'On The Other Side' by Carrie Hope Fletcher review

*May Contain Spoilers*

In April 2015, Carrie Hope Fletcher published her first book, All I Know Now, a non-fiction in which Carrie shared anecdotes from her life whilst giving advice along the way. It was very heartfelt and I could tell that she had worked so hard on it.

Now, over a year later, Carrie has released her second book, her first novel, On The Other Side and the only thing that's different between this and All I Know Now is that this book is fiction. 

Despite filming and editing YouTube videos and performing in Les Miserables in London until October last year, I can tell that Carrie has, once again, put her heart and soul into her book. From watching her videos, I know how much she has always wanted to be an author and to finally know she has accomplished that dream couldn't make me happier.

This book is unlike anything I've ever read before. It's heartfelt and tells a unique story. The main protagonist is Evie Snow and the book begins with her waking up in the afterlife. Unfortunately, she can't get through to heaven as her soul is too heavy because of the three secrets she's been keeping to herself her whole life: the black bird, the shoe box and the good tree. This book is split into the three parts and shows Evie releaving herself of those secrets. However, the book doesn't always stay with Evie. In a few chapters, we see how her family are coping after her death. It also tells a beautiful love story between Evie and Vincent. I've seen a lot of romantic films and read a lot of books that contained love stories but Evie and Vincent's love story is, by far, one of the best told love stories. When I was reading about Evie's love for Vincent, I fell in love with him too and I even wished he was real. Unfortunately, because of Evie's mother, Eleanor, she is forced to marry a man she doesn't love, James, and the two end their relationship. My heart broke as I wanted Evie to have her happy ending but, as I carried on reading, I realised that she does get her happy ending with Vincent, just not in the way one might have hoped. On the front cover of the book, it says 'a love story like no other...' and I can definitely say that that is true.

One of the things I loved about this book was that Carrie included characters, who were part of the LGBT+ community. In all honesty, the only other book I've read that has included a character that was homosexual was John Green's Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I definitely think that more books need to include characters of all sexualities instead of the typical 'girl-meets-boy-and-falls-in-love-with-boy' cliche. As it turns out, Vincent is bisexual and we learn about his relationships with previous men and women he'd been with. In this book, Carrie proves that it doesn't matter what your gender or sexuality is, love is love and I definitely felt that when reading this. Evie's brother, Eddie, is gay but hasn't come out to his parents as they are homophobic but there is a brilliant part in the book where he does eventually come out and it made me laugh because of how he did it and it showed that he couldn't care less what his parents think.

I also loved how the book was structured. Like I mentioned earlier, it's split into the three different secrets and it shows Evie in the afterlife but we also see her past too. I was amazed by how Carrie managed to cleverly plan her story out so that everything makes sense and isn't confusing.

A lot of people have wondered when it is set and if it's a fantasy. Carrie has said that it isn't set in any time or any where as time only plays one part in the story. This is because she feels that if she set the book in a certain time period, certain things such as technology, clothing, hair styles, speech, accents, music and others would have to be referenced and these are the things that don't contribute to the story in any way. Yes, we're given mild descriptions of the character when we first meet them but we don't need to know what a character looks like in order for us to connect with them. It's the same with all the other things as well. 

This book made me feel so many different emotions such as: love, happiness, heartbreak, sadness and hopefulness and that's the first time I've felt so many different emotions at once whilst reading a book. This is because I really connected with Evie as a character. In all honesty, I didn't want her story to end but when the book did end, I didn't feel sad. I felt happy because I knew, like all good stories, that it had to end and I knew that Evie could finally enter the afterlife with the person she truly loved.

Overall, Carrie Hope Fletcher tells a meaningful story that is full of love and will most likely make you cry.

4/5

Read my review of Carrie Hope Fletcher's non-fiction book, All I Know Now here. 

