Night Owls and Summer Skies by Rebecca Sullivan

Emma Lane is a newly-minted adult who for the past several years has been living under the custody of her father. It is now summer and she is being driven to her mother's to spend time with her before she goes off into the big bad world. But not all is what she hoped it would. When arriving at her mother's she is told that instead of staying at her mother's home, her mum is going on a cruise... but without her. Instead, she is thrown into the world which she escaped from as a kid, Camp Mapplewood.

Camp Mapplewood and her have history that goes way back, but one of the main points which Emma makes early on is the mental health issues which she has inherited from it. The only connection that she does seem to have left since her last encounter is her friend, turned pen pal, Jessie.

Emma seems like one of those people who doesn't think before she speaks or doesn't like it when she doesn't get her own way. This is expressed when she realises that she has to spend the summer at camp rather than staying with her mother. For instance, the first thing she tries to do is ring her Dad up to complain about how she is made to go to camp, rather than staying with her mother. Yes, this can be seen as in some ways understandable, due to her previous experiences of being there. But then, this can be seen to take a different turn of trying to upset people and their relationships so that she gets what she wants. It's not charming. It's ignorant and selfish.

There are also moments which present itself where it is clear that there are times when people are trying to help her or offer a hand in defeat and instead of taking it she snuffs it in a childish demeanour. I hate to say it, there are not many books where I have come across where from the very beginning my opinion of a character is not likeable. But it is true, Emma Lane is not likeable or relatable. The only thing I truly feel for her is when her mother suggests that going to camp would make her straight, which is understandably blood-boiling in any situation.

But this is when my rant is over and my opinions begin to soften. Although I'm not the biggest fan of Emma, I did begin to like her more with her relationships with the Black family. How she treated Gwen as a friend when she didn't have any; with Vivian and how she began to soften to the idea that maybe sharing things is not a bad thing, especially when you are crying for help and finally Julie, lovely and motherly Julie who helped her decide that her future can mean something, even when you feel like you are not getting anywhere.

So I don't feel as though this book is a bad attempt, no way. It is just that sometimes its ok to not like someone completely, but that is normal as its like life itself. You can't be forced to like every single person you meet. It is just in this case, Emma needed someone to open her up and show her what is really important. It's crazy to think that when I did finish this book I felt some sadness that I didn't get to see Emma in the next stage of her life, which is not something that I would have ever thought about in the beginning.

At the beginning I was adamant that I wanted to give this book a two star. However, I think that as Emma improved, so did my opinion of her and now I give it a three star.

Just the Two of Us (Book 2) by Ryu Hyang

SYNOPSIS Soohyuk, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist, came to Korea in search of his birth parents, wanting to sort through the muddled darkness of his past. When he met Yuna, an anxious cook, he didn't expect to fall in love. Yuna has struggled all her life to trust men after an incident in her past and spends all her time doting upon her nephew and pursuing her one true love: cooking. The last thing she expected when she met Soohyuk was that she would want to move in with him. Both took a leap of faith and found happiness. Now, it seems certain they were meant for each other. Yet, navigating the twists and turns of a real relationship proves more difficult than either of them expected. Yuna fears what her brother will say when he finds out she's living with Soohyuk. and she grapples with the changes brought on by her young nephew's recent medical diagnosis. Meanwhile, Soohyuk is tied up working hours on end at S University Hospital, fending off the hospital direc...

Blog Tour: The Beast Hunters Dark Sovereign by Christer Lende

REVIEW So we are back in the world of the Beast Hunters for a sophomore instalment where we see Ara, Khendric and Topper back on another adventure. But this time with a difference. Instead of the world building from the previous book, we get to delve into a mystery with darkness starting to make pace in the background. We meet new characters, some good and some not so much. Not only do we have the overarching themes of beasts but also political intrigue and secretive plots. It is far more intricate than the previous instalment where the characters are making decisive and confident choices. Especially for our fave apprentice, Ara. If you want to get away from the current world affairs, this book will serve as an escape from reality. What these last two books do remind me of however, is a tv show. Why I say this is because it felt kind of episodic but they both have reinvented themselves with different themes. I found this to be quite good actually. This is because it feels l...

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

I know that this has been a review which has been a long time in the making. Especially when I received the books back in August last year. So I guess, that is quite a long time. But as some of you may already know, they all pack a punch as to how big they all are in pages! So, to put you all out of your misery, here is the long-awaited review for 'The Lost Symbol'. YAY! The main plotline is based around the organisation called the Freemasons, which throughout the years have had quite a bit of controversy. Not because they may have done something immoral, but rather that no one really knows what they actually do - except for Freemasons of course. People say that they are a secret organisation. But, that is completely and utterly incorrect. They are simply an organisation with secrets. Otherwise if they are a secret organisation, why do people know that Freemasonry actually exists, rather than a conspiracy? Anyway, onto the review I go! The omniscient narrator had a m...