Category: Uncategorized

2 reviews in one!

My best friends Exorcism

This books setting in the 80s just filled my whole inner 80s soul (even though I was born way after the 80s hahah) it’s seriously one of my fav decades of film,tv and music!!

Anyways I’m going off track 🙈 but the pop culture references and how the chapter names are 80s songs!! So good!

Now with the book overall it was a good book, very captivating and made me want to read on and on which is a big positive…But there was a few sections throughout this novel I thought were Questionable(I spoke with Jords about this) I was just a bit like 🤔 and that sadly knocked it down for me.

In the end a 3star!

Perfect on paper

Oh this was what the title says…Perfect!

Everything about it was just a beautiful story and definitely at times emotional… especially some of the scenes with the two main characters 😭 one significant scene near the end too that made my heart glow and my tear ducts Flow 😭😂

I feel this book will be so important for quite a lot of people and @sgonzalesauthor really handles this book with so much care and love which you can see through the writing and speaking to Sophie Myself.

Everyone PICK THIS ONE UP! When this book releases next year! If you thought OMD was good this is just that little bit better but both are just 😍😍.

The package by Sebastian Fitzek review

📦 The package by Sebastian Fitzek Review 📦

Thank you to @headofzeus for the early copy plus letting me be apart of the blog tour!

I wouldn’t take your neighbours parcel in for them if I was you 🤭

Oh what a trip you go on in this novel, this was one wild ride of a novel that keeps you gripped for most of the novel!! Its one that you for sure would not want to know a lot about but just know that your in for twists,Turns and never wanting to look after your neighbours parcel till they knock for it ever again 😂

If your looking for a thriller that doesn’t hold back on the suspense and thrills then for sure I feel this will be the one for you! Like I said it has so many twists and turns and one for sure you can fly through. I read it in less than a day!!

I would for sure check Trigger warnings for this one though as it doesn’t hold back!!

I would like to add though even though it was fast paced and has lots of thrilling elements this only came to be a 3 for me it was good but not anything that WOWed me plus I found some things a bit questionable throughout a big chunk of the book!

3/5 stars for me

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Vicious by V E Schwab review

Wow What a book this one was!! It was just so goood from start to finish! Full of action, edge of your seat stuff in some parts and just had some of my fav characters now!! VICTOR HAS STOLEN MY HEART!!!

From first days pages I read, I just knew I was in for a treat with this one.. I didn’t want to put too much of a expectation on it as I didn’t want to disappoint myself if I didn’t enjoy it 🤭 but it’s V.E.Schwab and I had that faith and as you’ve already heard.. it didn’t disappoint!

I loved with this one the time jumps, the backwards and forwards and seeing how we get to the point In the characters lives and get to learn so much about them in the process wether that’s negative or positive!!

I don’t want to say the characters name but there is one person I would loved to have seen a lot more depth about and got to know a lot more background and how this person uses what they have more! We get a little bit but I wanted more more more 😂

That’s only really the thing I would say was negative but everything else LOVED!!

In the end I would give it 4.5-4.75 ( I know that’s so picky but I can’t help it 😏)

Me, my dad and the the end of the rainbow by Benjamin Dean Review!

Me,My Dad and the end of the rainbow oh wow what a beautiful, heartwarming and real emotional book this one is!

This is a middle grade novel that every child in school should be reading!!! So so important.

This is a story following Archie who just wants things to go back to the way they used to be with his mother and father and to be a family again…His mum and dad have split up but Archie knows Both of them are keeping a secret… so one day he finds out His father is Gay! Archie is confused at first and this is a huge revelation for him, so with the help of his two best friends Seb and Bell, all three of them go on an adventure to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community and along the way come across some amazing people just living their lives freely and proud in the world!!

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The black kids by Christina Hammonds Reed review

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK for sending me a copy in exchange for review

Review below

this book was so powerful from start to finish!!! the books message and story is so very important and significant for now and for years to come and stories like these need to be read not just today but everyday, this book was a work of fiction but with real life events and issues that are weaved into this novel.

it explores issues of race, class and violence in the midst of the 1992 Rodney King riots that happened in L.A. when Rodney king was a victim of police brutality and was beaten by the LAPD.

the writing was beautiful and this book does hit you right in the feels for what happening in the book but alongside that what is happening and continuing to happen in the world today! we see Ashley our main character come to terms with everything that is happening and I loved how Christina wrote about Ashleys friendship group and the question of when is the right time to leave a friendship group that is toxic and who don’t actually care about you much. Christina really questions the reader and it just makes you sit and think for so long about certain things/actions.

this book was just amazing and like I said its such an important read that It needs to get read and be given all the love it deserves!! this is one that could impact everyone and now I’ve finished this book I’m going to be sending this book to everyone I know.

4/5 stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Black Sunday by Tola Rotimi Abraham. Blog tour Review post

Thank you to canongate publishing for the copy in exchange for review and for letting me on the blog tour

Review below

TW: Sexual assault and Abuse

Black Sunday follows four Yoruba siblings in Lagos, Nigeria through the years of 1996-2015 so we are with these characters as they all grow up and stick together when everything around them falls apart. we see our siblings care for each other and try and make a stable life for themselves after Their mother loses her job and Their father makes a huge bet that leaves the family broke and bankrupt.

The siblings are then sent to live with their Yoruba Grandmother and from this we see how our four siblings soon have to become the adults of the house for themselves but also to the siblings too, left with nearly nothing we see all four siblings go through some low times but by being together they all know that when one needs help the other will always be their to help them.

this was a Debut book that packed a lot into its 270 pages size and its definitely not a light and happy Read either. I would recommend this one very much and excited to see what the author does next

4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Eat,gay,love by Calum Mcswiggan and The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff Reviews below

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Both books provided for review from the publishers

Reviews below

𝐄𝐚𝐭,𝐆𝐚𝐲,𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦 𝐌𝐜𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐧⁣
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Oh WOW what a memoir this was!!! ⁣
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This one knocked it out the park for me what a amazing memoir following Calum after the breakdown of his relationship with his fiancé and feeling really down and low, Calum decides to pack everything up and to look for happiness and travel the world!! Having his Eat pray love Moment (one of Calum’s fav books) ⁣
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On his travels around the world Calum meets some inspiring people with some truly beautiful and emotive stories of their own lives!!! All of these people he meets are part of the LGBTQ+ stories some of them are out, some are hiding their sexuality from their families and friends because either the religion or country they live and/or because their own families are not okay with the LGBTQ+ community. ⁣
But through that what I love about every person Calum meets their is strength and hope in all of them and how all the stories and lives shared it brings Calum hope in his own self and for the future of the LGBTQ+ community ⁣
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This memoir was such a beautiful celebration of the power of community and a tribute to the Amazing LGBTQ+ community all over the world.⁣

No rating for a memoir as it’s someone’s life.

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𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐟 ⁣
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This book for me was just middle of the road for me!!⁣
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It was definitely a great read to fly through and a summery book if you wanted to read anything about two families going to their annual summer holiday destination and getting up to all sorts of antics!!! ⁣
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I just felt like that it was an insight to a family’s holiday and I was on the holiday with them but I just felt it was lacking in a plot and all couldn’t connect with the characters as we were only seeing little snoops throughout the days we are with the characters. ⁣
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Sadly not the best 😦 but it was still enjoyable enough and I liked the summer holiday vibes (as not really going to be going on one this year, so just lived vicariously through this family 😆) ⁣
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A quick read though if you needed one to get you out of a reading slump 🙂

3/5 stars

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Darius the great deserves better – Review

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a E-Galley in exchange for review

Review below

oh I loved this one so much!!!

the first book in this series is and always will be one of my fav books ever.!!! this sequel did not disappoint one bit
this is set a few months after our first novel and we follow Darius when he is back from Iran and we see how life has changed for him since his visit.

we see Darius grow even more in this second novel and while we have this few months time jump you can definitely see the confidence that oozes more Darius and how he handles himself in situations with himself and with others. he’s definitely changed but he still as all the same characteristics he had from the first novel with his love for tea being the biggest one and now as he works in the teashop (what a perfect job for him) this is also where he met his boyfriend Landon. plus always being the kind and protective brother and son to his family.

as with any mental illness you can have a good days and bad days and that for sure happens for Darius with his depression and the further exploration and talk of depression that happens in this second novel continues between Darius and his father. (their bond in this second novel is so beautiful to see and read about, and how accepted Darius’s family make him).

there are so manyyyy things I loved about this book that it would be like writing a book in itself but here is 2-3 out of about 50 that I loved.
the protectiveness Darius has over his sister and how he helps with the bullying she is facing in school .

Darius’s queer Grandma’s who come to stay with the family throughout this book and the slow growth that happens in the relationship between the three of them and all the little stories that they tell Darius about them being a couple growing up (one is transgender)

and finally how so supportive all of his friends are especially His soccer friends who will always be their for him and make sure he is okay and doing well, and actually not giving a damn that he is Gay. (which is very rare to see in a group of sports related mens teams/circles and we need this more)

like I said I could go on and on about this book but don’t want to bore you, when this releases please please pick this one up or if you haven’t read the first yet go… read the first then buy the second because you will not be disappointed.

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Blog tour review post – In the Role of Brie Hutchens by Nicole Melleby

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Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for review

Review below

I really enjoyed this one very much!!! A very cute coming of age story mixed in with some hard topics such as coming out to parents who are religious. F/F romance

This was a great read about Brie a theatre loving, soap star watching 13 year old girl who goes to a catholic school and is hiding that she is a lesbian… until she starts falling for the Always top of the class Girl called Kennedy, they start to bond and become closer and closer but one thing is stopping them from being their true selves and that is Brie’s parents and family who are very religious and are set in their ways. We see what unfolds as the book continues on.

One other part I loved if the book was the supportiveness of two of Brie’s teachers at school and also her best friend who always comforted her and made sure she was the best person she can be

Really enjoyed this one and I read this book In two sitting in one morning it was so easy to fly through and recommend very much.

4 Stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Once upon an Eid anthology – review

Thank you to Netgalley/publishers for a early copy

Once upon an Eid synopsis

Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! 

Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift-giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations.

The full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina’s Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy’s Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.

My review below

This was such a beautiful collection of short stories entering around Ramadan and eid mubarak. very diverse full of very different meanings/ experiences of Eid/Ramadan written by all the others and really enjoyed that all the characters were all so unique in all their own ways and I didnt fell that there were one of the same in other characters. 

some books were very happy and cheerful and some very sad but with hope swell which I loved the variations very much. learning more about the culture was so interesting and all the dishes that get made throughout this anthology sounded so amazing and I needed to eat them right away.

Even though im not the target audience for this book, it was just so amazing and if your muslim or not I very recommend you to read this book and to get a insight into the culture and you definitely learn quite a lot.

4/5 stars