I was on vacation and the book takes place with Meg on holiday, too, it seemed like the perfect fit. I was drenched in sunshine and exploring, just like Meg. The only difference was that Meg’s summer was a lot more complicated than mine, one that was taking leaps into a romantic setting and angling for her best summer yet. And for a one-off book, unlike Beth’s other books, I felt extremely drawn to Meg and her life and wished that this novel went on forever! 


Overall, I am so thankful that I took a chance on Take A Chance On Me. Not only did I laugh so hard that other people on the beach looked my way (oops!) but I felt like I had just took a peak into one of those life-changing types of YA reads that defines summer and romance to a perfect conclusion, wrapped up in a neat bow of sunshine and heartbeats. If you’ve never read a Beth Garrod book, you’re missing out completely. Start with Take A Chance On Me, and I pinky promise that it’ll be your favourite summer read yet. Huge five stars!





How to make like you’re on an Instagram vacay when you’re actually holed up at home.

So it’s the middle of August, you’re at home with no plans,  and your thumb has gone rogue and decided that you need to open Instagram. Again. For the 54th time today. We’ve all been there.
You have two options – get stuck in the scroll and indulge in some serious FOMO, or… pull on your best sunglasses and remind yourself don’t need to have got on a plane to be living your best #vacaylife.

Here’s how being at home, can be just as good as floating around on an inflatable flamingo.

You Came, You Saw, You Cone-quered
Guess what, no matter what fancy food foreign travels throw as us, and on to our friends’ feeds, the UK has something no posh beach does.
A 99 Flake.
So make mine a large, go heavy on the pink sauce, and feel smug you’re clutching the undisputed champion of all ice creams. And because the UK’s probably not even that hot, you’ll even have time to take a pic for the gram before it melts. Hello winning.

Pals Vs Paradise
Yeah yeah, we’ve all seen all your sandy white beach and clear blue sea pics, and realised that maybe, just maybe, it’s more appealing than the special brand of grey-drizzle the UK can serve up. But you know what every picture of that amazing empty beach is missing? Mates. So grab your besties, pull on your sunnies and work those angles. The sun won’t be so bright you can’t see the screen either. UK 2 – Tropical Paradise 0.

99 Problems, but Pants Aren’t One
Someone’s feed might be looking total #vacaygoals, but what’s happening behind the holiday scenes? At glorious home there’s no such horrors as forgetting enough pants, or realising you’ve got a tan line that’s the exact shape of your hand where you couldn’t be bothered to rub in Factor 50. And what’s worse? Another mosquito bite, or inhaling a massive lungful of the spray that’s meant to stop them? It’s a close call. But here in the glorious UK, we don’t need to fret about such survival matters. Oh no. In fact the only thing we need to worry about getting bitten by is the need to watch another episode of Love Island. And to that we say, crack on.

When Your Feed is Blowing Up…
…with blow everythings (Flamingos! Pizzas! Avodacoes! Llamas! You name it – someone has inflated it) remember one thing. Have you ever tried to get on one of those things in the blazing heat?! The inner-thigh burn is REAL. And a graceful mount/dismount is something probably even Simone Biles couldn’t manage.
So grab another pillow off your bed, and head to the park or the garden, knowing that whatever you’re sitting on, it’s going to beat straddling a scalding hot inflatable spring onion.

And if all else fails, put down your phone and remind yourself that someone else might be looking at your feed with the same amount of FOMO. So stop comparing your summer holiday realness with other people’s edited highlights, and make the most of zero school or college.  However you want to spend summer, the main thing is you take it easy – on everything but the ice-cream eating.




Hello – I’m Beth. The Super Awkward author. Which just about describes everything really.
Super Awkward was my debut book, Truly Madly Awkward was the sequel, and Access All Awkward was the third in the Awkward trilogy, but I’ve been writing for teenagers for a looong time. And being awkward in my own life for even longer.
My new summery book – Take A Chance On Me – is about a girl called Meg and came out in July 2019. 
My day job is making stuff for TV, radio and online, and I’ve worked on everything from Blue Peter to Radio 1 to MTV. Career highlight was probably fishing out Miley Cyrus’ used face-wipe from a bin.
I currently live in east London, and dream of owning a dog.
If you want to get in touch about that – or anything else – head to bethgarrod.com or follow me on Twitter @bethg or on IG @beth__garrod. 