'ALL THAT GLITTERS' BY VICKY PATTISON BOOK REVIEW ❤

When I heard that Vicky Pattison was writing her first novel, I couldn't have been more excited. Her first book, which was an autobiography called Nothing But The Truth, was an entertaining read so I had high hopes for her first novel. When it was published in July 2015, I went to meet Vicky at a signing and, whilst I was in the queue, I read a few chapters. I discovered the story was set in Manchester (where I live) so I immediately fell in love with the story. When I met Vicky, I discussed the book with her and how I had been reading it in the queue and enjoying it and she was really happy. I can tell that she's worked really hard on this book. 
The story focuses on Issy Jones, a hairdresser from Manchester, who dreams of becoming famous and successful. After her father secretly sends an application in for her to appear on a reality TV show based on a hairdressing competition called Can You Cut It?, Issy finally thinks her dream is coming true. However, a week into the show and she soon learns what it's really like to be famous. She goes through betrayals, heartbreaks and shock but Issy proves to be a strong woman and overcomes each and every obstacle the show and fame throws at her. 
I really like Issy, as a character, from the beginning. The book begins with her father almost dying and we see how much she cares for him. He wants her to live her dreams which is why he sends the application. 
Another character I really liked was Lexi, a fellow contestant on the show. She and Issy bond really well throughout the show. She also has a really fierce personality and isn't afraid to stand up for herself. 
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for Issy. The contestants are forced to live in an apartment for the duration of the competition. Issy is happy, at first, until she meets Mia, a posh hairdresser who hates Issy the moment the two meet. To say Mia is mean is an understatement. She is downright horrible to Issy. However, Issy is a strong woman and doesn't let Mia's bitchy comments get to her.
This book was clearly inspired by Vicky's appearence on reality TV series, Geordie Shore. She uses her experiences to write about Issy and her journey from being a hairdresser from Manchester to famous celebrity. 
There is great character development, especially for Issy. She knew that, by appearing on a reality TV show, she'd become a bit famous but she had no idea how tense and dramatic it was going to be. This book shows all the highs and lows of being on a reality TV show.
This is Vicky's first novel but you wouldn't have guessed. The book is probably one of the best romance novels I've ever read. 
Overall, this is definitely one of the funniest and most romantic books I've read about the pressures of being on reality TV.
4/5

My Top 5 Favourite Non-Fiction Books ❤

In my previous blogpost, I talked about my five favourite fiction books.

Now, in this blogpost, I shall be listing my five favourite non-fiction books in no particular order.

5. Life With A Sprinkle Of Glitter by Louise Pentland

I've been a big fan of Louise Pentland's YouTube channel, SprinkleOfGlitr, for a long time now so I was really excited when she announced she was writing her first book. I was even more excited when I discovered that it was going to be a non-fiction lifestyle guide meant to help people of all ages and both genders. Of course, if you love Louise's YouTube channel, then I'm pretty sure you're going to enjoy her book. It's full of interesting anecdotes from her life growing up, which are both humorous and emotional. She talks about her first dates and becoming a mother for the first time to her daughter, Darcy, who she refers to as 'Baby Glitter' on her channel. Louise covers a lot of topics, ranging from school & bullying to growing up and handling life. I can tell that Louise has put a lot of her heart and soul into this book and she should be proud of it. When I was reading this, it felt like Louise was speaking to me and telling me all her stories and giving me advice. I'd definitely recommend this to Louise's viewers and to people who are in need of advice and don't mind a sprinkle of glitter.

4. Storm In A C Cup by Caroline Flack

Caroline Flack has been one of my favourite presenters ever since she presented on CBBC several years ago. When I was about 8 or 9, I loved watching a show called TMi which she presented alongside Sam and Mark (CBBC's answer to Ant and Dec). This show was full of random games, exciting competitions and celebrity guests and it was one of the reasons I didn't mind getting up early on a Saturday morning. It was Caroline's personality that stood out to me, she was always up for a laugh and so funny. However, she eventually left the CBBC to present The Xtra Factor on ITV, which is the side show to singing competition, The X Factor. After The X Factor was finished, I would always switch to ITV2 and watch Caroline chat to the judges, contestants and the celebrity guests. She presented this show alongside, X Factor runner-up, Olly Murs. The two had great chemistry and always had a lot of fun together. Now, the two are currently the presenters of the main show and, in October, Caroline released her first book which was an autobiography. I love reading autobiographies as I'm always interested in their stories and how they started their career. Caroline doesn't hold back and opens up about her life growing up, how she got into presenting and her personal life. What I love most about Caroline, in this book, is that she's so honest and reveals her true feelings about certain periods in her life. For example, she talks about when she dated One Direction bandmember, Harry Styles, and the controversy the media created about the two. This is, by far, one of the best autobiographies I've read.

