Whodunnit? 4 Mysterious Books to Spice Up Your Summer

Now, I don't know about you, but I am in general a pretty big fan of murder.

Sorry, sorry. Murder mystery books. That was what I meant. Please don't call the police. I'm not exactly cut out for jail and they probably wouldn't let me blog from in there anyway, so I guess it's in your interest to keep quiet.

NOT THAT I'M A MURDERER, THOUGH.

I am, however, a morbid enough person that I very much enjoy murder mysteries, and ... I guess if your worldview is skewed enough to be spending your time here, then I'm assuming you are too? I like to read a nice chilling thriller to cool me down in the middle of a hot summer, but if you're in the southern hemisphere, then don't despair. My British summer is always so full of rain that I'm sure your winter can't be much colder.

Anyway - if I can drag my stereotypical British self away from complaining about the weather for two seconds - let's get down to the books.

#1 ~ S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett

I might be slightly obsessed (as the ridiculously large stack of Harrow: A Very British School recordings on our TV will demonstrate) with any type of media that gives me a glimpse of how the other half lives. I'm genuinely enthralled by the whole stately-home, deer-hunting, reputation-obsessed aesthetic, and when you give me some along with a side dish of murder?

You have the recipe for one of my favourite books of this year.

It isn't a traditional murder mystery, because a) the death is at the end, not the beginning, and b) you know straight away who the murderer is. The victim's fairly obvious too. But everything else? Yeah, you won't have a clue. This is one of those books that just grips you from start to finish (with twists! such twists!), and the cliffhangers are blooming ridiculous.

Honestly, I would have loved it just for the discourse on social media and whether it's good for humankind or not. But the murder helps too.

#2 ~ One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Do you want to know how the author came up with this book?

She watched The Breakfast Club, loved it, and then thought to herself "what a great movie, but it really could do with some more murder". If that isn't one of the best premises for a book ever, then I honestly don't know what is.

Basically, a kid dies in detention. And he's the kind of kid that, if they were going to be honest, everyone would have a motive to murder. But which of the four POV characters did it? And why? And, as a reader, how are you going to cope with the fact that you can't trust the people you're starting to empathise with?

What made the whole thing so engrossing was the way it effortlessly mingled high-school gossip, teenagerhood, and the emotional mess that was a police investigation without making the former seem trivial or the latter seem overdramatic. The characters were absolutely flawless - that's including all the secondary characters and parents, which in YA in particular is amazing (the parents! meant! something!) - and I think it says something about how well this book is crafted that despite sniffing out the murderer almost immediately, I was then completely convinced that my first instinct was wrong by all the red herrings, turned upside down, and sucked in by the story. The whole thing is just properly brilliant.

#3 ~ These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Because who doesn't love the idea of a 20s high-society New York girl solving the murder of her father, all the while trying to convince her journalist sidekick that she has what it takes to work at his newspaper?

As you might predict, it's a wild ride from start to finish. The characters are gorgeously hilarious, and I absolutely adored getting a view into the crime-solving methods of a hundred years ago - there's basically one forensic officer in the whole of the city, who is the best kind of nerd, and everyone looks at him like a bit of an oddity. Which he is, but not because of his fascination with forensics.

Also! Such! Feminism! GREAT DISCUSSIONS! TACKLING THE PATRIARCHY! PROVING SEXISTS WRONG! (Sorry, I guess I got a little overexcited there.) The main character, Jo, was incredibly independent but also slightly naive due to her sheltered upbringing, which of course gives you some very funny moments when they get to the wrong side of town involving horny men and pimps and poor Jo having absolutely no idea what's happening.

In summary: if you're looking for your murder fix wrapped up in a gorgeous 1920s setting, then this is the book for you.

#4 ~ The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Not only is this book an absolutely nail-biting, heart-stopping, twisty-turny wonder of a murder mystery, but it also has a kickass team of main characters, an absolutely hilarious case of British-American culture shock, and ghosts. That's before you even get to the spree of Jack-the-Ripper style killings.

Never let it be said that I don't treat you, okay?

What I love (and hope you'll love) about this particular style of murder mystery is that it's not entirely plot-driven. Don't get me wrong, the plot is excellent, but it's spurred on by a group of characters that you genuinely care about - which only makes the whole thing more thrilling because you're constantly worried that they might die.

One book isn't enough tension for you? No worries! This is the first in a series of three, just to make sure that your nerves are completely shot by the end.

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In the comments: Are you guys as into murder ... mystery books as I am? Can you give me some more recommendations? Or did you love any of these?

