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🌷 Blog Tour: The Deviants 🌷

Title: The Deviants

Author: C J Skuse

Published: September 22nd, 2016

Publisher: Mira Ink

Find the Author: Goodreads | Twitter


I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.



When you set out for revenge, dig two graves..

Growing up in the sleepy English seaside town of Brynston, the fearless five – Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane – were always inseparable. Living up to their nickname, they were the adventurous, rowdy kids who lived for ghost stories and exploring the nearby islands off the coast. But when Max’s beloved older sister Jessica is killed, the friendship seems to die with her.
Now years later, only Max and Ella are in touch; still best friends and a couple since they were thirteen. Their lives are so intertwined Max’s dad even sponsors Ella’s training for the Commonwealth Games. But Ella is hiding things. Like why she hates going to Max’s house for Sunday dinner, and flinches whenever his family are near. Or the real reason she’s afraid to take their relationship to the next level.
When underdog Corey is bullied, the fearless five are brought back together again, teaming up to wreak havoc and revenge on those who have wronged them. But when the secrets they are keeping can no longer be kept quiet, will their fearlessness be enough to save them from themselves?

Despite the vibrant pinks and yellows that are more girly and romantic on Pretty Little Memoirs, I LOVE a good dark, thriving thriller, so whenever they arrive in my book mail it’s like an instant connection. 

 As soon as I read the back of The Deviants cover, I knew I would love it. I saw the words Revenge and had an inner happy dance. I was a huge fan of the TV Show Revenge and this seemed to reignite my love for the scheming, slow, yet compelling thriller and mystery type. Ella’s voice is strong and sets a real tone for the novel, reeling me in. Right from Chapter One, which is unlike any opener I’ve read before (and what an amazing hook that was!) so I was immediately trying to piece together Ella’s secrets and the truth behind the Fearless Five’s motives, past and ultimately, future. 
The Fearless Five consist of Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane. They’re all so different, yet in the weirdest way, so alike. Despite coming from richer or poorer backgrounds, being a bully or in love, they are like magnets to each other. They live in this sleepy-type seaside town which always gives that sort of gritty, perfect setting for a novel like this and it really sets the tone. For a moment, it seems like the novel could potentially be dramatic and surrounding their teenage antics, but in that second, we’re thrown back into dangerous waters with more little secrets that were so long buried, crawling back to the surface. But The Deviants is far from a book about just revenge or fear: it’s about friendship.
Overall, The Deviants was the perfect book – and I don’t use that word lightly when it comes to books. C J Skuse writes with a pulsing heartbeat of a plot, painting a picture of these flawed characters who come together in the strangest ways with secrets that are far from lighthearted. I finished it in just two nights reading, tearing away at the pages, falling further into the sleepy town bursting with a plot that was impossible to quit. The easiest five stars I’ve ever given by far. 

 YA Fans of Mystery, Thrillers and Revenge.

C.J. Skuse was born in 1980 in Westonsuper- Mare, England. She has First Class degrees in Creative Writing and Writing for Children and, aside from writing novels, works as a freelance children’s fiction consultant and lectures in Writing for Children at Bath Spa University. C.J. loves Masterchef, Gummy Bears and murder sites. Before she dies, she would like to go to Japan, try clay-pigeon shooting and have Ryan Gosling present her with the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Buy THE DEVIANTS on Amazon

Have you read The Deviants?


What did you think of it? 


Let me know on twitter, stop by the other blog tour stops listed below and use #TheDeviants to get in on the conversation!


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🔥 Review//Tour: The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent 🔥

Title: The Flame Never Dies (#2)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Published: August 16th, 2016

Publisher: Mira Ink

Find the Author: Goodreads / Amazon



I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased. Thank you to Cara at HQ!


For fans of Cassandra Clare and Richelle Mead comes the unputdownable sequel to The Stars Never Rise, a book Rachel Caine, author of the bestselling Morganville Vampires series, called “haunting, unsettling, and eerily beautiful.”

ONE SPARK WILL RISE. Nina Kane was born to be an exorcist. And since uncovering the horrifying truth—that the war against demons is far from over—seventeen-year-old Nina and her pregnant younger sister, Mellie, have been on the run, incinerating the remains of the demon horde as they go.

In the badlands, Nina, Mellie, and Finn, the fugitive and rogue exorcist who saved her life, find allies in a group of freedom fighters. They also face a new threat: Pandemonia, a city full of demons. But this fresh new hell is the least of Nina’s worries. The well of souls ran dry more than a century ago, drained by the demons secretly living among humans, and without a donor soul, Mellie’s child will die within hours of its birth.


