Book Reviews Archives - Page 25 of 115

Book Review: Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu

May 7, 2020

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu

Pages: 276
Publish date: November 5th 2019
Publisher: Wakefield Press
ISBN: 9781743056127
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

My hand, which is following a stray pencil rolling across the floor, stops dead right in front of two ratty green sneakers.
My gaze follows the shoes up over long legs to a towering figure.
I stand abruptly.
Tall, black eyes, messy hair, a permanent scowl on a permanently angry face. Our school’s delinquent, a waster, the kind of boy who always sits at the back of class. The kind of boy even popular people like Sophia are afraid of. Teddy Taualai.

Alice Dyson knows exactly how she’ll be spending her final year of high school. With her head down, quietly concentrating on her textbooks and homework. She’s focused on the future, and nothing and no one is going to get in her way. Until a bizarre encounter with the school’s most notorious troublemaker derails all her plans, turning Alice into the unwilling centre of attention and her life into one enormous complication.

And even worse? Now Teddy Taualai won’t leave her alone.

A story about rumours, friendship, and discovering who you really are.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson:

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu wasn’t high up on my TBR list when I first heard about it. YA contemporary isn’t something that I read a lot of these days. However, it did still catch my eye, and then I started reading all the reviews and I knew that I had to pick this one up for myself. And I’m so glad that I did. I loved it so much that it made it onto my top books for CBCA’s Clayton night.

You know those books that you read and they just put a smile on your face, this is one of those. This is a beautiful, adorable, and honest novel that explores the highs and lows of the last year of high school. This novel follows Alice Dyson in her last year of high school. Her plan? Focus on her future! Head down, do her homework, and nothing is going to stop her. Expect maybe a dance-off with troublemaker and delinquent Teddy Taualai. Alice is thrown into the spotlight when rumours start flying around.

Anggun Tan

Alice was an interesting character and protagonist. She wasn’t someone that I could immediately connect with and like, but as the novel went on I really started to enjoy her. I think that her character arc was fantastic and the reader is able to see her grow immensely throughout Making Friends with Alice Dyson. Alice’s growth really pushed the novel and I loved that. Even though Alice thought she hated everything that followed the events with Teddy, but the reader is able to see that she actually enjoys it. Even if she doesn’t think so. One of my favourite things about young adult novels is seeing the growth of characters and I think that Poppy Nwosu does that so well. Especially in regards to everything that comes with the last year of high school.

I loved Teddy from the start. While I might have disliked this type of guy while at school, I love them in novels. He has this ‘bad boy’ reputation and it plays along with it. He has this fun and playful nature about him that added this other layer to the novel and made him more than an archetype. Poppy Nwosu has a knack for making characters that are real and have faults and this makes for such an enjoyable read.

The romance in Making Friends with Alice Dyson was beautiful and I loved it with my soul. Teddy is a flirt, and Alice is a shy bean, and while at first, they seem like total opposites. However, as the novel goes on, they are able to connect with one another. What turns from hesitation and avoidance, into a soft friendship and then slowly into something more. It was beautiful and has to be one of my favourite friends to lovers romance. It’s just very sweet, soft and a somewhat innocent romance. I loved that Teddy was able to push Alice in a way that lets her know herself even more.

Siora Photography

Making Friends with Alice Dyson is very character-driven which I love. But also there is a lot of other things that do drive the novel along. I adored the first interaction between Alice and Teddy; the dance. It’s one of the most innocent things I’ve read and I loved it. All Teddy wants is a friend and Alice becomes that person. Friendship is a massive theme throughout the novel. And the reader not only sees the friendship between Alice and Teddy grow into something more. But it also looks at Alice’s friendship with her best friend.

I loved that Poppy Nwosu looks into the notion of female friendship and the many ups and downs that come along with it. Especially in those last few years of school. I enjoyed that it explored that girl friendships aren’t always smooth and showed a realistic approach to how girls interact and their relationships.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson also explores the notion of coming of age and that last year of high school. I think that Australian novels do this exceptionally well and that is clearly evident in Making Friends with Alice Dyson. It showed the trials and tribulations that go along with being in that last year of school. All the ups and downs. The decisions that we need to make. And the pressure that we not only put on ourselves but that others put on us as well.

