3.5*'s

When I first received this book from the lovely people at Egmont I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew this was a YA historical fiction novel based heavily on telling world war two from the perspective of female soldiers. The feminist in me was dying to read this book and so I jumped straight in.

Front Lines is gritty. It certainly is not your average YA read and doesn’t hold back from the harsh reality of life as a soldier during the war. There are many descriptions of the devastating effects of the war and anyone with a weak stomach may not be fully prepared for those moments. I am glad they are included though because to lighten up the effects of the war for the sake of writing a book would not have been okay and certainly would not have done justice to the many fallen soldiers whom we still remember and thank to this day.

I love, love, loved that this was told from the perspective of female soldiers. It is not often that the stories of those strong women are told, if anything they are completely forgotten about. But this is much more than just a book about female soldiers in the way. Grant takes every opportunity possible to explore the prejudice and social injustice held against women in the 1940s. Even more importantly, Grant does not brush every woman with the same experience either. Within his three main characters, Grant has created a diverse group of strong females who each face different prejudices and we clearly see the effect this has on them.

Rio is our main leading lady with the majority of the book being from her POV. Rio is a white teenage girl from a small town in California who enlists for the army. After vigorous training, Rio finds herself drafted to the front lines of the war and discovers that she is much more capable than she first believed. Frangie Marr is an African-American girl from Oklahoma. She enlists in order to help her own family and despite much adversity follows her own path to become a medic in the Army. Frangie faces an enormous amount of racism on top of the comments made about her gender. The segregation between black and white people even within the army is also reflected. Our final lady is the white, Jewish Rainy from New York who faces prejudice not only for her gender but also for her religion. Rainy was certainly a sassy little thing when she wanted to be but I felt we didn’t see enough of her.

My favourite thing about this book is definitely the characters. I’ve not read anything by Michael Grant before but if his characterization in this book is anything to go by then I need to read more from him. I am a sucker for well developed characters and these girls were certainly fully developed individuals, each with their own importance. My favourite so far is Frangie who I just think is an absolute darling. Despite the cruel racism towards her, Frangie is such a caring person who is desperate to save the lives of anyone she can regardless of gender, religion, race or nationality. I hope there will be more from Rainy in book two as I liked her but didn’t feel I got to spend enough time with her like I did Rio and Frangie.

Throughout this book the prejudice against women in general is astonishing. I loved that it was so true to the time and thought this was important, but it still made me so mad. There are so many comments about how the female soldiers are weaker than the men, shouldn’t be there, and are only good for being wives and having children, not to mention the leering comments from male soldiers. I was really glad to see a book which focused on the barriers women like Rio, Frangie and Rainy broke their way through.

Something I think I needed more of in this book was plot. This is a book about the war and although the war scenes are violent, messy and emotionally driven, it was almost 2/3 of the way into the book before we really arrived there. Whilst I appreciated the time we had to get to know the characters, I would have liked more to happen. Hopefully this is a great set up for book two though. We shall see!

Overall I thought this book was a great read and I learnt a lot from it. Whilst the prejudices against Rio, Rainy and Frangie were painful and infuriating to read, I thought it was very well written to be true to the time period, as is appropriate in historical fiction. It makes me proud of how far things have come for women, even if there are still many glass ceilings for us to smash our way through.

A great addition to the Front Lines series. I was a little unsure where this was going but thought it was a great way of showing a bit more of Rio's journey to becoming the soldier we see in Silver Stars.

Silver Stars reunites us with Rio, Rainy and Frangie as they continue their wartime journeys. It took everything I enjoyed about Front Lines and notched it up to the next level.

So much happens in this book! When I reviewed Front Lines I said that I loved the characters but I just wanted more from the plot. Where the first book built up our characters wonderfully, Silver Stars takes what we know and adds in all the action I so desired. With Rio, Rainy and Frangie following their own separate paths, Silver Stars is a much harsher look at the effect of the war than the first book in the series.

