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

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

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


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

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

First Thoughts…

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

My Review…

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




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


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

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


What do you think?


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


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


happy reading!

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Book Review: The Fandom by Anna Day


Title: The Fandom

Author:  Anna Day

Published: January 4th, 2018

Publisher: Chicken House

Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I was sent this ARC as part of a giveaway. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


Add To Goodreads

Cosplay ready, Violet and her friends are at Comic-Con.
They can’t wait to meet the fandom of mega movie, The Gallows Dance. What they’re not expecting is to be catapulted by freak accident into their favourite world – for real. Fuelled by love, guilt and fear, can the friends put the plot back on track and get out? The fate of the story is in their hands …
A fast-paced, genre-flipping YA fantasy adventure from a brand new author, writing in homage to the best YA fiction.

First Thoughts… When I won The Fandom as part of my prize from my newfound friend, Kate, on twitter, I was so excited. I wasn’t able to attend YALC and snag an ARC myself, so when I won it, it was a dream come true. I mean, just look at that blurb. It’s a story about getting thrown into a real fandom world. Isn’t that the dream?! Or for some, maybe a nightmare?
My Review… Violet can’t wait to get to Comic-Con. Along with friends and her younger brother, they anticipate to finally get to meet the actors of their favourite fandom, The Gallows Dance. (Short note: I loved this concept. There are so many teens/young adults that love fandoms and it’s never appreciated that much in literature). Despite the actors not being anything close to the characters they play, lifestyle wise, they’re still eager to meet the fandom they’re all obsessed with. But it’s not going easy for Violet and her friends. After meeting their hero, they soon get thrown into the world they love. Like. . .literally. As in, they are in the fandom world they know so well. 

Everything comes crashing to a halt for Violet. Soon enough, they find themselves following out the plot as the timeline moves along as they know it. But with the option to change the fearful conclusions, Violet could change the world and risk her friends lives or do everything she can to get them out. Throughout it, we see so many YA Fantasy tropes and a twist on calling out certain over-hyped ones (major plus points) and how putting a contemporary set of characters into a dystopian world worked (brilliantly, of course). 

Overall, every single thing that happened in The Fandom was surprising, unpredictable and wild (in the best, best way). I was rooting for the characters as the plot played out, unraveling the storyline and hanging onto my seat in a carousel of amazement and adventure. The relationships between the characters were *perfect* and that’s something that just gave The Fandom a little bit of an added edge for me. They were realistic and totally believable down to the sibling bond. Everyone has at some time in their lives been obsessed with something or a Fan of someone and I think that Anna has truly captured the essence of loving something so fiercely – and what can happen when everything goes wrong. I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about it – it’s THAT good. A true must-read this year! 

Buy The Fandom Tweet This Review
Have you read The Fandom?

What did you think?

Let me know on Twitter, Facebook or in the Comments! 

happy reading!

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Blog Tour & Review: The Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington

Title: The Red Ribbon

Author: Lucy Adlington

Published: September 21st, 2017

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I was sent this book for review. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

Rose, Ella, Marta and Carla. In another life we might have all been friends together. But this was Birchwood. 
As fourteen-year-old Ella begins her first day at work she steps into a world of silks, seams, scissors, pins, hems and trimmings. She is a dressmaker, but this is no ordinary sewing workshop. Hers are no ordinary clients. Ella has joined the seamstresses of Birkenau-Auschwitz. 
Every dress she makes could be the difference between life and death. And this place is all about survival. 
Ella seeks refuge from this reality, and from haunting memories, in her work and in the world of fashion and fabrics. She is faced with painful decisions about how far she is prepared to go to survive. 
Is her love of clothes and creativity nothing more than collaboration wth her captors, or is it a means of staying alive?
Will she fight for herself alone, or will she trust the importance of an ever-deepening friendship with Rose?
One thing weaves through the colours of couture gowns and camp mud – a red ribbon, given to Ella as a symbol of hope.

Review

While I remember learning about concentration camps at school during History lessons, we never touched base on what it was like for the captors. In particular, these girls of The Red Ribbon, were prisoners held in the camps and forced into dressmaking. Although Ella, our main character, shares a love of clothes with the others, their passion is pushed aside and destroyed while they are commanded to collaborate together making couture gowns amongst the muddy landscape of their prison. 

