Review: The Cassandra Complex by Holly Smale

 Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a creature of habit.

She likes what she likes (museums, jumpsuits, her boyfriend Will) and strongly dislikes what she doesn't (mess, change, her boss drinking out of her mug). Her life runs in a pleasing, predictable order. Until now.

She's just been dumped.

She's just been fired.

Her local café has run out of banana muffins.

Then, something truly unexpected happens: Cassie discovers she can go back and change the past.

Now, Cassie should be able to find a way to fix the life she accidentally obliterated. And with time on her side, how hard can it be...?

Review: This book blew me away. It was one of those books that I couldn’t wait to get back to when I wasn’t reading it so, despite being in the midst of moving house, I read it over 2 or 3 days. Holly Smale's first adult fiction is a true hit and I am sure that, whether you have read the Geek Girl series or not, you will love it!

Cassandra is not one of those characters you will instantly like, she is prickly and she doesn’t really like herself all that much so how are we as readers supposed to like her from the word go? However she is a completely intriguing individual who draws you into her life and gets you on her side through her disaster of a day when we first begin the book. Everything that could go wrong for her does and she really can’t understand why all of it is happening at once when she planned for an entirely different day. It is when she discovers her gift that we start getting to know her as a character and that she starts to get to know herself. 

I’m not a huge fan of having to think outside the box and suspend my disbelief but I completely and utterly bought into the theory that Cassandra was able to rest her days and go to different days or weeks in her past and that is where the adventure of this book really happens. I;m not a fantasy reader, I don’t really like anything to stray from real life in my reading so if you are worried about the time travel aspect, please don’t be. If I can be fully invested in closing my eyes and travelling back in time, you can too!

What makes this book so uniquely brilliant is the level of detail that Cassandra goes into through the power of Holly Smales writing. She is obsessed with Greek mythology, who isn’t, and so we get to hear where she got her name from and the ways in which she compares her life to Greek heroes and villains. She is also fairly self-reflective and she realises that she has to learn how to act around some people because it doesn’t come naturally. Watching her having to learn some social queues and why it is not always OK to say exactly what you think in all situations was really emotional for me but it is part of the heart of this book. 

This book is own voices for autism but really it says all there is to say about trying to make it in this world as a woman who wants to have a good life and do it independently. It is exhausting and takes multiple tries to even come close to what you thought it would be! I highly recommend this novel whether you have read Holly Smale before or not, it is brilliant and a must read!

To order your copy now, just click here!

Review: The Valentines-Happy Girl Lucky by Holly Smale

Introducing The Valentines. Fame – It Runs in the Family!

Sisters Hope, Faith and Mercy have everything: fame, success, money and beauty. But what Hope wants most of all is love, and it doesn’t matter how far she has to go to find it.

Except real-life isn't like the movies. Even if you're a Valentine . . .

Happy Girl Lucky is the first hilarious, heart-warming book in The Valentines series. 

Review: Ok going into this novel I had certain expectations because I am a HUGE fan of the Geek Girl series by Holly Smale and when someone has had a series that successful, it is definitely a tough act to follow. But wow I loved this book. It was such a great pick for when I read it because I needed something that would make me laugh and keep me entertained for 400 pages. 

Hope is a great main character and I really really can't wait to hear how she gets on as we progress through this series. She has the endearing ditziness of Harriet Manners but T the same time she feels like she knows it all and she is going to be an absolute star, what a great mix! Her siblings are also thoroughly entertaining. They each have very different qualities and they just work well at causing friction and yet at the same time a kind of harmony within the family. 

I also loved the setting of this novel, being set between Richmond and Hollywood makes it easy to relate to, they are covered well in the media and they really couldn't be more different! There is a strong message of being yourself and self-acceptance in this book and also a subtext of not being in too much of a hurry to grow up. There was a little family drama, a touch o romance and a sprinkling of old Hollywood that just made me fall in love and I can't wait to hear more from Holly Smale and continue on in this series! 

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Review: Geek Girl 2: Model Misfit

“My name is Harriet Manners, and I am still a geek.”

Harriet knows that modelling won’t transform you. She knows that being as uniquely odd as a polar bear isn’t necessarily a bad thing (even in a rainforest). And that the average person eats a ton of food a year, though her pregnant stepmother is doing her best to beat this.

What Harriet doesn’t know is where she’s going to fit in once the new baby arrives.

With summer plans ruined, modelling in Japan seems the perfect chance to get as far away from home as possible. But nothing can prepare Harriet for the craziness of Tokyo, her competitive model flatmates and her errant grandmother’s ‘chaperoning’. Or seeing gorgeous Nick everywhere she goes.

Because, this time, Harriet knows what a broken heart feels like.

Can geek girl find her place on the other side of the world or is Harriet lost for good?

Review: "Never underestimate the power of a well-placed apostrophe." This quote just sums up how much I loved this book. I spend my life telling children how to use apostrophes, rolling my eyes at misplaced apostrophes in shops and so the fact that this author understands the importance of a good apostrophe shows just how awesome she is! I was very excited about this sequel, I was literally holding my breath waiting for it to come out, and it was just as good as I expected. It was fabulous to catch up with Harriett again and you are thrown right into the action with her, back into her world of obscure facts, exams and a little bit of modelling thrown in!

Harriett is such a fab character and its great to be able to learn her life lessons along with her. This books really does show her growing up. Whilst she develops and has adventures in the first Geek Girl book, she goes out on her own, on her own to another country, on her own to model in another country and so her character really does have to mature and develop! Her friends are all there in this sequel too. Toby plays much more of a role in this book, and 'Lion Boy' much less of a role-I loved this! Nat is there too, and my favourite character of all-Wilbur! Wilbur and Harriett's dad really are just pure comedy genius-i defy anyone not to laugh at the things they come out with and the ways in which they challenge our poor misguided model.

The storyline of this novel is really quite different from Geek Girl, I was really pleased to discover this, Whilst Geek Girl was most definitely a winning formula, its nice that this novel has a bit more of a mystery about it, the added aspect of travelling to Tokyo, and also of course, has Harriett dealing with a broken heart! I loved the whole sabotaging storyline, and also loved the sub plot of everything that was going on at home with Harriett's family!

Overall this was just a great read. It had the comfort of revisiting familiar characters with the bonus new setting and new storyline. It delivered a strong message of doing the right thing, once again, which is wonderful, and also had that pure comedy which really did have me laughing out loud-something which is pretty hard to bring on! If you enjoyed Geek Girl then this is a must read for you. If you haven't read Geek Girl then this novel can definitely be enjoyed on its own, but I can bet anything that you will have to rush out and buy Geek Girl straight afterwards! A fabulous sequel!

Click here to see my review of Geek Girl

Click here to see my interview with the fabulous Holly Smale

Click to get your own copy of Geek Girl and Model Misfit

Cover Reveal! Geek Girl: Model Misfit by Holly Smale

Very very excited about this sequel. YES! Geek Girl 2 has a gorgeous cover, it's so bright and mischievous meaning that this sequel is set to be just as awesome as the original Geek Girl!

If you love this cover and are as excited about the sequel as I am then keep your eyes glued to the blog because I was lucky enough to interview Holly Smale and will be posting that interview very very shortly...

This book is released 26th September so get pre-ordering now...