Review: Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler

Title: Afterparty.
Author: Ann Redisch Stampler.
Publication Date: December 31st, 2013.
Publisher: Simon Pulse.
Format: Paperback, 401 pages.
Source: ARC Provided By Author.
My Rating:



Emma is tired of being good.
Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother -- whose name her dad won't even say out loud. That's why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her...and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she's everything Emma is not. And it may be more than Emma can handle.

Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop...

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Afterparty is a really wonderful novel with an incredible opening paragraph that I’m sure will grab anyone’s attention. I often found myself giggling whilst reading this novel, as Ann Stampler’s writing is really funny and I loved how our main protagonist had a ‘moral compass’, which was always trying to point her in the correct direction. I did find myself confused on many different occasions throughout Afterparty. It seemed like it would go off track completely for a few paragraphs and then be suddenly back. I also felt like the sentences just kept rambling on about pretty much nothing, and as much as it seemed like Ann was trying to make a point – she just didn’t seem to get there. The majority of the time this happened when Emma was talking – maybe it’s just a quirky feature in her personality? I don’t know, but don’t get me wrong, if you can put aside these certain problems, Afterparty really is a fantastic book with a wonderful plot – and luckily for me, I managed to do so because I was so engrossed in the story.

Emma is our main protagonist and I really liked reading about her. She has an over-bearing dad with strict rules and is struggling with the decision to continue to be a good-girl, like she’s been her whole life – or try something new and break some of the rules her dad has set. I thought Emma was an incredibly good friend, I know I wouldn’t have put up with all the crap that Siobhan, her new best friend, did to her at all. She was also a very patient, kind, caring and overall a lovely character. I really loved how Emma slowly started to hate Siobhan, and I found it incredibly funny to see the process. At first, Emma bent over backward to please Siobhan, and did pretty much everything she said – but as the novel progressed you really got to see how much Emma started to resent Siobhan and see her true colours. Of course I felt bad for Emma – but to be honest, I don’t know why Emma didn’t dump her sooner!

Siobhan is Emma’s best friend, and from the first moment they meet – they suddenly become inseparable. I started off not minding Siobhan’s character, and I thought she was really upbeat and interesting with a quirky personality, but as the novel progressed, I started to really dislike her (I’m pretty sure you’re meant too!) Siobhan becomes more and more controlling the further you get into Afterparty, she’s also gets very moody and becomes very unpleasant and downright evil. What I found slightly annoying, was the repetitiveness of Emma and Siobhan’s arguments and fall outs. She and Siobhan fight, then make up, then fight again and make up once more! It was also always the same argument; about how Emma finds it difficult to break the rules because of her dad. Although in the end I didn’t like Siobhan’s character, it was quite interesting seeing her slowly go crazy and become so obsessive.

Dylan is the love-interest in Afterparty, and to be honest – I had really mixed feelings about him. One minute I really loved his character, the next I was wondering why the hell Emma was pining over him so much. I suppose Dylan did have his good points, he was sweet, funny and really did seem to care about her – but I questioned a lot of his decisions. I also found it really irritating that he’d just straight out believe everything Siobhan said to him about Emma, even if things weren’t perfect with him and Emma at the time. I also really didn’t like the fact that Dylan was portrayed as such a perfect character – when all he’d ever do was skip class and get stoned, then borrow Emma’s notes because she attended class. It was totally obvious that Emma liked him, and even though he said he’d liked her too at the time – he did some really jack-ass things.

Over though, I really did enjoy reading Afterparty – and sped through it really quickly! Ann Redisch Stampler’s writing is really different from what I’ve read before, but really engaging, fun and quirky all the same. For example; it took me quite a while to get used to reading sentences like ‘I am sorry’ instead of ‘I’m sorry’ – this is definitely not a criticism, as there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. It was just a surprise to read the writing with such a traditional format. I do however, believe that Afterparty well and truly deserved the 4/5 star rating, it was really fantastic and page-turning book that kept me in suspense until the very end! I’d recommend this book to any contemporary reader, especially someone who loves some good old girl drama. I really believe Ann Redisch Stampler is definitely an author to keep an eye on!

Quotes

"Watch this," she says. "New game. It’s called shock-the-dork."
She walks over to two middle-aged guys who look a lot more clueless than the one she usually likes going after. She waves a cigarette at them; they grope for their lighters, matches, whatever it takes to keep her happy. She’s all giggly and girly until one of them offers her another drink and she shrieks. "No! I will not meet you in your hotel room! I’m sixteen years old! What’s wrong with you?"
The men throw money on the bar to pay for their half-drunk drinks and sprint toward the escalator.

"I am not clinically depressed or suicidal or insane. I just want to kill Siobhan, is all."

