History Is All You Left Me

By Adam Silvera

5/5

“Griffin has lost his first love in a drowning accident. Theo was his best friend, his ex-boyfriend and the one he believed he would end up with. Now, reeling from grief and worsening OCD, Griffin turns to an unexpected person for help. Theo’s new boyfriend. But as their relationship becomes increasingly complicated, dangerous truths begin to surface Griffin must make a choice: confront the past, or miss out on his future.”

This book is absolutely beautiful from start to finish. It made me cry a lot and it is a story that will stick with me for a very long time. The story is written in alternating chapters of ‘History’, which explores Theo and Griffin’s relationship from start to finish, and ‘Today’, which explores the friendship between Jackson and Griffin.

I think grief is portrayed excellently in this book. No character is being judged for grieving differently than others and Griffin’s parents really understand and support what he is going through. His grief was unique to him which is an important message – no one grieves the same and this is ok! Griffin and Jackson’s (Theo’s ex-boyfriend) friendship was really special and I liked how it developed throughout the book as they started off really disliking each other. I liked Jackson’s character a lot despite disliking him at the start of the book as I was purely ‘Team Griffin.’ Wade is definitely my favourite character, as although we didn’t see too much of him, he was a really integral part to the story. I did also like Griffin’s character but he acted very selfishly at times. Theo was a character that I grew to really hate – I loved him at the start of his and Griffin’s relationship but he grew to be incredibly selfish and manipulative. I think what was the most upsetting was Griffin losing his best friend rather than him losing the love of his life.

Mental health is also a key component to this book but it is not the main focus. I myself don’t suffer from OCD so I can’t comment on how well it is represented but Griffin did see therapy in a positive light which I thought was brilliant. The other characters took Griffin’s illness really seriously and tried to make life as easy as possible for him in regards to his compulsions which was excellent to see.

I highly recommend this book to everyone – it will definitely make you cry but I think it’s a really important story in regards to grief, mental illness and also healthy relationships.

A Monster Calls

By Patrick Ness

5/5

“Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don’t quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there’s a visitor at his window. It’s ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.”

This book is absolutely breath-taking. It is the first Patrick Ness book I have read and I will most definitely be reading more. His writing is beautiful and raw, enabling me to speed through this book in about an hour – I just couldn’t put it down! This was partly due to the fantastic writing, but also due to the incredible story the words told. As someone who has unfortunately dealt with quite a lot of loss in my life, this story really hit home. It was wonderful, but also rather scary, to find a book that understand my feelings so perfectly. The theme of “letting go” was one I struggle with daily, both in regards to mundane situations and also more life changing situations, such as the one Conor faces.

Conor was a truly wonderful character – at 13 years old, he was facing more than a boy that age should. His defiance towards the monster at the beginning of the novel really expressed his character. He was so strong, yet his vulnerability shone through making him a really relatable protagonist. We weren’t really introduced to too many other characters in depth but I thought Conor’s relationship with his Mum was really special, and the end of the book appeared to look towards a positive relationship for Conor and his Grandmother. The character of the monster was really unique and his role was really positive.

I cried for a good 10 minutes after finishing this book which I think shows how utterly heart-breaking it is. But it is also one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read and I cannot wait to read more of Patrick Ness’ work. 

We Were Liars

By E. Lockhart

2.5/5

“We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken. A tale of love and romance. A tale of tragedy. Which are lies? Which is truth? You decide.”

I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this book over the past few years but unfortunately it did not live up to the high expectations I had. It is by no means the worst book I have ever read – it was a quick and easy contemporary read.

I knew there was going to be a plot twist at the end but when it came it really didn’t shock me. Perhaps because I knew there was going to be a plot twist or because I felt indifferent towards the characters, it didn’t really bother me. I can see why this may be a surprise ending and I feel that if I had been shocked by the twist I may have rated this book a little more highly. However, this book really fell flat for me and I unfortunately do not understand the hype surrounding it. The characters were irritating and the family dynamic was really unhealthy. On the other hand, I did like the island setting of the book and I think it created a really unique backdrop for the story.

I do recommend this book if you have heard nothing about it and are looking for a quick and easy contemporary read but if you want a book where you can really immerse yourself in the story and connect with the characters, I don’t think this would be the book for you. I’m really glad I only picked this book up for 80p from a charity shop.