As Ella, Marta, Rose and Carla become the seamstresses of Auschwitz, I’m truly taken by the element of sheer truth and believe-ability that has gone into the historical backdrop of these distressing times, particularly emotional for me (and I’m sure other readers) at various times. For a moment, I was wondering how such a deeply harrowing time in history could be conveyed as a Young Adult story, but Lucy does this with care, sensitivity and raw emotion that is suitable and readable for any reader from the early tween years. 

Overall, I just can’t stop thinking about The Red Ribbon ever since I closed the last page. I am truly in awe of the effort, truth and pure brilliance that Lucy Adlington has put into this novel, with these fragile and broken, yet strong and kind, characters bound together in a time where they were forced apart. This is a truly mesmerising tale of hope, sacrifice and friendship and I loved it!


Rating & Recs

Perfect for YA and Adult fans alike!

Now, for a special extract from The Red Ribbon!


I’M ELLA. I SEW…

 ‘I’m Ella. I sew…’
Imagine this:  It’s your first day of work. If you don’t do well, you’re out. Once you’re out, you’re dead.  You are literally working to survive.
This is what 14 year old Ella faces in the nightmare world of Birchwood.  Her fictional experiences are based on the real-life stories of young women prisoners in Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War Two, where a select few were saved from death in order to work as dressmakers for their cruel camp guards and for fashion-loving Nazi officers’ wives.
Ella realises she’ll have to toughen up quickly. She fakes confidence and skills to get a job in the Birchwood sewing workshop.
‘To escape from the nightmare I wrapped myself in a world of silk and stitching…’She’s ambitious. Despite the horrors all around she dreams of escaping from Birchwood and opening her own dress shop one day. She refuses to be treated as just a less-than-human, as just a slave with a number not a name.  Talent and determination keep her going… along with the memory of her beloved grandparents…
‘I pushed material under the new machine’s sewing foot and let the stitches run on and on and on, if only to hear the sound of my childhood once more. As it whirred away I was back in Grandma’s room, a little girl again, picking up pins from the carpet…’One of Ella’s biggest challenges comes as her friendship grows with gentle, heroic Rose. Rose is a dreamer, but without Ella’s fierce streak – a quiet hero who teaches Ella the power of love and hope. She gives Ella a red ribbon as a bond of friendship.  In her quest to get home, Ella has to decide how far she’s prepared to go to survive. Will saving her own life mean sacrificing her values and her friends? 

Lucy Adlington is a writer, actress and costume historian. Her novels for teenagers, written under the name L. J. Adlington, including The Diary of Pelly-D and Burning Mountain, have been nominated and/or shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the Manchester Book Prize,the Leeds Book Prize and the Rotherham Book Award. She also writes non-fiction for adults about the history of clothes, including Great War Fashion and Stitches in Time: The Story of theClothes We Wear. She founded the historical costume events company, History Wardrobe, has appeared on BBC Woman’s Hour discussing the history of underwear and she lives on a working farm in Yorkshire. She is currently writing a non-fiction book about women in the1940s.

Have you read The Red Ribbon?


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


ALSO: join in the Blog Tour celebrations by tweeting your thoughts and use the tag #TheRedRibbon!


happy reading!

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Paperless Post: the chic & modern take on tradition


At some point in your life, you’ve probably written out a card, sent out invitations or planned a party of some kind, either for yourself or someone else. But nowadays, for the modern lifestyle, everything is online. It’s a blessing at the end of our fingertips, just a tap away. I knew you could buy cards online for a few years and I’ve used a few services over the past few months to send birthday cards to friends in various countries across the world without having to go to the Post Office. 

But then I was introduced to Paperless Post. The name was bewildering. Paperless, I thought, surely that doesn’t make sense. How will they get the cards – and what will the quality and options be like? At Paperless Post, sending cards for any event, making invitations to parties or even for your business, is all digital: completely paper free – endless designs, colours, fonts and occasions and can be organised easier than you think. I was asked to test out some of their designs, cards and various and vast services they use and let you all know what I thought! 






