Paper Butterflies | Half Lost | Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | Lying About Last Summer

It's been a while since I did a mini reviews post but I'm lacking the motivation for longer reviews at the moment. I've still managed to avoid a reading slump (yay!) but my reviews have been building up so this is my solution! Sometimes it's nice to just read a lot and not worry about having a lot of things to say about it afterwards, you know?

I really enjoyed two of these books and the other too were just a bit meh. I'll start with a positive!

Paper Butterflies | Lisa Heathfield

This book was utterly heartbreaking but so captivating and I devoured it really quickly. It's one of those stories where the character is enduring something so awful but you can't tear yourself away from knowing what happens next. June's father remarried after her mother died and her stepmother has been abusing her ever since. She is truly evil but this isn't a fairy tale and her wickedness is truly vile. The abuse isn't easy to see from an outside perspective and a perfect example of not knowing what happens behind closed doors; behind the facade that people portray. We follow June as she grows up through her teens and makes a friend in the utterly wonderful Blister and his family (who is now one of my favourite fictional characters!) and we also have an "After" perspective from when June is older. Beautiful writing, heartbreaking, unpredictable and unforgettable. 

Half Lost | Sally Green

This was so disappointing. I have been a big fan of the Half Bad trilogy and had been really looking forward to the conclusion but it just lacked an exciting spark for me. The majority of the plot is Nathan looking for Analise with the intention of killing her. There isn't really a lot of other action so Nathan's inner monologue just becomes very boring and repetitive. There were no real twists or surprises (except for the ending which I'll come to) so it was hard to care about where the story was heading. As for the ending.. completely unbelievable. In the literal sense. I actually cannot understand why it ended this way (except for a shock value, I guess, a bit like Allegiant) but seriously.. *SPOILER*

Gabriel is killed off and Nathan decides to turn himself into a tree? A tree?! What. The. Hell.

If you haven't started this series then I would struggle to recommend it after this finale.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | Becky Albertalli

I've been meaning to read this book forever and I wish I hadn't waited so long! It's the perfect cute and funny read to lift your spirits. I smiled pretty much the entire time that I was flying through the pages. Simon is a great character who has some pretty hilarious one-liners and I adored his relationship with Blue. I did figure out who Blue was pretty early on but it didn't make the story or the reveal any less enjoyable. There's always a risk for romances to be too cheesy but this one was sweet, heart-warming and had me rooting for their relationship to work out from the beginning. I would have happily followed this story for even longer.

Lying About Last Summer | Sue Wallman

There's nothing particularly bad about this story; I think it's mostly just a case of it's me not you. Skye is at a camp for teens who are grieving a lost one but soon starts to receive texts from her dead sister. I found the setting pretty interesting as we have all of these grieving teens in one place and it was a good way of exploring the different ways in which people deal with their grief. The mystery side of the plot is where it didn't work as well for me. The reveal of Skye's texter was a surprise (a positive) but there was an additional mysterious plot which I didn't find surprising. I saw it coming and the way it was executed felt a bit like one of this horror films where you just know what's going to happen. I would recommend for the portrayal of grief which was interestingly done.

Have you read any of these books? I'd love to know what you think!

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Mini Review: The One by Kiera Cass

Title: The One
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: May 2014
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository

THE SELECTION changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. Now, only one will claim Prince Maxon’s heart…

It’s swoon meets the Hunger Games in the third instalment of THE SELECTION series!

For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives.

Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

The breathtaking third title in THE SELECTION series will make you swoon!

That was possibly one of the most rushed endings I've ever read.

So America finally makes a decision about who she wants to be with but does this make her any more tolerable? Nope. She's still whiny and irritating. Oh and even though she makes her decision, she doesn't tell the boy in question right away because it's so fun for her to string the both of them along. It is really tiresome to basically read the same back and forth for three straight books.

 

To be fair, I think The One has a better plot than the first two books. Or, really, there's more plot than just the annoying love triangle. The ending ruins that with how far fetched and rushed it is though. It's like the author only had a certain amount of pages left but with loads to wrap up so she took an easy and quick way out. It's just too.. convenient.

I think the series as a whole is readable (I sped through the books) but the main character is just far too annoying in order for the series to be lovable.

Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: April 2013
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository

The Selection gets fierce as rivals stake their claim on the Prince.
Six girls, one life-changing prize…

America Singer will leave her pre-destined life for a world of glamour and luxury, if she wins…

But surviving The Selection is tough. Rivals are battling to become Prince Maxon’s bride as the threat of rebel violence just beyond the palace walls escalates into war.

Only six girls are left and sworn friendships are tested to breaking point. America’s feelings for Maxon grow stronger, but she suspects darker mysteries in his royal past. With ex-lover Aspen waiting for her in the shadows, where do her loyalties truly lie?

Ugh.

 

I love a good love triangle but this series is the perfect explanation as to why people hate them. It literally just goes around in circles. I love Aspen, no I love Maxon, no I love Aspen... There is barely any development and America is just obsessed with having two boys fawning over her. One minute she wants to be with Maxon, and seems to forget all about Aspen's existence, and then she'll see Aspen in a corridor and get weak at the knees and want to be with him again. Just. Make. Up. Your. Mind.

She loves the attention, that's all it is. She can't bear the thought of Aspen or Maxon giving attention to another girl because then she won't be getting it. She doesn't want to commit to either of them because she enjoys having the both of them at her beck and call complimenting her and telling her they love her. She gets jealous when Maxon goes on dates with the other girls... Seriously? You're in a competition to be his wife and you keep stringing him along. What the hell do you expect?! She is absolutely infuriating.

You know it's bad when you can actually tolerate Celeste, the bitch of the series, more than the main character. Marlee is probably the best character of the series but she's in it so little. The maids are also enjoyable and Queen Amberly is slightly intriguing.

There are more raids by the rebels (where America handles them the best of course) and a little more background information but America's jealousy and need for attention takes precedence. Sigh. 

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: April 2012
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository

Thirty-five beautiful girls. Thirty-five beautiful rivals…

It’s the chance of a lifetime and 17-year-old America Singer should feel lucky. She has been chosen for The Selection, a reality TV lottery in which the special few compete for gorgeous Prince Maxon's love.

Swept up in a world of elaborate gowns, glittering jewels and decadent feasts, America is living a new and glamorous life. And the prince takes a special interest in her, much to the outrage of the others.

Rivalry within The Selection is fierce and not all of the girls are prepared to play by the rules. But what they don’t know is that America has a secret – one which could throw the whole competition… and change her life forever.

After feeling like pretty much the only person who hasn't read this series, I decided it was time to finally give it a go. I've seen the glowing reviews and I've seen the loathing reviews so I was intrigued as to where my opinions would fall. Whilst I didn't completely loath it, my opinions aren't overly glowing either.

I love a royal setting so I had high hopes that the world would at least be a positive for me. Unfortunately, the world-building is really poor. The society of Illea is separated into different social castes with each caste simply represented by a number. This country and its system apparently came about due to a world war 3 in which America was invaded by China and Russia. The palace is constantly under attack by rebels but I still don't really get why as it's never explained. The author tries to give us background information in the form of a history lesson but I think it just makes things worse. It's all a bit messy and unbelievable.

None of the characters are particularly likable. Our main character America Singer (who sings for a living..) spends the entire time moaning. She is one of those girls that can't accept her beauty and gets annoyed when someone tells her she's beautiful. What a hard life it must be to be constantly told you're beautiful. Please. There are plenty of more important things to be pissed off about. She also goes on about how she's poor and the other girls don't understand because they're from better social castes but really she doesn't seem that bad off to me. She can't afford magazines or make-up but she has three meals a day, utilities and other occasional treats. She's not exactly destitute. (Especially when you compare her lifestyle to those in the castes below her).

Maxon comes across as a little creepy when we first encounter him. He also feels a bit too good to be true. He's gorgeous, polite, sensitive and wants to change the country for the better. There's really nothing complex about him. It's a bit boring. Aspen has potential but he isn't around in the middle of the book so we don't really get to know enough about him.

What I will say is that the story is very readable. It's light and fluffy but the depth that it's lacking, the issues it has as well as the predictability factor let it down.

Review: The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Title: The Stars Never Rise
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publication Date: June 2015
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository

There’s no turning back…
In the town of New Temperance, souls are in short supply and Nina should be worrying about protecting hers. Yet she’s too busy trying to keep her sister Mellie safe.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their existence, she’ll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal church.
To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a mysterious fugitive who has already saved her life once. Wanted by the church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she needs Finn and his group of rogue friends.
But what do they need from her in return?

