Review: Infinite Sky - C.J. Flood

Iris Dancy’s free-spirited mum has left for Tunisia, her dad’s rarely sober and her brother’s determined to fight anyone with a pair of fists.

When a family of travellers move into the overgrown paddock overnight, her dad looks set to finally lose it. Gypsies are parasites he says, but Iris is intrigued. As her dad plans to evict the travelling family, Iris makes friends with their teenage son. Trick Deran is a bare knuckle boxer who says he’s done with fighting, but is he telling the truth?

When tools go missing from the shed, the travellers are the first suspects. Iris’s brother, Sam, warns her to stay away from Trick; he’s dangerous, but Iris can no longer blindly follow her brother’s advice. He’s got secrets of his own, and she’s not sure he can be trusted himself.

Infinite Sky is a family story about betrayal and loyalty, and love.

Visit C.J. Flood's website for more information.

Review:
Ever since her mum left Iris's family has been falling apart, her dad has been drinking too much and her brother Sam has become angry and withdrawn. Iris is only 13 years old but she is the one who is trying to hold them together, she does her best to take care of the house and cook for them all but it isn't easy and she's left feeling sad and alone. The day a family of travellers move onto their land changes everything, her father and Sam are both angry and want the travellers gone but Iris can't help but be curious about them. As she secretly gets to know Trick she realises that her family's prejudices against him aren't true and they form a close friendship that helps them both through some difficult times. As tensions increase between the two families Iris and Trick are caught in the middle but when tragedy strikes who will be the last one standing?

Infinite Sky is the kind of book that doesn't come along very often, one of those stories that touches your heart and will make you shed a few tears but that will also make you smile along the way. It's very clear from the prologue that something terrible has happened, Iris is at the funeral of someone she is close to but you are given no indication of who it is that died. The story then begins several months earlier and you spend the summer watching Iris blossom from a child into a young adult as she falls in love for the first time. At the back of your mind you always know that something bad is coming but that sense of foreboding doesn't make the journey any less enjoyable, in fact I think it is what makes this quite such an addictive read.

I don't want to go into much more detail about the story because I think it is a book that needs to be savoured and is best read with as little knowledge as possible. I'd rather talk about how much I loved the characters, Iris is a young girl that I think most people can relate to. She is going through a difficult time at home and is at that age when you start to question the things you are told and stop believing everything just because a parent tells you it's true. She is learning some hard truths about family and friendship and her experiences help shape her into the woman she is going to become. Iris is constantly being told that the travellers are bad news but she wants to make up her own mind about them by getting to know them. She is smart enough to realise that no family is perfect and that we should react to people based on the way they treat us not because of someone else's prejudice.

I didn't feel we get to know Trick as well as we know Iris, probably because the story is told from her point of view, but we know enough about him to hurt on his behalf when he is bullied and picked on by local teens. The events that unfold towards the end are heartbreaking and I think it was made even worse by the fact that that people who are most to blame are the ones who walk away from the incident unaffected. Infinite Sky is a book that will make you think, it touches on difficult themes but does so in a sensitive manner. The writing is beautiful for it's simplicity and it's hard to believe that this is C.J. Flood's debut novel, I know I'll automatically be reading anything she writes in the future. If you haven't already fallen in love with Infinite Sky then I urge you to pick up a copy as soon as possible, the setting makes it a perfect book for reading on a lazy summer afternoon and I'm sure you won't regret giving it a chance.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Own the Wind - Kristen Ashley

Too hot to handle...

Tabitha Allen grew up in the thick of Chaos--the Chaos Motorcycle Club, that is. Her father is Chaos' leader, and the club has always had her back. But one rider was different from the start. When Tabby was running wild, Shy Cage was there. When tragedy tore her life apart, he helped her piece it back together. And now, Tabby's thinking about much more than friendship...

Tabby is everything Shy's ever wanted, but everything he thinks he can't have. She's beautiful, smart, and as his friend's daughter, untouchable. Shy never expected more than friendship, so when Tabby indicates she wants more--much more--he feels like the luckiest man alive. But even lucky men can crash and burn...

