#29 Station Eleven

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

I love me some Canadian authors. This wasn't half bad. The story begins with the death of our protagonist Arthur Leander. He dies whilst on stage performing King Lear. Jeevan a trainee paramedic who happened to be in the audience rushes to Arthurs aid but sadly could not save him. On Jeevans way home from the theater a flu breaks out that has the potential to kill many people. The Georgian Flu as it is later known killed many people and the story focuses on those before, during and after this time period.

The story is presented in multiple perspectives and doesn't get told chronologically which can be confusing but by a large it makes sense in the end, it spans decades that covers before and after the pandemic. The perspectives are from people that knew Arthur or had influenced him in some kind of way. The story follows the people that knew him and isn't really about Arthur at all but he is still undeniably the protagonist.

The book is post apocalyptic but there is not too much focus on the world itself but more the people and how they are coping with the new world. What is mentioned about the world and setting is that there are no cities or infrastructure after the great collapse but there are settlements in which people live. The story is woven together so intricately that as the reader you dont even notice until it becomes apparent and you can see the spider web for yourself, a good indication of well planned and clever writing.

The atmosphere of this book was similar to what you would expect from a contemporary romance novel, it was light and easy to get through but the story did not disappoint and the characters were so well thought out that it was impossible to get bored.  The symbolism used throughout this novel was very interesting, the significance of the tattoos as a theme was very interesting (i wont say too much in order to keep this spoiler free)

This is the type of book that would make a superb movie if done correctly that is. I was pleased that it was a stand alone and that it was wrapped up in 300 odd pages. What is wholly apparent is how hollow Arthurs life was, this is clear to the reader through the stories of how others saw him not just his son and ex wife. This was such an interesting and unique twist to the typical dystopian novels.

The negatives for me were the length and the pacing. At times the pacing was all wrong and it went through a few dryer chapters and the length was a little too long and could have been wrapped up much faster than it was. There were a few chapters dedicated to irrelevant characters that seemed unnecessary to the overall plot.

Overall, the writing was beautiful but it felt somewhat incomplete and certain things went unexplained. Still well worth a read.



'Because survival is insufficient' 

#28 Armada

Armada By Ernest Cline (God, basically)

Everyone who knows me well, knows that Ready Player One is my life. I have put it on a pedestal above all other literature. To me, it is untouchable in so many ways, a work of art almost. When i heard that Cline was working on a second novel i was filled with a mixture of dread and excitement. I knew that it would be a triumph or an epic fail.

Armada follows the story of 18 year old Zack Lightman. He is a talented gamer ranked 6th in the world at the war fighting flight simulation game Armada. When he learns that the game was released in order to fight off a real life attack from alien invasion he has to make a decision to stand back whilst millions die or to take action and join the Earth Defence Alliance. The game he has been engaging in for so long was created as a combat training simulation and from the 9 million users the EDA hand picks only the best of the best to sign up. Zack chooses to sign up and help try to win the war. 

For the first 16% it felt like i was reading a few Wikipedia articles about old video games and pop culture references from the 80's, it felt disjointed and nonsensical. At about 20% the story truly kick started and the genius that is Cline finally shown through.

The war against the alien race comes in 3 waves that are separated by 2 hour intervals, the new recruits must prepare themselves to save not only themselves but civilization. There was a few plot twists that i didnt see coming throughout and the ending was not predictable at all! 

This is a very fast paced and action packed plot that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The characters are believable and realistic. If you love video games and/or sci fi then you will love this. It is so imaginative and immersive. Cline is easily becoming one of my favourite writers and i hope he continues to write on top form. 

#27 You Against Me

You Against Me By Jenny Downham

I picked this book up having read Before I Die by the same author, i thought it would be a lighthearted YA romance. Imagine my shock at the darker YA themes i encountered. 

You Against Me follows the story of Karyn McKenzie and Tom Parker. When  Karyn claims that Tom sexually assaulted her the plot begins after the aftermath and the sought after truth. When Karyns brother Mikey meets Ellie who is Toms sister and they begin to get closer their conflicts of interest become apparent. With Ellie trying to defend her brother and Mikey seeking justice for his sister will we ever discover the truth of what happened?

The story is dark and is not for the younger YA reader, the themes are mature and it was much closer to a NA read for me and it had sexual content, violence and strong language. The book handled the issue of rape very well it delved in head first into how its one persons story against another which was abundantly clear from the title of the book. Karyn struggles to leave the house after the alleged attack and isolates herself from her family, her mother doesnt deal well with the trauma and turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism leaving Mikey solely responsible for the care of the younger 8 year old sister and ensuring that Karyn is ok. Ellie on the other hand is her brothers sole witness as she was present in the house the night of the alleged attack. She feels an enormous amount of pressure from her parents to defend her brothers honor and to say what she needs to to ensure that he will not go to prison for a crime she is convinced he did not commit. 

As Mikey and Ellie grow closer she realizes that she needs to do the right thing and tell the truth regardless of the consequences. 

This is a heartwarming story about love and family. I really enjoyed how believable the characters were and that it wasnt glorifying or unrealistic. I think the YA genre needs more books like this to make teens more aware of the risks of under age drinking and sexual assault, it also touches on the issue of consent. 

A few things i didnt like was there was no resolution in the end, i would of much preferred to hear the outcome for Tom following the court case. The ending was a little premature and felt all of a sudden. It doesnt leave the reader with a sense of closure especially after 400 pages! 

All in all, this is a 4 star book for me.

