Review: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Title: Ink and Bone
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: The Great Library, #1
Format: Paperback, bought
My rating: 5 / 5

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Knowledge is power. Power corrupts.

In a world where the ancient Great Library of Alexandria was never destroyed, knowledge now rules the world: freely available, but strictly controlled. Owning private books is a crime.

Jess Brightwell is the son of a black market book smuggler, sent to the Library to compete for a position as a scholar . . . but even as he forms friendships and finds his true gifts, he begins to unearth the dark secrets of the greatest, most revered institution in the world.

Those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn. . .

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

When I first read the synopsis for Ink and Bone, my expectations were set very high: it’s a book about books after all! Add in the concept that The Great Library of Alexandria was never destroyed and they control all the knowledge in the world, and I knew I had to get my hands on it as quickly as possible. Beginning reading with really high expectations can be quite daunting, and it was such a huge relief that I ended up LOVING Ink and Bone – it was easily one of my favourite reads of 2015. I’ve been chipping away at the Morganville Vampire series over the past year or so, and I can’t believe the same author wrote both works – Ink and Bone is so much better!

The best way I can describe Ink and Bone is that it’s like a futuristic historical dystopian with a pinch of steampunk story, where owning original books is illegal and The Great Library of Alexandria controls the flow of all knowledge in the world. Everybody, regardless of age, sex, race or class has access to the knowledge stored within the Library in the form of blanks. The world-building throughout the book was amazing! It’s very intricate with lots of information to take in, but it’s described and presented in a way that makes it really easy to absorb. If anything, it only made me want to learn even more about the world! Also, I loved the writing style. It held my attention continuously and consistently. I really liked the little snippets of information in the form of Ephemera between chapters that helped to round out the story.

The prologue begins with Jess, the son of a black market book smuggler, who is assigned as a runner, to (literally) run with illegal books through the streets of London and deliver them to their clients. His father gives him an ultimatum when he shows no interest in following in his footsteps: join the library as a scholar and become the eyes and ears within for the family, or be disowned. The book is written in the third person, and we get to see over Jess’s shoulder as the story unfolds. I really liked his narration (even though I kept calling him Jesse in my mind!) I really liked that he was self-assured and self-confident without coming across as an arrogant prick. It made him really likeable, and I was rooting for him throughout the story.

I’ve got to say, the characters were fabulous right across the board. There was loads of diversity, and the book had a wonderful cosmopolitan feel. Considering the tensions and competitive nature that’ll naturally develop when a bunch of ambitious students are learning, studying and living together 24/7, I LOVED how mature they appeared. If they had a problem or personalities clashes, it’s dealt with there and then, rather than dragging on throughout the entire book. The students are a unit, and they stick together when it matters most despite any personal issues with each other. My favourite character, though, was Wolfe. I loved seeing his story slowly revealed. Right from the beginning, we could see there was more to him that initially meets the eye, and I loved that my opinion of him changed so much throughout the story.

I’m actually struggling to come up with something I didn’t enjoy… which is kind of awesome! The only thing that I had a tiny issue with was that a few of the secondary characters didn’t feel as developed as much as the central ones, but in honesty, this didn’t negatively influence my feelings on the story as a whole. Overall, I loved Ink and Bone, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Review: The Changeling by Helen Falconer

Title: The Changeling
Author: Helen Falconer
Series: The Changeling, #1
Format: eARC, kindly provided by
the publishers via Netgalley for
review. (Thank you!!)
Publisher: Penguin Random House
/ Corgi Childrens
My rating: 4.5 / 5

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Some of us are born to be magic.

Aoife is an ordinary teenager, hanging out with her childhood friend Carla, putting up with school. The worst she has to contend with is that the boy of Carla’s dreams is trying to get off with her instead.

But then, after chasing a lost little girl no one seems to be able to see, Aoife starts to develop mysterious powers. Eventually her parents confess that she isn’t their real daughter. Their human child was stolen by the fairies, and Aoife is the changeling left behind in her place.

Shocked and disorientated, Aoife turns to Shay, the taciturn farmer’s son who is the only person who might believe her story. Together, they embark on a dangerous journey, which takes them deep into the underworld and changes everything they thought they knew about fairies.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Wow, The Changeling completely took me by surprise! As you may know, I’m Irish, and I usually approach books set in Ireland with an unhealthy dose of apprehension. I have this terrible reflex that ignites my overly critical side, and I firmly blame by English and Irish classes from back in my school days. Being forced to read books that I had very little interest in definitely didn’t help me in the long run! It was with this worry I began reading The Changeling, and I am SO GLAD I can say that I loved it.

What I Liked

Aoife (pronounced Ee-faa) and Shay: In general, all the characters were really good, but Aoife and Shay were completely adorable. They were typical teens right from the beginning of the book and I couldn’t help but like both of them. I loved that Aoife’s human life was established, along with her friends and family, before the main fairy elements were introduced. It added so much to the story to see over Aoife’s shoulder as she’s discovering who she really is. It was so nice to see a friendship and trust that build up between Aoife and Shay, and how that carried on throughout the rest of the story.

The setting: The book is set in Mayo, and I loved that the rural country village vibe was captured and described so realistically. It was easy to imagine Kilduff and I really liked that the close-knit community vibe shone through.

The Irish folklore, but particularly the Banshee: FINALLY I’ve read a book that’s got the banshee right! I’ve grown up with stories of the bean sídhe for as long as I can remember, and it’s such a glorious feeling to read an authentic spin on the tale for a change. And Tir na nÓg! How could I not love that Tir na nÓg and the lands of the underworld was included!? It was described so vividly and beautifully, and it was so easy to visualise. I could see a few similarities from Oisín and Niamh’s tale running through the book, and I loved it!

What I Didn’t Like

Inconsistent pacing: The only issue I had was a dip in pacing around 55-ish to 75-ish%. The book is split into two parts, and I loved every word in Book 1. Book 2 seemed to be continuing on in a similar fashion, but after a short while it seemed like the story stalled, and it didn’t pick up again for a good 20%. My attention did wander quite a bit, but once I got through that, I really enjoyed the ending. (I may have had tears streaming down my face at one stage, but it was completely fabulous!)