Chaos Series:
(This is a spin off from the Dream Man series)
Own the Wind
Fire Inside (June 2013)

Dream Man Series:
Mystery Man
Wild Man
Law Man
Motorcycle Man

Visit Kristen Ashley's website for more information

Review:
I've been hearing great things about Kristen Ashley's books for a long time now but although I've had several of her books on my wish list for ages I still hadn't got around to buying any of them. When I got the chance to request a review copy of Own the Wind I couldn't resist though and I'm glad I now know what all the fuss is about! Own the Wind is the first book in Kristen Ashley's new Chaos series revolving around members of the Chaos Motorcycle Club, this is actually a spin off from her Dream Man series, well the last book in the series, Motorcycle Man, anyway. Motorcycle Man is the story of the Chaos MC leader Tack and the heroine of this story is his daughter Tabby. I've already mentioned that this is my first KA book so I can confirm that you don't have to have read the other series to follow the events in this one but I will tell you that I'm definitely planning on working my way through the Dream Man series (and the rest of KA's back list!) while I wait for the next Chaos book, Fire Inside, to release.

Before I actually start my review I should probably point out that this isn't going to be the book for everyone, these kind of Motorcycle Club (MC) romances tend to be love or hate books. You've probably already guessed that I love them (this is only my second but I'd also highly recommend Reaper's Property by Joanna Wylde) but I do have to be in a certain mind set before I start reading. I'm speaking from a limited experience but MC romances tend to feature very alpha guys, ones who often have a very sexist attitude towards women - especially ones they consider an easy lay. These guys live outside normal rules but they still have a very strict code of honour, just not necessarily one that follows the letter of the law. They fight for what they want, protect what they see as theirs and like to party. The women who hang around the clubs tend to belong to one of two categories, you have the ones who are just there for fun, who will happily sleep around with the club members and who are just kept around by the guys for sex on tap and to tidy up after them. These women aren't respected and the guy's attitudes towards them usually sucks but they're there of their own free will and you only get treated the way you let people treat you. The other women are a completely different kettle of fish, they are the ones that have won the heart of a MC member and are usually referred to as old ladies. The men respect them (and any children they may have), they will lay down their lives to protect them and nobody would dream of touching another man's old lady. I'll say upfront that I wouldn't want to live this lifestyle but I still find it fascinating to read about these tough guys and the women who bring them to their knees. I can separate reality from fantasy and enjoy these stories for what they are but if the above makes you want to scream in frustration (and I can understand why it might!) then you're going to want to give this type of book a very wide berth.

OK, so now I've got that warning off my chest let's talk about Own the Wind specifically. Tabby's father, Tack, is the leader of Chaos MC so she has grown up surrounded by bikers and understands the lifestyle. She has always known that the members of Chaos have her back and she is close with a lot of them but she has still managed to make a life for herself away from the club, she studied hard to become a nurse and she likes being independent. Tabby had a crush on Shy when she was in her teens but when she was going through a rebellious phase Shy tried to warn her off the path she was heading towards and the way he did it both embarrassed her and broke her heart. Since then she has given him the cold shoulder but when tragedy strikes it is Shy who is there to help her put the pieces of her life back together. I loved the fact that they became friends first, after everything Tabby had been through she needed someone who was going to look out for her and I wouldn't have believed in them as a couple if Shy had made a move on her any sooner than he did. Shy is the kind of guy I would run a mile from in real life but as much as he can be an ass he could also be very sweet and caring towards Tabby. I did love the way he looked out for her and the fact that he was prepared to give up everything to be with her if that's what it took.

I ended up devouring Own the Wind, it's the kind of story that sucked me in and held me completely gripped until the last page. I did find the time jumps a little confusing at first but once I got used to the writing style it made a lot of sense and allowed us to get a real sense of the way things developed between Shy and Tabby over time. I loved meeting the various side characters and am really looking forward to reading Hop and Lainie's story in Fire Inside but what I'm really hoping more than anything is that we're going to see more of Shy's brother Lan. I think I fell for Lan just as much as Shy which is quite an achievement considering he doesn't get anywhere near as much page time and I would LOVE to see him get his own happy ending. Note to the author - just send him my way and I'll make sure he gets one LOL. So, Kristen Ashley has found herself a new fan in me and I'm looking forward to working my way through her back list in the near future.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey

The Passage meets The Hunger Games in The 5th Wave - a gripping new series from Carnegie-shortlisted Rick Yancey.

