Review: Morning Star (Red Rising #3) by Pierce Brown

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

Genre: Sci-Fi / Young Adult / Dystopian

Publisher: Hodder

My Rating: 

Synopsis: Darrow is the Reaper of Mars. Born to toil, carved to fight, destined to lead. But he is a broken man. Exposed as a Red in world ruled by Golds, he has been captured and tormented until he is something less than human. And yet, he is humanity’s last chance.

In facing a godlike, ruthless enemy, he must call on every last ounce of strength to prove that loyalty, friendship and love are more powerful than any cold-hearted machine of war.

He has been first Red, then Gold. Now, he must transcend them all. He must become the hero his people believe he is.

My Review

Find my reviews of the first two books, Red Rising and Golden Son, here and here.

After a few very hectic weeks, I have finally managed to finish Morning Star, the final book in the Red Rising trilogy, and I’m pretty much lost for words. Be prepared for a long and rambly review of starstruck nonsense, because this is one of the best YA series out there.

This series has been pretty much faultless throughout. I like to think of this as Game of Thrones in space. It’s packed full of plot twists you will not see coming, like that one at the end of Golden Son, as well as an intricate cast of characters and a heart-stopping plot.

So, after that Golden Son ending, you’d be forgiven in thinking that it’s pretty much all over for Darrow and the Rising. But think again. Darrow has continued to grow throughout this series and he reaches his peak here in Morning Star. He’s still very much the Darrow we know and love, but he’s matured and gained even more knowledge and understanding of the world around him. If you want a good example of a character arc, look no further than Darrow. He is entirely fleshed-out and totally believable as a real person. He’s complex, nuanced, troubled and makes a ton of mistakes, not to mention he can be arrogant and hot-headed, but he grows and learns, humbled by the ending of Golden Son. In Morning Star, he has grown into a man worthy of the position that has been forced upon him.

Morning Star throws you right back into the story. I had so many questions I desperately needed answering, but this is a series that will leave you guessing and waiting in agony. It’s also a series that isn’t afraid to shock you and kill off your favourite characters (much like Game of Thrones), so I was constantly on edge reading this novel, but in a good way. If you know the characters are somehow going to get themselves out of every horrible situation, then the story loses its momentum and you cease to care. Brown, on the other hand, knows exactly how to keep the reader on their toes, and the plot-twists, whilst shocking, are always logical.

(Also, as a bit of an aside, I don’t usually like it when the second and/or third book in a series changes setting from the first. I grow attached to the setting in the first book, and a change of scenery in the sequels normally throws me and lessens my enjoyment. However, leaving the Institute in Red Rising and venturing out into the society proper was the next clear step. It wasn’t just a change for the sake of it, it worked, and it allowed the plot and characters to really grow. By Morning Star, the Institute seems like a nostalgic memory, rather than a time I really wished we would return to).

The reader has watched the setting and characters flourish, and finishing Morning Star made me feel like I’d been on a journey with these characters. The plot never falls stagnant but instead reaches new heights. Everything Darrow and the Sons of Ares have been working towards are now in sight, but we worry that things might not turn out right. This is probably one of the first series where I’ve genuinely feared for the protagonist’s life and wasn’t sure he’d survive the finale. The same goes for the other main characters. Mustang, Sevro, Ragnar, and the others are truly in danger of losing their lives for a vast majority of the book, and maybe some of them even do…

But there are no spoilers here. I don’t want to ruin the excitement and worry.

In terms of structure, I thought Morning Star had the best pacing of the three books. Whilst they’ve all been pretty full speed ahead, Morning Star was definitely the one that just kept pushing and pushing. There wasn’t much respite, and it was a little exhausting, but it never made the plot feel dull because there was just so much going on.

Honestly, I don’t really know what to say. I haven’t even written anything in my reading diary for Morning Star because all I could think of to write was ‘FLAWLESS’. This series is just too good. If you want to know how to write an epic Sci-Fi, then pick this up. Even if you’re not a Sci-Fi fan, I highly recommend it. I love Sci-Fi, but usually the sub-genres like post-apocalyptic etc. I like space sagas as long as they’re not too OTT, and whilst there can be jargon in this series, it never makes you feel out of your depth.

