Review: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater 

Release date: 3rd July 2014

Publisher: Scholastic 

Reason for reading: COLE AND ISABEL

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Goodreads synopsis:

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

My thoughts:

I was one of those people that was happy with the end of Forever. I liked not fully knowing what happened, getting to imagine my own reality. But when I heard Maggie was writing this standalone novel focusing on Cole and Isabel, I knew it would be the book I didn’t even know I wanted.

And it is marvellous. It is everything I love about Maggie Stiefvater; it is raw and polished all at the same time, it is full of feeling and heart and soul but it is never cliché, the characters are beautifully imagined and what characters they are. Cole and Isabel were always my favourite, and to have a book focus on their story is such a treat. From the very first page I felt at home in this world, with these characters. I wanted to crawl inside the pages and never leave. I wanted to wrap the story about myself like a comfort blanket and snuggle into Maggie’s beautiful prose.

Isabel is one of my favourite YA characters. She’s prickly and mean, she can’t handle emotions and is so, so broken. She is completely real and mesmerising, she lashes out, she closes down and maybe, just maybe, she’s starting to thaw. Likewise Cole St Clair. The boy with 2 sides: his public persona and his true self and we saw much more of both. Cole’s public self is in LA to record an album while starring in a reality TV show, but his real side is here for Isabel and their relationship throughout this novel is electric, tumultuous, and completely engrossing.

Seeing Cole and Isabel drawn together, torn apart, both of them fighting every step of the way (though fighting different things) was completely mesmerising. The plot was almost secondary to me; I just wanted their interactions. The way everything came together, the way it ended how it began, yet differently, is sheer Stiefvater perfection. That woman is a true artist.

TL;DR: The Wolves of Mercy Falls novel I never knew I needed but fell completely in love with. Cole and Isabel are electric and the story evoked nostalgia and a whole host of emotion. I need to go and reread the trilogy now. 

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Release date: 15th May 2014

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Reason for reading: the twist! the twist!

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Goodreads synopsis:

We are the Liars.

We are beautiful, privileged and live a life of carefree luxury.

We are cracked and broken.

A story of love and romance.

A tale of tragedy.

Which are lies?

Which is truth?

My thoughts:

 We don’t know much as the story starts. We know something happened to Cadence two years ago, on the island where her family spends their summers. We know she can’t remember what it was. We see Cadence struggle with debilitating headaches, see her life fall apart around her, and see her slowly, painfully, attempt to piece it back together. Cadence is the very definition of unreliable narrator; she barely remembers that whole summer, let alone the event that triggered her memory loss. Cadence returns to the island two years after the incident to discover the truth of what happened there; the truth so awful she forgets it whenever she is told it. 

The awkward, grasping feel of the present on the island is interspersed with Cady’s idyllic, dream-like recollections of summers past and with whimsical fairytale retellings. An interesting narrative style that left me feeling as though I was constantly teetering on the precipice of a massive revelation; dangerously close to a horrible truth, yet a touch too far away to see it clearly. The overall effect is unique and very haunting, wrapped up in the most luscious and elegant of prose. 

Cadence, the Liars, their families and the island were all described so vividly they felt tangible. I was completely enthralled by them all and their ridiculous, privileged, appearances-are-everything existence. You should hate them, or feel sorry for them, but I was addicted. I couldn't get enough of them. The more Cadence told us, the more I wanted to know. 

The ending did come as a massive shock because I was just so immersed in the world of We Were Liars. It's the kind of ending that makes you wonder how you missed it, makes you want to go back and read it again to catch the clues, makes you wish it wasn't so. But you shouldn't read this for The Twist, or because of how hyped up it is, read it because it is beautiful and painful, because it is love and loss and because it will make your heart ache. 

TL;DR: A beautiful, haunting story told in beautiful, haunting prose. Don't try to figure it out, just enjoy it.

Review: Trouble by Non Pratt

Trouble by Non Pratt

Release date: 06/03/14

Publisher: Walker Books

Reason for reading: received a proof, UK author, intriguing premise, loved the cover

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Buy it: Waterstones | Hive

Goodreads synopsis:

Hannah’s smart and funny ... she’s also fifteen and pregnant. Aaron is new at school and doesn’t want to attract attention. So why does he 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.

------------- 

The first thing that struck me about Trouble was how genuine the teenage voices felt. Immediately I could imagine that these characters were real people somewhere, and this was their story. Trouble touches on a lot of things that affect teenagers: sex, unplanned pregnancy, alcohol, reputation, bullying, yet it managed to avoid being an ‘issues’ book. At the heart of it, Trouble is a story about a 15 year old girl that falls pregnant, but for me the shining star of this book was the dynamic between Hannah and Aaron, which unfolds in the most brilliant and organic manner.

Hannah isn’t quite the girl everyone thinks she is, but when she falls pregnant, people aren’t that surprised. She is known for ‘sleeping around’ after all. Aaron is the new boy at school and a bit of an enigma and, for some reason, he offers to pretend to be the father to Hannah’s baby. The amount of personal growth in this novel is pretty outstanding. Both Hannah and Aaron experience a lot over the course of the story, but beyond the things that happen to them is the amount they learn from those things and how they’re changed. By the end of the novel they’re both stronger, better people and that’s accomplished in a way that is painful for everyone involved, but is also incredibly moving, heartfelt and genuine.

The whole cast of secondary characters is wonderfully detailed, from Hannah’s darling little sister to the people that become her true friends to Aaron’s unlikely companion Neville. While Trouble has a lot of seriousness to it, there’s also a lot of humour and completely touching moments, and a lot of those come courtesy of these secondary characters. This might be Hannah and Aaron’s story, but it wouldn’t  be the same without everyone that’s a part of their lives along the way.

Trouble manages to be totally unflinching, yet avoids being cringey. It has one of the most realistic sex scenes I’ve ever read in a book and yet it was not at all uncomfortable to read. Everything about the plot was pitch perfect, from the various reactions to the pregnancy from the people in both Hannah and Aaron’s lives, to the events that unfolded and the twists and turns along the way. There wasn’t a moment that lead me to think “that’s ridiculous” or “she would never say that”.  

TL;DR: Trouble is like a UK combo of a Hannah Harrington novel mixed with a Kody Keplinger one. Full of wit and authenticity, Trouble is a book that really touches on what it means to be a teenager. It’s full of messiness, sadness and anger, but also humour, warmth and charm and it is absolutely wonderful. 

Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

 

Geek Girl (Geek Girl #1) by Holly Smale

Release date: 28/02/13

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Reason for reading (see personal aside in review)

Goodreads

Buy: Waterstones | Hive

Goodreads synopsis:

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. 

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. 

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. 

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

-------------

My thoughts:

Personal aside: Geek Girl was one of those books I looked at and thought “not for me”. I saw all the raving reviews, saw it in shops everywhere, had people tell me how awesome it was and still I thought Not For Me. Then I met Holly, briefly, at a launch party a few months ago. She told me she liked my satchel (even though hers is a much nicer colour and has her initials stamped on it) and I thought “oh she’s really nice (and also very pretty) maybe I should actually read her book?” Then, the next day, it was the Kindle Daily Deal and I am not one to mess with Fate (even though I don’t *actually* believe that Fate exists) and so I bought it and I read it and I laughed at it and I loved it. And I really need to stop with this Not For Me thing because I KEEP being proved wrong and I both love and hate that.

Geek Girl is one of the funniest books I have read in ages. I was reminded of reading the Georgia Nicholson books as a teenager and having my sister tell me off for keeping her awake at night from laughing. I know that Geek Girl would get the same response. It was one of those books I couldn’t read on the tube, I had to save for when I was at home, because I knew I would laugh and totally embarrass myself in front of stoic morning commuters.

Harriet is the sort of character you can’t help but love. You have those “oh, Harriet” moments, where she does or says something and you kinda facepalm yourself like “whyyyyyyyyy” but she is just so completely loveable.  She is sweet and funny and slightly immature and naïve and yes, very, very geeky. I loved all the little facts and lists and asides in the book that helped to build Harriet’s character and add to the overall quirky charm of the book.

All the characters are well-developed and diverse and very, very witty. I think Wilbur was my favourite. Him and my boyfriend should get together to exchange ridiculous pet names. I really liked the strong family presence in this book; especially the relationship between Harriet and her stepmother Annabel which was healthy and sweet and caring. It was nice to have a positive portrayal of a stepmother/daughter relationship. Friendship is another major theme in this book: not only the importance of it, but how fragile and easily broken it can be, yet also how easily it can be mended. These are probably two of the most important aspects of the book which I liked because as a teenager, they are two of the biggest aspects of your life. The other major theme of Geek Girl, for me, was identity. In terms of self-identity, of how others see you, of how different people can see the same person in completely opposite ways. Figuring out who you are and how you want to be and feel and think is a really central aspect of being a teenager and I felt that Holly Smale really nailed that. I totally bought Harriet thinking that becoming a model would completely revolutionise her life: would make her cool and sassy and popular and admired, because haven’t we all thought that at some point during our teen years? I felt like Geek Girl was saying that no matter what, you are you and some people won’t like that, but as long as you’re happy with yourself and as long as you have people who love you, that’s totally okay. I think that’s an important message.  

In some ways, the events of Geek Girl were over the top and a bit mad and not always entirely realistic, but I know that some of them did actually happen in Holly Smale’s life and I honestly didn’t mind that it was all a bit bonkers because it was funny and charming and a really enjoyable book to read.

TL;DR Geek Girl is a hilarious and eccentric story with a loveable cast of characters and a very charming, very British feel. It, and Holly Smale, well deserve the oodles of sales and award nominations. 

Review: Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

Release date: 03/10/13

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Reason for reading: It sounded freaking awesome and I love the cover and it sounded freaking awesome

Goodreads
Buy: Waterstones | Hive | Hot Key Books

Goodreads synopsis:

There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.

This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.

There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.

These people are dangerous.

And wanted. Desperately wanted.

Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.

But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...

-------------

My thoughts:

Fearsome Dreamer is the sort of book that desires to seduce you slowly. There’s no quick pay off, no one night stand, the story reels you in, gently, gently, until you’re completely enraptured, immersed in the world Laure Eve has created. It’s clear that Laure Eve has been inspired by a great many things; paying them homage whilst still crafting a novel that is entirely unique and entirely her own.

You may feel that fantasy, alternate history, sci-fi, a slight dystopian slant and hints of horror would not a fantastic book make. You would be wrong. Laure Eve seamlessly weaves together snippets from multiple genres to create a story that almost defies categorisation and makes it one of the most unique and interesting books I have ever read. The World and world Laure Eve has created is both intriguing and developed. An interesting mix of future technological globalisation and old-England-come-fantasy-setting, information about the state of our planet and its inhabitants is drip-fed, avoiding a confusion-inducing info-dump and succeeding in holding the interest of the reader; curious to learn more.

The characters are real, with personality traits that are not always desirable but in no way affect the likability of those possessing them. Rue is fanciful and almost silly; with that innocent narcissistic touch that many teenagers exhibit, making her easy to relate to. She believes she is destined for great things, in that self-involved way many of us view ourselves in our teen years, and, in her case, she is right. Transported from her home in the countryside of Angle Tar, to one of the majestic cities, she meets White. The young and severely introverted instructor is quickly irritated by Rue’s thoughtless, unfiltered way of speaking; leading to a strained relationship, until an episode reminiscent of one of my favourite moments in Buffy the Vampire Slayer forces them to re-evaluate how they feel about each other. This new tension, this awareness, is heightened during my favourite scene of the book, which is clearly inspired by one of the great scenes of literature and is absolute perfection. White’s almost desperate attempts to forge the sort of connection he wants but struggles to make are endearingly heartbreaking, as is the almost complete social shutdown he forces upon himself, and the flashes of what happened to him before Rue came along are even more so. 

White and Rue are both ‘headhunted’ by Frith; a complex and complicated character that I found myself both respecting and fearing. It is through Frith that we discover the end game of the story:  the mysterious Castle; the horrors it contains; the need for the Talented, and the tense relationship between Angle Tar and World: a relationship that fuels some of the most important elements of this book.

Fearsome Dreamer is very literary in the sense that there’s a certain emphasis placed on the language and the characters; specifically their interactions and relationships with each other. The book reminds me of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater in this aspect, and its ending certainly packs a similar emotional punch to the climax of that novel.

TL;DR: Fiercely compelling, Fearsome Dreamer is an accomplished, captivating and thoughtful debut novel. There are some fantastic female writers really making waves in the fantasy genre lately; Leigh Bardugo, Samantha Shannon, Sarah J. Maas, and Laure Eve should count herself among them. 

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone  (Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Release date: 6 June 2013 (New UK edition)
Publisher: Indigo
Source: Received for review
Reason for reading: Everyone has raved about it

Goodreads description:

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

My thoughts:

I watched the reviews of this book roll in when it was released as The Gathering Dark and thought it sounded really good, but I wasn't a huge fan of fantasy. Then once I got back into fantasy, I really wanted to read it but I figured I should wait until the re-release with the US cover/name. From that moment on I have been impatiently waiting, fighting the temptation to just buy it, so when Nina offered it to me for review slightly early, I couldn't help myself. 

Shadow and Bone was everything I hoped it would be. The world Leigh Bardugo has crafted is rich and interesting and detailed. I loved how it was clearly influenced by Russian culture; the names and words and the outfits and food, everything was inspired in a really interesting way. I love Russian culture so that element of the book was really appealing to me. I wanted to learn as much as possible about the world, the Grisha  ranks and the different types of powers, I was just so fascinated by it all. 

Alina was a really interesting character. She grew a lot in this book but still retained her personality. She maintained a healthy scepticism throughout part of this novel, but she accepted her position once it was clear she was Grisha. She struggled at first, but once she mastered her power she really grew in confidence. She clearly was a little insecure in herself, never being special or standing out and being, and feeling, overshadowed by those around her. But she was smart-mouthed in a way I found very entertaining and whilst not the strongest, most resourceful main character, she used her intuition and made the right judgements when necessary.

I can't talk about this book without mentioning the Darkling. I might be in love with the Darkling. Mysterious, funny, bit moody, possibly evil, he's ideal really. Thee scariest thing about the Darkling was that I totally got what he was doing, even if he did go about it in a rather controversial manner. He reminded me a little of Lenin leading the Bolsheviks against the Russian aristocracy (only, you know, more attractive). 

I always love books with journeys and this one has a literal journey that is mirrored by Alina's emotional and mental journey. She grew and discovered so much, both about herself and the world that she lived in. I was tearing through the pages, on tenterhooks through the latter part of the pages and my only criticism is that I wish there had been more: more detail, more story (more Darkling). 

TL;DR: Leigh Bardugo has created a richly imaginative world that I cannot get enough of. I cannot wait for the sequel and am literally counting down the days until its release. 

Shadow and Bone previously released as The Gathering Dark in the UK will be re-released with this new cover, alongside its sequel Siege and Storm, on the 6th June. Thank you to Nina at Indigo for my copy, which was received for an honest review. 

Review: Torn by Cat Clarke

Torn by Cat Clarke
Release Date: 22nd December 2011
Publisher: Quercus 
Source: Bought for Kindle
Reason for Reading: UK author loved by everyone

Goodreads description:

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares… 

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down. 

Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever...

A compelling story of guilty secrets, troubled friendship and burgeoning love.

My thoughts:

I've sat back and watched the love that exists in the blogosphere for Cat Clarke. I've seen the release of each of her books with their intriguing premise and evocative covers and I've thought to myself "one day". Unfortunately, when the day finally came for Torn, I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to. 

My main issue with Torn is that it made me feel uncomfortable. Some people, I guess like isn't the right word really, but that sort of uncomfortable, tense feeling is something they look for/appreciate. A lot of people watch cringe comedy for instance, which is similar. I just cannot tolerate that feeling at all. So that feeling being present, all the way through this book, really impacted my enjoyment of it. It's good that a book can affect me so much, but when it is causing such an adverse reaction it isn't that great. 

