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Blog Tour & Review: Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann

Trigger Warning: this novel contains topics that readers might be affected by.

Run, Rebel

Author:  Manjeet Mann
Published by: Penguin Books on March 5th, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Young Adult // Poetry
Similar Books I’ve Read: The Sun and her Flowers

*I received this book from the Publisher for review. This in no way sways my opinion and will always be unbiased.*

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When Amber runs, it’s the only time she feels completely free – far away from her claustrophobic home life. Her father wants her to be a dutiful daughter, waiting for an arranged marriage like her sister Ruby.

Running is a quiet rebellion. But Amber wants so much more – and she’s ready to fight for it.

It’s time for a revolution.

Strong Female Leads in Young Adult Fiction (mostly involving sports)

Alike Run, Rebel, Young Adult fiction has been featuring some kick-butt female leads that have a strong passion for sports and other headstrong activities either out of school or competitively for years. Not only is this highly addictive to read about, but very true to life. There are so many women in sports and getting to see them proudly displayed in YA has always been a huge highlight for me. Not only is it encouraging for the future generation of readers to pick up a sporty hobby, but it always plays into friendship in a big way. A lot of bonds are made during games and competitions. But in another aspect, in Run, Rebel, our main character Amber runs to escape from her home life. And because of the endorphins that come paired with running especially, it’s also hand in hand with mental health in a big way. It can actually help clear your mind and the concentration can be a big distraction from problems. In many scenes that I’ve grown to absolutely love, a lot of breakthroughs are made through these moments where the character feels their troubles melt away as they’re kicking a ball, running fast over the grass or kicking up a sweat in the boxing ring.
So because of this and more, I came up with some of my very favourite books that include female leads that play sports of some kind just like in Manjeet Mann’s stunning, poetic read.
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Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Haley is a champion kick-boxer. I know what you’re thinking: what a sport! It’s aggressively complex and has an edge that can scare some people away from it. But Katie McGarry has such a way with making us fall in love with reading her character’s stories, and in this way, we get to fall in love with the sport the same way her characters do.

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

In this incredible book, main character Sloane is a figure-skater. Not only is skating such a beautiful and intricate sport, but so disciplined and competitive. And when she gets to explore Hockey as well, it brings this novel to being one of the easiest YA reads that approaches sport with normalcy and true-to-life feeling.

Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally

Savannah dreams of being a horse jockey. It’s the only story that I’ve ever read that features this sport, because it might seem a bit rare for YA. But because I have no idea about it whatsoever, throughout the novel I learn so much about why Savannah loves it and the strength that she shows to prove she’s worthy of being one.

Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

Annie doesn’t actually like running, but because she feels it’s the only way to honour someone she feels she wronged, she trains to take part in a marathon. Even though she detests the sport in the beginning, we see that it brings out willpower within her, just like in Run, Rebel, and how to overcome her troubles. 

FIRST THOUGHTS

When I first heard about Run, Rebel, I was immediately intrigued. Not only does the book have the most compelling synopsis, but is set entirely in poetry verses. I haven’t seen a YA set this way since The Poet X, so I was really excited to start reading.

THE REVIEW

Amber wants to rebel. From her controlling home life, from the ideals that she’s supposed to conform to and everything in between. Not only does she have a passion for running, but dreams of being a professional athlete, a dream that is continuously rained upon by her particularly abusive father. Amber has spent her life translating for her Parents that don’t speak English, and because her sister has formed to the ideals of her Parents, Amber is expected to as well.

In the intricate verse that the novel reels me in with, I feel her pain, her frustration, her passion and the rebellion fueling with every stride she runs. The novel touches upon dark themes that can be a definite trigger, but we see them used in a way that gives us Amber’s eyes, guiding us through every step of her story. Above all, Amber is ultimately flawed in a way that opens up everything she’s dealing with, everything she desires, and everything that she knows will distort the vision she has for her future. The book is extremely heavy and deals with so many emotions, from overwhelming happiness to despair and abuse. But how they are touched upon in these poetry verses is a kind of magic, the way that I can hand on heart say that this story would not have been as powerful if it were any other way.

Overall, I read Run, Rebel in three sittings and in each, my focus could not be moved. I felt as though Amber was telling me her life ahead of me, almost hearing her voice shake and her strength never waver. It’s hard to describe just how powerful, yet normal this novel truly is. Amber is such an unforgettable character and I know she’s made such a lasting impression on me, even after the last page had closed. There’s so much I could express but with fear I’d spoil too much about the novel, you just must know that it echoes such a brilliant rebellion and breaking free. Manjeet Mann has written something that I feel should be in everyone’s hands, whether YA readers or not. There’s something to be felt, something to be learned and definitely something to tug at your heartstrings in Run, Rebel, and I thoroughly adored every page. Huge five stars.

