Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is one of those books that has had the literary industry, particularly the Young Adult genre, in a state of excitement for a debut author. 

Published by: Flatiron Books

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Tagline: Remember, It's only a game

Rating: *****

Sold to the readers with an exciting blurb of:

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

The Review:

First, of all, I was beyond impressed with this novel. With tickets to meet Stephanie in Manchester, I admit I only read her novel two days prior to the event which meant the book would be firmly in my mind, or erasing the memory of my reading for university. However, this meant that I was forced into a situation I am hardly ever in. The dreaded moment where your best friend had read the novel before me. 


But I found the tale of the two sisters quite entertaining. I had my ups and down, a few moments of messaging said friend for spoilers because it had me on the edge of my seat guessing. All in all, the novel was fantastic. Especially considering all the reviews and positive reception it had, and still is being given.

Yet, I was lucky enough to have met Stephanie on her UK tour in Manchester. Her conversation with fellow readers, writers and bloggers was incredibly inspiring. Different to the some of the authors I've met in these situations, I felt as if hers was probably the most inspiring and relatable. If only my writing career could be as successful as hers.

Additional Information/titbits:

Caraval can be purchased at almost every major bookseller across the world - Stephanie Garber has confirmed this through the recent publications across Europe. Please be aware that there is six alternate covers which makes it super fun to see which one you'll end up with.

The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic, Contemporary

Rating: ****

Eden's story is split into the four parts of her high school life. It's something that describes the proper process of life on the day she was raped, and the effects that have on her afterward. Yes, rape does sometimes cause the victim to act out as a method of coping, no it should not be taken lightly and Eden's fictional story can be considered a warning of how other people watching her downfall should not act.

The Way I Used to Be is a typical contemporary YA novel. It follows the basic codes of having the issue presented and how the protagonist must work their way around said issue to change and become a better person. However, Eden is no ordinary protagonist. Instead, her behavior spirals out of control as she sheds her band geek skin to become dangerous and a fan of unhealthy behavior. I feel that Amber Smith has written a book that is applicable to almost anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, harassment and even rape due to the way the young teenage minds have to fight and resort to changing their behavior in order to cope with the sheer trauma they have endured. It isn't fun and it can't be fun to watch. 

What is alarming, though, is the fact that Eden's parents just class it as generic teenage hormones, something that it could be considered to be, but not if one considers the fact Eden is openly asking for help despite not wanting to say anything.

The Way I Used to Be is available to buy from Amazon now.

Me Before You (Me Before You #1) by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You (Me Before You #1) by Jojo Moyes

Published by: Viking

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Rating: *****

Warning: This book is a tear-jerker.

Me Before You is a heartstring-tugging book that will make any reader sob as they reach the final pages. 

Lou Clark isn't the sharpest tool in the box nor is she one for wanting to leave her hometown. Instead she's content with working the same job she's had for years, serving coffee in an old cafe and knowing that she'll probably never marry her longtime boyfriend. She's so very different from any female lead than I've had the privilege of reading and that's why I felt even more drawn to this book. 

Will Traynor on the otherhand has had the time, money and privilege to leave his hometown and do what he wanted before the accident. Something that left him permanently disabled and in need of someone to look after him. 

But there's more to the story. Lou has barely six months to try and cheer Will up and see if he might change his mind about Dignitas. 

Me Before You is a story about two individuals who want the other's circumstances to be different. Its a story that will change the world of anyone who reads it. I cannot get over it and nor can I forget suppressing tears on the bus home from work. 

The book can be bought from any major retailers especially since the film adaptation will be out in cinemas soon.

For the Record by Charlotte Huang

For the Record by Charlotte Huang

Published by: Delacorte books for Young Readers

Genre: YA contemporary

Rating: ****

Tagline: Standing out isn't the same as fitting in

Chelsea, the newest frontwoman for known band Melbourne, has just begun a new life. Previous to joining the band she was just a contestant on some talent show reminiscent of X-Factor or Britain's got talent, etc etc. 

Melbourne have been on the music scene for a few years. They're famous for their old singer Hollis who after leaving the band for mysterious reasons or rather to just go to Vassar. Forced to take Chelsea on, they're about to embark on a US tour that will teach her so much more about the world. 

But as usual there's a romance in the book. A few to be rather honest. 

What comes with fame is the arrival of celebrities into Chelsea's life. One celeb in particular is a young teen heartthrob who makes her feel so good at first until the relationship becomes a little weird. (My words). I wasn't too keen on her romantic endeavours. They felt so forced, so wrong but maybe that was how Huang was writing it to be like.

I did enjoy the book. It was a quick read, something I devoured on the train and made me feel a bit better before I had my dissertation presentation. 

For the Record can be bought from Amazon UK and Amazon US now.

