Saint Death - Marcus Sedgwick

"Anapra is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the Mexican city of Juarez - twenty metres outside town lies a fence - and beyond it - America - the dangerous goal of many a migrant. Faustino is one such trying to escape from the gang he's been working for. He's dipped into a pile of dollars he was supposed to be hiding and now he's on the run. He and his friend, Arturo, have only 36 hours to replace the missing money, or they're as good as dead. Watching over them is Saint Death. Saint Death (or Santissima Muerte) - she of pure bone and charcoal-black eye, she of absolute loyalty and neutral morality, holy patron to rich and poor, to prostitute and narco-lord, criminal and police-chief. A folk saint, a rebel angel, a sinister guardian."

I thought this book was fantastic is an understatement - this book may be the best book I've read this year. It is, I think, one of the best YA books I've ever read. That being said, this smart, literary YA isn't for those who shrug their shoulders and say "kids these days have no interest in serious issues". I don't, I can't buy into that way of thinking - it's the kids who must have an interest, if the world is ever to change.

I don't know where to start. This book deeply affected me to the point that I actually cried. It comes at a chillingly appropriate time when issues of immigration and border controls are at the top of the list on every political agenda. Nationalism is on the rise - as it was during the 19th Century as political alignments shifted towards a set-up that would fuel two world wars - and the funny thing is so few people seem to see it.

What kind of world are we creating? What future are we moving towards? Sedgwick focuses on Juarez in Mexico and Mexican immigrants, but what he's ultimately saying is much bigger than that, the bold suggestion that there is no such thing as immigrants. Or, rather, that we are all immigrants out of Africa, and national borders are simply the way rich immigrants keep the poor immigrants confined to poorer areas; often areas that were made poor by the rich.

And they end up in the rich countries, and you know what people say... ¡Migrants! ¡illegal aliens! But everyone is a migrant, everyone, outside of the African cradle. It's just a question of how back in time you care to look...

This particular story is about the Mexican Arturo who lives in Juarez, right alongside the gang warfare and drug crime that exists on the US/Mexican border. His adoptive brother - the Guatemalan Faustino - has gotten himself into serious trouble by losing the money of a prominent gang leader. In a story spanning less than 48 hours, Arturo must try to get it back in a suspense-filled journey into the dark corners of the city. With Sedgwick's writing, Juarez comes to life in exquisite detail that equally captures its bright lights and its darkness:

“There are shadows in every alley, every doorway, and the lights of shops and bars and adverts and cars dazzle and blind and make the shadows darker still.”

Saint Death is woven with Spanish phrases and cultural elements - to me, it seems extremely well-researched. I recommend a basic knowledge of the Santa Muerte or "Saint Death" before picking this book up. It helps with understanding that element of the story, and it is also pretty fascinating. I hadn't heard of it before and I love learning something new.

“She’s wearing a white shawl over a long white gown, which reaches to the ground. From under the shawl glimpses of a black wig can be seen, grotesque against the skull face, almost ridiculous, Arturo thinks, and yet it’s more disturbing than it is funny, and in a way disconcerting because it is somehow comical too, and Do not laugh at death, he thinks, we do not laugh at death.”

Of course, enjoying this book depends on your interest in the subject matter, but it was absolutely enthralling to me. Arturo is such a sympathetic character who dares to long for something more than what he has, and parts of the book are filled with such nail-biting tension, hope, and horror because of the reader's desire that he will be different; that he will succeed. His story is peppered with extracts from social media pages, facts about NAFTA, and backstory on him and Faustino - the latter came to Mexico on a gruelling journey from Guatemala, in which he lost both his parents in their desperate search for a better life.

It's really hard to review books like this. I can't fully explain how important it is, how horrifically hopeful and sad it is. Just writing this review and remembering the book has me on the verge of tears. I can only hope you read it.

Age Rating 14+. Mature subject matter.

Not If I See You First - Eric Lindstrom

"The Rules
Don't deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.

Don't help me unless I ask. Otherwise you're just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don't be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I'm just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.
When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react - shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened - both with Scott, and her dad - the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken. "

I really liked that Parker was unlikable, outspoken and selfish at times, in a way that I thought was realistic and relatable. Sometime though she stepped over the line and just became an asshole, excuse my French. How annoying it would have been if she had simply been portrayed as a one-dimensional blind girl who can do no wrong. Instead, she is given a layered personality, flaws, and a sharp tongue that made for some funny moments.

The romance utterly baffled me. In fact, Parker's girl friends play a much bigger part in this story. For me, it was more about friendship than romance.

Scott, Parker's ex, was a really underdeveloped character. We essentially only learn about him through hearsay, he doesn't play an active role in the story until the very end despite being a large part of the story. It made the book a little more underwhelming because so much of it was focused on Parker and Scott, even though Scott was a very minimal character in my opinion.

The romantic side is less about getting the two teens together, and more a lesson on growing up, changing and learning to listen. Or it was to me. Which is why I would be one of the few people who liked the atypical ending if Scott's character had been written differently.

I definitely am already suffering from the disappointment of there not being as much track running as I wanted, but the bulk of the story that replaced the expected-track parts wasn't as engaging.

All in all, this was a nice read.

Age Rating 12+. Nothing at all untoward.