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5 OTPs To Melt Your Heart

I'm in a very squeeable mood today. I fancy melting into a small puddle of pleased goo. In order to help me achieve this slightly alarming goal, would you like to discuss some OTPs?

Good. Because I'm going to rabbit on about them regardless.

Them? I know. Technically - and I mean technically - the "O" in OTP stands for "One", meaning I should not have several. 

Well pish to that.

There is already an OTP post going on somewhere in the deep recesses of this blog's archives, but ... they're deep, as I say. It's been a while. And I wanted to come up with some kind of opportunity to make some aesthetics, since photoediting is becoming more and more like an addiction for me and I've got to let it out somehow. Please enjoy:

Abby and Will (Waking in Time by Angie Stanton)

Seriously. Couples from different centuries should get together more often. Except ... not when there isn't time travel involved? Because I think it would be creepy otherwise?

But there are so many reasons I love these guys. They are funny, caring and fiercely loyal. They make me laugh ... AND GOSHDAMMIT THEIR FIRST KISSING SCENE WAS IN THE FIFTIES. GREASE STYLE.

Excuse me if the musical nerd inside is getting a bit overwhelmed by all of this. 

Elena and Gabe (Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell)

What I love about these guys is their absolute unashamed geekiness. The fact that they meet in a line waiting to see the new Star Wars film, despite the fact that modern booking systems mean they could spend the week before its release at home instead of shivering on the pavement outside the cinema ... and still get seats at the premier screening. They wait in line out of the principle of the thing.

The fact that they then spend hours comparing favourite characters and consuming Yoda-festooned cupcakes and making emergency runs to Starbucks in order to refresh the absolutely vital face paint - because how else would everyone know what crazy fans they were?

The teasing is merciless, the debates about whether fake geeks can possibly exist are genuinely thought provoking, and I'M JUST LOVING THE WHOLE THING, OKAY?

Baz and Simon (Carry On by Rainbow Rowell)

So, yeah. You've probably not been able to tell - I am quite subtle about it, most of the time - but I love Rainbow Rowell. She sure can write a romance.

I think what I love about Simon and Baz is how obvious their love for each other is ... to everyone except themselves, that is. Often, I kind of end up hating this kind of slow-burn, tantalising romance, but this one was so well done I couldn't help but love it. There's something about two people admitting a romance to themselves at the same time they have to admit it to each other that just melts my heart.

And no, I don't ship Drarry. But since these guys are based off them, I guess I must have more sympathy towards them as a pairing than I'd thought.

Joe and Lennie (The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson)

More amazing geekery ... but of the band kind this time. I absolutely fricking loved these guys, and honestly most of it was because of the way they bonded through music. Complaining about conductors! Making eyes at each other in rehearsal!

I know. I'm a music nerd. Sue me.

But I honestly think that these guys would appeal to you whether or not you know what stave means. There are scenes in this book that I've honestly read two or three times just because the romance was so well done (and yes, because it was steamy. Despite many appearances to the contrary, I am actually human from time to time). Plus, Joe is French.

FRENCH.

Lennie never stood a chance, honestly.

Lola and Cricket (Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins)

There's no romance like the romance of childhood sweethearts, let me tell you that much. I don't want to give too much away about exactly how happy the ending was for these two, since it's quite a spoiler, but they have these moments that absolutely melted my heart, mostly because, well, Lola had a boyfriend. Which was frustrating to the point you could just hear Cricket's heart breaking.

My poor, poor baby.

But Lola too ... these guys are made for each other. I know that's as soppy as heck, but honestly I'm not sure I really care. Cricket ever the gentleman, and Lola the perfect high lady of fashion.

*happy sigh*

Molly and Reid (The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli)

Apparently a pattern is emerging and I quite enjoy geeky couples. It's not surprising, really, since geek has never failed to = awesome, but what's so great about these guys specifically is that neither one of them were exactly in their comfort zone when it came to romance, and they supported each other, rather than one person doing all the reassuring.

If that made sense.

I liked this relationship because it was a partnership of equals. And you'd be surprised how rare that is in YA, since ... you know ... YA is partly about teaching teens what healthy relationships are? And equality is a big part of that healthiness?

Not to mention serious food appreciation and a Pinterest addiction. I like.

***

In the comments: What are your OTPs? (Come on, I know for a fact I'm not the only rebel with more than one). What is it that makes them so awesome for you? If you had to describe them in three pictures (or three words), what would they be?

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6 Great Reading Challenges To Try In 2017

Have you been looking to change up your reading habits next year?

Maybe read some topics that will challenge your worldview, or investigate a genre you've not really tried before? Finally read some of the books that people have been going on about for ages? Or just have a more social reading experience?

Well, luckily for you (and me, because it's a great premise for a post) it's that time of year again - no, not Christmas. READING CHALLENGE SIGN UP TIME.

There's enough challenges floating around the Bloggersphere right now to last for a decade, let alone 2017, and that means that your perfect one has to be out there somewhere - but it can get a little confusing, especially if you're not sure exactly what you're looking for.

That's where I come in. You're welcome. *tips velvet top hat* I've tried to give each challenge a little description, but you're probably best clicking on the links to get a full picture of what it is.

The Goodreads Challenge

Picture from Goodreads

There's probably very little point me telling you about this one, to be honest. The Goodreads challenge is the holy grail of reading challenges, the one that everyone wants to beat. (Spoiler alert - this year, I didn't. Boo.) Maybe what makes it so brilliant is that it's so simple: pick how many books you want to read in a year, then ... read them.

It does get a bad rep, to be honest. People find that, because it has such a concrete goal and a nagging tendency (it's never a nice feeling to be told you're 20 books behind schedule, let's be honest), it can take the joy out of reading. I understand that, but it is incredibly useful simply for tracking what you've read - not to mention that it's a great feeling to see that little orange line creeping up, as well as knowing that every single book you've read - including that poetry collection and the textbook you read for school, as long as it's on Goodreads - counts.

Meh. It's there. And as long as you set a reasonable goal (52, a book a week, is usually a good starting point), it can be a great challenge, especially if you're not that experienced with completing them. Another great thing is that almost everyone does it, so you won't be short on community!

Retellings Reading Challenge 2017

Photo from Once Upon A Bookcase

I stumbled across this due to the fact that I have an obsession with retellings, but just don't read enough of them. And this is a shame. But what this challenge is designed to do is create a community of people who are clamouring to get their hands on as many retellings as possible - while helping each other to find the best ones, of course.

OH - AND DID I MENTION THE MONTHLY GIVEAWAYS? *drools*

They're UK only, I'm afraid, but since I live in the UK I can get very excited about this - right? I'm also very excited about the fact that, not only are there a bunch of suggestions to get one started on the sign-up page, but everyone's going to be reviewing everything. Just think of all the amazing recommendations ... *happy sigh*

Diverse Books Challenge

Photo from Chasing Faerytales

Reasons it is important that you take part in this challenge:

1.  Mish and Shelley have clearly worked very hard to make it happen, and we ought to support them because they are wonderful people.
2. I CANNOT OVERSTATE not only how important reading diversely is, but also how much it will enhance your reading experience. This is an amazing way of helping yourself doing it.
3. There is a reading list to help you choose some reads, which is absolutely priceless, especially when you're looking for a kind of diversity that isn't often easy to find (e.g. disability or world religions).
4. I think you'll enjoy it. But you know me - I'm an overlord. I care more about the other three things than whether you actually enjoy what I tell you to do. ;-)

Read The Books You Buy Challenge

Photo from Book Date

The basic idea is that you sign up to read a specific percentage of the books that you buy - from 20% to 100% - and try to meet it. The tricky thing is that you aren't allowed (or supposed) to change your book-buying habits too much; you just have to bear in mind how you're going to attack your TBR when doing so. The aim isn't to hurt author's livelihoods by discouraging you to buy, but to give you an incentive to actually read what you've already got.

This one strikes me as the perfect challenge for those of you who, like me, are drowning in your TBRs and STILL BUYING BOOKS. If you're like me, you'll probably also absolutely hate book bans, so this is a pretty good alternative - I've always found that, because a book ban reduces the amount of books around me, it slows down my reading.

This is sad. But IT'S FINE BECAUSE NOW I HAVE THIS INSTEAD.

Sorry, I'm Booked

Photo from Sorry, I'm Booked

The thing I really like about this challenge is how well-crafted it is - the prompts are specific enough to inspire you and encourage you to read certain books / genres, but not so closed that you won't be able to find something you actually want to read. In fact, just looking at that list is making me itch to read stuff. Sure, there are a lot of challenges that have similar premises, but there's nothing wrong with tradition when it's done this well.

It just shows that the most important thing for a reading challenge isn't an inventive premise, but how well it's carried out.

Netflix and Books Challenge

Photo from Bookmark Lit

The basic idea of this challenge is pretty simple. There's a list of prompts that you can use to link together books and TV shows - for example, both contain a shared word or are set in the same time period - the entire list of prompts, once completed with books you want to read and TV shows you've been intending to watch, gives you a joint TBR and TBW list.

If you want to go the whole hog and become a Level Two competitor, then you can track points for books you read and shows you watch. If you're the one with the most points, then you win a PRIZE. (And everyone wants a prize, right?)

Reasons this is a fantastic, splendiferous idea:

• Um, it gives you an excuse to watch Netflix! Netflix good. Excuse to watch Netflix even better.
• The whole linking-together-books-and-shows premise is very useful because it encourages you to investigate specific topics through . So you can become an expert in ... 1970s pop culture. Or ... South Wales. Or ... I don't know. Murder?
• EXCUSE TO WATCH NETFLIX, HUMANS!

I probably won't be taking part in all these challenges, simply because I am one person and I hate reading pressure. But I'd be happy to if I had six clones, if that makes sense. There is not one that I would dread having to participate in.

(If you're having similar trouble, I did write this handy little guide on how to get through a huge TBR. Just ... to let you know.

***

In the comments: What challenges are you guys intending to take part in next year? Which have you enjoyed in the past? What makes you want to join a challenge in the first place?

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My Christmas TBR

IT'S CHRIIIIISSSSTMAAAS!

Well, technically it's not. We've barely finished Bonfire Night. But I'm an absolute Christmas addict, and I managed to hold out until mid-November before writing a related post, so ... this is close enough. And if my family are going to order all these lovely books in time for the festive season, then I need to give them enough warning to get their sticky paws on it.

See. It's not about my Christmas obsession AT ALL. I'm merely making my wishlist known in a responsible manner.

Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Schneider

This book came out about three weeks ago, and on release day I promised myself I was going to hold out until at least December - BECAUSE A BOOK THIS CHRISTMASSY MUST BE ENJOYED AT THE PROPER FESTIVE TIME, OKAY? I feel like I'll enjoy it a whole lot more if I do it properly.

It just turns out doing that much waiting is excruciating. Every time I turn on Twitter, it's just there. The beautiful, beautiful cover. People gushing about how it's the best Murder Most Unladylike book yet. Exclamations that fans of the series such as myself must pick it up immediately.

Basically, much pain.

Why I Need It: Murder. Boarding schools. Christmas. THE 1920s. It's like the author decided to play Lara-obsession bingo and got a full house.

... And A Happy New Year? by Holly Bourne

Ok, so maybe this doesn't 100% belong on a Christmas TBR, since I already kind of own it, but PAH! It's been my most anticipated book for over six months now and I've kind of forgotten how to write a TBR post without featuring its loveliness.

Why I Need It: The Normal Series is one of the best trilogies I've read in a long time, and And A Happy New Year? is the novella that will end it all. I can't exactly not read it, now can I? The Spinster Club is meeting and I clearly need to be there for the cheesy snacks.

Basically - I JUST HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, 'KAY?

The First Third by Will Kostakis

This one is all Cait @ Paper Fury's fault. She's the one who gave it a glowing review on Goodreads. She's the one who told me about all the yummy Greek food descriptions. She's the one who mentioned it had cerebral palsy representation. 

Darn you Cait and your TBR-multiplying recommendations! (Although thanks for writing such a brill review)

Why I Need It: Um, did I not put CEREBRAL PALSY REPRESENTATION in enough bold? I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY READ A BOOK FEATURING A CHARACTER WITH MY DISABILITY! (I know there's a few out there, but hush. They're tricky to find.)

I'm kind of super nervous as well as excited about that, though. Because while I am absolutely ecstatic to have found a book that acknowledges my existence in that respect ... what if it's all wrong? It would break my little heart to have a book with such an awesome-sounding plot ruined because of that.

*deep breath* I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see.

Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia

I'd forgotten this book was even on my TBR until I went to make this post, but ... now I want it again. Super super badly.

Oops.

I can't even remember where I came across it, to be honest. Maybe it was in my early Goodreading days? I think I have a vague memory of overexcitedly clicking 'Want to Read' on everything in sight, realising the release date wasn't for ages, and furrowing my brow in not-so-mild disappointment. I guess at some point I must have got over it and forgotten completely, because that was almost a year ago. And only now am I experiencing the torture of not having it yet.

I'm almost sad I remembered.

Why I Need It: Apparently it's about a chronic overachiever? Who writes sometimes? And ends up struggling because life happens inconveniently?

If someone was considerate enough to write a book about me, then I might as well read it.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Trying to get my hands on this book became the bane of my life at one point a couple of months ago. It's not on Kindle. My local bookshop doesn't stock it. The Amazon shipping price is astronomical.

To be honest, I'm not even sure it's been published in the UK yet.

So I just kind of figured I'd give up and wait for someone to get hold of it on my behalf at Christmas. *fingers tightly and not-at-all guiltily crossed*

Why I Need It: More boarding schools! THIS TIME WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES! If anything, it being so difficult to find has only made me want it more, so ...

Urgh! Being a bookworm is so darn frustrating sometimes.

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9 Book Blogs I Love - And You'll Love 'Em Too!

So ... as a book blogger, I spend a lot of time skulking round my little corner of the internet, visiting all my neighbours and generally just soaking up all of that bloggy brilliance.

Well. I try to spend a lot of time skulking round. I'm a very busy bean sometimes, what with school and reading the books I want to rave about and people actually expecting me to talk to them once in a while (honestly ... how dare they?), and that means that I don't get to check my favourite blogs as often as I'd like. Commenting ... also tends to not happen very often. And this is sad because I really, truly, love them and the people behind them, so I figured I'd do my bit as a good fangirl by spreading the word here. 

Have a visit of the ones that interest you, wouldn't you? It'd make me so happy to know I'd sent a new reader to even one of these beautiful sites.

• Disability in Kidlit - These guys write the disability-YA crossover posts that I wish I could write. They're basically a site dedicated to reviewing books that feature prominent disabled characters - which is amazing, because it's always so difficult to find books and characters I can relate to as a disabled person - and they also write some pretty awesome posts about disability trends within YA in general. What makes them even more brilliant is the fact that books are only ever reviewed by someone who has the disability (this includes mental health issues and things such as ADHD too, by the way), so you know their opinion of the representation will be pretty much accurate. HuzZAH!

          And, by the way, if you're reading this and thinking that as an able-bodied person, this website             won't be interesting to you, just ... I promise it is. It's written to be accessible to everyone and I           truly think you'll enjoy it.

• Pages Unbound - Briana and Krysta are the gurus of classic literature blogging, in my mind at least in my mind. Expect a blog stuffed full with reviews of all kinds, but especially of classic lit, and lots of other features that really make them stand out. My personal favourites are their Academic Success series, which is aimed at new college students trying to work out what studying looks like at a higher level; and the Classic Remarks meme that they have created, writing a classic-related discussion, and then opening the question up for other people to write their own posts. I've never participated, because my classics knowledge is sadly lacking, but I love reading everyone's opinion every month.

• Paper Fury - Now, I know everyone knows about Cait and her world-domination plans already, but there's no earthly way I could write a post about my favourite blogs and not include her. Since she re-branded from Notebook Sisters to Paper Fury, I don't think I've missed a single post of hers. They're just too sarcastically brilliant. AND SHE ALSO POSTS SNIPPETS OF HER WRITING THAT ARE EQUALLY SARCASTIC.
• (Also, have you seen that blog design? And the post graphics? *swoons*)

• The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shh! - This is another blog with a beautiful design, but what I love most about it is the fact that Tara is a librarian ... which you probably got from her blog name. But it means that she knows a LOT about the traditional side of YA - genres, how to write a proper critical review, and other things I really like to read not just as a YA lover, but also knowing that being anywhere near that much wisdom must help my blogging skills somehow.

• The Devil Orders Takeout - I really do not get round to reading Alyssa's blog enough, but this is a crying shame becuase it is AMAZING. Think snippets of Mulan-inspired writing and pieces on diversity as well as a lot of other awesome bookish stuff - there's far too much brilliance to describe here, quite honestly, so you might as well just go have a look for yourself.

• Tea and Titles - I can't imagine anyone's particularly surprised at me loving this blog. Ely and I chat on Twitter quite a bit - it's probably clogging up your timeline by now - and I love how her personality comes across in her posts. I'm also a big fan of Michelle's TV recommendation posts (I'm always in need of a new show to watch), and their joint Top Ten Tuesdays never fail to be awesome.

• Queen of Contemporary - Lucy's just back from a super-long blogging break, and I'm so glad I can read her posts again! Her BookTube is utterly beautiful, of course, but as someone who prefers to read text posts, I enjoy her content even more when it's written. My personal favourites include her feminism-related posts, her general fangirling over Victorian literature ... and of course the guinea pigs.

• The Tree of Books - Frankly, this is one of those blogs that I'd follow even if it suddenly started talking exclusively about cheese, just because I'm a pretty similar person to Julia, its blogger. Anyone who will talk about Disney with me (despite my shocking lack of knowledge on the early films) and share my opinion on the Rainbow Magic series deserves a follow in my book.

• The Magic Violinist - Really, Lara? You enjoy the blog of a person you interviewed and majorly support in her quest to get her book published? I never would have guessed. Seriously, though, I love Kate's posts because they're basically the fangirl life in 1000 words or less. If you ever need a Potter, Dr Who or Supernatural fix, you know where to go.

So, that was the nine blogs. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, HUMANS! Go check then out! Go follow! Go spread their awesomeness around the bloggersphere!

***

In the comments: Do you have a favourite blog or ten you think deserves some recognition? SHARE SHARE SHARE! I'll be visiting as many as possible to show support and solidarity and stuff.

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5 Bearable Classics to Impress Your English Teacher With

So, by the time you guys read this, I will be back at school for the first time in six weeks. You've probably already started. For some people, this is kind a bummer, but personally ... well, you know me. Do you think I'm Hermione Granger or Ron Weasley in this situation?

Yeah. September is basically my favourite month (well, second favourite - it doesn't have Christmas).

Last year, I wrote a post on books to read when you get back to school, and today I wanted to do something a little similar without self-plagiarising. Therefore, I've come up with a list of classics you can use to impress your new English teacher without finding the language too difficult. I'm sure Bronte and Austen are just as brilliant as everyone says, but I find slogging through their prose difficult enough when I'm not busy re-adjusting to school life.

#1 - Animal Farm by George Orwell

Oh, Animal Farm, thou art ridiculously brilliant. I've listed it first because ... well ... I'm allowed to have favourites, right? And I'm pretty sure this is my favourite classic. Sure, it sounds like a pretty juvinile story when you think about it - talking animals taking over their farm to form a state where everyone gets what they need. But trust me, it gets darker and better and generally more interesting when you realise it's a comparison to Communist Russia (seriously, every single part of it is a symbol for something in real life. Look it up on Wikipedia, but only when you finished reading because otherwise the spoilers would be atrocious.) The characters might be farm animals, but they have the vivid emotions of humans. There's this one particular carthorse, Boxer, who I just want to cuddle to pieces because he's such a hardworking, beautiful creature.

I guess it was him, and a few other lovely characters in Animal Farm, who proved to me that you could get emotionally attached to classics, not just be forced to study them and bring them to English lessons to look clever.

#2 - Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

Ballet Shoes is one of the sweetest, easiest-to-read classics I've ever laid my sticky little paws on. It really is a born and bred kiddies book, but that doesn't mean there's no plot or the characters are made of cardboard. It just means that reading it makes me feel all innocent again, as if Pauline, Petrova and Posy are my friends and I too live on a time when this blog would have been a diary. 

(Sorry, that metaphor made a lot more sense in my head. I mean I quite like the idea of living in the Ballet Shoes era other than the fact that I wouldn't be a blogger or know all of you guys.)

There's also an amazing film version with a young Emma Watson as Pauline, which I highly recommend you track down. You might have to save it for after school though.

#3 - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

If Animal Farm is my favourite classic, then To Kill A Mockingbird runs a second so close I can barely call it. Maybe I have a soft spot for novels with deeper themes. Maybe it isn't a coincidence that my two favourite classics were introduced to me by two of the best English teachers I've ever had. But there's something about one of the most terrible, violent cess-pits of the human condition - and by that I mean Alabama in the racist 1930s - seen through the eyes of a child who barely even understood what being a good person really means, let alone why what she sees is evil.

By the way, if anyone who's recently read (and is therefore recovering from) To Kill A Mockingbird wants to discuss whether Scout's innocence makes her a reliable or unreliable narrator, just say the word. I still have the essay somewhere.

#4 - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I've never seen character development quite as amazing as Mary Lennox's in The Secret Garden. I don't want to give too much away, but she changes pretty much completely from beginning to end, and somehow that's not jarring. Like, at all. The setting is beautiful and bleak and expansive all at once (I do love the Yorkshire moors) and I can't really say much about any of the other characters - their very existence is kind of a spoiler. You'll just have to trust me that they're interesting enough anyway. Apparently, The Secret Garden's main theme is rejuvenation ... so I guess you'll finish and feel rejuvenated?

There is one slight issue I have with this book. It's a disability portrayal thing. But since it was written in the very early 1900s, I have to be honest and say that I'm really glad disability was portrayed at all.

#5 - The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Wait, no! I cheated by accident. It turns out The Help was released in 2009 ... so I guess I'd be kind of stretching the rules to call it a classic. (Literature buffs, would you be so kind as to help me on this in the comments? A quick Google search is presumably nothing compared to your extensive knowledge on the subject.)

