Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Corgi
Release Date: 1st September 2015
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult

Summary:
Maddy is allergic to the world, and has lived in a bubble-world inside her house for seventeen years.

Review:
I loved this book for so many reasons.

Firstly, the characters. The main character, Maddy, is loveable, innocent and so intriguing. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Author: J. K.  Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne
Publisher: Little, Brown
Release Date: 2016
Genre: Screenplay, Young Adult, Fantasy

Summary:
Alongside the premiere of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play in the West End, the screenplay has also been released  alongside it. The play takes place nineteen years after the last Harry Potter book and follows the adventures of the next generation of Hogwarts students including Harry's son, Albus Potter.

Review:
I was fortunate enough to get tickets to see a preview performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child before it's opening night. I therefore already knew the play and its' plot. However, I wanted to read the screenplay too as (obviously) I wanted to have the complete collection of Harry Potter books and to see what those fans who did not get tickets to see it, would read and how they would compare. There was a big difference.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Author: Douglas Adams
Publisher: Pan
Release Date: 23rd June 1997
Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult, Classics

Summary:
The journey into deep space continues for Arthur Dent, and the crew of the Heart of Gold. But first it is time for food! And where else would they go but Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe?

Review:
I absolutely loved the first book in the series (which can be found here) so decided to continue reading to see what happens next. However, whilst the series seemed promising at first - I found the second instalment kind of boring.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Leuithan

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green and David Leuithan
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: 6th April 2010
Genre: Young Adult

Summary:
Will Grayson is a socially awkward teen who struggles to fit in. On an unremarkable night, he meets a stranger who turns his world upside down. The stranger he meets is called Will Grayson. Whilst the two Will's are very different, they soon realise that they can learn from, and help, each other to help realise their dreams.

Review:
What I really love about John Green books is that you can completely turn off and not think because they are so easy to read and understand. Will Grayson, Will Grayson did not disappoint and I found this to be such an easy read.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
Publisher: Pan
Release Date: 27th September 1995
Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult, Classics

Summary:
On an average Thursday afternoon, Arthur Dent's world is turned upside down and destroyed. It starts with his house being demolished and ends up with him travelling through hyperspace with his alien pal, Ford.

Don't panic though - this is all for research for the latest edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Review:
I was looking for a new young adult fiction series to follow and thought it would give The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a try as, after all, it is a classic piece of science fiction.

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

Title: Library of Souls
Author: Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk
Release Date: 22nd September 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

Summary:
Jacob, and his peculiar friends, are in London in search of their beloved Miss Peregrine and friends. They soon find themselves in Devils Acre searching the labyrinth of alleys. However, Jacob soon becomes a hot commodity as more and more people learn about his ability putting Emma and their quest in jeopardy.

Review: 
Library of Souls  is the final instalment (I believe and hope!) in the Miss Peregrime's Peculiar Children series (reviews of the other two books Miss Peregrime's Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City can be found here and here). I have a few issues with the series in general, like that it seems to be tailor made for adaptations for films (which is not necessarily a good thing) and the story seems to have been dragged out over three books just for the sake of it.

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Title: Hollow City
Author: Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk
Release Date: 24th February 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Fantasy

Summary:
After fleeing their beloved island, Jacob and his peculiar friends journey to London in search of help for Miss Peregrine. However, can they stay ahead of the army of hollows and wights on their heels?

Review:
I read a book (finally)! I got Hollow City, the sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (review can be found here), back in October for my birthday and thanks to the Christmas break - I have finally gotten around to reading it.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines
Author: John Green
Release Date: 21st September 2006
Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Summary:
Colin Singlton has dated nineteen girls, who were all named Katherine. All nineteen of these relationships have ended in heartbreak.

In an effort to get over the heartbreak of the latest Katherine, he goes on a road trip to nowhere with his bestfriend, Hassan. Ever the genius, Colin tries to prove an underlying theorem to help predict the future of any relationship and help Dumpees everywhere.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 3rd March 2005
Genre: Young Adult

Summary:
After transferring to a boarding school after being a social recluse, Miles Halter's world is turned upside down when he meets the crazy and beautiful Alaska Young.

The former social recluse, Miles's heart is stolen as he is drawn into Alaska's world of rule-breaking and pranks.

Review: 
Looking for Alaska was John Green's (author of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns - reviews here and here) debut novel, all the way back in 2005.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk
Release Date: 7th June 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Fantasy

Summary:
Jacob grew up surrounded by the weird and marvelous stories his grandfather told him of peculiar children with weird powers. However, when Jacob witnesses a monster murdering his grandfather - the stories he was told as a boy become a mysterious reality.

Clues lead Jacob to an island in Wales, where he discovers; a peculiar orphanage, his grandfather's past and the monstrous danger he was running from his whole life.

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

Title: Foxglove Summer

Author: Ben Aaronovitch
Publisher: Gollancz
Release Date: 13th November 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-fi

Summary: 
Peter Grant is back for the fifth installment in the Rivers of London series, in which we find him venturing out of the smog of London to rural Herefordshire to investigate the disappearance of two young girls.

At first it seems that Peter's magical abilities are not required, but upon further investigation a history of mysterious events have led up to present day and Peter steps in to bring order to the countryside.