This book leaves very little to the imagination and at times was a very harrowing and difficult read. Grant certainly does not beat around the bush when it comes to describing the devastating effects of the war. There are vivid descriptions of the most horrendous injuries imaginable and a lot of deaths. I really enjoyed Grant’s writing style and the way his words on the page are able to create such strong imagery for me as a reader. I honestly felt like I was there on the front lines with Rio and her team and it evoked a lot of emotion in me.

I was really interested to see the way in which Grant took more time to explore the effect the war is having on Rio, Rainy and Frangie. Whilst all are some of the strongest female characters I’ve read, in Silver Stars I felt that we also got a glimpse of their vulnerable sides. My heart really went out to each of them at points during this book, but never more so than when Rio and Jenou are discussing how the war has changed their friendship. That was something I found really emotional to read, especially as it really showed how both of them had changed despite never believing they could or would. It was interesting to see how Grant portrayed the different effects that the war has on people whether they are in the same position or completely different positions.

I was so happy that our leading ladies are as badass as ever and we certainly get to learn a lot more about their character and personal strength. Rio is fighting on the front lines, but has becoming a killer changed her? Rainy is drafted to carry out a personal mission, but will she survive this dangerous situation? Frangie continues to treat the injured soldiers with her care and her heart, but what will happen to her when she finds herself in a spot of trouble?

Whilst most of the POVs are still from Rio, I was pleased to get to spend a bit more time with Rainy in this book as I felt I didn’t get to know her as well in book one. She goes through such a significant experience in this book and I thought her story line was really interesting and the one that really had me on the edge of my seat. I really, really would have loved to spend a bit more time with Frangie. I just adore her and hope that there will be even more about her in book three.

The ending of the book was pretty predictable but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t happy with it. I don’t want to spoil anything so I can’t say any more but the way in which Grant wrote in the ending really blurred the lines between fiction and non-fiction. I thought this was a great idea.

Silver Stars continues to explore misogyny and racism towards the female soldiers without beating around the bush. I still find it a bit difficult to read some of what is written but I believe that it would be a good reflection of what women and women of colour would have experienced at the time. As difficult as it can be to swallow, I am glad it is there and right at the forefront of these novels as it is important that this is acknowledged in a book like this.

On the whole I liked Silver Stars a bit more than I did the first book, mainly because now that I know our leading ladies I could really go on their journeys with them. Full of action and character development, Silver Stars is not a book to be messed with. A great read!

The second I heard this was being put together I knew that I absolutely needed a copy of this in my life. A collection of feminist essays? Right up my street! I was VERY lucky to get approved for this on Netgalley so a HUGE thanks to the publishers and all of the contributors.

Nasty Women is what can only be described as essential reading for all women. Not just women, but all people. I learnt a huge amount from reading the wide variety of essays that are in this collection. I truly believe there is something for everyone in this book and most definitely something for everyone to learn. Ranging from racism, disability and social classes to pregnancy, contraception, immigration and beyond, there will be something in here that EVERY woman can connect with. Powerful.

As a woman I was able to identify with so many points throughout this collection but the most wonderful thing about this book is its diversity. There are essays here from white women, women of colour, disabled women, women from working class backgrounds and more. This is such a relevant read in today’s climate and I highly recommend to everyone.

I’m not going to do a summary and individual rating of each essay because who am I to say how much I liked everyone’s essays? These are personal experiences we are talking about and I am certainly not going to judge them against each other. I enjoyed each of the essays in this collection and found each of them to be very thought provoking.

I am so grateful to each of the contributors for being able to put themselves out there for the world to see. I have no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you is a great source of inspiration to women out there and this will only help to spread that feeling further. Thank you, you nasty women.

When I picked up this book I had no idea that I wasn’t going to move until I had devoured the whole thing but that is exactly what happened. This book was such a refreshing read and I loved that as well as tugging on my heart strings I was able to openly laugh along.

Mia is the middle sister of the Campbell-Richardson family. Big sister Grace is an academically high achiever who has secured herself a place in one of the UK’s most prestigious universities. Little sister Audrey is a competitive swimmer who is rumoured to have Olympic glory in her future. Mia is the middle sister who thinks she has nothing going for her. She hasn’t found her ‘thing’ yet and feels she is living in the shadow of her sisters. When Grace returns to the family home with an unexpected surprise, Mia’s expectations do not become a reality and she takes a turn down a path of self-destruction.

