Nick and Charlie - Alice Oseman

This is IN NO WAY biased, even though I think Alice Oseman is the BEST AUTHOR EVER, and that Solitaire is my FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME. :)

For those of you who haven’t read Solitaire, what are you doing? Buy it now! It follows Tori Spring as she takes her A-levels and deals with Solitaire - a secret organisation that is sabotaging her school. Solitaire was described as ‘The Catcher in the Rye for the digital age’ by The Times newspaper, and I couldn’t agree more. Tori hides behind her tumblr account, which actually exists! Those who grew up with tumblr, like I did, will absolutely love Tori.

But this novella isn’t about Tori. She’s mentioned briefly, which is lovely because she’s one of my favourite characters in literature and I’d missed her terribly, but the Charlie of ‘Nick and Charlie’ is Tori’s younger brother. 

Nick and Charlie have been going out for two years now. Nick is a year old than Charlie, and will be leaving soon to go to university. He is really excited, and that’s bumming Charlie out massively. Anyone who has gone through a similar situation, myself included, will relate to one or both of the boys as they struggle to keep their feelings to themselves.

This novella is available as an ebook on amazon, and at only 82 pages it’s a nice little read for over dinner or before bed. Sadly I had work, so I had to keep stopping - but it killed me to put the story down. It was so good, I loved both characters and I really hope Alice writes some more of Tori/Charlie/Nick...ANYTHING. I will read anything she writes.

You may notice I’m heavily fangirling in this blog post, but that’s because a few days ago I actually met Alice for the first time, and she was so amazing. I wish we could be best friends and go to Disneyland together, she’s THAT awesome.

And, I was also very lucky to win a piece of art that she made for the release of Nick and Charlie, and I’ll be showing you all either on Tumblr or Instagram when it arrives. Thank you so much Alice!

Nick and Charlie is amazing, so if you haven’t read Solitaire - read that, and then read Nick and Charlie. Because feels. ★★★★★

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My YALC highlights!

Last weekend, I went to the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) at London Film and Comic Con (LFCC). I would be here forever if I blogged absolutely everything, so I am going to just tell you my highlights of the weekend. This was really hard as I met so many lovely people that it was hard to choose who to include! All of the pictures are on my instagram if you’re interested.

I finally met Alice Oseman.

Many of you know will know that Alice is my favourite author. She was so lovely, and the panel she was on - YA: The Next Generation - was so interesting. I have my copy of Solitaire signed now, and this brilliant picture of the two of us - I’m going to have it printed and put on my bedroom wall.

I got my first ARC!

When I was scrolling through twitter on the beanbag chairs in the reading zone, I noticed that Kate Ormand was doing a giveaway of her upcoming book. The first person to ask her to join their circus would be given an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of her book, The Wanderers. I looked up, and Kate Ormand was stood against a wall, so I sheepishly went up to her and forgot what I had to say because I was so shy! But I said it, and she was so lovely. I’m reading it now and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you! 

Seeing Keris Stainton again

I absolutely adore Keris, I think she’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I was so overwhelmed when she ran at me and hugged me on Saturday, because I knew then that our friendship was mutual. I am so lucky to know someone as amazing as her, and she kept checking on me over the weekend because I was rather ill (and still am, sadly).

Meeting Louise O’Neill

As soon as I found out Louise would be coming to YALC, I knew she was a priority to meet. I absolutely loved her book, Only Ever Yours, and now I have a signed copy to cherish forever. She was so nice, and she deserves all the love and recognition she is getting for her amazing book. I can’t wait to read Asking For It.

Meeting Carrie Hope Fletcher

I haven’t been a ‘Hopeful’ that long, but I was overjoyed to meet Carrie after not being able to go to her book signing in Birmingham. She signed my Elsa phone case, which has now been taken off my phone and is awaiting a replacement case. And she wanted to hold Pascal in the photo, which I think makes the picture even better.

