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Contemporary

Blog Tour & Review: The Leavers by Lisa Ko

Title: The Leavers

Author: Lisa Ko

Published: April 26th, 2018

Publisher: Dialogue Books

Rating: 🐱🐱🐱🐱

Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I received this ARC in exchange for an impartial review. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


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Winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Fiction.
One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, Polly, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, goes to her job at a nail salon – and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her. With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left mystified and bereft. Eventually adopted by a pair of well-meaning white professors, Deming is moved from the Bronx to a small town upstate and renamed Daniel Wilkinson. But far from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his adoptive parents’ desire that he assimilate with his memories of his mother and the community he left behind.Set in New York and China, The Leavers is a vivid examination of borders and belonging. It’s a moving story of how a boy comes into his own when everything he loves is taken away, and how a mother learns to live with the mistakes of the past.

First Thoughts…

I don’t typically read books in the same genre as The Leavers, but lately I’ve been loving testing out different genres within the Adult and YA world and getting to have a fresh perspective on a new favourite or maybe, stumble upon something I wouldn’t have read in the first place. When I was offered the chance to be on the tour, I jumped at the chance. I love getting to celebrate an authors hard work and spread the word when I’ve loved a book. And did I love The Leavers? Read below to find out… (hint: it’s good news)

My Review…

One morning, when Deming Guo’s mother, who is a Chinese immigrant and also happens to be undocumented, goes to work, she never returns and can’t be found anywhere. He feels lost in a world where his Mother isn’t in it. She’s the only person he’s been that close to, and without her, the pang of loneliness kicks in from the get-go. He doesn’t understand why she’s left, so he tries to change himself, hoping she’ll return…but she never does. In her absence when the people that Deming and Polly, his mother, lived with, can’t look after him anymore, he is renamed Daniel Wilkinson and adopted by two white-American professors, moving from the Bronx to a town upstate. He’s only human, but he understands the world around him far better than his Mother, Polly. She was alone when she came to America with her son, and in a world where he understands it more than her, she’s lost as well. Deming thrives in a way that she struggles to in a new country, and the two stories that The Leavers weaves for us couldn’t be more different and alike at the same time.
I was stunned by just how fast I turned the pages of The Leavers. I didn’t think I’d connect with the characters because of our vast differences in age and upbringing, but somehow, I felt a part of myself resonate with them so clearly through the pages. The pain of not fitting in, of having to sacrifice a part of yourself and the sense of trying to find a place you belong in a big world…I nodded so many times and felt myself feel for the characters.
Overall, The Leavers is more than a novel. It’s a gem. It’s a story of loss, love, belonging, loneliness, family and borders. There’s so much beneath the surface of pain and love, from the backstory of Polly to the current day of Daniel. Lisa has written a rare find that I absolutely loved. This will tug at your heartstrings all day long. Huge four stars!

Have you read The Leavers?

 What did you think?

 Let me know in the comments or on twitter using the hashtag #TheLeaversTour! 

 happy reading!

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Blog Tour: “Diamonds In The Rough” (The Secret Diamond Sisters #2) by Michelle Madow

I’m beyond excited to welcome Michelle to my blog today and that I got to ask her the question I’ve been dying to know, and get to read the incredible addition to the Diamond Sisters series! 

Title: Diamonds In The Rough (The Secret Diamond Sisters #2)

Author: Michelle Madow
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: October 28th, 2014
Published by: Harlequin Teen

Get a Copy:  Amazon | B&N | IndieBound| Book Depository



★ I received this from Kismet Book Touring in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. ★ 

All-access doesn’t mean no problems.

 The three Diamond sisters survived the summer in style after coming to live with their long-lost billionaire father. But making a place for themselves at their exclusive new Las Vegas private school is throwing them any number of gold-plated curves. Savannah’s YouTube stardom turns into a Sweet Sixteen reality show extravaganza—with complimentary enemies on the side. Dangerous flirtations don’t keep Peyton from a gamble that will risk far more than she planned to bet. And when Courtney and the sisters’ archenemy, Madison, uncover two explosive secrets, it will rock even this town of glittering illusion—and turn their lives upside down all over again.

 Sisterhood, first crushes, and scandalous secrets explode in book two of Michelle Madow’s riveting series, The Secret Diamond Sisters.

I love, love, loved the first book in the Diamond Sisters series, so it’s no surprise that I was over the moon to get to read Diamonds In The Rough early. And Michelle is such an amazing writer, I knew I’d get hooked in right away. 

