wordsofclover's Reviews (2.16k)

When Chloe Brown is almost killed by a car when she is innocently walking up the street, the incident acts as a beacon of truth for her - she needs to get a life, and stop watching it pass her by. So Chloe moves into her own place, and immediately riles up the building superintendent Red. However, as the two get to know each other and Red helps Chloe with her list, sparks begin to fly.

This was a very enjoyable read, and I loved both the characters of Red and Chloe and finding out about everything they have both been going through and watching them fall in love with each other. One of the major things in this book is the fact that Chloe suffers from fibromyalgia and chronic pain, and some days even moving out of bed is pure exhaustion for her. I have someone very dear to me who has suffered in the same way, and I really liked how Chloe's illness was represented in this book, so I can only imagine how gratifying it would be for someone who also deals with an invisible illness every day.

The romance in this was steamy and there was so denying the chemisty. I did think it felt a bit too long before the two actually got down and dirty, and it felt like there was so many chemistry-laden scenes between them before that and as a reader, I felt sexually frustrated on behalf of them both! While I loved Red's story about his abusive relationship (and how important it is to show that women can be abusive too, and men, especially big, strong men like Red, can be emotionally and physically abused just as easily as a woman) and that he struggled with emotional and anxiety issues, the 'break up' between them was a little bit infuriating.

Knowing that Chloe's sisters have their own books out now too also made me excited every time they were in a scene as I loved seeing how Talia built these two big women up and I can't wait for their own love stories.

There was nothing about this I really disliked it. It was just one of those case where for whatever reason, it just didn't blow me out of the water. But I still really liked it and will continue on! 

This was a reread for me as I used to read and love this series as a child/almost teen. I remember thinking this was one of the coolest, mature books I could read at the time and while it makes me laugh now thinking about it (and realising how young the characters were), I still think there's a lot in this that could really resonate with young girls.

There is a lot of fatphobia in this book due to the main character Ellie always worrying about her weight, and finding new ways to criticise herself and comparing herself to her slimmer friends. While this isn't great to see and it doesn't age well, I can't say it something I would not have understood when I was the same age and also comparing myself to my friends who always seemed so much cooler, prettier and thinner than me.

I was surprised to have forgotten a lot about this book - in particular the fact that Nadine ends up with an older guy who is effectively grooming her for the entire book and pressuring her into sex. While it was great to see the dangers of this relationship and how Nadine's friends could see the signs and warn her against him - it was still just concerning as an adult to read it and I wanted ti wrap them all up in protective bubble wrap.

I enjoyed this though I think there are books later in the series that were my favourites as a kid and would probably prefer now. Looking forward to continuing on 

When Liz Lighty doesn't receive the scholarship she was depending on, she only has one thing left to do - enter the competition in her prom-obsessed town for prom queen which, if she wins, comes with scholarship money to fund her dream education and future medical career. As Liz barrels into the competition while dealing with her fear of being the center of attention, she also fights feelings for the new girl in town - and fellow prom queen hopeful Mack - but her town is old-fashioned, and if Liz was to be openly queer, the crown would never be hers..

This was a lovely read, and I thoroughly enjoyed being in this weird town with the most random, over the top prom celebrations that is so foreign to anything I've ever experienced. It was a little bit like being in The Twilight Zone.

I really loved Liz and all her reasons for wanting to become prom queen. She was mature yet young and innocent at the same time, and I loved how even though she was hurt in the past, she still more or less wore her heart on her sleeve. There is some great things in this about the ups and downs, and general complications of friendships, growing apart and coming back together which is completely natural to do as you grow up and become different people. I also loved Liz's family and particularly her relationship with her brother Robbie - I am always here for protective older sister/little brother dynamics. I actually would have loved more scenes with Liz's Granny and Grandpa in the book as the bits we got with them in the end, I really liked!

The book is quite dramatic - especially when it comes to Liz's relationship with Amanda - and I have seen some criticism of this. While it does go through a series of ups and downs, and is quite on the dramatic side (but then aren't all teen relationships sometimes like that?), I understood some of the reasons behind it all and why Liz was so tight-lipped on why she didn't want to openly come out in school.