Overall, The Changeling was such a pleasant surprise and exceeded all my expectations. I’d highly recommend it to anyone that’s interested in Irish fairy folklore. It’s a highly addictive and a fabulous story, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.

Review: Twist by Karen Akins

Title: Twist
Author: Karen Akins
Series: Loop, #2
Format: Hardback, kindly provided
by the publishers in exchange for
a review. (Thank you!!)
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
My rating: 4.5 / 5

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Bree Bennis finally has it all—a non-comatose mother, an uber-hot (albeit anachronistic) boyfriend named Finn, and a new-found mission to protect the timeline from those who would skew it for their own gain. But when she leans over one day to smooch said boyfriend, her lips meet those of her arch-nemesis Wyck instead. The timeline has been altered, and Bree is caught in the crosshairs. But when she goes back to repair the damage, she is stopped by none other than her Future Self, who delivers an urgent message: Someone is kidnapping Shifters from the distant past. It’s up to Bree to stop them. But first, she has to figure out who... and why.

To follow the trail of chronocrumbs, Bree reluctantly accepts her new undercover gig as Wyck’s girlfriend. Everything goes spiffy until Finn shows up in the 23rd century on the eager arm of a gorgeous fellow Shifter, Blark. Even as Bree struggles with jealousy, she battles the nagging dread that Finn might be better off with someone less chronologically complicated. Her worst fear is confirmed when Finn becomes the kidnapper’s next victim. As Bree zeroes in on the culprit, they unravel her life one timeline-change at a time. She realizes that she alone has the power to save herself and everyone she loves. But to do that, she may lose Finn forever.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

I loved Twist so much! It was just as entertaining and fast paced as Loop, and oh gosh, the titles for this two-part series are simply perfection. The pacing is blisteringly fast, and the story twists, turns and loops on a hairs breath and keeps you on your toes from beginning to end - it’s fabulous!

Bree finally has a little normality and stability in her life after the events that took place in Loop. She almost up-to-date with correcting timeline changes and is beginning to feel like she has everything under control… until one evening when she’s on a date with Finn, and she leans over to kiss him, but ends up kissing Wyck instead. Someone is messing with the timeline, and Bree is firmly in their sights. When Shifters start going missing, it’s up to Bree to find the source of the changes and save the timeline from begin thrown into irreparable chaos. Little does she know just how tangled things are, and with some interference from Future Bree, correcting the timeline once and for all could cost Bree everything.

Both Bree and Finn are simply adorable characters! While we didn’t get quite as much Bree and Finn together time in Twist as we did in Loop, I still loved their banter when they were together. They both have really likeable personalities that bounce off each other so well, and this creates so many hilarious moments. Add in Bree’s snarkishly sassy inner monologue, and it’s so awesome to read! The entire story isn’t all fun and laughs though, and I felt so many emotions throughout the book and I went from laughing one minute to fighting off tears the next.

As I briefly mentioned earlier, the plot is VERY fast paced. When the story really began to kick off there is so much going on all at once, with dozens of different directions the plot can go in, and I really applaud the author for crafting this book so clearly. I loved the perfect balance of heart pounding action, lightning fast plot, and entertaining, humorous and adorable characters. There isn’t a dull moment, and I loved finding out everything right along with Bree, and I was afraid to blink or I’d miss something.

The ending, the ending, oh gosh, the ending! I just about had a heart-attack during that last chapter. I’m not going to say anything specific, don’t worry, but I loved how well wrapped up everything was, but it wasn’t without some heartbreak. I’m a little sad that this is the final book! I was hoping it would be a trilogy, and I’m not really ready so say goodbye to these characters.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed both Loop and Twist, and I highly recommend both books. Time-travel is such a tricky topic to pull of believably, and I thought Karen accomplished this brilliantly. Add in two adorable, courageous and loveable characters, and I’m completely in love! I can’t wait to see what other stories we get from her in the future – and I’m going to be over here living in hope that there might be something from Bree and Finn, too!

Review: The Infinite by Lori M. Lee

Title: The Infinite
Author: Lori M. Lee
Series: Gates of Thread and Stone, #2
Format: eARC, kindly provided by the
publishers via Netgalley (Thank you!!)
My rating: 3.5 / 5

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The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.

To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I enjoyed The Infinite so much more than Gates of Thread and Stone! The world-building was more detailed this time around, and most of the characters felt more vibrant and distinct. I really wish the first book had been a bit more like this!

I have to confess, at the start of The Infinite, I was really apprehensive. Avan grated on my nerves in the first book, and I was dreading more of the same here. I just can’t like him! I’m sorry! I really tried, but it’s not happening. I disliked his attitude even more here, and I have to admit, I was glad to get a break from his character for a while in the middle chunk of the book. What was revealed during this break was how AWESOME Kai could be! When Avan is removed from the picture, she is such a fantastic character to read about. I find it incredible that her personality can change so much, so quickly, just because of one character…

It’s no secret that I love Mason. I still think he’s the most complete and well-rounded character in the series. He has a serious side to his personality that really shines through when he’s in trainer-mode or involved in a task, but I love that he has a contrast, and how kind-hearted, sweet, caring and playful he is under the surface. I LOVED the interactions between Mason and Kai! It felt so natural, and I loved the banter between them.

I have a fear, though. Do I detect a love triangle on the horizon?! I got the sense that one could develop in the first book, and it seems like that’s the angle the trilogy will continue to take. Now, obviously, Mason is my choice in this situation. He’s my favourite character in the series, but, Avan is Kai’s golden-haired boy, and she takes every opportunity to remind us of this fact, so I doubt that will change. But, it bothers me that Mason’s character has to become the ‘other’. When it’s fairly obvious what the end-game will be, why bother including a love-triangle?

I was prepared to give The Infinite all the stars possible… until the ending happened. I’d begun to really like Kai over the course of this book, but I lost pretty much all respect for her when she forgave a certain person after a betrayal. I’m being intentionally vague not to spoil things, but the entire situation didn’t sit well with me. Overall, I really liked and enjoyed The Infinite, but it sucks that the ending tainted my overall feelings about the book. I’m curious to see what direction the last book in the trilogy will take, and I really hope it turns out to be awesome!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

Review: Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee

Title: Gates of Thread and Stone
Author: Lori M. Lee
Series: Gates of Thread and Stone, #1
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 2 / 5

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In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

My expectations were really high when I began reading Gates of Thread and Stone. The premise sounds so good! I loved the beginning of the book, and I thought I’d found a new favourite series, but unfortunately things began to slip a bit shortly after that and they didn’t fully recover.

