Review: All the Forever Things by Jolene Perry

Title: All the Forever Things
Author: Jolene Perry
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Publication date: April 1st
Pages: 288 (hardback)
Source: Netgalley







From growing up in the funeral home her family runs, Gabriella knows that death is a part of life and nothing is forever. Yet Bree, her best friend, has been a constant; it's always been the two of them together against the world. But when Bree starts dating a guy the worst guy from the ultra-popular world, suddenly she doesn't have time for Gabe anymore. Now the only one at school who wants to spend time with "Graveyard Gabe" is Hartman, the new guy, but Gabe, not wanting to lose her mind over a boyfriend the way Bree has, holds back. It takes a very strange prom night (with the family hearse instead of a limo) for Gabe to truly fall for Hartman. But when she leaves the after-prom party with him, she's not there for Bree or for the deadly accident that happens that night. Bree survives, but will she and Gabe ever be able to rebuild their friendship?"

Goodreads

So far I have read a couple of books by Jolene Perry and they have always either been a hit or miss for me. I am glad to say that All the Forever Things was a hit. I truly enjoyed reading this book from the first until the very last page.

One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this book that it explored the meaning of death. It is something that people do not talk about often mainly because it is a hard topic. But sadly enough it is also a part of life so I believe that it should be addressed more. And I think she did a pretty good job of addressing it. Gabe grew up in a funeral home, so she is around dead all the time. For her it is part of everyday life so she does not get why people get so upset over it since everyone knows that it will happen eventually. The least you could say is that she had a complex relationship with death. In some ways she got really detached from her emotions because she needed to do that to survive or at least she thought she had to do that.

I really enjoyed Gabe as a character, she might come across to some people as selfish but I did not see her like that at all. What I saw was a girl that did not have a lot of friends and tried to keep the one friend she really had close to her. And yes when that friend was slipping away from her she made some wrong decisions but overall I think she did her best to please everyone. Bree on the other hand I found to be selfish, they had been best friends for years but then a boy enters the picture and she basically tosses her friend to the side. I really hate it when people do that because in the end they always come crawling back. Another character that I did enjoy was Hartman, he really complemented Gabe well. He made her see again that it is okay to feel things and that she should really live her life. And for that alone I already liked him.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It might have been a book mainly focused on romance but it also dealt with so many other topics and that is what made this book so good. I am glad that I decided to pick up this book by Jolene Perry because she has proved again to me that she can address a heavy topic in a way that does not make it too depressing and sad. 

Elien

Review: The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

Title: The One Memory of Flora Banks
Author: Emily Barr
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: January 12th 2017
Pages: 303 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley

Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.

With little more than the words "be brave" inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to Svalbard, Norway, the land of the midnight sun, determined to find Drake. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must "be brave" if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home. 

Goodreads

I read The One Memory of Flora Banks right after I had finished another book that dealt with memory loss. Maybe I should not have done that since now I could not help stop myself comparing both books even though they dealt with two completely different types of memory loss.

I have to say I don’t think I have read a book before that is similar to this one. Flora suffers from amnesia and a couple of times a day her mind resets itself. Therefore she still sees herself as a young child since those are the last real memories she has. But then one day she kisses a boy and she remembers. And this moment is a start of an adventure for Flora.

There were a couple of things about this book that I did not like that much about this book. One of the things was that it was pretty repetitive a lot of the time. I get that the main character suffered from amnesia but some parts of the book were a copy and paste of events that had happened before. Not even a word had changed and that is something that I could not deal with.  I do understand that somethings had to be repeated since Flora forgot everything but the author could have done it in a more adventurous way I guess. Another reason why this book was not really for me was because I just could not wrap my head around it that a kiss from the boy is the only thing she remembered in years and that after that happened nothing else changed in regards to her mental health.

One of the only things that I truly enjoyed about this book was the adventure. Flora embarked on an adventure that took her to some really wonderful places. And the people she met along the way were fun enough to read about. But I think I would have enjoyed it more if her adventure had not been all about finding the boy she kissed. I believe that this book could have done so much better if it hadn’t centered so much around romance.

Overall this book was just not for me. I can see why some people enjoy it but for me it was just too unrealistic in a lot of ways. And a book that tackles a concept like amnesia should not be unrealistic in my opinion. 

Elien

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: Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill

Title: Ever the Hunted
Author: Erin Summerill
Series: Clash of Kingdoms
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication date: December 27th 2016
Pages: 392 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force. 