One of the dislikes I had with this book was definitely the stereotypes I think it played into. I'm just presuming that American HS is nothing like what you see in the actual movies with over the top bimbos, and dumb jocks and the not so secret bullying. I found that some of the characters (like the PomBots and Derek) almost caricature like and Rachel was awful but almost too awful in a way - she never even really tried to hide her racism/homophobia and she felt like a character who would be smarter than that. I think it played a part well in showing how you can stand up to peers and friends when they are doing the wrong thing at least!

But overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely read more from this author. 

 Dolphin and Star live with their mum Marigold, who is a little bit different to other mums. She is covered in amazing art, and dresses up in a different way to the other parents at the school gates. But as imaginative and fun Marigold is on her good days, she also has bad days when she makes unwise decisions that affect Dolphin and Star. As Marigold's mental health gets worse, Dolphin is left on her own to try and figure out how to help her mum and herself.

This is such a great read. I loved it as a child, and I think I honestly loved it more as an adult. There are so many different things in this book that just hit differently as an adult and you can truly appreciate the things Jacqueline Wilson did in this book that made it so special to so many kids. This is the first book I read where I had an inkling of what mental health deterioration really looked like, and how it could affect someone who meant well and loved a lot but was unable to make the right choices. From the little things to Dolphin's grubby clothes, and too-tight knickers to the way she is treated by classmates and her teachers, there's so many things you feel for Dolphin.

I had a new appreciation for Star in this book too and everything she had to do as an older sibling to look after Dolphin, and she was only so young herself. There were moments in this book I felt surprisingly emotional at the sisters' situation and I felt for Marigold herself too.

This is a great book for adults and children it seems and if anyone was looking to do a reread I would highly recommend it! 

In this epic conclusion to The Devouring Gray, Justin and May Hawthorne, Violet Saunders, Isaac Sullivan and Harper Carlise have to put all their differences aside to team together to figure out what is happening to their town Four Paths as corruption from The Gray begins to seep from the forest and into the town; affecting the ordinary people.

This was a great sequel to The Devouring Gray, and I loved being back in Four Paths and reunited with the five teenage protagonists. A lot of the teenage drama that was present in the first book isn't quite there in the second as literal life or death moments become more important to worry about. But that doesn't mean we don't get some delicious teen angst and crushes in all the best ways.

I really liked getting a lot more into the minds of May and Isaac in this book as I felt The Devouring Gray mostly focused on Violet, Harper and Justin. May was always an interesting character, as she was always on the outside of the older four and I enjoyed learning more about her and relationship with her brother and her parents. Isaac, I just love, as he is the type of tortured male protagonist that always makes me feel weak - he's dark and sensitive yet gruff and protective and I just loved him, and there were a lot of times in this book I wanted to give him a big hug!

The last few chapters in this book were really good, and gripping and the pace of the action was done really well. There were some fantastically described scenes (Isaac with his destructive power consuming him like fire, Violet and her swarm of trees - plus Orpheus - and Harper and her stone animals).

The epilogue was nice and basic in a way that after such a trippy, wild version of events it had to be but the last bit with May left enough intrigue to really imagine what would be next for everyone.

I received a copy of this book from Book Break in exchange for an honest review.

Oh what a book!

"Reading has always been a great source of comfort , knowledge, pleasure and joy. It is the most central aspect of my identity; the truest thing I could say about myself is, 'I'm a reader.'"

This was such a wonderful book and it's a really long time since I've seen myself so clearly reflected back at me in the words and the story I'm reading, and I'm not sure if it's ever happened in a non-fiction read.

In Dear Reader, Cathy Rentzenbrink talks about her life in context to the books she read during different points, and how books were always her great big love, her friends, her comfort, her joy when she needed them most.

I loved how Cathy talked about her childhood and despite being misunderstood by teachers, was a happy girl as long as she had her books to read. I loved her family, and how her parents were happy for her to read anything (similar to mine - the only thing my dad ever stopped me reading was Top of the Pops magazine!).

While my childhood was different to Cathy's, I still felt myself connect to her with the experience of feeling on the outside, desperate for a way in and often using books and stories as that bridge to understand experiences. I was the same child going to bed and reading by any type of torch light under my covers (once I even used a light-up Lumiere toy from McDonald's);

"Reading woke me up rather than calmed me down."

