Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts

Monday 15 January 2024

Book Review: Dreaming by Starlight by Siobhan Curham

Dreaming by Starlight

by

Siobhan Curham

Friends make dreams come true.
 
Publisher: Walker Books
Publication date: 3rd August 2022
Series: The Moonlight Dreamers #3
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 272
RRP: $16.99AU (paperback)
Source: Own purchase
 

Review: Dreaming by Starlight

Dreaming by Starlight is book #3 in The Moonlight Dreamers series. However reads well as a standalone as it centres on a different group of girls.
 
When Jazz's father gets a new job the family pack up and move across the globe to the UK, leaving behind everything that Jazz loves. Jazz soon starts at a snooty private school where no-one will talk to her. She doesn't fit in. She's not a rich girl. She's just a girl from the Gold Coast of Australia and she's missing her friends.
 
Jazz is miserable, but before her cousin Amber (from book 1 & 2) moves to Paris she shares with Jazz her unique way of connecting with people and making new friends.

Dreaming by Starlight is the most endearing story about the might of friendship and the power of dreams
Siobhan Curham has written a beautiful, uplifting and positive story about four teenage girls who felt trapped and unsettled with their current lives and needed each other to help bring out their true selves. A friend to listen to their dreams and fears.

As the chapters alternate between the four girls, Jazz, Allegra, Portia and Hope, we get to know more about their lives. There is also a little mystery and adventure thrown in.

Dreaming by Starlight is a story that will resonate with its intended audience.

Publisher recommended age 12+

my rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

Sunday 6 August 2023

Book Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

 Black Ice

by

Becca Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 7th October 2014
Genre: Young Adult / Thriller 
Pages: 392
Source: Own 
 

Review: Black Ice

Black Ice has been sitting on my bookshelf since January 2015 and I was so pleased that a prompt from the  Dymocks Reading Challenge had me pulling it from the shelf.
 
Black Ice is a genre mash-up of young adult, suspense and romance. Heavy on the suspense and light on the romance but it's definitely a huge part of the plot with the romance simmering under the surface.
 
I was pulled straight into the story with a gripping prologue. The story then jumps forward one year with teenage friends Britt and Korbie heading to a cabin in Grand Teton National Park for their school break when they encounter a severe snow storm and have to abandon their car. Making their way to a secluded cabin inhabited by two men. The girls think they are finally safe but soon find out the men are on the run from the law.
 
This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller filled with heart-pumping suspense. I found myself picking the book up every spare moment I had. I did guess the twists early in the book however that didn't spoil my pleasure because I was holding my breath waiting for the characters to find out what I had already suspected.

It comes with a little bit of teenage angst, but not overdone. Black Ice is a gripping, survival in the snowy wilderness, story that will have you eagerly turning the pages.

5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author (from Goodreads)

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga.
 
 

Wednesday 21 June 2023

Book Review: Inkflower by Suzy Zail

 Inkflower

by

Suzy Zail

I think there is no better day than Global MND Day to post my review of Inkflower
 
Publisher: Walker Books
 
Publication date: 5th July 2023
 
Genre: Young Adult / Historical Fiction
 
Pages: 384
 
RRP: $22.99AU (paperback)
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of Inkflower

Fifteen year old Lisa's father has Motor Neurone Disease and only six months to live. He gathers the family together to tell them the story of his childhood. A story of a young boy who fought against all odds to survive.
 
Lisa battles with the idea of this new version of her father; a dying man with a devastating childhood. His stories bring to life the grandparents, aunts and uncles she never had the chance to meet.
 
Inkflower unfolds in a dual time-line narration. The now, set in the 1980's, is narrated by Lisa as she navigates school and friendships whilst coming to grips with her father's illness and also who she is. The then, is narrated by Lisa's father Emil as he tells his family the harrowing story of a young boy bullied at school for being Jewish, taken from his home in Czechoslovakia and the horrors of his years in Auschwitz.
 
The balance and parallels between Emil's years of fighting for survival in Auschwitz and his battle against the debilitating effects of MND were astutely portrayed.
 
Inkflower is a deeply moving story of survival inspired by the true events of the author and her family.
Suzy Zail has written an honest and candid story of love, courage, family and resilience.
There can never be too many stories detailing the horrors of Auschwitz and they need to be recorded now because soon there won't be any survivors left.
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Publisher's recommended age: 14+

About the author

Suzy Zail has worked as a litigation lawyer, specialising in family law, but now writes full time. Among other titles, she has written The Tattooed Flower, a memoir about her father's time as a child survivor of the holocaust, the story which inspired this novel. Her first novel for young adults, the Wrong Boy, was short listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, the WAYRBA, USBBY and YABBA awards. 
You can visit Suzy online at suzyzail.com.au and on Instagram @authorsuzyzail
 

Thursday 16 March 2023

Book Review: Royals by Tegan Bennett Daylight

 Royals

by

Tegan Bennett Daylight

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
 
Publication date: 3rd May 2023
 
Genre: Young Adult
 
Pages: 280
 
RRP: $19.99AU (Paperback) 
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley
 

My review of Royals

Royals by Tegan Bennett Daylight is probably not a book I would normally pick up, however I was sent a request from the publisher and it sounded a little quirky, and I enjoy books that are a bit different.
 
A group of teenagers find themselves locked in a shopping centre, all technology frozen. I loved the concept of this story! The teenagers don't know each other and there are no phones, which means no texting, no Snapchat, no Instagram. They are going to have to talk to each other, face to face!! 🤯
 
Tegan Bennett Daylight has used a group of Western Sydney teenagers as her protagonists. I think the author is showing a side to these teens we don't often hear. They are responsible and basically kindhearted. A  group of kids who wouldn't normally hang-out together were forced to rely on each other. 

The story bogged down a little in the middle and it was a little contrived with its range of diversity but I was happy to let that all slip by because I loved the magical realism element and how the teens opened up to each other and that the whole story was so quirky and we weren't given any reason for the whole thing. The book finishes and the reader is still left with a why. When I finished reading I was like "what just happened"!! 
 
My rating 4 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommended age: 12+
Allusion to sex
Underage drinking

About the author

Photograph © Tegan Bennett Daylight
Tegan Bennett Daylight is a writer, teacher and critic. Her books include the Stella Award shortlisted Six Bedrooms and the novels Safety and Bombora.  She lives in the Blue Mountains with her husband and two children.

 

Friday 13 January 2023

Book Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

 The Kaiju Preservation Society

by

John Scalzi

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Imprint: Tor

Publication date: 29th March 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 264

RRP: $32.99AUD Paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 My review of The Kaiju Preservation Society

I have to start this review with an admission. I had no idea what a Kaiju was!! It's clearly evident that I am not an avid science fiction fan. That being said, I really enjoyed this book; it was a lot of fun.
 
The story opens on the cusp of the COVID pandemic and after losing his job at a tech start-up company Jamie takes a job as a food delivery person. One of the customers offers Jamie a job at an animal rights organisation working in the field to protect and preserve large animals. What he doesn't tell Jamie is the animals the team care for are not here on Earth.
 
The story that follows is filled with humour as Jamie and the rest of the team, who mostly have PHD's in biology, geology or physics, go about studying the Kaiju. Jamie seems to be there as general dogsbody and comic relief. He is quick with the sarcasm and doesn't take himself too seriously. Jamie is a very likeable main character.

The parallel Earth was all well explained and very simplistic in it's execution. The Kaijus and their biological makeup, nuclear energy and whole ecosystem is pure escapism and I couldn't get enough of them.
I loved the banter between the team it was a lot of lighthearted fun with plenty of schoolyard humour. 

