Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
This is probably one of my most talked about books as it had such a profound effect on me. I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I read this but I was definitely a teen, so this book is toeing the line of ‘childhood’ a little bit.
My love of retellings and romance definitely began with this book. If you’ve only read the first book, please don’t think I’m some weirdo that condones cousins being involved romantically, this is a pretty big spoiler, but they’re not cousins so it’s not weird. If you’re annoyed about that spoiler, this book came out almost 15 years ago, get over it.
I remember talking to my mom about loving this so much that we went out the next day and bought the rest of the series. Which I still need to reread at some point for reviews. It’s been a hot minute since I did a re-read review.
Synopsis: How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is – no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder.
Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood… and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history. As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together – and trying to tear them apart.
Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Frozen Hearts by Emma Kennedy
I didn’t realise it at the time, but this book is where my love of mysteries started. When I tell you I was obsessed with this series, I’m not joking. I must have read this book at least five times as a kid.
Part of my love for this book would have been the fact that Wilma had long blonde hair that she’d wear in plaits – my hairstyle of choice as a child. I loved seeing myself in characters, and still do, so Wilma was very special to me. I’m starting to realise my obsession with certain books as a child was probably ADHD related. I quite literally read seven books back-to-back in one sitting.
Anyway, back to the book. I had the version of this book that had heat sensitive boxes on it. This probably won’t make sense if you’ve never seen it, but this blew my mind as a child. I’d never seen an interactive book cover before and I don’t think I’ve seen anything as cool since. I remember choosing it from what I think was Waterstones, but I’m not sure as the shop I got it from is no longer there. I saw the dark, mysterious cover and was instantly sold.
I’m very much up for doing a review series that’s just about books I read when I was a kid. I’d love to see if this still holds up or if I’d think it’s way too juvenile. This is totally doable as a lot of my childhood books are still at my family home. Maybe next time I go to visit I’ll bring some of them back with me.
Synopsis: A stolen jewel. Some frozen hearts. And a fish scale. Sounds like a case for Wilma Tenderfoot! Wilma Tenderfoot dreams of one day becoming assistant to the world-famous and very serious detective Theodore P. Goodman. But the last thing Mr Goodman wants is a small and slightly accident-prone sidekick – especially one with an over-friendly beagle called Pickle who keeps eating all the clues. Still, be warned – Wilma Tenderfoot may be small, but she is very determined!
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: Audiobook Review: The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs