The Overflowing Library

I've not borrowed a huge amount from the library this month, most because I've had a lot of review books turn up. That said the books I did borrow were all brilliant Star by Star by Sheena Wilkinson Stella has always looked forward to changing the world. It’s what she was brought up to do, by a suffragette mother who knew all about fighting and rebellion. But it’s November 1918. The great flu pandemic sweeping the world has robbed Stella of her mother and her home, and she’s alone in a strange country, with an aunt she’s never met. But change is coming – the war is over, and women are about to vote for the first time. History is being made, but how can she help make it? As election day approaches, a day that will transform Ireland forever, Stella realises that she can indeed change the world. Not alone, and not all at once. But just as stars come one by one to brighten the night sky, so history is made person by person, girl by girl. I loved this book. It...

I have been a bit obsessed with Suffragette books of late and was very excited indeed to have two books drop through my door recently which were both YA books and focused on Suffragettes.   It’s 1912, and Mollie Carberry’s life in the relatively new middle class north Dublin suburb of Drumcondra seems very boring. Then she notices that her older sister Phyllis and the family’s maid Maggie are plotting something. They discover a stash of leaflets demanding votes for women. Phyllis has joined the suffragette cause! Will Mollie get involved too? And how far should a girl go for her beliefs?     Mollie Carberry is a suffragette! Well, sort of. Mollie and her best friend Nora have been bravely fighting for women’s rights – even though no one else really knows about it. But when they hear a big protest is being planned, they know they have to take part. If only they didn’t have to worry about Nora’s terrible cousin, her awful brother and her neigh...

Marty and Daisy spend their lives pretending. Marty pretends his mum's grip on reality isn't slipping by the day. Daisy pretends her parents aren't exhausting themselves while they look after her incurably ill brother. They both pretend they're fine. But the thing about pretending is, at some point, it has to stop. And then what? Eve Ainsworth writes really heartfelt and beautiful books which are incredibly thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed her previous books so had really high hopes for this and I'm please to announced that this was as good as I hoped. Tender is the story of Marty and Daisy both of whom are struggling acting. Marty's mum clearly has mental health issues which aren't being addresses and Daisy's parents are totally focused on her younger brother who is terminally ill. Both of them are trying to go on as normal but doing that is hard. For me this book really made me feel for both of the characters particularly because I suspect...

AJ’s grandfather has always been the one to keep his unusual family together, so when he dies things start to unravel at the edges. AJ is worried about his parents but they don’t really seem to notice. In order to deal with his grief and to keep his anxiety at bay, AJ does what he and his grandfather did best: running. Round and round the Olympic Park, aiming for the nationals, running to escape, AJ only seems to be heading ever closer to disaster. Running On Empty is a beautiful book about false starts and emotional journeys, with hope as the ultimate finishing line. I thoroughly enjoyed this thoughtful little book. Running on Empty is the story of AJ. AJ lives in East London, close to the Olympic park and is a runner. AJ's grandfather dies early on in the book and the story the follows shows how AJ deals with life without his rock. AJ has such a tough time because his parents both have learning difficulties. They are kind and loving people who work but they heavi...

I've read a ridiculous amount this month. As of the time of writing I'm onto book 50 of the year (not including the dozen or so I've DNFed). My TBR pile is seriously depleted and the library aren't getting new stock in quick enough. I desperately need some new books and these are some of those I have my eye on. It's a wrap by Perdita and Honor Cargill Elektra James is back and her life is more hilariously chaotic than ever! Elektra is hoping for big things this year... She's finished her first feature film (even if her character was unexpectedly killed off half-way through filming), hosted the party of the year (well, before her mum arrived and threw everyone out - how embarrassing!) and managed to become Archie Mortimer's Actual Real Life girlfriend (for now anyway...), so things are most definitely moving in the right direction. But with social media to navigate (#actinggoals #instanightmare), GCSEs looming and a seemingly never-ending par...