Anyway, it's not technically a classic, but The Help did impress my English teacher when I brought it into school - and the historical fiction was so immersive that I assumed it really had been written in 1960s Mississippi, where it was set. (I know, it's full of progressive feminism and all about the voices of the black community. I'm not exactly sure how I ended up being so naive that I thought super-modern ideas like that could come from the height of segregation, but never mind.) You should read it because, while you'd think it was terribly, terribly serious ... most of the characters and situation are downright hilarious.

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In the comments: Do you have a favourite classic you'd like to force onto the end of this list? Have you read any of these five? And is The Help a classic or not?

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5 Books With Alternative Formats (Because Sometimes We All Need Something A Little Different)

There are many reasons why books who are told in an alternative format are awesome. I guess some people might like them because they're a breath of fresh air. Because these books are divergent and weird in their very structure and finally, as a divergently weird person myself, that's something I can relate to. But to be brutally, brutally honest?

My main reason for loving them quite so much is how quick they are to read.

I'm ridiculously lazy at times and a slow reader whatever I try to do - I mean I used to think I was quick, but apparently everyone overtook me somewhere between the ages of ten and twelve because now I can never seem to keep up. Or at least I can't keep up with my own unstoppable hunger for words.

But I can usually finish an alternatively formatted book in a day, maybe two if it's especially long, and I love that. Faster books mean I get to use my time better, that by the end of my life I will have absorbed more knowledge, more stories and more points of view than most people ever think possible ... which is kind of the point of reading, right?

I'm also just going to pretend that this desire to take in as much information as humanly possible has nothing to do with an equal desire to conquer mortality and generally just be really smart. Because it's usually not a good idea to post your plans to become a ridiculously intelligent dictator on the internet.

Oops.

*cough* Um ... shall we just get going with the list? *cough*

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

I don't even know why I'm bothering to recommend this, to be honest. Everyone who's going to read these words right here has either already read it or decided they aren't going to. But I have to point out the obvious to get the easy marks in the exam, right? This book is in a playscript format. A format that I worried was going to be distracting and take something away from both the story and my favourite series EVER. But actually, what with Rowling's dialogue-heavy style and everything, it kind of worked. Quite well.

What I am going to say that you might not have heard before, though, is that I don't think you absolutely have to have read the original series to read Cursed Child. Sure, there'll be a few characters and references you just have to go with not understanding until they're better explained later on, and you might not have quite as good an experience as you would have, but I think it's different enough to just be a strong, interesting story in its own right. And we all like strong, interesting stories.

#2 ~ Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

So, I haven't actually got around to reading this one yet.

HOLD THE GASPS. I know. It's incredible. Everyone says so. You just know I'm missing out to such a degree that you're a little bit mad at me for not having cracked the spine. But it's on my TBR, okay? I'm getting there mind-numbingly slowly. I include it on my list because a) I'm going to have to bend at least a few rules if I'm going to make it to five whole books, and b) I've seen pictures of some of the pages. It looks like all the alternative formats (letters, blueprints, maybe the odd random collage of dialogue) squished into one lovely ball of brilliance.

Can I get a huzzah for that?

#3 ~ One by Sarah Crossan

One was the first book I had ever read written in free verse. I was intrigued by the format, but kind of wondering if it would end up being a slightly convoluted gimmick, or feel a bit weird and unnecessary.

It is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful things I've ever seen, let alone read, in my life. Yeah, for the first few pages you felt a bit detached from the style, but after that it was so much more readable and natural than any other 'normal' prose - the story somehow fit with it in a way that if you'd have tried to pull it apart from the way it was written, the plot would just never have been the same. Ditto if you'd tried to tell a different story in the same way, I think, although of course you can never be sure. I think that was what surprised me the most.

Actually, no, the utterly blindsiding ending surprised me the most. But we're not going to talk about that because I-

*gulps* We're just not going to talk about it.

#4 ~ Cuckoo by Keren David

I said this in a lot more detail when I reviewed Cuckoo last week, but it's told through YouTube video transcripts and comments - and frankly that's the element of it that pushes the envelope the least. You've also got some gorgeously, painfully accurate depictions of homelessness, dementia, the fickleness of fame and the ups and downs of caring for someone with complex needs. It was real and gritty and modern, and I really think the format helped with that.

Also, can I just petition right now to have an awesome character like Destiny in every book, please? Okay thanks.

