Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Comedy, Humour, Review, Romance, Uncategorized

Book Review: Blind Date by Debbie Ioanna

I chose this book because it got me my BINGO in the Summer Reading challenge by World Indie Warriors. And, I’m so glad I did!

Setting

Jenny (the MC) lives in a flat with her cat, Bing. She works in customer service, handlings complaints. Her mum & BFF are sending her on blind dates as they’re as desperate for her to meet someone, maybe more desperate than Jenny is.

Main Character

Jenny is a relatable character. She tries hard, but things always go wrong, often with hilarious consequences. She’s crushing on a guy at work that’s not into her, or could he be? But, the situation is never right and she’s off on another blind date.

Bing isn’t the main character but he is such a star in the book I had to mention this cat. In fact he is probably my favourite fictional pet, ever!

Another character I loved was the BFF, Sarah. This girl was always just a phone call away, picking Jen’s spirits up after disaster dates, and laughing with her (and the reader).

Review

I’m a slow reader and I devoured this book in a weekend! This is so well written. There’s hilarious moments in every chapter, and jokes that are weaved through the book that get funnier ever time.

I loved so many of the characters. Bing is my all time favourite fictional pet. Sarah is an amazing BFF! The dream guy was perfection. I lived for every moment in his presence.

I had a friend that went on some entertaining blind dates and this book brought those stories back. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Contemporary, Fantasy, Review, Romance, Young Adult

Reading Challenge: Amelia’s Story by Nicola Hebron

About the challenge

The challenge was set by World Indie Warriors on Instagram. They created three #WIWBingo boards; YA, Romance, and Fantasy.

The aim is to read and review the books on Instagram and tag @worldindiewarriors

The goal is to get three in a line, and help indie books get seen.

I’m doing the challenge. I’ve already read some of the books on the board so I’ll be reposting them this month, and I’m hoping to read some new one too.

The Book Review

Here is my post of my old review for Amelia’s Story by Nicola Hebron. I shortened it for social media.

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[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Contemporary, Fantasy, Review, Romance, Young Adult

Reading Challenge: Sorceress of Truth by J.D. Groom

About the challenge

The challenge was set by World Indie Warriors on Instagram. They created three #WIWBingo boards; YA, Romance, and Fantasy.

The aim is to read and review the books on Instagram and tag @worldindiewarriors

The goal is to get three in a line, and help indie books get seen.

I’m doing the challenge. I’ve already read some of the books on the board so I’ll be reposting them this month, and I’m hoping to read some new one too.

The Book Review

Here is my post of my old review for Sorceress of Truth by J.D. Groom. I shortened it for social media.

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Books, Dystopia, Fantasy, Review, Romance, Super Powers, Young Adult

Book Review: Mirror Souls by Julia Scott

I downloaded this book onto my Kindle app ages ago, and forgot about it. But, the World Indie Warriors Summer Reading Challenge reminded me to read it.

I follow Julia on social media and she is my formatter. She’s also the newest member of the Unstoppable Authors Podcast Team.

Setting

The books is set in the future with three different alien races. Well, one race is Gaians which is basically human, from Gaia aka Earth.

Avalons look human but are superior and rule the Gaians. They have access to tech that enable them to teleport and monitor everything the Gaians do.

The Midorians are another alien race at war with the Avalons. They live out in space on massive ships.

Main Character

The main character is Alana. She’s Giana and best friends with an Avalon, Gen. Alana is a rebel and breaks rules like curfew and crosses boundaries to be with her BFF.

Alana is dreading shift day when her & her family could be moved as she likes where they are. She’s also almost eighteen, an age where she’ll be give her profession. As she gets older, there’s more talk of her being coupled.

Review

I liked Alana. She’s a daring character and a rebel. The story is about her finding her Mirror Soul. It’s like a soul mate that awakens powers.

The Avalons don’t allow Mirror Souls and Alana is breaking rules to discover and be with hers, putting everyone she loves in danger.

It’s a fast paced adventure as they travel all over the world looking for somewhere safe to be together. Instead, they unravel a load of secrets, as embark on a mission to rescue Alana’s family.

I’m not a fan of aliens. space or travelling, and this book was up against that. But, the fast pace and action kept me turning the page as I unravelled secrets with Alana.

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Books, Fantasy, High, Review, Uncategorized

Reading Challenge: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S. Weaver

About the challenge

The challenge was set by World Indie Warriors on Instagram. They created three #WIWBingo boards; YA, Romance, and Fantasy.

The aim is to read and review the books on Instagram and tag @worldindiewarriors

The goal is to get three in a line, and help indie books get seen.

I’m doing the challenge. I’ve already read some of the books on the board so I’ll be reposting them this month, and I’m hoping to read some new one too.

The Book Review

Here is my post of my old review for Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S. Weaver. I shortened it for social media.

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Age, Review, Suspense, Young Adult

Reading Challenge: Brave New Girl by Grace Herbst

About the challenge

The challenge was set by World Indie Warriors on Instagram. They created three #WIWBingo boards; YA, Romance, and Fantasy.

The aim is to read and review the books on Instagram and tag @worldindiewarriors

The goal is to get three in a line, and help indie books get seen.

I’m doing the challenge. I’ve already read some of the books on the board so I’ll be reposting them this month, and I’m hoping to read some new one too.

The Book Review

Here is my post of my old review for Brave New Girl by Grace Herbst. I shortened it for social media.

