Blog, Recs

Here’s some books about disease

Hi and hello.

I am happy to report that I survived my first week back at uni. Because it’s been 8 months since I was last here I feel like a fresher trying to get used to living alone again! Obviously over the summer I was constantly around my family and working, and then in the USA you’re just never alone because you have a roommate and eat with people in a dinning hall.

Right now though I’m getting used to just being by myself again … and cooking for myself. My meals this first week have been atrocious: salad, pot noodle two days in a row, microwave meal, tortellini with pesto (first and only decent meal), cereal.

While I may not be loving my meals, I do think I’m gonna enjoy my classes this semester. I’m doing Scriptwriting, Working With Words – a mandatory publishing module where I’m on the blogging team – and finally, the inspiration for today’s list of recommendations, Sick Novels – all about illness and disease in literature.

Today I’m going to be giving some recommendations for YA books that deal with some sort of disease and illness!


Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

I have a fair few irrational fears including clowns, undercooking chicken (even when it’s very clearly cooked), being kidnapped by any white van I see parked in the streets. Thanks to Andrew Joseph White I can now add “religious groups unleashing a a monstrous disease and wiping out the human population” to that list.

The disease in question in this novel basically liquifies your organs. That’s not even the worst part because once you’re dead you and other dead bodies around you can basically meld together to form a monster that this religious group controls. Every single description in this book was so gross and gruesome. I loved it!


A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Tears are close to strolling down my face just thinking about this book which is to be expected when you have a child who’s mother is dying of Cancer as the main character and a giant tree monster is visiting him each night and telling him some very odd stories.

Of all the novels that I’m going to include on this list of recommendations, this is the book that most represents what the friends and family go through when a person is sick.

I re-read this for a class last semester and ended up writing an essay which partly focused on Conor and his grief so I think since then I just have a special place for this book in my heart. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t picked it up yet. Make sure you have a box of tissues on hand.


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My favourite books of 2022!!

Happy New Year everybody!!!

On one hand I’m terrified at how quickly time is flying, but on the other hand I’m really looking forward to everything coming up this year – concerts, finishing second year of uni, applying for an internship, paris (fingers crossed). I’m also looking forward to the 2023 reading year.

Before I get too excited and ahead of myself though, I have to talk about my favourite books of 2022!

I read a lot of books this passed year and while I could have had a couple honourable mentions, the best of the best were not hard to pick out.

I’m just going to be going in order of when I’ve read these. I do not have the mental capacity or energy to actually put them in numerical order :))


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Books I’d gift the Heartstopper Characters

Hello.

Gift giving is stressful. This year it’s been even worse for me because I’ve been out of the damn continent and when I got back all I wanted to do was sleep. Genuinely considered giving my friends IOU’s but thankfully I managed to scramble together a little something.

As a reader, books are my go to gifts whether that be gifting or asking for them on my own wishlist. For some reason, the other day when I was bored I sat down and thought about what books I’d give certain book characters which leads us to today where I will be talking about which books I would hypothetically gift the Heartstopper characters.

This is just something fun and festive. With how insanely popular this series – the books and the Netflix adaption – has become this year, it just feels apt to be talking about these guys.


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It’s spooky season! Here’s what you should read.

Hey and hello, happy Halloween weekend!!

I have no idea what I’m going to be doing this weekend. There’s a bunch of parties all over campus that I’m sure I’ll end up being dragged to. Honestly, I’m good with staying in bed all weekend watching scary movies and reading on-theme books.

If, like me, you’d rather spend the night inside then I have a list of recommendations for books that would be perfect to read this weekend. (Or just whenever. These are all good books!)



I feel like a lot of these are quite popular, but still, in the spirit of Halloween I’m going to keep things mysterious and just give a super brief overview of each book and let you make your own mind by reading them!

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Blog, Recs

Books to read instead of binging Criminal Minds (again)

Hi, happy Monday 👋 

The past three weeks I have channeled my love for Criminal Minds into various blog content. First we had my own TBR for books to fill the void, then we had the book tag, and finally, this week I have actual recommendations!


None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney

When I think of serial killers I think of America, specifically America in the 70’s and 80’s. What was in the water back then that turned everyone so murderous? Really hope whatever it was is gone because I’m in small town America right now and I don’t wanna be murdered.

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I miss Criminal Minds so I’m going to read these books

Hello and howdy.

Over the summer I achieved a major life goal: I completed Criminal Minds. 15 seasons, 324 episodes and I have watched every single one of them, most of them more than once. I’ve been working towards this since I was 13 years old. To say I’m proud of myself is an under statment.

To celebrate, and also apease the part of me that wants to go back and re-watch this show already, today marks the first of three Criminal Minds related posts!!

Today I’m going to talk about the books on my TBR and on my wishlist that have that murder and mystery vibes. Basically the books I’ll read until I’ve forgotten enough specifics of Criminal Minds episodes and I can watch it again.



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🌧grumpy/sunshine🌞 I still love you!

Hey and hello 👋

Last year I shouted my love for the Grumpy/Sunshine romance trope from the rooftops, specifically in a dedicated post where I read three books with this aspect. I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing those books and have wanted to do it again ever since.

And now the time has finally come and today I’ll be reviewing Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert and The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren.

I was meant to also include It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey but I got 60 pages in and couldn’t do it anymore. I wasn’t loving the characters or the plot and had to DNF it, at least for now. I might go back to it, I might now. If it get’s better and is actually worth reading, please let me know down in the comments 🙂

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

I’m gonna start off by saying that I don’t think I’ve ever laughed out loud (lol-ed as the kids say) so much while reading a book in my life. From page one this book had me in literal stitches which is exactly what I needed to get me out of my mini book-slump.

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Books I wanted to recommend for my YA Lit class

Hello. I’m writing to you from the back of my YA Lit class. Last week we had to propose a book to add to the sylabus to read this month and I recommended As Many Nows as I Can Get by Shana Youngdahl … and it was just voted in.

I recommended this book for various reasons: it’s a story about that transition from high school to college with these characters reailsing that, while they were the stars in their hometown, they’re now just another fish in the sea. We see these characters battle with drug addictions – as an addict and as somebody close to an addict, and it also has a teen pregnancy plotline. While many serious topics are brought up, it’s never glamourised and always depicts a realistic representation of such things.

The other reason I recommended it is because I just loved this book and will happily take any opportunity to read it again or force other people to read. Now, however, I’m scared that (if the bookstore is able to stock it), my class is going to read it and hate it.

So anyways, this is the book I proposed and it was actually my first choice but it has made me think: what other YA books would I recommend for this class?


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Quick & easy books to read while travelling!🌍

Hello and howdy.

This weeks blog posts revolve around one common theme: travelling, which is why I come to you today with a list of recommendations that I think will be perfect to read while you’re out exploring the world.

In my eyes the best books to read while travelling are the ones that are quick and easy. They drag you in and don’t let go until you’ve finished, preferably just in time for landing, so that’s what we’re gonna narrow down this list of recomendations.


Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I could sit here and recommend you every single one all Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ books because they all fit the criteria of “quick and easy” but I’m going with her Debutantes duology.

I feel like most people travel for their summer holidays and this definitely has the better summer vibe. It follows a girl who’s convinced to take part in the Debutant season by her grandmother in exchange for college tuiton, but along the way she uncovers so many family secretes.

It honestly blends the best parts of a soap opera with the best parts of a YA mystery, elevated even more by Barnes’ talent for writing thriller style novels. Cannot recommend this one enough.


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F/F Recommendations 🌈💕

Hello.

Today I come to you with a list of really great books that feature prominent F/F characters and romances. I’m sure you’ve probably heard about all of these books already but I’m gonna talk about them anyways because I love them your honour!



A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee – Dark Academia lesbians who are investigating their schools history of witchcraft and murder. Make sure you have a cup of tea when you read this one.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenksins Reid – Evelyn and Celia are the definition of soulmates.

Afterlove by Tanya Byrne – That awkward moment when your girlfriend dies and turns into a Grim Reaper. In all honesty though this book made me cry.


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