At first I thought the plot was a bit far-fetched but when I thought about it, I could totally see it happening. A prank gone horribly wrong, scared girls panicking and making totally the wrong call and then leaving it too late to come clean. It made me totally suspicious of the disappearances we see in the news. 

I thought the characters were totally authentically teenage which was really great; Cat Clarke captured that teen voice perfectly and they were so diverse. I didn't really connect with any of them that much though, which didn't improve how I felt about the story. Rae was probably my favourite character and I really felt for her throughout this whole story. I really liked Jack as well he was so sweet and kind and caring and I just felt so sorry for him all the way through. I wanted him to know what happened but at the same time I didn't want anymore pain caused. 

The ending happened the way it had to happen and whilst I know it was an intentionally ambiguous, make-your-own-mind-up end I couldn't help but feel that it had to end there simply because there was nowhere else to go with the story.

TL;DR: I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately I just...didn't. I can see why it has such appeal though, it was a really good book, it just wasn't for me. So if you're into a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and give you that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, this is the book for you. 

Review: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Released: 7th March 2013 (UK)
Publisher: Puffin (UK)
Source: Bought
Reason for reading: I like New Orleans (and I needed a book for the BOGOHP offer in Waterstones....)
Rating: 5/5 

Goodreads description:

Out of the Easy is set against the vivid backdrop of 1950s New Orleans. Written by New York Times bestselling author Ruth Sepetys, this novel has something for everyone: love, mystery, murder, blackmail and warmth.

Josie Moraine wants out of The Big Easy - she needs more than New Orleans can offer. Known locally as a brothel prostitute's daughter, she dreams of life at an elite college, far away from here.

But then a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie caught between her ambition and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans is luring Josie deeper in as she searches for the truth, and temptation beckons at every turn.

My thoughts:

Out of the Easy was one of those books I heard about, thought looked interesting and promptly dismissed. Because it wasn’t quite interesting enough, because I had too much to read, because of all those other reasons I dismiss books in a split second. But my brain kept coming back and lingering over this one and then when I was looking for a second book for the Buy One Get One Half Price offer in Waterstones I thought “what the heck, I’ll get it” and let me tell you, I am so glad I did.

Josie was such a wonderful character, I loved that we saw her at such a young age because it really lent to her character as an older girl. To see what she lived through and was like when she was practically a baby was really sad, but seeing what she grew into was so inspiring. She could have easily gone the same way as her mother and the women she spent time with but she didn't. She was so determined to get out of New Orleans and make something of herself and live the life that she wanted to lead rather than the one she felt pressing on her from all angles.

I think Willy was my second favourite character. It was clear she really cared for Josie, even if she didn't always say it directly. I loved her disdain for Josie's mother and that it was clear that Josie was her first priority. In fact, I loved the support system Josie had around her. Despite her unconventional upbringing and lifestyle, she was surrounded by people that only wanted the best for her, and unfortunately, the one person who didn't care about her, who didn't want what's best for Josie, her mother, the one person who SHOULD have cared, was the one who managed to screw everything up.

The New Orleans setting really lent itself to the story; not only was it very atmospheric but you had the difference between the urine-soaked and bottle-strewn streets of the French Quarter and the opulent neighbourhoods lived in by the rich residents. It was a juxtaposition between where Josie was and where she wanted to be. The rich/poor divide was so clear and so disheartening but Josie never gave up, even when she knew her shoes were scuffed and her blouse was faded and her skirt wasn't the latest fashion. What I also loved about Josie was that she never forsook her principles; she never went back on what she believed in to get where she wanted, even when it seemed like she was heading down that slippery slope. 

At one point I felt like it was just not going to get any better. The story was getting worse and worse and it looked as though Josie was going to be stuck in New Orleans, the daughter of a whore, forever. It sounds weird to say this but I liked how it was such a tragedy that led to her second chance. It was such a bittersweet outcome to the story. 

