The last week has been basically me studying my brains out for the HSC, interspersed with reading and still managing to do some blog posts as well. While I'll be going on hiatus when my final exams start, by the start of November I'll be free and able to read all I want *YAY*.

*Reading Right Now*

Historical fiction, 1930's setting, mystery - I'm in!

*Previous Posts*

• ARC Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
• Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring TBR
• Teaser Blast: Wicked Restless by Ginger Scott
• {Blog Tour} The Tribe Series by Ambelin Kwaymullina - Review/Guest Post/Giveaway

*Recommendation of the Week*

Showcasing some underrated Australian YA - The Rosie Black Chronicles by Lara Morgan is still my favourite sci-fi series to date. I still remember eagerly awaiting the second book before it was released and reading it in one sitting the afternoon I got it! If you're looking for something dynamic, action-packed and thrilling then I'd definitely recommend giving them a go. #LoveOzYA #bookstagram #favouritebooks #yascifi #bookrecommendations #igbooks #booklover #coverlove #readthisnow #bookish #booklove

A photo posted by Eugenia (Genie In A Book) (@genie_inabook) on Sep 23, 2015 at 8:10pm PDT

I've been looking back on books I love to re-read recently, and this series is definitely one worthy of that!

*From The Interwebs*

• Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity is looking for ARC's from Sarah J. Maas, Maria V. Snyder and Maggie Stiefvater
• Maisie @ Maisie's Marvelous Reviews shared her top 5 Roald Dahl books
• Cait @ Paper Fury talked about how she would improve goodreads
• Kristy @ Booknerd Reviews is doing a brilliant bookish blogs feature
• Emily @ Loony Literate highlighted YA about the senior year of high school
• Jeann @Happy Indulgence did a video on the playlist book tag

*Haul*

Thank  you to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy!

Flirty Dancing and Love Bomb were both light, fun reads and this one looks like it's heading in a similar direction. I'm looking forward to reading it :)

*What I've Been Watching*

In my searching for a new historical drama to catch my eye (aside from re-watching Downton Abbey from the beginning again), I came across Restless. It's quite an interesting 2-part special which is set in the 1940's and 1970's respectively about a woman who was a spy working with British intelligence and still has some inkling that her occupation during the war is impacting her life in the present. It was first of all interesting to see Michelle Dockery in a very different role than playing Mary Crawley in Downton, and Hayley Atwell played the main role brilliantly. Though I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending, there was a lot of mystery to keep my entertained throughout, and the twist was well played. I'm definitely considering reading the book now to see how it compares. 

*Giveaway Reminder*

Just a quick reminder that my giveaway for 2 sets of the entire 'Tribe' trilogy by Australian author Ambelin Kwaymullina is still going! Closes 9th October and is open to Australian residents only. 

Click the image to go to the entry page!

Have you watched any good historical dramas recently or read any stand-out historical fiction?

Review: Love Bomb by Jenny McLachlan

Love Bomb by Jenny McLachlan
Series: The Ladybirds #2
Released: 12th March 2015
Published by: Bloomsbury
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Publisher
Pages: 304
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Bookworld | Book Depository

Perfect Valentine's reading for fans of Geek Girl and Louise Rennison. Betty Plum has never been in love. She's never even kissed a boy.

But when H.O.T. Toby starts school it's like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid's arrows. It's like a bomb has exploded – a love bomb! More than ever Betty wishes her mum hadn't died when Betty was a baby. She really needs her mum here to ask her advice. And that's when she finds hidden letters for just these moments. Letters about what your first kiss should feel like and what real love is all about …

 Is Betty ready to fall in love? Will she finally have her first kiss?

Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

In this second book from 'The Ladybirds' series, you'll find the same lighthearted vibe for the most part, with some teenage drama relating to friendship, boys and family. While this book may seem superficial at first with the seemingly immature choices of the characters, there was a deeper message which I really appreciated.

Betty's mother passed away when she was only two years old, but wrote her birthday letters before she died that her daughter could read each year. This was a really sweet element of the story, and reading these letters and the love which her mum wrote about, and of her own experiences was truly touching. Some of them brought tears to my eyes, especially when it came down to the fact that this inextricable mother-daughter connection could still be maintained in that way.

One of my qualms though was the character voices and how they sounded so much younger than fifteen. Sure, hormones are raging, though when it comes to the point of going through all this infatuation and literally picking out a 'kissing outfit', it does seem a bit excessive. I suppose that's what contributes to this probably being suited to a younger YA audience if that sort of thing would annoy you. 

Yes, some of Betty's actions annoyed me - but when you're young and 'in love', everything else could fall by the wayside. Combined with facing the fact that her dad may be moving on with someone new, it's no wonder that it was hard to navigate the line between seeing someone as they really were and trying to conjure up a reality where the 'hot guy' really was perfect. With that in mind, there were some realistic issues explored here, with the ups and downs, misinterpretations and finally an awakening to what's important in what a girl deserves in her life - someone who appreciates her for who she is.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Though the first book is still my favourite, Love Bomb still has its merits. Beneath the facade of melodrama lies a genuine story with a message that anyone could appreciate: Realising that you are worth something, and that true love will come naturally if you search for it in the right places.