Geek Girl : All That Glitters by Holly Smale

"My name is Harriet Manners, and I am still a geek." The fourth book in the award-winning GEEK GIRL series. Harriet Manners has high hopes for the new school year: she's a Sixth Former now, and things are going to be different. But with Nat busy falling in love at college and Toby preoccupied with a Top Secret project, Harriet soon discovers that's not necessarily a good thing...

 I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

Star Rating

Holly Smale does it again!! I absolutely adore the Geek Girl series and every time I read one I have wonderful flashbacks to my youth. I was the kid who LOVED school; the lessons, the books, the teachers, the friendships. Today, I often find myself reminiscing with friends and wishing that I could go back in time for a day to watch my 15 year old self. Reading the tales of Harriet Manners is the closest I will ever get to reliving my youth (unless someone finally invents time travel) but that is good enough for me. This brilliant series by Holly Smale not only reminds me of my own time spent in school, but of the books I used to read when I was younger - Jacqueline Wilson, The Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley High (all classics may I add).

Once again, this story is  full of more fascinating facts that will delight and surprise you. It often makes me wonder where Holly Smale gets them all from. I like to think she has a room in her house full of encyclopedias entitled 'random crap'.

'If you had a million snow crystals and compared two of them every second, you'd be there for nearly a hundred thousand years before you found two that matched.'

In this fourth-book, in the award winning series, Harriet Manners finds herself in sixth form, struggling to make new friends and learning the hard way that school life can be brutal. In this installment I feel that Holly Smale has really cemented Harriet's character and allowed her to find her voice. Harriet is witty, sarcastic and unceasingly funny and there were many occasions that I found myself laughing out loud (always a sure fire way to make yourself look insane to innocent bystanders).Holly Smale deals with the theme of friendship in a light-hearted yet meaningful way. The plot line is one that will resound with it's teen readers and I am sure many will admire the way Harriet deals with the challenges that face her. 

'If with every act of kindness, we shine a little brighter and the darkness gets a little lighter. With every type of friendship, space gets a little smaller and we get a little closer.'

Before I sign off, I can't end the post without quoting an extract from Holly Smale for all the book lovers out there. I leave you with this... 

'With my curtains shut and my bedroom door closed, I've devoured words like never before: buried myself in books and submerged myself in stories. I've read during breakfast, lunch and dinner' until the sun's come up and gone down and come up again. And not just fact books. I've fought dragons, attended balls and chased a whale. I've won wars, lost court cases, travelled India, ridden broomsticks and stranded myself on numerous islands. I've died a dozen times. Because here's the thing about a book: when you pick up a story, you put down your own. For a few precious moments, you become somebody else. Their memories become your memories; your thoughts turn into theirs Until, page by page, line by line, you disappear completely.' 

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she's engaged to the prince, Twylla isn't exactly a member of the court. She's the executioner. 

As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she's taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla's fatal touch, avoids her company. But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he's able to look past Twylla's executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla's been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen. However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla's problems. 

The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review.

Star Rating

This debut novel by Melinda Salisbury is masterfully written and brings a fresh twist to YA fantasy fiction. I had not read anything like this before and was completely compelled from beginning to end. Many of those who read stories do so in order to escape the realities of the real world. This is certainly one of those stories and Melinda Salisbury successfully transports the reader into the dark, yet compelling, world of her imagination. 

The Sin Eater's Daughter tells the story of Twylla, a girl who is led to believe she is a Goddess embodied and has the power to poison those in the Kingdom with one touch. Betrothed to the prince, she leaves her family behind to live in the royal castle alongside the Queen and her beloved son, Merek. The Queen is desperate to continue the royal bloodline and to strike down anyone who threatens her Kingdom, Lormere. In order to keep Twylla safe, the Queen hires a guard, Lief, from an opposing kingdom who's arrival changes everything! Soon, Twylla begins to fall in love with Lief and tries her best to fight it. Plunged into a frenzy of emotions, Twylla has some important decisions to make. What is she willing to do to save her kingdom? Who will she choose?

