Pretty Little Memoirs - a YA Book Blog

Where The Storyline Continues. . .

blog tour

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!

post signature

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!

post signature

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!

post signature

Blog Tour & Review: Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige





Mera: Tidebreaker


Author: Danielle Paige (Illustrated by Stephen Byrne)


Published by: DC INK on April 2nd, 2019


Rating: ★★★★


Genre: Young Adult // Graphic Novel – Comic


Similar Books I’ve Read: Deep Blue, The Siren



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



From Danielle Paige, the New York Times best-selling author of Stealing Snow, comes a Mera and Aquaman origin story that explores Mera’s first steps on land as well as her first steps as a hero or a villain, forcing her to choose to follow her heart or her mission to kill.
Mera is teenage royalty, heir to the throne of Xebel, the other not-so-lost colony under the sea. But Mera is destined to wear a different crown, that of Atlantis. When the inhabitants of Xebel plot to overthrow their homeland of Atlantis, Mera is sent to kill the heir to the throne, Arthur Curry. As the unrest between their colonies grows, Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love…will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera’s side in Atlantis, or will he die under her blade?
Mera by Danielle Paige is an astonishing story that explores themes of duty, love, heroism and freedom, all through the eyes of readers’ favorite undersea royalty.



First Thoughts  

If you know me well, you’ll know I’ve devoured all of Danielle Paige’s novels to date. Her Dorothy Must Die series and Stealing Snow books have always held a special place in my heart (and bookshelf). So it’s no surprise I jumped on the Blog Tour for Mera: Tidebreaker. I’ve always been a huge DC Fan (sorry Marvel fans!) and I have a few Comics (The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, etc) so getting to add a Graphic novel to my TBR was so refreshing!




My Review

If you’re familiar with Aquaman, you might know of Mera. I sadly didn’t know who she was until around a year ago when they brought her to the big screen with the DC Franchise. I’m all about Girl Power™, so getting to see Mera shine in her own light and not underneath the shadow of Aquaman (although this is a sort of origin of them both) in her own Graphic Novel was amazing. 

Mera is a teenager (around sixteen I believe) and already royalty, an heir to the throne of Xebel, a colony underwater. But her destiny isn’t so straight forward under the sea, and now on land. Mera is thrown when the people of Xebel want her to wreck havoc in the homeland of Atlantis (I’ve always associated this with The Little Mermaid, somehow) and kill the heir to the throne, one Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman as we’ll come to know him. But between the colonies, a different kind of feeling brews: love. Mera and Arthur fall head over heels for each other, quite quickly inside the pages. But the question of whether he’ll come to demise under her demands to have him killed, or rule alongside him, begs the ultimate finale of under-the-sea war, love and stripping free.

Overall, I’m surprised at how much I utterly loved Mera. Whether it was her strikingly red hair that vividly gathered my eye-line every page, the fast-paced action-meets-backstory or underlying love aspect, it blew me away with every turn of the page. The colours and palettes of Mera are cool, blues, greens and reds, unique in every way. Although I did feel that the plot moved very quickly, sometimes too quickly, I know this is the way that comic books tend to reel on as they’re differently written and planned out to regular novels. Despite this, I was still blown away with how much I completely loved Mera. Danielle Paige has outdone herself with the captivating story and brilliance behind Mera’s and Arthur’s backstory. Four amazing stars!




About the Author

Danielle Paige is the author of the New York Times bestseller Stealing Snow and its prequel novellas Before the Snow and Queen Rising, as well as the New York Times best-selling Dorothy Must Die series: Dorothy Must Die, The Wicked Will Rise, Yellow Brick War, The End of Oz, and seven prequel novellas. Before turning to young adult literature, she worked in the television industry, where she received a Writers Guild of America Award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She is a graduate of Columbia University and currently lives in New York City. Visit her online at www.daniellepaigebooks.com and on Twitter at @daniellempaige.




Have you read Mera: Tidebreaker?


What are your thoughts on Graphic Novels?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs using the tag #MERATidebreaker! Don’t forget to check out the other Blog Dates above on the tour!


happy reading!

post signature

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!

post signature

Blog Tour: The Lost Man by Jane Harper

Welcome to Day 7 of THE LOST MAN tour by Jane Harper! Today, you’re welcomed by me (and a few others) to some more amazing reviews!


The Lost Man  

Author: Jane Harper

Published by: Little Brown on February 7th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Adult // Mystery – Thriller – Crime

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Dry, Force of Nature

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

He had started to remove his clothes as logic had deserted him and his skin was cracked. Whatever had been going through Cameron’s mind when he was alive, he didn’t look peaceful in death. Two brothers meet at the remote fence line separating their cattle farms under the relenting sun of the remote outback. In an isolated part of Western Australia, they are each other’s nearest neighbour, their homes three hours’ drive apart. They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old that no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron, who lies dead at their feet. Something had been on Cam’s mind. Did he choose to walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…The Lost Man is the highly anticipated new book from the bestselling and award-winning Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature.

First Thoughts  

As someone who has already read The Dry and Force of Nature, Jane’s other books, I’m pretty much hooked to her style of writing and the sheer gripping notion of starting one of her novels. So when I had the chance to participate in the blog tour for her newest release, there was no other answer than yes. I was definitely ready to dive back into the feeling of being immersed in one of Jane’s books.

My Review 

I fell head over heels for Jane’s writing way back when I first began reading her books with The Dry a few years ago. Getting immersed back into the thickly-cut heat of Western Australia, imagining the pealing sun, the sticky-summer landscape of the Outback, we get the setting for another of Jane’s novels with The Lost Man. In the beginning, we’re thrown into another mystery in the first of her standalone books that don’t follow the same path as her other books. Cameron is dead, and authority has come to assume that it’s a suicide. But Cam’s older brother Nathan doesn’t think so – he knows this wasn’t what they think. 

Nathan sets out to find out what really happened to his brother. He remains fixated on what happened, sifting through suspects and deciding which path his younger brother took to his ultimately, last night. In the Outback, there’s few suspects to choose from. Finding someone with a motive in the sheer isolation is thrilling, following Nathan’s footsteps to the conclusion. The clues are there, and like most readers who have read The Lost Man alike me, will have put together the pieces as Nathan was, and maybe, like me, discovered more lying between the lines. 

Overall, Jane has truly outdone herself. Whilst nothing will beat The Dry for me, The Lost Man was such a close contender toward the end. I was hooked on this hotly anticipated read, following these intense steps of another killer novel by Jane Harper. Four amazing stars for my first read of 2019!




Jane Harper is international bestselling author of The Dry and Force of Nature. Her third book, The Lost Man, will be realised in October 2018.Jane has won numerous top awards including the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year, the Australian Indie Awards Book of the Year, the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel, and the British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year. Her books are published in more than 36 territories worldwide, with film rights sold to Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea. Jane worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK, and now lives in Melbourne.

You can buy The Lost Man here:

Amazon | Book Depository 

Have you read The Lost Man?


Let me know your thoughts in the comments!


happy reading!

post signature

Blog Tour & Review with Extract: Shadow Of The Fox by Julie Kagawa

Title: Shadow Of The Fox

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published: November 1st, 2018 

Publisher: HQ Young Adult

Rating: ★★★★★

Find the Author: Goodreads 

Disclosure: I was sent this ARC by the publisher, reviewing it as an impartial review. This does not sway my opinion of the book. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

A single wish will spark a new dawn. Every millennium, one age ends and another age dawns…and whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers holds the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish. The time is near and the missing pieces of the scroll will be sought throughout the land of Iwagoto. The holder of the first piece is a humble, unknown peasant girl with a dangerous secret. Demons have burned the temple Yumeko was raised in to the ground, killing everyone within, including the master who trained her to both use and hide her kitsune powers. Yumeko escapes with the temple’s greatest treasure – one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan. Yumeko knows he seeks what she has and is under orders to kill anything and anyone who stands between him and the scroll.