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Full original review of Brave New Girl by Grace Herbst

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[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Review, Romance, Suspense

Reading Challenge: Agent Undone by Cassidy Reyne

About the challenge

The challenge was set by World Indie Warriors on Instagram. They created three #WIWBingo boards; YA, Romance, and Fantasy.

The aim is to read and review the books on Instagram and tag @worldindiewarriors

The goal is to get three in a line, and help indie books get seen.

I’m doing the challenge. I’ve already read some of the books on the board so I’ll be reposting them this month, and I’m hoping to read some new one too.

The Book Review

Here is my post of my old review for Agent Undone by Cassidy Reyne. I shortened it for social media.

If you enjoyed this you will like:

Full original review of Agent Undone by Cassidy Reyne

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[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Dystopia, Future, Review

Book Review: Spine of Winter by Angeline Trevena

I’ve followed Angeline for a while on social media. She is one of the authors behind the Unstoppable Authors podcast & organises the Indie Fire Festival. Recently she was part of my live stream chat for Indie Author Week UK.

For the release of her new book Angeline did a giveaway. I entered and won.

Setting

The book is set in a post apocalyptic world, where it’s an eternal winter. I’d not long finished watching Snow Piercer on Netflix & it made me think about those people that didn’t make the Snow piercer train.

…It made me think about those people that didn’t make the Snow piercer…

Ally Aldridge’s Review of The Spine of Winter by Angeline Trevena

Main Character

The main character is a woman, that has found somewhere safe to survive with her brother. She is very reliant on her brother to take care of her. She rarely goes out in the snow. She mourns for the life that she has lost, holding onto little treasures from the time before.

Review

This isn’t your typical summer read but I highly recommend reading about an eternal winter on a barmy hot day.

This novella was a quick easy read with lots of character growth. The main character starts off quite meek and reliant on her brother. This is good as it eases the reader into the dark world that now exists. It felt a built like a thriller the way the tension built. The setting is a character in itself and you can see why Angeline is a World building expert.

Obviously something terrible happens – it is a dystopia. This is the kick the main character needs to take action. It had a good satisfying ending that I’m not going to spoil for you. Give it a go – 5 stars.

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Fantasy, High, Mermaid or Siren, Review, Romance, Young Adult

Book Review: Meraki by Naomi Kelly

Naomi Kelly is an author that agreed to a Behind the Book interview. During this interview she got me so intrigued about her syren, I had to read it.

Setting

The book is set in a fantasy world. Their are gods, magical beings, and humans. Those with magic have ichor in their veins, turning their blood purple.

Main Character

The main character, Wren, is a syren princess that has escaped The Seven Spikes, home to the tyrant queen (her mother). She doesn’t want to sing her lullaby to kill a man. She wants to be left alone.

Along comes Kellan, a warlord and descendant of god Ares. He has dreamt a syren will save his family & decides to kidnap the MC from the ocean. Kellan has inherited his lands from his recently deceased father.

Review

Sexy Siren? Hot Warlord? An epic battle at the end? Yes! Yes! Yes!

This is the first book in Naomi’s Syren series & can be read as a standalone. Meraki has great Worldbuilding introducing you to the isles, syrens, gods, magic, and a whole cast of fantastical creatures.

Wren is a runaway syren princess. Kellan is the warlord that needs a syren’s song to save his family. He kidnaps Wren, but with her comes her tyrant mother’s wrath!

This story was so good and like no other. The world building is brilliant.

I gave it 4.5 stars, and highly recommend you go read it!

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Fiction, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Brave New Girl by Grace Herbst

Setting

The MC, Ashley, has moved to a new town, Emerald, for a fresh start, with her dad and his new girlfriend. Can she out run her past?

The girl friend works at Ashley’s new school and introduced her to Lucas, a boy in her year group. Ashley settles into her new school quickly as she already has made friends.

Ashley’s auntie has been counseling her to help with behaviour issues that got so out of hand that Ashley was lucky to only have community service.

Characters

Ashley is the main character. She went off the rails and is now trying to get her life back on track. She’s very self-involved.

Roxanne is the villain. She is the bad girl from Ashley’s past. Together they had wild parties and commit crimes.

Lucas is the lad that Ashley was introduced to before moving to Emerald. He makes sure she settles into school and has a good new group of friends like Chloe.

Her dad and his girlfriend are really nice. Ashley is struggling with her dad’s new relationship and how she fits in. This was the catalyst for her bad behavior and although she working on changing, she’s still not okay.

Review

This book felt like a book 2. I really wanted to see Ashley go wild and hit rock bottom but the story starts after that, once the dust has settled. Except, Ashley hasn’t really processed what happened.

Ashley integrates into her new school with ease. Her new house is in a nice neighbourhood and next door to one of her new friends. Everything is going good until the burglaries start.

Someone is breaking into homes and stealing peoples jewellery. Ashley can’t help but think her past is catching up with her. When someone she loves gets hurt she decides its time to take responsibility for her mistakes. She runs away from home, back to her old town.

There were a few occasions I felt the story was too safe, and the author could have dug deeper into Ashley’s emotions and upped the stakes. It is a quick easy read.

The story has a satisfying ending with no loose ends. Although it is part of a series you can read it as a standalone. Overall it is a good story about taking responsibility for you actions and forgiveness.

The book deals with or touches on the following topics; moving house & starting a new school, death of a parent, parent remarrying, a new baby to the family, going wild (stealing, drinking, drugs, sleeping around), miscarriage, gun crime, running away/homelessness, and needing therapy.

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[kofi]