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Book Review: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett




Serious Moonlight

Author: Jenn Bennett

Published by: Simon & Schuster on May 16th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary Romance

Similar Books I’ve Read: Hello, Goodbye & Everything In Between


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



Raised in isolation and home-schooled by her strict grandparents, the only experience Birdie has had of the outside world is through her favourite crime books.
But everything changes when she takes a summer job working the night shift at a historic Seattle hotel. There she meets Daniel Aoki, the hotel’s charismatic driver, and together they stumble upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—is secretly meeting someone at the hotel.
To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell, and in doing so, realize that the most confounding mystery of all may just be her growing feelings for Daniel. 



First Thoughts  


As soon as Jenn Bennett launches a new book, I’m 100% there for it. I’ve been an avid collector and reader of her books only in the last couple years (I know, I’m so far behind) but when I got Serious Moonlight in the mail, I did a little happy dance. The UK Cover (I’ll input it below at the end of the post) is seriously stunning and so is the US one! I’m torn between which one I love the most. 




My Review


I read Serious Moonlight over forty-eight hours, breaking for sleep (well, a little) and had to dive straight back in (if you read this book, you’ll know why.) Birdie, our main character, loves mystery and crime books and is a self-confessed bookworm, so we have pretty much that huge aspect in common. She’s been raised in a sort of isolation because she was home-schooled by her grandparents, and that’s something else that I had in common with Birdie (I was homeschooled from the age of fourteen) so the connection between us was extremely strong and I felt my heart follow her story with eager eyes and fast page-turning.


Her world gets a little busier when she takes a summer job working the night shift at a hotel. That’s where we meet Daniel Aoki, who works at the hotel as a driver (he also happens to be charming and gorgeous, because, of course he is.) There’s that spark between them (Jenn writes these so perfectly and un-instalove) as they start to investigate a mystery together. They start to delve into finding a recluse writer who nobody has ever seen, spending more and more time together – growing closer and spending quality time, letting Birdie come out of her shell – searching for clues when they find out the writer will be meeting someone at the hotel they’re working at. 


Overall, Serious Moonlight has seriously stolen my heart. Not only were the characters so vividly human and complex, but with mental health aspects and diversity rep, character building and a romance that was woven into the plot with ease and healthily positive. Daniel and Birdie seemed so unlike each other at the start, but by the end, you can see just how akin they are to each other, mirrored in their moments at cafés and eating pie and investigating mysteries together. I cannot gush about this read more than this – YA Romance fans (and those who like a mystery thrown in there for good measure) will adore this five-star read with characters that feel like they’re sat right beside you while you’re reading their story. Huge love for Jenn Bennett’s newest read!




 

the UK cover!


Have you read Serious Moonlight?


What are your thoughts?


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




happy reading!

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Blog Tour & Review: “All We Could Have Been” by T. E. Carter


Hello and welcome back to PLM! Today I have one of the most powerfully brilliant books that’s provoked after thoughts even after I’d finished reading. Keep reading to find out why I thought this book was a true gem and for an exclusive guest post by T.E. Carter that’s an amazing read!


All We Could Have Been

Author: T. E. Carter

Published by: S&S Children’s on May 2nd, 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Girl In The Broken Mirror, In Search Of Us


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



162 days. That’s how long Lexi needs to survive at her new school. Every year, she starts somewhere else under a new name, hiding in plain sight for as long as she can manage. Her record is 134, but it’s senior year now and if she can make it till June, she can disappear into the real world. Maybe a big city, where no one recognizes her and no one knows about her brother and what he did. But this time things are different. This time there’s her new friend, Ryan, who makes her believe that she belongs somewhere. This time there’s Marcus, the boy who looks at her in a way no one has before. This time she’s actually started to miss her older brother, Scott, even though she knows she shouldn’t. Scott was the boy who hung out with her reading comics and riding bikes. The boy who applied Band-Aids to scraped knees and chased away spiders. But he’s also the reason that she’s been in hiding away from the world, and from herself. It’s just 162 days, but for Lexi that’s a few days too many. Because it turns out you can’t really run away from who you are. Eventually, the truth will always catch up with you. 