First Thoughts…

I have always been a fan of Julie’s books, right from the Iron Fey days. I’ve always kept my little Kagawa collection of books close to my heart, because I always know I’m in for one heck of a story-telling ride whenever I pick up one of Julie’s books. So when I got the chance to be a part of Shadow of The Fox’s Blog Tour, I had to do it. It’s Julie Kagawa, YA masterpiece writer! For me, this is definitely a highlight.

My Review…

I’ve always been in love with Fantasy books. Actually, when I started out with my blog, it was the main genre that I focused on. There’s something about one of Julie’s books that totally transforms the atmosphere where I’m reading into the story’s landscape, this time into the world where a single wish has sparked a new dawn. 

The story is split into a few perspectives from different characters.  There’s Yumeko, who is a half-kitsune (anyone remember Kira from Teen Wolf? That’s the kind of way I was basing a Kitsune from, because that’s what she was). There’s Kage Tatsumi, who is a samurai. Only every time he uses his sword (that’s violently possessed by a demon) it hurts him whenever he uses it. On the other hand, Suki, another character, is entirely different from Yumeko and Kage. But giving away too much about the way Suki’s character plays a part in the novel might give away too many spoilers. Yumeko has lived in a temple her whole life, until now. Now she’s willed to protect a precious scroll. The way that Yumeko and Kage interact and their paths cross is unlike any other kind of character clash, but together, this kind of magic happens. They, along with some friends, get deep into a world of things that go bump in the night. There’s demonic danger, thrills and an underlying mystery that I’ll be careful not to tell too much about, because it’s one of those kinds of ones where it’s better unsaid (and you need to read it for yourselves ASAP because it’s a favourite of mine this year!).
Overall, I can’t fault Shadow of The Fox in any way. It was a flawless plot, sometimes uneven pacing, but that really wasn’t a concern of mine because the story itself made up for the pace of the tale. This was just so unbelievably enthralling and mythic-ally magical that I ate it up page by page. I’m really excited to see what comes next from Julie because she never, ever disappoints. Five stars!

 Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.
When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.
Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.
Julie is the author of the bestselling Iron Fey series. The Iron Knight the fourth title in The Iron Fey series publishes in Jan 2012. The Immortal Rules, the first title in a brand new series publishes in May 2012.
Visit Julie’s website at http://www.juliekagawa.comVisit the Iron Fey website http://www.theironfey.com/Follow Julie on Twitter @jkagawa