Seeing Melinda Salisbury again

Mel is one of those people, that you don’t realise what you’ve been missing in your life until they’re standing right in front of you. She’s so witty, and such a wonderful role model (even if she is a Slytherin) - she gave me brilliant advice about my migraines and made me laugh out loud when she stood on a chair in the pub to make a point. I just love her millions.

Meeting Lauren James

I cannot wait for Lauren’s book, and she was such a sweetheart for sending me a signed bookmark for having already pre-ordered her book. After missing her a few times over the weekend, I finally got a chance to talk to her and have a picture, and she is so lovely. I hope we meet again in the future.

Seeing James Dawson again

I saw James on the Saturday, but didn’t get a chance to speak to him, so I queued to meet him on the Sunday. He was in an amazing cosplay, naked Dany from Game of Thrones, and he absolutely killed it. I love his humour, and being around him always makes me smile - we always have artistic photos together.

Seeing Non Pratt again

It’s always a pleasure seeing Non, this is our third meeting now and I was so overwhelmed when SHE recognised ME! We talked about how much I loved Remix, and she was shocked to learn my favourite band is Bon Jovi. Yep, I was born long after my time... But Non, you’re incredible and I can’t wait to see you again!

Seeing Alexia Casale again

I love Lexi, and it’s always so lovely to see her. It seems incredible to think I’ve only known her a year, and I get on with her better than people I’ve known my whole life. That’s how lovely Lexi is, she will be nice to anybody. And her costumes were amazing!

I narrowed it down to ten things or else we’d be here forever! Thank you to everyone who made it such an incredible weekend, it really took my mind off things and I was so happy to be in a community where I belonged!

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Lorali - Laura Dockrill

This took me so long to read, what with my new job and the events of YALC (which I am writing a blog post on, it is coming!!) but I absolutely loved it.

Lorali is a mermaid princess, who has been transformed into a human. She meets Rory, a ‘Walker’ to her people, on a beach in Hastings, and he takes her in. Their first encounter had me in stitches, and I loved Lorali’s innocence. The story is told alternatively from Lorali and Rory’s perspective.

Most authors would just tell the story from their perspectives wouldn’t they? Not Laura. I found it slightly confusing at first, but as I got into the book I realised what a brilliant idea it was.

A third perspective, the sea, sees all and fills in the blanks that Rory and Lorali’s stories cannot possibly tell you. For example, the sea tells us about Lorali’s family’s desperate search for her, both in the sea and on land. 

She also explains how mermaids came to be, which I found fascinating, especially Lorali and her family’s individual stories. Personally, I think the sea’s narrative made this book as good as it is. It reminded me of Death narrating The Book Thief, making sure the reader is as well-informed as possible.

This book has romance, action, humour, and PIRATES. What more could you want? Nothing? How about some...FEMINISM? Lorali’s mother is the Queen of the Whirl, and there has only ever been female leaders under the sea - but that doesn’t mean that men can’t rule.

Although my stunted reading schedule meant I didn’t get into it as quickly as I’d hoped, once I got to halfway through the book I was HOOKED - Laura has done such a good job with this book, and I hope many of you will pick up this brilliant book.

My copy of this book, is signed and battered from the love I gave it reading. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did - buy this book! ★★★★★

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The Last Summer of Us - Maggie Harcourt

Now that we are into the summer, there are a lot of summer reads cropping up in my TBR piles - here is my first summery read of July! I’m sorry I haven’t been able to post this review sooner, but I’ve been really busy with my new job - it’s definitely affecting how quickly I read and that saddens me :(

A day after her mom’s funeral, Limpet goes on a road trip with her best friends, Steffan and Jared. The journey will change their lives, as secrets unfold and grief gets the better of them.

Although this book is set in Wales, there isn’t much mention or detail of destinations, which I would have liked to see. I could have pictured places and scenes better that way, since I used to visit Wales a lot.

The Mile Long Bookshelf - who I love - described this book as ‘a sparkling debut with one of the best slow-burning romances on the YA scene’ and I couldn’t agree more. The romance was subtle, never overshadowing the plot, and by the end I was rooting for the characters to be together.