When I think about this book, I can only think about how much adored it. Lisa Williamson has a brilliant writing style that completely captures everything I love in a YA book. Her characters are so real and I could empathise with each one at some point in the book. Her characters are also flawed in their own ways and this is something I always love to read, especially in YA where such valuable life lessons can be learnt from fiction. I think this will be a book that a lot of young readers will connect with easily. I love the way this teaches the reader that if you haven’t found your ‘thing’ yet, that’s okay. You are still loved and appreciated and your time will come.

Grace’s predicament was fairly predictable but I loved what then came out of it. Mia certainly starts down a whole path of self-destructive behaviour with drinking, sexual encounters, falling out with friends, persistent lying and that’s just the beginning. I loved her character development throughout this book and was so glad to follow her full circle. Without spoiling anything, the last couple of chapters of this book brought nothing but love and warmth to my heart and I truly felt like I had been on the experience with her. There is a particularly special scene between Mia and her mother at the end of this book that completely reduced me to tears.

At times during this book I just felt endless sadness and tinges of anger. As someone who works with teenagers on a daily basis, Mia’s behaviours really reminded me of some of those really vulnerable teenage girls I work with who follow a very similar path to Mia. The way Mia craves attention for her sexiness was something that I didn’t particularly like but I unfortunately know it to be true of so many young girls these days. There is no doubt in my mind that Lisa Williamson has an excellent understanding of teenage girls and their feelings of self-doubt.

I LOVED Mia so much. Don’t get me wrong, at times she is exceptionally whiny and says some extremely bitchy things but I can understand why. We have all had those moments where we feel that we are invisible to those around us, whether that be family or friends. It is the worst feeling and more often than not brings out the worst in us. This is why I cannot possibly dislike Mia, I just get her. I loved her sense of humour and how her sarcasm just shone through – how very British! Mia doesn’t always get things right, she makes a whole series of questionable choices in this book but by the end she has discovered her true self and finds someone that she is happy to be. Mia is such a huggable character and she will stick with me for a long time.

I actually really liked all of the characters in this book by the end! I was a little wary of Sam for a while as my crazy imagination suspected him of ulterior motives straight away. I really adored Audrey who just seemed like the sweetest little thing and I also liked Grace, despite seeing her through Mia’s eyes.

The family dynamics in this book are marvellously written and I have to thank Lisa Williamson for that. This book focuses heavily on the relationship between the three sisters and I loved every second. There were so many moments that touched my heart whether it be the Audrey asking her big sister Mia for advice about periods or the heart to heart that Grace and Mia have, I just felt that these relationships were so true to real life sibling relationships. It was refreshing to read a book where sibling relationships aren’t perfect but worked towards all three sisters developing a better understanding of how the others feel. It was wonderfully written.

Heart-warming and emotional with plenty of laugh out loud moments, All About Mia is a book that is bound to touch the hearts of many.

How and why did I wait so long to start this trilogy? It has been patiently (and seductively) waiting upon my shelf and I have finally joined the dark side. The Sin Eater’s Daughter is absolutely glorious.

Twylla is Daunen Embodied, poison runs through her blood making her deadly to the touch. She knows a life of murder and isolation. Betrothed to the Prince, Twylla can see only one future for herself until Lief arrives and with him comes possibilities.

The Sin Eater’s Daughter is the first book in a trilogy but something that I really liked about this book was the way in which it felt like it had its own fully formed plot. Although the seeds are planted for later plot concepts in the trilogy, Melinda Salisbury does a great job at answering a lot of the questions that arise during this book and in this sense it felt like a fully fledged novel, rather than just an introduction to the series.

I absolutely adore the world that Salisbury has created, there is just so much to love about it. I love when a fantasy novel provides me with a fully formed world and particularly enjoyed learning about the mythology of this new world. It was also interesting to learn about things such as the Telling and the Eating. Melinda Salisbury describes them in such a real way that I almost forgot that these are things that do not happen in real life.