Chermiti Mohamed

Making Friends with Alice Dyson is a sweet story that looks at friendships, the most adorable romance, and the strength of opening up. Everything about this book is tender and sweet but also packs a punch. This is a great book to pick up when you are feeling that little bit down because it’s a feel great book for sure. I also think it’s one that a lot of teens can read. This is a fantastic debut that is brilliant and soft, and I finished it with a massive smile.

Have you read Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

May 4, 2020

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

Pages: 392
Publish date: August 5th 2019
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781760631581
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Anna Chiu has her hands pretty full looking after her brother and sister and helping out at her dad’s restaurant, all while her mum stays in bed. Dad’s new delivery boy, Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though she knows that things aren’t right at home, she’s starting to feel like she could just be a normal teen.

But when Mum finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as Mum’s condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other.

A nourishing tale about the crevices of culture, mental wellness and family, and the surprising power of a good dumpling.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling:

I’ve been wanting to pick up a Wai Chim book for some time now. Not only is she a lovely human being, but she writes about things that matter, that not many other people do. And I love that. When I first read the synopsis of The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling I nearly jumped out of my seat. This book was for me. And let me tell you it’s just as amazing as it sounds. And of course, this was one of my picks for the CBCA Clayton’s Night.

Anna Chiu has a lot going on in her life. She is looking after her younger brother and sister, helping in her dad’s restaurant and trying to make it through school. While this all happens, her mother hasn’t moved from her bed. Anna simply doesn’t know what to do. And then she meets Rory, the new driver for her dad’s restaurant and as they begin to get closer, Anna finds something that truly makes her happy. But when her mum finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse.

Yuxiang Zhang

I thought that Anna was the perfect protagonist for The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling. From the very first page, I was able to feel everything that she felt. I was able to connect with her and that only grew as the novel went on. Anna goes through a lot throughout the novel and most of it is hard to read at times. But I loved that she was able to show weakness. It made her character feel very much real. I also loved that she wanted to help her father, that she felt that is where she needed it to be.

Wai Chim explores Anna’s characters just so well. Her character arc is amazing and the reader gets to see Anna go on a journey throughout the novel. And they want to go on this journey with her. I admired that Anna second-guessed herself and everything that was happening around her. She didn’t let it just slide by.

Rory oh my sweet Rory. I just want to give him the biggest heart imaginable. He caught my eye as soon as he came into the novel. Rory stands on his own but he also didn’t take over the novel either. Rory is this full character that adds something more to Anna’s life and that was amazing. But Rory’s life isn’t easy and I loved that this was explored. I adored that he pushed Anna to do new things and see things from different perspectives. While also honouring everything about Anna and the way she lives.

The romance in The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling was amazing. I loved it. Anna and Rory are adorable and they melted my heart. I loved how much they respected one another and took the time to understand why others live the lives they do. While Anna and Rory to have different dynamics they were able to find solace in one another and find this happy medium. One of the main reasons why I loved the romance in the novel was that it didn’t overpower the book, but also it was there and so beautiful.

Priscilla Du Preez

The notion of mental health is a major theme throughout The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim. It is explored in many different ways and through different characters. I think that is one of the main reasons why I loved this book so much. It showed that mental illness isn’t just this one thing. It comes in many different shapes, forms and be experienced by anyone. Anna’s family goes through a lot through the book, especially with her mother. Her mental health is very unstable and this leads to many ups and downs. This puts a lot of pressure on Anna, as she tries to keep her family afloat.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling explores the dark side of mental illness through the novel and sometimes that was hard to read. The struggles that Anna’s mum goes through and how it affects the whole family was devastated and how Anna tried to manage it all. Especially regarding the relationship between mental illness and culture. But I also loved that this was looked at it. On the other side, we have Rory, who not only has his mental health to deal with, but also mangers to help Anna understand her mothers. I loved this and it made me admired Rory even more,

I adored the writing style of Wai Chim so much. It’s captivating and powerful. The reader goes on this journey with all the characters, through many ups and downs. Most of the time it isn’t easy but Wai Chim writes it in a way that captures everything about it. I think this is one of the best books I’ve read regarding mental illness and everything that comes with it. Especially when it’s one of the parents that do suffer. I also think that Wai Chim writes all types of relationships exceptionally well. From family dynamics to romance. It was all done so fantastic.

Charles Postiaux

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling truly captures what it’s like trying to live with mental illness. And while it explores the very dark times of living with a mental illness, it also shows that there is light in the darkness. There are ways to heal, but it’s not easy, it’s not instant. And sometimes it only takes a few small steps to get the ball rolling.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim is an empowering novel that explores family, mental health and trying to find your own feet. While there is darkness in this novel and sometimes you feel like there is no hope. There is also warmth. It has one of the cutest romances ever. Anna and Rory were adorable together. They made my heart scream it was so beautiful.

Have you read The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? What are other #LoveOzYA’s that you have loved this year? Let’s Chat!

Romance Reviews | Suffragette, Second Chances & Hot Shots

Apr 21, 2020

Today I thought I would share some mini-reviews on some romance books that I’ve read recently. I’m loving reading romance more and more these days and I love reading a big range of it as well. Here are my reviews for Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren and Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert.

Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women #1) by Evie Dunmore

Pages: 356
Publish date: September 3rd 2019
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 9781984805683
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women’s suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain’s politics at the Queen’s command. And her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can’t deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn’t be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn’t claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring…or could he?

Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke…

Bringing Down the Duke:

I’ve been wanting to pick up Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore for a while now but I finally got around to it a few weeks ago. I’m loving historical romances more and more but for the most part, I’ve stayed in the same time frame. When I saw this was also about the British suffrage movement I knew that I had to pick it up. And it didn’t disappoint.

Bringing Down the Duke follows Annabelle Archer has earnt her place as one of the first females to be offered a place at Oxford University. And in exchange for her scholarship, she must support the rising women’s suffrage movement. Her task is to recruit men with influence to their cause. And her target? Well, it’s none other than, Sebastian Devereux. The Duke of Montgomery who is under the Queen’s command.

Annabelle wants to get amazing from her demanding and challenging family, while Sebastian needs a wife of equal standing. But together Annabelle and Sebastian are fire and smoke. They can’t stand each other but gosh do they have amazing chemistry. The romance is swoon-worthy and I couldn’t put the book down. For most of the book, Sebastian is cold and calculated, but Annabelle can break down those walls. While Annabelle might have this hard exterior, Sebastian can break her walls down.

But Sebastian cannot give Annabelle what she wants and deserves. It’s hard at times seeing this dynamic between Sebastian and Annabelle. But the reader can see them both want each other and it was so beautiful. They are both very stubborn so it made it that little bit of extra fun. They both have so much on the line, but they can’t help but fall for one another and that was beautiful.

Overall, I loved Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore. It was fun and entertaining, while also being heartbreaking and challenging. The romance between Annabell and Sebastian was swoon-worthy and exactly what I want from my historical romances. If you are looking for something new and bright in historical romance, then pick this one up.

The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away #1) by Roni Loren

Pages: 354
Publish date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 9781492651406
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Liv’s words cut off as Finn got closer. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she’d known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence.

It’s been twelve years since tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School. Only a few students survived that fateful night—a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away.

Liv Arias thought she’d never return to Long Acre—until a documentary brings her and the other survivors back home. Suddenly her old flame, Finn Dorsey, is closer than ever, and their attraction is still white-hot. When a searing kiss reignites their passion, Liv realizes this rough-around-the-edges cop might be exactly what she needs…

The Ones Who Got Away:

This is another one that has been on my TBR list for some time now. I had heard a heap about it in the romance community and it was all fantastic. So when I found in stock at a bookstore – well I grabbed it of course and now I have the whole series.

The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren follows Liv Arias who never through that she would return to Long Arce. It’s been twelve years since she survived a school shooting that killed most of her senior class. Now she returns to town for a documentary that brings back not only Liv but the other survivors as well. This means Finn Dorsey is back and the attraction between this is still very much there. But can she forgive him about everything that happened in the past?

I’m not going to lie, this book broke me. This book tore me to pieces. But it was also beautiful, heartwarming and the romance was so good. Liv, Finn and the other Ones Who Got Away went through a lot and being back in down rehashing everything for this documentary is an emotional rollercoaster for all. Liv and Finn a have past and it’s the first time that they are seeing each other in some time. Let’s just say that they still very much have feelings for one another.

I enjoyed both Finn and Liv as protagonists. They felt real, impactful and drove the novel. I love second chance romances and it was done so well here. The reader can see the past and present emotional and connects between the both of them. I love that their past wasn’t closed over and they both had to deal with things that did happen that day. I loved getting to know their story and while it was emotional as hell, it was also beautiful.

Overall, The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren is not an easy read. You will cry, shout and hurt. But it’s also beautiful and filled with a romance that puts a smile on my face. I loved getting to know Liv and Finn, as well as the rest of the ones who got away. I want to know more about them even more now. This second chance romance is adorable and beautiful. Be prepared to cry, but also be prepared to smile.

Burn Zone (Hotshots #1) by Annabeth Albert

Pages: 336
Publish date: April 27th 2020
Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 9781335459497
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts…

Smokejumper Lincoln Reid is speechless to see Jacob Hartman among his squad’s new recruits. Linc had promised his late best friend he’d stay away from his little brother. And yet here Jacob is…and almost instantly, the same temptation Linc has always felt around him is causing way too many problems.

Jacob gets everyone’s concerns, but he’s waited years for his shot at joining the elite smoke jumping team, hoping to honour his brother’s memory. He’s ready to tackle any challenge Linc throws his way and senses the chemistry between them—chemistry Linc insists on ignoring—is still alive and kicking. This time, Jacob’s determined to get what he wants.

Close quarters and high stakes make it difficult for Linc to keep his resolve, never mind do so while also making sure the rookie’s safe. But the closer they get, the more Linc’s plan to leave at the end of the season risks him breaking another promise: the one his heart wants to make to Jacob.

Burn Zone:

I received an earc of Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert for review from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I started reading Annabeth Alberts books last year and have since then been more intrigued by what she has written. I haven’t loved any of her books, but I’ve enjoyed them that I want to read more from her. They are great M/M romances that I can just sit back and read and not worry about too much.

Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert follows Jacob Hartman as he begins his first day as a recruit of Lincoln Reids elite smoke jumping team. There has always been heat between Jacob and Linc. But Linc has tried to stay away from the temptation, he promised Jacobs late brother and Linc’s best friend that he would. But now being this close together, it’s not as easy. And Jacob doesn’t get the warm welcome and support that he wanted and expected. He knows everyone’s concern, but he wants to do this.

I loved the heat between Jacob and Linc. It is intense and is always going. This made the novel quite fast-paced and that made the novel more enjoyable. Jacob and Linc have a past, and while it’s not all romantic or full of tension, Linc and Jacobs brother were best friends and it’s not something that they can hide. Because of this Linc has a hard time being able to accept these feelings for Jacob and that does cause a lot of tension throughout the book. While also the fact that Linc also feels guilt about his best friends death.

Overall, Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert is an okay read. Like her other books, they aren’t my favourite. But they are great books to just sit and read and not worry too much about anything else. The romance was hot and adorable at the same. Plus the tension of them fighting fires leaves the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next. I will continue this series just to see what happens next with everyone.

And that is it for this post! I hope that you enjoyed these mini romance reviews. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Are you planning on it? Let’s Chat!