Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Published by Macmillan 2011

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

Glow is the most riveting series debut since The Hunger Games, and promises to thrill and challenge readers of all ages.

♥♥♥♥♥

I was skeptical about this book at first, and then once I'd seen quite a few positive reviews for it, I was really excited to get my hands on a copy. To be honest, it was a bit of a letdown. The beginning is very slow. It took somewhere between 170-200 pages to get into and I almost considered not finishing it. Reading it was like trying to walk through a river of mud. I also thought the name of the main protagonist was ridiculous. Who names their child Waverly? But once I got over that and got through the slowness, I found Waverly to be a headstrong and fierce main character. I really found myself rooting for her and the girls who were imprisoned. She really came into her own whilst struggling to survive and escape her captors on the New Horizon. She never once came across as a damsel-in-distress. Kieran was also a great leader; I thought he was doing a great job with the boys. But as the story went on, I felt conflicted about Kieran's leadership and his choices. I thought maybe Seth was doing a better job than he was. It kept going like this; going back and forth between Kieran and Seth - who's side are you on? Seth was the complete opposite of Kieran. He had, without a doubt, a strong mind and seemingly good ideals about where their new situation was going and how they were going to handle it, but ultimately he was a very dark and angry person. Kieran was kind but somewhat weak. The villain of the book, Anne Mather, captain of the New Horizon, was a true villain and just plain evil in a sly way. I felt as if I wanted to beat her to death through the pages. Once the slowness was over, the story really picked up and it was a roller coaster of determination. I couldn't put it down. I think anger really drove this book because it was present throughout the book in a very strong way; I felt angry. There were also a lot of losses and sadness. Overall, the first half of this book was slow and boring; the other half was one heck of a roller coaster. Despite what the description says, it didn't really feel like The Hunger Games though. I will be reading the sequel because I'm really interested where this will go and I have a lot of unanswered questions.

3.5 stars


P.S. The tagline on the cover had nothing to do with the story whatsoever... yet.

My Top Ten Books of 2011

So I'm new at this blogging thing. Well, the book reviewing; I have another blog elsewhere and I've just been quietly observing how book reviewing blogs operate (for lack of a better word) for the past two years and I seem to be doing okay. So here goes; I'm going to attempt to show my top ten books I read in 2011.

10.  Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
I loved this series so much and I was sad to see it end. It will always be one of my favourite series ever, and the books will always hold a place on my favourites shelf. This conclusion was everything I could ever have expected for a finale to a great series like this one. The writing was beautiful, the romance was great and I loved all the interactions the characters had with one another. The action also kept me on the edge of my seat, to the point where I actually cried (which is a hard thing to do). I was sad to see such a breathtaking romance like Sam and Grace's end, but I will definitely be revisiting their story some time in the future.

9.  Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

This book was my surprise of the year. I had bought a full four months or so before I finally had the courage to pick it up because I had that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that it would disappoint me. Plus, the blurb was virtually non-existent and this is before I had Goodreads. But boy, was I wrong. This book was unusual; at first I didn't understand the concept but Anderson managed to explain it really well and that made for a really intriguing story. I didn't expect any of the twists and turns and what they built up to mean. Faraday, the main love interest, is also one of my favourites for the year. I had never read a book where the protagonist is a mental patient, so that also made it interesting for me. I loved loved loved the romance in this book and how it was built up and I felt that the protagonist was really likeable. I was thrilled to see that Anderson is writing a sequel for release in 2013. This lands Ultraviolet a spot in my top ten. 

8. Die For Me by Amy Plum

Die For Me made me want to visit Paris again so bad. I haven't been since I was five years old and I had kind of forgotten how beautiful a city Paris is. But Amy Plum brought the beauty of Paris to life through pages of her debut book and I love her for that. The romance is also killer; one of the best I've read about this year. I hadn't come across the type of "otherworldly beings" that the book revolves around before, which are revenants and I loved how I was reading something supernatural but slightly different for a change. I have some major cover love for this book; definitely one of my favourite covers of the year too. It's also the only book my sister took an interest in this year, which is a pretty big thing for her because she doesn't read! Really looking forward to the sequel!