Caraval

By Stephanie Garber

4/5

“Scarlett and Tella have never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show. Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. When the sisters’ long-awaited invitations finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show’s mastermind organiser, Legend. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is an elaborate performance. But she quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.”

This one of my most anticipated reads for this year. It sounded a lot like The Night Circus which is one my favourite books so I was really excited to get stuck in and it did not disappoint. The idea of Caraval is really unique – I got a Wonderland vibe from the setting, especially at the beginning when Scarlett and Julian first arrive on the island. I think this would make a really vibrant and interesting film.

I didn’t find this book as magical as The Night Circus but I did still really enjoy it. The writing was excellent and the characters were vibrant – I really liked Julian (despite never really knowing who he was) and Scarlett grew on me as a character. It was interesting to see their relationship develop and blossom, as well as Scarlett’s relationship with Tella and how this changes throughout the book. This book constantly surprised me and I could never guess what would happen next.

Unfortunately, I found it a little difficult to imagine the world that Stephanie Garber created. The magic wasn’t as spectacular as I thought it was going to be and the abuse the sisters’ face from their father made me a little uncomfortable, especially when he turned up at Caraval.. I understand that the abuse is an incentive for the sisters to leave Trisda but it did make me a little uncomfortable, especially when the father gives Scarlett to the count and basically tells him to "take what is his".
I do recommend this book for fans of The Night Circus and fantasy in general (although do be warned that some of the themes may be uncomfortable for some readers). I would love to read a sequel to this book and I will definitely read more from Stephanie Garber in the future.(Also, the UK hardback cover is absolutely stunning!)

Crooked Kingdom

By Leigh Bardugo

4.5/5

“Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off the most daring heist imaginable. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re fighting for their lives. Doubled-crossed and badly weakened, they’re low on resources, allies and hope. While a war rages on the city’s streets, the team’s fragile loyalties are stretched to breaking point. Kaz and his crew will have to make sure they’re on the winning side… no matter what the cost.”

I adore this duology! I was unsure as to whether I would like it as the story really didn’t seem like something I would be interested in but I loved it! Six of Crows was magnificent and Crooked Kingdom was equally as wonderful.

I was constantly on edge throughout the whole book as I knew there would be lots of plot twists based on Six of Crows and I wasn’t disappointed. I never knew what was going to happen and was kept in constant suspense which I really liked. The setting of Ketterdam was explored in even more depth in this book and I found myself becoming familiar with the places the characters visited. This is a world that I really enjoyed as despite being fantasy, it felt very realistic and I could imagine it very vividly.

The characters were just as wonderful as they were in Six of Crows and it was great to learn even more about them. They were all developed beautifully, especially Wylan who I utterly adored in this book (although Jesper is still my favourite character). We were introduced to some new characters which was interesting and some familiar faces appeared again. I really did enjoy all of our six main characters which is unusual because in a book with so many characters, it is likely that you will not like one but I found them all to be brilliant. They were all so humorous despite the challenges they faced and this humour really made this book special.

Although I adored this book, I did enjoy Six of Crows more. This may be because I got myself into a bit of a reading slump halfway through this book and so it took me much longer to read than normal but I still really enjoyed it. This duology is a must read for all fantasy fans and it is filled to the brim with diverse characters which is wonderful. I highly recommend this series and I can’t wait to read more from Leigh Bardugo.

Six of Crows

By Leigh Bardugo

5/5

“Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he’ll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist: break into the notorious Ice Court (a military stronghold that has never been breached), retrieve a hostage (who could unleash magical havoc on the world), survive long enough to collect his reward (and spend it). Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done – and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.”

Oh my goodness, I am in awe at this masterpiece. I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book as it really didn’t seem like the kind of story I would be interested in but I’d seen and heard so many positive reviews that I decided to give it a chance and I am so glad I did. This book was incredible from start to finish. It was filled with suspense that kept me on my toes and I was constantly surprised from beginning to end – I never knew what was coming!

The story is written in third person but each chapter is from the point of view of one of the six main characters; Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Jesper and Wylan. I loved every single one of the characters – there was never a chapter where I though “oh I don’t want to read this because I hate this character.” Each character was complex and we learned so much about them. I think my favourite character is Jesper but this may change as Six of Crows is the first book in a duology and I am about to start the second book, Crooked Kingdom, and as I love of the characters equally, my favourite is likely to change. This book is wonderfully diverse which also makes it incredibly special.

