November Wrap Up (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my November Wrap Up! So relieved to finish my Goodreads reading goal this month,  so I can sit back and relax without worrying about it. (Thanks Saga.) 

So because I was committed to the immense series that is Saga, I read quite a bit. 13 books, to be exact. 

I hope you enjoy my wrap up. 

1. Safe (Flight #2), by Vanessa Harbour

After being thoroughly surprised and flying through the first book, I hoped I would do the same with the second. For some reason, the opposite happened. I genuinely struggled to read more than 20 pages at a time, and although I was enjoying the story, I never felt any motivation to pick it up. 

Safe takes place in the last days of WWII, and we see Jacob and Kizzy into travelling to dangerous territory. When they're attacked they find a hiding place in a seemingly abandoned mansion. Until they start to hear strange sounds. Upon searching the mansion, they find a number of lost children and their ensemble of horses. Setting out in unknown territory, can Jacob and Kizzy make the treachorous journey back to safety? 

2. Saga Volumes 1-9, by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

It was such a joy to go back to this world after nearly two years away. I loved each volume just as I had before, maybe even more, because I knew that I had a brand new volume to devour at the end of it. Highly recommend if you're looking for an engaging and vast series that will have you desperate for the next volume to be released. 

3. Saga, Volume 10 (Saga #10), by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

An awesome return to the series. Meet some new characters, a new direction to the story, and a total obliteration of a home for our beloved characters. Yeah, you could say this volume was explosive to say the least. And, Hazel is growing up! I can't wait to see what this mischievious child does next! 

4. Carrie Soto is Back, by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

I honestly didn't think it was possible for me to love a Taylor Jenkins-Reid book more than I loved Daisy Jones and the Six but boy was I proved wrong. I was so excited/ hyped up for this book and I am happy to say that my expectations were very much exceeded. There are so few intense, sports based books around and I am so happy that this will be one of the books to set the standard for this type of book. Absolutely faultless. Game, set and match for this book. 

5. I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy 

I finished this yesterday and I'm still reeling from this book. It was honest, poignant and will leave a lasting impression on you for at least a few hours yesterday. If you didn't know, this is about the life Jennette McCurdy, famous for playing Sam Puckett on iCarly, when she was forced into child acting by her narcisstic and abusive mother, and how this affected her later in life. Trigger warnings for bulimia, anorexia, emotional and sexual abuse, and addiction. 

But if you think you can read about those themes, then I truly recommend this novel, especially as Jennette recorded it herself. 

Okay! That's my wrap up for the month of November! I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment what you finished this month! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you soon with my TBR for December! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxx

Off the Record, by Camryn Garrett

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with my review of Off the Record, by Camryn Garrett. (I did say I'd be writing a review of this soon- and here it is!)

This was one of my anticipated releases from last year and when I noticed it in Waterstones on my booktrip round London, it was all I could do to put the book down until the following day. 

 I always thought this might be a five star read, but I didn't like to jinx it. 

Anyway, here are my thoughts. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

Title: Off the Record

Author: Camryn Garrett 

Genre: Hard-hitting contemporary 

Release date: 18/5/2021

Status: Standalone

Pages: 307

Blurb: "Seventeen-year-old Josie is living a young journalist's

dream when she wins a contest to write a celebrity profile

for her favourite magazine, especially once she meets

the charming new actor at its centre. 

But there's a dark side to the glitz and the glamour, and

Josie is suddenly in the perfect position to expose it. 

A young actress trusts her with a terrible secret, and Josie 

realizes she's in over her head. Is it her story to tell?

What if she lets down the women entrusting her with 

their secrets? And will revealing it jeopardize her 

writing career before it's even begun? There are so 

many reasons to forget what she's been told. 

But one secret is followed by another and another, 

until Josie needs to decide whether to step up-

and what she can bear to sacrifice for the truth."

My Thoughts

If I had to use one word to describe this book, the word I would use is powerful. There are so many hard-hitting themes within this book that I would definitely check the trigger warnings before picking this up. To name the main ones: mention of sexual assault, fat shaming, sexual abuse and harrassment. Never super graphic and brutally worded, but it was all graphic/suggested enough that you knew how serious the situation was. 

Josie feels like a lot like me when I was growing up. I imagine she's a character that everyone can see themselves in when reading this book, and that's a great quality to have. She has doubts, anxieties, as most teenagers do growing up, but there's her journalist side that you get to see too. This side of her is professional, passion, and in touch with her surroundings, in order to get the best profile she can (her task when she wins this journalism contest). 

And then, as the book goes on, the two sides of personality sort of merge, when she's approached with writing an article about someone's life, instead of just the profile she's meant to be working on. 

From that point is when the story really pulled me in. You can feel Josie's anxiety as if it's your own. Her worry that she's going to screw everything up, ruin her journalism career before it's even started, and make everyone hate her for either not coming out with the truth, especially when they've risked so much by reaching out to her, or revealing the article and facing the world (directors and producers, film companies, the whole lot). 

The story felt very mixed in to me- everything happening all at once. I actually prefered it to be like that, rather than slowed down. It definitely helped me to feel how Josie was feeling- completely overwhelmed and unprepared to deal with everything that was going on with her in this book. 

As emotional and hard-hitting as I'm making this book sound (I mean, it is all those things) there are some wonderfully funny conversations, some wow moments, and some discussions that would leave me thinking about for at least a couple hours after. The give and take between the seriousness, the humour and the way we get to see Josie is just constructed so brilliantly, it was what kept me engaged, not knowing what was going to happen next. 

The writing style never felt too wordy, and it was always easy to follow. Basically it was honest, straight and to the point. Not distracting at all, which is what it needed to be, so as not to distract from the story as it unfolded. 

All in all, a beautifully and brilliantly constructed novel that had me reading to finish with an urgency that I haven't had in a long time. I love Josie as a character, her story, all the other actors, and the romance that went with it (not overbearing at all). Such a compelling #Ownvoice story that I will definitely be picking up Full Disclosure in early 2023. 

Loved this book so much. 

Okay! Those are my thoughts on Off the Record, by Camryn Garrett. 

I hope you enjoyed them, and after reading this, think you might have an interest in it, I implore you to pick it up and give it a chance. 

Definitely a favourite of the year. 

If you have any thoughts on this review, or your own thoughts if you've read the book. 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

November TBR (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with my November TBR (2022)!

Honestly, I don't have a concrete plan as for what I want to read this month (or just under three weeks I should say) but I'll be making a note of anything that I might want to pick up.

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy reading about my TBR for the month. 

1. Safe (Flight #2), by Vanessa Harbour 

I have just under 100 pages left of this and I have a feeling that I'll be finishing this tomorrow. Safe follows two children, Jakob and Kizzy, at what they think is a simple rescue job, bringing a herd of rare horses back to safety. What they didn't know is that they were just a way to get over a border. In an unfamiliar place, they're attacked and only just escape. On a whim, they hide in an abandoned house. Only they soon find they're not alone... 

I'm so close to the ending of this novel, and honestly, I don't want it to end. The characters are fantastic, they feel as if they're real live people, the story is compelling, the feel of being in danger, but not at the forefront is second to none. If I didn't have something that I'm really looking forward to after this, I would be in a serious reading slump. 

2. Saga Volumes 1-9, by Brian K. Vaughan 

I recently obtained Volume 10 (yes, Volume 10) and I was so excited that I couldn't not re-read the entire series (I mean, it has been two years). I know I haven't forgotten the main points in the story, but I've definitely forgotten a lot of the finer points, which means that a re-read is definitely on the cards. 

(I'm going to be dedicating at least a couple of full days to these graphic novels in the near future. So excited.) 

3. Saga, Volume 10 (Saga #10), by Brian K. Vaughan 

FINALLY! 

I mean, I know I haven't been waiting half as long as some of the fans that have been with this series since the beginning, but that doesn't mean I'm not veryveryveryveryvery excited for this release. No idea what will be happening in this, but I'm so excited to find out. 

4. Nothing More to Tell, by Karen M. McManus

I purchased this a few months ago and I haven't even tried to pick it up. Time to change that. 

Nothing More to Tell is a story about Brynn, who left her high school four years ago, after the death of her favourite teacher. But when she gets an internship working at a true-crime show on television, she decides to take a closer look at the still unsolved murder of her favourite teacher. But the further she digs, the more mystery she uncovers... 

After the most recent Karen M. McManus book, which I enjoyed but didn't love, I decided to give her books a break or a bit. I mean, Karen produces books more often than I produce, so I was due a break. Of course I still bought the book though. For when I needed it. 

