Review: With The Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Emoni is seventeen, has a two year old daughter and is struggling to keep up in school - but she wants to be a chef more than anything. But trying to raise a two year old alone, living with a grandmother who suddenly has more doctors appointments, and a blossoming relationship that might be more trouble than it's worth, Emoni isn't sure that she can hold everything together...

This was a truly lovely book. This was different from anything that I have read before, but it was an excellent book that gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling by the end. I loved Emoni and her 'Buela - they are wonderful characters that were varied and kept the story interesting.

The selling point of this novel is the food woven throughout - recipes and references that are soulful and nourishing. This was a beautiful story, and I really enjoyed it.

Also - how stinking beautiful is this cover?!

Review: The Nursery by Asia Mackay

Alexis Tyler is a wife and mother, trying to hold everything together. But not only that, she is also an operative for the Government, saving the country on a daily basis and killing anyone who threatens the safety of the United Kingdom. But holding it all together is harder than it seems - her husband is starting to suspect her and the cracks are starting to show. Can she figure out how to balance a job that she loves and the family that she is desperate to hold onto?

This was a really great read. I didn't read the first one in the series, 'Killing It', but you didn't really need too - the story was separate from the first one and easy enough to pick up on it's own.

I really enjoyed the main character - Lex could easily be a real-life person, and the struggles in her day-to-day life are just so relatable, even if her job isn't. The storyline was gripping and definitely kept me hooked. The ending was excellent - I certainly didn't figure it out and it was a fantastic twist.

The story ends on a cliffhanger, suggesting that there's going to be a third book, and I'll definitely be looking out for it - this was a brilliant read.

Review: Summerland by Lucy Adlington

I read 'The Red Ribbon' by Lucy Adlington a couple of years ago, and I loved it so much that I was really excited to read this book, too. This was a wonderful book of journey, identity, and most importantly, love.

Brigitta has lost her mother to the war and is now being escorted to England with the Red Cross, where she hopes to find a new life. But more than that, she is also hoping to find answers to questions that she has had for many years. When she reaches Summerland, the large manor house that she will now call her home, she realises that she has been hiding for too long, and she is determined to be herself for the first time in a long time...

This was a truly lovely story, about a child looking for love and acceptance after being caught up in the horror of war. Brigitta hints at secrets that she is keeping throughout the book, and I could not have guessed at what those secrets were. What a twist! The ending of this book is hopeful and it was worth the read. Just excellent.