Swapped by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja

I wish I wasn't myself anymore.

I wish I was her.

I wish I was Jo.

Rachel hates her life. When her on/off boyfriend David goes to a music festival she decides to surprise him - but she gets a shock of her own. Not only does she find David kissing someone else, but it's their friend Jo! Super-lovely, super-loved, all-round-perfect Jo.

Rachel runs away, wishing she could leave her life behind - and she suddenly finds herself in Jo's body! Can she keep this swap a secret? Can she unravel what's really going on? Can she get to grips with Jo's out-of-control curly hair? 

And if she discovers that being in someone else's shoes isn't all it's cracked up to be, can she ever be herself again?

I've read Split by a Kiss, one of Luisa's other books, which I loved, so I was really excited to read this book. And I was right, because I think this is Luisa's best book yet!( Well, considering I haven't read Extreme Kissing but still....)


Tori wasn't my favourite character in this book, because I thought seemed even more vain than in the last one. She just got on my nerves sometimes. But her ditziness was hilarious at times! This time around, my favourite character was definitely Rachel. In the last book I didn't like her because she just seemed like some moody girl that was mean to Jo. But hearing things from her point of view really changed my mind.


Rachel was so insecure, and I felt really sorry for her. She thought she was fat, and that no-one liked her, and it was just awful hearing her hate herself so much. ( OK, I know she's not real, but she seemed real to me!) She was cynical, which was actually very funny, when you get over the mean part! But towards the end, she starts to be nicer to people, and realises she can make more friends by just being  herself.


This is honestly probably one of the funniest books I've ever read! I haven't read many books that have actually made me laugh out loud. But Luisa Plaja is just such a fantastic author, it's hard not to laugh!


My rating? 5/5, no question about it! One of my new favourite girly reads, sure to cheer you up and make you laugh when your feelin' down! Hehe! I love that word. Feelin'. OK, random. Bye bye! And make sure to get your copy of Swapped by a Kiss NOW!


Age Group: 12+
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Official Publication Date: 29th April 2010
Author Website: Chicklish

Thanks so so soooooo much to Luisa for sending this to me to review!

This review was done as part of the British Books Challenge 2011 hosted by The Bookette.

Eva's Journey by Judi Curtin

Rich, spoilt, high-maintenance Eva Gordon likes fancy, sophisticated things so when her parents sell their sell their holiday home and their expensive car Eva can't understand why. But when Eva's dad loses his job and she has to move house and change schools, she realises life has changed for good. She's determined to hate her new life, until a chance visit to a fortune teller gives her the idea that doing good may help her to get her old life back. Eva (with the help of her friend Victoria) starts to help all around her, whether they want it or not! This is the story of "Eva's Journey" from spoilt princess to pretty cool girl.

Judi Curtin is one of my FAVOURITE authors ever. I loved her Alice and Megan series, and was eager to read Eva's Journey. And it didn't disappoint! I think this is one of Judi's best book yet!

I haven't actually read a book about the recession before, even though I probably should have, because it's been going on for almost two years now. It was a great storyline and very relevant, because thousands of children in Ireland are going through the exact same thing as Eva and, or worse, and can really relate. I think this would really help them to see that you really can be happy without loads of money. Although, apparently this wasn't the moral of this story, it was 'you shouldn't kick stone walls when your wearing flip-flops'!

I thought Eva was a complete brat at the beginning, and she really irritated me with her 'I'm so much better than you' ways. And then she thought that by doing a few good deeds, she would be rich and 'happy' again. But (predictably), she did improve as the story went on.

My favourite character was Ruby, the shy unsociable girl that Eva was kind of friends with. I felt really sorry for her, having to manage a busy stall all on her own, and she was only twelve. There was a great plot twist involving h Ruby, that I so wasn't expecting!

Overall I thought the book was fantastic, 5/5. I finished it in under a day, it was so good! I know it was aimed at a slightly younger audience than me, but I still enjoyed it. Fabulous book, everyone should read it. It would be a great quick read, but it makes you think a little. Fabulous book, Judi and I hope you write more soon!

P.S.Hey guys, sorry for asking yet another question, but does anyone know how I can stop double spacing? This is the first time it's happened an it's really annoying. Oh, and thanks to Rachel for your comment in the last post. It helped!

Age Group: 9+

Publisher: O' Brien Press Ltd.

Official Publication Date: 20 September 2010

Author Website: www.judicurtin.com

Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Lauren is adopted and eager to know more about her mysterious past. But when she discovers she may have been snatched from an American family as a baby, her life suddenly feels like a sham. Why will no one answer her questions? How can she find her biological mum and dad? And are her adoptive parents really responsible her kidnapping her?


Lauren runs away from her family to find out the truth, but her journey takes her into more and more danger - as she discovers that the people who abducted her are prepared to do anything to keep her silent...


OMG.OMG.OMG. This book is amazing! And I mean, amazing! I haven't read an adventure story this good since....Harry Potter! I borrowed it from a friend, and she told me that it was probably her favourite book. I wasn't convinced at first, because I didn't really like the cover. Yes, the cover is probably this books weakest point. But after reading it I realised that's it. There are no other weak points! None! I loved loved LOVED it!

The book is narrated by 14-year-old Lauren, who is adopted. Her adoptive mum and dad have never told her who her real parents were, and she has never asked. While surfing the web, she stumbles across a MissingChildren website, and she's bored so she types 'Lauren' into the search box. The search finds a three-year-old Martha Lauren Purditt, a girl who went missing 11 years ago, and just two months before Lauren was adopted. Her description seems to match what Lauren looks like. After comparing some baby pictures to the one on the website, Lauren begins to wonder: is she really this girl Martha? Suddenly, Lauren is thrown into a world of secrets, lies and danger, as she sets out along with her friend Jam, to find out who she really is - in more ways than one...

Girl, Missing is written brilliantly, which loads of clever plot twists. It's hard to say too much without giving anything away. My favourite character was Madison, Laurens....well, I can't really say who she is, because she doesn't come into the book until around the middle, during a major twist. But, if you've read the book (and you should!) you'll know why I like her so much. I felt really sorry for her too (again, if you've read the book, you'll know).
Lauren comes across as a bit selfish at times, but underneath, she really is a good person. I thought Jam coming along with her on her quest really helped her to persist and stay strong (quest - I sound so old-fashioned!). I also liked the romance element, as I felt it helped make the book appeal to more people.

5/5, for sure. It's actually one of my new favourite books, and Sophie McKenzie is one of my new favourite authors. She really makes the characters come alive on the page and you find yourself wishing you could join them. Everyone should read this book! I think it will appeal to all ages above 11, as there is some mild swearing.
All in all, it was absolutely superb and I will definitely be reading more of McKenzie's books soon.

Age Group: 11+
Official Publication Date: 02 October 2006
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Ltd.
Author Website: www.sophiemckenziebooks.com

I am doing this review as part of the British Books Challenge 2011, which you can find out more about at The Bookette. Oh, and sorry about the fuzzy photo guys!

Split by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja

Jo has never been one of the popular kids...until she moves to the USA. Suddenly the coolest girls at her new high school adopt her, and the hottest boy, Jake Matthews, notices her. But when Jake picks her as his partner in the kissing game Seven Minutes in Heaven, it's not half as heavenly as she imagined! 


Jo has a choice: should she carry on with Jake for guaranteed popularity - or should she tell him where to get off and risk losing her new friends...? 


At this moment - Jo splits. She's Josie the Cool - girlfriend of Jake, member of the in-crowd. But she's also Jo the Nerd - rejected by the It girls, single...ordinary. Will her two halves ever come together again?


OK, I don't normally talk about covers in my reviews, because I don't think covers are a books most important quality. You know the old saying - don't judge a book by it's cover! But is this one of the awesomest covers I have ever seen! Isn't it? The cover is actually what made me want to read the book in the first place! I was looking at some blogs and I saw it and I said to myself 'Wow. I want to read that.' And I did, and now I'm happy! Very happy, actually!


Jo is the main character in the book, but then in a way there's kind of two main characters, because she's sort of two different people. This is hard to explain! That's one of the reasons I love this book,  that Jo gets to experience both ends of the social food chain - at the same time. It's like, you know when you have two choices, and say you pick Choice 1 and then you wonder what might have happened if you had picked Choice 2? Well, it's not like that for Jo. She might have some problems in her life, but at least she's not faced with that one!


