Love In Revolution Review

Love In Revolution

B.R. Collins

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Esteya is fifteen. As war rumbles closer, Esteya's brother - an important figure in the Revolutionary Communist Party - is able to protect their family from the worst of the privations of war. Then Esteya meets an extraordinary girl, Skizi, an outcast, shunned by all. But Esteya and Skizi are drawn to each other. Slowly and wonderfully love blossoms ... And then Esteya's family are betrayed and forcibly taken away. Skizi disappears. Esteya is left deserted, heartbroken and in terrible danger. But she must find a way to escape - and to find Skizi

Many YA books concentrate on first love by our leading lady – usually with a few obstacles thrown in such as the guy of their choice is a ‘bad boy’ from the wrong side of tracks (or occasionally a vampire or werewolf). Love In Revolution follows the same type of route only Esteya, our heroine falls for Skizi, a gypsy girl. What I loved most about this story is that while Esteya has fallen for a girl, the issue dividing them is mostly the class difference between them rather than any gender issues. Set against a background of the Russian Revolution class is an extraordinarily divisive issue – especially when the haves and have-nots are still there post-Revolution – just some of the names change.

I remember studying the Russian Revolution(s)  in history and this book is incredibly well researched and reflected of what did happen at that time. However, all events are seen through Esteya’s eyes where her focus is always on her life and her feelings (as most teens are!) so it also feels incredibly personal and perhaps a little naive at times. She thinks about Skizi in a purely selfish way, but through lack of wider awareness of the world rather than an mean spiritedness.  

The writing is evocative and almost musical in prose making reading Love In Revolution a pure pleasure. It was a quick read – I was finished in a day but it really made a refreshing change from any other book I’ve read recently - a palate cleansing glass of cold water on a hot day.

Recommended for fans of John Green and Ruta Sepetys. 8.5 out of 10

The Wrong Girl Review

The Wrong Girl (Freak House #1)

C.J. Archer

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & CJ Archer

It's customary for Gothic romance novels to include a mysterious girl locked in the attic. Hannah Smith just wishes she wasn't that girl. As a narcoleptic and the companion to an earl's daughter with a strange affliction of her own, Hannah knows she's lucky to have a roof over her head and food in her belly when so many orphans starve on the streets. Yet freedom is something Hannah longs for. She did not, however, want her freedom to arrive in the form of kidnapping. Taken by handsome Jack Langley to a place known as Freak House, she finds herself under the same roof as a mad scientist, his niece, a mute servant and Jack, a fire starter with a mysterious past. They assure Hannah she is not a prisoner and that they want to help her. The problem is, they think she's the earl's daughter. What will they do when they discover they took the wrong girl?

Combining Victorian favourite themes of mistaken identities, mysterious benefactors and unknown orphans in a sprawling gothic mansion, The Wrong Girl feels like Wilkie Collins for teens. Hannah Smith, our orphan is mistaken for the daughter of a Lord and kidnapped. Finding herself among others who have just as mysterious pasts as herself, and determined to protect her friend, she plays along with their assumptions while trying to figure out what is really going on at Freak House.

Hannah is a smart and feisty young lady – which seems a little odd given how sheltered her life was up until this point but it does make her a very modern heroine and easy to relate to. Her kidnappers range from lonely and overlooked young lady, a brooding older guy with secrets of his own and a scientist with odd ideas and changeable moods. There are some periods of over explanation as people spend a lot of time telling Hannah things – these info dumps are interesting but mean the main plot doesn’t move along much. This being the first book in a series it beautifully sets up some intriguing questions and plot arcs for Hannah and co to uncover in the future – why was she hidden in the attic for so long? What happened to her parents? These are all questions I want to know answers to!

However, so much time is spent setting up the wider plot arcs, the plot of these book feels a little rushed. Centring on a break in at Freak House and stolen research notes, the resolution to this was sudden and could easily have been avoided by the characters if they were a little more sensible or patient.

There is some romance but it doesn’t impose on the story or the characters – they both exist as full personalities outside of their relationship and I found it rather sweet – once I got past the whole kidnap thing (which seems a little strange once you get to know the characters!). The writing was very easy to get into and painted the grounds and characters of Freak House in colour and shade. This is a series I want to follow as I need answers!