Shadow of the Fox
From Chapter 13: Song of the Kodama
There was a shimmer in the darkness, and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. Looking up, I saw a tiny, pale green figure, no larger than my thumb, watching me from atop a root a few feet away. It wore a round mushroom cap on its head, and its eyes were like black pits under the brim.
Tatsumi saw what I was looking at, and his hand went to his sword. “Tatsumi, no,” I warned, holding out a hand. “It’s a kodama, a tree kami. It won’t hurt us.” He relaxed, dropping his hand from the hilt, and I offered the kodama a smile.
“Hello,” I greeted softly, as the tiny kami tilted its head, watching me. “Please excuse us, we’re just passing through. We’re not disturbing your tree, I hope?”
The kodama didn’t blink. It watched me a moment more, then padded forward and hopped onto a stone, staring at me with pupilless black eyes. A faint sound rose into the air, like the rustle of leaves stirred by the wind. I nodded.
“I understand. We will stay to the path, and we’ll be careful not to tread on any new plants or trees. You have my promise.”
“You can speak to the kami.” Tatsumi’s tone didn’t question, though it sounded faintly surprised. “How?”
“The monks taught me,” I replied. Not the whole truth of course; I’d been able to see the spirit world—kami, yokai, yurei and the rest of the unnatural—for as long I could remember. One of the perks—or curses—of being half kitsune. Though the monks did teach me the differences between the myriad spirits in Iwagoto. There were the nine greater Kami, the named deities who were worshipped throughout Iwagoto; Jinkei, god of Mercy, Doroshin, god of Roads, and so on. The lesser kami were minor gods, spirits of nature and the elements; they existed everywhere, in the earth, the sky and all places in between. No one knew how many kami existed in the world; when people spoke of them as a whole, it was common to say “the eight million gods,” and leave it at that.
But besides the kami, many other strange, magical creatures roamed the land. Yokai were creatures of the supernatural; sometimes called monsters or bakemono, they could change their forms or had some amount of magic power, tanuki, kamaitachi and, of course, kitsune being prime examples. Yurei described the many restless ghosts that wandered the mortal realm, zashiki warashi, onryo, ubume and more. There were even some monstrous plants that preyed on humans and a handful of creatures that didn’t fit into any category, so the list of gods, ghosts and monsters was endless. But, even though some yokai were dangerous and some yurei had malicious intent, all were residents of Ningen-do, the mortal realm, and were to be respected.
Unlike the demons—the amanjaku, and terrible oni like Yaburama. They hailed from Jigoku, the realm of evil and corruption, and did not belong in the mortal world at all.
“Master Isao and the others revered the kami,” I went on. “They strove to exist in harmony with all forms of life. The most spiritual among them could see and even speak to the kami on occasion. I sort of had the talent for it, I suppose.”
“Is that why the kamaitachi listened to you?”
“Well…not really. I listened to them.”
From Julie –
I love this passage because it feels very much like a scene from an anime, reminiscent of Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away, two of my favorites.  It’s strange, surreal, and just the tiniest bit creepy, and it also marks the beginning of Tatsumi and Yumeko’s friendship.  
You can buy SHADOW OF THE FOX here:

Amazon | Waterstones | Book Depository 

Have you read Shadow of The Fox? If you have, who was your favourite character?


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


happy reading!

post signature

Blog Tour & Review: A Storm of Ice and Stars by Lisa Lueddecke

Title: A Storm Of Ice And Stars
Author: Lisa Lueddecke
Published: October 4th, 2018
Publisher: Scholastic
Rating: ★★★★
Find the Authors: Goodreads

Disclosure: I was sent this ARC by the publisher, reviewing it as an impartial review. This does not sway my opinion of the book. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


Ice, myth, magic and danger in this bone-chilling, page-turning, beautifully written fantasy novel set in the same world as A SHIVER OF SNOW AND SKY. Blood-red lights have appeared in the sky over the frozen island of Skane, causing a cloak of fear and suspicion to fall over the village like a blanket of snow. In a desperate attempt to keep out the plague, the village elders barricade its borders – no-one, no matter how in need of help, will be permitted to enter in case they bring infection with them. 

Teenager Janna refuses to turn her back on people seeking refuge and is banished to the swirling snow and lurking darkness beyond the village. Can she survive? 

First Thoughts…

It’s no secret that I love a good story within a pretty cover, and A Shiver Of Snow and Sky and now A Storm of Ice and Stars have both of those incredible attributes. When I was asked to review this lovely little book and be on the tour, I couldn’t say no. I love Lisa’s style of writing so much so I was eager to get into this fast with the aesthetic being fitting for these colder months!

My Review…

In Skane, if you weren’t already aware of the fictional island where the books (which are stand-alone but you can read them as a series) take place, is a frozen wonderland where the sky talks in colours. Maybe not the wonderland part, though. Not since red lights have danced across the skyline, wreaking havoc and panic over the villages. They know it means that the plague is coming, and forced with immediate dangers, they shut the borders and permit no one to enter for fear of bringing in the illness. 
But Janna, our focal character, is a fighter. A true fictional heroine type. She refuses to give up and just turn away people who need the villages help. Making her decision rules against the others and she’s banished to the snowy darkness of nothingness. Survival is key, but in a twisted and icy backdrop where nothing is safe and magic is lurking, Janna finds herself fighting for her own safety. 
I just loved this book. Everything about it just screams winter and enticingly icy backdrops are that breath of fresh air once we step into the colder months. I’ve been in a bit of a book-rut lately and A Storm of Ice and Stars has totally just reignited my love for YA Fiction all over again. Although I did love the previous book, A Shiver of Snow and Sky a little more than this one, this is equally as steadily-paced and beautifully written. There’s something in the way that Lisa writes that is so deeply graceful and I can never look away from the pages for a second. 
Overall, A Storm of Ice and Stars is a must read this Autumn/Winter season. I read this delicious slice of snowy story-time by a few winter-y candles, scooped up a blanket and made it a full “reading spot” to set the scene for it, and I definitely recommend! You’ll feel transported to Skane, swept up in this iridescent icy tale and fall in love just as much as I did. Incredible four star read! 




