laural27's reviews
706 reviews

Having never previously read any of Fiona’s books, I was looking forward to discovering a new author and getting lost in her words and, getting lost in the words is exactly what happened with this book.

Take Mum Out is a laugh a minute book about single mother Alice who with two teenage sons, a job and a meringue business, has little time for a love life. When her group of friends decide they want to help Alice out and arrange three dates for her, she is hesitant but decides with her children growing up she deserves someone to spend the rest of her life with. What follows is Alice navigating the dating scene and between trips to Paris, discovering a naked bum on her thirteen year old son’s computer and a stained Liz Earle face cloth; she learns that finding love might not actually be that hard.

Alice was a fantastic protagonist and even though I couldn’t relate to her in certain ways (being a single mother, edging towards forty) I still felt as though I was able to connect with her. She was a really honest woman and I loved how she wasn’t the perfect size eight with perfect features: she was a real woman who was so refreshing and whilst she saw herself as flawed, I found her to be the faultless representation of a modern woman! The other cast were great additions and I really loved the juxtaposition between the men she meets – they all bring something different to the table and all show that loving yourself has to come before someone else loves you.

Alice’s teenage sons were well written characters and bought a myriad of new elements to the plot and perhaps some of the most laugh-inducing scenes. There is something so awkwardly funny about teenage boys in fiction!

Fiona’s writing style is well honed and I felt her mark all the way throughout the book. There was a constant and consistent pace which kept me glued to the pages, eager to find out what would happen next. One aspect I really loved was the un-predictability of the plot: I wasn’t sure where Alice would end up by the end of the book which was refreshing – so often in this genre you can predict the plot easily. I was really satisfied with the book’s conclusion and would actually love to know what happens to these characters in the future!

After reading this really fantastic offering from Fiona, I am eager to go back and read her previous novels and I look forward to plenty more books from her in the future!

Take Mum Out is the funniest book I’ve read so far this year. Full to the brim with love and laughter, this book is one that needs to be on your TBR pile this year!

From the second I read the blurb I was hooked. What sounds better than this?

This is the story of what happens when 14 kids are trapped inside a superstore in the town of Monument. Inside they have everything they could ever need, and with no adult supervision can do whatever they want.
Sounds like fun?
It is.
Until they find out that the world outside is being destroyed.


This genre is not one I’m very familiar with so I was a little unsure about what to expect from this book. However, I needn’t have worried for this book completely engulfed me and refused to let go until I’d turned the last page.
Dean and his younger brother Alex are travelling in separate buses on the way to school on what seems to be a very normal day. That is until huge hailstones start falling from the sky, smashing glass, denting the roof of the bus and causing damage to everything around them. Alex’s bus driver speeds her way into a superstore parking lot and crashes the bus through the glass doors. Dean’s bus driver isn’t so lucky and crashes the bus; however, most passengers are brought to safety by the other bus driver. In a deserted superstore, fourteen children and one bus driver are left wondering what has happened and when the bus driver decides to go and get help, the fourteen children are left alone. What ensues is a fast paced, unpredictable plot about fourteen kids and their will to survive.
Told through a day-by-day format, we are drawn into the terrifying world of these characters. Whilst they might have enough food to eat, enough to drink and places to sleep, that doesn’t stop the tensions that arise when the group are forced to choose a leader and work as a team. Nor does it stop the destruction happening outside.
This book took addictive to a whole new level…I couldn’t put this book down. I would have easily finished it in one sitting if I hadn’t had things to do! I was even tempted to cancel plans so I could just sit and finish the book!
Laybourne has crafted a beautiful set of characters who all have traits and tones that make them assets to the group. I never thought fourteen characters would be so easy to recognise and I wasn’t sure I would cope with remembering them all but Laybourne makes this an effortless job: you know who every character is from the beginning. Dean is the protagonist and I felt a lot of loyalty to him as a character, I didn’t feel that he was too biased in his assessments of others and I trusted his account and opinions.
I found the time references (day one, day two etc) to be a really great addition and it felt like I could really keep track of what was going on. It was a very suffocating experience and for them to go through so much in such a short period of time was amazing. The writing is really strong in this novel and is pitched perfectly for a young adult audience. Strangely, very strangely, I almost wanted to be a character in this book. I wanted to be stuck in the supermarket with them and be a part of their makeshift family. Never before did I think I’d want to experience an apocalypse!
This is a gripping YA novel that will have you questioning whether you’d ever be ready to deal with an apocalypse.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I am currently reading the second one called Sky On Fire and cannot wait to read the third called Savage Drift which is out very soon!

After I’d turned the last page of Monument 14 I clambered over my bed to read this book sitting on my shelf, eager to continue with the story. Sky On Fire is the second book in this trilogy and what a second book it was!
At the end of Monument 14, we are left on a cliff-hanger. Some of the kids have left on the bus, trying to find Denver airport and get help and some of them (those with O blood types) have stayed behind in Greenway (the superstore). One of the kids is dying and another has gone AWOL. So, everything is going a little bit wrong!!
Sky On Fire is told through Alex and Dean’s perspective with Alex on the bus and Dean still in the store. Alex and the bus encounter numerous challenges and when they are stopped by a gang of O blood types, they have to figure out a new way to get to Denver. Not only is the bus unsafe, the store is also under attack and when people realise there is a whole stash of food and water inside the building, they all want in. Dean and Astrid have to put aside their differences and work together to keep them and the little children safe. As the book rushes towards the end, we are left wondering if anything will turn out well for the group.
It was going to take a lot to write a book half as good as Monument 14 and whilst I was excited about carrying on with these characters journeys, I was worried this book would fall a little short. Luckily, it really didn’t! To have dual narration in this book was a fantastic idea – it was so exciting to be able to see two different experiences through two different sets of eyes. It also kept the pace really well as the narrative chopped and changed between the two boys and their two situations.
The characters all go on another journey during this book and it was hard at times to read about what was happening to some of them. When an apocalypse happens, it is likely people will die or get lost and whilst it was upsetting to read about, it bought a realistic element to the plot. Dean, Alex, Astrid and Niko are, I would say, the four main characters in this novel and I felt a large affinity to each one. They made me proud and the way they all made sure the younger children were looked after was incredibly heart-warming.
Sky On Fire had a fantastic pace and I was able to read this book in two sittings, I couldn’t put it down! Laybourne has really got a skill in this genre for keeping the reader on the edge of their seats and keeping the action consistent. However, whilst there are elements of fast paced action, there are also moments of tenderness and reflection where we are privy to the characters emotions and are able to see how they are truly feeling underneath their armour of bravado: it made them seem real.
I am interested to see how the story pans out in Savage Drift (the third book in this series) because it’s hard to know where the characters will go next. The end of Sky On Fire gave an idea of what the plot will be based around, but I will be keen to find out if there are many more sub plots so that we can get some answers to lots of questions I still have!
This was a really fantastic follow up to Monument 14 and I wait in anticipation for the final instalment!

Half Bad is a book that will rival series like the Hunger Games. It has already been translated into numerous languages and already has a film deal, so, I think it’s safe to say that this book is going to be pretty huge.
Half Bad is the story of Nathan – a half white witch, half black witch. Black witches are evil and white witches are supposedly the good ones. Nathan is the son of the blackest, most evil witch of all: Marcus. Nathan is trapped in a cage and is being held captive by the ‘white witch from hell’. As we follow Nathan’s journey we are whisked into the past to see the events that have led up to him being locked in a cage and then we are brought back to the present and join Nathan on his quest to escape.
This book really does deserve the hype. It is incredible. From the very first page to the very last, I enjoyed every single bit of it. Green has got the most incredible skill in writing for a YA audience and whilst this book isn’t basic or immature, it’s not a book that you struggle to read – it is pitched perfectly. Green’s writing is consistently addictive and you can easily read this book in just one sitting. The plot is compelling and you –need- to know what’s going to happen next.
Nathan is a flawless protagonist, in the sense he was everything this book needed. Even though his character traits were perhaps flawed, he led this book so well. We do switch between second person and first person within the book and whilst the second person was a really great addition, I craved Nathan’s voice. The rest of the characters are a mixed bunch and I found myself constantly changing my opinion of some characters whilst hating others completely! (But hating them for all the right reasons!)
The pace was superb, the flow was just brilliant and I adored this book!
Check out my video review where I go into a little more detail!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFIkIG57sWE

The Program is a stunning book. After hearing about it through BookTube and reading the blurb, I knew I just HAD to read this book.

The Program tells the story of Sloane and her boyfriend James. In a dystopian society, suicide has become a pandemic for under-eighteens and if any teenager is ‘flagged’ as being depressed then they are taken into The Program. The aim of The Program is to ‘fix’ the teenagers and remove the depression but by doing so, they also remove the teenagers memories. Sloane and James are madly in love but with people committing suicide all around them and Sloane finding it hard to cope after her brother’s death, they have to pretend to be ok – plastering smiles on their faces and acting as normal as possible. But, behind closed doors they are both falling apart. Depression is taking hold. No one wants to be put into The Program but especially not these two for when they are ‘fixed’ neither of them will remember each other. Their relationship will be over. With James’ promises to protect Sloane and Sloane’s insistence that she’s ok, what will happen to the two teenagers?

