Lily's Just Fine by Gill Stewart

 

Pages: 320

Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing

Released: 11th of June 2019 

Lily couldn’t have planned life better herself. She lives in the best house in town and she’s dating the most popular boy in school. Everything else she can fix. Mum’s apathy? On it! The stuffy gala committee? Watch this space!

Tom has enough on his plate without trying to drag Newton St Cuthbert into the 21st Century. His sister is sick and there’s nothing anyone can do. Not doctors, not his parents, and certainly not Lily Hildebrand.

Sail away this summer with the unexpected romance of Scotland's most determined teenager.

What I Have to Say 

This book was lovely, such a comfort read even with the issues that the main characters had. Mostly I loved the set of characters. The main character would probably be a bit annoying if you knew her in real life but it was really fun to see her friends rolling their eyes, but going along with her latest scheme. It was clear that they loved her because she was like this not despite it. 

I thought it was a very good example of the coping strategy people have where they throw themselves into something so that they don't have to deal with their problems. It really showed exactly why that's a bad idea. 

It also showed the strain of being a teen carer. Having to care for her mum while she was only a teenager herself. I hope spreads some awareness of real life teens who are in similar situations. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing me with this copy for review. 

Sophie Takes to the Sky by Katherine Woodfine

Synopsis (from Goodreads and Katherinewoodfine.co.uk) 

Pages: 104 

Publisher: Barrington Stoke 

Released: 15th of September 2019 

Scaredy-Cat Sophie is afraid of everything! So when a balloonist comes to the town fair, Sophie is left behind while everyone else goes to watch him fly in his marvellous balloon. She’s far too frightened of the crowds, the commotion and even riding in a horse-drawn carriage.

But Sophie longs to watch the hot-air balloon sail across the blue sky. If she could just be brave enough to face her fears, who knows where her journey might take her … A touching tale for young readers of learning to overcome anxiety and follow your dreams.

Illustrated by Briony May Smith, and published by Barrington Stoke as part of the super-readable Little Gems series.

What I Have to Say 

A really cute imagining of the early life of the world's first female balloonist, Sophie Blanchard. Sophie Takes to the Sky is a great book for young readers. With gorgeous illustrations by Briony May Smith, and Barrington Stokes' attention to making their books as easy to read as possible, this is a great book for young or dyslexic readers (and I adored it immensely even in my late twenties).

I loved the way that Woodfine's imagining of Sophie made her scared but stubborn, showing a girl conquering her fears through sheer determination to get to the fair to see the balloon. It's a great message to any young person that determination can get you far.

A really great book for younger readers.

My thanks go to Barrington Stoke for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day by Dominique Valente

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 288 

Publisher: Harper Collins 

Released: 2nd May 2019  

Misfit witch Willow Moss holds the fate of the magical world of Starfell in her rather unremarkable hands . . . A spellbinding new fantasy series for readers aged 8–12, perfect for fans of Cressida Cowell.

Willow Moss, the youngest and least powerful sister in a family of witches, has a magical ability for finding lost things – like keys, or socks, or wooden teeth. Her magic might be useful, but it’s not exactly exciting . . . Until, that is, the most powerful witch in the whole of Starfell turns up at her door needing Willow’s help.

A whole day – last Tuesday to be precise – has gone missing. And the repercussions could be devastating. Can Willow find the day to save the day?

What I Have to Say 

A brand new misfit witch ready to take the world by storm, especially considering the group of friends that she collects on her adventures! With adorable illustrations from Sarah Warburton, this brand new world is perfect for any kids wanting something quirky and fun to get absorbed in. 

I loved the way that magic was so limited to one skill per person and how unique Willow's power was. It was used so well throughout the book, showing that even what seems to be a dull, if reasonably useful power, can be viewed in different ways and skilfully tweaked into something incredible. 

I can honestly say that this book surprised me at every turn. Everything was unexpected and felt completely natural even as Willow collected her band of misfits to join and help her in her adventures. The ending came together perfectly as well with everything slotting into place so well. I really hope it becomes a series so that I can see more from these characters. 

My thanks go to Harper Collins for providing me with this free copy for review. 

The Fire Maker by Guy Jones

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 256

Publisher: Chicken House Books 

Released: 4th of April 2019 

Alex loves magic – its glamour, tricks and illusions.