7. Death Bringer by Derek Landy

Oh my god. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I got my sister to check if it had been released yet in our local WHSmith's yet (I didn't go with her because I wasn't sure) and yes they did have it in the back, so I got it one day before official release! I actually did a happy dance with the music turned up really loud in the house since I was home alone. Aah, definitely a highlight of the year. I had come to expect certain things from Mr. Landy (a.k.a the Golden God). Lots of humour, mainly sarcasm, kick-ass herione and hero, nail-biting cliffhangers, lots of action and gore. And he did not disappoint in the slightest. All of us minions got all of that and more, and he even managed to poke fun at Twilight, which I loved. I was lucky enough to meet Derek Landy this September at Waterstone's Bluewater for a signing, and that was a great experience. Looking forward to the next book, and Derek Landy is actually my second favourite author, losing out by a small margin to John Green.

6. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

I had seen mixed reviews for this book, but I gave it a chance because the premise sounded interesting. And as said in my Goddess Test review, I have quite the love of Greek Mythology. I completely devoted myself to this book; I couldn't put it down. I didn't want to sleep or eat until it was finished and I couldn't read fast enough. I also like the cover for this book. The action in it was great, and I think that Angelini did a great job weaving the Greek mythology into the story. I am impatiently waiting for the sequel.

5. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

The hype over this book was enormous because this series is fabulous beyond belief, and it's made Cassie Clare my third favourite author. As always, Jace and Clary's romance was amazing, breathtaking, etc. I also loved Alec and Magnus's relationship in this book. I love to immerse myself in the world of Shadowhunters whenever I can because the writing is amazing, the characters are also flawed and there's always a lot going on. This series will no doubt continue to be mega awesome; I can't wait for the next book and I look forward to seeing where Miss Clare will take the story next.

4. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

I love the simplicity of this book's cover. If the cover's great, then the story inside it is... awesome x10. I didn't expect such a great story when I read the synopsis for this book and it was a big surprise. I loved all the characters; I found Lila really relatable, despite the fact that she has special telekinetic powers. And I had a great time imagining what Alex would look like in real life in my head. I did a lot of swooning while reading this book, and I loved every minute of it. I am greatly looking forward to the next book and I'll be counting down the days until its release.

3. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Yes, there are two Cassie Clare books in my top ten and that's because she is awesome. I love The Infernal Devices possibly more than The Mortal Instruments because Clare manages to describe Victorian London in such a breathtaking way, and I never once got bored with the descriptions. I also liked comparing the descriptions of Victorian London with modern day London. The teen angst and romance was back in full force in this second instalment. I felt conflicted throughout the book when having to choose between Will and Jem, just as Tessa did and I really sympathised with her. The story was great and I really loved it. I like Tessa as a main character, and I enjoyed her even more in this book. She was fierce and determined; she had her own voice and she really came into her own. As of now, I've decided I am Team Will, although I love Jem as well. I love The Infernal Devices and while I'm going crazy waiting for the sequel, I'm really really sad that it's coming to an end.

2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Never have I loved a book that revolves around angels so much. I think it's the romance that really got me with this one. It was sweet, innocent and passionate all at the same time. And that's the point. It was sweet and innocent, not all dark and twisty which I had come to expect from angel novels. It was like a new lease of life on angel novels for me. I have to admit that this book had been sitting under my desk on my to-read pile for quite a few months before I picked it up. I finished it in two days, and when I finished it, I asked myself, "Why the fuck did I hold this off?!?!!!!!" (please excuse the French). So yes, it has earned the number two spot in my top ten and I will be reading Hallowed once I've finished Glow and Heist Society.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

I know, I know, this one is on everybody's lists. And it has every right to be. I loved the idea of factions and I think it's actually quite a great idea. I really loved Tris as a heroine; determined, rebellious but also kind and caring. She was everything a great heroine should be. And Four. Four. He was my ultimate favourite love interest this year. I loved finding out the meaning behind his name. The action in this book and the journey Tris takes is insane. Yes, there were some tears at various points because this book seems to radiate its own power. It's a powerful book with an awesome cover. Insurgent is my most anticipated book of 2012.