The Food of Love Cookery School - Nicky Pellegrino

"Luca Amore runs a cooking school in the baroque Sicilian mountain town of Favio. He's taught many people how to cook the dishes passed down to him by generations of Amore women. As he readies himself for yet another course he expects it to be much like all the others. He will cook, he will take his clients to visit vineyards and olive groves, they will eat together, become friends, and then, after a fortnight, they will pack up and head home to whatever corner of the globe they came from. But there is a surprise in store for Luca. This time there are four women booked in to The Food of Love Cookery School. Each one is at a turning point in her life. Each one is looking for something more than new cooking skills from her time in Sicily. A divorcee, a widow, an exhausted working mum and an unfulfilled top London barrister come together for this idyllic escape into the sun-drenched Sicilian hills, and a tantalising culinary adventure. Sparks fly, friendships are made and secrets and stories are shared. Luca doesn't realise it yet but this group of women is going to change his life. And for Moll, Tricia, Valerie and Poppy, after this journey, nothing will ever be the same."

This book is far away from my usually genre but I was lured in by the beautiful cover and foodie blurb, I was not disappointed. 

A light read, but nonetheless quite satisfying. An especially nice read in the grey depths of winter! I gobbled it up like the Sicilian delicacies that pepper the pages.     

Pellegrino does a phenomenal job of describing the locations, surroundings, events, and all the amazing Italian food that they buy or cook. My mouth was watering every time she would begin to talk of a new dish that they were going to cook, or one that Luca was making. It was well researched, well described and really did a great job of making me feel like I wanted to holiday in the South of Italy.

The story itself was creative and it flowed nicely, it seems like the perfect kind of novel to read when you are looking for something entertaining but not too deep or difficult to read. I’d say its the type of book you would throw in your handbag during a holiday.

The end of the book includes a range of different recipes that are made or described during the book which is a plus because it did have me googling the recipe for “maltagliati”.

In my personal opinion, however I’ve never enjoyed books that jump around between too many characters. It makes it difficult for the reader to get a good grasp on each individual personality in order to really enjoy them. For this reason, jumping back and forth between four different women and periodical chapters based on the male protagonist, Luca, bothered me a little bit.

The love story that begins to bloom is unrealistic and poorly developed. The characters are supposed to be there for two weeks and a full blown, loving relationship develops between two characters and you can’t really understand why they liked each other at all, or when they even had the chance to start feeling like that. Luca is a weak character and doesn’t really appear as the heart throb that his character is intended to be.

Age Rating 14+. One character has questionable morals and it is an adult book.

The Winter Siege - Ariana Franklin, Samantha Norman

"It's 1141 and freezing cold.
Gwil , a battle hardened mercenary, is horrified to stumble across a little girl close to death. She has been attacked, just one more victim in  winter of atrocities. Clutching a sliver of parchment, she is terrified - but Gwil knows what h must do. He will bring her back to life. He will train her to fight. And together, they will hunt down the man who did this to her.

But danger looms wherever they turn. A castle after castle falls victim to siege, the icy fens ring with rumours of a madman, of murder - and a small piece of parchment with a terrible secret to tell, the cost of which none of them could ever have imagined."

This is my first historical fiction and I think I picked a excellent first. I was thrilled because it is one of those rare books in which the writing is so vivid that the real world around me faded away as I became immersed in the plot. The historical novel is set in 1141 while Stephen and Matilda battle for the English throne. The story is centred on Gwil, a mercenary; Penda, the brutalized girl he protects; and Maud, the chatelaine of Kenniford Castle, where siege is laid. The story is fast paced and the dialogue is crisp and often humorous, but the characterization was my biggest delight.

What a wonderful assembly of characters. Each leaps off the page into full life and touches our emotions. Gwilherm de Vannes, a mercenary soldier, and his conversations with God are a true delight…”And what now, Lord? Eh? How can I protect her from herself?”
“That’s a tricky one, Gwil. That’s the question. Even I can’t help you there I’m afraid.”

Young Pen, whom he rescues, is a survivor who learns to cope with events in her own way. Young Maud, forced into marriage and now finds herself having to defend her beloved castle with the help of Sir Rollo, commander of her troops and protect her step son, William. There is a mystery to the story, and a villain which is as evil as a villain can be. This is the time of the Plantagenet's, and the history is important, but the story is very much a human story.

The depiction of life in the 12th Century, especially the daily concerns of a castle chatelaine, is excellent. The growing relationship between Gwil and Penda is something you will want to hold onto; it is incredibly touching, as are the relationships between Maud and those she comes to love.

I didn't pick up any obvious 21st century slang, but there were a few modern-day idioms. I did wonder how much of the history was accurate except the barebones of the conflict between the two contenders for the throne. I thought the ending of the novel most satisfactory.

Age 14+. Rape and reality of war, not terribly graphic but still not appropriate for younger readers.

Sister Assassin - Kiersten White

"She never chose her deadly gift but now she’s forced to use it. How far would you go to protect the only family you have left?

Annie is beset by fleeting strange visions and a guilty conscience. Blind and orphaned, she struggles to care for her feisty younger sister Fia, but things look up when both sisters are offered a place at Keane's School for Exceptional Girls.

Born with flawless intuition, Fia immediately knows that something’s wrong, but bites her tongue… until it’s too late. For Fia is the perfect weapon to carry out criminal plans and there are those at Kessler who will do anything to ensure her co-operation.

With Annie trapped in Kessler’s sinister clutches, instincts keep Fia from killing an innocent guy and everything unravels. Is manipulative James the key to the sisters’ freedom or an even darker prison? And how can Fia atone for the blood on her hands?"  


