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Young Adult Books With Plus-Size Characters


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


Big Bones by 

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


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

If It Makes You Happy by 

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


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

No Big Deal by 

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


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


There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

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


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

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger


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


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

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy


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

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



To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Martin


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

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



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


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


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


happy reading!

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Top 10 Most Anticipated Books of October 2019


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

Reasons to read:

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

Dark magic + revenge = the perfect dark read!

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



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



Reasons to read:

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

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

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

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

Reasons to read:

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

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

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

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

Reasons to read:

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

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

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

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



Reasons to read:

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

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

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

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

Reasons to read:

Cute-AF cover with the sweetest title!

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

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

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

Reasons to read: 

Futuristic YA mixed with sisterhood bonds!

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

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

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

Reasons to read:

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

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

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

Reasons to read:

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

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

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

Reasons to read:

Dark and witchy = perfect October read.

That cover (and blurb) gave me literal chills. 

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

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

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

What are you looking forward to most about October?

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

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

happy reading!

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Writing Wednesday #2: Creating BFFs in Literature

Hello book lovers! Welcome to the second edition of Writing Wednesday! I’m so happy you could be here for this topic today, which is:


Creating BFFs in Literature

I know what you’re thinking. Writing best friends should be a piece of cake. Easier than anything! But alas, that’s so not true. A true friendship, one that a reader will feel a deep connection to, is not something you can just fake. Your characters that are BFFs should:

– Care when the other is hurting
– Have inside jokes, things that they only do/see/know
– Not show up just for kicks in a scene that doesn’t require them
– Doesn’t always have to be/agree with everything the other does
– and so much more

I’m going to help you write the best friends you’ve ever written in these few easy to follow steps and advice that I use myself, and that I’ve learned from years as a Book Blogger and Creative Writing lover. I’m not saying I’m an expert at all, or that these are musts in writing, but these things will help you (or at least be a guide) to creating BFFs that readers will also love.

BFFs aren’t like they used to be:

When we think of best friends from movies, they aren’t always like the ones we know now. How often does your best friend come over to your house and gossip about school, flipping through magazines and throw rocks at windows in the middle of the night for adventures? Not a lot anymore. So, unless your novel is set in the early 00’s or 90’s, your novel BFFs should recognize that:

– Technology is a huge part of modern friendships

– Friends can be boy/girl, girl/girl, boy/boy, or anything they identify as 

– BFFs don’t always have to fall in love or be jealous of the others partner

– Friends fight, it’s normal, and they don’t always get along 100% of the time

– Stereotypes are over-hyped. Don’t make your one BFF a goth and the other a princess, just to show how different they are. Friends don’t have to be from other sides of the track to be close, and vice versa.

– BFFs don’t always come in twos!

– Never forget that friends these days don’t always have to live in the same country to be friends



Famous best friends in literature:

Have you got a favourite friendship group in literature? Maybe you’re a Harry/Ron/Hermione fan. Or maybe you like the PLL girls. Or maybe you adore Simon/Leah’s friendship. What ties all these different characters together? When you break apart the friendships, for example, the Harry/Ron/Hermione friendship, we have a trio. Some scenes that you write aren’t going to include all three characters, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t as close as the others. Sure, Harry/Ron probably have more scenes together, but that doesn’t mean that Harry cares more about Ron than Hermione. It’s just how the story goes. Don’t focus on the amount of screen-time (metaphorically, book time) that the characters spend together, and build more on the amount that they care, or mention the friends/do things/protect/care for the friend, even when they aren’t around.



What makes a best friend their *best* friend, though?:

Sometimes there’s no BFF in a novel. Sometimes a character has a few friends, but they don’t know them like that. And in that instance, it’s other characters like family, or their love interest, that they find that connection with. But say that you’re writing a story about a girl called Clare. And Clare really likes a boy named Evan. Clare’s best friend, Freya, is the closest person to her. They’ve been friends forever. Just because Clare might start/starts dating Evan, and develops a major connection to him, it doesn’t mean that the friendship connection she has with Freya is gone. I see this happening so often in novels that when the love interest comes along, they forget about the friendships. They push them aside for love: and that’s not true to life (in most cases). 

Fancy reading with your BFF? Check out this article!

