Category Archives: reviews

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

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I was intrigued by the Pivot Point the second I saw the summary. It had a great synopsis that really sucked me in; especially with the Sliding Doors comparison, so my expectations were high and thankfully met too. Pivot Point is definitely a highly enjoyable debut YA that I simply couldn’t put down.

Set in a world where there is a secret community of people with psychic gifts, Addison is a Searcher and can see the future and look ahead to the way the future may go if certain decisions are taken. While she’s never manipulated this, when she learns of her parents’ divorce she has to decide whether to leave the safety and familiarity of her community and go out into the regular world with her father, or stay with her mum, her close friend encourages her to see what would happen either way. What follows is a highly compelling novel that follows two completely different realities in the same way as Sliding Doors. In fact, I would say this is like a light sci-fi Sliding Doors YA. And this is a good thing.

I really liked Addison and while I could see one path, in my opinion, seemed better for her, West added some twists and turns that completely changed everything. I loved West’s writing style and am really excited to see what she produces next, especially as her next book is a contemporary YA. While I really liked Addison, I absolutely adored Trevor, the love interest Addie has with the life if she moves with her father and this probably contributed to why I never really liked the interest, Duke, Addie had staying with her mother.  For the same reason I think I felt less invested in this path too, which was the only thing that kept this from being an amazing read for me.

While this book has definite series potential, and I really hope it is a series as I loved the world it was written in, what I also really liked was how Pivot Point could stand alone at the same time.  Recently a lot of YA books have ended with cliffhangers and hooks for the next book, so it was nice to have a more complete feeling ending that could be enhanced by being returned to, but equally satisfy the reader as is.

I would hesitate to call this book really sci-fi as it didn’t really go into those elements deeply in my opinion, but I think fans of books like Beth Revis’ Across The Universe series, Theo James’ Mystic City and also fans of contemporary YA will find a lot to love in Kasie West’s debut.

I received a free egalley from HarperTeen via Eidelweiss for my honest reviewing purposes. Pivot Point is available to buy now (and fellow UKers who are intrigued, I’ve definitely seen it in Foyles if you want to avoid e-retailers)

Review: By Any Other Name by Laura Jarratt

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I absolutely adored Laura Jarratt’s debut YA Skin Deep last year, so when an unexpected copy of By Any Other Name came through my postbox, I practically squealed with joy.

Holly has only been Holly for a few months. After witnessing a crime, she along with her family are in witness protection and starting over in a small town in England. However being a teenager who has to start a whole new identity and lie low is incredibly difficult and after reaching out to an old friend, she has to accept she may have placed her whole family in danger.

A lot of sensitive topics are dealt with in this book; Holly’s sister, Katie, is autistic and encounters prejudice as well as really not understanding what is happening. Holly is struggling with her identity.  When you’re fifteen your sense of identity is so important and you’re still working out what that exactly is, so to be told to leave everything and everyone behind would be horrible. As you would expect Holly really struggles with this and I found it really interesting to read how she started off planning to blend in the middle and not stand out, before thinking ‘stuff this’ and infiltrating the popular crowds. The change from a city to a rural area was also a factor that was explored well as Holly struggles with the different ways to pass the time and pace of life. I really liked though that the majority of the action took place in the small town or a coastal holiday village as

I really loved Emo Boy, or Joe as he’s really called, and his development throughout the book. I think he was an excellent example of not prejudging people and the way we can particular can be very superficial at times with regards to appearance. His relationship with Holly was brilliant and just reminds me that Jarratt has a real talent for bringing the development of teenage relationships to life in a way that is never patronising and feels very true.

Jarratt’s writing is just as beautiful and intense as Skin Deep and I love the complexities and humanity she shows in her work. Her characters are flawed, human and yet completely relatable. I really felt for Holly and her family throughout the book and was desperate for everything to work out for them.

The mystery of what exactly Holly saw was interspersed throughout the novel through flashbacks and while I found them interesting and they did add to the plot, I’m not if I liked the way they broke up some chapters personally. Craft wise, I could understand the choice, however, when we first get the flashbacks of the build up, I wasn’t sure if they felt truly necessary or could have been conveyed in some other way. This however is just my personal preference and flashbacks as a whole are hard to use in a novel well, which for the majority of the novel Jarratt does very well.

By Any Other Name is a great book filled with drama, relatable and compelling characters and an intriguing mystery and suspense at its backbone. A definite recommendation from me! I received a free review copy from Egmont/ Electric Monkey for my honest reviewing purposes. By Any Other Name is available to buy now.

 

Review: Follow Me Down by Tanya Byrne

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Tanya Byrne’s debut, Heart-Shaped Bruise, was on of my favourite reads of 2012 and a book that quickly found its place to my all-time favourites shelf. Therefore it was with excitement and trepidation I began to read her next novel, Follow Me Down. I needn’t have been worried.

Follow Me Down tells the story of Adamma, daughter of a Nigerian diplomat, who has just moved to London from New York. She begins to attend Croften College, an exclusive boarding school, and is drawn to Scarlett. Scarlett is confident, wild and beautiful and soon takes her under her wing. However when Adamma falls for Scarlett’s boyfriend everything changes. Then Scarlett goes missing and Adamma has to find out what has happened. However as truths come out, she realises Scarlett had more than one enemy.

Follow Me Down kept me guessing throughout; I have to confess I worked out a twist fairly early on, though kept questioning myself and wondering if that was the path Byrne was going on at all. Byrne masterfully narrates two concurrent timelines and this is something that could have easily gone wrong, but in Byrne’s hands works wonderfully and helps build the mystery and questions.

There are so many things I loved about Follow Me Down; Adamma was a great narrator and I really loved how she developed throughout the book. Follow Me Down is a book that does not flinch – it isn’t afraid to go down a troubling path and it makes you question characters, notions and plots. It is beautifully written, poignant and simultaneously exciting. The entire cast of characters are three-dimensional rather than just constructs and I adored so many of them. Dominic was fantastic and often a highlight of scenes, Adamma’s enigmatic teacher and an investigating police officer also were fantastic characters and additions to the story.

Follow Me Down cements Tanya Byrne as one of the UKYA authors that simply must be read. I cannot wait for her next book.I received a free proof copy from Headline publishing for my honest reviewing purposes. Follow Me Down will be released this Thursday and is not a book to be missed!

Review: You Don’t Know Me by Sophia Bennett

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Have you ever wondered what happens to those groups who are told one member isn’t working on a TV talent show? What happens when you have to chose between fame and your friendships? This is exactly what Sophia Bennett explores in her new YA novel, You Don’t Know Me.

I used to love the X-Factor when it was first released, but as it got more and more about bad auditions and the humour in them, something I felt uncomfortable with, I switched off (now it’s all about The Voice). However I remember watching groups being forced to make these decisions occasionally about dumping a member so as soon as I read the summary for Sophia Bennett’s new book, I knew I had to read it.

You Don’t Know Me is told through Sasha’s point of view and tells the story of her and three of her very close friends. When they are unintentionally entered on Killer Act, a talent competition for under-18′s with a song they wrote – a competition here the winner gets to be the face of Interface (a facebook/twitter equivalent) – they are catapulted to prominence in their local community. Suddenly strangers are voting for them and people setting their song as their ringtone and before they know it they’ve qualified for the judges.

However the judges tell them something -someone, Rose- isn’t quite right and they have to decide whether to proceed as a trio or not.

I thought that the dilemma here was really well handled. Sasha and her friends make an impulse decision and really have to pay for it. I thought the media manipulation was very realistic and sadly the editing was too. Seriously, if you ever watch a documentary or reality show listen to the voices carefully and you can often hear the change in tone or pitch when it’s been edited together. The manipulation that happens in the second third of the book, one I won’t spoil for you, was something I could really see happening as damage control.

Sasha was a very relatable narrator. I genuinely believed she didn’t realise the greater impact on Rose, and why the judges really didn’t want her in, or see how it would all snowball when they were first told to go forward as a trio. I loved how as the book progressed she discovered her love of music more and began songwriting too. I absolutely adored Danny as a character too. Danny is the guitarist in another local band and he begins to befriend Sasha after Killer Act. I also really liked the twists that Bennett added here and the way she managed to shy away from where I thought she was going to go with this plot.

Overall, You Don’t Know Me is a brilliant, telling story about media, celebrity and fame in the age of the internet that I think teens will really enjoy. It feels so realistic to its situation and Sasha is a great narrator as she tries to work out the best way to proceed after her life seems to blow up in front of her. I started this book as soon as it arrived and I absolutely devoured it. I would say this is my favourite of Bennett’s books yet. You Don’t Know Me will be released on May 6th and is published by Chicken House. I received a free copy for (honest) reviewing purposes.

Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E Smith

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I adored The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight so the second I heard about Jennifer E Smith’s next YA book I was dying to read it. I was lucky enough to get a proof and decided to save it for my then upcoming holiday as it looked like the perfect feel good book I needed to relax with. My book arrived a whole week before the holiday and I’m highly impatient person so I was a little enthusiastic when I finally got to read the book. This Is What Happy Looks Like made waiting at an airport and a stressful night flight tolerable; it also ensured I didn’t sleep on the plane.

This Is What Happy Looks Like tells the story of Graham Larkin and Ellie O’Neill. When Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about looking after his pet pig by mistake, the two start up an email rapport and friendship. However, Graham is the teen actor du jour and when he discovers Ellie’s small hometown is the perfect setting for his new film, he decides for them to have a relationship beyond email, but will this work out when she learns who she is?

The idea of the teenage star and ordinary romantic interest is something I can see having real appeal in YA, and it’s something I’ve often considered playing with myself, but personally avoided as I think I’d make it a bad fanfiction. Smith however weaves a heartfelt story about love, chances and family that is much more than a story about a ordinary girl snagging a celebrity.

I thought Ellie’s reluctance for the limelight and her family’s backstory was really interesting and I liked that Smith didn’t shy away from showing how unpleasant and invasive the press intrusion can be on a person. However, the real selling point for me of this book is the characters. Smith creates wonderful characters who feel real beyond the page and can make you smile at the right moments, or feel whatever they are. I adored Graham with his pet pig and he had a really strong voice, especially in the email exchanges between the two.

I also loved the inclusion of the emails and the way we got see their friendship develop through these. They framed chapters really well structurally at the beginning and central moments and I thought that they complemented the narrative without seeming out of place.

This Is What Happy Looks Like is both the perfect book for a gloomy day or for a holiday read; it will either cheer you up or reinforce that fun, sweet vibe you’re already in. I received a free proof copy for my honest review. This What Happy Looks Like is published by Headline and is available to buy now!

 

Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

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Since publication, The Infernal Devices have always been my favourite of Cassandra Clare’s work so I was both excited and nervous to read the conclusion of the series. However, Clockwork Princess delivered a surprising at times, dramatic and solid conclusion to the series that I couldn’t put down.

Be warned this review will contain some spoilers for Clockwork Angel and Prince so please proceed with caution if you have not read this series and intend to. 

Tessa and Jem are engaged, in a battle against time and Jem’s illness, while Will still loves Tessa from afar. There are signs that a new dark presence is rising, one that has ties to Mortmain and intends to wreak havoc and destory the Shadowhunters. This man needs Tessa to do this though and Tessa will need the help of not just Will and Jem, but the whole of the London Institute to help her stop this.

I was pleased to see the return of the automatons, as it may be me but I can’t remember them being especially present in Clockwork Prince. Clare effectively tied the main plot strings together in the trilogy and the stakes are significantly higher in the Clockwork Princess.

I also really loved the letters to and from Consul Josiah Wayland and development of the Shadowhunters and Enclave themselves. This was particularly interesting when we saw how Charlotte had to stand up for herself as a woman and how ahead of her time she really was. These moments not only set the period very well, but provided a compelling subplot as Charlotte fights for her respect and place with the Shadowhunters.

While dark and thrilling, the infamous Cassandra Clare sharp dialogue and witticisms are present in Clockwork Princess. I love how Clare thinks of all of her quips, but doesn’t overuse them as it wouldn’t fit some characters. However, Will, as expected, has some brilliant lines throughout the book.

The love triangle is a important point in this book, as after all Clare needed to draw it together and reach a realistic resolution for her characters. I read a review of Clockwork Princess by one of my favourite US bloggers, Wendy Darling, and she mentioned how she felt this was how a love triangle was supposed to be treated – I’ve linked her goodreads review so you can see her review for yourself and see if you agree. I agree with Wendy though, none of the characters acted in a way which made you doubt them and the love triangle was very well-written and handled. All three characters are in such a difficult position; Jem is dying, Will loves Tessa but cannot betray his parabati and Tessa is realising she loves both people at the same time.

While I’m not sure the epilogue personally worked for me one hundred percent, I think I’m one of a small minority who didn’t cry (which is weird as I generally can cry at anything, but oddly it seems I can hold it back with most books) but I can understand why Clare ended it the way she did. I also love that the epilogue touched on the problems faced with being immortal, and it’s something she’s hinted at a little in the Mortal Instruments series with Magnus. Obviously, I don’t want to say too much as I would not want to spoil this book at all for you.

Cassandra Clare fans will undoubtedly love this final book in her Victorian trilogy. It is filled with everything that Clare fans love: the plotting, dialogue, characters and humour. It is also a more epic book than perhaps the first two in the series because it is the final book and believe me, it is one that from the first chapter holds no fire.

Clockwork Princess is available to buy now. I received a free review copy for my honest review from the very lovely Hannah at Walker who made my day when it arrived!

Review: A Witch Alone by Ruth Warburton

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A Witch Alone is the final book in Ruth Warburton’s A Witch In Winter series and as such will contain some mild spoilers for the first two books so proceed at your caution.

I love Ruth Warburton’s writing and in particular the way she brings a historical context to witchcraft to her YA. Having seen her at several YA panels now and at a couple of events, I always find it so interesting to hear her talk about her research and the real history behind witchcraft. This is something that is clearly present in the books, especially the chilling torture scene in A Witch In Love, and it really enhances the stories beyond a typical YA paranormal.

In A Witch Alone we are taken from London to Russia to the sea, and there’s a really international feel to the conclusion of this trilogy. We get to see so much more of Warburton’s witching world than we ever have before and I really liked this aspect to the book in particular.

A Witch Alone picks up shortly after A Witch In Love, where Seth and Anna broke up and Seth has gone away to work on a boat while Anna tries to make her way through her A-levels and honing her abilities as a witch. However, the more she finds out about her mother, the more she begins to see why her mum ran away when she was a child.

Anna has changed so much from the girl we meet in A Witch In Winter and I love seeing how much bolder and how much more in control she is from her first introduction.There is a slight love triangle element to this book in that Abe, which we have known since the last book, has definite strong feelings for Anna and in the absence of Seth has complicated things. However, this love triangle is well-handled and I found the option of Abe for Anna added an interesting choice to the plot of the book.

I personally wished the ending had been a little different. While I could appreciate how it bought the whole trilogy together, it did add up to a brilliant and chilling climax, the resolution didn’t quite work for me. Although I could understand the decisions made, I felt one small part of the ending jarred with the message of the previous books while simultaneously complimenting them.  Yes, it’s an ending that has truly left me torn between loving it and hating it. Perhaps, this is deliberate though as it certainly highlights the impossible choices Anna is forced to make in this book.

The Witch In Winter trilogy has marked Ruth Warburton as a YA author to watch and I absolutely cannot wait until 2014, when Witch Finder, the first book in her new Victorian YA series which follows a member of the Malleus Maleficorum.

A Witch Alone is available to buy now. I received a free copy from the publishers, Hodder Children’s Books, for my honest review.

 

 

Review: Hidden Among Us by Katy Moran

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Before Christmas, the lovely Hannah at Walker sent me a selection of three upcoming YA titles and Hidden Among Us was one of them. From reading the summary, I had a feeling this was going to be a book I either loved or wouldn’t get on with at all; fairies/mythical creatures can feel a little overdone and there were so few fae series I’d got on with, I really wasn’t sure about it. However, I decided to give it a go before it’s publication date and I’m so glad I did.

Hidden Among Us is a fantastically creepy UK paranormal YA told in multiple perspectives. As a baby, Lissy was stolen by the Hidden and her mother managed to bargain for fourteen extra years before she had to return her to Hopestay. Now, the fourteen years are up and her elder brother, Rafe, is researching the Hidden and trying to save his sister while Lissy is oblivious to the danger around as they all return to Hopestay. At first I have to confess I wasn’t sure if the multiple perspectives would work, however as the plot developed I could see how important having all of the views was and it really worked. Every voice was distinct as well, which is such an important detail and one that can be quite difficult in terms of writing.

The setting of Hopestay was wonderfully written and I could really picture this small village so well. I loved the British setting as so many series involving the paranormal and faeries are set in the US, but there’s a wealth of history and folklore in the UK which is desperate to be explored. I was so pleased Moran chose to do this with Hidden Among Us and I think this is one of the features that really makes it stand out amongst similar books.

