A Message of Hope, Faith and Growth in View of an Amazing Mental Health Rep! |ARC Review: The Pieces of Ourselves by Maggie Harcourt

Flora doesn’t do people”, not since the Incident that led to her leaving school midway through her GCSEs. The Incident that led to her being diagnosed with bipolar II. The Incident that left her in pieces. Until Hal arrives. He’s researching a story about a missing World War I soldier, and he wants Flora’s help. Flora used to love history before the Incident, but spending so much time with Hal is her worst nightmare. Yet as they begin to piece together the life of the missing soldier, a life of lost love, secrets and lies, Flora finds a piece of herself falling for Hal.

Brilliantly Thought Out & Putting Across an Important Message to Middle Graders <3 | ARC Review: Nothing Ever Happens Here by Sarah Hagger-Holt

“This is Littlehaven. Nothing ever happens here. Until the spotlight hits my family.”

Izzy’s family is under the spotlight when her dad comes out as Danielle, a trans woman. Izzy is terrified her family will be torn apart. Will she lose her dad? Will her parents break up? And what will people at school say? Izzy’s always been shy, but now all eyes are on her. Can she face her fears, find her voice and stand up for what’s right?

A Middle Grade Fiction With A Well Developed Mystery To Hook You Right Till The End <3 | ARC Review: The House of One Hundred Clocks by A.M. Howell

JUNE, 1905.

Helena and her parrot, Orbit, are swept off to Cambridge when her father is appointed clock-winder to one of the wealthiest men in England. There is only one rule: the clocks must never stop.

But Helena discovers the house of one hundred clocks holds many mysteries; a ghostly figure, strange notes and disappearing winding keys… Can she work out its secrets before time runs out?

“Fans of Emma Carroll will adore this historical tale of derring-do and righted wrongs.” – The Times on The Garden of Lost Secrets

Flawlessly Composed; Fiercely Hopeful and Absolutely Relatable <3 | ARC Review: Jemima Small Versus the Universe by Tamsin Winter

Jemima Small just wants to be like other girls. She hates being called “Jemima Big”, being forced to join the school health group – aka Fat Club – and that she can’t apply for her favourite TV show without worrying everyone will laugh. But she also knows that the biggest stars in the universe are the brightest. So maybe it’s her time to shine.

A brilliantly funny and touching new novel exploring big issues of bullying, body confidence and, most importantly, learning how to be happy with who you are.

First Love; *Im*Possible Dreams and Teenage Drama all Packed Together | ARC Review: Awake In The World by Jason Gurley

A boy, a girl, an impoverished oil town, and a star-crossed romance saved by the fight for survival.

As the sun sets off the coast of the small California town of Orilla del Cielo, you can see the silhouettes of the oil rigs. Their shadows look jarring against the serene backdrop, their sharpness a reminder of unfulfilled promises. To Zach, they are a reminder of loss—his father, an oil worker who drowned years before. With a poor family struggling to make ends meet, Zach’s future feels equally bleak. Until he meets Vanessa, an optimistic girl whose sights are literally set on the stars. Inspired by her idol, Carl Sagan, she plans to study astronomy at Cornell. But as oil prospectors in search of black gold know, the future is uncertain . . . and fortunes can always be flipped.

Jason Gurley delivers a gorgeous debut young adult novel about dreams and believing in love—and yourself—to reach them.

ARC Review: The Wild Folk by Sylvia Linsteadt

When the Star-Priest Brotherhood from the City threaten to ravage and destroy the land of the Wild Folk, their only hope rests with two young hares and their human companions – Tin, an orphan City boy with a passion for invention, and curious Country girl Comfrey. In this magical quest, to protect the precious stargold that runs through the land, Tin and Comfrey must complete seemingly impossible tasks set by the mysterious and terrifying Wild Folk – each stranger than the last – to find the one who holds the secret to saving their world.

The Wild Folk is a timeless adventure, weaving fantasy and folk lore into an enchanting tale that will fill you with wonder. The first in a duology, with a dash of Ursula Le Guin, a pinch of Frances Hardinge, and a generous helping from C.S. Lewis, this is a future classic, filled with unforgettable and diverse characters, and a story to be read time and again.

ARC Review: Girls for the Vote by Linda Newbery

When thirteen-year-old Polly befriends two suffragettes in the top floor flat at 6 Chelsea Walk, she finds herself questioning the views of those around her. The Votes for Women campaign strikes a chord with Polly and she becomes determined to join the suffragettes’ protest march, even if it means clashing with her family…

A perfect blend of history and story-telling, illuminating women’s place in history and introducing this to today’s readers.

ARC Review: The Unpredictability of Being Human by Linni Ingemundsen

Meet Malin, a fifteen-year-old who sees the world differently. Malin knows she couldn’t change much about her life, even if she got to play God. Her dad would still yell all the time – especially as Malin is still friends with Hanna, the girl she met shoplifting. Her mum would still say a glass of wine is good for her heart – and Mum needs it, with Malin’s brother, Sigve, getting into trouble all the time. And Malin would still be Malin. Because she can’t be anybody else.

In a voice bursting with immediacy and truth, Malin shares the absurdities of growing up and fitting in as her family struggles with the buried pain of mistakes made and secrets kept.

Profound, compassionate and as funny as it is dark, Malin’s story is an offbeat examination and celebration of the brutal, bizarre and beautiful unpredictability of being human.

If you love the freshness and honesty of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the emotional depth of John Green, and the irreverent wit of Little Miss Sunshine, push this to the top of your TBR pile.