Nina isn’t about to let that happen . . . even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The Stars Never Rise was one of my favourite reads last year. I have the whole of Rachel’s Soul Screamers series also (that I LOVED) so when I found out that TSNR was part of a duology, I couldn’t wait to read the companion.

After The Stars Never Rise ended on a note that left us hanging in the air, The Flame Never Dies was a welcome read. I was met by these vibrant characters again and the unique plot that wove Exorcists and Demons together in a different, fast-paced setting that hasn’t been touched upon before, highlighting an edge-of-your-seat story. In The Flame Never Dies, Nina and her younger sister Mellie, who is pregnant, and the group of Exorcists they met in The Stars Never Rise, are in the Badlands on the run from the Church. 
But still, they know that just because they have escaped their grasp doesn’t mean that enemies aren’t on the horizon, because now they have bigger issues, like Pandemonia and the strict evil that controls it.
There is always something extra special about the books Rachel writes. Whether it’s the distinctive voice of Nina, the original take on mythology, or the way reading one of her books sends the readers away to a whole new world; each one is never shy of epic. The Flame Never Dies is high on thrills and low on romance, but that doesn’t stop the connection that binds the characters together through their journey together, or the ties that keep friends and family united. With a plot like a fast heartbeat, there was never a dull moment when it came to Nina, Melanie and Finn, the love-to-hate villains and the end of the Stars Never Rise duo. Each new revelation was exciting and the twists and turns were executed perfectly, keeping me hooked to my eReader for hours. 
Overall, Rachel has written another amazing story that is sure to be a hit with the YA community. I’m in awe at her imaginative story lines that never fail to entertain and enthral. 

Young Adult readers looking for an epic adventure.

NYT bestselling author Rachel Vincent loves good chocolate, comfortable jeans, and serial commas. Rachel is the author of the SOUL SCREAMERS series and can be found online at www.rachelvincent.com or urbanfantasy.blogspot.com. A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

@HQYoungAdult   @RachelKVincent   #TheFlameNeverDies

What do you think of The Flame Never Dies?


Have you read any of Rachel’s books?


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


happy reading!

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Blog Tour / Book Review: “Unrivalled (Beautiful Idols #1)” by Alyson Noël

Welcome to the Unrivalled blog tour! I’m the second stop on this chic, beautiful tour by the amazingly talented Alyson Noël! Today, I’ll be featuring an excerpt from the novel along with my review of the first book in the Beautiful Idols series!

Title: Unrivalled

Author: Alyson Noël

Published: May 10th, 2016

Publisher: Mira Ink

Find the Author: Goodreads


I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël comes the first book in the Beautiful Idols series. With mystery, suspense, and an insiders-only look at Los Angeles that echoes Gossip Girl’s racy and real New York, fans of Pretty Little Liars and readers who crave pulse-pounding romance will love Unrivalled.

 EVERYONE wants to be someone.

 Layla Harrison wants to be a reporter.
Aster Amirpour wants to be an actress.
Tommy Phillips wants to be a guitar hero.
But Madison Brooks took destiny and made it her own a long time ago.

 She’s Hollywood’s hottest starlet, and the things she did to become the name on everyone’s lips are merely a stain on the pavement, ground beneath her Louboutin heel.

 That is, until Layla, Aster, and Tommy find themselves with a VIP invite to the world of Los Angeles’s nightlife and are lured into a competition. The prize, or rather the target? Madison Brooks.

 Just as their hopes begin to gleam like stars through the California smog, Madison Brooks goes missing. . . . And all of their hopes are blacked out in the haze of their lies.

Alyson’s novels have always been around me, right from the start of my blog. I always see her novels in book stores and that proves just how popular she is. When I was offered the chance to read her new series that was similar to the likes of Gossip Girl and a sleek, chic VIP world of Hollywood, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to be #OnTheList for sure.