Born into an Air Force family which gave her a love for travel, Lisa Lueddecke has spent her life moving between four countries and five states. She currently resides in England, is one of five girls, and is a former book blogger and publishing intern turned writer.


A STORM OF ICE AND STARS by Lisa Lueddecke out now in paperback (£7.99, Scholastic)
@LisaLueddecke        www.lisalueddecke.com
#ICEandSTARS

Have you read the incredible A Storm of Ice and Stars?


What do you think?


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


Be sure to share your thoughts using the above hashtag and add the book to your Goodreads to read! You won’t regret a single page of this magic!


happy reading!

post signature

Blog Tour: The Adults by Caroline Hulse

Title: The Adults
Author: Caroline Hulse
Published: August 23rd, 2018
Publisher: Orion
Rating: ★★★★
Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I was sent this ARC by the publisher, reviewing it as an impartial review. This does not sway my opinion of the book. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

The most hilarious debut you will read this year. 
* * * * *MEET THE ADULTS.Claire and Matt are divorced but decide what’s best for their daughter Scarlett is to have a ‘normal’ family Christmas. They can’t agree on whose idea it was, or who said they should bring their new partners. But someone did – and it’s too late to pull the plug.Claire brings her new boyfriend Patrick, a seemingly eligible Iron-Man-in-Waiting. Matt brings the new love of his life Alex, funny, smart, and extremely patient. Scarlett, their daughter, brings her imaginary friend Posey. He’s a rabbit.Together the five (or six?) of them grit their teeth over Organized Fun activities, drinking a little too much after bed-time, oversharing classified secrets about their pasts and, before you know it, their holiday is a powder keg that ends – where this story starts – with a tearful, frightened, call to the police…
But what happened? They said they’d all be adults about this…
* * * * *
If you loved THE BREAK by Marian Keyes or raved about THE ROSIE PROJECT – look no further than THE ADULTS.

First Thoughts…

There’s something just super relaxing about reading a book like The Adults. I think when I read YA, I’m like this is my game face, I’m ready to read! But Adult fiction is just a lot more calming to me, no matter what the genre or plot. When I first was introduced to The Adults by the lovely team at Orion, I couldn’t say no! It sounded like a true breath of fresh air.

My Review…

I would pick up any book that was for fans of The Rosie Project. I truly devoured those books and thought this little slice of fiction would be no exception! So, first and foremost, Claire and Matt are a divorced couple. They have a daughter together, Scarlett, who really is a little star among the pages. They want her to have a life as normal as possible, and in doing that, a perfect Christmas that runs along the line of normalcy. They don’t know how it happened, but soon enough, they’re all together and the awkwardness starts to appear. Despite the fact that they have new partners, it first gets off to a rocky but steady start. But then the cracks start to appear. 
With Claire’s new partner Patrick and Matt’s new love Alex, with Scarlett (and her imaginary friend Posey the rabbit) they make an unlikely bunch. Doing activities together and “bonding” with organised “fun” they start to unravel. Oversharing leads to secrets, tears and a whole lot of fireworks. But what they don’t expect most is to learn something new about themselves, each other and what it really means to be an adult.
Overall, I really just couldn’t get enough of The Adults. Whilst it took me a little bit to really get into the novel, the middle and end sure made up for it. The points of view, striking and capturing my attention, were poignant and funny and just so real (is it strange I really loved Posey, the imaginary “friend”?) I never expected for The Adults to be as it was (if that makes sense) and it took me on a whole different journey (in the best way possible). If you’re looking for a novel with humour, “adulting” and mayhem that leaves you feeling like you’ve read something importantly great, you’ve found your new favourite read. Four amazing stars! 
Hi Caroline! Your characters go through so much before the book even begins. Which character has been your favourite to craft personality-wise?