There was never any real sense of danger even though the characters did encounter potentially dangerous situations. This, combined with the level of humour, made me think the book was more for the young adult audience rather then the die-hard Sci/Fi fan.
 
recommended for 13 - 16 years (and those just wanting a bit of fun)
 
 
My rating  4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
 
About the author
 
John Scalzi is one of the most popular and acclaimed SF authors to emerge in the last decade. His debut, Old Man’s War, won him science fiction’s John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His New York Times bestsellers include The Last Colony, Fuzzy Nation, The End of All Things and Redshirts, which won 2013’s Hugo Award for Best Novel. Material from his widely read blog Whatever has also earned him two other Hugo Awards. He lives in Ohio with his wife and daughter.  


Wednesday 20 July 2022

Book Review: Love Never Chose Me by Rosanna M.I.

 Love Never Chose Me
by
Rosanna M. I. 
 
Publisher: Cherry Publishing 
 
Publication date: 16th December 2021
 
Genre: Romance / New Adult
 
Pages: 246
 
Format read: eBook
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
My review of Love Never Chose Me
 
Love Never Chose Me is an easy light read. Emily at  twenty-three is already an accomplished thriller writer however her agent tells her she must write a romance (okay, we need to suspend our disbelief a little with that.)
 
Emily hates romance! She has sworn off love since her heart was broken three times. She has been single now for 4 years.
 
The story follows Emily as the three boys (now men) who broke her heart come back into her life. Emily must work through the pain and rejection before she can fall in love again.
 
Emily comes across as a bit of a drama queen with lots of meltdowns and tantrums. I felt bad for her love interest, Andrew, who never gave up even though she treated him badly.
 
I found Love Never Chose Me to be a fun read and I chuckled over how disillusioned and cynical Emily was at such a young age. as with any romance read it ends nicely, after much drama, with a HEA.
A story to be enjoyed by upper teen readers 15 - 19 years.
 
My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 
About the author
 
Rosanna M.I. is a Japanese-Brazilian author who loves New Adult and Young Adult Romance novels.
As an avid reader from an early age, she found herself writing poems and stories as a hobby, not imagining that creating fiction would become her biggest dream and main goal later in life.
Most of her works are full of emotional roller coasters, drama, not-perfect characters, second chances and changes, as she would like to read them.
When Rosanna M.I. is not going crazy with her books, she is spending time with her three cats, listening to music and taking care of her mental health.
 
 
 

Sunday 17 July 2022

Book Review: Double Negative by Susan Marshall

 Double Negative
by
Susan Marshall
 
Publisher: Evernight Teen

Publication date: 12th November 2021
 
Genre: Young Adult
 
Pages: 306
 
RRP:  $6.70AUD (Amazon Kindle)
 
Format read: eBook
 
Source: Courtesy of the author via Netgalley 
 
My review of Double Negative
 
Double Negative is a story many teenagers will relate to. Narrated by 17 year old Reece who is an elite swimming star attending the Elite Sports school. However after a shoulder injury she is transferred to the local high school, that her brother attends, until she recovers.
 
Reece's brother Jamie is in grade 12 and is running for school President and asks Reece to support him as Vice President
 
Not being American I don't really understand the US school system. High schools in Australia do not have Presidents. However I do understand campaigning and elections and Susan Marshall clearly explained the system, including campaign promises, obligations, constitutions, guidelines and rules, in a way that would appeal to a teenage audience.
 
There is lots of angst and drama throughout the novel as Reece loses her place in the elite training squad, loses her boyfriend, crushes on her brother's nemesis and needs to adjust to a new school.
Another strong theme is the pressure of elite sport and the mental health of athletes. The addition of an amputee basketball player brings in the extra theme of how athletes cope with and work through a permanent disability.
 
Double Negative has an interesting plot and realistic characters. There was a little too much angst and too many meltdowns for me. I had the patience of an adult whilst reading. 
Teens will love it and relate wholeheartedly!
 
Recommended: 16+
My rating 3 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo: Goodreads
A lover of libraries, Susan obtained a Master’s Degree in Library Science but found that she was too disorganized for the profession. Instead, Susan worked at The Globe and Mail newspaper and then Seneca College. Four kids later, she decided to stay-at-home, spending her quiet moments indulging her love of writing.

