Book Review: Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; Unabridged edition (28 Aug 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447260821
• ISBN-13: 978-1447260820
• Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.
  This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.
  Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.
  Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.
  But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

For as long as she can remember, the world has been trying to kill Lily Proctor. She is allergic to just about everything and it stops her from living her life the way she wants to…the way her friends take for granted. But the one positive thing in her life has always been Tristan. He is her best friend and has never given up on her when most other friends fall away when Lily can’t do all the same things they can. Of course, Lily is head over heels in love with Tristan. She is overjoyed when Tristan seems to return her feelings. But a devastatingly embarrassing night in front of her entire class destroys Lily. And when she hears a voice whispering to follow it, she has no reason not to.

Lily finds herself in her town of Salem, but it is not her town. It is a terrifying new world that is ruled by dark witches - the strongest of which is Lily’s other self, Lilian. Lily is thrown headfirst into a war she can’t begin to understand and if she discover her true potential, Lily might the only thing that can stop it. She is armed only by a few friends, one of which being the alternate Tristan…who I much preferred! And the distrustful Rowan, who used to be the closest person to Lilian.

I loved, loved, LOVED this book. I’m not usually one for witches and alternate realities, but I totally fell down the rabbit hole with this one. Lily is such a sympathetic and strong character. I loved that she effortlessly led us through the story and I cheered for her every step of the way. 

Trial by Fire is action packed and pulse-pounding and I sat on the edge of my seat for most of it. I cannot wait for the next in the series

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Time Storm by Julie Cross

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books (30 Jan 2014)
• Language: Unknown
• ISBN-10: 0230758487
• ISBN-13: 978-0230758483
• Tempest Agent Jackson Meyer’s back. Just . . . he barely survived the time jump forward to the year 3200 and another jump will probably kill him. Imprisoned by Eyewall, an opposition organization determined to shape the future according to their will, regardless of the human cost, Jackson needs to decide once and for all what really matters to him. Trying to save the people he loves – including Holly, one-time love of his life and in this timeline at least an Eyewall recruit – or risking everything to try to prevent this horrific future from ever taking place. But things are not always as they seem. And as the truth unravels, Jackson is forced to realise just how much love costs.

Timestorm picks up right as Vortex leaves off, with Jackson and his friends in the year 3200. It is there that Jackson learns the most about his genes and how if he time jumps again it will most likely kill him. He learns more about Eyewall and their cruel experiments and he knows he has to stop them, whatever the price may be. Jackson is surrounded by the people he loves. Including his one time love, Holly who turned Eyewall agent. Even his sister, who died many years previously is with him. 

Timestorm, and the entire trilogy, is a masterpiece. It is easy to get lost in the science with books like this, but when the main character is constantly learning so is the reader. There are a few information dumps, but nothing too overwhelming. 

There isn’t a single thing I didn't like about this series. The characters leapt off the page and were so well developed. The plot moved like a current, ebbing and flowing as it needed. This is the kind of series you curl up with one weekend and devour all three books. 

Timestorm was a perfect conclusion to what is a fantastic series. It broke my heart and pieced me together again and I can’t to read it all over again. 

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Gloss: Summer Scandal by Marilyn Kaye

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books (8 May 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447223993
• ISBN-13: 978-1447223993

It's the summer of 1964 and the four Gloss interns are back in New York. Sherry is working at Gloss when she gets involved in the civil rights movement and finds herself falling in love with someone she never expected to, Donna is caught up in the world of high fashion and Upper East Side rich kids, Pamela is desperate to become an actress, no matter what it takes, and Allison is finding out that going steady with a teen heart-throb isn't all it's cracked up to be. The girls are discovering that following your heart sometimes means that you can't follow your dreams . . .

It’s the summer of 1964 and the four summer interns are back in New York. Sherry, Donna, Allison and Pamela are reunited and things couldn’t be more different for all of them. The four are all set with new challenges as they embark on new jobs and relationships. 

Allison is learning that dating a teen heartthrob isn’t all its cracked up to be…and you’re never really dating just him, but everything that comes with being famous. Pamela is desperate to break into fame and will do anything to get it, no matter who she stomps on to do it. Donna is living her dream job and has to put up with a nightmare boss to do, and possibly ignore some of her morals along the way. And Sherry is trying to make a name for herself in the magazine, but someone is determined to ruin the magazine itself. 

I absolutely adored this book. I have to admit I haven’t read the first in the series, but it didn’t ruin the second for me. The characters are introduced in a vivid way with just enough backstory to stop things from being confusing. The four girls could not be more different who, although they come together with this great bond, have four very different stories to tell. 