So there you have it: my top ten of 2011. There is absolutely no doubt that there will be even more amazing books that will release in 2012; I already know of 65 that I'm planning to read during the coming year. 2011 was an amazing year full of even more amazing books and I enjoyed all the books I managed to read this year. Here's to another great year for books in 2012! :D

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

Tempest by Julie Cross
Published by St. Martin's Griffin, 17th January 2012

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Review: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
Published by Simon & Schuster 2011

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts. After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...

♥♥♥♥♥

I'm not sure if my review can do this book justice. I don't even know where to begin. All I know is, this book was a tidal wave of different emotions. Sarah Alderson's writing is utterly fantastic; it all felt so real. The main character, Lila, was instantly relatable and I found myself experiencing every emotion that she felt throughout the book. I was angry, sad, desperate, anxious and happy with her. My heart ached with her at times (I know, cliche). Jack and Alex were also wonderful characters. Alex is lovely and I did have a bit of a swoon going on. I loved the relationship between Lila and Alex. Jack was faithful and overprotective, as brothers are, and I thought Lila's relationships with both of them was very strong and sweet. The supporting characters were amazing and I loved them as well. The pace and twists and turns in this book are unbelievable. I didn't know what to expect and what was going to happen throughout the book and I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I was really shocked in some places at what Alderson had dished out. The beginning also doesn't waver and loiter; it dived right in and I was instantly hooked. I couldn't put this down. Last night I stayed up until 10 past 1 in the morning reading this and I had to force myself to stop. The ending of this book has left me with a huge grin on my face but also concerned about the turn of events, and I absolutely cannot wait until the sequel. I will be raving about this in my mind for months!

5 stars

In My Mailbox (4): Christmas Edition!

An IMM, as promised to make up for the one I missed. These are the books I got for Christmas and 3 of these books I bought yesterday. There's too many here to include pictures so I'm going to list them and include links to Goodreads. In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at thestorysiren.com.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
I have been waiting forever to read this.
Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
I know, I know, how could I not have read this already?!
This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel
This book's cover is swoon-worthy. I love it.
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris
Not sure if this qualifies as a review book; I'll have a look to see if I can but the likelihood is that I probably won't review it.
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
So much hype over this one. Let's see if it lives up to it.
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Catching Jordan by Miranda Keanelly
I can't wait to start this one!
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
It's John Green. Need I say more?
The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
*fangirling*
Night School by Christi Daugherty
Dark Parties by Sara Grant

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Published by Harlequin 2011

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

♥♥♥♥♥

I love Greek Mythology wholeheartedly which drew me to this book in the first place, so this review might be slightly biased. 


That aside, I have to say that this book is fabulous. There's plenty of romance and twists and turns. Kate was likeable and relatable, although her reactions sometimes didn't suit the situation. Henry was a swoon-worthy love interest (I want my own Henry) and he was very sweet, despite being the God of the Underworld; nothing like what I'd expected, which goes along the lines of the Hades presented in Disney's version of Hercules. I think the book's blurb is a bit misleading when describing Henry. Yes, he's dark and tortured, but not in Edward Cullen sort of way some people might be lead to believe. The book was also quite dark and the plot was mesmerising. I couldn't put this book down and I had to force myself to stop reading to eat and stuff like that. Carter had me guessing throughout the story and it made me second-guess myself just as Kate was as she was trying to figure out what was going on. I also loved how the primary relationship within the book was given room to develop and blossom; this wasn't "insta-love", which I appreciated. Carter has successfully managed to craft an original story involving the Greek myths and I loved it. The only flaw, I would say, was that there was talk about the tests, and worrying about the tests, but I never really felt as if the tests were actually present in the book. However, this does add up in the end and makes sense; it completely caught me off guard and I didn't expect any of the twists and turns that Carter wove into the story. Needless to say, I'm eagerly awaiting to see where she'll take the story next and can't wait for the next book. The Goddess Test definitely makes it into my read-2011 top 20. 