And neither does the world-building. It’s very intricate and complex, and whilst there are a few moments of info-dumping, it’s not widespread and boring like can often be the case in fantasy and sci-fi series. You really get a sense of what the setting and society is like without feeling like the author is boring you with unnecessary details.

I perhaps do have a couple of small criticisms for the series and this final installment, but they’re pretty minor. After all, no book is perfect. One thing was that the humour could be a bit hit and miss for me. Sometimes it would make me laugh out loud, other times I wouldn’t crack a smile. But humour is very subjective, so what would make me laugh might not make someone else laugh. The other thing was that whilst the climax was brilliant and everything I wanted, I felt the events after the climax, when the loose ends are tied up, was a bit rushed. I didn’t find out what had happened to a few characters and would have liked to see what they were up to following the climactic events, but then I suppose this will probably be addressed in the new sequel series.

Overall, this series and its final installment were pretty much faultless. It has an amazing cast of characters I’ve really grown to love and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed their changes and growth. Even when they’ve really pissed me off, I’ve still loved them because they’re flawed, including the characters that can’t quite decide if they’re friend or enemy (I’m looking at you, Cassius. So well-written!). The world-building is complex and interesting and wholly unique. And the plot, whilst it’s a rebellion plot that’s quite familiar in YA, it’s totally its own beast and doesn’t follow the same structures as other rebellion novels.

I am super excited for Iron Gold and the film adaptations, and I swear to god if they screw this series up on the big screen I am going to go wild. But yes, I am so sad this original trilogy is over, but so excited for the sequel trilogy to begin. This was a brilliant ending to a whirlwind series. If you love complex and flawed characters, rebellion and huge plot-twists you’ll never see coming, then this is the series for you. 

 Have you read this series? Did you enjoy it? Are you excited for the films and sequel trilogy? Let me know in the comments below!

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My Top 5 YA Books From My Early Teens

Recently, I’ve been redecorating my room, and in the process I’ve found a lot of old books. Books I read and re-read numerous times in my early teens, when ‘YA’  wasn’t quite yet the booming market that it is today.

The books I loved in my early teens, from about 12-15, seem to have been forgotten about as YA became such a ‘big thing’ and new books flooded the market. The only few books from the 90s and early 00s that seem to have hung on have been Harry Potter and The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. So, I’m here to showcase some of my favourite YA books from my early teens, and why they shouldn’t just be swept under the carpet.

It’s ten years since the terrible war in the cities that took Kat and Tanka’s parents. A new life in the New Frontier beckons them, far from bullet holes and bomb craters. New Frontier people are building a fresh, liberal society, without the genetic classification and discrimination that led to the war. Kat and Tanka have a beautiful new home, Cherry Heaven, and everything promises them peace and happiness. But Cherry Heaven carries haunting marks of the past, bubbling to the surface in mysterious and frightening ways. 

Cherry Heaven came out whilst I was halfway through Year 8, so when I was almost 13. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was actually the second in a series. However, it read like a standalone and I never really felt confused.

I think I probably picked this one up because I liked the cover, but I’m fairly certain it might just have kick-started my love for all things dystopian. It was a really gripping and exciting read, with complex yet mysterious world-building. I’m not sure why I’ve never picked up the first book or the sequels – maybe because I was young and not too bothered about reading things in order or finishing series – but perhaps that’s something I’ll do now I’m older and at least a little more organised.

For fans of: dystopian thrillers.

Jessica Allendon is bored and Googles her name. Weirdly, she finds another girl, same age, same name, also living in London. They arrange to meet. At the designated time and place, Jess sees the girl, shock registering on both their faces as they realise they look identical. They shake hands and in that instant are catapulted into each other’s worlds. Jessica finds herself somewhere which looks like the London of 50 years ago, but the year is still 2008. In this parallel London, the history is different, key war memorials are missing, and the Jessica whose life she now inhabits was involved in a dark and sinister conspiracy. Jess must convince everyone she is the same girl, at all costs, if she wants to get back to her London – alive.

This is another published in February 2008, and I kept re-reading this all the way until I was 16, I enjoyed it that much. I suppose this is another dystopian-ish YA novel but, just like Cherry Heaven, it’s also a great thriller with some interesting and funny characters.

I can actually still remember much of this book and can still envisage particular scenes, which goes to show how much I enjoyed this one because I can’t even remember what I read two years ago.