This book is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking, I only wish that the Welsh element had been played on a bit more. Buy this book! ★★★★

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Air - Lisa Glass

Thank you to Lisa and Quercus for sending me a copy of this book, and sorry that the review had to wait until I got back off holiday.

Air is the sequel to Blue, a surfing novel set in Newquay, Cornwall. Although Air doesn’t start right from where Blue finished, things that happened in between are mentioned throughout the novel to catch you up. The book starts when Iris and Zeke are having a little break in between contests in Miami.

This book really hit home for me, as I completely related to what Iris was going through in this book. Her summer romance with Zeke was fading away, and she began to feel as though leaving her friends and family behind in Newquay maybe wasn’t the right choice.

The surfing is still there, but the focus is more on Zeke and Iris’ relationship, as it is set over one week that really tests them. There are twists and turns that keep you turning the pages, and there’s never a dull moment in the book.

I would definitely recommend these books to surfers and non-surfers alike. Blue was the perfect summer romance novel, and Air questions what happens when that summer romance becomes a relationship that struggles when summer’s over. Lisa Glass writes such lovely books and I can’t wait to read Ride - I can’t believe I have to wait a whole year for it!

As a final note, while I was on holiday, I was lucky enough to meet Lisa Glass, and I can confirm she is one of the loveliest authors I have ever met. Buy this book!★★★★★

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Blue - Lisa Glass

I was saving this book to take to Cornwall with me next week, but since the lovely people at Quercus have sent me a copy of Air, the sequel, I thought I would read this one now - to get me excited for my holiday. :)

When Iris meets Zeke in her yoga class, she knows there's something special about him. They have something very special in common too - their love of surfing. What was once just a hobby of Iris', soon becomes a passion. 

I didn't understand the surfing stuff at first, because I only ever bodyboarder as a child, but I really got into it as the book progressed. It doesn't matter whether you like to surf or not, the terminology is fairly easy to work out and understand. I've already recommended this book to a friend of mine who surfs.

As Iris is falling for Zeke, she gets to meet his wonderful parents, Sephy and Dave, and his brothers, Wes and Garrett. However, Iris' ex Daniel keeps getting in the way - he was a total pain in the ass and I didn't like him one bit.

This book has something for everyone in it - love, danger, loss - and some lovely LGBT characters! There's a ton of recent, well-chosen references to popular culture, making the book very current and a brilliant YA read. 

Because I go to Cornwall every summer, I know the places mentioned in this book so well, and I am really excited for my holiday now! When I go to Newquay, I might go and watch the surfers.

The only problem I had with the book was that there was a tiny error on one of the pages, if I read it correctly, which didn't fit the plot slightly (and I'm only mentioning it in case it is something that needs to be amended) - but this book is absolutely brilliant and I can't wait to read Air. It's also being made into a film, Bluer Than The Sky, which really excites me because I want to see these surfing moves being performed so I know what they all look like!

It was a truly enjoyable read, I definitely recommend you all buy this book!★★★★★

Remix - Non Pratt

I have been waiting so long for this book to come out, that it was no surprise to me when I started reading it as soon as it got delivered to my house. I found it really easy to get through, and would have finished it sooner if I hadn't had so many shifts at work.

Remix is a music festival, and the events in the book take place over three days - friday, saturday and sunday. This made the book even harder to put down, as I would carry on reading if I was nearing the end of a day, and basically put off whatever I was supposed to be doing instead of reading. 

The book is told from two perspectives, which I always love. Kaz and Ruby have been best friends for years, but Remix will be their biggest test yet. It also doesn't help that their imminent separation, with Ruby either having to re-sit her GCSEs or move schools, is looming over their heads.

There's a lot of boy trouble in this book. Kaz is still upset from her break-up with Tom, who is also at Remix and somehow unavoidable in a sea of thousands of festival-goers. Ruby's ex, Stu, is there too, though she pretends not to care about him ever since he cheated on her.

