With Malice by Eileen Cook

Published by: HMH books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller, Contemporary

Rating: ****

With Malice follows the disjointed narrative of protagonist Jill Charron. She's eighteen, about to go to college, and is currently under investigation for an incident that happened abroad. Something that she doesn't really remember due to amnesia and other injuries.

The worst part, though?

The victim was her best friend.


I found this book absolutely fascinating. These kinds of books either frustrate or fascinate me. Cook writes a thrilling story of one girl's attempt to find out what exactly happened in Italy and whether it was actually Jill's fault. Yet, there was something about the ending, the lack of information for after the events of the book, that made me stop at four stars.

Without actually knowing the aftermath of the events, the book seemed to crumble slightly and feel more and more unfinished. Especially since it's supposed to be a stand-alone. But who knows, maybe Eileen Cook will write a sequel, or just publish a short story about the events. I'll cross my fingers for now.

You can buy With Malice from Amazon now.

Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Published by: Balzer + Bray

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA, Magic

Rating: *****

This has got to be a book that has gathered dust on my shelf for over four months. I never touched it except to move over books around, it just stayed there looking rather wistfully at me as I chose other books. However, this has changed!

Snow Like Ashes is the first book in an exciting series about a fantastical world that follows the life of orphaned Meira. Meira has always known her status as an orphan to mean she is nothing, she desperately tries to prove her worth by becoming a soldier and anything she can to help her longtime love, and King, Mather.

Yet there's a twist. As always there's a bloody twist. Meira's world is based on the seasons. Her race is Winter, a place that has been destroyed and taken over in a war that has cost their population to decrease severely. But there's a tonne of secrets that if I even tried hinting at, I would definitely spoil this for everyone, therefore, I will remain silent.

It's an exciting book that echoes Game of Thrones and Throne of Glass (seriously it does!). I was swept away in the way that Raasch writes. Completely blew me away this book, and now I've just got to finish the second in hopes that it'll be just as good, or even better.

You can buy Snow Like Ashes from Amazon

Am I Normal Yet? (The Spinster Club Series #1) by Holly Bourne

Published by: Usborne

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Mental Health, Teenagers

Tagline: It's tough being a girl

Evie is a typical teenager. Okay, she's not quite as 'normal' as society might dictate. Instead, she suffers from a mental health illness that requires her to take medication. In fact, by the time we meet her, she's just coming off of them. All she really wants is to be normal and go out to parties, meet guys and potentially get a boyfriend like almost every teenager wants to have at that age.

But there's an issue. Generally the case for most teenage girls, relationships are messy and can often blur the line between sane and crazy (pardon my usage of the word). Evie is caught up with the emotions and rush of the moment, her mind and heart conflicting against one another as she tries to pretend that she is one of the girls, that she does not have anything wrong with her. But how much is enough?

In all honesty, I truly liked this book. Thinking that it was a series based around Evie solely, I picked the book up and devoured it instantly. As someone who had issues with OCD as a teen myself, I felt that this hit one issue that not many people write or know about without making obscene and stupid remarks about.

Evie is a great protagonist. Her friends are as well. They work well together and balance each other out as collectively one could consider them 'normal'. I think naming the series a spinster club is good and bad. They are just impressionable young women and spinster is usually a derogative term but in this case, they are trying to change the meaning to create something positive, the power of female friendship.

Perhaps this is what Bourne is trying to do. She is very honest and open about being a feminist, something that most female YA authors are speaking out about in a movement that is long overdue. I think this is wonderful. It's teaching the next generation of readers the basics of feminism whilst educating them on female friendship and that it is okay to be different. I can't think of anything better.

Am I Normal Yet? Can be purchased from Amazon now.

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Published by: Flatiron Books

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: ****

Meredith Russo is an absolutely wonderful writer who has created such a brilliant and incredible story that is needed in this day and age. Writing about a teen who is struggling with identity, Amanda, the protagonist, was born as Andrew but surgery has allowed her to be who she is supposed to be. However, Amanda has had issues fitting in. Not many people are open to the idea of going to school with her, or even dating her which has left the poor girl scarred. But things are about to change. Amanda is starting anew with her father in a new state and so her life is beginning again.

I found the book promising. One of my friends and fellow students recently wrote on the topic for a creative writing deadline and it was absolutely beautiful and so powerful. Again, for a book of this topic it is so rare for me to actually get past the first few pages, but with this one, I was captivated and could not put it down. I was in book-love with it and wanted to find out what was next in Amanda's life.

If I Was Your Girl can be purchased at Amazon UK now.

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.

The Rose & The Dagger (The Wrath & The Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh

The Rose & The Dagger (The Wrath & The Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh

Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Romance

Rating:*****!

I LOVE THIS SERIES!

The capitals were definitely needed. The Wrath and The Dawn was one of my favourite books to read last year and the sequel did not disappoint.

It kicks off after the end of Wrath and boy did it get going.

As we might know, Shahrzad is not with Khalid, the man believed to be a monster but is actually the Caliph of Khorasan. Instead she is back with her family and the one person we all secretly dislike, Tariq (aka the childhood sweetheart). She should be happy. I could have been happy but Tariq is so set on destroying Khalid's rule that Shahrzad cannot go back to her previous life without difficulty. Technically she's a prisoner of war despite there being no locks on tent doors. However, like she did in the first book, she finds a loophole that allows her to plan.

I finished this book within twenty-four hours and was left wanting a third book (Ahdieh please answer our wishes and grant us one last trip). Overall the series has been a wonderful journey and if you're looking for a book to devour this summer, then the series is perfect. Plus the hardback cover is absolutely beautiful!

The Rose & The Dagger can be bought from Amazon UK now.