I loved Run, Rebel and I know that so many will, too. If you’ve had a chance to read it, what did you think?

If you’ll be adding it to your TBR, let me know what you think in the comments!

Check out the other tour dates as above to see more stunning content for Run, Rebel!

Happy Reading!

becca

Book Review: Unpregnant (#1) by Jenni Hendriks & Ted Caplan

Unpregnant

Authors:  Jenni Hendriks, Ted Caplan
Published by: Chicken House Books on January 2nd, 2020
Rating: ★★★★
Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary
Similar Books I’ve Read: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

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Veronica is top of her class – and somehow she’s found herself gazing in disbelief at a positive pregnancy test. Even worse, her ex-best friend and the high school’s legendary malcontent, Bailey, is the only one there to help. In this warm and darkly funny road trip story, Veronica and Bailey drive a thousand miles to an out-of-state abortion clinic – rediscovering their friendship in the process.

* this book contains mature scenes/topics and may not be suitable for younger readers

FIRST THOUGHTS

I was so over the moon to get a copy of Unpregnant late last year because I had heard SO MANY THINGS and as soon as I could get the spare day or so to dive in, I took the chance. I’d heard only a month or so beforehand that it was becoming a movie, and if you know me, you know that I love to read the books before they’re a movie. Obviously I love film adaptations (looking at you, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before!) but as they say: the book is always better.

THE REVIEW

Whether or not you’ve heard of Unpregnant or the topics that it addresses, as soon as you hear the title, you know that it’s going to touch on certain topics that most YA Fiction doesn’t always tread into lightly. For one, teen pregnancies are either a straight hit-or-miss for YA audiences. More or less, they’re much better addressed on-screen. I’m not sure whether it’s because we can grasp emotion better in films and on TV when we can see them (not all people, I for one don’t seem to find a difference) but as soon as I started reading Unpregnant, I knew that people were immediately going to find flaws with it.

Veronica, straight-A student, perfect in most ways, heading to a prestigious University, finds herself in a very unfamiliar situation when she ends up pregnant. See, it shouldn’t quite have happened since Veronica and her boyfriend were safe, but we later do find out that there was a case of tampering that leads to one point that a lot of readers I know will find unnerving, but as a reality, this does happen quite frequently. But since Veronica can’t get an abortion in her town, she finds that the nearest one is a road-trip-worthy distance away. But since she’s not quite in this alone, after her ex-friend, also known as the school’s legendary bad-girl, Bailey, finds out that she’s pregnant after a mishap with her test in the bathroom. Now forced to find her way to get an abortion without a car, she turns to Bailey who does, forming a sort of alliance on their not-really-happy-but-not-really-sad road trip out of state. But as they travel those thousand miles away from their town starting as kind-of strangers, they go through a re-discovery of each other and the friendship they thought had died and they find that they’re truly there for each other through something so heavy, yet darkly injected with backhanded humour fit for the big-screen.

Overall, I think that Unpregnant was destined to be a movie. I know that the book was initially made to be a script, then turned into a book, and I truly believe that this is one of those occasions where they could have put either first and it would’ve made sense. There are a lot of moments that I think will fit into a movie perfectly, because sometimes some of the scenes didn’t really make sense as a book scene, but could easily have been a perfect movie scene, if that makes sense. I loved the friendship, the sort of dark-humour, bringing something as challenging as abortion and turning it into girls taking control of their body and their choices. The book raised some controversial topics that I think will either make people applaud or fall in the opposite direction. For me, I truly loved Unpregnant. It had a sort of movie-feel, and I can’t wait to see it reflected on the big screen. Four amazing stars!

Rating:4 cats

Have you read Unpregnant?

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

happy reading!

becca

Book Review: “Coven Deception” by D. H. Davis

Coven Deception 

Author:  D. H. Davis

Published by: Austin Macauley Publishers on August 30th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Supernatural // Fantasy

Similar Books I’ve Read: Sunkissed, The Rise, Dead Until Dark


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

Forbidden romance. Secrets and lies. Supernatural species. The town of Arcane Grove has a lot going on! Meet Brooke Lesley, a seventeen-year-old witch attempting to balance having a normal teenage life with having the impending responsibility of taking over as head of her coven.
One day, when an unfortunate incident reveals to Brooke that she’s been at school with a vampire for the last year, the sworn enemy of witches, things get a little complicated. Brooke finds herself feeling an intense, uncontrollable desire she’s never felt before; and ignoring friends, family and history, she embarks on a forbidden relationship that could jeopardise everything and ignite a centuries-old feud.
While Brooke battles with her coven and her conscience, she must also find a way to face an evil that threatens not only witches, but the entire town of Arcane Grove. Can she defend her coven, her town and her heart?