Young is a genius for a myriad of reasons. The first is the plot. The Program is such an original and unique idea that you cannot even begin to predict what will happen, the kind of characters you’ll meet and the way the story will turn which leads onto the second point which is the pace. This book is paced perfectly, every chapter ending makes you want to read the next one, and then the next one. It’s addictive! Next, Young’s characters are just phenomenal – Sloane was the most incredible, relatable and competent protagonist and the other characters she interacts with were so well written. There were characters we were supposed to dislike and the anger and frustration I felt towards those characters was palpable.

Character development in this book is fantastic. Sloane, James and a handful of other characters we meet on their journey develop well over the course of the novel but Sloane perhaps develops the most and I was amazed by her journey. She was such a strong, feisty character and I admired her strength and courage but also felt anger and injustice on her behalf. I got so sucked into this book and so immersed in the pages that I had some serious emotional reactions to what was going on!

The book is divided into three sections (I can’t tell you what they are as they might be spoilers!) but I found the division of the book into three separate parts to be really effective and helped to focus on the stage of life Sloane was at. The twists and turns this plot takes were really well written and there were multiple times that I had to stop reading and just digest what was happening, sitting there open mouthed!

The ending to this book was such a shock and a huge cliff-hanger that I am desperately waiting for the second book to be published. The Treatment will the sequel and, sadly, the final book. I could happily read about Sloane forever!

From the blurb of The Treatment it sounds like we are in for an adrenalin fueled ride with Sloane as she navigates the next part of her hellish adventure and I cannot wait to re-join her very, very soon.

The Program is a MUST READ novel full of drama, tension and intrigue. Not one to be missed.

There is no way I can review this book by outlining any of the plot or themes, otherwise I will totally ruin it for you. So, here’s the blurb:

When Alex meets Kate the attraction is instant.

Alex is funny, good-looking, and a little shy – everything that Kate wants in a boyfriend.

Alex can’t help falling for Kate, who is pretty, charming and maybe just a little naive…

But one of them is hiding a secret, and as their love blossoms, it threatens to ruin not just their relationship, but their lives.

A Kiss In The Dark was a phenomenal book. From the moment I started it, I felt like I was in for a treat and very quickly I was sucker punched by a huge bombshell and I was HOOKED.

The characters in this book (the main two being Kate and Alex) developed incredibly well over the course of the book and as we found out more about their lives and their relationship, I began to see them as two complex characters who I honestly felt a connection with. The narrative is divided into two sections: one from Kate’s point of view and one from Alex’s. This aspect was really well executed and it ended with me siding with both characters, not able to hate or dislike one more than the other, feeling sorry for them both.

Clarke has such skill in writing for a YA audience and for teasing certain emotions from the reader. Without sounding clichéd, I went on a huge roller-coaster of emotions. Anger, fear, shock, hatred and love were just a handful of the emotions I felt whilst reading and I cannot imagine anyone being able to read this book without having similar emotional reactions. The descriptions of settings were spot on and whilst they were secondary to the real action that was going on, it still felt as though they had been painstakingly worked on to make them as beautiful as they were.

Once I’d put this book down I wasn’t sure how I felt. I had LOVED the book up until the last few chapters and then I felt like the ending had been resolved too easily and was a little rushed. My one wish is that there had been some kind of epilogue set a few months after the book to see what had happened to the characters; otherwise it felt like a little bit of a cop out. However, having said that, I still give this book four and a half stars and urge anyone to read it straight away. You will not be disappointed.

Wow!
That’s all I can say about this book. It is absolutely fantastic.
Precious Thing tells the story of Rachel and Clara – lifelong friends and keepers of each other’s secrets. They met when Rachel was the new girl at school and since then have been inseparable. Rachel has got it all, she’s a big shot TV reporter, has a nice flat and of course a gorgeous boyfriend whilst Clara’s life is beginning to unravel. When Clara goes missing, Rachel ends up questioning everything she once thought about her friend. Can we really know everything about our best friend?
This book was just insanely good. I read it in just one afternoon, not able to put it down for one second. It hooks you in, sinks its claws into you and won’t let go even after you’ve turned the last page. Precious Thing explores so many intriguing themes, the main one being friendship, and each one is explored in such detail.
The friendship between Rachel and Clara was a suffocating one – it was a really intense relationship which made for compelling reading. Rachel was a really interesting protagonist and throughout the novel I was on her side, struggling to see why someone like Clara should even be considered a friend. Likewise, I disliked Clara and was rooting for her to be found out! The character development in this novel is, well, it’s remarkable. By the end of the book, the characters seem so far removed from the ones we met in the beginning – it was incredibly well written.
McBeth, for a debut author, has got the pacing down to a fine art. It can sometimes be difficult to get the pace of a thrilling novel right, it either ends up moving too quickly or has some peaks and troughs of pure thrills and then moments of dullness! What McBeth does in Precious Thing is flawless. I was clinging onto each word, rapidly turning the pages, not once feeling bored of what was going on.
It’s really hard to go into any more depth about characters and plot because this book is one that needs to be read to be understood and one that will be spoiled if I give any more details away.
I must say though that this is potentially the best crime/thriller debut I’ve read in a very long time. The twists and turns, the heart stopping moments, the unpredictable plot…it was all sublime.
I cannot wait to read the next novel from Colette because I am certain that she will become a very big name in the writing world before long.
A must read debut that will shock, thrill and excite you.

Colleen Hoover is an author I hear about non-stop. Everyone is talking about her and everyone is telling me to read her books so I was browsing on Amazon and came across this free novella. Now, I’m not sure if this novella is part of a larger series (I certainly understood everything going on without reading anything else by Colleen before) or whether it is just a standalone novella. *Checks Goodreads* turns out this is a companion novella to the Hopeless series but can be read as a standalone. Awesome!

Just from this tiny snippet of Colleen’s writing, I can already tell you I am in LOVE with her. As soon as I started reading this book I knew I was onto a winner and my gosh, what a fantastic book.
Finding Cinderella is based around two main characters – Daniel and Six who fall head over heels for each other but realise that sometimes a simple relationship is never easy, especially when the past has a tendency to come back and haunt them. Can they navigate the rocky terrain of high school and still maintain a relationship?

I adore Colleen’s narrative voice; it is so applicable to the new adult genre and has a real sense of truth and realism to it which I adored. Colleen’s ability to get into the head of a teenage boy is amazing and I was almost convinced a male had written this book! The characters are so strongly written and they each have individual characteristics that make them incredibly likeable. I found Six to be such a strong female lead and I even saw a bit of myself in her which made me warm to her even more! I loved her no nonsense attitude when it came to being a woman! She wasn’t fussed about make-up and pretty clothes – she just wanted to be accepted for who she was. The perfect female role model.

Let’s also just touch on the fact Colleen writes a bloody decent male character! Certainly swoon worthy and one I wouldn’t mind getting to know…!

I am certainly going to keep an eye out for Colleen and start collecting all of her books to read. This is a really impressive novella and I urge you all to read it! (It’s free on Kindle!)

My favourite quote from the book:
“It blows my mind that I get to love you.”
― Colleen Hoover, Finding Cinderella

Ok this is a book you just need to read. Yes, need.

1990’s: Holly and Alex are basically BFF’s – they do everything together, know everything about each other and, of course, are madly in love with each other but neither of them are prepared to admit it.

2010’s: Holly is a PA, in a relationship with her boss and sings songs from musicals when she runs. (Legend.) Alex is a teacher, doesn’t quite get the dating game and still lives at home. But, when Alex and Holly end up walking back into each other’s lives, they are given the chance to start again. It’s been years since they’ve spoken…can they rekindle their friendship and tell each other the things they were once too scared to?

Laura and Jimmy have pretty much perfected writing a book together. I am often hesitant when it comes to reading a book written by two authors, it just doesn’t often feel ‘natural’ but this book felt perfect. In my head I had the idea that Jimmy had written Alex’s chapters and Laura, Holly’s. I don’t know whether I read this in an interview with them somewhere or whether I completely made it up but whatevs, I mean, it totally worked in my head.

The book was split into dual narration with chapters from Holly’s point of view and then others from Alex’s which lent itself nicely to being able to see things from both perspectives. I have to say, this technique did leave me reeling with frustration, I was shouting at the book ‘JUST TELL EACH OTHER ALREADY’ but in a good way…I think. I certainly enjoyed being able to witness things from a male and female point of view – it was also nice to see that men do actually have some kind of feelings.

The pacing of this novel was perfect throughout; it invited me to keep turning page after page to see what would happen next, even though I already knew how it would end. I think that’s the thing with this book. As soon as you start reading it you know where the characters will end up – it’s a given in a book of this genre that the ending is predictable but it’s the journey that the characters take to their ending – that is the interesting part. And by golly did these characters go on an interesting journey! The addition of a few other characters, namely Kev and Richard, made for compelling reading and it was characters like this, who bought humour to the plot, who kept the story moving nicely.

I loved the writing style of this book. It didn’t feel as though two people had written it, the words flowed as though they had come from the same pen which was impressive. The humour, as mentioned so many times before, was spot on and really well crafted, as were the situations the characters find themselves in too.

My only tiny gripe was the ending. It was too rushed; too quickly resolved. Perhaps a slightly more detailed ending with fewer clichés would have worked but, do you know what, I don’t really care about that because I flippin’ loved this book and not even a rushed ending can put me off.

I cannot wait to read something else from this duo. They are ones to watch out for and I can tell you now that this is going to be one of the biggest debuts of the year. I can sense it!

A fabulously witty romantic comedy that will have you smiling and laughing in equal measure.