P.S. I Still Love You (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

Published by: Simon and Schuster for Young Reader

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Rating: ****

I've had the paperback sitting on a shelf for about a month and a half staring at me. Unfortunately due to the start of my third and final year of University and just not being in the right mood to read it, I've not properly been able to read it until now!

Jenny Han is famed for her amazing summer read series The Summer I Turned Pretty. That series made me fall in love with her writing style and the wonderful characters she creates. 

P.S. I Still Love You continues on from the first book, and follows young Lara Jean as she tries to decipher what her heart wants admist the fiasco with Peter. I'm not going to lie. As a twenty year old I had huge flashbacks for how I felt at her age and some parts I argued were a bit too fantasized but I'm not American or raised with her parents so maybe I'm wrong for feeling that way.

Lara Jean continues her deciding on whether she wants Peter or not, her sisters are so funny and she becomes as we all do, confused. I admire Han on not making her a weak character, a victim of the Bella Swan syndrome but instead simply who she is. A young teenager with the world ahead of her. I laughed and smiled my way through the book and by the time I closed the last page, I couldn't help but think of Belly from the Summer series. 

Both girls are so similar that I feel like I'm reading an alternative world version of the Summer series and that makes me feel like I'm getting another chance to relive that series. (Frantically burrows out the series.)

But there was so much that I couldn't fault. Miss Han has a fantastic way of creating teenage protagonists who mature and transform so much over the span of the series that it's almost as if we too are growing up with them. That's something I admire in authors, particularly Young Adult as it helps us become who we will be someday.

P.S. I Still Love You is available to buy from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Wednesday Riders (Island Trilogy #2) by Tudor Robins

Wednesday Riders (Island Trilogy #2) by Tudor Robins

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE TUDOR ROBINS! Yes the caps lock was needed for this. She's an amazingly nice author who I've been able to talk to about advice on publishing and her story as an author. But she's incredibly talented and writes brilliant books that make you fall in love with the world it's set in. 

Wednesday Riders was given to me as an arc but sadly due to university I only just finished reading it now. But do not despair, it picks up straight after the first novel Appaloosa Summer and you're transported straight back into the throw of things. I laughed and cried through the novel and was left wanting more. 

Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1) by Victoria Aveyard

What can I say? I've waited ages to share this with everyone but I couldn't until the book was actually published. 

Red Queen is eerily alike Queen of the Tearling in how they both take a few reads to actually like. Weird but it's true. I didn't know whether I wanted to like Mare and her weird powers but by the end of it, I was fully invested in the book to the point that when a certain thing happened I screamed noooo! Like the absolute nerd I am.

It's definitely for fans of Tearling, Hunger Games (possibly), Maze Runner and a few other dystopian novels that would take me forever to list. 

Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1) by Maria V.Snyder

Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1) by Maria V.Snyder

My initial reaction to recieving this before publication is still hard to describe. I think jumping up and down, screaming and then calming myself down for a moment to then realise I'd be getting to read more about Yelena and Valek.

So Shadow Study is a new series created in the wonderful world by Snyder that carries on from both the Poison study and Glass Study series so we all get our favourite characters and can live the dream every fan has. 

I was super happy to read more into Valek because he's that mysterious character who never truly opens up as much as you want but this book makes you part of him and I loved that! Yelena in her typical fashion encounters problems she wants to solve herself minus Valek (as per) and it turns into something much larger but still she says nothing. A silly thing but something we've grown to expect from her character. Valek on the otherhand is still in the castle but there's a few moments with an assassin that encourages him to think about his own past ie training to be an assassin etc which as I've said is fascinating as hell!

By getting an early copy I was excited as hell until i finished it. Then it dawned on me that I would have to wait for the sequel to be finished to actually be satisfied (and I doubted that, this series will be on heck of a series) and have the answers to my questions.

*note to readers, I have tried immensely hard to avoid giving away spoilers because anything I could say apart from the above would spoil the book or make you guess what happens and I deeply recommend that you read the book!

Locked (Locked#1) by Eva Morgan

Locked (Locked#1) by Eva Morgan

So this was a book that has made it on my all time favourite books ever list. I'm not even joking, I LOVED this book!

Because of the recent BBC adaptation and updated version of Sherlock Holmes, a lot of authors are writing about this modern and perhaps socially awkward Sherlock Holmes but never had I had the honour of reading about a young Sherlock who was growing up as this genius. I loved how Morgan inserted his witty and deductive skills. kept him as annoying and lovable as he is whilst ensuring the readers are captivated by a beautiful story. However the protagonist isn't Sherlock, it's a young Irene Adler who I found was portrayed a lot different than her appearance in the TV show and the books. I found this Adler to be rather ordinary BUT fantastic as an opposite to Sherlock. She was on par with him, able to make him see the error of his ways, to confuse him but also managed to bring a side of Sherlock that I hope to see again very soon in the sequel!