Best friend name ideas that sound awesome together:

Sasha + Patrick

Riley + Nolan

Mimi + Lydia

Sebastian + Audrey

Remi + Bonnie

Kai + Dylan

Willow + Ashlie

Penny + Sage

I hope that you’ve loved my few tips for writing BFFs in Literature!


Join me next week for:


Opening Lines!

happy writing!

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Writing Wednesday #1: Intro & Naming Characters

Hello lovely book lovers! Okay, so you’ve probably been wondering why my Blog’s design has changed up so much. Long story short, I’m really really picky. I’ve decided to change up my theme a little bit over the last few weeks and it’s now completely done and renovated! I’m really happy with it now and seeing it all together, designing and coding, has been a task. But so worth the hard work.

Onto the theme: Writing Wednesdays. I’ve always wanted to do a segment on PLM about writing, because aside from reading, it’s my favourite thing to do. Writing brings me peace and creating stories has been in a major fixture in my life since I was a young child. So, Writing Wednesdays was brought into the world a couple weeks ago when I was hunting for a theme to do. I decided that, because they both begin with a W, that they were a perfect fit (cliche, I know).


This week’s topic is:

Naming Characters (and ideas!)

Sometimes, the right name just doesn’t come to you. At all. And then you’re left wondering how this incredible story can go on inside your head without a name for your leading character. Yeah, I know the feeling. It’s tough. And it’s happened a lot to me, you know, there’s the story in your head, but no name. Sometimes, on a rare occasion, a name will come to me, but most often they don’t. So, I turn to the internet and things around me for ideas and inspiration. Even then, there’s not always a great fit. Sometimes you just want a cute, preppy name, or others, a medieval sounding name for a viking. Either way, I’ve got you covered below with tips, ideas and where to find those killer names.



Girl Names that I love for writing:

Astrid 

Ava

Anna

Allison

Aly

Anastasia

Avril

April

Beatrice

Beatrix

Bea

Bonnie

Candice

Callie 

Camille

Dinah

Destiny

Elly

Eva

Etta

Freya

Fiona

Georgie

Gretchen

Greta

Hanna

Hallie

Harriet

Iris

Ingrid

Josie

Jade

Jilly

Kat

Kathrine

Kimmie

Kami

Leona

Lana

Monique

Marin

Maren

Maddie

Madison

Natalia

Nina

Ophelia

Opal

Penelope 

Penny

Piper

Phoebe

Queen

Rebecca 

Rivka

Rachael

Rhea

Sophie

Sofia

Sadie

Serena

Sienna

Tina

Tiana

Tabitha

Tate

Ursula

Vivian

Willow

Willa

Xena

Yaella

Zelda



Boy Names that I love for writing:

Aaron

Austin

Benjamin

Bill

Bernie

Calvin

Cameron

Cole

Colton

Danny

Devin

Dan

Drew

Evan

Elliot

Ewan

Freddie

Frankie

George

Grant

Hank

Holton

Ian

Iain

Isaiah

Isaac

Joe

Jolyon

Jerry

Justin

Kane

Kev

Liam

Lewis

Levi

Monty

Melvin

Mikey

Mason

Noah

Nick

Nev

Oliver

Oli

Peter

Phil

Quentin

Roberto

Ricky

Randall

Simon

Sid

Seth

Timmy

Tate

Tom

Trent

Ugo

Victor

Vincent

Will

Weston

Witt

Xavier

Yael

Zane

Picking Origin, Season & Themed Names:

When it comes to picking a unique name that fits your novel perfectly, sometimes you’ll find that picking a name based on a season (Summer, Autumn) is sentimental for a seasonal based novel. Likewise for books set in Space and picking names (Astrid, Venus) you’ll get a more authentic feel. You get a cleaner, believable novel. For me, if I started reading a book set in the future and in some dystopian land, and the characters name was Ed, it would throw me off a bit. You’d think that in an advanced timeline, the names would be more adventurous. Say, for example, adding extra letters to the names, like Edde, but pronounced the same way you’d say Ed, would be a thousand times better.

Picking a name for your characters really can determine the readability. 



Where can I find more names?