This is a Spoiler Free review!
If I loved The Secret Diamond Sisters, then they’ll need to invent a new word for how much I adored Diamonds In The Rough. The drama, romance and secrets that broke at the seams were bound to win my book-loving heart and they did completely. 
In the second book, I loved the characters more than ever. With four different POV’s, it wasn’t a problem to keep myself hooked to the plot, with Michelle’s amazing way of giving each person their own recognizable way of acting and talking. My favourite character has always been Peyton, but slowly, Courtney was creeping in to stealing the top spot. Although Madison’s feisty characteristics and ways of spilling the Diamond Sisters’ secrets made her their enemy, she is still one of my favourite “enemies” from any series I’ve read. And I could just picture Savannah singing and winning over hearts with her gorgeous voice. That’s the thing I love about Michelle’s writing, that the story comes to life within my mind and it’s no longer just words, but an actual story. 
Las Vegas is one of my want-to-go places and in Diamonds In The Rough, it’s only encouraged that more. The bright, lively and extraordinary sights were in my mind the whole time I was reading (and peaking at the gorgeous cover art!). 
Overall, this series is clearly not to be missed. With unique, vibrant and compelling characters, there has to be a place on your shelf for the Diamond Sisters. Michelle created a world where three sisters lives had been turned upside down by finding out that their long-lost father is a billionaire, and the mayhem doesn’t even end there – it’s just beginning! Fabulous, daring and charming, Diamonds In The Rough is a five-star read that I’ll be telling anyone who will listen to read. 

 ALL OF IT.

Book-lovers of Young Adult Contemporary novels!


How it all started:


About The Secret Diamond Sisters
Goodreads 

Get a Copy: Amazon | B&N | BAM | Book Depository


Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.
The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip’s most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.


A Talk With Michelle


• If the books were turned into a movie/tv show, who would be your ideal cast?
I think The Secret Diamond Sisters would make an amazing television show, since the series is so character focused, and because Las Vegas is so beautiful on screen! Here’s a list of my ideal cast:
Savannah Diamond: For Savannah, I see Danielle Bradbery. She has Savannah’s petite features, and since she won The Voice, I know she has Savannah’s singing voice! I’m not sure if she’s an actress, but she looks exactly like Savannah. Another actress who I think would be a perfect Savannah is Peyton List.
Courtney Diamond: Alexandria Deberry is my first choice for Courtney Diamond. She has Courtney’s sweet look, and long blonde, wavy hair. She just looks so nice in her pictures, and I can see her in the role perfectly. I can also see Ashley Bensen, from Pretty Little Liars!
Peyton Diamond: Tracy Spiridakos is my top choice for Peyton. She has Peyton’s high cheekbones, and tough attitude. Add a few blue streaks, and she’s perfect! Carlson Young would also be a good choice.
Madison Lockhart: Nina Dobrev is my perfect Madison! She has the long dark hair — all she would need is blue contacts. Plus, she’s an excellent actress, as proven by how she plays both Elena and Katherine on Vampire Diaries.
Oliver Prescott: Cody Christian (who plays Aria’s brother in Pretty Little Liars) is perfect for Oliver! Dark hair, and he totally has that confident player vibe about him. A young Sean Harris would also work.
Brett Carmel: I’ve pictured Steven R. McQueen as Brett since the first draft of the book! He has that intense, artsy, brooding thing about him — but it looks like he can also be super sweet and loyal to the people he cares about.
Damien Sanders: Robbie Amell is exactly how I pictured Damien! Dark hair, dark eyes, and built from going to the gym often. He’s not a teen anymore, but I also always imagined Damien as looking the most mature for his age.
Nick Gordon: Nick is the hardest for me to cast, because I’ve always had a perfect image of him in my mind — blonde curly hair, blue eyes that sparkle when he smiles, round face, and just a very all-American look. The closest I’ve found so far is Jeremy Sumpter.
Adrian Diamond: Peter Facinelli. Yes, I know he’s Carlisle from Twilight. But I’ve always seen him as Adrian!
Rebecca Carmel: Charisma Carpenter would be a great Rebecca! She’s dressed a little more scandalously in most of her photos than how Rebecca would dress, but she still has the right look.

Michelle Madow wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college. Remembrance is the first book in the Transcend Time Saga, a three part series about reincarnation and true love that Michelle successfully self-published. The series was inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” music video. Michelle’s upcoming YA trilogy, The Secret Diamond Sisters, about three sisters who discover they are the secret heirs to a Las Vegas billionaire casino owner will be published by Harlequin TEEN in Spring 2014.
Michelle graduated from Rollins College in 2010, cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the International English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta. She received the Charles Hyde Pratt Award for Excellence in Creative Writing in 2010.

She lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling, shopping, sunshine, Disney fairy tales, Broadway musicals, and spends way too much time on Facebook and Twitter (@MichelleMadow).

Each tour stop is offering up a copy of either THE SECRET DIAMONDS SISTERS or DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH, and one winner will receive a fantastic grand prize package including the following Harlequin Teen titles: THE SECRET DIAMOND SISTERS, DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH, LET’S GET LOST by Adi Alsaid, CRASH INTO YOU by Katie McGarry and THE BREAKUP ARTIST by Philip Siegel. 


Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open to US/Canada.