Initially, I liked Kai, and I still do to a certain degree. She seemed a bit hot-headed and impulsive, but her heart was in the right place. She’s seventeen, and lives in the Labyrinth area of Ninurta: an area made entirely of freight containers that have been turned into roughly constructed housing units. I loved Kai’s determination to find Reev (her non-biological "brother") and the street-smarts she exhibited at the beginning… but I don’t feel it lasted. One minute, she’s awesome, the next she gives in to blind naivety! She became wishy-washy and aloof, and it made very little sense to me. In honest, her entire character felt a bit inconsistent as the story progressed.

And Avan. Oh, Avan… how I disliked you. He’s our love interest, and he did seem mildly interesting in the beginning, but the more I read, the more I ended up disliking him. I don’t like saying this, but to me, he’s the perfect example of a card-board cut out. His personality was pretty much non-existent, and I didn’t feel anything toward him apart from irritation. The only character I was interested in was Mason. I thought he was adorable! I really wish there was more emphasis on him in this book. I liked his personality: he’s serious when he needs to be serious, yet lightens the mood and jokes around, too. In comparison to Avan, he felt a lot more well-rounded and balanced.

I really disliked the focus that Kai puts on Avan, and I was so disappointed that most of the emphasis was on her fluttery feelings for him, and how distracted she gets whenever he’s in her proximity. The book is written in the first person, and Kai is our narrator, so EVERYTHING is seen through an Avan-filter. It detracted an awful lot from my opinion of Kai’s character overall. An example of this was when Mason brought her to see the gargoyles while they were in The Void. She had absolutely no interest in learning about them at all! Erm, well… little ol' me as the reader would have liked to find out more about the gargoyles! All she cared about was leaving to go sit in the Sun with Avan… -_-

I’m so disappointed that I didn’t love the book like I thought I would. Everything started out so well, but by the end the entire plot and world-building elements felt very disjointed and all over the place. Initially, I let things slide, thinking I’d get lots more explanations and details as the story progressed. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Honestly, it felt like I got lots of detail where none is needed (ie. Avan), and no details where they WERE needed (ie. everything else!). The flow of the plot didn’t feel natural at all, it felt very rigidly planned, and a bit over plotted, like X had to happen before Y, and then Z could shortly follow. By the end of the book, I ended up feeling very confused about the overall outlook for the series. While I was reading I kept getting the feeling the book was based on a mish-mash of Greek mythology, only disguised in a fantasy-like post-apocalyptic/dystopian world. When a Greek Titan showed up at one point, I had one of those weird ‘Aha, I knew it… but WHY?!’ moments. Very confusing!

I think I could have overlooked some of the issues I had if the ending had been epic. Unfortunately, the ending in general left me feeling very underwhelmed and disappointed. Personally, I didn’t like it at all, and it was too unbelievable for my tastes. Overall, Gates of Thread and Stone had bags of potential, and I’m so disappointed that I feel it didn’t live up to the awesomeness that the synopsis hinted at.

Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Kiss of Deception
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Series: The Remnant Chronicles, #1
Format: Hardback, owned
My rating: 4.5 / 5
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pages: 489

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A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Oh wow, I’m so glad I took a chance and read The Kiss of Deception – I loved it! The title is completely accurate: there’s deception around every turn! I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. The synopsis sounded so intriguing, but I had some reservations that kept my expectations a little low. Looking back, I’m really glad about this: I think I ended up loving the book even more because of it!

The first thing I want to mention is the writing style: I loved it! It flowed so naturally, and it was really easy to get completely lost in the story. It has that addictive quality that made me find excuses to continued reading just one more chapter, late into the night. The pacing throughout was really good and I became so absorbed that the pages flew by, and it made an almost 500 page book feel a lot shorter.

Lia (Princess Arabella) is the main narrator, but I really liked that we got to see both The Prince and The Assassin’s POV’s, too. It added so much to the web of deceit that was layered over every element of the story. The anticipation that builds up over the course of the book was so awesome! I was so anxious to see which character was the prince or the assassin, and I was afraid once the reveal was, well, revealed, I’d lose interest. Wrong! I loved it even more! The entire book took on a completely different feel, and it hints at a lot of interesting stuff to come in the series.

Overall, each and every character was fabulous! From the secondary characters right through to the main characters, I really liked each one, and how distinct each end up being. I loved Lia! She’s a very strong-willed heroine, and I loved her attitude. She doesn’t back down from anything, and I loved how outspoken she is. It was so great to see how much she progressed and grew over the entire book, and I can’t wait to see how her character develops in the future.

Now, we have The Prince and The Assassin. I was curious to see how this angle would play out, and I loved how it was handled. After Lia escapes to Terravin, she encounters two guys who introduce themselves as Kaden and Rafe. Little does she know that one of them is the Prince she fled from marrying, and the other an Assassin sent to kill her. And I absolutely LOVED that we didn’t know which one was which, either! Rafe and Kaden appear to have quite similar personalities early on in the book, and I think this is completely intentional. As the book progresses, we get to see so much more about each of them, and how distinct their personalities really become. If you plan on reading this book, DON’T look for spoilers! Go into the story without knowing who’s who! I LOVED not knowing! I thought I had it right, but I was OH SO WRONG! I loved the deception and I thought it was fabulously crafted, and it added so much to my overall enjoyment of the book.

I know there are hints in the synopsis about a love triangle… but honestly, it’s barely existent, and doesn’t distract from the overall story. This is how I prefer triangles to be written, actually! The best example I could give is that it has a similar subtleness as the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. While there is a romance present, it didn’t smother and overshadow the story.

My only complaint: the book felt a little bit plot-thin. I don’t really see an overall purpose to why the events happened. Yes, Lia wanted to escape from a loveless, arranged marriage, and I highly commend her for this… but, there has to be MORE. And I wanted to know what that was! I’m hoping the overall purpose and world-building in general will be expanded greatly in the next book.

