Blog Tour: Review for Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan 
Publisher: Hodder
Release: 11th July 2019 (paperback)
Genre: Fantasy, YA, LGBT+ romance
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

  

Synopsis:

"Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honour they could hope for...and the most demeaning. This year, there's a ninth. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. Ten years ago, her mother was snatched by the royal guards, and her fate remains unknown. Now, the guards are back and this time it's Lei they're after - the girl with the golden eyes, whose rumoured beauty has piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit a king's consort. There, Lei does the unthinkable - she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world's entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge."

Review
Do you ever read the synopsis of a book and immediately know you’re going to love it? That’s what happened to me with Girls of Paper and Fire. From the lush fantasy world rich with Asian culture, to the f/f slow burn romance, to the feminist take on concubine palace life, I was here for it all and Natasha Ngan delivered!

Girls of Paper and Fire takes a trope that’s been done many times in fantasy and gives it a much needed diverse, feminist revamp. I loved the characters, the demon castes, the culture, the political intrigue and court life. I loved how the magic and history of the world was still fully realized despite our main character being trapped in the palace, something that lesser writers would find hard to pull off, but Ngan executes flawlessly. This book just encapsulated so many of my personal preferences that I like to see in books.

However this book is by no means an easy read and should be read with a trigger warning for rape, physical and emotional abuse, animal cruelty and bestiality but what I really respected about Ngan’s handling of these topics is how our main character Lei doesn’t come away from these traumas unscathed. I feel like so many times in fantasy books the heroine is the only character who somehow manages to avoid abuse by using her wits, striking up a friendship with her captor or “being different from other girls” a message that has never sat well with me and I feel sends a harmful message on the “types” of girls who are abused. I really appreciated how Natasha Ngan wasn’t afraid to show exactly what life is like as a paper girl through her main character Lei’s own personal experiences. Although it was brutal, it felt real and honest to what so many girls go through in our own world.

Overall Girls of Paper and Fire is an accessible, important and diverse fantasy story. The ending was so intense that I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I read those final few pages. This is one of my new favourite books and I can not wait to read Girls of Storm and Shadow.

Don't miss the rest of the blog tour!

Review for The Corset by Laura Purcell

The Corset by Laura Purcell 
Publisher: Raven Books
Release: 20th September 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction, Gothic Fiction
Source: Proof copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Is prisoner Ruth Butterham mad or a murderer? Victim or villain? 

Dorothea and Ruth. Prison visitor and prisoner. Powerful and powerless. Dorothea Truelove is young, wealthy and beautiful. Ruth Butterham is young, poor and awaiting trial for murder.

When Dorothea's charitable work leads her to Oakgate Prison, she is delighted with the chance to explore her fascination with phrenology and test her hypothesis that the shape of a person's skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes. But when she meets teenage seamstress Ruth, she is faced with another theory: that it is possible to kill with a needle and thread. For Ruth attributes her crimes to a supernatural power inherent in her stitches.

The story Ruth has to tell of her deadly creations - of bitterness and betrayal, of death and dresses - will shake Dorothea's belief in rationality, and the power of redemption.

Can Ruth be trusted? Is she mad, or a murderer?"

Review
In a Victorian prison for women, teenager Ruth Butterham is awaiting execution for the most peculiar of crimes. Ruth claims she can kill with intent through her sewing, cursing her pieces as she stitches so that the wearer of her garments meets an untimely death. Is Ruth really a murderer or just mad? As Dorothea Truelove, an eccentric young heiress with a morbid fascination for murder sits with Ruth day after day and listens to her story unfold she begins to question everything she thought she knew about science, fate and those who kill.

I fell in love with Laura Purcell’s writing last year when I read her debut novel The Silent Companions and was highly anticipating her follow up The Corset. Purcell has a real talent for writing about the strange and the macabre, her books have such an unsettling atmosphere about them. When you’re reading a Laura Purcell book you get so caught up in the uneasy sensation of wrongness that makes her novels so deliciously dark and impossible to put down.

The book is told in a dual narrative between Ruth and Dorothea with Ruth’s chapters relaying her past, and Dorothea’s reflecting on Ruth’s case. I must admit that although the dual narrative worked well I much preferred Ruth’s chapters and was always impatient to get back to her story. I came to care deeply about Ruth in a way I wasn’t anticipating. Her past is horrifying to read about, and I so badly wanted to wrap her up in cotton wool and get justice for her.

Whilst The Silent Companions was spooky The Corset is a different sort of read and feels more disturbing than scary compared to its predecessor. However, both books have the same unique paranormal element to them that makes them stand out against your typical gothic horror stories. The Corset looks at the idea of curses, intention and magical thinking asking the question can we really hurt others with our thoughts alone? It’s a question I puzzled over whilst reading Ruth’s story right up to the final page.