I cannot recommend this book enough and I can’t wait to see what happens in Crooked Kingdom. I’m also really excited to read more of Leigh Bardugo’s work as I am really intrigued by the Grisha world she has created and I love her writing style. If you love fantasy, you will love this book!

Ignite Me

By Tahereh Mafi

5/5

“With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.”

Oh my goodness! This book was incredible and the best conclusion to one of the most wonderful trilogies I’ve ever read. I read this book in a matter of hours because I just could not put it down!

I had a very strong feeling, even when I began Shatter Me, that I was going to like Warner by the end of this series and I was right in my assumption – I am in love. His character has developed so much and I am 100% ‘Team Warner.’ Juliette’s character development was also incredible – we saw glimpses of her strength in the first two novels but she was amazing in this final instalment. She is definitely one of my favourite female characters ever. The rest of the characters also had amazing development; Kenji was his usual charming self but we saw a more honest side to him in this novel which I really liked. Unfortunately, I am no longer a fan of Adam (which I guess was Mafi’s intention so that we all fall in love with Warner instead). Adam was cruel and spiteful but he was overcoming this towards the end of the novel and I would have loved to see how his relationship with Warner develops.

The writing style of this trilogy is so raw and honest and I can’t wait to read more of Mafi’s work. This trilogy is now one of my favourites and I already cannot wait to read it again! I highly recommend it!

Unravel Me + Fracture Me (novella)

By Tahereh Mafi

5/5

“Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance. She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.”

I am absolutely loving this trilogy. There was so much character development in this book which I loved and I enjoyed it even more than Shatter Me which I didn’t think was possible.

Juliette is such a wonderful character. I think we saw her at her absolute weakest in this novel but we also saw moments of strength which shows how much her character is developing. Her and Adam’s relationship was so heartbreaking but I can’t wait to see what it means for the final instalment. Warner is still so utterly confusing but his character is developing so nicely that I can see myself falling in love with him. James was adorable and I am glad we got to see more of him and his relationship with Adam and Kenji (who I think may be my favourite character).

This book was intense and fast-paced, the perfect dystopian read. I can’t wait to read the final instalment! I love Mafi’s writing style as I feel you can really get into Juliette’s head but also really embrace the other characters as well.

Fracture Me

“In Fracture Me, Adam, Juliette’s first love, will do anything to get her back.”

I love these little novellas as we get to see inside the head of a character other than Juliette. I adored Warner’s novella because we saw a whole new side to his character but I didn’t feel the same way about Adam’s novella. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a 5/5 novella for writing style, I just no longer feel the same way about Adam’s character that I did in Shatter Me. I think he is weak and dragging Juliette down but I hope we see a different side to him in the final instalment as I loved his character in this first book and would like to love him again.

The One Memory of Flora Banks

By Emily Barr

3.5/5

“Flora has amnesia. She can’t remember anything day-to-day: the joke her friend made, the instructions her parents gave her, how old she is. Then she kisses someone she shouldn’t – and the next day she remembers it. It’s the first time she’s remembered anything since she was ten. But the boy is gone.”

This book is incredible. It was so gripping making it unbelievably difficult to put down. The story follows Flora who has Anterograde Amnesia after she kisses her best friend Paige’s boyfriend on the beach after his going-away party. Flora remembers this kiss the next day despite not even remembering simple things like how old she is and as a result, when her parents go to France to visit her sick brother, she jets off on a wild goose chase to the Arctic to find this boy.

The reason I gave this book a 3.5 is purely because of how repetitive it gets due to the first person narrative meaning we are constantly reminded of things as Flora reads her notes and remembers who she is and what she is doing. I understand that this is a key feature in understanding Flora and I like how honest it makes the novel but it does get rather repetitive. Flora was a wonderful character who I was rooting for the whole way through the book. I was rather indifferent towards most of the other characters but Jacob, Flora’s brother, was brilliant and I found myself liking Paige at the end of the book as she redeemed herself by helping Flora. On the other hand, Flora’s mother was a character I really could not like, especially as the events unfolded and don’t even get me started on Drake!

I loved the Arctic setting of this novel as I have never read a book set here before – I love the cold and winter and I found myself experiencing Norway along with Flora and wishing I was right there beside her. I feel as though the unusual setting really added to the suspense of this novel.

