How Do You Like Me Now? | Holly Bourne | Published June 14th, 2018
Rating:
Source: I recieved a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
How Do You Like Me Now is a must-read for any woman in their mid twenties and above. Tori seems to have it all - a long-term relationship, a publishing deal with a hugely successful self-help book and thousands of social media followers who shower her in likes and adoration. Pretty perfect life, right?
But life outside of Instagram isn’t as perfect. Tori’s relationship with Tom has hit a stalemate and he’s actually a bit of an arse (a big arse, really). I think their relationship is really going to resonate with a lot of people who are maybe still in a relationship that they know isn’t working. Some difficult issues are tackled within this relationship and it was really refreshing to read that side of things. A side that isn’t necessarily explored all that often.
Tori’s friends all seem to be “growing up” with engagements, weddings and babies. She proclaims in her self-help book that these things aren’t needed for you to be successful. You’re not a failure for not having those things. But she begins to have doubts and questions what she really wants. As women everywhere do at some point.
The biggest message I took from this book is that it’s OK to be yourself. It’s OK to want babies and marriages and it’s equally OK to not to. It felt like a more socially relevant, darker, Bridget Jones and I’ll be recommending it to everyone.
One Of Us Is Lying | Karen M. McManus | Published June 1st, 2017
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
Do you love a good mystery that has you gripped from the start? If so then you need this book.
Five students walk into detention at the end of the school day but only four make it out alive. Simon, the school’s biggest gossip and owner of a scandalous website exposing students’ secrets, is murdered. Are one of the other four guilty? Did someone kill him to prevent him exposing their biggest secret? Can any of them be trusted?
I was absolutely hooked on this story from the start. We have perspectives from each of the four students: Bronwyn, the smart girl who earns straight A’s. Cooper, the star athlete. Addy, the popular girl. And Nate, the bad boy. There's more than what first meets the eye to these stereotypical personas, and as the story develops we quickly learn that each of them has secrets and issues. It quickly becomes apparent that any one of them could have had motive to kill Simon.
I guessed the big reveal quite early on in the story and even though I was right, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. I still really enjoyed getting to that reveal and there were still a few surprises thrown in along the way to keep me entertained.
One Of Us is Lying is a completely unputdownable whodunnit that mystery and contemporary fans will love. The mystery isn't all that hard to figure out but the story is entertaining and the characters interesting enough to keep you engrossed throughout.
Heartless | Marissa Meyer | Published February 9th, 2017 (UK)
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
“A heart, once stolen, can never be taken back.”
This is the first of Marissa Meyer’s books I have read and I'll be back for more!
Do you have a sweet tooth? This book is bound to make you hungry if you do! Catherine loves to bake and her dream is to open a bakery with her maid and friend, Mary Ann. She bakes the best tarts, pastries and other sweets in Hearts and you'll be craving them all by the end. Her parents, however, have different plans for their eligible daughter and want her to marry the king. The attitudes towards women in this society will infuriate you as Catherine is repeatedly told she is to marry and no other options are available to her.
The King of Hearts is quick to fall for her baking and decides he wants Catherine for his wife. They begin courting, much to her parent’s delight, but what they don't know is that Catherine has fallen for Jest; the King’s Joker who just oozes sexiness.
The king is a ridiculous bumbling fool who can't handle anything remotely negative or unpleasant. Jest is the complete opposite and the chemistry between he and Catherine is electric. You can't help but root for their forbidden love and hope that they can find a happy ending in a society that is so against them.
In this retelling of Alice and Wonderland, you'll find a lot of familiar characters and touches (including Cheshire who is a delight) but with a new spin on them. You don't need to be overly familiar with the original to appreciate the story Meyer has crafted. Full of imagination and a perfect balance of humour and action, Heartless will leave you heartbroken and with a craving for another piece.
The Bear and the Nightingale | Katherine Arden | Published January 12th, 2017
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
The Bear and the Nightingale incorporates Russian folklore and history to create a beautiful, mesmerising and immersive fantasy.
In a time where women are very much expected to be in the kitchen and their main purpose to marry and bear children, Vasya is more at home outdoors with nature and in the stables. She has been gifted with the sight which means she can see the spirits who protect their house and the surrounding forest. When her stepmother arrives who also has the sight but deems the spirits as demons and is terrified, and the arrival of a priest who uses this to make the village abandon the spirits in favour of god, Vasya is quickly cast as a witch but is determined to use her powers to protect her family.
It's not a fast read but instead slowly and steadily unravels so as not to give away all its secrets at once. This does mean that the pace and plot dip at times but there's always something waiting just around the corner to lift things back up. I admit I'm not usually a fan of such a gradual unraveling and prefer a faster pace, but I think it works wonderfully in The Bear and the Nightingale. I enjoyed the development of the characters over time and think the slow progress is fitting to the often harsh and slow winters experienced by the characters.
I have no experience of Russian folklore but I think it is obvious that a lot of thought and research has been put into the story and I really appreciate all the small details. My only real complaint is that the Frost-Demon isn't in the story much until the end (and not even much then) and that some plot details aren't quite thoroughly explained (such as the necklace). With more books in the series planned, though, I'm hopeful that this is still to come.
Frostblood | Elly Blake | Published January 12th, 2017
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
Frostblood is a fast-paced fantasy that plays on a lot of common themes we see throughout YA fantasy but is still thoroughly engaging and a lot of fun.
I thought the world-building in Frostblood was really strong. The story has been likened to Red Queen, and can probably be compared to other YA fantasies with similar components too, but the world in Frostblood still feels brand new. I was captivated from the beginning with the contrasts between hot and cold and loved how descriptive Blake is in her writing. For a story that plays on a lot of the typical YA fantasy tropes, it would have been easy for this world to feel “samey” or like we’ve been there before but I don't think it suffers from that problem.
Our main character Ruby is a Fireblood in a world that is dominated by Frostblood and she has to hide her powers. When soldiers infiltrate her small village to capture her, killing her mother in the process, she is imprisoned and left to await execution. She is rescued by two Frostbloods and taken to a monastery where she is trained by the dark and mysterious Arcus to control and develop her powers for one goal: take revenge on the Frost King and destroy the throne.
I enjoyed the characterisation of both Ruby and Arcus. Ruby is fiery and impatient whilst Arcus comes across as cold and distant. I liked that these qualities suited their Frostblood or Fireblood heritage respectively. The mystery with Arcus slowly unfolds as the book progresses, and there does come a point where you can guess, but I did enjoy the revelation. The romance is also very much a slow-burn and there is an element of love/hate going on which I'm a sucker for. The romance propelled me through the pages a lot quicker than I might have done otherwise.
Overall, I really enjoyed the pace and world-building of Frostblood as well as Blake’s take on some of the common tropes we find in YA fantasy.
What Light | Jay Asher | Published October 20th, 2016
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
What Light is a sweet and sugary Christmassy read dealing with friendship, family and first-time love. There's nothing too heavy or serious but rather it's lighthearted and cute.
Sierra and her family own a Christmas tree farm and for one month every year, during the Christmas period, they move to California to run their Christmas tree lot. One of the best things about What Light is the theme of Christmas trees running throughout. It was interesting to get an insight into how the tree farms work as well as how Sierra essentially has two different lives: her life at home and her home away from home in California.
Sierra was generally a likable character. I didn't really have any strong feelings about her either way, but I didn't dislike her. I wasn't a huge fan of her friends who didn't come across as particularly nice and I think the story probably would have been ever better without them. I did like Caleb and the romance between him and Sierra was cute. I really liked the theme of not believing what you hear about someone and giving them the benefit of the doubt. The small town mentality of a rumour getting out of control and everyone gossiping about what a terrible person someone is was nicely dealt with. Caleb was lovely and although their romance felt a little insta-lovey in some places, I was still smiling away at the enchantment of it all.
The story is brimming with festivity and that was absolutely my favourite thing. The descriptions of all the trees, the peppermint mochas, the Christmas jumpers, cookies and lights were all so perfect. As someone who absolutely loves Christmas, I was just in heaven. What Light is a perfect holiday read. It's light and fluffy in the best possible way and is sure to put a smile on your face.
The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily | Rachel Cohn & David Levithan | Published October 6th, 2016
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
The thing I loved most about the first Dash and Lily book is the warm, cosy and festive feelings it created. If you like books, Christmas and New York (all of which I do!) then it's pretty much a perfect Christmassy read. The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily is a bit darker: it has sad moments, complications that can arise in relationships, and the reality of getting older, but still manages to evoke a similar charm from when we first met them both. I fell straight back into their Christmassy setting and by the end of the book, it's impossible to not be smiling at their cuteness.
The Dash and Lily books are so heartwarming and the perfect stories to get you into the festive mood. Make sure you add them to your Christmas reading list!
What are some of your favourite Christmas books? I'm always looking for more!
Our Chemical Hearts | Krystal Sutherland | Published October 4th, 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads | Book Depository
The blurb’s comparison to Rainbow Rowell and John Green is spot on. Our Chemical Hearts helps to fill that hole but also has its own unique take on this type of contemporary YA.
The narrator, Henry, is definitely one of the strongest things about the book. He is equal parts hilarious and sweet and honestly it was nice to just have the perspective of a normal guy. He isn't a male “special snowflake”; he's just your everyday guy who isn't perfect but is great all the same. I also liked Henry’s parents and how Henry comes to the realisation that not every relationship is as perfect as it may seem through them.
Our Chemical Hearts focuses a lot on grief and whilst it has its sad moments it's also hopeful. It beautifully explores the experience of first love and how you can so easily find yourself falling for someone without necessarily being able to explain why. It captures that obsessive all-consuming feeling that can come with a new relationship in a way that is both funny and heart-warming. I did have moments of frustration with Henry and his obsessiveness with Grace as well as Grace and her treatment of Henry. Their relationship felt very toxic at times but I think that's part of the overall message. The flip between laugh-out-loud moments and deeper reflections on grief worked really well together to create a story that I couldn't help but fly through.
I also have to give kudos to the “dating powerpoint” which I just absolutely loved. You can get me every time with nerdy things like that! The Harry Potter discussion and subsequent outrage at someone not having read the books also had me laughing out loud. I've had many similar discussions myself and feel Henry’s pain!
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut by Krystal Sutherland. If you're looking for a touching story with a witty narrator then this is the book for you.
I'll Be Home for Christmas | Various Authors | Published September 22nd, 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
I'll Be Home for Christmas is a collection of stories by top YA authors each exploring the theme of "home" at Christmas and what that means for different people. For some people it's being with family at a special time of year but many others aren't as lucky as to have that stability and feeling of comfort. This is particularly the case for those who are homeless and Stripes have teamed up with the charity Crisis in this collaboration to raise awareness of the hardships young people are facing.
I thought this was a really strong collection of stories and I thoroughly enjoyed the different representations of "home". I like that each author has interpreted the theme in a different way resulting in a really varied and diverse set of stories and characters.
The exploration of the different kinds of family from divorced parents to being in foster care, relationships and "coming out", being a refugee in a new country, friendships and homelessness were all treated with equal care and sensitivity by the authors. There are some lighter moments among the darker ones and a range of genres which really help make this a wonderful mix of stories with something for everyone.
I'll Be Home For Christmas boasts a top list of authors with some truly stand-out stories, and for a lovely festive feel alongside helping a great cause, I highly recommend adding this to your Christmas reading list. I can't wait to buy my own physical copy (it has red sprayed edges, people!)
£1 from the sale of every book will be donated to Crisis. For more information on Crisis visit www.crisis.org.uk
Ghostly Echoes | William Ritter | August 23rd, 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
I really enjoy these Jackaby novels and I think the third installment, Ghostly Echoes, is my favourite of the series so far.
This time around we are finally focusing on ghost Jenny's death and why her fiance disappeared just before she was murdered. It's a mystery that has been ongoing since book one and it was exciting to be getting some answers at last.