For fans of: alternate history thrillers and a witty protagonist.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother’s death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true.

Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls’ academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions.

Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions “for a bit of fun” and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the “others” and rebuild the Order.

To say I worshipped this series would be an understatement.

My dad actually chose the first book in this series for me. For someone who doesn’t read fiction, he’s strangely good at choosing books.

I can still partly remember the last page of the final book, The Sweet Far Thing, because it was so bittersweet and profound. Not only does this series have great writing, but it has intriguing characters, magical realism and a great romance. Also, this is probably the only book/series on my list that I still see mentioned today in the bookish community.

For fans of: historical fantasy and romance.

The days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve are dead days, when spirits roam and magic shifts restlessly just beneath the surface of our lives.

A magician called Valerian must save his own life within those few days or pay the price for the pact he made with evil so many years ago. But alchemy and sorcery are no match against the demonic power pursuing him. Helping him is his servant, Boy, a child with no name and no past. The quick-witted orphan girl, Willow, is with them as they dig in death fields at midnight, and as they are swept into the sprawling blackness of a subterranean city on a journey from which there is no escape.

I was a big fan of Marcus Sedgwick when I was younger. In fact, practically my whole family was. Me, my mum and my sister all read the Book of Dead Days series. I liked to try and read the same things as my mum and sister when I was younger, which is how I found out about my favourite YA series, Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series, when I overheard my mum and sister chatting about it and wanted to be involved. The same happened for The Book of Dead Days and Sedgwick quickly became one of my go-to authors in my early teens.

This duology is quite sinister and dark for a YA series, but it’s one reason why I loved it. Not to mention the covers were made of this mottled kind of card and so they even felt creepy. Also, an honorary mention to one of Sedgwick’s other novels, My Swordhand is Singing, for being extremely creepy and helping to kickstart by zombie obsession.

For fans of: creepy historical horror and dark magic.

Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships.

Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

Even just thinking about this series gets me pumped up. This trilogy was action-packed and didn’t pull punches. Plus it had POC and biracial main characters, discussed issues like teen pregnancy and drugs, and looked at how the British government can fail young people from poorer areas. Not to mention it featured superpowers, of course.

For fans of: dystopian thrillers (again. Maybe my dystopian obsession did start earlier than I thought) and gritty, raw characters.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What books did you enjoy when you were younger? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Christmas Book Haul

Hello again! I hope you all had a good Christmas. It’s been a quiet yet busy one for me, so I hope to catch up on everyone’s blog posts over the festive period when things calm down in the New Year.

But anyway, I thought I’d showcase the additions to my TBR this Christmas. I pretty much spent all of my Christmas money on books so there are quite a few here. It’s gonna take me a while to get through all of these, especially because my TBR before Christmas was already about 15 books long. But I think this is the first time I’ve ever had a TBR pile so big and trust me it feels good.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

I’ve heard so many good things about this series so I am really excited to get stuck into it. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a fan of WWII literature, so this sounds great as a spin on that genre.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Another series I’ve heard a lot about, albeit mixed things. I really like the premise so I’m willing to put aside any of the negative reviews I’ve seen and make my own judgements.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

I really enjoyed Marie Lu’s debut dystopian series, and you can find my review of Champion, the final book, here. I’m hoping this new series lives up to my expectations. I’ve read great things about it, especially with its diversity.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Now, I haven’t really had a good track record with Stiefvater. I bought Shiver when it was first released and, whilst I loved how bleak the opening and setting was, the book quickly jumped into instalove and it really put me off. It was too similar to Twilight to really hold my interest so soon after that phenomenon, so I decided that Stiefvater wasn’t for me.

However, I’ve seen everyone raving about this new series of hers so I’ve finally decided to give it a go. I’m a little hesitant, especially as I really don’t like the cover, it looks very kiddy, but all the rave reviews have persuaded me to give Stiefvater another chance.

Slade House by David Mitchell

I’ve mentioned before on this blog how big a fan I am of David Mitchell. Cloud Atlas is one of my favourite books, and you can find my review for The Bone Clocks here. This one sounds creepier than his usual stuff so I’m very excited for it.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

I’m not the biggest YA contemporary fan in the world, but if one of them is getting good reviews then I listen. This is definitely one I’ve been excited to get my hands on for quite a while.