The old adage is to "write what you know," and in Double Negative, Susan channels her experience as a parent of a teen amputee and her misguided belief that she was once an athlete.

NemeSIS was inspired by the complicated sister dynamic in Susan's estrogen fuelled household growing up in Hamilton, Ontario.

Susan lives in Toronto with her husband, three sons, a daughter, rescue dog Bean and Indy the cat.
 

 
 

Thursday 7 April 2022

Book Review: Jack Gregson & the Stolen Sons by Peter Wilson

Jack Gregson & the Stolen Sons
by
Peter Wilson 
 
 A darkness grows. A mysterious prophecy from long ago is about to be fulfilled.
 
Publisher: Crystal Publishing

Publications date: 6th December 2021
 
Series: Jack Gregson Trilogy #2
 
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
 
Pages: 204
 
RRP: $19.95
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the author
 
My review
 
Often after I've read a fabulous first book in a trilogy I wonder if the author can do it again in book 2. Well, Peter Wilson has delivered again with Jack Gregson & the Stolen Sons.
 
Jack and his cousins, David & Rosie, are taken by a chaos fairy through the portal in the attic of their grandmother's mansion. They are told they must find Anthrow. Here they learn of the prophecy that must be fulfilled to stop the evil horde from devouring my planets. I love prophecies!!
There are the good guys (the ones we are barracking for) and the bad guys (the evil ones that must be destroyed) and then there is Shadow Man who was once human and has now been taken over by the top bad guy, Theorden. I did feel a little sorry for Shadow Man and didn't want him to be destroyed. He isn't bad by choice.

The magic is simple and easy to follow and it doesn't always go as planned which adds some humour. The world building isn't complex, therefore making for an easy plot to follow.
David and Rosie still argued in this book however they worked better together and I liked that David's character was a bit more confident.

The story is rich in action, danger, evil forces and magic. As the story unfolds the pace quickens and the suspense ramps up. Each chapter ends on a little cliff hanger. So good luck getting the kids to put this book down and go to sleep. They will always need to read just one more chapter.

I loved the inclusion of Jarl, the chaos fairy, she added a good dose of humour and gave me a few laughs. I hope she reappears in book 3.

Peter Wilson includes themes of defeating evil forces, invasion, displacement of people from their homes and rebuilding lives.

The Gregson's may have won this battle but the war isn't over yet. I'm looking forward to book 3.

Ages: 9+
Content: 
mild violence - not described, left to the reader's imagination.
infrequent very mild coarse language - bloody, what the hell, we're screwed, holy crap.

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Peter Wilson is an award-winning writer based in Sydney Australia. His first novel, Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal has won awards internationally, in both the USA and United Kingdom, and quickly became a favourite with young readers.

In addition to children’s and young adult content, Peter is also interested in writing for the adult market and is currently working on a crime thriller set in his home city, Sydney.
 
 
 

 

Tuesday 18 January 2022

Book Review: The Order of Time and Odin's Door by Scott P. Southall

 The Order of Time and Odin's Door
by
Scott P. Southall

Publisher: Seaview Press Holdings
 
Publication date: 20th January 2022 
 
Series: Order of Time #2
 
Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult
 
Pages: 270
 
Format read: paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the author
 
About the book
 
The orange light bathed  the snow-covered fields as the fiery globe began to dip below the horizon. It was strange that something so beautiful could signal the arrival of something so evil. One thing twelve-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston knew for sure was that when mortals were caught between two bickering gods nothing good would come of it. Surviving the Viking Age may be the hardest thing they ever do, if they can.....
 
My review
 
Twelve-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward are back in the second action packed adventure in The Order of Time series.
The twins travel from their hometown of Washington DC to London where they are to attend a disciplinary hearing for their good friend and mentor Dr G.

With this series I think it's imperative to read Book 1 The Order of Time first to get the full background on The Order and how the twins became involved.

