Category: Reviews by Maddie

Review: This Beats Perfect by Rebecca Denton

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33135198This Beats Perfect by Rebecca Denton
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Atom Books
Pages: 288
Format: ARC e-book
Rating: ★★.5

While waiting for Kill the Boy Band to arrive in the post, we saw this boyband book pop up on NetGalley and thought it would be the perfect way to fill the time! This Beats Perfect, and any kind of book that deals with fame, is a guilty pleasure for me, so I was  looking forward to seeing what manufactured boy bands were really like, after you pull back the layers of hair gel and leather jackets. For me, this book played it a little too safe with the story line, an interesting cross between the Jem and the Holograms movie and Camp Rock.  Continue reading “Review: This Beats Perfect by Rebecca Denton” →

Review: The Hetty Feather Series by Jacqueline Wilson

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The Hetty Feather Series by Jacqueline Wilson
Genre: Historical
Published by: Doubleday Children’s
Pages: 400 | 400 | 432 | 304 | 512
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★
Note: As this is a review of the entire series, certain plot points and outcomes are discussed that may spoil the series for first time readers, or people that haven’t completed the series!

H  E  T  T  Y     F  E  A  T  H  E  R

Hetty Feather is such a change of pace from anything Jacqueline Wilson has written before. Set in the 1890s, it is the first in her Victorian series, featuring Hetty, a foundling girl with ambitions to join the circus and becoming a published author, whichever comes first. Hetty Feather is so unique because it reads like usual middle grade fiction, but has the makings of a classic. Hetty’s journey is structured very much like Jane Eyre’s, except it spans across three books! The first book is pastoral, fascinating and exciting. The circus makes such a wonderful setting, in stark contrast to the Foundling Hospital. Reading as Hetty gets torn away from everyone she loves: her mother, foster family and beloved Jem, is heartbreaking. No matter what she goes through, mischief, mayhem or injustice, you always root for her! It’s hard to think that the sequels are going to match up to such a marvellous beginning!  Continue reading “Review: The Hetty Feather Series by Jacqueline Wilson” →

Review: Trouble Makes a Comeback by Stephanie Tromly

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32573384Trouble Makes a Comeback by Stephanie Tromly
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Pages: 384
Format: ARC e-book
Rating: ★★.5
Note: We received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

I was really excited to read this after reading Trouble is a Friend of Mine  last week and really liking it. Nancy Drew with drug circles and razor blades. It was intense and the relationship between Digby and our main girl, Zoe, was what really drew me to the story. The sequel, I’m sad to say, didn’t live up to the hype I was creating for myself (silly, silly me) but the strengths of the first book, like the quick witted dialogue, continued throughout, making it still an enjoyable read, but not the jam packed sequel I was hoping for.  Continue reading “Review: Trouble Makes a Comeback by Stephanie Tromly” →

(Spoiler) Series Review: The Lone City by Amy Ewing

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The Jewel, The White Rose and The Black Key by Amy Ewing
Genre: Dystopian, Romance
Publisher: Walker Books
Pages: 362 | 310 | 304
Format: Paperback & e-book
Rating: ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★

The Jewel is one of the books I’ve had on my shelves for ages and have been dying to read. In our Last Minute TBR video, I made a list of five books I couldn’t finish 2016 without reading, and this was at the top of that list. It’s been nearly a whole year since I read my last dystopian series, and I was reading to get sucked into a world for a few days and love every second of it. Luckily, The Jewel lived up to every expectation I had of it, and was one of the most lovely reading experiences I’ve had all year! I’m so pleased to have found another favourite series in The Lone City and it’s time to share the love!
Continue reading “(Spoiler) Series Review: The Lone City by Amy Ewing” →

Series Review: The Spinster Club Trilogy by Holly Bourne

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Am I Normal Yet?, How Hard Can Love Be? and What’s a Girl Gotta Do?
Genre: Contemporary, Feminism, Romance
Published by: Usborne
Pages: 434, 480, 432
Rating: ★★★★★
More: The Manifesto on How to be Interesting

Over the summer, I read this absolutely amazing series called ‘The Spinster Club’ and I loved it so much I couldn’t even put into words how much it all meant for me. Dealing with everything you could possibly want in a contemporary and more, Holly Bourne manages to actually do the impossible and create a series when I loved each and every one of the books equally. Now, there’s a short story epilogue to the series, called …And A Happy New Year? that’ll be the first thing I read after Christmas and I’m sure to review the finale, but first, let’s reflect on just how awesome this feminist trilogy is!

Continue reading “Series Review: The Spinster Club Trilogy by Holly Bourne” →

Review: Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson

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28501489Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson
Genre: Historical, Middle Grade
Publisher: Doubleday Childrens
Pages: 400
Format: e-book
Rating: ★★★★
Note: We received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

After reading and loving the Hetty Feather series, we were both super excited to dive into Jacqueline Wilson’s latest Victorian historical adventure, that even promises a cameo from Hetty herself. This year, we’ve been rediscovering our old favourite Jacqueline Wilson books, along with keeping ourselves up to date with all the releases that came out the decade we stopped reading. It’s so exciting to read the most recently release, and Clover has worked her way into our hearts just as Hetty did. Continue reading “Review: Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson” →

Review: I’ll Be Home For Christmas UKYA Anthology!

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31114205I’ll Be Home For Christmas, an anthology by UKYA authors
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Stripes Publishing
Pages: 384
Format: e-book
Rating: Each story rated individually!
Note: We received this book in exchange for on honest review. 

After reading  Stephanie Perkins’ Winter and Summer anthologies, it’s about time to have one full of wonderful UKYA authors! There are a few here, like Katy Cannon and Holly Bourne that we were really looking out for, but anthologies are always an exciting opportunity to discover new authors too.

Continue reading “Review: I’ll Be Home For Christmas UKYA Anthology!” →

Review: Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly

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troubleTrouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Pages: 295
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★.5

I’ve had this book on my shelf for a while, and that’s mostly because the Goodreads reviews shout that there needs to be a sequel. This can only mean there’s one heck of a cliffhanger, and I wasn’t ready to be unsatisfied…until I found out there’s a sequel, coming out in the week!

So, I was ready to dive into Trouble is a Friend of Mine, safe in the knowledge I could jump right over to the second book straight after. No guesses what I’m reading now.

Advertised as a mix between Sherlock and Veronica Mars, I was on board from the word GO, so let’s talk about this mad, hilarious story and why the sequel is a must. Continue reading “Review: Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly” →

Review: RoseBlood by A. G. Howard

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28818314RoseBlood by A. G. Howard
Genre: Retelling
Published by: Amulet Books
Pages: 432
Format: ARC e-book
Rating: ★★.5
Note: We received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

RoseBlood, if you can’t tell from the magnificent cover, is a retelling of Phantom of the Opera. Now, I’ll admit that I haven’t read the book or seen the musical, so the whole retelling element was a bit lost on me, but I did still manage to piece the story together, and gain some understanding of what Phantom is all about. From the off, then, this is a book for both lovers of Phantom, and complete newbies, like me! There was something quite Beauty and the Beast about the story too, so if that’s your cup of tea, you’ll totally love RoseBlood. 
Continue reading “Review: RoseBlood by A. G. Howard” →

Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

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31458203Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling
Published by: Macmillan Children’s Books
Pages: 460
Format: ARC e-book
Rating: ★★★
Note: We received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It’s no secret that fairy tale retellings are my favourite genre, and The Lunar Chronicles is my favourite series of all time. Marissa Meyer was a goddess when it came to weaving so many well-loved fairy tales together in this sci-fi universe and I couldn’t have loved it more. So, Heartless, obviously, made my list of most anticipated releases of 2016. I was so excited to see her tackle another fairy story, even if Wonderland and I don’t really get along. Marissa Meyer had also proved that she knows how to write a prequel, before-the-villain story with Fairest, so my expectations were high, and I was satisfied…eventually.  Continue reading “Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer” →