Saturday, 24 January 2015

2014 Favourite Reads

In total I read 44 books in 2014 and some of them have made it onto my list of favourites. They range from books I read after years of having them on my wishlist, and some of them were Advanced Read & Reviews for authors.

So to round up a year of successful reading, I decided to compose a list of my favourites from the past 12 months.

1. Elixir, Ted Galdi

Rating:  ★★★★☆
Genre: Mystery/ Suspense

Elixir was a novel I received for free in exchange for an honest review. It was definitely one that stands out from the many books I read last year. It was so different to what I normally read but I loved it. It was so coincidental that it's about a girl that gets Ebola and her boyfriend is unbelievably intelligent and manages to work out a cure, and then months later Ebola makes it in the headlines. 

My full review for this novel can be found here.



2. The Man From 3015, Luke Hill

Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

This was another novel I received to read & review. It would be something that I'd read anyway but I was blown away. I never/rarely re-read books but yet this would be one I can see myself revisiting. In short a man appears from the future and a news reporter takes care of him but soon they have to go on the run as people are after them and have already killed the reporter's colleague/friend. I couldn't fault this novel and it's made it onto my all time favourite list. It also wins best ending of a novel I've read in...forever! 

Review here


3. Fallen Crest High, Tijan

Rating: ★★★★★
Genre:   Romance/ Contemporary

I love nothing more than a really hot romance novel but that isn't too explicit. They're easy reads and it's so easy to suddenly have another book boyfriend. I am head over heels for this novel though. Their is such a unique story and the romance that develops is undeniably captivating. I can't wait until I get the chance to finish this series and read more of Tijan's work. Her name has definitely made it onto my list of top authors.

Review here.



4. Lovely Vicious, Sara Wolf

Rating:  ★★★★★
Genre:  Romance/Drama/Young Adult

Isis Blake is nearly a book girlfriend for me. She immediately has the reader rooting for her and she has so much sass and character and is hilarious but inside she's heartbroken and just trying to cope. Her story/situation is heart-wrenching but when she meets Jack Hunter, their games get out of control. I loved this book so much and it ended on such a killer cliffhanger and I am so excited to read the next novel soon! 

Review here.



5. The Academy- Introductions, C.L Stone

Rating:  ★★★★★
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense

I stumbled upon the first book in this series as it was free for kindle. I downloaded and had it read in the one day. I've subsequently read the following 3 books and can't wait to finish the rest. Sang is in an abusive family and whilst out exploring she meets a group of boys that are far from normal. They soon take her under their wing and will do anything to protect her but they themselves are harbouring a secret- they're all a apart of The Academy. Something which Sang eventually discovers and has to deal with the complications that go with it. 

                                     Post featuring this novel can be found here


6. Rule, Jay Archer

Rating: ★★★★☆
Genre:  New Adult/Romance/Drama

I didn't think I'd love this as much as I did. Rule is the typical tattooed bad boy and Shaw has loved him since she first met him at age 14. Soon they stop denying their feelings for each other but then are thrown into a world of drama and heartache. Their were a few issues with this book that resulted in a 4 star rating, but this definitely made it onto my list of favourites and I fell for Rule just like Shaw.

Review of Rule can be found here




I would recommend all six of these books to anyone that loves reading the genres they're listed as. I would read nearly anything but these 6 stood out immediately from the other 44 that I read. If anyone has any recommendations for me based on loving any of these novels I would love to hear about them. If any of you do decide to read any of these, I'd love to hear what you think of them. 


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Tuesday, 6 January 2015

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Wednesday, 17 December 2014

REVIEW; Metamorphosis (Book Boyfriend #1), by Erin Noelle




Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Drama

Recommend: No


SPOILERS


Summary:
Scarlett MacGregor finally moves to university with her best friend, Evie, away from living in a prison set by her overbearing parents. Having attended an all girls school and never being allowed any social life, Scarlett doesn't know much about partying, dating or boys, other to what she has read in her much loved novels. 

 After making a deal with Evie that they would source out her "type" by experiencing her different type of book boyfriends; the gentleman to the player to the tattooed musician, Scarlett is thrown into a dating whirlwind. 

 She soon finds herself involved with Ash, Dylan and Mason, and realises choosing between them is not as easy as she has read in her romance novels. 


My Thoughts:

 One word; overkill.

 I am really fed up of YA/Romance novels in general involving an innocent, inexperienced girl who attracts the main guys and is the one to "change" them. It's a scenario that's written about in 99.9% of YA books and is so unoriginal. 

