Spoiler-Free Review: Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) and Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2) by Neal Schusterman

                                    


Scythe and Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman


My Spoiler-Free Review:

I was first came across Scythe after reading tons of positive reviews raving about the concept and characters on Goodreads. Initially I was sceptical, the hype was hugeeee and I had tons of other books to read first so it ended up drifting to the sidelines. I then did a Twitter poll on what to read next and Scythe won so I thought I'd give it a whirl and boyyyy... it did not disappoint! This will be a joint review of both books in the series as I practically inhaled both of these straight after the other so my thoughts and feelings are all jumbled together.

Scythe and Thunderhead were incredible! The concept, the characters, the plot twists, the world building. Everything was spot on and I loved this novel. I've previously read Shusterman's Dry and I thought that was pretty great with a tense plot and believable characters but Scythe is truly where his writing shines.

The characters Citra and Rowan were well-crafted, they were never perfect and faultless instead they had their own quirks and bad decisions and this made them more believable. I enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives as this opened up their thoughts and feelings on their situations. In Thunderhead, we are introduced to new perspectives and I thought this was great!

The concept of no death was extremely interesting and I enjoyed how it looked at immortality and life in a completely different way. There were MAJOR plot twists I did not expect, the ending of Thunderhead left me shocked and confused and full of questions. I'm excited to see where this will all go in the next instalment The Toll (#3).

Overall, I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys adventure, mystery and sci-fi.

5 out of 5 stars.

Review: Viper (Isles of Storm and Sorrow #1) by Bex Hogan

Goodreads:
Marianne has been training to be the Viper for her entire life - to serve and protect the King and the citizens of The Twelve Isles - but to become the Viper and protect the islands she loves she must find the strength to defeat her father. A new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas.

He will make me a killer.
Or he will have me killed.
That is my destiny.

Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.

But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.

He's the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne's father.

She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves - and perhaps even her life?

A brave heroine. An impossible dilemma. An epic new fantasy trilogy set on the high seas. 

My Review:

Wow! 

PROS:
--Viper has the perfect ingredients of magic, pirates, assassins, romance and action! It was a wild, thrilling ride that had me on the edge of my seat rooting for Marianne. 
--Lots of tension, drama and suspense!
--The world building was great! I loved the idea of the Isles and the Maiden ship stalking the seas.
--The characters were believable (Crying gifs for all the great characters who died! :( Hogan kills her darlings, don’t get attached to anyone!)
--Grace was a sweetheart, Torin was a brave cutie pie, and Tomas was an angel!
--The romance was a slow-burner and utterly perfect.
--Exciting, fast-paced plot with a great ending. Looking forward to Venom, I enjoyed the snippet at the end. 

CONS:
--The magic system wasn’t explained a lot, but I’m guessing that’s because Marianne didn’t really know much about it. 
--I wanted to know more about the Western Isles and what made them so great. 


Overall, incredible! 5 out of 5 stars!

Review: Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

Girls with Sharp Sticks

Goodreads:
The Girls of Innovations Academy are beautiful and well-behaved—it says so on their report cards. Under the watchful gaze of their Guardians, the all-girl boarding school offers an array of studies and activities, from “Growing a Beautiful and Prosperous Garden” to “Art Appreciation” and “Interior Design.” The girls learn to be the best society has to offer. Absent is the difficult math coursework, or the unnecessary sciences or current events. They are obedient young ladies, free from arrogance or defiance. Until Mena starts to realize that their carefully controlled existence may not be quite as it appears.

As Mena and her friends begin to uncover the dark secrets of what’s actually happening there—and who they really are—the girls of Innovations will find out what they are truly capable of. Because some of the prettiest flowers have the sharpest thorns.



My Review:

“‘It’s dangerous to leave girls unprotected,’ a professor told me once. ‘Especially pretty girls like you.” 

This was such an intriguing and creepy read, I requested it on NetGalley because when I read the summary it sounded similar to Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill where there are girls who have been contained and have to remain obedient and ‘perfect’ for males. I’ve never read any of Suzanne Young’s other novels, however I enjoyed the writing style so I will definitely consider picking up some of her other books. 

