All I Know Now - Carrie Hope Fletcher

I have been dying to read this book, ever since I started watching Carrie's youtube videos a few months ago. I knew immediately that I would love her book. 

Carrie Hope Fletcher is the vlogger behind ItsWayPastMyBedtime, and an actress on the West End, currently playing Eponine in Les Mis (one of my favourite musicals). She has become and 'honorary big sister' to thousands of teenagers who feel they don't have anyone to turn to.

At the still-young age of twenty-two, she has written this book to be a guide to the teenage years, something I think a lot of young people will benefit from. In this book, Carrie covers a range of important topics, such as relationships bullying and accepting yourself. If I had read this book as a teenage, I would have coped a lot better with growing up.

But even at twenty-one, just a year younger than Carrie herself, this book has really helped me. Many of its topics are still relevant to me, as they translate into early adulthood. I am still not completely certain about what I want to do with my life. Knowing that Carrie has dealt with these problems either now or in the past really helps me feel less alone.

The book was written so beautifully, and it felt so personal to me - as though Carrie was giving me advice in person rather than through a book. But that's who Carrie is, her videos always seem personal too. And I respect her so much more for admitting some things that must have been difficult for her to share publicly, especially things her parents didn't know until they read her book.

I would have read this book much sooner than I have, but my lovely friend Eleanor had taken it to be signed at the Birmingham event for me, because I sadly could not attend. However, I am hoping I will get a second chance to meet Carrie at YALC this year.

I don't usually read hardbacks at all, and when I do it takes me much longer to read them than paperbacks, so the fact that I read this book over two days is a testament to how good it is! I couldn't put it down, and when I had to in order to eat or sleep, it was by my side ready to be picked up again. 

This book is going to change, or at least help, so many young people's lives, I just know it. And that is such a wonderful thing, because the teenage years are hard - for most people. If you're not popular, you're generally ignored, and that is a terrible thing. Carrie really understands, being so young herself, what it's like to be young.

Needless to say, I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to read anything she writes after this. We are so alike, especially in our love of Disney, that I would love to meet her in person and tell her how wonderful she is. A 5 star read!

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

My parents bought me the trilogy last Christmas, and I've finally got enough time on my hands - as a graduate working part-time - to get properly stuck into the story. Whilst I was at university, my friend was always telling me to read these books, so now I'm glad I finally have enough time!

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown, and he is a month away from manhood. He doesn't know what this entails - no one will tell him. Even though he can hear everyone's thoughts - from a Noise germ the settlers caught when they came to New World - and they can hear his, he still can't find out the truth from them. 

This Noise germ only infected the men, and all the women have died. So not only is Todd the last boy, he's the youngest living person in Prentisstown, with no idea what happens when he crosses over into manhood. His guardians, Ben and Cillian, want to tell him, but can't because the townsfolk would hear it in their Noise and punish them.

But when Todd and his talking dog, Manchee - yes, animals have Noise too - stumble across a silent female who is alive and well, he realises he probably doesn't know the truth about a lot of things - and he runs for his life. But for reasons he obviously doesn't know, the men of Prentisstown come after him.

So as Todd, Manchee and Viola try to find Haven, the closest to a city there is in New World, they are outnumbered by an army the size of Prentisstown following them, destroying settlements as they go and determined to catch the last boy in their town and make him a man.

I really enjoyed this book, even though I don't usually read books this long. It took me a while to read it, but it was so brilliantly written and there were times when I couldn't bring myself to put it down. It probably goes without saying that Manchee was my favourite character, he was such a wonderful dog and his dialogue added a lot to the book for me. I can't wait to read the next book to see what happens.

Verdict: 4/5

Love Hurts - Malorie Blackman

WARNING: this is going to be a very, very long review...

I started reading this in March, and I’m ashamed that it has taken me this long to read it. I only read it when I had time to read a whole story, because I didn’t want to dip in and out of stories as they were all so different. 

Love Hurts is an anthology of YA short stories, or at least that was what I thought it would be. I expected something like My True Love Gave To Me, which I really enjoyed. But when it arrived, I realised a lot of the short stories were actually extracts from already-published books, which really disappointed me.

Out of twenty-four short stories, only seven were original short stories, which disappointed me and many other bloggers who I have seen reviewing the book. But so as not to taint the stories I did enjoy, I decided I would review each one separately, in the order they appear in the anthology.

Humming Through My Fingers by Malorie Blackman

Amber lost her sight due to diabetes, but knows her surroundings well. She can even tell when someone is lying. In this story, she meets Ethan, and teaches him how to see without his eyes, just like she has to. I've never read a book that mentions diabetes, and I'd love to find other books or short stories that do. It's a largely ignored illness in YA, as far as I can see, so if anyone has any recs please get in touch. I really enjoyed this story, as it was so original and heartwarming - 5 stars

More Than This (extract) by Patrick Ness

This was an extract from a book I hadn't read yet, so I didn't mind so much. Gudmund and Seth are in love, but life is about to get in the way of them being together. I'm not sure whether this extract was enough to make me buy the book, although I would like to find out what happens to their relationship, so I might pick it up in the future - 3 stars

The Infinite Moment of Us (extract) by Lauren Myracle

Charlie and Wren are so awkward, but that's what is so adorable about them. This extract contained one of the most romantic quotes I've ever read, and I loved it so much: 'She was the mystery and the explanation both.' This extract was really good, so I definitely think I'll be picking this book up in the future - 4 stars

If I Stay (extract) - Gayle Forman

This extract gives a really good overview of the book to entice people to read the whole thing. There's flashbacks of Mia and Adam's relationship in its early stages, which is really sweet, as well as telling you the key things that happen while she's in a coma. It's a really good love story, and this extract does it justice - 4 stars

Tumbling by Susie Day

I really, really enjoyed this new short story. It contains the best line in anything ever: 'there are breasticles under this shirt bro behold my brastrap', which is closely followed by 'a custard cream in human form' - the way I'm not going to describe myself. This story follows two girls who are meeting for the first time, after talking on tumblr for a while, at 221B Bake Street. They are both big fans of Sherlock, and I loved that I understood all the references. I love stories that include fandoms and tumblr, and this is one of my favourite stories of the book - 5 stars

Trouble (extract) by Non Pratt

Having already read and enjoyed Trouble, I didn't have to read this extract if I didn't want to - but I was curious as to what extract would be chosen. I think it perfectly sums up what the book is about - Hannah having the news of her pregnancy leaked to the whole school, and Aaron, the new boy at school, offering to be the father of the baby - and if I hadn't already read the book, then this extract definitely would have gotten me to read it - 4 stars

Rani and Sukh (extract) by Bali Rai

I haven't read this book yet, but I feel the extract would have been better with a bit more backstory. I love knowing how characters met, and all the secrets between the two families should have made me want to find out more, but it actually really confused me. It is told from both Rani and Sukh's perspective, and since I love dual narratives, I think this book could be really good. The extract was nice to read and I'm interested to find out if all of Bali's writing is like this - 3 stars

You Against Me (extract) by Jenny Downham

Ellie's brother, Tom, has been accused of raping Mikey's sister, Karyn. Ellie and Mikey have been pretending to like one another in order to investigate the matter for themselves. I'd never heard of this before, but the extract really got me interested in reading the book - especially for the cliffhanger it has! I think the story best showcases family love, the lengths that Ellie and Mikey will go to in order to protect their siblings - 4 stars

13 Little Blue Envelopes (extract) by Maureen Johnson

Ginny is an American visiting London, and meets Keith when she buys all the tickets to his show, Starbucks: The Musical. Sadly, I was more interested in the musical than the story. I have seen this book a few times in my local Waterstones, but now I've read this extract, I'm not sure whether I'll be buying it. I just didn't relate to the characters that well and I'm unsure if I will like it - 3 stars