He’s good at it, too: he’s reached the semi-finals of a prestigious competition for young magicians. But when he stumbles into eccentric Mr Olmos’s back garden while running from his former best friend, Alex sees something he can’t explain: three tiny flames floating in the air. Fire magic. Real magic. Soon, Alex and Mr Olmos are swept up in a great adventure of secrets, genies and an ancient, bitter rivalry ...

What I Have to Say 

Magic, adventure and adorable little baby jin, what's not to love! The story was maybe a little predictable concerning who was going to come after the Ifrits, but there were things that I really didn't see coming. 

Alex was a really good character and I loved his former friend turned bully and their story-line. I felt it was just a really good story-line between them both with all stuff that had happened between them and the way their story develops. 

Mostly though I have to admit, I loved the Ifrits. I loved the way that these little baby Jin were described and the way that their connection with Alex worked. I loved Sally and the way she became a particular friend to Alex through a bond that works without any language. It's so interesting to see a communication that exists without language and it was really well written. 

This was just a really good adventure story with great characters, a good plot and a few surprises. 

My thanks go to Chicken House and Laura Smythe  for providing me with this copy for review and for giving me the opportunity to be part of this blog tour. 

Fated by Teri Terry

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 448

Publisher: Orchard Books 

Released: 7th of March 2019 

I'm just one girl. What can I do?

Sam's cosy life as daughter of the Deputy Prime Minister is about to end. These are turbulent times. Borders have closed and protests are turning violent. The government blames the country's youth, and is cracking down hard. Mobile phones are blocked, gatherings are banned and dissent is brutally crushed.

Sam is torn between family loyalty and doing what is right. when she meets Ava and Lucas her mind is made up.

One girl, one choice. She can make a difference: she must. Even if her life - and her heart - are on the line 

What I Have to Say 

I loved the Slated series so much and though my reread put me off it a bit, I was still really excited to read the prequel. It caught the feel of the original series really well while giving us a really good look into what happened to change everything into the Dystopian society we see in Slated. 

It felt a bit bleaker reading this book than it did originally reading Slated. For one thing, some of the things that triggered the world to change are actually happening, most importantly Britain Leaving the EU. Slated was always a world where things were startlingly close to real life, but reading Fated , things felt way too close for comfort! 

I really liked seeing how the world came to be. How little things that change, slowly taking away the rights of teenagers, can change the country into something so scary and controlling. A lot of dystopia takes place after major wars or world changing events, but Slated showed little things that can be used to slowly place control on people while they don't notice. It's the way that real places change, real dictators take control, so it's both fascinating and really interesting to see. 

I loved the characters. The two girls had great voices and made the story really good to read. I loved them both so much. They were also both super attracted to each other and f/f relationships make my heart melt from happiness, so that made it even better! 

If you're a fan of the Slated series then this is a must read!! 

My thanks go to Orchard books and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

The Star-Spun Web by Sinéad O'Hart

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages:  384 

Publisher: Stripes Publishing 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

With her passion for scientific experimentation and her pet tarantula Violet, Tess de Sousa is no ordinary orphan. When a stranger shows up at Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings, claiming to be a distant relative come to adopt her, Tess hopes to find some answers to her mysterious origins. But as she adjusts to her new life at Roedeer Lodge, it becomes clear that Norton F. Cleat knows more about Tess – and the strange star-shaped device left with her when she was abandoned as a baby – than he’s letting on. And when Tess discovers that the Starspinner is the gateway between her world and a parallel world in which war rages, she realizes she may be the key to a terrible plan. A plan she must stop at all costs...

What I Have to Say 

Parallel worlds, science-enthusiast characters (male and female) and a whole load of mystery. This was a very promising start to this new series! Apart of my arachnophobia having a couple of issues with Violet (although less squirmy moments than I'd expected). 

I really liked Tess as a character, but I did feel that she didn't do that much for most of the book. The book was more focused on the way she studied the Starspinner from a science perspective, but I prefer a much more action packed adventure story. It picked up towards the end, but I do hope that there's more adventure in the next book. 

I really liked the way they wove in the historical elements with Tom's world. It was interesting to have him in Dublin during WW2 while Tess was in her own world, connecting to him through the starspinner. It was really interesting to see what was happening in Dublin during WW2 and how it was woven in with the plot in Tess's world. 

I'll be interested to see what happens next to Tess, Tom and their friends! 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Stripes for providing me with this free copy to review. 

A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

Three sisters trapped by an ancient curse.

