More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

Okay. So I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this review without shouting my words in excitement. If I could stand on a rooftop this very minute and sing to all below (bear in mind my singing voice is not up to par but lets continue for the sake of emphasis) with the greatest 70s pop song it would still not show how good this book is. But one thing that it will show is that I am now angry at not being able to experience the same joy that I did for the very first time that I was able to read it. Just imagine now, I am in my hermit hole crying my eyes out because I am not sure how I am meant to carry on with life, let alone read another book.

I think that we might just have a hopeless romantic on our hands. Danyal is undeniably a down-to-earth guy who unfortunately needs a little push in the right direction. However, he can also be seen to be a guy who is too good to be true. Almost like how a star might shoot over the night sky, but can easily be missed if your not in time to see it. Danyal can also be seen as being a very relatable character. He's real, he's breathing, he has real life problems, he doesn't have some stupid fantastical power that makes him the main character because he is more than that. I kind of wish that he is my friend too. But now that I have closed the final chapter, he feels more like a good old friend that I used to know but still appreciate. Like a fine wine I guess.

The main storyline is set in The Renaissance Man contest that happens every year at Danyal's school. This is where it is widely understood that the people who are chosen to compete in this contest is through the nominations of the teachers from various departments throughout the school are the brightest and the most gifted. Danyal comes to learn what it means to follow your own dreams and the dreams that are placed upon you. He also comes to realise that maybe it's good to question what is seen to be right, when obviously, there are times where we must show that even the biggest heroes are not all good as they are said to be. Even in the most hardest of times when things don't seem like they are going right, it doesn't mean that you can't be happy or optimistic. Because when all fails, we all have the joy of food to give us the feeling that everything will be ok.

Some of the characters are fun and quirky. I loved Bisma and Danyal's mother who always made me laugh nearly every time that she entered the room. Suri, oh don't get me started on Suri she is sweet yet hilarious in the same way and I wish there was more of her to be honest. What can I say, this was a perfect book with some perfect characters. I just loved them all in their own ways. This book seems like one you can't get enough of, even if you have read it for the fifth time. It's just brilliant.

So I've decided to stop waffling and give this book five stars because it cannot be described in the best way possible without reading the book yourself. Take the leap. You won't be disappointed.

Literally a Fangirl

I'm so excited to talk you about this piece of fiction. Literally it is just a masterpiece! Genre: Contemporary, Romance Year Of Publish: 2013 (US), 2014 (UK) Publisher: St Martin's Press (US), Pan Macmillian (UK) I have found that throughout the whole of this book, the main character Cath has a lot of characteristics that i can relate to. She's antisocial, a fangirl(a bit obvious), scared of the real world and prefers the imaginary world of literature compared to reality. The whole time i couldn't stop reading wanting to find out more(which is kind of bad when i have tons of essays to finish). What is a ll about? Well, the basis of the story is that Cath is going to university, but she prefers to write fanfics of Simon Snow and Baz. They are kind of an imaginary fandom, which i heard from somewhere that Rainbow Rowell is eventually going to write books about them. So that will be quite interesting. But many have said that Simon Snow is v...

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

If you are in the mood for a sweet romance that gives Groundhog Day and Ferris Bueller vibes then this book is for you. What happens if you wake up to the same Valentine’s Day and everything always goes not to plan? What if you are someone who likes to plan and not share how you are really feeling? Emilie, our female protagonist is very much a stickler for planning and keeping to societal norms. She never really speaks her mind. But this Valentine’s Day is different. She is different. I found that the book itself is quirky and fun. It does have moments of sadness but there is a lot of heart in terms of how it is done. There could have been more time with other characters that are mentioned throughout but at the end of the day it is very much a Young Adult piece. There is nothing wrong with that. Would I read it again? Possibly if I want a Valentines themed book. It was also very quick to read for those who are not into big tomes. Rating: 4 Stars

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

I’ve been following Ashley Poston’s work for a while. At first it was the comic con series back in 2020 when she first became known to me during COVID. After I read the series I forgot about her for a while. It was only when I went into my local Waterstones to pick up The Dead Romantics she came back under my radar. She is now one of my must buys if a new book comes out. Her take of the romantic genre has always been fresh and interesting with some form of magical realism. A Novel Love Story follows our heroine Elsy, otherwise referred to as Eileen. Unlucky in love she struggles to try new things. Instead, she is comforted by her favourite book series by her favourite author, Rachel Flowers. On her way to a cabin retreat by herself, she finds her car broken down in a town that is somewhat familiar to her favourite book series. I’m not going to lie, compared to Poston’s earlier novels this book took some time for me to get into. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve had to...