Designers are your new (and affordable) best friends

There are many things in life that I get heart-eyes for, and one of them is Kate Spade New York. I have a few Kate Spade items myself and seeing her designs in card format are so gorgeous. Here, there’s a card that I sent to my sister, Sophie. There’s something awe-worthy and beautifully seamless about it. When it came to designing, it was super simple. The designer collection of birthday cards are gorgeous, but they also include more than just birthdays, but branches into events, save the dates and occasions to fit your life!

The attention to detail is incredible

Many of my Pretty Little Memoirs readers will know that Halloween Week of Horrors is a yearly theme on my blog for Halloween; one week of scary reads and awesome giveaways. So, I thought that maybe using the events section and sending out test invites to close friends for my Halloween event could be different to creating something myself. Just see for yourself the eerie and magical holiday cards they have! I am so excited to create more.

The possibilities are endless

When I was designing my Halloween invitation, I was surprised at just how creative you can get! Of course, being a cat lover, I had to pick one with a cute kitten on it! But even the envelopes are customise-able (sometimes for free, or for an extra coin, which I’ll talk about what coins are later). The fonts are quite unique and pretty and below, you can see that you can alter the size, shape, spacing and more as well, to fit your design. I created this particular card on my iPad using the Paperless Post app from the iTunes store, which is free to download. 

I wanted to test out some designs for the upcoming Christmas season, so I chose this gorgeous, chic design by the creator Jessica Hische. You can also buy some of these designs in paper form. Shipping is more expensive if you don’t live within the USA, so digital cards are probably better for those who aren’t looking to splash out too much for a card. This card, for example, starts priced at 2 coins, but additions including the envelope, custom stamps for the front of the envelope, can cost extra coins from 1 to 3 extra. A full list of how much the coins cost can be found here, but I’ll also add a snapshot of the prices below for those interested! 

What can you get for free?

Actually, a whole lot! On my travels through Paperless Post’s website, I found many of the free cards (minus envelopes, which cost, but the card itself is free – so those who don’t want to pay anything can delete the envelope option and pay nothing) and they were just as striking as some of the cards that cost coins. But it is nice to add that extra little touch that costs a coin or two, but you can buy a lot of coins for a small amount of money if you want to save up them for the year. 

Above is one of my favourites I made. I love the option that you can upload an image – and edit it too, plus add a filter. Adding a picture to a card that you can have pictures on doesn’t cost any extra. This combination looks so professional and it’s perfect for sweet sixteens, twenty firsts, or any big birthday celebration where you want to send out invitations to close friends and family! Especially since opening the email, clicking RSVP attend, is as easy as it comes. Anyone could make a masterpiece.  

As you can see, buying coins isn’t as expensive as you would think. Just 20 coins can get you a little stack of cards, or you can splash out and keep a little stash of coins in your account for the year as birthdays and events come up. I think for the quality of the cards, service and design options, the prices are well worth their money. The user interface is such a seamless process, so it’s honestly so much easier than having to go out and buy a card, if you’re in a hurry or someone who likes to keep things digital and save some paper!

I was kindly gifted some coins by Anagram Interactive and Paperless Post to showcase and review their items to you, but you know that I will always 100% be honest with you. You will never see me lie about any book, website or post for anything in the world – honesty is what I’m about, wholeheartedly. 

Overall thoughts

I was unsure what Paperless Post would be about. But now that I know everything there is to know about the site, it’s safe to say I’ll be going back for more! There are so many options for different occasions, and if there’s not the option you want, you can create your own! It’s so awesome. I truly love everything about it and I’m so surprised I haven’t heard of the website sooner! Everything about it is gorgeous. So if you’re the modern kind, or you want to reduce your paper for the environment, or even if you’re running late and forgot a birthday, Paperless Post is your new best friend. The chic and modern take on tradition.

This post was sponsored by Paperless Post.

happy creating!

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The Sense of an Ending: Review & Comparison Spotlight

Title: The Sense of an Ending 

Author: Julian Barnes 

Published: August 4th, 2011

Publisher: Vintage

Find the Author: Goodreads 


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

Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.

Now Tony is retired. He’s had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He’s certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer’s letter is about to prove.

The Sense of an Ending 

Hello, book lovers! Today I’m talking about the great read that is The Sense of an Ending. If you’ve been at the movies recently, or watching trailers on YouTube, you might have seen the movie adaption on the big screen (which by any means looks like an amazing film). Or if you were a fan from the very start when it was just a book, you might have been waiting anxiously to see it played out by famous faces Jim Broadbent, Charlotte Rampling, Harriet Walter, Michelle Dockery, Freya Mavor, Billy Howle and Joe Alwyn. 

I just finished reading the book that bounced onto the scene in 2011, and without a doubt can see what the hype is about. I usually steer toward YA, but this was a totally refreshing and welcomed change. Today I’m going to do a review of the book and talk a little about the comparison between the book and the movie and share a little about it. 



Review

After watching the trailer for The Sense of an Ending, I had only high expectations for the book. I knew that there would be some differences as with all book-to-movie adaptions and since I hadn’t watched the film, only the trailer, I could go into it with fresh new eyes. Tony Webster is quite the character. When he meets Adrian at school, in the past portion of the short novel, they become fast friends. Through their teenage years, they get up to all sorts of mayhem and trudge their way through inside jokes and fun times together – but something happens that throws all those good times to the dirt – and it changes both their lives, and the people around them, forever.

Adrian was always the smart, consistent one. But after Tony and Veronica, whom they were both friends with in the past portion of the novel, break up after a year of dating, Adrian starts dating Veronica. Tony, feeling a dwelling of betrayal and mixture of feelings inside, drunkenly decides to write them both an angry letter. 

But what we know as the reader could ultimately be due to an unreliable narrator and repression of the past, because sometimes, we don’t want to remember the things that happened in the correct way that they did, all because we think: we have time to fix them, which is in my opinion the true moral of the story. 

I thoroughly devoured and adored The Sense of an Ending. Without giving too much away, because Pretty Little Memoirs is a strictly no spoilers zone (unless disclosed beforehand) this book is a total game-changer that’s thought-provoking, witty and incredibly powerful at twisting the past and present into a life meaning lesson. It was warm, absorbing, careful and reckless at the same time, filled with multidimensional characters and a story that begged to be told. Julian Barnes is a brilliant storyteller and I can’t wait to watch the movie and become an even bigger fan. Five stars completely!




Watch the trailer yourself to know just what I’m talking about:


The Sense of an Ending is out in UK cinemas 14 April.

As you can see, this novel-to-movie looks incredible, doesn’t it? 

The Sense of an Ending movie is directed by Ritesh Batra and based upon the screenplay by Nick Payne and the book by Julian Barnes (did I mention it won the Booker Prize?!). 

The movie description differs a little from the book description, but we’re still following the life of Tony Webster, divorced and retired who lives a lonely and quiet life. He quickly learns that the mother of his university girlfriend, Veronica, left in her will a diary kept by his best friend, who dated Veronica after they parted ways. Tony’s quest to recover the diary, now in Veronica’s possession, forces him to revisit his flawed recollections of his friends and of his younger self. As he digs deeper into his past, it all starts to come back; the first love, the broken heart, the deceit, the regrets, the guilt… Can Tony bear to face the truth and take responsibility for the devastating consequences of actions he took so long ago?

Comparisons 

Some book-to-movie adaptions can be clear cut the same, with minimal differences and still play out wonderfully. But then, there are certain people who would argue that to make the film a hit and success, it must be unique and different to the book to really stand out. I think that the rule can differ, personally. When it comes to adaptions like Gone Girl or Divergent, they stayed relatively the same. Knowing that The Sense of an Ending played a more emotional and touching adaption sounds like it would attract a wider and differing audience. 



In the book, Tony remembers incidents over and over, whereas in the movie he recalls certain memories from his past but knows that his versions have been manipulated as time has passed by. Unreliability in a main character has always attracted my attention because that in itself is a mystery, trying to pick out the truth from the fabricated and I think that the movie has stayed true to this from watching the trailer and hearing the notes from the screening. 



Overall, I think that the book-to-movie has been done beautifully and I think that they picked the perfect people to play the parts of the characters, particularly Tony and Veronica. When you read a book, you always have this vision of who they would be or what they would look like, and for me this rang true and the characters did look very similar in my imagination! I’ve watched the trailer over and over (maybe I broke the re-play button) and I can say that it’s going to be one of the best British films this year.

What do you think of The Sense of an Ending?


Have you read the book?


Let me know in the comments your thoughts! The movie is out April 14th and it’s definitely one to watch.


 happy reading!

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🌹 Prestige Flowers 🌹

Happy Saturday, book lovers! 