What is your perfect summer read?


What’s your favourite book that Beth has written?


Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @LittleMemoirs and make sure to visit the other tour dates and get involved!


happy reading!

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Book Review: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett




Serious Moonlight

Author: Jenn Bennett

Published by: Simon & Schuster on May 16th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary Romance

Similar Books I’ve Read: Hello, Goodbye & Everything In Between


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.



Raised in isolation and home-schooled by her strict grandparents, the only experience Birdie has had of the outside world is through her favourite crime books.
But everything changes when she takes a summer job working the night shift at a historic Seattle hotel. There she meets Daniel Aoki, the hotel’s charismatic driver, and together they stumble upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—is secretly meeting someone at the hotel.
To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell, and in doing so, realize that the most confounding mystery of all may just be her growing feelings for Daniel. 



First Thoughts  


As soon as Jenn Bennett launches a new book, I’m 100% there for it. I’ve been an avid collector and reader of her books only in the last couple years (I know, I’m so far behind) but when I got Serious Moonlight in the mail, I did a little happy dance. The UK Cover (I’ll input it below at the end of the post) is seriously stunning and so is the US one! I’m torn between which one I love the most. 




My Review


I read Serious Moonlight over forty-eight hours, breaking for sleep (well, a little) and had to dive straight back in (if you read this book, you’ll know why.) Birdie, our main character, loves mystery and crime books and is a self-confessed bookworm, so we have pretty much that huge aspect in common. She’s been raised in a sort of isolation because she was home-schooled by her grandparents, and that’s something else that I had in common with Birdie (I was homeschooled from the age of fourteen) so the connection between us was extremely strong and I felt my heart follow her story with eager eyes and fast page-turning.


Her world gets a little busier when she takes a summer job working the night shift at a hotel. That’s where we meet Daniel Aoki, who works at the hotel as a driver (he also happens to be charming and gorgeous, because, of course he is.) There’s that spark between them (Jenn writes these so perfectly and un-instalove) as they start to investigate a mystery together. They start to delve into finding a recluse writer who nobody has ever seen, spending more and more time together – growing closer and spending quality time, letting Birdie come out of her shell – searching for clues when they find out the writer will be meeting someone at the hotel they’re working at. 


Overall, Serious Moonlight has seriously stolen my heart. Not only were the characters so vividly human and complex, but with mental health aspects and diversity rep, character building and a romance that was woven into the plot with ease and healthily positive. Daniel and Birdie seemed so unlike each other at the start, but by the end, you can see just how akin they are to each other, mirrored in their moments at cafés and eating pie and investigating mysteries together. I cannot gush about this read more than this – YA Romance fans (and those who like a mystery thrown in there for good measure) will adore this five-star read with characters that feel like they’re sat right beside you while you’re reading their story. Huge love for Jenn Bennett’s newest read!




 

the UK cover!


Have you read Serious Moonlight?


What are your thoughts?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!




happy reading!

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Book Review: “The Paper & Hearts Society” by Lucy Powrie



The Paper & Hearts Society

Author: Lucy Powrie

Published by: Hodder Children’s on June 13th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Movie Version


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.



A brand new series from Booktuber Lucy Powrie – about what happens when you give up on trying to fit in and let your weird out! It’s time to join The Paper & Hearts Society … 
Tabby Brown is tired of trying to fit in. She doesn’t want to go to parties – in fact, she would much rather snuggle up on the sofa with her favourite book.
It’s like she hasn’t found her people …
Then Tabby joins a club that promises to celebrate books. What could go wrong? EVERYTHING – especially when making new friends brings out an AWKWARD BUZZING feeling all over her body.
But Olivia, Cassie, Henry and Ed have something that makes Tabby come back. Maybe it’s the Austen-themed fancy-dress parties, or Ed’s fluffy cat Mrs Simpkins, or could it be Henry himself …
Can Tabby let her weird out AND live THE BEST BOOKISH LIFE POSSIBLE?
Perfect for fans of Holly Smale and Super Awkward.


First Thoughts  

Okay, so I’ve basically known Lucy for what seems like years and years through her YA Chat on Twitter and reading her blog as a fellow Blogger. We’ve chatted a few times and I know she’s a super friendly and lovely girl, so when I was following her Writing journey and saw what came of her hard work spent writing, I knew that I had to read it! So when The Paper & Hearts Society arrived on my doorstep, I couldn’t wait until it was on top of my TBR! 




My Review

I started reading The Paper & Hearts Society yesterday morning and finished it in the early evening – yes, you read that right, in one sitting! Once I started, there was no stopping for anything or anyone. I connected with Tabby almost instantly. If you’ve followed my blog, you’ll know that just a couple years ago, my cat (also named Tabby) passed away. So this book felt extra special because I got to see her name on the pages (and with a reference to Tabby cat, I was really touched). 

Tabby Brown is one of those YA Heroines you know you’re going to love. She’s currently staying with her Grandma while her Parents pack up their lives to move down to where her Gran lives. Tabby went ahead, mostly because she wanted to get away from her old life and the friends that had shunned her and are still causing her anxiety and harm through messages and flashbacks. But when she finds a secret invite in a copy of her favourite book in the Library, she’s suddenly meeting the not-yet-named-officially book club. Olivia is the sweetest (and could talk for hours!), Ed is hilarious, Henry is charming and Cassie, well she’s the hardest to crack. At first, Tabby is taken aback by how hostile she is, but over the chapters we learn why and how they actually become just as close throughout the story. Together, the book club are unstoppable. They host evenings at each others houses, parties and finally, a Literary Road Trip (the stuff of dreams), from Shakespeare to Austen, they want to see it all. But the trip isn’t all smooth sailing, and the online bullying that Tabby’s been receiving – that’s now involved her new friends – reaches an all time low. It takes trust, the security of her new friendship and the courage to fight for the newfound love she’s found for her kind of people to get back to the Tabby she’s loving becoming. 

Overall, I just have no words for how breathtakingly spectacular this book is. Not only was there true-to-life anxiety in the characters, realness, demisexual rep and no fluffy-insta-love (actual character development and relationship building!), but there was a driving force of a true love for literature behind every quote, every moment that the love for books was introduced. I fell in love with the characters, with the words, with what’s to come in the series. . .I can’t tell you just how amazing this book is. Every teenager-to-young-adult needs this glorious gem in their lives. Huge five stars to Lucy – you’ve written something so timeless!



You can buy or PreOrder The Paper & Hearts Society on June 13th:

Amazon UK | Book Depository (Worldwide)




Have you had a chance to read it? 



If not, what sparks the most interest in the book for you?



Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!



happy reading!

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Blog Tour & Review: “All We Could Have Been” by T. E. Carter


Hello and welcome back to PLM! Today I have one of the most powerfully brilliant books that’s provoked after thoughts even after I’d finished reading. Keep reading to find out why I thought this book was a true gem and for an exclusive guest post by T.E. Carter that’s an amazing read!


All We Could Have Been

Author: T. E. Carter

Published by: S&S Children’s on May 2nd, 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Girl In The Broken Mirror, In Search Of Us


Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.



162 days. That’s how long Lexi needs to survive at her new school. Every year, she starts somewhere else under a new name, hiding in plain sight for as long as she can manage. Her record is 134, but it’s senior year now and if she can make it till June, she can disappear into the real world. Maybe a big city, where no one recognizes her and no one knows about her brother and what he did. But this time things are different. This time there’s her new friend, Ryan, who makes her believe that she belongs somewhere. This time there’s Marcus, the boy who looks at her in a way no one has before. This time she’s actually started to miss her older brother, Scott, even though she knows she shouldn’t. Scott was the boy who hung out with her reading comics and riding bikes. The boy who applied Band-Aids to scraped knees and chased away spiders. But he’s also the reason that she’s been in hiding away from the world, and from herself. It’s just 162 days, but for Lexi that’s a few days too many. Because it turns out you can’t really run away from who you are. Eventually, the truth will always catch up with you. 



First Thoughts  

I got actual liquid sunshine in the mail when this beauty arrived on my doorstep. Not only does the yellow bring me happiness (anything in yellow does!) but it looked ultra calming. So I was expecting a pretty chill or happy kind of read. But that was pretty presumptuous of me because only a glimpse at the synopsis and you can tell this is going to be a pretty hard-hitting read. I buckled myself in for an emotional ride.



My Review

Lexi is pretty used to starting over by now. Ever since her older brother failed to pick her up from school several years ago, waiting at home instead for the police to arrest him, she’s wanted to distance herself from the secondhand effects of the crime he committed. For years, she’s bounced from place to place, because whenever someone finds out what her brother did, it’s beyond unbearable to put up with the flack. So now, she’s at her new school – under a new name – and has a chance to graduate and have a normal life with people who don’t know. She finally has a good thing going. All she needs is these last 162 days until she can fully disappear into the big, wide world. 

But then, her world comes crashing in. She is desperate not to lose Ryan, her first friend that makes her feel truly at ease and like she finally has someone who knows her like she knows herself. Or Marcus, the boy that makes her heart beat just a little bit faster. Who might be someone really special for her. And underneath it all, she’s trying to push away her love for her brother, Scott, because of what he did, and because she doesn’t want to still care about someone who’s making her hide from her own identity out of fear. And it all comes to a head when the truth catches up to her and her new persona. 

Overall, All We Could Have Been was a true gem. Despite a little slow start while we had a world-building and backstory, once the fire got burning, it was hot. The only thing that I wasn’t so keen on was the romance at first, just because I wanted Lexi to complete herself, without love being the cure. Nevertheless, I read this over two days flat, back to back nights, wanting to root for Lexi and the future she so desperately deserved. Not only that, but it taught me so much. Victims and their families are usually the front and center ones that we worry have been pulled through heavy emotional times. But seeing the devastation her brother’s crimes had on her life and heart, it’s opened my eyes to how the criminal’s family must feel, too. Not only did Lexi not have any part in the crime, but she did nothing wrong. And now she will forever feel the burden of being the criminal’s sister. Everyone will always know her as that. So not only did I leave All We Could Have Been with having read an emotional, well-deserved four star read, I left with a pocket-full of compassion and knowledge from this absolute firecracker read. 





Mental health and its portrayal in books and media

I’ve been really
looking forward to writing on this topic, because I have a ton of thoughts on
this subject. I have to admit they’re not generally positive. In most cases, I
find mental illness is used as a cheesy trope or plot twist (Split, Fight Club, etc.), or it’s
portrayed as overly dramatic and unrealistic. Given the actual rates of anxiety
and depression – especially in young
people – this is disheartening, to say the least. When you live with an
internal voice that tells you you’re flawed or broken every day, it doesn’t
help to have media confirm it.

The other challenge is
that it feels like there’s this idea that how one character, even when portrayed well, handles mental illness is
how everyone with those same
challenges should or does handle them. This is also frustrating. I actually
went through this in writing All We Could
Have Been, because at one point, Lexi’s therapist asks her about taking
medication. She refuses, because she says it’s not for her. I worried a lot
that this would somehow be a sweeping statement on medication in the mental
health field. I really didn’t want that to be read this way, because there are
a million ways to take care of your mental health, and each person needs to
find the way that works for them and for their circumstances. Just as I would
hope that one novel or film about cancer wouldn’t speak to everyone living with
cancer’s reality, I don’t think one book, movie, or character should speak to
the full experience of PTSD.

