UKYABA 2016 Nomination!

Literally cannot believed that this blog has been nominated for Champion Teen Blogger of the Year award at the UKYABAs! Shocked and honoured 😊

Flowers in the attic - Virginia Andrews

This being a book published in 1979 I was worried it would be dated... To my surprise I was hooked by page two! 

The story begins with a perfect family but all too soon disaster strikes. After this pace-setter the tale whirls like a dervish and doesn't let you catch your breath until you have finished the last page.

The author is careful not to date the tale in any way, with every possibility that it could be set in the present - one reason why the story is as good today as ever.

I foolishly bought all 5 books in the series on a whim, before I had even started book one. Thankfully my optimism paid off and I am moving swiftly on to book two.

The Delirium Trilogy - Lauren Oliver

Another week, another dystopian trilogy...

I can't help feeling that this trilogy, much like Hunger Games, should have been a quadrilogy. The third book seemed a little rushed and didn't leave me with any sense of completion!

However, don't be put off! This trilogy was devoured in a little over a week, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In a similar vein to Condie's Matched, Lena lives in a world where love is banned. It is seen as a disease and those in control do all they can to eradicate it. The trilogy contains the usual revolution and violent waves of anarchy, however Lena left me wishing she would step into Katniss' shoes and bit a little less follower and a little more leader.

The first book is set in Then and Now chapters, allowing you to see the past and it's influences on Lena's present day choices. This worked well with this book, in allowing us to get to know Lena better, without the awkward flashback italics that authors seem to be fond of.

There is of course a love interest ( 2 infact!) and, looking at fangirl reviews, there is a lot of love out there for Alex. I found myself rooting for the villain-turned-hero in Julian, and felt cheated at the close of the 3rd book that he didn't get to keep the girl he had fought so hard for.

So long as you don't expect a fairy tale ending, then give these three books a go. Fans of Matched will love them, and Hunger Games fans will enjoy the vivid dystopian world created by Oliver.

Doctor Sleep - Stephen King

The great man hits another home run.

Where to start? Stephen King is a literary writer on a pedestal, and his latest novel further cements his place there.

I found his writing style in Doctor Sleep sounded more like Dean Koontz. He knows how to make you feel fully submerged in his characters' journey through Maine. 

I liked the fact that King decided not to go with the scare tactics he employed in The Shining. This story is more about the characters and their journeys - and their growth as people. You can't help but root for Dan, and even the precocious Abra softens your heart by the end.

I would recommend this for readers new to Kings work. It is an easy read, but with plenty of activity to keep you enthralled.

Good work Mister King!

13 Bullets - David Wellington

Yet another book so good it reads like a movie. Forget the romantic smushy Edward Cullen type vampires, this book re-paints them as the violent monsters they are.

Some of the scenes in this book are just creepy... Cue the abandoned lunatic asylum and the midnight high-speed getaway chased by rampaging undead. Wellington throws these little terrifying moments into scenes that at first appear ordinary, thus managing to catch the reader off guard and perhaps to remind us of the monsters they are?

I found one of the main characters increasingly frustrating. I had read reviews that said Caxton, the lesbian state trooper roped into vampire hunting, was 2D and unlikeable - but it wasn't her I couldn't get on with. It was Arkeley the seasoned vampire killer. His character is never really fleshed out enough in this book, and perhaps this is intentional and mirrors Caxton's frustrations with his aloof personality, but for me it was the one flaw to this book.

If you're looking a for fast-paced, action-packed zombie/vampire tale then you will probably devour this as quickly as I did. The characters may be a little lacking, but to be honest with so many undead appearing from the shadows you hardly have time to notice.

The Hunt - Andrew Fukuda

I picked this book up for a £1 so I really wasn't expecting much. Plus I had checked out some reviews on Good Reads and most people had scored it 1 - 2 stars at most.

The story is basically Hunger Games with vampires: but there is a whole lot more besides. Gene is a human living alongside vampires by pretending to be one. It sounds daft I know, but it really adds to the story. I found my self on tenterhooks each time Gene is nearly found out! 

One of the great things about this book is that there is no mushy love story ruining the plot. Of course there's a girl, there always is in YA fiction now, but she is very much a sideline in this book - and glad I am about that!

The final chapters of the book in which 'The Hunt' takes place are described perfectly. Although, as with all trilogy books, it leaves you on a massive cliffhanger.... So naturally I have ordered the next two books :)

A Gathering Light - Jennifer Donnelly

When I was little I had a copy of The Little House on the Prairie which I read until the cover started to fall off. It now has pride of place on my bookshelf and reminds me of why I love to read; losing yourself in another world where the simplest things are those you treasure. This book reminds me of Little House.

Firstly the writing is beautiful. Donnelly has hints of Margaret Atwood in her writing style, and uses this to cleverly lead us on a tale of a young woman breaking the rules that back in 1905 her gender and age were bound to obey.

The murder in the book is by-the-by and it wasn't until I finished the book that I was told the murder is a true story. Donnelly used the mlocal murder of a young girl to put Mattie's actions into perspective; life can be so suddenly cut short, so chase your dreams.

I picked this book up at a charity shop on a whim, but have found a true treasure of a book that I'll sit perfectly alongside Little House on my bookshelf.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Ricky Riordan

First things first, don't be fooled by the 'For ages 9 and over' note on the cover of this book. It's a book any age will enjoy!

Being a history geek I was intrigued by the book's take on Greek mythology, and this is what initially lured me in. 

In a similar vein to the tv show 'Once Upon A Time, Riordan takes myths and makes the characters into modern day equivalents in a very clever way. You end up playing a game with yourself whereby you try and guess which mythilogical creature they are... Medusa stumped me and I am incredibly mad at myself for not working it out sooner!

So long as you remember it is a children's book, and therefore don't expect any prize-winning literary feats, you will enjoy this book for the tale itself. It is a simple yet effective 'fairy-tale' and an easy read to get caught up in.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Ok so I bought the first two in this series on a whim, and then borrowed the other 4 books. So before I'm even one chapter in I'm already invested in the series. I was hoping for a good return... One chapter later and I can relax - I'm already hooked!

The characters are far more enthralling than Edward and Bella, and despite the paranormal they are far more realistic. I'm glad Simon didn't just become a whingey side-line character. He is fast becoming one of my favourites...even more so than Jace! 

This may be targeted at young adults, but the writing style is suited to anyone. I read the last 2 chapters in one sitting...finishing way past bed-time! I just had to find out what happened. I was well-rewarded with an action-packed finale in which your perspective changes somewhat...

Book two is already in progress :)

The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty

Wow...and just, wow.

This beautiful tale starts slow, as characters are steadily thrown into the mix, but the once the pace starts building it feels like a merry-go-round ride to the finish.

I started this book expecting a trashy romance, but instead this was a tale intricately combining lust, grief, love and betrayal.

Moriarty has a casual writing style which made reading this book effortless. It took me two days to finish, and I closed the final page with a smile on my face.

The First Days - Rhiannon Frater

Walking dead fans will love this book, and indeed the trilogy. The Zombie-apocolypse is upon us and this book starts literally as society falls.

Fans of the Walking dead will recognise the gory zombie decapitations against various backdrops; houses, service stations, the speedy race from the city to the space and 'safety' of the Texas countryside - and the final sanctuary of a fortified town not unlike 'Woodbury'....

Frater focuses her story on two female leads: one a kick-ass lesbian (her sexuality we are reminded of again and again...) and the other an abused wife and mother. I wish Frater made me care more about the main characters. I cared more about the supporting characters, especially the elderly Israeli female sniper holed up in a gun store - which is exactly where I would want to be too if the world ended!

A great start to the trilogy, with more than enough action to keep girls and boys entertained. Stick at it cos I have a feeling Frater is building up to something gorily good in part 2...

Asylum - John Harwood

What started out as a historical mystery novel soon descended into cleverly twisted tale. 

Harwood manages to successfully switch your perspective during Asylum, leaving me racing towards the end.

If you like your stories with a heavy does of historical content and the thrill of a chase then this one's for you. The tale is similar to the plot of the film Gothika, with the lead winding up in a lunatic asylum with no knowledge of how or why. 

The latter half of the book was far superior to the first. Once you've gotten past all of the events prior to the here-and-now and met the key characters it then starts to get interesting!

My advice; hold out til the end, it's worth the wait...

Hush Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick

This book is apparently aimed at Twilight fans. I loved Twlight, Hush Hush took some work!

The teenage angst of falling for a fella a little on the paranormal side is a recurring theme in this book, however there are no melancholy, brooding vamps like Edward in sight. Instead Becca gives us Patch. A fallen angel who, if he had treated me the way he treats Nora, would have had a swift slap as a reward for his efforts.

 At least in Twilight you understand why Bella is drawn to Edward. In Hush Hush Patch is far too cock-sure and arrogant for my liking, and this almost made me close the book in favour of another a number of times.

The end had the potential of being genious, with my irritation at Patch preventing me from working out just who the 'bad guy' was. Yet the ending seemed a little hurried and left me feeling overjoyed at reaching the last page!

The characters in Hush Hush are 2D and you never really feel comfortable in their presence. I often wished that Nora would  ditch Patch, abandon her overly qwerky best friend, and just do something a little less tiring. Maybe she could make ONE good choice in the whole book??

Unfortunately I am a sucker for punishment, and in the interest of proving history wrong, I am going to see if on this occasion the sequel outdoes it's predecessor. God I hope so!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

The first few pages of this book were not enough to get me hooked, but for lack of an alternative, I continued on - and I am so glad I did!

The book starts out slow as Taylor introduces Karou and the characters in both worlds. During this part of the book there is a great deal of unnecessary detail about Karou's boyfriend - who isn't really very interesting and is perhaps what put me off. Her boyfriend really doesn't require that much attention considering where the tale leads!

After all of the explaining is through, the book begins to get good, and this coincides with the arrival of Arkiva. He is an angel, but not in the traditional sense...

Taylor unveils Arkiva and his alternate world with such poignancy and care that it is almost as if you are experiencing the unveiling right along with Karou. 

The angel versus demon theme is distorted slightly by Taylor, and you are never really sure who is on which team. This, along with the broken angel Arkiva, keeps the reader intrigued and forced me into reading chapter after chapter well into the early hours..

It seems this is to be a trilogy, with the next book not yet released. I cannot wait :)

Gone - Micheal Grant

I picked this up in a charity shop and promptly added it to my ever-expanding holiday reads pile.

After my recent spat of Zombie novels I was intrigued by the cautionary words in the back of the book: 'Contains scenes of cruelty and some violence', and ready for some gore.

Gone is a tale about a town where everyone over the age of 15 disappears one day, leaving kids behind to do what they will. The book is a modern day Lord of the Flies type tale, with the usual fight for control coupled with the basic need to survive.

Despite being pegged as a YA book and written about children, nothing about this book is child-like. The violent scenes are written well, and certainly make you whince - yet the violence is not misplaced. It reveals to the reader the stark reality if a world without adult supervision.

This book is the first in a series of 6 and I am intrigued to see how the story develops through the books. Needless to say all 6 are already on order... :)

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe - Mary Simses

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe is a beautifully written book based in Maine. I have to say, despite having a great story, the best thing about this book is the setting. The sleepy town of Beacon, Maine is described so elegantly that it makes you want to hop on a plane and visit. 

Simses has a witty writing style, in a similar manner as the Bridget Jones books. I felt that I knew Ellen incredibly well by the final pages, and you close the book feeling you've left a well-loved character in a happy place.

The book reads like a romantic comedy, but thankfully there is no heavy on-slaught of mushy romance. Instead there is a wondrous mix of 'will they/won't they' between Ellen and Roy alongside Ellen's endeavour to seek out her grandmother's past. 

This really is a beautiful story and one I will certainly read again whenever I need a little 'happily ever after'.

Bay of Secrets - Rosanna Ley

Whilst on holiday on a sunny sandy beach in Africa, I picked up this book. The cover promised me a perfect holiday read, and it did not disappoint.

The twist of past and present stories reminded a lot of Barbara Erskine's work,; adding a historical mix into the tale. 

I was immediately caught up in the two strands of the tale, and Ley conceals the clever twist until the very last few pages. 

The cover and blurb on the back page peg the book as a romantic read; however the historical side of the tale is just enough to dilute the romantic theme and prevent the tale becoming just another trashy beach romance. 

A beautifully written tale with a clever twist that will have you racing through the pages to the finish. 

Drop Dead Gorgeous - Wayne Simmons

After another gore-splattered series of The Walking Dead left our TV screens, I began looking around for more of the same, and stumbled upon this teensy little novel.

Drop Dead Gorgeous (a hideous title I might add!) took a little nudge from Stephen King and littered it's post-apocalypse world with richly-described characters you quickly grow to love. So much so in fact that you completely fail to notice the distinctive LACK  of zombies until somewhere around page 220. 

Now, seeing as this book is only 288 pages long, I began to get a little bit anxious! The wait though is definitely worth it: with enough  gore and vividly described death scenes to leave your heart-racing and your page-turning gathering speed.

 The usual end-of-the-world backdrops feature; fetid supermarkets, abandoned petrol stations etc, but despite the 'exploited-to-death' subject matter, Simmons still manages to breathe new life into the genre. 

I love the fact that all of the zombies are scorned women on a vengeful rampage, and it made a refreshing change to gind the stronger human characters in the book are all women - albeit all damaged in different ways...

I will be picking up book 2 (Doll Parts) immediately, and eagerly anticipate another blood-soaked helping... Bring it on Ladies!

2nd hand purchases today.. Reviews to follow!

'Now the darkness is complete...'

After such a gripping first book, I immediately picked up the second in the trilogy- The Fall by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan.

As a stand-alone book this novel isn't amazing. It certainly doesn't hook you in the first chapter like its first instalment. The pace is slow, and the chapters are a lot more weighty than previously. 

The Fall is used as a way to explain the past of the characters we have met previously, and we learn a great deal about how they came to be. Despite this wealth of characterisation, the female characters never really seem to develop - they almost exist merely to show us more about the male characters. The downside  of this is you never really care if they get sucked dry by vamps!

The slow pace really picks up towards the final chapters, with a clever plot development which leaves you siding with the team responsible for wiping out humankind.

My advice is this; persevere all the blather, if only to get to the third and final part of the trilogy. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a bloodbath worth waiting for..!