There are countless websites on the internet (even some books in your local Library!) with tons of names. You’ll most likely find these in the baby names section, because so far, there isn’t a section for creating names for characters (sadly). Sometimes searching the internet is so much easier! When I’m stuck for names, I normally head on over to Nameberry. They have sections based on letters, seasons, origins and so much more. They’re one of the most fluid websites for picking unisex names, finding what names mean (did you know my name, Rebecca, means knotted cord / captivating?) and name ranking worldwide! And best of all, it’s free to browse. 


What are the most popular names right now?

In the world, currently ranking on Nameberry states that these are the top girl names:


Olivia

Cora

Amelia

Charlotte

Isla

Isabella

Maia

Aurora

Amara

Ava


And these are the top boy names currently worldwide:


Atticus

Asher

Jack

Theodore

Jasper

Milo

Oliver

Silas

Henry

Wyatt

So there we have it. A whole lot of names, information and hopefully a kick-start to making that novel of yours EVEN BETTER! And I can’t wait to read your novel someday, because I can already tell that you are doing amazing. So set your goals, get picking names, and crush your writing! Remember to aim for 1k – 3k a day to maintain a nice, healthy streak and rack up those numbers.

See you next week for: FRIENDSHIP – HOW TO WRITE BFFS IN LITERATURE.

happy writing!

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If We Were Having Coffee Together… #1

I have never felt like any of my posts here, about books, could allow you all to get to know who I am. Yes, there’s Q&A’s, but that’s just pointless, in my opinion. There’s Twitter, but updating you on my personal life, on other things, is strange to do over Twitter (huge things, anyway. Not that there is huge news, or anything. Same old, same old.) But I wanted to do something, nonetheless. So when I stumbled upon a meme a lot of bloggers did called If We Were Having Coffee, I thought, “Brilliant! I love coffee!” But promptly realized we wouldn’t actually be having a latte at Starbucks and gossiping about stuff. Still, this is as close as we can get to it, so let’s get on with the post…


 If we were having coffee…I would tell you that a little shop I’ve been talking about for a long time called Lacuna Candle Co just opened up on Etsy. If you love bookish and seasonal candles, you’ll definitely want to stop by. They are some of the nicest scents ever! (If I may say so myself…) 


If we were having coffee…I would try to get you to listen to Kacey Musgraves new album Golden Hour. She’s such a talented writer and singer. Even if you don’t like Country music, you’ll at least like one song from her album. My favourites are Slow Burn, Rainbow and Love is A Wild Thing so far. But picking just one is like trying to decide what book to read next! 

If we were having coffee…I would tell you that I’ve started writing, again. Me and Writing have a love/hate relationship. Sometimes I feel so confident in what I’ve written, but other times are rough. I scrap and start again, over and over. So when I got this idea last week, I’ve been dabbling in it while blogging and trying to get my writing mojo back. For now, it’s going well (fingers crossed) so you never know! There could be a novel at the end! Because all jokes aside, writing is my passion. It’s what drives half of my love for blogging. So, I’ll always go back to it.

If we were having coffee…I would ask if you’ve read anything lately that’s changed the way you see yourself, or changed what you previously thought about a topic. This happens to me a lot when I read a new genre for the first time and it totally changes my opinions on things.

If we were having coffee…I would ask if you’ve seen a good movie lately. We recently saw Baywatch and I really loved it! It was funny and action-packed (the best kind of movie!). It’s probably the best movie I’ve seen since I went to watch Love, Simon, when it came out at the theater. So, I’d ask you if you’ve seen Love, Simon, as well. Because if you haven’t, well, you’re majorly missing out. 

If we were having coffee…I’d tell you I have to go and write some reviews because I’m on four blog tours this month and there’s a lot going on! But that we must, must, must do this again. Because I’ve missed getting to talk to you as non-book-review-writing Becca. 

happy reading!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I Wish Would Get Their OWN Book

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers come up with their top ten list on different subjects every week.


This week we’re talking about Characters that we wish had their own book! Characters that had minor appearances or were a best friend / enemy in the books, that were just too amazing to let slip through our fingers into the pages. 

So, here’s mine!

1. Abby 
Abby was just one of those characters I really thought deserved her own book! She stole the scenes in Take Me On and I’m waiting on her own little love story. 