Goodreads

When Ever the Hunted was first released I was really excited to read it. It sounded so promising. A young girl that gets a choice die for a crime she committed or hunt down her father’s killer. The choice seems easy but it might not be so easy when his killer was his former apprentice and your best friend.

The first couple of chapters of this book I really enjoyed. We got to know the main character Britta, and her back ground story. There was enough action to keep me intrigued to see what was going to happen. And at first Britta came across as a strong character, her life was never easy and it only got harder after her father passed away. But she tried to make the best of it anyway. So that is what I liked so much about her. It seemed like she changed after a while though. Once she set out on her quest she turned into a completely different girl. Suddenly she was weepy, easily persuaded and she could not stand up for herself. She did redeem herself a bit near the end so I hope that she will turn into a strong, independent, young woman again. It is probably one of the main reasons why this book fell short for me.

Like I mentioned earlier at the beginning there was a lot of action. Something that I expect in a fantasy book; especially when the main character is hunting down a killer. But here as well, after a couple of chapters the action seemed to have stopped. Still there were still some good scenes here and there but not as much as I would have liked. This all changes again near the ending, for which I am glad.

The world building itself was alright, the concept of two countries that are at war is often used in fantasy books but that did not bother me. And I found in interesting to see how different those countries were culturally. What intrigued me the most was the magical part. It wished that it was explained more in this book. But I also get why the author did not go into too much detail about it in this book.

Overall I enjoyed this book but it was lacking in some points. It started of good but then the middle just really slowed down. The ending redeemed this book so I am curious to see how the series will continue. 

Elien

Review: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands #1) by Alwyn Hamilton

Title: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Series: Rebel of the Sands
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Viking
Publication date: March 8th 2016
Pages: 314 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley






Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic. For humans, it's can unforgiving place, especially if you're poor, orphaned, or female. 

Amani Al'Hiza is all three. She's a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can't shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she's destined to wind up wed or dead. 

Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she's spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse - or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes - in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.

Goodreads

I had my eyes on this book ever since it got release. Did you look at the cover, it is so stunning, and the story line sounded so great as well.

Rebel of the Sands is set in a fantasy world with a lot of Middle Eastern influences. And it is one of the things that I liked the most about this book. When it comes to Middle Eastern influenced books I really cannot resist. And if you add some fantasy elements into it like spirits, djinni’s and ghouls well then I am completely sold.

Amani is a pretty great character to read about. I did get annoyed with her at some points, mostly because she was really selfish at some points. Actually she is probably one of the most selfish characters that I have ever read about. She always thought of what she wanted in life and she did not really care about how she got there even if it did put people in harm’s way. But at the same time I also liked her, yes she was selfish but by the end of the book she redeemed herself. And I liked that she was so sassy all the time. Jin is something different all together. I liked him from the start but I also knew that something had to be wrong with him since it was all too good to be true.  And he did have his secrets but I guess he had his reasons for.

There were other things that I loved about this book as well. Like I mentioned before the setting of this book is just great. Fantasy books are always a bit hard, a lot of the time the author gives too many details of this new world or they give to little information instead which leaves you confused. But Rebel of the Sands seems to have found the perfect combination.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was one of those books that was pretty hard to put down. There was so much action it in, which kept me on the edge of my seat. The world building was great and in general the characters were fun to read about too. I really cannot wait to read the next book in this series. 

Elien

Review: Long Way Home (Thunder Road #3) by Katie McGarry

   

The highly anticipated third book in Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series is being released on January 31^st! LONG WAY HOME is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance being published by Harlequin Teen! Pre-order your copy of the next book in this emotionally charged series, and don’t miss Violet and Chevy’s story! Check out all of the stops on this awesome tour and be sure to pre-order your copy for the amazing bonus scenes!

Title: Long Way Home
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Thunder Road
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Harlequing Teen
Publication date: January 31st 2017
Pages: 448 (hardcover)
Source: Netgalley
Buy links: Amazon | Kobo | BAM | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound
Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in the Thunder Road Series:  Nowhere But Here Walk the Edge

Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.

It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.

But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.

Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all. 

"An intoxicating and unforgettable story that kept me glued to the page."

—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Walk the Edge

Goodreads

I have no idea how Katie McGarry keeps doing it. She writes such beautiful books with strong storylines that I just cannot get enough of. She seriously has an amazing talent and that is one of the many reasons why I just have to read every book that she publishes.