THE 1st WAVE
Took out half a million people.

THE 2nd WAVE
Put that number to shame.

THE 3rd WAVE
Lasted a little longer. Twelve weeks . . . Four billion dead.

IN THE 4th WAVE,
You can't trust that people are still people.

AND THE 5th WAVE?
No one knows.
But it's coming.

On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs.
Runs from the beings that only look human, who have scattered Earth's last survivors.

To stay alone is to stay alive, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope.

Now Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

The 5th Wave Series:
The 5th Wave
Titles and release dates for further books to be confirmed

Visit Rick Yancey's website or The 5th Wave website for more information.

Review:
The arrival of an alien spaceship had mixed reactions from the human population, some were scared while others were hopeful but after 10 days with no form of contact the excitement was starting to turn into fear. Then the first wave hit, wiping out the electricity and causing accidents that killed half a million people worldwide within a few seconds. Confusion and panic spread and continued to grow as humanity was faced with one disaster after another. The 2nd wave was a massive tsunami that wiped out 3 billion people, the 3rd wave was a virus that killed another 4 billion and the 4th wave turned humans against one another so the few remaining survivors started killing each other. Nobody knows what the 5th wave will be but they know that it's coming. It's time for humanity to make their last stand but how do you fight an enemy you have never even seen?

There has been a lot of hype surrounding The 5th Wave which I have to admit made me a little nervous to pick it up, I had such high expectations that I wasn't sure Rick Yancey would be able to fulfil them. Thankfully on this occasion the hype is well deserved and I was hooked on the story from practically the moment I picked it up. The story is very character driven and it is a fascinating look into how far humans can be prepared to go in order to survive. It is about trying to keep hold of your humanity in the worst of situations and it will make you think about what you would be prepared to do to keep yourself and your family safe. It will also make you look at movies like Independence Day and realise just how unrealistic the ending was - what chance would we really have against an alien race who have the technology needed to reach our planet? The story is chilling, creepy, dark and twisted but at the same time it shows just how much our will to survive gives us the hope needed to keep fighting for what we believe in.

The 5th Wave is told from several different points of view and is set after the 4th wave but with flashbacks showing exactly what happened from the moment the spaceship first arrived. The main character is Cassie, a teenage girl who has witnessed the deaths of both of her parents and whose only remaining relative is the much younger brother who was taken from her. Cassie promised Sammy that she would find him and she is determined to do whatever it takes to try and fulfil that promise. She hasn't seen any other humans for weeks and is beginning to think that she may be the last survivor but she won't stop searching for Sammy until she knows for sure that he is gone. While we are following Cassie's journey we also meet Zombie, a teenage boy who was rescued by the army and taken to a military camp where they are training survivors and preparing to make humanity's last stand against the aliens. The different threads of the story eventually come together but not in the way you're expecting them to.

In case you hadn't guessed I loved this story, I really liked the characters and I'm fascinated to see how things play out with the aliens as the series continues. I wasn't a huge fan of the romance and I really hope that we aren't seeing the beginning of a love triangle starting to form but I loved Cassie's relationship with her brother and the friendships that started to develop between Zombie and the rest of his unit. The story was full of twists and turns, some I'll admit I saw coming but a few that shocked me, and the character development was great. This is a series I'm very much looking forward to continuing so I hope we don't have to wait a whole year for the next instalment!

Source: This was a gift from Sammee at I Want To Read That, thanks Sammee!!

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Review: Voodoo for Two - Elle James

Be careful what you wish for…

Determined to marry the most eligible bachelor in the parish to save her family, Lucie LeBieu turns a “love bug” loose to cast its Voodoo spell. What she doesn’t count on is hitting two targets—the golden boy congressional candidate, and her Cajun-hot ex. To set things right, she must undo the spell before she falls into bed—-and back in love—with a certain down and dirty heartbreakin' cop.

Undercover investigator Ben Boyette is back in Louisiana on special assignment when he runs across his old flame, brewing up trouble as usual. But when hometown threats turn deadly, Lucie's life is on the line. Determined to protect both her and his politician assignment from falling victim to a murderer, Ben finds that he's the one who's falling hard...for the irresistible bayou temptress.