The Order of Time and Odin's Door is another fabulous time travel adventure filled with amazing characters. Anastasia and Edward are transported to the world of the Vikings and Norse Mythology. They again use their different strengths to solve problems by working together. In this story they  band together with Vikings, Soren and Eric the Red, who are on a mission to save their village from the dragon Nidhogg.

I was totally captivated by this whole story firstly in London as we learn all about The Order and the academy. Not everyone in The Order is keen for the twins to join and there is treachery at play. As we move to the Vikings the action heats up when they come face to face with a giant kraken, an army of zombies and a malevolent dragon. This mythological tale had me on the edge of my seat.

The Order of Time and Odin's Door has superb world building, unforgettable characters and confrontations aplenty.
The Oder of Time is a tremendous series and the scope for new stories has no bounds. I'm hooked!

Recommended age 11+
Undead zombies (descriptive scenes)
moderate violence 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Credit: Goodreads
 Scott is an American author and banking executive who lives in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and attended Georgetown University.

While he loves his job as a global banker, his true passion is making up stories with his children. His debut novel, The Order of Time, reached #1 in it’s category on Amazon and was the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Children's – Mythology/Fairy Tale genre. 
 
  



Friday 29 October 2021

Book Review: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

The Cat Who Saved Books 
by
Sosuke Natsukawa
translated by Louise Heal Kawai 
 
 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Imprint: Picador 
 
Publication date:  14th September 2021
 
Genre: Fantasy / Contemporary Fiction
 
Pages: 224
 
RRP: $19.99AUD
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
About the book
 
Bookish high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about ewto close the secondhand bookshop he inherited from his beloved grandfather. Then, a talking cat named Tiger appears with an unusual request. The cat needs Rintaro’s help to save books that have been imprisoned, destroyed and unloved.

Their mission sends this odd couple on an amazing journey, where they enter different labyrinths to set books free. Through their travels, Tiger and Rintaro meet a man who locks up his books, an unwitting book torturer who cuts the pages of books into snippets to help people speed read, and a publisher who only wants to sell books like disposable products. Then, finally, there is a mission that Rintaro must complete alone . . .
 
My review
 
I really thought I would love this book about a boy and a talking cat and how together they were going to save book, however it fell flat for me.
 
After his grandfather's passing, introvert Rintaro skips school and hides away in his grandfather's secondhand bookstore immersing himself in his favourite books. A talking tabby cat appears and asks for his help to save all books by completing three quests.
On each quest Rintaro must stop someone from doing what is perceived as mistreating books, by debating his views. He draws on ideals taught by his grandfather to complete these quests of words and principles.
 
I found the quests quite boring and the problems encountered not really that monumental. Maybe I'm missing the big picture but for me it was marred by airs of superiority. If we don't read classics, over and over, we don't love books?
 
There were some wonderful quotes about books teaching us compassion and empathy and how through books we can learn about other people and other places.
I enjoyed Rintaro's growth, through the quests he gained confidence and started to think about his own life differently and believe in himself.
 
Faultlessly translated by Louise Heal Kawai the words flowed effortlessly.
 
I am certain this philosophical Japanese fantasy will be loved by many. Just not me!
 
My rating 2 / 5   ⭐⭐ 

 
About the author
 
Sosuke Natsukawa is a Japanese physician and novelist, born in Osaka Prefecture in 1978. He graduated from the Shinshu University Medical School and practices medicine at a hospital in the largely rural prefecture of Nagano. His multivolume debut novel, Kamisama no Karute, published in 2009, won several prizes and sold over three million copies in Japan. The Cat Who Saved Books is set to be translated into over twenty languages around the world. 
 
 

Thursday 9 September 2021

Book Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master

Exit Through the Gift Shop
by
Maryam Master
Illustrated by Astred Hicks
 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Imprint: Pan Australia

Publication date: 27th July 2021

Genre: Children's / Teen

Pages: 216

RRP: $16.99AUD

Format read: paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty & Lace Book Club
 
About the book
 
Anahita Rosalind Ghorban-Galaszczuk (yes, that really is her name but you can call her Ana) is discovering that life is absurd. As if dying of cancer at the age of 12.5 isn't bad enough, she still has to endure daily insults from her nemesis, Alyssa (Queen Mean) Anderson.
 