There is a very serious heartbeat to this book. Set in the middle of the sixties, there are many class and race issues that are raised. Sherry befriends William, a black man who is a student at Columbia University. Sherry is a southern girl and back home things aren't quite as liberal and forward thinking as the people in New York. She is a sympathiser and quite simply just wants equality for everyone, regardless of their sex, skin colour or social standing. Sherry is met with quite a bit of distrust when she tries to join a few groups who want equality and it is at one of these meetings that she is introduced to William. 

Donna mets Jack and there is instant attraction. It is later that she finds out his surname is Vanderwill and comes from one of the most wealthy families in the city. Neither of them care, but his mother isn’t pleased Donna doesn’t come from better stock.

Gloss: Summer Scandal is awash with interesting characters and I loved the gritty story lines. Despite these hard-hitting topics, it is, for the most part, a light-hearted read. Best read outside on the grass wearing large vintage sunglasses with the sunshine beating down on you and a frosted glass of lemonade.

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Summer's Shadow by Anna Wilson

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; Unabridged edition (3 July 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447241819
• ISBN-13: 978-1447241812
• 
  

When Summer's mom died, her life is turned upside down

Summer's mother's will states that Summer's legal guardian is her uncle Tristan: a man Summer has never even heard of before. Forced to leave her life in London, Summer moves to Tristan's creepy, ancient house in Cornwall. There she is met with indifference from him, open hostility from her cousin, and an aunt who has chosen to leave rather than to tolerate her presence. Soon Summer comes to believe that the house may be haunted. But is it haunted by ghosts, or by the shadows of her family's past? Scared and lonely, Summer begins to spend more and more time in the beautiful sheltered cove she discovers nearby. But she's not alone. A local boy frequents it too. Can Summer find first love and the answers to the mysteries of her new home with this good-looking boy who appears to be too perfect to be true?

When Summer’s mother dies, her will states that Summer would live with family she has never met before in Cornwall. Her Uncle Tristan seems anxious and doesn’t know how to deal with Summer. Her cousin Kenan goes out of his way to be mean and her aunt has moved out of the house. 

As if losing her mother wasn’t bad enough, now Summer has to leave behind her home, friends and normal life. Nothing is the same in Cornwall. Her family behave so strangely and she can’t even get a signal on her mobile phone. But that’s not all. Summer is haunted by strange occurrences that started with a phone call at the exact minute her mother died. Now there is a white cat that appears to Summer alone. 

Summer begins exploring the nearby beach she has discovered, and stumbles upon a secret cove. It is in the cove she meets local boy Zach, who seems to be the only person capable of pulling Summer out of her grief.

Summer’s Shadow was a good read, but perhaps at the younger end of the YA spectrum. 

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Unforgotten by Jessica Brody

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books (27 Feb 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447221141
• ISBN-13: 978-1447221142

After a daring escape from the scientists at Diotech who created her, Seraphina believes she is finally safe from the horrors of her past. But new threats await her and her boyfriend, Zen, at every turn as Zen falls prey to a mysterious illness and Sera’s extraordinary abilities make it more and more difficult to stay hidden. Meanwhile, Diotech has developed a dangerous new weapon designed to apprehend her, a weapon that even Sera will be powerless to stop. Her only hope of saving Zen’s life and defeating the company that made her is a secret buried deep within her mind. A secret that Diotech will kill to protect.

Zen and Sera have escaped from the scientists at Diotech who created Sera. They have travelled back in time to 1609 and, so long as they keep to themselves and make sure nothing they do becomes part of public record, they can live out the remainder of their days in peace and safety but more importantly, together. Diotech can never find them. 

But something is making Zen ill, and even before that life was a daily struggle. Every move Sera makes she has to be thoughtful and cautious. One wrong move could expose her as different…something you really don’t want in 1609. And when Zen’s life is threatened it isn’t even a choice - Sera acts to save him and is apprehended shortly after. She is accused of being a witch and put on trial, which means it will be public record. 

Diotech has learned it’s mistakes and has created a weapon specially forged for Sera. They are equally matched and on paper, she cannot overcome him. But Zen will die if she doesn’t do something and so Sera must channel her human side and learn to get creative if either of them have a hope of seeing daylight as free people again.

I absolutely LOVE this series. Zen and Sera are very likeable characters, as are Kaelen and Cody. I could barely rip my eyes away from the pages and I raced through it as quickly as I could just to know what happened. It is fast paced and chock full of action and turmoil. Every emotion is channelled through this book and I think I felt every one. 

Fans of this first book will not be left disappointed and I sincerely cannot wait for the next book. 

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Quercus (3 April 2014)
• ISBN-10: 1780870477
• ISBN-13: 978-1780870472
• 
  
• When Alex meets Kate the attraction is instant.
  Alex is funny, good-looking, and a little shy - everything that Kate wants in a boyfriend.
  Alex can't help falling for Kate, who is pretty, charming and maybe just a little naive...
  But one of them is hiding a secret, and as their love blossoms, it threatens to ruin not just their relationship, but their lives.