#26 Into the Wild

Into the Wild By Jon Krakauer

Everyone has those books that they prefer to most humans, Into the Wild is one of those books for me. Every year i go through the same torturous routine of incessantly reading for about 9-10 months and then.... nothing. The winter months cause me to hibernate with netflix and not much reading gets done. I decided to try and tactically re-read an old favorite to try and get more over this slump and im pretty sure it has worked!

Into the Wild is the true story of Chris McCandless (or Alex Supertramp as he was more commonly known) who in the Spring of 1992 abandons everything he knows, sells his car, gives away his money, creates a new identity and leaves his family behind to embark on a journey into the wilderness. When his decomposed body is found in a sleeping bag four months later on August 19th by six Alaskan moose hunters who discovered the abandoned bus in which he had taken up residence. After his death was announced to his family and those whom he met along the way there was an outcry to find out who he was and why he left his privileged life only to starve alone in the cold Alaskan wilderness. There was also a lot of controversy surrounding his death and what caused it, the most significant of which is 'did he take his own life?'. This book is written entirely from the journals that Chris kept during his time in the wild, the testimonies from the people he met along the way and how his family saw him. 

Immediately upon graduating university Chris left town without telling his family and friends and abandoned his car in order to hitchhike across America in his mission to reach Alaska. Chris spent two years in the west living on minimal, working for people and then moving on. The book is split into chapters that discuss each part of his two year and four month journey and each chapter begins with a segment from Chris'journal or a passage from a book that he highlighted that were found among is few possessions. The main story follows Chris' soul searching excursion told through interviews from those who knew him. 

The only thing that i didnt like in this book is that it isnt written in chronological order, it starts from his death and then goes from the beginning whilst simultaneously jumping back and forth. At points is does not read very fluidly. I love the maps that are included as it offers a visual aid to the chapter and allows you to see where Chris was ultimately allowing you to feel closer to him as a character. 

This is a beautiful story of how one man decided to be done with society and rules and live a solitary yet happy life. It can be summed up in my favorite quote used in this book:

'I have always be unsatisfied with life as most people live it, always i want to live more intensly and richly' -Everett Ruess

#YOU

You by Caroline Kepnes

I have waited long and hard to own this book, alas thank you Amazon for your 3 for £10 paperback sale! 

You is the story of Joe Goldberg a sales assistant in an old quirky book shop. Although his age is never disclosed my guess would be mid to late twenties. Joe appears to be your average guy (at first) he lives alone and seems t be dedicated to his job, the first real that something is off is that there is no mention of friends really and his family arent discussed much.

When Guinevere Beck enters the book shop one day the story takes off. Joe become obsessed with her due t one relatively meaningless conversation they had over the transaction of a book they had both read and enjoyed.Joe becomes completely and utterly obsessed with Guinevere or Beck as shes usually known. He hacks into her email, steals her phone, memorizes her posts on social media and stalks her every move.

Beck who by and large is just as messed up with her self proclaimed daddy issues among a plethora of other issues to boot, plays Joe hot and cold throughout and seems to really enjoy having someone obsess over her in order for her to then in turn toy with them.

This would make a great movie as it is so utterly believable. Unfortunately it does not get a full 5 stars from me as i felt that some parts were dry and others dragged on a bit.

Things that were done well: The characters was probably the stand out feature for me, both leading man and lady were clearly defined and were realistic.Some parts were full of action and kept me up reading way past my bedtime. I brought this book everywhere with me whilst i was reading it even places such as work where i would never get the chance to read it, i just wanted to have it with me at all times, which is testament to how much i enjoyed it.

Things that werent done that well:Background characters and sub-plots, did i care about any other character that was not Joe or Beck? No, no i did not. Peach was so overly melodramatic and pretentious that i found myself skimming all the parts with her in it. The same goes for Ethan and Blythe, Chana and Lynn, i really couldnt have cared less. Also the ending felt a little rushed and ever so slightly predictable.


Overall: I have never read a book about a stalker from the stalkers point of view, so brownie points for originality. I cant help but compare this to other psychological thrillers that i have read such as the work of Gillian Flynn and The Girl on the Train that i read earlier this year. This can proudly take a place with these great works of fiction as it is just as powerfully written and compelling. I would highly recommend this book but it is not for the faint hearted, its a tough read in parts and has many many many sex scenes.

4 out of 5 stars. I shall patiently await the sequel.

#24 Aristotle and Dante

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

This is a story of two Mexican teenage boys. Ari and Dante. The main protagonist is Ari and his personal struggles, in a way he is a philosopher just like his name sake, he is a loner who avoids his parents and sits in the desert staring at the stars and contemplating life. Dante is a poet who is open with his parents and his feelings. They are polar opposites but are also best friends.

This book has a lot of themes, LGBT, coming of age and finding yourself. The book doesn't really follow a plot per se its more a story of their friendship day to day and how they develop from boys into men. If you dont enjoy YA with LGBT themes this this book really wont be for you. The story was beautiful and the character development was wonderful. I really enjoyed the family aspect of this book, both boys have complex family lives in their own different ways. The best thing for me was getting a glimsp into Ari's head and his frame of mind surrounding certain situation.

Some parts of this book are difficult to read. The characters are real and the writing style is believable. Both boys parents played such a massive part of this story and i found that fascinating as it isnt  very prominent in YA novels.Each parent had their own personality and i enjoyed all their characters and the relationships to their son. I enjoyed Ari's family as it reminded me of my own, it often feels like we live our lives without talking much. I enjoyed how Ari's parents had flaws and struggles and how they were human too but also how their flaws and struggles affected their son. Dante's parents were so cute and what an amazing family unit they were. This was all about the family for me and not so much about the romance.