First Thoughts  

I have been longing for a witchy meets vamps read to slip into my TBR, so when D messaged me on instagram to connect, I knew that Coven Deception was going to be a great read. Under 150 pages and giving me all the Halloween vibes, I started reading late Saturday evening and literally couldn’t stop, finishing it in one.



My Review

Although I love some slow-burn types of romances and friends-to-lovers, you’ve got to give it up for the brilliance of forbidden romances. They have been the highlight of many a vampire-human book over the years, but when it comes to Coven Deception, the rules are a little different. This is a witch-vampire situation that gets complex and dangerous and oh-so-enthralling as the pages turn. Despite a slow start of trying to get into the swing of things and learn the ins and outs of how the world in Coven Deception works, as soon as I got into the groove of the story world, I was hooked. And being that it’s under 150 pages and I ate this up in one bite, as I got closer to finishing Brooke’s novel – and loving her counterpart in Jessie – I didn’t want it to end.

See, Brooke – our main character – is going to someday very soon take over as Coven leader. She’s seventeen at the moment, but when you’re eighteen, you’re at your most powerful and that means everything. But despite having that weighing on her, she still wants to be a regular ol’ person with a teenage life that doesn’t involve so many rules and Coven responsibilities. The balance is quite the central axis of the novel, where Brooke is trying to balance her life, her Coven, love life, school and even more that piles on her plate when it’s revealed that she’s actually been at school with a Vampire for the last year. It wouldn’t be so awful if they weren’t the literal sworn enemy of her kind, witches. But that doesn’t stop her from feeling things and crossing lines that she should never. 

Overall, Coven Deception was one of those novels that despite being short, is very mighty in its power. I loved the character development of Brooke over the span of the story and even though I loved her, Jessie was such a magnetic character and his personality really shone. I’ve always been a sucker for a novel with Vampires and this is no exception. I’d recommend this novel highly to pre-YA and early YA readers that love supernatural books that are easy reads with perfect pace. Loved highly! (And can’t wait for book two!)




D. H. Davis grew up in Coventry and has always had a love for fantasy fiction. After leaving school, she gained a degree in Occupational Therapy and worked in children’s mental health services. In recent years, she has turned to teaching both, Health and Social Care and English, combining her two passions.

Huge thank you to D. H. Davis for sending me her amazing book!

Have you read Coven Deception? What did you think?

Would you be a vampire or witch if you could pick? Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Jackpot” by Nic Stone




Jackpot

Author:  Nic Stone 

Published by: Simon & Schuster (Crown Books) on October 17th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: Because of The Sun, The United States of Us


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

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


First Thoughts  

As soon as I saw Jackpot as an upcoming novel for this year, I knew whether it landed on my doorstep or was swiped up at my local bookstore that it was definitely going to be living in my house! It checked all my boxes right away and when it arrived for review, I couldn’t believe my luck (pun intended…) 



My Review

I read Jackpot in under twenty-four hours (nothing out of place there!) and from the very first couple chapters, I fell in love with Nic’s writing style. Rico, our narrator, is a Senior in High School. She works as a cashier and has a routine that involves school, work, and back to taking care of her little brother every day. You can tell that Rico is completely dedicated to her family, but tired from the lack of getting to experience other things outside of her same old, same old. 

So when she sells a jackpot-winning ticket at the Gas ‘n’ Go where she works, she thinks that maybe if she tracks down the winner who hasn’t cashed in their prize, maybe they would repay her help. But she can’t go it alone, and after meeting Zan, Rico’s classmate (who also happens to be rich and popular and gorgeous and have some of the best character development from his first appearance) they team up to track down the jackpot winner together.

Throughout Jackpot, although it’s romance driven, and focuses on the bonds of relationships that grow and evolve and change throughout the plot as Rico and Zan get closer and track down the winner, this is so much more than a romance book. With greatly important Race and Class qualities, I just know this is going to hit home for so many readers and be something other than your A-typical rich girl gets the guy or vice versa. It’s raw, and honest, and the word that stands out the most is luck, because that’s what Jackpot is mostly about. And the purity of making your own, rather than searching for it.

Overall, Jackpot was some kind of wonderful. I really wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did, and I wish that I had read it slower to take it in more. The more that I read, the faster that I fell in love with the love that Rico had for her brother, her friends, and the world she was making for herself, without even knowing it. There’s so many reasons why you should read this (believe me, my notes page for this review was gushing with so much praise and I had to whittle it down so much from sounding like the ultimate fangirl.) I just can’t wait to read more from Nic Stone – highly recommended YA gem, five star worthy!







Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.
Stone lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @getnicced or on her website nicstone.info.

Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones 

Be sure to add Jackpot to your TBR list! You don’t want to miss this stunning read.