Enjoyed the concept, but had a really hard time with the writing and how it was delivered. Sister Assassin is told in both Annie and Fia's pov and we are connected to both the past and the present, but it didn't work in it's favour since it felt scattered and erratic. String of repetitive words and the tap-tap-tapping was also very distracting and frustrating. The characters, Annie and Fia felt, at times, like they had the same voice and inner-dialog and were hard to distinguish one from the other.
I also just couldn't understand the characters motivation. Supposedly Fia's been a killer before, it doesn't matter because as soon as we meet her, the first paragraph of the book tells us that she is a moron who can't kill anything if it has big, soulful eyes.

Fia has to kill this boy. There are people holding her beloved sister, Annie, hostage. If she doesn't kill this guy whom she's never met before, they're gonna probably kill or hurt her sister (who's blind, and by implication, pretty helpless).

So what does Fia do? She doesn't kill the guy. Because he helped a puppy.

He's setting the little puppy free from where its leash got tangled, and by doing so Fia, can't bring it in her cold steel assassin heart to kill him. He's ruined her plans because he helped a puppy. Need I remind you of what's going to happen if she doesn't kill him? Her sister is going to get killed by the organization holding her hostage.

The love between sisters in this book is all telling and no showing. Oh, we know that Fia really loves her sister because she says so all the time. Except for the fact that practically every time she sees Annie, Fia's resenting her for getting her stuck in this situation in the first place. We know that Fia really loves Annie because she thinks that Annie's betraying her without giving her a chance to explain. We know that Annie and Fia love each other because they never. ever. communicate. with each other. Sharing emotions. Sharing your troubles. Sharing your stories. Leaning on each other for support? I just wanted the sister to show some genuine love for one another.

Surprisingly little romance, despite the insta-love. The book doesn't tie anything together. There are roughly 93889758934329 loose ends, and the romance is but one of them. There attempts to be a love triangle, and it's just completely laughable because it's so completely pointless. The only person I liked in the book is the sadistic love interest, James. He was the only one with any sort of depth to his personality.

Age Rating 13+. There was just no point to this book. Nothing ever got resolved.
         

Texas Gothic - Rosemary Clement-Moore

"Amy Goodnight knows that the world isn't as simple as it seems—she grew up surrounded by household spells and benevolent ghosts. But she also understands that "normal" doesn't mix with magic, and she's worked hard to build a wall between the two worlds. Not only to protect any hope of ever having a normal life.

Ranch-sitting for her aunt in Texas should be exactly that. Good old ordinary, uneventful hard work. Only, Amy and her sister, Phin, aren't alone. There's someone in the house with them—and it's not the living, breathing, amazingly hot cowboy from the ranch next door.

It's a ghost, and it's more powerful than the Goodnights and all their protective spells combined. It wants something from Amy, and none of her carefully built defenses can hold it back.

This is the summer when the wall between Amy's worlds is going to come crashing down."

I picked this up on a whim because the title intrigued me. I'm glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed the story! I'm always a big fan of anything that has ghosts or witches and when you pair both together, it's a definite recipe for success! Not only was the story fast paced but I really enjoyed the quirky characters as well. I kept forgetting that many of them were in their teens because they definitely didn't act like teenagers. The ending was absolutely not what I was expecting. I kept wondering how it would all wrap up and I must say the end felt abit Nancy Drew-ish but at least the book had the good sense to mention and admit it, which I applaud.

Age 13+. Mild flirting and the ghosts aren't scary.

Simon Vs The Homo - Sapien Agenda - Becky Albertalli

"Straight people should have to come out too. And the more awkward it is, the better.

Simon Spier is sixteen and trying to work out who he is - and what he's looking for.

But when one of his emails to the very distracting Blue falls into the wrong hands, things get all kinds of complicated.

Because, for Simon, falling for Blue is a big deal . . .
It's a holy freaking huge awesome deal."

I don't particularly like cutesy romances, LGBT or not. The title is an inside joke that only makes sense after reading the book. Let's be honest, it's always easier to convince me to read books with phrases like "mind-bending twist", "dark secrets" and "twisted characters". The word "cute" doesn't draw me in.

But I took a chance on it and I concede - this book is wonderful. Just so so entertaining from start to finish. I actually snorted aloud (like the sexy beast I am) at some of the hilarious scenes between Simon and his friends. Simon is that perfect mix of delightfully weird and totally normal - he makes us laugh and roll our eyes, but many of us can recognize many of the things he thinks.

I giggled so much at scenes like this:I take a sip of my beer, and it’s - I mean, it’s just astonishingly disgusting. I don’t think I was expecting it to taste like ice cream, but holy fucking hell. People lie and get fake IDs and sneak into bars, and for this? I honestly think I’d rather make out with Bieber. The dog. Or Justin.
Anyway, it really makes you worry about all the hype surrounding sex.

A few minutes later...“Simon, how much did you drink?” asks Leah. I’m twisting the ends of her hair. Leah’s hair is so pretty, and it smells exactly like French toast. Except that’s Abby. Leah smells like almonds.
“One beer.” One most excellent, most delicious beer.
“One beer. I can’t even begin to express how ridiculous you are.”

I know this sounds extremely lame - but this book genuinely made me happy. It doesn't hesitate to portray the reality of homophobia in a high school in the South, but it's ultimately such an uplifting story about friendship, family and the sweetest romance I may ever have read, straight or not.

You can read hundreds, perhaps thousands, of books about the difficulties of dealing with your sexuality and coming out and these are very important, but it was so refreshing to see a warm, fuzzy gay romance where the protagonist is supported by his friends and family.