Twylla is an extremely likeable protagonist; her dilemmas became my dilemmas and I was desperate for this doomed young woman to be happy. The extent of the Queen's wickedness was revealed drip by drip throughout the story and led to one of the most shocking endings I have read in a while! The last few chapters of this magnificent story are filled with betrayal, heartbreak and treachery. The ending leads on brilliantly to a sequel and I cannot wait to read it.

Just In Case by Meg Rosoff

Every minute of every day, a million things happen...

The day David Case saves his brother's life, his whole world changes. Suddenly, every moment is fizzing with what ifs, and it's up to David to outwit fate. Or try to.

He changes his name and the way he looks. He leaves home and finds himself caught up in a series of strange and extraordinary misadventures. He even falls in love. 

But is David really in control of his life? And if he isn't - who is?

Star Rating

Having read and loved 'How I live Now' by Meg Rosoff I thought I would pick up another of her YA titles at my local charity bookstore. It is unlike me to leave a bad review, mainly because if I dislike a book I won't read it through to the end. This book I did persevere with however, unfortunately, I wish I hadn't.

In short, this book was just plain weird! At the beginning of the story, David saves his baby brother from falling out a window. Following this incident, David is overcome with anxiety and begins worrying about every tiny aspect of his life. 

'There were dark corners he didn't dare enter, creaking catacombs lined with the corpses of doubt.'

Filled with anxiety, David decides to change his name and, consequently, life itself. It is from this point on that the story became very strange for me, and not in a good way. 

For example, David, now known as Justin Case (awful pun), meets an older woman at a charity store who clothes him in a bizarre vintage outfit and takes numerous photographs of him. Next we learn that David, (Justin) has an imaginary greyhound that follows him everywhere. Riiiight! If this wasn't weird enough, David  then leaves home to try and avoid fate (who has been leaving the reader cryptic messages throughout). Randomly hanging out at the airport, David avoids fate once more when he manages to survive a plane crash. No he wasn't actually on board a plane, just chilling in the terminal when a plane crashes through the roof. Yep, you heard right. A plane crashes through the roof and David avoids death by merely stepping out the way. 

I could carry on but I won't. I kind of understand what Meg Rosoff was trying to do with this book and it does give some kind of insight into mental health. Although anxiety is more prevalent in girls than boys it was interesting to read it from a boy's perspective and the bizarre plot makes you realise that the mind is a powerful thing that can take control of your entire being. 

Meg Rosoff quotes, 'Peter couldn't imagine life with a brain so peculiarly wired, but it made compulsive viewing.' and this sums up my feelings towards this book. Peculiarly wired but, unfortunately, not compulsive reading! 

Trouble by Non Pratt

HANNAH is smart and funny. She's also fifteen and pregnant. 

AARON is the new boy at school. He doesn't want to attract attention. 

So why does Aaron offer to be the pretend dad to Hannah's unborn baby?

Growing up can be trouble but that's how you find out what really matters.

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

Star Rating

It is almost embarrassing to admit that you LOVE a book that has sperm swimming all over the front cover but this debut novel from Non Pratt deserves nothing other than five stars. 

Trouble tells the story of two protagonists - Hannah and Aaron. Written in the first person, the story flits back and forth between the two teens who tell their version of events in the most believable of voices. Hannah is promiscuous, loud and pregnant. Aaron is shy, reserved and quiet. And it is when these two differing characters come together that you realise true friendships are found in the most unexpected of places. 

Non Pratt's skill as a writer lies in her ability to write as a 15 year old  with utter credibility. She has managed to capture the thoughts and behaviours of teenage friendship groups perfectly and, whilst reading, I found myself relating events back to my own youth spent hanging out at the park and attending house parties.

Although the story is centered around Hannah and her unplanned pregnancy, it was Aaron that I was drawn to as we saw the events unfolding through his eyes. The teens meet at an old people's home, a place that Aaron often goes to visit his friend Neville. It is made clear that Aaron comes here each week to try and right a wrong that he committed several years ago. Aaron is wracked with guilt, and it is with this mission to atone for his sins, that he offers to be the father to Hannah's unborn baby. What follows is exactly what you would expect from two teenagers in an unusual and unique situation. 