Long Way Home follows the lives of Violet and Chevy. It was so easy to immerse myself again into this motorcycle world that Katie has created and it was so easy to connect with the character. Katie has a knack for creating strong and likeable characters and Violet and Chevy were no different. At first I was not too sure about Violet, she always seemed a bit standoffish in the previous book and I did not always like her behavior and actions towards the other characters. But know I finally got to know her better and I could understand her better. What she was going through was not easy and it was easy to see why she acted the way she did. By the end of a Long Way Home I could only respect her. She is a young, strong, passionate and independent girl. When she has set her mind to something she will do whatever it takes to get there and that is one of the biggest thing that I loved about her. Chevy was the other main character of this book. And seriously Katie has to stop to make her mail characters so swoon worthy. Chevy was a very loyal guy, but at the same time he also respected the feelings of the people around him. He had a though life walking on a thin line between his school life and the terror since he did not know what kind of life he wanted. And afraid to hurt anyone he keeps walking that thin line even if it exhausts him.  It was impossible not to like him and he is definitely one of my favorite characters so far in the Thunder Road series.

I really liked the romance in this book. It was different from her other books since the two characters had already a history with each other. But the romance was well paced and had so many swoon worthy moments. Sometimes I wanted to yell at them to make up already and to be happy again with each other. But then again I am glad that Katie did not rush anything because it made the book so much better in the end. Both Chevy and Violet had so many issues that they had to work out, both together and apart. So it was good that they took their time and Katie did a great job resolving all these issues.

The plotline of this book was so interesting as well. There were so many unexpected twists that it made it even harder to put this book own. I just constantly had to know what was going to happen next. And then one of the revelations that were made near the end. I cannot express how excited I am to see how this will develop further in Katie’s next books.

Overall I really enjoyed Long Way Home it is another brilliant book by Katie McGarry. And it was filled with action, drama and romance, so basically everything that I could have wished for. If you are looking for a new YA contemporary romance series to read than I would definitely recommend this one.  

Excerpt 

CHEVY
     “Chevy,” Cyrus calls near the entrance, “We need to talk.”
     Damned knot in the tug-of-war-rope and I’m starting to feel frayed. Mom doesn’t blink as she waits for me to say something. To tell Cyrus he can wait. To tell her what she wants to hear. But as much as I love her, I’m also drawn to the club. She’s right, I do want both.
     “I’ll be back to pick you up later,” I say.
     Mom throws the towel she had expertly throttled into the sink behind her, walks to the other side of the bar and the strobe light casts a red haze around her. If I didn’t know her better, I’d buy the flirty smile and the way she giggles in happiness as she leans on the bar to take a drink order. But that’s not her real smile and that’s not her real laugh. It’s part of her job, part of her act, because that’s what working her requires—performing.
     With a kick to a barstool, I head for the exit. Cyrus walks out into the night and I follow. Once outside, Cyrus turns to me and his warm breath creates a cloud in the cool night. “We’ve had some trouble tonight with the Riot.”
     The Riot would be a motorcycle club north of us in Louisville. They’re pissed at the Terror for myriad reasons, the main one being we’re a legit club and they deal in illegal. They’re also angry at one of our main members, Eli. They feel he stole their daughter and granddaughter from them. Eli didn’t steal a thing. Can’t call someone’s free will in walking away from crazy a crime.
     Life sucks for the Riot and I’m fine with that. “Everything okay?”
     “Yeah. Everyone’s safe, but we’ve had word that they’ve ridden past the boundary lines we set with them a few months back. It’s all rumor and no one on our side has confirmed it. Could be someone’s overactive imagination, but I’ll feel better knowing you’re off the road.”
     I’m under eighteen, still a kid to him. Cyrus used to act this way with my two best friends, Oz and Razor, but both are eighteen and full members of the club now. The babysitting twists my gut, but then again, I’m not ready for the decision eighteen will bring. “How about Violet?”
     “I’m on my way now to look for her. She’s also not answering her cell.”
     Yeah. A lot of that going around. “If she took Stone to the game, she would have headed straight home. I’ll check on her on my way to Mom’s if you want.”
     This gives me the excuse I need to see Violet. Because I won’t be able to sleep without knowing she’s okay. So I can thank her for what she did for me with the note. To gauge whether or not Violet is waving the white flag.
     Cyrus lays a hand on my shoulder. “I’d appreciate that. I need to head back to the clubhouse to take care of some business. I’m serious about what I said though. Me and a lot of guys would love to hear about the game.”
     I know they would and I’d enjoy being with them, but Mom’s already sore that I walked out on her to talk to Cyrus. “I’m beat. After I check on Violet, I’m crashing.”
     Cyrus gives me a fast pat and a hug. We both mount our bikes and start our engines with a growl. My grandfather takes the lead and I follow him as long as I can before taking the path that leads away from him and toward where Violet lives.