Harry Potter: The Creature Vault by Jody Revenson

Title: Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
Author: Jody Revenson
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: 28th October 2014
Genre: Non-Fiction

Summary:
Behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films, hundreds of talented people worked hard to bring the creatures in J. K. Rowling's wizarding world to life. Harry Potter: The Creature Vault looks at the methods and techniques they used to capture the imaginations of millions across the world.

Review:
I love everything Harry Potter. The books. The films. Everything. And as I have always found the way the films were created fascinated (I've been to the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour five times...) I was eager to read this book to learn a bit more about the series.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Chicken House
Release Date: 6th October 2009
Genre: Young Adult

Summary:
All Thomas knows is his name when he is transported into the centre of dangerous and puzzling maze. Confronted by an army of boys who have been testing and running the maze for two years, Thomas soon realises that escape is seemingly impossible.

However, everything changes with the arrival of a mysterious girl who brings a message that their little world is in danger, and to live they must find a way out and soon.

Paper Towns by John Green

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: 13th December 2013
Genre: Young Adult

Summary: 
Margo Roth Spiegelman is a mystery, to even her friends.

So when she wakes her neighbour Quentin, who has secretly been in love with her since they were nine, up in the middle of the night and takes him on an adventure around Orlando, Florida - he is left baffled.

Her unhappiness with her life is so made clear, when the next day she disappears without a trace and it is left to Quentin to find her.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 22nd October 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi

Summary: 
As the pressure builds between the factions in the city, Tris and Four make a break for it and venture where no one has gone before.

But will they find what they are looking for? Or will their new home bring more destruction, death and loss?

Review: 
Well, after the disaster that was Divergent (view my review here) and the redemption that was Insurgent (view my review here) I was not sure what to expect from Allegiant. However, I found myself unable to put it down and ended up getting quite burnt whilst reading in on a sunny afternoon!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 6th November 2013
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Summary:

Unrest is tearing the long-established faction system apart and the ideologies of those in power is corrupting Tris's family, friends and world.

Haunted by the horrors of the last simulation, Tris must carry on and fight for the right cause, whichever that is.

But will she survive and at what cost?

Review:

Okay so I was not a big fan of the first book in the Divergent series (which you can read here) but I watched the filmed and loved it.

My Madder Fatter Diary Vol. 2 by Rae Earl

I have found my favourite place to read. Only problem - it is approximately 5,000 miles away, on the other side of the world. Doh!

Last week I went to visit my boyfriend who is currently on a Study Abroad placement at California State University: Long Beach. So whilst he was busy in his Physics classes, I was busy reading in the 30 degree heat and sunbathing. Not too shabby if you ask me!

Despite being incredibly tired half the time, I had a really nice time and managed to actually read a book in the peace and quiet. Yay! I even went to Barnes & Noble for the first time - which was HUGE by the way. We ended up playing hide and seek in the aisles. It was my dream bookshop. Amazing.

Title: My Madder Fatter Diary Vol. 2
Author: Rae Earl
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publication Date: 1st January 2014
Genre: Autobiography, True Story, Humour

Summary:
It is 1990 and Rae Earl is back where she left off with the latest installat
ion of her hilarious diaries.

Review:
I was really excited to start reading this book as I loved, loved, loved the first publication of Earl's diary (my review of My Mad Fat Diary by Rae Earl can be found here).

The sequel was very much the same as the first book, with hilarious events and awkwardness bursting out of the pages. This makes it such an easy read and the perfect book to sit down and pass a couple of hours.

The Hogwarts Library by J. K. Rowling

Title: The Hogwarts Library

Author: J. K. Rowling

Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens

Release Date: 8th November 2012

Genre: Non-Fiction-Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy

Summary:

Ever wondered what it is like to study at Hogwarts? 

Well now here is your chance to read the mystical and weird text books that Hogwarts students have to read!

Review:

On one of my many visits to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London, I bought the Hogwarts Library. This collection, which was written by J. K. Rowling (under the names of made up authors) for Comic Relief some years ago, contains three books; Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp, Fanstastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander and The Tales of Beedle and the Bard. As they are are essentially Non-Fiction books set in a Fictitious world, I think the genre classification, Non-Fiction-Fiction seems most appropriate?

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Clash of Kings
Author: George R. R. Martin
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: 1st September 2011
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary:
War is coming as five nobles stake their claim for the most coveted chair in Westeros - the Iron Thorne - a prize is so sought after it turns family into foe, and friends into enemies.

Review:
It may have taken me two weeks, but I have finally finished reading the second book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series! Running a book blog and working full-time on a placement year, is not as easy as I thought it was going to be...

Anyway, whilst it did take me ages to finish it - I enjoyed every page of the book and cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

World War Z by Max Brooks

Title: World War Z
Author: Max Brooks
Publisher: Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd
Release Date: 2011
Genre: Non-Fiction Fiction, Horror

Summary:
Many years ago a zombie infestation took over the whole. The effects were felt throughout the world. However, now that the 'Great Panic' is over; the world's population is trying to recover to get back to normal.

In this book Max Brooks documents the accounts and terrifying stories of different people throughout the world and their experiences with the living dead.

Review:
Yes, the Brad Pitt movie of the same name is based on this book but is, thankfully, nothing like it. Hallelujah; that movie was pretty awful, in my opinion...