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Tour Schedule

Monday, October 20th – Bumbles and Fairy Tales – Guest Post
Wednesday, October 22nd – Harlequin Blog – Guest Post
Friday, October 24th – DanaSquare – Character Interview

Monday, October 27th – Bookish – Guest Post
Wednesday, October 29th – Pretty Little Memoirs – Guest Post
Friday, October 31st – Eater of Books – Author Interview

Have you read The Secret Diamond Sisters or Diamonds In The Rough?

What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #DiamondSisters

 

happy reading! 

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Book Review: “Lies We Tell Ourselves” by Robin Talley

Title: Lies We Tell Ourselves

Author: Robin Talley
Genre: Young Adult – Historical/Contemporary
Release Date: October 3rd, 2014
Published by: Mira Ink (UK)


★ I received this from Mira Ink in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. ★ 

It’s 1959. The battle for civil rights is raging. And it’s Sarah Dunbar’s first day of school, as one of the first black students at the previously all-white Jefferson High. 

 No one wants Sarah there. Not the Governor. Not the teachers. And certainly not the students – especially Linda Hairston, daughter of the town’s most ardent segregationist. Sarah and Linda have every reason to despise each other. But as a school project forces them to spend time together, the less their differences seem to matter.
And Sarah and Linda start to feel something they’ve never felt before. Something they’re both determined to ignore. Because it’s one thing to be frightened by the world around you – and another thing altogether when you’re terrified of what you feel inside.

I’ve never read a book anything like Lies We Tell Ourselves, so I was going into it without knowing what to expect, although from the glowing reviews on Goodreads, I had high expectations for Robin Talley’s writing. 

When Lies We Tell Ourselves begins, it’s 1959 and Sarah Dunbar will be one of the first people that isn’t white to attend Jefferson High. But in this time of the past, no one wants Sarah at the school. Not the students, teachers and Governor, want her there at all. Sarah is thrown into a battlefield of harsh backfire of her integration into the school and the taunting, hurtful words of those surrounding her. As a reader, I was along for the painful things Sarah had to go through and felt how distraught she was at everything happening in her world that resembled more of a whirlwind right now. 
But then, we have Linda. She’s the daughter of the town’s segregationist, popular among the students and couldn’t be further from Sarah’s world right now. At first when we see that Linda and Sarah don’t see eye to eye, it’s more of Linda’s fathers beliefs than her own judgement of Sarah. I felt like it was due to the world Linda had grown up in that she had fallen into a pattern where it seemed like it was okay not to like Sarah. But when school compels them to spend more time together, whatever was in the way of their friendship swiftly moves aside. But when their friendship develops into something else, something neither of them thought possible, they are thrown into another maze. 
Lies We Tell Ourselves was an eye-opening, spectacular book that far exceeded my expectations. Robin Talley wrote about events that no doubt had truth to them, with a gripping storyline and characters vivid and real. Overall, this book is simply unmissable. Although it was hard to relate to Sarah’s situation, I felt something for each character that stood out on the page to me, and in that way, it was truly memorable. Lies We Tell Ourselves deserves all the recognition it gets for being so exceptional.
Bonus Post:
Mira Ink have asked me to share a lie I tell myself, whether it be serious or just funny! So I got a little creative and…

P.S. Biggest Lie Ever. Sleep? What is sleep?

EVERYONE needs to read this.

Have you read Lies We Tell Ourselves?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #LiesWeTellOurselves



happy reading!

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Book Review: “Zac & Mia” by A. J. Betts

Title: Zac & Mia

Author: A. J. Betts
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: July 24th, 2014
Published by: Text Publishing


I received this from Text Publishing in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

Winner of the 2012 Australian Text Prize
“When I was little I believed in Jesus and Santa, spontaneous combustion, and the Loch Ness monster. 
Now I believe in science, statistics, and antibiotics.” So says seventeen-year-old Zac Meier during a long, grueling leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. A loud blast of Lady Gaga alerts him to the presence of Mia, the angry, not-at-all-stoic cancer patient in the room next door. 
Once released, the two near-strangers can’t forget each other, even as they desperately try to resume normal lives. The story of their mysterious connection drives this unflinchingly tough, tender novel told in two voices.

From the synopsis, Zac & Mia looked like the perfect book to make a reader feel something when they’re enveloped in the topics it covered within Zac and Mia’s relationship, so I was looking forward to getting wrapped up in their story.


Straight away, I got that The Fault In Our Stars vibe. It wasn’t a bad thing, it was actually reassuring that there was a book that crossed the similar topics that I already knew I loved, so Zac & Mia’s story felt that little bit extra personal to me. 
Our main characters; Zac and Mia, are quite unalike. I felt Zac was more understandable and likeable, and although I liked parts of Mia’s personality, she had an edge to her character that kept me from getting to know her completely. Zac and Mia meet in hospital, where they’re both cooped up. Zac is in the middle of cancer treatment when he meets the girl who moves into the room next door to him. 
Their bond is undeniably strong from the start – their differences don’t matter when they’re in this new friendship that Mia at first wasn’t sure she wanted to be in. But Zac, being the witty and charasmatic character he was, was her friend no matter what they were individually going through.
Zac & Mia’s tale is full of comedic lines, moments to tug on heartstrings and a plot that kept me hooked. It was fascinating, and I could tell that A. J. Betts had researched everything down to the small details. The friendship that she created was beautiful and it really stood out as the highlight of the novel. Even though romance wasn’t the sole focus, their bond was instead, and I think that was sweet and totally not forced like some relationships can be. The character development of Mia and Zac was gradual and I really feel like A. J. Betts did their story justice by the end. Although I would’ve loved to see Mia’s character open up a little more and we see beneath that edge of hers, I believe that Zac & Mia’s story was an inspiring, compelling novel of a true friendship. 


Zac’s moments, definitely. He was that kind of character that you can’t help but laugh with and understand. 

YA Contemporary readers for fans of books that tug on your heartstrings.

Have you read Zac & Mia?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #ZacAndMia


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Isla and the Happily Ever After” by Stephanie Perkins

+ Plot references, no major spoilers – but be warned that hints are given away. If you haven’t read ISLA yet, be warned that this review will give away references to the previous books: ANNA and LOLA. +

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After

Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 14th, 2014
Published by: Dutton (US) Usborne Publishing (UK)


I bought this book myself! As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 


The café is boiling. The atmosphere is clouded with bittersweet coffee.
Three years of desire rip through my body and burst from my lips: “Josh!”
His head jolts up. For a long time, a very long time, he just stares at me.
And then…he blinks. “Isla?”

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to face uncertainty about their futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Set against the stunning backdrops of New York, Paris and Barcelona, this is a gorgeous, heart-wrenching and irresistible story of true love, and the perfect conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

I am going to say it now: THIS SERIES IS THE BEST EVER. I didn’t even have to read Isla to know that, because it’s pretty known in the YA literature genre that Stephanie is one of the most amazing authors out there. Isla was very highly anticipated for me (and about a million others!) so when it was next in my TBR pile I tore it open and read it in a very short amount of time.
Isla is a hopeless romantic stuck in a very realistic world that seems to shut down her feelings for Josh (from Anna and the French Kiss, remember?!) and she feels like every time she ran into him last year, she made a huge fool of herself and that he probably thinks she’s insane. So when she spots him back in Manhattan over the summer, she’s not quite over some side-effects of a dental appointment and fears she’s made things even worse. 
But little does she know, things are actually about to fall right into place. 
When they meet again, Josh and Isla are thrown into a roller-coaster of missed opportunities that both of them were too blind to see before. Josh thought Isla was taken and Isla thought Josh didn’t have a clue she didn’t exist. But now things are out in the open, it gives them a future neither of them imagined could exist. One that is maybe, just the beginning of everything. 
In Anna, we went to Paris, then in Lola, we went to San Francisco – now, in Isla, we’re in three of the most beautiful places on earth. Paris, Barcelona and New York. Those cities were the pages of Isla and Josh’s love story, while they were writing it together. Stephanie Perkins shows us yet again how to give us a realistic, heart-breaking, joyful and enchanting story that I’ll remember forever. I was ecstatic to see my favourite characters return from the previous books for the most amazing twist in the story I hadn’t even imagined in my book-loving dreams. 
Overall, anyone who doesn’t own this series is missing out on something absolutely mesmerizing and awe-worthy. I couldn’t put it down, and even if I had to, the story never stopped in my head. Isla’s story is now my newfound favourite novel of this series, but also, maybe of all time in Contemporary YA lit. It blows the competition out of the water with the charismatic, real characters and plots to make your heart race. Anything less than 5 stars wouldn’t be acceptable – this is THE book of the year!  
Totally worth waiting for.
I’m torn between the very last line of the series and a part that I was not expecting at all with some surprise characters. If you’ve read Isla, you could probably figure this out!

One word: EVERYONE.

Have you read Isla and The Happily Ever After?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #IslaAndJosh


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Oh Yeah, Audrey!” by Tucker Shaw

+ Minor plot references, no major spoilers +

Title: Oh Yeah, Audrey!