First Thoughts  

I got actual liquid sunshine in the mail when this beauty arrived on my doorstep. Not only does the yellow bring me happiness (anything in yellow does!) but it looked ultra calming. So I was expecting a pretty chill or happy kind of read. But that was pretty presumptuous of me because only a glimpse at the synopsis and you can tell this is going to be a pretty hard-hitting read. I buckled myself in for an emotional ride.



My Review

Lexi is pretty used to starting over by now. Ever since her older brother failed to pick her up from school several years ago, waiting at home instead for the police to arrest him, she’s wanted to distance herself from the secondhand effects of the crime he committed. For years, she’s bounced from place to place, because whenever someone finds out what her brother did, it’s beyond unbearable to put up with the flack. So now, she’s at her new school – under a new name – and has a chance to graduate and have a normal life with people who don’t know. She finally has a good thing going. All she needs is these last 162 days until she can fully disappear into the big, wide world. 

But then, her world comes crashing in. She is desperate not to lose Ryan, her first friend that makes her feel truly at ease and like she finally has someone who knows her like she knows herself. Or Marcus, the boy that makes her heart beat just a little bit faster. Who might be someone really special for her. And underneath it all, she’s trying to push away her love for her brother, Scott, because of what he did, and because she doesn’t want to still care about someone who’s making her hide from her own identity out of fear. And it all comes to a head when the truth catches up to her and her new persona. 

Overall, All We Could Have Been was a true gem. Despite a little slow start while we had a world-building and backstory, once the fire got burning, it was hot. The only thing that I wasn’t so keen on was the romance at first, just because I wanted Lexi to complete herself, without love being the cure. Nevertheless, I read this over two days flat, back to back nights, wanting to root for Lexi and the future she so desperately deserved. Not only that, but it taught me so much. Victims and their families are usually the front and center ones that we worry have been pulled through heavy emotional times. But seeing the devastation her brother’s crimes had on her life and heart, it’s opened my eyes to how the criminal’s family must feel, too. Not only did Lexi not have any part in the crime, but she did nothing wrong. And now she will forever feel the burden of being the criminal’s sister. Everyone will always know her as that. So not only did I leave All We Could Have Been with having read an emotional, well-deserved four star read, I left with a pocket-full of compassion and knowledge from this absolute firecracker read. 





Mental health and its portrayal in books and media

I’ve been really
looking forward to writing on this topic, because I have a ton of thoughts on
this subject. I have to admit they’re not generally positive. In most cases, I
find mental illness is used as a cheesy trope or plot twist (Split, Fight Club, etc.), or it’s
portrayed as overly dramatic and unrealistic. Given the actual rates of anxiety
and depression – especially in young
people – this is disheartening, to say the least. When you live with an
internal voice that tells you you’re flawed or broken every day, it doesn’t
help to have media confirm it.

The other challenge is
that it feels like there’s this idea that how one character, even when portrayed well, handles mental illness is
how everyone with those same
challenges should or does handle them. This is also frustrating. I actually
went through this in writing All We Could
Have Been, because at one point, Lexi’s therapist asks her about taking
medication. She refuses, because she says it’s not for her. I worried a lot
that this would somehow be a sweeping statement on medication in the mental
health field. I really didn’t want that to be read this way, because there are
a million ways to take care of your mental health, and each person needs to
find the way that works for them and for their circumstances. Just as I would
hope that one novel or film about cancer wouldn’t speak to everyone living with
cancer’s reality, I don’t think one book, movie, or character should speak to
the full experience of PTSD.

I feel like we’re moving in the right direction,
but I still think we have a ways to go. When the first season of Thirteen Reasons Why was released, I
found myself in the midst of this discussion with people of all ages. Many
argued it was dangerous for anyone living with depression or who had been
suicidal, because it romanticized suicide. And for them, they were right. That
was what they got out of it. For me, though, I found the show refreshing,
because I thought it did the opposite. Hannah’s death made me physically ill. I
couldn’t shake the scene where her mother finds her, either, and it made me
think back on all the moments I was suicidal myself. I thought about the people
I’d leave behind and how much pain it would cause them. This illustrates that
the only way we can start to see the
multi-faceted experiences of mental health and understand the diversity of them
is through discussion – and through hearing it from another point of view. I
enjoy stories that are painful and don’t shy away from showing the reality of
trauma, but other people find them triggering and too difficult. We need a
variety of narratives that not only reach us where we’re at but that also show
us different ways people handle their mental health. 