Trouble is a light read with heavy issues that are dealt with exquisitely. Non Pratt has managed to weave in many important messages, particularly for teenage girls, relating to sex, pregnancy, abortion, relationships, birth and death. This would be a fantastic book to use in schools and I hope, with the help of this review, that it makes it's way out there into the big wide world of the 'Nonn-readers'. (I'm getting very good at these end of review puns.)

 Buy Now

Sick by Tom Leveen

Brian and his friends know better than anyone how to jump the fence and break out of Phoenix Metro High School. That knowledge comes in handy when people start getting sick during a pep rally. Really sick. They aren't themselves - they're dangerous. Ripping each other to shreds. Refusing to die. 

When the sickness spreads, Brian's stuck in stagecraft class with his best friend, Chad, and a bunch of drama kids. But his sister's out there somewhere, and so is his ex, and if he doesn't find them soon, the sick kids will...

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

A big thank you to Abrams & Chronicles and Amulet Books for sending this novel just in time for Halloween. Having recently read and LOVED 'The Girl With All The Gifts' by M.R Carey I wanted to read another zombie novel so was thrilled to find 'Sick' on my doorstop this week. I should first mention the cover which in itself is completely terrifying. The pages inside are splattered with blood and the whole book has a feel of darkness and terror. 

'Sick' is a typical zombie apocalypse story with a young adult twist of being set in a high school. I have always loved school from being a student myself to now working in one as a teacher so I am always delighted to discover books with a school based setting. The story begins with a group of teenage friends bunking off school before heading back for their last period of stagecraft class. The author introduces the reader to a lot of characters very quickly and at first I found the fleeting teenage dialogue hard to keep up with.

The plot quickly turns to one of panic and disarray when the teenagers witness a fight unlike one they have ever seen. The friends soon realise that this is not an isolated incident and a message over the PA system directs them to remain in their classrooms until further notice.

'A crash echoes over the microphone, followed by a snarling, feral growl that vibrates the floor beneath us. Then nothing.'

It becomes clear to the teenagers that the epidemic has spread further into the city and they begin to think of a plan to save their friends and family and escape.The children undoubtedly begin to panic and turn on each other.

'This place should be crawling with adults coming to pick up their kids, and we haven't seen that. Whatever this is, it's big and it's bad.'

This is a great Halloween read that I am sure many will read in one sitting. The chapters are short and the plot thrilling enough to keep the reader wondering what will happen to the group of teens. Tom Leveen includes some graphic descriptions that allow the story to be played out in the reader's mind in a movie like style. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't keen on the ending to this novel. It was very abrupt and open ended, possibly allowing for a sequel? For me, the characters weren't developed enough for me to fully empathise with them at the end of the novel. 

However, for fans of horror and Halloween this is a quick, thrilling read and certainly one to add to your October TBR. 

The Bear by Claire Cameron

 Anna and Stick are camping with their parents in Algonquin Park, in three thousand square miles of wilderness. It's the perfect family trip. But then Anna awakes in the night to the sound of something moving in the shadows. Her father is terrified. Her mother is screaming. Then, silence.

Alone in the woods, it is Anna who has to look after Stick, battling hunger and the elements to stay alive. Narrated by five-year-old Anna, this is a gripping and moving novel that captures the fear, wonder and bewilderment of our worst nightmares - and the power of one girl's enduring love for her family.

Star Rating 

I was approached by the lovely people at Random House to read and review this new novel by Claire Cameron. Longlisted for the Bailey's women's prize for fiction, this novel has received great reviews with descriptions such as 'haunting, moving and unforgettable'. 