I loved hearing about Cathy's days as a bookseller and while she definitely highlighted the lows of such a life, as well as the highs, I still felt vaguely jealous I never took that path and was surrounded by books 24/7. I appreciated her enthusiasm and the time she gave her customers as someone who also talks enthusiastically to anyone I meet about my favourite books. Maybe I'm an unofficial bookseller?

"Every book offers an invitation to open a door and find a way to another world. It is both simple and profound to consider the vastness of human experience that sits on one small shelf of books."

Cathy's time helping people, particularly prisoners, to read and write was eye-opening and humbling and I love how her father's experience helped her build empathy and a true understanding. The way Cathy also talked about her depression and grief following her brother's death was also one I felt privileged to hear about, and while I have thankfully never been through something similar, I can understand and connect with how books are a source of comfort, escape and often a reflection of the pain one might feel over anything; whether it be grief, bullying, family issues, health issues etc.

I also really appreciated the vast array of books talked about in this book! And they're not all classics or books written a long time ago, which is something you often see in other books about books. There's lots of modern books mentioned including My Name is Leon, A Little Life, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.

This book is the perfect read for someone who finds an escape in the words they read, and would be a wonderful gift for anyone struggling to buy for a book lover! I enjoyed every second of it.

"Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved books. She still does. She always will." 

 I received this book from O'Brien Press in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Homophobic bullying, internalised homophobia, mild racism.

Rep: Gay teen in Ireland, trans character/trans coming out, drag shows, gay online dating, biracial family, biracial characters.

It's 2015 in Dublin, Ireland, and Ben is ready to begin his adult life. As he volunteers in a local school ahead of teaching training in September, he also begins to navigate the world of queer dating in Ireland and meets Peter - a dreamboat who happens to still be in the closet, and has a lot of issues connected to that. Ben has his friends Soda and Chelsea to help but Chelsea is becoming more and more distant and Ben soon finds himself navigating things alone.

This was a fun read that felt like a wonderful mix between Simon Vs the Homosapiens Agenda and Roddy Doyle's The Snapper. The fears and wonder of being a queer kid exploring your identity while also mixed in with the council estates of Dublin. Ben was a wonderful character and I really liked in this book he was already fully out and there was no shame or fear from him in that respect. He knew exactly who he was, and his parents accepted him and loved him fully for it. I also really loved the great relationship he had with his stepdad Nathan.

This book is set in Dublin, Ireland, and contains some of the highlights of what you would expect to see in the Dublin queer community like PantiBar. The book also doesn't portray this happy, rainbow filled land with dancing leprechauns and everyone happy and kind like you see in some books about Ireland. Ben definitely talks about all the things he loves about being Irish but also mentions that there's still racism, homophobia (a lot of it perpetrated by the Catholic Church), misogyny, poverty, etc.

I liked the parts of the book at PantiBar - though I was surprised they didn't go to The George, another very famous gay bar in Dublin. I'm presuming this was due to Ben's age. The drag shows sounded spectacular, and I enjoyed that Ben's friend Soda was a drag queen called Miss Ugg Lee.

Unfortunately, there is some homophobic bullying in this book from a old school friend of Ben's. There's a lot of use of the f-word and the d-word, and some of it by young children which I found a bit shocking. I even wondered if it was a bit much considering the book was being read by older teens who could find such bullying triggering. I will say though, the bullying is resolved and the bully apologises which doesn't completely make up for years of torment but is a good start (it did seem like the bully had a really quick change of heart though for no particular reason. He went from an utter homophobe to 'oh I guess it's all okay now).

There is a trans character in this book, and I really loved and appreciated how much this person was accepted and loved when they came out.

The romance near the end of the book wasn't surprising to me and I did like the chemistry that sprung up between the two but I found it very quick considering the circumstances around this romance, and wondered if it was the healthiest or if people needed more time. A part of me would have liked to have seen the romance creep in at the epilogue when more time was given to the characters to adjust. 