A Kiss in the Dark was raw and frank and I was gripped from the very beginning.

I have been staring at a blank page and blinking cursor for ages now, and still cannot think how on earth to write this review to both do the book justice and convey just how amazing it is. 

Alex and Kate are two teens who meet and form an instant bond. Straight away they fall deeper into their feelings for each other and can barely stand to be apart. But one of them is keeping a secret and the other has no idea. 

Told firstly from Alex’s POV and then Kate’s, we get an incredible insight into both of these characters. A secret, a lie and an impossible situation. Cat Clarke has an amazing talent of showing us gritty story lines in unflinching honesty and I admire her bravery and this book shines because of it. It was rich and vibrant with Edinburgh as the backdrop to the story and the characters simply leapt off the page is startling clarity and Technicolor. 

Once I started this book I could barely put it down and the deeper into the story I got, the more it held me until the end. It is real and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Many thanks to Quercus for the review copy.

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Book Review: Amy & Matthew by Cammie McGovern

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; Unabridged edition (27 Mar 2014)
• ISBN-10: 1447239008
• ISBN-13: 978-1447239000

Amy is unflinchingly honest about her limitations. Born with cerebral palsy, she can’t walk or talk without help. But trapped inside this uncooperative body lies a brilliant mind and a luminous spirit – a girl capable of truly loving and worthy of being loved in return.

Matthew has his own set of challenges – a mind consumed by unwanted repeated thoughts, obsessive rituals and a crippling fear that he can't explain. But underneath all of the anxiety lies a deep seed of hope for someone to come along who believes in him…

This is the story of Amy and Matthew. It may not be a fairy tale romance or set in an imagined world far from our own. But the love they share is real. And yes, there's magic in it.

Amy has cerebral palsy but like that is going to stop her from living her life exactly the way she wants to. Her parents, however, have other ideas. Amy has always attended school normally, though with an adult aide that never leaves her side. But now Amy is a senior and she is tired of having no friends, so she enlists her mother to hire students to help her between classes and at lunch, whatever she needs. She has no disillusions that technically she is paying people to be her friends, but what she really wants is the chance to show people what lies beneath her obvious disability, and the roaring person behind it. 

Matthew does not want to be Amy’s aide. Everyday he is crippled by a fear he can’t name and driven to distraction by obsessive thoughts and rituals without throwing responsibility for Amy into the mix. Too bad for him Amy doesn’t take no lightly. 

Amy & Matthew is one of the best books I have ever read. I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, but I was blown away by the words between the covers. Amy and Matthew are two of the most vibrant characters I have ever encountered and I devoured their story as though it was the last slice of chocolate cake and tomorrow’s diet begins. 

The plot itself is cleverly written with a story arc I did not see coming. It was handled beautifully, as was both characters and their impairments. 

Whilst I liked Amy and I really loved her appetite for life and her dry humour and thought she was incredibly inspiring, my heart just went out to Matthew. I thought for sure it would be Amy I really rooted for, but there was something more vulnerable in the limitations Matthew faced everyday that just about broke me,

The relationship between the two teens was beautiful to read and it was fascinating to witness their journey, not only with each other, but in their lives. I laughed out loud, sat on the edge of my seat and prayed for a happy outcome. 

Amy & Matthew is the kind of book that you feel bereft upon finishing it. You hug it to your chest, let out the long held breath and try and imprint every word in your brain. Everyone should read this book at least once in their lifetime. It feeds your soul better than food ever could. 

Many thanks to MacMillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Stella by Helen Eve

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; 1 edition (2 Jan 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447241711
• ISBN-13: 978-1447241713
• 
  

17-year-old Stella Hamilton is the star blazing at the heart of Temperley High. Leader of the maliciously exclusive elite, she is surrounded by adulation; envied and lusted after in equal measure. And she is in the final stage of a five-year campaign to achieve her destiny: love with her equally popular male equivalent, and triumph as Head Girl on election night.

By contrast, new girl Caitlin Clarke has until now lived a quietly conformist life in New York. With the collapse of her parents’ marriage she has been sent across the Atlantic for an English boarding school education, only to discover that at Temperley, the only important rules are the unwritten ones. It's a world of the beautiful and the dangerous, and acceptance means staying on the right side of Stella Hamilton, the most beautiful and dangerous of them all.

Not everyone is happy to be under the Hamilton rule. But fighting the system means treading the same dark path as Stella - and if Caitlin puts a foot wrong, it's a long way down . . .

Stella Hamilton is the star of Temperley High School. Literally. She is the leader of an elite group of Stars who rule the school and set the standard for all other girls and is in the final stage of her campaign of supreme reign: love with her male counterpart and win position of Head Girl.