This novel is one that will stick with you because of it's shocking plot. The reader is thrown into action early on with the protagonist Anna, and her brother Stick, being thrown into a cooler box by their father to hide. It is made apparent to the reader that the bear attack is happening but, at just five years old, Anna is very confused and scared about what is going on around her. This confusion makes the opening scene even more powerful. Soon things go quiet and, after what seems like an age of hiding, Anna and her brother leave the confinement of their hiding space. There is a heart wrenching moment when Anna spots her mother's foot in the bushes. Edging closer, Anna realises that something is not quite right.

'The blood is on her neck and in her shirt and it is ripped and she looks like not Mummy but a doll.'

In a poignant display of naivety, Stick offers his dying mother a bandaid. It is moments like these that make the reader remember how young these children are and the horrific events they are having to deal with. Battling hunger and the elements to stay alive, the children embark on a journey out of the wilderness.

Claire Cameron writes the story through the voice of five-year-old Anna. Although this was a very clever move, I sometimes found the constant stream of jumbled dialogue exhausting to read. It took a while to get used to and, on occasion, took away from the action unfolding. Undoubtedly, the beginning of this novel is five star but I found my interest dwindling towards the middle section of this book. The plot for me lacked suspense with the chapter names giving away the direction of the story. 

However, for it's shocking opening alone this book is certainly worth a read and I for one will be refraining from any camping holidays in the near future! 

'Now I am awake. I know that I will wait for my parents beside Stick. And we will be waiting for a long time maybe always for ever.'

The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail

 Hanna Mendel was going to be a famous pianist. But the Nazis had another plan. Thrown into Auschwitz, she plays piano for a camp commandant and wears a dead girl's dress pinned with a yellow star. 

And she is falling in love - with the wrong boy.

 

Star Rating

 

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review.

With the recent commemoration of WW1 I was eager to read a book related to the war. I have always been interested in books, TV and film that depict the heartbreaking realities of war. This book by Suzy Zail focuses on a concentration camp in Auschwitz during WW2. 

The Wrong Boy tells the story of Hanna Mendel, a gifted pianist who finds herself  thrown into Auschwitz and separated from her parents. Hanna has a strong bond with her older sister Erika who struggles to survive the bitter cold and starving conditions. Thinking of her sister, Hanna auditions to become an in-house pianist for one of the camp's commandants and, in successfully getting the job, manages to steal some extra food for her dying sister. The relationship between the two girls was heart wrenchingly real and how I would hope my own sister and I would survive in a similar situation. 

The events that Suzy Zail writes about are incomprehensible and a terrifying reflection on the horrors of war. Although it is hard to imagine being in such a situation, Suzy Zail manages to write in a such a way that the reader almost feels they are there in Auschwitz witnessing these dreadful events for themselves. It is clear that WW2 is close to Zail's heart as her own father survived the Holocaust. Throughout the story there are many references to the lack of food amongst the camps, something that Zail's father must have remembered clearly. Although based on fictional characters, the story was entirely believable and reads as if it were a true account. 

As stated in the title and blurb, whilst working as a pianist for the commandant, Hanna slowly falls for the commandant's son who in all essences is 'The Wrong Boy'. Anyone who has read my other reviews will know that I am not a fan of fictional romances. Particularly young adult romances that appear from nowhere and form in the matter of minutes. Thankfully the relationship between Hanna and the commandant's son was not insta love and developed subtly and slowly as the story went on. Although a big part of the plot, this did not detract from the reason I wanted to read the book, which was not for romance but a powerful tale of the horrors of war. 

This book was easy to read, powerful and has left me wanting to watch a whole array of war films including The Pianist (one of the best war films out there.) A highly recommended and poignant read! 

                                                    

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

 

Auctioned as a surrogate to the highest bidder.

Imprisoned in the opulent palace of the Duchess of the Lake. 

Destined to carry the child of a woman she despises.

 

 

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review.

Star Rating

Upon reading the blurb for this novel, I was excited to read another dystopic tale reminiscent of one of my favourites - The Handmaid's Tale. This is the first in a new trilogy by Amy Ewing of which I have read mixed reviews. Some will love it. Some will hate it. I will go on to explain why. 

The Jewel tells the story of Violet, one of the 'chosen' women born with special abilities and sold to be surrogates for the royals. Children born with the auguries (powers) of colour, shape and growth are taken away from their families and held in a special facility before being auctioned off. Early on we find out that Violet is a much sought after surrogate and the Duchess of the Lake buys her for 6 million diamantes.  

Throughout the story, Amy Ewing refers to the different houses in the royal circle. This was sometimes confusing and the book could have done with a family tree style map at the front to explain this clearly to the reader. There is much competition between the women from these different houses but they all have the same common goal - to obtain a daughter who will be chosen to marry the future Exetor and succeed to the throne. 

The Duchess of the Lake demands that Violet produce a daughter who is beautiful, smart, strong, ambitious, determined, courageous and of, course, irresistible. However, the thing she wants more than anything is a daughter born first, before any others, and Violet is instructed to use her third augury to make this happen - a three month pregnancy instead of the usual nine. 

Up until this point, I absolutely loved this story which addresses some interesting themes such as slavery and class. However, there was a palm to the forehead moment when suddenly, plucked from nowhere, Violet falls in love with a boy in the palace named Ash. I won't bother explaining who he is and why he was there because quite frankly his existence and role in the story was ludicrous. This forced romance was entirely unbelievable and detracted from the main focus of the story. I am sure people will love the romantic twist to this tale but unfortunately I would have much preferred this story without it.

Violet's relationship with her friend, Raven, however was believable and really made the reader empathise with the situation these young girls are in. I had mixed opinions about the Duchess of the Lake and found myself wondering who would be a good actress to play her in a movie of The Jewel. At times she appeared kind and caring towards Violet but there is always an underlying evil that Ewing subtly reveals throughout.

Vomit inducing love story aside, this is still a very good dystopic tale with a brilliant ending that will leave you wanting to read the next installment. And who knows, maybe Ash will get killed off in the next one...

Geek Girl : Picture Perfect by Holly Smale

Harriet Manners knows that:

• New York is the most popular city in the United States.
• Its official motto is 'Ever Upward'.
• 27% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.

But she has no idea how her family will cope Stateside. Or how to 'become a brand' as the models in New York put it. And, even more importantly, what to do when the big romantic gestures aren't coming from her boyfriend...

Does geek girl go too far this time?

Star Rating

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the other books in the Geek Girl series I was thrilled to discover Holly Smale's new addition in hardback in my local Tesco. Picture Perfect by Holly Smale sees the return of all our favourite characters including Harriet Manners herself, her best friend Nat, Toby the stalker and, of course, Harriet's hunky boyfriend Nick. 

In this installment, Harriet Manners sets off for an adventure in New York when her father gets a new job based in the big city. Along with her stepmother Annabel and her baby sister Tabitha, the family set off for what Harriet thinks will be the trip of a lifetime. However, things are not quite as they seem and Harriet  soon realises that she will based an hour and a half away from the bright lights of the city in a boring town called Greenway. From this moment on things start to go downhill... 

This third book in the series by Holly Smale was as good, if not better, than it's predecessors. Again, it is full of random and unusual facts that compliment the story line perfectly. I loved the New York setting as this is a city I am desperate to visit and enjoy reading about. 

With it's short chapters, this book is incredibly hard to put down and I found myself racing through it in a day. Once again, Holly Smale has succeeded in creating a thoroughly enjoyable, easy read and I for one cannot wait for the next in the series! 

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Intelligence. Integrity. Courage. Wisdom. 

These are the qualities a Receiver of Memory must have. And one more, but not described.The Capacity to See Beyond.  

Jonas lives safely within the community, a place where there is no war, ni hunger and no pain. But when he is selected as the Receiver of Memory, he starts to discover dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of his perfect world. Secrets that will lead him to undertake an incredible journey...   

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

This book was first published in the US in 1993 and is now taught in many schools across the globe. Unfortunately the old book covers have always put me off reading this story (although you should never judge a book by it's cover) but to my delight Harper Collins recently decided to republish this fantastic novel with a more reader friendly, young adult style design and kindly sent me a copy to review. 

The Giver by Lois Lowry is much like marmite. Some people love it. Some people hate it. I have fallen into the first category but agree with many others that the ending of this book really lets it down, hence the knocking off of my fifth star. 

The Giver is set in a Utopian society where everyone confirms to strict rules and regulations in order to keep them 'safe'. Life in this community seems almost robotic with stilted conversations and lack of feeling between inhabitants. Adults are required to take pills to rid them of any such feeling and to suppress sexuality . Families are put together by the government and children (no more than two per family) are presented at the yearly Ceremony of One. 

'Two children - one male, one female - to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules.'

The story is centered around the character Jonas and starts around the dinner table as the family discuss their dreams. It becomes clear that this community is different to any other and if inhabitants don't fit they will be 'released'. 

'For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure.' 

An endless list of rules ensure that all members of the community fit the mould of sameness. Announcements are made through speakers to the community to remind them of these rules - 'ATTENTION. This is a reminder to all females under nine that hair ribbons are to be neatly tied at all times.'

At the dinner table the reader learns of Jonas' fear of the upcoming 'Ceremony of Twelve'; the day when all twelve-year-old children will receive the job they are to carry out for the rest of their adult working life. This ceremony was very reminiscent of Harry Potter's sorting hat with children hoping and praying to receive their first choice. It is at this ceremony that Jonas receives the job of Receiver of Memory and it is here that the story takes a different turn. 

'Then he heard the gasp - the sudden intake of breath, drawn sharply in astonishment, by each of the seated citizens. He saw their faces; the eyes widened in awe. And still he did not understand.'

Throughout the next few chapters both Jonas and the reader find out about life outside the community. What was life like before the Sameness? Slowly, Jonas discovers that life has not always been this way. He learns about snow, sun, colours and love and realises that there is a whole world out there that has been hidden from the people of his community. A whole world they have never experienced and will never experience unless he does something about it.  

This story deals brilliantly with the concept of conformity and explores the idea that too may rules and regulations can trap us, robbing us of life's riches. It is clear from Jonas' story that individuality and choice are such an important right that we should continue to fight for across the globe. 

This story was delightfully creepy and a great dystopic read. 

                      

The Geography Of You & Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Owen lives in the basement. Lucy lives on the 24th floor. But when the power goes out in the midst of a New York heatwave, they find themselves together for the first time: stuck in a lift between the 10th and 11th floors. As they await help, they start talking...

The brief time they spend together leaves a mark. And as their lives take them to Edinburgh and San Francisco, to Prague and to Portland they can't shake the memory of the time they shared. Postcards cross the globe when they themselves can't, as Owen and Lucy experience the joy - and pain - of first love.

And as they make their separate journeys in search of home, they discover that sometimes it is a person rather than a place that anchors you most in the world.

 

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

Having recently read a lot of crime and dystopian novels I fancied taking a YA romace novel with me on my recent trip to Spain. There is nothing better than sitting by the pool in the sun with a good book and this was certainly an easy holiday read that I finished very quickly.

 

The Geography Of You & Me tells the story of Owen and Lucy who find themselves stuck in a lift together between the 10th and 11th floors. This chance meeting sparks off a strong bond between the pair but this is cut short due to differing circumstances. Both Owen and Lucy, for different reasons, leave New York and travel the world sending postcards back and forth in a desperate attempt to keep their new friendship alive. 

 

What I liked about this novel was the detailed relationships between the protagonists and their parents. In particular I could empathise with Owen whose mother had passed away. It became evident that Owen was desperate to spread his wings and live his own life but felt tremendous worry/guilt about leaving his dad alone. 

 

'The geography of the thing - the geography of them was completely and hopelessly wrong'

 

Throughout their travels, both Owen and Lucy met new potential partners but there is always, at the back of their minds, a bond pulling them back together. This novel tackles the highs and lows of long distance relationships and leaves the reader with an overwhelming hope that they will find a way back to each other.  

 

'She couldn't stop thinking about the straggler, the missing beat, the odd one out. The single speck in the emptiest part of the sky. She hoped that wherever he was, he'd be okay, that little bird.' 

 

Throughout the novel the reader is transported to a variety of places as Owen and Lucy travel around the world. Even though the characters are on other sides of the world, they are still drawn to each other and this comes to a crescendo during chapters 25-34 where Jennifer E. Smith uses one liners to portray Owen and Lucy's thought process as they really begin to miss each other. This part of the novel was almost film-like and I could see the movie in my mind flashing backwards and forwards between the two characters.

 

This is a lovely story full of love, loss and hope. Jennifer E. Smith writes well and the chapters flow quickly making this a very easy read. I would have liked there to have been more descriptions of the places Owen and Lucy visited, particularly as I have visited some of these countries myself. However this is a character driven novel that would make a brilliant romance movie and I would highly recommend it for a quick summer read!

'Even before he flipped it over to find the note, he was thinking the very same thing: that he wished more than anything that she was here, too. And just like that, his heart - that dead thing inside of him - came to life again.'

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

Foolish love appears to be a Roux family birthright, and for Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird, it is key to her inheritance. In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, Ava ventures away from home, ill-prepared for what awaits her in a world that does not know whether to view her as a girl or angel. 

Ava's search and her family's saga build to a devastating crescendo until, on the summer solstice, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air and Ava's fate is revealed.

Star Rating 

I received this copy from Walker publishers for an open and honest review. 
 

A huge thank you to Walker publishers for sending me this stunning hardback copy of 'The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender.' In my eagerness to begin reading it I accidentally ripped the dust jacket pulling it from the jiffy bag and (no exaggeration) was almost in tears! This front cover is BEAUTIFUL and in one fail swoop I ruined it. Sad face :(

This modern fairy tale of love and loss navigates through Ava Lavender's family history with much elegance and ease. Ava tells multiple stories throughout the novel involving different members of her family. These include tales of marriage, love, loss, ghosts, magic and heartache. All the stories told are from a female perspective and cover some dark themes such as death, loveless marriage and sexual abuse. 

I loved the time era that this book was set in and the exquisite writing transported me to each setting as I was reading. In particular Emilienne Roux's bakery where I could almost smell and taste the bread coming off the pages. The plot line was simple but worked and Lesyle Walton's mystical style left much to the reader's imagination. Until the very end Walton retained the mystery surrounding Ava Lavender and her wings and this book left many questions unanswered. Although some readers will love this, some will be left feeling disappointed.

Dash & Lily's Book Of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

At the urge of her lucky-in-love brother, sixteen-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of dares on her favourite bookshop shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept.

Curious, snarly Dash isn't one to back down from a challenge - and the Book of Dares is the perfect thing to keep him occupied this Christmas. 

As they send each other on a snowbound scavenger hunt across Manhattan, they're falling for each other on paper. But finding out if their real selves share their on-page chemistry could be their biggest dare yet.

Star Rating

I bought this book from my local charity bookstore and, although I didn't hate it, I wasn't overwhelmed! This is a short, sweet story about two teenagers who fall for each other on paper, conversing through the pages of a red notebook. The novel starts in a bookshop , a clever setting to draw in all the book lovers out there. The setting then branches out to Christmas time New York and, although I have never been there myself, there were many references to some of the amazing places my friends and family have been, for example the Muppet WhatNot Workshop at FAO Schwarz. I have always wanted to visit New York at Christmas time (mainly due to Macaulay Culkin) and I enjoyed reading about the different places the teens visited. 

The story started out well with some extremely funny first few chapters. Unfortunately this humour seemed to peter out towards the middle of the book as we focused more on the growing relationship between Lily and Dash. The 'dares' mentioned in the blurb were more random trips to a variety of locations and I found myself willing the teenagers to finally meet as my interest dwindled. 

There is no doubt that some people will love the characters in this book and some will hate them. Lily, although seemingly quick witted and funny at the beginning of the story, quickly became irritating and made ridiculously bad decisions along the way. 

With some adaptations, this story would make a cute Christmas film for teens.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. 