Junk (extract) by Melvin Burgess

Again, this extract didn't really grab me either. I couldn't relate to the main character, fourteen-year-old runaway Gemma, and all I knew about the book before reading it was that is is about drugs, which don't interest me either. I don't think I'll be reading the full book, as I had no connection with the extract - 2 stars

Noughts and Crosses (extract) by Malorie Blackman

I've wanted to read this book since I was about sixteen, and I'm not sure why at twenty-one I still don't own a copy. I really enjoyed this extract, despite not knowing what a Nought or a Cross is, but for some reason, it just made me find out more! Sephy and Callum are so good together, even if they can't actually be together, for reasons I don't know yet. I really enjoyed the dual perspective and I thought it was a perfect extract to get me interested in the book, so I'm definitely going to be buying it soon - 5 stars

Gentlewoman by Laura Dockrill

Dan has never felt like a boy, so over the summer holidays, he begins the long process of becoming Danni. As school creeps closer, she is scared of what her old male friends will think and, more importantly, what the girl she loves will think. This is a really lovely story, that reminds me of Cat Clarke's A Kiss in the Dark and Lisa Williamson's The Art Of Being Normal. I can't wait to read other things by Laura - 5 stars

Heroic (extract) by Phil Earle

I honestly hadn't heard of this book before I saw it included in this anthology. Sonny likes his best mate's sister, Cam, but he knows she's off limits. But her brother, Tommo, is away in the army, so they both need a little comfort. It appears that is is told from different perspectives, which I love, and even though themes of war usually put me off, I did enjoy reading this extract so I might pick it up in the future - 4 stars

Lucy Had A Steamboat by David Leviathan

This story was really interesting. It follows Lucy as she falls for the new girl at school, Ashley. However, Lucy is more serious about the relationship than Ashley is, and Lucy gets a little obsessed. It was really funny in places, but in others, it got slightly boring. But overall, it was a good story and it was nice to read - 4 stars

I Am The Messenger (extract) by Markus Zusak

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped to, as the love aspect isn't very prominent in the book as a whole. There isn't much mention of the actual plot of the book, which is a sort of quest that Ed is sent on, but instead focuses on the love Ed has for Audrey, which isn't really what the book is about, so I feel it will disappoint a lot of people who pick up the book expecting a love story - 4 stars

Grasshopper Jungle (extract) by Andrew Smith

I see this book all the time in my local Waterstones, but I still haven't read it yet. Reading this extract, I think I would enjoy this book, although I worry that Austin may start to get on my nerves after a while. Nevertheless, I've bought the book and I will be reading it in the future because of how much I enjoyed this extract - 4 stars

Echo Boy (extract) by Matt Haig

I'm not sure how I felt about this extract. The relationship between Audrey and Daniel was lovely, but I didn't understand what Echos were and what was happening, so I think I need to read the whole book in about to form a solid opinion - 3 stars

Forbidden (extract) by Tabitha Suzuma

I really enjoyed this extract, because I loved the way it was written. However, I am not a fan of bother and sister relationships in books, as it puts me off and I go a bit too British ('oh! oh no, that just won't do!') So now I am not sure whether to buy and read the book or not. Well written but a difficult topic - 4 stars

Endless Love: the Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda by Lauren Kate

After four extracts, it was nice to finally read a new, original story. However, I wasn't sure I liked this story. From what I could gather, Luce is cursed to live in many different bodies in many different time periods. But I didn't feel that any of the story was explained enough for my liking, and so it felt more like another extract than a short story. As a result, I just couldn't get into it - 2 stars

Midwinterblood (extract) by Marcus Sedgwick

I feel like I am being picky with my reviews of these stories, but these are my honest opinions. In this extract, I felt that nothing was explained to me, leaving me feeling practically guilty for not having read the book already. I was confused at what was going on, and therefore I just couldn't enjoy reading it. Also, there was a mistake in there, which usually I would ignore, but in a extract of an already-published book there shouldn't be any mistakes - 1 star