#5 ~ Me Being Me Is Exactly As Insane As You Being You by Todd Hasak-Lowry

First of all, when authors write books with ridiculously long titles, do they never think of the poor bloggers who have to spend whole minutes typing them out (and then checking they typed them right)? I'm sure they don't, the heartless monsters.

It's okay, authors. We'll forgive you for now. *squinty eyes*

This is another book I haven't read yet. Sorry. But I did read the first dozen or so pages in an Edinburgh bookshop only three weeks ago, and those pages were enough to tell me that it's told entirely in lists. And somehow that worked? Somehow the author managed to squeeze in description and dialogue and all that shabang while still having the lists make sense as lists? 

That sounds promising to me. I reckon you should read this and report back to me on how much you enjoyed it.

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In the comments: What's your favourite alternatively-formatted book? Have you read any on the list? What did you think?

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4 Wattpad Stories You Need to Read Right Now

You guys know how incredible WattPad is, right?

It's a site which allows anyone to post their own stories, chapter by chapter, so that they can be read. This means it also allows you to read a whole bunch of stories completely and totally for free - which has to be pretty brilliant. THOUSANDS OF STORIES THAT COST NO MONEY TO READ.

I'm completely sure that I will have hooked you now, so go sign up this instant if you don't already have an account. The rest of us will wait, but hurry, would you?

I guess the genius of WattPad - and the many people who already love it will agree with me here - is that anybody can publish anything, so you get to read things you'd probably never see through traditional publishing. But . . . it also means that 99% of the books you find haven't gone through any kind of formal editing process. So while some are absolute pure genius, they can easily be kind of swamped by the stories that aren't quite there yet.

This is sad, because I'm assuming you don't want to miss out on the ones that are basically concentrated awesome. Here are some of my favourites:

Accidentally on Purpose by Bree Stonefield (@numbereddays)

This was the first book that proved to me just how good WattPad books could be, so I guess it really deserves top spot on this list. There's a baby project (you know, those things people do in Life Skills classes when they have to deal with a screaming robot?), an incident involving soda not coming out of dyed hair, and . . . a dark past. I don't want to say too much.

This book is MASSIVELY cute in and of itself, mostly because this particularly baby project also involves a fake proposal and wedding planning and . . . awwww! But then there's also a beautiful, squee-worthy oneshot out there called Ships and Things by @refractedPenguin. It's about the teacher who organised said baby project. Don't read it before AOP, because exposing yourself to that many spoilers would be MAD, but do read it once you've finished. It's cute as anything.

The End of Summer by @makeandoffer

Okay. This story is many things. It has romance, and hilariousness, and a killer on the loose in a secondary school.

You probably weren't expecting me to say that last bit.

It's the end of summer (the author was probably hoping you'd get that from the title, but I figured I'd tell you anyway) and it's time for a small town's worst kept secret: the Riverbank Riot, a weekend when hundreds of teenagers break into their SCHOOL to get mind-numbingly drunk. And seeing as Summer Jacobs is dealing with some pretty "unforeseen circumstances" at home, she's in dire need of a party.

This plan kind of derails as soon as three teachers storm in, closely followed by a masked gunman. So this weekend really could be the end of Summer. The book is absolutely gripping, but honestly my favourite part is the title pun. 

Dizzy by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn

Ziah and Dylan hate each other, pretty much. They met at a party - on what everyone has to admit was a pretty bed night for her - and it did not go very well. But now his brother has sold out on their no relationships pact and is getting married . . . to her sister. So, meet the world's most unenthusiastic wedding planners ever!

This being WattPad, teen romance central, they don't hate each other for the entire book.

What I really liked about this one was that Ziah and Dylan BOTH NARRATED! So you got to see their feelings for each other and it was incredibly, brilliantly frustrating. Read if you want to spend a lot of time yelling "JUST KISS ALREADY!" at a good book.

When Left Alone by @zemrabbit

There's another thing WattPad is really good at besides romance and slightly creepy fanfiction, and that's poetry. Some of it is so ridiculously, brilliantly deep that you can get lost in it for days. And this . . . this book right here is my personal favourite.

Admittedly, it was written by one of my bestest bestest friends, so maybe I'm the tiniest bit biased, but it really is beautiful. She has this insane ability to rip your heart up and make you glad about it, which I guess all the best poets (and authors *cough* John Green *cough*) have: I'm not going to even talk about it for much longer because I can feel myself starting to get teary. Just give it a try, okay?

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In the comments: Do you have a favourite WattPad story? If you've read any of these, what did you think? And which one do you want to read first?

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