Hi! I should probably answer about a human character first. On that basis, it’s Patrick. I enjoyed writing his dual-edge character, showing the difference between his successful, enviable ‘outside’ and the teeming insecurities within.
Overall though, my favourite character was Posey. There’s an element of wish-fulfilment in writing a character’s imaginary friend who exists purely to support and entertain that human: who can get over physical hurdles effortlessly (logistics, gravity etc.) and who doesn’t care about anyone’s needs or feelings except those of ‘their’ human. It would be ace to go through life with a side-kick like that.
Also, Posey gets to have all the fun, all apart for having to sleep in the airing cupboard. I wouldn’t be so keen on that part.

The Adults is such a funny, yet oh-so-real book. What inspired Claire and Matt’s story?

I was trying to think of a plot for an everyday suspense, with the potential to produce tension between well-meaning people. I don’t really like to write ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’: in my books, people are more complicated than that.
I read an article in a weekend section about an ex-couple who went on holiday together with their shared family and new partners, and I just thought, How? Why?
I wish all my exes well, but I don’t have to see them on a day-to-day basis – and I don’t think it would be a great idea to go on holiday with them and their new partners! But people do! And those people must be way more mature than me.

You blend humour and drama together faultlessly. If you could write in any other genre, what would it be?

Firstly, that is lovely, thank you.
I read widely, mostly crime and thrillers, book club and literary stuff, and I would love to write a serious thriller one day. I just need to think of a killer, edge-of-your-seat plot, and work out how to drop the comedy that sneaks in to my writing. Leave it with me.

Finally, if The Adults was made into a movie, who would you *love* to play who?

I’m so sorry, I can’t answer this properly. The people in the book are so real in my mind, I can’t think how to suggest actors for it. It’s a good thing I’m not a casting director, and if The Adults does get produced as a movie, I’ll be fascinated to see who they choose!

Thank you so much for answering my questions, today.
No problem, and I’m so pleased you enjoyed the book.

Caroline Hulse spends most of her days writing, having fulfilled her dream of having a job she could do in pyjamas. She also works in Human Resources sometimes.
She is openly competitive and loves playing board and card games. She can often be found in casino poker rooms, and wishes other people would want to play Cluedo for money.
She lives with her husband in Manchester, UK, where the two are captive to the whims of a small, controlling dog.he Goodreads database with this name.

Have you read The Adults? Are you looking forward to it?


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


Tweet me about the book and get involved in the Blog Tour with the tag #TheAdults


happy reading!

post signature

Blog Tour & Extract: Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

Welcome to the second day of the JINXED blog tour! It’s my tour stop today and I’m here with an extract from the book. I’ll be reviewing the book really soon, so look out for that shortly! Read on for one of the most unique YA books I’ve come across this year…

Title: Jinxed
Author: Amy McCulloch
Published: August 9th, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Find the Author: Goodreads 

Disclosure: I was sent this ARC by the publisher, reviewing it as an impartial review. This does not sway my opinion of the book. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

Lacey Chu has big dreams of becoming a companioneer for MONCHA, the largest tech firm in North America and the company behind the  “baku” – a customisable smart pet that functions as a phone but makes the perfect companion too. When Lacey finds out she hasn’t been accepted into Profectus – the elite academy for cutting edge tech – it seems her dreams are over. Worst of all, rather than getting to choose one of the advanced bakus, she’s stuck with a rubbish insect one. 


