Review: Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
Published by Egmont 2011

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

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I bought this while in NY because I'd heard about it from somewhere, and it made its way onto my to-buy list. I bought it, came home to England, and read some reviews. They were very bad to say the least. That made me all the more intrigued: could this book really be that bad? Before reading, I also familiarised myself with the Tristan and Isolde legend and I said, "Yeah, okay, this could be interesting". So here are my thoughts.


Izzie has the perfect boyfriend, Mark. He's the captain of their high school's basketball team and he's perfect for her. However, things aren't going so well in the relationship department for her best friend Branna, and Izzie decides to do something about it using one of her mum's potions - a love philtre. Things instantly go wrong, and Izzie has to deal with it.


I actually labelled this as DNF after reading about 180 pages; I couldn't take it anymore. The main character Izzie was so unlikable; she was self-absorbed and irrational. She meddled with things she had no business sticking her nose in where it wasn't wanted, and she didn't for one second pause to think that what she was doing was wrong. Also, just because her mum was a witch didn't mean it was okay to use magic as she pleased. Stealing one of her mum's potions was a betrayal of trust, and I liked her no better for it. The way she treated the people around her was really negative, and it only got worse once she mixed up the love potion and ended up falling in love with Tristan. That's also another thing that bothered me: why was the love potion called a love philtre? There wasn't really point in that. Tristan was also a very weird character. He spoke like he lived in medieval times, and seemed really out of place in the modern high school setting. Overall, I was really disappointed in this book, and to be honest, I felt a bit cheated. If I have some spare time, I might go back and finish it, although it doesn't seem likely. If you're thinking about reading Tris & Izzie, I suggest you borrow it. 


1 star

Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Published by Sourcebooks Fire 2011

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

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This was nothing short of amazing and made me feel a lot better after having read two rather disappointing books. I also have some cover love here; it's simple but sweet at the same time. 

Jordan Woods is the quarterback of her high school football team; the only girl. The guys on the team respect her for her amazing talent and leadership skills, and she's got big football dreams for college. Enter Ty Green: former quarterback of his high school team back in Texas, he's just moved here and now he's threatening her position on the team. 

I loved this book so much, it's a new favourite. It was a kind of different read because it involved sports and I have very limited knowledge of American football. However, this wasn't an issue. Miranda Kenneally explained along the way, and managed to not make it boring. Jordan was also a brilliant character; she was strong, a good leader and she wasn't afraid to say what she was thinking in front of the guys on her team. She also had a great sense of humour and this made the book laugh-out-loud funny. Jordan also grew as a character, especially regarding her college decisions and how she wasn't going to let anyone and control her. She had real ambition and focus when it came to football, which I really admired about her. I also really liked how the whole team was like a big family. They all looked after each other and looked out for each other. They weren't afraid to be themselves in front of each other and weren't afraid to mention touchy subjects, which again made for some hilarious reading. It really made me want to part of the gang. Jordan's best friend, Sam Henry (simply referred to as Henry) was definitely my favourite character. He was funny and sweet, and I admired the strong bond that he and Jordan had; their friendship was sweet in general. The love triangle was also done really well here, and I understood Jordan's frustration. However, for me, it was a no contest. I knew who I wanted Jordan to end up with and the ending left me with a smile on my face. Overall, this book was awesome because Jordan was badass and proved that a girl can take down a guy any day, regardless of gender, and the book also had a real family feel with lots of humour. I loved it!

5 stars

Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Enclave (Razorland #1) by Ann Aguirre
Published by Feiwel and Friends 2011

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known. 

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Enclave was filled with action, violence, blood and lots of gore, combined with the need to survive. 

It takes place in New York City, where after the apocalypse, people have had to move underground and life-expectancy is only at 25. These people live in small communities called enclaves and life is for the most part very basic, with only the simplest of technology. Outside in the tunnels, creatures called Freaks, that were once human before contracting the plague, eat humans and any meat they can find. Children also only receive their name if they survive their first 15 years of life. Before receiving your name in a "naming ceremony", you are simply known as a "brat" or your gender and exclusive number.  When Deuce and her Hunter partner Fade find out that the Freaks are getting smarter, the elders don't believe them. But when Deuce and Fade become exiled, they have to face going Topside: where nothing and no one survives.

The main character is called Deuce, and her story starts shortly before her naming ceremony, and until then she was simply known as Girl15. She's trained her entire life to become a Huntress, and after her naming ceremony becomes so. Deuce was very determined, mostly in proving that she wasn't weak and she wasn't to be underestimated, despite being a "new blood". I found that to be her most favourable and significant trait. She was very persistent on following the rules and her way of life though, so you could see how much the elders' rules had tainted her outlook on how things should be. Fade is an initial outsider, from Topside, found by Hunters and brought in. He was a very different character; in the beginning, we don't really know anything about him but as we learn more about him as the story goes on; he had the right morals and he could clearly see what Deuce could not: that life in the enclave is not how life should be, and things with the elders and how they acted were getting out of control. For this reason, I liked him a bit better and connected with him more. However, the thing I liked most about them both was their companionship. They combined their skills and ultimately made a great team; they learned things from each other. Fade also helps Deuce "see the light" on how things are in the enclave, as it were. Things started to pick up at about page 80 or so, and especially when Deuce and Fade go Topside. Their companionship grew with their need and struggle to survive, and I liked how they supported each other. Together, it's safe to say that they kicked some major ass.

However, I thought the pace in the beginning was far too slow, and I got really frustrated. I also read the word "brat" so many times that it pretty much lost all its meaning and it seemed like it was no longer a word. I also didn't like how the monsters in the tunnels were called "freaks", although there are more names for them later on. I also found the names the characters had in the book to be quite weird. Had moving underground suddenly made people lose the ability to give children normal names in a normal way? I mostly liked the supporting characters, although I found that accepting Stalker into their group after what he'd done just seemed too easy to me. The romance was also shaky - it didn't really connect for me, although we don't really see much of it. Overall, this book was a good read, but I didn't find the story very realistic in some aspects and it was somewhat frustrating. I can see that this series has a lot of potential though, and I want to see where it all goes.

3 stars     

Waiting On Wednesday (6)

Make sure to get to the bottom of this post for an important announcement!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, where we talk about the books that we are eagerly anticipating.

Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) by Moira Young
To be published on 30th October 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry

The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued.
The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together.
Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well.
But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba.
And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands.
Then a messenger shows up.
With news of Jack.

Oh boy, this cover. How I love it so. That sypnosis is also really vague but anything that involves seeing Jack again under an unusual circumstance has sold me! Blood Red Road was really good, and I can't wait to see all the characters again.

So, you may have noticed that I haven't yet posted a review this week, and this blog is being filled with memes. That's not really my fault. I've had to take 4 tests so far this week (3 yesterday and 1 today, a big one) and basically tests and exams are swallowing me whole. On top of that, I am a quivering bundle of nerves to say the least and I haven't had any time to read. I haven't even reached 100 pages in Enclave yet. I basically just wanted to say that there probably isn't going to be a review posted this week, although I might finish by Sunday if I'm lucky. Sorry people :)

Deadly Hemlock UK Cover Reveal!

Bloggers from the UK and Australia who emailed in their blog addresses got the chance to see debut author Kathleen Peacock's UK cover for her book, Deadly Hemlock (called Hemlock in the US) before anyone else! It is being released on 5th July, 2012. So, here it is:

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

I think the cover is absolutely gorgeous! Thoughts?

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren; in this post we talk about the books we have received this week either through buying them, borrowing them, etc.

Links lead to Goodreads.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

I saw the trailer for the film, which is coming out at the end of February and I was immediately interested in the book as the trailer was hilarious. It stars Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum, one of my favourite actresses!

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

I loved Heist Society, and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into her Gallagher Girls series!

Switched by Amanda Hocking

I've been seeing this around a lot lately, so I'm reading it for myself.

Really looking forward to reading all of these. What did you get this week? :)

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

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

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.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

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Hallowed was one of my highly anticipated books to read this year because Unearthly was my second most favourite book of last year. I had the initial worry that Hallowed might have fallen under the "middle book" curse, but if anything, it was even better than the first. I also enjoy this cover a lot more to the Unearthly paperback cover. 

Hallowed starts off not too soon after the end of Unearthly, where we saw Clara rescue Tucker from the forest fire and there were many questions still lingering about her purpose. Clara starts having a new dream, which she realises is actually a vision, and she knows that someone she loves is going to die. 

The thing I loved most about this book was the character development. There's a lot more on Christian, his feelings and what kind of person he actually is. Jeffrey also gets some light shed on his purpose and what he was doing during the fire. The events are also significantly darker, with the death of someone Clara loves of course, but also reappearances of a certain Black Wing. It was inevitable but when it did happen it made for some very gripping reading. The character development also made it increasingly harder to choose between Tucker and Christian, and I completely understood why Clara was so conflicted. It wasn't all about the love-triangle thing though. I sympathised with Clara while she was trying to figure out who was going to die, and when she finally did find out, it was heartbreaking. She had to go through the process of waiting for that person to die, and there was a lot of love in those pages. Clara also came to accept certain things about life and death, how it wasn't really the end, and how some things were just inevitable. I felt as if she made some good progress in this book. Lots of secrets were revealed and questions were answered. The book also had a steady pace, allowing for some thoughts to come through and time to process new developments. The ending of the book really did tug at the heartstrings, and I'm looking forward to book 3 as we see Clara in a new environment. I look forward to how it's going to go.


5 stars 

P.S. I'm now Team Christian, previously Team Tucker. Don't hate me for it, it's perfectly justifiable once you read this! And don't get me wrong, I love Tucker and Clara together, but in light of recent events and where things are going to go in book 3... well. Team Christian, it is.