TL;DR: Out of the Easy was a heartbreaking yet inspiring read. It's the story of a girl overcoming almost insurmountable odds to get the life she dreams of having. Beautifully written and set against the backdrop of evocative New Orleans this is a story that will stay with you for a long time after you finish. 

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Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Released: 6 Febraruy 2012 (UK)
Publisher: Egmonst (UK)
Source: Bought
Reason for reading: Recommended by every author I adore
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

My thoughts:

When all your favourite authors recommend a book, you read it. Even if you’re not sure it’s your thing. Even if you lent it to your mum and she couldn’t get passed the first chapter. Even if you’ve forgotten how much you actually love books set during WWII.

Code Name Verity was one of those books where, having read the first few pages, I could tell it was something special. It grabbed my attention easily and I felt like it was one of those books I was going to have a strong reaction to. I loved the way the story evolved; it starts off at what you think must be the end because where can you go from there? But the plot developed and changed and became so much more, which is amazing when it was so much to begin with.

The narration was so rich, considering it was a retelling of a sequence of events for the most part it was so rich in detail and so enjoyable which was mildly unnerving when you remember the situation. I loved how it was ever so slightly meta; how Queenie comments about the story she’s telling and comments about the story during the story and manipulates the events because she can’t remember them or because they work better this other way.

It was the shift that got me because, until then, I thought I knew how it was going to play out and then, suddenly, it was so different and unpredictable and everything made more sense which was amazing because it made sense anyway, but now it made MORE sense and everything suddenly had more meaning. This book has one of the most intricate plots ever and it was so brazen. It totally mirrors the attitude of one of the MC’s; so obvious that you miss what was there and what was going on.

There was this one moment that just hit me so hard and I just had to put the book down for a moment and just absorb what had happened because it was so impactful. That basically never happens to me and I just really desperately wanted it to have not happened and yet so amazed that it had happened.

I love how the story was mostly about friendship and overcoming adversity and while there was *some* romance (I think there’s debate over how much) it by no means drove or watered down the story.

TL;DR: Code Name Verity is one of the most masterful, absorbing and emotional books I have ever read. Set against the backdrop of a time of upheaval and horror, the WWII setting really adds to the ambiance of the story and develops the already admirable and lovable characters in ways that make you root for them even more. It's safe to say this Allied Invasion of Two will be in my head and my heart for a long time. 

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Review: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
Released: Bebruary 2011
Publisher: Greenwillow books
Source: Won
Reason for reading: Have seen good reviews/have vowed to get my TBR down
Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads description:

Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.
So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end

My thoughts:

A Touch Mortal really was a book of 2 halves for me. I was a little hesitant about the angel aspect, NOT my cup of tea, but I went in with an open mind and actually really wanted to enjoy this one and to a certain extent I did.

One thing I found a total pain was the lack of exposition. Now I moan when we get chapters and chapters of explanation, but I also hate the opposite and I did feel a little lost and overwhelmed in parts of this book. Like, what exactly was Touch, really? And do all people who commit suicide turn into Siders or just the young pretty ones? What really aggravated me beyond the lack of exposition though was the fact that Kristen was actually supposed to explain stuff to Eden but she never really explained much. And it was just like "OMG STOP STEALING DRESSES FROM DEAD PEOPLE, AND JUST TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON PLEASE". I felt a little bit overloaded by how fast Eden and Az got together and how quickly everything after that happened. It was kinda like being spun around then being spun again in the opposite direction before you've had time to get your bearings. I'm not sure whether the author intended to keep everyone in the dark or whether she just wasn't very good at explaining her own idea or whether I was just being a bit dense.  

Having said that, once Eden moved out of Kristen's the story really settled down for me and became much more readable. I kinda liked how everything worked with her and the Siders she lived with and interacted with. I did have my suspicions about one or two which unfortunately kinda proved correct. I did find the plot interesting and I liked how even though I found it really predictable I wasn't 100% sure about anything until it actually happened, so I never found myself feeling too bored. It was an interesting take on the angel mythology, I liked how there weren't too many actual angels involved and the feel of the 'Upstairs' being really distant from what happened on Earth, and I can kinda see how aspects of the  overarching plot might work out which is pretty cool.