All We Could Have
Been by T.E. Carter is out 2nd May (£7.99 Paperback, Simon &
Schuster UK)

Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones 


T. E. Carter was born and
raised in New England. Throughout her career, she has done a lot of things, she
has always loved to read and still loves stories in any medium (books, movies,
video games, etc.). When she’s not writing, she can generally be found reading
classic literature, obsessing over Game of Thrones (100% Team Lannister),
playing Xbox, organizing her comic collection, or binge-watching baking
competitions. She continues to live in New England with her husband and two
cats. All We Could Have Been is her
second novel for young adults.
@hashtagereads #AllWeCouldHaveBeen


Don’t forget to check out the next tour dates for this amazing book!


Let me know what you thought in the comments!


happy reading!

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Blog Tour: The Words That Fly Between Us by Sarah Carroll


Today is my tour date for the gorgeous and highly anticipated The Words That Fly Between Us on Pretty Little Memoirs! Keep reading to find out why this is one of my favourite reads of the year so far and in a league of it’s own!



The Words That Fly Between Us

Author: Sarah Carroll

Published by: S&S Children’s on May 2nd, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Unpredictability of Being Human, This Raging Light



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


Lucy’s father is a successful lawyer making a killing on the property market. She and her mother want for nothing. Nothing, that is, that can be bought.But money cannot buy Lucy the words she needs. The words to stand up to her bully of a father. The words to inspire her mother to do something about the family life that is suffocating them both. The words to become the person she wants to be.
Then Lucy finds something else: An escape route…Soon she discovers that every building on her row is connected, through the attic, to the next. As she explores the inner lives of those who live on her street, Lucy realises that she is not the only one to suffer in silence. She also sees ways she can help some, and ways to punish those that deserve it.
But as the mighty fall, Lucy is forced to realise that while she can affect the lives of others from the safety of the attic, she will need to climb down to face her own fears.


First Thoughts  

If there were a competition for the prettiest book in the land, The Words That Fly Between Us takes the cake. When it arrived on my doorstep, I was immediately pulled in by the gorgeous little houses on the cover and the colours that seemed super calming to the eye. I started reading not long after it arrived after failing to keep my hands off it for very long!



My Review

It was striking from the beginning, and I suddenly felt the weight of the world that artist Lucy felt. At home with her Mum and Dad, it’s not the nicest of set-ups, emotionally. Her father is a high-flying, majorly egotistical type, with a law background and now investing in property and other avenues. Lucy knows that she needs nothing because of this and has whatever her heart desires, but after all, she doesn’t need money thrown her way, she wants what every other person wants: respect and the power to stand up for herself. 

It’s not until she discovers that every house on her row is connected via the attics that she really finds her escape. She finds that life on the outside – of not just her life, but other people’s – aren’t always what you see on the inside. Others are hurting, others can’t find the words to speak, either. And despite being able to fix the people around her, when it comes to matters close to the heart, fixing them might not be as easy.

Overall, The Words That Fly Between Us was a dark horse in my loss for words, myself. I have been struggling to get back into a reading routine and actually liking a story and sticking with it, but as soon as I got reeled into Lucy’s world and the pain that spoke volumes through words that she couldn’t say, I found myself turning pages into the afternoon until the last was turned. When you take a step back after finishing this book, it’s like a eureka moment. It’s the ways that words mean everything. That dreams are meant for chasing. And that when we’ve got the right people around us and distance ourselves from those that mean to cause us harm, our light still shines just as bright. I could imagine each drawing that Lucy expressed herself with, right from the get-go, and I loved how Sarah wrote these in tune with her emotions. This entire book is just a breath of fresh air. An utterly deserved five-star read with a strong message about the weight of words.