Siobhan, when she’s annoyed, doesn’t keep it to herself.
In the morning, the slamming theme extends to her locker, books on desktops, and snack trays at break. When she talks to me, I (and everybody else within a hundred yards) can tell she’s seething.
Dylan says, "Should I avoid dark alleys and homeroom? Eat lunch with me. I’ll protect you if she creeps up and tries to hit you with a lunch tray."

Review: Obscura Burning by Suzanne van Rooyen

Title: Obscura Burning.
Author: Suzanne van Rooyen.
Publication Date: December 7th, 2012.
Publisher: Etopia Press.
Format: Paperback, 300 pages.
Source: Provided By Author.
My Rating:



The world's going to end in fire...and it's all Kyle's fault.

Kyle Wolfe's world is about to crash and burn. Just weeks away from graduation, a fire kills Kyle's two best friends and leaves him permanently scarred. A fire that Kyle accidentally set the night he cheated on his boyfriend Danny with their female friend, Shira. That same day, a strange new planet, Obscura, appears in the sky. And suddenly Kyle's friends aren't all that dead anymore.

Each time Kyle goes to sleep, he awakens to two different realities. In one, his boyfriend Danny is still alive, but Shira is dead. In the other, it's Shira who's alive...and now they're friends with benefits. Shifting between realities is slowly killing him, and he's not the only one dying. The world is dying with him. He's pretty sure Obscura has something to do with it, but with his parents' marriage imploding and realities shifting each time he closes his eyes, Kyle has problems enough without being the one in charge of saving the world...

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Obscura Burning is a really fantastic and incredibly interesting novel that will have any sci-fi lover hooked from the first few chapters. Suzanne van Rooyen created a great, wonderful and unique story line that kept me constantly turning the pages – I just didn’t want to put it down! There are so many twists and turns throughout Obscura Burning, which were amazing – and I loved how real the whole thing seemed – even though it was sci-fi! The smallest of decisions could set off a completely different chain of events throughout the book, and you get to experience them all with the main character. Although Obscura Burning was little confusing at times, and I found it a little hard to follow, it was pleasure to read and I loved every minute that I was reading it.

Kyle Wolfe is our main protagonist and he is gay – at least, he’s pretty sure he is. I’d like to say quickly, that if you’re not interested in, or don’t like LGBT stories in general, I really wouldn’t recommend this book. Although there aren’t any graphic scenes or much romance throughout this book at all – but there are plenty of references. Moving on! I really loved Kyle’s character, he was a really down-to-earth guy, and even though the book was written by a woman, it didn’t show through on to Kyle’s character in the writing like I’ve seen before in the past. Although a little messed up and definitely confused about a number of things in his life, Kyle was a solid, interesting, smart and generally a caring guy and very well developed. There was also this dark and mysterious edge to his because of his memory loss, which made him even more likable.

Even the secondary characters throughout Obscura Burning were amazingly well developed. Danny is Kyle’s boyfriend, and I liked his character a lot at first. He was kind, sweet and seemed to really care about Kyle. However, as the novel progressed, my dislike of him grew quite a bit – he became a little self-centred (even though he had his reasons) and I really questioned some of his decisions and motives. Overall though, he was a nice character to read about, even if I had my doubts about him. Shira is Kyle’s and Danny’s best friend and from the start I wasn’t really that keen on her at all. She was also a little self-centred, and I didn’t get the impression that she cared much about Kyle at all – even as a friend. It seemed like she actually pitied him, but that’s probably just what her character was like. Lastly, is Mya; a girl Kyle meets in both parallels; in one they become best friends and in the other she’s completely different and cruel. I really did love Mya’s character though (in the reality where she and Kyle are friends); she was kind, caring, sweet, funny and treated Kyle like a normal person – unlike pretty much everyone else in their tow – and she was definitely my favourite secondary character!

Overall, I thought Obscura Burning was a really well written and absolutely mind-blowing and extra-ordinary novel, with an ending that left me stunned and shocked to my very core. I had no idea how the story would end; and I must have come up with tons of different possible outcomes - but I just didn’t see the ending coming! I believe it well and truly deserves the 4.5/5 star rating, and if it weren’t for a few of the things I’ve mentioned, it would have definitely earned that extra half-star. Obscura Burning is a dark, twisted and mysterious novel that I’m sure anyone will be drawn into, even if they’re not a huge sci-fi reader. Susanne van Rooyen’s writing is really beautiful and in a league of its own, I’ve never read anything like it before. I can’t wait to read more from Suzanne van Rooyen in the future, she’s definitely an author to keep an eye on!

Quotes

There’s nothing worse than a doctor’s waiting room, than that dread of anticipation liquefying your insides. Spent enough time around shrinks as a kid. They always asked why. Why did you set the fire? Because I like it. But why? I didn’t know then, but maybe I do now. Because there’s real power in controlling something that beautiful and that destructive. - Page 94.