But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental,  a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

Star Rating 

Having recently read (and absolutely loved) 'More Than This' by Patrick Ness I was thrilled to find this beautiful copy of 'A Monster Calls' for a mere £1.99 in an underrated UK shop called 'The Works'.

First of all I should mention this absolutely amazing front cover with some of the best typography I have seen on a book for a long time. Yes I know you shouldn't choose a book by it's cover but just look at it!!! 

Although written by Patrick Ness, the idea for this book came from the late Siobhan Dowd. In his author's note Patrick explains 'I felt - and feel - as if I've been handed a baton, like a particularly fine writer has handed me her story and said, "Go. Run with it. Make trouble." So that's what I tried to do.'

'A Monster Calls' is the heartbreaking tale of Conor, a thirteen-year-old schoolboy whose father left for America with his new family and whose mother is dying of cancer. Because of this, Conor has had to grow up fast and be the man of the house, 'I'm here because thirteen-year-old boys shouldn't be wiping down counters without being asked to first.' One night, Conor is woken from his usual nightmare by a monster at his window. The monster visits Conor at the same time every night and comes with a mission - to tell Conor three stories and when those stories are told to listen to a final fourth tale that will be told by Conor himself. 

'You will tell me the fourth tale. You will tell me the truth. (If you don't) then I will eat you alive!'

It becomes clear to the reader that the monster has come to help Conor through a particularly difficult time in his life. Through the three tales the monster shares with Conor he slowly enables him to come to terms with what is happening to his mother and bring forth the truth. Patrick Ness' skill as a writer is to make the reader empathise, wholeheartedly, with Conor as we gain an insight into the aggression, fear and confusion he has bottled up inside him. Conor was to me exactly what I would expect any young boy losing his mother to be. The characterisation was completely believable and it is this that makes the book so heartbreakingly powerful! 

'A Monster Calls' has one of the most heart wrenching endings I have read and will stay with me a long time after reading. The ending was neither shocking or unexpected but it was real. Patrick Ness has succeeded in combining painful truths with hope and the courage it takes to survive the difficulties we face in life.

'This is why I came walking, to tell you this so that you may heal. You must listen. You do not write your life with words, you write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.'

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them. 

Until now.

Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years suffocated by a lie. 

There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it. 

Then, at last, they found the cure.

Star Rating

 

This series has been on my TRL for a long time and, having thoroughly enjoyed Lauren Oliver's new offering, 'The Panic', I decided to finally read the first book in this popular series.

What if love was a disease? This question sums up the dystopic idea behind this brilliant novel by Lauren Oliver. The protagonist, Lena, lives in a terrifying vision of the future where society has banned love, here known as 'The Deliria.' The government, otherwise known as the Consortium, believe love to be a terminal disease with symptoms such as depression, insomnia and anxiety.

'The deliria moves around us with invisible, sweeping tentacles, choking us.'

In order to save people from this harrowing disease, scientists have perfected a cure - to rid people of the emotion 'love' and match them with a partner for life. Lena's procedure to receive the cure is in exactly ninety-five days, on September 3, her birthday. Of course, with nearly all YA novels, the reader realises early on that Lena will meet a boy and fall in love. It is this knowledge that makes the novel all the more exciting as we begin to predict how Lena will escape the cure and live the life she wishes to lead with her true love Alex.

Lauren Oliver is an extremely talent writer who uses a very poetic style. At times I felt that her similes were a little overused and with such a strong plot line these were sometimes unnecessary. However, through her descriptive writing, Lauren Oliver manages to create very real characters that the reader can empathise with completely. All the way through the novel I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in a similar situation. On one hand Lena wants to please her family and conform to rule but she loves Alex and can't imagine life without him. 

Towards the end of the novel there is a horrifying scene involving Lena's family that was very reminiscent of Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale.' Lauren Oliver had succeeded in creating a haunting vision of the future. With it's excellent, cliffhanger ending Lauren Oliver sets this novel up perfectly for the next in the series which I will be sure to be reading!