kellysrambles's reviews
609 reviews

Girl, Ultra-Processed by Amara Sage

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I absolutely LOVED this book. I initially requested the arc not really knowing what to expect but having been attracted to both the cover and the blurb on NetGalley. Little did I know just how insanely relatable and lovable Saffron was going to be. 

Girl, Ultra-Processed is a YA contemporary novel all about insecurity, lack of self-confidence and it absolutely blows up diet culture and societal expectations. As a female who has always felt ‘fat’, Saffron’s character really resonated with me. The hours she spends with her social media feeds telling her she should be thin to be beautiful, that ‘fat’ girls shouldn’t wear certain clothes or that because she’s larger than others she simply *must* want to diet. I loved that this book explored all of these things but managed to ooze body positivity as we see Saffron grow and develop into a more confident version of her true self. 

The storylines were all written so well and interwove seamlessly into the book: really cute romance (although I would have liked to see more of what happens next!), family ups and downs, the trials and tribulations of friendships and especially how they change when you leave school. There’s social media pressure, catfishing, disordered eating, jealousy, love, friendship and self-acceptance. 

The characters are so well written that I truly adored Saffron, Veronica, Toby, Otis and little Rue whilst effortlessly disliking Jack. The way in which Saffron’s friendship with Veronica in particular developed and strengthened so naturally had me beaming. It was easy to relate to my own super natural friendships, those which develop simply because two people are meant to know one another and that’s what it felt like for those two. 

I am so pleased that I picked up this book and will absolutely be encouraging as many people as possible to read it. Saffron is a character I’ll be thinking about for a long time and I’ll be taking some of the messages away into my own conscience too. 

Thank you to Faber and Faber, Amara Sage and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s difficult to describe whether or not I ‘enjoyed’ reading this book because some pages were extremely difficult to stomach, but I also couldn’t put it down. 

Set in the 1970s during a time when pregnant teenage girls would be packed off to a ‘Home’ to be pregnant, give birth and have their babies taken away before returning to their own lives, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls packs a real punch. Fern is fifteen, pregnant and learning to adapt to her new life at Wellwood House. Surrounded by other teenage mothers, Fern and her friends Rose, Holly and Zinnia find themselves drawn to witchcraft, but do they really understand the consequences of such power? 

My favourite thing about this book had to be the friendship between Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly. The dialogue and relationship between these four is what kept my reading on even when the plot was quite slow at times. I truly cared for how their storylines would develop. 

A story all about feminine power and rage, I couldn’t help but feel full of anger and sadness at times. There are some extremely gruesome descriptions of pregnancy, child birth and body mutilation - some of which seriously made my stomach churn and I would advise avoiding this if you’re currently pregnant or dealing with any post-labour trauma. 

The true horror of this novel comes from the fact society allowed these places to exist and for these young girls to be stripped of their identities. 

Thank you to Pan MacMillan, Grady Hendrix and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Catch Your Death by Ravena Guron

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

31. Catch Your Death by Ravena Guron

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Really enjoyed this YA thriller! I thought the first half was great but then the second half properly blew me away! There were SO many plot twists. Then I was convinced I knew what was going to happen and it all changed again. Absolutely brilliant! 🔪

The Bad Seeds by C.J. Skuse

challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

30. The Bad Seeds by C J Skuse

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved this final instalment to the Sweetpea series. Packed full of the dark humour and edginess from our leading lady Rhiannon and plenty of action and suspense along the way. I can’t say my favourite thing about this one without spoiling the book! I absolutely love how this series ended! 

Thorn In My Side by C.J. Skuse

dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

29. Thorn in my Side by C J Skuse

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My favourite Bridget Jones-esque serial killer Rhiannon strikes again in this fourth instalment of the series! I was quietly delighted when she returned to her murderous ways. Loved Raf, love Rhiannon … just bought the next book to see what happens next! 

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

28. You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re into slasher horror then this book is definitely for you! Packed full of twists, turns and (quite a lot of) gore from the very first page. Definite creepy vibes and super fast paced to read - perfect for Halloween week! 

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll

inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

27. Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Such a cosy, wintery romance! Not my usual cup of tea but I adored Jasper and this story made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

❄️ ND representation 

❄️ Cosy town vibes 

❄️ Friendship, family and romance 

Reading this made me want to rewatch Gilmore Girls! 

The Examiner by Janice Hallett

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

26. The Examiner by Janice Hallett

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have loved everything Janice Hallett has written thus far and will continue to read upcoming releases but this one definitely fell a bit flat for me. I liked the unique format and I liked Jem as a character but it felt like such a long book for very little reason. Whilst I didn’t see the end coming, it also didn’t blow me away either. 

Hits Different by Lizzie Huxley-Jones, Tasha Ghouri

inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

25. Hits Different by Tasha Ghouri and Lizzie Huxley-Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m not usually a romance girlie but I loved this! Such a fun read and Cassie is such a lush protagonist. 

🌴 Deaf representation (I loved and learnt a lot from this!)
🌴 Toxic and healthy relationships
🌴 LGBTQ+ representation 
🌴 Lush friendships 

This book left me feeling all warm and fuzzy 🩷

Thanks to HotKey Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Last Seen Online by Lauren James

challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

24. Last Seen Online by Lauren James

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I flew through this - such a fun but intense YA murder mystery with an unhealthy dose of fandom. 

🌴 Mixed media keeping up the fast pace
🌴 Intense fandom and critique of social media/fame
🌴 Murder mystery with twists and turns

I loved the way the mystery was revealed to us as readers at the same pace as Delilah and Sawyer. A great read!