Noël paints us a picture of a distorted Hollywood, peeling away the rose-tinted glasses we view it with and showing us the Los Angeles that Madison Brooks, Hollywood Starlet, knows. With a shock opener and a mystery clouded with questions, glamour and VIP nights, we’re lead straight into the mist of a multitude of mysteries. 
Throughout Unrivalled, we follow four very different characters who along the timeline of the novel have varied motives, actions and personalities. There’s Layla, who’s the most likeable of the four. She runs a blog, which ultimately makes her more understandable to me, although with her dream of becoming famous, it’s to be a reporter. Aster’s character took some delving into to see beneath the surface of her true self. At the start, she seemed to be chasing fame at every chance she got, but when parts of her story and true self peak through, I liked her more and her struggle to step outside the family beliefs and tradition were very believable. The next character, Tommy, I had the most difficult time getting to know. His secret made him interesting, although not as intriguing as Layla and Aster. I can see his character development probably becoming more lengthily and compelling as the series continues. 
Then we have Madison, who is the focal point of Unrivalled. She is wise and knows what she’s doing, and it’s gotten her far in Hollywood. But when she goes missing quite soon into the novel, her disappearance isn’t the only mystery that needs to be solved because all the characters have something mystifying about them that makes Unrivalled go from a mystery to a twisting cliffhanger that echoes the realness of the price to pay for fame and the consequences of the secrets we hide. 
Overall, Alyson has written the start of something so great. I found it addictive, like a reality show you can’t stop watching. I totally get the comparison of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, where the book seems to step into the more challenging aspects of real life and how deceiving things can be outside of the TV screen. When the mystery got started and things picked up after the introduction of the characters, I was truly hooked and I read it in just over a day. If you love big city mysteries, mixed with charm, glamour and thrills, you’ll love Unrivalled. I’m excited for the sequel for answers to questions that it leaves us with and it’s already on my TBR. Five stars completely – YA mystery at it’s best. 
YA mystery, drama and thrillers. Fans of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars.
Number One New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël has won numerous awards and achieved international bestseller status for her wildly popular young adult series, The Immortals and The Soul Seekers, and her middle grade series, Riley Bloom. Alyson Noël is an established global phenomenon with books printed in 36 languages and sold in over 50 countries.  Now she is taking on the seductive world of L.A. nightlife in a new series using what she knows best: steamy romance and high-stakes Hollywood competition. 
Alyson Noël is the bestselling author of twenty-three novels, including The Immortals, Riley Bloom, and Soul Seekers series. With millions of copies in print, her books have been translated in thirty-six languages and have made numerous international bestseller lists. Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan, and is now settled back in Southern California, where she’s working on her next book. You can visit her online atwww.alysonnoel.com 

EXCERPT PREVIEW FROM PRETTY LITTLE MEMOIRS:

Despite the crush of tourists storming the sidewalks year after year, Hollywood Boulevard is a place best viewed behind a pair of polarized lenses and lowered expectations. 
From the string of sagging buildings in various stages of decay, the tacky souvenir shops hawking plastics statues of Marilyn in her windblown white dress, and the seemingly endless parade of addicts, runaways, and glamour-deprived transients, it doesn’t take long before the sunburned, white-sneaker-wearing masses realize the LA they’re searching for does not exist there.
In a city that feeds off youth and beauty, Hollywood Boulevard more closely resembles a former screen siren who’s seen better days.The incessant sunshine is a harsh and brutal companion, intent on magnifying every wrinkle, every age spot. 
Yet for those who know where to look (and those fortunate enough to boast a spot on the guest list), it also serves as an oasis of the city’s hottest nightclubs—a sort of hedonistic haven for the young, fabulous and rich.
—from “Prologue” of Unrivalled by Alyson Noël

Have you heard of Unrivalled?


Have you read it or added it to your TBR?


What do you think of the excerpt?


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


happy reading!

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Book Review: “What We Left Behind” by Robin Talley


Title: What We Left Behind

Author: Robin Talley

Published: October 22nd, 2015

Publisher: Mira Ink

Find the Author: Goodreads

I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

From the critically acclaimed author of Lies We Tell Ourselves comes an emotional, empowering story of what happens when love isn’t enough to conquer all.
Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They’ve been together forever. They never fight. They’re deeply, hopelessly in love. When they separate for their first year at college—Toni to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU—they’re sure they’ll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, their relationship will surely thrive.
The reality of being apart, however, is a lot different than they expected. As Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, falls in with a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship.
While Toni worries that Gretchen, who is not trans, just won’t understand what is going on, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in Toni’s life. As distance and Toni’s shifting gender identity begins to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide—have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?
When I read Lies We Tell Ourselves, it was clear that Robin Talley was going to be a huge hit in the YA and LGBTQ literature department so I was excited to start What We Left Behind with high expectations. I had heard mixed reviews about the novel and that there were issues with labels and pronouns for the characters (by the character), but read anyway to see my own view on it.