Caitlin Clarke is the new girl at Temperley and has a lived a quiet life compared to Stella. After her parents separation, she travelled with her father from New York to England to attend school and had to say goodbye to the little brother she adores. Caitlin quickly learns that those in charge at Temperley aren’t necessarily the teachers and the most important rules are the ones no one tells you about. 

When Stella takes Caitlin under wing, Caitlin blossoms. She sees what life is like on the beautiful side and she doesn’t ever want to go back. Life in the popular circle isn’t always sunshine and happiness. Some aren’t happy to be under Stella’s rule but going against the system means doing things like Stella would. And if you fall, it’s a long way to the bottom. 

I absolutely loved this book. It is one of the rare books that has me switching allegiances gradually throughout. It is fraught with the perils of teenage politics and drips elegance of wealth and luxury. At times the story did go that stretch too far to be believable, but it’s largeness only made it more fascinating. 

As the story progressed each girl grips furiously to what she has claimed at the school and neither will admit defeat, and even becomes a little unhinged in their mental state. There has been a lot of comparison with the Cecily von Ziegesar books, Mean Girls and Great Expectations and I can see why, but also, Stella stands up pretty well all on its own. 

Read it and be glad you never went to this school. 

Many thanks to My Kinda Book and Macmillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; Unabridged edition (30 Jan 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447263227
• 
  

Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life.

Without Wren Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible . . .

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1447263227/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1447263227&linkCode=as2&tag=wencwrit-21

Cath and Wren are identical twins and all their life they have done everything together. They went to the same parties, had the same friends, had the same interests. But now they are starting college and Wren craves individuality. Cath is the more reserved of the two, and doesn’t like new situations. Wren throws herself into college life, makes instant friends with her new roommate and loves the nightlife. And all Cath wants to do is bury herself in the fan fiction she writes and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist. 

Cath’s comfort zone is totally ripped from her. Her sister is non-existent, the fiction-writing professor she idolised came down hard on her fan fiction and she can’t stop worrying about her dad. Everything feels like a battle, and all Cath wants to do is wave the white flag and admit defeat. But those around her won’t let her give in so easily.

I absolutely adored Fangirl. It was one of those books that you just sink into like a piece of mouth watering chocolate cake. Cath is a great protagonist and very true to what she believes in, though she can be stubborn to a fault.

One of the most interesting things I found about Fangirl was the relationships around Cath. There are a lot of different types and not all of them perfect or even good, and how unaware she is that they are there. 

Levi and Reagan have to be my two all time favourite characters of this book. Reagan is my kinda gal, straight talking and unapologetic for who she is. And really, who couldn’t adore Levi with his floppy hair and charm?

This book is a little on the tame side, considering it is set in college but it hits some serious notes. I loved the interactions between Cath and her dad and the dynamic of the twindom. 

All in all, you’d be crazy to pass this book by. Read it and love it. And pray for a sequel. #NEEDMORELEVI

Many thanks to My Kinda Book and MacMillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Quercus (7 Nov 2013)
• ISBN-10: 1780876823
• ISBN-13: 978-1780876825
• 
  

Cassie Hobbes can tell you what you will do before you do. She can tell what kind of person you are, how you will react and how you will behave. But she can’t tell you what happened to her mother.

Cassie is recruited by the FBI, identified as a ‘Natural’, one of few who are uniquely gifted in human behaviour, emotional reading, lying or statistics. Cassie is a natural born profiler, and the FBI want her to join it’s team of teenage naturals to solve cold cases and to hone her talents. For Cassie, it is a rare opportunity to perhaps work on the inside and find out what exactly happened to her mother that night in the dressing room that Cassie found drenched in blood.

Pretty soon Cassie is living with four strangers. People who can answer her questions before she’s even asked it, read her feelings off her face, call her out on lies and tell the exact probability of certain situations. Life isn’t easy and Cassie has to figure out the two boys and her feelings for them, all while a serial killer has locked their gaze on Cassie. Pretty soon the case the Naturals focus on aren’t so cold...but active.

Okay, first of all, let me just say that I LOVED The Naturals. I’m a huge fan of movies like The Silence of the Lambs and TV shows like Criminal Minds. This was like an amazing mash up of the two and maybe The. O.C. Boy drama, girl drama, and serial killers. 

It was expertly written and very clever. I didn’t get lost in the information or the details, but sunk fully into the story as though it was happening all around me. Dean was probably my favourite character...and more than likely will be for a lot of people. After all, we’re all suckers for the dark, brooding type, aren’t we?

I seriously couldn’t put this book down and very much hope there will be another one to follow on. 

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Book Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 352 pages
• Publisher: MIRA Ink (26 Nov 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00CMOXV0S

Rachel and Isaiah are two totally different people with two totally different lives. Rachel is the girl with the good school marks, designer clothes and on the surface, the perfect life. Isaiah is the boy with the sketchy past, the guy people cross the street to avoid. He’s a foster child he relies on person - himself...anyone else will just disappoint you.

But they share one thing - their love of cars. Rachel literally crashes into Isaiah’s life. After Beth, Isaiah never thought he would meet a girl who would catch his interest, but then he see’s Rachel who looks like an angel and knows he has to get her far away from his world before something happens to her. 

What he does is ensure they are thrown together for at least six weeks where they battle the odds to save their lives. Neither one thought they would fall so far into each other. How they would lose everything if only it meant the other would be saved.

Ok, let me just say one thing....holy smokin’ Isaiah, batman! I’ve loved all Katie McGarry’s previous books and hoped and prayed and crossed everything that Isaiah would get his own book. And it does not disappoint. Not in the least. He’s the quintessential bad boy with the heart of gold. On the outside he’s tatted up and pierced and so scary Chuck Norris better watch out. But on the inside, he’s just a boy. 

Rachel was one of the more interesting female leads of this series. I really felt for her and at times could feel just how restricting her family was and how they were choking the life right out of her. Rachel and Isaiah often appear two sides of the same coin - Isaiah, the boy no one wanted or watched out for, Rachel - the one who barely has a second that isn’t monitored or unaccounted for. They both crave freedom, Rachel from her brothers and Isaiah from the social work system. 

There is so much more to this book than you would ever think. My heart broke for these two characters and I have never rooted so hard than I did for this pair. From the outside looking in, it’s a bit of a YA version of Gone in Sixty Seconds (only, Rachel doesn’t have blonde dreds). But as soon as you scrape the surface you discover a great big beating heart of love and trust and friendship. 

Noah and Isaiah’s brotherly bond was one of the most interesting aspects of the book. Though not blood, they care and would literally do anything for the other. 

Really, I could gush about this book all day long. It’s a fantastic read, beautiful romance and exhilarating adventure. Not to be missed.

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Book Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

What if your whole world was a lie?

The thrillingly dark conclusion to the No. 1 New York Times bestselling DIVERGENT trilogy.

What if a single revelation – like a single choice – changed everything?

What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered – fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature – and of herself – while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Faction-based society is over. A dictator stands in charge but an uprising is brewing. When Tris and her friends are offered a chance to escape, to go beyond the fence and see the outside world, she is ready to accept. 

They were told the outside world was in danger and they needed the Divergent to survive. But this proves to be just one more lie to influence decisions. The reality is far graver than Tris or Tobias could ever have imagined. All of them will have to face the bottom of human natures, and closely examine themselves. They must decide which is a lesser evil and if betrayal can ever truly be forgiven. 

There has been a lot of hype over Allegiant and I can honestly say this book did not disappoint me in the slightest. We have alternating view points from Tris and Tobias, and both are equally enjoyable to be shown the story through. 

It has been a pleasure to watch Tris grow during this trilogy. She has turned into a strong, resourceful and independent young woman. She is brave and truthful and loyal to the select few she lets in. By getting his POV, we learn a lot more about the inner workings of the stoic and mysterious ‘Four’. I have been a major fan (okay, embarrassingly eager) of his since the beginning and it was brilliant to get inside his head. Tobias takes a lot on himself and I think the hardest person he finds to forgive, or give a break to, is himself. He has leadership qualities and he feels responsible for everyone around him.

Tobias and Tris clash quite often, especially in this installment. Both are stubborn and headstrong which more often than not is a recipe for disaster. But together these hard, broken people come together into something beautiful and unyielding. 

We get quite a lot of new information in Allegiant. It has less action that the previous two books and it comes across quite political at a few points. Tris and her friends are essentially in the middle of civil war that is pulling the world as she knows it apart. So while there is a lot of details, it didn’t feel like an information dump. My mind whirled with every page as I tried to keep up with the characters and figure out what move they could possibly make next.

In a lot of ways, I feel so proud of the characters in this series. The road hasn’t been easy and a lot of mistakes have been made. But each of them have been shaped by the events, by their decisions, and mostly by each other. 

You could describe this series as a dystopian novel about a flawed government with a tender romance. And it is, but it is also a story about love and courage and bravery and betrayal and forgiveness and good versus evil. This series has a huge beating heart at its centre and I will truthfully mourn that it is over. 

I adored this series, and I adored this book. It always feels like the end of something special when a treasured series comes to an end and it is no different in this case. I will miss these characters and while I can always re-read it, you can only read a book for the first time once. 

And really, they were magnificent. 

