We Played with Fire blog tour

Maggie has witnessed impossible things. But no one believes her, and now her family has taken her away to spend the winter upstate in a remote, freezing farmhouse.

Bored and angry, Maggie and her younger sister Kate start to play tricks: rapping on the floorboards above their parents’ bedroom, cracking their toes under the table, and telling tales about noises in the night. Then the house starts to make sounds of its own. Neither Maggie nor Kate can explain it, but it seems as though someone – or something – is trying to speak to them . . .

Inspired by the incredible true tale of the Fox Sisters, the girls who made their fortune in nineteenth-century America by speaking to ghosts.

I loved the premise of We Played with Fire, and it delivered on everything I wanted! 

This book has such a fantastically creepy atmosphere. I've wanted to learn more about the mysterious Fox sisters for a while and this book really captured their story. I also enjoyed reading the author note at the end that explained how the real events fitted in with the narrative.

The characters in We Played with Fire are so interesting! They've all got different layers and qualities, both likeable and not so favourable ones. I really liked how the book used them to explore gender inequality and the importance of standing up for your beliefs. I wasn't expecting that dimension to the book, and it was really satisfying!

Thank you to Andersen Press for the Netgalley approval and for including me on the blog tour. You can follow the other stops on the blog tour using this banner. Happy reading!

 

The Girl Who review

Content warning: grief, trauma, witnessing violence

The girl who... survived

The girl who... inspires
The girl who... has something to hide

People can't bring themselves to say what happened to her. They just describe her as 'the girl who... you know...'. But nobody really knows, no one sees the real Leah.

Leah is the perfect survivor. She was seven years old when she saw her mother and sister killed by a troubled gang member. Her case hit the headlines and her bravery made her a national sweetheart: strong, courageous and forgiving.

But Leah is hiding a secret about their deaths. And now, ten years later, all she can think of is revenge.

When Leah's dad meets a new partner, stepsister Ellie moves in. Sensing Leah isn't quite the sweet girl she pretends to be, Ellie discovers that Leah has a plan, one she has been putting together ever since that fateful day. Now that the killer - and the only one who knows the truth - is being released from prison, time is running out for Ellie to discover how far Leah will go to silence her anger . . .

The Girl Who is one of those books that I spent all day thinking about until I got chance to read it again. It's a dark, engrossing story about a new family, a girl who has survived a terrible ordeal and how that event will shape her actions.

I read this book fast because I was desperate to find out what Leah was planning and whether she would go through with it. The slow reveal of information definitely kept my interest.

I also thought the multiple narratives were very effective. Each felt distinct and added valuable insights to the overall plot. The main characters in this book all have layers that I enjoyed uncovering!

This is a pacy, thrilling debut that comes out on 14th January, and I'd highly recommend it to thriller fans!

 

First Day of My Life blog tour

There are three sides to every story... It's GCSE results day. Frankie's best friend, Jojo, is missing. A baby has been stolen. And more than one person has been lying. Frankie's determined to find out the truth and her ex-boyfriend Ram is the only person who can help her. But they're both in for a shock... EVERYTHING is about to change.

Lisa Williamson is one of my go-to authors for contemporary YA. Her books are full of fierce friendships, believable characters and humour. 

I have a terrible memory for books I've read, but Lisa William's characters always stand out in my memory. They feel fully fleshed out, the dialogue is sharp and it quickly feels like you know them and their stories. I really enjoyed the friendship between Frankie and Jojo in this book. It's so authentic, with all of the good and bad that comes with it.

The structure of First Day of My Life is great! Using the perspectives of the three main characters worked really well, and I loved how the story unravelled slowly as they each got to say their piece.

I like books that have something in it that I can relate to. This book brought up so many emotions for me, and I thought the experiences in it were explored in an empathetic and balanced way. Even though I didn't agree with all of the characters' actions, I could understand them. 

This is a brilliantly written, uplifting book with memorable characters. I'd recommend it to all fans of YA contemporaries, and you should check out Lisa William's other books too.