Have you had the chance to read Jackpot yet?


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


happy reading!

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Blog Tour: “That Asian Kid” by Savita Kalhan

Welcome to my tour date on That Asian Kid’s International Blog Tour by Savita Kalhan. This is the second (and definitely not the last) book I’ve read by Savita – read on to find out just why I loved this incredible novel!

That Asian Kid

Author:  Savita Kalhan

Published by: Troika on August 1st, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Books I’ve Read By The Same Author: The Girl In The Broken Mirror 


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

Despite his hard work and brains, Jeevan, is doing badly in his GCSE English literature class. His teacher, Mrs Greaves, dislikes him intensely and Jeevan is convinced that he is the victim of racial prejudice. 

Can he stand up for what’s right? When he comes upon her in the woods outside school in a compromising situation with another teacher, Jeevan can’t help but film the scene on his phone. 

With this secret new ammunition at his fingertips – dare he upload it to social media?

First Thoughts  

I have been in such a book funk lately. This is the first book I’ve picked up since my last review and I’m so ashamed that I’ve not been as avid of a reader in the last month or so. Life has been pretty hectic for many reasons, and with that, books have been far from my mind. But then with my tour date coming up, I picked up That Asian Kid and began reading. Sure, it took a second to slip back into bookish Becca mode, but then something magical happened. . .



My Review

Although 90% of the time I read, it’s a female narrator (or at least follows a female driven/focused character) this time was a refreshing change, and it totally paid off. Jeevan is totally driven, but has one of the most likeable personalities I’ve read to date. Despite trying his very best in all his school work now that he’s got GCSE’s to think about, his English Lit teacher has clearly taken a dislike toward him. Not only that, but Jeevan knows exactly why, and it has everything to do with racial prejudice. The thing is, armed with only a suspicion, although leaning in that direction, Jeevan is hesitant to stand up for himself and out his teacher for her behaviour. But then an opportunity arises – he stumbles upon her in a rather dubious situation with another teacher outside of school and films it on his phone. Jeevan has all he needs as a sort of leverage to use against the hate he’s received from her, but there’s this underlying grip of not wanting to stoop to her level and out her. 

You can tell from the get-go that Jeevan is a sweet young boy who just wants to try his best, live a drama-free life and have a laugh with his mates. Savita has such a way with words – gripping, yet powerful – and the way Jeevan’s story is read can be interpreted in so many ways to many different people. It’s so eye-opening, that these kinds of things still happen, or ever happened at all. I FELT every emotion, the highs and the lows that came with Jeevan’s chapters, reeling from choices and actions. 

Overall, That Asian Kid is that book you need in schools, in libraries, in everyone’s hands. It’s moving, a stunning swift force in YA. Just when I thought Savita couldn’t outdo The Girl In The Broken Mirror, she follows it up with this firecracker. I thoroughly loved Jeevan, his family, his friends, the moments that felt real. This wasn’t a light read, and it can feel super heavy at times, but it’s needed for the most important message: no matter what the colour of your skin is, you should never be treated any differently than anyone else, and if you are treated differently or singled out, you should always tell someone – because it’s not right, and it never will be. Thank you Savita for truly widening and developing my knowledge amongst your powerful words and characters that live on even after the last page is closed. Huge five star read!

Savita Kalhan was born in India, but has lived in
the UK most of her life. She graduated from Aberystwyth University with a
degree in Politics and Philosophy. She was a Batik artist before going to live
in the Middle East for several years where she taught English and began to
write. Now living in North London, she spends her time
writing, playing tennis, and growing vegetables and super-hot chillies on her
allotment. Savita runs a very enthusiastic teen reading group at her local
library in Finchley, who enjoy reading and talking about books as much as she
does. Her debut teen novel, The Long Weekend, was published by Andersen Press, and is a tense
thriller about two boys who are abducted after school. It was short-listed for
the Fabulous Book Award 2010. Her YA novel The Girl in the Broken Mirror was
published by Troika Books in 2018, and her next YA novel, That Asian Kid, was
published on 29th August 2019.
If you would like to know more about Savita,
you’ll find her on Twitter @savitakalhan, or visit her website – www.savitakalhan.com

Amazon UK – Book Depository 
Don’t forget to stop by the other tour dates on this incredible tour for Savita! If you can’t afford to grab a copy online or instore, definitely try libraries/borrow from a friend. This is such a powerful book – it needs to be in your hands! 
What did you think of That Asian Kid?
Do you ever get in a reading funk – and if so, what gets you out of it?
If you’ve read this book, what character did you like best? And what part moved you the most?
happy reading!