They are there to forget about their problems and enjoy the music - but all hell breaks loose when Kaz starts spending time with Tom's new girlfriend, Laura, who doesn't like Ruby and goes out of her way to wind her up.

I really enjoyed this book, it's definitely my favourite book of Non's so far. Her writing keeps getting better and better, to the point where I am uncontrollably excited for what she'll write next. If you liked Trouble, you'll love this!

★★★★★

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

Starring Kitty - Keris Stainton

I only bought this the other day, and I couldn't wait to read it. I absorbed it in two days straight. It was a lovely, short read that I could have read in a day, had I been free that day. I love books like that.

Kitty is keeping a lot of secrets. When Hannah is complaining about how she never sees her mom, Kitty keeps quiet about how everyone at home is struggling with her mom's illness. When Sunny complains that her parents won't let her have a boyfriend, Kitty doesn't mention that she likes someone...a girl. Even though Hannah and Sunny are her best friends, she can't find the words to tell them. Especially about Dylan, the girl she's seeing. Kitty distracts herself from her problems by taking part in a local film competition with her friends.

Kitty doesn't know a lot about multiple sclerosis - her parents won't talk much about it and she was told not to google it - but she knows enough. Her little sister Grace, however, doesn't really understand what's happening. My heart broke for both of them.

In the midst of her mom's illness, Kitty is struggling with her sexuality. But she isn't worried what her friends and family will do - her older brother, Tom, is gay - it's the bullies at school she's worried about. What will they do? And I think that's what got to me the most, that someone can make your life so miserable that you can't even be yourself.

I really enjoyed this book, the only way I can describe it is that it's a very special story. I love how Keris writes, and I love her as a person - I can't wait to start her writing course in May! I'll definitely be getting Spotlight on Sunny as soon as I see it.

Verdict: 5/5

Under My Skin - James Dawson

I've had this book for over a month now, and I've finally found the time to read it amongst my university work - and I'm so glad I did. I absolutely loved it! Another brilliant offering from the reigning Queen of Teen, and one of my favourite authors.

Sally Feather is a shy seventeen-year-old girl. The closest she has ever gotten to an evil being is watching episodes of Satanville with her best friends, Stan and Jennie. Until one day, she is lured into a tattoo parlour, where she chooses to have a pin-up girl tattooed on her back, by the name of Molly Sue.

Just when Sally thinks she can't regret this decision any more, Molly Sue starts talking to her. She can move around Sally's body and even take control of her. She returns to the place she had the tattoo, House Of Skin, to find it has disappeared. What is going on - and what does Molly Sue want with her?

When Molly Sue starts taking control of Sally's life, she tries everything she can to get rid of her possessed ink. But Molly Sue is strong, and it will take death to get rid of her.

I really enjoyed this book, it made my skin crawl in places because it was so creepy. James' books could never disappoint me, and even though this isn't my favourite (Cruel Summer still has the number one spot in my heart) it's still a brilliant book which I have already recommended to a few friends. And as evil as she was, I though Molly Sue was a brilliant character, I loved the way she talked and the things she said. She had so much sass!

If you haven't read this yet, you really should. 5/5

Trouble - Non Pratt

This is an amazing debut from Non, whose next book, Remix, is due to come out in June - which I am so excited for! So many of my friends have been lucky enough to have read it already, and I wish I had too because June is too far away!

When Hannah Shepard finds out that she is pregnant, her ex-best friend spreads it around the entire school. Scared and alone, Hannah ends up having a meltdown in her back garden. 

Enter: Aaron Tyler. The new kid, the transfer student, the father? Aaron offers to pretend to be the father so that everyone will leave Hannah alone and stop asking questions, and Hannah says yes.

Prior to her pregnancy announcement, every guy wanted Hannah. Aaron is the one person who doesn't - he just genuinely wants to help.

This book is a dual-perspective, which I loved because you get to see Aaron's life as well as Hannah's. This book had me hooked from the beginning, and I feel like I need to re-read it pretty soon to refresh my memory. It's been so long since I read this!

