Review: The Memory Book by Lara Avery

Review: The Memory Book
Author: Lara Avery
Genre: Contemporary, Romanc, Young Adult
Publisher: Hachette
Publication date: January 26th 2017
Pages: 357 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley

“They tell me that my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.” 

Samantha McCoy has it all mapped out. First she's going to win the national debating championship, then she's going to move to New York and become a human rights lawyer. But when Sammie discovers that a rare disease is going to take away her memory, the future she'd planned so perfectly is derailed before it’s started. What she needs is a new plan.

So the Memory Book is born: Sammie’s notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. Realising that her life won't wait to be lived, she sets out on a summer of firsts: The first party; The first rebellion; The first friendship; The last love.

Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.

Goodreads

A life-affirming, heart-breaking and dazzling novel for fans of All the Bright Places and The Fault in Our Stars. 

It has been a long time since a book had left me feeling the way The Memory Book did. After I finished the book so many different emotions were running through me, happiness, sadness, satisfaction...

Sammie has recently been diagnosed with Niemann-Pick type C, this disease makes that young children will suffer from progressive dementia. Sammie had her whole life planned out, she studied hard during high school so that she could get into the university she wanted and eventually become a lawyer. But the disease slowly takes all her dreams away and Sammie has to learn to live with her new reality. That’s where the memory book comes in. In order to remember what happened every day and what is happening to her she creates a book that contains her memories from that day. And she does not leave anything out it is fragments of good and bad things and sometimes really sad things. The concept of the book was really nice, reading fragments of her life. I do not think I have read anything similar before.  And I think that writing the book in this way makes the story also seem more real.  

It is really easy to like and connect with Sammie. By reading her memories you sort off become a part of her. It was also wonderful to see how strong Sammie was as a character. She does not want to let the disease determine her life. She wants to live her life on her own terms. Sammie also made so much progression throughout the book. During high school she was always so focused on school work that she never really took the time to connect with her fellow student. But her disease forced her to see some things differently in her life. I was really moved by Sammie’s story; it is hard to see how she is trying to balance her life between what is realistic and her original life goals. I also think that the author did an excellent job at portraying how dementia also affects the people that are close to the patient. The author captured the sadness, helplessness and anger very well.

I absolutely loved this book. When reading it I really found it impossible to put it down. The book was so captivating and I was really engrossed in it. And this book also hit really close to home, my grandma has dementia so I feel the struggle that Sammie’s family has to go through as well. But oh boy I was not prepared for the ending. It left me absolutely shattered, but at the same time this book could not have a more beautiful ending. My favorite read of the year so far!

Elien

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publication date: September 10th 2013
Pages: 459 (paperback)
Source: own it








Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. 

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her hear to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever though possible. 

A tale of fanfiction, family, and first love.

Goodreads

Earlier this year I read Eleanor & Park and I absolutely adored that book. So I wanted to read more by Rainbow Rowell.

I always had put off reading Fangirl; I just found that it sounded a bit weird for some reason. I think that it was the whole fanfiction writing that put me off. Not that I find Fanfiction weird, I used to read quite a lot of it a couple of years ago. But just a story about a fangirl did not sound that appealing to me. But after reading Eleanor & Park and seeing how awesome Rainbow Rowell is I had to pick this book up and I am so glad that I did. This book is truly amazing!

Fangirl is a book that everyone should read when they are about to go to college. I wish I would have read it back. Well I wished it had been out back then actually, since it even did not exist when I started college. Some of the things that Rainbow Rowell described where so recognizable to me. Like avoiding the dining hall because you just did not know how it worked and you did not want to come across as the weird one. As well as feeling out of place sometimes. I think that a lot of students struggle with some of these things when they first start college and recognize themselves in Cath. I could definitely relate to Cath, I am an introvert myself. And I get how much energy some simple tasks can seem to take. Sometimes it is too easy to stay in your own comfort zone and the author portrays that so accurately. And I loved that she showed that it can be rewarding sometimes to step out of your comfort zone and to take risks.

I absolutely loved Cath, she is a vulnerable character but at the same time she is really headstrong. And the girl has an amazing sense of humor as well. It is no wonder that she knows how to charm people even though she does not want to do that at all. And she had charmed me within the very first pages of the book.  Levi was such a great character as well; I loved how happy he seemed to be all the time. I believe that we all need a person like him in our lives. Who is always there for us no matter what and who hardly ever seems to be down. And in so many ways he completed Cath so well. He had just such a warm personality that you cannot help but love him.

Another thing that I really liked about this book was that Cath’s parents took an active role in this book. Or at least her dad and that Rowell was not afraid to portray him with his own faults. He is a great dad but live is just a bit more difficult for Cath and Wren thanks to his mental illness. But people need to realize that a mental illness does not define someone’s life. Cath’s father might not have been perfect but he would do anything for his daughters.

I really loved this book and again I cannot believe how long I put off reading it. This book is just so amazing, from the storyline to the characters. It is just one amazing read and I was genuinely upset when I had finished reading it because I did not want it to end!

Elien

Review: The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray

Title: The Diviners
Author: Libba Bray
Series: The Diviners
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: December 3rd 2013
Pages: 578 (paperback)
Source: own it





Do you believe there are ghosts and demons and Diviners among us?
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City - and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It's 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfield girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.
Evie worries he'll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.
As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfurl in the city that never sleeps. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened...

Goodreads

This has been the first book in years that I have read by Libba Bray. I loved her Gemma Doyle series, so I don’t know why it took me so long to read another book by her. I am glad that The Diviners was the one I picked up in the end. I loved this book so much! Seriously Libba Bray is a brilliant author.

This book is like any other thing I have read before, and I mean that in the best way possible. There are so many different elements brought together in this story. The way they the author wove all these elements together was just magnificent. They all complemented each other so well and it looked like it was all done with ease while I am sure that it must have been a difficult task. It was interesting to see how all the different storylines and characters were brought together bit by bit.

There were a lot of different characters in this book and they were all important to the story line. But I think that it is safe to say that Evie O’Neill was the most important one in this book. I loved Evie so much. She developed so much during this book. At first she was just a naïve, spoiled girl but once she faces the real world she realizes that not everything is about her. She matures a lot and tries to help the ones around her. Sure she still has her moments where she is incredibly selfish but that only makes her more human. I love how she interacted with all the other characters. Her growing relationship with her uncle, her bantering with Sam and the girly drama with Mabel. Seriously I do not think that there is a character in this book that I did not love. There were all amazing in their own unique way.

One of the last aspects that I loved so much about this book is that it was set in America in the 1920s. I have always been a bit fascinated by this time period, the dresses, the parties… It all just seems so wonderful to me. But I did not know that much about that time. And after reading this book I know a little bit more about it. I always love it when I actually learn something knew by reading a book. Libba Bray must have put a lot of research in this book to get all the details right, and believe me there were quite a few of them, and I really appreciate that. She could have written this book with a lot less details of that time period, but the richness of the details makes this book so much more special to me.

And now I have not even talked about the plotline itself, the murders. Libba Bray did an amazing job with this. So many different things were going on in this book but she never lost the end goal out of sight, solving the murders and finding the murdering. I have to say they were times that I was scared and freaked out. That has never happened to me before while reading a book. But I just could feel all the suspense and I watched several times over my shoulder while reading this book because I had the feeling that the murderer was standing right behind me! I still get the chills when I think about it…

I think that it is safe to say that I loved this book! I cannot think of a thing that I did not like about this book. The Diviners just blew me away. While it might have been a lengthy novel I still finished it still did not take me too long to read it because it was so good! Seriously I could not put it down; I just had to keep reading. If you have not read this book yet than I urge you to read it as soon as possible. Personally I cannot wait to read the sequel! 

El

Review: Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1) by Katie McGarry

Title: Nowhere But Here
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Thunder Road
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: May 26th 2015
Pages: 496 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley






An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting her parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father - the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent - but that doesn't mean she wants to be part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what is seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're... family. And while Emily - the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member - is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road your fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Goodreads

So far I have loved every single book that Katie McGarry wrote. Nowhere But Here was no exception. McGarry writes some amazing YA romance/drama and with every book I fall even more in love with her writing.

I was hooked from the very first chapter of Nowhere But Here, it set in a different place than I am used to from her books, a motorcycle club. It was fun to read about and the story was emotional and beautiful.

Emily was a lovely character. She had a very sheltered upbringing and she did not mind it. Venturing out of the state Florida was never on her agenda. And being stuck with a family she does not know at all and a motor club for the summer was the last thing she would ever want. But Emily is tougher than she looks. And I loved how she grew throughout this entire novel. She started off as a shelter girl with almost no mind of her own but at the end she was a strong young women.
And then there was Oz, I do not know where to start with him. He is such an amazing guy. He is loyal to his friends and his family. He cares for the ones that he loves and for the less unfortunate.  But he is also stubborn and he has a hard time expressing what he feels. I loved him to pieces and I could not get enough of him.

I loved the dynamics between Emily and Oz from the very beginning. It was clear that they were attracted to each other form the very first time they met but they also could not stand each other. Emily grew up thinking that everyone in a motor club was bad and that they could not be trusted. So naturally she did not trust Oz. Oz on the other hand is mad at Emily because she is hurting the people he loves by rejecting him. And it does not help that she might have caused him his chance to become a member of the motor club.  Gradually they get to know each other better and they see that they will have to adjust their opinions by each other. They bring out the best in each other. Emily lets Oz see that there is a life outside of the motor club and he shows Emily what the motor club is about and that she has a great family if she accepts them. I loved how their relationship grew slowly. There was no rush at all and they really took their time with each other. It felt so natural and innocent but at the same time also passionate.  

As is always the case with Katie McGarry her books there were so many great side characters in this book. A lot of them had emotional baggage with them and I cannot wait to read their story.  I already care for them a lot even if we saw only a couple of glimpses of some of them. McGarry did a marvelous job writing this story. It made me laugh, it made me cry… it was an intense emotional rollercoaster and I loved every second of it. I cannot wait until the next book in the Thunder Road series comes out. 

El

Review: Flintlock (Cutlass #2) by Ashley Nixon

Title: Flintlock
Author: Ashley Nixon
Series: Cutlass
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: StarSeed Press
Source: received from author (Thank you!!!)







Barren Reed hopes to protect the Orient from his tyrant uncle, but his plans to make the King's life a living hell aren't supported by the Elders of the pirate community. As it stands, Barren has earned the Elder's disdain for his carelessness, and they threaten him into exile if he makes one more mistake.

Barren's not the only one feeling the Elder's wrath - they don't trust Larkin either. Wors, Barren can't comprehend Larkin's wish to have a relationship with her father, and the secrets she's forced to keep create a tension that may pull them apart forever.

When the Pirates of Silver Crest begin to die, bullets laced with dark magic are to blame. With more and more of these weapons infiltrating the Underground, discovering who's behind the dissemination is no easy feat. As fear and tension mount among the people of the Orient, Barren and his crew find themselves in a race against time to stop the spread of dark magic before the world of Mariana spirals into collapse. 

Goodreads

Cutlass was one of my favorite reads of 2014. Ever since reading it I have been anxiously awaiting the sequel, Flintlock. So when the Ashley Nixon approached me to ask if I wanted an early review copy of it I did not have to think twice.