The Corset is an absolute blighter of a book that’s screaming to be adapted into a BBC series. The brooding atmosphere, nuanced characters and lingering sense of dread is gripping stuff and perfect for autumn reading. Laura Purcell is the queen of gothic chillers and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Review for Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake

Girl Made of Stars 
by Ashley Herring Blake 
Publisher: HMH Books
Release: 15th May 2018
Genre: YA, Contemporary, LGBT+
Source: ARC gifted from a friend

Synopsis: 

""I need Owen to explain this. Because yes, I do know that Owen would never do that, but I also know Hannah would never lie about something like that." 

Mara and Owen are about as close as twins can get. So when Mara's friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn't know what to think. Can the brother she loves really be guilty of such a violent crime? Torn between the family she loves and her own sense of right and wrong, Mara is feeling lost, and it doesn't help that things have been strained with her ex-girlfriend and best friend since childhood, Charlie. 

As Mara, Hannah, and Charlie navigate this new terrain, Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits in her future. With sensitivity and openness, this timely novel confronts the difficult questions surrounding consent, victim blaming, and sexual assault." 

Review 

Mara's just trying to get through her break up with her ex-girlfriend Charlie and write for her school's feminist newspaper when her world comes crashing down around her. Mara's twin brother and rock Owen has been accused of rape. The victim? Her best friend Hannah. Mara knows that Owen would never, could never, do such a thing. But she also knows Hannah and she would never lie about something like that. As Mara tries to navigate this new world and make sense of what happened that night memories of her own concealed trauma come back to her and Mara is finally forced to confront her own truth.

Girl Made of Stars was one of my most anticipated books of 2018, the impossible situation Mara finds herself in felt like such a timely and important subject matter that I was so ready for and despite such high expectations this book did not let me down at all. I'm not sure I have the words to eloquently articulate how much I loved this book. It was everything I needed a book about victim blaming and female solidarity to be.

One of the aspects I loved about this book is that Mara and her mother both identify as feminists, yet they still desperately wanted to believe Owen's version of events. One of the most important messages this book holds is what a grey area rape can be. Men we love and respect can rape, people in relationships can be raped, women who have had sex with their attacker before can be raped and when those women step forward with their stories they deserve to be believed and supported in ways that the legal system and society is not doing right now. I loved the message at the heart of this story on the importance of believing women, even when it's easier not to.

There is so much diversity in this book which I always appreciate, and I loved the complicated relationship Mara had with her ex-girlfriend Charlie and her own sexuality. Another thing this book does so well is show the after effects of abuse and the trauma that follows. It's something I could personally relate to and my heart broke reading about these girls, their broken parts and their inner strength. I loved how Ashley Herring Blake didn't shy away from the harsh truths of rape culture. This book holds no easy answers, but it does offer hope and show that there is life after abuse. Girl Made of Stars is a truly beautiful yet heartbreakingly important read that I can't recommend enough.

Review for Warcross by Marie Lu

Warcross by Marie Lu 
Publisher: Penguin
Release: 14th September 2017
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

"For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game - it's a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships - only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she's going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when she gets a call from the game's creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year's tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. Emika's whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she's only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire."

Review 
After the death of her father, Emika Chen uses her skills as a hacker to work as a bounty hunter for the police tracking down criminals who illegally bet on Warcross, a gaming phenomenon where a virtual world exists next to our own. Struggling to pay off her father’s own gambling debt and faced with an eviction notice, Emika risks everything to hack into the Warcross championship games only to accidentally glitch herself into the game in the process, becoming infamous overnight.

Impressed by her abilities, the games creator enigmatic Hideo Tanaka flies Emika out to Tokyo and employs her to go undercover in the game to track down an anonymous player who has been messing with the games coding.

As Emika delves deeper into the world of Warcross and grows close to its creator, she uncovers dark secrets that could change the world as they know it.

Warcross is a total thrill ride of a read! Gaming is not an area that I’m hugely familiar with, so I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy this book, but Marie’s writing totally sweeps you up in this world bringing Warcross to life in a way that is more fun than intimidating to people less familiar with tech. Something that I found so interesting was that a lot of the technology used in this book is currently being developed. I loved exploring futuristic Tokyo and found it fascinating to think that what I was reading could very possibly be in our near future.

Em was a heroine who I immediately connected with, she’s a teenage girl who has been handed a crappy hand of cards in life but instead of sitting around feeling sorry for herself she is very proactive and uses her skills to better her future. She’s resourceful and determined and I found myself rooting for her from start to finish.

There is a side of slow burn romance which I really enjoyed especially as it added to the plot without overshadowing it completely. Hideo is in many ways Em’s mirror image. He’s been through his own heartbreak as a child and has a dark past but as an adult he puts all that energy into his talents and trying to make the world a better place. Emika and Hideo felt like a natural fit and I loved watching the mutual admiration and respect they have for each other develop into something more.

The ending is one that I half guessed, but the part that I didn’t guess literally made my jaw drop and had me muttering “No, no, nope” to myself. This ending perfectly sets up the next book with Marie Lu taking this series in a very interesting direction that has left me with so much to think about. I love when a book totally puts you in a character’s shoes and makes you question what you would do if you were them and that’s exactly the position I’m still in days after finishing Warcross.

Overall Warcross is a fresh and exciting read that looks at virtual worlds, technology and where we could be headed in the future, for better or worse.

Review for Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Century
Release: 27th July 2017
Genre: Thriller, Crime Fiction
Source: Copy received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"THEN
She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter. And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet. Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go? Who still has secrets to hide?"

Review 
Then She Was Gone follows the disappearance of Ellie Mack, a fifteen-year-old girl who disappeared on her way to the library one day never to be seen or heard from again. Ten years later and her mum Laurel receives news of an update in the case when her daughter’s remains are found.

As Laurel tries to move forward, she meets a charming man called Floyd who finally brings some happiness back into her world, but when she’s introduced to his nine-year-old daughter Poppy alarm bells start ringing. Because Poppy looks just like Ellie and even has the same mannerisms and interests.

Just as Laurel thought the past had been put to rest, the truth about what really happened that day comes rushing to the present. Could Floyd have something to do with Ellie’s disappearance? And what exactly happened to her daughter all those years ago?

There are so many thrillers out there at the moment that after a while they can all start to feel very similar with the same tropes covered over and over again but Then She was Gone is a heart-breaking and harrowing story about a shocking situation that I haven’t read about before. Although you know roughly from the synopsis where this book is heading, it still managed to surprise me with the twists it took.

The story is broken up into different parts that jump between back when Ellie disappeared and the present day ten years later. I really enjoyed how in each section you get to hear from all the key players so that by the end of the book you have a complete picture of what happened with no bias toward one character and the way they see things.

Lisa Jewell is an author who evokes so much emotion in her writing. I could really feel for each character as I read from their perspective and the book constantly had me questioning what I would do if I found myself in their situation.

Then She Was Gone is a book that I gobbled up greedily at any spare moment I had, it’s certainly not a book you want to start if you have a lot going on! Although I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Lisa’s more recent books Then She Was Gone has to be my favourite yet. This is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read this year and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre.

Review for Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber 
Publisher: Walker Books
Release: 5th January 2017
Genre: UKYA, Contemporary, Diverse YA
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

"With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, fifteen-year-old Wing Jones is often caught between worlds. But when tragedy strikes, Wing discovers a talent for running she never knew she had. Wing's speed could bring her family everything it needs. It could also stop Wing getting the one thing she wants."

Review
Wing Jones was easily my most anticipated YA debut of 2017 so my expectations for this book were already sky high to begin with and yet I was still taken aback by how much I loved this book – it’s seriously that good.

The story follows Wing Jones, a biracial teenage girl with a huge heart and a loveable family. With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, Wing doesn’t feel like she fits in anywhere and is content to stand in her big brother Marcus’s shadow cheering him on from the sidelines as he wins game after game as the star quarterback.

When Marcus is involved in a drink driving accident that kills two people and leaves him in a coma, Wing has to deal with her brother’s fall from grace in their community, her family’s mounting medical bills, and the possibility that her big brother might not wake up.

To deal with her problems Wing takes up running and to her surprise finds that she’s good at it, better than good. Wing started running to escape but as word of her talent gets out she’s suddenly the one thrust under the spotlight.

When a life changing opportunity presents itself Wing has to decide: does she continue to run away from her problems? Or find the courage to run towards her dreams?

Wing is one of the most inspirational young heroines that I’ve ever read about. Her voice is incredibly well written balancing the right amount of uncertainty and quiet inner strength of a young woman coming into her own for the first time. Despite not being interested in running in the slightest I connected strongly with Wing’s passion and determination, I’m sure that her story will spark a fire in the heart of every reader who has ever took the lemons life has handed them and made lemonade.

One of my favourite aspects of this book was Wing’s family life. Every character in this book sparkles in their own special way but none more so than Wing’s grandmothers Granny Dee and LaoLao. Despite coming from two different backgrounds and cultures the two women are more alike than they realize sharing a love for food and their family. I really appreciated this subtle and timely message from Katherine Webber on how we’re all more alike than different where it matters.

Wing Jones has sprinted on to the YA scene with a heroine whose heart leaps off the page touching the readers own. This debut novel about losing your way, finding your feet, and chasing your dreams is not to be missed!

Review for The Deviants by C.J. Skuse

The Deviants by C.J. Skuse 
Publisher: Mira Ink
Release: 22nd September 2016
Genre: UKYA, Thriller
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"When you set out for revenge, dig two graves

Growing up in the sleepy English seaside town of Brynston, the fearless five – Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane – were always inseparable. Living up to their nickname, they were the adventurous, rowdy kids who lived for ghost stories and exploring the nearby islands off the coast. But when Max’s beloved older sister Jessica is killed, the friendship seems to die with her.

Now years later, only Max and Ella are in touch; still best friends and a couple since they were thirteen. Their lives are so intertwined Max’s dad even sponsors Ella’s training for the Commonwealth Games. But Ella is hiding things. Like why she hates going to Max’s house for Sunday dinner, and flinches whenever his family are near. Or the real reason she’s afraid to take their relationship to the next level.

When underdog Corey is bullied, the fearless five are brought back together again, teaming up to wreak havoc and revenge on those who have wronged them. But when the secrets they are keeping can no longer be kept quiet, will their fearlessness be enough to save them from themselves?"

Review 
C.J. Skuse is one of my favourite authors and every time she has a new book out I wonder how she can possibly top the last, but she does! Every. Single. Time. The Deviants is CJ’s most accomplished book yet and I gobbled it up greedily in a single sitting – it was that good!

Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane used to be best friends. As children they would spend their days having adventures in their sleepy seaside town, and at night would beg Max’s big sister Jess to tell them one of her legendary scary stories, until the day a very real kind of horror finds them when Jess is killed in an accident, changing their lives forever.

Years later and all that remains of their group is Max and Ella who have grown to be more than friends, but when a series of events bring the five back into each other’s lives, they find that secrets of the past never stay buried for long, and that there may be more to Jess’s death than they first thought all those years ago...

The Deviants is a book that doesn’t give up all its secrets at once. I started this book thinking it was one thing, only for CJ to add twists and turns throughout so that by the end, the book is something else entirely. I loved the direction that this book went in and found the bombshells that are dropped so casually throughout the book impossible to predict.

The area where C.J. Skuse really shines in all of her books is with her characters. CJ really gets teenagers and gives them voices and personalities that feel so authentic to read. Ella as a main character is so flawed and complex, I really appreciated not having the traditionally likeable heroine here and thought that it worked particularly well for this story.

When I started this book I never could have predicted the incredible ending, it absolutely blew me away! I’ve been purposefully vague in this review because this is a book that you want to go into knowing as little as possible so that you can experience the full impact, but I will just say that the ending of this book left me with my mouth hanging open!

The Deviants is a thriller with heart. With its clever twists, skilled plotting and heart-breaking finale it’s easily one of my favourite reads of 2016 – don’t miss it!

Review for The Graces by Laure Eve

The Graces by Laure Eve 
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Release: 1st September 2016
Genre: UKYA, Thriller
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Everyone said the Graces were witches. 

They moved through the corridors like sleek fish, ripples in their wake. Stares followed their backs and their hair. 

They had friends, but they were just distractions. They were waiting for someone different. 

All I had to do was show them that person was me.

Like everyone else in her town, River is obsessed with the Graces, attracted by their glamour and apparent ability to weave magic. But are they really what they seem? And are they more dangerous than they let on?"

Review 
The early whisperings of excitement for The Graces has been impossible to ignore, so despite feeling so over stories about witches and the paranormal I *had* to read this book to see what all the fuss was about. Woah. Just…woah. This book was nothing like what I was expecting it to be! It’s very unique and like nothing else on the YA market right now. If, like me, you thought that you were done with books about witches – think again!

Everybody knows the Graces - glamorous, magnetic and unabashedly different – the Grace siblings Thalia, Fenrin and Summer are their high school’s celebrities and everyone wants a piece of them. New girl River is no different and quickly becomes enchanted by the rumours that the Graces are witches. So many have tried and failed to befriend the siblings and so everyone is surprised when they take River under their wing. At first, hanging out with the Graces seems like all fun and games, but as the stakes get higher River quickly learns that being allowed into the Graces circle comes with a price, and that power of any kind carries consequences.

In The Graces, Laure Eve strips back witchcraft to its basics, this story is one of small magics that are so delightfully coincidental that you’re never sure whether to believe in this books magical element or not. The way that Laure Eve teases readers is both tantalising and fun, it really is showmanship as its very best. Reading The Graces is like watching a magician perform, as the audience you want to believe in the magic, but is there such a thing? Or is what you’re experiencing simply clever illusions and smoke and mirrors? That drive to know the truth is what makes The Graces so compelling to read.

River was such an interesting character she’s very ambiguous to the point where we only know her by the name that the Graces call her. Her identity is solely made up of the Graces and their love and approval of her. This book is a real testament to how other people perceive us versus our true selves and how they can differ. At its heart The Graces is a story about fully embracing both the things that make us ordinary and the things that make us different.

With heady writing and intoxicating characters, Laure Eve has spun a gothic tale about power and obsession that breathes new life into witches. Thrilling, dark and atmospheric, The Graces will hold you spellbound from start to finish. Don’t miss the next big thing in YA Fiction.

Review for What’s a Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne

What’s a Girl Gotta Do? 
by Holly Bourne 
Publisher: Usborne
Release: 1st August 2016
Genre: Contemporary, UKYA, Feminism
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"HOW TO START A FEMINIST REVOLUTION:

1. Call out anything that is unfair on one gender

2. Don't call out the same thing twice (so you can sleep and breathe)

3. Always try to keep it funny

4. Don't let anything slide. Even when you start to break...

Lottie's determined to change the world with her #Vagilante vlog. Shame the trolls have other ideas..."

Review 
What’s a Girl Gotta Do? is the final book in Holly Bourne’s trailblazing feminist trilogy. It’s a strong series ender, driving home the overriding messages at the heart of this series about feminism, friendship and standing up for what you believe in as we follow Lottie and her campaign against sexism.

After being sexually harassed on her way to college one morning, something in Lottie snaps. She’s had enough of sexist comments and is tired of being at the brunt of them. Lottie decides that enough is enough and that it’s time to stand up for herself and women everywhere by calling out every instance of sexism that she encounters, filming her journey along the way. As the vagilante campaign goes viral, Lottie is attacked by online trolls trying to tear both her and feminism down. With her sanity and place at Cambridge on the line, Lottie has to decide, back down from the campaign just as it’s making an impact? Or stand up and fight for what she believes in?

I finished this book wishing that I could high five Lottie and applaud Holly Bourne. A book that tackles sexism and promotes feminism so unabashedly could easily be labelled as “preachy” but Holly goes for a show instead of tell approach which results in a true to life portrayal of everyday sexism and shows why more and more young women are turning to feminism.

Through Lottie’s experiences, Holly Bourne puts life as a young feminist under the microscope. I found myself relating so much to Lottie, easily recognising the instances of sexism as being similar to my own experiences. I think that any girl or woman who reads this book will find it scarily relatable too.

I love how What’s a Girl Gotta Do? shows how hard it can be to stay true to yourself and your beliefs, especially when other people are trying to bring you down. There’s a beautiful message in this book about staying strong in the face of adversity that is universal and timely.

Along the way we get to catch up with Evie and Amber, and find out what’s going on in their lives. At the end of this book there is a cliff-hanger as to how Lottie’s story concludes, but I actually didn’t mind it all that much because it seemed unimportant compared to the personal growth that Lottie goes through. There is going to be a spinster club novella released this November which made finishing this book a little bit easier!

Overall, What’s a Girl Gotta Do? is a thought-provoking, inspiring read that takes you on an emotional journey and makes you feel proud to be a girl.

Review for The Plumberry School of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley

The Plumberry School of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley 
Publisher: Corgi
Release: 30th June 2016
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Verity Bloom hasn't been interested in cooking anything more complicated than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago.

But an opportunity to help a friend lands her right back in the heart of the kitchen. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is due to open in a few weeks' time and needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up. And with new friendships bubbling and a sprinkling of romance in the mix, Verity finally begins to feel like she's home.

But when tragedy strikes at the very heart of the cookery school, can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry while still writing her own recipe for happiness?"

Review 
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food was a sweet, moreish and warm story that was an absolute delight to read. This was my first taste of Cathy Bramley’s writing and it certainly won’t be my last!

The book follows Verity Bloom whose passion for cooking burnt out after the untimely death of her best friend Mimi two years ago. Verity and Mimi were always whipping up comfort food in the kitchen for their Youtube channel, adding love and laughter as the magic ingredient to their recipes. But since Mimi’s death, Verity has existed on microwave meals and fish finger sandwiches, cooking just isn’t the same without her partner in crime.

When Mimi’s mother Gloria asks for Verity’s help opening her new cookery school, Verity is thrown back into the world of cakes and pastries, dinners and desserts, and slowly begins to let cooking back into her heart. As Verity whips, stirs and bakes The Plumberry School of Comfort Food into life, it begins to become a foodie destination known for its food with heart. However, the cookery school’s Michelin starred chef Tom has different ideas about what good food consists of with his career being built off of hard work and a serious, professional approach to cooking. As the heat rises in and out of the kitchen, will Verity and Tom be able to put their differences aside and make The Plumberry School of Comfort Food a success? Or will their clashing personalities make a recipe for disaster?

Reading this book was like being wrapped in a warm comforting hug. I liked Verity straight away and quickly lost myself in her world. The entire cast of characters were lovely and each of them felt very real with their own backstories, passions, and dreams. My favourite character has to be Mags who really made me smile. I also loved the slow burning romance between Verity and Tom, who despite their differences had real chemistry between them.

The cookery school was a very original idea putting a new spin on the ever popular foodie chick-lit genre. I loved the way it bought the people of Plumberry together with its bake off style competitions and delicious food – some of the descriptions really made my mouth water! There was a sweet message at the heart of this story about showing our love for others through the act of making them food that I thought was really lovely.

The Plumberry School of Comfort Food was the perfect feel good read that put a big smile on my face. Cathy Bramley has become a new favourite author of mine and I’m now happily going to make my way through her backlist. If they’re half as good as Plumberry then I’m in for a real treat!

