#89 The June Boys

The June Boys by Courtney C Stevens 

(By the way, it looks weird because i wrote the review on the notes app on my phone whilst reading and tried to copy and paste it into the blog and Blogspot doesnt like that apparently!) 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The June Boys follows the story of Thea and her boyfriend Nick after Theas cousin Aulus goes missing they presume he has been taken by the notorious Gemini Thief, a kidnapper who snatches 3 boys every second year and keeps them for exactly 13 months before dumping them unharmed.

On this arc copy there is a really annoying ‘Thomas Nelson since 1798’ slogan at the top of every other page, sometimes in the middle of the text. It’s really off putting!

A few chapters in and it’s giving me Truly Devious and Sadie vibes. The main character Thea is trying to solve the disappearance of her friend Aulus and trying to prove that he’s been kidnapped by the Gemini Thief even though there’s a major break in his usual patterns, Aulus went missing on June 2nd instead of the usual June 1st and he was the 4th boy to go missing instead of the usual 3. When one of the boys is found dead on the same stretch of motorway that the boys are dumped on he is found with a keychain in his mouth, a keychain that Thea knows is unique to 2 people, herself and Aulus.

My only thoughts at around the 30% mark is who the hell is Elizabeth? I’m also not sure if they are laying enough ground work for possible suspects, it’s not reading as much of a mystery when there’s currently only one suspect. I hope it picks up a bit.

Thea is a complex character, I can’t figure out if she’s a realistic representation of a teenage girl or not or if she’s just a needy annoying twat. It’s like she cares more about Nick than she does for her Dad or her missing cousin. I’m not entirely convinced if that makes sense or not to the overall plot.

Nicks sister Dana is a cop who is investigating the Gemini case and Thea goes from feeding her bits of information from her own mini investigation to hiding bits, not sure if this is trying to show her inner conflict or if it’s just disjointed. I’m really starting to see quite a few plot holes and unanswered questions.

I don’t think ‘The Elizabeth Letters’ added anything to the story, if anything they just make things more confusing

All the chapters are just ‘May’ I would have preferred dates included as a lot of things are happening over a 1 month period and it would have been nice to see a more detailed timeline of events, it also would have helped build the tension coming up to the end of June as the reader has no idea if the remaining boys will be released or not. I know the dates are briefly mentioned in the bulk of the text I just think it could have been a bit more structured.

There’s a few really irrelevant characters such as Constance, what is she really adding to the story apart from her god crap 🙄

The big reveal wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be, I really wanted more from it if I’m honest! 

#88 Criers War

Criers War by Nina Varela

Criers War is a the first in a duology that i believe came out in October of last year, i have heard nothing but good things about this book but i was dubious to pick it up as i havent been enjoying YA fantasy as much in the last few months especially when the majority of the plot is romance based. When i read the blurb of this book:

'After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners' estate and bent the human race to their will. Now Ayla, a human servant rising, in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family's death... by killing the sovereigns daughter, Lady Crier. Crier was made to be beautiful, flawless and to carry on her father's legacy. But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isnt the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla. Now, with growing human unrest across the land, pressures from a foreign queen, and an evil new leader on the rise, Crier and Ayla find there may be only one path to love: war'

My first thoughts were that sounds like a generic YA fantasy but i am intrigued by the AI elements as well as the possible LGBT romance so why not pick it up, plus its on scribd so bonus! I must say i was pleasantly surprised as this world building was really well thought out and the AI as a race within this world was unique and expertly crafted. The romance was very very slow burn and a proper enemies to lovers not like the typical broody romances that ive had to put up with in recent releases where they are enemies for all of 10 pages before ripping each others clothes off *yawns* this romance between Ayla and Crier is very 'will they or wont they' get togther type romance and it isnt over done at all.

The AI came into being as a Queen of Rabu was unable to bear children therefore could not produce an heir so she sought out help to 'create' the perfect child, the queen was able to design the princess from her personality down to eye and hair colour, the AI are very lifelike but the humans of this world view them as 'abominations' and there is constant war between the two.

At the beginning of the story Crier is betrothed to a man who is the leader of a movement that wishes to get rid of all the humans, very quickly Crier realises that she is unable to trust him but she is torn between doing what is right for her people including her father and her belief that humans are not the problem. When Crier finds out that there is a flaw in her design her betrothed also finds out and Crier is unsure whether he will use this against her and if it comes out what this could mean for her future.

Ayla is part of the resistant movement as her family was murdered when she was a young child by the AI, she hates the King as a result of this and wants revenge by taking away the thing he holds most dear, his daughter Crier. When Ayla gets a job in the castle to gain access to Crier will she carry out her task of killing her?

I really enjoyed the sci-fi elements of this and i feel like it really left so much to be explored in the second story. Ayla as a character is so complex and grumpy but a good kind of grumpy, she stands up for what she believes in and will stop at nothing to get what she wants whereas Crier as a contrast is kind and good hearted she is conflicted between always trying to please her father and doing what she believes to be right. Its almost like a weird sci-fi re-telling of Romeo and Juliet as they are on rival sides but come together anyway. This was a solid 4 star read for me and im really glad that the second and final book comes out this year so i wont have to wait too long to read it.

#87 Elantris

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson 

Elantris is Brandon Sandersons first novel published in 2005. Ive been warned that its a bit slow and not his best work but i disagree, i thought the plot was interesting and unique. I listened to this on audiobook (27 and a half hours!) and i was entertained throughout! 

Elantris is the capital of Arelon and the prologue opens with a bit of history regarding Elantris (which i always enjoy and appreciate) it describes Elantris as a place of 'power, radiance and magic' in which the people that lived there had access to a wide range of magical abilities. Over time the city of Elantris falls and the people who reside there become sick and their skin and features mutated. The city became viewed by the outer regions as an exiled place for these sickly people, there were not allowed to leave the heavily guarded city gates at the risk of making others sick. 

The book follows multi perspectives, Raoden, Sarene and Hrathen: 

Raoden is the son of the king and set to inherit the throne. He is unruly and does not agree with his fathers ways and rebels against them at every opportunity. When a marriage is arranged for him to unite the cities of Kae and Teod, Raoden seems to have met his match in the politically minded Sarene. Raoden becomes sick at the beginning of the book and his father exiles him to Elantris whilst simultaneously lying and covering it up and telling the people that Raoden is dead.  

Sarene arrives in Kai to find that her betrothed is 'dead', due to a clause in her marriage contract she is still viewed as the new princess. She is far from home and now must learn how to live in such close proximity to her new father the king. She is instantly sceptical of him and the mysterious dead of his son and vows to get to the bottom of it. Sarene was my favourite character, she was so brave, intelligent and strong willed. 

Hrathen is a high priest from the expanding empire of Fjordell whos mission is to convince the population to convert in order for Fjordell to become the ruling empire. I didnt enjoy this perspective as much as the other two but did like the political intrigue.

The three perspectives are told so well that it doesnt feel like three separate storylines, they very much merge into one over arching story which really is a credit to Sandersons writing. The story and plot devices are so compelling and i must say i really enjoyed it. Throughout the book Raoden is stuck in Elantris trying to figure out what happened to the magic, trying to improve and clean the city whilst also trying to eliminate the peoples pain and constant hunger. Sarene is trying to figure out what the king is up to and what really happened to Raoden whilst Hrathen who is somewhat portrayed as the antagonist is trying to convert the people to his way of thinking. The world building was fantastic and the characters were fantastically developed. The magic system was really interesting also. 

I havent read too much epic fantasy but im really trying to get more into the genre. Im also trying to read one Brandon Sanderson book each month for 2020. I think that was my only downfall really, i had to work hard on whos who and what their motivation was. 

#86 Wilder Girls

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Wilder Girls was marketed as the feminist version of 'Lord of the Flies' which was one of my favourite books growing up so naturally i pre-ordered it immediately. The book is set in a boarding school, 'Raxter School for Girls' on a remote island. Three best friends, Hetty, Byatt and Reese are living in quarantine after 'The Tox' has hit the island affecting the girls in numerous ways and turning them into mutants basically. The Tox has claimed the lives of over half the school leaving around 60 peoples and a handful of adults left. The Navy and other organisations have been dropping off supplies weekly to the island to ensure the survival of the girls whilst they research a cure.

The main strengths of this novel was definitely the friendship groups and the lengths they will go to to protect each other. I also enjoyed the diversity and the LGBT+ rep as this was well done without being over the top. I cant remember the last time i read a book with virtually no male characters whatsoever but it made for a very interesting read and i must say i enjoyed it very much. Ive seen this book shelved on Goodreads as 'horror' and i really wanted it to freak me out more but it didnt, i dont know if that is done to me not being squeamish or if the mutations werent as focused on, i felt like there could have been a lot more detail into how it affected the girls individually.

