The Smoke Thieves | Sally Green | Published May 3rd, 2018
Rating:
Source: I recieved a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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I mostly enjoyed The Smoke Thieves and the new world that Sally Green has created.

Look, it’s no secret that I’m a sucker for a royal setting in a fantasy. Add in a forbidden romance and I’m pretty much hooked. It’s for this reason that Catherine and Ambrose’s perspectives were my favourite. Becoming accustomed to a new court, evil family members, going on the run, royal politics and war. It’s my crack. I loved it.

The other perspectives, however... some were better than others. The story opens with a young girl, Tash, chasing demons with her partner Gravell to catch their smoke. It was a very slow beginning and I did contemplate giving up at one point. I really struggled to connect with the story and I think there may have been a stronger viewpoint to open with. I get that the idea was probably to introduce us to who and what “Smoke Thieves” relates to though.

March is a servant who serves the king responsible for destroying his home kingdom and the people in it. He comes across an opportunity for revenge and goes in search of the king’s bastard son Eydon. I didn’t really care for March either way but I did like Eydon and the fact he was a little naive. I also liked the growing relationship between March and Eydon as their journey progressed.

Overall, I think parts of this book were great and paced well. Other parts were really slow and I think there were probably too many different view points. After being really disappointed with the ending of the Half Bad trilogy (sorry to bring it up!) I was hoping to love this and while I didn’t quite reach that level, I did enjoy most of it and I’ll be picking up the sequel.


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Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

 

 Wintersong | S. Jae-Jones | Published February 7th.
Rating:
Source: I received a copy from the publisher.
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Wintersong is essentially a retelling of the film Labyrinth but it does deviate from the original plot. There are familiar characters and scenes, and the Goblin King is a major character, but I think it's probably best not to go into this with an expectation of it being the same as the film as it does take a turn to make it a more original story.


I really enjoyed the writing, especially in the first half. Liesl used to spend her childhood playing with the Goblin King but has forgotten him as she has gotten older. She has lost that carefree spirit she had as a child and spends her time looking after her family. The Goblin King soon returns, steals Liesl’s sister and makes it so that only Liesl remembers she exists. And so begins the journey into the mysterious and magical Underworld.


The pace in this first half where we are introduced to the family and enter the Underworld was so strong. I loved the magic of it all and the mysteriousness of the Goblin King. The writing is also gorgeous. I have seen the writing compared to The Star-Touched Queen a lot but I personally wasn't a fan of that book and found Wintersong much more readable.


The second half is weaker in my opinion. There is a lot more focus on the romance and I don't know what it was exactly but something felt a bit lacking there for me. It's kind of sexy and romantic but I think I maybe needed more chemistry. However, I do think the romance aspect improved by the end and I was feeling it more. I also would have liked more involvement with Liesl’s brother Josef as there is a lot going on there that has only just been touched on.


I really liked this book. The writing is so engaging but being unable to completely connect with the romance means I didn't love it as much as I thought I would.



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Review: Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories

Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories | Published May 2016
Rating:
I recieved a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Goodreads | Book Depository

Head, Scales, Tongue, Tail - Leigh Bardugo: 4/5
My first experience reading Leigh Bardugo and I really enjoyed it. Eli and Gracie spend their summers together investigating a lake monster and trying to prove it exists. The element of fantasy interwoven with a cute romance was lovely to read and it was sweet to see their romance develop over the years. Beautiful writing and a strong start to the collection.

The End of Love - Nina Lacour: 3/5
Flora's parents are getting a divorce and she can't handle being at home for the summer. She signs up for geometry at summer school even though she knows maths better than anything as a means to escape. She doesn't expect to bump into an old group of friends and the girl who first made her realise she liked girls. The romance in this didn't hit me in the feels as much as I would have liked but it was fairly pleasant. The main characters were likeable and I liked that mental health was touched upon.

Last Stand at the Cinegore - Libba Bray: 1/5
Three teenagers working their last night at the Cinegore - a cinema dedicated to playing horror movies - are surprised when the legend of a cursed movie turns out to be true. I struggled to connect to this one. Maybe it's because I'm not really into horror movies but I just didn't care about the curse or about how it was going to be resolved. The romance was okay if a little predictable. This just wasn't my cup of tea.

Sick Pleasures: For A and U - Francesca Lia Block: 2/5
A girl called I and her group of friends spend their time dancing in a club before moving away to college. I meets a boy, A, quickly falls for him and the story tells us about their brief relationship. All of the characters in this book are initials, there are no full names, which was quirky. I guess the point to the story is that brief relationships can still have a lasting effect on you and make you do things that you might not have otherwise decided to do. It was okay but I felt like it was leading up to something happening or a twist but there wasn't anything. It was certainly different and I didn't hate it but it didn't stand out all that much for me.

In Ninety Minutes, Turn North - Stephanie Perkins: 5/5
This was so cute! I wasn't expecting to read about the same characters that Stephanie Perkins wrote about in the previous anthology, My True Love Gave to Me, and it was such a nice surprise! I loved seeing how their relationship has progressed, what's going on in their lives now and their really sweet and cute love for each other. This is the best story of the anthology so far. Stephanie Perkins is so great at writing romance.

Souvenirs - Tim Federle: 3.5/5
Matt and Kieth have been dating all summer but decided on their break up day on day one. I loved that this story is set in an amusement park as I just love them and they really give off a summery vibe. The plot was cute and explored the end of summer/end of relationship arc well.

Inertia - Veronica Roth: 4/5
I was so excited to read something new by Roth! I loved her Divergent series and in this story Roth plays to her dystopian strengths. A young couple relive their favourite memories together through a "last visitation" as statistics show that Matt isn't going to survive the accident he was in. I didn't get a summer vibe from the story but I still enjoyed seeing the pair realise their feelings for each other. The ending felt a little bit too perfect but overall I thought this was good.

Love is the Last Resort - Jon Skovron: 2/5
This was really cheesy and farfetched. It's based around a hotel where the summer staff are beginning their season of work and we learn that some of the regulars are in love with each other but won't admit it. One of the characters speaks like he's from a Dickens novel or something and some of the plans and actions of the characters just seemed ridiculous. Bonus points for the ending though which was a surprise and made me rethink the entire story.

Good Luck and Farewell - Brandy Colbert: 3/5
This story deals with the loss of a family member and the changes that come when people move away. It was okay; I liked the characters and the small romance was cute. I think it would have worked better as a longer story but it was still enjoyable.

Brand New Attraction - Cassandra Clare: 1/5
I have only read the Infernal Devices series by Clare so I'm not overly aware of the intricacies of her stories but this one didn't work for me. Whilst it reads well, the story just felt really rushed and there is a major case of instalove.

A Thousand Ways This Can All Go Wrong - Jennifer E. Smith: 4/5
This was so cute! Definitely one of the standout stories. Annie and Griffin had a really lovely relationship and I love that it explored so much more than just a simple summer romance. It has a great message and it's always great to see different kinds of people represented in romance stories.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things - Lev Grossman: 4/5
I really liked this story! Mark is stuck in a time loop and has been experiencing the same day over and over again. Then he meets Margaret and realises that she too is in the time loop and they start trying to figure it out together. There is a little bit of instalove on Mark's behalf but overall I thought it was cute. I liked that they spent time looking for all the good and perfect things that happen on this one day. It reminded me of John Green's style and I thought it was a pretty good story to end the anthology on.

As with most anthologies, Summer Days and Summer Nights has some truly standout stories and a few that just didn't work for me at all. I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the Christmas anthology, My True Love Gave To Me, but that could have a lot to do with the fact I adore Christmas and do not have a lot of love for summer! Overall it's a pretty strong anthology with standouts by Leigh Bardugo, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jennifer E. Smith and Lev Grossman.


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Reviewed: Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

Cruel Crown | Victoria Aveyard | Published April 2016
Rating:
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads | Book Depository
Discover the truth of Norta's bloody past in these two revealing prequels to #1 New York Times bestseller Red Queen.

Queen Song
Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary—how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.

Small Scars
Diana Farley was raised to be strong, but being tasked with planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected. As she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital, she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation—Mare Barrow.


Queen Song: 4/5 stars
Small Scars: 2/5 stars

The thing I love about reading series novellas is that we get a bigger insight into things that might have just been mentioned in passing. There's a chance to learn about things that happened before the books begin and we can get to know characters better.

Queen Song was one of those novellas. I absolutely loved meeting Queen Coriane, the mother of Cal, and reading about her romantic journey with Tibe. Their romance was sweet and it also gave us an extra perspective of what it's like to grow up with silver blood. Being silver doesn't automatically mean you are extremely wealthy and it was interesting to see Coriane's struggle with not fitting in. The plot itself is quite simple but still extremely engaging and I really enjoyed reading it.

Unfortunately Small Scars just couldn't compare. It was boring and had none of the charm that Queen Song was so abundant in. For a story that had more action it really failed to keep me interested. The coded messages between the Scarlet Guard were difficult to interpret and didn't add anything other than confusion. I ended up skipping them. The only interesting moments were with Shade Barrow but there weren't enough of them to really lift the level of disappointment.


Do you like series novellas? Are you a fan of the Red Queen series? Let me know!

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Review: Hush by Stacey R. Campbell

Title: Hush
Author: Stacey R. Campbell
Publication Date: January, 2013
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

For small-town girl Blakely Henry, any hope of finding her biological parents died when she stopped believing in fairy tales and Disney princesses. That is, until she spots her boarding school’s new British exchange student, Max Ryder, staring at her. Why would a boy who looks like he stepped out of the pages of a magazine be looking at her? Because Max knows something Blakely doesn’t.

Following the tragic demise of one of Europe’s most beloved royal families, Max has stumbled upon information he thinks may lead to a lost royal heir, and now he is on a quest halfway around the world to see if he’s right.

Sworn to secrecy by his university professor and the headmaster of Lakeview Academy, Max is admitted into an exchange program with the sole purpose of finding out the truth. But will his personal feelings for Blakely get in the way?

When a stolen email surfaces, Blakely and her friends’ lives are threatened, and Max starts to question what he is really after.

From the exclusive rolling lawns of Canada’s most prestigious boarding school to the University of Saint Andrews’ hallowed grounds, Blakely’s quiet, unassuming life is turned upside down. Is she really who she thinks she is? Can she survive long enough to help Max unearth the truth?

It's no secret that I love a book with royalty and if you throw in a girl who is a princess but doesn't know it then there's a good chance it's going to suck me right in. Hush definitely pulled me in with its concept and the fact it's quite easy-going and a fast-paced read but it's not perfect.

Blakely is a regular teenager who has been brought up by her adoptive parents and attends boarding school in Canada. What she doesn't know is that she was born to a foreign princess who had an affair with the chauffeur and was forced to give up her baby to protect the royal family's reputation.

Max is studying at St. Andrews University and discovers that his aunt looked after the foreign princess. He finds evidence to suggest that Blakely could be a lost princess and goes undercover to discover the truth of who she is.

The plot reminded me of The Princess Diaries in a very general way but I loved that. The only issue with the plot is that things happen very quickly without going into too much detail. The action and villains were almost comical at times and hard to take seriously but the general concept of the plot was enjoyable. The characters (with the exception of Max) are likable if not overly developed and I really liked the setting.

The biggest let down is Max. The plot is almost like a modern day fairy tale and so I would expect the love interest to be Prince Charming but Max is pretty much the opposite. He's incredibly arrogant which makes him extremely unlikable at times. I wasn't really rooting for their relationship because he couldn't get over the fact that he's never had a problem attracting a girl before. I mean, really. Arrogance isn't attractive. I wasn't impressed with him at all.

I would have liked more of the royal setting to find out more about her new life as a princess but I can appreciate that there are further books in the series for that. Overall this was a quick, light and fun read with a few issues but I did find myself enjoying it.

ARC Review: Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti

Title: Zeroes
Authors: Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti
Publication Date: September 29th, 2015
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

X-Men meets Heroes when New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld teams up with award-winning authors Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti to create a sizzling new series filled with action and adventure.

Don’t call them heroes.

But these six Californian teens have powers that set them apart.

Take Ethan, a.k.a. Scam. He’s got a voice inside him that’ll say whatever you want to hear, whether it’s true or not. Which is handy, except when it isn’t—like when the voice starts gabbing in the middle of a bank robbery. The only people who can help are the other Zeroes, who aren’t exactly best friends these days.

Enter Nate, a.k.a. Bellwether, the group’s “glorious leader.” After Scam’s SOS, he pulls the scattered Zeroes back together. But when the recue blows up in their faces, the Zeroes find themselves propelled into whirlwind encounters with ever more dangerous criminals. At the heart of the chaos they find Kelsie, who can take a crowd in the palm of her hand and tame it or let it loose as she pleases.

Filled with high-stakes action and drama, Zeroes unites three powerhouse authors for the opening installment of a thrilling new series.

I was really looking forward to reading Zeroes; the concept is cool and I really wanted to love it, but it just fell a bit flat.

We don't really get to know any of the characters in great detail because there are six of them and they each have their own point of view. This made it difficult to really care about them and become invested in their story.

The powers that the kids have are one of the more interesting elements of the book. I like that they aren't your typical superpowers and it focused a lot on the problems with having powers rather than how awesome/heroic they are. That really makes Zeroes stand out from other superhero books.

Ethan / Scam is the first character we are introduced to. His power is "the voice" which says exactly what someone wants to hear. He uses it to talk to girls and get dates (he's a teenage boy after all) but it also gets him into a lot of trouble.

Nate / Glorious Leader / Bellwether is the leader of the Zeroes. He has the ability to control what people think (I think). He is the least interesting character to me. I don't really understand his power, he's boring and I have no idea what his code name means.

Riley / Flicker is a blind girl who has the ability to see through other people's eyes. I think that's quite a useful power to have, actually, but also kinda creepy to think of someone being able to look through your eyes. I liked her.

Chizara / Crash can crash technology. It's an interesting power to have and one that I haven't encountered before. Technology causes her so much pain that she struggles to be around it which is ridiculously hard in these modern times. I liked the power but I didn't like her point of view much.

Thibault / Anonymous is my favourite character. He is just so adorable and I felt so bad for him. He is literally unmemorable. People forget about him almost immediately after meeting him. Super useful for spying but rubbish for forming lasting relationships. The Zeroes have a difficult time remembering him without taking notes and his family have forgotten he exists. Quite ironic that he is the most memorable character in the book.

Kelsie / Mob is a girl with a power who hasn't found the Zeroes group yet. She has the ability to manipulate a crowd's feelings. The plot surrounds her and her criminal father who the Zeroes help to rescue.

I think given the fact that this is going to be a series, there maybe could have been less narratives in this. Additional points of view could have been added in as the series progresses. I think that would have helped with the character's development and I would have cared about them all a bit more. (Thibault should always have a pov though as he is just lovely).

The plot is mostly exciting and always moving but there were a couple of things that I didn't really care for. One of the romances was boring as was the deal with saving Kelsie's father. The writing is strong though and the chapters stitch together seamlessly (you can't tell there are three authors writing it; I don't know who wrote what). The powers are the strongest element as it's a unique spin on something that's been done before and I'll likely check out the sequel to hopefully learn more about them.

Review: Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
Rating:
Goodreads | Book Depository
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Headline and Bookbridgr.

One night. A life-changing decision. And a list...

Of course Clare made a list. She creates lists for everything. That's just how she is.

But tonight is Clare and Aidan's last night before college and this list will decide their future, together or apart.

It takes them on a rollercoaster ride through their past - from the first hello in science class to the first conversation at a pizza joint, their first kiss at the beach and their first dance in a darkened gymnasium - all the way up to tonight.

A night of laughs, fresh hurts, last-minute kisses and an inevitable goodbye.

But will it be goodbye forever or goodbye for now?

Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between is a story that takes place in one night as Clare and Aidan try to figure out what their future is: staying together in a long distance relationship or breaking up. Clare makes a list of nostalgic places for them to go to as they revisit their time together before making a final decision.

This is a cute story that I think a lot of people in today's modern age can relate to but the characters are a different story. I didn't like Clare at all but I did genuinely like Aiden which salvaged it a lot.

I just really couldn't warm to Clare. She comes across as very cold and she has pretty much already decided that a long distance relationship isn't going to work without even properly considering it. They have been together for two years but she refuses to say "I love you" because she only wants to say those words to one person in her life. I'm sorry but life is just too short for that. He loves you, you love him, just say it. It wasn't cute or endearing, it was a bit immature to be honest.

Aiden, on the other hand, was lovely. He was committed to their relationship and didn't want to make a hasty decision. I actually felt a bit sorry for him as he appeared to put so much into their relationship but get very little in return. He also had a tough home life which I pitied him for. Maybe it was Aiden's openness and the fact he was so charming and adorable that made Clare more unlikeable to me.

I loved the ending; it was beautiful. I thought it was a really sweet way of starting a new chapter. Overall, this was mostly an enjoyable read and I'll probably check out Jennifer's other books.

Review: Ignite the Shadows by Ingrid Seymour

Title: Ignite the Shadows

Author: Ingrid Seymour

Release Date: April, 2015

Rating:

Goodreads | Book Depository

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley.



Ignite the Shadows is so fast-faced and action-packed that I found myself tearing through the pages. We are thrust straight into the action which makes for a really strong and intense opening. It is a sci-fi story but with enough realism that you can easily picture the events happening in our everyday world.

Marci has lived most of her life being plagued by what she calls "shadows": spectres that take over her body so much so that she loses control of herself. When she and her friend, Xave, are spying on a group known as IgNiTe, she gets more than she bargains for when the leader recognises the agony she is facing and quickly persuades her to join their group. He too is a sufferer and reveals that there are many more just like them; people who have been infected by monsters known as Eklyptors, and IgNiTe is a resistance group determined to eliminate them.

I really liked Marci. She is strong and independent and spends her time creating code and hacking computers. She rides around on a motorcycle and isn't afraid to speak her mind or stand up to people. I also liked the leader of the resistance, James, and found him to be very intriguing. He's a bit mysterious and I wasn't always sure if I could trust him but ultimately he was very likeable. I think the characters as a whole are excellently written. There's a mixed bunch of people and everyone stands out; they each have distinct personalities, and I could easily remember who was who. With that being said, I would have liked some of the characters to have had more development. For example, there is a subplot of Marci's long-lost twin brother, Luke, being rediscovered and I wanted to get to know more about him. I think there's going to be a lot more from him in the next book though so I can understand why he was a bit missing here.

There is a small romance element and I actually really enjoyed it. It is in the very early stages as Marci and Xave are just beginning to learn how to be more than friends but there was a real chemistry between them which I appreciated. Xave is really likable and I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops.

The Eklyptors were downright creepy which is exactly as it should be. These monsters have the ability to grow scales and other unworldly features and spend their time infecting other people. IgNiTe are fighting against these monsters and hellbent on destroying them which results in some dangerous situations which were extremely gripping. Those that have been infected, such as Marci, also have the ability to develop their own "powers" which was fascinating. 

Overall I think this was a good sci-fi with a very fast-paced and intriguing plot. The revelation in the epilogue has left the door open for an exciting sequel which I'm looking forward to reading.

ARC Review: Confessions of a Queen B* by Crista McHugh

Title: Confessions of a Queen B*

Author: Crista McHugh

Release Date: July 28th, 2015

Rating:

Goodreads | Amazon

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.




Confessions of a Queen B* is a light high school drama-filled contemporary that's quick and easy to read.

After being humiliated in front of the entire school by the queen bee, Alexis retaliates by becoming the ultimate Queen B*. She creates a blog, The Eastline Spy, to uncover the scandals of the hallways and now everyone fears her.

Brett is the popular quarterback who is situated at the head of the popular crowd and the girls of the school fawn over him. When Alexis and Brett are paired together to raise a fake baby in health class, Alexis realises there is more to the star football player than first meets the eye and soon finds herself falling for him.

The story focuses on the romance between Alexis and Brett and the other components take a bit of a back seat. The mystery of who is recording x rated videos of the girl's locker room is resolved at the end, but we don't get to meet the person responsible, and there is still an unresolved mystery of what his "problems" are to warrant leniency. The focus with Alexis is more on her hormones and feelings for Brett rather than being a bitch but there are a few moments where we see her tough side. I liked the chemistry between Alexis and Brett and it was interesting to see Alexis shed her ruthless side to show compassion where it was needed. I also liked the blog excerpts at the beginning of each chapter as a way of letting the reader explore The Eastline Spy blog.

I was a little disappointed with the ending. I was surprised with the decision Alexis made and actually couldn't quite believe it!

Overall this wasn't as Mean Girls-esque as I was expecting but it was still an enjoyable read and with a lot of questions still to be answered, there's a lot of scope for a good follow-up. I would recommend as a summer read if you like romance with a dash of high school drama.

ARC Review: Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas

Title: Because You'll Never Meet Me

Author: Leah Thomas

Release Date: July 2nd, 2015

Rating:

Goodreads | Book Depository






The first thing I will say about this book is that it is a genre hopper. I went into it thinking it was a classic, heartwarming, contemporary but there are moments where it borders on sci-fi. Whilst this isn't necessarily a problem, it does make you wonder about what in the story is actually realistic. I had assumed that the illnesses the two boys suffer from were realistic but then the genre switches so I'm not entirely sure. That's not to say that this isn't a good book though! I love the idea and the writing is brilliant. I'm just not sure how I feel about the ending but more on that later!

Ollie is a 14 year old American boy who is allergic to electricity. He lives in a cabin in the woods with his mum where he can avoid electrical sources. His doctor puts him in contact with another boy, Moritz, who is a 16 year old German. He was born without any eyes but he can "see" through echolocation. Moritz also has a pacemaker which means that he and Ollie can never meet.

The story is told through their letters which I really enjoyed. We also get to meet other characters through these letters as the boys talk about their pasts and conversations with other people and so on. Both Ollie and Moritz have such distinct voices. Ollie is very talkative and manic and goes off on all kinds of tangents in his letters. Moritz is very solemn in comparison and it takes him a while to really open up. Their character development, where they both mature, grow and become more confident, was a joy to read. I also liked that we have two very different settings as this helps prevent any dullness from creeping in. It was nice to switch between two different narratives as well as settings.

There is a revelation later in the book where the sci-fi begins to creep in. There's science, doctors, laboratories and experiments. It was interesting but not what I was expecting. I don't know if this is a contemporary or a sci-fi. Can it be both? The ending for Ollie in particular feels unrealistic and it surprised me. I've heard that there is going to be a sequel though so I'm interested to know the direction that goes in.

Whilst there is an unexpected plot twist, Because You'll Never Meet Me has a lovely friendship that blossoms throughout the book and that alone made it an enjoyable read.

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

ARC Review: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

Title: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls

Author: Lynn Weingarten

Release Date: July 2nd, 2015

Standalone

Rating:

Goodreads | Book Depository





I have mixed feelings about Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls. On the one hand it's an exciting thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. On the other hand, in the last 50% the book becomes weird and insane and it was like a whole different book.

June and Delia are former best friends and haven't spoken in over a year because of "something" that happened. June receives a voicemail on the day that Delia supposedly kills herself but then Delia's boyfriend arrives and says he doesn't believe it. June feels guilty that she didn't answer her phone and so launches her own investigation into what really happened because the police aren't willing to help.

The characters are one of the impressive areas of the book. There are complexities in their lives that makes them more interesting to read about. We are introduced to a new set of characters in the second half of the book who I found to also be intriguing. There are flashbacks throughout the book so that we can learn more of Delia and June's friendship before they drifted apart and this was a useful way to get to know a character who is dead.

I really enjoyed this initial mystery of what actually happened to Delia. Did she really kill herself? Or was it someone in the bad crowd she was involved with? I liked that there were various conspiracies and suspects and that it could have been any one of them. Then things get insane half way through when the twist happens. I think it's a bit of a faux pas for the marketing to compare the book to Gone Girl. I can't say too much without spoiling the twist but I saw it coming.

The ending is very abrupt and it's one of those endings that you have to figure out for yourself. Things aren't completely resolved or explained and so you have to make your own conclusions. Maybe it makes me a lazy reader but in this type of book (one full of many twists and turns) I like to have some proper answers at the end. The ending is so abrupt that I'm not even really sure what actually happened.

I still mostly enjoyed this book as I love thrillers and conspiracies and this really did keep me on the edge of my seat. I read it in one day. The ending is just a little disappointing.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.

Review: The Calling by Louise G. White

Title: The Calling

Author: Louise G. White

Release Date: March 2014

Book one of the Gateway series

Rating:

Goodreads | Amazon




The Calling focuses on teenager Carolyn whose mother and brother were captured and taken through a gateway to another realm. After this strange occurrence, Carolyn's life is never the same and she soon discovers that she is a "Destroyer": someone who receives a calling to gateways in order to deal with wayward demons who inhabit the world inside them.

The story starts off a little confusing as some things just happen, or just are, without a lot of explanation but things do begin to unfold as the story progresses which makes it easier to follow.

The plot becomes really interesting when Carolyn makes a rash decision to take a demon through the gateway and into the human world. The demon, Note, transforms in order to resemble a human and just so happens to be extremely attractive which Carolyn can't help but notice. They become "anchored" to one another which creates a complicated situation that I really enjoyed reading about.

Note is likened to Orlando Bloom in Lord of the Rings

Carolyn is pursued by a government agency who want to experiment on her but is quickly rescued by a group of people with similar supernatural powers. They return to a secret compound where Carolyn learns to improve and control her skills so that she is not a danger to herself or others. The main plot, and the most interesting in my opinion, however is in the form of Carolyn and Note's anchoring. It's complicated and needs a fast solution and I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. Note is by far my favourite character in the book as he is just so sweet and likeable. I would have loved more from his perspective. There are hints of a love triangle but it doesn't develop very far. The other characters were interesting but didn't leave as lasting an effect as Note did. Carolyn as a heroine is okay but I didn't find her to be particularly remarkable. I didn't dislike her but felt like there was something missing.

I think the fantasy world that has been created is really impressive and I appreciated the creative detail that has been put into creating such a world. The glossary at the back is a nice touch. I also liked the setting of Scotland as being Scottish it's so nice to see my own country incorporated into a fantasy world. (Loved the Argos references!)

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Louise!

Review: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Title: All the Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven

Release Date: January 6th, 2015

Standalone

Rating:

Goodreads | Book Depository




Violet Markey and Theodore Finch are two completely different people attending the same school. Finch is the "Freak" who is bullied on a daily basis and spends his days thinking about death and the various different methods of suicide. Violet is one of the popular kids who has her future mapped out and is eager to graduate to get away from the town where her sister recently died in a car accident. Violet and Finch meet on the ledge of the bell tower at their school where both are contemplating jumping. Once Violet realises what is happening, she panics and Finch rescues her from falling over. To save her reputation, he claims that she was the one who saved him. In return, Violet pairs with him on a geography project and this marks the beginning of their relationship.

Violet and Finch are both struggling emotionally. They both feel a bit lost and need something, or someone, to help them find the brightness in their life. They are that person for each other.

The story is told in alternating perspectives and having a male perspective was refreshing. It was also refreshing that he wasn't portrayed as a typical YA male. He's not popular, he doesn't have loads of friends, he's not an athlete. He is smart and thoughtful and thinks about things differently than his peers do.

I liked the way the mental illness was explored. It didn't focus on labelling someone with an illness but rather on the root causes of the illness. Family life is explored as well as coping mechanisms for dealing with the emotional struggles. It's not clinical and I think that makes it much more relatable as the focus is on the people rather than what the people are labelled as.

Whilst I liked the overall message, I just didn't find myself connecting to the characters as much I was supposed to. Actually, I liked Finch. He's different from everyone else and really struggling with his feelings and I felt for him a lot. I just didn't really feel anything for Violet. I thought she was quite boring and she doesn't really do anything to stand out. She does develop throughout the book in that she starts to get better and come to terms with her sister's death but when she's "back to herself" she is still a little dull to me. Maybe it's because Finch is such an outlandish character that my expectations were too high for Violet. Or that she's supposed to complement Finch being so outgoing. Either way, I enjoyed reading Finch's perspective much more than Violet's.

The writing is good but I do have a bit of a pet hate for books that like to quote classic literature and poetry, and whilst the selections do fit in well here, I just personally don't like them. The emotional ending does pull at the heartstrings but overall I have enjoyed similar books more than this one.

Review: Craving U by Llàrjme

Title: Craving U

Author: Llàrjme (Mirella Muffarotto)

Release Date: January 31st, 2015

Book one in The Rook Cafe series

Rating:



Review:

Craving U is a really cute contemporary YA romance. Marika and Matteo have been best friends since they were children but soon begin to realise that their feelings for one another run much deeper than just friendship. Unsure if their feelings are requited, things become more complicated when Matteo is offered the chance of a lifetime to play for a top league football club which means leaving his home town, and Marika, behind.

Marika and Matteo are both very likeable characters and I couldn't help but root for them the entire time. It was frustrating at times that they were so bad at communicating with each other though. They both made some bad decisions and could have avoided a lot of confusion and heartache if they just took the time to really listen and speak to each other. The love triangle was an interesting aspect as Federico was very likeable so we didn't have one good guy and one bad guy. It was clear that Marika and Matteo were made for each other though.

I found the story to be a little slow to begin with but it soon picks up and becomes exciting with many twists and turns. I do think there is a little too much detail in places though. We are given a lot of background information on characters, settings etc. Whilst the writing is excellent, and I can appreciate the knowledge that the author has, it tended to overcrowd the rest of the plot.

I was pleased with the ending and the way things worked out for the characters.

A really great, well written, YA contemporary that should appeal to a lot of different tastes. I would recommend to anyone who likes a cute contemporary, football (soccer) or Italy.

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

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Author: John Green & David Levithan

Release Date: April 5th, 2011

Standalone

Rating:



Review:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is the story of two teenagers with the same name who coincidentally meet in one of the most unlikeliest places. The first Will, written by John Green, is a shy teenager who follows two rules in life: 1. Don't care too much and 2. Shut up. The other Will, written by David Levithan, is a depressed teenager who hates the world but begins to experience love and hope through a boy he meets online. But not all is as it seems and their lives will never be the same again.

I had quite a hard time rating this book. I didn't love it but I certainly didn't hate it either. It has some laugh out loud moments and some potentially emotional moments (I say potentially as I didn't really get emotional myself) but I just didn't feel particularly connected to the characters.

The plot is pretty straightforward but also unique as there are a lot of gay characters who are a main focus of the book rather than just side characters. The fact the plot surrounds two main characters who are gay (Levithan's Will and Tiny) is refreshing and it was also nice for them to be portrayed in a realistic and positive light.

The writing is great but the storyline is a little predictable which let it down for me. It was an easy and enjoyable read but I don't think it will be one that stays in my thoughts for long.