This book was one of those where I thought I knew what was going to happen at the end yet the reality was so different and that’s what makes this novel so special. If, like me, you find yourself getting a little bored with the repetitiveness, keep going because the end of this book makes it so worth it! I highly recommend this book and I already know I am going to be reading it again!

Uprooted

By Naomi Novik

3/5

“A dark enchantment blights the land. Agnieszka loves her village, set deep in a peaceful valley. But the nearby enchanted forest cast a shadow over her home. Many have been lost to the Wood and none return unchanged. The villagers depend on an ageless wizard, the Dragon, to protect them from the forest’s dark magic. However, his help comes at a terrible price. A young village woman must serve him for ten years, leaving all she values behind. Agnieszka fears her dearest friend Kasia will be picked at the next choosing, for she’s everything Agnieszka is not – beautiful, graceful and brave. Yet when the Dragon comes, it’s not Kasia he takes.”

Prior to reading, I had heard great things about this book but sadly, I was disappointed. A loose-retelling of Beauty and the Beast sounded right up my street and I was sensing some major acotar / acomaf vibes that sadly didn’t come through.

Don’t get me wrong, this book is utterly magical - the world created is breath-taking and how Novik creates a character in the Wood is amazing. However, I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the mood for a fantasy novel when I read this but I found it really difficult to read and multiple times I wanted to just give up and pick up another book. I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters and none of them really stood out for me; I thought Agnieszka was rather irritating and the Dragon was too broody and really didn’t impress me. I was expecting a little more romance which I didn’t get as this book mainly focussed on war and the battle with the Wood which, while it was incredible in itself, got rather repetitive after a while and I was just waiting for the end for it to be over with.

Perhaps I’ll pick this book up again when I’m really in the mood for a fantasy novel and enjoy it but sadly this time round, it really didn’t impress me. However, if you’re a fan of high fantasy I am sure that you will love this book and I do recommend it for the world Novik created. 

How to Fall in Love

By Cecelia Ahern

4.5/5

I have been a big fan of Cecelia Ahern’s for a while; I read Where Rainbows End around 6 years ago on holiday and it has remained one of my favourite books to this day. I had been debating buying How to Fall in Love for some time but every time I was in a bookshop, there was always a YA book that caught my eye instead. After receiving a Waterstones voucher for my birthday I was finally able to purchase this book and I am so glad that I did.

The story follows Christine and Adam, a man she saved from jumping off a bridge, and their two weeks together as Christine tries to make him fall back in love with life before his 35^th birthday. Just from reading the blurb I knew I would like this book as it was guaranteed to make me cry and if you have read my reviews before, you will know that I love books that make me cry. Of course, this book did not disappoint. It was romantic and heart-breaking, a real roller-coaster book to read. I thought the characters were brilliant, especially Adam and Christine’s sisters. They were vibrant and alive and I feel that I really connected with them. There were humorous parts which broke up the heartbreak and added to the beauty of this book. The gorgeous Irish setting completed this book and made me crave a visit to Ireland even more.

I will most definitely be reading this book again and I highly recommend it to everyone. I can’t wait to read more of Cecelia Ahern’s work.

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.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Various authors

3/5

This is a collection of short stories about Christmas written by various YA authors to support the charity Crisis. The stories are all completely separate so it is a really good book to read if you have a spare 20 minutes or so every day as you can read one story and not have to worry about forgetting the plot as they are all individual. To be truthful, I hadn’t heard of most of the authors who have stories in this book and I only purchased it because there is a story by Holly Bourne and she is one of my favourite authors. However, I will definitely be looking into some of the authors as I really enjoyed most of the other stories.

This is quite a difficult book to review because it would take me a long time to review every single story so I’m just going to list a few of my favourites. Of course, The Afterschool Club by Holly Bourne was one of my favourites, but I also really enjoyed Ghosts of Christmas Past by Non Pratt, Family You Choose by Cat Clarke and Homo for Christmas by Juno Dawson.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for something to get you into the festive spirit and if you just want a quick and easy read. This book also supports a really great cause so you know your money is being used well.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop

By Veronica Henry

4/5

This book is utterly gorgeous. It made me laugh and cry in equal measures and it has definitely enhanced by dream to open up my own bookshop. The story follows a number of characters who are all linked by Nightingale Books, a lovely bookshop owned by Julius Nightingale before he died (if you have seen the films Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve, this book is kind of like those films in that all the characters know each other in some way).