There were so many twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming, which I really enjoyed. I remember, I was reading it home alone in the bath one day, and when something was revealed, I gasped so loud that my dog tried to get into the bathroom to see if I was okay. That's how surprised I was! It was definitely a thrilling read.

It's such a brilliant book, and my copy is extra special for me because I got it signed at YALC last year. I've met Non twice, and I hope I can meet her again in the future. The countdown for Remix's release begins here! I love Non so much and I hope everyone picks up a copy of Remix!

Verdict: 4/5

Othergirl - Nicole Burstein

I have been looking forward to reading this for months, and I started recommending it to friends as soon as it came out - even before I'd read it myself. I just knew that I would love it!

Erica Elland and Louise Kirby are best friends, and even if they drift apart sometimes, there will always be this secret keeping them close - Erica is a superhero. Like, flying and everything. And nobody knows except for Louise.

Louise covers for Erica when she's out testing her powers. She does her homework twice so that Erica doesn't fall behind, and does the repair work on her burnt-out costume. Because Erica can not only fly, but she can produce fire from her hands, which has led to a lot of hilarious accidents in this book, which I loved. 

When Erica meets Jay, a recruiter for the Vigils - a team of superheroes known worldwide - Louise has a bad feeling about him. Along with Vigil-fanboy Toby, she sets out to investigate and hopefully save the day.

As Erica starts to find new Vigil friends, she no longer needs Louise as much as she did when no one else knew about her powers. This leads to some distance forming between the girls - but Louise isn't giving up on their friendship.

I really, really enjoyed this book! It was funny, thrilling, and it definitely lived up to my expectations - everyone should read this book! I read this so fast, because I just loved it that much. I can't wait for what Nicole will write next!

Verdict: 5/5

The Last Leaves Falling - Sarah Benwell

My auntie - Blondie Camps - gave me a copy of The Last Leaves Falling for my birthday, which is March 21st. As you can see, I couldn't wait that long and opened it early, not to mention finished it 4 days early as well. I'm SO glad I read it as soon as I had it, it is amazing!

Sora has ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - and he will die. At first, I didn't think I'd be able to finish the book knowing that, but I don't regret it at all. I got very attached to him and his story, despite knowing I would have my heartbroken somewhere along the line. I loved his family, especially his grandparents, Ojiisan and Bah-Ba. The love he is surrounded by as he deteriorates is overwhelming  - and the friends he meets of the chatroom KyoToTeenz, Kaito and Mai, are wonderful people. For someone who has always been judged for his condition, he's finally met someone - two of them, in fact - who won't.

There is a lot of hatred directed at the teenagers in Japan, through the medium of anonymous emails trying to induct them into a mass suicide pact. But in all of this hatred, there is so much love. The love Sora family have for him, that he has for them, as well as the love of Kaito and Mai. Everyone has dreams, and not everyone follows them, but they should, because some people - like Sora - just can't.

I loved this book, it was thoroughly beautiful. It really made me take a good look at my life and how happy and lucky I am. I can't wait to read what Sarah writes next. I don't know Sarah as well as I would like to, as I've only met her once, at YALC last year. But I know two things about her: she wears amazing t-shirts, and she writes beautiful books. She also wrote happy birthday in the copy she signed for me, so I love her for that. Thank you for all the feels.

Verdict: 5/5, of course! :)

The Year of the Rat - Clare Furniss

I actually read this book last July, when my auntie - @blondiecamps - sent me a signed copy in the post. This is one of my favourite books, which is why I am posting a review of it on my blog, in addition to reviews of those I've recently read.

Pearl loses her mother at fifteen years of age. She died in childbirth, but her baby sister, Rose, survived - the Rat. Pearl has no affection towards the Rat, and blames her for everything that's gone wrong in her life since she was born - the Rat took away their mother, the Rat ruined Pearl's relationship with her stepfather, the Rat's father.

But Pearl's mother is not truly gone, and still visits Pearl to check up on her. The book's events play out over one entire year, as Pearl must come to terms with her mother's death, but this is difficult for her when the Rat serves as a living reminder of what happened. Will she ever grow to love her little sister, Rose?