The pace was great, it kept me on edge and I was reading until the early morning desperate to know what would happen! The plot wasn’t predictable, I didn’t know what the ending would be like –whether happy or sad. 

The main characters were the highlight of this book for me, their friendship was powerful and they truly cared for one another. I enjoyed reading the poem ‘Girls with Sharp Sticks’, this was inventive and rebellious and I could see it sparking a fire about their mistreatment and controlled lives. I wish that we’d seen more of Jackson and his side but that’s just a problem with first person narratives I guess. The villains were pretty straightforward, we found out who they were pretty early on and I was rooting for them to suffer! There was however, a twist that I didn’t see coming that was clever! This is explained more towards the end of the narrative and I enjoyed it a lot! 

I’ve seen there will be a second instalment entitled ‘Girls with Razor Hearts’ which sounds like a pretty cool title and I will definitely be reading this in 2020 when it’s released. 

Overall, this was a great read and kept me hooked! I’d recommend to fans of technology, feminism, friendships, revenge and romance. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

[Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK Children’s for giving me access to a copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!]

Review: King of Fools by Amanda Foody

King of Fools by Amanda Foody (The Shadow Game #2)

Goodreads:
Indulge your vices in the City of Sin, where a sinister street war is brewing and fame is the deadliest killer of them all...

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.

As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive...

Or die as legends.



My Review: 


“The City of Sin would learn that a pistol painted pink was just as lethal.” 

King of Fools was captivating, thrilling, devastating and tense! It was a real whirlwind of emotions in the last third of the book and I couldn’t sleep without finishing and knowing what happened. King of Fools was even better than Ace of Shades in my opinion! The second half of the book was my favourite part, but the ending killed me!!! Why would you do that Amanda!? I need the third book now pls.

To be honest as it was a year ago since I’d read AoS, I’d forgotten a lot of what happened so had to refresh my memory before starting KoF and I would recommend that you recap too as you’re thrown into the City of Sin very quickly. The drama, suspense and stakes are piled SO high in KoF and I was worried for the characters the whole time, it was exhausting! 

The plot was honestly amazing; I don’t know how Amanda managed to keep all those multiple ties and sub-plots in check but it was superb! I thought it could have gone about ten different ways and there could have been various endings but the ending that we did get was gut-wrenching! There are definitely some major shockers in store for readers. There were some really funny moments of sass in this book which made me laugh out loud. I can’t wait to follow this journey and see where this will all go in book 3 and I’m so excited!!!

It was great meeting new characters such as Sophia, Harrison, Grace and more! I loved how they all added their personalities into the mix and felt very believable. I loved reading about Enne’s girl gang, they were fierce, confident and not afraid to be both girly and vicious! Their friendships were important to them, they looked out for one another and they each added something new to the story. I enjoyed the split narrative with Jac, Enne and Levi providing their own perspectives on the events. It was great to explore a new side of these characters and I love them even more. 

5 out of 5 stars.

[Thank you to HQ for providing me with a Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review!]

Review: The Near Witch by V.E.Schwab

Goodreads: The Near Witch

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. 

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. 

There are no strangers in the town of Near. 

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. 

But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. 

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. 

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.



My Review:

The Near Witch is enchanting, magical and wonderfully eerie! That cover too! *heart eyes* Descriptions of the Moor and the village were so lush and vivid, they felt realistic and believable. The plot was good, the pacing was just right and the main character Lexi was my favourite! There was a sense of the unknown throughout The Near Witch that is unsettling (in the best way) and you can never fully relax with the next disappearance right around the corner. I particularly enjoyed the witches Magda and Dreska, I want a full background history novel of them please! Cole was interesting and I couldn't decide whether to trust him at first, the other villagers were believable and I could imagine the small village where they live. The Near Witch was a fairy-tale read featuring a sense of unease, eerie events, mysterious strangers and a few morals thrown in for good measure. It was a great novel and I'm so glad that I had the chance to read it! I would recommend to fans of fairy-tales, magic, ghosts and romance. 3.5 out of 5 stars. [Thank you to Titan Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!]

Review: Enchantée by Gita Trelease

Enchantée by Gita Trelease

Goodreads:

Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries—and magicians...

When smallpox kills her parents, Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her frail, naive sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on petty magic—la magie ordinaire—Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy the food and medicine they need. But when the coins won’t hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family’s savings, Camille must pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

With dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine’ and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for la magie. There, she gambles at cards, desperate to have enough to keep herself and her sister safe. Yet the longer she stays at court, the more difficult it becomes to reconcile her resentment of the nobles with the enchantments of Versailles. And when she returns to Paris, Camille meets a handsome young balloonist—who dares her to hope that love and liberty may both be possible.

But la magie has its costs. And when Camille loses control of her secrets, the game she's playing turns deadly. Then revolution erupts, and she must choose—love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, freedom or magic—before Paris burns…




My Review:

"Gamblers and cheaters, drunks and magicians. Champagne or opium, girls or boys, cards or dice, dream or nightmares: at the Palais Royal, you picked your own delight - or poison." 

[4 stars]

Enchantée was a delight to read. Initially I was intrigued by the concept - magic, France, the 18th century, romance and balls. What more could you want? 

Camille and her sister Sophie were both likeable and believable. I was rooting for them and hoping that everything would work out positively! I truly felt like I was on the journey with them in France. 
Lazare was an angel, he was caring, funny, romantic and ambitious. I loved him! It was also great to see diversity in his representation! Even the secondary characters were entertaining, in particular I enjoyed Chandon and Rosier. 
The villains in this novel are painted out fairly obviously towards the beginning which was a shame as I would have liked to see some unexpected twists. There are a lot of characters that Camille meets, so keeping track of everyone was a bit difficult at first but I soon got the hang of it. 

The plot was good, it was interesting and kept me engaged whilst reading it. I did have a break in the middle as I had reading assignments for uni, but it was relatively easy to jump back into this world. I really enjoyed the little French vocab moments, this made it seem more realistic in the setting and I liked learning new phrases! The descriptions of the setting were wonderful and helped immerse me within the story. I enjoyed learning about the different kinds of magic, especially the dress that seems alive! This was wonderfully creepy. 

The ending felt very much like a fairy tale ending where everything is wrapped up nicely. I'm guessing this is a standalone novel and that was refreshing in the sense where there was no cliffhangers or wondering in which direction the story would go next. 

Overall, Enchantée was as the title suggests enchanting and the descriptions are lush and vivid. I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in France, especially the French Revolution, magic, romance and adventure. 

[Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with a free copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]

Review: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Goodreads: 
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders... but her father isn't a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife's dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers' pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed--and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it's worth--especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

My Review:

When I first started this, I only intended to read a few opening pages so that I could get a feel for the story and style, however I was instantly hooked! I just couldn’t stop reading! The writing was so lyrical and poetic and just marvellous. I was enchanted by this world and all of the characters, you can almost feel the crackle of fire and crunch of snow.

I am familiar with some of Novik’s work, I’d previously tried Uprooted a few years ago however I DNF’ed that, so maybe I need to give it another whirl now that I know Novik’s writing style and character development etc. I also know it’s a favourite among the book blogging community.

Plot: 
The plot was interesting, there were twists and turns and the story can be very gritty in areas, it’s not afraid to look at the bad aspects of the character’s lives, from abuse, violence, threats, betrayals, but it also shows the lightness with magic, hope, laughter and families. I felt like the writing was overly descriptive in some parts, and found myself skimming towards 3/4s of the book, where I felt it could have been made much shorter. I’m very happy with how everything ended and I’m glad it’s a standalone!

Characters: 
There are multiple POVs in this novel, I think there were around five or six, and understandably this sometimes made it confusing on which I was reading from at the time, and I had to flip a few pages back to work it out. I enjoyed all of the different voices as they showed different aspects of life in this world.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend if you enjoy fables, magic, and great character driven stories.

4/5 stars.