Again I was swept away to the wonderful world of the Cutlass series. The book picked up a few weeks or months after the events in Cutlass. Barren finds himself once again in trouble but as usual his crew and Larkin have his back. It is easy to say that he is still the same reckless character from the first book. Barren always first acts before he thinks. In some ways Larkin is the same but there are other moments were she overthinks everything.  Larkin is a great heroin, she is total kick ass; I would not want to mess with her. And she has grown a lot since the first book; she is strong both physically and mentally. But at the same time she is still struggling to get fully accepted in the new life she has chosen for herself. I really love seeing Barren and Larkin together, they keep each other on their toes and they bring up the best in each other. And that is exactly what I am looking for in a couple. I loved that Ashley also showed that every relationship has its ups and downs. Not everything is rainbows and unicorns in Barren’s and Larkin’s relationship but that is what makes them stronger in the end.
The secondary characters were also well-developed. We got to see a lot more of Cover and I have to say that I really like his character. I believe that he has grown into one of my favorite characters of this book. Besides the old characters, and I loved seeing them all again, a lot of new characters were introduced. Some were created to despise or even hate but others were loveable like Sarah. I have a feeling that she can grow into something really amazing in the next book and I hope that I am right.

The world building of this book is wonderful. I cannot get enough of the world that Barren and his crew live in. If it was possible I would want to sail the sea of the Octent and the Orient myself. Ashley describes all the details really vividly. One of my favorite scenes was the one of the Autumn ball, she described all the different dresses and mask in such a detail that it took my breath away.

I enjoyed Flintlock immensely. Everything Ashley wrote fitted perfectly together, the characters, the world… Everything was just perfect. To top it all of Ashley her writing style is really addictive and I found it impossible to put this book down. She wrote an amazing sequel to a great first novel and I cannot wait until the next book comes out. I would highly recommend this book and it’s prequel to everyone. Especially if you are a fan of Young Adult fantasy than this is a series that you have to read. 

El

Review: Fighting for Keeps (A Brookhollow Story #5) by Jennifer Snow

Title: Fighting for Keeps
Author: Jennifer Snow
Series: A Brookhollow Story
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming 
Publication date: May 1st 2015
Pages: 183 (kindle)
Source: received from author (thank you so much!!)






He's kryptonite. And she needs all her strength...

Noah Parks is the ridiculously gorgeous, motorcycle-riding, cage-match-fighting equivalent of kryptonite for Lindsay Harper. And she's going to need every last ounce of her strength now that she's the legal guardian of her brother's five orphaned children. For the sake of her new family, it's time to give up her carefree single ways. Stop being the cool aunt and become a parent. And fight this crazy attraction to Noah. Sure, there's a side of him she can't help falling for... the one who volunteers as a firefighter and helps at-risk youth. The irresistibly kind and caring side. But she is a nurse, after all. She can't love an MMA fighter, a man she regularly has to scan for physical trauma... Can she? 

Goodreads

Fighting for Keeps is already the fifth book in A Brookhollow Story series by Jennifer Snow. Ever since I started reading this series I’m in love with the characters in the books and with the town itself. Every time I start a new book I am happy to see all the residents of Brookhollow again.

Lindsay has always been the carefree girl of the town. In her mid-thirties she still hasn’t settled down and gossiping is one of her favorite hobbies. But after a tragedy she’s left in charge to take care of five little children. Suddenly she has to change her lifestyle completely, just when she couldn’t deny her attraction to Noah any longer.  But dating an MMA fighter isn’t exactly an option now she’s has to provide a stable life for five little children.

I really liked Lindsay. She’s such an amazing and strong character. Not a lot of people believed in her because she led her life differently than most people in Brookhollow. While a party girl she also truly cares about the people surrounding her. And she will do everything in her power to make sure that they are safe and sound. At the same time she also stayed true to her beliefs and values and I really admired her for that.
Noah is another amazing character. He’s very determined to get what he wants, a UFC career and Lindsay. But there is also another side to him, a softer side. It’s impossible not to like him when you read this book. I couldn’t have asked for a better hero.

Jennifer always has away to pull you into the story from the very beginning. And this book was an emotional ride. There was a certain part in this book that I was about to cry, I felt with the characters and it felt to me like I had a dear friend myself. In some way I might have since I knew these characters for so long. But there were also many times that I laughed and sighed because of the sweetness of this book.

Fighting for Keeps is my favorite book so far in this series. The romance between the characters was so believable and I loved how all the characters overcame their obstacles. While this book is a part of a series it can be perfectly be read a stand-alone. But if you really want to connect with all the residents of Brookhollow than I would recommend that you read the others books first. I can’t wait for another book in this series and I’m curious to see whose book it will be!

El

Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication date: July 2nd 2013
Pages: 312 (paperback)
Source: own it







Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she's pretty sure they're only good for one thing - spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother's shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he's oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he's one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company. 

She knows her mom can't find out - she wouldn't approve. She'd much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn't been raised by money. But just when Xander's attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. And that Xander's not the only one she should've been worried about.

Goodreads

All of Kasie West her books have been on my TBR for ages. So when I saw The Distance Between Us in the bookstore last week I simply had to buy it. And I’m so glad that I did! This book was just so cute and perfect and well it was just amazing. I’m planning on buying her other books as soon as I get the chance.

Caymen the main character was amazing. I loved her so much. I saw a lot of her in myself. We both use, maybe too much, sarcasm in our lives. Like me she used it in a way that people sometimes even didn’t know whether she was serious or if she just was being sarcastic. Caymen is a really observant girl, like me again actually. She observed everything that was going on around her in her life. Because of this she figured some things out quicker than other but at the same time she also made some wrong assumptions. The other main character, Xander, was evenly amazing. At first he may come across as a shallow person but he’s really great when you get to know him. There is so much more to him than you might think. While both there worlds are miles apart Xander gets Caymen in a way no one has ever done.

The Distance Between Us was a really quick read. I started to read right after I bought it on the tube and I didn’t put it down until I had finished it late at night. So this was another sign for me that this book is amazing. I was so engrossed in this book and I kept telling myself that I could read one more chapter before I had to go to bed. But well I just had to see what was going to happen in this book. There were some questions of mine that weren’t entirely answered by the end of the book. But overall everything was nicely wrapped up. If there ever was going to be a sequel to this book I would immediately pick it up. But in the mean time I will just have to read all the other books by Kasie West.

Overall I loved this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cute and happy contemporary YA romance read.

El

Review: Storm Fall (Rebel Wing #2) by Tracy Banghart

Title: Storm Fall
Author: Tracy Banghart
Series: Rebel Wing
Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Publisher: Alloy Entertainment
Publication date: December 16th 2014
Pages: 230 (Kindle)






In the action-packed sequel to Rebel Wing, Aris battles for life and love... and not everyone will survive. 

Aris Haan gave up everything to join the Atalantan Military: her family, her boyfriend, even her identity. In the end, though, it didn't matter that she was a war hero. When the all-male Military discovered that she was actually a woman, she was sent home and erased from history.

Now she has a chance to go back to the battlefield - as herself. But as hard as it was to be a soldier in disguise, it's even more difficult now. The men in her unit undermine her at every turn. The Safaran army has spies everywhere, perhaps even on Aris's stationpoint. And she's falling for her mysterious superior officer, Milek. But their relationship is forbidden, just stolen moments between training sessions and missions. There's no room for love in war.

Then Aris discovers that Safara's leaders have set their sights on her, Atalanta's hero. And she must find them before they find her...

Goodreads

Storm Fall picks up two months after Rebel Wing ended. Aris is struggling to fit back into her old life. She isn’t sure she still wants it. So when it is announced that women can now freely serve in the army of Atalanta she is ready to joint them again. That is as soon as she overcomes her fear of flying. But not everyone is happy about the openly return of women to the army. Men believe that they are not fit for fighting and who think they should have safe jobs and take care of their kids. But Aris and her friends will show them that they are not weak and that they might even be better soldiers than most of the men.

Storm Fall tells the story of Aris, Dysis and Galena. There stories were each unique in their own way. There was some romance in this book but it didn’t dominate the plotline. The book was more about friendship and a lot of action. This mix of elements is what makes this book so great. It book kept surprising me and it didn’t stop to amaze me.