The book, naturally, ends with cliff-hanger. With the overall vibe of the book, I didn’t really expect a neatly sewn up ending. It was fitting, and it sets up the next installment really well. I’ve read worse and more painful cliff-hangers, so I’m not that cut up about it, in honesty! They happen so often these days, I’ve become immune! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Kiss of Deception. Don’t let the hints of a love-triangle put you off. I thought every element was handled excellently, and while I DO have a preference (*cough* Kaden *cough), I equally like Rafe. I can’t wait to continue on with the next book in the series, and see what happens next!

Blog Tour Review: Tunnel Vision by Susan Adrian

I’m so excited to be taking part in the blog tour for the release of Tunnel Vision, and welcome to my stop on the tour! You can follow the tour by clicking on this link to discover so much more about Tunnel Vision. Susan Adrian has kindly provided an excerpt of the first two chapters of her debut novel on her website, and you can read them here. Enjoy!

Title: Tunnel Vision
Author: Susan Adrian
Format: ARC kindly provided by
St. Martin's Griffin (Thank You!)
My rating: 5 / 5
Pages: 320

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Romance and action come crashing together when a teenage boy with incredible powers is brought to the attention of the government.

Jake Lukin just turned 18. He's decent at tennis and Halo, and waiting to hear on his app to Stanford. But he's also being followed by a creep with a gun, and there's a DARPA agent waiting in his bedroom. His secret is blown.

When Jake holds a personal object, like a pet rock or a ring, he has the ability to "tunnel" into the owner. He can sense where they are, like a human GPS, and can see, hear, and feel what they do. It's an ability the government would do anything to possess: a perfect surveillance unit who could locate fugitives, spies, or terrorists with a single touch.

Jake promised his dad he’d never tell anyone about his ability. But his dad died two years ago, and Jake slipped. If he doesn't agree to help the government, his mother and sister may be in danger. Suddenly he's juggling high school, tennis tryouts, flirting with Rachel Watkins, and work as a government asset, complete with 24-hour bodyguards.

Forced to lie to his friends and family, and then to choose whether to give up everything for their safety, Jake hopes the good he's doing—finding kidnap victims and hostages, and tracking down terrorists—is worth it. But he starts to suspect the good guys may not be so good after all. With Rachel's help, Jake has to try to escape both good guys and bad guys and find a way to live his own life instead of tunneling through others.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Once I read the synopsis, I knew I’d enjoy Tunnel Vision, but I wasn’t prepared for how much I’d love it! It is the perfect blend of Sci-fi, mystery and thriller genres with government plots and intrigue thrown in, and it’s easily the best Sci-fi novel I’ve read in a long, long time. It combines so many elements flawlessly, resulting in a thrilling adventure that had me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t want it to end! Add to this the amazing characterisations and a heart-warming family bond, and I’m completely in awe.

The book starts off with a bang, and the fast pacing and intensity stay consistent throughout. I have to mention the writing style first – I clicked with it from the first paragraph. Everything flows so easily, and all the descriptions of events are crystal clear. I loved seeing all the subtle twists and turns, and all the different layers of intensity, lies and speculation. There is always something going on and something new to consider and get swept away with. I found so many intriguing moral and ethical questions raised, and while it’s not necessary to delve so deeply into the book, I love that the option is there to pause and have a good chew on some tough questions if you so wish. The abuse of power by those in a position of power is something that always interests and concerns me, and to see it portrayed so clearly and convincingly… it’s brilliant. I also loved the playlist that was incorporated into the book! Each chapter is headed with a song title, and either the title or the song itself is based on the current chapter.

Jacob Lukin is our main character and narrator, and I absolutely loved him. On the surface he’s your typical eighteen year old guy, but he has a secret. Jake has the ability to link with other people when he touches an object. Think of his ability as psychometery in reverse. Instead of getting images and impressions from the past, Jake can touch any object and ‘tunnel’ to the owner of the object, as long as they are currently alive. He can tell their exact location, along with what they’re feeling and experiencing at that moment. In essence, he is the perfect covert spy for any government or other organisation. If he has access to an object, he will find you. He promised his father he would never reveal his secret, but he slipped up at a party one night, and his secret has become known to DARPA. Now, they want to use his talents for their own purposes…

I thought Jake was a complete sweetheart! I loved seeing your regular, everyday lad being the hero of a book for a change. I connected with him very quickly, and I felt so bad for him with everything that eventually happened! He has a very strong bond with his entire family, and I loved seeing this as it’s not shown often enough in YA for my liking. Knowing he has strong family ties makes what happens that much more horribly gut wrenching! The choices this kid had to make… my goodness, nobody should have to make them, never mind an eighteen year old! I loved seeing his fighting spirit and his determination to never give in, no matter how much crap gets dished his way. The things that happened may have changed Jake’s outlook, but they never changed what was in his heart.

I think my favourite part of the book was the relationships between the characters and in particular, the relationship between Jake and his little sister, Myka. It’s probably the best brother/sister relationship I’ve read about, and I loved both characters so much. Right from the beginning I could see a bond already existed and it kept developing over the course of the book, and it captured my heart completely. It’s not just a random thought here and there - we can plainly see that Jake cares deeply for his baby sister, and it’s backed up with both his words and his actions. I really liked Myka. She’s twelve and a little genius (literally), who attends an advance placement school. I loved how observant she is, and even though we only get to see things from Jake’s side of the story, we can see she loves and trusts her big brother. I also loved Jake’s grandfather, (Dedushka). He started off being a little crazy and paranoid, but oh holy… after everything that happened, it’s perfectly understandable!

The romance angle of the plot is, thankfully, a lot more subtle than I originally expected. There is an attraction between Jake and Rachel, but it’s a very small part of the story, and it adds a different element to things. Personally, I didn’t really connect with Rachel that much. I don’t feel like I got to know her that well, and her role wasn’t as prominent as I thought it was going to be. I would have loved Tunnel Vision just as much if the romance thread wasn’t included - everything else was so good, I wouldn’t have missed it!

I had so many different theories about the possible ending, and the majority of my ramblings ended up being way off! I did spot a couple of things, but overall I was pleasantly surprised and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book concludes nicely, and there are a couple of threads left for a possible sequel. My final note in my ARC on my iPad was “That. Was. Awesome!” It’s a couple of weeks since I read Tunnel Vision, I still feel the same way! I thought it was an awesome debut, and an amazing story with loveable characters. Hand on heart; I really, really hope there will be a sequel - I really want to know what will happen next!