She’s going through hell? As if me getting burned was a walk in goddamn Armadillo Park. Hell is getting beaten up by your dad every night because your mom works the night shift. Hell is feeling less of a human being for liking boys. Hell is being suffocated by the guilt of cheating on someone you love. Hell is second- and third-degree burns, new dressings, needles and nurses, morphine, and split fucking reality that makes you wish you were dead. That’s hell for you, Mom. - Page 129.

"Hey, Miss Death and Feathers, at least I'm not the one banging my dead friend's boyfriend." - Page 216.

Review: Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky

Title: Anatomy of a Single Girl.
Series: Anatomy, #2.
Author: Daria Snadowsky.
Publication Date: January 8th, 2013.
Publisher: Delacorte Books.
Format: Hardback, 227 pages.
Source: Provided By Author.
My Rating:



After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

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It really didn’t take me that long to finish this book at all, I sat down one evening and flew through half of it – and did the same thing the next night! Anatomy of a Single girl was just as good, if not better than the first book in this series. Although it may be short, the amount of information and drama that Daria has managed to put into this book was incredible. In the first book, Anatomy of a Boyfriend, we learn about Dom falling in love and having her first and sex for the first time – in this novel, Dom is learning how to move on from her heartbreak and explores the lines between love and lust in a summer fling.

Dom, our main protagonist is back once again and has grown up and developed so much since the first book and I think she was definitely more mature. I really love Dom’s character; she’s smart, funny and such a pleasure to read about. Even though I have a bit of trouble connecting to Dom’s character in general – it didn’t make the book any less fun to read. I also loved how open-ended the book was, and how Dom closed off her story for the time being. I hope there will be a sequel, because I really want a happy ending for this girl!

Guy is Dom’s ‘boyfriend’ for the summer, and to be perfectly honest; I wasn’t that keen on him. I preferred him over her previous boyfriend, Wes – but not by much. I can completely understand Guy’s actions and why he decides to make their relationship only a summer thing – but his thoughts on love, marriage and kids were really immature and annoying. Guy seemed like a nice enough guy though, he was funny, kind, caring and patient – but there was just something about him that I just wasn’t keen on – I’m not entirely sure what though.

Overall I really enjoyed Anatomy of a Single Girl; it was fantastic and was a funny, thought provoking book. I love how Daria can get across a serious message through her novels, but can still be fun and upbeat about it at the same time. The reason that this book didn’t get more than 4/5 stars, is because, once again – I really wasn’t that keen on the love interest. Daria Snadowsky’s writing is really unique, interesting and beautiful all at the same time – she’s definitely an author to keep an eye out for. I can’t wait to find out if there will be another book in this series, and if so; what will happen and where the characters will end up!

Quotes

There’s something about the sight of a gorgeous guy in an open convertible heading in your direction that makes all bad feelings evaporate into thin air. - Page 75.

I wasn’t expecting him to light candles or scatter rose petals. But I just made myself infertile for him, so the least he could’ve done was make the bed. - Page 154.

"High school sweetheart" is such an innocuous-sounding term for something that can tear out your guts. - Page 212.

Review: Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky

Title: Anatomy of a Boyfriend.
Series: Anatomy, #1.
Author: Daria Snadowsky.
Publication Date: September 23rd, 2008.
Publisher: Ember.
Format: Paperback, 272 pages.
Source: Provided By Author.
My Rating:



Before all this happened, the closest I’d ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Then I met Wes, a track-star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn’t believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing – and touching – parts of the body I’d only read about in my Gray’s Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.
And then came the fall.

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I would like to start off this review by saying, Anatomy of a Boyfriend is definitely not a book for younger readers – or for people in general who just don’t like sexual scenes. This is probably already obvious because of the title (and cover for that matter), but I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I really enjoyed reading Anatomy of a Boyfriend; it’s a sweet and lovely story about first love and discovering sex. By the end of Anatomy of a Boyfriend, I was actually crying; not overly obsessive sobbing, but tears that trickled down my cheeks. I’m sure everyone remembers the first person they fell in love with – whether you’re still together or not, you know what it feels like; to feel you’re flying above the clouds and that nothing else matters but that person. But can you remember the feeling of losing the person you love? If not, I’m not really sure how you’ll be able to identify with the emotions in this book. But if you do, it’s sure to bring up some emotions about how it felt when you did.

Dominique is our main protagonist and plans to be a premed student in the fall when she goes to college. She has her entire life planned out in front of her and didn’t think anything could distract her from her path – until she meets Wes. I really loved Dom’s character; she was funny, kind, caring, interesting and really smart. All of these qualities I find really great to read about in characters. All of the emotions that Dom felt, were so raw and fresh that you could almost feel them radiating off the page. Even though Dom is seventeen in this book, I didn’t really feel like she was. To me, she seemed much younger throughout the book, maybe even about fifteen years old. Although there were times where she acted more her age, mostly she seemed very young. I don’t have any issues with this though, because so many people are like Dominique – and I believe that love has to ability to make someone seem younger or older than they are. It’s just the way it goes.