5 stars 

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Published by Hodder & Stoughton 2011

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. 

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

♥♥♥♥♥

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book when I first heard about it, and after reading the blurb on Goodreads, I was instantly intrigued. It's an interesting premise, love as a disease, and I wasn't sure how it would pan out. 

After having read it for myself, I now understand why there was so much hype. The writing is incredible and beautiful and the author handled the story really well. Lena was an interesting character and I enjoyed watching her come into her own and realise things for herself. The supporting characters each play a significant role and have their own place in helping tie the story together. Alex was also a swoon-worthy love interest and I fell in love with him myself while seeing how Alex and Lena's relationship developed. Lena's cousin Grace was from the start a very interesting character, and I have to say that she is one of my favourites despite her lack of speech. The cure for love that scientists developed creates a sense of detachment from others, and Lauren Oliver showed how the cure affected people very nicely and with detail, which made the book seem more real to me. Although, the book's premise doesn't really sound very real to me, the story made it seem real. However, the book did take some getting into; things didn't really start happening for a fair while. Nonetheless, the book was very enjoyable and once I did get into it I was turning the pages in earnest. The ending also did make my eyes well up a bit (I don't really cry unless someone actually dies in a book) and the cliff-hanger Lauren Oliver has left behind for the next book is unbearable. There's so many questions hanging in the balance and I can't wait for them to be answered in the next book, which is out next year. 

4.5 stars 

Christmas Blogging Break!

Christmas Day is almost here, and unfortunately I won't have as much time to blog than I already do. Nonetheless, I will be busy, naturally, and I'm sorry I won't be able to blog. Anyways, have a good Christmas and I'll be back soon! Oh, and sorry about not having an IMM this week but I promise I'll have a huuuuuge one to post when I start posting again ;D

Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare
Published by Walker 2011

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, while her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will - the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers to who she is and what she is born to do? As the search for the truth leads the three friends into peril, Tessa's heart is increasingly torn, especially when one of their own betrays them...

♥♥♥♥♥

Words cannot describe how awesome this book is. Cassandra Clare has never failed to disappoint, and this is no exception. I had all my fangirl moments at various points in the book: the heart-leaping, the heart-breaking, the squeals, the jumping up and down and the almost tears. 

We see a lot of development in relationships in the instalment. We see a lot more of Jem, which is great because I thought we didn't really see much of him in Clockwork Angel and it was nice to see how the relationship between Jem and Tessa grew. We also see a new, darker side to Jem which makes itself known at various points. But there was also a lot of development regarding Will, and the why is the way he is is revealed in this book. We finally get to see the true meaning behind how Will behaves. The moments Sophie had were very sweet and heartfelt, and I felt really happy for her. The relationship between Charlotte and Henry also sees development, which was incredibly sweet and I again felt really happy for them. However, this book also had lots of mystery and suspense, as Cassandra Clare's books do. New information on the Magister comes to light; we see betrayals, dark secrets revealed and a lot of progress in finding him. The truth to how Tessa is the way she is also comes to light but is yet to be fully investigated. Clare always manages to make the story feel so real, and I felt as if I were journeying throughout the book with the characters. I can see why Tessa is so torn between Will and Jem; at the start of the book, I wasn't really sure which team I was on,  later on I was Team Jem and at the end I became unsure again. Clare kept me in suspense throughout the story and I was always on the edge of my seat, both with the romance and the mystery. There's plenty of action, romance and mystery in this book as there are in all of Clare's books, and she always gets the balance just right. Can't wait for the final instalment into the series; how will I wait until late next year?!

5 stars

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at the www.thestorysiren.com.

Got a couple of good books this week. Unfortunately, my phone's PC Companion software refused to work, so I'll have to make do with images of the covers from Goodreads.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Heard some good things about this book, and John Green is my favourite author ever!

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (UK signed paperback)

This sounds really good and I've seen quite a lot of positive reviews.

Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Published by Vintage 2010

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel. 

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead. 

Not just another zombie novel, Warm Bodies is funny, scary, and deeply moving.

♥♥♥♥♥

As the Goodreads description says, this is not just another zombie novel. It's entirely original and it's the first zombie book I've ever read. Isaac Marion created two unique characters so unlike the zombie cliche. R is not the typical zombie; sure, there's the usual zombie motions like moaning and walking all weird and eating brains but it's so much more than that. R was such an endearing character and I really rooted for him in the beginning. Even though he's a zombie, he was the most humane of all. And Julie is not the typical girl one falls in love with in a romance. She's strong and fiery and isn't mushy at all. It's a great journey that they experience and I found the story really hopeful in contrast with the bleak post-apocalypse world the book is set in. I also liked how Perry fit into the story but I felt his interruptions mid-story a little bit annoying; although I guess it was necessary in order to tie the story together. I loved how the zombies lived in their new "life" and I found it really sweet and again, hopeful because most of them did still possess hints of humanity, and that's shown in how they all live together. I also really loved how this book managed to be quite humourous and I found myself laughing more often than once. The use of Frank Sinatra throughout the book was also really sweet and at times really funny as song lyrics were sometimes quoted by R at inappropriate times. It also helped bring about just the right amount of cheesiness. Overall, I really enjoyed and loved this book and I look forward to seeing more of Isaac Marion's books in the future. 

5 stars     

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at the www.thestorysiren.com

Got my regular two books this week but I have to say that I'm really pleased! Sorry but I took this picture in my room which has the worst lighting ever...

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

This one sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read this :D

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
I loved Clockwork Angel - it was one of the best books I've read this year. My heart did a little leap when I saw that they had Collector's Editions of Clockwork Prince in stock in Waterstone's :D I am dying to read this so I'll definitely be reading it after Warm Bodies!

Two really good books this week!

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie
Published by Razorbill 2011

Rules are different outside the Society.

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky-taken by the Society to his certain death-only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.

Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's points of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever...

♥♥♥♥♥

I absolutely loved Matched and I pretty jumped up and down in glee when I bought my copy. I had read a lot of negative reviews on Crossed and how disappointing everyone thought it was but I took a chance with it and to be honest, I don't know what all these people are talking about. 

This time, we get to see the story from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view. I was deeply intrigued by this new factor and I couldn't wait to read more about Ky's mysterious persona. And Ally Condie did certainly not  disappoint. The writing was unbelievably beautiful as always and a change of scenery from Society to the Outer Provinces didn't change that. I loved Cassia's determination to find Ky and what it ultimately results in, but most of all, their love for each other and how they always thought of one another throughout the course of the book. I also loved the new cast within this book, filled with intriguing characters that come with questions of their own. The role Xander played in this book was intriguing, mysterious and confusing. But I think it all tied together eventually and I'm interested in what happens next concerning Cassia and Xander. I agree with the people who said that Cassia and Ky's POVs sometimes sound the same. I sometimes momentarily forget who I was reading and had to turn back but this only happened a few times. This book was all about journeying and searching; the lengths people would go to find something. Things do happen in this book; other reviewers said this book was slow for them but I think they have no patience for feelings and thoughts . The book progressed at the right pace for me. I loved this book, although not as much as I loved Matched. Close though. I really can't wait to see what happens next and how Cassia and Ky's story will end. 

5 stars

Review: The Splendour Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

The Splendour Falls by Rosemary Clement Moore

Published by Corgi 2009

Sylvie is broken. Her father's death broke her heart. Her mother's remarriage broke her spirit. And a broken leg ended her career as a ballerina. She's lost so much... is she losing her mind as well? 

Shawn is the resident golden boy, the one everyone thinks Sylvie should be with, the obvious choice. 

Rhys is handsome and mysterious and has a hold on Sylvie that she doesn't quite understand. 

A heroine who will steal your heart. 
A house that will haunt you. 
A love story that will leave you breathless.

♥♥♥♥♥

It took me over a week to read this. A week. Now that is a pretty long time for me to be reading the same book because one book usually takes me five days at the absolute most, not nine days. But anyway, on to the review. I had put off reading this for about six months, so it just sat there under my desk. But when I actually started reading it, I was immediately disappointed. It was so slow. Excruciatingly so. By 100 or so pages, nothing really happened apart from Sylvie moving to Bluestone Hill (accompanied by lots of long descriptions which I quickly grew tired of) and establishing that there was something odd about the place. So needless to say, I was a little more than frustrated. That aside, the book was somewhat enjoyable. I did, however, like how Sylvie worked in the garden and the feeling it gave her. I also loved Rhys and I hadn't liked Shawn from the very beginning. Things started to get really intriguing and exciting towards the last quarter of the book. I liked how everything the book was obviously building up to was epic and it all tied together nicely. The ending is not what I had initially expected and I loved that. Things that I had thought were ordinary and didn't really take much notice of ended up surprising me, such as the Teen Town Council. I also felt as if the love story was there, but nothing happened to it/in it until the last quarter. And yes, this book has ghosts. Now, I'm very touchy on the subject of ghosts but I took it in stride and it turned out to very intriguing and interesting to read; it kept me on my toes and I did at times feel as if I wanted to know more about the background story of the book. Overall, this book was enjoyable enough; however, I thought that it was a bit slow and that the descriptions present in the book didn't really need to be quite so long in places. 

3 stars

P.S. I loved Sylvie's dog, Gigi!

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at www.thestorysiren.com. Here are all the books I managed to buy this weekend and last weekend (I always buy my books because I love the smell of new books and I start thinking about germs (I'm a bit of a germ freak) when I pick up library books). I usually buy 2 books a week if I go out so this is pretty standard for me. I've had a good couple of weeks book-wise.

Crossed (UK paperback) by Ally Condie
I loved loved loved Matched, can't wait to see what happens next!
Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong (editors)
This book features stories from top YA writers such as Rachel Caine, Claudia Gray, Ally Condie, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl and more, all with the common theme of journeys; sounds interesting.
Heist Society (Signed UK paperback) by Ally Carter
Ally Carter was at the Bluewater branch of UK book retailer Waterstones a couple of weeks ago but I couldn't go because it was during a school day :( Luckily, Waterstones had her sign a few copies of Heist Society for sale and I got my hands on a signed copy; made my week!
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
I've heard nothing but good things about this book, so I'm giving it a go!

Really looking forward to reading all of these!

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

*Waiting On Wednesday* is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, every Wednesday.

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand
Published by Egmont 2nd January 2012

I can't wait for this, Unearthly was easily one of, if not the best book I've read this year! Certainly looking forward to reading this :D

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. 

Review: 0.4 by Mike Lancaster

0.4 by Mike Lancaster 
Published by Egmont 2011

It's a brave new world. 

'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.' 

So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded onto old audiotapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax, but perhaps they contain the history of a past world....If what the tapes say is true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie. 

And if everything we know is a lie, does that mean that we are, too?

♥♥♥♥♥

0.4 is quite a different read to anything I would normally read and is intriguing to say the least. I expected something completely different to what was dished out but it still made for a very enjoyable read. The novel's main character is Kyle Straker, and he has recorded his story onto a series of old tapes. From the very first page, I was kept on my toes and nothing happened the way I expected to, which I loved. I loved how real and normal Kyle was; not supernatural or arrogant or annoying, just ordinary, and that made him relatable in my point of view.  The novel starts off right before all the strange events in Kyle's story occur, so you're immediately thrown into the story. I also enjoyed the other main characters: Lilly, Mrs. O'Donnell and Mr. Peterson. However, Lilly and Mrs. O'Donnell did annoy me at times, mainly towards the middle and end of the novel because of their refusal to accept any of Kyle's theories and their attitude towards him. I had initially thought that Mr, Peterson was just a strange man but he really comes into his own towards the end of the novel. The middle of the novel is when everything starts to piece together and from then on it really gets quite exciting and intriguing. It's very fast paced and I couldn't put down, although I wish that the ending had been a bit clearer and we had got to know where all the characters ended up. That aside, it was very enjoyable and easy read; I'll be looking out for more of Mike Lancaster's books in the future. 


4 stars