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne

This YA contemporary series sounds like it’s the new Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, which is hands down one of the funniest YA contemporary series to ever be written and is a staple in any British girl’s teenage years.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

I read Six of Crows not that long ago (review here) and I really enjoyed it, although I did think that there was so much hype I was expecting some kind of masterpiece and of course it was never going to live up to that. But anyway, it was still amazing and I’m excited to finish the series.

The Call by Peadar O’Guilin

This sounds unbelievably good. Creepy Irish YA horror? Count me in.

The Trees by Ali Shaw

This book is described as “does for trees what Hitchcock did for birds”. This is a apocalyptic novel (my favourite) about trees (…um?). Yes, you heard that right, but it’s received a lot of praise and I’m down for anything that’s apocalyptic.

SS-GB by Len Deighton

This is another alternate WWII history novel and it’s regarded as a classic. The BBC are also adapting it for TV so that should be good, especially after the success of The Man in the High Castle as a TV adaptation.

In a Land of Paper Gods by Rebecca Mackenzie

Every year my parents buy me and my sister a surprise book each for Christmas and this was mine. It’s set in China during WWII and sounds like it’s going to be a profound yet fantastical read.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

This is another I’ve heard a lot about and I’ve been after it for quite a while. It sounds amazing and I love the cover.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

I’ve also been after this for quite a while too. I’ve seen a few mixed things, I think that mainly the prose was too purple for some, but I don’t really mind purple prose as long as it’s effective and benefits the plot. I’m sure this will live up to my expectations.

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

I’ve been extremely excited for this because it’s supposed to be Sabriel crossed with Romeo and Juliet and if you follow my blog then you’ll know Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series is my favourite. I’m hoping this is as amazing as it sounds.

Have you read any of these books? Did you love or loathe them? Or do you want to read them? Did you get any books for Christmas? Let me know in the comments below!

ARC Review: Gilded Cage by Vic James

Gilded Cage by Vic James

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Dystopian

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

My Rating: 

Synopsis: Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England’s grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.

A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England’s most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family’s secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi’s brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinion of the book in any way.

It’s taken me nearly three weeks to read Gilded Cage. However, that isn’t because I didn’t enjoy it. On the contrary, I loved it, but life just kept getting in the way! This isn’t a book that’s easy to put down, yet I will say that if you do have to put it down for a few days, it’s not difficult to get back into the story and reorient yourself.

That’s all down to the fact that this book is seamlessly written, with an intriguing, fresh plot, a richly woven world, and complex characters. I’d heard great things about Gilded Cage before I started, so I was eager to begin. I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

Let’s start with the plot. In an alternative universe where some members of the population possess the power of magic, these people with ‘Skill’ have mostly ascended to the higher ranks of society. In some parts of the world, they’re shunned, but in Europe they rule over the Skilless masses as a magical elite. The Skilless must serve the elite, known as ‘Equals’, for ten years as slaves.

The story is written from the third person POV of a number of characters, each chapter focussing on a different one, and this gave a great feel for the world, allowing us to see this society from different perspectives, as well as learning more about the motivations of the main characters.

Mostly, the chapters centre on Abi and Luke Hadley, brother and sister. The Hadley family have all signed up to get their slavedays over and done with together. However, the family find themselves split up, with Luke carted off to the slave town of Millmoor, a large, almost Victorian slum-like industrial complex, and the rest of the family – Abi, little sister Daisy, and Mum and Dad – are sent to work for the most powerful Equal family in the country – the Parva-Jardine’s.

I found the chapters in the two locations of Millmoor and Kyneston (the Jardine estate) equally interesting, although perhaps Kyneston piqued my interest a little more. However, the two settings provide a great contrast and really set two different tones. You have the dirty Millmoor, with rumblings of rebellion, and the picturesque Kyneston, where everything isn’t quite as perfect as it seems.

I liked both Abi and Luke as the two most central characters, but I really did enjoy the entire cast as a whole. It’s quite a large cast of characters, all complex and clearly drawn. There are no characters that feel like stereotypes, or like the author just has a check list of stock characters she’s ticking her way through. Instead, even a character such as Bouda Matravers, engaged to Gavar Jardine (Heir to the Jardine estate), could easily have fallen prey to the ‘bitchy girl’ stock character, but she didn’t. Whilst she certainly was bitchy, she had much more depth to her. She was motivated, headstrong and very intelligent. I really enjoyed the couple of chapters from her perspective as, even though I didn’t particularly like her, I admired her ambition.