The Hidden are really creepy and malevolent in this book and I really liked this. I was also really intrigued by the shadowy human group who are aware of the Hidden and pursuing Rafe. As I read,  I was desperate for Lissy to escape from her destiny with the Hidden and as soon as we entered the Hidden world fairly early on in the book, I was hooked. I really liked the twists and turns and how the plot developed to its conclusion at the end which left me desperate for a sequel.

This is a highly enjoyable YA book that I think has the potential to appeal to those who don’t normally read books about the Fae, as well as those who adore them. It’s beautifully written and an exciting, chilling tale as well. Hidden Among Us is available to buy now. I received a free proof copy for my honest review from Walker Books. Thank you so much Hannah for sending me this!

Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

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After being recommended to read the Vampire Academy series and loving it, I was so intrigued to see what Mead’s Bloodlines spin-off would be like and was very lucky that my UKYABB Secret Santa sent me the first two books which I quickly devoured. When I was able to get a copy for review of the Indigo Spell I immediately put everything else down and jumped right back in Sydney and Adrian’s world. As this is the third book in the series, there will be spoilers for plot points in the first two books so beware.

While I really like this series, I did find parts in the first two books problematic; particularly Sydney’s clear eating disorder and issue with her weight. I was wary this would continue into book three, however was happy to find there was a lot less talk about clothes sizes, calories and how thin the Moroi were. For me, this was a very welcome character development and progression from the earlier books.

Sydney is still an Alchemist, guarding Jill the only relative of Lissa at a Californian boarding school and is still grappling with her attraction for the swoonworthy Adrian and the conflict between this and her Alchemist upbringing. This is made more complicated by her attempts to deal with her magical abilities and blood and when young witches begin to get murdered, her magic may be the only thing that can protect her.

For me The Indigo Spell was the strongest of Sydney’s series yet. Sydney is truly questioning the Alchemists now after the events of the Golden Lily and their knowledge about the vampire-hating group she was up against. Marcus Finch, a former Alchemist wants her to join him and Sydney’s torn between exposing the many problems with the Alchemists and everything she’s known in her life.

The true hero of The Indigo Spell for me was Adrian though. This book just confirmed to me that Adrian trumps Dimitri every time. His dry humour and swoon factor just made the book. One of my favourite scenes was Adrian’s teasing when Sydney and him go undercover at a hotel. However the t-shirt painting scene made something that at first seemed almost childish suddenly quite swoonworthy.

Fans of the series will adore Mead’s latest addition and I think that those who were less keen on the Bloodlines series but loved Vampire Academy should give it a go because it is definitely the strongest of the series to date and might just suck you right back in.

Full of intrigue, suspense and romantic tension, The Indigo Spell ups the game in Sydney’s story considerably. A definite recommendation as Mead remains one of my go-to authors for YA vampires.  The Indigo Spell is available now and I received a free copy for my honest review.

Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

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Marie Lu’s dystopian YA series goes from strength to strength in this sequel. This review obviously contains some spoilers for Legend, the first in the series so please bear that in mind.

Day and June are on the run after June helped Day escape his own execution. Headed for Vegas and the mysterious Patriot rebels, on arrival they are shocked to learn the Elector Primo has died and Anden, his son, has taken his place. In the wake of mounting tension and unrest in the Republic, their roles in the rebellion are revealed, they must assassinate Anden.

As June is thrown back into the world she escaped from, she is forced to question whether Anden is as bad as she is told, or if he could offer something better – a new beginning for the society.

Dystopian YA can be hit-or-miss, however Lu constructs the world Day and June live in skilfully. There is a chapter where the two are in a new setting that I found chilling, even more so than the society they had previously been in and while I’m trying not to spoil Prodigy for those who will want to read it, I have to mention this chapter as it was one of the most surprising and effective for me.

I love that Lu has created such a feisty heroine in June. She’s strong, respected and intelligent too. Her musings on right and wrong and what is best for the world she is in are well explored and realistic. She doesn’t just accept what she is told and searches for the truth.

Overall, Prodigy was a brilliant second book that managed to steer clear of second book syndrome. Lu develops her world, characters and motivations much more deeply and I, in fact, preferred it to Legend. A highly enjoyable, action-packed and thrilling read I’m sure fans of dystopian fiction will just devour. Bring on book three!

I received a free review copy from Penguin UK for my honest review. Prodigy is available to buy now.

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