Okay so this is a book I read quite a while ago now and I absolutely flipping LOVED it. Written by 7 of UKYA’s greats, Floored is such a cleverly written novel. I loved how each of the characters lives blended together, the diversity is incredible and each voice was unique. I can’t imagine how complex it must have been to collaborate as a group of seven authors but this book is a UKYA masterpiece. My favourite character was definitely Kaitlyn and my favourite character to dislike was Hugo. It’s hard to say much about this book without spoiling anything but I very quickly became attached to the characters and I loved how the plot developed over a series of years. I’d love to read more about these characters and their lives, but I think that’s a dream I’ll have for a long time!

3.5 stars

War Storm is enormous, there’s no getting away from it. Whilst I liked the book and I enjoyed reading how this series came to an end, it definitely didn’t need to be as long as it was. It probably could have been a couple of hundred pages shorter and had just the same impact. A few twists and turns but would have liked to know a bit more about the final battles – that bit ended quite abruptly! Overall it was a good conclusion to the series, but I’m quite glad this series is now concluded.

3.5 stars

This book is such a difficult one to rate or even explain, I couldn’t really tell you what it was about in a way that would sell it to you but I was absolutely captured by it. I found most of the characters very unlikable but was also completely gripped by this Nordic noir thriller. The setting of The Hurting is absolutely gorgeous and it definitely made me want to visit Scandinavia. The unease inside me just build and built until the feeling of dread was completely crashing over me. There is something subtly horrifying about this book and Lukas terrifies me.

Tender is a touching story about two young carers and the trials of their difficult home lives. Eve Ainsworth perfectly contrasts these difficulties against the everyday ‘norm’ for other young people their age: the homework worries, boy trouble etc. Things like that just aren’t a big deal for Marty or Daisy, who have much more going on behind closed doors than others realise. But this is not a story of difficulty and gloom, there are plenty of light moments and some touching scenes between the two lead characters as they come to realise that they have finally found someone they can lean on. I was sobbing by the end of this book – some of the tears from distress and sorrow, but a lot of them from hope. Hope that other young carers will read this book and somehow feel less alone in the world.

I adored the characters and really enjoyed that this book was told from a dual POV. I particularly liked the fact that Eve Ainsworth chose two carers with completely different home lives. This perfectly demonstrated the complex world of young carers and it’s quite possible that some readers won’t have even realised what a young carer really is and who they can be.

Marty is known as a bit of a loner at his new school after rumours of what happened at his last school start to surface. Little do people know just what Marty is trying to hide from everyone: a mother who is becoming increasingly more ill with her mental health. I was desperate for Marty to finally ask for some help and support for himself but could also empathise with why he couldn’t. Alongside his ill mother, Marty is also dealing with some complex grief and taking on a whole lot of responsibility. The situation he is in is certainly not an easy one and I was really glad when he found Daisy.

Daisy’s situation is completely opposite to Marty’s. She lives with both of her loving parents and her younger brother. The difference being that her young brother is terminally ill and is going to die t some point, they just don’t know when. Daisy’s situation was absolutely heartbreaking for me and I cried multiple times whilst reading her chapters for reasons close to my heart. Daisy’s family face a completely different kind of challenge to Marty’s and it was so sad when Daisy was feeling that she couldn’t turn to her family as she didn’t want to burden them, but at the same time her friends can’t possibly understand.

Both Daisy and Marty feel stuck in their own little worlds and it was delightful to see them cautiously getting o know one another and breaking down their barriers bit by bit. I’d actually really love to see a second book about these characters just to see more about their friendship and relationship. I’d like to think that they are saving one another, in their own way. Although their circumstances may be very different, there is a unique mutual understanding between the two of just how it feels to be in their position. A position that most young people never have to think about, let alone face as a reality.

Tender is full of moments that made me gasp, made me cry but also made my heart lighten with hope. Seeing the group for Young Carers being represented as such a positive safe haven for them to go was really positive and I loved the range of people that were shown to be carers. I absolutely could not put this book down once I had started it. It is a compelling and emotional read that I would love to spread far and wide. Stories like this are important because more often than not they are forgotten.

I work with plenty of people who are young carers and they honestly astound me every day. I don’t think they are a group who get anywhere near enough praise and thought as others do and these young people are living in varied situations but have one thing in common: they have to be the adult in some capacity. I am so thankful to Eve Ainsworth for writing a book that focuses on this particular group of young people – this is definitely a book I recommend for teachers, anyone who works with young people/carers, school libraries and so on. This book can give you a glimpse into just why sometimes that piece of homework really isn’t a big deal. Thank you, Eve.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading my eARC of this book (thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s books!). These stories are so vivid and I loved being back on the page with some of my favourite characters. It was really interesting to get Katherine Rundell’s version of Bagheera, Kaa, Baloo, Mowgli, Shere Khan and other well known favourites and get a glimpse into their backgrounds. I’ve laid my hands on a finished copy of this book and it has the most STUNNING illustrations. Definitely a book to add to the collection of any Jungle Book fans!

I really enjoyed being back in the world of Simon, Leah and co. It’s such a familiar world and I love Becky’s writing style. Although there is one moment in this book that definitely was a bit problematic, that didn’t take my general enjoyment of the book away. I loved Leah in the first book and she made me laugh out loud on so many occasions during this follow up novel. When jumping into this, I was not expecting it to end how it did but I was okay with that.

Wow. Powerful and beautifully told through gorgeous verse. A story of love, family, friendship and the pressures of those very things including religion, sexuality and culture. I don’t often read books written in verse but the writing style definitely packed a punch with this story. It made Xiomara’s story feel so much more personal and emotional. I’m going to try this on audiobook too because I can imagine it sounds incredible! This book has definitely piqued my interest in reading more verse books.