Alice RWB

I like reading good books and writing silly stories and now I'm having fun blogging too! I'm also on Twitter and Instagram and Goodreads

[alicerwb]

The Exact Opposite Of Okay

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of The Exact Opposite Of Okay by Laura Steven at YALC last year. It’s such a good book and I highly recommend pre-ordering a copy so you can read it straight away when it’s released on 8 March 2018!

You can read my review of this brilliant book on my Wordpress blog (or on Goodreads).

Laura Steven is offering anyone who pre-orders The Exact Opposite Okay an extra bonus scene from the book. You can read more below (or on Laura’s Tumblr) - unfortunately I couldn’t reblog the original post due to silly second-Tumblr rules!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Want to win a bonus chapter from THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF OKAY?💖👊🏻✨

Fancy hearing the hilarious story of how aspiring comedian, impoverished orphan and slut extraordinaire Izzy O’Neill lost her virginity? 💀🙊

If you preorder The Exact Opposite Of Okay before 7 March 2018 – and email proof of purchase to [email protected] – you’ll be sent a super exclusive BONUS SCENE on release day, exploring Izzy’s first time in painstaking detail 😈🔥

This scene won’t be available anywhere else, so the only way to find out how Izzy got the perfectly round bruise on her left buttcheek is by preordering The Exact Opposite Of Okay now 🎊✨

Preorder in the UK

Preorder internationally

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aspiring comedian Izzy O’Neill never expected to be eighteen and internationally reviled. But when photos involving her, a politician’s son and a garden bench emerge, the trolls set out to take her apart. Armed with best friend Ajita and a metric ton of nachos, she must figure out who’s behind the vicious website – while keeping her sanity intact.

Izzy is about to find out that the way the world treats girls is not okay. It’s the Exact Opposite of Okay.

This is a book for anyone who’s ever called themselves a feminist … and anyone who hasn’t.  

‘Funny, unapologetic and shameless in the best possible way, this is a YA heroine (and book) that you’ve never seen before’ - Louise O'Neill, award-winning author of Asking for It

'This book will make you laugh out loud, nod in agreement, cringe with recognition, and stand up and cheer. I adored it’ - Katherine Webber, author of Wing Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[alicerwb]

Moving on...

So I’ll cut to the chase: I’m leaving Tumblr.

Or at least my book blog is. I now have a new home over at Wordpress and that’s where I’ll be posting any new book reviews or bookish blog posts.

Even though I’ve moved everything over to the new blog (my ctrl-c/ctrl-v keys have never seen so much action!), I won’t be deleting the content that’s already here. So if anyone’s still interested in reading it in its Tumblr-y form, then go ahead. It’s not going anywhere.

Otherwise, I’ll be Reading, Writing and Blogging at:

 alicerwb.wordpress.com

The reason for my move? Well, you’ll just have to head over to my new blog for the full story. The main point is that - for a variety of reasons - I’ve fallen out of love with Tumblr. It just wasn’t working for me anymore as a home for my book blog.

I look forward to welcoming you to my new blog but I’m also on Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram if you want to get in touch that way.

Cheers,

Alice

[alicerwb]

One by Sarah Crossan

My rating:

5 of 5 stars

What an incredible book! I'd never read a book about conjoined twins before and found it really interesting and thought-provoking, as it's not a subject I know much about at all. Also, I loved that the book was written entirely in verse, this was also a first for me. It flowed so beautifully with no loss of feeling, no lack of detail despite the format. I read it in a day and can definitely see why this book has won so many awards. It's amazing, like a work of art.

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The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating:

5 of 5 stars

I bought this book ages ago but never got around to reading it. Now I'm questioning why I left it alone for so long! It gripped me from the first page with its intriguing characters and mysterious setting. The Raven Boys themselves are a close group of four distinctive characters; and Blue is a brilliant blend of eccentricity, curiosity and kindness. The story is told from several points of view, which I liked, though I found I favoured Blue's. My favourite scenes were those when Blue and the boys went exploring, particularly early on. I didn't even consider the plot twist halfway through until I read it. Also the last line of the book confused me, so I guess I'll need to buy the next book asap!

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Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

My rating:

4 of 5 stars

This book was just what I needed. Something light and fun but not at all shallow or meaningless. It was lovely to return to the seaside town of Colby, my favorite fictional town, and I didn't really want to leave (or finish reading this book). I'm sad that I'm running out of Sarah Dessen books to read now because they always make me so happy.

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Lady Susan by Jane Austen

My rating:

4 of 5 stars

This is a short, humorous book by Jane Austen that I have neglected for too long. It is very different from other Austen books as the main character is not respected or particularly nice and there is no real romantic storyline. With the exception of the conclusion, the whole story is in the form of letters (a format I love!) exchanged between family and friends on the subject of Lady Susan. An enjoyable little read.

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Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

My rating:

5 of 5 stars

Beautiful Broken Things was hard to put down. There's a steady build-up and a sense of things snowballing for the main characters, but it was never clear exactly where it was heading. The friendships and some of the family relationships are complex but still easy to relate to, and Caddy's reaction to it all seems realistic. There is no romance, which I found refreshing, and the book completely focuses on themes of friendships (including trust and jealousy), mental health and growing up. Sara Barnard also handles tough topics, such as abuse and depression, seemingly with ease but also with sensitivity. What I found really interesting was the discussion about what it means to be kind to someone; and how sometimes kindness might not always be what that person really needs.

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[alicerwb]

The Other Hand by Chris Cleave

My rating:

3 of 5 stars

I found this book interesting but at times distressing. It wasn't a cheerful read though there was some humour and some hopeful moments. I liked how the lives of these two women weave together, though I found Little Bee's story much more compelling than Sarah's. The latter didn't feel like a fully-formed character and I often found her quite irritating and difficult to relate to. I would have preferred to stick with Little Bee's point-of-view. Also, the ending confused me.

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[alicerwb]

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne

My rating:

4 of 5 stars

I am so glad that this book exists in the world. At times, I found it difficult to read but that was just because of my own experiences and not a reflection on the book at all. If anything, it just proves how brilliant Am I Normal Yet? is because the story was so realistic. I received my copy during World Book Night and the front cover says "this book is a gift". I completely agree. It's a book I want to share with people and say "please read this so we can talk about it". I loved all the feminist discussion, the creation of the Spinster Club and the strong female friendships it portrayed. I'm sure I'll be recommending it over and over.

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Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

My rating:

5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It is understated but brilliant; sweet and clever and heartbreaking. Set over a twelve-hour period, this book sees Clare and Aidan on their last night before college. The countdown throughout the book gave it a sense of urgency, a feeling that this couple are racing against time. It made a nice change to read about an established couple, who are reliving the best moments of their two year relationship. So many Young Adult books are about the beginning of romance - the build up - rather than the comfortable day-to-day reality of a long term relationship. I was impressed by the maturity that Clare and Aidan showed as they came to their decision. I cried a lot during the last few chapters, reminded of my own experiences, but I loved the open ending. This felt like grown up YA (almost NA) with the transition to adulthood almost complete. This is definitely a book I will re-read and I'll also be looking up Jennifer E. Smith's other books.

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Thanks to Headline for the opportunity to read and review.

[alicerwb]

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

My rating:

5 of 5 stars

Passenger is an amazing book. I loved the concept, imagining something like Treasure Island crossed with Doctor Who, but it was so much more and exceeded my high expectations. With this book, you don't just get to explore the culture of different parts of the world but also the culture of different times. Both Etta and Nicholas are born in New York but live almost 250 years apart, until the passages bring them together. I loved their relationship and how they seemed to understand each other despite their individual life experiences. Some of my favourite scenes include Etta and Nicholas' initial interactions on board the Challenger, their trip to wartime London and the cliffhanger ending. This book is a new favourite of mine and I am very excited to read Wayfarer next year.

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P.S. Old luggage trunks courtesy of the Mid Hants Railway.

[alicerwb]

The Second Love of My Life by Victoria Walters

My rating:

4 of 5 stars

This is absolutely a love story, but it's more than just a girl-meets-boy scenario. It's about love lost too soon, about finding - and learning to accept - new love, but also about the love Rose has for her family (or almost family) and her best friend; her love of painting, love for her cat (I adore Taylor!) and, of course, love of her home town, Talting. That is definitely what I liked most about this book. It could have easily just dealt with Rose's romantic storyline and forgotten all these other important parts of her life, but all those things needed to come together and be resolved before the inevitable (but very welcome) happy ending. This book is emotional, heart-warming and gentle with a heroine who is brave enough to love again after such a tragic event. A lovely contemporary read, perfect for summer.

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Thanks to Headline for the opportunity to read and review.

[alicerwb]

A few outtakes from my trip to St Andrews in Scotland last month with Lady Midnight for company.

This book is very photogenic! I think it’s possibly my favourite Cassandra Clare book cover to date.

I was rather excited to be by the seaside that day (even if it was very blustery) and I had just finished this amazing book. The result? I got a bit snap-happy!

[alicerwb]

Alice reviews World Book Day books

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

My rating:

4 of 5 stars

Cute and funny and smart and adorably geeky, this is everything you would expect of a Rainbow Rowell book but in miniature form. Loved it but wished there was more!