Wes is the love-interest in this novel, and quite frankly, I didn’t really like his character very much at all. I thought he was a little bland and dry, with not much personality. Sure, we learn that he’s shy and is a track runner – but that’s pretty much it. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a little more depth to his character, as I really couldn’t see what Dom saw in him. However Wes’s and Dom’s relationship was lovely and the chemistry between them was fantastic. They didn’t seem to do anything but make-out or sleep together in the book, but they’re teenagers – what do you expect? The only reason this book didn’t receive a 5/5 star rating, was because of Wes’s character, I’m not sure whether this is because he’s just not my type – or whether it’s to do with the fact that he wasn’t developed enough in my opinion. Either way, I thought his character let the book down quite a bit.

Even though I’m no longer a teenager and have been ‘of age’ for quite some time now, I found myself quite worried about leaving this book alone in the same room as my mum. Of course I’m not embarrassed about reading a novel with sexual scenes in, but I am embarrassed about the idea of having a conversation about these matters with my mum when it really isn’t necessary. My mum is an open adult and I’m sure she’s come across her fair share of sexual scenes whilst reading her own books – so why was I worried about leaving it alone? I honestly have no idea – maybe I just don’t want my mum thinking I’m constantly reading erotica. (Which I don’t – not that it matters though) As I have no experience in reviewing books that fall into this category, it’s hard to give my opinion on them. The sexual scenes in Anatomy of a Boyfriend were a little dry, but overall were pretty good. However, they did seem a little clinical, like they were written for a textbook – but giving the fact that the main character, Dom, is a premed student – it doesn’t seem that strange at all.

Overall, I thought Anatomy of a Boyfriend was a great read with some interesting and unique characters that I thought were really relatable. Daria Snadowsky’s writing is fun and quirky, but she can also create an air of seriousness when she needs too. I don’t believe this book should be read just by teenagers, I believe even older adults would probably enjoy it and identify with it – mostly because of the rawness of it. Daria Snadowsky is definitely an author to keep an eye on, I’m sure she’ll continue to grow and become an even more fantastic writer than she is now.

Quotes

On the second day of no reply, I ask Dad to time me as I play Operation in a feeble attempt to rekindle my interest in medicine and forget about Wes, even if just for a few seconds. But my hands are shaking so much I can’t even tweeze out one piece without sounding the buzzer. I never realized before that this red-nosed patient is suffering from unrequited love too. He has a butterfly in his stomach, and his plastic heart is broken. My god, I’m actually identifying with the man in Operation. How much lower can I go? - Page 71.

“Does he try to have intercourse with you?”
“Grandma” I gasp. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no!”
“Good. Remember, no ring, no ring-a-ding-ding. Because once you spread your legs for him, do you know where he’ll race once he’s done? He’ll race to another woman, that’s where.” - Page 92

“I love you, Dom.”
There, the final piece of the jigsaw.
He shakes his head. “It’s insane how much I love you. I never knew I could feel this way.”
“I love you too,” I say quietly, holding back my tears. I feels so good to have said it, finally, and to be this honest and exposed. It’s like I’ve discovered the meaning of life – to love and be loved. Sure, my parents and I love each other, but we have no choice. We’re family. Love seems so much more special when it comes from someone who has no obligation to feel it. - Page 154.

Review: Thirty-Two Going On Spinster by Becky Monson

Title: Thirty-Two Going On Spinster.
Author: Becky Monson.
Publication Date: December 12th, 2012.
Publisher: Create Space.
Format: Paperback, 348 pages.
Source: Provided By Author.
My Rating:



Julia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.

With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.

But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?

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I was e-mailed by Becky Monson asking whether I’d like a copy of her novel for review – at first, I was sure I was going to say no. The typical genres I read are usually young-adult and new adult fiction, and I’ve always had this block against adult books in general, mainly because I just don’t find them interesting at all. I also find that my concentration just wavers and I feel like I’d rather be reading anything but an adult book. However, when I read the synopsis, I decided it was really time for me to broaden my horizons with my reading and start reading more adult literature. I was really pleasantly surprised about how much I loved reading this book, I loved how; when I was reading Thirty-Two Going On Spinster, I seemed to forget that it was an adult book I was reading. Even though I was apprehensive about starting this novel, I’m glad to say my worries were not warranted and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Julie Dorning is our main protagonist and she’s recently come to the conclusion that she is, in fact, a spinster. I loved Julia’s character; she was really funny, witty and interesting to read about. Although she is actually thirty-two, it definitely didn’t feel like I was reading about a woman her age. She seemed more like a 20 year old, and I really loved this – especially as I have a hard time relating to characters over the age of about 26. The one thing that annoyed me about Julia’s character though, was her repetitiveness – she was constantly whining about the same things, and this really annoyed me. If you don’t like something, you should try and change it – thankfully though, Julia did get her butt in gear and start to change her life. I loved her determination to be something better than her current self.