A few things that annoyed me were as follows: what kind of name is Byatt? it annoyed me probably more than it should have but i was very fixated on how stupid of a name it was. I felt like there could have been more mystery elements included, a whole group of kids stuck on an island full of mutated animals and only 2 things happened really that increased the stakes, the author could have played on this a lot more like more false alarms etc to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

I really liked Hetty as a character, her loyalty to Byatt made for a really exhilarating read and i also enjoyed Byatts chapters after she was mysteriously taken, i would have liked a few more of these chapters as i felt there was only 2 chapters every so often and the rest was following Hetty and Reese. I also think the romance could have been more explored, dont get me wrong i did think it was well done but it sort of came out of nowhere really. It was really refreshing to read a book that didnt have any magical or fantasy elements to it that was also YA so bravo on originality.

All in all this was a really enjoyable read and was such a page turner, i couldnt put it down and everytime i did i couldnt wait to pick it back up again. The ending was a little strange as its very open ended so im not sure if this is a stand alone with an ambiguous ending or if the author is leaving it open for a possible continuation, we will see.

TW: mentions of self harm and animal death

#85 Obsidio

Obsidio by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman

What an exhilarating finale to such a fantastic YA sci-fi trilogy! this has quickly become one of my favourite series. This book series is an epic YA sci-fi series that is told in mixed media, its told through video logs, chat logs, illustrations etc. This book really has it all, its action packed, set in space and isnt too heavy on the romance front. Which is perfect for me as i hate romance in YA with a passion. I once again listened to the audiobook on audible and it was a blast! The full cast, sound effects and overall atmosphere really make this audiobook unique and such an amazing reading experience! 

This instalment follows Asha and Rhys and all of our favourites from the first two books including my low key favourite character from the whole series, Aiden. I just love all diverse all these characters have been throughout and how morally grey some of them are! Its just been a pleasure to read honestly. So this book begins with Cady, Ezra, Nik and Hanna on their journey back to Kerenza after Beitechs initial attack on the planet it is made very clear that the only chance of survival these teens have is to head back to Kerenza. Our new chracter Asha is working under cover for the resistance (so many Star Wars vibes) when she runs into her ex boyfriend Rhys and is horrified to find out that he is on the enemy side. Asha tries to use him for information about the enemy side and thus begins our journey into the action that was this book!

Throughout the book i was so nervous about the fate of these characters that ive grown to love, i know Jay Kristoff can be pretty stabby when he wants to be so i was buckling myself in for some serious heartbreak and i must say the final 150 pages are probably the most tense ive been whilst reading since Darkdawn! The story is tense from the get go and this ending does not disappoint, i genuinely think this book raised my blood pressure and it took me days to feel normal again! I invested so much energy into this series! 

Obsidio didnt feel quite as tense as Gemina and didnt have as may twists and turns but was still fantastic and 5 star worthy. I enjoyed Asha and Rhys a lot, it did feel a bit rushed and i didnt feel like i got to know them they same way as with Cady, Ezra, Hanna and Nik. Obsidio features all the characters from the previous books and you dont get to know Asha and Rhys as much but i was so happy to have all my old favs in the book. 

Overall such a great series! I cant say too much about the plot as it will definitely ruin the whole thing. I loved Aidens character development, it shook me. Issac was such a wonderful addition to the cast too, i loved he constantly told everyone off for their language on the chat logs. This was exhilarating from start to finish and i highly reccomend 

#84 Gemina

Gemina by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman 

Gemina is book 2 in the Illuninae files which is a YA sci-fi trilogy. Gemina is a direct continuation on from Illuminae, the story picks right up from where the first book ends only slight difference is that we are following different characters this time! In the first book we follow Cady & Ezra whilst in this book we are following Hanna & Nik.

Hanna is the Heimdall station captains daughter whilst Nik is described as a relunctant member of a notorious crime family. Together they must navigate the second wave of the BeiTech assault. The characters from the first book are still knocking about but just not as prominent in this book which is fine by me because if you read my review of Illuminae you will know that i didnt really care for the characters as much. I will as ever try to keep this as spoiler free as possible but there may be a few spoilers regarding the first book.

As characters Hanna & Nik were very enjoyable to read about, i particularly enjoyed Hanna. Hannas father is the captain of Heimdall and has been somewhat training Hanna her whole life to take over, he plays strategy games with her and has taught her combat training so you can imagine when BeiTech infiltrate their jump station that Hanna is ready to kick some ass. Nik was ok, much of an improvement on Ezra thats for sure, he seems very rough around the edges but we get an insight into his life as the story goes on and it really changes the readers opinion (well it did for me at least).

I downloaded this book from Audible as i have heard so many incredible things about the audiobooks of this series and i was not disappointed, it was really well done and had a full cast to really bring the story to life as well as the sound effects from the ship itself and of course the action scenes. I very quickly latched onto the characters and immediately became enthralled with the story itself, its so tense with so many twists and turns. I found myself much with the first book really enjoying the mixed media as i did read along as i listened where possible. With Gemina our main protagonist Hanna keeps an art style journal and there were lots of drawings included within the book which i believe were illustrated by the author Marie Lu which was a cool added bonus.

For me Gemina was a five star read, it had everything i wanted and more. Ive already thought about rereading it physically and its made me want to give Illuminae another chance as i may have critiqued it a little harshly. I found the flow of the plot and pacing was perfect in this book, there was never a dull moment and i was on the edge of my seat constantly. I found the introduction of more scientific things in this book to be really cool, im really into science anyway so that was really fun for me and something i wish had been more incorporated into the first book.

I had to force myself to stop listening a few times and it really felt like everything else, eating, work and sleep were invented purely to keep me away from this book. The direction the story took in this book was something i didnt see coming especially the last 100 pages or so when we really see the similarities with book 1 and its characters. For the first few hundred pages i honestly thought this was more of a companion novel as there wasnt must mention of Cady or Ezra but i was very happy when they were re-introduced. I really missed Aiden as a character and that was possibly the only thing lacking in Gemina for me and even that wasnt enough to knock any stars off.

Im honestly itching to start reading Obsidio. I will be really sad when i finish this trilogy but i do have Aurora Burning to look forward to in May.

#83 Eight Will Fall

Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian

This book was the December 'Defying the Odds' Fairyloot box pick! The book came signed by the author, embossed hardcover and exclusive under the dust jacket art.

The book is set in a land where magic has been outlawed and empaths exist in the shadows too afraid to use the magic they possess for the fear of execution from the hands of Queen Melay. The empaths are forced to mine for a mineral known as luminite, this mineral is used to control all empath magic and is the Queens greatest weapon against them. Our main protagonist is Larkin, when soldiers raid her home and kidnap Larkin and her brother Garran they are thrown in the dungeon cells with other empaths. The Queens plans for these criminal empaths is to send them on a mission to The Reach which is basically a big cave in order to hunt down an evil that is threatening her kingdom. Larkin must travel into the unknown with other empaths and a scholar guide in order to seek out this evil and destroy it. The Queen is using the empaths loved ones including Garran as leverage, if the empaths fail to carry out this task she will kill them all. Along the way they seem to uncover secrets about each of their pasts which leads them to believe they have been chosen for a reason.

Ive seen this described as Six of Crows a lot and from someone who didnt really take to that book i can say that Eight Will Fall doesnt have many similarities to it outside out the ragtag criminal group that embark on a shared task together. I actually found this book to be a lot more similar to The Luminous Dead which i read last year and really enjoyed, it had the same creepy atmosphere and horror elements.

I did enjoy this book but i didnt love it as much as i was hoping to. A few things i really liked: the cover is stunning (i know its superficial and doesnt pertain to the actual story but i couldnt not mention it!) its really fitting to the story. I really enjoyed the darker themes and when the story properly kicked off in The Reach i was here for it. The magic system was interesting so empaths can take emotions and use them to conjure things or to destroy things, i think there could have been a lot more focus on the magic system as it felt a bit lacking and left me wanting for more but this book is a stand alone.

Now for the things i didnt like: downfalls- my main one was there were too many characters in the beginning and i was SO confused about who was who and how they were relevant, what doesnt help is that they all have weird names and it took me ages to figure out what gender they all were for example there is a male character called Tamsyn. Another thing that bugged me was the sheer lack of world building or lore information, its touched on a bit but not nearly enough to immerse the reader into the world.  I also found the first 100 pages to be really slow and info dumpy which wasnt ideal, when the group entered The Reach the book really picked up from there.

Overall its an enjoyable read and not the worst YA fantasy book ive read in the last 12months for sure! I was really glad in a way that it was a stand alone as it seemed like the kind of story that could have been unnecessarily dragged out into a trilogy. This book is Sarah Harians first standalone work, she has a trilogy out that i wouldnt rule out reading as i did enjoy elements of her writing and i will watch out for any of her future work.