I adored all of the characters in this book, especially Dillon and Jackson. However, due to this following different characters perspectives, the author only scratches the surface with her characters; we do not really find out too much about them. Despite this, the book is still romantic and endearing and I will most definitely be reading it again.

What I liked most about this book is how much it understood me as a reader. I could pick out many quotes that stand out for me in this book but this is one of my favourites; “So that was why people read. Because books explained things: how you thought, and how you behaved, and made you realise you were not alone in doing what you did or feeling what you felt.” I think this quite perfectly captures what it is to be a fan of literature, whether that be children or YA fiction, adult fiction or even non-fiction to an extent, and how understanding this book is of us as readers is what really made it so special. A definite must-read!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

By Benjamin Alire Saenz

4.5/5

I’ve seen this book getting a lot of praise on Bookstagram so when I was placing an Amazon order of some textbooks for university, I decided to add it to my basket. This was a good decision. I devoured this book in a day and I completely understand why everyone is so in love with the story.

Ari and Dante have stolen my heart. Their character development and relationship with each other is utterly perfect and is what makes this story so special. I love how by being friends with each other, it enabled them to experience friendship with other people. The unconditional love that the two share is all anyone could want from a best friend and really is what makes this book so beautiful. I am not a huge fan of the writing style (which is why I gave this book a 4/5) but the plot and characters more than make up for this. I love the family dynamic and how Ari and Dante grow with their families and become who they are because of them. I love Sam’s character; I think he’s the sort of father that every teenage boy (and girl) would love to have, and I really liked how much of an impact he had, not just on Dante, but on Ari and his family too.

I laughed and I cried whilst reading this book which is always a good sign; as I have said before, if a book can make me cry then I know it’s good. I will most definitely be rereading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone. Without spoiling anything, the last few pages of the book are so beautiful making me smile and cry with happiness, so this book is worth a read just for these final few pages.

The Loose Ends List

By Carrie Firestone

3.5/5

This book is beautiful. Definitely not the best book I’ve read but still utterly beautiful. The story follows Maddie and her family as they set off on a cruise where people with life-threatening illnesses go to die (kind of like Dignitas but on a boat). I have a lot of opinions on Euthanasia which I won’t share as I don’t want to offend or upset anyone but I think that no matter your opinion, you should definitely read this book.

The family dynamic is central to this book and I thought Maddie’s family were fantastic; her Grandma is hilarious, her cousin is someone I would love to be friends with and her Uncle Wes is fabulous. Maddie’s family meets other families who are experiencing the same thing they are on the boat and it is lovely to get to know so many other characters and watch as they all lean on each other in times of need. Paige and her daughter are two of my favourite characters as well as Mark and his brother.

However, this book is not just about death; it is about adventure and travel, grief and acceptance, friendship and romance, all wrapped up in one heart-warming, yet equally heart-breaking book. I’m really enjoying books about travel right now as I have a huge fear of flying so I travel vicariously through the characters in books (even though I get extreme wanderlust), and the places explored in this book are places that have been on my bucket list for a long time thus I really enjoyed reading about them.

The writing style isn’t my favourite but the plot and the characters make this book really special. I would wholeheartedly recommend!

The Glittering Court

By Richelle Mead

2.5/5

This book really disappointed me. I expected forbidden romance, danger, temptation, betrayal and I got none of this. There was no excitement to this book; the characters lacked depth, the plot was boring and overall, this book just fell really flat. This is really upsetting to me as I am a big fan of Richelle Mead; her Vampire Academy series was the first YA series I had ever read and I still adore it to this day because of its fast-paced plotline, relatable characters and gorgeous romance. This is what I expected The Glittering Court to be like but sadly, this is not the case.

I like the idea of The Glittering Court, a finishing school for working-class ladies, and I like the Elizabethan era in which the book is set. Although religion appeared to play a huge part in the book, it didn’t actually have any real impact. As a reader, we didn’t even get to learn too much about the characters but I understand that The Glittering Court is set to be a trilogy with each book from a different girls perspective (so book two and three will be from Mira and Tamsin’s perspective) so Richelle couldn’t go into too much detail about the minor characters history and reasoning.

Unfortunately, I don’t see myself going out to buy the remainder of the trilogy when it is released but I am not giving up on Richelle Mead as an author. Although I wouldn’t recommend this book, I highly recommend Vampire Academy and its sequel series.