Today, I’m doing an alternative kind of review about Prestige Flowers (pictured above). Since I adore flowers and everything Pretty, it was a welcome invitation to review!


About Prestige Flowers
Flower delivery by Prestige Flowers, Voted #1 on Review Center and Review Florist’s Editor’s Choice 2014. We have an incredible selection of vibrant and elegant bouquets. We deliver 7 days a week and next day delivery is possible when you order flowers before 9pm with our flowers by post.Each bouquet is designed by our head florist with over 25 years of experience and use only the freshest and most premium quality stems in our arrangements so you can enjoy them for longer. Flowers with free delivery available on select arrangements.We pride ourselves with an enviable reputation for quality flowers online with over a million bouquets delivered to date. If you are having trouble deciding on a bouquet our florist team are here to help. All of our bouquets are backed by our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee so you can safely order flowers. With an excellent review rating of 4.7/5 we are proud to be the UK’s favourite online florist.


 Review

Flowers are one of those things that just makes a room. They’re the focal point of fields, coffee tables and windowsills. Even with hayfever, I still can’t stay away from their beauty and wanting them in my house. When I had the chance to work with Prestige Flowers on their Valentine Flowers I was thrilled. They arrived in a beautifully patterned box (pictured above) and inside were the most gorgeous Red Roses that I had ever seen. They were delicate and strikingly magnificent. Along with the Roses, there were a box of British Crafted Truffles (included in most flower deliveries) and they were SO GOOD. The kind that you don’t want to share. I received these last Saturday and I wanted to give them a chance to bloom and thrive before I fully reviewed them and gave my final thoughts, and all I can say is that no other flowers that I’ve bought before have lasted this long and still look beautiful. Since Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, these Roses reminded me of all things love. They’re reasonably priced for flowers (actually cheaper than most I’ve seen on flower delivery sites) and they do a range of Roses, Lilies, Orchids, you name it. 

Overall, they’re perfect for all occasions, especially Valentine’s Day. Their service is easy to use and they have an in-depth review of all the flowers, occasions and types of hampers you can get online. If you’re looking for a place to get your significant other flowers for Valentine’s, without a doubt Prestige Flowers would be top of my recommendation list. Truly beautiful!

*This post was sponsored by Prestige Flowers for an honest review of their Valentine’s Roses. I was not paid for this review and was only gifted the above items. 

Happy Saturday! I hope you all have the best weekend.

love always,

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Blog Tour: “Relativity” by Antonia Hayes

Title: Relativity  
Author: Antonia Hayes
Release Date: 19th January 2017 
Publisher: Little, Brown
Links: Goodreads
I received this book for review on my blog from Little, Brown! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased. 

‘Relativity is wonderful, a beautifully written, heartbreaking novel that I feel certain will find the huge audience it deserves.’ SJ Watson, author of Before I Go to Sleep and Second Life


‘Relativity is a novel of assured and measured empathy, a story of familial love and familial hurt that is fair, honest and remarkably non-judgmental. Hayes is a convincing writer and a true storyteller: her characters are alive.’ Christos Tsiolkas, author of THE SLAP


Ethan is an exceptionally gifted young boy, obsessed with physics and astronomy. 


His single mother Claire is fiercely protective of her brilliant, vulnerable son. But she can’t shield him forever from learning the truth about what happened to him when he was a baby; why Mark had to leave them all those years ago.


Now age twelve, Ethan is increasingly curious about his past, especially his father’s absence in his life. When he intercepts a letter to Claire from Mark, he opens a lifetime of feelings that, like gravity, will pull the three together again.


Relativity is a tender and triumphant story about unbreakable bonds, irreversible acts, and testing the limits of love and forgiveness. 

First Thoughts

When I read about Relativity first, it quickly moved fast up my TBR pile because of the sheer beauty that it had the potential to be. What person wouldn’t delve into the pages after that blurb?

Review

Firstly, before anything else, this story is about Ethan and Claire. They are beautifully flawed and magnificent characters that light up the pages with their amazing bond. Ethan was a brilliantly written character, something that I highly applaud Antonia for. Since Ethan was really young, he has always lived with his Mum, Claire. But like any child would wonder, he did think about who his father was because of his vacancy in their family picture. 

What we get next is a story that truly grips the reader. We learn about Claire’s past with Mark, Ethan’s father, and the structure of their early foundation and how it plays into the future. As the magnitude of the situation unfolds in the pages, we learn that there’s more than meets the eye to what we know is the truth and how there are many versions of the same story that need listening to. This all plays into the unsteady foundation of the past and how it invades the perfect family Claire and Ethan had. 

I love stories about family. There’s something about reading about these strong bonds that makes me happy and sad at the same time. Claire, Ethan and Mark’s story is an unforgettable one that will have your heart breaking at the powerful plot. Overall, I couldn’t have loved Relativity more than I did. The characters were written so elegantly and the plot with care and realistic elements. If you love stories about the journey of family, love and bonds, you will adore this book like I did. It’s surely one of the best books in it’s genre that I’ve ever read. Five stars completely. 

Rating


About The Author


Antonia
Hayes, who grew up in Sydney and spent her twenties in Paris, currently lives
in London with her husband and son. Relativity
is her first novel.










Have you heard of Relativity?


What do you think?


Let me know in the comments and stop by the other tour stops today to see what everyone else thought of this amazing book!


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Carve The Mark” by Veronica Roth


Title: Carve The Mark

Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: 17th January 2017 
Publisher: Harper Collins
Links: Goodreads

I received this book for review on my blog from Harper Collins! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


**Reader discretion is advised as it has come to my attention this book might offend certain readers. This did not change my review.**

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?
Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.
Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another. 




First Thoughts
Veronica has to be one of my top five Favourite YA authors of all time, so when I was offered the chance to read an ARC of Carve The Mark I was over the moon. I had heard amazing things about what Veronica was writing next and with Divergent being such a huge success, I had extremely high hopes. 

Review
From the get-go, I had the feeling that Carve The Mark was a mix of Star Wars meets The 100 with some kind of drama mixed in to give it an intriguing edge. Cyra and Akos were the POV’s of the book and while I thought that the gender reversal of the gentler characteristics given to the male and strength to the female was refreshingly powerful, I had heard from some readers on Instagram that the book could potentially be offensive toward POC readers because of the race of certain tropes in Carve The Mark – so I would advise discretion to readers who might be offended by these elements, but I also stress that Veronica probably didn’t mean/want to offend any readers with her story.
Though it is slow-paced, I loved that it was because it gave way for the elements of the story to come to light and build a strong plot to carry it through powerfully. I had Shatter Me and Divergent vibes at certain points (which was a huge YES from me!) and the way that the characters powers projected through the pages was dynamic and brilliant. Cyra was my favourite character and she was a strong-willed and minded character (and I love those). Akos was one of those characters that I could picture on the big screen, though I couldn’t relate to him as much as Cyra. The way that they weave into each others lives with their special powers called currentgifts is enrapturing. They could either help each other survive or give in and fight – but the need to survive in their world is strong and they ultimately decide that they’re going to need help if they want to live.
The character development for both Cyra and Akos throughout the story was compelling and with the spaceships, planets and stars, Carve The Mark was a gem among the diamond-like solar system. The Sci-Fi elements meets drama made for a story worth jumping into and getting lost in the pages. With enthralling enemies, raw and well-written characters and the hope for more of the believably magnificent story when Carve The Mark returns in this duo-logy, I am in awe at the way Veronica’s writing has evolved and grown. 
Overall, Carve The Mark is a story worth waiting for. With brave and bold characters, a story set in the stars and a lively plot to keep you hooked, you’ll be turning the pages faster than you think. Though it didn’t live up to Divergent (because that will forever be the best), I still thought that it was in an epic league of it’s own. Amazing!
Have you read Carve The Mark?

What did you think?

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

happy reading!

👕 Review: #OOTD by Laura Hickman
Title: #OOTD

Author: Laura Hickman

Published: September 27th, 2016

Publisher: Laurence King Publishing

Find the Author: Goodreads 


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



What’s your outfit of the day?

Whether you’re a boho babe, a rock chick or a seventies sister, show off your #OOTD by coloring in these chic black and white fashion fashion flat lays – giving each outfit your own personal style.

Including real pieces by independent designers and many timeless fashion trends, this book is perfect for every fashionista and coloring enthusiast.

Let me just say, I will be totally biased because I love fashion. I scroll Instagram for the OOTD (which means outfit of the day) of all my favourite icons and celebrities. My style is a mix of boho meets edgy and opening the pages of Laura’s #OOTD colouring book, my wishes came true. Inside, there are stunning designs, outfits, different trends and styles no matter what your signature look is. 
I had the pleasure of getting this for review, but if I had seen this in my local bookstore, it would have been coming home with me. Not only do I get to colour (one of my favourite hobbies) but I get to mix two of my favourite hobbies by Laura’s craft of merging colouring and fashion effortlessly. One of my favourite designs (below, half coloured in so you can see the chic monochrome design) is with a laptop, candle, pen, headphones, glasses and daily planner, which ultimately looks like my day-to-day life when I’m blogging away. I love that the drawings are so vivid and realistic, equally paired amazingly with ebullient and fashion-forward highlights. 
Overall, I literally can’t stop thinking of when I get to colour in this again (right after this review, most likely). It’s perfect for girls and guys who love to colour, are addicted to fashion and obsessed with the #OOTD trend. I highly recommend it as a gift also! At this time of year, that family member of yours or your best friend who loves style and fashion will adore this. Five stars completely. 


Everyone who loves fashion.  

Have you heard of #OOTD by Laura Hickman?


What did you think?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs! Don’t forget to scroll that #OOTD tag on Instagram to get some major fashion envy. 


happy reading!

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Review: “Nordic Wilderness” by Claire Scully

Title: Nordic Wilderness

Author: Claire Scully

Published: October 31st, 2016

Publisher: Laurence King Publishing

Find the Author: Goodreads 


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


 Untouched nature, deep blue fjords, impenetrable forests, rugged cliffs, wolves, owls, and bears – journey into the wild landscape of the Nordic Wilderness with this new coloring book by artist Claire Scully. Discover the species that populate the region and bring the wild beauty of the North to life with your own colors. With some perforated foldout pages that provide scope for panoramic coloring, this irresistible book offers the perfect escape from everyday life.

Nordic Wilderness is a breath of fresh air. When I open the pages for the first time, I can almost reach into the pages and let myself be taken away by the vast lively nature and intricate, beautiful illustrations. I was over the moon to see that the Northern Lights were in Claire Scully’s colouring book. For years, I have always wanted to go to Iceland to see them and when I was colouring away fireside, I felt one step closer to the tranquillity of it all.
I was amazed at the panoramic pull-out pages and they were by far my favourite quality about Nordic Wilderness. It was lovely to see such a unique spin on the colouring books that are on the market! I think that with the autumnal and even winter nature that surrounds Nordic Wilderness, it’s perfect for the upcoming and current season. I’ve spent the past few nights with my pencils by my side in awe of it’s true beauty.
Overall, if you’re looking for a gorgeous and unique colouring book that you’ll be instagramming pictures of like crazy (like I was) then Nordic Wilderness is your new best friend. I can’t recommend it highly enough. 5 stars by far. Check out more about the book below and my pictures!

 EVERYONE. 

What do you think of Nordic Wilderness?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs! It’s out TODAY!


happy reading!

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Review: FUN SCIENCE by Charlie McDonnell

Title: Fun Science

Author: Charlie McDonnell

Published: October 6th, 2016

Publisher: Quadrille Publishing

Find the Author: Goodreads | Twitter | Website


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


 Welcome, fellow humans (and others), to the the world of FUN SCIENCE! I’m Charlie, also known across the internet as charlieissocoollike.

In my book, I’ll be taking you on an awesome journey through the cosmos, beginning with the Big Bang through to the Solar System and the origins of life on Earth, all the way down to the particles that make up everything around us (including you and me!).

Expect frequent digressions, tons of illustrations of not-so-sciencey things (NB a microwave flying through space), and pages packed with my all time favourite mind-bending science facts.

So, get ready for a faster-than-the-speed of-light (OK, not quite) tour of all of the best and most interesting things that science has to offer us… and most importantly: WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSE!

(Written by a Science Fan NOT at scientist!)

I’ve always had a love for astronomy, galaxies, the Earth and everything that’s not yet been discovered (underwater city theory?), so Fun Science reignited that love for those things. I’d heard of Charlie on YouTube before and saw some of his videos so I knew that there would be a really distinctive, friendly kind of narrative to Fun Science (even if I wasn’t the best at Science at School).

