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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Girlhood in Books

Jun 5, 2019  
Girlhood
Girlhood
Cat Clarke | 2019
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In a bittersweet twist, Harper’s parent’s won the lottery the day after Harper’s twin sister died. With this windfall she is able to go to a very expensive boarding school of which she really doesn’t fit into. Or maybe she does? Just not in the way you expect.

When Kirsty the new girl appears, she and Harper get on very well. They have so much in common it’s unbelievable! And that’s just the point. It soon becomes clear some things she’s told Harper do not quite add up, but why would she lie to such a good friend? What could she be hiding?

I have to say this story surprised me, because I felt the pink cover portrayed a completely different theme to what I was expecting, which was a lighthearted YA/ children’s book, but the characters had much more depth and were so realistic, it was an absolute pleasure to read! I’m pretty keen to check out Cat Clarke’s back list and I know she has a lot more books out now.

In addition, Girlhood is a diverse read with characters from different ethnicities included. Yes, it is largely LGBTQ+ themed too, but it’s not the main basis of the plot, which is quite suspenseful and at times deliciously creepy. Like I said, not what I expected – in a good way!
  
HT
How To Succeed in Witchcraft
Aislinn Brophy | 2022 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Trigger Warnings: Grooming, prejudice, racism

Shay Johnson is a junior at T.K. Anderson Magical Magnet School and has done everything she possibly can to win the full-ride Brockton Scholarship - her ticket into the university of her dreams. Her only real competition is Ana Alvarez, but Shay also knows if she can impress Mr.B, the drama teacher and head of the scholarship committee, she’ll have an upper leg.

When Mr.B “persuades” Shay into being in the school’s racially diverse musical, in their no-so-diverse school, she agrees, and lands the leading role. But Ana is right behind her playing the second female lead. With the start of rehearsals, Shay realizes Ana isn’t the intense enemy she’s always thought she was… perhaps, she would be a friend, or more?

But when Shay gets asked by Mr.B to do some one-on-one practicing for the musical, she finds herself on the receiving end of Mr.B’s unpleasant and unwanted attention. When Shay learns she’s not the first witch to experience his inappropriate behavior, she must decide if she’ll come forward. But, will speaking out cancel her opportunity for the scholarship - her future?

This book deals with a lot of hard topics: grooming, prejudice, abuse of power, racism. I feel like Aislinn Brophy did a good job in writing the predatory actions that Mr.B was doing with Shay - every time something between them happened, it made my skin crawl.

I did enjoy the enemy-to-lovers storyline; or should I say misunderstandings-to-lovers storyline? It was cute and adorable and nothing drastically changed afterwards (besides more cuteness).

Though the title I feel like the title is a little deceiving, I still liked that magic was a part of the world here, but that magic doesn’t fix everything. Even in a world where you can fly around on brooms and make potions to help you wake up, the world is still far from perfect.

Overall, this is a magic-filled book that dives into where one draws the line on what they will allow to happen in order to get something they’ve worked so hard for their entire life. A good read for the witchy season coming up, but also a good read for the message behind it.

*Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Reads and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
  
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Kyera (8 KP) rated Amina's Voice in Books

Feb 1, 2018  
Amina's Voice
Amina's Voice
Hena Khan | 2017 | Children, Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Amina’s Voice is a powerful middle-grade novel that I believe is so important for young readers to experience. Amina is a Pakistani-American, so we are given a wonderfully diverse, young voice to understand her world and it is so important in the current world climate. We, as a people, need to foster a sense of understanding and acceptance rather than fear and hate.

One of the events that happen in the books is heartbreaking and you wonder how people could behave in that manner. Unfortunately, these things happen in the real world and it’s dismaying to see people treat other fellow human beings in a less than honourable and respectful manner. It was so wonderful to see the community come together after the event, no matter their race or religion to help their neighbors. It is a ray of light in the darkness.

This short book follows Amina’s life from her sixth-grade classes and middle school friends to her time at the Mosque with her Muslim friends and family. The tale is honest and heartwarming, allowing us into her mind and connecting with her family. Although it is a short tale, it is no less important to read. I would highly recommend it to middle-grade readers (and really anyone else who is open to middle-grade fiction) because it is such a powerful and important read.
  