I thought this was only okay. It feels like I read a different book from everyone else! I guess it just wasn't for me. The concept is pretty cool but I was quite bored and struggled to concentrate on the story for long periods of time.

Nina lives in a future America where demons roam the world and the church have taken control. The church claim to exorcise demons whilst protecting everyone else. Nina lives in a city surrounded by walls to keep out the demons who roam the badlands. Nina's sister gets herself into a problem which threatens their quiet existence and Nina learns things about herself and her family that she never imagined possible.

I think the world that Rachel Vincent has created is interesting and its rules and customs are easy to follow. There is quite a bit of info-dumping in places but the idea of the church being in control of everything and holding all professional positions was one that I liked. It was intriguing to see their way of running a country whilst also enforcing religious customs and punishments.

The main problem I had is that the story itself was just a little boring. I struggled to really stay invested in what was happening for long periods of time. I found myself having to reread segments and my mind wandered to other things. Nina herself is a likeable character; I liked her strength and determination. I also like that she doesn't feel sorry for herself or hate herself for the things she has had to do in order to look after her family. She did what she had to in order to survive.

The romance is extremely odd. Finn saves Nina just in time before the church captures her but she is rightly wary of him as she doesn't know who he is. She is reluctant to trust him or be alone with him until she knows more. A few pages later they are kissing and she becomes infatuated with him. I just don't buy it. Also there's a unique surprise with Finn which is one positive aspect of it all but it is also quite confusing and where the oddness comes into play. It makes it even harder to buy their relationship especially as they seem so obsessed with each other despite the surprise being quite a big deal and something difficult to explain let alone deal with.

The action scenes are well written and the side characters are given enough personality and development to stand out and be memorable but the story just didn't excite me. I might read the sequel but it's not a top priority.

ARC Review: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

Title: A Whole New World
Author: Liz Braswell
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
Rating:
Goodreads
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version of Aladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

I have loved Aladdin since I was a kid and was really excited to read this new perspective of the story. I thought it would be really interesting to see Jafar in a different, bigger, role. I was sadly disappointed.

ARC Review: Reawakened by Colleen Houck

Title: Reawakened
Author: Colleen Houck
Release Date: August, 2015
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Bookbridgr and Hodder & Stoughton.

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

Review: Alive by Chandler Baker

 Title: Alive

Author: Chandler Baker

Release Date: June 9th, 2015

Standalone

Rating:

Goodreads | Book Depository




Stella Cross has spent years on the transplant list and is finally getting a new heart. Being given a second chance pushes Stella to live her life differently. She wants to be different from the old Stella and say yes to things she normally would have said no to. Unfortunately her ambitious plans are marred with hallucinations and a recurring pain at the same minute of every day. Then the new boy at school, Levi, turns up and Stella becomes drawn to him in a way that she isn't to anyone else. But things aren't as they seem and Stella has to quickly decide who she can trust.

I really liked the premise of this book but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. The main problem I had was Stella. I just couldn't sympathise or connect with her because she is so annoying. She is ridiculously unfair and rude towards her family and her small circle of friends. She is one of those girls who completely ditches her friends and acts horribly to them as soon as a boy comes into the picture. Including the boy, Henry, she has been friends with for years who almost became more than a friend before her transplant. I get that feelings change, that's perfectly fine, but the way she handled it wasn't all that great. And of course her feelings haven't really changed anyway it's just the hot-boy-showing-interest-in-me effect. I really liked Henry and was totally rooting for him throughout the book.

I will say that the last 30% of the book does salvage this somewhat. I enjoyed this section where the truth starts to come out, mysteries start to unravel and Stella starts to act like a better person. It's not made entirely obvious in the blurb for this book but it's actually paranormal. The paranormal genre tends to be a little hit and miss with me but I did quite like that element to this. It's something different that you don't always see in this type of storyline. I think with a more likable character it would have been even better.

If you are a fan of paranormal then I would definitely still give this book a try. It reminded me of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer in places. It is fast-paced and I found the descriptions very well done. In the end it just wasn't for me.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.