Review: Suicide Club by Rachel Heng

Goodreads: 
In this debut set in near future NYC—where lives last 300 years and the pursuit of immortality is all-consuming—Lea must choose between her estranged father and her chance to live forever.

Lea Kirino is a “Lifer,” which means that a roll of the genetic dice has given her the potential to live forever—if she does everything right. And Lea is an overachiever. She’s a successful trader on the New York exchange—where instead of stocks, human organs are now bought and sold—she has a beautiful apartment, and a fiancé who rivals her in genetic perfection. And with the right balance of HealthTech™, rigorous juicing, and low-impact exercise, she might never die. 

But Lea’s perfect life is turned upside down when she spots her estranged father on a crowded sidewalk. His return marks the beginning of her downfall as she is drawn into his mysterious world of the Suicide Club, a network of powerful individuals and rebels who reject society’s pursuit of immortality, and instead chose to live—and die—on their own terms. In this future world, death is not only taboo; it’s also highly illegal. Soon Lea is forced to choose between a sanitized immortal existence and a short, bittersweet time with a man she has never really known, but who is the only family she has left in the world.




My Review:

'"Did you know the latest SmartBlood clots in less than a millisecond? DiamondSkin that will withstand not just the force of a car... but a fall of eighty floors."' 

I first heard about Suicide Club months ago and was definitely intrigued straight away, a world where people can live forever and an underground rebel group? Sign me up! I then saw that the first five chapters were posted on The Pool’s Bedtime Reading section, which is a great way to find new books! After reading those five chapters I was instantly hooked and needed more!

You’re thrown into this seemingly perfect world where people are living longer, called ‘Lifers’ thanks to new technology and it’s not unusual at all for someone to be over one hundred years old and still look youthful. The descriptions of this new tech was interesting! I loved hearing about the DiamondSkinTM and ToughMusTM Replacements that you could get. 

I enjoyed the characters a lot, and the switching POVs between Lea and Anja helped me see more into their very different lives. Lea is a high-powered executive working in health tech that has it all, whilst Anja is a waitress living with some dark secrets. They felt very believable and had both good and bad traits, so the characters development arcs from beginning to end were realistic. 

Towards the end I became emotional; it was the little precious moments that got to me. Some might say it was expected, however I didn’t see it coming. At one point I had to put the book away, otherwise I would have been a blubbering mess on the train haha! Suicide Club is a whirlwind of emotions and it’s definitely worth adding to your TBR list!

Ultimately, this book is about what it means to really live your life to the fullest extent. You can have all of these extensions of life, tougher hearts and rigorous wind pipes and special blood but if you’re not enjoying yourself and having to live by strict rigid rules such as, No Running, No Fast Food etc etc. are you really that happy to go on as an Immortal? Suicide Club makes you think about what's important to you in your life. 

I loved this book and its characters and I want to know more about their lives please! 

5 out of 5 stars. Would recommend to everyone!

Review: VOX by Christina Dalcher

Goodreads:
Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial--this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end. 

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.


My Review:
‘“There’s a resistance?” The word sounds sweet as I say it.
“Honey, there’s always a resistance. Didn’t you go to college?”’ 

As soon as I heard the premise of VOX, I just knew I HAD to read it as soon as possible. Imagine a world where females can only speak one hundred words a day and should they go over this limit, they’ll suffer horrific electric shocks. VOX is a dystopian delight that should be recommended reading for all, especially fans of Atwood and Alderman.

The plot was interesting, I was constantly finding any spare minutes reading this in queues, whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, and of course, in bed. There were a few unanswered questions regarding the ending and characters that I NEED to know!! Be warned, this is definitely an adult book featuring profanity, sex etc. Side note - I hate it when authors use ‘my sex’ but this is just personal preference. 

The schools brainwashing of the children with religious propaganda about purity etc. and gifting treats to girls for speaking zero words all day felt very scary but believable. This world felt so real and I was completed absorbed in it for a day or so after finishing.

I feel like the story was just a bit too long as it focused a lot on the neurolinguistics plot and dawdled in other areas. There were some techniques and linguistic terms that I didn’t completely understand but I personally don’t think it hindered the story in anyway. 