I feel like we’re moving in the right direction,
but I still think we have a ways to go. When the first season of Thirteen Reasons Why was released, I
found myself in the midst of this discussion with people of all ages. Many
argued it was dangerous for anyone living with depression or who had been
suicidal, because it romanticized suicide. And for them, they were right. That
was what they got out of it. For me, though, I found the show refreshing,
because I thought it did the opposite. Hannah’s death made me physically ill. I
couldn’t shake the scene where her mother finds her, either, and it made me
think back on all the moments I was suicidal myself. I thought about the people
I’d leave behind and how much pain it would cause them. This illustrates that
the only way we can start to see the
multi-faceted experiences of mental health and understand the diversity of them
is through discussion – and through hearing it from another point of view. I
enjoy stories that are painful and don’t shy away from showing the reality of
trauma, but other people find them triggering and too difficult. We need a
variety of narratives that not only reach us where we’re at but that also show
us different ways people handle their mental health. 

All We Could Have
Been by T.E. Carter is out 2nd May (£7.99 Paperback, Simon &
Schuster UK)

Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones 


T. E. Carter was born and
raised in New England. Throughout her career, she has done a lot of things, she
has always loved to read and still loves stories in any medium (books, movies,
video games, etc.). When she’s not writing, she can generally be found reading
classic literature, obsessing over Game of Thrones (100% Team Lannister),
playing Xbox, organizing her comic collection, or binge-watching baking
competitions. She continues to live in New England with her husband and two
cats. All We Could Have Been is her
second novel for young adults.
@hashtagereads #AllWeCouldHaveBeen


Don’t forget to check out the next tour dates for this amazing book!


Let me know what you thought in the comments!


happy reading!

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Blog Tour: The Words That Fly Between Us by Sarah Carroll


Today is my tour date for the gorgeous and highly anticipated The Words That Fly Between Us on Pretty Little Memoirs! Keep reading to find out why this is one of my favourite reads of the year so far and in a league of it’s own!



The Words That Fly Between Us

Author: Sarah Carroll

Published by: S&S Children’s on May 2nd, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Unpredictability of Being Human, This Raging Light



Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.


Lucy’s father is a successful lawyer making a killing on the property market. She and her mother want for nothing. Nothing, that is, that can be bought.But money cannot buy Lucy the words she needs. The words to stand up to her bully of a father. The words to inspire her mother to do something about the family life that is suffocating them both. The words to become the person she wants to be.
Then Lucy finds something else: An escape route…Soon she discovers that every building on her row is connected, through the attic, to the next. As she explores the inner lives of those who live on her street, Lucy realises that she is not the only one to suffer in silence. She also sees ways she can help some, and ways to punish those that deserve it.
But as the mighty fall, Lucy is forced to realise that while she can affect the lives of others from the safety of the attic, she will need to climb down to face her own fears.


First Thoughts  

If there were a competition for the prettiest book in the land, The Words That Fly Between Us takes the cake. When it arrived on my doorstep, I was immediately pulled in by the gorgeous little houses on the cover and the colours that seemed super calming to the eye. I started reading not long after it arrived after failing to keep my hands off it for very long!



My Review

It was striking from the beginning, and I suddenly felt the weight of the world that artist Lucy felt. At home with her Mum and Dad, it’s not the nicest of set-ups, emotionally. Her father is a high-flying, majorly egotistical type, with a law background and now investing in property and other avenues. Lucy knows that she needs nothing because of this and has whatever her heart desires, but after all, she doesn’t need money thrown her way, she wants what every other person wants: respect and the power to stand up for herself. 

It’s not until she discovers that every house on her row is connected via the attics that she really finds her escape. She finds that life on the outside – of not just her life, but other people’s – aren’t always what you see on the inside. Others are hurting, others can’t find the words to speak, either. And despite being able to fix the people around her, when it comes to matters close to the heart, fixing them might not be as easy.

Overall, The Words That Fly Between Us was a dark horse in my loss for words, myself. I have been struggling to get back into a reading routine and actually liking a story and sticking with it, but as soon as I got reeled into Lucy’s world and the pain that spoke volumes through words that she couldn’t say, I found myself turning pages into the afternoon until the last was turned. When you take a step back after finishing this book, it’s like a eureka moment. It’s the ways that words mean everything. That dreams are meant for chasing. And that when we’ve got the right people around us and distance ourselves from those that mean to cause us harm, our light still shines just as bright. I could imagine each drawing that Lucy expressed herself with, right from the get-go, and I loved how Sarah wrote these in tune with her emotions. This entire book is just a breath of fresh air. An utterly deserved five-star read with a strong message about the weight of words.