My favourite character is Tori, Josie the Cool's best friend. She might be in with the cool crowd, but she still is nice, really. I really hated Kristy, the mean, catty girl in the group. Well, I suppose they were all mean (except Tori) but she was the worst.  Apart from the cool crowd, I pretty much liked all the characters.


The book is hilarious and really entertaining. I actually found no faults at all with this book - really! And I normally find at least one fault with a book, so it just shows you how brilliant this book is! 5/5, definitely. It's super and everybody should read it. It's chick-lit and with the supernatural element to it, so there's something for everyone. I'm so glad there's a sequel, Swapped by a Kiss, and I will be reading it as soon as possible.


A big, huge thank you to Luisa, for sending me a review copy of this book!


Age Group: 12+
Official Publication Date: 06 March 2010
Publisher: Random House Childrens Books
Author Website: Chicklish


I'm doing this review as part of the British Books Challenge 2011, and you can find out more about it at The Bookette

Beads, Boys and Bangles by Sophia Bennett

Crow is in designer heaven;
Nonie's caught the eye of a gorgeous boy;
Jenny's rehearsing a new play.


But this time Edie's in trouble...
The rumours are that slave children in India
have been making Crow's new 
high-street collection.


How far do the girls have to
go to save their dreams?


I was so happy to find this in my Santa Sack on Christmas morning, because I've wanted this book for ages (well, 2 months, but still!). It's the follow-up to Threads which is my favourite book not-in-a-series ever!  So you can probably imagine my excitement when I opened it!

Beads, Boys and Bangles is again narrated by the eccentric, fashion-mad , 15-year-old Nonie. Nonie likes to stand out from the crowd and gets most of her clothes in charity shops, or else she makes them herself. She's that girl! Nonie is probably my favourite character. She's witty, hilarious and makes a great narrator. Or maybe Nonie's older brother Harry.(is my favourite character). He's just like his sister and he certainly knows how to annoy her. I really hated Alexander, Nonie's supposed-to-be boyfriend. I can't say much more about him, or else I'll spoil it, but take it from me. He's just...grrrr!

Around the middle of the book, Miss Teen, the fashion label Crow works for, sends the girls on a trip to.....India!!! The girls are super excited, because, not only only do they get to see how the clothes are made, they get to go...shopping! Mumbai is a brilliant place for shopping so Nonie is in heaven and Crow loves it too, because Mumbai has amazing fabrics Crow would love to work with. But then they find something appalling is going on, and when they get back to England, set out to fix it...

This book really is super. I wouldn't say it's as good as the first one (but then, that's a lot to live up too), but it still is brilliant. It gets 5/5, because I was gripped the whole way through, since there was one or two supporting storylines, so you never get bored! So, all in all, it was great. I definitely recommend you read it, and the first book , Threads. 


By the way everyone, I won't be posting for a week or so because I'll be at my Granny's and she doesn't have a computer*sob* Oh well.*sigh* But, at least that means I'll be posting extra reviews when I get back*yay!* Bye!!!!!!!

The Longest Whale Song by Jacqueline Wilson

Dear Mum,
Oh dear, I know you can't read this but I still need to write to you.There's so much I want yo tell you. I've been doing a special project about whales. Did you know that humpback whales can sing? Isn't it amazing to think of all those whales down there in the depth of the ocean, singing? Usually the songs are quite short - but on whale was recorded singing non - stop for TWENTY-TWO HOURS! I'd sing for even longer if it would only make you wake up. I'm going to play you some beautiful whale songs when I visit you in hospital. You'll listen, won't you?
Lots and lots and lots of love,
Ella xxxxxxxx


Summary from www.jacquelinewilson.co.uk

Ella’s mum’s in a deep coma having just had a new baby. That means Ella has to live with Jack, her hopeless stepfather and cope with her tiny newborn brother, as well as worrying about Mum.

The only thing that’s going right is her school project. It’s all about whales and how they sing out to each other to attract a mate – sometimes for hours. Maybe a whale song could reach Mum, wherever she is, and bring her back to Ella and baby Samson.