Jean is our main protagonist and she’s highly intelligent and angry, so so so angry. I enjoyed the little moments where she wasn’t perfect and resented the men in her life because this felt so real and honest. 

The secondary characters, Patrick (her husband), her colleagues Lin and Lorenzo, and her old school friend Jackie were all interesting but not gripping, I didn’t enjoy those moments as much. Reverend Carl and Morgan were THE WORST. Patronising, belittling and sexist, they believed in this Pure movement so rigidly. 

Overall, this book is a warning. 

3/5 stars.

(I received this book free in exchange for an honest review)

Review: All Rights Reserved (Word$ #1) by Gregory Scott Katsoulis

Goodreads: 

In a world where every word and gesture is copyrighted, patented or trademarked, one girl elects to remain silent rather than pay to speak, and her defiant and unexpected silence threatens to unravel the very fabric of society.

Speth Jime is anxious to deliver her Last Day speech and celebrate her transition into adulthood. The moment she turns fifteen, Speth must pay for every word she speaks ("Sorry" is a flat ten dollars and a legal admission of guilt), for every nod ($0.99/sec), for every scream ($0.99/sec) and even every gesture of affection. She's been raised to know the consequences of falling into debt, and can't begin to imagine the pain of having her eyes shocked for speaking words that she's unable to afford.

But when Speth's friend Beecher commits suicide rather than work off his family's crippling debt, she can't express her shock and dismay without breaking her Last Day contract and sending her family into Collection. Backed into a corner, Speth finds a loophole: rather than read her speech--rather than say anything at all--she closes her mouth and vows never to speak again. Speth's unexpected defiance of tradition sparks a media frenzy, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps, and threatens to destroy her, her family and the entire city around them.

~

My review:

Veryyyy interesting premise, I read the excerpt and was instantly hooked and had to find out more! It was a great dystopian concept that felt new, I hadn't seen this idea around anywhere else before. It does have the classic trope of 'outsider girl takes on corrupt man in charge' but overall I enjoyed this book. 

Plot:

I liked how it progressed and I didn't see certain things from happening. I didn't like a certain characters death but I suppose I guess why it had to happen. The ending was interesting because it felt full circle and set things up nicely for the second instalment. The concept of paying for words was so scary but felt realistic and I could definitely see how people could end up in debt with all the Instasuits going around. I loved the new tech aspect with the 3D printing food, buildings etc!

Characters:

Speth... I liked her and I can see why she made some of her decisions, it was frustrating at times and her willpower is definitely stronger than mine! I don't know how she could know what everything was worth, including gestures and things but obviously she has been brought up in this world so knows the rules. Not making any kind of error made it seem less realistic tbh!

Silas Rog was an interesting character but what were his motivations? Was he just power-hungry or what? How did he get into his role and become that powerful? Did I just miss something? Why does everyone do as he says? I want to know more about him and his backstory as I don't believe a villain can be a villain just because, there must be a motivation behind everything. 

I didn't like a certain someone having a hint of romance, I don't think it needed to be added at all and made the character seem like a complete Mary Sue. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely read the next one!

3/5 stars.

Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Goodreads:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

My Review:[POSSIBLE SPOILERS!]

I remember scrolling through Goodreads one day and seeing the pre-released cover for this book and thinking wow. I loved the way the crown was titled upside down and the darkness of the blood. I was instantly intrigued and after reading the description, I knew I’d have to read it immediately. After finishing my dissertation, I treated myself to this book. Understandably it had gathered a lot of hype and I was wary, sometimes books have a lot of hype and fall short and I was hoping this wouldn’t be that situation.

This is a typical dystopian book that follows the general rules, a group of people are disadvantaged compared to an elite group who rule and there is usually an overthrow of the corrupt society by the poor people. This very much follows that brief, but in a very effective way. The rules in ‘Red Queen’ are that the Elite are born with silver blood and special abilities such as telekinesis, whereas the less fortunate are born with normal red blood and live in the not so nice parts of the country. I thought this was an interesting concept as I hadn’t read anything dystopian about blood differences before, it’s such a subtle but great idea.

