We Are All Made of Molecules is one of the smartest, sweetest, funniest books I've read all year. When I spotted it in the library, along with a bunch of other YA books, it stood out to me immediately. And I knew just from reading the first chapter that this book was going to be special, and that I was going to absolutely love it. So much, in fact, that I read it in one sitting and it was infinitely better than my previous read, which made me do a big sigh of relief.

This is definitely a book on the younger scale of Young Adult, although there is talk of boobs/sex, etc, so maybe not so young, but it comes across quite young when reading it, or maybe that's just me? I don't know. But it's the story of Stewart and Ashley, and what happens when Stewart's dad and Ashley's mom decide to live together, and it's all about what happens when you become a blended family. But Stewart and Ashley were just so vastly different - Stewart saw the move for making his dad happier, after Stewart's mom died, but Ashley just saw it as a big inconvenience and it took ages for her to even be civil to Stewart or Leonard. That actually made me a little bit angry, because Stewart was LOVELY. 

I genuinely loved Stewart. My favourite characters are always the more literal ones, who take things a bit too serious or may not always get the jokes, and I adored Stewart. He was amazing. For a thirteen-year-old, he was so strong and he knew who he was - he knew he was gifted and he was proud, as you should be if you have that kind of gift. Ashley was the complete opposite and I kind of adored her, too, when she wasn't being snarky. She made me laugh how she wasn't quite the brightest bulb in the box and constantly mixed up her words, and never NEVER once called Schroedinger Schroedinger. But it was hilarious, bless her, and I always knew what she meant.

We Are All Made of Molecules had such a big heart. It was so warm and witty, and so wise. I loved everything about this book, everything. Stewart, Ashley, Leonard, Caroline, Schroedinger. It's genuinely one of the better books I've read this year, one of the ones I'll remember months later, and that's how you know you've read a true gem of a book.

“It began three days ago with a fight. Seems that for me, everything begins with a fight…”
Sammy Jo may be strong, fast and tough, even in heels, but she gets into trouble when she fights some local thugs to save a rich boy named Gregory.
Now bad guy McCloud is after her – and he’s even more dangerous than her forbidden love for Gregory.
Fighter Girl was published in the United Kingdom under the title GYPSY GIRL.

If there's one thing I love when reading, it's strong main characters. And I tell you something, Sammy-Jo in Fighter Girl is one of the strongest, and not just because she participates in illegal cage-fights. She's physically and mentally strong, and I love how she was the glue to holding her family together, and I loved even more that they were gypsies. I don't think I've ever read a book about the gypsies, and the Smith family are like the biggest gypsy clan there is. I actually enjoyed Fighter Girl, it had that great British spirit (despite the publishers attempts to dumb it down) and I really admired Sammy-Jo. She knows what she wants in her life, and what she wants is to fight, so she does, and she's good at it. 

She's also fascinated by a boy in the house next door to their field, Gregory, but obviously gypsies can't get together with non-gypsies, there's rules, or so there seems, so it's kinda like a forbidden love thing, like Romeo & Juliet without the death. It was an intriguing relationship, but I'd have preferred a few more scenes to flesh it out - they're only ever together when it's sneaky, or Gregory's getting beaten up, so it's hard for them to really chat, and it just needed a bit more fleshing-out to be perfect, because a love story is kind of hard to fit in, considering everything else happening to and around Sammy-Jo.

I really enjoyed Fighter Girl. Yes, I had my issues - see the link above for a detailed rant about why British books should be left as they are when published in America, but apart from that, this was a good read, and I am itching for a sequel! The ending was RIPE for a sequel to be published, so what is Kathryn James waiting for?!?! Give us more of the amazing Sammy-Jo, please!

My heart is a kaleidoscope, and when we kiss it makes my world unravel . . .
Last summer, Gottie's life fell apart. Her beloved grandfather Grey died and Jason, the boy to whom she lost her heart wouldn't even hold her hand at the funeral. This summer, still reeling from twin heartbreaks, Gottie is lost and alone and burying herself in equations. Until, after five years absence, Thomas comes home: former boy next door. Former best friend. Former everything. And as life turns upside down again she starts to experience strange blips in time - back to last summer, back to what she should have seen then . . .
During one long, hazy summer, Gottie navigates grief, world-stopping kisses and rips in the space-time continuum, as she tries to reconcile her first heartbreak with her last.
The Square Root of Summer is an astounding and moving debut from Harriet Reuter Hapgood.

I have literally just finished The Square Root of Summer and, to tell you the truth, my mind is boggled. If you asked me to type my feelings right this second, this is what you'd get: aheitrsojfkdsjsfko. Gobbledegook. I'm not ashamed to say this book baffled the living daylights out of me, and I would absolutely love somebody to explain to me what caused Gottie to move through wormholes, akin to something I'm used to seeing in The Flash. And that makes me sad, because if Harriet Reuter Hapgood had explained what went on in layman's terms, all would have been well and I would have loved this book. Instead, I feel dazed and confused, as if I've gone twelve rounds with Mike Tyson.

As a young adult summer romance, this was an amazing read. I loved Gottie, and I loved Thomas, and Gottie's brother, Ned, and her papa, and it sounded like an idyllic a summer as you can imagine, when you've gone through what Gottie's gone through. The writing was gorgeous, and I could imagine the scenes so vividly, and if this hadn't boggled my mind with the physics, this would have been a book that made me sigh with happiness, instead of one that left me feeling confused and mildly stupid (I HATE when a book makes me feel stupid, sob).