The Sun is Also a Star
The Sun is Also a Star
Nicola Yoon | 2016 | Children
6
8.5 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
I will start off by saying I am not a big reader of contemporary books. Personally, I can't get super attached to the characters because they are too much like me. I know, that's weird, but it's me.

I think my main problem with the book was the pacing and that it did not lend itself to the space it had enough. I wanted more space to get into the characters just a bit more. I wanted to get to know them better, but there wasn't enough space on the page to get that connection. The pacing, at times, felt either rushed or too slow. The majority of it was fine, but I tended to focus on those off beat moments a little too much.

That being said, I did really like this book. The characters were super cute and very well written! I am glad that we are getting to have more diverse characters and authors in our reading landscape and I am very happy for Nicola and all she has accomplished!

I am grateful for this book and glad it came out when it did. This country has very strict (and, in my opinion, too harsh) laws on immigration. A book that focuses on deportation in this political climate is very compelling and necessary for people to read. Also the fact that it is focusing on an interratial couple is amazing and I could not ask for better!

I hope to get to read more of Nicola Yoon's writings soon.
  
A Darker Shade of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic
V.E. Schwab, Victoria Schwab | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.2 (19 Ratings)
Book Rating
The first book set up the idea of the different Londons: magic-less grey London, vibrant red London, starving and desperate white London, and decimated, dead black London. Each built upon a foundation of London but developed in completely different fashions. Their cultures, religion, speech, manner and being is so unique in each world.

It was a really intriguing way to build the world and immediately fascinated me. Good world building is so important to books because it is immersive, it pulls you in and makes you forget that it’s not real. You are living the story with the characters. She even created languages that were utilized by characters from different places, from the magic language of the Antari to the flowing words or harsh tones of the neighboring lands. It shows a passion for authenticity and true love of what she has created.

I love the characters. Rhy with his charm always brightens the room (or a scene). Lila is cunning, ruthless, ambitious and a thief. She doesn't need anyone and she would never admit to needing anything. She takes or does what she wants, no matter the cost with no regrets. She is tough as nails and her grit is inspiring. Her first instinct is to protect herself above all.

Many people may not agree with me, but Lila was probably my least favourite of our main characters. She was smart and tough, but a little too ruthless for my taste. Kell was the character that I liked/related to the most, even though he was a powerful magic user he seemed the most down to earth.

Not only does she introduce us to unique main characters, but she brilliantly gives depths to those in the background. There are some supporting characters that at times I liked even more than some of our leads.

Overall the story is more of a slow-burn/build rather than quick action packed scenes. I think that it worked really well for this story and have no complaints. Highly recommended to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy or magic books with characters that have very diverse personalities/outlooks on life and great world-building.
  
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Louise (64 KP) rated George in Books

Jul 2, 2018  
George
George
Alex Gino | 2015 | LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
I picked this book up for the #AntiBullyReads readathon and wow I am so glad I did. In 2015 there was a lot of hype going around booktube about this book about how important this book was. So I got myself a copy and year down the line I actually managed to read it and loved it.

George is a 10-year-old boy on the outside but on the inside he is a girl and has felt like one for a long time. George wants to be accepted for who she truly is but she is terrified of the repercussions of telling her family and friends. George’s school is putting on play – Charlotte’s Web – George wants a part, not just any part, the main part. She wants to play Charlotte. George and her best friend Kelly practice for the part and knows every line, every pause, she has the perfect timing to become the star of the show. When George auditions the Teacher thinks it’s a joke and says that she can have any other part but there is only one part George wants.

I pretty much-loved all the characters in this book and their actions and thoughts were so impactful as to George’s journey. There were characters that made me angry but then they realised that they were in the wrong and some characters (Headteacher)made me swell up with happiness and gratitude that they recognised George for who she really is.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/l2R01mSIsazqNQ7ks/giphy.gif"; width="300" height="200" alt="description"/>

This is the first book that I have read with a transgender character and what it means to be transgender too and would like to read some other books that deal with topic.

