Guys this duology is so freaking GOOD and this was the perfect second book. I love the morals behind these novels as well as how fast-paced and exhilarating this book was. For a book of almost 600 pages I really did fly through it. Victor Vale and Eli Ever are intricately written and I was never able to guess what they would do next. Another astonishing novel from Schwab.

Full review to come.

I knew I would love this book way before I picked it up to start reading. I love everything Schwab writes and I knew this wouldn’t be any different. Cassidy is such an interesting character and I loved Jacob just as much. The spooky setting of Edinburgh is so realistically written that when I visit there this month I’m sure to be keeping my eye out for flickers of the Veil. This book was just the right dose of creepiness and is sure to be a firm favourite with young readers of ghost stories across the world!

Outside is a captivating debut novel from UKYA author Sarah Ann Juckes. It is fast-paced, full of layered and wonderful characters and comes together in a shocking and emotional finale.

It’s hard to review this story without spoilers, so I’ll be keeping it fairly brief. This is the kind of book where the less you know, the better the reading experience.

Outside tells the story of Ele and the Others. From the outset we know there is something different about Ele. The way she describes the world around her is almost not human and it did take me a little while to grasp that. However, once I had adapted to Ele’s way of thinking I couldn’t get her unique voice out of my head. Phrases such as ‘sun bars’ which I quickly figured out were lights had me both confused and curious. Where exactly was Ele? What was happening to her?

As the revelations were made about Ele, her life, the Others and Him, I could feel the tension slowly building. I could kind of see where the book was going but even then there were still plenty of surprises in the final few chapters.

One of my favourite things about this book was Ele’s imagination when it came to the Outside. Being Inside for her whole life Ele’s only imagery of the Outside comes from books and her escape into fiction. It was really endearing when reading the way in which this effects what Ele expects from the Outside. The expects dragons, Princes, Princesses and evil giants. To her, that is what the Outside is all about. I loved the idea of books being real in her mind because like so many people I use reading to escape the real world myself.

Ele’s character is strong, her voice is unique but feels incredibly authentic thanks to the clever writing style used by Juckes. Her strength is admirable; I really don’t think I would be able to do half of what she does. Her emotions are clear and I felt both sympathetic and empathetic towards her. I do also need to give a nod to Ezra-Dad who was quite possibly my favourite character in the whole book. It was lovely to see such a positive role model in him and to see the way in which he adapted and changed whilst Ele was around. Wesley was also a wonderful character.

Overall I thought that Outside was a really captivating and emotional read. A story of true human spirit and the strength we can all find within us should we need to. Ele’s voice will stick with me for a long time.

I really enjoyed myself whilst reading this anthology. I wasn't expecting such a range of stories. This anthology is so diverse: stories about gay and lesbian relationships, disabilities, mental health and that's not to mention the range of backgrounds and relationships. It is too difficult to pick a single favourite story so I've broken my review down into short comments about each of the twelve stories in the collection.

Head, Scales, Tongue, Tail by Leigh Bardugo - I loved this short story from Leigh. I love her writing style and this story was so atmospheric and beautifully written. It felt like a fairy tale of its own. The edge of fantasy to it was great and I thought this was a great start to the anthology! 4.5 stars!

The End of Love by Nina LaCour - This is a touching story about Flora, a young girl with divorcing parents. In a bit to escape her home she decides to attend summer school. Embarking on new friendships and giving in to her romantic feelings for Mimi. A touching and sweet glimpse into a lesbian relationship. I really liked this one, especially Flora as a character. 4 stars

Last Stand at the Cinegore by Libba Bray - This story is very different from the previous too and it felt kind of lacking in romance (if I'm compeltely honest). It is a quirky and silly story giving a nod to classic horror movies. It just wasn't really my cup of tea. 2 stars

Sick Pleasure by Francesca Lia Block - This was an odd and depressing little story which made me feel a little indifferent on the most part. I didn't like the use of letters instead of names as I found it impersonal but the story itself had an interesting message. (I want to point out that there is mention of drug taking and sex in this story.) 2 stars

In Ninety Minutes Turn North by Stephanie Perkins - Aw well I absolutely loved this story! It is definitely the sweetest romance story in the anthology so far and I loved both Marigold and North. I've not read the first anthology so came into this short as a new reader and I thought it was very sweet, touching and it felt real. What a lovely story! 4.5 stars

Souvenirs by Tim Federle - This is by far the saddest story in the collection so far (which is not what I expected in this anthology at all!). This is a story about a summer romance and the 'breakup day' at the end. This is a bittersweet story about Matt and Kieth's gay relationship. Matt's character was very well developed and it left me feeling a little emotional at the end. 3 stars

Inertia by Veronica Roth - Ahh this was such a treat! I loved this sci-fi short from Roth. It had a very Divergent feel to it but was also completely different at the same time. I loved the concept of 'Last Visitation' even if it was tinged with great sadness but I just loved how this story turned out. We learnt a lot about the characters and their feelings in a short time. Great! 4.5 stars

Love is the Last Resort by Jon Skovron - This short story was absolutely hilarious! For such a short story there were a few too many characters but due to the good writing, this wasn't a big problem. I loved the concept of the holiday resort team matchmaking the clients and I genuinely laughed out loud on more than a few occasions. A great story! 4 stars

Good Luck and Farewell by Brandy Colbert - I really liked this story. It was a touching story about loss but just as equally about hope and moving on. I thought the story was really well told and I really liked how the relationship between Rashida and Pierre developed. This was a really heartwarming little read. 4 stars

Brand New Attraction by Cassandra Clare - Hm, this one fell a little flat for me. I just wasn't really feeling the romantic relationship that was created between Lulu and Lucas. On the other hand, I fell in love with the carnival and thought Clare did a great job with her descriptions here. I could have happily read a longer story about the carnival itself. 2 stars

A Thousand Ways This Could All Go Wrong by Jennifer E. Smith - I really, really enjoyed this story. I thought the way in which we see the characters develop was done in a really special and delicate way. I especially loved how more information was revealed about Griffin as the story progressed and I found it to be a really heartwarming and honest little story. 4 stars

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things by Lev Grossman - This story developed into so much more than I was expecting it to be. I wasn't sure about it at first but it only took a few pages for me to completely sucked enraptured by the repeating day and the moments of perfection. A very well structured story with an emotional, bittersweet ending that seemed so perfect. 4 stars

All in all I think there is really something in this anthology for everyone. From straight out fluffy romance, to some emotional angst and features from the world of sci-fi and fantasy. You won't be disappointed!

I need some time to process words and thoughts but another PHENOMENAL novel from Sara Barnard.
full review to come

All The Lonely People is a book that so many readers will be able to relate to. It explores the effects of social media in a way I've not seen in YA books before and ultimately looks at how lonely people can feel in this modern world. The idea of your existence fading without your online profiles being active was one that I found really thought-provoking. A brilliant read!

Full review: https://kellysrambles.com/2019/01/26/blog-tour-all-the-lonely-people-by-david-owen/

This book is wonderful! The writing is gorgeous and atmospheric from beginning to end. I was gripped pretty quickly due to the fact that I adored Fleetwood as a protagonist. As soon as I realised this was based on the Pendle Witch Trials I was IN.

Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for my free eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

full review to come