Recommended for fans of Wilkie Collins and Cassandra Clare. 7.5 out of 10

Early Review: Hysteria

Hysteria

Megan Miranda

Publisher: Bloomsbury: Published on 13th February 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Bloomsbury & Netgalley

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear ...When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

Mallory is going through the worst time in her life – her boyfriend is dead, she stabbed him in her kitchen and now her Mum won’t look at her and her Dad packs her off to his old boarding school separating her from the only person she can talk to, her best friend. But at her new school, secrets are currency and someone wants Mallory’s secrets...

Hysteria is a complete revelation – a YA contemporary that avoids expected clichés and tackles the emotional and mental impact of a moment of insanity. Mallory is upset, confused and isolated. She has trouble sleeping and remembering what happened. She also has a touch of paranoia, not sure who to trust. All the emotions you would expect after someone has gone through that type of trauma. However, Mallory also has some steel in her – she has the kind of strength that is only discovered through adversity and I loved her voice in the story. How she was unsure what to do or who to trust – even doubting herself. Her new school has some creepy elements with plenty of characters and secrets, but Megan Miranda skilfully manages to avoid expectations to create a familiar world that is only slightly off-kilter. I loved the way Reid tries to reconnect with Mallory after two years and how unsure she is with trusting herself again.  

The writing is wonderfully deft and involving. Your emotions will swirl around more times than dirty socks in the laundry, leaving you washed out and exhausted. I’m not usually a big fan of contemporary YA, but this is one of the most realistic and impactful stories you’ll read this year, bringing real depth and passion to every situation. I read this in a day, loving Mallory’s attempts to rebuild her life and her relationships. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Megan!

Recommended for fans of Jenny Han and Jeri Smith-Ready. 9 out of 10 

The Declaration Review

The Declaration (The Declaration #1)

Gemma Malley

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Copy sent courtesy of Bloomsbury & does not impact my review

Anna Covey is a ‘Surplus’. She should not have been born. In a society in which ageing is no longer feared, and death is no longer an inevitability, children are an abomination. Like all Surpluses, Anna is living in a Surplus Hall and learning how to make amends for the selfish act her parents committed in having her. She is quietly accepting of her fate until, one day, a new inmate arrives. Anna’s life is thrown into chaos. But is she brave enough to believe this mysterious boy?

Dystopian fiction for teens is the genre du jour at the moment and as such The Declaration has a lot of competition. However, the main premise here feels much scarier than a Capital imposing games on districts children’s or regulating the air you breathe. Scientists discover a drug which allows people to live forever and never having to worry about disease or old age. Unfortunately that means the planets resources are taxed to the extreme so everyone decides not to have children so as not to waste any resources on the young. Any children born are deemed Surplus with some countries deciding to put them down while others like the UK bring them up in Surplus camps training to be staff for the Legals, telling them to hate their parents for their selfish choice. The whole society hates young people and is scared by them – now if that doesn’t send a shiver down your spine, I don’t know what will.

Anna is a surplus on course to become a Valuable Asset when a new Surplus Peter comes to Grange Hall and starts to challenge all her assumptions. Anna is not a natural rebel – she believes in the rules and follows them, but still dreams of the Outside and seeing the sky and desert. However, as she starts to question what she has always been told and begins to think for herself you start to warm to her. Even if she never takes control of her own destiny completely, I wanted her to succeed and rooted for her.

It was great to have dystopian set in the UK and a scarily recognisable UK. The writing was smooth and easy to get lost in. I loved the different points of view and the insights into the adults in the story which make it seem horribly realistic how people came to support The Declaration. The first half of the book is set up, but it’s in the second half that it really comes to life with tense events and excitement. I flew through the pages in a day or so and I’m happy I have the rest of the trilogy to read soon! This was a unique dystopian which I found exciting and fun to read – one of the better dystopian’s I’ve read this year.

Recommended for fans of Veronica Roth and Sarah Alderson. 8 out of 10

The Song of the Quarkbeast Review

The Song of the Quarkbeast (Last Dragonslayer #2)

- Jasper Fforde

Publisher: Hodder

As the background Wizidrical Power slowly builds after the Big Magic, King Snodd IV of Hereford realises the man who controls Magic controls almost anything. But one person stands between him and his plans for power and riches: Jennifer Strange, sixteen-year-old acting manager of Kazam. It may involve a trip on a magic carpet at the speed of sound to the Troll Wall, it may involve a second Quarkbeast sniffing around town. It might also involve the mysterious Transient Moose, and a powerless sorceress named Once Magnificent Boo. But one thing is certain: Jennifer Strange and her faithful assistant Tiger Prawns will not relinquish the noble powers of magic to big business and commerce without a fight.

This is the second visit to the weird and wonderful world of Jennifer Strange, foundling and acting manager of Kazam, a magic agency which delivers pizza via flying carpet and finds lost objects through spells. Once again Jennifer has a lot on her plate – King Snodd of Hereford wants a competition between Kazam and their magical rivals iMagic to see who will Court Magician. The twin of Jennifer’s Quarkbeast is being hunted around town and the future of magic could be at stake. So like any other day really.

I love that so much of the joy of this series is from acting sensibly in a ridiculous world. Jennifer and her fellow foundling ‘Tiger’ Prawns are the only sensible people who behave in a way we would find normal – and this makes them geniuses – or close to it. There is a lot of fun from the silly situations such as the mysterious X’s outing to the zoo to the transient Moose’s appearances around the hotel. The plot is simpler than The Last Dragonslayer, but fast paced and never less than interesting.

Jasper Fforde has one of the most fascinating comic writers – he seems to be able to take some as simple as building a bridge and base so much plot and intriguing plot elements on it to make it the most interesting story. Some elements are laugh out loud funny, while others are wry smiles, but either way you are left entertained and wanting more amusing adventures!

Recommended for fans for of Robert Rankin and Amanda Ashby. 8 out of 10

A Monster Calls Review

A Monster Calls

- Patrick Ness

Illustrated by Jim Kay

Based on an Idea by Siobhan Dowd

Publisher: Walker Books

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...
This monster, though, is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.

Conor is a teenager who’s mother is sick. Very sick. One night when a monster comes to visit it’s not the monster he is expecting. The monster tells him three stories...stories where the truth is not what is first appears...

First I have to say the illustrations in this book are beautiful – dark, atmospheric and reflective of Connor’s mind at this time. I could look at them for hours. Jim Kay has done a beautiful job. Second Patrick Ness has a wonderful hand of writing stories where there is no black and white – nothing is simple. He makes you think. Connor is going through a tough time – the toughest time of his life. His mother is his only family – his father is living in America with his new wife and child. All the teachers and his old friends at school behave differently towards him now. Connor is as isolated as can be and no-one can reach him – apart from the monster.

I cried while reading this – this is a full box of tissue books. Connor is struggling to come to terms with what is happening and how his life has changed. I think everyone should read it. I will admit to being biased as my mum has been undergoing treatment for breast cancer for the last 18 months. It’s buying her time and some of the emotions that Connor has are very familiar and relatable – luckily I’ve had a better support from my friends and family than Connor has.

A Monster Calls invokes a range of emotions from despair, guilt, sadness, anger and sympathy. This book will surprise and enthral you – and is one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. It will not be the happiest book you read this year but it will be one of the best and one of the most important. Highly recommended.

Recommended for fans of John Boyne and Michale Morpurgo. 10 out of 10.   

The Hallowed Ones Review

The Hallowed Ones

- Laura Bickle

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community?

Wow. My heart was beating so hard while reading parts of The Hallowed Ones that I think my neighbours thoughts I had taken up bongo drums! Katie has been brought up as one of the Plain people, the Amish who live off the land and keep technology to a minimum. She is weeks away from her Rumspringa, a chance to explore the outside world and decide whether she wants to choose the Amish lifestyle for herself. However, before Katie and her best friend Elijah can leave something starts to happen to the outside world...at first news is patchy, but soon it becomes clear there is something wrong, some evil outside their community...

Katie is curious about the outside world and is looking forward to seeing what else is out there in the world even though she assumes she will be returning to the Amish lifestyle eventually. Her main fault is that she thinks before she obeys the orders from her parents, the Bishop or other adults – an admirable trait to me! She follows her heart even if it’s not always the safest route and while not street-smart, she is intelligent and curious. I don’t know much about the Amish lifestyle (there aren't any in England as far as I know!), but her world feels real and natural. I assume there has been a lot research to make this world come to life so easily! I don’t to spoil anything but the events outside the Amish community, which start to encroach on them, are creepy and disturbing. The discovery of the empty town or the horse with one show still in the stirrups, are images that will stay with me for a long time.

As with her adult novels, Laura Bickle has a fantastic command over the atmosphere in her novels managing to build tension and keep you on edge. I was so tense at some points that when someone sat beside me on the train I jumped a mile! There is also tension created as Katie’s relationships with those around her changes – there are some twist and turns which just makes the world feel so realistic. I also enjoyed the spiritual element and how that impacts the characters interpretations of the situation. It’s rare that the apocalypse happens in YA literature with some philosophical musings.

Overall, this is an atmospheric and tense story which explores coming of age during the end of the known world in a completely different way to any story I’ve read before. Heartily recommended.

Recommended for fans of Veronica Roth and Jennifer Barnes. 9 out of 10

Insurgent Review

Insurgent (Divergent #2)

-       Veronica Roth

Publisher: Harper Collins

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

I liked Divergent but didn’t totally get the romance or the massive change in story towards the end. Insurgent picks up right where Divergent ended with Tris, Four and some survivors escaping to Amity’s quarter. Unlike Divergent there is no slow burn introducing characters and situation. There is no ‘previously’ catch up so if you aren’t aware of the characters or situation it can all be a bit confusing – it’s only been a couple of months since I read Divergent and it took me a while to remember who Peter, Caleb, Sharon and others were. However, once I did I was much more involved in the story than before.

This is a true exploration of Tris’s world – rather than focus on the difference between Dauntless and Abgenation that was Divergent, we get to follow Tris as she spends time with Amity, Candor, Eruite, the Factionless and the newly divided Dauntless. This meant there was a lot of moving from place to place and questioning of loyalty which was much more involving than simple training. Tris is still struggling with the result of her decisions in Divergent and it added layers to her character that Tris didn’t simply forget about her parents death or the people she had to face to escape. She makes some big decisions here and willing throws herself into danger continually, but is she doing it for the right reasons or because she can’t live her decisions?

There is plenty of action and excitement with Tris and friends continually on the run or under attack. I found myself swept up in events and on the edge of my seat and as a result I swept through the pages always wanting to know what was coming up. Veronica Roth isn’t afraid to kill or injury her characters – emotionally as well as physically which does mean you can never completely relax. If Divergent was about coming of age, then Insurgent is about trusting yourself and living with your decisions. Veronica Roth also has a horrible habit of finishing stories on plot-changing cliffhangers which will have huge implications on the next book. I’m really curious at what Tris and the others will face next - it's going to be a long wait for the next book!

Recommended for fans of Suzanne Collins and Veronica Rossi. 8 out of 10

Blink Once Review

Blink Once

-       Cylin Busby

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Copy Courtesy of Bloomsbury

West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia.
She's the girl next door—sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he's been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia—to love her, even—certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he's fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming

West wakes up in hospital unable to move. He can hear what is going around him but can’t communicate with the nurses, the doctors or his mother. That is until the girl in the next room, Olivia stops by and suggests he can talk by blinking yes or no. Soon Olivia is the one that is keeping West going through all the trials of hospital life, but she is keeping secrets of her own. Secrets that could break apart their fragile relationship...

Finding yourself trapped in your own body, unable to move, unable to talk is one of the scariest things I can imagine – and it terrifies me even more after reading Blink Once. The description of what West feels as he discovers what happened to him and how much has changed is raw and as such very moving. Not being able to ask questions, just learning slowly from what people say what happened – not even sure if people are aware you are awake. I found that haunting and heartbreaking.

The relationship with Olivia is the centre of the story with two people so ill managing to find something special within such a hopeless ward. Olivia is mysterious and moody, but she seems to instinctively understand West and their conversations are really the core of West’s life now. His mother’s visits and his old friends give a contrast of the person West used to be and that they all want back, but Olivia seems to understand who he is now. The final third of the book explores more the mystery behind their relationship and asks whether it survive.

This is a thought-provoking and emotional tale about relationships that define certain parts of our lives. I found the first half of the book the stronger part – and definitely more creepy, but there is a satisfying conclusion that could need tissues!

Recommended for fans of Sophie McKenzie and Jenny Han. 8.5 out of 10

The Assassin's Curse Review

The Assassin’s Curse

-       Cassandra Rose Clarke

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

E-Arc copy courtesy of Netgalley and Strange Chemistry

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her. And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Ananna was raised on board ship by her pirate parents, but when they want to marry her off in return for political support in their war, she takes an instant dislike to her husband to be and runs away. Pursued by an assassin sent by her suitors family, Ananna ends up saving his life  instead and being dragged into a curse that bind her and her assassin Naji close together.

This book is very easy to read. Told from Ananna point of view with liberal use of local slang and dialect, it really feels like you are in someone else’s head. There are some great scenes – the fight in the desert, the storm at sea which are well described and visual. I liked the world with the difference between the pirates, cities and ice-islands all feeling part of the same world. Some of these images have stayed with me long after closing the book. There are some intriguing characters that I wanted to get to know better – especially the woman first mate of the ship, but this is really the story of Ananna and Naji.

It is with Ananna and Naji that I had a couple of reservations – Ananna seems easily won over by Naji. One minute he’s trying to kill her, the next she trusts him enough to blindly follow him wherever he wants. I know she is only sixteen, but she feels much younger to me with plenty of teenage mood-swings and jealousy. Naji remains a mystery throughout – I never really felt like I knew his motivations at all. He seems incredible ignorant of women and bizarrely aware of his scar for a cold-blooded assassin. However my biggest issue is with the ending, which seems to arrive suddenly. Not a cliff-hanger so much as just a stop – it meant that the story up to that point doesn’t feel like a coherent plot. This is supposed to make you desperate to read the next book, but I just felt like I was short changed with this book.

There is a cool idea here – pirate girl and assassin out to break the curse on them, and I think this would be adored by some younger teens. However, I was expecting something more.

Recommended for fans of Rae Carson and Gwenda Bond. 6.5 out of 10      

Early Review: Poltergeeks

Poltergeeks

-       Sean Cummings

Publisher: Strange Chemistry – To Be Published on 2^nd October

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Strange Chemistry

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection. In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Julie is a teenage witch, apprenticed to her Mum, but when she and her best friend Marcus run into a Poltergeist terrorising an old woman, she finds herself involved something much bigger. Julie is a typical teenager – over confident in her abilities, keen to prove herself to her mother and figuring out what is important to her. The fact that she happens to be a witch adds an interesting twist. At its heart this is a book about relationships with Julie trying to figure out how her relationship with her Mum and her best friend is evolving.

 Poltergeeks is bags of fun – the plot is fast-paced, funny and with some genuinely exciting moments. The writing is deft with a light touch that perfectly portrays the personality of a teenage girl – hormones and school worries included. There are some great confrontations with Julie’s magic being put to the test. The fight scene in the cemetery was creepy and well placed to balance out a lot of recent info-dumping.

This is one of those books that makes you feel excited about being a reader again – flicking through the pages quickly and leaving a smile on your face. While there are emotional aspects to the story, it doesn’t overwhelm the plot or hold it back at all. It’s nice to read a book without being overwhelmed by angst and instant teenage lust. This is like a breath of fresh cleansing the cobwebs away and leaving you with a massive smile on your face.

Recommended for fans of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and 8 out of 10

Guest Review: Die For Me

I've been a little behind on my reading recently so Sarah is helping out with some more reviews at the moment...

Die For Me
- Amy Plum

Publisher: Harper Teen

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.
When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again...

Hello all. Mel’s been having a bit of a hard time of it recently, so I’m afraid you’ll have some more regular reviews from me for a bit! Today is the turn of Amy Plum’s YA book Die For Me, which was recommended by several of you during my birthday giveaway. You seemed to really enjoy it, and so did I I’m glad to report.

 

Whilst Die For Me has several of the usual YA fantasy traits – girl meets beautiful boy, they fall in love, evil tries to wreck it all – it also has an interesting twist to the human girl/undead boy combination. Our human girl Kate is struggling to come to terms with the death of her parents, as well as the move from America to Paris with her older sister Georgia, to live with her grandparents. It is during the long, lonely summer holidays that she meets Vincent, a serious undead hotty. But Vincent isn’t a vampire (woo hoo) – he’s a revenant. A self-sacrificing man whom, because he died originally to save another, has been granted immortality, and the need to continually die in the place of others.

 

Kate’s continuing depression at the loss of her parents, and her initial reluctance to get involved with Vincent, are refreshing differences to the usual YA fantasy world. As is her thoroughly likeable sister and both her and Vincent’s loveable families. However, it’s not all totally unique – when Kate does fall for Vincent, her continuing disbelief that the gorgeous revenant would look at her, is an all too familiar experience.

 

The other thing that really gets to me in these types of books, is the fact that NO ONE ever seems to find the fact that essentially a 90-year-old man is dating a 16-year-old girl totally disturbing. Yes, he may look 19, but he has lived those 90 years. I’m only a third of Vincent’s age, and there’s no way I’d date a teenager!!! The lack of maturity would drive me mad!

 

That aside, Die For Me is a very enjoyable read and I fairly flew through it. I don’t know if a sequel is out there yet, but if so I’d have no qualms about picking it up. One for fans of the Twilight books, Cynthia Hand and Becca Fitzpatrick, 7.5 out of 10.

Early Review: The City's Son

The City’s Son (The Skyscraper Throne #1)

-       Tom Pollock

Publisher: Flux Books (To be Published 8^th September 2012)

E-Arc read courtesy of  Flux Books and Netgalley

Expelled from school, betrayed by her best friend and virtually ignored by her dad, who’s never recovered from the death of her mum, Beth Bradley retreats to the sanctuary of the streets, looking for a new home. What she finds is Filius Viae, the ragged and cocky crown prince of London, who opens her eyes to the place she’s never truly seen. But the hidden London is on the brink of destruction. Reach, the King of the Cranes, is a malign god of demolition, and he wants Filius dead. In the absence of the Lady of the Streets, Filius’ goddess mother, Beth rouses Filius to raise an alleyway army, to reclaim London’s skyscraper throne for the mother he’s never known. Beth has almost forgotten her old life – until her best friend and her father come searching for her, and she must choose between the streets and the life she left behind...

Beth hasn’t had an easy life – her Mum died and her father has never got over it. Her only escape is with her best friend Pen and the graffiti art they do together around the city. That is until she meets Fil – a boy who’s mother was the Goddess of the city of London, a boy who’s skin is pavement grey and can absorb nutrition directly from the streets. Suddenly, she involves herself in a war raging across London...

Tom Pollock has managed to capture the essence of modern London, distil it and use it to turn everyday ordinary objects into something fascinating and bizarre. After finishing The City’s Son, there’s no way I will every look at cranes, statues or even broken down trains in the same light again. This has imagination and inventiveness stuffed into every sentence as the real world has been twisted through 180 degrees to look the same but completely new. I adore stories that take the familiar and make it extraordinary. The writing might be a little dense for young teens but for adult and older teens this will open up new worlds.

Beth and Fil are both interesting characters although the immediate connection between them was a bit of a jump to accept. However, Beth’s friend, Pen is immediately relatable - trapped between worlds and expectations she struggles to know what to do. I would love to get to know more about her!

As well as exploring this new London beneath the familiar there are some intense battle scenes – the fight at Chelsea Bridge is crying out for the big screen. This is the first book of a trilogy but does a great job of wrapping up the main story plots – even managing to reveal something unexpected at the end that may make the next instalment a completely different story. Intense, imaginative and bags of fun – what more can you ask for?!

Recommended for fans of Kate Griffin and Neil Gaiman. 9 out of 10

Falling Fast Review

Falling Fast

-       Sophie McKenzie

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Childrens

When River auditions for a part in an interschool performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself smitten by Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. But Flynn comes from a damaged family—is he even capable of giving River what she wants? The path of true love never did run smooth . . .

This is a story about first love and young love. River longs to fall in love – that all consuming  can’t live without them love. And when her all girls school agrees to work with alocal boys school for a production of Romeo and Juliet, River meets Flynn. Flynn is intense, interesting and completely different from anyone River has ever met before. But River solely realises that love isn’t as simple as she thought it was...

This is the first Sophie McKenzie book I ever read and it was well written – River, her friends and family all felt real. River’s emotions at seventeen are spot on and her struggle to find something that was missing from her life familiar. Sophie McKenzie managed to perfectly capture the mindset of the ordinary teenage girl growing up. The emotions of falling in love for the first time are well described. However, there is a big reason why I didn’t like this book as much as I could have: Flynn. The boy River falls for is from the wrong side of the tracks as it were and he is angry. He is moody and critical of others – jumping to conclusions quickly and doesn’t really listen to River. In fact, I really thought he was too tough and too angry to be the hero. I struggled to see a heart of gold underneath the short temper and obsession with money. In fact his principals are non-existent and his respect for River and others minimal. I really didn’t like him!

In short this is a well written, interesting story about first love and possibly first mistakes. It’s quick and easy to read with real heart – but I just wanted to tell River to open her eyes a little more!

Recommended for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Alderson 6.5 out of 10

Bright Young Things Review

Bright Young Things

-       Anna Godbersen

Publisher: Harper

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: Flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.
Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star....
Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined — and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for...and someone will.
The only person Cordelia can trust is ­Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.
Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ­illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall — together and apart.

Set in the summer of 1929 in the last hedonistic months of the 1920’s Bright Young Things is a cool glass of lemonade on a hot day: sharp, tangy with a hint of sweetness and refreshing after too many overly sweet drinks. Following the career, loves and family dramas of three eighteen year olds in New York, the most glamorous of cities, Bright Young Things is deliciously easy to read and a real treat. I’m just sorry it took me so long to pick it up!

Letty, the small town girl who wants to be a star is terribly naive and innocent but you can’t help feeling for her. Cordelia is more street smart, and lands on her feet when she finds her long-last father, a bootlegger who immediately welcomes her into his life. And finally, Astrid, a high society girl who has never had any roots or security, but she helps Cordelia in her new life. The story of each girl is fairly independent, but intertwines through their experiences. Each of them discover that despite the facade, New York life is not always the party it appears and there is dark underbelly which each of them touches in one way.

I haven’t read a lot of books set in the roaring twenties America, but I do remember studying that time period in history at school – especially the lead up to that day in October when the Wall Street Crash occurred. For me this meant that the whole summer and the events feel like a last hurrah before reality returns in the autumn. My one disappointment is what a short space of time this book follows – only a week or two and yet so much happens, it feels like it should have taken place over a couple of months at least! This is fun and fabulous. I will definitely be looking out for the sequel, Beautiful Days – when I’m allowed to buy books again! J

A perfect summer’s day reading. Recommended for fans of Mary Hooper and Melissa De La Cruz. 8 out of 10

The Fear (The Enemy #3) Review

The Fear (The Enemy #3)

- Charlie Higson

Publisher: Puffin

HE DOESN’T KNOW IT BUT DOG NUT IS ABOUT TO SET OFF A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT WILL AFFECT EVERY KID IN THE CITY.
The sickness struck everyone over the age of fourteen.
Mothers and fathers, older brothers, sisters and best friends. No one escaped its touch. And now children across London are being hunted by ferocious grown-ups . . .
They’re hungry. They’re bloodthirsty. And they aren’t giving up.
Dog Nut and the rest of his crew want to find their lost friends, and set off on a deadly mission from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace and beyond, as the sickos lie in wait. But who are their friends and who is the enemy in this changed world?

This is the third book in this phenomenal YA series. Honestly, if you like some action and heart stopping, unpredictability you can’t do better than this. Even better for those who like romance, there is more a hint in this book than in others as the teenagers left are growing up. The premise is simple – a year ago everyone over the age of 14 grew sick and either died or became mindless cannibals, feasting on the flesh of children. The children that survived have grouped together in various London landmarks and are struggling to build some sort of life for themselves.

The previous two books have been very focused on survival and holding onto what makes you human in order to carry on – the tough choices that are forced on you. This book (which actually starts five days before The Enemy and crosses over into the events described there, but from a different perspective) starts asking the bigger questions, like what sort of world do you want to live in. A number of different systems are explored from democracy to royalist, military to science. When the whole world has gone to hell and you have to start again, where do you start? Despite these deep questions, there is still plenty of exciting action as the sickos attack randomly and without warning. The fight scenes are very realistic and intense, made even more so by the relationship between the characters. You care about them so when they are hurt, injured or killed it leaves a lump in your throat.