Abigail is as wonderful as ever and it was interesting to see her left to her own devices for part of the story away from Jackaby. The only drawback to that being that there is slightly less of Jackaby than normal and I did miss his quirkiness at times. With that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the direction that the story took this time around and appreciated the time taken to further explore the characters we've been following. Jenny's death is satisfactorily resolved, we learn more about Jackaby's history (which I really loved finding out about!) and there are still enough side characters to keep the story as entertaining as ever.
There is a really touching moment in the book with Jackaby and a transgender character and his unquestioning acceptance was a really beautiful touch: "I have great respect for the medical profession, Miss Rook,” he said soberly, “but it is not for doctors to tell us who we are."
Ghostly Echoes is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining sequel with a good mystery, great development of plots and leaves us with a brilliant set-up for book four which I can't wait to read.
Nevernight | Jay Kristoff | Published August 11, 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
Dark, graphic, brutal, gory, vulgar. What's not to love?!
Mia is determined to get her revenge for the killing of her family when she was a child and in order to do so is training to be a brutal assassin. There's something about assassin books that I really like and this one was a lot darker and a lot less afraid to actually commit murder. If there's one thing Jay Kristoff isn't afraid to do in Nevernight, it's have their characters commit murder or be murdered!
The setting is mostly in a brutal boarding school where a group of students are competing through a series of trials and competitions to become top assassins. I love boarding school settings and, again, this one being so dark and brutal (the teachers aren't afraid to nonchalantly murder you) was just so exciting.
One of my favourite aspects of Nevernight was the humour. There are little comments here and there that had me laughing out loud ("Hmm. I appear to have misplaced the fuck I was about to give for what you think."). I loved this side by side with the more darker moments. One of the absolute best things? Mr Kindly the sassy not-cat who I would pretty much love to have in my life.
So why only 4 stars? Two reasons.
The footnotes, whilst providing more insight into the world and delivered by a pretty funny narrator who had some great snide comments, did become tiresome quite fast. I appreciate the idea of them but I was glad when they decreased in frequency as the book went on.
The writing style took some getting used to. I'm really not the biggest fan of flowery prose. I'm all about the plot and as long as the writing is decent then I'm happy. The writing in Nevernight is of the flowery kind and this was a struggle for me at first. I'm so glad that I persevered though and I would recommend doing so if you're in the same boat as me as once you're used to it, and things start moving along, you discover the epicness that is Nevernight.
If you're looking for a dark and brutal fantasy with a touch of humour thrown in then this is the book for you.
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!
Tell Us Something True | Dana Reinhardt | Published July 20th 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
I really enjoyed this book! I love to find a good contemporary YA that has a male protagonist as I just don't think there are enough of them.
River is dumped by his long-term girlfriend in the middle of a lake and finds himself stranded there when she drives home without him. On his long walk home, he comes upon a support group and feels like he's found exactly what he needs at that moment in time. The only problem? This is a support group for teens with addictions and saying he's addicted to his girlfriend who just dumped him probably isn't going to do. So he says he has an addiction to marijuana and soon finds himself connecting with other members there. As River connects with a particular girl, Daphne, more and more he realises that he's going to have to be honest.
I really liked River. Over the course of the story, he matures and comes to realise that what he thought he needed or wanted isn't the case at all. Sometimes it takes an event, like a long-term girlfriend dumping you, to see that things changing or being different isn't a bad thing and that's what happened for River. He learns some truths about himself and those around him and ultimately grows up a bit.
I also really loved River's family in this story. His half-sister was so cute and I love how much they cared for each other. It's so nice to see a teen male protagonist who doesn't think he's too cool for his younger sister: he'll still take her for ice cream and make cards with glitter! River's step-dad was also a really great character. Full of wisdom, advice and love, he was an amazing father to River and shows that you don't have to be connected by blood to be a good parent.
Tell Us Something True is thoroughly witty, fast-paced and Reinhardt's writing is flawless. For a story that's not very long, it still hooked me in from page one and didn't let go. This a perfect weekend read to devour in one sitting.