Blog Tour & Guest Post: Take A Chance On Me by Beth Garrod


Welcome to Day Three of Take A Chance On Me, the blog tour! Today I have a sparkling review of Beth Garrod’s latest read, a lovely Guest Post about Insta Vacay’s and the lowdown on your must-have summer read!



Take A Chance On Me

Author: Beth Garrod

Published by: Scholastic on July 4th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary Romance

Similar Books I’ve Read: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Kissing Booth


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


The brand-new sunny, funny, feel-good rom com from bestselling Beth Garrod, perfect for fans of TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE and THE KISSING BOOTH. Meg had a disastrous first kiss she would rather forget, but this is the summer she puts it behind her. 

This is the summer she has a perfect, swoony, just-like-in-the-movies kiss with a hot boy – and what better setting than the sun-drenched Greek island she’s holidaying on? But with three very different boys vying for her attention, this mission to reset her first kiss may be more complicated than she bargained for…



First Thoughts  


I’m guilty of having only read one previous book by Beth (although they’re all in my TBR stack!) previous to delving into Take A Chance On Me. But the well-known fact around the YA World is that Beth’s books are honest, hilarious and addictive. So when I got the chance to take this little read on vacation with me, I delved in right away in scenic beach views to get the perfect authentic experience. 




My Review


Picture this: you’ve got the perfect summer read, you’re staying on the English Riviera, the temperature is close to 30’c on the coastline and you’ve just met one of the funniest book characters you’ve had the chance to meet in a long time. That was my summer, last week. And it was so much better with Take A Chance On Me in my bag on long, hot days and beach trips. 


Meg, our main character, has had a shall we say, quite disastrous history of her first kiss that she would very much love to start forgetting. And that’s what this summer is all about. She has a gorgeous setting to restart her journey for the best kiss ever: a lush Greek island and perhaps more than she bargained for when one of the world’s hottest film stars is revealed to be shooting his newest movie on the same island she’s on holiday. Now, the thing is, there’s not just one boy that wants to lock lips with Meg. There’s three. And this summer that was supposed to be all about getting a do-over for that horrendous first kiss (and sheer horror of having a nose breaking curse) turns more complicated by the second. What’s a girl to do when there’s multiple options for a second first kiss?


I couldn’t put down Take A Chance On Me. Somehow, because I was on vacation and the book takes place with Meg on holiday, too, it seemed like the perfect fit. I was drenched in sunshine and exploring, just like Meg. The only difference was that Meg’s summer was a lot more complicated than mine, one that was taking leaps into a romantic setting and angling for her best summer yet. And for a one-off book, unlike Beth’s other books, I felt extremely drawn to Meg and her life and wished that this novel went on forever! 


Overall, I am so thankful that I took a chance on Take A Chance On Me. Not only did I laugh so hard that other people on the beach looked my way (oops!) but I felt like I had just took a peak into one of those life-changing types of YA reads that defines summer and romance to a perfect conclusion, wrapped up in a neat bow of sunshine and heartbeats. If you’ve never read a Beth Garrod book, you’re missing out completely. Start with Take A Chance On Me, and I pinky promise that it’ll be your favourite summer read yet. Huge five stars!





How to make like you’re on an Instagram vacay when you’re actually holed up at home.

So it’s the middle of August, you’re at home with no plans,  and your thumb has gone rogue and decided that you need to open Instagram. Again. For the 54th time today. We’ve all been there.
You have two options – get stuck in the scroll and indulge in some serious FOMO, or… pull on your best sunglasses and remind yourself don’t need to have got on a plane to be living your best #vacaylife.

Here’s how being at home, can be just as good as floating around on an inflatable flamingo.

You Came, You Saw, You Cone-quered
Guess what, no matter what fancy food foreign travels throw as us, and on to our friends’ feeds, the UK has something no posh beach does.
A 99 Flake.
So make mine a large, go heavy on the pink sauce, and feel smug you’re clutching the undisputed champion of all ice creams. And because the UK’s probably not even that hot, you’ll even have time to take a pic for the gram before it melts. Hello winning.

Pals Vs Paradise
Yeah yeah, we’ve all seen all your sandy white beach and clear blue sea pics, and realised that maybe, just maybe, it’s more appealing than the special brand of grey-drizzle the UK can serve up. But you know what every picture of that amazing empty beach is missing? Mates. So grab your besties, pull on your sunnies and work those angles. The sun won’t be so bright you can’t see the screen either. UK 2 – Tropical Paradise 0.

99 Problems, but Pants Aren’t One
Someone’s feed might be looking total #vacaygoals, but what’s happening behind the holiday scenes? At glorious home there’s no such horrors as forgetting enough pants, or realising you’ve got a tan line that’s the exact shape of your hand where you couldn’t be bothered to rub in Factor 50. And what’s worse? Another mosquito bite, or inhaling a massive lungful of the spray that’s meant to stop them? It’s a close call. But here in the glorious UK, we don’t need to fret about such survival matters. Oh no. In fact the only thing we need to worry about getting bitten by is the need to watch another episode of Love Island. And to that we say, crack on.