Gretchen and Toni are in love, but they’re facing different futures apart despite their close knit relationship. Whereas Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, is heading to Harvard, Gretchen who is not trans, is heading to NYU. This is the first real time they would be apart and they’re both worried for their future that prompts questions of doubt in their minds, especially after Toni falls in with a new crowd and for the first time in forever, feels at home and a sense of belonging with them. Gretchen starts to feel less and less like herself after she grows apart with Toni. She no longer feels like the person she used to be and worries for their future, if they even had one anymore – now distance and a sudden shift in their history make for an unsteady fate. Suddenly they only have two choices: will love keep them together or tear them apart?

I loved Lies We Tell Ourselves for the reason that it felt like I was reading something honest and true. With What We Left Behind, I still felt that, but I didn’t feel as much of a connection between Gretchen and Toni until later on in the novel, although reading about them separately and getting to know them, I connected to them individually. Their dynamic was a major plot device and it’s inspiring that LGBTQ characters are getting their chance to shine in novels – and in that way, it made for a great read. 

Inspiring, moving and a captivating read, What We Left Behind will give you a sense and feeling that you’ve just read one of the best in it’s genre. 

Have you read What We Left Behind?

What did you think?

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

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: “Take Me On” by Katie McGarry

Title: Take Me On

Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 6th, 2014
Published by: Mira Ink


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



Acclaimed author Katie McGarry (Pushing The Limits, Dare You To, Crash Into You) returns with a new story about love, loss and what winning really means…

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she’d never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can’t stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she’d stay away from. Yet he won’t last five seconds in the ring without her help.
West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping him fighting for her is a shot at redemption. Especially since it’ s his fault her family is falling apart. He can’t change the past, but maybe he can change Haley’s future.
Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they’ll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

 Having been a HUGE Katie McGarry fan since Pushing The Limits, I was over-the-moon happy to get to read Take Me On (thank you, Mira Ink!). I was looking forward to seeing how West was introduced into the story being Rachel’s brother from the last in the series; Crash Into You – a.k.a. the most amazing book ever. And Haley sounded like a tough girl, but I could see there was going to a soft side to her. 

Haley – fierce yet loyal – was just trying to live her life, although going through hell, still trying not to draw attention to herself. After quitting being a champion kickboxer, she didn’t look back once. Not until she met West, that is. He’s everything she swore she would never get involved in again, but she felt like she owed him something after standing up for her from her idiot ex-boyfriend in a fight that starts off a ricochet of events that would change both of their lives forever. 
Violent fights and standoffs lead to West getting challenged to a fight – and Haley gets wrapped into training him. He’s all-talk and she had her work cut out for her, but the more they melt into each other’s lives and secrets, the closer they become and the harder it becomes to ignore their strong connection. After swearing not to step in the ring again, Haley finds it hard at first, but once she does, she feels the adrenaline that she used to feel and how doing what she loved made her feel. But with her ex-boyfriend stepping out from every shadow and West creeping into her thoughts, Haley’s life is far from perfect, not to mention how her family is falling apart with every passing day. 
West’s life is far from perfect, also. His sister; Rachel, was in an accident that he knows he had a fault in. The guilt weighs heavy on him and a dark shadow appears over his life like a rain cloud. But when Haley comes into his life and starts to change him for the better, he starts to realize that she helped not only his fighting but the ways of everything, with every new unveiling of his life leading to a shock unveiling in his family secrets. 
Take Me On challenges Crash Into You for having two of my favourite characters. If you loved Rachel and Isaiah, then you’ll fall for Haley and West over and over. They were each unique in the way Katie wrote their back-story and the pain and heartbreak behind every secret kept from each other. I turned pages as fast as I could, sinking into the story with every new chapter. Katie McGarry writes what we all want in a YA novel; a bittersweet story, a complex relationship and addictive characters. 
Overall, Take Me On is a five-star addition to the Pushing The Limits series that no fan will want to miss. A seriously compelling story with characters to pull on your heartstrings. I’m SO excited for Noah and Echo to return for their second story…and I’m dying to read a story about Abby! Bring on that book and I’ll be first in line. 


I’m all for chance meetings and a story that evolves equally as amazingly, so Take Me On obviously had countless favourite parts for me.


YA Contemporary and Romance fans, and New Adult fans will find Katie McGarry’s books are perfect also. 

Have you read Take Me On?

What did you think? 

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

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Let’s Get Lost” by Adi Alsaid


Title: Let’s Get Lost

Author: Adi Alsaid
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary (Road Trip)
Release Date: July 29th, 2014 
Also by the Author: Somewhere Over The Sun
Published by: Headline (UK) 


Thanks to Mira Ink/Harlequin TEEN for the ARC of this book! As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias.

Five strangers. Countless adventures.One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There’s HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila’s own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you’re looking for is to get lost along the way.