Sarah currently splits her time between a houseboat in Dublin and travel abroad. She recently returned from five years in Tanzania where she founded and ran a hostel while working to support local community projects. She continues to promote ethical overseas volunteering through her blogs and films on www.theethicalvolunteer.com, while planning her next book.










You can buy The Words That Fly Between Us:


Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones




Don’t forget to check out the other dates on this amazing tour!



happy reading!

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Book Review: What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Title: What If It’s Us
Author: Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
Published: October 18th, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: ★★★★★
Find the Authors: Goodreads | 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.


Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.
Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.
But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is?

First Thoughts…

It’s not every day that a book as incredible as What If It’s Us gets posted through my letterbox. But you know what? I am SO. DARN. THANKFUL for Olivia at Simon and Schuster for sending this gorgeous book into my life, because it just so happens to have stolen my heart and run away with it. . .

My Review…

I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell you just how incredible this book was in the first opening line. THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING. What If It’s Us has exceeded my expectations and within just halfway through the book, I was already thinking it: this might just be the best book I’ve read all year. And it’s September. I’ve read a lot of books this year. Counting ones I haven’t reviewed yet, that’s almost 40 books. And this one just walks out, steals my heart and runs away with all it’s cuteness and gah. I can’t even put it into words. But I’m going to try. . .
The book is told in two POV’s: Arthur’s and Ben’s. Arthur is only in New York for the Summer and he’s already overwhelmed by everything. He’s helping out where his Mom works and doing things like coffee runs and mailing things at the post office. That’s where Ben comes into it. Arthur and Ben’s worlds collide when they run into each other at the Post Office and get talking. They have this instant connection, talking about the universe and their words just free-flow so easily with each other. But then they get separated by the crowd and all Arthur has is a snippet of a name from the box Ben was mailing – to his ex-boyfriend. 
Ben has just had his heart broken, but when he meets Arthur, it’s like the universe is giving him something again. But as soon as he thinks there might be something, they’re separated. They’re both beginning to think that the universe has it out for them until they’re reunited by some sleuthing on the internet on Arthur’s end. 
They have date after date, but they can’t really nail that perfect first date. So they replay that first-date-feeling over and over until they get it as perfect as perfect gets. But self-doubt and life keeps cutting their worlds further apart and when they both feel like they’re trying, the other feels let down. The sudden whirlwind summer comes crashing down and faced with the outcome, it’s make or break for their finale in their Broadway play of romance.
Just WOW. I can’t imagine anyone hating this book. Like ever. There’s cute-as-ever Arthur and funnier-than-funny Ben, and putting them together you get this couple that’s just breathtaking. Becky and Adam write their romance so honestly and gorgeously that it’s like I’m reading a Netflix rom-com. I was swept up in a love story so bright and beautiful that the real world fell to petals around me and everything became What If It’s Us. 
Overall, you need this book in your life. Everyone does. Not a romance lover? You will be after this book. This book is honestly a game-changer. What If It’s Us has been my favourite book of the year and is in my top ten favourite reads of all time, just like that. You have no idea just how validly perfectly-unperfect this novel truly is until you open the pages. Five huge stars!
You can buy WHAT IF IT’S US here:

Amazon | Waterstones | Book Depository 

Have you read What If It’s Us? Are you looking forward to it?


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


happy reading!

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Blog Tour & Extract: Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

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

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

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

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


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

 
PROLOGUE:

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

HOW INCREDIBLE DOES THAT SOUND?!

. . .

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

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

Have you heard of JINXED?


What intrigues you most about it? 


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


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


happy reading! 

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Book Review: Save The Date by Morgan Matson + Giveaway!

Title: Save The Date
Author: Morgan Matson
Published: June 5th, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: ★★★★★
Find the Author: Goodreads 

Disclosure: I bought this book myself, reviewing it as an impartial review. Giveaway copies are sponsored. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.
The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.
There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.
There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.
Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.
Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future. 

First Thoughts…

YAS! That is the first thing that came into my mind, several months ago, when I heard Morgan had another book coming out. I’ve been a fan since the Amy & Roger days, and this latest edition would be no different. I pre-ordered my copy on Book Depository, and when it arrived, I FLIPPED. But not because of the book, but because I didn’t know that it was a SIGNED FIRST EDITION! For a moment, I thought there had been a mistake and even took to Instagram to fangirl. But it was all good! And I began reading that same day…

My Review…

Charlie’s sister is getting married. For any normal family, this would be a perfectly normal amount of stress. But when you’re part of the Grant family – of GRANT CENTRAL STATION, a comic-strip –  it’s a whole other world of chaos, especially now that the house they’ve grown up in and was featured in the comic-strip, is being sold. So Linnie, Charlie’s sister, wants to get married there before it’s gone to them forever. There’s a lot of history there, and from the word go, there’s 100% laughs-meets-drama.
Charlie has been in love with Jesse Foster, her brother Mike’s best friend, since she can remember. There’s nothing she wants more than to be happy with him, but there’s history there, too. Things that have kept them apart. And despite their fiery past, their present has been divided from each other’s lives. So when all Charlie’s siblings come back for the wedding, she’s thrown into Jesse’s life again, whilst juggling planning Linnie’s wedding, and it comes to a head with disaster after disaster…
I’m always a sucker for these types of books. Morgan has such a way of building character development and making me automatically care about the Grant family from the first few chapters. There’s love – a lot of it – heartbreak, family and so. much. more! I can’t tell you just how fast Save The Date has climbed into the top three books I’ve read this year, and I’ve only read twenty or so!
Overall, Save The Date is a story not to be missed. There’s something so magical about this book, these characters and the way the words make me fall faster in love with each new chapter. Morgan has gifted us the beauty of her best book to date. I had this feeling, as soon as I’d finished reading, like my heart was full. And I think it’s to do with the family and love, that came together in this gift, wrapped in a bow, that never had a dull moment. You are missing out if this isn’t on your TBR. Five stars completely! GOSH I just want to gush all day about this sweet-as-sugar book.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster (and Olivia!) I can offer THREE paperback copies of SAVE THE DATE for a giveaway! UK Only, ends July 1st! 

To enter, all you have to do is follow the instructions on my pinned-tweet. Good luck!

Have you read Save The Date?


What did you love the most about Charlie’s story?


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


happy reading!

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Blog Tour: “Ugly Love” by Colleen Hoover








Title: Ugly Love

Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: New Adult – Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 5th, 2014
Published by: Simon & Schuster UK


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


Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. 
Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

This being my sort-of first New Adult read, I was on the fence whether the genre would appeal to me being a YA Fan for most of my reading, but I had heard so many amazing things about Colleen’s previous books from blogger friends that I knew it wouldn’t disappoint. And from the synopsis, I knew this was going to be a rollercoaster of a novel.

Tate Collins meets Miles Archer in a quite bizarre way, passed out in a drunken heap on her brother’s doorstep. At first, it seems like Tate finds him complex, like she can’t figure him out. But even still, it’s soon indisputable that they have an undeniable chemistry that Tate has never had with anyone else before. Although Miles is a closed book on his love life and past from even his friends, when it comes to love, it’s strictly off the table for him and Tate. But their attraction is too strong to deny – even with neither of them wanting love – they enter the agreement that will change both of them forever. 
Written in a mixture of present tense and flashbacks, I got to know Tate quite well really fast, knowing what kind of person she was and what she wanted out of life. She was a strong-minded, smart and highly likable character that stood out among the other lead female characters in other books I’ve read. But Miles was a little different, never really showing his real self or wanting anything else from Tate than their physical relationship. In the flashbacks, chapter by chapter, it starts to piece together the puzzle of Miles Archer, giving us answers to the questions we were dying to know. The ones that could potentially give Tate and Miles a future beyond a relationship agreement – and to actually be open to the idea of love – if Miles could move past his past and look to the future with Tate. 
Colleen’s writing blew me away. I couldn’t fault anything – in the character development, plot or ending – it’s rare to find a book that you can read in one sitting (which I did) without getting disinterested – but I can definitely say that Ugly Love was a flawless, passionate and ardent novel that was one-of-a-kind. This will not be the last book I read by Colleen Hoover for definite. I’m adding her to my authors-to-watch on my TBR list and doing a little haul of her books for sure. 
New Adult book lovers! Add this one to your pre-order now. You seriously don’t want to miss this one at all. It was everything I was expecting and more. A five-star heartbreaking, divine masterpiece.
AH. I don’t want to give anything away at all, because it would totally ruin it for everyone with all the clues. 
So, I’ll just say the ending – because that was IT  – one of the best endings.

New Adult readers, fans of Colleen’s previous novels and Adults alike are going to adore this.

Colleen Hoover is the author of five New York Times bestselling novels. Her first series was published in 2012 and includes SLAMMED, POINT OF RETREAT and the companion novel THIS GIRL. Her second series, published in 2013, includes the #1 NYT’s bestseller HOPELESS and the companion novel, LOSING HOPE. She has released a free novella, FINDING CINDERELLA, as a thank you to her readers for their continued support. The novella is a companion to her Hopeless series, but can be read as a standalone.

You can follow Colleen on Instagram @colleenhoover if you want to watch her pointless, random videos. You can also follow her on TWITTER, but she rarely tweets anything worth following. You can also find her on her blog at colleenhoover.com or on her very active Facebook page at facebook.com/authorcolleenhoover where she loves to give away free stuff when her husband isn’t looking.

Pre-order Ugly Love: Waterstones | WHSmith | Foyles | Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle | iBooks | Google  | eBooks by Sainsbury’s


It was amazing to get to be on Colleen’s Blog Tour for Ugly Love!


Make sure you pre-order your copy to read all the amazement for yourself!


Tell me in the comments what YOU think of Ugly Love or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!

happy reading!
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Pretty Pick of the Week: “The Offering” by Kimberly Derting

‘Pretty
Pick’ of the Week is an original feature (or meme) here at Pretty
Little Memoirs, created by me. ‘Pretty Pick’ was created for
the gorgeous book covers out there, that are out or are to be released soon, and etc. I
would love to see your Pretty Picks, so please share and link back!

 


Title: The Offering
Author: Kimberly Derting
Genre: YA – Dystopia
Release Date: January 7th, 2014
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster)USA / January 27th 2014 by Allison & Busby UK

 

THE STORY

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.
Charlie,
otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable
as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s
broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered
the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive
within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a
peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives
a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option
is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But
things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one
set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

 

 

 

What a beautiful cover! This definetely fits right into place as my anticipated Pretty Pick of the Week. I’ve read the first book in the Pledge series, and REALLY want to buy the second in the series to catch up! I seriously loved the first book, it was everything I could’ve asked for in a whirlwind of amazement in a storyworld. 

 

happy reading!

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‘Waiting On’ Wednesday: “Black Ice” by Becca Fitzpatrick

 

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating. This is my second one without having a cover to show off, again! But I can’t wait to see what Ms. Fitzpatrick comes up with for the cover… 

 

So, if you can’t already tell by the obvious name drop above, my Waiting On Wednesday post this week is…

 

 


 


“Black Ice” is a riveting stand-alone psychological thriller that takes place against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Seventeen-year-old Britt Pfeiffer has been training to backpack the crest of the Teton Mountains, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two occupants—who then take her hostage. In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off into the storm, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. But the task isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Finding one chilling piece of evidence after another, Britt uncovers the truth about a series of murders that have taken place in the region… and in uncovering this; she may become the killer’s next target.

BLACK ICE is gritty and frightening, twisty and sexy. There’s a touch of paranormal. The stakes are high and there is a definite case of it’s-not-what-it-seems going on…

Add on Goodreads?



 

Expected publication: October 2014 by Simon & Schuster

 

 I LOVED the ‘Hush, Hush’ Series and if ‘Black Ice’ is anything like how they’re written, I will be first in line to get my copy. Becca always writes with such realistic qualities to give the readers some belief into us being inside the book ourselves, getting lost in the storyworld, so getting lost in a psychological thriller will be a new experience for me!

So, are you looking forward to a new book from Becca Fitzpatrick?

 

Please write your WoW Post links in the comments bar so I can check them out, tell me what you think of my pick & I always follow back! *Google Friend Connect is gone, so please follow via bloglovin’ below!*

Follow on Bloglovin

 

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