I really enjoyed this book, it was different from anything I'd read, and it was interesting to explore how people cope living with survivors when someone has died. I can't wait for Clare's next book! And it was so lovely to finally meet Clare at the UKYA Extravaganza, as I finally got to thank her in person for my signed copy!

Verdict: 5/5 :)

The Sin Eater's Daughter - Melinda Salisbury

I'd bought this to read about a month ago, but I'd been reading as many books as I could for the UKYA Extravaganza. But when I saw all the positive reviews and recommendations on a recent UKYA Chat, that Melinda was a guest author on, I knew I had to put down everything else I was reading and read it straight away!

This will not be a biased review, because I genuinely loved the book, but I think I need to put it out there that I love Melinda Salisbury! She sends me useful articles for my university dissertation, gives me a present at her event, and is all-round a wonderful friend and author.

The Sin Eater's Daughter follows Twylla, a young girl who is living in the castle of Lormere, as an executioner for those who have committed treason. She can kill these criminals with just her touch, because she is Daunen Embodied - a girl chosen by the Gods to represent their daughter on earth. To prove she has this divine quality, she must swallow a vial of poison, called Morningsbane, and prove that it does not kill her. This makes her skin poisonous, and only those with divine right - the Royal family - can touch her and survive.

Had Twylla not been chosen by the Gods, she would still have a destiny. Instead of killing people, she would conduct the ritual known as Sin Eating, like her mother before her. This involves consuming a feast upon the coffin of the deceased, an item of food for each sin they committed. It is of paramount importance to the ceremony that each sin is Eaten, or else the dead person's soul could not be committed to the afterlife, for their uneaten sins would not have been forgiven.

But Twylla gave up this destiny when she decided to go with the Queen to Lormere, be Daunen Embodied and become betrothed to marry Prince Merek soon. Once she is Queen, she will no longer be Daunen Embodied, and she will no longer have to cruelly take people's lives, which she hates. Twylla left behind her mother, the Sin Eater, and her sweet little sister, who would become the next Sin Eater in her place.

One day Twylla is given a new guard, Lief, a job not many choose to accept given her dangerous skin. Lief sees her as a person rather than a poison, and treats her as such. Theirs is a friendship of equals, something unheard of between a guard and his lady, despite the fact that Twylla is to be the next Queen of Lormere.

How can Twylla be happy with a life she has had no control over? Is everything as it seems? (Trying not to spoil anything, so I'm sorry if my review is vague!)

This book had be gasping audibly as I read it, there were so many twists I wouldn't have guessed, and it was written beautifully. Melinda has created an amazing world, and I don't want the characters I love being taken from me in the next book. I'm so glad this is going to be a trilogy, I'm too invested in it to be a stand-alone novel.

Seriously, if you haven't read it yet, why haven't you?! Read it now!!

Verdict: 5/5 <3

Geek Girl: All That Glitters - Holly Smale

Warning: I don't advise reading this review if you haven't read the other books in the series, particularly Picture Perfect, because this review mentions a few spoilers from it and I don't want to ruin it for anybody!

I was so happy that Netgalley approved me to review this book. I downloaded it onto my kindle the day before its release, giving me crucial extra hours to finish the book in time for Saturday. And I did it!

I finished it on Friday night, and as always, I regretted getting through it so fast, because now I have to wait - I don't even know how long I've got to wait - for the next one. However, I do have Geek Drama to read, which I haven't decided whether to read straight away, or save as a 'snack' between the books and read later on. Most likely, I'll read it in March or April, because I can't bear to leave it unread on my shelf. 

But, I digress.

All That Glitters pretty much continues where Picture Perfect left off. Harriet has not long been back from New York, and is ready to start sixth form as a late arrival. With Nat at college, she only has Toby, her stalker, for a friend, so she makes Harriet-style plans and lists of how to make friends. And after a shaky start, it seems to work.