I feel like I could definitely empathize with the characters, especially Kilorn and Cal. Unfortunately I wasn’t fond of the love triangle/square, as it’s just so overdone that I didn’t find it realistic. I also didn’t like the insta-hate that she had with Evangeline. This seemed fake as they hadn’t even met or known each other before they instantly dislike each other. 

There are a number of twists and turns this book takes that I completely did not expect. I’m very excited to see where the story could go and I have a few predictions… (If you have some too, then let me know!) The next book will obviously follow the Scarlet Guard a lot more closely which I’m looking forward to, and I don’t think certain characters will die just yet. 

Overall, a very enjoyable read, I’ll definitely buy the next instalment. I hope I’m not the only one who thought this could do really well as a TV series, kind of The Bachelor meets Percy Jackson? Ha. Also, TEAM CAL!

4 out of 5 stars. 

Review: The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig

Goodreads:
When Zach and I were born our parents must have counted and recounted: limbs, fingers, toes. We were perfect. They would have been disbelieving: nobody dodged the split between Alpha and Omega.
Nobody.

They were born together and they will die together.
One strong Alpha twin and one mutated Omega; the only thing they share is the moment of their death.
The Omegas live in segregation, cast out by their families as soon as their mutation becomes clear. Forced to live apart, they are ruthlessly oppressed by their Alpha counterparts.
The Alphas are the elite. Once their weaker twin has been cast aside, they're free to live in privilege and safety, their Omega twin far from their thoughts.
Cass and Zach are both perfect on the outside: no missing limbs, no visible Omega mutation. But Cass has a secret: one that Zach will stop at nothing to expose.
The potential to change the world lies in both their hands. One will have to defeat the other to see their vision of the future come to pass, but if they're not careful both will die in the struggle for power.


My Review:
Not in a long long time has a book so completely consumed me. Haig has created an absolutely amazing debut and it will capture the hearts of many YA fans. 

Cass is an independent, ambitious, courageous young lady and has many admirable qualities that are important for generations to read bout. She doesn’t allow anybody to talk to or about her like trash and stands up for herself more times than I can count. Kip, where do I start with Kip? I could guess where the storyline was going with him at about page 100… I had this strange little thought that maybe, just maybe… but then again surely not?! Even the secondary characters like Piper and The Confessor I enjoyed immensely; I was thrown into their back stories and ended up caring about them. 

The plot was very juicy. It kept me up at all hours, frantically turning pages, abandoning all of my university work and friends. I was very intrigued all the way throughout the whole book by the world that Haig created, it felt scarily realistic and the morals of the implications involved really shone through. This book is magical, the descriptions and the general narrative are so amazing, and Haig really makes me look at things in a new way. 

Overall, an amazing book, with some very interesting twists and turns. There are a lot of ways in which this story could go and this excites me so much! Please don’t make me wait a year for the next one!

5 out of 5 stars. 

Review: It's Kind of a Funny Story

Goodreads: Ambitious New York City teenager Craig Gilner is determined to succeed at life - which means getting into the right high school to get into the right job. But once Craig aces his way into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School, the pressure becomes unbearable. He stops eating and sleeping until, one night, he nearly kills himself. Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety. Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness

My Review:

‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’ is a truly wonderful book. I’d been searching for it for a while and suddenly spotted it on a Waterstones buy one get one half price tables. Obviously, this was a sign that I should buy it. It tackles mental illness in such a relatable way that doesn’t feel patronizing or dramatic in any way, instead it feels real and you can feel Craig’s emotions spill through the page. It’s a beautiful book and I would definitely recommend people pick it up!

You can tell straight off the bat that there will be a downward spiral as Vizzini creates multiple problems for Craig that would pressure any teenager. His friends all had their faults and Craig is not in a good place when the book starts. This book made me laugh and cry, Vizzini captured the true feelings of a teenage boy struggling with depression and this made me care for Craig so much. There’s only one negative that I would say brought the book down, is that I don’t think there needed to be a love story involved. I would have been quite happy if it was just a journey of discovery and self-love. 
Overall, I do love this book. It kept me hooked and I felt like I understood Craig. I recently found out that there was a movie adaptation of it too, but I’m not sure if it’ll be worth watching as the book was so good. If any of you have seen it and would recommend it then let me know! 