But now it's time. From what I've seen of the reviews, people have enjoyed this a lot more than the predecessor, and I hope I feel the same. Looking forward to catching up on her latest thriller. 

5. Carrie Soto Is Back, by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Out of all of the books that I've obtained in the past three months, this book is the one that I've been tempted by the most. It's been a while since I've read a Taylor Jenkins Reid book and although I was interested in her other works, I knew this was one I wanted to start with (when I heard it was about competitive tennis). 

Now, I wouldn't go as far as to say that there are no books about tennis, but I definitely don't remember hearing about any in the past few years. 

When Carrie Soto retired, she had smashed every record worth having. Her fierceness, her determination, and her attitude that she was entitled to every one has not made her popular. 

But six years into her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the 1994 US Open, watching her record be shattered by the ruthless Nicki Chan. 

In a last ditch effort to reclaim her title, Carrie makes the decision to reclaim her title, with her father coaching her back to victory, even if she isn't as sharp or as nimble as she once was. 

But for one last, epic season, Carrie Soto is back. 

6. I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy 

I always like to read books in the order than I received them, which would mean that I'd be reaching for the Mara Wilson autobiogrpahy before this. But right now I'm just going to let the chips fall where they may and be fine with it. This book is getting nothing but fantastic reviews and I'm excited to see what it's all about. The blurb reads "A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor- including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother- and how she retook control of her life." 

That's all I need to know to know that I need to read this. 

And that's all there is. 

Okay! Those are the books that I plan to read in November! 

(So glad to finally finish this.) 

As always, let me know in the comments what you guys plan to read this month (or if you're throwing caution to the wind and just reading whatever the fuck you want)! 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxx

October Wrap Up (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I've actually posted some this month! 

Not loads necessarily, but more than in recent months (so I'm happy). 

It's now the end of October, and therefore, time to share everything I've read this month! 

I hope you enjoy it. 

1. It Only Takes A Minute, by Sasha Lane

I was gifted this for my birthday, and honestly, I have no idea where my friend found it- but found it he did. The chapters look like the start of an essay, just underlined, in bold, basically no authors have blurbed this, it's all just amazon reviews. But instead of putting it off and putting it off and having it become a problem book- you know, the ones you deliberately avoid reading- I decided to pick it up. 

I got exactly what I was expecting- a fast paced, surface level book where a woman meets a guy- on a month long sabbatical (who takes sabbaticals anymore) and falls for him the first time she meets him. 

Honestly, it wasn't subtle at all, and it was absolutely fantastic for a laugh and a good time. I soured through it in a couple of days (on the days I was actually reading). Recommend putting down your heavy fantasies guys, and picking something like this sometime. You might find you actually enjoy it. 

2. Secrets, by Jacqueline Wilson 

I was so excited to start my childhood (Jacqueline Wilson) re-read that I soured through this in just over 24 hours. Secrets tells the story of two girls, Treasure and India, who live in entirely different worlds. Purely by chance, they meet- and it's as if they've been friends all their lives. Both share a love of Anne Frank, so when disaster strikes and Treasure has to hide away from her abusive step-dad, India hides Treasure in her very own secret annexe.

A very quick read, something about going back to this book just made me want to keep reading all night long. I related to the girls, being studious, liking writing and reading too, so it was really easy to jump into their story upon picking up. 

But whatever the reason, I was so excited to start back up with the first of many Jacqueline Wilson books I loved as a child and still love today. 

3. Lola Rose, by Jacqueline Wilson 

    My boyfriend picked this JW book for me next, cos I wasn't sure what I wanted to pick up (out of the selection I'd chosen- reckon this had something to do with the fact that he used to have a cat called Lola- but I can't be sure)! 

This was probably the book that was the most serious of the five. I'm not saying that the others don't have heavy themes, but this one feels like it takes more of an adult approach, because you're reading from the POV of the oldest child, and she's left in charge, while her mum's in hospital. Although I didn't have a lot in common with the characters in this book, it was always one I could go back and re-read without getting bored when I was a child. 

Now, re-reading as an adult, I look at this book now and think that this might have peaked my interest for books that might contain relevent themes, to what's happening in the world today. I mean, winning the lottery doesn't happen everyday, but abusive relationships and cancer are still very present today (which isn't good obviously). Jacqueline Wilson was brave enough to write a novel that deals with these kinds of issues with sensitivity, and that takes guts. 

4. The Diamond Girls, by Jacqueline Wilson 

4 completely different girls: Martine, Jude, Rochelle and Dixie, with their mum Sue, about to move to their new house, just before the mother gives birth to the 5th child. Although they're hesitant to leave everything they hold near and dear, Sue convinces them that this'll be a new start: a house with a garden, picket fence, the whole lot. But when they get there, it's not a dream come true like they thought. It's a dump, to put it mildly. And then, when it seems like things can't get any worse, Sue goes into labour! The minute she's gone, Martine's storming off, Jude's fighting and Rochelle is flirting- can the Diamond Girls pull together for the first diamond boy?

This was the book that gave me the idea for the epic Jacqueline Wilson re-read. I just loved how all the characters- especially the Diamond sisters- were all extremely unique and easy to remember. Because you're reading from the POV of Dixie, the youngest, the daydreamer of the family, the things going on around her, for the most part anyway, are only suggested, but that's what makes the overall feeling of the book more hopeful, rather than sad, which works really well.  

5. Candyfloss, by Jacqueline Wilson

Probably the most random premise of the lot, but undoubtedly the book that I found the best when I was younger. Even when I was younger, it was easy to see why. The relationship Floss had with her dad was one that I had with my own, and I was definitely able to see a lot of myself within Floss and Susan's friendship too- I had enough imagination to fill a room, and I was often by myself, much like Susan, before her and Floss become friends. 

Basically, Floss makes the choice to stay with her Dad when her mum, her new husband Steve and young son Tiger decide to move to Australia for six months. He doesn't have a whole lot of money, working at a chip cafe, but her dad always treats her like his very own special princess. Until disaster strikes and they find themselves homeless! Can their new fairground friends help them find their feet again?

Floss is such a lovely character to read about, even though I'm now a fully-fledged adult, she's still up there with my absolute favourite protagonists of all time! 

6. Clean Break, by Jacqueline Wilson 

Definitely the simplest premise, but maybe also the most heart-breaking because of how often it happens in real life (though maybe not on Xmas day). Basically, Em's dad walks out on them and Clean Break is Em and her family trying to piece together what happened, and move on without him. 

As always, Jacqueline Wilson tells the story with humour, light-heartedness and sensitivity, in a way that makes it enjoyable to read, for children and adults alike. (Especially with the way she basically wrote herself into this book- there's literally an author called Jenna Williams.)

7. Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings #1), by Jackson Pearce

8. Sweetly (Fairytale Retellings #2), by Jackson Pearce 

I decided to carry on the trend of childhood favourites, but because it was October, to read some Halloweenish books instead. And so, enter Sisters Red and Sweetly, arguably my two absolute favourite Fairytale Retellings. Almost fantasy type fairytale retellings because they're fighting werewolves in these two, and there are legends and folk lore involved too. 

Gorgeous colours, wonderful balance of dialogue and description (particularly the Chocolateir in Sweetly), fast paced and engaging, well-written novels that I will always be able to fall into, as easily as falling asleep. 

9. A Shot in the Dark (Constable Twitten #1), by Lynne Truss 

I picked this up as a recommendation from a colleague. We had both enjoyed Thursday Murder Club, and according to her, was a lot funnier than the former. 

And she was right. It was. For some reason, I couldn't get into the books. I think it was a combination of not wanting to ruin her copies, but also knowing that I'd be able to read it a lot quicker by audiobook (and being just ahead of my Goodreads goal at this point was weighing heavily at this point). 

So at this point, I've given the books back, safe in the knowledge that I'll pick them up by audiobook if I ever want to continue. 

My honest opinion of this book: funny, and easy to follow. But I really didn't have any emotional connection to any of the characters. I saw how long I had to listen to get to the end of the book, and barely anything else. It's been a week or so since I finished this and I remember very little. Certainly not enough to carry on reading the other three books. (It's a detective story, set in Brighton by the way, and it has some history about the gang wars in the 1950s.) 

So I can say with some confidence that I likely will not be continuing in this series. I feel like I'd have to re-read this again, and I honestly don't feel its worth it. 

Okay! Those are all the books that I read in October! I'm genuinely happy with all the reading I managed to get to this month, and I hope it carries through to November (even though we're four days in and I still haven't finished one yet). 

As always, let me know in the comments what you picked up in November! 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx