Playlist For The Dead by Michelle Falkoff

Here's what Sam knows: There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, his best friend, Hayden, was dead. And all he left Sam was a playlist of songs, and a suicide note:

For Sam - listen and you'll understand.

Here's what Sam knows: There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, his best friend, Hayden, was dead. And all he left Sam was a playlist of songs, and a suicide note: For Sam - listen and you'll understand.

As he listens to song after song, Sam tries to face up to what happened the night Hayden killed himself. But it's only by taking out his earbuds and opening his eyes to the people around him that he will finally be able to piece together his best friend's story. And maybe have a chance to change his own.

Part mystery, part love story, and part coming-of-age tale in the vein of Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Playlist for the Dead is an honest and gut-wrenching first novel about loss, rage, what it feels like to outgrow a friendship that's always defined you - and the struggle to redefine yourself.

I grabbed this book from my local library’s ebook collection, as my daughter brought it home from school. When she told me what it was about I asked if she’d like me to read it alongside her too, like a buddy read, in case she had questions really. So we have both been reading and chatting. She’s 13, and has autism, so I wasn’t sure how she would manage with the themes in this one.

The main theme is suicide. You find out very quickly that Hayden has taken his own life, and it’s his best friend Sam who finds him. The rest of the book is about grief, bullying, friendship, and loss, and it’s been written in quite a good way for young adults to learn about these things without it being too much. I liked the way each chapter was the name of a song, all the songs from the playlist Hayden left for Sam. It’s made me listen to them, and I know my daughter found a playlist for this book and she’s been listening too.

I enjoyed it, gave it 4 stars, and would happily read more YA like this alongside my daughter if she wanted me to.

PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han

 Lara Jean didn't expect to really fall for Peter. But suddenly they are together for real - and it's far more complicated than when they were pretending! A risque video of the two of them has been posted online. WillLara Jean ever live it down? Peter is spending more and more time with his ex. Has he stillgot feelings for her? A boy from Lara Jean's past has returned, and so too have her feelings for him. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? Only one thing is certain: falling in love is just the easy part!

I read this one a while back now, and forgot to review it! I love these books, and the films, so I do read the characters in the voices (and faces) of the film actors and actresses, but it’s not a bad thing imagining Noah as Peter.

I enjoyed this book, not as much as book 1, but still really good. I loved the addition of John Ambrose, he threw some stuff up in the air didn’t he! I loved him in the movie too. I also really enjoy the scenes with Stormy! She’s a brilliant character, very straight and to the point, and I can imagine her being so much fun to be around.

LJ’s family are still here, and things are changing slightly with new romances, and a friendly neighbour. Noah is adorable, I love him, and I root for him and LJ all throughout, even though I know how this whole thing ends.

If you like easy romance books, this one is one for you. 

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control - even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn't care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he'll turn eighteen and then he'll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will's exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn't feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

This was my second buddy read, and I read this with Becky @beckithebookworm. We both really enjoyed it. 

I had seen the movie quite a while ago so I kind of knew what to expect, but I had also heard that the movie ended differently to the book so I was quite looking forward to seeing the difference. 

I really liked this book, I loved the characters Will and Stella, and I really loved Poe. I liked Will’s confidence, which sometimes comes off as cocky, but he’s great. Stella seems like a good girl, kind natured which you can’t tell throughout the book, and I love her vlogs. Poe is just so happy. I loved the friendship between him and Stella.

Reading about how difficult it is living with CF made me realise how hard it must be for everyone who has this condition. We find out in the book that Will has a bacterial infection known as B Cepacia on top of his CF, and he’s there doing a new trial to try to get rid of it. This is how the 2 meet.

I did not know that two people with CF shouldn’t touch, or you should never be within six-foot of each other, or anyone with a cold or flu, but it makes sense. As we’ve learned during the pandemic, water droplets from coughs and sneezes can travel six feet in the air. 

The book makes you feel happy and sad, love and a lot of happy. Fab YA book and I’d definitely read more from this author.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. One for every boy she's ever loved. But when her imaginary love story becomes public knowledge, her life suddenly becomes much more complicated. The inspiration for the Netflix-hosted runaway hit film, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a classic coming-of-age high school romance: a sweet, smart, sharply funny story about the aches and pains of growing up and falling head over heels for the very first time.

So we all know the story right? The film that was made famous by Netflix, which was amazing, but please read the book because it’s absolutely fantastic. I was a bit dubious about reading the book after a few people said it wasn’t as good as the film, but believe me it was great, I thoroughly enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed the film. It has made me want to sit down and watch the films again. I’m desperate to dive into book 2 and 3 but I’m unsure whether to read something else first and break them up. This book had me captivated all day.

Laura Jean writes love letters, it’s her way of saying goodbye when she realises she doesn’t love a boy anymore, but they aren’t sent out, but kept for herself. One day a letter she wrote to Peter Kavinsky makes it’s way into his hands, Laura Jean is mortified, he has a girlfriend Genevieve, who is awful, like something out of Mean Girls. Laura Jean runs home to realise all the letters are missing, not just Peters. Stuff happens and they come up with an idea of pretend dating, that way Peter can get back at Gen, and Laura Jean can avoid the other letter receivers.

This book is just so nice, I love how the relationship between Laura Jean and Peter develops. I love the relationship LJ has with her sisters too but most importantly with Kitty. Oh and her Dad, who was a single parent to 3 girls after the Mum died when Kitty was little. But Peter… Oh I love him so much. He stole my heart completely (as did Noah Centineo in the movie). If you like Cheesy rom-coms you will love this book,. I really hope you love it as much as I did.