Review: Tris & Izzie ARC

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: EGMONT - US (24 Nov 2011)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1606841734
• ISBN-13: 978-1606841730

Tris & Izzie is the modern re-telling of the classic German tragedy, Tristan & Isolde. Fans of the classic will be able to spot moments in the new book that pertain to the original story , but for the most part, Tris & Izzie is very much a new story in its own right.

Izzie thinks she has the perfect life – popular at school, perfect, handsome and safe boyfriend and a loyal best friend.  Sure, her mother is a witch, but she doesn’t let that stand in the way of her dreams for the future – graduate high school, go to college, get a good job, marry and settle down in her home town. Safe. But then Tristan shows up. Beautiful, arrogant and amazing Tristan, who tempts her from Mark, the best boyfriend any girl could ask for.

Things get stranger for Izzie, as her best friend acts weird, a love potion goes awry and she realises her mother has been lying to her. And that is just the beginning…with Tristan in the middle of everything.

Tris & Izzie is definitely for the younger end of the YA spectrum.  It was refreshing to read about a sixteen year old protagonist and have her sound immature and unsure, rather than a worldly wise and sage twenty something trapped in a teen body, which seems to be the norm for many other YA novels.

The character of Izzie is incredibly flawed, with her herself having no idea. It was a pleasure to see her grow as a person and realise her mistakes and learn from them. The hidden messages in this book will be valuable for any teen, while the romance will melt them and the action keep them glued to the pages.

Magic, betrayal, true love, loss, bravery, warriors, danger, happiness. Tris & Izzie has it all. Let them take you into their world, and forget about yours.   

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Book Review: Blood ARC

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Egmontusa (27 Sep 2011)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 160684220X
• ISBN-13: 978-1606842201

From the first page, Blood puts you in the centre of a modern gothic story, starting during the horror of the witching-burning era, the story travelling back centuries rather than mere decades.

The character of Will – short for William, Earl of Mercia, leads us through the book, from his time as a human during the witch trials, leading up to his agonising plight in the present day. Will is a classical vampire character, and refreshingly so. With immense powers but also the usual vulnerabilities, he is more akin to Bram Stoker’s Dracula than modern day vampires.

When Will wakes in a brand new millennia, he finds more than the world changed. With nothing but loneliness and bitter self hatred to keep his thoughts occupied in the past, he is more than surprised when events are set in motion that will change his path forever.

Certain twists of fate lead him to equally lonely and troubled Eloise, a pretty girl living rough. Together, Will and Eloise try to unravel the complicated details of Will’s destiny, which is irrevocably linked with Eloise.

The mystery of the book was complex, though not so much that it distracted from the story. Action and suspense hitched with every page, the budding and sweet romance between Will and Eloise a perfect breather from the tension. Uncertainty and fear play a large role in the book, with a malevolent force stalking Will’s steps, making him unsure who to trust.

At times Blood felt like a gothic horror, at others a modern paranormal romance. It is a perfect blend of the two, creating one, sure to be popular, YA book.   

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Book Review: A Long, Long, Sleep ARC

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (18 Aug 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0575104724
• ISBN-13: 978-0575104723

As soon as I heard of it, I knew I had to read A Long, Long Sleep. Described as a dystopian fairytale, the excitement built before I even read the synopsis. I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy before publication, and I couldn’t wait to devour it.

Stass isn’t unusual for Rose. All her life, she has been in and out of her own personal stass machine, taking twice the usual time to age normally. But during her last stint in the machine, something goes wrong. And Rose doesn’t wake up for more than seventy years…waking to a kiss from a handsome boy.

Waking from her stass-induced sleep is hard on Rose. She has lost muscle mass, is skeletal thin and extremely weak. But that isn’t the worst part. She has outlived everyone she ever knew. Including her beloved Xavier.

So now Rose has to learn to live again in a world that is so different from the one she last saw. As her insecurities and raw feelings grow, she craves the serenity her stass machine brings. Only when it is clear to those she has bonded with that she uses the stass sleep as a coping mechanism, does Rose realise how bizarre and unnatural, bordering on cruel, her last life was.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, an assassin has her in his sights – and this assassin doesn’t stop until his objective is complete.

A Long, Long Sleep was wonderful in so many ways, and surprising in others. It wasn’t the light, romantic and dreamy book I half expected it to be. It was a book about self discovery and finding that inner strength to face your fears head on. I felt like I was taking a journey with Rose, one that led me to terrifying places, to new and unusual friendships and the bitter realisation that sometimes the ones closest to us have the power to hurt us the most.

I sincerely hope there is more to come after A Long, Long Sleep, as I am not ready to let Rose and her friends (especially Otto) go just yet.  All in all, a perfect read for anyone who loves YA, sci fi, romance and dystopian. 

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