Life has its ups and downs,
those bumps in the road,
just another bump,
won’t be forever,
trying to love myself again,
know I will get through,
will find a way,
always do,
will be helped,
always have been,
my anxiety is flaring,
guilt and shame,
regrets and stuck in a rut,
confusion and trying to be better,
I will be and I will get better,
just a bump in the road
of a long road,
just a bump.
Heartstopper Volume 2 (2019) by Alice Oseman is an excellent read.
In the second book of the series, Nick is nervous about being open about his sexuality so he and Charlie keep their relationship secret. We also meet many old and new characters who all play various roles in Nick and Charlie’s stories for better or for worse.
I think it is another incredible read. There are many characters of varying sexualities, romantic orientations and gender identities. Diversity is a major theme in this series in general. There is also racial diversity and age diversity. All of which I think is fantastic and so many people will see themselves in the characters which is wonderful. I find the way Nick’s story of being in the closet is written is beautiful. I love how caring both he and Charlie are towards each other and are always thinking of each other’s feelings. It warmed my little Queer heart. 🙂 It is wonderful that Nick was under no pressure to come out or be forced out because no one ever should feel that. That is a great message of the book. Bullying is also an important theme which is covered in the book as Charlie struggles with the bullying he receives from some of Nick’s friends.
I love the friendships in the book especially Charlie’s friendship with Tao. The scene where Tao is really looking out for him was great. Some great new couples too with Tao and Elle and Darcy and Tara. As always love the relationship with Nick and his Mum.
To get your free copy of Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman go to:
For more about Alice Oseman and her work go to:
90 Classic Books For People In A Hurry (2009) by Henrik Lange is a fun read.
The book has comic strips about 90 classic books. The comic strips are created very well and are fun. I think it is a really creative book and way to present the books and get people interested in them. Or to get a quick synopsis of several books.
The book also contains a list of the 90 books which is helpful as a checklist if you wish to challenge yourself to read the 90. There are a certain amount I have read but so many I haven’t and I would love to read many more of these.
Witty and joyful.
To purchase 90 Classic Books For People In A Hurry by Henrik Lange go to:
For more about Henrik Lange and his work go to:
I want to grow,
craving growth,
fearing growth,
I welcome it
but I run from it,
will I still like myself
when I learn more?
Will I still like myself
when the denial is over?
But oh how freeing it will be,
welcome growth,
welcome,
welcome,
welcome growth,
save me,
change me for the better,
little step by little step,
growth,
change,
love,
freedom.
Heartstopper Volume 1 (2019) by Alice Oseman is a fantastic introduction to the series.
The protagonists Nick and Charlie meet at Truham Grammar School for Boys. Nick had heard of Charlie who was outed the year before while Charlie is recovering from the bullying he faced after he was outed. He is also facing a toxic situation with an ex-boyfriend. Instantly the two hit it off.
I think the book is beautiful and romantic. They are so suited and so cute together. I love how the comic has a bit of everything in it from the fluffy and romantic adorableness of their relationship to hard-hitting issues like outing someone before they are ready, bullying and sexual harassment. The drawings really bring the story alive and readers will be engrossed all the way through. It’s great to see books like this in the Young Adult genre especially for young Queer readers to see themselves in.
An amazing and must-read.
To get your free copy of Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman go to:
For more about Alice Oseman and her work go to:
Bedroom DJ: A Beginner’s Guide (2003) by Piper Terrett is a wonderful read.
The story is a mixture of Piper’s story of getting into djing and interviews with others in the business. I find Piper’s writing style very conversational and fun. There isn’t a pretentious feel to the story but rather a very relatable story of trying something new and encouragement that you should. The interviews are very interesting.
There is a lot of tips packed in here. So much history of djing too which was intriguing. It had a nostalgic vibe to it as well which was interesting to compare to the modern world of djing. So different but still the same in many ways. Very interesting to read Piper’s story of being a female DJ in what often is a male-dominated world even to an extent now. I loved reading how she made her breakthrough and all the graft and hurdles she overcame to do so. It goes to show if you put the work in and want something enough you can make it a reality even as a beginner and that it’s never too late to go after your dreams.
A really enjoyable read.
To purchase Bedroom DJ: A Beginners Guide By Piper Terrett go to:
For more about Piper Terrett and her work go to:
Usborne: Money For Beginners (2021) by Eddie Reynolds, Matthew Oldham & Lara Bryan is a really helpful book which is part of Usborne’s For Beginners series.
There is so much to learn in this book. You can learn about various different money-related topics such as stocks, shares, bitcoin, commercial banks, Islamic banks, central banks, retail banks, credit ratings, managing debt, giving to charity and a host of other things. The book gives a history of money too. The information is very well-presented and accessible. It was very interesting, really intriguing. Money can often be quite a complex topic but this book makes it all very simplified and accessible for all. The illustrations by Marco Bonatti were incredible and really helped with getting the information in the book across.