 3) Love, Tanya by Tanya Burr

Tanya Burr is another one of my favourite YouTubers because she's always so sweet and positive in all of her videos. In 2014, Tanya announced that she was currently writing her first book and I couldn't be more excited. In February 2015, Tanya published her first book, Love, Tanya. She explained the reason why it was called 'Love, Tanya' was because it was like a love letter to her viewers and fans. She has described the book as being close to her heart and I can understand why. Like Louise's book, this contains short anecdotes from Tanya's life growing up whilst giving advice at the same time. She covers a wide range of topics: love; relationships; beauty; fashion; YouTube and she even includes some of her favourite baking recipes. There is definitely something for everyone here. What I also loved about this book is that it includes several different lists for her readers to write on. Even if you don't like Tanya's videos, you will probably still enjoy this book as there really is something for everyone. Tanya is a really optimistic person and this book clearly shows that. Definitely one of the most heartwarming books I've ever read.

2. All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher

I think that Carrie Hope Fletcher has to be one of the most positive YouTubers I've ever watched. In all of her videos, she always has a positive attitude and is always smiling, no matter what. Last April, she published her first book and I was so excited to read it. It certainly didn't disappoint. Like with Tanya's and Louise's books, All I Know Now contains stories from Carrie's life growing up whilst giving advice at the same time. However, Carrie began writing All I Know Now as a blog on Tumblr in 2013 so she's spent a really long time working on this. She never intended her blog to become a book until a publisher read her writing on Tumblr and gave her a book deal, which Carrie accepted. I was so happy for Carrie when she announced she was making All I Know Now into a book as I knew how much she wanted to be a writer and loved reading her blog. Before All I Know Now was published, I had a small idea of what it would be like, however, I think I underestimated how good it was going to be. Despite Carrie already having two other jobs, filming, editing and uploading YouTube videos and performing as Eponine in Les Miserables in London, she still managed to write and publish her first book. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to work three different jobs but Carrie succeeded. This is why she is one of the most inspirational people I know. Like I said earlier, it contains stories from Carrie's life but she also talks about the lessons she has learnt growing up. Of course, Carrie being a performer, the book is structured out like a play. The chapters are known as 'acts', for example, 'Act 1' focuses on 'How To Make Friends Without Vomiting On Their Shoes... and Other School Stories'. The book has a contents page, known as a 'Programme' so you don't have to read the book in chronological order. And, of course, like with every play, the book has a finale. This is where Carrie concludes her book and, if I'm honest, I did cry reading this part of the book. I felt like I had been on a journey with Carrie and she made me to become a better person. I owe most of my confidence to her. She's one of the reasons I can be myself. And, like with Tanya's book, you don't have to be a fan of Carrie's YouTube channel to read the book. It's aimed at everyone. There is no target audience. If you're in need of confidence boosting or looking for something to uplift your spirits, then I'd definitely recommend reading Carrie's book. She will bring your mood up within reading one page of her book. 

1. Girl Stuff by Kaz Cooke

This book is probably the most underrated of the five on this list. Kaz Cooke isn't a YouTuber so she didn't have a huge audience to reach out to when she published this book. I first found this book in my school library when I was 14 and I became obsessed with it. So much so that I bought my own copy so I didn't have to borrow it from the library. It contained all the information I needed. Obviously, the target audience is teenage girls but I don't think this means that boy shouldn't read it too. If you're a boy and you want to understand girls better, then, go ahead, read this book. It has over 500 pages full of 'girl stuff' like the book implies. The book focuses on teenage girls going through puberty and are in need of some understanding with what's going on with their bodies. If you're currently going through puberty and you feel like you can't talk to your parents, teachers, friends or anyone else then I'd definitely recommend this book. Kaz Cooke talks about puberty in a mature way. She also covers a wide range of topics including: friends; body changes; shopping; clothes and make-up; spots; sizes; hair; embarrassment; what to eat; moods; smoking; handling love and heartbreak; exercise; guys; school stress; sex; beating bullies; your rights; drinking; cheering up; getting parents to take you seriously; why diets suck; drugs; earning money; confidence and being happy with your own true self. And that's less than half the topics she covers. If you relate to any of the aforementioned topics, please read this book. Thanks to Kaz's witty comments and hilarious cartoons, she makes this an enjoyable read instead of a boring encyclopedia. Most people are too embarrassed to talk about puberty, but, by reading Girl Stuff, I know there's no shame in what I feel or do. What I also liked about this book is that it contained comments from different girls of all ages talking about their experiences and opinions on things which really put some things into perspective for me. For example, I used to despise periods (and I still do) but a girl stated in the book that she doesn't mind having her period anymore as it proves that the body is functioning normally and that's really changed my opinion on periods. Like it says on the back on the book, Girl Stuff tells the truth and lets you make up your own mind. It will be your best friend through every change and challenge.

So those were my five favourite non-fiction books.

I'd definitely recommend them all.

However, you don't have to read them if you don't want to.

Thank you for reading my blogpost, it really does mean a lot.

Click here to read my five favourite fiction books.

❤

My Top 5 Favourite Books ❤

Hi, sorry for not posting in ages, I've had no idea what to post on this blog but then decided to write about my five favourite books. Growing up, I've always loved reading. I loved the idea of creating your own characters and choosing what happens to them. One of my aspirations is to, hopefully, become a writer. But, until then, I shall continue writing and posting on this blog.

Anyway, here are my five favourite books, in no particular order.

5. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan 
*may contain spoilers*

Like many others, I love John Green's writing and enjoyed reading his other books including Looking For Alaska and The Fault In Our Stars so I was very much looking forward to reading this. When I was looking through a list of John Green's books, this one stood out to me as it had the name 'Will Grayson' repeated twice. This is what drew me to the book as it made me wonder why someone's name would appear twice in the title of a book. I soon learnt it was because the story is about two teenage boys who have the same name but are very different in real life. They live in two different parts of Illinois in Chicago and have never met. Some people might find a problem with a book being told in two different perspectives but I think both John Green and David Levithan have succeeded in telling a really compelling story from two different perspectives. From chapter one, when we are introduced to the first Will Grayson, we are desperate for the two Wills to meet. What will their reactions be? Will they get along? Will they hate each other? This was what I kept thinking throughout the book. The reason this is one of my favourite books is because of the two characters: both Will Graysons are relatable in some ways or another. Some people may relate to the first Will Grayson as he has a unrequited crush on a girl which is one of the issues teenagers struggle with in high school. Others may relate to the second Will Grayson as he is gay but he isn't your stereotypical gay character. When we are reading his chapters, we soon learn he has been diagnosed with depression and is on anti-depressants. This is written by Levithan and I loved the way he dealth with these issues. He clearly has some understanding of what the second Will Grayson is going through and tells his story in a truly compelling way. If you're a fan of Green and Levithan's previous novels, I'd definitely recommend this. It's full of both humour and drama.

4. All That Glitters by Vicky Pattison

Watching Geordie Shore, a reality TV series set in Newcastle, you probably wouldn't have guessed that Vicky Pattison would have been able to write a novel. However, Vicky has done just that. All That Glitters is Vicky's first novel and is about the pressures of being on reality TV. Vicky is best known for appearing in the reality TV series so, of course she'd be the best person to write this book. The main character is Issy and she is a hairdresser in Manchester. When her father almost dies from a heart attack, she soon makes the decision to appear in a hairdressing competition. However, the competition is going to be televised and will be shown to thousands of people and soon Issy starts to feel the pressure. I enjoyed reading this book as Issy is a likable character and, from the beginning, we want her to succeed in her dream of leaving her hairdressing salon in Salford. Her dream does come true when she appears in the hairdressing competition but the highs don't come without its lows. Issy is in a competition with several other people and, not only is she competing with them, she has to live with them as well. Issy soon learns that being famous isn't always glitz and glamour. I loved this book as it's full of humour and relatable characters. If you love romance and reality TV, then this is the book for you.

3. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

This is probably the most underrated book on this list. I discovered this book in my high school library and after reading a few pages, I was hooked. This is definitely the most heartbreaking story I've ever read. The story is told from Lennie Walker's perspective as she talks about dealing with the sudden loss of her older sister, Bailey. However, instead of grieving for her sister, Lennie struggles to cope with the sudden feeling of love for, not one boy, but two, one of them being her sister's boyfriend, Toby. Lennie feels guilty for this as she feels like she is meant to be grieving for her sister. The other boy is Joe, who is in Lennie's music class and they bond over their love of music. Lennie is torn about her feelings for Toby and Joe and struggles over who to be with. What I loved about this book was that it included some of Lennie's poems that she wrote in her notebooks and in random places, one of them being on a takeaway cup. This poems describe Lennie's feelings in a truly beautiful way. The book deals with a lot of issues, including love and the loss of a loved one, in a truly captivating way. It also features many themes including music and nature. Whenever Lennie is feeling depressed, she escapes outside where she uses her clarinet to express her feelings. We, obviously, never hear what Lennie is playing but we can easily imagine it's something sad and beautiful. This book is similar to John Green's book, Looking For Alaska, as it deals with similar issues and has similar themes, so if you liked his book and don't mind shedding a tear or two, then I'd definitely recommend this book.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series reaches its inevitable end in The Deathly Hallows. Before reading this, I had just watched the film adaptation and thought it was truly brilliant and was very excited about reading the books. By the time I had reached the final book, I didn't want it to end. I had enjoyed reading every single one of them and didn't want the magic to end. Despite knowing the conclusion to the series, as I'd just seen the film, I was still surprised by many things that weren't in the film. This book contains more depth than the film and J.K. Rowling's writing is truly flawless. I can understand why her books have become so successful ever since the release of the first book in the series, The Philosopher's Stone in 1997. We have followed Harry Potter's journey from a 11-year-old boy into a young adult as he prepares for the ultimate battle agains Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard who killed his parents when he was just a baby. Never before has a story about wizards and witches ever been so enchanting. It's hard believing that these characters aren't real as, whenever I read it, I feel like I'm in the wizarding world and with Harry and his two friends, Hermione and Ron, trying to defeat the dark lord at last. At times, my heart was filled with love and happiness and also heartbreak and sadness. I don't think any other fantasy book will ever come close to being as good as the Harry Potter series. By the time I'd reach the last chapter, I was in tears. To bring emotion to a reader is probably one of the most difficult things, but J.K. Rowling succeeds and makes us feel sad that the magic has come to an end. There's always a little bit of me that hopes, deep down, Rowling will, one day, write another story featuring Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

When I was reading The Hunger Games, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as it features a lot of violence and action. However, the reason why I enjoyed it was because of the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. The story is told from her point of view so we always know her feelings and opinions throughout. The 'Hunger Games' are an annual event where two tributes, between the age of 12 and 18, from each of the twelve districts must fight to the death in a televised battle in order to win money for their district. This is something I thought was atrocious and was one of the reasons why I wanted to read it. Another reason was because the main protagonist is a female and I'd not read a book series or watched a film that featured a female as the lead. In the beginning of the Hunger Games, Katniss explains why the people living in the districts are so poor and why the Hunger Games happen through her thoughts. We feel sympathy for Katniss from the beginning especially when she volunteers for her younger sister, Prim, and takes her place in the Hunger Games. This is why we root for her and want her to succeed. She is both brave and cunning and does everything she can to survive. However, it's because of the events at the end of the Hunger Games that lead to Catching Fire, the second novel in the trilogy. Katniss and, fellow tribute and ally, Peeta tried to rebel against the Games and, now, must pay for what they've done. Because, for the first time in the Games history, there have been two Victors, many Districts have started uprising. Despite all these disastrious events, Katniss and Peeta both think they're free to carry their lives on as normal but, unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. The President of the Capitol announces that there is to be a special version of the Hunger Games where previous Victors are to be sent back into the arena. This is bad news for Katniss as she is the only female Victor from District 12 and has no choice but to face the dreaded arena once more. The reason why this is my favourite book out of the three is because it's full of character development and action and it's because of the events in this book that lead to the revolution in Mockingjay. 