I really enjoyed this story, it is sensitively written, packed full of emotion and a very important read for anybody. There needs to be more diverse books for Middle-Grade to read and then maybe (hopefully..fingers crossed)there will be less bullying and stigma in the world. This book may be written for Middle-Grade but should be read by everyone and definitely recommend.

I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
  
I Know A Secret (Rizzoli &amp; Isles, #12)
I Know A Secret (Rizzoli & Isles, #12)
Tess Gerritsen | 2017 | Crime, Mystery
10
9.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
For more reviews please visit https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com

I embarrassingly admit, that I was “living under the rock” and this is my first book by Gerritsen, but I am an absolute fan from now on, and I simply need to read all the eleven books from this series, it is just too good to be ignored.

The blurb above, describes this book quite accurately, Rizzoli and Isles got new, very unusual cases, and trying to find the connection between all those murders. The whole narrative is told from Jane’s, Maura’s, and Holly’s perspectives, and that helped me a lot to have a feel of the characters and their complex personalities. I really enjoyed being the one, who knew, what Rizzoli was missing. There are plenty of diverse and very interesting characters in this book, and I think every reader can choose their favourite. My favourite was Jane Rizzoli; I loved her strong personality, and she is very believable and realistic, with husband and little daughter, which showed her softer, down to earth side. There were plenty of clues, that this book is continuation of previous novels, but it can easily be a standalone thriller, even without reading previous books, I was able to enjoy it.

The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very addictive, which made this book very hard to put down. Tess puts clues and suspense in every chapter of this book, followed with constant twists and turns. I loved that Tess used different theories to solve the murders, and her personal experience with human bodies was absolutely fantastic.

Even thought author used quite a bit of medical terms in this book; I still found this book quite easy, understandable and pleasurable to read. The chapters are decent length, and did not leave me bored. The culmination was interesting and unexpected, which concluded this novel greatly. So, to conclude, Tess Gerritsen has a new fan, and this book is an absolute must read which is very addictive, incredibly plotted, and filled with unexpected turns and twists. Enjoy ! :)
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
  
Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars #1)
Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars #1)
Audrey Coulthurst | 2016 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Of Fire and Stars is a tale of magic, romance, and treachery. The story is told through alternating points of view, Mare is the princess of Mynaria and sister to Thandi the future King while Denna is a princess of Havemont and future wife of Thandi. Although Mare is royalty, she does not enjoy her crown choosing to spend her time in the stables and wishing she could live her own life. Denna has been trained and taught her entire life to be worthy of the arranged marriage that is her future. That is what is expected of her and all she knows.

Forced to adjust to a life at court, Denna finds herself in riding lessons with Mare in preparation for her wedding. Having never ridden a horse before she is concerned but puts her all into learning, which impresses the recalcitrant Mare. Their interactions and friendship grow over the course of the novel in a believable way, from the initial opinions of dislike to a true, bonded friendship. Although Denna is betrothed, her feelings only grow for Mare until her every thought is of the princess rather than the prince. Mare dismays each time she thinks about her brother marrying Denna, as he doesn't realize her best qualities. Each fears that her feelings are not reciprocated and keep everything bottled up. Whether their tale has a happy ending or not, you won't know unless you read the book. I really enjoyed the relationships and interactions in this book, particularly a romance that is more diverse than we normally get to see.

The world-building could have been better in this novel, but it is not non-existent. There are a variety of different lands and people mentioned, unfortunately, we only receive the barest of information. Even though one of our main characters is from another land, we learn about little more than their harsh winters. The magic system and other lands like Zumorda were so fascinating, but not explored. While some of this can be explained by the fact that our characters also seem to be ill-informed about their neighbors, we don't receive much more information about Mynaria and that's where this book takes place.

I found the main characters to be relatable but didn't connect deeply with some of the secondary ones. That was disappointing because it meant when there was an emotional scene or death, as a reader you weren't torn apart by it. To be honest, I didn't have opinions or feelings about it at all and I wish that were not the case. I love when books sweep you up, heart and soul, making you a part of the story and tearing out your emotions with every line.