Author: Tucker Shaw
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: October 14th, 2014
Published by: Abrams and Chronicle / Amulet


I received this from Abrams and Chronicle / Amulet in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

It’s 5:00 a.m. on Fifth Avenue, and 16-year-old Gemma Beasley is standing in front of Tiffany & Co. wearing the perfect black dress with her coffee in hand—just like Holly Golightly. 
As the cofounder of a successful Tumblr blog—Oh Yeah Audrey!—devoted to all things Audrey Hepburn, Gemma has traveled to New York in order to meet up with her fellow bloggers for the first time. She has meticulously planned out a 24-hour adventure in homage to Breakfast at Tiffany’s; however, her plans are derailed when a glamorous boy sweeps in and offers her the New York experience she’s always dreamed of. Gemma soon learns who her true friends are and that, sometimes, no matter where you go, you just end up finding yourself.Filled with hip and sparkling prose, Oh Yeah, Audrey! is as much a story of friendship as it is a love letter to New York, Audrey Hepburn, and the character she made famous: Holly Golightly.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of my favourite films of all time. I remember watching it with my Mum and loving it right away (the Cat scene was my favourite!). So when Abrams and Chronicle gave me the chance to read Oh Yeah, Audrey!, I was so excited to read all about Gemma’s story as well as how Audrey fitted into the story. 

Gemma Beasley was standing on Fifth Avenue in New York City outside Tiffany & Co at 5am, wearing the iconic black dress, holding coffee and feeling like Holly Golightly herself. But it’s not just a simple story of a girl who loved Audrey Hepburn – Oh Yeah, Audrey! was Gemma’s life. After her family were struck with a loss, Gemma threw herself into her Tumblr page, filled with all things Audrey Hepburn, and called it Oh Yeah, Audrey! She was devoted to it 100% and there wasn’t a day that she didn’t post something on the page. 
She wasn’t running away, per say, by going to New York without her father’s permission. She was merely being the Gemma that she wanted to be – not just the one she pretended to be. 
In New York, she’s ready to meet fellow Audrey and Holly Golightly fans from Oh Yeah, Audrey! A boy called Bryan; from what Gemma knows, he’s on the rich side, from California. And not forgetting Trina, who was one of my favourite characters by far. Her charismatic and unique characteristics and personality almost stole the spotlight from Gemma herself. Together, the three of them set off on a planned-down-to-the-small-details plan while they’re in the Big Apple, revolving around all things Audrey. But more than one familiar face appears on their journey, and one of them really takes Gemma by surprise. 
The guy who she might just really like. The one who could sweep her off her feet in a heartbeat. 
Oh Yeah, Audrey! isn’t just about Gemma’s journey. It’s about an unbreakable friendship that defies the “meeting people from online can’t be classed as real friends” theory. It’s about love, heartbreak, glamour and of course, Audrey Hepburn. It felt like more than just a book to me, too – like a beautiful, enthralling and magical tale set in the awe and dazzling backdrop of New York City. I can’t recommend Oh Yeah, Audrey! highly enough to anyone who has ever wanted that little bit more “spark” in their YA literature. And to quote my favourite word from the novel, Oh Yeah, Audrey! was incredible, dahling. 

Part 3 of the novel was by far my favourite! There are countless quotes by Bryan that were flawlessly written that made it into my favourites, too.

YA literature fans: Contemporary, Romance and everything in between!

(And all you Audrey Hepburn and Holly Golightly fans out there.)

Have you read Oh Yeah, Audrey!?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #OhYeahAudrey


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Better Than Perfect (Wild Cards #1)” by Simone Elkeles

Title: Better Than Perfect (Wild Cards #1)

Author: Simone Elkeles 
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 4th, 2014
Published by: Bloomsbury Childrens


I received this from Bloomsbury Childrens in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 



Ashtyn’s life just got complicated. Her boyfriend is being distant and her sister’s back at home after ten years – with a stepson in tow!

 Derek has a perfect body, THE sexiest smile and a car – Ashtyn’s only way to escape from her crazy life. But Derek likes to play by his own rules and is keen to take Ashtyn on a ride she’ll never forget. As they spend more and more time alone together, will Derek’s flirty games drive Ashtyn wild?

 A sweet and steamy romance from New York Times bestselling author Simone Elkeles.

I was immediately intrigued when I stumbled upon Simone’s novels a little while ago because I had heard so many amazing things about her Perfect Chemistry series, so I jumped at the chance to read this! So ultimately I was going into Better Than Perfect searching for a new favourite Contemporary YA Author!


Ashtyn isn’t your typical girl and her life is far from perfect. She’s a football player for a start, and it’s really important to her that she is treated as equal and not because she’s a girl. Derek, on the other hand, is your typical bad boy. Expelled, he’s sent to live with his Father’s new Wife back in her hometown, walking right into Ashtyn’s life and shattering it into thousands of complex little pieces. 
At first it seems like this is your usual bad boy meets good girl, but when Better Than Perfect gets going, it headed right into my favourite reads right away. Ashtyn and Derek’s connection is lively and they weave straight into each others lives, the game of back and forth glances and flirty conversations become more inevitable. Ashtyn is a very driven, hardworking girl and all she wants is to be noticed doing what she loves in football, maybe even to get a scholarship. But Derek isn’t driven for anything like Ashtyn is, and he knows her type just like she knows his. They’re not “supposed” to be meant for each other, but their fiery chemistry begs to differ. From the nicknames to the addictive, enchanting romance, Better Than Perfect played all it’s cards right for me. Simone’s writing style was charming and distinctive, and I can see how she is easily one of the best YA Contemporary authors out there. 
Overall, Better Than Perfect couldn’t have been better – it was perfect. For fans of Katie McGarry, Simone’s novels are on my TBR list for sure now! I can’t wait to read more from her. 


I think there were so many little moments that were my favourites, it would give away WAY to many spoilers if I even dared. But when you read them, they’ll become your favourites too, definitely. 

Like I said above, for fans of Katie McGarry and anyone who loves a YA Romance with an unique spin on it. 

Have you read Better Than Perfect?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #BetterThanPerfect

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Flirty Dancing” by Jenny McLachlan


Title: Flirty Dancing 

Author: Jenny McLaughlan
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: July 3rd, 2014
Published by: Bloomsbury Childrens


I received this from Bloomsbury Childrens books in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 



 Bea Hogg is shy but fiery inside. 

When national dance competition Starwars comes to her school looking for talent, she wants to sign up. It’s just a shame her best friend agreed to enter with school super-cow Pearl Harris. Bea will fight back! But when school hottie, Ollie Matthews, who also happens to be Pearl’s boyfriend, decides to enter the competition with Bea, she will have more than a fight on her hands.

This warm, nuanced, hilarious story about friendship, fortitude . . . and dancing is impossible not to fall in love with. Jenny’s voice is fresh and convincing, and she handles both darker and lighter elements of the story with equal panache.

Flirty Dancing looked like a fun, spontaneous and hilarious read right from the synopsis. And, come on, a book about a dance competition, love and friendship? It’s criminal not to read it.
Bea is a smart, sometimes shy, and always hilarious, main character of Flirty Dancing. When she gets word of a fabulous new national dance competition called Starwars, she wants nothing more than to dance. Although her skepticism holds her back at first, she gets a pep talk from her Grandma and decides that she has what it takes and she should go for it. But when she finds out her best friend; Kat, has joined her arch enemy (although former best friend turned mean girl) Pearl’s team, she is stuck for a partner to dance with. 
But then, her Grandma’s connections at dance lessons stick Bea with her crush and the hottest boy at school; Ollie. Although they haven’t talked much and Bea can’t help but hold back because Ollie is dating her competitor and ex-friend; Pearl. But when they get further and further into the competition and become closer as dance partners, there’s a dance chance they could become more than just dance partners. 
The book also zooms in on friendship and how easily we forget how much a friend or ex-friend used to mean to us and how we change as people growing up and for Pearl, she turned against Bea, but Bea wasn’t like Pearl and tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, cowering down all the time. It was refreshing to see a girl stand up to someone who belittled her and because of that, Bea was an all-star character for me. 
Flirty Dancing was everything I expected and more. It was packed full of hilarious one-liners, clever characters that were lambently witty and honestly original, not to mention how unique the story was in itself. I’ve only ever read a few books in all my time reading that intergrate dance-themes into them and Flirty Dancing beat them all – and other books alike – to the top spot. Playful, comical and not to mention how I couldn’t put it down, Flirty Dancing was a five-star YA that I dare you not to love. 

I loved dance rehearsals, Betty (she was so fun) and Bea’s courage to overcome that shyness around dancing and going up against her arch enemy. 

 YA book lovers of all genres will love Flirty Dancing, but in particular Contemporary readers who favor a little fun and romance in their YA books. 




Have you read Flirty Dancing?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!

happy reading!
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Book Review: “Between The Lives” by Jessica Shirvington

Title: Between The Lives

Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary / Psychological Thriller
Release Date: August 7th, 2014
Published by: Orchard Books


I received this from Orchard Books in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

The perfect life or the perfect love. You choose.

 For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she shifts to her ‘other’ life – a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she’s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she’s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

 With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments that bring her dangerously close to the life she’s always wanted. But if she can only have one life, which is the one she’ll choose?

 A compelling psychological thriller about a girl who lives two parallel lives – this is Sliding Doors for the YA audience.

I was instantly compelled to read Between The Lives right from the synopsis. One, I love psychological thrillers, and two; Sliding Doors for teens sounded like it checked every box for me. 


Sabine has two lives. Every night at midnight, she “shifts” into her other life, back and forth so much that it makes her sick to her stomach. In one world, her life is blissfully perfect, but she’s just not that happy there. In her other life, it’s simple and quiet, unlike her other life completely. Even her siblings in the worlds are different. 
So when Sabine breaks her arm in one world and in the other it’s perfectly fine, she notices the first of many “glitches” to come. Glitches happen sometimes in her worlds, she’ll see a man from her one life who has a different career and lifestyle in another. But this glitch is different, and so she starts on a course of testing the boundaries as far as she can. Medicating herself in one world, even self inflicting wounds to see if the body transfers them to the other world. But when Ethan, a friend of her Parents who regularly comes into their workplace, catches on to her drug stealing, her Parents also catch on in one world. But telling has never been an option for Sabine – anyone would be right to think she was mad – and whatever the outcome, she had to be sure that it didn’t disrupt her plan. But her plans soon get ripped to shreds by her Parents when they catch on to the biggest reveal yet.
Between The Lives was an incredible, thrilling roller-coaster of a book, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I didn’t want to put it down for anything. Sabine is thrown into insane in one world and perfection in another, but when love and madness collide, she has to decide whether it’s time to get rid of one of her lives, and what outcomes that could cause if she even dared. 
I am in awe of this magnificent novel that will be one of my favourite reads, not just this year, but of all time. I can’t recommend it highly enough, and I don’t brag about every book I just like – this is a definite LOVE book. Jessica is definitely an author to watch for and this book is one you can’t afford to miss. 





 Ah, that ending…I’ll always love that part the most. 

YA Contemporary lovers with a twist of a psychological thrill-type element, but it’s not “scary” or anything, so it’s perfect for all readers. 

Have you read Between The Lives?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!

happy reading!
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Book Review: “Boy21” by Matthew Quick

Title: Boy21

Author: Matthew Quick
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: June 19th, 2014
Published by: Headline


I received this from Headline in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 



It’s never been easy for Finley, particularly at home. But two things keep him going: his place on the basketball team and his girlfriend, Erin – the light in even the darkest of his days.

Then Russ arrives. He answers only to Boy21, claims to be from outer space, and also has a past he wants to escape. He’s one of the best high school basketball players in the country and threatens to steal Finley’s starting position.

Against all the odds, Russ and Finley become friends. Russ could change everything for Finley, both for better and for worse. But sometimes the person you least expect can give you the courage to face what’s gone before …and work out where you’re going next.

When I saw The Silver Linings Playbook, I had no idea that it was in fact, a book. So I was beyond excited for Boy21 to be my first book from the same author as the film I loved so much. 
Finley loves basketball. It’s what his life has revolved around ever since it came into his life when he so desperately needed it. Erin loves basketball too, and their love of the game is what brings them closer. She’s now Finley’s girlfriend, and they’re both about to start Senior year and both want the same thing – to get out of their claustrophobic town – and basketball has a way for them to do that. 
When Russ arrives, he wants to only be known as Boy21. He’s quirky and gives Finley a run for his money in his life on the basketball team and as a character. But what struck me was their fast friendship and understanding of each other. They’ve both lost things and people and what their newfound friendship gives them each is something they hadn’t expected. They find a braveness and backbone that they didn’t have on their own, and without knowing, it steers them in the direction of their future in a way they wouldn’t and couldn’t have imagined. 
Boy21 captured my attention, my heart and my feelings. It hit me where every good book should, pulling on my heartstrings, but making me laugh nevertheless. It was honest and about a genuine friendship where they didn’t have to ask for anything or explain how they felt. They could communicate by knowing each other well, like every good friend does for us, in our actions and expressions. Matthew Quick is swiftly climbing up my favourite authors of the year so far, with Boy21 definitely not going to be trumped for a long time coming. It was a shorter read than usual, just under 300 pages. I read it in one night and when I woke up that morning, it was still there in my thoughts. And that is a five-star book. Not because of it’s subjects or themes, but because the story goes far beyond the last page. 
In one word? Outstanding.



A quote always does it best.

“Someday an opportunity will come. Think about Harry Potter. His life is terrible, but then a letter arrives, he gets on a train, and everything is different for him afterward. Better. Magical.”

YA Book Lovers (and Adults alike) that love a friendship, or sport-ish themed book. It’s a total one-off and I can’t think of anything to compare it to, but it reminds me of the feeling you get when you finish a John Green book. 

 Have you read Boy21?


Tell me in the comments or on twitter!


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Shut Out” by Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out

Author: Kody Keplinger
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: June, 2014
Published by: Hodder Children’s Books


I received this from Hodder Children’s Books in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

The girls of Hamilton High School are going on strike.

 Sick of the rivalry between their boyfriends’ American football and soccer teams, Lissa and her friends are determined that the boys won’t see any action from them until they put an end to their immature pranks.

 But Lissa hasn’t counted on a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first …

I heard about Kody’s books way back when she wrote The Duff, but as of today, it’s still unread on my shelf. I have no idea why I haven’t picked it up because CLEARLY, Kody’s novels are extremely popular. The Duff is getting made into a movie. And as soon as I saw the synopsis for Shut Out, it pulled me right in and looked far from your ordinary high-school book.
Lissa likes things in order and most importantly, to be in control of things, ever since her Mom died. She’s dating Randy, who’s on the football team. Sure, he’s not perfect, but Lissa loves him and he loves her. Except she get’s pretty annoyed with him when he takes the rivalry between Hamilton High’s football and soccer teams more seriously than her. So when he chases after someone who eggs Randy’s car when they’re both inside, leaving her alone and neglected, she pretty much decides enough is enough. 
She ropes together the girlfriends of the both teams, including her best friend Chloe and ex-best friend Ellen. They kind of broke apart when their boyfriends were on different teams and slowly grew apart, but Lissa was hoping this might bring them together a little. Lissa brings up the subject of a sex-strike to the girlfriends of the teams, to get control over the situation and try to end this once and for all. They are unsure to start with that the plan would work and things like; what if the boyfriends just get new girlfriends? But when they start to see results, Lissa feels like she might just have changed things for good. 
But it’s never quite that easy, and things start to go awry when Lissa starts to stray from Randy and give into Cash’s advances. Cash is on the soccer team, and when he starts to work at the Library after school like Lissa, she starts to see a different side to him other than the one she thought she knew from a past she wanted to never have existed.
But when the boys try to get even, and the girl’s can’t resist, things start to get bad fast. Not only does Randy turn out to be a jerk, but Lissa is finding maybe her way wasn’t the best and that the advice Cash was giving turns out to be what she was looking for all along. 
Full of hilarious one-liners (Chloe, definitely!), drama and wisdom, Shut Out is a high-school rom-com you don’t want to miss. You’ll root for Lissa, cheer for the girls and get hooked to the excitement and dramatics. Kody hit the mark on this one, and the inventiveness of Shut Out blows the book competition out of the water. Five star ++! 


I always say the endings of books are my favourite and although Shut Out’s ending was perfect, I think my favourite would be a quote from the book. One that should inspire all of us, and that I personally believe is very true. 

“It’s never too late.” 

For fans of Katie McGarry, Miranda Kenneally and Jennifer Echols! And if you’ve read The Duff, then Shut Out has to be your next read! 

Have you read Shut Out?


Tell me in the comments or on twitter!


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Looking For Alaska” by John Green




Title: Looking For Alaska

Author: John Green
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary
Release Date: March 1st, 2011 
Published by: Harper Collins (UK)

Before. 
Miles “Pudge” Halter’s whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the “Great Perhaps” (François Rabelais, poet) even more. 
He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. 
Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. 
She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
After. 
Nothing is ever the same.

I knew as soon as I could fit another one of John Green’s books into my TBR list, I’d thank myself later, because they always end up being HUGE favourites of mine, like The Fault In Our Stars and An Abundance of Katherines. From what I had heard previously about the book, it was a clear five-star read so I definitely went in with high hopes. But gladly, I didn’t know any spoiler-ish details, because I hate missing out on the little unveilings.

Miles “Pudge” was a very unique kind of character and extremely relateable like every lead John Green creates. He had very little friends at home and was stuck in this vicious circle of not stepping out of his comfort zone and doing something amazing, which kind of inspires the adventurer in him, seeking his own Great Perhaps like he had read about from a poet called François Rabelais. Miles loves learning people’s last words, and so that was a highlight throughout the novel that popped up every now and again and I thought it was such an interesting and unique thing to add into the storyline. It gave a mature edge to Miles that some of the other characters when he went to Culver Creek didn’t have, well, until he met Alaska. 
She was different, and such a compelling character in the least. I thought her character development was perfect and I didn’t feel like there were any flaws in her character. Although, Miles’s first friend was The Colonel, who’s kind of the first person who nicknames him Pudge and gives him this whole new side to him that the old Miles wouldn’t quite recognise, although it wasn’t a huge rebellious thing, it was just a little growing up mixed with the influence of the new crowd he was hanging out with. 
Miles was enchanted by Alaska all the time in her charm and wisdom, despite being up-and-down in her behaviour, and aside from him having another love interest, she was always on his mind and he cared for her a great deal. But she had a boyfriend, and so they were both pulled in different directions a little. Still, in reading a John Green book’s final conclusion, the “after” part (there are parts to the novel like 100 days before and then after) was when I was teary-eyed (code for crying like a baby) and enveloped more if that was possible. 
Filled with happiness, then sudden anguish, Looking For Alaska was about everything that happens when we grow up; regret, newfound ways, guilt and friendship, even if not all the answers we desire are given to us. I was taken on the journey with them the whole way and it was a twisted, enthralling and sorrowful one. This book is truly one of the greatest treasures of YA Fiction and if you haven’t read it, you’re surely missing out. A clear five-star read. 
Waiting for the Looking For Alaska movie to be made! Would love to see it made into one, because we all know John Green movies are THE best.


“Sometimes I don’t get you,’ I said.

She didn’t even glance at me. She just smiled toward the television and said, ‘You never get me. That’s the whole point.” 
– Miles (Pudge) and Alaska
Everything is better said with a quote, clearly.

I’m going to keep it simple. This book is perfect for: EVERYONE. (Really.)

Have you read Looking For Alaska?


Tell me in the comments or on twitter!


happy reading!

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