When Your Feed is Blowing Up…
…with blow everythings (Flamingos! Pizzas! Avodacoes! Llamas! You name it – someone has inflated it) remember one thing. Have you ever tried to get on one of those things in the blazing heat?! The inner-thigh burn is REAL. And a graceful mount/dismount is something probably even Simone Biles couldn’t manage.
So grab another pillow off your bed, and head to the park or the garden, knowing that whatever you’re sitting on, it’s going to beat straddling a scalding hot inflatable spring onion.

And if all else fails, put down your phone and remind yourself that someone else might be looking at your feed with the same amount of FOMO. So stop comparing your summer holiday realness with other people’s edited highlights, and make the most of zero school or college.  However you want to spend summer, the main thing is you take it easy – on everything but the ice-cream eating.




Hello – I’m Beth. The Super Awkward author. Which just about describes everything really.
Super Awkward was my debut book, Truly Madly Awkward was the sequel, and Access All Awkward was the third in the Awkward trilogy, but I’ve been writing for teenagers for a looong time. And being awkward in my own life for even longer.
My new summery book – Take A Chance On Me – is about a girl called Meg and came out in July 2019. 
My day job is making stuff for TV, radio and online, and I’ve worked on everything from Blue Peter to Radio 1 to MTV. Career highlight was probably fishing out Miley Cyrus’ used face-wipe from a bin.
I currently live in east London, and dream of owning a dog.
If you want to get in touch about that – or anything else – head to bethgarrod.com or follow me on Twitter @bethg or on IG @beth__garrod. 




What is your perfect summer read?


What’s your favourite book that Beth has written?


Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @LittleMemoirs and make sure to visit the other tour dates and get involved!


happy reading!

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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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Book Review: “The Paper & Hearts Society” by Lucy Powrie



The Paper & Hearts Society

Author: Lucy Powrie

Published by: Hodder Children’s on June 13th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Contemporary

Similar Books I’ve Read: The Movie Version


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



A brand new series from Booktuber Lucy Powrie – about what happens when you give up on trying to fit in and let your weird out! It’s time to join The Paper & Hearts Society … 
Tabby Brown is tired of trying to fit in. She doesn’t want to go to parties – in fact, she would much rather snuggle up on the sofa with her favourite book.
It’s like she hasn’t found her people …
Then Tabby joins a club that promises to celebrate books. What could go wrong? EVERYTHING – especially when making new friends brings out an AWKWARD BUZZING feeling all over her body.
But Olivia, Cassie, Henry and Ed have something that makes Tabby come back. Maybe it’s the Austen-themed fancy-dress parties, or Ed’s fluffy cat Mrs Simpkins, or could it be Henry himself …
Can Tabby let her weird out AND live THE BEST BOOKISH LIFE POSSIBLE?
Perfect for fans of Holly Smale and Super Awkward.


First Thoughts  

Okay, so I’ve basically known Lucy for what seems like years and years through her YA Chat on Twitter and reading her blog as a fellow Blogger. We’ve chatted a few times and I know she’s a super friendly and lovely girl, so when I was following her Writing journey and saw what came of her hard work spent writing, I knew that I had to read it! So when The Paper & Hearts Society arrived on my doorstep, I couldn’t wait until it was on top of my TBR! 




My Review

I started reading The Paper & Hearts Society yesterday morning and finished it in the early evening – yes, you read that right, in one sitting! Once I started, there was no stopping for anything or anyone. I connected with Tabby almost instantly. If you’ve followed my blog, you’ll know that just a couple years ago, my cat (also named Tabby) passed away. So this book felt extra special because I got to see her name on the pages (and with a reference to Tabby cat, I was really touched). 

Tabby Brown is one of those YA Heroines you know you’re going to love. She’s currently staying with her Grandma while her Parents pack up their lives to move down to where her Gran lives. Tabby went ahead, mostly because she wanted to get away from her old life and the friends that had shunned her and are still causing her anxiety and harm through messages and flashbacks. But when she finds a secret invite in a copy of her favourite book in the Library, she’s suddenly meeting the not-yet-named-officially book club. Olivia is the sweetest (and could talk for hours!), Ed is hilarious, Henry is charming and Cassie, well she’s the hardest to crack. At first, Tabby is taken aback by how hostile she is, but over the chapters we learn why and how they actually become just as close throughout the story. Together, the book club are unstoppable. They host evenings at each others houses, parties and finally, a Literary Road Trip (the stuff of dreams), from Shakespeare to Austen, they want to see it all. But the trip isn’t all smooth sailing, and the online bullying that Tabby’s been receiving – that’s now involved her new friends – reaches an all time low. It takes trust, the security of her new friendship and the courage to fight for the newfound love she’s found for her kind of people to get back to the Tabby she’s loving becoming. 