Then, one night, Lacey comes across the remains of an advanced baku. Once it might’ve been in the shape of a cat but it’s now mangled and broken, no sign of electronic life behind its eyes. Days of work later and the baku opens its eyes. Lacey calls him Jinx – and Jinx opens up a world for her that she never even knew existed, including entry to the hallowed halls of Profecus. Slowly but surely, Jinx becomes more than just a baku to Lacey – he becomes her perfect companion. But what is Jinx, really? His abilities far surpass anything written into his code or built into his motherboard. He seems to be more than just a robotic pet. He seems … real. 

 
PROLOGUE:

She burst through the trees, cradling the monster in her arms.
The whine of a pulse gun sounded in the wood; she ducked and the shot flew over her head, obliterating the trunk of a beech tree in front of her. Panic rose in her throat. They weren’t just out to destroy the monster.
They were going to kill her too.
She kept running, her feet slipping inside the blue plastic overshoes she hadn’t had time to remove before bolting from the lab. She’d known this day would come – she’d crossed the line so far, it was no longer even a mark on the horizon. But she still hadn’t been ready.
How could you ever be ready to lose what you’d been working on your entire life?
The creature vibrated against her chest, a red light pulsing against its hot metal skin like a heartbeat. It wriggled in her arms, trying to escape – as if it too knew what was coming – but she tightened her grip. She just had to make it to the other side of the ravine, to the emergency car that would take them to safety.
The next shot hit her shoulder and she wasn’t sure who screamed louder: her, or the creature. She stumbled, one leg collapsing underneath her as her foot sank into a crevice hidden by a carpet of fallen leaves. She dared to glimpse down and her heart almost stopped: the creature’s metal body was smoking, the acrid stench of burnt electronics filling her nostrils. The pulse guns were doing their job, destroying it from the inside out.
She pulled her foot free and pressed on. The bridge was so close she could feel the rumble of trains as they passed underneath. Yet the heavy booted steps of the men behind her were louder still.
‘Come on, come on,’ said the voice crackling in her ear.
She must have come into range of her partner’s communication device. She forced her legs to pump harder, ignoring the sticky wet stab of pain in her side . . .
Barely had her toe crossed the threshold on to the bridge when alarms started wailing, hidden IP protection sensors blaring from the tree line. Traps sprung from the ground, nets that coiled around her legs, tripping her up. ‘I’m down!’ she screamed into her earpiece. ‘Help me!’
‘Cutting comms, link destruction in process.’ Almost as an afterthought, he added, ‘Sorry.’ And then the line went dead.
Another pulse thumped her in the back, launching her forward and sending the monster flying from her arms. She had no choice but to watch as the smoking hunk of metal disappeared off the side of the bridge. Her assailants ran past her now, flinging themselves at the railing, leaning out over the edge and watching the blaze of sparks sent up as the metal monster hit the electrified track.
It was gone. Her life’s work: destroyed.
The men turned back to her, gun barrels levelling at her head. She closed her eyes and accepted the inevitable.
Down on the tracks below, the monster shuddered with one final pulse of life. As a train thundered down the tracks towards it, it only had the energy for the faintest sound.
It purred.

HOW INCREDIBLE DOES THAT SOUND?!

. . .

Amy McCulloch is the author of The Potion Diaries series (under the name Amy Alward) which has sold in eight languages around the world and was a Zoella Book Club pick in 2016. Her current sci-fi series, JINXED, is out from Simon & Schuster UK in August 2018.
Before becoming a full-time writer and freelance editor, Amy was editorial director for Penguin Random House Children’s Books, where she worked with many YA and MG authors and published the #1 international bestseller GIRL ONLINE by Youtube sensation Zoe Sugg, and its follow-ups GIRL ONLINE: ON TOUR & GIRL ONLINE: GOING SOLO. Previously she was also commissioning editor for HarperVoyager, where she worked with some of the top SF&F authors in the world. In 2013, she was named one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars of publishing. An adrenaline junkie with a love of adventure travel, she’s never in the same place for long. Other addictions include coffee, ramen and really great books.

You can follow Amy here and add JINXED to your Goodreads here!

Have you heard of JINXED?


What intrigues you most about it? 