Review for Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

Under Rose-Tainted Skies 
by Louise Gornall
Publisher: Chicken House
Release: 7th July 2016
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Agoraphobia confines Norah to the house she shares with her mother. For her, the outside is sky glimpsed through glass, or a gauntlet to run between home and car. But a chance encounter on the doorstep changes everything: Luke, her new neighbour. Norah is determined to be the girl she thinks Luke deserves: a ‘normal’ girl, her skies unfiltered by the lens of mental illness. Instead, her love and bravery opens a window to unexpected truths …"

Review 
Under Rose-Tainted Skies is a book that I was completely taken aback by, it puts every little thought or feeling that I’ve ever had since living with anxiety down on to paper in the most magical way. It’s a book that I have a strong, personal connection with and it has found a special place in my heart.

The book follows a girl called Norah who is housebound due to agoraphobia and severe anxieties. Louise Gornall captures those feelings of panic and fear perfectly, describing Norah’s mental health problems so eloquently to the reader but what made this book stand out to me was that not only is the anxiety and agoraphobia depiction spot on, but the author goes one step further and shares Norah’s personal thoughts and feelings towards her mental illnesses with such honesty.

Norah worries about being judged and how other people see her, she struggles with feelings of being different and weird, there is frustration there and sadness at missing out on life and also concern about her loved ones worrying about her. Under Rose-Tainted Skies not only seamlessly captures the symptoms of Norah’s mental illnesses but also what it means to actually live with them and how it affects your sense of identity – especially as a young person trying to figure out who you are and your place in the world.

I loved how Under Rose-Tainted Skies showed how having a mental illness can impact so many different aspects of your life. Norah really struggles with relationships and letting people in and I was happy to see that didn’t change and that her mental illnesses didn’t suddenly vanish as soon as she met her love interest Luke. Instead this book took a realistic approach showing how Norah struggled to maintain their relationship. Norah never did anything she wasn’t ready to and Luke respected the boundaries put in place by her illness, only ever gently encouraging her progress. I really appreciated the honest representation of their relationship, it was never smooth sailing and neither was Norah’s recovery process. As she moves forward there are still bumps in the road and setbacks to overcome yet she continues to dust herself down and try again.

Under Rose-Tainted Skies is an incredibly special and important book that I’m sure I’ll be raving about for the rest of the year. Unflinching, honest and quietly hopeful it’s an absolute must read for anyone living with, or who is affected by, mental health (which means all of us, right?)

Review for Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane

Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane 
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release: 7th April 2016
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Chick-lit, Women’s Fiction
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"When Edie is caught in a compromising position at her colleagues’ wedding, all the blame falls on her – turns out that personal popularity in the office is not that different from your schooldays. Shamed online and ostracised by everyone she knows, Edie’s forced to take an extended sabbatical – ghostwriting an autobiography for hot new acting talent, Elliot Owen. Easy, right?

Wrong. Banished back to her home town of Nottingham, Edie is not only dealing with a man who probably hasn’t heard the word ‘no’ in a decade, but also suffering an excruciating regression to her teenage years as she moves back in with her widowed father and judgy, layabout sister.

When the world is asking who you are, it’s hard not to question yourself. Who’s that girl? Edie is ready to find out."

Review 
Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favourite authors and Who’s That Girl is her best book yet! Her stories are always funny, smart and slick and despite their length I never want them to end.

Who’s That Girl follows Edie Thompson whose found herself in a very modern, very complicated sort-of-relationship with a guy at her work. On his wedding day he kisses Edie and his new wife witnesses it all. Labelled a “marriage wrecker” and “the other woman” Edie becomes a social pariah. Targeted by bullies both online and at work she flees London in shame and goes back home to Nottingham. Her boss throws Edie the lifeline of ghost writing famous television star Elliot Owen’s biography and the two connect over their lives being judged by other people – Elliot with the press and Edie with her online bullies but there’s more than one side to each of us and we’re more than what people see. Who’s that girl? Edie’s about to find out.

I think that what puts Mhairi McFarlane head and shoulders above the rest for me is her heroines and the way she writes them. They’re all incredibly complex and their stories aren’t solely based on their love lives. The romance in Mhairi’s books is equal to the relationships her heroines have with their friends, family, career and themselves which results in a more fleshed out, modern heroine who I relate to. Every one of her heroines comes to feel like my best friend when I’m reading their story and I see myself reflected in them.

One of my favourite aspects of Who’s That Girl is its take on social media. Like most people, Edie is addicted to her phone and has built an image online showing her best self, so when that all comes crashing down she has an identity crises of sorts. It was interesting to read about our online selves in comparison to our real selves, we live in a time where it’s very easy to feel like you know somebody and can make a judgment on them when really you’re only seeing a small part of who they are.

Who’s That Girl is a heart-warming, emotional and fist pump inducing read about claiming your own identity and sticking it to anyone who tries to tell you who you are, who you are not and puts a label on you. Who’s That Girl has left me book drunk and has utterly spoiled me for all other romantic comedies this year.

Who’s that girl? She’s Edie Thompson and she’s f***ing fabulous!

Review for Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

Beautiful Broken Things 
by Sara Barnard
Publisher: Macmillan
Release: 11th February 2016
Genre: Contemporary, UKYA
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"I was brave 
She was reckless 
We were trouble

Best friends Caddy and Rosie are inseparable. Their differences have brought them closer, but as she turns sixteen Caddy begins to wish she could be a bit more like Rosie - confident, funny and interesting. Then Suzanne comes into their lives: beautiful, damaged, exciting and mysterious, and things get a whole lot more complicated. As Suzanne's past is revealed and her present begins to unravel, Caddy begins to see how much fun a little trouble can be. But the course of both friendship and recovery is rougher than either girl realizes, and Caddy is about to learn that downward spirals have a momentum of their own."

Review 
Beautiful Broken Things has everything that I’ve been craving in YA Contemporary for the last few years. It’s a love story like no other between three best friends without a serious love interest in sight. Finally, a YA Contemporary has come along where the most powerful relationship is between friends. It’s a book that showcases the intensity of friendship in your teens and how it has the power to both destroy and rebuild.

The book follows Caddy, and where there’s Caddy there’s also her best friend Rosie and that’s how it’s always been. When a new school year begins, Caddy is expecting another uneventful year of getting good grades, hanging out with Rosie and meeting the expectations of her parents. Caddy’s life is safe and ordinary and she’s yet to experience a significant life event. But sometimes things happen in your life beyond your control…

When Rosie befriends beautiful and mysterious new girl Suzanne, Caddy feels like she has been replaced. Gradually the twosome becomes a threesome and it’s a hard adjustment for Caddy to make.

Suzanne is a girl with a tragic past who’s trying to make a new life for herself after suffering years of physical abuse from her stepdad. But Suzanne has a tendency to self-destruct – will Caddy and Rosie get shattered in the fallout?

For me, what made Beautiful Broken Things shine was the honest portrayal of Caddy, Rosie and Suzanne’s friendship. I could see my own friendships and experiences reflected in the three girls and that made the book a very powerful and emotional read for me. The strength of the relationships was incredibly represented as this book shows what it means to be a best friend.

My favourite friendship was between Caddy and Rosie, which may come as a surprise to those who’ve read Beautiful Broken Things because it’s probably the quietest relationship in this book but to me it was the perfect representation of true, selfless, unbreakable friendship.

The mental health aspect was also beautifully handled. Abuse and trauma are topics very close to my heart and I thought that Sara Barnard did a great job showing the mental scars that are left after the abuse has stopped. Suzanne wasn’t the most likeable character but I still felt my heart breaking for her. I also loved how this book showed what it means to be a good friend to someone with a mental illness and how best to support them.

The ending to this book left me a beautiful broken mess! I wanted to hug my best friend and tell her what she means to me (and also scream at her to read this book!) There’s also a lot of hope to the ending and a strong message about loving someone unconditionally. I’d recommend Beautiful Broken Things to fans of Jennifer Niven and Holly Bourne and to anyone looking for a different sort of story about love.

Review for 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough

13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
Publisher: Gollancz
Release: 18th February 2016
Genre: YA, Thriller
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

"I was dead for 13 minutes.

I don't remember how I ended up in the icy water but I do know this - it wasn't an accident and I wasn't suicidal.

They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but when you're a teenage girl, it's hard to tell them apart. My friends love me, I'm sure of it. But that doesn't mean they didn't try to kill me. Does it?"

Review 
13 Minutes is a masterfully crafted YA Thriller. It’s like Mean Girls on crack and had me so addicted that I’d stay up late into the early hours of the morning to read it.

Tasha is your notorious mean girl so when she’s revived after being dead for thirteen minutes in icy water she knows that this wasn’t an accident and that many people have a reason to want her dead. Her two sidekicks “the barbies” are acting suspiciously so, with nobody to trust and no memory of what happened that night, Tasha turns to her childhood best friend Becca to help put the puzzle pieces surrounding her death into place.

I love books that explore toxic female friendships. The relationships that we make in our teens can be all consuming – bordering on obsession. 13 Minutes portrays these relationships to the extreme. It’s dramatic and exciting to read but also terrifying because behind every action there is an element of truth that’s scarily recognisable.

By the time I reached the final page I was left dazzled at the craft and complexity of this book. It’s such a brilliant study of the pressures that are placed on teenage girls to the point where their lives become one big performance. 13 Minutes doesn’t shy away from the nitty gritty of being a teenage girl and Sarah Pinborough delivers this message with subtle feminist undertones.

Overall 13 Minutes is an unmissable read for lovers of gritty, thrilling YA fiction.

Review for Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard 
Publisher: Tor
Release: 14th January 2016
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis: 

"In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home. 

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch."

