The Overflowing Library

As always a fab month for reading for me. Yay for the summer holidays 135) This Lulaby by Sarah Dessen 136) Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers 137) Cruel Summer by James Dawson (British Books Challenge) 138) Delirium by Dee Shulman (British Books Challenge) 139) Cross my Heart by Carmen Reid (British Books Challenge) 140) Double Crossing by Richard Platt (British Books Challenge) 141) Rolling Dice by Beth Reekles (British Books Challenge) 142) Blood Tracks by Paula Rawsthorne (British Books Challenge) 143) The One plus One by Jojo Moyes (British Books Challenge) 144) Picture me Gone by Meg Rosoff (British Books Challenge) 145) Rose under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (British Books Challenge) 146) Stay where you are and Leave by John Boyne 147) Tarnish by Katherine Longshore 148) Undeniable by Liz Bankes (British Books Challenge) 149) Hurt by Tabitha Suzama (British Books Challenge) 150) The Elites by Natasha Ngan (British Books Challenge) 151) Attachments by Rainbow Rowe

Rose under fire by Elizabeth Wein Published by Electric Monkey Goodreads Synopsis Rose Justice is a young American ATA pilot, delivering planes and taxiing pilots for the RAF in the UK during the summer of 1944. A budding poet who feels most alive while flying, she discovers that not all battles are fought in the air. An unforgettable journey from innocence to experience from the author of the best-selling, multi-award-nominated Code Name Verity. From the exhilaration of being the youngest pilot in the British air transport auxiliary, to the aftermath of surviving the notorious Ravensbruck women's concentration camp, Rose's story is one of courage in the face of adversity. My Thoughts Wow what a read. I'm not sure I can put into words how utterly fantastic Rose under Fire was but I'm going to give it a go. For those of you who read my reviews it is not secret that I wasn't a fan of Code Name Verity because I didn't get in with the method of

This month has been brilliant. I love August anyway as I'm always off work and I get to do lots of exciting things We decided to not go on a proper holiday this year to save a bit of cash so instead we have been on a few mini breaks away this year. The most exciting of which was this month when we went to Stratford upon Avon. We did all the touristy stuff throughout the days there including seeing all the Shakespeare houses in and around Stratford. I must admit I am not at all a Shakespeare fan but the historian in me loved going round the Tudor houses (and cringed a bit at the displays that said "this may have been Shakespeare's ring" etc) Whilst in Stratford we managed to see All's well that Ends well by the Royal Shakespeare Company which was excellent (and made me grumpy that we couldn't get tickets to see Richard II when David Tennant is in it). I do think Shakespeare needs to be seen to be appreciated. I hated reading Shakespeare at

The Sound by Sarah Alderson Published by Simon and Schuster Goodreads Synopsis When aspiring music journalist Ren Kingston takes a job nannying for a wealthy family on the exclusive island of Nantucket, playground for Boston's elite, she's hoping for a low-key summer reading books and blogging about bands. Boys are firmly off the agenda. What she doesn't count on is falling in with a bunch of party-loving private school kids who are hiding some dark secrets, falling (possibly) in love with the local bad boy, and falling out with a dangerous serial killer... My Thoughts I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved that it was a UKYA contemp as I often struggle to find contemps by British authors and I always find myself craving them. I loved the story by the end and I enjoyed the action and the mystery thriller aspect of the book. I enjoyed the setting and loved loved loved the bad boy of the piece Jesse. I loved every scene with him in. However for

Delirium by Dee Shulman Published by Penguin Parallon Trilogy #2 Goodread Synopsis Delirium is the gripping second instalment in the thrilling Parallon Trilogy that began with Fever - by award-winning author and illustrator Dee Shulman. Two worlds. Two millennia. One love . . . A fearless Roman gladiator. A reckless twenty-first-century girl. A mysterious virus unites them . . . Seth and Eva have survived the virus that brought them together, but when Eva's health deteriorates,they must find the source before it's too late. As more and more people succumb to the lethal fever, Seth must begin the perilous journey across time to try and stop its spread. But even he can't predict the devastating chain of events the virus has unleashed. A raging fever. A consuming passion. A love worth dying for My Thoughts For me this book was an interesting enough read but possibly a bit too much of a 'second book in a series' book for me to really get as much as

Rolling Dice by Beth Reekles Published by RCHP Goodreads Synopsis The second cool, sexy YA romance novel from seventeen-year-old Wattpad sensation and author of The Kissing Booth, Beth Reekles. They say that the higher you climb, the harder you fall - and Madison Clarke will do anything to keep her new life from crumbling to pieces. Moving from a small town in Maine to Florida, Madison grasps the opportunity to reinvent herself, to forget about those days of being a lonely, loser outcast, and jumps at the chance when the popular kids decide to take her under their wing. A hot boyfriend, parties, friends... If only there wasn't the slight problem by the name of Dwight, a cute, funny and totally nerdy guy in Madison's physics class who she can't help but enjoy spending time with. Running from her past and stumbling through the present, who knows what lies ahead in this new life in Florida? My Thoughts ... Beth Reekles is an author to watch out for. Her f

Frank, funny and fabulous the new romantic novel from Liz Bankes. Gabi is so excited she's spending the summer working as a runner on her favourite TV show. It's a dream come true! Plus it's perfect for for distracting her from The Break-Up especially with all those gorgeous actors around. And then there's Spencer Black: student, extra, expert flirt. Everything with him is fun, intoxicating and uncertain. Things between them are hotting up when he lands a minor role on the show. So is it make or break for them? Is Spencer undeniably the one for Gabi? My Thoughts I must admit I have got to the point where I'm wary about books that fall under the NA category and mostly only read this because I'd enjoyed the author's first book and because there are so few British authors writing books that could be considered NA and I do love championing British authors on my blog. I am delighted to say I loved this book. It was funny and full of heart.

