In three days time, Bee and I will be sitting our first exam of the year. Thankfully, it’s only one of two, and it’ll all be over the day before our birthday. (Talk about the best present ever!) It’s safe to say that when I pick up a book after doing a practice paper, I want to be as far away from Middlemarch and Joseph Andrews as possible. Here are a list of books that are like a comfort blanket – all my stress falls away as soon as I’m with these stories.
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot – Reading about Mia really puts my stress into perspective. At least I’m not being trained to run a small European country. I love the diary format and how honest Mia is with her narrative. She’s goofy and over-thinks every situation, but that’s all part of her charm. I’m moving on to the eighth book in the series, and really hoping to finish it before mid-year.
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens – These middle grade mysteries take my mind off whatever it is that’s curling my fists and clenching my teeth. They’re always deceptively difficult solves, with a powerhouse friendship at the centre, ready to take down any bad guy, regardless of if it’s a school night or not. I’m about to read the third book First Class Murder and I’m so excited because there’s no better place for a murder than a train!
What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick – All you need in life when your shoulders are up to your ears is a cone of ice cream in one hand, and a YA contemporary in the other. This is taking adorable to the next level because it takes place on a small vacation-town island, and is all about Gwen and Cassidy coming together again after a rocky shared past. If you can deal with some miscommunication, this one’s for you.
The Amateurs by Sara Shepard – Instead of diving for Pretty Little Liars, a sixteen book series that you’re bound to drop and go running to the TV show instead, pick up Sara’s newest release The Amateurs. Still a series, but only one book out at the moment and guaranteed to give you those binge-reading, one-sitting, I-feel-so-accomplished-right-now vibes. With a diverse cast, an unsolvable cold case and so many plot twists, you’ll feel dizzy, there’s no way revision will be on your mind. (You might get stressed about the murder instead, whoops.)
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman – Now, this might be a weird choice, seeing as all of the characters are stressing out about university and exams themselves, but its reassuring to read about others feeling just as nervous as you. Although, you may come out of the book questioning the value of the education system, and start shredding all your revision notes in protest (which I won’t be held accountable for), this is an excellent read for getting inside the mind of a seventeen year old and feeling understood.
Heart Full of Books 
Totally adding A Murder Most Unladylike to my TBR, it sounds very interesting indeed!
Cute contemporaries get me through exams (and yesss I’ve just had my last one. North of Happy, here I come) I find rereads to be the most relaxing in exam season, because they’re so comfortable and you’re sure that you’ll like them. I really need to read What I Thought Was True–My Life next door was fun and The Boy Most Likely To was heartbreaking.
I need to make more time to reread things! I’ve got a few on my TBR that I’d love to prioritise, so maybe it’ll be a treat when our exams are over – Maddie x