Dante is openly gay, this aspect becomes apparent when Dante and his family move to Chicago for a year and the boys have to communicate via letters. Dante falls for Ari and never hides his feelings, the boys struggle to remain friends as Ari does not feel the same way and struggles knowing that his best friend is in love with him.Dante is true to himself, open and an overall positive character.

Ari was my favourite character as i related to him and his outlook on live. He is someone who is quite negative but is so much more realistic as a teenager. I dont want to give too much away so i will leave it there but i highly urge you to read this.

4 out of 5 stars from me, really wish this was a duology!

#23

Simon Vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Ive heard so many good things about this book since it came out in April of this year. Also the cover is really cool. Ok so the story centers on Simon and is told in alternate chapters, one chapter being Simon's every day life consisting of school, drama rehearsals, his friends and of course his family and the other is emails shared between Simon and Blue. Blue is a guy that Simon met online on Tumblr that goes to the same school but he has no idea of his real identity. When they begin to fall for each other via email things get more complicated and chaos ensues.

When Simon uses the school library to email Blue he forgets to log out (as you do) and a classmate then logs in to his emails and finds the correspondence between Simon and Blue. He then blackmails Simon in order to get closer to Abby who happens to be one of Simon's closest friends and if he doesnt help he will out him to the entire school.

Without spoiling too much the final third of this book was like an episode of Catfish in which you are guessing every single male character may or may not be Blue and to be honest most of my guesses were WAY off. I was really pleased when his identity was revealed and the way the author went about it. also loved the ending.

This was a cute and fun read. A great stand out YA novel that discusses LGBT issue. This was such a feel good story that i managed to devour in 2 sittings. It completely deerves all the hype surrounding it, This makes me wait and hope for more books by Becky Albertalli as this book really impressed me.

Solid 4.25 out of 5 stars.

#22 The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist By Jessie Burton

This was a cover buy for me, i dont cover buy often but i could resist how beautiful this book was. Upon reading the blurb i was pleasantly surprised as it was set in the 1600's and in Amsterdam, 2 of my goals this year were to read more European literature and to read more historical fiction so i hit the jackpot with this one!

This book centers around Nella a country girl who is married off to a rich businessman and must move to live with him in Amsterdam. Her husband is 39 year old Johannes who is a successful merchant. She arrives in Amsterdam and is greeted by Johannes sister Marin who is a strict and proud woman who is quick to exert her status within the home. She is also greeted by Cornelia and Otto the household servants.

When Johannes presents Nella with a doll house which is an exact replica of their home as a wedding gift, Nella seeks the help of a miniaturist in order to furnish the house. When said miniaturist begins to receive items that she does not order she becomes suspicious that the items are identical to their life size twins that are already present in the home. Nella becomes suspicious that someone may be spying on them. 

This book is so much than a simple story of a miniaturist, the story also sees Nella try to integrate and find her place within this home and society but also her struggle to connect with her new husband. Among a plethora of other issues such as religion and race. I was not expecting the twists that happened, i was expecting a light mystery but there was so many heart wrenching moments with a lot of secrets thrown in.

Nella as a protagonist was wonderful, she was not over exaggerated or head strong, the book clearly depicted how she became independent and learned how to stand up for herself. 

My main critique was how liberal some characters were which for the 17th century i felt was a tad unrealistic. I wanted to keep this as spoiler free as possible as there is a lot of twists packed in those 400 pages! All in all a 3.25 out of 5 stars from me. Beautiful and tragic. Also re read the first chapter when you finish, it makes so much more sense! 

#21 Monument 14, trilogy review

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

(TRILOGY REVIEW)

I first read Monument 14 last year and loved it, i never picked up the other 2 book until recently i saw them on Ebay for super cheap so i picked all 3 up and recently marathoned them whilst travelling back home to Ireland. I managed to read all 3 in 4 days, would have probably finished them much sooner but i had lots of things planned whilst being at home.

Ok so like i mentioned i read this in April 2014 and immediately fell in love with the story. I was worried about reading it again incase i didnt like it as much but im so glad that i was wrong. I initially picked this up as last year i discovered a deep love for dystopian and devoured everything in sight that fell even closely to that genre.

The story follows Dean and Alex brothers who whilst trying to make their way to school but are interrupted by the apocalypse. When their school bus crashes they are subjected to the compounds in the air which when inhaled affect people differently depending on their blood group. Type O's turn violent and will attack anyone or thing in sight, type B are affected by becoming infertile and type AB receive paranoid delusions.

The kids from the school bus ranging from age 5-17 seek shelter in a Greenway in their hometown of Monument, Colorado. There are 14 in total, hence the title of the book (which took me a long time to see the connection, duh Rachel!) A Greenway (for the non Americans) is a large supermarket, kind of like Macro or a really big Tesco. Anyway, the kids seek shelter there away from the compounds whilst their teacher goes to find help, thus leaving them with no adult supervision, every kids dream...

Lets go through some of the main characters with a few slightly spoilerish details...Dean who is 16 and type O, he results in being the main cook for the group and is by and large the main protagonist, Alex, who is Deans 13 yr old brother, definitely the smartest kid in the bunch which results in him building and fixing things, Astrid who is 17 and the apple of Dean's eye, Sahalia who is 13 and majorly annoying, Niko a boy scout who becomes the group leader, Henry and Caroline who are the youngest and most dependent they are 5 yr old twins, Ulysses who speaks next to no english and is around 8, Batiste who is about 9 and is majorly religious, Jake who is 17 and his best friend Brayden who see this end of the world as an opportunity to have a good time and Josie who is around 16 she mainly looks after the kids and Chloe another type O who is super annoying and is around 11 i think.

Basically after they get settled in the Greenway they form a little routine of cooking, cleaning and activities after a while the group realise they cannot stay there forever after a few outsiders inform that if they make it to the Denver airport that people are being evacuated, half the group decide to leave whilst Astrid, Dean and the twins and annoying Chloe stay behind mainly due to the Astrid, Dean and Chloe being type O. The other half take the school bus and attempt to make it to safety. Through a lot of effort and determination and sub plots in between they finally make it! Book 3 follows the group as they try to go back for Josie who went AWOL during book 2, she is being kept at a refugee camp which is more like some military concentration camp for type O's and Niko who has fallen madly in love with her has decided to rescue her.

One of the main themes of book 3 is race, this is something not many people think about when reading but when you are told the race of a certain character (i wont mention who) it changes the way you see that character within the story, it was refreshing as most YA dystopians have this kind of theme running through it.

The ending was... rather plain... im not sure what i was expecting dont get me wrong it was satisfying but it left me wanting more, i needed to know what happened a few months later, it left a gaping hole and i feel rather unsatisfied. The trilogy as a whole was a solid 4 stars for me, each book was action packed and i really enjoyed it, definitely rivals Divergent and The Hunger Games in my eyes!

#20 The Carrie Diaries

The Carrie Diaries By Candace Bushnell

Ok so i picked this up for the cover as lets face it... it.is.gorgeous! I also really liked the show and thought heck why not.

This follows Carrie Bradshaw, a character we all know and love (i cant even begin to tell you how many times ive re-watched SATC and both movies) so i jumped at the chance to read about Carrie before she made it to the big apple!

Im not going to lie i was hoping this would be fantastic but it massively let me down, maybe because there was no Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha so Lali, Maggie and Walt didnt really cut it. As i was reading it it just felt massively YA which i guess i should of expected as they are teenagers but it was a shock to my system. Sebastian was no Mr Big ill tell you that much! 

The plot was semi interesting, i found myself being really hooked in for 2 or 3 capters and then skimming the next few chapters. I eventually gave up about 270 pages which according to goodreads is about 60% or so. 

When i googled the book i found two interested tibits that i was not aware of 1) this is a series? god forbid what she has to write about next as this was so dull i dont see why anyone would want to read on... and 2) this has been made into a series! upon further research it actually looks really good and the guy who plays Sebastian is HOT and the girl who plays Carrie looks legit, might be worth checking out!

All in all, not my best book of the year so far! i ended up giving it a 2 star rating.

#19 dream a little dream

Dream A Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher

I will start off by saying that im obsessed with Giovanna's writing, ive devoured everything she has written. I was so excited that i pre-ordered this and had very very high hopes for it! 

The story follows a recent dumpee Sarah who is living life awaiting eevrything to fall in place, she is still friends with her ex which is slowing rippng her apart, she has a lot of pressure from her mother to get her life together and she hates her job. When she begins dreaming about a mysterious hunk from her past she soon decides that she'd rather be asleep, when said hunk turns up in real life chaos ensues.

I enjoyed the writing as ever, its witty, quirky and fun. The main thing i didnt enjoy about this book was the characters, i couldnt gel with them at all. In every other Giovanna masterpiece ive fallen in love with the characters right away but not in this book :( i thought Nat, Lexie and Carly? (i might be getting that last name wrong, i just cant remember) the boys were equally as dull. I enjoyed reading about Sarah's experiences at work, those were very life-like and believable. Sarah's family life was also very relateable and really added to the context of the story.

I found the ending a bit lifeless, in every other book ive not wanted it to end but i had high hopes that they ending would be phenomenal and would completely change my mind on the whole thing but it didnt. 

A few plot twists i predicted but didnt happen:

• Dan would re-form feelings for Sarah and would leave Lexie for her which would ultimately form the last half of the story in which the group of friends are jilted and taking sides. That would have been good.
• Sarah would get really drunk and destroy Dan and Lexies wedding.
• Sarah would throw herself at Dan and beg that he take her back
• All in all, i did enjoy this due to the writing but i was left a little deflated as i hyped it so much in my mind! 

#18 Annie on my mind

Annie On My Mind By Nancy Garden

I cannot believe this book was published in 1992, i was 2 years old then and to be quite honest not much LGBT YA books have emerged since then, dont get me wrong there are many and ive read most but none are as intricate, beautifully written and as heart wrenching as this one is. 

The story follows Liza and Annie to young 17 yr olds who fall in love. They are not only believable as characters but they are real and you are with them all the way. The setting is New York, one girl goes to a rough public school whilst the other goes to a conservative private school but this isnt a story about class in the usual sense that we focus on the rougher school and how this has its affects on a teen lesbian and her relationship, rather its the other way round how a conservative public school can cast judgement and inflict pain and judgement onto this relationship.

Throughout you get to see snippets from a letter Liza is writing to Annie but you never know the full story around the letter until later in the story. i enjoyed the way things unfolded and thought it was very gripping, i didnt want to put it down and i was very sad to finish it. That ending was also perfect.

This book keeps my faith in YA alive, ive constantly worried that im growing out of the genre but this little gem reminded me that there are still a few undiscovered treasures. I highly recommend this one. 

#17 Heist Society

Heist Society By Ally Carter

This isnt my usual taste in books but its been on my TBR on goodreads from the firth few months of having an account which was about 5 or 6 years ago now! Ive been slowly trying to work my way through that TBR list but i was a teenager when i added most of those books and my tastes have changed dramatically since then.

This book was a remarkably fast read for me, almost all in one sitting and i havent achieved that in a while. The story follows Kat, a young teen whose family are involved in worldwide heists, mainly of famous paintings. Kat tries to start a new life at boarding school but that all comes to a halt when she is framed by an old friend and fellow crook Hale and shortly there after she is kicked out and she goes back to rejoin her criminal family. 

When a powerful mafia type guy has a painting stolen Kat's dad a notorious thief is the first in the firing line of suspects. Kat vows to help him by finding out who stole the painting and getting it back. 

This story is insanely fast paced but not as action packed as you would suspect, the character development is lacking but maybe im expecting too much from a teen novel? I remeber read Ally Carter's other series 'The Gallagher Girls' i believe and it was much of the same, i was a lot younger then and remember enjoying them quite a lot. 

I did enjoy this but wont be continuing on with the next book as the story isnt what im normally into and it lacked in plot and development.

I gave this 3 star as it was so fast paced and i read it in almost one sitting, that was the main thing i liked about it.

#16 The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

I have wanted this book for SO long, literally craved it but i couldn't find it for a decent price anywhere! I eventually caved and paid the extortionate price for it from Ebay, so i had a lot riding on this one. 

First off... What is up with that cover, it is so cringe, i wouldn't be able to read this on public transport, people would laugh. I had a look at some of Jessica Sorensen's books on goodreads, these covers appear to be a theme. Lets hope her writing can help me overlook these covers!

Putting all that aside the writing was surprisingly good. Im a new comer to this NA/new adult genre and ive only read a few so far (mainly Colleen Hoover and she set the bar pretty high) I have discovered that NA books follow the same kind of themes, girl or boy or both have issues and try to start over in college then romance occurs, this was exactly what happened in this story too.

Ok so Kayden is a troubled very attractive quarterback who goes to college to escape his abusive father, Callie also has an array of issues and goes to college to escape her old life, then they fall in love. That is a very very brief overview as i hate giving too much away and spoilers are the worst! 

The characters are somewhat exaggerated in specific scenarios and im in no way talking down trauma and past experiences but it came across as a little too much at times. At other times i found the characters really likable, i really felt for Callie and i rooted for her throughout. 

The story flows well and there are a few twists and turns along the way which keeps the reader from getting bored. Im guilty of skimming when i get even the slightest bit bored but i didnt need to skim at all on this one.

The ending is a cliffhanger so i would suggest if you are enjoying it from about the halfway mark then you should pick up the second book as you will want to know what comes next, i havent picked it up yet but will ASAP!

Ive just started read Sorensen's 'The Secret of Ella and Micha' so watch out for the review of that soon!

#15 The testing

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Well this was basically The Hunger Games regurgitated. Usually when i hear that two books are similar i will always give it a chance to prove me wrong but this was pretty much the same story. This story follows Cia and Tomas, two really annoying characters with very little redeemable qualities. 

The testing involves a dystopian society that only picks certain individuals from each colony to take part in a contest known as 'The Testing. They must complete several tasks. The last task is to trek through the wilderness to find the base camp whilst the other contestants try to kill you in order to narrow down the competition. Sound familiar?

At first i really enjoyed it, the first 150 pages were interesting but after that it was just like re-reading a crap version of The Hunger Games. The romance in this book was so similar to Katniss and Peta that it made me roll my eyes constantly. There was the same element if survival that brought them together and the same she saves him then he saves her bullshit. I had to skim the last 100 pages as i was at risk of not finishing.

I really wanted to enjoy this as it has been on my TBR for ages but there are just so many other books that have similar feels to The Hunger Games but they dont outright copy the exact same story like this did. Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott is a perfect example, it has the same elements but the story is separate and unique. Read that instead of this. trust me! Im about 99% sure that i wont be picking up the sequel to this or the 3rd book either for that matter, it just doesnt interest me at all.

2 Stars :/

#14 Hopeless

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

This story follows Sky and Holder as they discover more about themselves and each other. Sky is a 17 year old that has been deprived from normal teenage life with no TV or internet, she is even home schooled. When her mum Karen caves and lets her enroll for her final year of high school she meets Holder and chaos ensues. This is a whirlwind romance that will have you wanted more long after you turn the final page. 

I had very mixed feelings about this book. It started off really slowly and i didn't really become enraptured into the story. The first 100 pages or so are very plain, not what you would expect from the queen of NA. At the 150 page mark i became obsessed and proceeded to read the rest in one sitting. A book that started out as a two stars ended as a solid 4. Ive read many Colleen Hoover books now, she is definitely one of my favorite authors, although this book was good it wasn't better than Maybe Someday which remains in poll position.

There are many adult themes in this book that shouldn't be tackled by the younger reader so i would be careful before picking this one up. The back of the book leads you to believe that this is a story of boy meets girl, it is so much more than that and is definitely on the new adult/close to adult genre.

The main things i enjoyed about this story was the characters, they are all extremely relatable and likable. There is also a range of characters that bring different elements to the story. I was disappointing that Six didn't play a bigger part in the story as i really enjoyed her sassyness. Another thing i really enjoyed was the flashback memories of 13 years previous to the main story, these offered great insight into Sky's life before she was adopted although they were a little confusing at times. What is commendable is how Colleen writes realistic relationships, there was none of this prince charming that never does anything wrong bullshit, she ensured that Holder messed up as many times as possible which is exactly how relationships are in the real world. I was also pretty happy with the ending, i had a few different scenarios but wasn't sure which one it would turn out to be. 

This is a fantastic story, great for people that are new to the NA genre and would like something darker and with more mature themes than YA. 

#13 The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

 



'I once read a book by a former alcoholic where she described giving oral sex to two different men, men she had just met in a restaurant on a busy London high street. I read it and thought. im not that bad. This is where the bar is set'

This fast paced crime thriller follows multiple narratives but the main focus is on Rachel (yes I was super excited at reading a book where the protagonist has my name but she's a hot mess so that quickly diminished)

Rachel is a recently divorced alcoholic that suffers from frequent blackouts. Her ex husband Tom left her for another woman, Anna. These characters have their own sub plot throughout but the main focus is Megan and her husband Scott. Megan goes missing fairly early on and the whodunit storyline is the main drive for the story. There were many contenders and I was on 80% before I figured this one out so im quite pleased with that.

Now lets address the elephant in the room.... This story couldn't be further from Gone Girl. I really enjoyed Gone Girl but it was very predictable whereas this was not. Don't you just hate it when people say two books are he same when they aren't. Give this book its credit as its unique and interesting in its own right.

This is a difficult review to write as I don't want to give anything away as most of the joy comes from not knowing. Alas I really enjoyed this one, 4.5/5 stars from me.

#12 Me Before You

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I dont even know where to begin. This was a very different take on a romance story. I fell head over heels for these characters. 

This story follows Louisa, a 26yr old a girl from poor beginnings who has held the same job in a cafe for years, when the cafe closes she receives a job opportunity as a carer with great pay, she takes it. Enter Will, a 35yr old who due to an unfortunate motorbike accident is a quadriplegic.

Louisa signs a 6 month contract to care for Will and to try and cheer him up. Before the accident Will lived life to the full, he went skiing, did bungee jumping and had a highly powerful job in London. When Louisa begins her new job Will is quite obviously not thrilled with her presence but as time goes on their friendship blossoms and it was such a lovely thing to read. 

This book is not for the faint hearted it has a lot of ups and downs and it completely tore my heart out. The main themes that drive this book is self worth, Will struggles with leaving his past life behind and cannot cope with being dependent on other people. It is also about courage and making decisions about what you are comfortable with. Will teaches Louisa some valuable lessons in how to live life to the full and to never settle for less than you deserve, her confidence sores as the story progresses. 

This book is categorized as an adult romance chick lit novel but it is so much more than that. The story is endearing, the characters are instantly loveable and it drives home the political statement that people are unable to end their own lives with dignity legally in the UK.  

#11 The Constant Princess

The Constant Princess (The Tudor Court Book 1) by Philippa Gregory

I have never taken any interest in historical fiction, i hated history at school and never really learnt anything about the history of the UK, i vaguely remember learning about trenches but the rest is an absolute blip. I really dont know why i picked this book up, id heard good things and the cover was pretty, it was also an absolute bargain of £1.99.

The story begins in Spain, 1491. The first 50 or so pages i was convinced that i was going to put the book down as a DNF (did not finish) but then something just clicked, i just got it from that point on and it has been an unbelievable page turner!

Dont get me wrong, i didnt have a clue what was going on, Catalina was the female protagonist and i was thinking surely i remember her being called Catherine and she also married Arthur and i was thinking wait a minute i thought this book was about Katherine of Aragon who was the first wife of Henry the eighth. I had to do a little research but i found that this Philippa woman is on point, not only is this book a remarkable work of fiction it is also for the most part historically accurate.

Catherine is a most enjoyable character and you really grow to admire her resistance, even from a young age she is remarkably sensible and mature. Arthur really grows on you, at first i had great distaste for him but after time the character development is really apparent and i found myself caring about what was to become of him. If you read the back of the book or indeed know anything about the Tudor monarchy, you will be aware that Arthur dies a premature death and Catalina/Katherine sets her sights on becoming queen of England, the only way to ensure this is to marry Arthur's younger brother Henry.

Henry is not a very likeable character even from the beginning he is attention seeking and immature. Although, he proves himself later on when he is a little older but only for a while then he reverts back to his childish selfish tendencies. Things did not go to well for Katherine, all she desired was to be a good queen. Poor gal.

To conclude, this story is fascinating to both history buffs and people who arent into history. Its historically accurate, due to the authors Phd. Great read.

#10 Black Mass Brides Review

The Black Mass Brides by E.J Cownley

I received this novella free in exchange for an honest review. First of all i would like to thank Emma Carney and the author Emma Cownley for sending me this novella.

The Black Mass Brides is a paranormal tale entwined with a little romance and a lot of darker elements that are of an adult nature. Along with the novella i received a link to a spotify playlist that is creating specifically to heighten the reading experience. It features bands like Fleetwood Mac and Lana Del Rey.

The story follows Ollie/Olive who meets a mysterious yet gorgeous guy called Zach. Ollie is a young graduate who works in a veterinary practice. She is a very skitish character that seems to be scared of her own shadow, this perhaps could have been explained a little more. Zach is some kind of paranormal entity called a cambion and he seems to have set his sights on Ollie, without giving too much away he is truly relentless in his quest for her. 

This story really wasnt what i was expecting, i expected a ditzy romance with light paranormal elements but what i got was so much more than that. This story had the right amount of creepiness but also had me laughing out loud! 

75 pages just wasnt enough for this fantastic story, it left me itching for more. What is commendable is that although this was only a short novella the author manages to effortlessly set the scene for the story, she sets up excellent imagery without over-doing it and she subtly character builds. 

This is an imaginative and unique take on a paranormal story. Ive read many paranormal books but none that even touched close on originality in the way The Black Mass Brides does. You instantly connect with Ollie/olive as a character as she is relatively normal and isnt over-imagined or given an overly quirky personality just to make her stand out and be memorable. This is a credit to the writing, that a normal girl can be so relatable but also likeable, you really root for Ollie throughout. 

I really enjoyed this story and was more than happy with the ending and the way the story turned out. I always dread endings when im reading something i like as it can bring down my rating massively if i dont agree with the ending but alas i was happy with this one.

Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V7M7RR4?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 for the bargain price of £1.94

For more info please see:  http://www.theblackmassbrides.com/

4/5 stars. 

#9 Salt and Stone Book Review

Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood Book 2)

This is the much anticipated second book from the Fire & Flood trilogy. The book is YA dystopian and action packed. I know a lot of people dislike these books as they have been likened to The Hunger Games and i can somewhat agree that the concept of The Brimstone Bleed is very similar to The Hunger Games but i like that they are similar as i enjoyed reading The Hunger Games and if that has somewhat inspired this book then great, i can read something similar with new characters,

Following on from the first installment which contained the first two obstacles of The Brimstone Bleed, Salt & Stone offers us the last two obstacles, the ocean challenge and the frost challenge. 

Tella, our main protagonist is beyond annoying and ive heard many people critisise this book as they find her too whiny. That is not my problem with her, i found her to be very realistic. As i once was a seventeen year old girl i can assert that she has the same attitude as most of us had at that age, she over-thinks everything especially when it comes to boys and she moans a lot about what our male protagonist Guy thinks of her but didnt we all at that age. Yes i agree that she is there to win the competition and obtain the cure so that her brother can live but shes still a teenager and allowances should be made for that. 

We also have an introduction of a few new characters as well as their pandoras. The first new character is the mysterious Cotton, a young handsome man who is described as 'in his 20's' at first i was getting love triangle vibes, the main thing i hate in YA is love triangles but alas one did not form, hes still a dark horse but for many other reasons and i dont want to give away spoilers in this review. We also have a new female character, Willow who is a young girl similar in age to existing character Olivia, which provides some nice comparisons of the two.

This sequel is just as action packed as its predecessor and with that comes deaths and even more plot twists. The book is left in such a way that definitely requires a sequel and ive read online that Victoria Scott has plans to write one but it is up to the publishers to pick it up. Fingers crossed.

I gave this one 4 out of 5 star on Goodreads.

#8 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Book Review

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay 

Ive watched all the seasons of the TV show Dexter and ive had these books on my kindle since 2012 but for some reason ive been really hesitant to check them out just in case they were really different and i didn't like them. This review will mainly highlight the differences between the book and the show.

• Firstly the character of Dexter is kept the exact same which i was pleased about, he is still a sociopath that struggles with putting on a 'normal' facade.
• Deb's is the exact same in the show as well only perhaps a little more annoying in book form. Her constant reliance on Dexter to further her career reads as demanding and downright annoying! 
• The character of Rudy from Season 1 who doubles as Deb's boyfriend who works in prosthetics  but also the brother that Dexter never knew about and the Ice Truck Killer. He isnt even referred to as The Ice Truck Killer!
• The ending was completely different, La Guerta was killed off in the end of this story but im guessing she was a popular character and the producers made an executive decision to keep her. 
• Dokes was ever present but wasnt as suspisious as he is in the show, he felt very side-lined in the book. Also Vince and Angel were not portrayed as well as they are in the show and they rarely appeared at all.
• I was glad when they kept the character of Rita the same as for me, she is vital to the story.

All in all, i really enjoyed this. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars on  Goodreads. The only let downs were how annoying Deb's was and the little differences but i was already prepared for that as most tv adaptions are a little different and never fully stick to the story. 

This book made me want to re-watch season 1 of Dexter whilst simultaneously picking up the second book in the series. 

#7 Book Review- Fairest

Fairest by Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5)(Spoiler alert)

This is the much anticipated novella that depicts Levana's story, which is greatly needed to tide me over as the final book 'Winter' is not being released until November 2015.This novella also provides us with the first three chapters of Winter as bonus content. Firstly, the cover art and inside covers of this book are stunning, that alone makes me love this book! 

Before reading this i hated Levana which most people probably do as she is the antagonist of all three books in the series. Her back story has often been hinted at but theres never really been any light shed on why she is so evil. 

The first thing that intrigued me was the detailed history of Levana's sister, Channery. As Channery is the elder sibling she was first in line to inherit the throne. Levana sees her sisters disinterest in becoming queen and of making decisions on behalf of Luna. We already knew from the first three books that Levana is facially disfigured and uses her glamour to trick people into believing that she is beautiful. Fairest offers us an account of how she became facially disfigured, Channery tricked Levana into walking into a lit fire and she was left with burns. 

Channery is portrayed as quite promiscuous but at the same time she also knows the importance of marrying well in order to extend the throne. That said there was no upheaval when she became pregnant and had no idea who the father was. She later gives birth to a little girl, Princess Selene who we all now know as our much loved Cinder. When Channery dies when Selene/Cinder is one years old Levana is expected to take to the throne until the child is of age to become queen. During the first few months of Levana acting as queen she develops a taste for the power that comes with it, the thought of giving up the throne for Selene makes Levana plot to kill her. She glamours the nanny into starting a fire which results in Selene's 'death'. 

We also have the introduction of our newest character Winter. She is obviously the main protagonist in the upcoming book of the same name, which coincidentally will be the final installment to the series. Her story is an interesting one as Levana married or should i say tricked into marrying her father thus making Levana Winter's step mother. Winters birth mother died during labour. 

I think the point in which i felt sorry for Levana was when Channery constantly picked on her. She was lonely and friendless. Her only friend Winters father Sir Hayle she results into manipulating into marrying her even though she knows he will never love her. I couldn't help but feel that she was silly and made some poor choices. The only thing she had left was Luna and this is why she became the hated dictator that we all love to hate. 

I am beyond excited for Winter to come out! The first three chapters that were included as bonus content left me yearning for more! 

#6 All the bright places

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

This story follows Finch and Violet. Two seventeen year olds with very different stories. The layout is dual perspective, which is fantastically fluid and gave great context to the issues surrounding both characters.

This novel headlines the issues surrounding mental health in teens which is such an important issue that is ignored in YA.

The importance of finding 'the bright places' was really prevelent throughout and how you shouldn't just go through life going through the motions. life is too short.

Violet is a survivor, in more ways than one. Without giving too much away she has dealt with the struggles of guilt and not feeling good enough. She loses who she is and i really empathized with her. Her voice was powerful and crucial within the YA genre.

Finch is slightly more complex. His story and reasonings unravel throughout the story and his issues are unclear until the last few chapters. I enjoyed the quirkiness of his character and thought he was the perfect counterpart to Violet.

I thought i would hate this story as i didnt like 'Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher' but i ended up enjoying it as it didn't romantisise suicide in the way i thought it might. It discussed the implications of suicide and the impact on those left behind. I did struggle to get into this at first as it was very teen angst but as the story goes on i fell in love with their personal stories and i became totally invested, which is a tribute to the writing style.

All in all this was pretty good and i enjoyed it, i didnt think it was like The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park as ive read both. This wasnt exactly original but it was cute and quirky.

#5 Norwegian Wood

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami 

This story follows teens Naoko and Toru. What seemed from the outset to be a romantic story turned into a tragic rollercoaster, filled with suicide. 

Sadness is a very complicated emotion. It has the ability of dissolving the edges of reality surrounding you and immersing you completely in an alternate world, where only you and that feeling exist together in complete harmony. And nothing else matters. You luxuriate in the richness of its beauty and marvel at the tranquility it offers you.

Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood evokes exactly similar kind of emotions in the reader.

There are some books you read, which leave you with stories-bitter, exciting, adrenaline-driven, romantic, depressing or grisly. And then there are books which leave you with feelings. Norwegian Wood, most definitely, belongs to the second category.
And in my opinion, it is infinitely easier to deconstruct a story in a review rather than the feeling it leaves you with. But here's an attempt anyway.

This is a beautifully crafted, sombre but incredibly sensual tale of unfulfilled love where the central characters are, in all essence, broken individuals.
In a most indolent manner, the book begins with our narrator Toru Watanabe, catching the strains of an orchestral version of The Beatles' 'Norwegian wood' on a flight to Hamburg and beginning to reminisce about a certain girl named Naoko, from the days of his youth in Tokyo. From hereon, the story is told as a flashback, as a sliver of memory that the 37-year old Toru has carefully preserved or perhaps is struggling not to forget.
Majorly the story revolves around the trials and tribulations of the 3 key characters - Toru, Naoko and Midori.

Toru, a reserved young college student, is shown to be somewhat anti-social, not quite opening up to others as easily as others open up to him. There is a sense of profound sadness about him hidden skilfully under a veneer of indifference, probably arising out of the loss of his childhood friend Kizuki, who committed suicide at 17. While Naoko, Kizuki's first and only girlfriend, is a beautiful and emotionally fragile being who has been unable to grapple with the tragedy of Kizuki's untimely death. Still in mourning, bound by a mutual feeling of isolation, Toru and Naoko, forge an unnatural connection of sorts, when they cross each other's paths years later in Tokyo. Toru falls in love right away and even she feels something love-like for him, but sadly enough it is not enough to heal them both. Soon the emotionally unstable Naoko recedes to a sanatorium in mountainous Kyoto while Toru tries to continue with his life as an unremarkable university student, seeking comfort in sleeping with random women. In Naoko's continued absence from his life, he makes friends with the bright, sassy, sexually liberated Midori Kobayashi, who has had her fair share of tragedies too but still manages to be optimistic. An unlikely friendship with Midori, helps dissipate some of the darkness in Toru's life but he is still unable to get Naoko off his mind and keeps writing her letters irrespective of whether she sends a reply or not. The rest of the book details Toru's dilemma as he is torn between these two women, never too sure of whether to shun his troubled past and embrace reality as it comes or keep waiting for Naoko to fully recover from her festering psychological wounds.

Written in a lucid language, the book is full of metaphors usually represented by the description of natural scenery. Murakami's obsession with western classics and music is reflected in the countless references to Beatles numbers like "Yesterday", "Michelle", "Something", Bach, Mozart, Scarlatti and literary works of Joseph Conrad, Fitzgerald, Thomas Mann, Karl Marx and so on.

The brief overview of the plot does not, in any way, do justice to the story. For a book like Norwegian Wood cannot be summarized.
It is about human relationships which cannot be given a name or a clear definition. It is about the ghastly spectre of death and the way the people who are no longer with us, sometimes leave us in a permanent state of damage. It is about friendship and love and sexuality. And most important of all, it is about sadness. In its cruelest yet most beautiful form. The inherent dreariness of the book gets to you at some point or the other, but Murakami's compelling story-telling ways, make sure you keep reading till the very end.