Those were my favourite books. 

I will be doing my top 5 favourite non-fiction books soon.

Thank you so much for reading my blogposts, it really means a lot.

❤

Book Review: 'Girl Online' by Zoe Sugg

Since the sequel to this book, Girl Online On Tour, is being published tomorrow,

I thought I'd do a review of the first, Girl Online. This is the first novel by famous YouTuber, Zoella (real name Zoe Sugg).

When Zoe announced that she was writing her first book at the beginning of 2014, I was surprised. I wasn't expecting her to do something like that as I thought she was mainly a YouTuber and wasn't interested in things like that. Despite this first thought, I couldn't be more happier for her. She seemed very excited about having her first novel out.
As the publish date for her book drew closer, I became more and more excited. Suddenly, rumours started going round that Zoe had used a 'ghost writer' for her book. A ghost writer is someone whose job it is to write material for someone else who is the author. I was shocked to hear this as I did intially thought that it would be Zoe writing this book. But then I realised it wasn't a big deal. Zoe had come up with the characters and the actual story but she was just paying someone else to write it. I realised that this was a good idea as I realised that she was busy with her first range of Zoella Beauty products and she was still uploading videos on her YouTube channel so she must not have had time to write her book.
When this book was delivered through the post, I was so excited to read it. I spent every day reading it and I even took it to college with me to read during break. 
This is Zoe's first novel so of course it was going to be based on a topic she knew about: online blogging. The main character is Penny, a 16 year old girl who blongs online under the alias 'Girl Online' to protect her identity. She sees this as a bit of fun. Unfortunately, when something goes wrong at school, her parents take her away to New York for Christmas which is where she meets Noah who is an American guitar player and they become close. However, Noah has a secret that threatens to ruin Penny's cover forever.
I'd never read a story about online blogging before so I was wondering how Zoe could create a story out of something so simple but she easily manages to do it. With Penny as her main character, who speaks in first person, we see that she is easily likeable as she is funny and always see the positive side of things even when she is embarrassed in front of the whole school and feels humiliated. She has a 'BFIS' (Best Friend In School), Megan, who is always there for Penny and supports her through everything. 
We can see that Penny has a passion for blogging as almost every chapter begins and/or ends with one of her blogposts. By including her blogposts inside the story, we see another side to Penny. We see how she truly feels about certain things going on in her life. 
I really enjoyed reading this book as it was completely different to anything I've ever read before.
This book has great characters and a really interesting story. I loved reading about Penny's true feelings via her blog as it helped me to understand her character more. This is definitely a heartfelt story with lots of funny moments too. 
I would say this is the best book to read if you enjoy blogging yourself (like me) or are a fan of Zoe's YouTube channel as this does contain aspects of her heartwarming personality. 
This book has gotten me very excited for Girl Online On Tour!
4/5

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❤ BOOK REVIEW: LOUISE PENTLAND'S 'LIFE WITH A SPRINKLE OF GLITTER' ❤

When I found out that Louise Pentland (more commonly known as her YouTube name, 'Sprinkle of Glitter') was writing her first book, I was so happy. I loved her videos because she is so positive and confident with everything she does. Basically, this is Louise, but in book form, if that makes any sense! What I mean is, everything you read in here is Louise. It's like she's talking to us and giving advice through her book, which I love. 

This book is similar to Carrie Hope Fletcher's All I Know Now as they both give advice but they give advice in their own unique way. 

Louise's way is by dividing her book into four different sections which are: Glitz; Create; Need To Knows and All About Love. She describes this book as similar to being in a antiques shop, you can either 'wander the shop row by row, looking at each item in order' or you can 'dance around with wild abandon, opening and closing whatever you like, whenever you like'. This means you can either read her book chapter by chapter or you can open it and reading it any order you like!

Unlike Carrie's book, which does feature some of her cute drawings, this book is full of pictures. There is not one blank page, each page has something on it. I doubt you'll get bored with this book, I certainly won't!

