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REVIEW: Floored by Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood

Good morning! Hope you're having a good week! Today I have a review for one of the biggest titles at YALC this year. Title:  Floored Author:  Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood Series:  n/a Pages:   320 Publisher:  Macmillan Date of Publication:  12th July, 2018 Synopsis from Goodreads: When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who...

Mini Reviews: Heartless, Unconventional, and The Mystery of the Painted Dragon

Hello! Here are three mini reviews of some February releases! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HEARTLESS by Marissa Meyer Published 9th February, 2017 by Macmillan Children's Books Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. In this prequel to Alice in Wonderland , Cath longs to open a bakery, but her family and the king have other ideas. Set in the world of the Looking Glass, it promises to be weird and wonderful and deliver a heartwarming story of forbidden love... But it didn't really, to be honest. After fifty pages, I found myself wondering where the book was going and when it was going to get started. Then fifty pages later, I was still wondering that. I wasn't excited about reading the novel, and I decided to DNF after 150 pages when I realised I just didn't care for the characters or what happened to them.  There's a big fat stench of instalove as well - Cath doesn't know Jest at all bu...

Book Review: A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard

Title:  A Quiet Kind of Thunder Author:  Sara Barnard Series:   n/a Pages:   307 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  12th January, 2017 Source:  Bought Synopsis from Goodreads: Steffi doesn't talk, but she has so much to say. Rhys can't hear, but he can listen. Their love isn't a lightning strike, it's the rumbling roll of thunder. Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life - she's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He's deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she's assigned to look after him. To Rhys, it doesn't matter that Steffi doesn't talk, and as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she's falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it. From the bestselling author of Beautiful Broken Things comes a love story about the times w...

Book Review: The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

Title:  The Square Root of Summer  Author:  Harriet Reuter Hapgood Series:   standalone Pages:   336 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  5th May, 2016 Source:  Publisher for review* Synopsis from back of book:  This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It's a little bit like a black hole.  It's a little bit like infinity. When the fabric of the universe surrounding Gottie's sleepy seaside town begins to fray, she is hurtled through wormholes to the past. To last summer, when her grandfather, Grey, died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn't even hold her hand at Grey's funeral. To the day her childhood best friend, Thomas, moved away, leaving her with a scar on her hand and a gap in her memory. This summer, although Grey is gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie's past, present and future are about to collide - and be c...

Book Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Title:  Carry On Author:  Rainbow Rowell Series:   n/a Pages:   517 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  8th October, 2015 Source:  Bought Synopsis from Goodreads:  Simon Snow just wants to relax and savour his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he'll be safe. Simon can't even enjoy the fact that his room-mate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can't stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you're the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savour anything. My Thoughts: Before I start this review, I feel I should explain how this book came about. Rainbow Rowell's novel Fangirl is about, you guessed it, ...

Book Review: My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins

Title:  My True Love Gave To Me Authors:  Stephanie Perkins, Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de la Pena, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White Series:   Standalone anthology Pages:  355 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  9th October, 2014 Source:  Publisher from event* Synopsis from Goodreads: On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays. My Thoughts: My True Love Gave To Me contains twelve stories by twelve different authors, including Stephanie Perkins, Ally Carter and Rainbow Rowell. Of the twelve authors, I've read and enjoyed books by nine of them, and so while antho...

Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title:  Fangirl Author:  Rainbow Rowell Series:   Standalone Pages:   459 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  30th January, 2014 Source:  Bought Synopsis from Goodreads: Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. Without Wren, Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classma...

Book Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Title:  This Song Will Save Your Life Author:  Leila Sales Series:   ~ Pages:   288 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  10th October 2013 Source:  For review from publisher* Synopsis from Goodreads:  All her life, Elise Dembowski has been an outsider. Starting a new school, she dreams of fitting in at last – but when her best attempts at popularity fail, she almost gives up. Then she stumbles upon a secret warehouse party. There, at night, Elise can be a different person, making real friends, falling in love for the first time, and finding her true passion – DJ’ing. But when her real and secret lives collide, she has to make a decision once and for all: just who is the real Elise? An irresistible novel about hope, heartbreak and the power of music to bring people together. My Thoughts: When I first heard about This Song Will Save Your Life , I must admit, I was unsure that it would be my cup of...

Blog Tour: Imaginary Cast List for Rage Within

Hello! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts! It's the second book in the awesome Dark Inside series , and today I have a guest post from Jeyn for you to read. It's her imaginary cast for the four main characters in the book: Mason, Aries, Clementine and Michael! I think she's picked great actors and actresses for the parts, and I can't wait to hear what you think about each one! __________ After the earthquakes came the infectious rage, turning friends into deadly enemies. For survivors Michael, Aries, Mason and Clementine the battle to stay alive is about to get even tougher. The new world is organising itself, with camps that promise protection for the uninfected. But the reality of the sites is far more sinister. Besides, nobody is safe from the rage within their own soul... __________ Cast List Mason - Jeremy Irvine There’s just something about this guy’s expression that screams Mason to me. He's got a very ...