Three magical objects with the power to change their fate.

Will they be enough to break the curse?

Or will they lead the sisters even deeper into danger? ..

What I Have to Say 

This book was a little slow, but was a great story. It had some great characters, a really, really good plot and a fascinating setting. I loved the ending most of all, how everything was resolved was just genius, but it's hard to go into detail about why I liked it without posting spoilers. 

I love the way that Michelle Harrison uses magic in her books. I've thought it before when reading the Thirteen Treasures books and I thought it again in this one. The way that each of the items worked and the powers that they had were brilliant. I loved the nesting dolls and how which doll that you placed something in was important to the magic. I loved the way that you had to pull the bag inside out in order to work it (and the fact that you would literally just have to carry it around with you completely empty all the time and hope no one notices) and the mirror, projecting your face randomly into the air in front of the person you're talking to so you just have to make sure they're alone before you use it. 

The setting was really interesting. It was really great how it was made to be fairly timeless, so that you could imagine it in the modern day or in any time you wanted really. And the way that the story of the witch was told throughout the plot as girls search for a way to break the curse, slowly revealing so much about her until both the curse and the objects are explained. 

It was a very cleverly written book and perfect for any middle grade fantasy fans. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with a free copy to review. 

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre 

Released: 7th of February 20019 

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 years old, married, and pregnant for the fourth time. But as the mistress at Gawthorpe Hall, she still has no living child, and her husband Richard is anxious for an heir. When Fleetwood finds a letter she isn¹t supposed to read from the doctor who delivered her third stillbirth, she is dealt the crushing blow that she will not survive another pregnancy.

When she crosses paths by chance with Alice Gray, a young midwife, Alice promises to help her give birth to a healthy baby, and to prove the physician wrong. 

When Alice is drawn into the witchcraft accusations that are sweeping the North-West, Fleetwood risks everything by trying to help her. But is there more to Alice than meets the eye? 

As the two women's lives become inextricably bound together, the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood¹s stomach continues to grow. Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake. 

Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

What I Have to Say 

After a shaky start, I got really into this book. I loved the way the friendship formed between Alice and Fleetwood. I think if it hadn't been for that strong class-defying friendship, I would have trudged my way through the book feeling really disappointed. But as it was, I was completely hooked by the end, desperate to have Alice saved and Fleetwood away from her husband, because let's be honest, she deserved way better. 

I was really fascinated to read the author's note and find out how many of the characters were based on real people. Even though they weren't much more than names, I love how the author took the details of the actual witch trial and mystery of Alice Gray and built so much around it, keeping so many of it grounded in the real people who lived in the area at that time. 

The facts of the witch trials were really interesting too. It was the kind of thing that could have weighed down the plot, and did a little at the start, but once everything started to get dangerous, it was just an extra detail as the plot unwinded and came to the thrilling conclusion. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Bonnier for providing me with a free copy for review. 

You Can't Hide by Sarah Mussi

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

When Lexi wakes up in the Hudson Medical Center, barely in one piece, she is unable to recall how she got there.

Nobody seems to be able to tell her.

Disturbing memories haunt her daylight hours. Nightmares stalk her sleep. 

With huge unanswered questions, like where is her Mom - why doesn't she visit? What's happened to her boyfriend Finn - and who is this friend, Crystal, who visits her a lot and of whom she has no recollection? Lexi sets out to discover what's happened.

But the more she searches for answers, the deeper and darker the mystery gets.

And as she begins to piece the fragments together, she remembers one thing: I MUST HIDE FROM CHARLIE.

But the question is: who is Charlie? And is he still out there?

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, bullying, 

What I Have to Say 

This was completely enthralling from the first page. The secrets, the loss of memory, the things that Lexi won't write because she's so worried about being found by Charlie? All of these added up to a great mystery. 

As the story unfolded, it grew darker. The pressure on her to go along with the bullying because she's so scared of Charlie finding them and hurting her and her mum. It makes it different from the typical bullying story, because if Lexi doesn't do what Finn's girlfriend says then a video of her will be posted on the internet and Charlie will know where to find her. 

I did have to wonder about some of the things Lexi did though. I mean she stood outside the school completely naked? And no teachers came out to tell her off? It seems pretty unlikely that no teachers saw her or at least heard the buzz from the other students and came out to find out what was going on. 

Still, it was a really great plot and I loved the ending. 

My thanks go to Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Orion 

Released: 24th of January 2019 

ONE LIFE. LIVED TWICE.

Louis and Louise are the same person born in two different lives. They are separated only by the sex announced by the doctor and a final 'e'.

They have the same best friends, the same red hair, the same dream of being a writer, the same excellent whistle. They both suffer one catastrophic night, with life-changing consequences.

Thirteen years later, they are both coming home.

Trigger Warnings: rape, suicide, childbirth

What I Have to Say 

A fascinating thought exercise into how gender and the way people treat you because you are one gender or another. Louis and Louise are created carefully to be recognisably the same person, but the way that their lives have developed change the way their life goes. It's interesting how something as small as the fact that they make friends with the same gender as children, both of them making friends with a twin boy and girl, but with Louis being closer to the boy and Louise being closer to the girl. 

In the early stages, it was a little repetitive. Hearing both Louis and Louise's birth twice was a bit dull, even though they had the viewpoint from a different parent for each child. But soon it moved to either focusing on one of the Lou's at a time or talking about them both with a neutral They pronoun. 

I honestly wasn't sure what I'd think of this book when I requested it. I thought it might be interesting, but wasn't sure what it would be like, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was well written and the two different versions of Lou were really well written and engaging. 

An interesting concept and a really engaging story. 

My thanks go to Orion and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Whiteout by Gabriel Dylan

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 416 

Publisher: Stripes (Red Eye) 

Released: 10th January 2019 

‘She sat us all down and told us a story. About things that lived in the woods. Things that only came out at night.’

For Charlie, a school ski trip is the perfect escape from his unhappy home life. Until a storm blows in and the resort town is cut off from the rest of the world. Trapped on the mountain, the students wait for the blizzards to pass, along with mysterious ski guide Hanna. 

But as night falls and the town’s long buried secrets begin to surface, the storm is the least of their problems….

What I Have to Say 

A good old fashioned vampire story. I'm not ashamed of liking vampire romances, but I do feel this was a good way to start bring vampires back into YA. It's about time to get a few back in, in my opinion. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next. But I do think, that bringing back scary Nosferatu inspired vampires was the perfect start. 

I was a little disappointed this wasn't a bit more creepy. I have to admit, I was in this for scenes of vampires creeping around in the blank whiteness outside while the characters were hiding and hoping not to be found and there was less of that and more of vampires trying to break down doors, but it was still really gripping. 

I loved the characters. It was good that the characters thrown together by the events were people who didn't know each other that well. It created great tensions between the characters and watching them come together and get to know each other, when they had only before known themselves in passing. 

I loved the vampire mythology they used too. This is definitely a great point horror vampire book. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Stripes for providing me with this copy for review. 

Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Publisher: Laksa Media Groups

Released: 8th of September 2018 

Journey with twenty-one speculative fiction authors through the fractured borders of human migration to examine assumptions and catch a glimpse of the dreams, struggles, and triumphs of those who choose--or are forced--to leave home and familiar places. Who straddle borders within our worlds--and within us.

Migration. A transformation of time, place, and being . . .

We are called drifters, nomads. We are expatriates, evacuees, and pilgrims. We are colonists, aliens, explorers; strangers, visitors--intruders, conquerors--exiles, asylum seekers, and . . . outsiders.

An American father shields his son from Irish discrimination. A Chinese foreign student wrestles to safeguard her family at the expense of her soul. A college graduate is displaced by technology. A Nigerian high school student chooses between revenge and redemption. A bureaucrat parses the mystery of Taiwanese time travellers. A defeated alien struggles to assimilate into human culture. A Czechoslovakian actress confronts the German WWII invasion. A child crosses an invisible border wall. And many more.

Stories that transcend borders, generations, and cultures. Each is a glimpse into our human need in face of change: to hold fast to home, to tradition, to family; and yet to reach out, to strive for a better life.

What I Have to Say

There were some truly amazing stories in this anthology. It was wonderful to see so many different perspectives, so many different kinds of people from stories set in the past, present and future in countries all over the world, the one thing connecting them all being that they're tales of migration, facing the struggles, prejudices and barriers that come hand in hand with moving their lives across the boarders. 

I don't think there were any stories that I particularly disliked, but there were definitely some that stood out more than others. I adored the way that language played a big part in stories like Porque El Girasol se Llama el Girasol by Rich Larson, Inkskinned by Jeremy Szal and Devouring Tongues by S.L Huang. I also really loved Critical Mass by Liz Westbrook- Trenholm and The Travellers by Amanda Sun. 

The only real problem I had with this anthologies is as the subject matter can be so upsetting and dark, I found that reading them back to back was really quite depressing. I wouldn't take issue with the book itself, but I would advise readers to take a step back and read something else for a bit of a break, which as they're short stories is very easy to do! 

I wholeheartedly recommend this book though. There were beautiful, important and heartbreaking stories throughout the anthology and really show different ways of viewing the world.

My thanks go to Laksa Media Groups and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Evolution by Teri Terry

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 464

Publisher: Orchard Books 

Released: 9th of August 2018 

Into the fire ...

The final part of the trilogy from multi award-winning author Teri Terry.

Shay has followed Xander and joined his mysterious scientific cult at their remote Scottish compound. She's desperately searching for Callie, who went missing before the start of the epidemic that kills 95% of cases, and leaves a tiny number of survivors with astonishing new powers.

Can Shay uncover the truth about the origins of the epidemic, find Callie and perhaps even rekindle her relationship with Kai? Or will Xander's grand plans destroy them all for ever?

What I Have to Say 

I've not been as excited for these books as much as I have for other Teri Terry books, but I honestly don't know why. The books are just as good as the other Teri Terry books I've loved and they pull you in just as much as the others. It's just that when I'm not in the middle of reading them that I've not got that same buzz I normally feel from the books. 

I love these books though! That's the craziest part. I love the characters and all the mysteries surrounding Callie and the origin of the epidemic. I love the conspiracies and Xander's involvement. I love Shay and Kai and the concept. The writing is good, the plot is unpredictable and engrossing. There is absolutely no reason for it to fall flat. It makes me sad that I'm not looking back at these books with the same feeling as the other books. 

But it was a really satisfying conclusion. Everything came together nicely and it was a good conclusion. 

This series was really good and I did really enjoy reading it. It may be that I don't remember it as fondly as the other Teri Terry books, but it was a really great series all the same. I hope you don't let my lack of excitement about it put you off. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Orchard Books for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Island by M. A. Bennett

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 304

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 9th of August 2018 

Link is a fish out of water. Newly arrived from America, he is finding it hard to settle into the venerable and prestigious Osney School. Who knew there could be so many strange traditions to understand? And what kind of school ranks its students by how fast they can run round the school quad - however ancient that quad may be? When Link runs the slowest time in years, he immediately becomes the butt of every school joke. And some students are determined to make his life more miserable than others . . . 

When a school summer trip is offered, Link can think of nothing worse than spending voluntary time with his worst tormentors. But when his parents say he can only leave Osney School - forever - if he goes on the trip, Link decides to endure it for the ultimate prize. But this particular trip will require a very special sort of endurance. The saying goes 'No man is an island' - but what if on that island is a group of teenagers, none of whom particularly like each other? When oppressive heat, hunger and thirst start to bite, everyone's true colours will be revealed. Let the battle commence . . .

What I have to Say 

This book was amazing, even though I hated almost every single one of the characters. As with STAGS, this is a novel full of privilege teenagers who treat each other in the most hideous ways. Link starts off as pretty much the slave of the school, forced to do everything his classmates tell him to do. So when he ends up with them on the island and is the only one able to make fire... Well shall we just say he takes full advantage.

The thing is, as much as I grew to hate Link throughout the book, it was still exciting to see what he was going to do next. It was like watching a disaster movie, you want to see just how bad it can get.

A lot of the plot twists, I saw coming, but that didn't put me off reading further the way that it sometimes can. It just made me look forward to when the character discovered what I'd guessed.

As with STAGs, this is a great book, but be prepared to see some awful sides of humanity

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review.  

Bookish Boyfriends: A Date With Darcy by Tiffany Schmidt

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Amulet Paperbacks 

Released: 1st of May 2018 

Boys are so much better in books. At least according to Merrilee Campbell, fifteen, who thinks real-life chivalry is dead and there’d be nothing more romantic than having a guy woo her like the heroes in classic stories. Then she, her best friend, Eliza, and her younger sister, Rory, transfer to Reginald R. Hero Prep—where all the boys look like they've stepped off the pages of a romance novel. Merri can hardly walk across the quad without running into someone who reminds her of Romeo. 