Character-wise I can take or leave pretty much all of them. The boys I felt were fairly nothingy, typical tropes really which was a bit of a shame. Kristen was my favourite character by far; she was interesting and layered and sorta tragic in a way. Eden I found a bit sappy and annoying in places and I didn't like how the author constantly emphasised how 'alternative' she was. Everyone kept talking about how she was in charge but most of what I saw was her blundering about making terrible choices and generally keeping her foot in her mouth, being shouted at by the men in her life or sulking in her bedroom. 

This feels like a really negative review but I liked it more than it seems....sometimes you know how you have those books that you liked well enough, but the only things you can think to comment on are the aspects you didn't like? That's pretty much this book for me.

TL;DR: A Touch Mortal was a bit all over the place and predictable for me to be a true fan of it, but it was an enjoyable read, slightly above a 3 but not quite a 4.  I wanted to like this book more than I actually did.

Review: The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Release date: 2nd October 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Gift
Reason for reading: Liz told me to
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

My thoughts:

So, Asher reviewed this many months ago and I thought “well, it does sound really great and Asher really raved about it buuuut is it really my thing?” And I dismissed it. And then I kept seeing it everywhere and got really into fantasy again and thought “yeah okay, I’mma give it a go, maybe” and THEN Liz who is *clearly* some kind of mind reader bought it for me for Christmas and I thought “well, I have to read it NOW” don’t I? (Because every book Liz has ever recommended to me and I have read I have ended up adoring) And you know what? I adored it. So yes, you were right guys, well done. 

What I loved most about this book, was Ananna and Naji. Specifically, their faults. They weren’t perfect characters by any stretch. Both could get sulky and kinda moody, taking their moods out on each other and snapping. The flaws made them seem more real, more normal. I much preferred it to them being perfectly poised and always in control. They frustrated the hell out of each other at times and it was so entertaining. Naji was so…enigmatic. Hired to kill Ananna because she offended another pirate family by refusing to marry their son, the curse she activates means he’s got no choice but to protect her. He was so secretive, partly cause you know, he’s an assassin and they can’t share their assassiny secrets, but also cause that’s just the way he is. He never gave anything way, half the things he said were totally ambiguous and I loved it. How does he feel? I honestly don’t know. I know how the conventions of YA says he should feel, how I WANT him to feel, but does he *actually* feel that way? I do not know. He is so OPAQUE. Ananna was kinda the same, in that she didn’t give much a way, but she was less prickly about it. It was more of a ‘raised as a pirate, don’t trust anybody’ vibe really. She kept her cards close to her chest, all the way through the book, both in terms of what she admits to Naji and to herself. They had such a reciprocal relationship, each of them bringing skills and experiences to their journey, each of them saving the other at different points. In fact, Ananna probably ended up helping Naji more, the combination of the magic and the curse left him weak and sick at a lot of points and she often had to resort to literally dragging him places. I liked this reversal, it was very refreshing. 

This book is a superb lesson in ‘show, don’t tell’. Ananna never voices her feelings until right at the very very end. But you infer how she feels from her reactions, from how she acts, from throwaway comments and I loved that. Too often characters in books talk of how much they love each other, without ever showing any reason for such feelings.

I really enjoyed the plot, it had a good mix of journey and action, meaning it was fast-paced but left enough slow-time for character development and humorous moments. I have a couple of tiny nags, the first is, this book felt kinda unfinished. It’s fairly short, which coupled with the unfinished feel and the fact it’s (as far as I know) book 1 of 2, made me feel as though only half the book was written when the book was acquired and maybe the other half wasn’t finished in time for publication. My other minor issue was I felt the language was sometimes a little simplistic and repetitive, and it got a bit repetitive with all the stealing Ananna did. Ananna’s colloquialisms annoyed me, but that’s totally a personal thing, I have always found that irritating. 

TL;DR: Cassandra Rose Clarke has created an imaginative fantasy world, rich in detail but not too bogged down in specifics. If you’re looking for a tale of adventure with some kickass leads who aren’t afraid to be themselves, this is the book for you.