Becky's Book Reviews

What would you do if the bubble you’ve lived in all your life, is no longer big enough to contain all that you hope for? Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (first published in 2015 by Corgi) Purchase a copy on Raru.co.za Everything, Everything is a book that has been talked about and celebrated worldwide and it’s easy to see why. The book ticks all the right boxes in terms of diversity, concept and beautiful writing.  And yet, for all the fuss that’s been made about the book, I found myself merely liking it, as opposed to falling madly in love with it the way the rest of my fellow bookish peers have. Well, someone’s got to be the black sheep amongst the glow-y reviewers. Guess it just so happens to be my turn. Oh, there was the beginning flutterings that I assume most people feel when they first fall in love, but the more I read the book, the more I realised that sometimes you need more than a suspension of disbelief to be wholly invested in a novel. That, and the fact that this...

Gosh, it’s been a while since I’ve done (much less remembered to do) a Top 10 Tuesday feature, but when I saw this week’s topic, I just simply couldn’t resist. Brought to you by the fabulous bloggers over at The Broke and the Bookish , Top Ten Tuesday ( I’m choosing to do a top 5 this time around ) is a weekly meme featuring different bookish topic each week. This week we’re chatting about books we’ve loved by haven’t spoken about in a while – a subject that brings me so much joy because as fabulous as it is talking about all the new releases we love, there’s nothing better than potentially introducing a reader to a backlisted title that still deserves to be spoken about. So, in honour of this week’s topic, here’s my list of top 5 books I love, but haven’t spoken about in a while. 1. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler I’ve loved Sarah Ockler’s books since I first read Twenty Boy Summer and over the years that love for her writing has only increased. The Summer of Chasing M...

Hiya lovelies Today I’d like to welcome SA YA author, Joanne Macgregor to my blog today.  I’m pretty excited for today’s post because Joanne not only touches on a subject that is close to my heart and one that is relatable on every level, but Jo’s also generously made up a swag package filled with all sorts of goodies (including a signed copy of Scarred, her latest contemporary YA novel) and is offering one lucky reader the chance to win the entire hamper. I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent the majority of my teenaged years feeling like I don’t belong.  To me I was the ugly, fat and mostly friendless girl who was socially awkward and generally inept at anything relating to the development of any life skills whatsoever. And, truth be told, adulthood hasn’t changed my perception about myself much. I know. I know. We’re so ridiculously cruel to ourselves, aren’t we? Which is why I’m so glad for the post that Jo’s written today. Her book, Scarred features a protagonist who is ...

An unsettling tale that details what happens in the aftermath of a kidnapping gone wrong. Book summary: Goodreads First published in 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Source: Review copy received from the publisher via Netgalley Purchase a copy from Raru.co.za Julia knows she beat the odds. She escaped the kidnapper who hunted her in the woods for two terrifying nights that she can't fully remember. Now it's one year later, and a dead girl turns up in those same woods. The terrible memories resurface, leaving Julia in a stupor at awkward moments-in front of gorgeous Kellan MacDougall, for example. At least Julia's not alone. Her best friend, Liv, was in the woods, too. When Julia got caught, Liv ran away. Is Liv's guilt over leaving Julia the reason she's starving herself? Is hooking up with Shane Cuthbert, an addict with an explosive temper, Liv's way of punishing herself for not having Julia's back? As the devastating truth about Liv becomes...