kellysrambles's Reviews (619)

Sheer brilliance!! Cursed Crowns is a superb follow up to Twin Crowns. It is packed full of action, twists and turns. Reunites is with Wren, Rose and all our favourite characters plus a few new faces to love and loathe. Not to forget the laughter, romance and tears. A rollercoaster from start to finish with the perfect set up for book 3! 

Cursed Crowns sees Rose and Wren finally take the crown but it’s not long before they are made aware of the Arrows - a rebel group who are anti-witches. Add this onto Wren escaping to Gevra and facing a multitude of challenges there and Rose and Shen raising a Kingdom, there is certainly plenty going on in this book which kept me captivated. 

I adore both Rose and Wren. I love that they again had their own paths to follow in this book and how different they were. Reading from the two different perspectives is so effective because whilst they have their similarities, Rose and Wren are also entirely different in their personalities.

Aside from our Queen twins, I was super happy to be back with Shen (🔥), Celeste, Thea, Banba, Tor and the beautiful Elske, to name but a few! We visit with King Alarik and get a closer glimpse into his world. There is also the addition of a new villain in this novel which I loved as it added a new element to the series. 

The world building is something I find so interesting in these books. There are so many strands of magic, there are ancient curses and a plethora of different kingdoms. All of them are described so well that they are easy to visualise which makes the reading experience even more enjoyable. 

I adore this series so far and cannot wait for book 3! I’m slightly terrified about what could unfold but excited at the same time! Fingers crossed my favourites make it to the end because book 3 is set up to be an absolute blast! 

This book is cute, funny, romantic and rammed full of emotion! I adored the friendship between Jesse, Cas and Morgan and loved seeing how their dynamics changed and developed over the course of the book. I also loved the relationship between Jesse and his mum which was really sweet. 

Jesse’s worries about his appearance after his heart surgery were so well written and so it was unsurprising to discover in the author’s note just how personal this book is to William Hussey. I also think it is something which will resonate with other young people who have scars: beauty is not only about appearance. 

Throw in the shooting of a zombie film and tonnes of references to horror films and I think there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this book! Jesse is so precious. 

Thank you to Usborne, William Hussey and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Everything I love about a Becky Albertalli book: LGBTQ+ characters, emotional rollercoaster, fantastic friendships, discourse to make you think and a huge dollop of hope and happiness! 

I adored Imogen from the very beginning. The best friend you could wish for and the greatest ally to her queer friends… until she starts to wonder is she only an ally? This book took us on a real emotional rollercoaster as Imogen peels back her own layers, faces self-doubt and doubt from (some) peers but ultimately sees her accept herself and celebrate who she is. 

Tess is adorable. Lili is wholesome. Edith is the best little sister. Gretchen I found difficult but also understand that her character was likely designed to create the conflict needed in the book. 

This book talked to me on such a deep level and I loved it completely. The author’s note at the beginning is a must read. 

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Becky Albertalli and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

A heart-wrenching, raw exploration or grief that reduced me to tears and broke my heart but somehow left me filled with hope. 

“Sad is a small word to carry so much pain” 

Where The Light Goes follows Emmy in the aftermath of her famous sister Beth’s death by suicide. As a reader we feel her desperation, her heartbreak, her confusion, her anger, her denial, her helplessness and eventually her coming to terms with what has happened. You see the impact on Emmy, her family, her friendships, her relationships with others and herself. There is an honest and painful look at the impact of social media and trolls - just how much can one person endure? A book that will give you reason to pause and think, but make sure you have tissues at the ready - I was sobbing by the end! 

It feels wrong to try and make comment about how ‘good’ a book is about such a poignant and personal topic but as someone who has felt the impact of death by suicide, what I can say is that Sara Barnard has written a phenomenal novel that will stick with me forever.

Thank you to Walker Books, Sara Barnard and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

A gothic fairytale with a dark mystery which will keep you frantically turning the pages. 

Mina is lonely: her mother died, her father seems to cast her to one side and her step mother has little time for her. 

The Witch needs a companion: she appears once every fifty years to take a companion. Nobody know what she does with them, all they know is the companion never returns. 

Stumbling across the Witch and her father, Mina decides to volunteer herself as companion. Little does she know just how deep loneliness can run. Determined to solve the mysteries of the confusing, mind-meddling Schloss and the melancholy Witch, Mina learns not to give up - but at what cost? 

I really enjoyed this book! The mystery of the Witch was haunting, the setting of the Schloss had the hairs raising on my arms as I devoured such gorgeous, creepy imagery and tried to unravel the mystery for myself. 

“I felt every place where her skin touched mine like an iron brand”

A gorgeous, slowburn sapphic romance which absolutely enraptured me. I was egging them on whilst simultaneously afraid of the consequences. 

Beautifully written; a modern fairytale. 

Thank you to Andersen Press, Kat Dunn and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

I adored ‘The Last Firefox’ when I read it last year and was delighted to discover there was going to be a sequel! These books are so charming, packed full of adventure and emotion with lush characters! 

“There’a a unicorn butt poking out of our lawn” - epic first line which had me chuckling from the very outset. 

It’s not long before Charlie’s life turns on its head yet again when Teg turns up at his house with a plethora of magical creatures including a sassy snabbit and a mythical floradoe, Blodyn. Before long Charlie is forced to enter Fargone with his Dad, Pa and best friends Lippy, Roo and firefox Cadno. 

Then begins an epic adventure to fight the evil creature Draig and save the land of Fargone. Featuring old friends and new, Charlie’s adventure will have you hooked from beginning to end. 

I adore the characters in these books. Reading about gay parents in such a natural way always warms my heart and I can’t wait for the day I have my own family for them to read these books. 

A large nod has to go to all of the Welsh references in these books too! Aside from Wales as a setting, there is inclusion of Welsh language and nods to Welsh history and mythology which make me brim with pride! 

Thank you to Puffin, Lee Newbery and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

I was really intrigued to read this book as someone who played a lot of chess when I was younger. I loved the concept of Chess Life: an online platform for playing and chatting. 

Jules uses Chess Life to escape from the pain of her arthritis. It’s not long before she can feel herself falling for her online playmate only to discover it is none other than the mysterious new boy at school. As cliche as this may seem on the outside, it was really well written and super sweet as Jules and Ronan discover they could be each other’s perfect match. 

The characters in this book are amazing! 

Jules is a brilliant protagonist. Whilst her home life is privileged in many ways, she has her own battles with arthritis and this book does well to explore the impact this has on Jules. I can’t speak from any personal experience but it felt sensitively handled to me as a reader, although I’m sure there are many different experiences out there. 

Ronan is an absolute babe. Despite his own struggles and tragedies, he is so selfless and willing to help others. He goes on a real journey of self-discovery and I loved seeing his more vulnerable side. His and Jules’ relationship continually warmed my heart. 

Michael is a gorgeous best friend to Jules. Unafraid to speak the truth whilst being absolutely devoted to his friendships. Tara makes some questionable decisions but as truths are revealed you can understand why. 

A refreshing story of being young and falling in love. Of seeing past your own and other’s flaws and difficulties to accept the happiness you deserve. 

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Jamie is an absolute triumph! I knew I’d love this one and had been anticipating reading it for some time and I wasn’t wrong. My heart is full of joy and love after reading this. 

This is the story of Jamie: a non-binary person about to transition from primary to secondary school. They have been out to their friends, family and school for some time but then comes the gut wrenching realisation they have to choose whether to go to a boys or girls secondary school. It was a moment that really stopped me in my tracks, especially as a secondary school teacher who knows multiple non-binary pupils. Cue Jamie and their best friends Ash and Daisy trying to figure out how to help Jamie whilst also having to face the fact they will be going to different schools themselves.

Jamie is a character who shows enormous courage and huge self-belief when needing to stand up for themselves in some really difficult situations. They are such an inspirational character and I can only imagine how much reading this story will mean to so many young people in the world who will resonate with Jamie. I absolutely adored them! 

There is a whole host of fantastic characters such as Daisy and Ash who are the best friends Jamie could wish for. Olly, Jamie’s older brother, who couldn’t be more proud of Jamie. The adults in this book sometimes make questionable comments and decisions but their journey as this story progressed was one that was extremely well written.  

Aside from the story itself, I absolutely loved the inclusion of ‘Jamie Rambeau’s Guide to Words’ between each chapter. A true opportunity for readers to learn from this book by becoming familiar with key words and definitions commonly used within the LGBTQ+ community. I personally believe Jamie needs to be a book that features in schools and read by people of all ages as there is so much in this gorgeous novel to learn from. 

Full of hope, friendship, courage and love, Jamie is a book everyone needs to read. 

I love a YA thriller and Let’s Play Murder is a refreshing take on the murder mystery genre. I’ve not read anything quite like it before and I flew through it at an astonishing pace - addictive just as gaming can be! 

Ever imagined being placed into a virtual reality that you can’t escape until you’ve solved a mystery? That’s exactly what Let’s Play Kill is all about. When Veronica wakes in the snow, she has no idea what has happened, where she is or what lies ahead and then she discovers she is in the Game. 

The Game is a viral, dark web VR game which draws in players at random. It’s a simple concept: solve the murder mystery and win a huge prize! Easy, right? Did I mention you can’t just leave The Game? You have to play it through. Before long the VR world begins to crumble around them and one of the players dies for real upping the ante big time. Throw in a dash of creepy dead sister ghost and this book gave me spine tingling shivers on multiple occasions which I wasn’t expecting at all.

Veronica, Charlie, Nate, Yasmin and Aaron are a great bunch of complex and layered characters. They each have qualities you’ll like and dislike and they all give you reasons to trust and mistrust them at varying points of the game which I think was really cleverly constructed. I don’t want to say too much about them as there were some seriously brilliant plot twists around the different characters which had me gobsmacked.

Spine-tingling, thrilling and addictive. This book is full of twists and turns I didn’t see coming and there were some truly chilling and creepy moments I hadn’t anticipated.  The ending still has me shook and I’m desperate to know what happens next! 

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Unlike most people this was my first time reading an Olivie Blake book and I had high hopes. I liked her writing style and the concept of the novel was great. A Shakespearean retelling with dashes of Russian fairytales intertwined. I particularly liked our leading characters Marya and Dima but found I didn’t care much for many others in the novel which was a shame. I did like Sasha and Lev but found their arc to be a little too ‘Insta love’ for me. I felt like this book could have been much shorter - there were definitely chapters, pages and sections of dialogue that didn’t necessarily need to be in the book (in my opinion!) and I did contemplate putting it down a number of times because it felt so slow. I’m glad I hung around for the last few chapters as there was one emotionally charged scene that I loved! Overall an okay read but not one I’d rush to reread.  

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange of a fair and honest review.