Ana's on a wild roller-coaster of life and death, kindness and cruelty, ordinary and extraordinary.
 
And she's got a few things to do before she exits.....
 
My review
 
Exit Through the Gift Shop is Ana’s story. Ana is a 12.5 year old girl with cancer. She writes the book as an English assignment about the last year of her life.

Can I say this is a fun book! Cancer and dying are tough topics but at no time does Maryam Master try to wring the emotion out of her readers.
We follow Ana through what she is told will be her final year of life as she contemplates her own mortality, succumbs to cancer treatments, takes a last hope trip to the USA and faces a ruthless bully.

Ana is very down to earth and philosophical. She has accepted her fate and is ready to make the most of the time that she has. She has quite a sense of humour and her story is written in a dramatic (comedic) way with lots of big bold words and sketches on the pages.

There is a best friend, Al, by her side to support and cheer her up. He is also a little bit silly and not worried about what people think of him. And what’s a teen novel without a nemesis! Here, Alyssa takes the cake with relentless bullying which Ana expects to stop when Alyssa finds out she has cancer. Ana has already graciously decided to forgive her. Alyssa would have to be the embodiment of bullying. I think Alyssa's character is over dramatic but isn't that what a teen novel is all about, the drama!

Maryam Master has written an entertaining novel that will be ideal as a school study novel with the inclusion of metaphors, alliteration and exaggeration. Alyssa, the bully, would be a good case study and excellent discussion point.

Recommended for ages 12 – 16 years
 
My rating  4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

 
About the author
 
Maryam Master was born in Iran and moved to Australia when she was nine. She is a screenwriter and playwright who loves creating shows for young audiences.
She began her career in TV, writing for shows like Home and Away, Blinky Bill and the Jim Henson Company's Bambaloo, in 2011 she was selected by Sesame Workshop as the writer for Elmo's tour of Australia.
Exit Through the Gift Shop is her first novel.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021
 
                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21 
 

Tuesday 15 June 2021

Book Review: Saying Yes by Ella Sparkle

 Saying Yes
by
Ella Sparkle

Publisher: Cherry Publishing
Publication date: 6th May 2021
Series: Stormy Love #1
Genre: Young Adult / Romance
Pages: 321
Format read: eBook
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
About the book
 
Jenna had her life planned out.

She was going to get married to her college boyfriend, land a job at a prestigious law firm and, after attending law school, would work her way up to partner. She’d have it all; the man, the job, the white picket fence.

After things just not working out as planned, Jenna must say goodbye to her old plans and her dreams of a picture perfect future with that guy and that job, living that life.

Instead, she decides to rethink her strategy, instead of planning everything to perfection, Jenna takes a risk and starts ‘Saying Yes’ to new opportunities.

Saying Yes to a new job.

Saying Yes to flirting with the hunky Nick.

Saying Yes to a summer fling before starting law school.

Jenna and Nick might just have something magical, they’re crazy about each other from the moment they meet - are they crazy enough to make it work?
  

My review

Saying Yes is a sweet Young Adult romance read. If you are after hot and raunchy this is not the book for you.
Jenna is suffering the effects of being dumped by her previous boyfriend when she is fired from her job. Feeling totally down she calls on best friend Cassie to cheer her up. Cassie hatches a plan that Jenna must say Yes to every new opportunity that comes her way.

Jenna was easy to warm to and I loved her zany friend Cassie. Cassie said what she thought in an honest forthright way. Her character brought a real vibrancy to the story.

Nick is dedicated to his company. He lives and breaths work with no time for a relationship. Nick also has an outgoing, outspoken friend in Baxter. I enjoyed Nick and Baxter's banter and their friendly ribbing. It came across as realistic and natural.