Giveaway

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     About the author

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, NOWHERE BUT HERE and WALK THE EDGE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.  

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Pre-order LONG WAY HOME by Katie McGarry, and fill out THIS FORM, to receive three previously unreleased bonus scenes featuring important “firsts” in the lives of your favorite characters from the world of Katie McGarry! Complete the form to register your pre-order at https://wyng.com/campaign/820152. Offer Ends 1/31/17 at 11:59pm EST.

Elien

Review: Four: A Divergent Story Collection (Divergent #0.1-0.4) by Veronica Roth

Title: Four: A Divergent Story Collection
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: July 8th 2014
Pages: 208 (paperback)
Source: own it

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling DIVERGENT series, told from the per-spective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here—THE TRANSFER, THE INITIATE, THE SON, and THE TRAITOR—plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the DIVERGENT trilogy. 

Goodreads

It had been a couple of years since I had read the Divergent trilogy and I really loved the series, especially the first two books in the trilogy. Up until now I had never read any of the novellas but this year my mom gifted Four to me for Christmas. And immediately I got excited to read and emerge myself again into the Divergent world.

This compilation of short stories don’t really deliver any new information, most of it you already found out by reading the Divergent trilogy. It is more like an extra; you got to experience some of the things from Four’s point of view. But it wasn’t the same thing repeated just from a different point of view. It showed how he experienced some of the events, for example how he made the decision to join Dauntless and how he found out about the attack on abnegation. I also loved that we got to see more of his personality, of his friendship with Zeke and Shauna.

I always used to love Four while reading Divergent; he’s such an interesting and complicated character. And this collection of scenes proved again why it is that I liked him so much.

Four is a fun collection of scenes and if you like the Divergent world than I would definitely recommend it that you read it.

Elien

Review: The Gilded Cage (A Canary Club Novella) by Sherry D. Ficklin

Title: The Gilded Cage
Author: Sherry D. Ficklin
Series: Canary Club 
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Publication date: December 1st 2016
Pages: 80 (kindle)
Source: Netgalley






Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious boot-legger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis. Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father's empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family's dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future - and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.

Two worlds collide in Gatsby era New York, in a time of dazzling speakeasies and vicious shoot-outs, of gritty gangsters and iridescent ingénues, where not everything that sparkles is gold.

*This is the first of the Canary Club series and is a short story introduction into the forthcoming novels.

Goodreads

In general I am a big fan of historical fiction and lately I got really interested in the roaring ‘20s and The Gilded Cage is set in that time period so I had to read it.

The Gilded Cage is a fun short read, normally novellas don’t really interest me since the characters never achieve their full potential in it but this novella got me pretty excited for the full novel.

Masie gets whisked away from boarding school in the middle of the night because of a family emergency.  Masie is the daughter of bootlegger Dutch Schultz but she doesn’t have a real place in the family since she’s females and what can they do in a world that revolves around smuggling alcohol and other illegal activities. The 1920’s what an exciting time but also a dangerous one and the novella portrays that really well.

The Gilded Cage is an introduction to the full novel so the direction that the story line will follow is still a bit vague and there is not much character development. But it definitely gets you interested in the remaining of the story. So I believe that it achieved its goal and I cannot wait until the full novel gets released.

Elien

Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Title: Heartless
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Publication date: February 9th 2017
Pages: 464 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley






Long before she was the terror of Wonderland - the infamous Queen of Hearts - she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. 

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland - the infamous Queen of Hearts - she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her own terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Goodreads

Alice in Wonderland is such an amazing story and one of the most complex characters is probably the Queen of Hearts.  So of course I wanted to find out what exactly made her become her so twisted. So when Heartless got released I knew that I had to read it, especially since Melissa Meyer is such an amazing author.  And Heartless did deliver, it had the right combination of everything, romance, action, drama and of course a lot of weirdness how else can it be set in Wonderland.

You do not need to know Alice in Wonderland to read this book; it stands completely on its own. It is not a retelling of the story, it has an own unique and amazing plot with a great set of characters. Heartless follows Catherine, daughter of the Marquess of Turtle Rock. The King of Hearts took a liking to her and every girl in Hearts would want to be in her shoes but not Catherine. Becoming the Queen of Hearts would mean giving up her long life dream of opening her own bakery. That is all she has ever wanted to do but when you are the daughter of the Marquess you cannot make decisions of your own and you have to follow the rules of society. All Catherine can do is feel frustrated and angry and hope that the King will shift his attention to someone else.