Cajun Magic Series:
Voodoo on the Bayou
Voodoo for Two
Deja Voodoo (June 2013)

Visit Elle James's website for more information

Review:
Lucie will do anything to help her family, even if it means marrying a guy she doesn't love so that she can help her grandmother financially. Eric is a wealthy politician who can not only help her family but who would also be Lucie's ticket out of the Bayou and into the life she's always wanted. Determined to catch the eligible bachelor Lucie turns to voodoo to make sure she wins his heart. Unfortunately for her she isn't very good at casting spells and her love bug ends up on the loose causing chaos in the bayou. Things are complicated further by the return of her ex boyfriend Ben, it has been 7 years since she last saw him but she can't deny the attraction that still simmers between them. Lucie must decide whether to follow her head and marry Eric or to entrust her heart to Ben for a second time.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I jumped at the chance of reading Voodoo for Two when I was offered a review copy by Entangled Publishing. This was a fun and light hearted romance that is full of humour and hot chemistry but I have to admit I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Voodoo on the Bayou. Having said that this was still an enjoyable read and I'm definitely planning on reading the next instalment (Deja Voodoo) when it is published in June.

I think the main reason I didn't enjoy this quite as much is that I wasn't a huge fan of Lucie. I could understand her motivations for wanting to marry Eric but when she started to realise that she still had feelings for Ben I was annoyed that she kept playing Eric along for so long. I just felt she started to come across as really selfish when she was saying to herself that Eric deserved someone who actually loved him but then decided to carry on with her plans anyway. It also seemed like she was messing Ben around and neither of the guys deserved that. When she finally made up her mind to break the spell I started to like her again though and by the end she had redeemed herself. I absolutely loved Ben though, he was one sexy Cajun with a bad boy smile and a heart of gold. He had his heart broken by Lucie years ago but he knows that there is something special between them and he sets out to prove it to her.

Alongside the romance you have the antics of Lucie's love bug which were quite amusing to watch and I enjoyed getting to spend time with some of the other crazy bayou characters. I have to say I was slightly disappointed in the latest development between the previous couple Craig and Elaine and I really hope that gets addressed in the next instalment. One of my favourite characters in this story was Lucie's best friend Alex (who also happens to be Ben's sister), she was often the voice of reason and wasn't afraid to tell Lucie exactly what she thought of her plans. I would really like to see Alex get her own story and I'd quite like to see Eric get a happy ending of his own because they both deserve it, I'm not sure if I picture them together though so I guess I'll just have to wait and see who the author has lined up for the next book. If you're looking for a fun series full of magic and mayhem then I'm sure you'll enjoy these stories. I know I'll be reading more from Elle James in the future.

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Wait for You - J. Lynn

Some things are worth waiting for…

Travelling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn't need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Wait for You Series:
Wait for You
Be with Me (2013)

Visit J. Lynn's website for more information

Review:
Avery deliberately chose a college far away from home, one that allowed her to get away from her family and the people she used to consider her friends before the terrible night that changed everything. All she wants is to be able to live her life without being constantly harassed, she wants to stay out of the spotlight and hopefully make a few friends. The last thing she is looking for is a boyfriend, especially not one with a reputation as a player. She meets Cam on her first day after literally running into him, he is absolutely stunning and most of the girls on campus have a crush on him which is a huge reason for Avery to stay far away from him. That isn't quite so easy when she discovers that he is also her neighbour though. Cam is drawn to Avery, there is something about her that makes him want to get to know her and it doesn't matter how many times she turns down his request to go on a date he isn't going to give up. Before she even realises what is happening Cam has started to break through Avery's defences but she is still keeping a huge secret, one that she is scared will make him walk away from her. As her past starts to catch up with her Avery has to decide if she can trust him, not just with her secrets but also with her heart.

I'm a huge fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux series but I hadn't got around to trying any of her adult contemporary romances written under the name of J. Lynn yet. Even so I jumped at the chance of reviewing her first new adult romance Wait for You and I'm so glad I did because I loved it. I've been devouring contemporary romance recently and I'm loving the NA age range as well as adult stories so I had high hopes for this and thankfully I wasn't disappointed. I already knew this author had a knack for writing swoon worthy heroes but she outdid herself with Cam and I fell head over heels!

I want to start off by talking about Avery though, she was such a fantastic heroine. Someone who has been through so much and who is still struggling to put the past behind her but she is a survivor, the kind of girl who wants to turn her life around and find a way to be happy. I'm sure a lot of people in her situation would have given up but she is determined to get a fresh start. I found myself absolutely livid at her parents, her mother in particular, for the way they treated her. To think that she had gone through something so horrific and then nobody, not even the people who are supposed to support her unconditionally, believed her was awful. Considering that she has spent years with people bullying her and blaming her for something that was in no way her own fault it isn't surprising that she has trust issues. In spite of that Avery wants to find friendship again, she is a caring person and wants to have people she can share that with even if she does struggle to let people in. I felt that her reactions were incredibly realistic considering everything that had happened to her and I found it incredibly easy to relate to her.

Now I've already mentioned how swoon worthy Cam is but I don't think I have the right words to do him justice. He is a cocky bugger but I loved that arrogance and swagger he has about him. He never takes it too far though and makes no apologies for being who he is. Not only is he gorgeous with a body to die for he is also caring, protective, kind and gentle. Even when Avery hasn't opened up to him he can tell that something has happened in her past and he is incredibly patient as he sets about earning her trust. I think a lot of guys would have given up long before Cam does, especially when she constantly rejects his requests to go on a date, but he knows that she needs to get to know him before she will agree and is prepared to put the effort in. I have no idea how Avery managed to resist Cam and his witty banter for as long as she did though, I'd have been swooning all over him long before she was! Besides who can resist a guy who brings them home made treats like cookies and brownies and comes round to cook you breakfast every weekend?

One of the things I loved most about this story was the fact that Avery and Cam take time to get to know each other as friends before they jump into a relationship, there is obviously attraction between them from the very first moment but by the time they start dating they genuinely care about each other. I did get a tiny bit frustrated that it took Avery so long to open up to Cam but given her past experiences I really couldn't blame her for that. I don't want to get into the details about what happened to her, you'll have to read the book to find out, but I do think it was sensitively handled and I was pleased with the way things turned out in the end. Wait for You is a fabulous love story, one that tackles dark subjects and that will bring tears to your eyes but also one that will have you laughing out loud one moment and falling head over heels in love the next. I can't wait to carry on reading this series and I'll definitely be picking up some of J. Lynn's adult romances to tide me over while I wait for the next instalment.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: His Risk to Take - Tessa Bailey + International Giveaway

The greater the risk, the hotter the reward?

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation on the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control - until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he'll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy's avoiding, but when she walks into O'Hanlon's Pub and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her risks be damned. But there's a connection between Ruby's shadowed past and a case Troy's working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?

Line of Duty Series:
Protecting What's His
His Risk to Take
Further titles & release dates to be confirmed

Visit Tessa Bailey's website for more information.

Review:
Troy is a Homicide Detective who has just transferred from Chicago to the NYPD for a fresh start after his partner was killed during a raid that went wrong. He first meets professional pool hustler Ruby at a bar and although she is the last person he should get involved with there is something about her that he finds irresistible. Ruby grew up around the criminal underground but is working hard to put her past behind her and build a future for herself. Past experience has told her that the only person she can rely on is herself so it isn't easy for her to put her trust in Troy, especially when her past catches up with them thanks to a case that he is currently working on. Can Troy keep Ruby safe without risking both his case and his career?

I enjoyed the first book in Tessa Bailey's Line of Duty series (Protecting What's His) so I've been looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel His Risk to Take. This author is certainly proving that she has a knack for writing sexy, alpha heroes who are incredibly dominant, possessive and love talking dirty both in and out of the bedroom. If you thought that Derek was a dirty talker in the first book you've not seen anything yet and you're absolutely going to LOVE Troy in this one! As much as I liked Derek I did feel there were times when he crossed the line and took his behaviour a little too far so I was pleased to see that wasn't the case with Troy. I have to say I fell for Troy big time, he had just the right amount of arrogance and I loved the way he took what he wanted and didn't make any apologies for who he was. As alpha has he was I was pleased that even when he wanted to protect Ruby he accepted her wishes and let her deal with things in her own way.

I liked Ruby for her sassy attitude and her independence, I also had to admire the way she was trying to make something of herself and walk away from the life she had been brought up in. She is a caring woman who has never had many friends or people that she can rely on which makes her very protective to the few that she has let into her inner circle. There was one point where she did something so stupid I almost wanted to strangle her but I could see why she made the choices she did even if I didn't agree with them. This is a fairly short story (around 160 pages) so the relationship between Ruby and Troy does develop fairly quickly but that didn't reduce my enjoyment and I loved reading about their passionate affair.

I did have one issue with the time line though, certain events didn't quite add up (I can't say more without giving spoilers) and that pulled me out of the story a little but apart from that His Risk to Take was a fun and sexy read. If you love dirty talk then this is a series you won't want to miss and I'm looking forward to reading more from Tessa Bailey in the future!

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review

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Giveaway Details:

As part of the blog tour I'm excited to offer one of my followers an ebook copy of His Risk to Take thanks to Entangled Publishing.

• One winner will receive a PDF copy of His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey.
• The winner's prize will be sent out directly by the publisher Entangled Publishing so by entering the giveaway you are agreeing that I can give you email address to my contact if you are the winner.
• To enter please use the rafflecopter widget below, there are optional extra entries for following or tweeting about the giveaway but these are not required to enter.
• Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted and the winners will be chosen at random from all remaining entries.
• The giveaway will close at Midnight GMT on the 30th of May 2013 and the winner will be contacted soon afterwards with their prize.

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Guest Review: Everything is Fine (and Other Lies I Tell Myself) - Cathy Brett

Today I have a guest review from the lovely Kirsty at The Overflowing Library. Kirsty is a fab blogger and a great friend so if you've never visited her blog make sure you drop by and see her. Thanks for letting me post this as a guest review Kirsty! This review will also be appearing on Kirsty's blog.

Things haven't been going so well for fifteen-year-old Esther Armstrong. With her brother Max - her closest ally - absent, she's forced to face everything alone, not least her parents' heated arguments. As the summer holidays stretch endlessly ahead, she's desperate for something, anything, to divert her attention.

Then she finds some letters hidden in the walls of her family home, sent by a soldier to his sweetheart from the trenches of WWI. Esther is consumed by the mystery of these lovers - not very much older than herself - and what became of them. Perhaps in piecing together the jigsaw of someone else's life, Esther can work out how to reassemble her own, and how to make everything fine again...

This is a novel about growing up, moving on and the strength of a family.

Visit Cathy Brett's website for more information.

Kirsty's Review:
I've heard nothing but good things about Cathy Brett's books and while they are aimed at a slightly younger audience than the books I usually read I was keen to give them a go. As soon as I saw the cover for this one with the hints of a World War One theme the history geek in me had to pick it up instantly.

This book is essentially the story of Esther and her life as she currently sees it. Esther lives in a seaside town and is missing her elder brother who currently isn't at home and the story switches between Esther's narratives and letters to her elder brother Max as well as snippets from a series of letters Esther finds. In addition to this the book had a series of pictures dotted all the way through. I really loved the format of this book as it mixed it up a lot and I think for younger readers the variety would certainly help to engage interest. Esther is a fab character to follow. She is a strong character without being arrogant and just brilliantly normal as teenagers go. I really felt this book captured her really well as you really get an insight into what life is like living in a seaside village for a teenager who is dealing with a whole host of things all at once. I really loved seeing how her own personal story developed particularly the way she dealt with the absence of her elder brother.

The history geek inside of me went nuts over the historical side of the story. I would say too much but Esther finds a series of letters from a solider to his sweetheart behind her fireplace and these letters completely draw Esther in. She becomes fascinated with the tale that unfolds in front of her in the letters and devotes time and energy into finding out more about the people named in them. I loved this little touch and equally got drawn into her search for answers.

Overall this is certainly a book I will be recommending in the future widely but particularly to my students because of the historical side to the story.

Source: Received from Headline in exchange for an honest review

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