Spot the Difference by Juno Dawson

My rating:

3 of 5 stars

Another quick World Book Day read with a strong message about body image and the first YA I've come across to deal directly with teenage acne.

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Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

My rating:

4 of 5 stars

There seemed to be a lot of hype around this book and I think it lived up to most of it. It was very different from anything I've read recently and I liked that originality. The opening scenes were great: Amani immediately stood out as a strong protagonist and I became invested in her story straight away. There were a few moments early on when I got a little bored but this was mainly when Jin wasn't around. The chemistry and banter between Amani and Jin is brilliant - I'd recommend this book just for that - but there's also lots of action, lots of mystery and mythology. I think this book could have benefited from a map as I got a bit confused by the geography. I guess it would have been too spoilery at this stage but I'm hoping we'll get one for book two. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down at times, particularly near the end when there are a lot of twists and reveals in quick succession.

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P.S. Sand courtesy of West Sands (think Chariots of Fire) in St Andrews, Scotland. See also my Lady Midnight review.

[alicerwb]

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

My rating:

5 of 5 stars

Lady Midnight is everything you'd want from a Cassandra Clare book. In fact, it's everything you'd want from any book, ever. It's full of magic, mystery, action and romance, with heart-breaking twists and turns and lots of fun, interesting characters. This first installment of The Dark Artifices felt fresh and new, even though its the tenth novel set in Cassandra Clare's world of Shadowhunters. I loved every single character pretty much from the first page. Julian and Emma felt like characters I had known for a long time; they carried this story and look set to be the driving force for the series, taking the helm from Clary and Jace. Hard acts to follow but "Jemma/Blackstairs" are already firm favourites with me and Lady Midnight certainly lived up to my high expectations. As well as getting to know Emma, the Blackthorn family and their friends, there were also some lovely tidbits of information about the cast of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. I can't say much more without major spoilers, which is difficult, because this book is just so brilliant and all I want to do is talk about it. All I can really say is that I loved it and the double/triple/mulitple cliffhangers Cassandra Clare left us with were shocking, devastating, heart-breaking... and I cannot wait for Lord of Shadows next year!

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P.S The photo was taken on the approach to West Sands in St Andrews, Scotland (of Chariots of Fire fame). So much of Lady Midnight is set on the beach or by the sea that I wanted to use that as a theme... I didn’t quite make it to Los Angeles but Scotland still provided a good setting (though a tad more blustery, I imagine!)

[alicerwb]

An unexpected hiatus

Let’s face it, I was never going to be the world’s most efficient or prolific blogger. I work full time in an often demanding job, I’m trying to write a novel in any spare time I have and I’m also a painfully slow reader. However, I didn’t anticipate that I would have to abandon my blog for almost a month.

Four weeks ago today, I’d just come back from Edinburgh, where I’d spent the week reading, writing and researching. I’ve set my half-written novel in the city and wanted to confirm the details of some locations I’d written from memory and find new places to set important scenes.

I walked and walked that week, stumbling upon some amazing hidden-away places and also streets I wouldn’t want to walk alone at night. I sat in on a session at the Scottish Parliament, explored every inch of Calton Hill and photographed Charlotte Square from every possible angle. I mapped the footpaths leading up to Edinburgh Castle, found the old city walls and ate dinner in a pub called The Last Drop.

It was a brilliant week. I came home with lots of inspiration and was itching to get writing on my return. There was one problem: my computer wouldn’t start. I tried everything I could think of to fix it, taking it apart and putting it back together again, but eventually realised the problem was way beyond my skills set to fix and off it went for repair.

I wasn’t completely lost without it as I could still do some things (e.g. social media) on my phone. I also had an old netbook that I continued writing on but it wasn’t the best with it’s tiny keyboard and it was incredibly slow, not capable of doing much more than a simple Google search. Every time I tried to use Tumblr or Goodreads, it had a major tantrum.

So I was very relieved today to pick up my computer (with its new motherboard) and get back to my blog and my novel properly. I’ve really missed both and can’t wait to type up the ideas I have on paper. I also need to catch up on my book reviews.

Since I’ve been away from my blog I’ve been reading the following books:

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

The Evil We Love (Tales From The Shadowhunter Academy) by Cassandra Clare and Robin Wasserman

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Kindred Spirits (World Book Day) by Rainbow Rowell

Spot The Difference (World Book Day) by Juno Dawson

The Second Love Of My Life by Victoria Walters (still to finish)

I’ve got quite a back-log of reviews to get through so you’ll start seeing these in the next few days.