  1. Errors; There were numerous typos and errors which just go so frustrating. All the text messages were in bold but there were in-between sentences that were bolded within all the texts. "He" was used instead of "his" etc.
  2. Pace; Pacing was all over for this novel. Random conversations or events dragggggged on way too long and I ended up skipping so much; especially the crap that came from Ash.
  3. Characters; I didn't "fall" for any of the characters in this. I thought I'd like Scarlett but nope. Even Evie didn't really seem credible, she wasn't whole or complete like a best friend in a novel should be. Even at the ending, I was completely unaffected by the events that unfolded. She seemed to be a character of convenience and only showed up when necessary. 
  4. Plot; I loved the back story of Scarlett and Evie and how she experienced a lot through her books. But the "love at first sight" thing happened not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!! And of course with three super-hot model like men! Snooze. Maybe that type of theme is loved by a lot of YA readers, the 21st Century Fairytale - but COME ON! It just came across as unoriginal and lazy writing that they all fell in love with Scarlett at first glance. It was all too easy and boring. 
  5. Scarlett; I liked her to begin with. I thought she had an interesting life and the sheltered upbringing would really come into psychological play. I can understand how she was sexually frustrated from being so sheltered but she showed no apprehension! She was so contradicting, especially when meeting Mason and doing what she did! She wanted Ash. From. The. Very. Beginning. And naturally he was a player but deep down a "good guy." But she got with Dylan. And then bad boy Mason, who every girl wanted, but she got him too... and chose him... even though she claimed Ash was the one. What. The. Hell. To be honest though I just wanted the book to end. I didn't care who she chose. And from having a sheltered lifestyle it seemed odd that it was just sex/boys she wanted to experience. Surely there were other things she hadn't done and now had the freedom to explore... 
  6. Ending; the end of the novel as a whole didn't work. Could predict what was going to happen with Evie from the beginning but I didn't even care as she wasn't developed into a fundamental character. Scarlett let me down for the last time with how she reacted; okay, it was a fair reaction to everything that had happened but it was cruel! When someone puts their heart on the line, I don't care what you've been through, you. do. not. just. leave. and do what she did. Talk about extremes and a drama queen. Someone hit her with a brick and send her back to her parents.


I think the only thing I liked about this book was that Scarlett and Evie read books so we could relate to that one teeny tiny aspect of their characters. The BB references from other novels sort of worked but they were kind of just thrown in haphazardly as if the author had just remembered she was tying them in.


Would not recommend this to anyone that reads a lot of YA as most likely you've read similar and better 30+ times already. Didn't connect with the characters and considered DNFing at one point and for some reason persevered... at least it was free.







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Thursday, 4 December 2014

REVIEW; Gravity, by Abigail Boyd




Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Suspense, Paranormal

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS

Summary:
In a town called Hell, Michigan, Ariel is coping with the loss of her best friend Jenna, whom she believes to be dead but everyone else is convinced she has run away. As a result of Jenna's disappearance, Ariel is given little freedom in an attempt to keep her safe. 
Then enter the mysterious Henry Rhodes who chases after Ariel and soon befriends her. But meanwhile Ariel is being haunted by nightmares and disturbed by paranormal events and believes there is more to discover about Jenna's disappearance. 
Ariel befriends Theo, a girl who lives next door and the daughter of her art teacher, and together they investigate the haunted house and plan to delve into the supernatural world. Other girls are beginning to go missing and Ariel wonders if it's related to Jenna's incident.
All the while Henry has secrets of his own and Ariel gets swept up into his drama whilst trying to save herself from dangers she never knew even existed.
My Thoughts:
I ultimately have mixed thoughts about this novel; I found it hard to even settle on a star rating between 3 or 4. 

 Positives; 
  • Ariel: I really loved her character. She was headstrong and didn't give up her investigations simply due to the adults around her believing she was imagining things or that Jenna's disappearance was not suspicious.  She investigated the orphanage after dreaming about the abandoned building and proved herself as a great friend consistently throughout, both to Jenna and Theo. 

  • Theo: Theo was my favourite character in Gravity. She was so unique and didn't fall into a specific stereotype teenager. I loved reading about her friendship with Ariel and it was clear that they both needed and helped each other through everything. She believed in Ariel and stuck by her as she delved into her investigations which was extremely admirable.

  • Supernatural: The paranormal element of the novel was quite subtly included. It wasn't full on supernatural but a gradual inclusion of unexplained noises and Ariel performing a seance so it was written and portrayed quite cleverly as it was believable and read as reality. I find writing about paranormal events can be the hardest thing to get across in a fashion that'll make the reader truly believe it but everything that occurred to Ariel was subtle and cleverly depicted. There was also the perfect level of suspense and mystery wrapped around the events, such as the noises that Ariel could hear in her room but them not be explained by the end of the first novel.