Magic is feared and punished in Mynaria, so we sadly don't get to experience much of it. When we see experienced practitioners perform, it is fascinating and varied. Someone with an air affinity might be able to create a breeze but they also may be able to transform into a bird. I wish this magic system was more developed and/or explained more because I just want to know more.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic, fantasy, romance, or more diverse books.
  
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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Aaru in Books

Sep 24, 2020  
Aaru
Aaru
David Meredith | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
For more reviews please visit https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com

I do like to read YA books, so when I was offered this book by the author, I didn’t need time to think about it. This book is FREE, for Kindle Unlimited members, so grab it while you can !!!

The blurb above is quite accurate, Rose is dying, and after scan of her brain, followed by her death, she wakes up in this wonderful place, called Aaru. It is a system, which allows the essence of people to carry on living. After seeing Aaru for herself, Rose’s sister Koren, agrees to represent Elysian Industries as their spokes person. All this ground breaking discovery makes Koren an overnight celebrity and attracts a crazy stalker, who starts messing up Koren’s life and Aaru.

I really liked the characters chosen for this book. I think they were very interesting, complex, believable and really entertaining. The whole book was told from Rose’s, Koren’s and Magic Man’s perspectives, and it helped to understand the characters really well. It was very interesting for me, to read the parts, where Rose was describing Aaru, it was so magical. However, Koren was my favourite in this book. I loved her intelligence, strength, and strong sisterly love and bonding.

I liked the plot of this book, I think that different perspectives keeps the reader interested and turns in the narrative created more intrigue. However I was missing the power in this book. There was plenty of things happening in real and Aaru’s worlds, but I needed more heroism, challenge and suspense. I really enjoyed the topics, which David Meredith was discussing in this book: death and afterlife; how death influence different people; fame and it’s dangers; strange and disturbed people on the Internet.

The writing style of this book was creative and pleasant to read. However, I received a file of the book, where one paragraph was stretched out into one page by large gaps between the sentences, that made my reading experience really difficult. For this reason I can not comment on the length of the chapters as for me it dragged sometimes, and I truly hope it won't happen in the next books. The ending of the book rounded up the first part really nicely and left me intrigued and curious, of what author will bring in part 2. So to conclude, this book is a really interesting and amusing read if you are interested in YA books and computers. It has great variety of diverse, riveting characters and great plot, and I hope you will give this book a go and will enjoy this wonderful system called Aaru.

Was given this book by author for honest review.
  
Bossing My Friend
Bossing My Friend
Suzanne Hart | 2018 | Erotica, Natural World, Romance
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Background on the MC's. (0 more)
Some of the actions Jared takes. (0 more)
Good Contemporary Romance/ Erotica read.
A bit fast paced in the prologue; it gave a quick background on the main characters but also continued to do that throughout the entirety of the novel. First off, why in the hell would you tell someone you have very strong feelings, that are damn near love feelings, while you are getting ready to leave?! Like seriously, what in the world is wrong with you. That's the most idiotic thing anybody can do, and guess what, Jared did it. *Red Foreman's voice* Dumbass. I really like how Elsie, the other MC works in charity and tries to be strong even though she's dying to jump Jared. The storyline gets better over time, turned into a contemporary romance with erotica scenes. Overall great plot and scenes.

Will I reread? You bet your ass if I'm craving a bad boy gone good erotica/contemporary romance I will be. Do I recommend? If you love erotica and cheesy scenes all mixed together with a bow on top.

○ interested in its physical book
● a continuous read / page-turner
○ diverse in any way
○ something’s lacking
● took me a long time to finish
○ an LMAO read
○ I laughed more than a few times
○ it’s j u s t awkward
○ gave me goosebumps
○ one of the best books I’ve read
○ painful & sad
○ tear-jerker
● a roller-coaster of emotions
○ thrilling
○ confusing
○ sooo relatable
○ it is kind of annoying
○ it has a lot of flashbacks
○ it moved me
● would recommend!
● great even for a reread
● definitely a YAY
○ I’m sorry it’s a NAY
○ it’s between YAY and NAY