Very funny and heart-warming. Age Rating 15+. Strong language and some sexual references.  

Into The Gray - Celine Keirnan

“A pacy, chilling ghost story from the creator of the internationally acclaimed Moorehawke Trilogy.


I think the fire changed us – me and Dom. I think that’s how the boy was able to see us. Though he’d been there for every summer of our childhood, we’d only been stupid boys until then. Stupid, happy, ignorant boys. And what in hell would he have had in common with two stupid boys? But after the fire we were different. We were maybe a little bit like him. And so he saw us, at last, and he thought he’d found a home…”

Wow, was this a creepy read!

Well, the first third or so at least had me kind of wishing I wasn't reading it late at night. After we are shown what was going on, it wasn't as freaky, but still, it's one heck of a story!

I loved the setting and language in this one: the place (Ireland in the 70's) was spot-on for the story, and Kiernan has a way with words that pulls you in and paints such a lovely picture of the setting. Both sets of twins were interesting, especially as the story unfolds. Personally, my favourite characters were the mom and the grandmother. I loved their reactions and how inexorably real they felt. And the ghosts? What a story! Not to give anything away, but their story will stick with you for sure. Overall, this was a great read, very atmospheric and chilling, but also a story of brotherly love and friendship.

We get to sit in one boy's emotions and thoughts quite a bit more than in any other character's. This character being a teenager is definitely more focused on himself and his immediate surroundings not that he doesn't love his family. His fear, anger, frustration and helplessness at a time are very raw and true, which is mirrored in his thoughts and inner dialogues. It's all part of the authenticity, which I loved. It is a fifteen year-old boy's perspective.

Age 13+. Creepy, goosebumby, (that’s not a word but should be) with mild infrequent swearing.

 

 

The Boundless Sublime – Lili Wilkinson

“Ruby Jane Galbraith is empty. Her family has been torn apart and it's all her fault.

The only thing that makes sense to her is Fox - a gentle new friend who is wise, soulful and clever, yet oddly naïve about the ways of the world. He understands what she's going through and he offers her a chance to feel peace. Fox belongs to a group called the Institute of the Sublime - and Ruby can't stay away from him. So she is also drawn in to what she too late discovers is a terrifying secretive community that is far from the ideal world she expected.

Can Ruby find the courage to escape? Is there any way she can save Fox too? And is there ever really an escape from the far-reaching influence of the Institute of the Sublime?

A gripping YA novel about an ordinary girl who is unsuspectingly inducted into a secretive modern-day cult”

Okay this was sufficiently disturbing and I admit I couldn't look away. I actually usually avoid cult books because I don’t understand how people can be so stupid, but honestly I was hooked in the sense that I felt like I was watching a train wreck. I couldn't look away.

Cult Leader: I know you're wondering if we're a cult.

Ruby: Kind of.

Cult Leader: Well we're not.

(We just live in a secluded commune, all dress the same, hate the outside world, believe we need to purify our bodies for end times, have a very restricted diet, worship the cult leader as a godlike figure, and abuse members when they don't do what they're told.)

I thought her attraction to Fox, a very innocent cult-grown boy, was adorable...but he to is just a distraction. I felt the book was promoting love can heal depression.

Until her focus changes, to the sickening adoration of the cult leader. Who they all call "Daddy". Like...no.

There were some seriously "NOOOOOO" plot twists at the end that had me shrieking. So yeah, I disliked, yet annoyingly empathised with, Ruby. I was vey invested in finding out if everything could work out. THIS BOOK WAS SO GRIPPING...READ IT.

Age 14+ - Mature content, light language. 

 

Age Rating 14+. Mature themes and ideas.

You Killed Me! - Keith Gray

“Len Grimsby is dead and he blames Toby. When Len's ghost appears at the end of his bed, Toby is taken back in time to see the repercussions of his actions and unravel the series of events that led to Len's death. Can he save Len from being killed? And can he manage not to screw everything else up in the process?”

This is a short, sharp little book. About a ghost who shows a boy how he accidentally killed him. I love the fact that the book is printed on yellowish paper for Dyslexic readers.

The resetting of time intrigued me. Who'd have thought one action could lead to such a massive chain reaction.

It's not a high scorer as there isn't a great deal of depth to it. Still an enjoyable read though.

Age 12+. Someone who has been shot through the head is graphically described in the first few pages.

 

Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake

“Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. They follow legends and local lore, destroy the murderous dead, and keep pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the usual: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Yet she spares Cas's life”

Hi Guys, sorry I haven’t written in a while. I have just moved and as I am sure many of you know it is very hectic and the broadband has only now gotten up and running so I apologise for the spam of reviews. Anyway onto the book, what a disappointing read.

Sometimes you read books that are visibly bad. So bad, in fact, that they make you want to throw yourself head first out a window, but you keep on reading. You might even feel yourself losing your will to live about halfway through. But somehow, by the end of the book, you end up liking it anyway because it entertained you. The badness was just that... entertaining. Then, there are other books that are good, but just do nothing for you. Anna Dressed in Blood was the latter for me. There was nothing wrong with this book and I usually like ghost stories. However...

The three biggest issues I had with the book:

Cas:

For the most part I did like him, but in the beginning I found him to be a bit conceited. When he first arrives in Thunder Bay, Ontario he walks around the school like he's way too cool to be there. To his credit, I guess he really is. I mean, he kills ghosts for a living. But the way those girls just fawned over him, like he was some Grecian god, was just a little over the top.

"I make my way to her table, seeing eyes growing wider as I do. Ten or so other girls probably just developed instantaneous crushes on me, because they see that Carmel likes me."

Then there was the issue with him being the only one able to kill ghosts. He kept repeating, "I'm the only one who can do this" and I kept asking, "Oh, yeah? Why? Why, Cas? What makes you so speshul?" Yes, I realize he comes from a long line of ghost hunters, but why his family? What makes his bloodline different from anyone else? I needed background info and I never got it.

Anna:

This book has a reputation, making me believe I would need to read it with the lights on. Usually, I scare very easily. I wasn't scared one bit while reading. At first, when Cas "runs into" Anna, I was thinking, "Uh, oh. It's about to go down." And for a minute it did. Anna. Oh, Anna. Why couldn't you remain scary?

I wanted you to run around angry, strike some fear in people's hearts, make me afraid of the dark for a few nights, tear some things up. But instead I got Casper the friendly ghost.

For some odd reason you didn't have the urge to hurt Cas, which is never explained. Again, why is this kid so speshul?

The Romance:

This is honestly where the book started to lose me. Killer vindictive girl running around killing people? I can handle that. Cas going all "goo-goo eyes" over a dead girl? Yeah, um...it didn't work for me. I just didn't see where that relationship was supposed to be headed. It was different, I'll give Blake that, but it just didn't work for me.

I Never saw the villain coming. He was confusing and unpredictable.

Age 13+. Violent

  

Holding up the Universe - Jennifer Niven

"Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours."


This book isn't about bullying, or fat-shaming, or living with mental illness, it's about high school love.

Jack is popular dude at the school and he has prosopagnosia.

PROSOPAGNOSIA: 1. An inability to recognize the faces of familiar people, typically as a result of damage to the brain.  

He has a stellar quote "People are shitty for a lot of reasons. Sometimes they're just shitty people. Sometimes people have been shitty to them and, even though they don't realize it, they take that shitty upbringing and go out into the world and treat others the same way. Sometimes they're shitty because they're afraid. Sometimes they choose to be shitty to others before others can be shitty to them. So it's like self-defensive shittiness..."

Libby is a force of nature. She doesn't take much shit from anyone! She ignores it or in the case of boys, she just knocks them on their arse! I really loved her.

I'm sure some readers will see the decision to have such different protagonists as an indication of depth, but I truly feel like this is a very shallow book. Stereotypes and cliches abound. Dress it up however you want, but this book is about an unpopular girl who sees herself as unattractive, and a popular good-looking guy who comes to see how said girl is so much better than all those hot, evil cheerleaders he's been dating. His hot, evil girlfriend constantly fat-shames and bullies Libby, obviously, because we all know pretty popular girls are mean, shallow and have no feelings.

Also Libby's journey to self-love seems to be almost entirely revolve around finding a guy who will actually like her. I was hoping this would be addressed as the novel wore on, but the small rushed steps toward it at the end were dissatisfying.

The pace also slows down as the story moves forward. I remember feeling at one point like the book should be coming to an end, and yet there were almost another hundred pages to go.

Then there's my disbelief that Jack has managed to hide face-blindness from his family for years. That seems impossible to me. I guess this book never was about the reality of the issues it offered up. Also that Jack can only see Libby, just, just no. The power of love doesn't defeat a cognitive disorder.

Age Rating 13+. Typical high school parties so drinking, making out and one main character takes one pull of marijuana. 

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

"Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead and subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed."

I have read Jane Eyre a million times, but I never tire of the story. I know Jane almost as well as myself. I love how Jane never backs down on her morals or views but always stand strong against things she believes wrong and immoral. She is a true role model.

One of my favourite passages:

“I can live alone, if self-respect, and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.”

Jane Eyre is the quintessential Victorian novel. It literally has everything that was typical of the period, but, unlike other novels, it has all the elements in one story. At the centre is the romance between Jane and Rochester, which is enhanced by gothic elements such as the uncanniness and the spectre like qualities of Bertha. In addition, it is also a governess novel; these were an incredibly popular type of storytelling in the age and for it to be combined with gothic elements, which are interposed with a dualistic relationship between realism and romance, is really quite unique. The correct term for this is a hybrid, in which no genre voice is dominant; they exist alongside each other creating one rather special book.

This is so, so, special; it’s an excellent piece of literature. Jane’s journey is gut wrenching and emotional. Through her life she experiences real sorrow, the kind that would make a lesser person give up. She also experiences real friendship, the type that comes across perhaps once in a lifetime. But, most significantly, she experiences true love and the development of independence to form he own ending. I really do love this book. Bronte utilises the first person narrative, which creates a high degree of intimacy with her character; it makes me feel like I know Jane as well as she comes to know her own self.

 

Passing for White - Tanya Landman

"It's 1848 in the Deep South of America. Rosa is a slave but her owner is also her father and her fair skin means she can 'pass for white'. With the help of her husband Benjamin, she disguises herself as a young southern gentleman - and Benjamin's master. In this guise, the couple flee the South, explaining away their lack of literacy, avoiding those they have encountered before and holding their nerve over a thousand miles to freedom.Inspired by the amazing true story of Ellen Craft who escaped a life of slavery through a daring disguise and won freedom for herself and her husband."

 How do you review a book that shows the very best of human resilience and bravery while at the same time showing the very worst of what we are? With fiction, especially dystopia and fantasy there is an element of detachment. Historical Fiction doesn’t give readers the allowance of shifting what inspired the story.