Negatives;

  • Errors: I generally overlook the occasional spelling mistake or punctuation error, but when the novel is over-run with errors it really disrupts the read and flow of the whole story. The wrong written version of words were used where they didn't make sense and there were just too many typos that ruined the read. 

  • Henry: He definitely won't be going on the list of Book Boyfriends. He didn't seem to bad to begin with but the whole "Stay away from me if you want to live" thing that permeates YA novels really turned me off him. He wasn't presented in a great fashion that got you emotive about him or wanting him to notice Ariel or be friendly to her. His whole character and involvement with Ariel was just too cliché for a novel that seemed to be original. 

  • Ending: I did like the ending so far as Ariel's near death experience and discovering the dead bodies. However there were no subtle hints that Mr Warwick could not be trusted or was in any way involved. Ariel's initial suspicions occurred too late on for it to seem realistic. One thing that bothered me throughout the book was how drawn out the suspense was at times but then by the end the last few scenes were rushed as if there was a hurry to complete the novel- It just didn't sit right. 

  • Romance: The romance element of Gravity didn't fit. Ariel fell for Henry and he supposedly had interest too as he chased her to start with but it fell apart too quickly. In most YA novels the romance faces a few obstacles, but there is good reason. But yet it felt like Ariel and Henry didn't get anywhere together before it all ended between them and he ignored her. (Not going to start on the fact Ariel fell in love with him so quickly after so little even happened.)


Overall though, despite there being a few negative points, Gravity was an enjoyable read but it just felt a little unpolished. The pacing needed some more ironing out to not be so dragged out at certain times but then at pivotal points not be so rushed. As a paranormal read though it was so well executed and I am intrigued as to how the story continues in the next installments.


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Friday, 28 November 2014

TOP 5; Young Adult Romance Series


There have been so many books that I've loved prior to this blog so I thought it a good idea to start posting my favourites across different genres and types. I'm starting off with posting my Top 5 of YA romantic novels but that have a series as well for you to continue on with! 

1. The Academy- Introductions (The Ghost Bird #1), by C.L.Stone | ★★★★★




"With an agoraphobic mother and a barely-there father, Sang abhors the isolation keeping her in the shadows. The only thing Sang craves is a fresh start and to be accepted as ordinary by her peers, because for her being different meant being cast out alone.

When her family moves to a new school district, Sang infiltrates a group of boys nearly perfect in every way. Grateful for an influence outside of her parents’ negativity, she quickly bonds with the boys, hoping to blend in and learn from them what it means to have a natural relationship with friends.

Only the boys have secrets of their own and they’ll do anything to keep her safe from the knowledge of the mysterious Academy that they've sworn allegiance to. Bit by bit, Sang discovers that her friends are far from the normalcy she expected. Will her loyalty change when she's forced to remain in the dark, or will she accept that she's traded one house of secrets for another?

Meet Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke and North in a story about differences and loyalty, truth and mystery, friendships and heart-throbbing intimacy.

The Academy, ever vigilant."

 I love this series so much...I've only read the first few books as of yet but am really looking forward to completing the series. It's original and just so captivating and an intriguing yet heart-wrenching read. I wouldn't really claim it's a full on romance but there is the building of ones blossoming and it's definitely a novel about love, if it not be romantic love. I just couldn't leave it out. From the beginning you feel for Sang and the boys are so mischievous and yet as a reader you trust them without a doubt. The plot continues and grows in danger as the books progress and I am so thankful for stumbling across these as this series is a real gem! (Oh, and the first book is free!)

2. Reason to Breathe (Breathing #1), by Rebecca Donovan | ★★★★★



"  "No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"
In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all. She’s more concerned with feigning perfection while pulling down her sleeves to conceal the bruises - not wanting anyone to know how far from perfect her life truly is. Without expecting it, she finds love. It challenges her to recognize her own worth - but at the risk of revealing the terrible secret she’s desperate to hide.  
Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope."
Reason to Breathe is a book that stays with you upon completion. I can still remember being shocked and just left speechless when finishing this in the early hours of the morning and then the agonising few months wait to read the second book.  There was such a fresh approach to the relationship of Emma and Evan and is a stunning beautiful read, but also devastating! This series will stay with me forever and one I look forward to re-reading for the emotional roller-coaster all over again.



3. Crash (#1), by Nicole Williams | ★★★★☆

"Southpointe High is the last place Lucy wanted to wind up her senior year of school. Right up until she stumbles into Jude Ryder, a guy whose name has become its own verb, and synonymous with trouble. He's got a rap sheet that runs longer than a senior thesis, has had his name sighed, shouted, and cursed by more women than Lucy dares to ask, and lives at the local boys home where disturbed seems to be the status quo for the residents. Lucy had a stable at best, quirky at worst, upbringing. She lives for wearing the satin down on her ballet shoes, has her sights set on Juilliard, and has been careful to keep trouble out of her life. Up until now.

Jude's everything she needs to stay away from if she wants to separate her past from her future. Staying away, she's about to find out, is the only thing she's incapable of.

For Lucy Larson and Jude Ryder, love's about to become the thing that tears them apart. "

Okay, so I read this a good time back so can't really go into too much detail but I gave it 4/5 stars when I read it so it must have made an impression! It does seem like your cliché YA Romance but it definitely has a unique flare. Jude is an extremely annoying, frustrating, cocky bad boy that you just love to hate and Lucy really gives him a run for his money. Their love story is engaging and captivating and definitely worth the read. I've yet to read the follow on books but when I do, I'll definitely be posting about them!


4. Unlovable (Port Fare #1), by Sherry Gammon | ★★★★★



"Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He's been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren't going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He's harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he's trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love. 
Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far.
Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother's health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie's life into a tale-spin. 
While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly.
Seth and Maggie's romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery. "

 I've read a few books now about undercover cops and them falling for some poor innocent girl when they're on the job so wasn't sure how I'd react to this one- but oh my!! If you read any novel about an undercover narc falling for a teen, this has to be the one you read!! Their story is addicting and beautiful and Maggie is such a character in her own right that the reader cannot help but want to fight for her happiness and her survival. Their story continues in the next book and is just as fantastic a read. 



5. Going Under (#1), by Georgia Cates | ★★★★☆


"Jesse Boone is a self-proclaimed bad boy and doesn't march to the beat of anyone’s drum but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life but his determination to leave it behind is fervent. He sees an opportunity to snag a college football scholarship when he’s transferred to East Franklin High School but Forbes Henderson has other plans. The player Jesse intends to replace doesn’t plan on giving up his spot as starting quarterback so a rivalry is born. Jesse is determined to show his nemesis that he’s not only going to take his position as first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.
Claire Deveraux is perfection at its best. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and unaware she just became Jesse Boone’s conquest to settle a score with her boyfriend. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jesse Boone. She fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises of rocking her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jesse, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jesse learn that the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?"
 This is another YA novel that appears to follow the Cliché Train but it is a definite surprise. Jesse is a whirlwind of secrets and surprise and Claire isn't all she seems either. There's more to this novel than simply a love story of cat and mouse but more a lesson on knowing when it's okay to let your guard down and trust someone, Both characters break free from their stereotypes and we're left with a raw heart-wrenching story. Parts are predictable but there are a few surprises throughout. The drama continues in Book 2...






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Sunday, 16 November 2014

REVIEW; Insanity, by Cameron Jace




Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Genre: Thriller, Fantasy, Young Adult

Recommend: Yes/No

SPOILERS

Summary:
Alice Wonder is a patient in Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum after murdering her classmates, including her boyfriend. Locked up with only her flower as company, she dreams of escape and attempts to trick the guards in an effort to run away. Her family believe she is insane but Alice is given a chance to prove her sanity when another patient takes an interest in her. Professor Caterpillar convinces Alice that she is the real Alice from Wonderland and that she is needed to help him. There is a mass killer on the loose, going by the name of the Cheshire Cat and according to the Professor, only Alice can help him catch the monster and in doing so find the real Wonderland. Alice is allowed out of the Asylum to pose as a student as she helps decode the clues and edge closer to catching the killer and saving lives.
My Thoughts:
I was really intrigued by the blurb of this novel and it sounded like exactly my type of mind-bender novel... however, unfortunately I just didn't 'get' it and DNF'ed at 51%. It really takes a lot for me to give up on a book but when I've been attempting to get through it after a few weeks and it's a struggle to pick up, I can't ignore them signs. 

 I loved the start/introduction of the whole story. The writing appeared to be quirky and Alice was an intriguing character. 

 Overall, the whole plot/story seemed rushed and just stitched together in a haphazard way that I couldn't follow. I expected this to be a mental challenge but it seemed too bonkers for me. I just lost interest and got frustrated at it. I couldn't engage properly with any of the conversations between the characters and it left me feeling like they had no depth or substance to them. 

 I found Pillar's involvement with Alice and how everything occurred after she agreed to help him, just unbelievable and disjointed. I don't mean unbelievable in a realistic way as this is a Fantasy novel but their interactions just didn't come off as sound and the circumstances/events that are created just didn't fit with how the novel began. 

 I give one star simply for the beginning of the novel as it really set my hopes high and was captivating but unfortunately it got too crazy as I went on and I just couldn't continue. It may be a novel I'll return to in a few months to give another try as it has got such great ratings. 

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