The Liar's Girl by Catherine Johnson

I didn't enjoy this story, perhaps because of the way it was written from the girl to the boy, so the 'you' didn't feel right as I couldn't get into that person's perspective. I didn't connect with any of the characters and I didn't feel the love between them - 2 stars

The Unicorn by James Dawson

Finally, we get to the story that I actually bought the book for, and it was definitely worth it. This story follows Reg Hastings in his time in the Navy, serving on the HMS Unicorn and falling in love with Frankie Cain. It is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking. I really enjoyed this story, but I knew I would because James never disappoints me! Definitely one of my favourites of the book - 5 stars

Northern Lights (extract) by Phillip Pullman

I remember reading some of this book at school, but reading along with the class meant I couldn't go at my own pace and as a result, I didn't really get into it. I think I need to re-read it and see if I like it, as from this extract I'm undecided how I feel - 3 stars

We Were Liars (extract) by E. Lockhart

I did enjoy this book, and I thought this extract really did it justice, as it shows Cadence's love for Gat, a boy she only sees in the summer. The love between them is real, as well as  very complicated - 4 stars

Luckily, out of seventeen extracts, I had only read four, so I enjoyed it more than someone who had read all of those books before. The book acts as a good starting point for someone wanting to know what YA authors to check out, and it showcases some of the best. But to have very few original stories in there was a real disappointment, as so many people will have bought this only to realise they own most of the books included in there.

My favourite original short stories were The Unicorn by James Dawson, my fave, Tumbling by Susie Day, Humming Through My Fingers by Malorie Blackman, and Gentlewoman by Laura Dockrill.

The extracts that made me want to read more included The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle, Rani and Sukh by Bali Rai, Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, Heroic by Phil Earle and Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith.

I hoped you enjoyed this review, and I'm sorry it was so long, but I wanted to give every story it's own mention, and I gave the book 3 stars overall on goodreads, as there were some stories I loved and some I didn't. 

If you'd like to give me any recommendations of books you think I'd like based on these reviews, then please get in touch either on twitter (@t4ngled_) or instagram (@asdfghjklize). Thank you for reading!

Prisoner of Night and Fog - Anne Blankman

I received the sequel to this, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, from bookbridgr last month, and decided to read this first. Even though I know a lot about Nazi Germany, and dipping into the sequel first wouldn't confuse me, I still wanted to read them in their intended order. I am a big fan of historical fiction, my favourite being The Book Thief, so I was extremely excited to start reading this series!

Munich, 1931. Seventeen-year-old Gretchen Müller's 'Uncle Dolf' is running for presidency in the Reichstag. But Gretchen suspects her Uncle Dolf is not as warm and loving to everyone else as he is to her...especially not the Jews.

When Gretchen's father, Klaus, died protecting Hitler at the Munich putsch, he became a martyr and a saint to the Nazi party. Gretchen is Hitler's sunshine, along with her best friend, Eva Braun (yes, the very same one). But when Gretchen falls for a Jewish reporter, Daniel Cohen, she doesn't think twice about what her Uncle Dolf will think.

I really enjoyed this book, as it took me straight back to GCSE History five years ago, and I knew all the events and terminology without having to look anything up. But for someone who doesn't know a lot about Nazi Germany, the Author's note at the end explains everything you might not have known. It's a brilliant read that I would definitely recommend!

Verdict: 4/5

Fire with Fire - Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

I've got a jar full of the names of all my unread books, so that they will all get read someday, instead f gathering dust whilst I only read the new books I've bought. This is the first one I picked out, and it worked out well, since it was about night I read the next book anyway.

I don't want there to be any spoilers in my reviews, so I'll just say that Fire with Fire picks up where Burn for Burn left off. They've got revenge on Reeve, but it's not enough for Mary - he still hasn't been hurt as bad as he hurt her. 