 This is easily one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I’ve been looking forward to reading it for so long. I’m so impatient when it comes to waiting for books to hit shelves, haha, so I was thrilled to get the chance to read it!

It’s fair to say that Let’s Get Lost is my new favourite “road trip” book. I’ve been practically glued to it for days, never wanting to miss a single thing. All the characters, towns and memories that Leila left them with had just beautifully and effortlessly become a sensational YA one of a kind. 
First up, there’s Hudson. He’s a mechanic who’s debating his future, and it’s really important to him that he makes it on time to an interview that he’s running late for. Rewind a couple hours and Hudson had just met Leila, an adventurous and intriguing girl on her way to see the Northern Lights. She comes to the mechanics where Hudson works to have her car fixed and they strike a seemingly instant connection that lights up his story. It’s then that we can see Leila leaves him with a certain newfound outlook swirled with confusion about his life and when she departs, his story is to be continued…
Bree is a runaway, although she’s not alone in her travels when Leila meets her on the side of the road. They have a ton of fun and Bree’s life is quite inspired despite her reasons for running away and her emotional past. She’s a little rebelious but in a free spiritied kind of way and her story was by far my favourite. Her and Leila seemed like they also struck a friendship that’s again, a rare thing to find. Leila helps her, maybe even getting in a little trouble on the way, but when we leave Bree, it’s a story of a girl you’ll never forget. 
Elliot is such a hopeless romantic and the love of his life and best friend’s course of love has just gone off track in a way he couldn’t have anticipated. He meets Leila (or maybe she kind of just drives right into his life) and she is inspired to make him get his happy ever after. Leila helps him believe in love even when he wants to give up and I quite loved his story, too. 
They were ALL so amazing – and it’s rare to find a book where there are so many things you love wrapped up in one – so it’s no wonder the last story of Sonia leaves me with the most impression. She lost her boyfriend tragically and moving on his hard for her, especially when you throw a wedding into the mix. Leila witnesses how loss can change a person, and even opens up Sonia’s eyes to grasping what you have and not letting the fear of love get in the way of having a second chance. 
Leila is one of the best characters in YA literature. She has a unique and painful past that sparks her interest in her journey to the Northern Lights (a place I really want to see, even before the book, but more now!). Her past is a place she can’t quite see, but holds onto the memory of finding love with Hudson and the bittersweet memory of the Northern Lights in a poignant, stunning novel that I’m positive is going straight to the top of everyone’s must-read list. 
Let’s Get Lost is an absorbing, beautiful novel we all need in our lives. Phenomenal! 


Bree’s story was when my eyes really locked into the words on the page and reeled me in further, but the ending was just breathtaking. Too many to choose from!

Everyone. YA Contemporary lovers, even Adult readers are going to be moved by Let’s Get Lost. It’s reminiscent of a John Green book, so if you love his work, you’ll love Adi’s writing, too. 

Have you read Let’s Get Lost?


Tell me what you think in the comments or on twitter!

happy reading!

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Book Review: “The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3)” by Julie Kagawa *Spoiler-free*

* Spoiler-free Review! *

Title: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3)

Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Young Adult – Paranormal
Release Date: May 2nd, 2014 
Published by: Mira Ink


Thanks to Mira INK for the review copy of this book. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias.

Vengeance will be hers.


Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.
Monster.
Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions – her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost – the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.


THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

Julie Kagawa is probably one of the best Fantasy writers out there. Never does she not write something brilliant and enthralling, and so when I started the Blood of Eden novels way back, I knew this series was going to be one of my favourites, and it really has been. And I was super lucky to get a copy and even though the series was ending and bittersweet, I was dying to find out The Forever Song‘s last words.

It’s hard to stay spoiler-free for this review because of all the things I just want to write here and fan-girl over, but for all those who haven’t started the Blood of Eden novels or are on the first or second book in the series, I’m going to keep this spoiler-free and just display my adoration in another way!
The Immortal Rules will always be my favourite in the trilogy, even after reading all of the series – and it’s not because they don’t match up to it – but because the first book really just captured my attention to make me feel like this series was going to be a favourite. Whereas The Immortal Rules was a beginning of a story to come, The Eternity Cure was more action-packed and less story building, so with The Forever Song, we get the best of both worlds. 
Allie’s character really grew in the last book, alike Jackal. Where Allie had been fighting who she truly was for so long, and believing that she was a monster, Jackal’s character was almost awakened with potential to be the character of the book. 
The twists in TFS were tightly wound around the aftermath of TEC, and when the action built up, the whole story-world was just catapulted into a race against time and darkness, startling events and new unveilings. Allie was just a breathtaking character throughout the series and Zeke alike, but in this last book, even though it was bittersweet to see this series that I loved so dearly, disappear, it was one amazement of a read. The Forever Song was nothing if not the most gripping of the series, and an absolute must-read. The roller-coaster twists and turns were brought to beginnings and ends throughout the novel, and eventually brought the novel to a heart-warming ending that my eyes didn’t quite want to be true, that it was the end, but when the book was closed, there isn’t a single page that I regretted building to it. 
I seriously can’t recommend this series highly enough! If you’re a Fantasy book lover, whether your preference is YA or Adult, this series will satisfy your thirst. 

Without spoiling anything, I’m definitely going to say the final page and dialogue of the book. I think it was just *the* perfect ending. 

Fans of Julie’s other novels, Fantasy/Paranormal fans for YA and Adult readers alike. The Blood of Eden series is also out now, so it’s the perfect series to get stuck into right now. 

Did you love this as much as I did? 


Don’t forget to tell me in the comments or on twitter; @LittleMemoirs. You can also use #TheForeverSong on twitter if you’re reading it! 


happy reading!

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Book Review: “The Secret Diamond Sisters” by Michelle Madow

Title: The Secret Diamond Sisters (The Secret Diamond Sisters #1)

Author: Michelle Madow
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: February 25th, 2014 (US) March 7th, 2014 (UK)
Also by the Author: Remembrance 
Published by: Mira Ink / Harlequin TEEN
Purchase at: Amazon, Book Depository 


With thanks to Mira Ink/Harlequin TEEN for the review copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.





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.

Las Vegas, Sisters and an amazing synopsis and I was hooked. I mean, look at that gorgeous cover and I dare you not to want just a peak inside the pages, especially after reading that synopsis. I was so happy to get to read a copy thanks to Harlequin Teen and Mira Ink – I always seem to fall in love with all the books they publish so I was dying to read The Secret Diamond Sisters.

 I have never read a book set in Las Vegas for the majority of the plot, but that’s all about to change with The Secret Diamond Sisters, because I’ll be returning happily with every new addition to this welcomed new series. I was hoping right from the start that there would be just more than one book because I just couldn’t stop reading page after page with every exciting new turn.

 This is definitely a glamorous modern fairytale, where three sisters who had a rough start in life with their mother who a drinking problem, who get their lives turned around when she goes to rehab and they are shipped off to live with their father who they haven’t the slightest idea who he is. But another bend in the roller-coaster sees him announced as Adrian Diamond – the billionaire hotel franchise owner. But not all fairy tales get a happy ending and they aren’t all simple, and so things only get more interesting and additive from here for the fifteen, sixteen and seventeen year old sisters.

Savannah, the youngest of the three sisters, was probably the most welcoming of the new lavish lifestyle. She was happy to have more money to spend on all the things she couldn’t afford before, in her true free spirited way. She was a little naive in places in the new lifestyle in the Vegas lights, but nevertheless the most fun and charismatic sister. 
Courtney was the middle sister, but I was startled to find that she wasn’t the oldest. She totally took control and was the peacemaker in the situations where responsibility was required. She was a bookworm, like me, and sensible, not to mention very driven and humble. I liked her the best out of the three sisters by far, possibly because I could connect with her in similar ways. 
Peyton is the oldest of the Diamond sisters and the one with the rebellious attitude to pretty much everything, although entertaining in that very same way. She really didn’t like her father and pretty much rejected everything like the credit cards that he gave the sisters, which she prompted to throw in the trash. But I understood her hostility, because being the oldest, she had been through more than the other sisters and that way, I could see why she had an attitude to most things.
I’m not sure how I felt about Adrian Diamond, because I was influenced by so many different ways of thinking of him by each sister, so I guess I’m pretty much torn in each direction. Then there’s Rebecca (name twin!), who is Adrian’s fiancee, Madison, Damien, Brett…and so many other characters with mixed feelings about. They all had less frequent roles compared to the sisters so it’s hard to pinpoint how I felt about each one, but again, each was engrossing in their own ways, whether fueled by hate or love for them. 

Compelling, magnetic and enchanting, The Secret Diamond Sisters is a story I’ll never forget. It could be compared to the likes of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, but it’s in a total world of it’s own – unlike anything before it. I’m hugely anticipating the next in the series and I can’t wait to read more of the alluring and dazzling writing styles of Michelle Madow. 

Have you read The Secret Diamond Sisters?

What did you think? 