At first I could not see how Catherine could ever turn into the Queen of Hearts that we know. She is good hearted and cares about the people in her life. But bit by bit you can see the changes in her and to be fair I cannot blame her entirely. So many things happen to her. She falls in love with the court joker, and I was rooting for Jest. He is such a great guy and couldn’t help but love him. But at the same time that I was rooting for them I knew that their story would not be one with a happy ending.  But what happened to them still makes me sad and that is why I cannot blame Catherine for turning in the person she is as at the Queen of Hearts.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I completely get what the buzz is all about now. The book throws you back to your childhood with all the feeling of a fairytale but at the same time it keeps you on edge since you know what will happen but you just do not know how exactly it will happen.  It was really hard for me to put this book down and I cannot wait to read more of Marissa Meyer’s books.

Elien

Review: The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez

Title: The Secrets We Kept
Author: Lily Velez
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Blue Typewriter Press
Publication date: November 8th 2015
Pages: 366 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley






One year. That's how long it's been since childhood sweethearts Sully Graham and Cadence Gilbertson broke up, since one adoption and one out-of-state move turned their worlds upside down. 

Suddenly, Cadence is back in New York City, but something's different about her. The light in her eyes, the music in her laughter, the warmth in her smile - all of those things have entirely vanished. In their place stand the makings of a girl Sully can't even begin to recognize, much less understand.

Still, despite the collective history of heartbreak between them, he's convinced he can win her trust again, and he's committed to proving the invincibility of their love no matter what it takes.

But Cadence is quietly harboring secrets of her own. Dark secrets. Ugly secrets. Secrets that could break a person. An though broken herself and unbearably alone, she's determined to protect Sully from her terrible, biting truths. Even if it means locking him out of her life forever.

The only problem is it seems her heart hasn't quite received the memo. One glimpse of him is all it takes for her to trip into familiar (and, she'll admit, addictive) feelings that threaten to all but consume her. No her biggest fear is that her secrets will begin to slowly unravel one by one.... long before Sully's resolve ever does.

The Secrets We Kept is a moving story about first love, friendship, and forgiveness, and the enduring bonds that forever connect us and give us our strength.

Goodreads

When I first requested The Secrets We Kept I did not know what to expect of it. At first it was just the cover that attracted me to the book. It is a really simple cover but at the same time really beautiful as well. After reading the synopsis I knew that I had to read this book. The foster system is something that should be paid more attention to. So I was glad that The Secrets We Kept portrayed two teens that had grown up in the foster care system.

The Secrets We Kept revolves around Sully and Cadence. They both were in the foster system and that’s how they initially met. But then Cadence’s parents decide to move to the other side of the country which is the start of a lot of problems that will arise and eventually it leads to a breakup between the two. After a year Cadence moves back and Sully thinks that they can amend things and pick up their lives where they left off. But things are different, Cadence is different and she will not let anyone in to help her. Cadence has closed her off from everyone she loves because she does not want to hurt them more than she has to. She has hiding something big that is slowly killing her. They both have to decide if the other is worth fighting for.

It was amazing how well-developed all the characters in this book were and I loved each and every one of them. They all had their unique characteristics but what bound them all together was the foster system. I really felt for Cadence, she never had an easy childhood and when finally thinks start to look better her whole world gets turned upside down again. She was really stubborn and withdrawn a lot of the time. But I couldn’t blame her for that; she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders all by herself. She felt like she had to deal with everything alone because it was her fault. I could not imagine living like she did and while her decisions might not have been always the wisest I did respect her because of it. And in general I really liked her as a character. Sully was another great character. I liked how determined he was about being with Cadence and to figure out what was going on with her. A lot of people might have given up already by how closed off she was. He was really loyal towards her but like her he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. The only thing that bugged me after a while was that he did always put Cadence on the first place. While at times he should have thought about himself first for a change or about his younger brother. He also needed him to be there in his life.

It was really hard to put The Secrets We Kept down; I just wanted to keep reading it. Especially since I wanted to find out what had happened during the time that Cadence was away and what changed her. And when her secrets were finally unraveled I wanted to know how everyone around her would deal with it. This was a really good book that kept me interested until the very last page.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were lovely and the plot was really interesting. I would really recommend this book if you are looking for a YA book that deals with some heavier issues. 

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