Jared Moody is the main love interest throughout Thirty-Two Going On Spinster, and to be honest – I had mixed feelings about him. When he was first introduced to the book, I didn’t like him at all; he seemed way too cocky and kind of rude – especially with all the smirking he does. However, as the book progresses, you learn that it’s a playful smirk, and definitely not a ‘I’m so much better than you, plus I stole your job’ smirk. Once you got to know his character, he seemed really sweet and fun to be around. I also loved how Jared’s and Julia’s relationship grew gradually, and there was definitely no sign of insta-love, thank god! I also found myself giggling along with Julia when it came to talking about Jared, it did just seem like we were both a couple of teenagers chatting about her first crush.

One other thing that really did irritate me was the continual use of the word ‘Yah’. For one, it’s not a word! Secondly, who says that? No one I know, or anyone else I’ve met uses it. (Unless maybe you’re from Texas? Even so...) It wouldn’t have been that difficult to actually put ‘Yeah’, it’s one letter more! Not only was Julia constantly saying it, but the rest of the characters, too – meaning it wasn’t just a word that the main character used. I’m not getting at the author, everyone has their own style of writing, but these reviews are supposed to be my own, honest opinion. With me, you get the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Sorry if this offends you – but I just wish that it wasn’t there.

Overall though, I thought this book was really great! It was funny, interesting and I really enjoyed reading it. Becky Monson’s writing is lovely, and her characters fantastic and really relatable to. Because of how much I enjoyed reading this novel, I may actually try to read more chick-lit in the future – which is something I’ve been refusing to do for years! There were a few little things that bugged me about the novel, which I’ve mentioned – these are the reasons it didn’t get the 5/5 star rating I hoped to give it. However, I do think that Thirty-Two Going On Spinster well and truly deserved the 4 star rating I gave it, and I can’t wait to read more from Becky in the future. She’s definitely an author to keep an eye on!

Quotes

I stand close by the door to make sure I don’t hear words like “fire” or “terminate” or “crazy stapler lady”. But I can only catch tidbits of their conversation. I can hear Mr. Calhoun say “in accounting” and something like “no need to worry” and I swear he says “has great cupcakes”. I never knew him to be such a perv. Wait, he probably said “makes great cupcakes”. That would make much more sense. Mr. Calhoun is a huge fan of my homemade cupcakes. Leave it to cupcakes to save my job. - Page 29.

What the... What is that?????
Oh my gosh, please no. Please noooooooooo!!!
There’s a scab. There’s a scab on my upper lip. I totally forgot about the moustache waxing debacle from last night! This is not happening. Please say this is not happening.
It’s not a small scab, either. It’s a long, thin, brownish scab above my upper lip.
I look... like... Hitler. - Page 71.

“I wouldn’t want to leave here, though. I mean look at all this space,” I motion to the room with hand. “You’ve got a huge desk, nice big windows... I would stay here as long as I could.”
He smiles at me and swivels his chair towards me. “Yes, and you never know who I might find under this table.” He taps his fingers on the conference room table and gives me his best smirk.
“Yes, you never know who,” I say, trying to act cool and praying I don’t blush. Ugh, too late. - Page 206.

Review: Isabella Rockwell's War by Hannah Parry

Title: Isabella Rockwell's War.
Author: Hannah Parry.
Publication Date: August 23rd, 2012.
Publisher: Hannah Parry.
Format: Paperback, 288 pages.
Source: Provided By Author.
My Rating:



Raised in 1820’s India, twelve year old Isabella Rockwell can ride and shoot as well as any of the soldiers in her father’s regiment. These skills, however, are of no use to her when she finds herself on the frozen streets of London, orphaned and alone. Tormented by guilt over the deaths of those who loved her, she vows never to be responsible for anyone’s life again. If she can scrape together enough money, she will return to India. But Isabella cannot shake the creeping feeling that something is not right; that something threatens not only her new best friend, but the throne of England itself.

Having survived this far on her wits alone, will Isabella escape back home to India? Or will she stay with Alix, a girl whose fate seems to be tied up with Isabella’s own? A fate which will have consequences far beyond those Isabella could ever have imagined.

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I was contacted by Hannah Parry, the author of Isabella Rockwell’s War, asking if I would be interested in reading and reviewing her novel. At first I was a little hesitant, mainly because; if any of you follow my blog, you’ll know that I’m not a huge fan of Historical Fiction. I’ve never really been sure of the reason why this is - I find that I’m not a fan of films that are set back in time either. However, the synopsis of Isabella Rockwell’s War looked really intriguing and interesting – and I was willing to give it a shot. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that, not only did I read this book quite quickly, but I also thoroughly enjoyed it as well!