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Book Review: Goddess by Josephine Angelini

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; 1 edition (23 May 2013)
• ISBN-10: 0330529765
• ISBN-13: 978-0330529761

She must rise, or they will fall . . . Helen's powers are increasing—and so is the distance between her and her mortal friends. To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a dangerous traitor is lurking among them, and all fingers point to Orion. Still unsure whether she loves him or Lucas, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, or risk all-out war. The final book in this heart-stopping trilogy.

Helen has released the gods from Olympus. After being imprisoned for thousands of years, their thirst for revenge and retaliation knows no bounds. 

Now it is up to Helen to find a way to conquer them once again. War is coming to the Scions, and with a traitor in their midst the odds are working against them. 

Goddess was an absolute thrill to read. My heart pounded, I sat on the edge of my seat, I cried, I stayed up chanting one more chapter. It was THAT good.

I’ve been a fan of the Starcrossed trilogy since the very first book. After meeting Lucas and Helen and being shown their world, I knew I was in for an epic book series. Not one instalment disappointed, and with Goddess, the pressure was really on not just to deliver a satisfying ending to this amazing series, but to produce a brilliant book on its own. 

It feels like I travelled a journey with these characters, and with a story as big as the Trojan war itself, what a journey it has been. 

Helen is the ultimate Goddess in this book and she carries the story heroically. We get more viewpoints in this book, and while it is refreshing to see inside Lucas’s head (and a few others that I won’t mention here...) it really feels like it belongs to Helen. I rooted for her throughout this entire series and it has been a joy to see her grow. Gone is the awkward, shy Helen Hamilton. In her place is a young woman who is finally embracing her destiny. 

Lucas and Helen’s romance is achingly heartbreaking. At times it was very reminiscent of Clary and Jace and their similar predicament, but it remained very true to itself. I adored Orion and as a character I couldn’t ask for more. As Helen starts to lose her mortal friends, it was beautiful to see Orion step up and be exactly what she needed. 

As for the gods...wow. While Greek mythology has been done a few times now in YA, thankfully  the Starcrossed series is totally unique when it came to their interpretation of the myths. I absolutely adored the mirroring of the major players in the Trojan war with our very own Scions. 

This is the ending we have been waiting for. 

Many thanks to MacMillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Kite Spirit by Sita Brahmachari

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; 1 edition (9 May 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330517929
• ISBN-13: 978-0330517928

During the summer of her GCSEs Kite's world falls apart. Her best friend, Dawn, commits suicide after a long struggle with feeling under pressure to achieve. Kite's dad takes her to the Lake District, to give her time and space to grieve. In London Kite is a confident girl, at home in the noisy, bustling city, but in the countryside she feels vulnerable and disorientated. Kite senses Dawn's spirit around her and is consumed by powerful, confusing emotions - anger, guilt, sadness and frustration, all of which are locked inside. It's not until she meets local boy, Garth, that Kite begins to open up - talking to a stranger is easier somehow. Kite deeply misses her friend and would do anything to speak to Dawn just once more, to understand why . . . Otherwise how can she ever say goodbye? A potent story about grief, friendship, acceptance and making your heart whole again.

The morning of their first day of exams, Kite’s world falls apart. Her best friend, Dawn commits suicide. Plagued with questions and a sense of suffocations, Kite’s dad takes her out of the city to the Lake District, to give her time and space to grieve.

Kite feels as though Dawn’s spirit is around her. She envisions her as an owl, soaring in the sky and leaving her mark on Kite’s window. Kite feels so many emotions she can barely process them, and can’t even cry. It is when she meets Garth, a local boy who helps her in more ways than she could ever expect. 

Kite Spirit was raw and beautiful, a truly haunting yet uplifting story. Kite’s grief radiated off the page and swirled in the air around me, much like Dawn’s presence did for Kite. 

With the rolling hills of the Lake District as the backdrop of this story, it really set the scene for Kite and her bleak mood. But as anyone who knows this area, when the sun breaks through, it is outstanding. 

Kite and Dawn’s history is cleverly revisited by the author in well timed flashbacks. We get a glimpse of the girl Dawn was, and also of the girl Kite was around her. Though totally different and from totally different methods of upbringing, the girls were inseperable. Kite wanted to swing in the circus, Dawn to play her oboe. Through these flashbacks we also begin to understand why Dawn may have taken her own life. 

It was at times hard to read, the story is very raw. But it was a pleasure to watch as Kite overcame her grief, and learned how to say goodbye and let go of Dawn and look into the future of her own life.

The other intriguing part of this book was Kite’s dad’s back story. As Kite is trying to imagine her future, her dad is trying to discover his past. A very well done secondary plot line.

I am sure first time readers of this author will be racing out to get her other books. 

Many thanks to MacMillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Vortex by Julie Cross

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books; 1 edition (3 Jan 2013)
• Language: Unknown
• ISBN-10: 0230757162
• ISBN-13: 978-0230757165

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, all that changes when Holly—the girl he altered history to save—re-enters his life. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents find themselves under attack and on the run. Jackson must decide between saving the love of his life and the entire world . . .

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into being an agent for Tempest. While still struggling with a broken heart, Jackson proves himself to be a brilliant agent. But all the training in the world can’t prepare Jackson for when Holly reenters his life. Holly, the girl who altered history to save.

Vortex starts shortly after Tempest ends. With the loss of Holly still very raw for Jackson, he throws himself into his training. Jackson must prove himself not only to his instructors, but to many of his other classmates, a lot of whom have seen him in his pre time travel days living it up as an Upper East Side party boy. 

Vortex was a lot more complex than the first book in this series. We have a lot of jumps and more questions than answers.  In this book we get more of a scientific explanation of time travel, and why certain EOT’s and Jackson have different jumps. For this reason, I found I could only read Vortex when I was feeling sharp. No distractions. You will lose yourself in this book like never before and the world around you will be totally shut out. 

The Jackson we see in this book is a lot harder than Tempest Jackson. Because of his training he bulks up and because of Holly, he has extra thick, bomb-proof walls up. I adore Jackson. He’s the kind of guy who takes everything on his shoulders and expects so much of himself. The guy who thinks he has to save everyone and figure out everything else. 

And, can I just say, I love the girl power in this book! Stewart and Kendrick, two completely different women, two totally kickass agents. Stewart is this bilingual chameleon than can work any situation to her advantage. Kendrick is super smart with a softer side, who is determined to work for Tempest and have her home life too. She grounds Jackson and reminds him the world isn’t the hard place he makes for himself. 

Vortex is full of action and suspense. It is utterly heartbreaking and tragic. Really, it is everything. It steals you away to another world (or two) and makes you believe it is possible for people to appear right in front of you from the future. And with an ending like that? Safe to say, I need the third instalment like yesterday. 

Many thanks to MacMillan Children's Books for the review copy.

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Book Review: Speechless by Hannah Harrington

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Mira Ink (1 Feb 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184845192X
• ISBN-13: 978-1848451926
• Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret
  
  
  Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.
  
  
  Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.
  
  
  But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.

Speechless is a brilliant new contemporary YA. Speechless will have you cringing, laughing, swooning and everything in between.

Chelsea is best friends with the most popular girl in her school. She goes to all the great parties, crushes on the hottest guy and knows she has to earn her keep if she wants to stay at the top. Chelsea takes her cues from those around her and doesn’t think twice about ruining someones reputation by sharing all the gossip she hears. But when her last secret nearly gets someone killed, Chelsea does some serious life-evaluating. 

After reading an article about vows of silence, Chelsea figures this is best for everyone if she simply stops talking. But people don’t appreciate her silence. Her secret and truths have already been spoke and it’s too late to take them back...no matter how much she is pressured. 

Her friends abandon her. She is verbally attacked in school. No one understands her. Except Sam. Who should, in theory, hate her more than everyone else combined. But Sam takes the time to listen even when she doesn’t say a word. Sam is the one who tries to get Chelsea to forgive herself. It is Sam who shows Chelsea who she really is. 

Speechless concentrates on some really important matters. But it doesn’t lose its quirky and funny voice. I couldn’t put this book down. It was simply brilliant. And I want to reread it, like right now. 

Many thanks to Mira Ink for the copy to review!

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Special Post: Vortex by Julie Cross

So, like loads of other people, I absolutely loved Tempest by Julie Cross. Full of intrigue, action and suspense, sweet romance and double-crossing, Tempest  was one of my favourite reads of 2012. And to get everyone in the mood to run out and read the highly anticipated sequel, Vortex, I have a few little extras for you all! Oh yes, we are talking diary entries, playlists, deleted scenes...and the first chapter of Vortex itself!

Read and enjoy...and let me know what you think!

Also, be sure to check out My Kinda Book  for more behind the scenes content on all your favourite books :)

First Chapter of Vortex

Jackson's Diary Entry

Deleted Scene

Holly's Diary

Vortex Playlist

Check back soon for my review of Vortex.

Pxx

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Book Review: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 693 KB
• Print Length: 322 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1476715920
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (10 Aug 2012)

Layken and Will have managed to overcome the obstacles that threatened to destroy their love, proving that they are destined for one another. What they are about to learn, however, is that the things that have brought them together may be the very things that ruin their connection forever…

Layken is left second-guessing the relationship whilst Will is jumping over hurdles to prove his love for her. What the young lovers discover about themselves along this journey may change their entire world and the lives of those who depend upon them the most...

Layken and Will have been through a lot. Way more than any other couple their ages. The events of Slammed were intense and emotional and I absolutely loved that book. And for that reason, Point of Retreat had a lot to live up to.

Lake and her brother are still coming to terms with the death of their mother, but always there for them is Will and his brother. Together the four of them make up a happy, if somewhat dysfunctional, little family unit.

Until someone from Will’s past shows up and threatens to ruin everything. Now Will has to work to regain Lake’s trust, and rebuild what has been broken. Because Will cannot, will not, live without her.

Point of Retreat is told this time from Will’s perspective, which I just loved. His head is an interesting place to be and he carries the reader through the story with ease.

This story is not for the faint hearted. It is raw and often brutal, but also tender and poignant. This is a book to read cuddled up in bed with the duvet for comfort, a million calorie box of chocolates and an unlimited supply for tissues. I really love a book that can make me feel anything, and this one made me feel just about everything. Read it. Love it. I know I did.  

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Book Review: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (UK) Ltd (5 Oct 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1848451725
• ISBN-13: 978-1848451728

Ive left some clues for you.

If you want them, turn the page.

If you dont, put the book back on the shelf, please. 

Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Dash is perusing the bookshelves of an out-of-the-way bookstore when he comes across something that doesn’t belong. The red notebook has a serious of challenges to make sure he is the correct recipient for its purposes. Dash has found Lily’s book of dares.

But Dash doesn’t play by Lily’s rules, and he dares her back with his own concoctions. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares has the pair racing all over New York, making puppets and building snowmen and slowly but surely falling for each other – even though they have never met. They push each others boundaries and get them to open up in ways they never thought they would.

I absolutely loved this book. Not much can be said about this book without giving away it’s magic. And magic it has. Plenty of it.

Dash and Lily were two completely opposite characters that intrigued and drew sympathies from the reader. I couldn’t put this book down and the suspense nearly killed me. The whole thing was serendipity and I dare anyone who reads this not to fall for its charm.

There is, quite simply, no other book like Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares. 

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Book Review: Between The Lines by Tammara Webber

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 549 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0983593167
• Publisher: Penguin (13 Sep 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0097JYTLG

Seventeen-year-old actress Emma is starring in her first major film role, opposite Hollywood It Boy Reid. The exclusive nightclubs, snapping photographers and screaming fans are a normal part of life for Reid but it's all new to Emma. The rest of the cast befriend her but Emma can't help feeling out of her depth. She's grateful to fellow actor Graham for his friendly support and thinks maybe he's interested in something more - until she sees him sneaking out of beautiful Brooke's room one night . . .

Reid has no holds barred in his pursuit of Emma; he loves the thrill of the chase but he's also experiencing something new. Could he be genuinely falling for his co-star?

He’s Hollywood’s hottest teen heartthrob. She’s just landed her biggest break after years of commercials and bit parts. Reid and Emma are worlds apart when it comes to their careers, but after undeniable chemistry in a screen test their worlds are going to be thrown together.

Reid is used to the fame – to the girls throwing himself at him, so when Emma doesn’t react to him like he expects, he is even more intrigued by her. Emma has no idea what’s in store for her. She didn’t really consider the consequences of accepting the leading role opposite Reid and how her life would change. Suddenly there are pictures of her everywhere, stories fabricated about her.

The longer Emma is immersed in Reid’s world, the more she can’t help thinking what her life would be like if she was normal. She would get to do normal things. Date. Prom. College.  And as if she didn’t have enough to keep her mind occupied, Reid’s interest in her beyond their working relationship intensifies. So when she is kissing the best looking guy on the planet, she shouldn’t be thinking about co-star, Graham, should she?

Reid wants nothing more than for Emma to fix him. For so long he has taken what he wanted and never looked back. But now he actually sees himself able to commit…if only Emma will give in and give him what he wants. And in between charming Emma, he is avoiding Brooke who is not only a fellow actor in the movie, but his ex, too.

Between The Lines was so much more than I thought it would be. I was expecting a light romantic read. What I got was something so much better with a fuller story. Emma and Reid’s relationship with their parents was nothing short of heartbreaking. I honestly felt for both of them and was brought to tears more than once.

Even though he has some serious character flaws, Reid was likeable and very believable. He drew my sympathies and I wanted nothing more than for things to work out for him.

Between The Lines could have been a glossy and completely unrealistic book. Instead it was gritty and raw and I really felt as though I caught a glimpse into the lives of real people. Each character, even secondary ones, were fully developed and riveting. I wanted to know more about all of them.

This book hit every note perfect for me. It made me feel plenty of emotion, I could barely put it down and when I had to, it was on my mind almost constantly. It left me craving more. I could not ask anymore from a book. Except a sequel. Which there is. And I want it right now. 

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