For me, it’s partially that cat on the cover (obviously) and that fast-paced “what will happen next” feeling I get reading the extract!


JINXED is out August 9th – don’t miss this firecracker read!


happy reading! 

post signature

Blog Tour & Review: Show Stealer by Hayley Barker (Spoiler-Free)

Hello book lovers and welcome to the deadliest show–I mean, tour, today! I’m kicking off the lovely SHOW STEALER by Hayley Barker, the follow-up to SHOW STOPPER, which you know I loved so much. So stay tuned!


Title: Show Stealer 
Author: Hayley Barker
Published: August 2nd, 2018
Publisher: Scholastic
Rating: ★★★★★
Find the Author: Goodreads 

Disclosure: I was sent this ARC by the publisher, reviewing it as an impartial review. This does not sway my opinion of the book. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

Hoshiko and Ben have been on the run since they burned Silvio Sabatini’s circus down to the ground at the explosive finale of SHOW STOPPER. But Ben’s mother will stop at nothing to track him down and get her revenge: backing him into a corner where he is forced to sacrifice himself to save Hoshiko. The deadliest show on earth has been resurrected and if Ben thought he’d seen into its dark corners as an outsider, the true extent of the horrors that lurk beneath the Big Top are about to be revealed as he becomes the circus’ new star attraction…

First Thoughts…

I got an ARC of Show Stopper before it came out and I just knew after reading it that there would be a huge hype because of how insanely amazing it was and I was right! Hayley’s books have gained this incredible following and rightly so. When I was offered the chance to be on her blog tour for Show Stealer, I jumped at the chance! Getting to be a part of this has definitely been a highlight for me, blog wise, this year. 

My Review…

We’re right back into the action in Show Stealer that first engrossed us last year, back into the lives of Hoshiko and Ben. The story picks up a little after the end of the first, in alternating perspectives. They’re on the run – since burning down Silvio’s circus in Show Stopper – and even a year on, dodging the ruthless chase from Ben’s mother and others trying to find them. With a reward on their heads, it’s more dangerous than ever to get close to anyone else for fear of being turned in. But being backed into a corner by his mother, Ben is forced to sacrifice himself to save Hoshiko once and for all.
Thrown into the spotlight as the new star attraction of the circus – risen from the ashes – the deadliest show on earth is far darker on the inside than as an outsider. The deeper that he gets involved and learns more of the show, the more revelations come to light that changes everything they thought they knew about the circus. 
Wow, wow, wow. Just wow. Have you ever been reading a book and you just have to stop and think “this is amazing, please don’t ever end?” Because that’s how I felt when I was reading Show Stealer. There’s something about the way Hayley writes that’s so hypnotic, and I was reeled in by the darkness of the deadliness, turning pages faster and faster. The pacing is so faultless that putting it down at one a.m. wasn’t on my mind, and I kept reading until the sky was as dark as the turns Ben took in the circus. I finished the book in two sittings over two days (if it was up to me I wouldn’t have put it down in between, but you know, life) and I seriously can’t wait to just binge-read the entire series again. 
Overall, Show Stealer has stolen my heart in the best possible way. Hayley is such a talented and unique author and I am so lucky to have been a part of the Show Stopper – Show Stealer journey over the last couple years. There’s hidden messages in the book that entwine with society and perception (which is one of my favourite things) that makes this a definite highlight of YA Fiction this year for me. If you’re looking for just one series to start this year, make it Hayley’s. You won’t regret this stunning five-star read.

Hayley Barker has a BA (hons) degree from Birmingham University and has taught secondary school English for eighteen years. 

She is a huge YA fiction fan and says being published is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to her. 

Hayley was inspired to write her YA because of her fears about the growing wave of crime and animosity against minority groups in England. She lives in Essex with her husband and two young sons.

It’s the last few days to enter this INCREDIBLE giveaway I’m running for SHOW STEALER!

Have you read Show Stealer/Stopper?


What did you love the most about the series?


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


happy reading!

post signature

↑ Top of Page