Overall, I just have no words for how breathtakingly spectacular this book is. Not only was there true-to-life anxiety in the characters, realness, demisexual rep and no fluffy-insta-love (actual character development and relationship building!), but there was a driving force of a true love for literature behind every quote, every moment that the love for books was introduced. I fell in love with the characters, with the words, with what’s to come in the series. . .I can’t tell you just how amazing this book is. Every teenager-to-young-adult needs this glorious gem in their lives. Huge five stars to Lucy – you’ve written something so timeless!



You can buy or PreOrder The Paper & Hearts Society on June 13th:

Amazon UK | Book Depository (Worldwide)




Have you had a chance to read it? 



If not, what sparks the most interest in the book for you?



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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Blog Tour & Review: Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige





Mera: Tidebreaker


Author: Danielle Paige (Illustrated by Stephen Byrne)


Published by: DC INK on April 2nd, 2019


Rating: ★★★★


Genre: Young Adult // Graphic Novel – Comic


Similar Books I’ve Read: Deep Blue, The Siren



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



From Danielle Paige, the New York Times best-selling author of Stealing Snow, comes a Mera and Aquaman origin story that explores Mera’s first steps on land as well as her first steps as a hero or a villain, forcing her to choose to follow her heart or her mission to kill.
Mera is teenage royalty, heir to the throne of Xebel, the other not-so-lost colony under the sea. But Mera is destined to wear a different crown, that of Atlantis. When the inhabitants of Xebel plot to overthrow their homeland of Atlantis, Mera is sent to kill the heir to the throne, Arthur Curry. As the unrest between their colonies grows, Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love…will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera’s side in Atlantis, or will he die under her blade?
Mera by Danielle Paige is an astonishing story that explores themes of duty, love, heroism and freedom, all through the eyes of readers’ favorite undersea royalty.



First Thoughts  

If you know me well, you’ll know I’ve devoured all of Danielle Paige’s novels to date. Her Dorothy Must Die series and Stealing Snow books have always held a special place in my heart (and bookshelf). So it’s no surprise I jumped on the Blog Tour for Mera: Tidebreaker. I’ve always been a huge DC Fan (sorry Marvel fans!) and I have a few Comics (The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, etc) so getting to add a Graphic novel to my TBR was so refreshing!




My Review

If you’re familiar with Aquaman, you might know of Mera. I sadly didn’t know who she was until around a year ago when they brought her to the big screen with the DC Franchise. I’m all about Girl Power™, so getting to see Mera shine in her own light and not underneath the shadow of Aquaman (although this is a sort of origin of them both) in her own Graphic Novel was amazing. 

Mera is a teenager (around sixteen I believe) and already royalty, an heir to the throne of Xebel, a colony underwater. But her destiny isn’t so straight forward under the sea, and now on land. Mera is thrown when the people of Xebel want her to wreck havoc in the homeland of Atlantis (I’ve always associated this with The Little Mermaid, somehow) and kill the heir to the throne, one Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman as we’ll come to know him. But between the colonies, a different kind of feeling brews: love. Mera and Arthur fall head over heels for each other, quite quickly inside the pages. But the question of whether he’ll come to demise under her demands to have him killed, or rule alongside him, begs the ultimate finale of under-the-sea war, love and stripping free.

Overall, I’m surprised at how much I utterly loved Mera. Whether it was her strikingly red hair that vividly gathered my eye-line every page, the fast-paced action-meets-backstory or underlying love aspect, it blew me away with every turn of the page. The colours and palettes of Mera are cool, blues, greens and reds, unique in every way. Although I did feel that the plot moved very quickly, sometimes too quickly, I know this is the way that comic books tend to reel on as they’re differently written and planned out to regular novels. Despite this, I was still blown away with how much I completely loved Mera. Danielle Paige has outdone herself with the captivating story and brilliance behind Mera’s and Arthur’s backstory. Four amazing stars!




About the Author

Danielle Paige is the author of the New York Times bestseller Stealing Snow and its prequel novellas Before the Snow and Queen Rising, as well as the New York Times best-selling Dorothy Must Die series: Dorothy Must Die, The Wicked Will Rise, Yellow Brick War, The End of Oz, and seven prequel novellas. Before turning to young adult literature, she worked in the television industry, where she received a Writers Guild of America Award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She is a graduate of Columbia University and currently lives in New York City. Visit her online at www.daniellepaigebooks.com and on Twitter at @daniellempaige.




Have you read Mera: Tidebreaker?