4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Goodreads: "Errand requiring immediate attention. Come. The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things. When Brimstone called, she always came." In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole. Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

My Review:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of those books that make me question why I didn’t pick it up aggggggggggges ago. Taylor’s descriptions of exotic destinations including Prague and Marrakesh really transport you into Karou’s world. I really enjoyed this book, it was a fresh take on the angels theme that has obviously been explored a lot in YA. I liked how they were contrasted with the chimera as I thought that was a new twist and was interesting to think about half human, half animal creatures battling angels.

Karou was an enjoyable character, she made me laugh, she made me feel sad and I truly experience everything that she did. I liked how she was a strong character, especially against Kaz –her ex-boyfriend. I enjoyed the scenes with him a lot! Karou is just like every other seventeen year old in my opinion, she seeks revenge on her enemies (the eyebrows was funny) and tries to make sense of herself. Zuzana was also one of my favourite characters, I enjoyed the e-mails are the end of the book. Akiva, what to say about Akiva… He’s a good character, plagued with guilt and torment. I just felt like he was a bit too perfect, ya know? Ok, nobody hate me please! But I found all the history behind the angels a bit tiresome in the middle and felt my attention in the book lag massively, to the point where I was skipping pages. However, I did enjoy him more towards the end when everything is revealed, but not enough to make me love him, sorry Akiva! Thiago is definitely a creepy baddie in this! I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him, he is such a brute! I hope we find out more about him in the other books.

All in all, I would recommend ‘Daughter of Smoke and Bone’, if like me, you’ve been putting it off because it doesn’t really seem like ‘your thing’, push it away and dive right into this! You will be spending your days roaming Prague streets and exploring Marrakesh with some truly interesting characters.

4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Everyday by David Levithan

Everyday by David Levithan  Each morning, A wakes up in a different body. There's never any warning about who it will be, but A is used to that. Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. And that's fine - until A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply

Add to Goodreads: HERE

My Review:
‘Everyday’ by Levithan is a powerful thought-provoking read that left me hooked for hours. Levithan is fast becoming one of my favourite authors after I finished ‘The Lover’s Dictionary’ last year. He has a special way of writing that captivates you and leaves you longing for more. ‘Everyday’ did not fail to disappoint and left me thinking about the themes long after I’d finished reading it.

‘Everyday’ is written from the viewpoint of ‘A’ who is a genderless person. Some days ‘A’ will be a boy and others a girl. There was a huge variation of the type of teenager that he would become, from the spoilt nasty popular girl, to the massively overweight boy. It was unlike anything I’ve read before as normally I know whether the narrator is female or male, but this was different and I enjoyed how the contrasts could be massive from one day to the next. I enjoyed how Levithan didn’t just include heterosexual romance in this book as well, he opened it up and there was boys loving boys and girls who equally loved girls. I’m glad Levithan chose to include this as it made ‘Everyday’ feel more modern and up to date and it’s good to see an author not shy away from homosexuality, because love is love at the end of the day.

I really enjoyed ‘Everyday’ as you can probably guess. Each page that I read left me wanting more and more and it was a constant page turner. I was intrigued to find out who ‘A’ would be the next day and how he would work through his situation. I truly felt that with each character Levithan introduced, I understood the ins and outs of them, and that’s a difficult task with so many characters. 
The ending left me a bit disappointed I’ll admit. I still had questions that I wanted answers to and the ending didn’t tie these up for me, but maybe Levithan did this on purpose so the reader could make up their own mind and what happens after the events unfold. 

Overall, ‘Everyday’ is a book I would highly recommend. It looks at love and opens up relationships between teenagers in a unique and interesting way. If you want to read something that will captivate you then pick up ‘Everyday’ and you won’t regret it.

5 out of 5 stars.