When the brooding and complicated Monroe Stratford scales Merri’s trellis in an effort to make her his, she thinks she might be Juliet incarnate. But as she works her way through her literature curriculum under the guidance of an enigmatic teacher, Merri’s tale begins to unfold in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Merri soon realizes that only she is in charge of her story. And it is a truth universally acknowledged that first impressions can be deceiving . . . 

What I Have to Say 

This was just the book I was in the mood to read. It was a nice light contemporary filled with boy drama and bookish daydreams. It explored different types of romance and the realities of book romance versus how it works in real life, showing that dramatic gestures that are made in books are often over the top and just plain embarrassing in real life. 

I found the characters all very interesting and very quickly grew to love Merrilee, her friends and her sisters very much. I can't wait to read more in this story. I want to know about some of the stories that were hinted at during the book and I hope that we can learn more about Trent and Lilly in the next book and how they met as well as Rory'story which I definitely want to find out about. 

The only criticism I have is that for a character who is supposed to read all the time and be obsessed with book romance, not only had she not read Pride and Prejudice before (let alone not even knowing the story, especially since Darcy is one of the most talked about love interests, which Merrilee knew nothing about), but she didn't read much at all through the whole book. For a girl who started off not being able to put her book down for long enough to get dress, she then barely read anything that wasn't for school for the rest of the book. 

Still, I'm really looking forward to the next book. I want a whole series of people being steered towards their stories. It's a wonderful idea. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and ABRAMS kids for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 512

Publisher: Penguin 

Released: 3rd of May 2018 

A princess, a traitor, a hunter and a thief. Four teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Four nations destined for conflict. 

In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a loveless political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father. In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people. In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town. And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell.

As alliances shift and shatter, and old certainties are overturned, our four heroes find their past lives transformed and their futures inextricably linked by the unpredictable tides of magic and war. Who will rise and who will fall? And who will claim the ultimate prize?

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed this a lot more than Half Bad, not that Half Bad wasn't a good book, but I found out that the voice put me off it a lot so I couldn't really get into it. With The Smoke Thieves though, it was in Third person and so much easier to get into. 

I loved the characters so much. Each character was so strong and it was great to see them coming from such different places and coming together in various ways. I think though I might have been more interested in hearing from the Prince that Catherine was engaged to though, because I would love to know his side of things, though it might have made for too many character's viewpoints because it was already quite a lot to follow. 

The story was so engrossing and I can't wait for the next book to come out. I want to see how everything works out and which side of things everyone ends up on. There's deception and allegiances and doubt and it really feels as though everything could change at any point. 

The next book is going to be very interesting to read. 

 

My thanks got to Netgalley and Penguin for sending me this copy for review. 

Front Lines, Silver Stars and Purple Hearts by Michael Grant (Trilogy review)

Front Lines 

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 467

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released: 28th of January 2018

1942. The fate of the world rests on a knife’s edge. And the soldiers who can tip the balance . . . are girls.

Set in an alternate World War II where young women are called up to fight alongside men, this is the story of Rio Richlin and her friends as they go into battle against Hitler’s forces.

But not everyone believes that they should be on the front lines. Now Rio and her friends must fight not only to survive, but to prove their courage and ingenuity. Because the fate of the world is in the hands of the soldier girls.

Silver Stars 

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 496 

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released: 9th of February 2017 

Summer 1943. The enemy has been bloodied, but Nazi Germany is very far from beaten. Now the American army is moving on to their next target: the Italian island of Sicily.

With heavy memories of combat, the three young soldier girls – Rio, Frangie and Rainy – now know what they are willing to do to save themselves, and understand the consequences of those actions. On the front lines, they will again come face to face with the brutality of war until they win or die, while simultaneously fighting their own personal battles. No one will emerge unscathed. 

Purple Hearts 

Synopsis (From Goodreads) 

Pages: 480

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released: 8th of February 2018 

It's 1944, and it feels to everyone like the war will never end. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr and Rainie Shulterman have all received accolades, been 'heroes', earned promotion - in short, they've all done 'enough' to allow them to leave this nightmare and go home. But they don't.

D-Day, June 6th 1944. On that day, many still doubted the American soldier.

By June 7th no one did.

What I Have to Say 

I liked this series. I really did. But all through reading it and even now, I just can't help wondering why. Why write an alternative history? Why set it in WW2? As books like Code Name Verity have showed, there are so many women who were brave and worked hard as spies or resistance workers or pilots during WW2. And if you want female soldiers, why not look at the real integration of women into the military? It's an interesting concept, but it feels like it's undermining a lot of the real women who put themselves in danger to stop Hitler. 