Isabella Rockwell was raised in India in the 1820’s until she hears the terrible news of her father early death. Isabella is then shipped off to London, England until she turns sixteen and is able to claim her father’s pension money. Unfortunately, things aren’t as they seem and Isabella ends up on the streets of London, cold and alone. As Isabella tries to scrape together enough money to make it home to India she can’t seem to shake the creeping feeling that something is not right; that something threatens not only her new best friend, but the throne of England itself.

When I first started reading this book, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be captured by the story. The first few chapters of the book were a little slow and I started to think that it wasn’t going to pick up. However, all of a sudden the book picked up its pace and started getting really interesting and I’m so glad that I continued to push on and continue reading it. The ending of Isabella Rockwell’s War completely took me by surprise, but I believe it was done perfectly. Whilst reading the book I was constantly trying to guess what would happen next, but I was always wrong – which made it even more fun to read – I find overly predictable books tend to get boring at times. Hannah Parry’s writing style is beautiful and so down to earth that it’s easy to get sucked into her story world and be absorbed by her wonderful characters.

I loved Isabella – she was such an inspirational and lovely character. I usually tend to read novels with characters that are quite a bit older – mainly because I find very immature characters a bore and really irritating. However, Isabella is quite the opposite! She’s strong-willed, smart, kind and independent. All of these characteristics blended together to create the amazing character that she is – I envied her strength and determination to carry on and live with the hand that she’s been dealt. Isabella was just a very likeable and interesting character that everyone will love – and she’s quickly become one of my favourite young characters.

There are other, secondary characters that we meet throughout this novel. Although it doesn’t go into deep detail about all of them, you can tell they were all really well thought through. Each had their own different, interesting and quirky personalities which I loved. Out of all of them, however, my favourite had to be Alix – even though she’s a princess and has always gotten whatever she wanted; she was not at all conceited or rude. All Alix ever wanted was the love and affection of her mother, and all her mother wanted was more and more money. I wouldn’t have blamed her if she turned out to be a spoilt, uncaring brat – but she was quite the opposite.

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read with an inspirational and strong message about survival and how good things can happen, even when things look bleak. I would recommend it not only for the younger readers, but adults as well. I’m so glad that I decided to give this novel a try despite my previous misgivings. I believe the 4/5 star rating is a perfect fit due to the reasons I have stated above. I’d like to thank Hannah for sending me her novel for review; this book has completely changed my perspective of Historical Fiction. I can’t wait to be able to read more from Hannah Parry, I can’t believe she’s not more widely recognised - she’s definitely an author to keep an eye out for!

Quotes

She felt as if a bucket of freezing water had been poured over her head. How could she have been so naïve? Of course there wasn’t any money. She’d been an inconvenience and they’d had to get rid of, so they’d sent her back to England, not even having the decency to let her starve in her own country. But that would have been bad form, and the regiment couldn’t have that, something even Lady Molesey knew. She was a worthless nuisance, nothing more. - Page 45.

Stuffing hot raisin buns into their mouths as they walked back down to the river, Isabella felt something inside her. It was unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. It felt very small and she wanted to put her hands around it, to protect it, but it was still inside her the next morning. Even the morning after that. It was a tiny flickering flame of hope. - Page 72.

Isabella gazed at Mrs Jolyon. Could she tell her the truth? Excited as she was, something stopped her. The stakes were too high. Instead Isabella patted her waistline which bulged slightly.
“It’s what I’ve been saving for... Zachariah managed to sell a couple of trinkets I... er... came across.” Mrs Jolyon held her hand up, but she was smiling.
“Don’t tell me anything I don’t want to know.” - Page 226.

Review: Lost In Thought by Cara Bertrand

Title: Lost In Thought.
Series: The Sententia, #1.
Author: Cara Bertrand.
Publication Date: September 21st, 2012.
Publisher: Book Baby.
Format: Kindle eBook.
Source: Provided By Author.
My Rating:



Lainey Young has a secret: she’s going crazy. Everyone else thinks she has severe migraines from stress and exhaustion. What she really has are visions of how people died—or are going to die. Not that she tells anyone that. At age sixteen, she prefers keeping her crazy to herself. When doctors insist she needs a new and stable environment to recover, Lainey’s game to spend two years at a private New England boarding school. She doesn’t really think it will cure her problem, and she’s half right. There is no cure, but as she discovers, she’s not actually crazy.

Almost everyone at Northbrook Academy has a secret too. Half the students and nearly all the staff are members of the Sententia, a hidden society of the psychically gifted. A vision of another student’s impending death confirms Lainey is one of them. She’d like to return the crappy gift of divining deaths with only a touch, but enjoys spending time with Carter Penrose—recent Academy graduate and resident school crush—while learning to control it. Lainey’s finally getting comfortable with her ability, and with Carter, when they uncover her true Sententia heritage. Now she has a real secret. Once it’s spilled, she’ll be forced to forget protecting secrets and start protecting herself.

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I featured this book in one of my Friday Finds posts a few months back and the author contacted me not long after, offering to gift me a an eBook copy of her novel for review. I eagerly accepted and I can’t believe I’m only just now getting round to reading and reviewing it. I’m finding it hard to begin to describe how fantastic this novel was.

Lainey Young thinks she’s going crazy. Whilst everyone around her thinks she suffers from severe migraines that often make her pass out – the truth is something more absurd. Lainey really has visions of how people died – or how they’re going to die. Lainey has lived with her Aunt Tessa, since she was 5 years old and her parents died. Since then, she’s moved around the country, following her Aunt’s passion and career as an artist – never staying in one place long enough to form attachments.

When her Doctors insists she needs a new and stable environment to help improve her ‘migraines’, Lainey jumps at the chance of finishing her two remaining High School years at a private boarding school in New England and start acting like a normal teenager. Not long after being settled into Northbrook Academy, a sudden vision of a classmate’s death engulfs her, and Lainey is forced to admit that maybe she isn’t going crazy – and that her visions are real. When she then goes in search of answers about her parents and their past, nothing can prepare Lainey for the truth of who she really is and what she is really capable of.

First off, I would like to start with saying how incredible and natural Cara Bertrand’s writing is. The entire writing style is so down to earth and relatable that it was a pleasure to read. Everything about this book was just amazing and the plot and storyline was just incredible and so unique in its own way. I had to force myself to put my kindle down on several occasions so I wouldn’t read it all in one sitting and rush it.

I really loved Lainey’s character – she was so down to earth and interesting – even with her unusual upbringing. Lainey was a very smart, interesting, funny, witty, kind and overall just a lovely character. I loved how she didn’t get herself wrapped up in all of the angst and teenage drama that so many characters can be. Lainey is also incredibly mature and responsible for her age, and there are many scenes throughout the book that I’m sure a different teenager would have reacted differently to. At the end of the book, there is a scene where Lainey acts incredibly responsible and shows how much of a good person she really is – even when it wasn’t warranted.

Carter Penrose is the love interest of pretty much every girl at Northbrook Academy. A former academy student, runner, part owner of the onsite book store and a total hottie – it’s no wonder that all the girls go gaga for him. Apart from being the local heartthrob - Carter seemed like a really upfront, honest, sweet, funny and kind guy. You read about some of the mistakes he’s made in his past, but you grow to know about how much he’s regretted them. You also learn about how hard he tries to be the type of person he wants to be and who he thinks Lainey deserves. I really did love Carter character, and I also think he’s incredibly considerate and mature for his age – considering the fact that males seem to mature much slower than females!

What I loved about Lainey and Carter’s relationship throughout the book is that neither one of them seemed to lose all their common sense or logic when it came to the other person. They saw each other for who they really were and not what they appeared to be. The chemistry between them was incredible and totally swoon-worthy; I can only hope I’ll find something similar in the future.

Overall I thought this book was amazing – and I’m still trying to come up with enough adjectives to describe how awesome and wonderful this book was. My once overly literate self seems to have gone out the window. The ending left me completely gobsmacked; I wasn’t excepting what happened at all, and I still can’t believe it did – but it was also the perfect ending. I believe the 5/5 star rating I gave this book was well and truly earned and it deserves nothing less! I can’t wait for the sequel to be released, I’m sure I’ll devour it in no time.

Quotes

The problem was that I saw dead people. Or more specifically, I saw visions of how they died. Most lasted only a few seconds, a handful were gruesome, and I swore some of them were visions of how people were going to die. - Loc 153, 4%.

I looked up at him from where I was scratching notes in my notebook. He had an impish grin on his face that suited him, like any kind of smile. It was contrasted by the sunshine streaming in from behind him, lighting up his golden-brown hair like a halo. Angelic and devilish, all at once. That wasn’t a bad metaphor for Carter Penrose, I thought. - Loc 1179, 29%.

Whatever else I felt about him, every touch from Carter was warm and reassuring. Or electrifying, but I wasn’t thinking about that right now. When he made to let go, I kept hold. Today, I needed not only a guide through this craziness but also an anchor. Carter would have to be both. - Loc 1559, 39%.

Review: Light of the Moon by David James

Title: Light of the Moon.
Series: Legend of the Dreamer, #1.
Author: David James.
Publication Date: November 6th, 2012.
Publisher: Create Space.
Format: .pdf eBook, 373 pages.
Source: eARC Provided By Author.
My Rating:



Stars. Fire. Blood. Magic.

One night long ago, a constellation disappeared and fell from the sky in the form of a boy.
Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Nothing but pools of blood and dripping words are left where bodies once were, and no one but Calum Wade seems to be worried. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons, elemental enchanters, and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem.

As Kate and Calum sink deep into a paranormal war, they realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny.

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Don’t you see that tears, feelings, make you stronger? Loving and losing and hating and caring: Feelings give you reason to fight. They destroy you and build you up again. They can kill you and then give you life.”

Calum’s family life fell apart when his dad left years ago. Ever since then, his mum broke into pieces and can barely look at him – so Calum has to try and deal with the burning emotion inside him alone. All across the country, people are going missing, being murdered and words are being written across their walls in their own blood. The News crews are calling this person the Bloodletter – and the Bloodletter is getting dangerously close to Calum’s quiet town. One day a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrols at his school and everything changes.

Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars hold his destiny, and that the constellations that he sits and watches at night are much more than he ever knew. Calum and Kate find themselves caught right in the middle of a paranormal war where they find out they’re more than just basic players in the game. They realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny.

I wanted to like Light of the Moon, I really did. This book was a frustration in itself for me and personally, it wasn’t my cup of tea. It was not because the novel wasn’t well written, it was written beautifully. However, there were too many things that irritated me and the storyline was a bit confusing and hard to follow a lot of the time. It took me quite a while to finish reading Light of the Moon, mainly because I kept getting frustrated at the book and putting it down after a few pages – but I was determined to finish it.

I want to start off with talking about Calum’s character, although it’s hard to know where to start. I really didn’t like Calum at all; I didn’t think he was actually a very strong male protagonist. To be perfectly honest, I thought he acted and spoke a bit like a girl at times – which isn’t bad – but when you’re trying to create a strong male lead with a destiny to fulfil, I think the character needs to be more headstrong. He just didn’t seem to fit the character profile I had in my mind before reading this book. I’m not saying all male characters should be like this, and Calum did have his good points; he was sweet, kind and cared a lot about his friends. These characteristics are a must for me, and even though I didn’t really like Calum, he definitely fulfilled them.

As for Kate’s character; I didn’t mind her – although she’s definitely not winning my ‘favourite character of the year’ award. Kate is definitely determined, smart, and generally a strong-willed person. I didn’t think she had a whole lot of personality other than that really, and the only times she showed some genuine characteristics were when she was acting snappy and blunt. However, you can also tell how much she cares for her younger sisters and wants them back. It was pretty incredible to see the lengths she would go through to get them back to her safe and sound. Kate was definitely a dark character with an intense past and it was interesting to find out more and more about her damaged past throughout the book.

Light of the Moon is written in the two perspectives of Calum and Kate, swopping between the two every time a chapter ended. I love multiple perspectives in books, because it’s always amazing to read what the other character is thinking and feeling – rather than trying to guess. There were some pretty amazing quotes throughout this book, it’s a shame I can’t list them all. This may not be that interesting to some people, but I do love reading quotes that make me shiver and feel the emotion put into the words.

I didn’t completely hate this book; it had its up points at times and it made me feel connected to the characters on a few rare occasions. Would I recommend this book to other people? Possibly – It’ll depend on the people’s preferences – it’s quite a heavy read in my opinion. However, over all I believe the 3/5 star rating I gave it fits it perfectly – although I am quite disappointed I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. I did love David’s writing, even if I didn’t particularly like the story – in the future I’ll definitely want to read more from him.

Quotes

The truth was that I could see the good things in my life, but they were all singed with dark, burnt edges that would never fade. All the good seemed to burn away before I had a chance to keep it. Good and gone.
Fall.
I closed my eyes-
Fall there.
Opened them, and pretended the leaves were stars.
Fall.
And then it did.
A heart-shaped leaf of brilliant red, brighter than all the rest, dropped from the sky like a star through the night, and landed in the exact spot my eyes watched. It was violently red, like blood on the green grass, except for edges that were turned up, brown and curled and dying. - Page 71, 19%.

Beyond the Doors of Judgment was cold darkness, and the icy air of reality made me realize one thing: No matter what, I was a Warrior to the bone. My blood was hot with angry strength. My soul filled with courage. I would not be weak in front of the Elders. I threw Calum’s hand off mine. I couldn’t let myself be close to him, not now. The Order thought strength and courage could not be found in love. - Page 249, 66%.

I shook my head. “This person you are right now, this is who a Warrior should be. Not that girl you were before, the one that was cold as ice and afraid to show me anything. You, Kate, crying right now for someone you just lost? Someone you loved? You look like you could take on the world. Don’t you see that tears, feelings, make you stronger? Loving and losing and hating and caring: Feelings give you reason to fight. They destroy you and build you up again. They can kill you and then give you life. That’s not weakness, Kate. It’s strength.” - Page 276, 73%.