This book is GLORIOUSLY evil and dark and twisty – I live for these things in my fantasy books and Salisbury nailed it for me! This world has evil and darkness running through its core. Whether it be the eating of sins, the poisons and many deaths or the characters, there was something deliciously dark about this book.

Okay, let us talk about the characters. I already LOVE Twylla and I love to read a character that is so well-rounded. She is everything: strong, badass, independent, adorable but also vulnerable and I just loved her. I just really wanted to wrap her up in a fluffy blanket and give her a good old Welsh cwtch and protect her from all evil. I think that I could love Merek but I am not completely sure yet! Lief causes me ISSUES because my head and my heart are SO conflicted as to how I should feel about him, which in its own way is a sign of Salisbury’s excellent writing as I’m sure I feel exactly how Twylla does!

The Queen may be one of the most terrifying characters I’ve read in a long time. She is evil through and through and I’m not sure that I will ever feel less scared of her. From the very beginning of this book I found myself worried for Twylla whenever the Queen was around. She is cold, manipulative and heartless. Terrifying but a fantastic antagonist nonetheless.

I have fallen in love with Melinda Salisbury’s writing style. She managed to create a whole world and background without having huge chunks of information dumping paragraphs. Her writing style is informative and descriptive, giving the reader everything they need to emerge themselves in the world. I loved the way I was able to really feel that I was on this journey with Twylla. The ending of this book certainly packed its punch – did not see that coming!!

A fantastic start to what I am sure is going to be a trilogy I shall thoroughly enjoy!*


*Ps. I already finished this trilogy and it is GLORIOUS.

It did not take me long to pick this book up after falling in love with The Sin Eater’s Daughter. I hadn’t read the blurb as I just knew I needed to read the next book so I was taken by surprise to discover that the protagonist was new to us and not Twylla as I had been expecting. This did however turn out to be a wonderful surprise!

The Sleeping Prince felt very different to The Sin Eater’s Daughter and not just because it had a different protagonist. I loved that there was so much focus on folklore and fairy tales in this story. I really loved how Salisbury took one of the fairy tales she created in The Sin Eater’s Daughter and made it come to life in The Sleeping Prince. I am a sucker for a fairy tale and I loved how that was so deeply embedded into this story. The original mythology and folklore that Salisbury has created for her trilogy is completely enchanting and I would love to read more of it.

The Sleeping Prince is very much Errin’s story and it is told mainly from her POV. I knew very little about Errin at the start of this book with the exception that she is Lief’s sister. Little did I know how quickly I would grow to adore her. Errin is such a fantastic protagonist and has quickly become one of my favourite characters in this trilogy. It is easy to like Errin: despite her difficult circumstances she is strong-willed, intelligent and loyal.

Living in poverty with only the company of her mother who has a mysterious illness, Errin is an apothecary and spends her days gathering resources and making potions and poisons to sell and pay the rent. When she discovers that her only friend, Silas, is concealing a big secret she is thrown head first into a world she didn’t know existed. I was SO intrigued by Silas; he is easily the most mysterious character in the book and I loved learning all about his background.

SO much happens in this book, it was much more of a page turner with regards to the amount of action that is in it. I loved seeing how this story eventually linked into The Sin Eater’s Daughter and every time there was a link revealed I couldn’t help but gasp or squeal. This book picked me up, swung me around, tipped me upside down and then put me back down on the floor. Every time I thought I knew what would happen again I was taken in a completely different direction and I loved it all. The epilogue is just WOW!! Melinda Salisbury certainly managed to weave the two books together in a fascinating manner.

I don’t often read non-fiction books but when I saw that this book was coming out I just knew that I absolutely had to read it. Hannah Witton has succeeded in writing a book about sex which is just as funny and honest as it is informative. There is something for everyone to learn in this book regardless of your age or gender.

I loved that Hannah opens the book by talking a bit about her vision and dream for a future where sex and relationships education will be compulsory on the National Curriculum and certainly delivered in a more effective way. As a secondary school teacher myself I know for a fact that there is definitely a much bigger need for our young people to be fully educated not just about sex but about positive and healthy relationships. I was recently in an assembly where our school link police officer came to deliver a presentation to 14/15 year old pupils about the importance of consent and maybe more importantly what consent means. It was by far one of the best assemblies I have ever attended and I was thrilled to see a rather big section on this being covered in the book.

The content of this book astounded me, it really does seem to include a bit of everything. Hannah starts by talking about healthy vs. non-healthy relationships: what are they? How do I get out of an abusive relationship? Then it was on to the sex: losing your virginity, families talking the birds and the bees, consent, STIs, contraception. There are some excellent details about different types of contraception in here too – super informative! Gender and sexuality is a big chunk of this book and I think this is a section where people of all ages can really learn. If anything I think this is the part of the book that younger people may be more informed on than their parents these days. The list of what this book covers just goes on and on, you’ll have to read it to find out what it’s really all about!

Throughout this book Hannah really has opened herself up to the world and shares some exceptionally personal experiences with us as readers. However something I truly loved about this book is that Hannah does not try to imagine what other people’s experiences may be like, instead she has asked others to write about their own experiences and she has included them in her book. There are some excellent additions to the book by people such as Juno Dawson talking about her experience as someone who is transgender.

Another favourite part of mine in the book were the ‘myth busting’ sections. I think this is so important as it will really inform the readers, especially those younger people who may not know what is fact and what is a myth. I thought it was really nicely done and covered bases for all genders too. I think it’s so important that a book like this is not just aimed at one gender.

I 100% believe that this book will do wonders in informing young people and making real differences to many lives. Let’s just hope it gets into the hands of as many young readers as possible.

Thank you to Netgalley, and the publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

The State of Grace is such a charming and heartfelt read. Rachael Lucas has truly put part of herself into Grace and I am so thankful to her for writing this wonderful #OwnVoices young adult novel.

This book tells the story of Grace, a teenage girl with Asperger’s. Grace has a unique view of the world and those around her and this book truly allows us a glimpse into her world. Not only do we get to share this unique view of her world, we also see how Grace is often treated differently because of her autism. Grace has a voice and all she wants is for people to listen and understand her. She may not always have the right answers but she at least wants to be given the chance.

Rachael Lucas’s writing style is simple yet gorgeous. She truly puts us in Grace’s shoes and helps us to understand how Grace feels in all sorts of situations. Whether that be the overwhelming sounds and colours of the world around her or those tricky moments where Grace just doesn’t know how she is supposed to respond. Grace is a character that I think everyone will somehow relate to, it’s easy to empathise with her and on multiple occasions I just wanted to let her know everything would be okay.

I am so in love with Grace and Anna’s friendship in this book. They have easily become one of my favourite female friendships in YA books. I love that Grace considers Anna to be one of her safe spaces and that with the love and support of her best friend Grace feels more able to put herself in new situations and have new experiences. That’s a real friendship right there. I also really loved Grace’s relationship with her horse Mabel. If you are a horsey person then you will love this book!

I have to point out that this book is not all sunshine and rainbows. At the beginning of this book there was a scene that made me feel completely and utterly sick to my stomach and that was the particularly disgusting treatment of Grace by one of her teachers. As a teacher myself I cannot even fathom the idea of making any child sit in the corner of a classroom and face the wall but especially a child who has shown a pass to get them out of a potentially terrifying and harmful situation. It just doesn’t sit well with me and I was so sad that this is something that some autistic children may be put through. I feel sickened just thinking about it now but I want to thank Rachael for putting this scene in there because it is something that needs to be acknowledged.

As a secondary school teacher I love Grace and cannot wait to introduce her to some of my pupils who I know will see so much of themselves in Grace. They will be so delighted to find a book they can relate to and they are sure to love Grace and her journey in this book. Thank you, Rachael, for putting yourself out there so those young people can have a book where they are represented.

This book is very well written and a super quick and adorable read. A fantastic addition to the amazing year that UKYA seems to be having in 2017!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan and Rachael Lucas for my copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.