Book Tag: Unpopular Opinions

Alright guys, let's get into it. This may get a little long, so I'm putting it under a cut. Happy reading guys!

Disclaimer: The opinions below the cut are just that - opinions. Please don't be offended by them - this is after all, an Unpopular Opinion book tag.

Book Review: The First Twenty

Title: The First Twenty
Author: Jennifer Lavoie
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Year of Publication: 2015
Summary: Humanity was nearly wiped out when a series of global disasters struck, but pockets of survivors have managed to thrive and are starting to rebuild society. Peyton lives with others in what used to be a factory. When her adopted father is murdered by Scavengers, she is determined to bring justice to those who took him away from her. She didn’t count on meeting Nixie.

Nixie is one of the few people born with the ability to dowse for water with her body. In a world where safe water is hard to come by, she’s a valuable tool to her people. When she’s taken by Peyton, they’ll do anything to get her back. As the tension between the groups reaches critical max, Peyton is forced to make a decision: give up the girl she’s learned to love, or risk the lives of those she’s responsible for.

Review: **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

If you like your books filled with page-turning action, heart pumping romance, and characters that pop right off the page... sadly The First Twenty isn't for you. Really, you should only consider reading this book if you love stagnant pacing, forced romance, or just possibly need something to put you to sleep.

The First Twenty, at a glance contained most things I love in YA fiction. Dying earth, diversity, interesting plot - but sadly all were poorly executed. By the end of the story I was not attached to any of the characters, nor was I invested in any of the zero-chemistry romances that occurred. And really, I can't even tell you what the main characters looked like aside from the fact that one was blonde and tall. They were all so very two dimensional.

The world building was another huge let down. Readers are left with more questions than answers at the end. How did society fall? What happened during the collapse? How long ago was it? What kind of town do the Settlers live in? Is it a city, or a suburb, or a small town, or just a bunch of buildings? Is there a wall or a fence around it? Wouldn't that be the smart thing to do if you are trying to keep people out?

Why is this book even called the First Twenty?

So many questions. Ultimately this novel is not the worst thing I've ever read but it does make me sad because it had so much potential. Two stars are all I can muster up for this one.

Rating: 2/5 stars

★★✰✰✰

September to December: Up and Coming Books I Simply Must Read

September is here. The year is officially in the home stretch. Soon, for people in the northern hemisphere, the weather will turn blustery and trees will shed their leaves. If you're from Australia, like I am, or some other country from the southern hemisphere, your world will probably turn into a virual frying pan.

During the spring-summer months there is nothing I like more than sitting by the fan with a good book. Well, okay, if we're being honest I do that all year round, just switching the fan for the heater in the winter.
Being as I am a sucker for newly released books, here are the ones that I am most looking forward to in the final months of the year.

Book Review: Lorali

Title: Lorali
Author: Laura Dockrill
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year of Publication: 2015
Summary: Looking after a naked girl he found washed up under Hastings pier isn't exactly how Rory had imagined spending his sixteenth birthday. But more surprising than finding her in the first place is discovering where she has come from.

Lorali is running not just from the sea, not just from her position as princess, but her entire destiny. Lorali has rejected life as a mermaid, and become human.

But along with Lorali's arrival, and the freak weather suddenly battering the coast, more strange visitors begin appearing in Rory's bemused Sussex town. With beautifully coiffed hair, sharp-collared shirts and a pirate ship shaped like a Tudor house, the Abelgare boys are a mystery all of their own. What are they really up to? Can Rory protect Lorali? And who from? And where does she really belong, anyway?


Review:  **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Lorali, Lorali, Lorali. Whimsical? Definitely. Unique? I've never read anything like it. Touching? You bet tears were shed. Weird? Oh gosh this book was weird.

But you know what? I loved it. I want three hundred copies of this book, in paperback, in hardback, in audiobook, in e-book form. I want this weird little book on my shelves where it belongs.

This book follows Rory, an English boy who is definitely not the charmer that is generally in YA books. He doesn't have a sexy accent, and he uses words like fam and proper. Decidely not so average male love interest. This book also follows Lorali, a mermaid who pretty much acts like one would generally assume a mermaid who has never set foot on land to act. She doesn't know how to use a toilet. She accidentally pees on the floor. Grimy? Yeah. Realistic though.

But the book also had a third narrator. The ocean.

Yeah, that's right, the book had multiple chapters all narrated by the ocean. How cool is that? It's also as weird as you'd expect. Astoundingly, the author made it work, which speaks volumes for her talent.

Another aspect I appreciated about this novel was the lack of heteronormativity. Gay people exist. There is a line somewhere in the beginning about how our main character, Rory, can't grow a beard and when it does it looks like the neighbour's front yard after she pours bleach on it because her wife cheated on her. It's also blatantly said that Mer of the same-sex tesselate, which is to say they bang, and it's fine.

The Mer also could not care less about taboo. They dye their hair, pierce themselves, and generally seem not to care about nudity. Some of them, namely the queen occasionally take part in recreational medicinal use, which was skirted about in the novel until this gem of a line came about;

"The council of the Whirl make some eye contact, as Keppel furiously tokes from her bong."

That right there folks is probably the best line in the book. Do yourselves a favour and pick up this book. You won't regret it.

Rating: 5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: Dark Child

Title: Dark Child (the Omnibus Edition)
Author: Adina West
Publisher: Momentum
Year of Publication: 2013
Summary: Lately things have been getting weird for pathology technician Kat Chanter. She's been craving raw meat, and having dreams so realistic they're scary. When she accepts a job offer from the prestigious Hema Castus Research Institute, she hopes she'll have the chance to discover what's wrong with her, but instead, her move to New York thrusts her headlong into a treacherous hidden world, where the wrong move could be fatal . . .


Review: **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Whilst Dark Child did deliver a unique concept as promised, the rest of the novel fell flat on it's face.

For the most part, the story flowed pretty well, however there were certain points, either where it all positively crawled, or the jarring transition from some chapters to another. It was such a struggle to get through this book that I have been stopping and starting for months. This novel would have worked better in it's original serial form, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if that were the case.

Most characters in this novel were bland or two dimensional, especially Kat and her love interests. There was absolutely no chemistry between any of the characters, and the book most likely would have worked better if the romance was eliminated.

Kat, though a pathologist, was pretty unintelligent most of the time. At the beginning of the book when she faints at work, someone advises her to go to a doctor. Perfectly reasonable, one would think. Instead of this, Kat's inner monologue proclaims that she isn't the type of person to go see a doctor when she is perfectly healthy.

Shall I remind you that she has just fainted? Not to mention, soon after she mentions her nausea. These things put together sure would seem like a valid reason to go see a doctor. Instead, however, she chooses to test her own blood and finds that everything is pretty wonky.

Is she worried? Doesn't seem like it. I'm pretty sure the word cancer was tossed in there somewhere... and Kat still chose not to see a doctor.

I could go on and on about this book, but I'd like to leave you with this little gem, about the scent of her own blood:

"Hers was a contradictory medley, a mixture of different notes forming an intoxicating whole like a fine perfume; moonlit midnight and sun-baked drowsy summer, dew speckled unfurling petals and mossy stones and night scented jasmine."

If you think your blood smells like this, you should probably see your primary care physician.

Rating: 2/5 stars
★★✰✰✰

Book Review: Vengeance Road

Title: Vengeance Road
Author: Erin Bowman
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: September 1st, 2015
Summary: When Kate Thompson’s father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, the eighteen-year-old disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers and justice. What she finds are devious strangers, dust storms, and a pair of brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, she gets closer to the truth about herself and must decide if there's room for love in a heart so full of hate.


Review: **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Vengeance Road was a quick read, though it was not at all light. It was packed with adventure and action, and of course, revenge - one of my favourite themes in novels.

While the language and tone used throughout the whole book was at first jarring, by the end of the third chapter it was not at all noticeable and did not take from the story at all. The story itself flowed decently, though the twist near the end hindered the story more than helped in my opinion. There is not that much that I can say about this book, aside from the fact it was okay.

It had all the trimmings of an amazing novel but fell a bit short with its characters. They seemed a little two-dimensional, not enough depth packed in to make me really feel something when tragedy struck them. I mean, they weren't bad characters, I liked them okay, they were just not lively enough or really even memorable.

Frankly, even though I am a little disappointed by Vengeance Road I'd still give it three and a half stars because as I said, aside from the characters and the twist, the story was alright. I really do hope Erin Bowman writes more in this universe - I would read it, as I do love westerns - because the world building was pretty good. Maybe others will feel differently about the characters, so I definitely do recommend anybody who likes revenge and adventure to pick up this book

Rating: 3/5 stars
★★★✰✰

Book Review: Since You've Been Gone

Title: Since You've Been Gone
Author: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Year of Publication: 2014
Summary:  It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um... 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what?


Review: There are very few things in my life that I am sure of. In fact, I could count them on one hand. But right now, the easiest to put my finger on, and in my opinion, the one with the most unshakable truth, the one that makes sense in any universe - well ordered, or otherwise - was that Sloane loved Emily.

And not just that... Emily, in turn, loved Sloane.

Sure, as friends, but deeper than that too. I think at different points they both realised it - how much they truly cared for each other, how far that love went - but were unable, or unwilling to admit it.

In any universe - well ordered or otherwise - Emily and Sloane are together.

Best friends, girlfriends, wives. Whatever. All I know is that they stay together, in any combination, in any future, and in any universe.

Since You've Been Gone was beautifully written, well crafted, and deserves no less than four and a half stars with a solid rounding to five.

Rating 5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: A History of Glitter and Blood

Title: A History of Glitter and Blood
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Expected Publication Date: August 4th, 2015
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Beckan and her friends are the only fairies brave enough to stay in Ferrum when war breaks out. Now there is tension between the immortal fairies, the subterranean gnomes, and the mysterious tightropers who arrived to liberate the fairies.

But when Beckan's clan is forced to venture into the gnome underworld to survive, they find themselves tentatively forming unlikely friendships and making sacrifices they couldn't have imagined. As danger mounts, Beckan finds herself caught between her loyalty to her friends, her desire for peace, and a love she never expected.

Review: **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

A History of Glitter and Blood was at it's finest  - intricate and moving, and at it's lowest - slow and confusing. I read it in one sitting, and I'm still not sure if it's one of the best books I've ever read, or the worst, and it can be compared with possibly no other Young Adult book... which I'm not sure this even is?

The thing I liked best about this book was probably the characters and their relationships with one another. There is a lot of intimacy between characters who were not necessarily in a romantic relationship and jealousy is rarely a thing that comes into play and it was all so deliciously real, you know? At least for a bunch of fairies and gnomes and tightropers. I also really enjoyed how there was no sense of characters being either/or in terms of sexuality everybody just -was- and it worked brilliantly.

The book did drag on a little, especially towards the end. On one hand a lot of it was integral to the story, but on the other parts were so slow that I was debating on just going to bed instead of finishing the book.

I did love all the pictures in the book. They added a significant element to the book and also helped the reader understand a little bit more about Ferrum's history - which ultimately I would have liked more of but as it stands the book did okay without it.

I could understand how this book could make someone uncomfortable - there were quite a few scenes in which the main characters are prostitutes, a fact which is not disclosed in the blurb. This is not something that would turn me off the book, but a little warning would have been appreciated. Then again, how do you casually slip the fact that Beckan, Scrap and Cricket are sex workers to the gnomes who occasionally eat fairies?

I'm still not entirely sure whether I really liked this book enough, but I'd have to give it 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 for good measure, and I look forward to reading Moskowitz other works.

Rating: 4/5 stars
★★★★✰

Book Review: The Accident Season

Title: The Accident Season
Author: Moira Fowley-Doyle
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Expected Publication Date: August 18th, 2015
Summary: The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara's life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara's family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items - but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

Review: **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The Accident Season is one of those books that I can't quite decide whether I loved or hated. On one hand, I loved the queer aspects to this book and the eerie feeling that surrounded the story. On the other, sometimes the writing was quite pretentious, and as well as that vague. I had only the faintest clue what was happening for most of the book.

I feel like the writing style didn't allow me to connect with the characters at all, especially with the switching between points of view that happened randomly throughout the story between Cara and then that weird third person that sometimes happened. I couldn't really get a proper grip on this book because of that.

Other aspects of the book felt quite contrived, especially the parts with the masquerade ball. I found myself eye-rolling through quite a lot of the dance planning scenes, and then in the actual dance itself. Also, the whole thing was pretty idiotic - the house was most likely private property and it was in ramshackles. Something really bad could have happened which the main characters did not seem to care about in the slightest despite the fact that it was the accident season.

The metal statue man was another source of frustration later in the book. Was he or was he not Christopher? This was never resolved. Neither was the case of the disappearing shop that Cara and Sam went to. A lot of things happened in this book that seemed significant at the time but were barely mentioned again.

Overall, I'd have to give this book a solid three stars. It could have been better, but it also could have been worse.

Rating: 3/5 stars

★★★✰✰

Book Review: The Corridor

Title: The Corridor
Author: A.N Willis
Publisher: Alloy Entertainment
Year of Publication: 2015
Summary: Infinite worlds. Endless possibilities . . . 

Stel Alaster has never known life without the Corridor. It appeared suddenly seventeen years ago, the only portal to a parallel version of our world—Second Earth. Everyone on First Earth fears Mods, the genetically modified Second Earthers who built the Corridor. They are too smart, too strong, and have powers that can’t be controlled. Any Mod found on First Earth is branded, then detained in the Corridor’s research labs.

Only Stel has a dangerous secret. She has a power, too: She can open a portal to Second Earth . . . and several other parallel universes she’s discovered. If anyone ever finds out, she’ll be imprisoned, no better than a Mod or common lab rat.

But when the Corridor starts to fail, emitting erratic bursts of energy that could destroy First Earth, Stel must risk everything to save the people and world she loves. With the help of an escaped Mod and an infuriatingly arrogant boy from a third universe, Stel sets out to unravel the mysteries of the Corridor and stabilize it before it’s too late. The fate of every world lies in the balance.

Review: **Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The thing that disappointed me most about The Corridor was that it had potential. So much potential. But it was let down by the character development and the progression of the story.

Probably the first thing that irked me about The Corridor was the time skip. Six whole months from the first chapter to the second. We are told later in the story that Estele did certain things in these six months, like exploring the Barrens and learning to control her powers. We are told a lot of things during this story, and I am left to wonder... why were we shown none of this? It would have made a huge positive impact on the novel if the author had included these things.

One of my biggest pet peeves is protagonists who seem to have the memory of a goldfish, especially when it comes to friends and love interests. That and instantly forging bonds with people without any sort of development. There were so many instances in this story where it happened that I don't know if it's possible to list them all. These were the main ones I can recall:

• Estele and her friendship group. The beginning of the story makes it seems like she has one friend - Lissa. Then suddenly an old friend pops in and she hangs out with them for a whole scene and references things they used to do together. Do you think we ever hear of any of them again? Nope. Well, one of them got a brief mention, but that is about it.
• Flinn. The moment Estele meets him she's totally falling head over heels in lust with him. Then she spends all of two scenes with his brother and it's like, Flinn who?
• And Ana. After spending one night with her and Cohl, they are suddenly bff. Do you know how much of that friendship we got to see? Zilch.
• Cohl! One moment he's this creepy guy who essentially stalks her, the next? Almost insta-love.

Estele and Lissa's friendship was also another source of frustration from this book. There was no substance to it! Absolutely none! We're told all these things about how their friendship was, and you know how much of it I believe? Zero. It felt very fake, as with most of her relationships, and in suit left the story feeling a little wooden.

Still, as much as these inconsistencies bothered me, the story was for the most part, bearable. I was intrigued by the different worlds and how they worked, even if the science behind it was a little vague, and this is essentially what kept me reading. Overall, I'd give this book 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3 for good measure.

Rating: 3/5 stars

★★★✰✰

Book Review: Slated

Title: Slated
Author: Teri Terry
Publisher: Orchard Books
Year of Publication: 2012
Summary: Kyla’s memory has been erased, her personality wiped blank, her memories lost for ever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

Review: Let me start out by saying - this book was basically AMAZING. It was so good! I was drawn in from the very beginning - Teri Terry does an excellent job at weaving a story and creating characters that jump off the page. If I hadn't have been so busy I would have finished this novel in one sitting.

The world building was exquisite and believable. Teri Terry did an excellent job of distributing information throughout the book. The problem I have with a lot of dystopian or post-major event novels is the author tries to throw many details in very early in the book. This was certainly not the case in Slated. Details were revealed as they were needed, and not in huge clumps.