And I Darken | Kiersten White | Published July 7th, 2016
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
This book was a surprise in the best possible ways. An alternate history of Vlad the Impaler where Vlad is a girl, And I Darken is dark, brutal and vicious.
Lada is one of the strongest female characters I have read. She's living in a society where women are seen as being weak and for marrying off and bearing children. This makes Lada absolutely furious and she is determined to show that she is just as, if not more than, capable of being a soldier. She's cruel, far from being flawless and just a little bit psychotic. She isn't beautiful and she is incredibly violent. I loved everything about her. Her brother, Radu, on the other hand is the complete opposite of Lada. He's delicate, beautiful and very sensitive. Lada feels a responsibility to protect him but it also frustrates her that he can't look after himself. Their relationship is very complex from the moment Radu is born and the complexities only increase as they get older. It was completely riveting to read.
I loved the world-building and it was interesting to read about a setting that is rarely covered in YA fantasy. The writing was beautiful and I felt really immersed in the world. I also enjoyed the portrayal of religion and how religious opinions aren't forced on the reader. Whilst Radu finds a lot of comfort in Islam and we get to follow the intricacies of how the religion works through him, Lada isn't a fan of religion and wants nothing to do with it. I think it was good to have both sides to this and to also see religion being portrayed in a good light if it's something that's right for you.
One of the most interesting areas of the book was the portrayal of women. Whilst Lada is furious that being a man automatically makes you more worthy and important in society, we meet a lot of women who make the most of being so. They show that being a women isn't a negative thing and that they also have the ability to wield power. In fact, a lot of assumptions about women are challenged throughout the book to show Lada that all women, no matter their role, are important and capable. Being happy to be a wife or live a simple life behind the scenes doesn't make you weak. I really enjoyed the women of this book overcoming their "disadvantage" of being a woman.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the romantic relationships. It is not a focus of the book by a long shot but there is a great LGBT representation and I'm excited to see where the relationships will go next.
And I Darken is full of surprises, politics, fierce characters and a thoroughly intriguing and gripping story. It's a nice set up for the next book and I can't wait to get a copy!
Caramel Hearts | E. R. Murray | Published May 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
Caramel Hearts is a lovely coming-of-age novel which tells the story of Liv who is struggling through her teenage years with an alcoholic mother and school bullies. When she finds her mother's old recipe book she discovers that she has a love for baking but money being tight makes it difficult. As her life begins to spiral out of control, Liv makes some poor decisions and she learns that doing the right thing isn't always the easiest.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Liv and her sister Hatty. Whilst their alcoholic mother is being treated, Hatty had to return home from university to look after her younger sister. She is struggling to be away from her friends and her studies but is trying her best to keep social services at bay. I liked that their relationship wasn't perfect; Hatty lost her temper sometimes and Liv didn't help out as much as she should have. They both said things in the heat of the moment that they didn't mean but you could tell that they both still cared about each other. I think the age gap made things more interesting too; Liv is still really young and so doesn't quite take responsibility for things whilst Hatty is older and knows more about "real life". Liv didn't quite get what her sister was feeling a lot of the time and it led to inevitable arguments but they soon find a way to connect with each other.
Absent parents, addiction and bullying are all dealt with realistically and represent real struggles that young people are going through every day. Some of the darker and emotional moments are hard to read (particularly the bullying) but a lot of readers are going to be able to connect and relate with that.
Caramel Hearts is beautifully written and I found myself flying through the pages. The recipes throughout the book are also such a nice touch but will definitely make you hungry! I'm craving various sweet treats now and may have to just try out a few!
You Know Me Well | David Levithan and Nina LaCour | June 2nd 2016
Rating: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Goodreads | Book Depository
I really liked this book!
Mark and Kate came out to their friends and family before the events of the book start and I think that made it quite a refreshing read. I'm used to reading LGBT books where the characters are struggling to come out or accept who they are so it was nice to read about two main characters who are comfortable with who they are. Those kinds of stories are also enjoyable, and equally as important, but I liked that Mark and Kate's normal teenage problems were explored and they just so happened to be gay.
