Review: Who I Am - ML Rice - March 2014 You know those evenings when you're curled up with your Kindle, scrolling aimlessly because nothing quite calls to you? That was exactly where I found myself when I stumbled upon Who I Am by ML Rice. It had that quiet, unassuming quality of a book that isn't shouting for your attention and those, in my experience, are often the ones that end up meaning the most. The story centres on Devin, a military kid and a bookworm,  honestly, already my kind of character. After losing her father, Devin and her mum pick up and move to the city, the kind of upheaval that would knock anyone sideways. It's there that she meets Melanie Parker, and the two of them click instantly in that lovely, easy way that feels completely real. Best friends from the off. There's just one complication: Mel's twin brother Jason, who makes it his mission from day one to make Devin's school life miserable. What unfolds over the course of the novel is a co...

Almost Infamous Sarah Ainslee Publication date: May 20th 2025 Genres: Coming of Age, Contemporary, New Adult, Young Adult Jenny Han meets Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR in this humorous and heartfelt coming-of-age novel from the author of That Wasn’t in the Script. What do you do when your dad’s a legendary rockstar, but you’re the only one who knows it? For seventeen-year-old Emmy Harper, the answer’s simple: pretend he doesn’t exist. After all, Nick Addison, frontman of the iconic rock band Mayfair, bailed before she was even born. Emmy’s summer plans are set until her mom drops a bomb: Nick wants to meet her. The catch? She has to spend two weeks on tour with Mayfair—incognito. After two decades of fame, scandals, and tabloid drama, he suddenly wants to get involved? Hard pass. Turns out, Emmy doesn’t have a choice. Now stuck on the road with a bunch of rockstars, Emmy’s world is flipped upside down. Alongside the charming drummer’s son, Sullivan, she uncovers truths about Nick’s...

Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph Ari Rosenschein Publication date: May 7th 2024 Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult It’s the late ’90s—the final days before smartphones and the internet changed the teenage landscape forever. Zack and his mother have moved from Tempe to Berkeley for a fresh start, leaving behind Zack’s father after a painful divorce. A natural athlete, Zack makes the water polo team which equals social acceptance at his new school. Yet he’s more drawn to Matthias, a rebellious skater on the fringes, who introduces him to punk rock, record stores, and the legendary Telegraph Avenue. As their friendship intensifies, Matthias’s behavior reminds Zack of his absent dad, driving a wedge between him and his mother. Complicating matters is Zaylee, a senior who boosts Zack’s confidence but makes him question his new buddy, Matthias. Faced with all these changes, Zack learns that when life gets messy, he might have to become his own best friend. Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegr...

For Jolie and Jace, timing is everything. It’s also complicated, and they can’t seem to get it right. They enter a decade-long cycle of passion, heartbreak, bad timing, and, ultimately, self-discovery. Will time, for once, ever be on their side? Fans of Josie Silver and David Nicholls will fall in love with Time for Once by Jes Smyth, an adult, coming-of-age, second chance, love triangle, Women’s Fiction novel. Buy Now From Your Favorite Retailer! Amazon → https://amzn.to/3QohKUE Barnes & Noble → http://bit.ly/3GRZi3F Apple → https://apple.co/3GA5Hzc Universal → https://jessmyth.com/books Have you ever wondered … If I had met this person as who I am now, instead of who I was then, would it have changed anything? For fans of Rebecca Serle and Josie Silver.   Two people. Ten years. One winding love story. Time, for Jolie, is the worst. It moves too slowly when she needs it to speed up; too fast when she wishes she could just bring everyt...

Review: Mary Jane - Jessica Anya Blau - May 2021 The year is 1975 and 14-year-old Mary Jane is about to have her whole world turned upside down and her eyes opened to new experiences, new language, and new skills as she finds herself a job as a summer nanny for the Cone Family. Mary Jane's family belonged to the country club and she spends her days when she's not at school with her friends - normally with her mum, helping her cook dinner and singing in the choir, and participating in Sunday School. Her parents are reserved and spend their time socializing with country club folk. When Mary-Jane first heads to the Cones to meet Izzy and her parents, her eyes are opened as the Cones are messy, free-spirited, and shout. Mrs. Cone doesn't cook and they tend to live on takeaways. She is so blaise about life. The family also is very open and talks freely about every topic and always involves Izzy. Mary-Jane is not used to this. When one of Richard's patients - a rockstar wit...

All This Time Annabelle McCormack Publication date: October 25th 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance Samantha Redding swore off her hometown of Brandywood, Maryland when she left after high school. Sure, she misses her family, but growing up the victim of vicious gossip cured her of small-town living. Besides, the photography career she dreamed of couldn’t be found in the Appalachians. But when Sam’s mom gets sick and needs her help, Sam’s faced with a long-term stay back home. As a tight deadline for her fast-paced job forces her to relocate a holiday photoshoot to Brandywood, Sam finds her old life converging with her new one. What’s more, she needs help from the townspeople she’s spent years disregarding. Overwhelmed, Sam finds an ally in a man who kept her at arm’s length all his life: brooding and sarcastic Garrett Doyle—her on-and-off again boyfriend’s best friend. There’s a reason Garrett’s tried to keep his distance from Sam, though: being in love with your bes...

Little Women Mermaid Edition By Megan Lois Whitehill Genre: Fantasy Classics Retelling, Coming-of-age Age category: Young Adult Release Date: 28 August 2022 Blurb: A timeless classic heads under the sea… A retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, Little Women: Mermaid Edition takes the story of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy, and spins it into a fantastical story of merfolk under the sea. Follow the young mergirls as they grow up in a world of talking walruses, seahorse rides, and the mysterious merboy next door. Will the four mermaid sisters find everything they aspire to in the Deep Ocean? Or will poverty and shabby shell corsets keep them from their dreams? True to the beloved classic, the Mermaid Edition tackles complex themes of growing up, social pressure, falling in love for the first time, and embracing sisterly love. Complete with original illustrations, this retelling is perfect for longtime lovers of Little Women and new readers alike. It’s a thoughtful gift idea...

Review: Tricks - Book #1 Tricks - Ellen Hopkins - August 2009 Around the time that this book was published and a little earlier I was going through a stage of getting into and reading Ellen Hopkins books as I inched into my early 20s. Now at 35, I decided this year, and with the access to the Libby app after reading Flirtin with the Monster, to go back and re-read her books. The thing that I love about her books is that they are written in poetry format which makes the story flow nicer as we glide from one character to the next. So far, I have read Burned, Impulse, and now Tricks. This one was an interesting ride, not a massive favorite but still, a powerful read which shows what people(teens) will do to survive especially when your choices and freedom are taken away from you. Tricks feature five teens from all different walks of life who have one thing in common, they are all living their lives the best they can but they still yearning for something extra whether it be love, acceptan...

Review: The Hoodie Girl - Yuen Wright - August 2021 Now and again, I will come across a book that I have never heard of and the author is also unknown to me and I will give them a go. This weekend, for me that was The Hoodie Girl by Yuen Wright. As readers know, I just absolutely adore the Library App - Libby and find so many awesome reads on there. In The Hoodie Girl we meet Wren who loves to try and be invisible, she is just skating by on life and has this obsession with her Red Hoodie - it's a comfort thing we later learn as a few years ago, Wren was in a car crash with her Dad and sister Emma. Wren was the only survivor and now suffers panic attacks, nightmares, and bad anxiety. At school, she is the heads-down type of girl and has one best friend Mia. That is until one day, she is bumped into by Asher Reed -he is the school's Mr. Popular and captain of the Hockey Team. As the week goes on, Asher needs to know the girl's name and soon he learns that she is none other...