Sarah currently splits her time between a houseboat in Dublin and travel abroad. She recently returned from five years in Tanzania where she founded and ran a hostel while working to support local community projects. She continues to promote ethical overseas volunteering through her blogs and films on www.theethicalvolunteer.com, while planning her next book.










You can buy The Words That Fly Between Us:


Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones




Don’t forget to check out the other dates on this amazing tour!



happy reading!

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Family, Easter & Ancestry: Finding Out Where I’m Really From & Giveaway!


As my long-time readers will know, family means everything to me. I’m very close to my own, and when I read about siblings as best friends, supportive Parents and close bonds in literature, it makes my reading experience that much greater. So when I had the idea for making an Easter post – a holiday a lot of people spend with their families – and delve into some of the best Family relationships in literature, plus getting to know where I’m from*, everything came together amazingly! 


*with thanks to 23AndMe, I’m showing you my DNA Genes and what parts of the world my DNA is from!


My Favourite YA to Adult Books with family themes






Published August 14th 2012 by Little, Brown and Company

I don’t know how many of you remember this, but Where’d You Go, Bernadette was one of the books that started my Blogging career! I had the amazing chance to review it with LoveReading, where I’m a Reading Ambassador Review Panel Member. It’s been years since I read this stunning read about a daughter’s love for her Mother and how connections and tethers are unbreakable across the continents. 

That’s why Where’d You Go, Bernadette gets my starred approval as one of the most raw, honest and whip-smart books about the love of family. 




Published April 15th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers



Okay, so you know how much I love To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and Jenny Han in general, so it’s no surprise that the Boys series is on my list. The bond of Lara Jean, Kitty, Margot and their Dad is so strong and unwavering. They have an instant, believable and oh so honest relationship that echos brightly throughout the entire series. Actually, it’s a matter of fact that Jenny’s other series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, also has family connections and bonds that are key. 


That’s why Jenny Han is my favourite author for writing the most realistic families in YA. 






Published May 13th 2014 by Delacorte Press


You know how much We Were Liars shocked the YA Community when it first came out. The families – Aunts and Cousins and Families – vacation every Summer to their privately owned island, Beechwood. But there’s more than just glamour, riches and lies, as the title proceeds. The family units are messy, raw and grow rocky – then knit together – over the courses of seasons. E. Lockhart shows that family isn’t always plain-sailing and that’s why We Were Liars is one of the smartest, most unforgettable family-centered YA books. 






Published April 7th 2015 by Balzer + Bray


Haven’t read Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda or watched Love, Simon? You are hugely missing out on one of the most valid, important and strikingly beautiful character, family and friendship dynamics. Simon, who hasn’t told his family that he’s gay, or that he’s met someone with a connection online, struggles to come to terms with his life changing. His relationship with his Parents, friends and the one he has with Blue, was just a breath of fresh air. Becky’s writing is brilliant, fierce and beautiful, and a strong Parent-Child dynamic. 




Some other noteworthy titles with family dynamics are:

Shadowhunters, various Sarah Dessen books, the Caraval series and I Was Here.


– – – – – – –





When I got the idea for my family oriented post, I knew that 23andMe was the company I wanted to work with. Not only do they test your DNA to pin-point where you came from, but they also offer Health insights (package costs vary) but for this process, I wanted Ancestry, namely to find out the burning question: Where Did I Come From?



Now I know what you’re thinking, just ask my Parents. But the thing is, just because my Parents know where they came from, and we go back a generation or two, some information starts to fizzle out and then pin-pointing my DNA origins sort of deflates. So, 23andMe offers this incredible package that I was kindly gifted, which entails:


On 23andMe, our DNA tells the story of who you are and how you’re connected to populations around the world. Trace your heritage through the centuries and uncover clues about where your ancestors lived and when.


Drumroll. . . .






Now, I was quite shocked when I read that I’m only 70.3% British. I really thought I’d be more! I’ve lived in Wales since I was born and my family is from here, too, so I thought that perhaps there would be some ties to England – Ireland at a stretch – but seeing how my Ancestors have migrated from across Northern Europe? That was a massive discovery for me. 



I’m 100% European, which I figured from the get-go. But delving in further, I’m 13.0% French and German, mainly on the Northern side. Isn’t that fascinating? I’ve never been out of this country, but finding out that I have Ancestors that have left DNA in me that’s from as far as Europe is awe-worthy. I’m also 1.0% Scandinavian, which is actually really telling because I do love the colder climates (Iceland, Norway, etc) rather than Warmer ones. I was expecting to see some Greek in my DNA because I do have Greek heritage, but it seems to have lessened in my DNA throughout the course of the evolution of my family. 





This is a breakdown of where I have ties to and where my family is from throughout the United Kingdom. I know that I have family spotted across South, South West and West Wales – so the Pembrokeshire one and Bristol makes quite a bit of sense – but seeing all of these locations blew my mind. I love going to Cornwall – and hey! Now I know that my DNA can be traced back to there! And Yorkshire. Now, I don’t actually know anyone up North, but seeing all these places that I have DNA traced to is magnificent. Now I know why I love London so much – it’s the strongest place that my DNA traces back to! I’m partial to a train-trip to the big city, so it’s no surprise. 


Also, seeing the places that I more than likely have ties to in Ireland is so amazing. So many counties, including Cork and Galway. How incredible is that?!



The nitty-gritty:


Yeah, I’m related to King Richard the third, on my Mum’s side. Like, seriously!



For all this information and more, including 23andMe showing you through your DNA where your ancestors lived more than 500 years ago. Explore your ancestry’s breakdown by region, including East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe! Find other people who share your DNA and ancestors from close family to distant relatives and make new connections through messages. You can always choose to opt in or out of this tool, too, in case you don’t want to. 




It’s £79.00 for a standard DNA kit and then in as little as a few weeks, you’ll get an email with all your DNA profiles!


But, if you want to know even more than this, including Health insights like learning if you’re a carrier for certain diseases, your risks for developing future illnesses and in-depth information about the way your body works, you can buy the DNA + Health kit for £149.00 and you’ll get a DNA kit for the exact same thing, but get more information at the end. And if you buy the initial kit, but want to Upgrade, it’s super easy and simple, and no extra spit needed. 


The entire process was fast, easy and so simple! I can’t have asked for a better experience. I was always wary about what my DNA would be used for afterwards, but you have total control. You can tick boxes, uncheck them and read all the simple and easy controls for what you want and when you want. I’m so happy to have had the chance to do this once in a lifetime experience. I’ll definitely be gifting kits to friends and family as presents! How amazing is it that you can gift the chance to find out where your DNA is from, tracing back thousands of years?! 


My birthday is coming up on the 17th of April and I’m really thinking about buying myself (with my own money) an Upgrade to Health. As you all know, I do suffer from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or ME/CFS. It’s a devastating multi-system disease that causes dysfunction of the neurological, immune, endocrine and energy metabolism systems. So, finding out if there’s anything else happening in my body (especially in the future) would take a lot of weight off my mind. 


You can find out more here and buy your test here.



*I received a free Ancestry DNA kit for an impartial review.




To win your choice of ANY Book Depository book (up to £10) enter here:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Open to countries that Book Depository ships to only 



And I’ll also be giving away some Easter Chocolates and Stationery goodies over on my Twitter page all week! 



Are you curious where your DNA is from?



Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!



Hoppy Easter! (pun intended)

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Guest Post & Review: The New Boy by Paula Rawsthorne

The New Boy

Author: Paula Rawsthorne

Published by: Scholastic on March 7th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Thriller

Similar Books I’ve Read: The 100 Society

Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.

When new boy Jack starts at Zoe’s school, something about him makes her nervous – he’s so perfect, he can hardly be real. But Zoe is soon swept up in how charming, popular and handsome he is. 

Soon, they’re dating and he’s everything she dreamed he might be – kind, attentive, full of romantic gestures. 

Eventually, though, the cracks start to show and Zoe wonders whether she was right all along. Is Jack too good to be true?

First Thoughts  

I was first introduced to Paula’s incredible writing when I read Shell last year. It was one of my favourite reads of the year, and when The New Boy came along, looking all shiny and inviting, you can’t say no to something so perfect. I was won over straight from blurb and that twisty-turny cover.

My Review  

I started reading just after midday at the very beginning of March and suddenly, only a couple chapters in, it could have been snowing outside and I wouldn’t have noticed. I was completely engrossed in Zoe, our main character, and her world. Days are the same old, same old for her. That’s until Jack starts at her school. He’s new, and of course, whenever someone new starts at school, there’s always some kind of aura around them. They’re the shiny new person and because you haven’t grown up with that person, or spent time around them, they can sometimes seem off. But everyone loves Jack. Like, immediately. Somehow, to everyone and the naked eye, he’s perfect. Flawless. 

Zoe promised herself she wouldn’t fall under his spell. But she soon becomes entangled in his perfect mystery. His whimsical charm, the words that roll off his tongue, his looks, his voice, his everything. And all of a sudden, they’re together. Dating and spending all their time together. He’s the dream boyfriend, caring and sweet and beyond dream-worthy. But all good things seem to come to an end. The perfect surface starts to shatter beneath them both, and Zoe starts to see a different side to Jack and the flawless exterior he’s fronted. She’s faced with the hanging question if her first thought was right. What if he isn’t who he said he was after all?

Overall, I was hanging on every last word reading The New Boy. Just like Shell, I couldn’t put this down. I finished the book in one day solid, no breaks, no interruptions, just like reading should be. A little before the conclusion, I did start to figure out the little hints and put together some of the mystery, but the wow-wow-wow moment of realisation still happened and after that last page had been turned, I just sat there for a good ten minutes writing down notes that were all gushy compliments, lots of omg’s and about how this is perfect for some kind of Netflix movie worthy book-turned-movie honour. There isn’t enough words to describe just how incredible The New Boy is and you will not be disappointed. Five stars completely! 



Advice for aspiring writers by Paula Rawsthorne

1. My first piece of advice is the most obvious and basic – if you want to be a writer you

have to get writing! We’re all experts at procrastination, but if we’re going to create

a story we have to knuckle down and get words on the page. Why not just start and

see where it takes you?

2. Writing a novel is like running a marathon. It’s hard work and it takes stamina and

determination. Keep the momentum going and try and stay excited about your story.

3. All writing is rewriting – this means that you get your first draft down (no matter

how roughly) then have a proper break before returning to it with fresher eyes. Be

critical as you reread your work. Be honest with yourself about what needs

improving. Do the characters feel real? Does the dialogue ring true? Is the plot

convincing and engrossing? Be brutal – edit out waffle and padding. Sharpen it,

choose the best words to convey images in your readers’ heads. Redraft, then

redraft again and again until your story is the best it can possibly be.

4. Carry a notebook around with you to jot down anything that sparks your

imagination. Inspiration for stories is all around us, so be observant and curious.

5. Daydream- We have sensory overload 24/7 so it’s important to take time out and

turn off your phone, computers, X box and just stare into space. See what images

come into your head, see where they take you. We all need HEADSPACE to release

our imaginations. Sometimes the best ideas come when we’re doing nothing!

6. Use your 5 senses when you write. It makes your work more layered, vivid and

descriptive.

7. Enter writing competitions – they give you motivation, deadlines and themes. Make

sure they are reputable and not a scam to get money out of you.

8. READ – If you want to write then read as much as you can. Find books that you can’t

put down, that stay with you, that you want to discuss with others. Then try and

work out why you liked them so much. Dissect how the author wrote the characters.

What was it about the plot that had you gripped? Analyse it and think about how

you can do it in own your writing. Of course, this doesn’t mean copying them. The

more you write, the more you’ll find your own unique voice and style.

Have you read The New Boy? Let me know what you think!


Use #THENEWBOY to tell me on Twitter!


You can buy it:

Amazon | Book Depository

happy reading!

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