Our two main characters have sat next to each other in class but don't speak until they meet by chance during Pride Week. Kate's nerves have caused her to run away from meeting the possible girl of her dreams and Mark is dealing with unrequited love with his best friend. They strike up a friendship at a time where they both need a good friend to talk their issues through with.
Kate and Mark become friends very quickly but it felt realistic and I really enjoyed their friendship. Whilst Kate is learning how to take a leap and fall in love, Mark is learning how to fall out of love and move on. It was a nice contrast and I loved how they supported each other.
You Know Me Well explores the scariness of new relationships, unrequited love and the different possibilities that the future holds. It has a great cast of characters and the fact it takes place during Pride Week added a really fun atmosphere. A beautiful story that reads wonderfully well.
Wolf by Wolf is one of those books that immediately draws me in with the blurb. What would the world be like if Hitler had actually won? What would it be like to still be living in fear of the Nazis? I was so intrigued.
The story started off really slow for me. So slow, in fact, that I almost gave up and moved on to something else. But that intriguing premise nagged at me to keep trying and I'm glad.
Yael is a member of the resistance who are plotting to take down Hitler. Her unique ability to change her appearance - to physically transform into someone else entirely - is the key to being successful. She takes on the form of Adele Wolfe who was last year's winner of the Axis Tour and who Hitler has a soft spot for. All she has to do is win and get close enough to him at the victor's ball.
“There would be no dressing up as a maid. No cyanide slipped into his crystal glass of mineral water. The Fuhrer’s death was to be a loud, screaming thing. A broadcast of blood over the Reichssender.”
One of the things I loved about Wolf by Wolf is the differing landscape. The fact the story takes place during a motorcycle race means that the landscape is always changing. I liked being taken to the different places and learning what those places had become in Hitler's rein. I think this was a great way of giving the reader information on how different countries had been affected by Hitler's winning without it being dumped on us.
I also found it interesting to have Now and Then perspectives in order to discover how Yael acquired her ability and how she came to be in the resistance. If I'm being honest though, I would have liked even more exploration into the concentration camps and the terrible suffering that people were being exposed to in Hitler's rein. Maybe that's a little morbid of me, but I just wanted to know more about what Hitler was doing and how society was struggling rather than being exposed so much to the privileged in the Axis Tour.
There is plenty of action that kept me engrossed to the end and I couldn't wait for Yael to come into direct contact with Hitler. There are little hints of romance but nothing too major yet which I was glad of. I definitely wanted this story to be about Yael's fight for the resistance rather than a romance. The idea to have an element of fantasy (in Yael's skinshifting) combined with a re-imagining of real-life events works pretty well I think and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Illuminae | Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff | Published October 2015
Rating: Goodreads | Book Depository
The hype for Illuminae has been immense since its release in late 2015 and so I've been excited to find out for myself if it's really as incredible as most people say it is. I think there are two main things to take into account with this book: the style and the plot. The style is by far the best component and whilst I thought the plot was good, its improved greatly with such a unique style.
The Style
I love the way that Illuminae has been designed. I have had iffy experiences in the past with books that are almost like a textbook or a case file but I think it worked incredibly well here. We have IM conversations, emails, transcripts of surveillance footage, documents, images and plans. I think it was such a fresh way of tackling a sci-fi story and it really kept the excitement levels high. The book is 600 pages long but doesn't feel like it; it doesn't drag because there's always something new to look at. To be able to fully understand the plot without being bogged down with lots of scientific explanations was a great bonus.
The Plot and Characters
The plot was good. I don't think its spectacular but the range of characters as well as the stunning style of the book really helped it along. The two main characters are mostly likable (I found Kady to be quite annoying at times but loved Ezra) and there's a whole range of other characters too which I liked. It was nice to have perspectives of the story from other people than just the two main "heroes". One of the standout characters for me was AIDAN (the Artificial Intelligence aboard the ship). It is absolutely crazy but I thought it was interesting to explore the idea of an AI system being able to take control and the question of whether it can feel. I loved the guy who transcribed the surveillance footage too and that he got to have a personality and be another character even though the plot didn't actually happen to him.