Review 
Truthwitch is one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2016 so I was beyond excited when I got to read this way back in August 2015. Despite following all of the hype for this book on the journey to publication, and knowing from the very beginning that it was going to be something truly special, I still don’t think I was prepared for what this book would come to mean to me nor realised that it would be such a game changer for YA Fantasy.

What I loved most about Truthwitch, and what makes it so special to me, is that this book has an epic female friendship at its heart which is something I haven’t seen before in Fantasy, at least not on the same scale as Truthwitch. In many ways Truthwitch is a celebration of female friendships those strong, lifelong friendships that become such a part of you that you can’t tell where you end and your best friend begins. If you’re lucky enough to have a friendship as strong as that like I have, it is immediately recognisable in this book and is finally given a name that feels right, that goes deeper than best friend: Threadsister.

Truthwitch follows Threadsisters Safiya and Iseult’s adventures in the Witchlands. Safiya is a Truthwitch meaning that she has the power to tell if somebody is telling her a truth or a lie – a rare highly sought after power. Iseult is a Threadwitch meaning that she can see the ties and relationships people have with those they love. Together the girls are an unstoppable force and are on the run from those who wish to capture Safiya and use her in the war against the Empires.

The world building and pacing in this book knocked me off my feet and kept me turning the pages. The threads of the world building are so cleverly weaved throughout this story so that you’re constantly learning new information right up until the very end. There is literally never a dull moment as you’re continuously discovering more about this world and characters.

As well as Safiya and Iseult’s epic friendship there are also so many ship potentials to have fun with. Susan Dennard excels at intense, steamy chemistry between her characters which was fun (and at times torturous!) to read.

Truthwitch is a bright and shining new addition to the Fantasy genre with an unforgettable friendship between two daring female protagonists at its heart. Don’t miss this lavish new adventure.

Review for A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig 
Publisher: Canongate
Release: 16th November 2015
Genre: Christmas, Children’s
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.
 It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible.

 A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and a boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic."

Review 
Have you ever wondered how Father Christmas became Father Christmas? I mean, how did a human come to live with Elves anyway? And how did the idea of delivering presents to children all across the world on Christmas Eve come about? Matt Haig takes us on a magical journey through the snowy landscape of Finland to find out how a boy called Christmas became the big man in the red suit that we all know and love as we discover the story behind the magic.

Nikolas lives in a small one-roomed cottage, exists on mushroom soup and has a doll carved out of a turnip for a best friend. Despite living a hard life he’s an optimistic, happy child who keeps magic alive in his heart. When Nikolas’s father goes on a quest to find a real-life Elf for the King, Nikolas is left with his horrible Aunt who takes what little joy is left in his life and crushes it. When his father doesn’t return home Nikolas sets off to find him and so begins his journey in becoming the person he was always meant to be.

What struck me about A Boy Called Christmas is how much thought and imagination Matt Haig has put into this book. Throughout a 265 page story he has created a magical new origin on how so many of the things we know and love about Christmas came to be.

Matt Haig’s writing is utterly enchanting and made me feel like a child on Christmas Eve again. What I loved about this book is that, magic aside, at the heart of this story is a message about the importance of goodness and passing that goodness on to others be it in a present or something as simple as a kind word. The moral of passing happiness on was so wonderful to read about.

In my opinion every household should have a copy of A Boy Called Christmas to read, not just for this Christmas, but for ones to come. A Boy Called Christmas has the potential to become a new Christmas classic and part of a new tradition for a new generation in the way that books such as ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and ‘The Snowman’ were for me growing up. Pick up this book and discover the next big thing in Christmas.

Review for Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Indigo
Release: 29th September 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

"Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first."

Review 
Six of Crows is like the hotter, maturer, dangerous older brother of the Grisha trilogy and boy did I love the Grisha trilogy! In Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo takes everything that I love about her first series and expands upon it making this her best book yet. This is the Grishaverse as you’ve never seen it before.

The book is told between five of the main characters as they try to pull off an impossible heist. I love books that are told from more than one point of view but I was a little worried going into this that I’d find five perspectives confusing. That may have been the case if told by a less accomplished writer but Leigh has created a group of distinct characters who are both sexually and ethnically diverse who are their own unique blend of good and bad and come with their own set of motives and desires. The different perspectives kept this book constantly moving and allowed us to view the heist from all angles. It allowed us to get to know these characters more complexly and also explore the backstories that made them who they are which was one of my favourite aspects of this book.

The way that this book is crafted is nothing short of extraordinary. It only gives you information about the world and characters as and when you need it which not only felt really natural but also provided a lot of surprises. Despite Six of Crows being a big book it’s fast paced and impossible to put down with heart stopping, jaw dropping moments laced throughout.

In short every aspect of Six of Crows was epic and faultless. Not only is this a strong addition to YA Fantasy but also to high Fantasy. It can certainly hold its own next to the likes of Game of Thrones and The Final Empire. This is easily a firm favourite of mine for 2015 – don’t miss it!