Fun Science makes learning things cool. This is the first thing that I learn when I delve into the book. We first learn about The Universe, hence everything from 13.8 Billion years ago in time to learn that we, in fact, are all made of the Universe (and how cool are the illustrations? THE BEST). There are big facts, smaller ones, ones you might have heard before and ones that I was kind of surprised to find out about the Universe, the solar system, the big bang and even our brains. It’s these interesting and good-to-know facts and descriptions that make Science actually…fun. 
Being twenty years old and looking back, I did my fair share of Science at school and it wasn’t my favourite subject. Astronomy, on the other hand, was one of my favourite things to learn more about (including reading countless things about stars, other solar systems and comets). Fun Science actually covers some of these things and more, like the nervous system, our bodies and life itself. The strikingly intricate and wonderful illustrations are fun and lively and Charlie’s distinctive voice shines through as he talks up the Universe to the readers.
Overall, Fun Science is just that: it’s everything you thought was hard and unnecessary made fun and actually amazing to read. I’ve already been trying out some of my new knowledge on my friends and family and they’ve even delved into the pages themselves. After reading Fun Science I honestly feel like I’ve just sat through the best Science lesson of my life, complete with jokes and easy to learn and understand facts and not-so-Science things too. A definite five-star firework of a book.

 Readers young and old.

Have you read Fun Science?


What did you think?


Let me know in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter using the tag #FunScience.


happy reading!

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🎡 Review: Whisper To Me by Nick Lake 🎡

Title: Whisper To Me 

Author: Nick Lake

Published: May 3rd, 2016

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Find the Author: Goodreads | Twitter

Reviews also by this Author: There Will Be Lies

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

A remarkable story of strange beauty and self-discovery from Printz Award winner Nick Lake

Cassie is writing a letter to the boy whose heart she broke. She’s trying to explain why. Why she pushed him away. Why her father got so angry when he saw them together. Why she disappears some nights. Why she won’t let herself remember what happened that long-ago night on the boardwalk. Why she fell apart so completely.

Desperate for his forgiveness, she’s telling the whole story of the summer she nearly lost herself. She’s hoping he’ll understand as well as she now does how love—love for your family, love for that person who makes your heart beat faster, and love for yourself—can save you after all.

When I read There Will Be Lies last year, it was a clear hit for me. So when I saw the twist of a new kind of novel from Nick, I was excited to see what was inside this Ferris Wheel picturesque masterpiece cover.

After reading Under Rose Tainted Skies, a whole new world of YA Fiction was opened up in my eyes. It was so refreshing to see mental illness and real life issues in the Young Adult community, so when I started reading Whisper to Me, and realised Cassie also suffered these issues, I was enthralled to see if it would be acted out realistically and true to life. 
Cassie, our main character, hears voices. But it’s not like the voice that we sometimes hear, like our inner voice, but another. A voice that tells Cassie things. The book is written like a letter, one that Cassie is writing to the boy who’s heart she broke, but it’s hard to explain to him just why everything happened did. She can’t find the right words to explain why she had to hold him at arm’s length. The writing is honest, thought provoking and lively.
Cassie is this multidimensional character with this huge heart. She’s embarrassed about the voices she hears so sincerely, giving her some real life down-to-earth aspects. Her voice made me laugh, then cry, and root for her so much. Her Dad is extremely protective of her, coming across as more abrasive than most, but he cares a lot for Cassie and wants to shield her. Paris, on the other hand, took Cassie under her wing. Their friendship was out there, but in a good way. They had a quirky sense of friendship, even though they both at times felt broken and not normal, but together they found a new kind of normal. Through the letter, explaining whys and whens and things that she is sorry for and why she broke the boy’s heart were heart-wrenching. Everything in her life comes into play with her words to the boy, all leading her to the dark parts of her life. She wants to change things, she wants to say things to him and apologise for something she has done, that ultimately makes her doubt herself.
Overall, if Whisper To Me were the weather, it would be a dark sky with the brightness of stars radiating goodness through the blackness, meaning that though Cassie’s story might be dark at times, she had goodness in her life. Five stars, of course. 

Everyone.

Have you read Whisper To Me?


What did you think?


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


happy reading!

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