Overall
I absolutely loved the style of Illuminae and whilst the plot wasn't particularly special, I still really enjoyed it. This is definitely one of the most creative books that I have read and after a bit of a cliffhanger ending, I'm excited to see what happens next. I can't wait to revisit the characters and see what creativity we get to explore in book two, Gemina.
Have you read this book? Did it live up to the hype for you? Let me know what you think!
The Next Together by Lauren James Publishing Date: September 2015 Rating: Goodreads | Book Depository How many times can you lose the person you love?
Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.
Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselves sacrificing their lives to save the world. But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?
Maybe the next together will be different...
A powerful and epic debut novel for teenagers about time-travel, fate and the timelessness of first love. The Next Together is told through a mixture of regular prose, diary entries, letters, "original" historical documents, news reports and internet articles.
Time travel is one of those genres that I don't really steer towards. I don't know what it is, there's just something about it that doesn't really appeal to me. I'm not big on historical fiction either... On paper, I wasn't destined to like this book but I kept hearing about it and eventually picked it up. I am so glad that I did as it was such a wonderful and charming read.
Likable Characters The Next Together follows Matthew and Katherine as they meet, fall in love and become tragically separated all over again in different centuries. I found them both to be so likable and despite the fact we see them in different time periods, they are still so much the same great people that we can't help but fall in love with in each time. I loved witnessing everything from their forbidden love during the Crimean War to their married life in 2019. Their romance is different every time, due to the customs of the time they are living in, but you really get a sense that these are two people who completely belong together.
Different periods of time that seamlessly flow
One of the things I was worried about, and I guess one of the reasons I'm not normally drawn to time travel, is that things would be confusing due to all the different time periods. This wasn't the case at all though and despite the fact time jumps around, each one has its own distinct voice and there's no confusion. It was really seamless and I also liked that time generally flows at the same pace in each period.
Great writing and style
I thought the writing was great and the inclusion of newspaper articles, notes between husband and wife, diary entries and documents was a really nice touch. It added to the element of travelling through time and the unravelling of a mystery. The only small downside I have is the ending which is a little bit ambiguous and feels slightly rushed.
Overall, this is a fantastic blend of romance, contemporary, historical and science fiction. If you're normally unsure about time travel, like me, then I would definitely give this one a go as it might surprise you.
Do you like time travel books? What ones would you recommend I try? I'd love to know!
Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom Publishing Date: April 28th 2016 Rating: Goodreads | Book Depository Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.
When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.
Not If I See You First is one of those contemporaries that stands out from the rest because it doesn't follow the crowd. It tells the story in a refreshing and unexpected way.
A main character who feels real
Parker has been blind since she was seven years old but her disability isn't the focus of the book. She's sarcastic and not easy to like a lot of the time. She has trust issues and really just wants to be as normal a teenager as possible. I liked that it wasn't always about her disability and that she isn't perfect. She is flawed and I appreciated that.
A refreshing romance
The romance was quite refreshing in a way. Both Parker and Scott have demons and issues with trust and you can easily understand both of their points. I liked that the focus wasn't on how they are completely made for each other and will be together forever. Childhood romances don't always last and sometimes it's better to take things one step at a time to rebuild a strong relationship. I like that it wasn't just fixed in an instant. The romance also takes a little bit of a backseat in favour for friendship.
Friendships that are supportive rather than toxic
The friendships were one my favourite aspects. It was so nice to see girls being supportive of one another and not bitching behind each other's backs. They talked through their problems and were better off for it. It was a nice touch to have a friend who became "the popular one" but is still friendly and in touch even if they aren't as close. That was a really nice change from the usual becoming-popular-and-becoming-a-bitch cliche that we usually see. And a boy who is just a friend without underlying romantic feelings!
A cover with an added touch
I also have to just say that I love the cover for this book as it has Braille on it. I love little extra touches like that and it fits so well with the story.
From the realism to the great friendships, this was a really enjoyable, gripping and well-written story.
What are your favourite books with a disabled character?