The Square Root of Summer is one of those books that will leave a lot of readers confused - thankfully, I will not be the only one. But if you excuse the confusing bits, this is actually a really lovely story of someone trying to get through her grief, and I really just wanted to give Gottie the biggest hug. This was such a cute read, and there's not a lot else I can say really. I wish I could, but my mind is just scrambled right now. So I'm going to think on it and see if it makes any sense, or if I'll just end up making it worse. Where's a real life Sheldon Cooper when you need one, eh? One thing's for sure I will be re-reading this book, because maybe, just maybe, it will make sense second time around!

This sequel to Love Fortunes and Other Disasters takes us back to Grimbaud, the town of Love, which is still reeling from the loss of Zita, and the certainty of her love fortunes and love charms. As a key part of the rebellion that overthrew Zita, Hijiri knows that Grimbaud will be better off without Zita's abuse of Love's powers, but other charm makers are rushing in to fill the gap Zita's defeat left behind. When Hijiri learns that the town plans to hold a contest to crown the best love charm maker, she knows that she (and the rest of the rebellion) must win the contest to keep someone else from taking over the town.
And, as if that wasn't enough to keep her busy, Love has another surprise for her.... a gift-wrapped boyfriend, specially crafted just for her.

Love, Charms & Other Catastrophes is Kimberly Karalius's third Grimbaud-set novel following Love, Fortunes & Other Disasters and First Kisses & Other Misfortunes although the latter is a novella. It features the same cast of characters as the first two books, but this time the focus is on the absolutely love Hijiri, and her charm-boy, gifted to her from Love, Ken. I'm also 100000000% sure that Ken is called Ken because he came out of a box, like Barbie's boyfriend. And I will eat my hat if I'm wrong. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Love, Charms & Other Catastrophes, it's so good to be back with the kids of Grimbaud, to see Fallon, Nico, Sebastian, Anais, Martin, Femke, Mirthe, and everyone else again, and SO good to see Hijiri get her own story because I've loved her in the previous two instalments. I love that she's a charm-maker and wants to make charms for good, rather than bad like Zita in Love, Fortunes & Other Disasters. And the whole competition idea to crown Grimbaud's best love-charm maker was fabulous! I loved seeing all the new love-charm makers go head to head, although duh, I wanted the charm theory club to win. 

Hijiri is one of those characters you might struggle to love. She's very focused on her work, on her love-charm making, and doesn't really have time for friends or boyfriends, but all of a sudden she has friends! She has Ken, who wants to be her boyfriend, who loves her, but Hijiri is so skittish when it comes to feelings of any kind, she shuns him and is determined to prove he's nothing but a charm-boy brought to life by Love, that he's not real - it's all very Pinnochio. But Hijiri is a lovely person, I really connected with her, and I wanted nothing more than for her to have happy-ever-after, because literally no one deserves it more (except maybe Ms. Ward, but we'll get to her before this review is done). 

One of the best aspects of these Love books is the fact the team all band together to take down someone (Zita) or win something, and they're such an amazing group of friends. This series could run and run. I desperately want books for Mirthe and Femke, the twins, and Ms Ward deserves a book. I thought we were SO CLOSE to getting her some romance and it still didn't happen! I was so frustrated on her behalf. 

This was yet another fun read. I would love if the town of Grimbaud was real because it sounds utterly magical. If a little prone to people wanting to take over, and with nefarious schemes, but with the charm theory club there to thwart anyone that tries, it's a win-win, really. I really hope this isn't the last Love book because I enjoy them so much, the three I've read so far have been so much fun, with lots of hi-jinks, romance, drama, laughs, it has it all really, and I loved this outing most of all. 

Two boys discover that true love is harder than it looks, even in the charming town of Grimbaud, in this lovely novella from the author of Love Fortunes and Other Disasters.
Nico is worried. Again. After freeing Martin from the illegal love charms of his evil ex-girlfriend, Nico was sure that their love would be the perfect romance he'd been waiting for. But it's been months and Nico's still waiting for his first kiss. Between Martin's dedication to student government and Nico's responsibilities at his family's tourism business, there's been no time for romance or kisses. Fortunately, the Canal Festival is coming up and like all Grimbaud events, it will befilled with romance...especially the Water Parade, Nico's favorite part. And this year, Nico will be the captain of his own small boat! It's the perfect opportunity for a romantic (and hopefully kiss-filled) date with his boyfriend. There's just one small problem: Martin is afraid of drowning. Will Nico's dreams of a romantic first kiss be sunk before they are even launched?

First Kisses and Other Misfortunes is one of those super-sweet books you just devour. It helps that it's a novella, too, so you can literally devour it in one go! But first, before you get excited and go and buy it (and do go and buy it because as I type it is FREE), you must read Love, Fortunes and Other Disasters first. You'll thank me later, because you need to read Fallon's story before you read Nico's. 

As I said, this is just a short novella, but it's so good to see Nico get his story! I loved him in Love, Fortunes and Other Disasters, and I just wanted him to get his happy-ever-after with Martin, but Martin is so awkward and Nico is such a worrier and oh, bless them, you just want them to kiss and GET IT OVER WITH DAMN IT. But I could understand why both boys were so shy! Martin had that whole awful experience in Love, Fortunes and Other Disasters, and Nico could hardly believe his luck that Martin wanted to be with him. That just equals all kinds of awkward and cute. 

Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed First Kisses and Other Misfortunes. It's whet my appetite perfectly for Love, Charms and Other Catastrophes, even though we barely saw Kiriji or Fallon, but it was a lovely little filler between the first two books and I still absolutely adore Nico. He's a darling!