Review: Spiders by Tom Hoyle

Title: Spiders
Author: Tom Hoyle
Series: Thirteen, #2
Format: Paperback, won via
Goodreads giveaway.
My rating: 4 / 5
Pages: 294

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From the author of Thirteen: a fast-paced thriller for teens set in a world where ordinary kids are confronted by evil.

Adam may have survived once, but a cult still has him in its sights. And this time he may not escape with his life...

Abbie's dad is an undercover agent, tasked with exposing dangerous cults. He's normally able to maintain his distance, but this time Abbie's worried he's in too deep.

Megan was sure she and Adam were safe, but now he's gone missing on a school ski trip in Scotland and she's the only one who can help him . . .

The web is closing in around them . . .

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I really need to mention this first: Spiders is the sequel to Tom Hoyle’s debut novel, Thirteen. I don’t see it highlighted too much on Goodreads, and I just wanted to mention that both books ARE linked, and I feel reading Thirteen before Spiders is essential. This review is completely spoiler free for both books, but just a little warning if you want read the books in the future and be influence-free!

Personally, I thought Spiders was SO much better than Thirteen! Cults, and their dangers, are not talked about enough and I love that this series highlights the harsh realities of these ‘organisations’. The topic doesn’t come around too often in Young Adult books, and I loved the way it was explored here. With Spiders being written in the third person, we get to see events unfold from both sides of the story. Back when I was in school, we did several different studies on various cults operating in Ireland, and I thought the way the topic has been handled in Spiders was chillingly accurate. The blind belief that the followers have is just plain unsettling, and I really think the author did an excellent job of conveying this. The control that Bolleskine has over his followers is so well portrayed. It’s believable, and yes, I’ll say it again, chilling. But, oh gosh, it’s so good!

I’m so glad I can say I genuinely liked all the characters in Spiders. I don’t feel there is a ‘main character’ as we are so used to seeing – it’s more focused on all the characters as a whole, and how each character relates to the particular plot element that we are being shown. I really felt for Adam, though! After everything that happened with Coron and The People in the first book, to be thrown in and facing it all again was so hard on him and his friends. The characters are a little older here; I remember fifteen being mentioned, so I’m assuming most of his friends are around the mid-teen stage. I think the new characters that were introduced provided a fantastic breath of fresh air – in particular Bolleskine and Abbie – and their presence added to the story and helped to enhance the existing characters personalities.

I remember mentioning in my review of Thirteen that the writing style felt a bit too stark and clinical for my liking, and I didn’t really connect with the characters, either. I felt Spiders was a lot more appealingly descriptive that its predecessor, and while the distance still remains, the actual style had a warmth to it this time – it still had the clinical crafting, but the ragged edges were smoothed out, leaving a really intriguing story behind.

I think I enjoyed the build up to the ending, more than the actual ending (if that makes any sense!) I much preferred Abbie’s role in the conclusion over Adam’s… but that’s all I’m going to mention about it – avoiding spoilers and all! The book ends on a similar note to Thirteen, as this part of the story concludes nicely, but the last chapter leaves a few crumbs to set up for a sequel. I’m going out on a limb and assuming there will be a continuation to the story in the future, and I really hope there will be! I’m definitely looking forward to it!

Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass, #3
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 5 / 5
Pages: 562

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Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...

The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her?

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a very dangerous habit to become attached to characters in the Throne of Glass series. Odds are every one of them will be brutally killed. But! HOLY CRAP THIS SERIES IS EPIC!! I am completely captivated by it and everything – the characters, the world building, the plot, the atmosphere, the tension, the EMOTION – is just phenomenal. Sarah J. Maas is one author who loves torturing her characters, and as a by-product, her readers!

I’m not going into specific detail about what happens in Heir of Fire, but I have to say that I thought it was an excellent continuation after the events in Crown of Midnight. I LOVE that every little piece of information that’s revealed is linked to something in the previous books. Everything has a purpose, everything is interlinked seamlessly, and it’s so captivating seeing it all slowly unfold.

While I’m writing this review, I’m trying to pin-point what is my favourite thing about the Throne of Glass series. I think of the characters… and each one is phenomenal! Then, I think of the world-building, and… it’s breath-taking! I’m finding it so hard to say that ‘this one thing’ is why I love this series so much. Seriously, it’s a combination of EVERYTHING that makes it epic. It’s seamless. The characters bring the story to life, the world-building enhances and shapes everything that happens to the characters, and the plot tortures everyone and everything! The balance between all these elements is simply incredible.

If I HAVE to pick one ‘favourite’ thing, it’s the characters. Each one is so complex: they represent so many different traits, and they’re all believably portrayed. The King of Adarlan, for example, is absolutely terrifying – he’s one of those rare villains that you can sense is a credible threat to each and every character in the book. And not just the characters that we get to know through the course of the series, but all the unnamed characters and citizens both in Adarlan and in the neighbouring countries.

Heir of Fire introduces us to lots of new characters, and I loved what they brought to the story. The witches in general were a brilliant addition, but Manon in particular was such an intriguing character! And, oh my gosh, Abraxos! I loved his story, and the bond that developed between him and Manon. I know there is a lot of love around for Rowan, but… I wasn’t too sure of him. He got on my wrong side pretty quickly if I’m honest. It wasn’t until very near the end of the book that he began to redeem himself a little. I’d be deliriously happy if the relationship between Celaena and Rowan remains a friendship and completely platonic – similar to Roar and Aria’s friendship from the Under the Never Sky trilogy.

I have a completely unwavering love for Celaena, Chaol and Dorian. I love their dynamic together, and I love each of them individually. I LOVED learning more about Celaena, and her back story in Heir of Fire. I was wondering what happened to her as a child, and it’s awesome to finally see a little bit of what shaped her into the woman she is today. Dorian continues to have a tough time, and I feel that things have come to a breaking point for him. But Chaol… *sigh* Oh Celaena! Wake up girl! Get your big-girl britches on and cut him a little slack! I don’t even mind if you let him grovel and beg for forgiveness for the next thirty years, I’m not pushy, but give him a second chance! Pretty please ;-) (Yes, I firmly ship Chaolaena!)