A gentle story about a terrible part of history. You really feel for Rosa and Benjamin. In passing herself off as a white gentleman, Rosa gives us a stark view of the attitudes to slavery and what they meant personally to those enslaved. Not always violently hurt but seen as household pets and kept aggressively in their place, not seen as fully human despite being equally deserving of rights and respect. Told in a clear, simple and concise way that should not hide from children what it must have been like, but also shouldn't overly frighten them.

I love this book for Rosa’s story. Her narration is amazing, all her emotions feed into the reader and in a short space of time you learn a lot. I appreciate that Tanya Landman did not censor the language; I feel that this is important.

Passing For White is special and inspiring. It’s also draining and important. I would love this book to be in schools and also in book clubs because I think there is so much for discussion.
Age Rating Mature 12+.

Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

"Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."

If you are into plots consisting 70% of soppy love stories, little to no character development, unrealistic/convenient plot twists and blurry writing…more
Ugh, another overhyped paranormal YA creation. When will I learn not to buy into hype? Just like so many readers, I gave into the favourable internet buzz and opened the book with an expectation of it to be something special. Unfortunately, "Beautiful Creatures" was just another painfully boring overlong dud.

Having finally finished this book with a high level of irritation and disappointment, I decided to check out the favourable reviews to see what people liked about the story. Turns out the most appreciated aspects of the book were: an original love story told from a male POV (compare it to those other romances told from whiny girls' POVs), truly original paranormal lore, and small town Southern setting. I personally found none of it particularly striking. Allow me to elaborate:

The story follows same old dead-beat formula: a paranormal/human pairing, uncovering of the "mysterious" partner's true nature, teens drawn to each other for some unknown reason (even my hope for some kind of reincarnation "twist" didn't quite work out), constant i-can't-be-with-you-cause-it's-dangerous back and forth, the inability to "be together" physically...

Male POV is also not successful. I think the book would have been better if told in 3rd person, at least the writers' inability to channel a voice of a 16-year old boy would have been somewhat concealed.

As for Southern small town feel, In "Beautiful Creatures" it never rings true and is based on old tired cliches of narrow-mindedness and drawl. I don't know what it's like to live in the South, nor do I have any particular desire to find out - but I'm pretty sure it's nothing like this. The setting in Beautiful Creatures is one big, fat stereotype and basically, it makes all Southern Americans seem like petty, bitchy, closed-minded, bigoted lumps of waste - and what an insult that is. If you need any evidence just check out Ethan when he says that he doesn't have an accent because he was raised by educated people. What the heck? He practically spells it out that all Southerners are STUPID, and spends about 90% of the time lamenting about how he's too good for the town and all the people in it, and how predictable everyone is, and for God's sake, it gets really annoying after a while.


But even all these issues aside, the book is simply a too long, often pointless concoction. Yes, the world of Casters (witches) is fairly new, but it is never too interesting or believable and can't justify the book's 600-page length.

I am still willing to give the writers some credit for their apparent effort to write a better book than the majority of YA writers, with a more intricate back story and better developed characters, but for me personally this book was just an excruciatingly long and boring read. The chances of me ever reading the sequel are non-existent.
If you are into plots consisting 70% of soppy love stories, little to no character development, unrealistic/convenient plot twists and blurry writing then yes, go for it. I didn't like it at all.
And I tend to like a lot of YA novels who are not perfectly written.
But I have to admit that there are some really good aspects in the book. I liked the different caster powers a lot and some of the side characters are quite cool.

Age Rating 13+. Nothing gory and light kissing. There are Incubi however they are not the traditional type but if you don't like the suggestion of demons then don't read.      

The Black Velvet Gown - Catherine Cookson

"There would be times when Riah Millican came to regret that her husband had learned to read and write, and then shared his knowledge with her and their children. For this was Durham in the 1830's, when employers tended to regard the spread of education with suspicion. But now Seth Millican was dead and she was a widow with the need to find a home and a living for herself and her children.

The chance of becoming a housekeeper didn't work out, but it led to Moor House and a scholarly recluse obsessed with that very book learning that could open so many doors and yet create so many problems; especially with her daughter, Biddy, who was not only bright, but wilful..."

I grew up thinking that Catherine Cookson was sort of a lightweight romance author, and thus I never really bothered with her. The only reason I picked up this book was because I was on holiday to France and the only English book I could find. So imagine my surprise when I picked up The Black Velvet Gown, and found it to be more intricate than I expected, and written in an intelligent, sometimes stark fashion.

Based on the cover and various descriptions of it and its author, I really expected another shallow, crappy 'historical fiction' (really a romance in pseudo-intellectual clothes). This, to my mind, was nothing of the sort. No, nothing sweeping or epic happens--none of the characters change the world, but they do change their worlds, and that alone was enjoyable enough to read. It really gave you a sense of the conditions of the time period.

The real draw for me was the characters, though. I loved how deeply drawn they were. No major characters here are one-dimensional. The jerks had softer, gentler sides, the kind ones had mean streaks and were capable of resentment and bitterness. People like the wrong people and dismiss the good ones mistakenly, they make mistakes. Biddy, the arguable main character, gets herself into trouble because she's got a temper and doesn't hold her tongue when that temper is high. Mr Miller is deeply, deeply complex, and I went through different shades with him. By the end of the book, I still wasn't quite sure what to make of him. They felt like real people with real struggles, and for that I adore this book.

No earth-shattering plots or anything like that here, but if you want a genuine human drama, this is for you. Age rating 14+. Heavy, sometimes depressing and talks about difficult subjects in a language you need to be older to understand.

