I’ll Give You The Sun

By Jandy Nelson

4.5/5

This book. Wow. I finished this book about 20 minutes ago and I am still speechless. I can’t stop thinking about it and I don’t think I’ll be able to stop for a very long time.

I was a bit unsure of this book when I first began reading and for a good 100 pages I wasn’t sure if I was going to like which is the reason I gave it 4.5/5. There’s lots of imagery and flowery language and if you’ve read some of my other reviews you will know this isn’t really my thing. However, when the story got going I could not put this book down. This story is breath-taking and relatable and so incredibly wonderful. Jude and Noah are so gorgeous and though I hated them both at different times, I still love them both wholeheartedly. I really liked how Noah’s chapters are from his younger perspective and Jude’s from their present age because it really enables you to see how they have grown and developed. Their relationship is so heart-breaking but is what makes the book so special. Noah and Jude will forever be in my heart.

The romance in this book is incredible. Noah and Brian made me laugh and cry and I felt every emotion they went through. Jude and Oscar are so perfect and their relationship is so special. I adore all of the characters in this book and it was wonderful to see how they all intertwine.

I could go on about this book forever but I don’t want to spoil its magic. You really must go and pick up this book – it’s one of a kind and a story that will stay with me for a very long time.

Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda

By Becky Albertalli

4.5/5

This book has been hyped so much on Bookstagram and I knew, no matter what, I had to read it. Yesterday was that day. I’d been hesitant about purchasing this book because of its length; I am a really fast reader and I knew it would only take me a couple of hours at the most to read so I felt it was a bit of a waste of money. However, I received a Waterstones voucher for my birthday and so was able to purchase the book without paying for it myself and now I am so happy to have this book in my life. It’s a really easy read that made me smile and laugh and even gave me butterflies with how utterly adorable it was. I read it one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

The characters are wonderful and vibrant; I am a big fan of Abby and Nick. Friendship is so important throughout this book which I love; Simon’s group of friends are as random as they come, with soccer players and those from the drama club but they fit together like a family and each individual character helps the others to grow. Family is also very important in this book and Simon’s family are as crazy as they come; his sisters are fantastic! You can’t help but smile at the romance in this book. The emails exchanged between Blue and Jacques (Simon) are endearing and are exactly what you would expect of two 16 year old boys getting to know each other. I was incredibly happy when Blue was revealed and the relationship that developed between the pair was beautiful.

I could gush about this book forever so instead of listening to me waffle on about how amazing it is, go and read it for yourself. You won’t regret it.

The One We Fell In Love With

By Paige Toon

3/5

I picked this book up from the supermarket with no expectations of what it was going to be like; I just needed a quick read to last until I went to my local bookstore. This book did the trick. The story follows triplets, Phoebe, Rose and Eliza, who all fell in love with the same boy, Angus. However, the story is more than just a romance, it is more importantly about the relationship between the sisters after a tragedy.

I found this book to be a really quick and easy read. It made me smile and was just the sort of book I needed to get me out of a reading slump. However, the story was difficult to follow at times as I couldn’t really figure out what was happening in the present and what had happened in the past. This became clearer towards the middle of the book when the tragedy was revealed but as such, it is one of the reasons this book only got 3/5. A second reason is because I found the characters really hard to relate to; usually in a book there will be at least one character who I see some of myself in but I found it really difficult to get to know these characters. Perhaps it’s because the sisters are much older than myself but being unable to relate to them created a barrier between myself and the story and so I could not fully immerse myself into the book.

On the other hand, this book was really easy to read and I would probably read it again if I had nothing else on my shelf. 

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

By Cassandra Clare

4/5

If you are a fan of The Mortal Instruments series, you must read this book which follows Simon as he ascends to become a Shadowhunter. Our favourite characters also make an appearance but it was nice to see Simon’s character develop without the help of the others as he made some new friends and learned more about his past.

Simon was one of my favourite characters in the TMI series so I was really looking forward to being reacquainted with him in this spin-off and he did not disappoint. He was the same charming, witty, awkward Simon that we all know and love but he grew as a character which was lovely to see. I also fell in love with the character of George Lovelace and the witty banter the two shared made me smile. Catarina Loss was another favourite of mine and her relationship with Simon was so special.

My favourite stories in this book were definitely the final two; Born to Endless Nights made me smile so much as we were reunited with our favourite couple, Malec, and Angels Twice Descending made me smile and cry in equal measures.

I will most definitely read this book again and I believe it to be a must read for all Cassandra Clare fans. However, I am now impatiently waiting for Lord of Shadows, the second book in The Dark Artifices trilogy, as I have missed this beautiful world that Cassie created.