I wasn’t expecting to really ‘click’ with yet another character from the series, but… Aedion! His character was briefly introduced in Crown of Midnight, but we get to meet him properly in Heir of Fire. Oh my gosh, I really liked him right from his entrance into the King’s court! I can’t really put my finger on why I clicked with him almost instantly - maybe it’s because he reminds me of a male version of Celaena? I’m really hoping things work out… fine… for him. (Sorry I have to be so vague, but I don’t want to spoil things!) This shall be hard… but I’m really hoping for a certain reunion, if you catch my drift!

The endings in this series are incredible! The amount of emotions you go through within a few dozen pages is unbelievable. I’m too scared to imagine how the remaining three books will pan out. If the first three are any indication, this will NOT be a smooth ride, and holy crap I’m anxious, excited and terrified to see what will happen next!

Review: The Wilds by Jules Hedger

Title: The Wilds
Author: Jules Hedger
Series: Reign and Ruin, #1
Format: eARC, kindly provided by the
author in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 3.5 / 5

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Coming home to New York in summer holidays is nothing short of torturous. Maggie's mother is officially the worst widow ever and her wayward uncle can't see past the heroin or the twisted pictures he paints. Lonely is normal and normal is becoming unbearable.

Plagued by nightmares and left behind to pick up the pieces of a fallen king, an opportunity of escape leads Cirrus to take a dangerous gamble; a gamble that snatches Maggie out of her uncle’s apartment and into a dangerous world of shifting sand and treacherous beauty.

Now Maggie must fight for a nation she never knew existed. But who can she trust when everything around her is melting like paint? Even more, the man she's fighting against is at once the captor and her savior, the villain and her friend. They could be each other's salvation or destruction, the choice is up to them . . .

-- As seen on Goodreads

Review: Darkness, Be My Friend by John Marsden

Title: Darkness, Be My Friend
Author: John Marsden
Series: Tomorrow, #4
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 4 / 5
Pages: 274

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Their country ravaged. Their families taken. Their solution - fight.

After the trauma of the invasion and the pain of their tragic losses, Ellie and her friends have finally found sanctuary.

But after five months away, they are called upon to return to the fight.

The gang have got used to feeling safe. They've suffered enough. And Ellie is sick with fear at the thought of returning to combat.

But sometimes there's only one answer: We're going back.

-- As seen on Goodreads

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Daughter
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey, #2
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 2.5 / 5
Pages: 406

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Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

-- As seen on Goodreads

Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered, #1
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 4.5 / 5
Pages: 377

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Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family.

She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

-- As seen on Goodreads

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha, #1
Format: Kindle
My rating: 3 / 5
Pages: 320

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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.

-- As seen on Goodreads

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass, #1
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 5 / 5
Pages: 404

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Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I was a little apprehensive when I started Throne of Glass. I’d seen so much praise and love for both the book and the characters, I was afraid I would be disappointed and my expectations would be too high. Thankfully this wasn’t the case – I absolutely loved Throne of Glass! For me, the characters were the main highlight of the book. I loved the way they interacted with each other, and I really liked that all their relationships were built up over the course of the book, rather than being rushed right at the beginning. To me, this made each relationship and their individual dynamic much more believable.

Celaena Sardothien is an assassin and our heroine in Throne of Glass, and I absolutely loved her! She is such a strong character, with a girly, flirty, manipulative air. It was so nice to see that her femininity wasn’t sacrificed for a more masculine depiction of strength and power. She’s a girly-girl assassin, and it makes such a nice change from the usual cold, aloof “I need to suppress my femininity and all emotion just to be taken seriously as a strong and powerful woman” approach. Celaena wouldn’t think twice about decapitating you or cutting your heart out, but this doesn’t completely define her personality, and she has a softer side that balances her character in a way I found so believable and appealing. Plus, she’s a bookworm and protects animals – lots of brownie points for these traits. Her reaction when she found the castle’s library with a million books was priceless! She has her flaws and being hot-headed is the main one, but for me, this added to how humorous she is in her interactions with the other characters, and I found it so entertaining to read.

We meet Captain of the Guard Chaol Westfall right at the beginning of the story, with Crown Prince Dorian Havilliard following closely after, and I adored both Chaol and Dorian. I loved seeing how their personalities differed, yet both were depicted in a believable way that left me liking both characters (almost) equally. Chaol is the quiet one out of the two, and he’s used to taking the back seat to Dorian, knowing that the Prince will be preferred over him. He’s cold and very aloof toward Celaena at the beginning, and it was lovely to see him mellow quite a bit over the course of the book as their relationship grew. I loved getting to see the caring and loyal side to his personality, which he kept hidden under all the sarcasm and teasing. I never had a problem with Dorian at any stage. He’s likeable, and much more outgoing than Chaol. He’s the confident one, always cracking a joke and knowing what to say at the right moments. I really liked seeing that he has a depth to his personality, and he wants to make a difference and can see the fault in his father’s ways. There isn’t anything terribly dislikeable about Dorian – I just love Chaol so much more!

Usually when there is a lot of POV switching, I find myself disconnected from the characters and the storyline, but thankfully, that never occurred here at any stage. For me, seeing things from other characters perspectives really helped to round out the story and give a clearer picture of each of their personalities. The third person narrative is another thing that I sometimes find difficult to fully connect with. I was so happy that I connected with all the characters just as well as I would have done with a first person narrative – so this is a huge plus for me!

I would have loved to learn more about Erilea, and how all the places on the map at the beginning of the book relate to each other. This reminds me a little of my feelings after reading Cinder: everything that was in the story was great, but I want to know more! We get to see a certain amount of the continents history and the world building in general, but I just feel like if a bit more information was given, it would have added so much to the overall impression I’m left with. For the greater portion of the book, it is set in Rifthold Castle and I would have liked to know more a bit more about the ins and outs of castle life. I feel like I’m familiar with the structure, but I don’t know any of the finer details about the place.