Sleepless - Lou Morgan

"Young, rich and good-looking, Izzy and her friends lead seemingly perfect lives. But exams are looming and at a school like Clerkenwell, failure is not an option. Luckily, Tigs has a solution. A small pill that will make revision a breeze and help them get the results they need. Desperate to succeed, the group begin taking the study drug. It doesn't take long before they realize there are far worse things than failing a few exams." 

I am so confused... That ending has just turned my mind to mush and I don't even.

I felt that this book started pretty slowly, but once it got going it was at full pelt with no intention of stopping.

I think what impacted my enjoyment the most was the characters. When it comes to drugs of any sort and the consequences, I am very unsympathetic and part of me thought that these characters got what they deserved. I did like some of the characters in this, and I felt quite sorry for poor Izzy. I understood that her and her friends only wanted to do well in their exams, but I did feel that the only one with any sense was Kara. Who gets given random drugs by a friend, with no labels or explanations as to what is in them, that have come from some random unapproved website, and says ‘what the hell? Down the hatch!’. I mean talk about asking for trouble! Have they no self-preservation skills? Do they not worry about what they’re taking? It could by cyanide for all they know!

This book was definitely creepy and verged strongly on the gruesome, but it didn't effect me that much as I didn't feel very connected to the characters. I also liked that the story was believable, mildly realistic, and not the same old thing rehashed. There was some romance, but just a touch, and it didn’t really interfere with the main storyline.

Also part of the Red Eye series like Fir, (a book I have reviewed before this.) which I am really giving ago at the moment.

For some reason it made me want to pull an all nighter, to watch the sun set and then rise without closing my eyes. Age Rating I would say 14+ as it deals with drug abuse, murder, mental psychosis and severe hallucinations.

Fir - Sharon Gosling

"We are the trees. We are the snow.

We are the winter.

We are the peace. We are the rage.

Cut off from civilization by the harsh winter of northern Sweden, the Stromberg family shelter in their old plantation house. There are figures lurking in the ancient pine forests and they’re closing in. With nothing but four walls between the Strombergs and the evil that’s outside, they watch and wait for the snows to melt.

But in the face of signs that there’s an even greater danger waiting to strike, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from illusion. All they’ve got to do is stay sane and survive the winter…"

5 Words: Family, isolation, chilling, mythology, fear.

Part Scandi-noir thriller, part chilling horror, with a side of ancient lore and subtle hint of environmental-awareness... I could not put this book down.

I think the greatest strength in this book, and the aspect I enjoyed the most, is the setting. It's just breathtaking. The atmosphere just builds and builds in intensity until suddenly you look up, and it's snowing outside, and for a moment you're terrified. You can hear the trees. Did a wolf just howl? Is that a spot of blood on the snow?

Don't read this book when it's snowing.

I also loved the family dynamics, the resentment that slowly grows between the characters. It felt natural, it added to the horror. It added to the atmosphere and made it harder to figure out what was real and what wasn't.

There is a sense of magic realism to the story, and everywhere you look are unreliable characters described by an unreliable narrator. This is my ultimate catnip in a book.

I did want more when I reached the end of the book, but ultimately I was happy with the ending and how it was left slightly open. I still don't know what was real and what was not. Was it all in their heads? WHAT HAPPENED?

I'm one of those people who will say that I "don't like horror". But the Red Eye collection? Wow. Even if you "don't like horror" pick it up.

Age Rating 12+. Creepy and suspenseful, not for a sensitive 12.

Monstrous Regiment - Terry Pratchett

"Polly Perks joins the Discworld army to find her brother Paul. "Ozzer" cuts off blonde braids, dons male garb, belches, scratches, and masters macho habits aided by well-placed pair of socks. Legendary and seemingly ageless Sergeant Jackrum accepts her plus a vampire, troll, zombie, religious fanatic, and two close "friends". The best man for the job may be a woman."

This is my favourite and most read of all the discworld novels, closely followed by The Nightwatch.

Monstrous Regiment is about a girl who dresses up as a boy to get into the army of an extremely misogynistic and backward country so she can try to rescue her older brother Paul, whom she has taken care of since she was a child. That’s not a spoiler, by the way: that’s on the back cover. The entire story is about female and male roles, and whether or not they should change. It’s also a book that will probably make you think a few new thoughts, especially if female equality isn’t an obsession of yours, and therefore obviously worth reading.

Monstrous Regiment will also make you think about war. There is enough about realistic fighting in it to make you freeze in shock at points. Like Night Watch, like all of Sir Terry’s best writing, it deals with a serious subject in a crazy way and in turn has a deadly serious razor edge to it. Yes, yes, war is bad and grass is green but Monstrous Regiment will make you feel up close and personal what it’s like to be a soldier. If you don’t feel some wheels turning in your head as you re-evaluate your position on whether anybody should fight anybody with anything after reading this book you are probably dumber than a pigeon.

The third subject Monstrous Regiment takes on is religion. Yes, organized religion and heavenly religion, too. Once again, the book will probably surprise you. It astounded and amazed me by its bravery in handling this particular hot potato. I won’t go into the subject at length here because there are some spoilers that are pretty important to the discussion, but suffice it to say that new thoughts may well rocket back and forth in your head at the speed of a light clacks’ signals. (very fast) Sir Terry is a genius when it comes to turning established “truths” on their heads and then turning them back over again . . . and back upside-down just for good measure.