My favourite characters as a whole though, I would say, are the three Jardine brothers: Gavar, Jenner and Silyen. I liked the complexities of Gavar’s character; initially, he just seems very brutish, when in reality there’s much more to him and he does have a soft side. Silyen, however, was my favourite. The youngest brother, Silyen possesses the most Skill. He’s dark, mysterious and very cunning. Not always likeable, I’ll admit, but I was hanging on his every word and looked forward to scenes involving him. He was definitely one of the best characters I’ve read about this year.

In terms of the writing, I enjoyed the style. It was fresh and didn’t seem like Vic James was trying to emulate any other author. It was often detailed, yet not boring. However, my one small gripe with this novel, though not big enough to affect the rating, is that some events were kind of glossed over. We’d learn about them in passing rather than get to see them. There were a few times where I was a little disappointed I wasn’t privy to this conversation or that event, and would have liked them to be included. However, it may have been that there was a strict word count that Vic James needed to adhere to; YA books aren’t often allowed to be quite long.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Gilded Cage. This is definitely one of my favourite YA books of the year and I’m really excited to continue with the series, especially because of the climactic ending that, thankfully, didn’t fall flat, and the character of Silyen. Also, as you can see from the blurb, there is a romance, but it didn’t overpower the plot. If, like me, you’re sick of insta-love and cringe-worthy ‘swooning’, you’ll be glad to know that there’s none of that here.

So, if you’re looking for a new YA series to sink your teeth into, especially an interesting, unique dystopian filled with magical realism, then I highly recommend this series. You seriously don’t want to miss out.

Gilded Cage will be released 1st Dec in e-book format, with the paperback out 26th Jan.

Have you read an ARC of Gilded Cage? Are you excited for the release? Let me know in the comments below!

My Most Anticipated November Book Releases

Recently, I’ve been adding a fair few books to my Amazon wishlist. Although that’s not really anything new, what was new was that a lot of the books I was adding seemed to have a release date of this November.

So, without further ado, here are some of the books coming out this month that I really want (but totally can’t afford).

 

This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston | YA Mystery | 15th Nov

No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won’t say who fired the shot that killed their friend, Grant; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them.

Kate Marino’s senior year internship at the District Attorney’s Office isn’t exactly glamorous-more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys’ case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families.

Kate won’t let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has personal reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she investigates with Stone-the aging prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot-she realizes that nothing about the case-or the boys-is what it seems. Grant wasn’t who she thought he was, and neither is Stone’s prime suspect. As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all-and if Kate doesn’t uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line including her own.

This sounds like it’s going to be a really interesting and creepy murder mystery, not to mention I love the cover!

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid | YA Sci-Fi | 1st Nov

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia – a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity inside her that is true and pure – more so than that of most humans she encounters. Amidst all the danger, action and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life – and the empire.

This one has already been released and so far I’ve seen some high praise for it! A few mixed reviews, but mostly good, so I’m hoping I’ll enjoy this when I get around to buying it.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon | YA Contemporary | 3rd Nov

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store―for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

This is another one that has already been released and I’m so excited to read it. I actually haven’t read Everything, Everything, but after hearing such high praise for it, I’m really looking forward to trying both books. I only have one YA Contemporary in my TBR pile at the moment so I definitely need a few more!

Scythe by Neal Shusterman | YA Dystopian | 29th Nov

In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (gleaned) by professional reapers (scythes). Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythe’s apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation they must learn the art of killing and come to understand the necessity of what they do.

Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice. And when it becomes clear that the winning apprentice s first task will be to glean the loser, Citra and Rowan are pitted against one another in a fight for their lives.

I featured this novel in one of my Waiting on Wednesday posts. I’ve never read any Neal Shusterman before but I know he’s very popular and this book sounds pretty unique.

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge | YA Fantasy | 3rd Nov

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou, share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on the Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding the Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo only wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . .

After I saw this book described as Sabriel meets Romeo and Juliet I just knew I desperately needed it in my life. For anyone who follows my blog, you’ll know that Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series is my all-time favourite, and I’ve reread Sabriel a dozen times over the years. This book sounds like it has everything I like, especially the undead. I also featured it a little while back for Waiting on Wednesday so I’m really glad it’s finally out!

The Clay Girl by Heather Tucker | Contemporary | 13th Nov

Vincent Appleton smiles at his daughters, raises a gun, and blows off his head. For the Appleton sisters, life had unravelled many times before. This time it explodes.

Eight-year-old Hariet, known to all as Ari, is dispatched to Cape Breton and her Aunt Mary, who is purported to eat little girls. But Mary and her partner, Nia, offer an unexpected refuge to Ari and her steadfast companion, Jasper, an imaginary seahorse.

Yet the respite does not last, and Ari is torn from her aunts and forced back to her twisted mother and fractured sisters. Her new stepfather, Len, and his family offer hope, but as Ari grows to adore them, she’s severed violently from them too, when her mother moves in with the brutal Dick Irwin.

Through the sexual revolution and drug culture of the 1960s, Ari struggles with her father’s legacy and her mother’s addictions, testing limits with substances that numb and men who show her kindness. Ari spins through a chaotic decade of loss and love, the devilish and divine, with wit, tenacity, and the astonishing balance unique to seahorses.

Someone in the book blogosphere gave this a glowing review, which is why I’m featuring it here. However, I can’t for the life of me remember who that blogger was or find the post! So, if that was you, please leave a comment and I’ll add a link here to your review! This sounds like such a wonderful and heartbreaking book.

What November releases are you looking forward to? Have you been lucky enough to read any of these books? Do you want to read them? Let me know in the comments below!

Stacking the Shelves | Sequels and ARCs

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme from Tynga’s Reviews where you showcase the books you’ve received or purchased.

This week, I’ve added three books to my TBR and I’m very excited.

First off, I retweeted a publisher’s tweet on Twitter to win an ARC of what sounds like an insanely good dystopian crime thriller and, lo and behold, I won!

Wildfire publishers sent me an ARC of Yesterday by Felicia Yap, due to be released August 2017, as well as a lovely personalised card and a chocolate! Clearly Wildfire understand that the way to my heart is through both books and chocolate. Anyway, check out the synopsis for Yesterday here:

How do you solve a murder when you can only remember yesterday?

There are two types of people in the world. Those who can only remember yesterday, and those who can also recall the day before.

You have just one lifeline to the past: your diary. Each night, you write down the things that matter. Each morning, your diary tells you where you were, who you loved and what you did.

Today, the police are at your door. They say that the body of your husband’s mistress has been found in the River Cam. They think your husband killed her two days ago.

Can you trust the police? Can you trust your husband? Can you trust yourself?

My two other books are Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, and Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein:

I am so so so excited for Gemina and it’s been staring at me since I got it. I desperately want to read it but I’ve had so many other books waiting in my TBR for ages that I just don’t know what to do! If you haven’t read Illuminae yet then what have you been doing?! Hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. Check out my review here.

Rose Under Fire is another YA WWII novel from Elizabeth Wein. I read Code Name Verity a few years ago and I loved it, especially because Wein writes strong women traversing the horrors of the Second World War. I’ve always found WWI and WWII fiction so interesting and Wein’s books are a definite welcome addition to the genre.

Have you read Rose Under Fire? Or have you even managed to read Gemina? What did you think? Do you like the sound of Yesterday? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting On Wednesday: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine where you showcase which books you’re looking forward to being released.

So, this week I’m waiting on the first book in a new YA dystopian series called Scythe by Neal Shusterman:

UK Release Date: 29th November 2016

I think that cover is really striking but, at the same time, what is it supposed to be? I think it’s a woman in a dress with a scythe blocking her or acting as her head. Or maybe it’s someone in a hooded cape, standing side on? It’s like one of those optical illusions. Either way, it’s nice to look at, especially because there’s something a bit early-20th Century about it.

Anyway, I know what you’re thinking, not another YA dystopian series! However, I am a sucker for all things dystopian so this doesn’t bother me. Besides, this one sounds pretty unique. I haven’t read Shusterman’s Unwind series, or any of his other books for that matter, but I know Unwind was popular so hopefully this series will be good too.

Synopsis for Scythe:

In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (gleaned) by professional reapers (scythes).

Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythe’s apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation they must learn the art of killing and come to understand the necessity of what they do.

Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice. And when it becomes clear that the winning apprentice s first task will be to glean the loser, Citra and Rowan are pitted against one another in a fight for their lives.

Are you looking forward to Scythe? Have you read Shusterman’s Unwind series? Did you enjoy it? Let me know in the comments below!

The Willoughby Book Club Unboxing #3

The final package in my three month The Willoughby Book Club subscription arrived yesterday. And let me just say, this last book definitely didn’t disappoint. The people behind The Willoughby Book Club have made great choices the last two months (you can find the posts here and here) and I’ve been really pleased.

So, what did I get this month? It was A Lovely Way To Burn by Louise Welsh.

It’s an apocalyptic/dystopian novel with a murder mystery to boot. Set in a London ravaged by a deadly virus, one woman believes that it wasn’t the virus that killed her husband, but that someone murdered him instead. I think it sounds like a great idea, weaving my favourite genre with crime, and I’m excited to read it.

If you want to check out The Willoughby Book Club, you can find them here. I really do recommend them. They have so many different subscriptions and are great at tailoring books to your preferences. That way, you know you’re going to get a book you’ll like. Also, if they happen to send you a book you already have (which only happens to 1% of customers), they’ll send you a replacement completely free and let you keep the duplicate book so you can give it to a friend.

They’re UK based with free shipping, but do ship elsewhere for a fee. I also think they’re great value for money and really know their stuff when it comes to books! It’s an excellent way of finding new books and authors that you may have overlooked or never heard of.

Do you subscribe to The Willoughby Book Club or any other book subscription boxes? Have you read A Lovely Way To Burn? Want to read it? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Genre: Young Adult / Dystopian / Urban Fantasy

Publisher:  Mira Ink, 2015

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: In the town of New Temperance, souls are in short supply and Nina should be worrying about protecting hers. Yet she’s too busy trying to keep her sister Mellie safe.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their existence, she’ll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal church.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a mysterious fugitive who has already saved her life once. Wanted by the church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she needs Finn and his group of rogue friends.

But what do they need from her in return?

My Review

This is the second book my boyfriend bought me and, whilst Soundless was a flop, The Stars Never Rise was not. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and fast-paced read. There were some flaws, hence the 4/5 rating instead of 5/5, but it was still a fun, and surprisingly mature, book.

This novel is set in the future, 100 years after a war between humans and demons, and the occurrence of stillbirths due to there not being enough pure ‘souls’ to go around. The vast majority of America was ravaged by the war, but big towns and cities survived, protected by high walls and the authority of the Church. The rules of society are strictly upheld and sins severely punished. Sins include anything from blasphemy to fornication. And as if that wasn’t enough to contend with, ‘degenerates’ also roam the badlands, demons occupying decaying human bodies, searching for human flesh and a new human vessel to occupy.

The world-building was really interesting and unique, and I’m excited to learn even more in the sequel. The author doesn’t info-dump all this information either. It’s given to us in drips and drabs, mainly through clever dialogue.

In addition to this, there was thankfully no preaching. Of course, this novel deals with Christianity, yet it doesn’t force any ideas down your throat. There’s no preaching or mention of Biblical stories and figures, or even God for that matter. There’s nothing wrong with having religion in a book, but I was worried this novel might go on and on about the power of God or something like that. However, it also doesn’t insult religion, so people of any faith, or no faith at all, can read this without feeling offended or preached to.

Also, the novel doesn’t gloss over sex and swearing like some YA does. It’s silly to think teenagers don’t engage in these activities or don’t know anything about them, because they do. Nothing is gratuitous and any mention of sex is referred to vaguely, but it’s at least mentioned.

Our story follows the life of Nina. Neglected by a sinful mother, she’s forced to steal in order to care for her sister Mellie. Nina is headstrong and practical; she knows what she needs to do to survive, until the night she meets Finn. One thing I did enjoy about Nina is that she wasn’t overly trusting. Too often, the female protagonist is swept off to safety by a handsome boy and she falls madly in love within about five seconds. Nina, however, after being helped by Finn, keeps trying to bolt. She doesn’t fall straight into his arms and believe every word that comes out of his mouth, which was really refreshing to read. If I was in some dire situation and a boy saved my life, I’d be very grateful, but I certainly wouldn’t fully trust him. I know a character being trusting, or not trusting enough, can be a personality trait, but too often these girls are more trusting than is normal.

Finn himself is an interesting character. He has a particular ‘quirk’ that makes him stand out from other love interests, but I won’t spoil it. At first, this quirk of his was strange to get my head around and put me off a little, just like it does Nina, yet I eventually got my head around it, especially because he’s a very likable character. Witty, caring and confident, he was a love interest I genuinely liked. Too often the male love interests are just as formulaic as the female protagonists. Finn was certainly his own person. However, the romance itself was a little strange, mostly due to Finn’s quirk, but also because of its progression. Yes, Nina wasn’t entirely trusting at the start, yet I did feel like the romance suddenly progressed quickly over the span of about two days. Still, there was no insta-love, with no “I love you’s” being thrown around.

The plot is fast-paced with twists and turns. Some of the twists I worked out early on, others took me by surprise, and the twists keep coming right until the very end. This was definitely a plus point; the plot is never stagnant and neither is the ending, with action going on right to the very last page. Sometimes, endings can just fizzle out, with the action pretty anti-climactic, but here it was done well.

Lastly, the writing was good, successfully building up the tension. The emotion of it didn’t feel forced and it was poetic at times and, as a result, I enjoyed reading from Nina’s POV.

So, overall, it was a quick read with an abundance of action and a refreshing take on the Dystopian genre. The oppressive government being the church made for an interesting spin and there were also multiple layers to the oppression and deceit. This is a book I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys the Dystopian genre but is perhaps fed up of a lot of the current books feeling too similar, especially because this series has the added element of Urban Fantasy.

Have you read The Stars Never Rise? Or any other of Rachel Vincent’s novels? Did you enjoy them? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Top 10 Openings in YA

If a book doesn’t have a great opening page, you’re unlikely to be hooked. A slow-burner of a book isn’t all bad, but we want to be engrossed from the very beginning.

So, I have trawled my bookshelf and found my favourite opening pages in Young Adult books, in no particular order. Some, I must admit, are not the very first page, as I might have skipped a prologue to get to chapter one, but all of them are great openings, I can guarantee you that.

(P.S. Some opening pages have been shortened. If you see ‘…’ then passages have been omitted).

1. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

 

I really love the opening page to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. It’s that one line ‘That’s when I stopped believing her about the ocean’ that makes you stop and think for a second. Why on earth would this girl think the ocean doesn’t exist?

2. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium was a series that I think got better as it progressed, but you can’t deny this opening fills you with questions.

3. Tamar by Mal Peet

Tamar is a book I’ve previously raved about on my blog. I think this opening line is beautifully subtle, but also instills us with the sense that the naming of this unborn child is going to extremely significant.

4. Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Red Rising is another novel I’ve raved about on here. Pierce Brown is really a master of these kinds of profound, tense sentences, and it’s a great way to open a novel.

5. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

How I Live Now is one of my favourite books of all time. Beautifully and uniquely written, and such a harrowing yet hopeful read. I love the opening to this book and the film adaptation is excellent too.

6. Sabriel by Garth Nix

The Abhorsen series is my all-time favourite series, like I’ve said so many times on this blog. This opening immediately introduces us to the magic of Sabriel’s world, but hints at something more sinister beneath the surface – necromancy.

7. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

I read Rebel of the Sands earlier in the year and loved it! These opening lines perfectly capture the personality of Amani; feisty and honest.

8. Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne

I read Heart-Shaped Bruise a few years ago now but I can still remember how much I enjoyed it, especially this opening. It’s a bit of a dark read, but also fraught with emotion, and the protagonist Emily is very well-crafted.

9. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

I’m not a huge fan of contemporary, but I really enjoyed The Sky Is Everywhere and should probably read another Jandy Nelson novel! This book was inexpressibly sad, but also so funny and so unique.

10. Pure by Julianna Baggott

The Pure series is one of my favourites. It was such an original concept, the writing was excellent, and the characters were brilliant. This is definitely a story I wish I’d written myself.

Have you read any of these novels? Loved them? Loathed them? Do you think these openings are good? What are some of your favourites in YA? Let me know!