What are your thoughts on Graphic Novels?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs using the tag #MERATidebreaker! Don’t forget to check out the other Blog Dates above on the tour!


happy reading!

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Guest Post & Review: The New Boy by Paula Rawsthorne

The New Boy

Author: Paula Rawsthorne

Published by: Scholastic on March 7th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Thriller

Similar Books I’ve Read: The 100 Society

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

When new boy Jack starts at Zoe’s school, something about him makes her nervous – he’s so perfect, he can hardly be real. But Zoe is soon swept up in how charming, popular and handsome he is. 

Soon, they’re dating and he’s everything she dreamed he might be – kind, attentive, full of romantic gestures. 

Eventually, though, the cracks start to show and Zoe wonders whether she was right all along. Is Jack too good to be true?

First Thoughts  

I was first introduced to Paula’s incredible writing when I read Shell last year. It was one of my favourite reads of the year, and when The New Boy came along, looking all shiny and inviting, you can’t say no to something so perfect. I was won over straight from blurb and that twisty-turny cover.

My Review  

I started reading just after midday at the very beginning of March and suddenly, only a couple chapters in, it could have been snowing outside and I wouldn’t have noticed. I was completely engrossed in Zoe, our main character, and her world. Days are the same old, same old for her. That’s until Jack starts at her school. He’s new, and of course, whenever someone new starts at school, there’s always some kind of aura around them. They’re the shiny new person and because you haven’t grown up with that person, or spent time around them, they can sometimes seem off. But everyone loves Jack. Like, immediately. Somehow, to everyone and the naked eye, he’s perfect. Flawless. 

Zoe promised herself she wouldn’t fall under his spell. But she soon becomes entangled in his perfect mystery. His whimsical charm, the words that roll off his tongue, his looks, his voice, his everything. And all of a sudden, they’re together. Dating and spending all their time together. He’s the dream boyfriend, caring and sweet and beyond dream-worthy. But all good things seem to come to an end. The perfect surface starts to shatter beneath them both, and Zoe starts to see a different side to Jack and the flawless exterior he’s fronted. She’s faced with the hanging question if her first thought was right. What if he isn’t who he said he was after all?

Overall, I was hanging on every last word reading The New Boy. Just like Shell, I couldn’t put this down. I finished the book in one day solid, no breaks, no interruptions, just like reading should be. A little before the conclusion, I did start to figure out the little hints and put together some of the mystery, but the wow-wow-wow moment of realisation still happened and after that last page had been turned, I just sat there for a good ten minutes writing down notes that were all gushy compliments, lots of omg’s and about how this is perfect for some kind of Netflix movie worthy book-turned-movie honour. There isn’t enough words to describe just how incredible The New Boy is and you will not be disappointed. Five stars completely! 



Advice for aspiring writers by Paula Rawsthorne

1. My first piece of advice is the most obvious and basic – if you want to be a writer you

have to get writing! We’re all experts at procrastination, but if we’re going to create

a story we have to knuckle down and get words on the page. Why not just start and

see where it takes you?

2. Writing a novel is like running a marathon. It’s hard work and it takes stamina and

determination. Keep the momentum going and try and stay excited about your story.

3. All writing is rewriting – this means that you get your first draft down (no matter

how roughly) then have a proper break before returning to it with fresher eyes. Be

critical as you reread your work. Be honest with yourself about what needs

improving. Do the characters feel real? Does the dialogue ring true? Is the plot

convincing and engrossing? Be brutal – edit out waffle and padding. Sharpen it,

choose the best words to convey images in your readers’ heads. Redraft, then

redraft again and again until your story is the best it can possibly be.

4. Carry a notebook around with you to jot down anything that sparks your

imagination. Inspiration for stories is all around us, so be observant and curious.

5. Daydream- We have sensory overload 24/7 so it’s important to take time out and

turn off your phone, computers, X box and just stare into space. See what images

come into your head, see where they take you. We all need HEADSPACE to release

our imaginations. Sometimes the best ideas come when we’re doing nothing!

6. Use your 5 senses when you write. It makes your work more layered, vivid and

descriptive.

7. Enter writing competitions – they give you motivation, deadlines and themes. Make

sure they are reputable and not a scam to get money out of you.

8. READ – If you want to write then read as much as you can. Find books that you can’t

put down, that stay with you, that you want to discuss with others. Then try and

work out why you liked them so much. Dissect how the author wrote the characters.

What was it about the plot that had you gripped? Analyse it and think about how

you can do it in own your writing. Of course, this doesn’t mean copying them. The

more you write, the more you’ll find your own unique voice and style.

Have you read The New Boy? Let me know what you think!


Use #THENEWBOY to tell me on Twitter!


You can buy it:

Amazon | Book Depository

happy reading!

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