Harriet then has to miss school for a modelling job in Morocco. This time, Annabel decides to accompany her, leaving behind Richard and Tabitha, my favourite comedy duo! Modelling is hard when all Harriet can think about is her ex-boyfriend and ex-model Nick Hidaka. Their break-up destroyed Harriet, and I must admit a little a little part of me died too, because they were such a lovely couple. Right from the very first book, I have been emotionally invested in the life of Harriet Manners.

Of course, I love Wilbur, with a bur not an iam, and I miss him terribly. As he is no longer Harriet's agent, we don't see much of him anymore, so I'd love a Wilbur revival sometime soon, but really I'm just grateful he's still in the books, even if it was just for a little while.

You would be able to tell how much I loved this book simply by looking at the amount of highlights I made on my kindle, and will transfer to the paperback when it's released, and how many memorable quotes I've written in my reading journal to make sure I don't forget them.

I absolutely loved this book, and I feel like the series keeps getting better and better. Personally, my favourite is still Picture Perfect, because I love New York City, so unless Harriet gets a modelling contract with Disney, I can't see my favourite book changing. I might have to write some fanfiction to satisfy my love of Disney and Geek Girl.

YALC, July 2014. I look terrible but I was so happy!

I'm really happy with Harriet's character development through the books. She is longer, at least not all of the time, the girl that will hide under the table at the Clothes Show Live. She is confident, brave, and trying to make more friends. Sadly, she wants to find someone exactly like her, and I don't think there's anyone like Harriet Manners. Honestly, we are so alike. For example, at YALC last year, I sat in a corner and didn't talk, but at UKYA Extravaganza this weekend, I made friends! Friends I hope to stay in contact with. And I love how Harriet knows a lot of facts; I feel like I've learnt more reading Holly's four books than I have in three years at university!

Meeting Holly Smale, February 2015 (wearing the glasses I won!)

But as the book nears a close, Harriet must choose who her real friends are, she needs to realise that 'all that glitters is not gold'. I thought the message of this book was so important; it is better to have a few friends that truly care about you, than tonnes of friends who wouldn't care about you when it matters. I've experience that, and it's lovely that younger readers will know this before they get hurt.

I don't actually regret a single second I spent reading this book, despite the wait for the next one. I took it everywhere, and it cheered me up when I'd had a bad shift at work, or had no friends in my university lecture, and it was just such a brilliant book that I know the next one will be worth the long wait. 

On a personal note, meeting Holly again this weekend was the icing on top of the cake that was an absolutely brilliant day. I had such a brilliant time at the UKYA Extravaganza, and  I was first in the queue to meet Holly afterwards. Also, I was lucky enough to win the glasses I'm wearing in the most recent picture, and I absolutely adore them! This week started really badly for me, but it ended really well. And that is thanks to all my bookish friends, authors and connections such as Netgalley! 

I can also confirm that Holly is still one of the nicest people I have ever met, and I think she will probably always be one of my favourite authors. I'll definitely be reading Geek Girl to my daughter, if I have one.

Verdict: 5/5

Now You See Me - Emma Haughton

UKYAExtravaganza is in two days, and I'm so glad I've finished this book in time to tell Emma how much I enjoyed it!

Danny Geller was thirteen when he disappeared, and nobody knew where he went. Least of all his best friend, Hannah Radcliffe. Having recently lost her mother in a car accident, the loss of Danny was yet another blow she wasn't prepared for.

Three years later, Danny's family are still looking for him, and haven't given up even one tiny shred of hope. But when their hope is used as a weapon against them, what can they do? Should they continue to hold onto it, and ignore the reasons telling them not to, or should they let it go?

It's really difficult to review this book without giving too much away, and since the twists are what got me hooked, I wouldn't want to spoil them for anyone else. All I will say is drop everything, go and buy this book, and clear your schedule so that you can read it. I kept getting distracted and interrupted by work and university, when all I wanted to do was keep reading this book to find out what happens. Seriously, read this book and you won't regret it.

It was a brilliant, gripping read, and I can't wait to see what Emma writes next.

Verdict: 5/5