I loved the writing style, and I found it so easy to get lost in the story and not want to put the book down. I will warn that the blurb is slightly misleading in regard to the “to-the-death” tournament part. As this dominated the blurb, I thought it would dominate most of the story as well, and I was left wondering when the to-the-death tournament would begin. (Good Lord, that sounds so bloodthirsty… but you know what I mean!) I feel the mystery surrounding the other champions, along with the main characters themselves overshadowed this element of the book more than I was expecting. If I’m honest, none of this really affected my overall opinion of the book: I loved Throne of Glass. It captured my interest right from the start and refused to let go. I loved all the characters, and I only wish I had a copy of Crown of Midnight so I could continue on with the series straight away!

Review: Resistance by C.J. Daugherty

Title: Resistance
Author: C.J. Daugherty
Series: Night School, #4
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 5++ / 5
Easily my favourite book of 2014!
Setting: Cimmeria Academy, England
Pages: 387

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Finding refuge at a secret location in the south of France, Allie almost convinces herself she's safe - until Nathaniel's guards attack. Then she's on the run again, and forced to return to the one place she can truly call home: Cimmeria Academy.

But when she arrives, she barely recognises it. Tensions are on a knife edge. Now most of the students have deserted the school, the teachers can't be trusted and guards are in charge. Worse, Nathaniel is close - very close - to getting everything he wants.

Desperate to do something - anything! - to stop him, Allie agrees to accompany Lucinda on a dangerous late-night mission. But in doing so, is she putting her friends' lives at risk?

Carter and Sylvain are both ready to fight by her side - and prove their love. Allie knows she must make up her mind once and for all about who she really wants. No one will wait for ever.

The time for indecision is over. Everything is at stake and winner takes all...

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Oh, wow! Just… WOW! I was absolutely speechless when I read the last page of Resistance. Everything about this book was phenomenal. EVERYTHING. I don’t have one single complaint. NONE! This never happens! I’m so freaking happy right now! The three previous books I loved, but I thought there was some little thing missing. Whatever the heck that was, it appeared in Resistance with a vengeance! I KNEW the Night School series could end up being one of my favourite YA series of all time, and Resistance cemented it. As you can probably guess, this was my favourite book in the series. By a clear mile!

The atmosphere that was created right from the first pages was so tangible and vibrant, and it kept building throughout the entire book. The pace was perfect. I was on the edge of my seat, and I didn’t relax for one second. Oh my goodness, I loved it! The tension was incredible! I felt every little thing that happened. The blurb doesn’t lie when it says tensions are on a knife edge. I read Nevermore by Kelly Creagh earlier this year, and I didn’t think anything could beat it in terms of atmosphere, but Resistance managed it. Where Nevermore is densely detailed, Resistance give us the freedom to let the imagination have some control: it plants the seed, and then the atmosphere keeps building on a different level.

I love all the characters in this series. They have been through so much up to now, with losses along the way and seeing them willing to keep going and do their best to fight on against the odds is amazing. I love seeing how much Allie Sheridan has grown. She’s just as ballsy as I remembered. She has so much backbone, and never backs down from anything, yet she is open-minded enough to accept when she is in the wrong, and brave enough to apologise and eventually rectify a situation if she is mistaken. She has a great support network and awesome friends, and I feel in this book the secondary characters came into their own and shone. Every character has an inner strength and courage that shines through, and they have each other to lean on when needed. They know how determined Allie is, and they know how to handle her. They don’t back-down, and they challenge her to improve and grow. I absolutely love this dynamic and their dialogue is so absorbing and entertaining.

And now for the two boys: Carter West and Sylvain Cassel. Now, I suppose this could be classed as a “love-triangle,” but I shudder to even think this term in relation to this series. We’ve all read bad love-triangles and they leave an incurable scar. When they are done well, I think they can be very entertaining to read. The dynamic in Night School presents two male characters that are on equal footing in my eyes. Both Sylvain and Carter have lots of positive points, but equally balancing flaws. I could honestly see Allie happy with either one, in honesty. Carter, I suppose, is more of the “rebel” character, while Sylvain is pretty much “aristocracy”, without the snotty attitude. Now, without giving anything away, the blurb hints at a choice being made. Yes, there has been a resolution. And no, I’m not going to tell you who wins! I have picked a side as well, but I’m not going to reveal my preference… well… OK! OK! If you’ve read the book, I might have yelled “YES!” on page 372… I think that’s vague enough ;-D

I love Cimmeria Academy and the grounds. After four books, it’s become so familiar and it’s like a secondary character all by itself. From the library, the roof walks, the dining hall, the lake and the tree in the chapel graveyard. All of it has become so special. I love the way it’s described, and the care put into the consistency between each book.

I have to mention the ending. I never saw it coming. Just when I think we get a nice reprise, and the book will end on a peaceful note, I honestly wasn’t expecting another twist. Holy hell, my jaw was on the floor! This is one of my wonderfully descriptive notes that I jotted down after I finished reading. It kind of sums up my feelings perfectly, if incoherently! -- “Everything was so perfect, and then everything went BOOM again, and then NOOOOO, and then… I NEED THE NEXT BOOK!!!” -- Yep. This is what all my notes look like. It takes quite a bit of polishing to make any sense of them!

Very, very few books have made me feel and react so strongly when I was reading. Every one of those books ended up on my all-time favourite’s shelf, and Resistance will be joining them. Resistance is easily my favourite book of 2014 so far, and not many books even come close. I loved every page and every word. Phenomenal!

The only downside? The really long wait, and the countdown until Endgame…

Review: Outshine by Nola Decker - Blog Tour

Hi! Thanks for stopping by. Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour hosted by Sage’s Blog Tours for Nola Decker’s new Young Adult Sci-Fi book, Outshine. Hope you enjoy!

Title: Outshine
Author: Nola Decker
Format: eBook
Kindly provided by Tour Company and Author
My rating: 3 / 5
Pages: 327

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Purchase on Amazon

When agoraphobic Gabe and his outgoing nemesis Jessa go on a moonlit road trip to locate Gabe's missing brother, the two teens discover they are both hiding unnatural abilities: Gabe is a living lie detector and Jessa is a kick-ass powerhouse pretending to be a delicate diva.

Gabe's sole reason for searching for Watts, his overbearing younger brother, is to clear his own name: he's been framed for Watts' alleged murder. Jessa is after Watts because she is, well, after him.

They find him with Deacon, the twisted eugenicist responsible for their unusual powers. He encourages them to stay and join his "Family" where they'll be able to live openly as the genetically-modified freaks that they are. When Jessa and Gabe uncover the truth about Deacon's past--and what he wants for the future--they band together to stop him. Watts, however, might have other plans . . .

Meet the Author, Nola Decker

Nola Decker is the only writer in Seattle who doesn't drink coffee. She makes up for her happy and healthy childhood by writing stories in which terrible things happen to young people. She loves salted caramel anything and Fridays.

       

My Thoughts

Outshine follows the story of Gabe and Jessa, two teenagers who have known of each other their whole lives, but float in different circles. Gabe is a walking lie-detector, who suffers from severe headaches and becomes ill whenever someone lies to him, or lies about anything. Jessa, on the other hand, is a walking lie. She has created the perfect, pretty, popular girl image to hide her true abilities: extreme strength, speed and fearlessness.

When Gabe’s younger brother - Watts - goes missing, this isn’t seen as a bad thing to Gabe. He has to endure endless torment from Watts every day, so he thinks that his life might actually be pretty nice with his brother out of the way, even though he feels incredibly guilty for feeling this way. This attitude doesn’t scream “innocence”, and suspicion mounts that Gabe has something to do with his brother’s disappearance. Jessa just wants Watts all to herself, and she is determined to find him. The first person she turns to is Gabe, and this is where their adventure begins…

Initially when I started reading, I wasn’t sure if I was going to connect with the characters as much as I would like. I’m so glad I was proved wrong! Jessa and Gabe became the highlights of the book for me. Each chapter has an alternating point-of-view, switching between Gabe and Jessa’s narratives. Both Gabe and Jessa have quite distinctive ‘voices’ which is awesome to see. There was some backtracking between the POV’s in the first couple of chapters, and this is a little pet-hate of mine. Thankfully it was limited to only a couple occasions and I could easily overlook it once the story started to pick up pace.

Such a big positive was the slow building relationship between Gabe and Jessa. They don’t like each other at all when the story begins, and it would have been so strange and completely out of character if they became instant friends. I thought the way they interacted and learned to trust each other over the course of the book was realistically handled and believable.

I really enjoyed the first three-quarters or so of the book. The last quarter and ending became quite disjointed, and I didn’t find myself as invested as I was in the beginning. If I’m honest, I don’t really buy into the reasons why the teens are “genetic-freaks,” but that’s just me. I’m unsure if there will be a sequel, but from the way the book ends, I suspect there might be. Overall, Outshine was an enjoyable Sci-fi/Superhero read.

Review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Series: Harry Potter, #1
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 4.5 / 5
Pages: 223

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Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable muggle aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

How, how, HOW am I supposed to review this?! I don’t think it’s possible at this stage, all the praise has been said before and I’ll be joining saying the same things as everyone else. This won’t be a review as such, more along the lines of my reactions to finally reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, over a decade late! (Yes, that decade part made me feel old!)

When I finish a book, and the story still lives on in my mind weeks later and it keeps getting better, I’m pretty certain I’ve found a new favourite series. It’s only happened to me a handful of times in the past, but when it does, it’s such an amazing feeling. Reading about all the people and places I’ve heard so much about, but knew so little, was so special: Dumbledore, Hagrid, Voldemort, quidditch, platform 9-and-three-quarters, Hogwarts (!!) and how can we forget: Harry, Ron and Hermione.

My biggest concern from the start was the third person POV, as I’ve found at times I struggle to fully connect with the characters when their stories are told this way, and I’m a very character focused reader. I greatly prefer books in the first person, but that’s just a personal taste thing. I’m so glad to say it didn’t bother me at all! I absolutely loved Harry from the first couple of chapters. How can you not instantly connect with him? And Hermione and Ron! I absolutely adored seeing the beginnings of one of the most famous fictional friendships of our time. I did get all choked up when I read:

“But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other. And knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.”

I loved the world-building side of the story, and Hogwarts is so vividly described it almost becomes a character in itself. The only slight negative I have was that the writing was a little too middle-grade if I’m honest, but I was warned about this before starting, so at least I was prepared. I’ve been told books further on in the series have a more YA feel, and I can’t wait to continue on with the next six books! What’s awesome is I’m pretty sure the rest of the series gets progressively better, so I know I’ll have six books to read I know I’m going to love!

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey, #1
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 4.5 / 5
Pages: 363

Add to Goodreads

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Thank you Julie Kagawa, for getting me out of a reading slump! I loved The Iron King. I was so reluctant to start the book; I didn’t want my previous disappointments to influence or dictate my feelings. I wanted to love the book, and I’m glad I can say I did. I had very high expectations, and for the majority, they were met.

I loved the writing style. I enjoyed everything about it and it grabbed and held my attention. I adored the world building and the way the world is crafted. It’s appealing, easily imagined and the imagery and descriptions are so vibrant. I love the concept of the Nevernever, and further on in the book, how our new technology is having an effect on the fey and other myths and legends of old.

The characters are so likeable and their personalities jump out of the pages. I loved Megan. She is such a real teen, the way she thinks and expresses herself I though was really genuine. She’s a strong character with back-bone. The book is quite fast paced, and this forces Megan to accept things quickly, maybe a little too quickly? I understand that she never felt completely accepted in her home/school life, but it felt a little convenient that she accepted everything she learned almost instantaneously.

Megan isn’t the only character I connected with: I loved both Puck and Grimalkin. I couldn’t help picturing Grimalkin as Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, with the voice over included! When the characters pop out of the pages, and I can easily picture them interacting with each other, I’m a very happy reader. Puck’s humour and wit was so appealing, and mixing this in with Grimalkin’s snarky-ness, it was so entertaining to read.

The only character I didn’t connect with was Ash. I think I’m in the extreme minority with this, but I felt his character was very flat and cardboard like. I didn’t find him appealing at all. I was a lot happier reading about Megan, Grim and Puck. When Ash joined the story, things felt forced.

I’m glad to say the romance that blossomed didn’t overshadow the book. It’s a very small part of the story thankfully, as I felt what happens between Ash and Megan was strained and didn’t seem natural or believable. It came out of the blue, and I really didn’t see how their feelings progressed so quickly. This, and not enjoying Ash’s character, would be the only negatives I have about the book. Everything else I loved.