1) To start tell us a bit about your new book undeniable.  Undeniable is the story of Gabi, a character who appeared in my first book, Irresistible. She’s funny, loud and a bit mad, but the story finds her completely out of her comfort zone. She’s left her friends for the summer to be an intern on a teen drama and is newly single. On her first day she meets Spencer, an extra on the show and a bit of a charmer. Meeting someone new was the last thing on her mind. But even if she is ready, can Spencer be trusted? 2) I love Gabi as a character. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing as her? I am so glad that you like her! I really wanted readers to like Gabi, more than any other character, because I like her so much. And I think when you’ve spent so long writing as the character, you get a bit protective! Gabi wasn’t initially going feature in Irresistible all that much, but she gradually began to take over and kept popping up in scenes! I loved thinkin

Gina is a runner. With her feet pounding the ground and her dad watching, she feels as though she can fly. But when her dad dies in dramatic circumstances, Gina refuses to accept the explanations she is given. Struggling to find the truth, Gina finds herself plunged into a world far removed from the one she has known; a world of lies, crime and betrayal. A world that will make her question everyone and everything around her. And a world she can't run from. My Thoughts Blood tracks is a gripping thriller from Paula Rawsthorne which is full of twists and turns and unputdownable. Blood tracks follows the story of Gina whose Dad has apparently committed suicide. However Gina isn't buying it and can't let it lie until she finds the truth. I literally couldn't read it fast enough as I found myself need to know what happened next. I liked how well paced the book was and how it kept me utterly hooked throughout as I needed to know what happened next. The sto

Brussels, 1940. Fifteen-year-old Nicole watches as the Nazis invade Belgium. Determined not to stand by as her country is brought to its knees, Nicole vows to fight back and joins the Belgian Resistance. Under her new alias - Coco - Nicole embarks on a dangerous new life as a spy, where the only question is not if you'll be caught, but when ... My Thoughts I was utterly engrossed by this book from the first to the last page. Cross my Heart is the story of 15 year old Nicole who, after the Nazis invade Belguim, joins the resistance to fight against them. I thought this book was a brilliant read and I couldn't read it fast enough. Nicole's story is awe inspiring and terrifying when you see the lengths she is willing to go to oppose the Nazis who are occupying her country. The way she was treated in the camp was really uneasy reading and made you awe struck when you saw her resolve to not give in to her oppressors. I must admit as a historian I do find somet

It's 1908, and David O'Connor, newly orphaned and alone in the world, has had to leave his home in Ireland to go and live with his uncle and aunt in America. His journey to New York and his new life there are tougher than David could ever have imagined, especially when he is harbouring a dark secret which he must take with him to his grave. His incredible story is recorded in his journal, complete with mementoes of his journey. My thoughts A really quick and engaging read which I really enjoyed. Double crossing is the story of David O'Connor who is orphaned and sent abroad to live with his Uncle in New York. It is a really interesting read as it shows the historical period off really well. I loved seeing the difference between the upper and lower classes and their differing experiences of life. I really loved the character of David as you follow his story from Ireland to America. A fabulous example of how historical fiction for teens shoul

What Writing Have a Little Faith Taught Me about Friends Good friends know when to lie and when to tell the truth Only your best mates can be relied on to know exactly when to make you feel better with a little fib, and when to break the painful truth to you. Great lies my friends have told me include: ‘It was delicious, I’m just not that hungry’; ‘It will grow back quickly’; and, ‘He’s probably just intimidated by your intelligence, and that’s why he refuses to talk to you, look at you, or wear that shirt woven from your own hair that you sent him’. Necessary truths my friends have (gently) told me include: ‘I’m not sure that acid yellow is your colour’; ‘You did sound just a tiny bit like a constipated donkey’; and, ‘I think you need a nap. But first you should put down that cocktail and take that saucepan off your head. And climb down from there. And let that poor cat go.’ When friends upset you it’s usually just a misunderstanding When you’re writing about frie

Scott Tyler is not like other teenagers. With a single thought he can alter reality around him. And he can stop anyone else from doing the same. That's why he's so important to ARES, the secret government agency that regulates other kids like him: Shifters. They've sent him on a mission. To track down the enigmatic Frank Anderson. An ex-Shifter who runs a project for unusual kids - as if the ability to change your every decision wasn't unusual enough. But Anderson and the kids have a dark secret. One that Scott is determined to discover. As his obsession with discovering the truth takes him further away from anyone he cares about, his grip on reality starts to weaken. Scott realises if he can't control his choices, they'll control him My Thoughts A cracking sequel to a really different series which I enjoyed. What I really liked about this book was that I didn't need to reread book one to get it. I've been struggling of late with sequels

Ever since I got my kindle, my bookshelves have looked much tidier. Here they are, in all their pared-down glory. They’re mostly organized alphabetically, except I found myself in the awkward position of having to shelve A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh between Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight and Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City, so I swirled some things around to fix bad book roommate situations like that one. Some notable objects on the shelves include: 1.      My phrenology bust (second shelf from the top, left side). I studied medicine in graduate school and actually did study the history of phrenology, which is a little bit like treating someone’s head as though it’s a tarot card, except it was used in the 19 th century primarily for reasons of racial stereotyping. Mr. Phrenology is sitting next to my collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. 2.      My brownie camera (third shelf from the top, left side). I love photography and have quite a collection of cameras. Th