So Mary, Lillia and Kat make a new plan, a better plan than before - to break Reeve's heart. It's clear he likes Lillia, so if she can get close enough for him to ask her out, and reject him, it'll break his little heart.

Meanwhile, Kat is trying to get into university early, and Lillia is dealing with her best friend, Rennie, ditching her and taking all of her friends - except Kat and Mary, her secret friends - away from her. 

I am really enjoying this series, even though some parts of Mary's story were beginning to put me off - but now, I'm intrigued. These books are a perfect combination of Mean Girls and John Tucker Must Die, so I highly recommend this series. Can't wait to read the final one!

Verdict: 5/5

Della Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton

I'm reading Keris' books in a rather funny order - first I read Jessie Hearts NYC, and then instead of moving on to Emma Hearts LA, I read Starring Kitty instead. So then I should have read Spotlight on Sunny, but since it's the only book I don't own of Keris', I moved on to her debut, Della Says: OMG!

Della likes to write in her diary, confides in it and relies on it. So when it goes missing, assumed stolen, she panics. Who has it? And what will they do with it?

Meanwhile, her life is steadily improving. Her sister, who always overshadowed her, has gone to America for the summer. The boy who's she's always loved finally loves her back, and now they're dating. 

But whoever has her diary is trying to rain on her parade - by sending her, and those close to her, snippets of her diary. Who doesn't want her to be happy?

I really loved this book, it's definitely one of my favourites. I loved Della's parents, I'm a sucker for a book with funny parents in! I've said before that I love how Keris writes, and I simply can't wait to read the rest of her books.

Verdict: 5/5

Disney After Dark - Ridley Pearson

This book had been on my amazon wish list for such a long time, but I'm glad that I finally bought it and read it. I started this at the end of April, but I finished it yesterday on the bus to Birmingham. So here is my first book of May!

When Finn Whitman is chosen to be a DHI - Disney Host Interactive - he thinks he'll just be famous and his family will get free park tickets. But he soon realises how wrong he was! Every night, Finn crosses over to his DHI self, and he is told by an Imagineer, Wayne, that there is a plot by 'the Overtakers' for the Audio-Animatronics to take over the park, and only Finn and the other DHIS - Charlene, Philly, Maybeck and Willa - can stop them.

There was a lot in this book that didn't need explaining for me, because of how much I know about Disney anyway, but it is useful for someone reading who doesn't know the company or the parks as well. It would be especially useful for someone who hasn't been to Walt Disney World, as even though it's set there, most of the rides and locations they mention also feature at Disneyland Paris, so a reader who hadn't visited Walt Disney World wouldn't be at a disadvantage reading it.

This book was really good! I always wondered as a child what the parks were like at night, and the It's A Small World scene was particularly brilliant. The book really brought the plot to life for me, I could actually imagine something like this happening when the park was close. It's a must-read for any Disney fan!

I have the next book in the series ready to read, and it's making me extremely excited for my trip to Walt Disney World in November. But I'm very glad we'll be visiting the park at night!

Verdict: 4/5

April reading round-up!

This month has been a good month for reading - I've read ten books! This photo doesn't do it justice, because one of my books is with a friend, and two others had to go back to the library. But here they are in all their stacked glory!

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga - Aysel and Roman meet on the suicide chatroom, Smooth Passages, and agree to be each other's suicide partner. But as the deadline draws closer, Aysel wonders if there's hope for her after all. 3 out of 5 stars

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard - adapted into the popular television series, the first book finds Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily three years after their friend Ali went missing. In this instalment, Ali's body is found, opening up a murder investigation, and their secrets aren't safe - mystery texter 'A' is ready to spill all. 5 out of 5 stars

Othergirl by Nicole Burstein - Erica and Louise are best friends, partners in crime, super hero and assistant. As Erica begins superhero training, Louise investigates the validity of Erica's new friend, Jay. 5 out of 5 stars

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli - Simon and Blue email each other every day. They go to the same school, they're both gay, but they don't know each other - they've hidden their real names because neither one is 'out'. So when someone threatens to expose Simon, he panics. What will this mean for his friendship with Blue? 5 out of 5 stars

Multilingualism by John Edwards - to throw an odd read into the mix, this was a set text that I had to read for one of my university modules. Although I didn't do this myself, it could be read in a single sitting and provides an easy-to-read overview of the topic. A simple starting point. 4 out of 5 stars

Under My Skin by James Dawson - when shy and sweet Sally Feather feels drawn to a tattoo parlour one day, she doesn't think anything of it. Not until her tattoo, sassy pin-up Molly-Sue, starts talking to and even possessing Sally. And Sally's attempts at tattoo removal are no match for the power of Molly Sue. 5 out of 5 stars

Creative Writing: How to Unlock Your Imagination and Develop Your Writing Skills by Adele Ramet - I read this for tips on improving my writing and it has definitely helped me. I only wish now that it was my own copy and not the library's - it would be good to own for future reference. 4 out of 5 stars

First, Last and Always by Kim Lehman - Charlotte and Miles have been best friends forever, but Miles has a secret. He's been in love with her since the third grade, but will he tell her? (Thank you to Netgalley for this copy) 5 out of 5 stars

Crow Moon by Anna McKerrow - the Greenworld is a simpler way of life compared to the greedy, fuel-hungry Redworld. Danny's mom is one of the head witches, and as he begins to discover his own power, he also falls in love with Saba, a powerful witch he meets. 4 out of 5 stars

Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton - Kitty enters the local film competition with her best friends, Hannah and Sunny, to take her mind of her mom's illness and the girl she likes but is too afraid to admit to her friends and family, for fear of the bullies finding out. 5 out of 5 stars

Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby - when Quinn's boyfriend Trent died, his organs were donated. She has met them all, except the guy who got his heart. She finds Colton as a way of keeping Trent close, but instead finds a reason to let him go. 5 out of 5 stars

I had a really good month of reading, and this was because I needed an escape that only books could offer me. Now that I've finished my university degree, I'm expecting to have a lot more months like this, where the books I've read keep stacking up. I'm already ahead of schedule for my goodreads challenge, which is the most important thing.

There are reviews for all of these books on this blog or my goodreads account, and if you'd like to follow my progress, follow me on any of these! :)

Instagram: instagram.com/asdfghjklize/
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Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/lizebronwen

Things We Know By Heart - Jessi Kirby

I literally finished this a few minutes before I went to bed last night, so this will also feature in my April reading round-up, which I will probably post next week. I had been waiting for this book to be released for months, so I was so happy when it came in the post a couple of days ago and I started reading it straight away. It was exactly the story I needed, and it didn't disappoint me. I now consider this book one of my all-time favourites.

It has been four hundred days since Trent died, and his organs were donated to other people. His girlfriend, Quinn, wrote to each recipient, and heard back from all of them...apart from the nineteen-year-old male from California, who got Trent's heart.

Quinn obsessively searches for the last recipient - the most important piece of Trent. Her journey spurred the most beautiful quote I have ever read in a book: 'For so long, I was the one with his heart. I just need to see where it is now.'

One day, she finds Shelby's blog, which fills the gaps for Quinn. Trent's heart went to Colton, Shelby's brother, and he's doing well. And he's not very far away. All Quinn wants to do is see Colton - not even speak to him. What she doesn't expect to do is fall in love with him.

I really loved this book. The story is so special and moving that my eyes were filling at several points. Her dad's ongoing health issues is something I can very strongly relate to, and I only wish I'd had someone like her sister, Ryan, to help me the way she helped Quinn.

I love the way this book is written, so I am intrigued to see if Jessi's other books are similar. I especially enjoyed the facts and quotes about the heart at the beginning of each chapter - I learnt a lot from them. The bottom line is that everyone should read this wonderful, unique book. 

Verdict: 5/5, one of my all-time favourites