Book Review: Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

Title:  Rage Within Author:  Jeyn Roberts Series:  Dark Inside, #2 Pages:  406 Publisher:  Macmillan Date of Publication:  30th August 2012 Source:  Publisher* Synopsis from Goodreads: After the earthquakes came the infectious rage, turning friends into deadly enemies. For survivors Michael, Aries, Mason and Clementine the battle to stay alive is about to get even tougher. The new world is organising itself, with camps that promise protection for the uninfected. But the reality of the sites is far more sinister. Besides, nobody is safe from the rage within their own soul... "The world may be broken, but hope is not crazy." ~ John Green  My Thoughts: Rage Within was very different to Dark Inside . It was still the same series, obviously, but the super frightening action of the first book was replaced by a more subtle and creepy undertone in Rage Within . The characters are hiding from the Baggers, and they risk their lives ev...

Book Review: Foretold by Jana Oliver

Title:  Foretold Author:  Jana Oliver Series:  The Demon Trappers, #4 Pages:   438 Publisher:  MacMillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  2nd August 2012 Source:  Publisher* Synopsis from Goodreads: Riley’s always known that Beck had a chequered history, but she’s not prepared for what it actually means to be in love with a guy with this many dark secrets. Now that he’s finally admitted to himself that he’s in love with her too, there’s no more hiding the truth about his past. And as it turns out, fending off a demon apocalypse is nothing compared to what’s to come... My Thoughts: When I first started this series, I was under the impression it was going to be a trilogy. I can't remember if that was just me assuming that it would be, or whether it originally was planned to be a trilogy and then they added a fourth book, but when I heard that said fourth book had been added, I was kind of annoyed. So many trilogies were gaining fourt...

Blog Tour: Debutantes - Daisy Character Profile

Hey! Welcome to my stop of the blog tour for Debutantes  by Cora Harrison! I have a great guest post from the author herself, and I've also posted my review here. (will link once posted!) __________ It’s 1923 and London is a whirl of jazz, dancing and parties. Violet, Daisy, Poppy and Rose Derrington are desperate to be part of it, but stuck in an enormous crumbling house in the country, with no money and no fashionable dresses, the excitement seems a lifetime away. Luckily the girls each have a plan for escaping their humdrum country life: Rose wants to be a novelist, Poppy a jazz musician and Daisy a famous film director. Violet, however, has only one ambition: to become the perfect Debutante, so that she can go to London and catch the eye of Prince George, the most eligible bachelor in the country. But a house as big and old as Beech Grove Manor hides many secrets, and Daisy is about to uncover one so huge it could ruin all their plans—ruin everything—forever. _______...

Book Review: Debutantes by Cora Harrison

Title:  Debutantes Author:  Cora Harrison Series: N/A Pages:   320 Publisher:  MacMillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  2nd August 2012 Source:  Publisher* Synopsis from Goodreads: It’s 1923 and London is a whirl of jazz, dancing and parties. Violet, Daisy, Poppy and Rose Derrington are desperate to be part of it, but stuck in an enormous crumbling house in the country, with no money and no fashionable dresses, the excitement seems a lifetime away. Luckily the girls each have a plan for escaping their humdrum country life: Rose wants to be a novelist, Poppy a jazz musician and Daisy a famous film director. Violet, however, has only one ambition: to become the perfect Debutante, so that she can go to London and catch the eye of Prince George, the most eligible bachelor in the country. But a house as big and old as Beech Grove Manor hides many secrets, and Daisy is about to uncover one so huge it could ruin all their plans—ruin ev...

Book Review: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Title:  Dreamless  Author:  Josephine Angelini Series: Starcrossed, #2 Pages:   503 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  5th July 2012 Source:  Publisher Synopsis from Goodreads: Can true love be forgotten? As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on. Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder. As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s s...

Book Review: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

Title:  Forgiven Author:  Jana Oliver Series:  The Demon Trappers, #3 Pages:  407 Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books Date of Publication:  1st March 2012 Source:  Publisher* Synopsis from Goodreads: Riley has made a bargain with Heaven, and now they've come to collect. Lucifer's finest are ruling the streets and it seems that Armageddon might be even closer than Riley imagined. But with her soul and her heart in play it's all she can do to keep herself alive, let alone save the world. Riley's not afraid of kicking some major demon butt, but when it comes to a battle between Heaven and Hell, she might need a little help... My Thoughts: Forgiven is the third book in The Demon Trappers Series by Jana Oliver. It's one of my favourite series, and let me tell you - each book just gets better and better. I absolutely adored this book - and although I'm in a bit of a reading funk at the moment - when I did actually sit down to read for...

Book Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Title:  Glow Author:  Amy Kathleen Ryan Series:  Sky Chasers #1 Pages:  385 Publisher:  Macmillan Date of Publication:  7th October 2011 Source:  Publisher* Synopsis from Goodreads: What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue? Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them... Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, an...

Book Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Title: Starcrossed Author: Josephine Angelini Series: Starcrossed #1 Pages: 514 Publisher: HarperCollins (US)/MacMillan Children's (UK) Date of UK Publications: 3rd June 2011 Source: Publisher Synopsis from Goodreads: Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention. Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy...