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
★★★★★