The book has seven interesting chapters dealing with different areas regarding money and financial matters in general. This is followed by an intriguing What’s Next? section and a helpful glossary to help readers with the many financial terms which are presented throughout the book. This book makes the topic of money much less daunting for all ages.
An excellent and extremely helpful read.
To purchase Usborne: Money For Beginners By Eddie Reynolds, Matthew Oldham & Lara Bryan go to:
For more about Eddie Reynolds and his work go to:
https://usborne.com/gb/authors/eddie-reynolds
For more about Matthew Oldham and his work go to:
https://usborne.com/gb/authors/matthew-oldham
For more about Lara Bryan and her work go to:
https://usborne.com/gb/authors/lara-bryan
For more about Marco Bonatti and his work go to:
Heartstopper Volume 4 (2021) by Alice Oseman is a fantastic read from the author’s Heartstopper series.
The book follows Charlie and Nick who are now dating but haven’t yet told each other they love each other. There is also a lot of other things going on in both of their lives. Charlie has an eating disorder and Nick is worried about him. Nick also is preparing to come out to his Dad.
I found this a great read and the illustrations combined with the story worked really well. The attention to detail in the illustrations is really great. There are some very important themes in this food like eating disorders, mental health, coming out and the meaning of love. I think there are great characters in the book with the main two characters and their families and friends. The interactions flow very smoothly and the plot moves along very well. There is a lot of serious issues in the book as well as a lot of romance and humour too. I particularly love Nick’s Mother who reminds me a lot of my sister with how she advises him. It’s a beautiful story and I enjoyed reading it.
There is also a teachers mini-comic about the love story of two of the teachers in the school which I found very good too. There is also an interesting overview of the characters and a fun Instagram part with Charlie, Nick and their friend Tao. The book also contains a very helpful list of mental health resources.
An amazing read. A must read.
To purchase Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman go to:
For more about Alice Oseman and her work go to:
Nought Forever (Noughts & Crosses) (2019) by Malorie Blackman is an excellent read. The book was written for World Book Day in 2019 and is a Noughts & Crosses story.
The book tells the story of Dan who is trying to get away from a gang who are trying to kill him. He ends up on Eva’s lawn after he is attacked. Eva is in a bad place after the death of her daughter. She decides to help him and brings him into her home. She helps to fix up the injured Dan and is faced with a dilemma about whether to protect him or not.
I think it is beautifully written. Very thought-provoking. There is so many themes here which all connect together of hate, prejudice, pain, revenge, regret, accountability, shame, guilt and grace. A very emotional read and there is so much packed into this short read. I liked both characters and I hoped for a resolution for them both. They both seemed to be searching for peace but didn’t seem to know how to get there. There was a lot of pain and hate in the way. That’s what it felt like to me. They were trying to overcome their past, their mistakes and their regrets and it was a long journey for both.
There are also some sneak peaks from the author’s book Crossfire from the Noughts & Crosses series as well as a sneak peak from Emily M. Danforth’s book The Miseducation Of Cameron Post. From the sneak peaks, both seemed really good reads.
An excellent read. A must read.
To read Nought Forever (Noughts & Crosses) by Malorie Blackman go to:
For more about Malorie Blackman and her work go to:
Phoebe The Fashion Fairy (2005) by Daisy Meadows is an enjoyable read. The book is the sixth book in the authors’ series The Party Fairies.
The book tells the story of Kirsty and Rachel who are going to their friend Charlotte’s birthday party. But Charlotte’s dress for the party has been destroyed with green paint by a goblin. Charlotte’s Mother takes the dress to the dry cleaners leaving Kirsty and Rachel to get the cakes together for the party. And while they do this, they have another secret mission to find the goblin. They soon encounter Phoebe The Fashion Fairy whose magic bag has been stolen. Therefore she can’t create party dresses for them. Can the three of them save the day?
I found the book very entertaining. The whole fashion theme was just fabulous. The characters were very likeable and the plot moved along smoothly with great suspense. I thought it was joyful and fun and I love the attention to detail throughout. The illustrations by Georgie Ripper are superb too and really add to the enjoyment of the story.
A great read.
To purchase Rainbow Magic: Phoebe The Fashion Fairy (The Party Fairies) by Daisy Meadows go to:
For more about Daisy Meadows and their work go to:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Daisy-Meadows/191732327
Narinder Dhami
https://www.instagram.com/narinderdhami
Sue Bentley
Linda Chapman
http://www.lindachapmanauthor.co.uk/
Lucy Diamond
Karen Ball
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/74999/karen-ball
Marilyn Kaye
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Kaye
For more about Georgie Ripper and her work go to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgie_Ripper
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