YALC 2018

Wow can you believe it's been over a week since YALC?? I certainly cannot, although I have only just recovered from the exhaustion...

As much for my own memories as for anyone reading this, I'm just going to run through a few of my favourite moments from my time at YALC 2018 because it was a brilliant weekend and I
want to make sure I remember the best bits.

Clean by Juno Dawson

Published: 5th April 2018
Publisher: Quercus
Pages: 399

Synopsis from Goodreads:
I can feel it swimming through my veins like glitter ... it's liquid gold.
When socialite Lexi Volkov almost overdoses, she thinks she's hit rock bottom. She's wrong. 
Rock bottom is when she's forced into an exclusive rehab facility. From there, the only way is up for Lexi and her fellow inmates, including the mysterious Brady.
As she faces her demons, Lexi realises love is the most powerful drug of all ... 
It's a dirty business getting clean ...

Rating:  

Before I get into this review, it's important that I mention that the book has a lot of triggers in it. For sake of comfort I'm not going to list them all here, but if you'd like more information on what's included for your own wellbeing I'm more than happy to let you know - please dm me on Twitter (see contacts page for the link). I shan't be discussing in detail anything triggering in this review so you should be okay to read it regardless, but if you're worried just don't that's cool, your wellbeing is most crucial!

Wrap Up - July 2018

In typical Sarah style, I've not done a wrap up post for months but I've finally read an acceptable number of books and I'm feeling alright so let's go!

Books Read

Total books read: Four

Physical books: Three

Audiobooks: One

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher - I'll admit this audiobook took me a very long time to finish, but it was really interesting and I enjoyed listening to Carrie read her own book. It was a bit emotional but also good fun.

Floored by Sara Barnard et al - I'd been waiting for this for ages and ages!! I really enjoyed it, it was a interesting premise and I loved reading a load of my fave authors in one place. If you want to see more of my thoughts then check out my review!

Floored by Sara Barnard et al.

Rating:

Published: 12th July 2018
Publisher: MacMillan Children's Books
Pages: 320
Synopsis from Goodreads: 

When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shouldn't be here at all, but who wants to be here the most.

And one more person, who will bring them together again on the same day every year.

I had been waiting expectantly for Floored since the beginning of 2017, what could be better than a load of my favourite YA authors, as well as some I'd not yet had chance to read, all coming together in one book?! Let me tell you I was not disappointed! Floored is a fresh take on a young adult contemporary with a lot of very real characters and I really enjoyed it!

How's your head?

I have many complaints.

I've always considered myself to be a high functioning depressive, but when I'm honest with myself I don't really know what that actually means. I certainly do function a lot more highly than many other people with depression but it's only recently that I've come to realise the extent to which I actually rely on the structure in order to maintain a positive and stable mental state.

Just over a month ago now I finished my degree and became wonderfully, brilliantly, unemployed. It was my fear, one which has now come into fruition, that I would struggle a huge amount with not having anything to do. Despite having achieved a first class psychology degree, and being an extremely passionate person, none of the many jobs I have applied for yet want me. And whilst that's fine, they all want people with experience etc. the lack of structure is becoming increasingly hard to deal with. I can't function without reason to function, I don't know if that makes sense, and I sure as heck have no clue if that is 'typical' of a person with mental health issues. But that is how I am.

Bookshop Girl by Chloe Coles

Rating:

Published: 1st June 2017
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Pages: 213
Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Bennett's Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner. It's a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money.
But, like so many bookshops, Bennett's has become a 'casualty of the high street' - it's strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.Time is ticking - but that's not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?

Bookshop Girl is the perfect quick, summer read! It's light-hearted and fun and let's be honest, it doesn't get much better than a book about a bookshop does it?!

After the Fire by Will Hill

Rating:

Published: 1st June 2017
Publisher: Usborne
Pages: 476
Synopsis from Goodreads: 

The things I’ve seen are burned into me, like scars that refuse to fade. 

Father John controls everything inside The Fence. And Father John likes rules. Especially about never talking to Outsiders. Because Father John knows the truth. He knows what is right, and what is wrong. He knows what is coming.
Moonbeam is starting to doubt, though. She’s starting to see the lies behind Father John’s words. She wants him to be found out. 

What if the only way out of the darkness is to light a fire?

You may or may not have noticed but I've been on a blogging hiatus for a few months and I am pleased to announce that with the end of my undergraduate degree and the help of this book I am finally out of the reading slump of the century and I am back!!

After the Fire had been on my TBR since YALC last year (or maybe longer) and I had heard nothing but good things about it, yet I still didn't pick it up! I'm cross that I didn't read it sooner but equally I think I picked it up at exactly the right time because it's really helped me to regain my reading motivation.