Review: Weightless by Sarah Bannan

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Publication Date: June 2015
Source: Owned 

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Blurb: 

When 15-year-old Carolyn moves from New Jersey to Alabama with her mother, she rattles the status quo of the junior class at Adams High School. A good student and natural athlete, she’s immediately welcomed by the school’s cliques. She’s even nominated to the homecoming court and begins dating a senior, Shane, whose on again/off again girlfriend Brooke becomes Carolyn’s bitter romantic rival. When a video of Carolyn and Shane making out is sent to everyone, Carolyn goes from golden girl to slut, as Brooke and her best friend Gemma try to restore their popularity. Gossip and bullying hound Carolyn, who becomes increasingly private and isolated. When Shane and Brooke—now back together—confront Carolyn in the student parking lot, injuring her, it’s the last attack she can take.

 This book has been sitting on my shelf for a super long time, I am pretty sure I got it around the time of its release so basically 5 years! I have been trying to knock off some books on my TBR in quarantine so decided it was finally time to read this. 

The book centers on how a small town is rocked by the arrival of a new girl - Carolyn. As the town falls over themselves to first get to know Carolyn because she is the "shiny new toy" then then begin to turn against her just as quickly. 

One thing I found a little jarring about this book was the writing style. The novel is written in the "we". So the reader of the novel is reading from the perspective as the entire town as a collective we. This was very jarring and difficult to get into the writing flow in the beginning but I became more comfortable with it as the story progressed. This was a very interesting take on the novels point of view as it goes to show the reader just how complicit each and every person was in the rise and fall of Carolyn. 

Review: Birthday by Meredith Russo

Publication Date: May 2019
Publisher: Usbourne Publishing
Source: Borrowed from library

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Blurb:

Meet Morgan and Eric: born on the same day, at the same time and bonded for life. 

In this moving dual narrative, we meet them every birthday from the age of thirteen, as Eric figures out who he is, as Morgan decides to live as her true self, and as they realize they are inextricably part of each other.

 **I Just want to preface this review by saying that after I read the book, I discovered the article on the authors domestic abuse and abuse allegations. This has made me remove my purchase link to the novel and in the review I will be discussing the book as a piece of work and not the author.** 

*Trigger warnings in this book eating disorders, trans and lgbtq hate speech and bullying, self harm, body dysphoria, homophobia, violence, alcohol abuse, grief 


This book was one I had wanted to read last year but never got round to it. I've been in a great reading mood so far this year so found it at my local library and picked it up. This book very much gripped me from beginning to end and if I sum it up in a word: wow. 

The characters in the book completely make the book for me. The novel centers around Eric and Morgan, two "boys" who share a birthday and an amazingly strong friendship. Morgan is hiding a secret burden, she is a trans woman but is scared to let anyone know. Over the course of the novel we see Morgan struggle as she tries to oppress her gender, lashes out in violence, substance abuse before finally accepting that she is a woman and works towards self acceptance and approaching others . 

Review: The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill

Publication Date: 3rd May 2018
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Bought

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Blurb:

Deep beneath the sea, off the cold Irish coast, Gaia is a young mermaid who dreams of freedom from her controlling father. On her first swim to the surface, she is drawn towards a human boy. She longs to join his carefree world, but how much will she have to sacrifice? What will it take for the little mermaid to find her voice? 

Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy tale is reimagined through a searing feminist lens, with the stunning, scalpel-sharp writing and world building that has won Louise her legions of devoted fans.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of this year and I was so excited when I picked this novel up. Yet, there was something lacking for me. 

Going into the novel, I was so excited. A combination of two of my favourite things - Disney and feminism?! Heck yes! As I began reading though my excitement began to wane a little. 

The novel is told by protagonist Gaia, a beautiful mermaid with a great singing voice. She grows up in the palace, daughter of a ferocious king who reigns over his kingdom and daughters. I found the oppressive world Gaia lives in to be so well written. The mermaid society is extremely patriarchal where the mermaids live to serve the mer-men and are judged upon their talents and beauty. Even the king lines his own daughter up in terms of preference, which I found extremely disturbing. 

Review: Crush by Eve Ainsworth

Publication Date: 3rd March 2016
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Borrowed from Library

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Blurb:

Love hurts ... but should it hurt this much? Reeling from her mum's sudden departure, Anna finds the comfort she needs in her blossoming relationship with Will. He's handsome and loving, everything Anna has always dreamt of. He's also moody and unpredictable, pushing her away from her friends, her music. He wants her to be his and his alone. He wants her to be perfect. Anna's world is closing in. But threatening everything is a dark secret that not even Will can control..

Eve Ainsworth's gripping second novel is a pitch-perfect exploration of love at its most powerful, addictive and destructive.

This was a book I had seen a lot of book bloggers talking about when it was first released. I was late getting around to finding a copy but I was glad I did! 

This is the kind of book I think young people and youth groups should be reading. The novel contains an abusive relationship, where a girl who is sick of her family life find solace in her new boyfriend...although is isn't as great as first appearances may seem. 

Review: Release by Patrick Ness

Publication Date: 1st May 2018
Publisher: Walker Books
Source: Review Copy from publisher

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Blurb: 

Inspired by Mrs Dalloway and Judy Blume's Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn, 17. It's a big day. Things go wrong. It's intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches...

Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything. It's a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won't come out of it unchanged. And all the while, lurking at the edges of the story, something extraordinary and unsettling is on a collision course. 

 Huge thank you to Walker Books for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for my full honest review. I have read some Patrick Ness novels before (see reviews here!) and highly enjoyed them. I also had the pleasure of meeting Patrick Ness at Dept Con a few years back. Going into this I expected to enjoy it but was actually surprised to find myself loving it even more than I had anticipated. I will say that there is some sexual scenes within the novel, so would recommend it for older teens. 

The novel completely hooked me. I have not been reading very much this year up until last month, as you can tell from the review barren wasteland my blog has become. But this novel completely gripped me from the get go and I sped through in 2 days because I could not put it down! 

Review: Sophie Someone by Hayley Long

Publication Date: May 2016

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Source: Review copy from publisher

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Blurb: 

'Some stories are hard to tell.
Even to your very best friend.
And some words are hard to get out of your mouth. Because they spell out secrets that are too huge to be spoken out loud.
But if you bottle them up, you might burst.
So here's my story. Told the only way I dare tell it.'

Sophie Nieuwenleven is sort of English and sort of Belgian. Sophie and her family came to live in Belgium when she was only four or five years old, but she's fourteen now and has never been quite sure why they left England in the first place. Then, one day, Sophie makes a startling discovery. Finally Sophie can unlock the mystery of who she really is. This is a story about identity and confusion - and feeling so utterly freaked out that you just can't put it into words. But it's also about hope. And the belief that, somehow, everything will work out OK.

 I received a copy of this novel from Hot Key Books publishers in exchange for a full and honest review. I had previously read Hayley Long's novel Being A Girl and so was looking forward to reading more novels by her. This was the first novel I read after finishing my 3rd year exams and not having much time to read for the past couple of months and honestly I was kinda disappointed. 

Sophie Someone tells the story of a young teenage girl called Sophie who discovers that her parents have been keeping one of the biggest secrets from her her entire life, one big enough to call into question everything she thinks she knows about her life so far and about her family. 

Review: With Malice by Eileen Cook

Publication Date: 9th June 2016
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Source: Review copy

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Blurb:

Wish you weren't here…

When Jill wakes up in a hospital bed with her leg in a cast, the last six weeks of her life are a complete blank. All she has been told is that she was involved in a fatal accident while on a school trip in Italy and had to be jetted home to receive intensive care. Care that involves a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…. wasn't just an accident.

With no memory of what happened or what she did, can Jill prove her innocence? And can she really be sure that she isn't the one to blame?

 Big thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a full and honest review. 

First up, I just want to say how beautiful the cover of this novel is. I'd seen photos of this book around Instagram before I began reading it and it's just such a gorgeous cover. I'm a sucker for beautiful typography on a book cover! 


Going into this book, I really did not know what to expect. I hadn't read any reviews of the novel or heard anyone talk about it so it was refreshing to go into the novel without any other opinions. 

Mini-Review: The Endless Trials Of Tabitha Baird by Arabella Weir

Publisher: Hot Key Books
Publication Date:  April 2015
Source: Review Copy from publisher
Series: Second in series 

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Blurb: 

'Witty, wise and wonderful ...such fun!' - Miranda Hart on TABITHA BAIRD Frank and fabulous - Arabella Weir on tricky teen life in the hilarious follow up to THE RISE AND RISE OF TABITHA BAIRD.

Tabitha Baird and her friends Emz and Aisha reckon they're the coolest, most popular girls in their year. But they have a rival in new girl, Alexandra. She's a seriously scary Goth who quickly attracts a following - and she doesn't like Tab at all!

That's only the start of Tab's problems. Basil, Gran's beloved dog, races off and Tab catches him with Sam's dog Fifi. There's absolutely no doubt who the father is when Fifi's puppies are born two months later - and Gran wants custody!

Then Tabitha's mum is offered a job because of her blog about life with a teenage daughter. She only had about two followers before, but not any more! To top it all, Mum's got a new boyfriend. He might be OK if Tab could only see beyond his huge, thick beard ... 

Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for a review. 

After finishing the first novel in this series, The Rise and Rise Of Tabitha Baird, in December of last year, I really wanted to read more of this cute and fluffy series. 

In this novel Tabitha goes through a puppy custody battle, her mum dating, friend drama and the arrival of a new "too cool for school" girl. 

Review: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry

Publisher: Picadilly Press

Publication Date: February 2015

Source: Copy in exchange for honest review


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Blurb~ 

An outrageous plot of villainy starring seven brilliant young girls.

At Prickwillow Place, Disgraceful Mary Jane, Smooth Kitty and their fellow students are keeping a deadly secret.

When the headmistress of St Etheldreda's School for Young Ladies drops dead at Sunday dinner, her seven pupils agree on a clever scheme: to bury their teacher in the vegetable garden, dress up Stout Alice in her place, and educate themselves. This is tricky enough in a small Victorian community, but when the girls deduce that their teacher was poisoned - (it was the veal!) - they realise there is also a murderer on the prowl . . .

Thank you to those at Picadilly Press for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. 

I love love love the adorable cover of this novel! It is so cute. It's definitely one of the prettiest books I've read in a while and if you pick this book up it can add some serious book shelf candy to your shelves. 

Onto the review! This book was fun, quick and a good read. I didn't love this book but I also didn't hate it. Although the book was not perfect for me, I could see this book being enjoyed by many. 

SUPER MASSIVE BOOK HAUL !

Hi guys! Okay so it's been a couple of crazy months with college exams, returning to college, getting my exam results (I passed everything=yay!) and trying to get back into the routine of college aka doing assignments, getting little sleep and having almost no time to read for leisure or update this blog! 

I'm working out a routine that will hopefully allow me to allocate time for reading and blogging each day so it doesn't interfere with college work but if you want to keep up to date with my bookish updates and life updates, follow my twitter ( @Shannonbookworm ) which I update a little too regularly when I should be doing actual work - ahem. 

So lets get into the real reason you're all viewing this post with your eyes......MY BOOK HAUL. 

Okay so I've been a little stressed lately and you know what happens when I get stressed? I buy books!! 

So here are some of the books I've bought, received, won and have generally entered my possession since the beginning of 2015. 

Hold onto you're hats because there is quite a few! 

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Received For Review:

Thank you to Hot Key Books & Quercus Publishing for these great titles! 

Review: Heart-Shaped by Siobhan Parkinson

Series: Companion novel to Bruised
Publication Date: 1st August 2013
Publisher: Hodder Childrens Books 
Source: Borrowed from my local library

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Blurb: Written with sensitivity, humour and a lightness of touch, HEART-SHAPED is a companion to Siobhan Parkinson's highly-acclaimed novel, BRUISED - for fans of Meg Rosoff, Aidan Chambers and David Levithan. Annie makes a startling discovery one day - and everything changes. She fears for the safety of her boyfriend Jonno, who has vanished, knowing he is in desperate trouble. Feeling alone, she clings to her dad, her only parent, but he can't fill in all the gaps in the puzzle that is Annie's life. Nor can her best friend. To do that, Annie has to look into her past and understand who her mother was, what happened to her and why. So the truth behind Jonno's disappearance - which is the story in BRUISED - becomes a mirror for what's happening in Annie's own life. The reader is desperate for him to come back, so that Annie can fully fit the pieces of her existence back together.



My Review- 


Heart Shaped is Parkinson's companion novel which takes place in the same time frame as Bruised. Although the books are linked, you do not have to have read Bruised before reading this which is good as it has been many many years since I last read Bruised and I still enjoyed this novel. 

This novel centres around Annie, an Irish teenager whose life is a little up and down lately. Firstly she has to deal with the troubles of secondary school, secondly she is dealing with the passing of her mum and living with just her father as a parent and lastly, she discovered her boyfriends mothers dead body. So you could say Annie has a lot on her plate!

One of the aspects I enjoyed the most about this novel was the really well written relationships that were key to the plot and story of the novel. Annie has suffered a lot of stress over a short period of time and is seeing a psychiatrist doctor who she goes to to talk and get things off her chest. I really enjoyed the humorous interactions she had with this doctor and often found myself chucking away at the things she would come out with!
I also enjoyed the relationship between Annie and her best friend and also the important relationship Annie has with her father and enjoyed reading about the father daughter bonding. 

Review: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

Publication Date: January 2008


Publisher: Speak 


Source: Received As Gift



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Blurb: 

An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train and sets off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.


A trio of today's bestselling authors - John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle- brings all the magic of the holidays to life in three hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away.


Review: 

This was without a doubt, the best book I have ever read that was based at Christmas. 

That may seem like a very grand and sweeping statement to you, those who have yet to experience the warm and fuzzy feeling of reading this book, but non believers I hope that my review will sway you enough into buying this book and reading it for yourselves.


If you recall from my Christmas book haul of 2013, I received this novel as a gift from my parents. I didn't get around to reading it last year at Christmas because of the busy TBR I already had along with studying for exams, all meant that when  free time actually came around I was no where near being in the mindset to read about Christmas . 
Thankfully, I knew I would save it for Christmas 2014, which is exactly what I did . 


Let It Snow is a novel by three authors, John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle, that all feature a different story with different protagonists. These stories are told during the event of a terrible snow blizzard on Christmas Eve in the small town of Gracetown. These stories interconnect and intertwine. I really loved reading the different stories and knowing they were different, but loving the way the authors connected each story. 

New Releases: June 2014

Release Date: June 3
Blurb- John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.

Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.

When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

Release Date: June 3

Blurb- When a death threat arrives with teen celebrity Vivian Divine's fan mail, Vivian has no choice but to go on the run to Mexico. She soon discovers, though, that her Oscar-nominated performance killing villains on-screen did nothing to prepare her for escaping a madman in real life. Some people say he's a hero, others tremble in his presence, but one thing is clear: he won't stop until Vivian is in his grasp. Why didn't she pay more attention during those judo lessons for her role in Zombie Killer?

Vivian finds an ally in the mysterious and charming Nick. He is everything Hollywood boys are not-genuine, kind, and determined to see Vivian for who she really is. But even he seems like he can't be trusted-what could he be hiding?

Beat up, hungry, and more confused than ever about who she's running from, Vivian is living in a real-life blockbuster horror flick. But there's no option to yell "cut" like there is on set....
Lauren Sabel's Vivian Divine Is Dead is a creepy, witty, fast-paced adventure about family, fame, and having the courage to save yourself.

Release Date: June 5

Blurb- Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of 'Bloody Mary': say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?

Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before... A truly spine-chilling yet witty horror from shortlisted 'Queen of Teen' author James Dawson.

Release Date: June 10

Blurb- If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Release Date: June 10

Blurb- Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.

Review: No and Me by Delphine de Vigan

Publisher: Bloomsbury | Source: Bought | Pub. Date: Aug 3 2010 | {BookDepository}  {Goodreads} 

Blurb: "All my life I've felt on the outside wherever I am, out of the picture, the conversation, at one remove, as though I was the only one able to hear the sounds or words that others can't and deaf to the words that they seem to hear. As if I'm outside the frame, on the other side of a huge, invisible window.

But yesterday when I was there with her, I'm certain that you could have drawn a circle around us, a circle I wasn't excluded from, which enclosed us, and for a few minutes, protected us from the world."At thirteen-years-old, with an unusually high IQ and a knack for observing things about other people, Lou Bertignac is not only the youngest in her class at school; she is also the most unusual. Painfully shy, she has few friends, save for Lucas, whose company helps her get through each day. At home, Lou's life is also difficult: Her mother hasn't left the house in years and her father spends his days crying in the bathroom. Lou's world is dark and sad... That is, until she meets No.

No is a teenage girl that Lou befriends for the purpose of her school project on homelessness. Despite the different worlds that these two girls come from, a friendship is soon forged between them. Unable to bear the thought of No not having a home or a family to keep her safe, Lou persuades her reluctant parents into letting her new friend stay with the Bertignac family. No's addition to the household forces Lou and her parents to face the sadness that has been enveloping them for so long — but not without some disruptions along the way.

Review: 

I was really excited to see this book in my local Oxfam for one euro because Hot Key Books had just announced it was their book club book for January. I was so eager to start into the book. 

One of the things that made me fall in love with this book was how unexpectedly thought provoking it was. It really opened my eyes to how rampant homelessness is. It has become an increasing problem, especially in today's economic climate. The novel really makes you think about how good a life you have, and also about how even the little things we can do could make the biggest difference for someone else. The novel also gives the message that no matter how hard you try to change someone, they will always be themselves. 

Review: Whoology by Cavan Scott & Mark Wright

| Publisher: BBC Books | Release Date: June 11 2013 | Source: Received as gift | Pages: 384 | 

Blurb: The official miscellany, celebrating 50 years of Doctor Who.

Do you know your Sontarans from your Silurians? What are the 40 best ways to defeat a Dalek? What are the galactic coordinates of Gallifrey? Test your knowledge of the last Time Lord and the worlds he's visited in Who-ology, an unforgettable journey through 50 years of Doctor Who. Packed with facts, figures and stories from the show's entire run, this unique tour of space and time takes you from Totters Lane to Trenzalore, taking in guides to UNIT call signs, details of the inner workings of sonic screwdrivers, and a reliability chart covering every element of the TARDIS. With tables, charts and illustrations dotted throughout, as well as fascinating lists and exhaustive detail, you won't believe the wonders that await. Are you ready? Then read on, you clever boy. And remember..

Review: 

Thank you so much to my wonderful and thoughtful parents for giving me this amazing Doctor Who book for Christmas, I also got lots of other Doctor Who related things for christmas which I will show in my upcoming Christmas Haul (Link Here). 

As some of you may know, I am a major Whovian, aka Doctor Who mega fan. I have loved Doctor Who since I discovered the show when it restarted with Christopher Ecclestone in 2005 and since then I've been hooked to the series. 

I loved this book so very much. This book is great for any whovian, whether they are a fan of the classic Doctor Who or the more modern Doctor Who / "New Who". I've only watched Doctor Who from the 2005 episodes until present but I really want to go back to the beginning with William Hartnell and watch all of the episodes. 

There are so many facts and stats in the book that it really makes it a fun and fast read. It is definitely a book you will read more than once and it is also a beautiful book perfect for display on your bookshelf because the cover is amazing. The information was presented in a really easy way to read with great flow with the next item of information. There are info-graphics, illustrations, bullet points and so many other little things that make the novel fun  to read. 

I really liked that the book answered some of the most aggravating questions that Whovians ask themselves. These questions include: the many deaths of Rory Williams, how timelords regenerate, the time line of River Song and how many companions the Doctor has kissed! 

This book is definitely perfect as a gift for a friend or family member who is a huge fan of the show or you could even buy it for yourself! 

Also wasn't the Christmas special, The Time of The Doctor, heartbreaking? Who's excited to see Capaldi as the Doctor? Comment below ! 

Rating: 

Five Star Book. 

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