All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Title: All Fall Down
Author :Ally Carter
Series: Embassy Row, book 1
Publication date: Jan 20th 2015, by scholastic
 Source: Netgalley, I exchange for an homeest review
Format: kindle
My rating: 5*s


My Review:  So far, I have read every single one of Ally Carter's books. I have not been disappointed by a single one, they have each kept my attention and I loved each one. She writes great charters, she has great story lines, she writes well. It is safe to say she is one of my favourite authors.

Grace, poor, poor Grace. You know those characters that you just want to wrap in a trauma blanket and cuddle for about a year? That's Grace. Sure, she's strong, she's adventurous, but she is also frail in a way.

I loved all of the characters, I loved the story line and I loved every twist. Most of which were unexpected. 10\10 would recommend. And would totally read again.

If you haven't picked up an Ally Carter book yet, what are you waiting for?

Can't wait for the next book.

One of the Guys by Lisa Aldin

Title; One of the Guys
Author; Lisa Aldin
Source; Netgalley
Publisher; Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date; Feb 10th 2015
Rating; 5*s
Description; Tomboy to the core, Toni Valentine understands guys. She'll take horror movies, monster hunts and burping contests over manicures. So Toni is horrified when she's sent to the Winston Academy for Girls, where she has to wear a skirt and learn to be alady while the guys move on without her.

Then Toni meets Emma Elizabeth, a girl at school with boy troubles, and she volunteers one of her friends as a pretend date. Word spreads of Toni’s connections with boys, and she discovers that her new wealthy female classmates will pay big money for fake dates. Looking for a way to connect her old best friends with her new life at school, Toni and Emma start up Toni Valentine’s Rent-A-Gent Service. 

But the business meets a scandal when Toni falls for one of her friends--the same guy who happens to be the most sought-after date. With everything she's built on the line, Toni has to decide if she wants to save the business and her old life, or let go of being one of the guys for a chance at love.

Review; What a perfect ending.

Toni Valentine was a perfect character for me. Flawed and uncertain of herself, real.  A tomboy that discovers it is okay to have more than one side of yourself.
I liked every one of Toni's friends , and though I knew the love interest quickly I was happy about because that character was another of my favourites.

The girls within the book were not bitchy. There were no competitions or fighting over boys as there so often is in books of this type. I am so so so glad about that.

Every boy in the book had different personalities and they weren't just 'typical' guys. It made everything more realistic. Gosh I could rave about this book for hours. This book definitely deserves recommendation. This is Lisa Aldin's first title, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

dr.a.g by Christopher Logan

Title; Dr.a.g.
Author; Christopher Logan
Source; Netgalley
Publisher; bookthefilm edition
Publication Date; 12th May 2012
Rating; 5*s
Description;Drag has become a diverse form of expression that challenges, entertains, and educates by pushing boundaries, while embracing beauty, comedy and glamour. The performers in this book are evidence of that diversity, captured by some of the top photographers working in today's world.

Review; I love the confidence that men in drag have, they are unafraid to shw who they are, unafraid to show their beautiful selves. I admire that. I really do. In many pictures this book shows that confidence.
This book is also very diverse. Men and women of all colours and cultures are appreciated here and I feel that is very important.
This book is mostly pictures, but I'd still recommend it. Seriously a beautiful book.

For the Love of Cake by Erin Dutton

Title; For the Love of Cake
Author; Erin Dutton
Publisher; Bold Strokes Books
Publication Date; 17th Feb 2015
Source; Netgalley
Rating; 5*s
Description; 

1 of 5 stars

4.0

Maya Vaughn, the hottest young pastry chef to emerge from the reality television machine, enjoys spending time with men and women alike. When she takes a turn as a judge on the very show that launched her career, she expects to find a nice change of scenery and a little diversion.

A late-bloomer at forty-two years old, Shannon Hayes is finally on the precipice of achieving her dreams. She has one shot to prove she can compete with chefs half her age with much more experience. Engaging in a fling with a judge fourteen years her junior would almost certainly kill that chance.

Review; This was my first book by Erin Dutton, but I highly doubt it will be my last. Having been in a major, and I mean major, reading slump lately when I picked up this , though I loved the idea of it, I doubted I would get awfully far. Well I was wrong, I finished the book with in a matter of days and I loved it.
I am a sucker for romance books and so called chick lit, I can't get enough. Now when that romance book is LGBTQIA plus, especially when it involves lady love, well colour me smitten. Of course, I don't just fall for any queer romance. This one however was perfect for me.
I love baking and decorating baked goods. And having recently started a diet, I miss. This book made me nostalgic, it made me want to bake so bad, even though I know I can't. So baking being a part of the book, especially it being centred around a baking comp, well, that just made the book better for me.
The characters were great and the book was an easy read that kept me coming back. I would love to read more about any of these characters and can't wait to read more by this author. Any author that can get me out of a reading slump is a good author in my books. Definitely recommend.