Aris is an amazing character. She doesn’t need anyone to keep her safe and to take care of her. But she also allows people into her life and she has no problem to accept their help. And that’s one of the things I love so much about this book. In a lot of cases the heroine is either a damsel in distress who needs constant saving. Or she is a badass who won’t let anyone help her even if she needs the help. Galena is another strong women. People look at her for all the wrong reasons. She was tortured but she survived. And she’s sure to not let it determine the rest of her live. I really liked her she’s such a tough women. Then there is Dysis. Like Aris she’s a women in the military. But people know not to play with her. Because if they do they will lose. But underneath her tough exterior she has a soft heart and she will do everything in her power to protect the people she cares about. These three women are such an inspiration for everyone. And I believe that they should be taken as an example of how women should be portrayed more often in books.  

This book is fast paced, packed full with action and girl power. It was impossible for me to put this book down. I just couldn’t do it. I had to know what would happen to all these characters so I just kept reading till I finished it. And now I can’t wait till the third book in this series is released. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Seriously this series should be popular by now.

Favorite quote:

Milek turned toward her, searching for her face in the shadows. “You stay here. As soon as I’ve got Elom, I’ll come back for you.”
She laughed. “No chance.”
To his credit, he didn’t bother arguing. “It was worth a try.”
With another fast, hard kiss they crept together into the sunlight.

El

Review: Rebel Wing (Rebel Wing #1) by Tracey Banghart

Title: Rebel Wing
Author: Tracey Banghart
Series: Rebel Wing 
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Alloy-entertainment
Publication date: July 29th 2014
Pages: 372 (Kindle)
Source: Netgalley






The Dominion of Atalanta is at war. But for eighteen-year-old Aris, the fighting is nothing more than a distant nightmare, something she watches on news vids from the safety of her idyllic seaside town. Then her boyfriend, Calix, is drafted into the Military, and the nightmare becomes a dangerous reality.

Left behind, Aris has nothing to fill her days. Even flying her wingjet - the thing she loves most, aside from Calix - feels meaningless without him by her side. So when she's recruited to be a pilot for an elite search-and-rescue unit, she leaps at the chance, hoping she'll be stationed near Calix. But there's a catch: she must disguise herself as a man named Aristos. There are no women in the Atalantan Military, and there never will be. 

Aris gives up everything to find Calix: her home. Her family. Even her identity. But as the war rages on, Aris discovers she's fighting for much more than her relationship. With each injured person she rescues and each violent battle she survives, Aris is becoming a true soldier - and the best flyer in the Atalantan Military. She's determined to save her Dominion... or die trying.

Goodreads

Rebel Wing is one of the books I have read so far this year. It captured my attention right from the very first page until the end. This book is truly amazing.

Aris her life had always been comfortable. She had her boyfriend, Calix, her friends, her family and her wing jet to fly. But when Calix is drafted into the military her life is turned upside down. This wasn’t the plan, they were supposed to promise and now she can’t be sure that she will ever see him again. In order to be with him she makes an impulsive decision to join the military herself disguised as a man since women are not allowed in the military. Soon she finds out that she is fighting for more than her relationship with Calix.

Aris is a great character. And I really loved her. At the beginning at the books she was naïve and a damsel in distress. Everyone always hovered around her and took care of her because she had a limp. When she decided to join the military she did if for all the wrong reasons. She only did it to find her boyfriend while she should have done it because she wanted to save lives. But she developed so much true this story. She grew stronger both physically and mentally. Aris blossomed into a wonderful woman. And the reason why she fought harder than anyone else was the right one, she realized what kind of good she could do when she fought in this war and saved people there live. Aris turned into a person with commitment, courage and loyalty.  

Parallel with Aris her story there is also the story of Ward Vadim, the Warden of Ruslana, and Ward Nikos, the Warden of Atalanta. Ward Nikos is trying everything he can to ward of the Safaran troops in his dominion. But he knows that he is failing, so every help he can get is more than welcome. But when Ward Vadim is taken ill his greatest ally disappears. The thing is Ward Vadim hasn’t taken ill but is being held captive. She doesn’t know where she is or why she is being held captive. I really liked all the suspense surrounding these parts of the books. You couldn’t help wondering why her kidnappers went through so much trouble and who is behind it all. In the end everything became clear and I have to say that I was taken a bit by surprise, which is a good thing.  

I love this book so much. Really I can’t believe why this book has such a few ratings, it’s a brilliant story. Rebel Wing is a mix of different things, there is of course a lot of action but there is also time for friendship and even a bit of romance. The romance wasn’t the main focus of the novel and I really loved that. Tracy Banghart here writing style is really fluid and I once I started reading this book I wasn’t able to put it down. After I finished this book I immediately went ahead and got the second book because I couldn’t wait to find out how the story continued. This hadn’t happened in a really long time so it’s another indicator of how amazing this book is. I would highly recommend this book to everyone! 

El

Review: Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers

Title: Dark Triumph
Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin
Genre: Historical fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication date: April 2nd 2013
Pages: 385 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley






When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons. 

But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to her life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...

Goodreads

Dark Triumph is a marvelous sequel to Grave Mercy. I had very high expectations for this book since I loved the first book so much and I was not disappointed. I loved this story as much as I did Grave Mercy.

Sybella, like Ismae, is a daughter of St. Mortain. She’s gifted with deadly talents so that she can carry out his will. She also has to thank her life to the convent of St. Mortain since it is them that brought her back from the brink of madness. But Sybella has some doubts about all that was ever told her. Does Mortain really exist? If he does why didn’t he take her with him when her mother died? Why does he allow it that she is sent back to the same household that caused all the terror in her life? The only thing that is keeping her sane is that she knows that she is just waiting on Mortain’s sign or the convents order to finally kill the man who tormented her all these years. But when Sybella finally receives orders from the convent it is not the kind of order that she expected. Thanks to this order she might be able to finally leave behind her old life for good.

When you thought that Ismae had a difficult past then you don’t know Ismae’s story yet. Her upbringing has never been anything else than torture. Getting to know Sybella’s whole story was heartbreaking. I can’t imagine everything she had to endure. But her past made her also stronger and braver. I really admired her for it. And she is such a badass; I would never want to be on her wrong side. 

And then there was beast, gold old beast. He is such a great character. I have to admit that when I read that he was going to be Sabella’s love interest that I was like “no way”. I mean he’s described as really ugly. And Sybella is this pretty young woman. I just couldn’t see it happening. But I have to say after reading the book that they make sense together. Beast might not be the prettiest guy but he has a really big heart. And he has courage, honor and he’s quite funny. You couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Their relationship progressed nice and slowly. At first they were just civil towards each other because they had to be, they didn’t trust one another. But when the story continued they encountered so many problems and after that it was impossible for them not to trust or like each other. Their story really touched my heart and if possible I loved them even more than Ismae and Duval.

Where Grave Mercy mainly took place in the court of Bretagne and was filled with intrigues and backstabbing. Dark Triumph was more of an adventure story and it was packed with action. I really liked the change; I believe that there would have been too many similarities between the books if they had taken place in the same context. Besides the action and adventure suited Beast and Sybella way better.

I don’t really know what to think of the ending of this book. All the loose ends were wrapped up but I want to know what happened to Sybella and Beast afterwards. I guess that will have to read the last books in this trilogy, Mortal Heart, to find out. But I don’t mind because I’m really looking forward to read Annith’s book and I can’t wait to find how the trilogy will end. I highly recommend this series to everyone. It truly is a must read. I certainly can’t wait to read the last installment.  

El

Review: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin 
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Houghton Miffin Harcourt
Publication date: April 3rd 2012
Pages: 549 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley






Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sactuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts - and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany - where she finds herself woefully under prepared - not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death's vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Goodreads

Grave Mercy is historical fiction and as it happens to be I really like historical fiction. So when I had the chance to finally read this book I immediately grabbed the opportunity and I didn’t regret any second of it.

Ismae her life has never been easy but when she has the opportunity to escape her old life she takes it with both her hands. When she’s taken into the Convent of St. Mortain, the old God of Death, a whole new world opens up to her. A life that she never could have dreamed of and she’s determined to do everything to make this second chance work.  

I loved this book so much. The author did a thorough job of describing the details of the setting and the appearance of the characters without it being an overload of information. I had a very clear picture of how everything would have looked back in the 15 century and I could perfectly imagine what was going on. I really liked the setting of this book. European history is really fascinating and I hadn’t read that much yet about the history of Britanny so that is another bonus point for me.

Ismae, the lead character of this book was amazing. I really admired her, she has had a terrible past but she still manages to get over it and make the best of the rest of her life. She’s a really smart girl. Part of that is because she’s very observant and because she has a quick mind. Both of these traits often get her out of trouble. I liked that we could she her character grow throughout the book. At first she was very cautious when she met new people and she had a hard time letting people in. But she learned that not all people are bad and more specifically that not all men are the same. She also learned to rethink everything she had learned at the convent and determine for herself what she believed to be true.
Duval was a really great guy, I loved him from the very first moment I met him in the book. It’s clear that he is a man of honor and that he will do everything to protect the ones he loves. Like Ismae he had some trouble trusting people, but again that’s not really surprising when you see in what kind of situation he grew up. The other characters were great too. They were all well-developed and they all served a purpose in the book. The Duchess of Britanny, Ann, was so fascinating. I often forgot while reading this book how young she was. I really admired her for being so responsible at such a young age.  

Grave Mercy is a great book. Everything about this book felt so right. The book was also well written, everything was interwoven neatly and it was impossible for me to put the book down. The original take on assassins, I mean who would suspect a nun, was also a really nice aspect of the book. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially the ones who love historical fiction mixed with some fantasy. I can’t wait to read the other two books in this series. 

El

Review: Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Year

Author: Gayle Forman
Series: Just One Day
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication date: October 10th 2013
Pages: 323 (paperback)
Source: own-it







When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn't know where in the world he is - Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day - that girl - makes Willem wonder if they aren't fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he'd thought...

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen - and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.

Goodreads

Just One Day left me with a craving for more and I was really curious too find out what had happened to Willem during the year that he and Allison were apart.

Just One Year didn’t disappoint one bit. It completely lived up to my expectations. Forman is an amazing author, she never stops surprising me. One of the things that I loved the most about this book is that we got to know Willem a lot better. In Just One Day he was a mystery and I couldn’t wait to find out who he really was. In this book we finally got to know this complex character bit by bit. We knew he travelled a lot from the first book but now we finally know why he started travelling in the first place. Together with Willem we visited a lot of places; Amsterdam, Utrecht, Paris, Mexico,  Mumbai. All in quest to find the girl he met and only knew for one day. But he doesn’t realize that he hast to find himself before he can find her.  Willem was a really deep character and we only got a glimpse of that in the first book. Just One Year shows how he became that person, what made him who he was at the moment Allyson met him. And then how meeting Allyson changed him.

We also got the meet a lot of new people, I loved them all. They were all so energetic, they pulled the novel in various directions and they made the story so much livelier. I really loved that his friends helped him on his quest to find “Lulu” and that they didn’t question him when he said that it was important. A lot of other people could have thought that he was crazy for finding this girl he only knew for one day.

There was another small thing that I really liked in this book. Forman made a cross-reference to Adam from If I Stay, when Willem went to his concert and after he was playing his cd over and over again. I think that it’s great that she didn’t forget about the characters from her previous books.

It’s a shame that Willem and Allyson’s story is over. I really enjoyed their journeys and I wouldn’t mind if they got another book that portrayed their lives after this book. But I realize why Forman decided to end it like this, the story is complete and I can imagine how their story continued from here.  I really loved Just One Year and I can’t wait to read other books by Gayle Forman, she’s an amazing author and she’s probably one of my favorite authors at the moment.

El