There are some extremely creepy scenes – the Collector is one disturbing character who adds layers to what happens when the adult sicken with the disease. And St George’s actions will leave you chilled and worried for the kids will have to face soon. Overall, this book finishes about the same time as The Enemy, but leaves you with a much wider appreciation of the world of these teens have inherited. Again I caution you, that not all characters will reach the back page in on piece and this sense of danger, that anyone can be killed is one of the reasons I love this series so much!

Recommended for fans of Jonathan Maberry and Will Hill. 9 out of 10.

1.4 Review

1.4

- Mike Lancaster

Publisher: Egmont

**Warning – will contain spoilers to 0.4, the first book**

In the far future, people no longer know what to believe...Did Kyle Straker ever exist? Or were his prophecies of human upgrades nothing more than a hoax?
Peter Vincent is nearly 16, and has never thought about the things that Strakerites believe. His father — David Vincent, creator of the artificial bees that saved the world's crops — made sure of that. When the Strakerites pronounce that another upgrade is imminent, Peter starts to uncover a conspiracy amongst the leaders of the establishment, a conspiracy that puts him into direct conflict with his father.

Last year I read 0.4 and was completely blown away by how many ideas were packed into a relatively short book (Read my review here). So when 1.4 was released recently I knew I wanted to read it pretty soon. This is set many years later when the human race is a very different format to what is normal now. People can access the ‘Link’ with their minds at will. The Link is essentially a multi-purpose internet with music player, photo taker, memory storage and game player – pretty much anything you want. Peter Vincent is a typical teenage boy – albeit one with a famous scientist father and a fairly privileged upbringing. When he meets Alpha, a Strakerite, who believes the Kyle Straker tapes – that the human race is upgraded by unseen aliens on a regular basis and sees some unusual activities on the Link, suddenly Kyle Straker’s claims are not so ridiculous...

While this does feature entirely different characters, this isn’t a repeat of 0.4 – there is more of an exploration of humanity and what it means to be human. It also explores the influence of all-powerful aliens interfering with human evolution. And all in three hundred pages. The writing is simple but powerful. Mike Lancaster seems to have captured the feelings of a teenage boy trying to live up to his father’s legacy perfectly. I really felt for him and Alpha throughout.

Alpha is a fun character but I confess I didn’t completely understand why she fell for Peter so quickly. I did enjoy the different yet familiar world of the future where they lived. While the beginning is a little slow, that time is spent building a world different from our own. It was a place where you could recognise many of the current trends taken to the extreme. When the action really starts to take off, it’s fast paced and Peter uses his brains to solve problems – which is a nice change from an action man.

A thinking science-fiction story that’s not afraid to ask some big questions – or leave you thinking.  Enjoy! J

Recommended for fans of Charlie Higson and Suzanne Collins. 8 out of 10

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)

-       Richelle Mead

Publisher: RazorBill

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

I honestly can’t tell you how comfortable it is to fall back into Richelle Mead’s Moroi world – it’s like collapsing into a soft armchair at the end of a long day and putting your feet up. This time we follow alchemist, Sydney as she continues to protect humans from the knowledge of vampires while hiding Jill from those who would use her against Lissa, the Moroi queen.

Sydney isn’t a physical heroine like Rose – she can’t fight, but she does use her brain and knowledge a lot. She even starts taking some self defence lessons here so she won’t be as vulnerable and always waiting to let someone rescue her. I like that element of her character. Kick-ass heroines are always a lot of fun – but a brainy heroine who loves learning? That’s someone I can relate to! She is fairly clueless in the social arena and it was fun to follow her on dates and complete miss some social clues. Adrian as well appears to have finally started growing up. There is some heartbreaking insight into his family life – and it was good to see Adrian finally taking control of his own destiny at last. I loved seeing Dimitri away from Rose and from another perspective as well!

Again, I found this a rather slow burn – always appealing, but slow with some exciting action towards the end. There was some great relationship development and the last page had me feeling so much for our characters – I wanted to give them a big hug! Sydney continues to struggle to reconcile her alchemist upbringing insisting that all vampires are unnatural with her developing friendships with the Moroi and dhampires and I really want to see how this develops over further books.

Richelle Mead’s biggest strength is the ease at which it is to keep turning pages and how absorbing the world is – I want these books to be longer, despite being over 400 pages each. It’s going to be a long wait for the third book in this series.

Recommended for fans of Jennifer Estep and Lili St-Crow. 8.5 out of 10.