Tag: book review

Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

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Book Review: The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

I’ve only been introduced to Katy Birchall’s chick-lit this year through her first book, The Secret Bridesmaid. I picked it up in the Works one day and enjoyed it so much. As soon as I saw she had a new book on NetGalley, I immediately hit request. Having finished the book, I’m so glad I did. This book was definitely emotional in places but was so much fun, and I’d recommend it to all. Especially when I’m talking about what I think chick-lit is now.

Freya is getting married, and her wedding should be the first of eight she needs to attend that year. Until her fiance, Matthew dumps her the day before the wedding. In a broom cupboard. Freya’s heart is broken, and she doesn’t know how she’s going to handle attending all her friends’ weddings. Until her best friends, Ruby and Leo, suggest she completes a Wedding Survival Guide. At each wedding she attends, she’ll have to complete a task that will put her out of her comfort zone but be fun. The challenges may wind up getting her in more trouble than she expects, but they also allow her to learn a lot about herself and find new love.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

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Book Review: I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

You all expected me to read this book, right? I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a highly anticipated book for many. I wouldn’t say I was excited as some people, but as soon as I saw it on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it. I’ve currently only read Red, White and Royal Blue, but One Last Stop is also on my TBR. I wanted to try McQuistion’s first YA book as soon as possible, and I’m glad I did. However, I didn’t love this book quite as much as I’d hoped.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler follows Chloe Green, who was shocked after being randomly kissed by the principal’s daughter, Shara Wheeler. Chloe and Shara have been academic rivals for years, but after she tries to track her down at prom, Shara promptly disappears. Now Chloe is having to follow clues alongside Shara’s boyfriend and next-door neighbour as they try to find out where she’s gone and how to bring her back. Chloe has a bone to pick, and she’s determined to prove she’s better than Shara.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

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Book Review: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

I’m obviously a big fan of queer books, so this was always going to be a book that I was going to read. As well as that, I’ve followed A.J on Twitter for a few years, as part of my foray into writing Twitter. I might not have written for a while, but I’ve still been following him and enjoying doing so. A.J seems like a great guy, so I also knew that I wanted to support him by writing a review.

Hell Followed With Us follows Benji, a trans teen who is on the run from the cult that has destroyed a lot of the world and transformed him into a bioweapon. All he wants to be able to do is just live his life as the boy he is, but after being cornered by monsters when trying to escape, he is rescued by teens from a local LGBTQA+ group. Their leader Nick is gorgeous, autistic and deadly, and he knows exactly who Benji actually is. But he agrees to let Benji stay, provided he can control his inner monster and help them. Benji agrees, but soon he finds out that Nick might not be telling him everything.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Blog Tour: Set On You by Amy Lea

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Blog Tour: Set On You by Amy Lea

I really love a good book that focuses on influencers or social media. I especially love it when the book is a romance or a chick-lit. Social media is such a big part of our lives now, and as a bookish content creator, I have at least some understanding of all the work that goes into these accounts. Set on You was no different. I was very kindly contacted by the team at Spark Point Studio at the end of last year asking if I’d like to review this book, and I’ve finally gotten around to it. I’m also participating in the UK book tour for this, so you can tell I’m very excited.

Crystal Chen is a fitness influencer who promotes body positivity and the fact you can love fitness without wanting to become skinny. During one of her regular sessions, she meets Scott, the annoyingly attractive firefighter who likes to steal her favourite squat rack. When it turns out that their grandparents are engaged, however, Crystal realises that she’s going to be spending a lot more time with Scott, and soon they wind up falling into friendship followed by something more. But just as things seem perfect, the reactions of many to a photo posted of them together on Instagram could tear everything apart.

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Adult, ARC, blog tour, books, Review

Blog Tour: One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books2 Comments on Blog Tour: One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter
Blog Tour: One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter

A few years ago, I got into Alexandra Potter for a bit. I read a lot of her backlist and enjoyed them. And then I reached a point where I wasn’t being drawn to her books anymore. That changed when I read the summary of One Good Thing. Which, I won’t lie, I was surprised as this is a chick-lit novel that reads a lot older than I usually prefer and utilises multiple perspectives. And yet, I really enjoyed it. It was what I hoped it would be. I was lucky to get an early e-book copy to read of this through Random Things Tours, so thanks so much to Anne!

One Good Thing mostly follows Liv, a forty-something woman who has just gotten divorced from her cheating husband and decides she wants a fresh start in Yorkshire. Her new house becomes a building site – literally – and Liv realises that she has to find herself before she can really move on. By finding good things, from a dog to new friends and even helping out her neighbours, she finds joy again.

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Adult, ARC, blog tour, books, Review

Blog Tour – Sistersong by Lucy Holland

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Blog Tour – Sistersong by Lucy Holland
Blog Tour – Sistersong by Lucy Holland

Though I’m not the biggest reader of historical fantasy, I adore books that take inspiration from myth and folklore. I’m also a history nerd who was fascinated to find a fantasy book set during the Saxon invasion. It’s not a period that you see many books set during, so I’ve been excited about this one for a while. I’ve been meaning to get to this book since it was released last year, so I was happy to get on the paperback tour with Black Crow PR.

As well as talking about the book in general, I will be talking about the use of folklore. I’m not hugely familiar with The Twa Sisters, as ballads aren’t my area of expertise, but I like how this one was retold. As well as that, we have hints of other tales from Cornwall and a nice mix of Celtic – and Norse – folktales. Some of these are seemingly original to the text, whilst others are connected with tales that we all know.

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Blog Tour: With This Kiss by Carrie Hope Fletcher

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Blog Tour: With This Kiss by Carrie Hope Fletcher

I’m always looking for a chick-lit with a fantastical edge as it can be a lot of fun. As soon as I heard about this book, I knew that I had to give it a go. I’ve never read Carrie Hope Fletcher before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m glad I gave this book a chance. I’m posting this as part of the blog tour with HQ Stories. So thanks very much to the publishers for my free copy of this one.

With This Kiss follows Lorelai, who sees the future deaths of anyone she kisses. Her ability has always shocked her and has meant that she has been avoiding romance for a long time. It always seemed like the right choice for her until the day she met Grayson. Suddenly she finds herself wanting to kiss someone and having to decide whether getting close to someone is worth it when you know how they’re going to die.

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ARC, blog tour, books, middlegrade, Review

Blog Tour – Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Blog Tour – Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick
Blog Tour – Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick

I’ve been actively trying to read more middle-grade, especially the sort I wouldn’t have picked up as a kid. I probably wouldn’t have picked up a copy of Dread Wood back then, but I was very intrigued by it now. In my experience, a lot of kids’ horror can be a lot creepier than anything geared at adults, so I was very excited. I was lucky enough to recieve an e-book copy of this book through Write Read Tours.

In this book, we follow a group of four Year 7 students: Angelo, Hallie, Naira and Gustav, as they have to deal with detention on a Saturday. After having their phones taken away, their teacher disappears, and the only staff they can find are the creepy caretakers who won’t stop humming Itsy Bitsy Spider. Something dark is going on in the school, and these four classmates have to be the ones to figure it out.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

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Book Review: The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

It’s one of the best experiences in the world to get the opportunity to read one of your most anticipated books. The Stardust Thief is the debut novel by Chelsea Abdullah that comes out this May. It’s a One Thousand and One Nights retelling by a Kuwaiti author, and it’s one that sounded like so much fun. I was right to assume that.

I was so lucky to have been an early copy of this book from Nazia at Orbit. I can’t wait for my signed edition from Waterstones to arrive, but at least for now, I have this edition to read and hug.

Loulie al-Nazari is known as the Midnight Merchant. With her djinn partner and artefacts, the pair are known for tracking down magical objects and selling them on. After she saves the coward younger prince, the Sultan sends her on a mission with the older prince to find a particular magical lamp. Loulie doesn’t want to work with djinn killers, but she has no choice otherwise, and soon she finds out that she’s been dragged into something even more dangerous than she’d realised.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: Hide by Kiersten White

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Book Review: Hide by Kiersten White

We all have those authors whose books always sound so good, yet every single one you pick up, you just cannot get into them. That author was, for me, Kiersten White. Until I picked up Hide. It turns out that what I was looking for from her was an adult horror thriller, and I’m so glad that I got an early copy of this book. Thanks so much to Del Rey for sending me a physical proof of this book after I mentioned wanting it on Twitter!

Hide is White’s debut adult novel, and it follows a young woman called Mack, who has been invited to enter a competition of hide and seek. All she and the thirteen other competitors have to do is hide in an abandoned amusement park for a week and ensure they do not get caught. The winner will get enough money to change their life. But as the days pass and the competitors start turning up dead, the remaining group realise that they have to stick together if they want to survive.

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