Surely it’s worth a try?

I'm just going to start by saying this: I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It was so brilliant! In my opinion it was definitely Jacquelines best book ever. When I saw it I didn't think it would be very good - I thought the storyline sounded a bit strange, but I'm so happy I did! I really liked the whale parts. I learned quite a lot about them from this book, actually! 

My favourite character was probably..... Jack, Ella's step dad. I felt sorry for him, cope with his wife being in a coma, at the same time as taking care of Ella and Samson and working. I didn't like Ella's so-called best friend Sally, because she wasn't there for Ella when she needed her most, and then she went off with another girl in their class, Dory, and practically left Ella all alone. I felt especially sorry for her at those parts.

My rating of this book is definitely 5/5.. I love all of Jacqueline Wilsons books, but this is by far my favourite one. Great, great, great job Jacqueline!

Official Publication Date: 30th September 2010  

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Author Website:www.jacquelinewilson.co.uk

Shine On, Daizy Star by Cathy Cassidy

Meet the one and only Daizy Star!
She's quirky and cool and loving life in Year Six with her best friends Willow and Beth.But when Dad hatches a mad plan that will turn life upside down, Daizy is too horrified to tell anyone at all... and pretty soon she finds herself tangled up in a knot of secrets.Will Daizy realize that even when she's sinking, her family and friends are there to help her swim?


Daizy Star has just started a new school term with her three best friends, Willow, Beth and Murphy. She has a wonderful teacher, Miss Moon, and is loving Year Six. But then her Dad comes up with a crazy plan, one that will change Daizy's life forever. Or will it?

OK, I know this book is meant for younger readers, but so what? I have read a few of Cathy's books before and they were quite good, so I decided to give this one a try.  I really enjoyed it! It only took me a few hours to read it though!

My favourite character is Daizy. She's just so cool and fun. I know you're not meant to favour the main character, but I wasn't mad on any of the other ones. Well, I liked Pixie, Daizy's six-going-on seven year old sister. She sounds so cute! She wants to be a mermaid when she grows up! Awwwww! I love how little kids say that, like, I want to be a mermaid or a princess or whatever.

I would probably recommend this book for younger readers, around 8 or 9 year olds. Although it makes a nice short read for older readers too. It would be a great story to read to your little sister, as it's really funny!

I'm going to give this book 5/5, because I didn't find anything wrong with it, at all. I'll definitely read and review Daizy Star and the Pink Guitar, the sequel. Good job Cathy!

Age Group: 8 + 
Official Publication Date:4th June 2009
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd.
Author Website:www.cathycassidy.com

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Callum is a nought - a second-class citizen in world run by the ruling Crosses...


Sephy is a Cross, daughter of one of the most powerful men in the country...


In their world, noughts and Crosses simply don't mix. And as hostility turns to violence, can Callum and Sephy possibly find a way to be together?They are determined to try.


And then the bomb explodes...


Callum is white - a nought. Sephy is black - a Cross. They have been friends since they were very young. Callums mum used to work for Sephys, until they had an argument and she was sacked. Since then, neither families have wanted them to be friends, so they have to go behind their parents back to be with each other. The story follows Callum and Sephy as they grow older, and the difficulties they run into while trying to live in a world where black and white are right and wrong. A touching, emotional story, that teaches young people how wrong racism is.


This book is amazing! Malorie Blackman manages to give a whole new twist to the racism storyline, and makes it wonderful and brilliantly unique. My favourite character is Sephy. I love how innocent she is, always trying to please everyone. Although that does sometimes get her into difficult situations. Towards the end of the book, not giving anything away, Sephy is a lot more mature. This book has it's fair share of sad and happy  moments, and a lot of unexpected twists. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I can't wait to read the sequel.


I will definitely give this book 5/5 and would definitely read it again, but maybe not too soon, as I was quite sad after reading it. I found no faults at all with this book and would recommend it to everyone! Definitely read this book people! 
OK, well bye!!!


Age Group: 12+
Official Publication Date: 15th January 2001
Publisher:2001 Doubleday,2002 Corgi Publishing
Author Website:www.malorieblackman.co.uk