This was a fun read with introvert Jenna having to say yes to lots of things that were outside her comfort zone, like a job as a pizza delivery girl and a ride on a motorbike. Nick and Jenna's relationship is fraught with problems which had me eager to see how they would work it all out.

Saying Yes is a heartwarming, fun and sweet romance story with themes of communication, opening up, being yourself and finding the one.

4.5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

About the author

A life-long love of reading coupled with pandemic lockdown is what initially prompted Ella to finally take all the stories floating around in her head and put them together on paper.

Ella writes the kinds of romance stories she likes to read with sexy, funny, nice guys and strong, smart, sassy women... tossing in a healthy dose of awkwardness, a whole lot of drama, a sprinkle of comedy, a ride on the emotional roller coaster and a little bit of sparkle for everyone.

Ella is living out her own happily ever after with her Prince Charming. After seventeen years together he still gives her butterflies and makes her heart race. They live together with their children, small dogs, and a big black cat who has deemed herself queen of the castle.

 

Thursday 1 April 2021

Cover Reveal: Bound by M J Stevens

 Bound 
by
M. J. Stevens
 
The Guardians #1
 
 Bound was originally published in 2014 and has now been revised and given a whole new look. Edition 2 is due to be released on 30th April 2021.
 

 
About the book


After stopping to help a mysterious stranger who was shot and left to die, Mellea Wendorn is swept into the world of the Guardians: the enchanted rulers of Selestia. To be shielded from the paranoid and tyrannic former Lord Guardian, she must agree to a future partnership with Successor Leo.

Mellea is disillusioned by their arrogance. Leo doubts if he can handle her independent spirit.

In the throes of despair, she finds hope in books defining the Guardian’s secret history, newfound friends and her own strength.

When a dangerous, timeworn enemy emerges from the shadows, the Guardians must do their duty. But if Mellea agrees to become a Guardian, will her head be on the chopping block?

"ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT."
 
My review
 
I loved the original version when I read it back in 2014. Below is my original review.
 
Mellea is a typical 17 year old. Unhappy with the way her life is going, it's boring, everyday is the same. She would like to one day meet a member of the Guardians,the ruling family of Selestia. But her parents forbid her from even reading about them in the newspaper.
On her way home from work one afternoon Mellea meets Leo the second son of the Guardians. He had just been shot at and wounded by strange people all dressed in black. Mellea stays with Leo until his people come to get him. When Leo's sentry's arrive he tells them that he chooses Mellea as his bride and she is taken back to the tower. Mellea must now learn the ways of the Guardians. Mellea's father hates the Guardians and Mellea fights against them as much as she can until she finally decides she cannot escape her fate and starts to learn the history of the Guardians. There is more to this family than meets the eye.But the MECHS have been planning for 60 years to bring the Guardian's rule to an end and Mellea must finally decide where her allegiance lies.

This is an amazing debut novel expertly written with her target audience of teenage girls 16+ in mind. You instantly form a bond with Mellea she lays her feelings and thoughts out and seems so vulnerable yet she has this tough veneer. She's feisty and speaks her mind yet she has an innocence about her, from her parents being so overprotective. All the characters were likeable and there was just enough of their personality revealed to connect with the reader but not overshadow the two main characters (Mellea and Leo). Science fiction, suspense and a touch of romance all perfectly combined.
I was about 40 pages to the end of the book and I started thinking there is not enough pages to wrap up this story. Then it hit me of course this is book one. I don't think I can wait for book two!! I really need to know whats going to happen next......
 
About the author
 
I’m M.J. I have one foot on the ground and one foot firmly planted on Selestia or another world currently under construction!

I’m a self-published indie author from Brisbane, Australia.

I love writing—in fact, I do it as a career as well as trying to be an author on the side. You know what they say, "Job by day, author by… whatever time I have left."

I also enjoy dogs; especially looking at them saying, “Hey look a dog!”. I'm head over heels for my wonderful boyfriend (Mr Libra) my growing collection of succulents, taking photos of my adorable li'l nephew, and chilling with music.