This book also includes very funny anecdotes from Louise's life, including the terrible dates she's been on and when she cried when she met Kylie Minogue!

If you need any help, I recommend Louise's book as she gives advice on topics such as: school, bullying, making friends; dating; make-up and many more. I do think there's something for everyone in this book (even boys!) so I would recommend this to anyone who is need of advice and can't find it from family and friends. 

Overall, this is an uplifting and funny book, mainly aimed at girls but boys can read it too if they so wish!

❤ BOOK REVIEW: VERONICA ROTH'S ALLEGIANT ❤

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When I first watched the film adaptation of the first book in this trilogy, Divergent, I didn't think it'd be that good. I was so wrong. The film adaptation of Divergent convinced me to buy and read all three books in the series so I could find out what happens to Tris and the faction system.

Divergent begins with Beatrice Prior, a 16 year old girl living in an dystopian future where people are sent to live in a certain faction (Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Candor and Amity) based on their personality traits. For example, selfless people would live in Abnegation and the brave would live in Dauntless, ect. But after Beatrice does her test, the results show that she is Divergent, which means she fits into all five factions and must make the biggest decision of her life. Does she stay with her parents in Abnegation or move to a different faction? The problem for Beatrice is that she can't tell anyone that she is Divergent as they are discriminated against and are seen as dangerous. In the end, she chooses to live in Dauntless, where she meets and befriends Christina and becomes close with Dauntless leader, Four.

Unfortunately, at the end of Divergent, the faction system begins to fall apart and in Insurgent, Beatrice (now known as Tris) and Four (now known as Tobias) must find out the truth behind the faction system. At the end of Insurgent, Tris discovers that the Divergents aren't dangerous due to an old video message by a woman who goes by the name of Edith Prior (one of Tris' ancestors) and she says that the world had become corrupt and the city was sealed off from the rest of the world. The faction system was developed in order to create peace.

Now, in Allegiant, the faction-based society that Tris is used to has been shattered and fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. She is offered the chance to visit a world beyond the fence, which separated the city from the rest of the world, and leaves her home. She hopes that, with Tobias, she can find a new life and start again, without worrying about hiding who she truly is. Unfortunately, Tris' new reality is more alarming than the one she left behind, she discovers a secret about her mother and, once again, she must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature whilst facing difficult choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.

This is, by far, my favourite out of the trilogy. It moves the story forward with lots of new characters. There are plenty of shocking discoveries and moments in the book which will definitely make you cry.

A thrilling conclusion to a great series.

I'd recommend this to fans of The Hunger Games.

4/5 

❤ Book Review: Carrie Hope Fletcher's All I Know Now ❤

Have you ever wished you had a big sister? Or someone to look up to? Someone to give advice and be there for you in times of need.

Well, wish no more as you can find all of these things in here, metaphorically speaking, of course. 

Carrie Hope Fletcher's book, All I Know Now, is perfect if you desperately want advice but can't seek it from friends, families, teachers, ect. She talks about issues that teenagers are currently struggling with today such as making friends, bullying and having crushes. She also talks about her life growing up whilst giving advice along the way.

I love this book as it is perfect for anyone who is struggling and in need of help. All I Know Now first started off as a blog on Tumblr (which you can still visit), where she would write long blogposts on certain topics. The very first blogpost was published on April 27th 2013, so she has been working on this for over two years now. She has put so much dedication into helping others by writing this book and it has certainly paid off. 

Whether you're a 12 year old on your first day of school or a 20 year old worrying about your first job interview, this book is perfect for you. 

Carrie is also best known for being a YouTuber so if you've watched any of her videos, you'll know that she is a very sweet, funny person and her personality shines in this book. All her opinions have come straight from the heart and every word in this book is written by her so you needn't worry about 'ghostwriters' or anything like that!

I would recommend this book to anyone in need of help or just looking for a few words of advice. 

All I Know Now is available at:

Amazon  .

WHSmith  

Waterstones 

I will be meeting Carrie Fletcher herself at her Manchester book signing tomorrow (May 9th) and I shall do a blogpost afterwards. :)

UPDATE: I met Carrie, here is my blogpost of my day :)