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

happy reading!
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Book Review: “Anything to Have You” by Paige Harbison


Title: Anything To Have You

Author: Paige Harbison
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary 
Release Date: January 28th 2014, 2014 (US) Feburary 7th, 2014 (UK)
Other Books by Author: Here Lies Bridget, New Girl
Published by: HarlequinTEEN, Mira Ink 
Purchase at: Amazon, B&N, Waterstones

With thanks to Mira Ink/Harlequin Teen for the copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.





Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys. 
Natalie and Brooke have had each other’s backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie—the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be. Then it happens—one crazy night that Natalie can’t remember and Brooke’s boyfriend, Aiden, can’t forget. Suddenly there’s a question mark in Natalie and Brooke’s friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means.

 As a huge fan of Paige’s previous books, I was thrilled to be able to read Anything To Have You. I could tell it was *exactly* what I was looking for right now, a Contemporary novel that is kind of half romance / half friendship, where it’s kind of in the balance between. I had seen some conflicting reviews on Goodreads, but having read both New Girl and Here Lies Bridget, and seeing that they weren’t alike either, I wasn’t setting out to compare Anything to Have You, to them, and consider it in it’s own league instead of comparison. 

The book started out in Natalie’s POV, which sets a very high standard to when we move onto Brooke in the later stages. I found that Natalie was the best person to start off the book, because she was a step back from the action and I found her to be a more reliable narrator as a whole. That being said, Brooke wasn’t a bad narrator, but she had a very strong voice and personality, and played the “party girl” who kind of has everything but still wants more, and was always in the center of it all. 

I’m always interested in seeing the dynamics of a friendship, because unlike a relationship, friendships have roots and are bound a lot closer than relationships. Natalie and Brooke were very different personalities and they clashed in a lot of ways being opposites, but their friendship is still very strong, though evolves to be on unsteady ground. Aiden, Brooke’s long-time boyfriend, comes between them quite a bit at first, even without Brooke quite realizing it. There seems to be that unresolved energy between him and Natalie, and it’s clear that as the book goes on, he cares for them both, although he remains with Brooke regardless of having alternate feelings for Natalie in the beginning. As the book goes on and the event of the novel takes place, the balance shifts completely. 
There was a lot of swearing in the dialogue, mainly on Brooke’s part (though Natalie does too), and I know that some other bloggers had found that excessive, but with the book being in the narrative of two teenagers and a lot of them in the real world using language like that on a regular occasion, it seemed more realistic to me, rather than unnecessary. Just like the drinking, it was something that made the story just feel that little bit more real to me. But of course, that’s my opinion and others may feel objective to that. 

Natalie was my favourite narrator and character, probably. She was a quite a bit naive and spent a lot of time inside rather than going out with Brooke to parties and other events. I don’t condone cheating or lying to your friends about doing so, but I did much more prefer Natalie with Aiden instead of him with Brooke. I think that Brooke took Aiden for granted because he was always so sweet to her, and she did on several occasions suggest cheating on him, and she was always in demand for attention 100% of the time. 
But that being said, she did live up to the name of being the bad, party-girl who always drank and swore in general. I do think that Natalie treasured Aiden more and even though the cheating and mystery of that night does end in her favor, I could tell it killed her that she had hurt her best friend, even if she didn’t remember it. 
The girls friendship is put through some hard times in the book, and I think that their opposite interests and personalities did make them seem unsteady in parts, but you can tell that they were really good friends, even if Brooke was a little selfish and Natalie was a hermit at times. I would’ve really liked to delve more into Natalie’s character, (because the POV’s changed a few times, and we never see her full potential as a character) and I did actually love that ending with Brooke. It was bittersweet to see how the roles reverse and how things changed as the book ended for each character. 


A seriously amazing book, Anything to Have You doesn’t disappoint in giving Gossip Girl’s antics a run for it’s money. With strong main characters and a killer storyline, it just knocked Here Lies Bridget off it’s title as my favourite Paige Harbison book. Definitely five star worthy in my opinion. That epilogue was worth five on it’s own. 




Have you read Anything To Have You?

What did you think? 

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

happy reading!
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Book Review: “Alice Through the Zombie Glass” (White Rabbit Chronicles #2) by Gena Showalter



Title: Alice Through the Zombie Glass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2)

Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy/Supernatural
Release Date: September 24th, 2013 (US) February 7th, 2014 (UK)

Other Books by Author: Alice In Zombieland

Published by: HarlequinTEEN, Mira Ink 
Purchase at: Amazon, B&N, Waterstones

AUTHOR SITE  | TWITTER | GOODREADS

With thanks to Mira Ink for the copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.






Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home. After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

As a fan of anything Alice in Wonderland related and a huge fan of the first book in the White Rabbit Chronicles, I was so eager to read book two to find out what was going to happen next for Ali and Cole and pretty much everything from that last ending!


Book two picks up right from where we left off in the first, and since I had only read Alice in Zombieland a month or so before, I drifted happily back into the adventurous world of Zombies and a few new characters easily. Not to mention our curiosity over what was in store for Ali and Cole romantically, because that element is a favourite of mine from book one and it didn’t disappoint in Through The Zombie Glass. Even though they got off to a rocky beginning throughout the book, things soon swayed in their favor. 

The curious Alice Bell is swamped by ever-changing Zombies and a world full of buried secrets, which is nothing new for the zombie-slayer herself. But things are amped up this time around, and Ali finds herself fighting for more than before. To get to the bottom of whoever is spying on the group, to uncover the many secrets that are still unanswered and to mainly, survive. 
Alice Through The Zombie Glass never fails at being enthralling, dark and suspenseful, in all the best ways. It’s so hard to pull away from, especially after reading for hours and hours! I just found book two a thousand times more enticing than book one, if that’s even possible. I must have read over half the book in one day and found myself getting nearer to the end before I was ready. Get ready for betrayal, love and a whole lot of action within those pages. 

Alice can’t help but doubt herself even more this time, and especially now that the Zombies are getting wiser, she must too. I knew that Ali was the same girl, just doubting herself even though she had no reason to and I just wanted for her to know she was just as strong and smart as she had always been. But because of all she had lost, things weren’t always plain sailing for her in any aspect of her life.
Cole was…the same Cole he had always been consistent as, in his gentle moments. Though he is hot and cold with Alice throughout the book, there is still that fiery connection we all know so well. He loves and cares for Ali a lot, and it shines through the pages, igniting their journey to this point.
Some of the characters we like/love are also bright beacons in Alice Though The Zombie Glass like; Kat, Frosty, Reeve, Bronx, Veronica and Gavin. My favourites will always be Kat and Frosty, no matter what. They were the stand-outs for me throughout this book, whereas in book one, I favored Alice. 
Gena Showalter 100% makes these characters so vivid and no matter how the books will change plot-wise, the characters remain the same, something that I absolutely adore about this series. 


Another immensely action-packed and charged story, Alice Through The Zombie Glass is far more than a book – it’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions, fierce slayers and incredible twists and turns that take your breath away. It’s no wonder there are so many of us that can’t get enough of Gena’s beautifully-written pages, characters and of course, Zombieland. 


Have you read “Alice Through The Zombie Glass“?

What did you think? 

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

happy reading!
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This Week I…{#1}

“This Week I…” is a new weekly sort-of meme where I generally ramble on about what happened in my week, book related and more. 



                          
Alice Through The Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
Anything to Have You by Paige Harbison

 

                                                 

                                                
  Stormy & Heaven’s Gonna Wait by Hedley –
I could listen to Hedley all day, so it’s no surprise they’re in my playlist this week
Perfume (feat. Sia) by Britney Spears – 
I only just discovered this version of the song online and fell for it completely
Dark Horse by Katy Perry –
If there’s ever a time for a girl-power / kick-ass song, I will always pick this one. And it’s so catchy! 
Overjoyed by Bastille – 
Such a hauntingly beautiful song
I Do Not Love You by Ron Pope –
Another musician I could find so many songs that I love within the albums! This is just one of many, many favourites I have
The Funeral by Band of Horses –
I heard this in a YouTube video and just couldn’t get over how breathtakingly beautiful the song is!



Teen Wolf –
I love how incredible this show has evolved throughout the seasons, and now in Season 3, I’m more enthralled in the whole Scott/Allison/Stiles situation more than ever before
Grey’s Anatomy – 
How can you not be addicted to this show? 
Pretty Little Liars –
I can’t EVER miss my weekly dose of the Little Liars and when I’m not watching
 it, I’m thinking of A’s next move. What are Alison’s motives? Is Ezra really A? WHO IS A, already?!
Some others I need to catch up on: The Vampire Diaries (Klaus and Caroline?!) The Originals (How confusing is all this Witchy-stuff getting?!)


If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch – Thank you; Orion!
The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow – So excited for this one! It’s been on my TBR list forever. Thanks Mira Ink!
Letting Go by Bridie Hall – I love reading novella’s every once in a while, so I can’t wait to start this one. Thanks Bridie!


What did you do this week?

Are you excited for any of these books/music/shows?

Tell me in the comments!

Happy Reading/Listening/Watching!
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