The characters were interesting and diverse, and they changed and grew with the story. For example at the beginning Kyla's new dad was joking and loving whereas her new mum was cold and aloof - in fact, I hated her mum at first, and then I quickly grew to love her. The teenagers were believable teenagers who rebelled and did stupid teenage things and were not perfect but especially in the case of Amy, they loved and cared about each other.

The only complaint I have about this story - and it's a big one - is the ending. WHY TERI TERRY? WHY? That should not have been the end of the story - that was a crap ending and I am frankly a bit mad that such an amazing novel was let down by that ending. It did not feel like the story was over at all. There was no climax. I would gladly have continued reading for another hundred to two hundred pages just for something big to happen.

I am a bit torn between giving this story four or five stars. On one hand almost everything was absolutely perfect... but on the other, the thing that was not perfect was a total let down. So I guess I have to concede, and give this book 4/5.

Rating: 4/5 stars
★★★★✰

Book Review: The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly

Title: The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly
Author: Stephanie Oakes
Publisher: Dial/Penguin
Expected Publication Date: 9th June, 2015
Summary: The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust.

And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too.

Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it's clear that Minnow knows something—but she's not talking. As she languishes in juvenile detention, she struggles to un-learn everything she has been taught to believe, adjusting to a life behind bars and recounting the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of—if she’s willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past.


Review: **Copy kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Full disclosure: I cried. I cried a lot. I cried so much that I felt dehydrated and woozy afterwards. This book was probably the best book to happen to me so far this year, and it's only June.

I first discovered this book at the beginning of the year and I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as it came out. I was very fortunate to receive a copy from Netgalley. I opened the book and read the first page as soon as I was approved - and then immediately had to close it because it was three in the morning and I needed to sleep. The first page played on my mind all of the next day before I could finally crack it open for real.

Minnow Bly had a voice that was as real and as raw as anything. I connected with her right off the bat and tore through the pages, devouring the story. The others around her - Angel, Jude, the Prophet, Constance etc - practically sprang off the page. Though most of this story was set in the juvenile detention centre, the story did not feel claustrophobic in the slightest.

I had to keep powering through this story. I needed to... and it never disappointed. The pace, the tone, the execution. This novel was absolutely perfect, and I highly recommend everyone giving it a try. Stephanie Oakes has done an amazing job on her debut novel.

Rating: 5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: Witch Hunter

Title: Witch Hunter
Author: Virginia Boecker
Year of Publication: 2015
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Grey doesn't look dangerous. A tiny, blonde, wisp of a girl shouldn't know how to poison a wizard and make it look like an accident. Or take out ten necromancers with a single sword and a bag of salt. Or kill a man using only her thumb. But things are not always as they appear. Elizabeth is one of the best witch hunters in Anglia and a member of the king's elite guard, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and bringing those who practice it to justice. And in Anglia, the price of justice is high: death by burning.

When Elizabeth is accused of being a witch herself, she's arrested and thrown in prison. The king declares her a traitor and her life is all but forfeit. With just hours before she's to die at the stake, Elizabeth gets a visitor - Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in Anglia. He offers her a deal: he will free her from prison and save her from execution if she will track down the wizard who laid a deadly curse on him.

As Elizabeth uncovers the horrifying facts about Nicholas's curse and the unwitting role she played in its creation, she is forced to redefine the differences between right and wrong, friends and enemies, love and hate... and life and death.


Review: **Copy kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The Witch Hunter was another one of those books that I wanted to love and was super excited to read. When I was approved to read it via Netgalley I was super stoked and dove into it right away. I love, love, love strong heroines, and adventure, and magic.

Sadly the amazing premise of this book was ruined by the poor execution and illogical characters. Our main character, Elizabeth, is supposed to be one of the best witch hunters in the country of Anglia. I expected bravery and stubbornness, and instead got a wimpy, useless heroine.

Her supporting cast of merry men had promise - but ultimately did not become more than caricatures. The writing was vague - half the time I had no idea which characters were present or what was happening - and the villain was so obvious from the get-go.

Ultimately I expected more from this book. The tone was way too light for the plot and the execution was sloppy. You could practically hear the wind whistling through the main character's ears. Also, I have no doubt that Caleb is still alive. Rule 1: If there is no body, then the character is not dead. Prove me wrong, Virginia Boecker, I dare you.

Rating: 1/5 stars
★✰✰✰✰

Book Review: Vanished

Title: Vanished
Author: E. E. Cooper
Year of Publication: 2015
Summary:  Friendship. Obsession. Deception. Love.

Kalah knows better than to fall for Beth Taylor . . . but that doesn't stop her from falling hard and falling fast, heart first into a sea of complications.

Then Beth vanishes. She skips town on her eighteenth birthday, leaving behind a flurry of rumors and a string of broken hearts. Not even Beth's best friend, Britney, knows where she went. Beth didn't even tell Kalah good-bye.

One of the rumors links Beth to Britney's boyfriend, and Kalah doesn't want to believe the betrayal. But Brit clearly believes it—and before Kalah can sort out the truth, Britney is dead.

When Beth finally reaches out to Kalah in the wake of Brit's suicide, Kalah wants to trust what Beth tells her. But she's swiftly realizing that nothing here is as it seems. Kalah's caught in the middle of a deadly psychological game, and only she can untangle the deceptions and lies to reveal the unthinkable truth.

Review: Vanished was a confusing book. Confusing in a good way. But there were so many red herrings, it almost gave me whiplash. It also reminded me a lot of Gone Girl.

I have to put this out there straight away, I knew Britney wasn't dead from the moment it was revealed on the page that she had committed suicide. No body? Pssh. I've seen like five seasons of Pretty Little Liars. No body = not dead. Always.

So while this story was a little predictable, it was also a good read and a strong debut novel for the author, E. E. Cooper. I liked most of the characters, even when I hated them - they were well crafted. Well, maybe with the exception of Britney's mother who was horrible and a little bit racist, and sort of one dimensional and oh, did I mention absolutely horrible? Yeah, I hated her.

I am almost wishing for a sequel or more pages in the book so we can see if Britney was ever brought to justice or not. Also, I would have loved to read more about Kalah and Beth's relationship. I definitely did not agree with how Kalah handed it, especially to do with Zach but I can emphasize. I remember all too well how falling in love with someone I was not supposed to felt.

I don't know how realistic this novel was, but it was an entertaining read nonetheless. I look forward to more by this author. Rating 3.5, rounded up to 4.

Rating:
4/5 stars
★★★★✰

Book Review: The Walls Around Us

Title: The Walls Around Us
Author: Nova Ren Suma
Year of Publication: 2015
Summary:  On the outside, there's Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement.

On the inside, within the walls of the Aurora Hills juvenile detention center, there's Amber, locked up for so long she can't imagine freedom.

Tying their two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls' darkest mysteries…

What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve—in this life or in another one?

Review: **Copy kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Poignant, beautiful and breathtaking, The Walls Around Us has the power to send the reader reeling. Nova Ren Suma has done it again.

I first picked up one of the author's earlier books, Imaginary Girls back in 2013 and was quickly drawn into that story and intrigued and impressed by Suma's personal blend of magic. The same sort of magic made an appearance in The Walls Around Us, woven into the prose skillfully.

The story follows three girls through the viewpoints of two of them, Amber and Violet. Their voices leapt off the page and were very distinct from one another. I had absolutely no trouble telling the two apart which is what can sometimes happen when you have more than one PoV in a novel. All of the characters were creative, original, and well-formed. There were absolutely no stereotypes in this book.

The plot itself was amazing and well thought out, with more twists and turns than a whole season of Lost, and it kept me hanging on to every page. I read this book in less than five hours in one sitting, it was just that good.

Nova Ren Suma is an amazing author, and I cannot wait for more material from her.

Rating:  5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: Inhuman

Title: Inhuman
Author: Kat Falls
Year of Publication: 2014
Summary:  America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral. Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. 

Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught. Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone.

But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

Review: Inhuman sounded like it was going to be an awesome adventure novel through what sounded like a dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting with a kick ass main character. I was so ready to tumble into this novel and thoroughly enjoy it.

Unfortunately, to put it bluntly - this book sucked. The opening scenes were boring, the main character was whiny, and the plot went slowly. By the end of the first quarter it was blatantly obvious there was going to be a love triangle. I knew more about how both boys looked than I did about the main character. Especially Rafe, as she took the time to describe his "sunkissed skin, aquamarine eyes and sculpted lips."

The two dimensional friends mentioned in the first chapter were barely thought of again by the main character, even though Anna was supposed to be her best friend. In fact, throughout the novel she barely thinks of anybody but herself aside from her two love interests - Rafe the bad boy, and Everson the white knight who were essentially reduced to stereotypes. Not only that but the characterization for Delaney was wildly inconsistent - she mentions survival skill classes but can barely do anything. She is supposed to be smart but she's as dumb as a bag of rocks. She fears and hates germs and ferals then the next minute she likes and cares for them (and then goes straight back to being afraid of them).

On top of this, the plot was so slow. By the time I reached the 50% mark I felt like the book should have ended already. I wished it had ended already. That way I wouldn't have had to puzzle through sentences like, "The word alone triggered mental epilepsy" and "The river looked not just fast, but schizo." I wish I had made those quotes up. What does that even mean???

Perhaps if the author had sped the plot up and stopped the lovey dovey mess this book would have been as awesome as it initially sounded. The last quarter of the book was jam packed with the sort of action I'd been craving - if only the whole book had been like this.

I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone unless they just want to be put straight to sleep by a plot that goes nowhere. Have insomnia? Try this. At the very least it will make you want to knock yourself out.

Rating:  2/5 stars
★★✰✰✰

Book Review: Angelfall

Title: Angelfall
Author: Susan Ee
Year of Publication: 2011
Summary:  It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Review:  Angelfall had me hooked me from the very beginning. Even when I wanted so desperately to put the book down and walk away from it as far as I could, it held me in an iron vice. As much as that sounds like a bad thing, it is the same thing that makes this book so real in my memory a couple of days after the fact.

Simply put, this book was disconcerting as all heck. And it was intended to be this way. Gone are the days of simply being scared of angels because of Doctor Who - nope, now I have a new reason to be absolutely terrified. Ee’s angels are not fluffy do-gooders (though they are hot), they are monsters.

The character of Penryn and her family are blessings of the YA genre. They are not damsels in distress - her mother is schizophrenic, her sister is disabled, and Penryn herself manages to keep her wits about her even in the face of a swoony shirtless potential love interest.

It has been a while since I was desperately in need of a sequel, but now I am desperate to get my hands on a copy of World After (Penryn & The End of Days book #2). It’s actually astounding that even though this book was published in 2011 I had not heard of it until this year. It is a book that I think must be read by everyone. It is a wonder that it has not been made into a film or a mini-series yet - I could see this series becoming as big as say, The Hunger Games.

This book is fully deserving of the five stars I am giving it. Definitely a must-read for everybody, especially those who enjoyed titles such as The Hunger Games, the Maze Runner, Cinder, and The Mortal Instruments.

Rating: 5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: All We Had

Title: All We Had
Author: Annie Weatherwax
Year of Publication: 2014

Summary: For Ruthie Carmichael and her mother Rita, life has never been stable. Jobs are hard to find, men come and go. But when a set of unexpected circumstances strands them in Fat River, a small rural town in upstate New York, life takes a turn. Fat River becomes the first place they call home. 

The modest economic security they gain gives them peace and space for friends. The people of Fat River—Hank and Dotty Hanson, the elderly owners of the local hardware store being driven out of business by the new Walmart; Mel, the flawed, but kindhearted owner of the town diner where Rita finds work; and the cross-dressing Peter Pam, the novel’s voice of warmth and reason—become family. Into this quirky utopia comes Vick Ward, a smooth-talking broker who entices Rita with a subprime mortgage and urges her to buy the ramshackle house she and her daughter have been renting.

Tough and quick-witted, thirteen-year-old Ruthie—whose sardonic voice and plain-spoken observations infuse All We Had with disarming honesty and humor—never minded her hardscrabble existence as long as her mother was by her side. Through it all, the two have always been the center of one another’s lives. But when financial crisis hits, their luck takes a different turn. 



Review: **Copy kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Beautiful and haunting, All We Had is a novel that is unpretentious and unabashed, and will leave you reeling.

Ruthie's voice gripped me from the very beginning and had me turning pages throughout the story. The beginning to middle was a little slow, but when it picked up it swept me off my feet and into Fat River, the heart of the novel and the place where it is set.

The eclectic characters had me spellbound - from Peter Pam who was by far my favourite, to the strange, but kind Hanson's who owned the carpentry store. The events and characters of the story had me in tears at multiple points, but especially the end.

There is so much of this story that hit home for me - but putting it into words seems impossible. It is truly a novel that you just have to experience for yourself.

Rating: 5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: Cinder

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year of publication: 2012
Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review: Oh my gosh, this book was a doozy. Completely mind boggling and action packed, and absolutely a blast to read. I almost feel like I have not slept in days even though I read the book in one setting. Wow.

Retellings have been done before, many, many times. What makes this one unique is that it is set in the future, hundreds of years in the future, and our Cinderella is a cyborg. Our heroine is resourceful, independent - and doesn't wait for her prince or her fairy godmother to save her. She takes care of herself, and she gets things done armed with the tools of her trade - she's a mechanic after all.

One thing I absolutely loved about Cinder was the characters - the death of Peony was absolutely heartbreaking, but it had an upside... even though Cinder's other step sister and her stepmother were total monsters they grieved for Peony. In their own ways.

Perhaps Adri had not always been such a horrid person. Perhaps before Cinder's stepfather died, she had been good. Grief does things to people, and it can change them forever. I still don't forgive her for taking Cinder's foot or her android, Iko, though.

A character I found surprisingly pleasant was Kai. I am so used to stupid love interests that it was a breath of fresh air to get one who wasn't so dumb, even if he was a little vanilla.

Though the big reveal in the story was a little obvious, I still had no idea what would happen in the end of the story - and oh man, I was floored. You guys will just have to read it for yourselves to see what I mean.

I only wish there was more information about the Lunar colonies. Okay, yes, there was a lot in there but I want more. Luckily there are two more books in the series so that I may satisfy my cravings in due time.

In the meantime, I will be recovering from this whirlwind book with a cup of hot tea and a nap in the hopes that I can start reading Scarlet, the second book in the series, very soon.

Rating: 5/5 stars
★★★★★

Book Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Year of publication: 2011
Summary:  Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can. 

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is. 

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

Review: Mara Dyer was one of those books that I really wanted to like. I did. It had everything that my book snob heart so very much desires - mysteries, murder, paranormal activity. It was, for the most part, well written, however the parts that were not were enough to make me dislike the whole story.

For example... Anna and Aiden. Why? What made the duo such heartless cretins? No one is that malicious over a dumb boy. I expected a proper answer by the end of the story, but nope. They were there only to play the part of the cliche bullies.

Also, Jamie. She knows this guy for all of one minute, he barely gets any screen time and suddenly when he's expelled he's her best friend, cue sobbing. If that was not bad enough, to top it all off once Mara has her little hissy fit she forgets all about him and isn't mentioned again! Some best friend, hey?

I can forgive Mara for her stupidity in this novel. Okay, she's just been through a very traumatic event, she's not thinking straight. I get it, I understand -it's realistic. PTSD is terrifying.  It was disappointing that she was, quoth herself, a "Whitey McWhiterson" when her brothers all shared their mothers skin tone. Alright, genetics and whatnot yada yada. But it would have been nice to have a PoC heroine. I don't see why she, like all the other YA heroines with few exceptions had to be as pale as Snow White's ass or whatever.

Noah annoyed me to no end. His behavior throughout the story was creepy and possessive and I just wanted him to go away. His one redeeming feature was that he helped Mara save Mabel. I am sucker for doggy sob stories. Stop stupid YA love interests 2k15 please.

Aside from the characters, I felt some things should have taken more of a major role over the story - such as the Jordana Palmer case. It really didn't get any attention til the very end of the book, when I think maybe it should have. Plus the Anna/Aiden vs Mara fiasco. Seriously, how am I supposed to believe that it was hate at first sight? Just dumb. At least give it more of an arc in the story. I don't need them to forgive each other at the end and become all buddy buddy besties or whatever. I just need it to be believable that Anna hates Mara so intensely that she would cause all of this drama, enough to get someone expelled.

Overall, it was not terrible. But it just wasn't good. The ending was not enough of a cliffhanger to give me reason to want to read the second book after the first one was lackluster at best. Very disappointing, in my opinion. I expected better.

Rating: 3/5 stars
★★★✰✰