So definitely, without doubt, read the book. There are some terrific characters introduced here. The protagonist, Polly Oliver Ozzer Perks, is a very likeable girl. I’d be entirely happy to have Polly on my team any day, and I’d not hesitate to call on her in time of need. She’s smart and solid. That’s high praise from me.
Age rating is about 13/14+. Overall: The action in the book is fast and furious, the humor is hilarious, the writing is fresh and vibrant, the ideas breathtaking, and there are even a few brief appearances by Samuel Vimes, who is my favorite of all Sir Terry’s characters, male or female. 

The Road of The Dead - Kevin Brooks

"On a storm-ravaged night, a 19-year-old girl is killed. Three days later, her two younger brothers set out in search of her murderer. Cole, 17, is a dark-eyed devil who doesn't care if he lives or dies, while Ruben, 14, is a strange child who sometimes, inexplicably, experiences sensations above and beyond his own. This is the story of the boys' journey from their half-gypsy home on a London junk lot to the ghostly moors of Devon, where they hope and fear to find the truth about their sister's death. It's a long road, cold and hard and violent. It's the road of the dead."

Not what I expected. When I picked this book up I was expecting a paranormal maybe supernatural thriller. I didn't get that at all. Instead you get a brutal story which was far to real to be enjoyable.

This book in well written but it is fundamentally about vigilante justice with no real consequences (other than being severely beaten up). While no one dies, at least not on the page, no one exactly survives either. By the end of the book, it felt like a lot of destruction just barely contained within the narrative framework. The story is hard and wrenching, but it felt like it was swimming in dangerous waters.

The beginning is slow, dark and broody and then gets suddenly very violent and action-packed (but still dark and broody!). The mystical aspect of Ruben's trances/visions/whatever-they-were didn't seem to be consistent to me, especially when they became more like an out-of-body experience. There were aspects of the mystery that were solved suddenly with no real explanation, and although I thought I would enjoy the setting (English moors), it ended up too depressing and stark.

I liked it, but I won't recommend it to anyone. Age rating I would say 14+. Dark, gritty and disturbing. It touches on some uncomfortable topics and isn't a pleasant read.

Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas

"The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear." 

This book felt a lot like a chess board with how it strengthened every player and moved them into the right position before the final battle of the next book. So it might not be the most gripping story as a whole, but it did an amazing job of building an impressive lineup of characters. I NEVER expected to care this much about Lorcan?! I loved how the most unexpected characters paired up for different missions and how everyone’s different stories wove together at the end.
I was surprised by how much of this story is carried by the POVs of other characters instead of Aelin. That decision makes total sense in the end, but I was initially wondering why I wasn't connecting with her as much as I had in previous books. She spends most of the story making her own secret plans behind the scenes while everyone calls her out on not clueing them in until the continual big reveals. Seeing her through other characters often made her seem a bit distant, callous, not focused on the bigger picture, and pretty much back to her Celaena persona. But by the end it all makes sense and she was still the incredibly brave, determined, selfless character we love. She gets even more complex and mature in this story and her whole journey is wonderful.

So that decision to make the development of so many crucial plot points happen off-screen (off-page??) made the reveal at the end more emotional, but also made me kind of frustrated in the middle with how I couldn't get a strong sense of where on earth Aelin’s head was or where the plot was even going. Because we didn't get such a strong look into Aelin's mind, her relationship with Rowan didn't have much emotional impact for me. I love them both as individual characters and do care about them together, but I'm just not very invested. So I did enjoy this book overall, but wasn’t super emotionally attached like I was in Heir or Fire or flipping through the pages like I was in Queen of Shadows.

HOWEVER THE CHARACTERS ARE SO AMAZING. They’ve all grown so much since the first book! I said in my reviews of previous books that I wanted to see more of Manon, Aedion, and Elide and I was not let down. The amount of character development that secondary characters got here makes me so happy. I have no clue how Maas juggles all of these characters so well and make them all unique and interesting.

I liked Elide in Queen of Shadows, but can we talk about how she becomes the most amazing character ever here. Her POV and everything that happened in it was the most unexpected part of the book (and also maybe the best).
Other random things I loved:- MANON. Manon and her Thirteen. Manon and Abraxos. Manon and learning to hope.
- Lysandra being stronger and more badass then before!!
- Maeve just got bumped up past Umbridge level of loathing
- The Rowan + Dorian bonding scenes
- How amazing Maas is with her mythology references (like how Fenrys is a wolf haha)
- Aelin’s court. How much they’ve done for her and are willing to do for the bigger picture.
- Aelin calling Rolfe “his Pirateness”
- Elide adopting characteristics from Manon & Asterin and working with what she has
- the sheer scope of the phenomenal worldbuilding
- How the big reveal gave the previous books WAY more depth
- Seeing Dorian and Aelin referred to as the King of Adarlan and Queen of Terrasen
- Dorian still eats like a fine lady

Now I know that a ton of people were losing their minds over the sex scenes in this book before it was even released, so let me just take a minute to weigh in on that. The main thing I heard was that they were graphic and unnecessary. Personally I agree with that, it really didn’t need them. They didn’t really fit the tone and even felt a bit forced into the story in several places. [Especially Manon & Dorian. I can admit that ship works after everything Dorian’s been through. But that scene really didn’t do anything for the characters or plot (hide spoiler)]I defended ACOMAF because the plot built up to those scenes and it meant something in the context of the story, buuuuut I’m really not feeling that here. I wish the page time had been spent elsewhere. (So basically, YES, you can skip them and it won’t affect anything which I exactly what I did).
Because I the afore mentioned scenes I would say mature 14/15+.