That and the swearing are the problems I have with it really. I know it's the way publishing does it but I don't see how putting the word "fug" in everywhere is any different than actually using the word. We all know it's the word. All the kids know it's the word. Just let the authors say fuck. 

The characters and the friendships formed throughout the book was really what made the series worth it for me. These characters are the sort that I'm going to miss. I really liked seeing Frangie making something of herself as a black woman in the army. All the emphasis on keeping each other alive and how close the girls got to one another despite being in different units was amazing as well. 

Rio Richlin will be my hero for a while I think. Though Frangie was my favourite. I'm a bit sad to have no more books about Rio, Frangie and Rainy to read. 

My thanks go to Electric Monkey for providing me with a copy for Purple Hearts for review 

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 359 

Publisher: Penguin Random House 

Released: 8th of February 2018 

 Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice's life on the road, always a step ahead of the strange bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice's grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate - the Hazel Wood - Alice learns how bad her luck can really get. Her mother is stolen away - by a figure who claims to come from the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: STAY AWAY FROM THE HAZEL WOOD. 

To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began . .
.

What I Have to Say 

This book was creepy. So, so creepy. The best way to describe it is that it had the atmosphere of a horror movie when you know something horrific is going to happen but it hasn't happened yet and you're just sitting there waiting for it to happen. Luckily for me, it never got into outright horror, though I don't know how horror fans will like this, it was perfect for me. I like creepy things but I get scared so easily and then can't sleep. 

The whole plot was full of mystery and suspense. It maybe had quite a long set up for how short it was when things actually went down, but there was so much to explore. From the book written by Alice's grandmother, the strangers stalking Alice throughout her childhood, to the story that shares Alice's name and the disappearance of her mother, there are so many different arcs to this story that come together beautifully at the end. 

Just be careful reading this on the train or you might end up missing your stop! 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with this copy for review. 

Unveiling Venus by Sophia Bennett

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Stripes Publishing 

Released: February 2018 

Mary Adams continues her journey through Victorian society – now as the much-admired Persephone Lavelle. From lavish Venetian balls to luxurious Mayfair townhouses, she gets a glimpse into the most glamorous lives of the age. When she meets a mysterious Harlequin she has the chance to rise to the very top, but to do so she must betray someone close ...

What I Have to Say 

It was good to return to the scandalous world of Persephone Lavelle and the Pre-Raphaelite painters that she attracts. I was really excited by the fact that she ment to Venice because it's one of my favourite cities in the world and definitely a backdrop suitable for Persephone's style. 

The story was a lot more twisted than the last book. I hated one of the characters by the end of it because of how he treated Persephone and Kitty and just everyone. He came into the book and just destroyed everything with his actions. It was exciting, action packs and just perfect as a follow up to the first book, because how can a girl like Persephone seem more scandalous to the society around her? Well here's how. 

I loved the ending. It was the perfect way to end the story and though I think it would be a good place to leave the series, I want there to be another book. I'm not quite ready to leave Persephone's world yet. 

My thanks go to Stripes and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Things I'm Seeing Without You by Pete Bognanni

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 336

Publisher: Chicken House 

Released: 1st of February 2018 

Seventeen-year-old Tess talks to Jonah every day; through texts, tweets and emails.

So when she discovers Jonah has committed suicide, her world implodes. Feeling heartbroken and traumatized Tess unexpectedly finds herself at her estranged father’s house, wondering how well she really knew Jonah. Now, having dropped out of high school, struggling with questions about life and loss, Tess and her father come together to try and find the answers.

What I Have to Say 

I wasn't sure how this would be, so I was really glad to like it so much. It was really beautiful and poignant, with a few twists that make things really interesting. It's centred around the idea of how to mourn someone when you find out that you didn't really know him at all and how to get closure from a relationship that ends so dramatically. 

The father's funeral business adds some comedy to the book and also brings in the idea of funerals and different ways to celebrate and commemorate a person (or horse) after death. It was really interesting to see different ideas and ways to hold a funeral. 

It was a bit of a morbid book, but it really wasn't as depressing as I worried it might be. It was actually a beautiful moving tale of someone picking themself up and finding a way to go on after such a tragedy. 

My thanks go to Chicken House for providing me with this copy for review.