Tag: YA

Review: Me Being Me Is Exactly As Insane As You Being You by Todd Hasak-Lowy

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Me Being Me Is Exactly As Insane As You Being You by Todd Hasak-Lowy
Genre: Contemporary
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 656
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★.5

I picked this book up after seeing it on a list of YA LGBTQ+ books over at Maximum Pop Books. I thought you can never read too many LGBTQ+ books, so I’ve made it my mission to try and read as many on this list as physically possible. Another selling point with this book was the note that it was ‘a novel in lists’. Now, that’s an interesting story-telling method. So, as a list-lover, and an aspiring LGBTQYA reader, I had high hopes for this one. But, you know what they say about high hopes. You’re bound to be disappointed. Continue reading “Review: Me Being Me Is Exactly As Insane As You Being You by Todd Hasak-Lowy” →

Review: Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

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23770331.jpgGoodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
Genre: Contemporary, Coming-of-Age
Published by: Anderson Press
Pages: 281
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★
Note: We received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

After first hearing about this book it sounded like exactly the type of thing I love to read. Recently, I’ve been wanting to give middle grade more of a chance, and coming-of-age is one of my favourite sub-genres. So, Goodbye Stranger definitely ticked boxes on paper. I’m pleased to say, once I’d finished it, it continued to tick boxes…and make me want to eat cinnamon toast.  Continue reading “Review: Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead” →

Review: Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

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1805306018602341Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige
Genre: Retelling
Published by: HarperCollins
Pages: 452 | 293
Format: Paperbacks
Rating: ★★★.5 | ★★.5

I don’t think I really need to explain why I wanted to read these books. The clue is all in the genre. The Wizard of Oz is one of my grandparents’ favourite films, Wicked is my favourite musical, and I’ve actually read the original for once, so I was really looking forward to see what was done to Oz to make it so terrible. At this point in the series, I think Wicked is a better retelling, and let me tell you why.  Continue reading “Review: Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige” →

Review: The Next Together by Lauren James

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23266378The Next Together by Lauren James
Genre: Time Travel, Romance
Published by: Walker Books
Pages: 356
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★.5

We read The Next Together in preparation for a signing and panel Lauren James was doing alongside Alice Oseman, author of Radio Silence, and absolutely loved it! Described as a ‘reincarnation romance’, this book is sweet, action packed and always has a hint of mystery surrounding it that encourages you to keep turning the pages at the speed of light. So, without further ado, here are all the things we loved about The Next Together and why it should be the next book on your TBR list!  Continue reading “Review: The Next Together by Lauren James” →

Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

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234034021A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy
Published by: Titan Books
Pages: 386
Format: e-book
Rating: ★★★★
Series: A Gathering of Shadows (#2)

Oh goodness. This book was AMAZING. *round of applause* THIS is what fantasy is SUPPOSE TO READ LIKE. No flimsy faux-badass girls, but an actual bad-ass girl. Lila and Kell will steal your heart and once you read A Darker Shade Of Magic you will never want to go on adventures with any one else. I read a chapter sample thing ages ago, but couldn’t really get into it. Now I’ve read the full book I realise that’s because there’s so much world building and gradual character introductions that it does take some dedication before you can really get into it, but if you stick with it you will get out what you put in!

This is not the kind of book you can read quickly, it’s the kind that needs to be savoured and loved till the final page and beyond.

Continue reading “Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab” →

Review: Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar

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22188Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Genre: Contemporary, Snobby
Published by: Little, Brown and Co.
Pages: 224
Format: e-book
Rating: ★.5

In the vain of me trying to read the novel versions of the TV shows I’m watching, (see my Pretty Little Liars review for the first instalment) I picked up Gossip Girl. We should also bare in mind that I’ve only watched five episodes, so know very little about the characters’ TV counterparts but what I can say about the book versions is this: Privileged, ungrateful and superficial.  Continue reading “Review: Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar” →

Review: The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

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26042228The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Genre: Contemporary
Published by: Scholastic Press
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★

I’ve heard a lot about this author in the past, and I thought it was about time I read something by her. Everyone was hauling her latest book at BEA/BookCon this year, so it seemed like the perfect time. Now, everybody loves Speak and Wintergirls best, but this was one of the only LHA books my library had, so why not go for one that nobody talks about!  I have to say I was a little underwhelmed. I enjoyed the writing style, but the story wasn’t was I was expecting int he slightest. From the blurb it sounded like a mystery/ thriller but instead I got something completely different.

Continue reading “Review: The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson” →

Review: The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

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18196040The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
Genre: Realistic Dystopian
Published by: Indigo
Pages: 424
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★.5

I was super excited to get my hands on The Walled City considering Wolf by Wolf was one of my absolute favourites of the year. However, this book has showed me that just because you gelled with an author on one of their books, doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to like them all. I put my distaste of this book mostly down to the subject matters – it’s not exactly what I would describe as enjoyable.

Continue reading “Review: The Walled City by Ryan Graudin” →

Review: Rite of Redemption by Sarah Negovetich

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30237509Rite of Redemption by Sarah Negovetich
Genre: Dystopian
Published by: Self-published
Pages: 242
Format: ARC e-book
Rating:  ★★★
Note: We received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been such a lovely experience getting to finally finish the Acceptance series. Sarah contacted us to read the first book, Rite of Rejection back when our YouTube channel had under 1,000 subcribers and it meant so much that a self-published author thought that our audience was big enough to share her work with. Since then, Sarah’s finished the series and we’ve got over 5,000 subcribers, so we’ve all come a long way since the debut, especially the characters of the series.  So, without further ado, let’s discuss.  Continue reading “Review: Rite of Redemption by Sarah Negovetich” →

Review: Far From You by Tess Sharpe

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20517739Far From You by Tess Sharpe
Genre: Mystery, Romance, LGBTQ
Published by: Indigo
Pages: 343
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★

Upon first picking up Far From You, I thought I was about to read another YA thriller mystery similar to all of the ones I’ve read in the past year. (I don’t know how I’ve read so many, it’s just happened!) When I mentioned this book in a library check out haul, someone told me it was so much more than my mystery/thriller assumptions, and I’m really glad I gave it a chance. Because what I was not expecting was the LGBTQ aspect, and without it this would’ve been a very cliche story.

Continue reading “Review: Far From You by Tess Sharpe” →