Soppy: A Love Story by Philippa Rice

Title; Soppy

Author; Philippa Rice

Publisher; Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date; Dec 2nd 2014

Description;  "The next hot ticket could be British artist Philippa Rice, whose marvelously inventive blogs My Cardboard Life and Soppy have won her fans across the world."

 --Anna Baddeley, The Observer

 The wildly popular web comic SOPPY--with more than half a million notes on Tumblr--is the illustrated love story of author Philippa Rice and her real-life boyfriend. True love isn't always about the big romantic gestures. Sometimes it's about sympathizing with someone whose tea has gone cold or reading together and sharing a quilt. When two people move in together, it soon becomes apparent that the little things mean an awful lot. The throwaway moments in life become meaningful when you spend them in the company of someone you love.

SOPPY is Philippa Rice's collection of comics and illustrations based on real-life moments with her boyfriend. From grocery shopping to silly arguments and snuggling in front of the television, SOPPY captures the universal experience of sharing a life together, and celebrates the beauty of finding romance all around us

My Rating; 4*s

My Review; I do not have much to say about this comic. It was sweet and it was quite short. It is about 100 pages long, but there are a lot of words.

A very sweet comic that I would recommend to someone. If I thought it was their kind of thing. 

I had never heard of Philippa Rice before this. Which is quite surprising considering how often I am on Tumblr. (See: All the time.)

I am glad I found this actually. I was looking for something different. This something was different, and short, which is what I seem to need lately. So, it's perfect for when you're in a kind of reading slump or are having readers' block but actually still want to read something. 

So, so cute. Made cuter by the fact that it is based on truth. 

Love doesn't have to be about grand gestures and confessions. There are other ways to show love. 

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

(Cover Not Final)

Title; Gracefully Grayson
Author; Ami Polonsky
Source; Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Format; Kindle
Publisher; Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date; November 4th 2014

Description; Alone at home, twelve-year-old Grayson Sender glows, immersed in beautiful thoughts and dreams. But at school, Grayson grasps at shadows, determined to fly under the radar. Because Grayson has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: “he” is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender’s body.

The weight of this secret is crushing, but leaving it behind would mean facing ridicule, scorn, and rejection. Despite these dangers, Grayson’s true self itches to break free. Strengthened by an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher who gives her a chance to step into the spotlight, Grayson might finally have the tools to let her inner light shine.

Debut author Ami Polonsky’s moving, beautifully-written novel shines with the strength of a young person’s spirit and the enduring power of acceptance.

My Rating; 4.5*s

Review; This must have been a hard book to write. A twelve year old boy who hasn't grown up feeling accepted isn't going understand that it's normal to not be the gender you were born as. That is such a shame, and this book brings that to life a little bit.

Grayson is such a likeable character. His struggles were so tough and so real. Kids like Grayson are the reason I believe children should be taught about being transgendered and gay, and so on and so forth. Because then people would begin to see it as normal, which is what it is. And real children that are just like Grayson won't have struggle as much.

I want things to work out for Grayson so bad. I want things to work out with school, with his family. Bless Uncle Evan. Seriously. That man was just amazing. As was Finn. Paige and pretty much all of the theatre kids.

This book is so beautiful, and so sad. Kids shouldn't have to be bullied because of who they are or how they look. Grayson is so brave. So, so brave.

I definitely recommend this book. And I would read it again.

Such a tough life led already for a 12 year old... It gets better though. It always gets better.

The Isobel Journal by Isobel Harrop

Title; The Isobel Journal
Author; Isobel Harrop
Source; Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review
Format; eBook
Publisher; Hot Key Books
Publication Date; November 7th 2013

Description; THE ISOBEL JOURNAL is no ordinary snapshot of a contemporary teenage life. A charming and vivid narrative scrapbook of the eighteen-year-old author's sketches, mini-graphic novels, photographs and captions, it captures her wit, her observations and her creative talent as she takes us through the three central themes in her life: 'Love', 'Friends, Art and Otters' and 'Me'.

Resonant of Laura Dockrill's MISTAKES IN THE BACKGROUND and with the powerful naïve illustrative style of cult Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, this is a collector's gift for teenagers and all who have the teenage experience still in their hearts. Readers will emphasise with this witty and honest journal of a girl getting to grips with impending adulthood. A must-have for all hipster teenagers and anyone who appreciates the raw creativity of youth. Enchanting and poignant.

My Rating; 3.5*s

Review; Though this book is a little strange, considering it is pretty much a journal, but with more pictures than words, I still enjoyed it.

It is a very quick read. I enjoyed the pictures, and the little bits of writing. I would pick up another book by Isobel no problem.

Cute and I would recommend it to those who are interested in the description and to nosy people. The kind that like to read journals.

Made me smile and could definitely relate to some of the things said. I do like books that are written differently and in different formats.

Also, the otter and other animal drawings were so cute.