2. Vee 
In Hush, Hush, Vee was the curvy, funny and sidekick to Nora, but she was always my favourite character for a thousand other reasons. I was waiting on her own little spin-off but Finale might just have done her justice on that basis!
3. Bruna
I loved Bruna in Feathers and Flames! She was by far the stand-out character that I loved the most. I’d love to see her get her own little story. 
4. Trina 
In Oh Yeah, Audrey!, Trina was one of the main characters but I still didn’t get enough of her fun and wild personality. Bring on Trina’s own Audrey-inspired novel!
5. Isaac
Isn’t this obvious to TFIOS lovers?
6 & 7. Michael and Eve
I know the series is now over (*crying*) but with the new Morganville Series coming to life on YouTube, I’m super excited to see them again. It spurred a thought that they would’ve been perfect for their own spin-off!
8 & 9. 
I know Twilight’s old news now, but when I saw this was the topic for this week, Alice and Jasper came to mind. I think it would be really cute!
10. Christina
I loved it being Four/Tris central, but Christina was such a multidimensional character, that I would’ve loved even a little novella of her!
What are your chosen 10 for Top Ten Tuesday?

Do you think any of the same people deserve their own books?

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter! Don’t forget to add your links so I can check them out, too.

happy reading!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Blogging Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers come up with their top ten list on different subjects every week.

_______________

This week we’re talking blogging confessions. And I had a LOT to spill!
Starting with…

What are your chosen 10 for Top Ten Tuesday?

Do you have any of the same blogging quirks I do?

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter! Don’t forget to add your links so I can check them out, too.

happy reading!
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Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Will Be In My Beach Bag

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers come up with their top ten list on different subjects every week.

_______________

1. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 
I’ve been dying to read this for so long with all the hype surrounding We Were Liars. I finally got my hands on a copy the other day, so it’s definitely coming with me this summer. 

2. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Who doesn’t love Morgan Matson’s novels?! I read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour and fell head over heels in love with it, so I’m excited to read a different spin of friendship in a summer read.

3. Now and Forever by Susane Colasanti
I might just have all of Susane’s novels and love each one in turn. So I was beyond excited to read about Now and Forever a few months before it’s release. I’ll surely be adding it to my shelf soon – and reading it in one sitting!

4. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Jenny Han really is the queen of all things summer and YA romances, so it’s no surprise her latest release made it on my beach bag list!

5. Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols
I recently bought my sister a few of Jennifer’s novels to get her into YA literature including Biggest Flirts, so I’ll be stealing this one from her this summer!

6. French Kiss by Sarra Manning
This one has been sitting on my shelf all year and it’s begging to be read! Looks like I saved it for those lazy summer days when reading is number one on my priority list. 


7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I adored the premise of Fangirl and it’s no wonder so many of Rainbow’s books are so successful. I can’t wait to start reading it!

8. Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
I’m halfway through Catching Jordan and it’s SO good. I know I’ll be reading more from Miranda this summer for sure.

9. Keeping The Moon by Sarah Dessen
Another one that’s been sitting on my shelf for some time is Keeping The Moon. It looks just like my typical kind of summer-y read, so I’ll be swiping this one from my shelf, too!

10. Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith
I’ve had Wild Awake since my birthday in April (thank you family-who-know-I-love-books!) so this one is top of my list to get reading. Just one look at that cover and I could forget everything else I’m reading and steal it away to read. 

What are your chosen 10 for Top Ten Tuesday?

Does any of the above appear on YOUR list?

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter! Don’t forget to add your links so I can check them out, too.

happy reading!
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Waiting On Wednesday: “Wicked Games” by Sean Olin

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that shines a spotlight on upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Title: Wicked Games 
Author: Sean Olin
Release Date: June 10th, 2014
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 

TWITTER | AUTHOR GOODREADS

Wicked Games is the first book in a sexy thriller series where passion, lies, and revenge collide-perfect for fans of Simone Elkeles and Sara Shepard.

To all the locals in the small beach town of Dream Point, Carter and Lilah seem like the perfect It Couple-but their relationship is about to brutally unravel before everyone’s eyes.

Carter has always been a good guy, and while Lilah has a troubled past, she’s been a loyal girlfriend for the last four years. When smart, sexy Jules enters the picture at a senior-year bash, Carter succumbs to temptation. And when Lilah catches wind of his betrayal, she decides that Jules needs to pay.

By the end of the summer, the line between right and wrong will be blurred beyond recognition. Blood will be shed. Nothing in Dream Point will ever be the same.

This juicy summer read will keep readers turning pages until the shocking, nail-biting finale.

When I saw that Wicked Games was for Pretty Little Liars author; Sara Shepard, fans, I jumped at the chance to wait on this one. I love YA Thrillers and especially with that whole liar vibe about it, I’m sure Wicked Games is going to be a hit for me when it’s released!


What are you waiting on?


Don’t forget to tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on Twitter!

happy reading!

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Waiting on Wednesday: “Diamonds in the Rough” by Michelle Madow


“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that shines a spotlight on upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.


Title: Diamonds in the Rough (The Secret Diamond Sisters #2)
Release Date: October 28th, 2014
Published by: Harlequin TEEN
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 

TWITTER | AUTHOR GOODREADS

                                       

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.

I absolutely LOVED The Secret Diamond Sisters. When I found out there was more in the series, I was literally SO excited to read more about the sisters! The way Michelle wrote about Las Vegas made me want to hop on a plane and see it myself. October can’t come sooner! 

What are you waiting on?


Don’t forget to tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on Twitter!

happy reading!

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Set For Summer: Week One

Set For Summer is a new meme here on Pretty Little Memoirs, held on a Saturday or Sunday where I bring the best Summer Reads this year to you in the form of; Something Old, Something New and Something out of the Blue (a book that maybe hasn’t got as much popularity or is a fave of yours from years ago, or recently).


If you want to join in, make a pic (or borrow mine) and join up with the linky with your post! 



“After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. 

Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.“

 I’ve been wanting to read Open Road Summer for a while now, and it just screams Summer to me. This would be perfect for sunshine filled days out with family or friends, or in your down-time. 

 “When Brooke’s crush, Scott, moves from their suburban town to New York City, she decides to follow him there. Living with her formerly estranged dad and adapting to a new school are challenging, and things go from bad to worse when Brooke learns that Scott already has a girlfriend.  But as she builds her new life, Brooke begins to discover a side of herself she never knew existed. And as she finds out, in the city that never sleeps, love can appear around any corner…“

If you’ve ever read a Susane Colasanti book, you’ll know that with every new book, you fall further in love with the characters and novels. So Much Closer is something that will fill your Summer with romance and a sweet storyline.

“Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue

When Morgan’s mom gets sick, it’s hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one—until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn’t as far away as she thought…

Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue

Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan’s getting to know the real Adam, and he’s actually pretty sweet…in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone?

5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue

With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She’s not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend…and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can’t imagine living without.“

I picked Janet Gurtler for Out of the Blue because I hadn’t heard of her new book until recently, and she’s such an amazing author. #16thingsithoughtweretrue looks so awesome. 

What are you setting up for yourself to read this Summer? 


Don’t forget to tell me in the comments, link up your post or message me at @LittleMemoirs on Twitter!

happy reading!

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Waiting on Wednesday: “Just One Night” by Gayle Forman

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that shines a spotlight on upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.



Title: Just One Night (Just One Day #2.5)
Author:  
Release Date: May 29th, 2014
Published by: Viking Children’s Books
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary Romance

TWITTER | AUTHOR GOODREADS



 After spending one life-changing day in Paris with laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter, sheltered American good girl Allyson “Lulu” Healey discovered her new lover had disappeared without a trace. 
Just One Day followed Allyson’s quest to reunite with Willem; Just One Year chronicled the pair’s year apart from Willem’s perspective. 
Now, back together at last, this delectable e-novella reveals the couple’s final chapter.

OMG?! This just literally came up on my Twitter timeline and I was totally surprised! I had no idea there would be a final novella for the series and I am dying to read it! Gayle Forman has to be one of the best Authors out there and Allyson and Willem’s story wouldn’t have been told better by anyone else. Majorly fangirling over this. 

Waiting on this one like crazy! 


What are you waiting on?


Don’t forget to tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on Twitter!

happy reading!

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