 When Xeni's beloved aunt Sable dies, she is the one that has to travel to the small New York town her aunt made her home and look after her burial and estate. Xeni is shocked when it turns out Sable left her practically everything but there's a condition - she must marry Sable's friend, burly Scotsman Mason, for a minimum of 30 days to receive the money - and Mason will also receive the cash she left him in her wills. Xeni and Mason agree to the marriage but have no idea just how well Sable matched them together.

This was a lot of fun, and while some aspects of the book have to be taken with a grain of salt, I loved the freshness of this book and how mature it was in comparison to the typical tropes you see in romance.

Xeni and Mason are grown adults who understand that a short, happy marriage benefits the bot of them - and why not have a bit of fun while doing it, they're both attracted to each sure. There are parts of this book that are VERY steamy, and the two get a bit freaky quite quickly which is a little bit surprising but hey, a little kink never hurt anyone (when done in the right way, of course).

The open communication and honesty between Xeni and Mason was the best part of this book, as well as the deep love and respect that blossomed between the two. In so many romance novels, silly miscommunication becomes a ploy for the silly break up plot point but that's not the case here. Xeni and Mason always knew what page each other was on out of respect for the other, and I loved it - a real breath of fresh air.

Both characters in this book are bisexual - Xeni is Black, and Mason is White so it's also a biracial coupling. I loved Xeni - she was so fierce, intelligent and she knew her own worth as well as her own hotness. It was great to read about her. 

Lucy Baker is quiet and sweet, and much prefers knitting celebrity figures like Thor or Poldark than a mad night out. When a new neighbour, grumpy but gorgeous, moves in, Lucy with the help of her elderly neighbour Barbra hatch a plan to make him sweet on her. With the help of a possibly magic locket, Lucy begins to stand up for herself and find her confidence in both her work life and personal life.

This was a sweet book and I really enjoyed my time reading it. I couldn't help but really like Lucy (I mean anyone who knits a topless Poldark is alright in my eyes), and I found her a sweet character but someone with a lot of hidden drive to her too. She was shy and lacking in confidence but not in a totally drippy way, and when she began to make strides for herself, it was really great to see.

The romance in the book had to warm up for me. At the start it was a bit odd, as George was literally the only option so by that alone, he became Lucy's object of affection - she didn't have much choice in the romance department. They also didn't have a massive spark between them but it was more like a tiny flicker than warmed up to a flame by the end.

The magical locket was a bit random, and I wasn't expecting it. It did add a touch of magic to the story naturally, and some great chances for Lucy and George to have some strange interactions but I think if it had been taken out of the plot it would still have been the same story pretty much.

There is sadly a dementia storyline in this book as early on in the story Barbra starts to lose some of her memories and becomes someone who needs caring from Lucy and George. It might be sad or triggering for people who may have had to witness a loved one go through the same thing.

 I received this book from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.

Lucie Sterling lives in a city that has banned all forms of invasive digital technology - that means no phones, no gaming, and no online databases that could result in a privacy breach. However, when children start going missing and bodies show up, Lucie is forced to enter Green Valley - a mysterious bunker shut off from the rest of the city in which the inhabitants live exclusively through VR simulation. As Lucie struggles to save her niece, who has grown up in Green Valley, she begins to see what the VR lifestyle may really be hiding.

This was just okay. I liked the concept behind the story, and how the author played with two sides of a world that detested invasive tech and another side that embraced it. As readers, we got to see the upside and downside of both worlds; and there was definitely an interesting and important message in the book about not losing yourself to an online world and allowing children to be children and not staring at a screen/attached to a screen all day.

I though something more was going to come out of the Sentinel. It was creepy and mysterious as a defensive body can go, and I thought there would be some revelations at the end of the book about Barbra and her ilk and what they were really doing but there was nothing. I also felt like the end of the book was the equivalent of letting a balloon go. It was so boring and anti-climatic.

The VR set up in this book is very cool but I definitely feel like there were parts of it that were really lacking; and I also found it hard to believe a whole subset of a population could decide to live that way and get so much wrong at the same time? I've seen VR done better (Ready Player One for example) and weirdly, I actually think the story told in this novel would do better as a condensed episode on Black Mirror.