Review: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

"Maybe there isn't such a thing as fate. Maybe it's just the opportunities we're given, and what we do with them. I'm beginning to think that maybe great, epic romances don't just happen. We have to make them ourselves."

Where to start with this book? Well, to kick things off, let me just say that Marissa Meyer is a literary genius whose novels are filled with the perfect blend of action scenes, swoon-worthy romances and witty dialogue that will leave you laughing out loud. Cress was no exception to the matter, in fact, it serves as an embodiment of all of those elements combined. This novel was perfect, and I found myself flipping the pages of this one pretty much anywhere I could. I read 50 pages on the train, and believe me, it's not the easiest feat for me to read in moving vehicles, but this book was just that fantastic. I couldn't put it down, and when I did, I kept picturing the last scenes I had read.

Let's take a closer look at characters. Marissa Meyer's novels usually are based around a few central characters, this is seen especially as new characters are added such as Scarlet, Wolf and Carswell Thorne in Scarlet and Cress and Jacin in Cress. The writing is still very much revolved around these characters and the situations they find themselves in, what I loved about this though, was the fact that Marissa Meyer continues to focus on Cinder, Kai and even Dr. Erland, two novels later. She sticks with these characters in her writing, making readers like us grow more and more attached to them. I can safely say that halfway through Cress, Carswell Thorne became my definite favourite. People who enjoyed Cinder and Thorne's witty banter will not be disappointed as Thorne takes the spotlight for a good portion of this novel, and trust me, there are no complaints.

The dialogue in this novel was so well-written and had me giggling to myself more often than not; something that tends to come to people's attention in a silent room. You could flip to almost any page and find a good slice of dialogue that left you feeling some kind of emotion towards these characters, very much true to the style of Marissa Meyer. I found that reading the interactions between these characters and the way they reacted to certain situations was what drove my fondness for these novels, and for a novel written in third person retrospective narrative stance, this is an accomplishment worth congratulating. The snappy back-and-forth conversations kept the pace of the novel fast and fresh, making this novel an absolute page-turner.

As a reader, when you are thrown into the desert, then into a ballroom, and then onto the moon and are still able to keep up with the story and love it, then you know that the author has done something right. Marissa Meyer switches from one character's point of view to another in quick succession, often from chapter to chapter, and the best part is, it won't leave you feeling confused. Each of these characters is a part of something bigger which the novel leads up to, as they meet, their lives intertwine and you are able to come along for the ride. Why did I love this book? That's simple, it is because I got to experience this book. I was so invested in this story line that it didn't matter where I was when I was reading it, I wasn't sitting at a bus stop, I was in the Sahara Desert with Cress and Thorne.  I wasn't reading in my living room, I was infiltrating New Beijing Palace with Cinder and Iko.

This novel is such a worthwhile read and I could not recommend it more. The series overall is slow at the start, but picks up quickly and is definitely worth reading the first two novels along with this one. I will give any people who want to read this novel an advance warning, though. 

When you read this book, you will become anti-social and often be spotted in public experiencing bouts of laughter as you either read or remember certain parts of this book, it will all be worth it and you will become one of the hundreds of thousands of people who are waiting and waiting and waiting, praying that the next novel in the series, Winter, lives up to its predecessors. 

From what I can tell, Marissa Meyer's novels have been riding an uphill slope since the release of Cinder, and I don't think they're going to slide back down.

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

ARC Review: Before I Go by Colleen Oakley

As this is a review of an Advanced Reader Copy, I am required to refrain from using quotes from this novel until the finished product is released in stores and published on February 1st, 2015.

I will be honest, as soon as I found out that the extent of this novel was 309 pages, I was a bit hesitant as I began reading this. I could not have been more wrong. Reading the blurb, I was left expecting a depressing, self-reflective experience that would leave me tearing up relentlessly and trying to avoid wetting the pages of this book. However, as I began to really get into this novel, I found myself laughing out loud more than anything. This novel is heart wrenching, no doubt, but as we are able to see the ups and downs of an aggressive form of Stage IV cancer coming back through our protagonist, Daisy's eyes, we are able to get a glimpse of her priorities and witty observations at this time as well. I was amazed at how something so deep and profound could have been told by Daisy in the form of the joke and loved the book more for it.

Reading about marriage really opens your eyes. You never quite expect an author to be so honest about the rocky road that married couples travel after being together for so many years, and it is this brutal honesty that leaves you in awe of how Colleen Oakley is able to speak through this novel in such a realistic way and still grip your attention until the very last page. It was astounding how the simplest of actions, such as buying caulk from the store, could leave me entirely engrossed in this novel. It felt like being led along like an apprehensive and cautious stray dog, hoping against hope that every word in this novel holds meaning and that it will lead to the conclusion you have been so desperately waiting for. Colleen Oakley, you did not disappoint.

The voice in this novel was so confident and shy at the same time. This may seem like it doesn't make a lot of sense if you think about it, however, if you choose to read this novel, you will see that it is the perfect way to describe Daisy's narration throughout this novel. As her cancer progresses, Daisy takes it upon herself to try and find her husband a new wife, knowing that he is certainly not the most reliable and independent person in the world. Her husband, Jack, is not aware of this and finds himself rather confused as to why his wife is pushing him away. This results in a series of misunderstandings told from Daisy's point of view that, as they unfold, make readers feel as though they are riding an emotional roller coaster. As Daisy grew frustrated, I grew frustrated. As Daisy became confused, I, too, became confused. It got the point, three-quarters of the way through the novel, as to where I couldn't put the novel down. I had to solve these issues that Daisy was having, Jack had to graduate and gain his degree, Daisy had to plant hydrangeas in her flower bed.

The dialogue in this novel served as a vessel through which readers were able to gain knowledge about the side characters of which wasn't provided through Daisy's inner thoughts about them. Kayleigh, in particular, was a favourite. She was witty, irresponsible and at times, even infuriating. However, despite all of this, she was a fantastic friend that really added to this novel. Before I Go certainly wouldn't have been the same without her. She is a helping hand to Daisy throughout this journey and an irreplaceable right hand man (or woman) in Daisy's mission to help find a new wife for Jack. The story line was simple, and yet was able to instill such complicated feelings. The characters were endearing, and yet infuriating at the same time. I loved this book. Even when the pace seemed slow, you knew that it was the right pace for this novel. Daisy is only 27 years old, and she is dying. She wants to cherish every moment she can before she passes on. Every moment counts. That is one of the central themes in this book, and one that is very prominent throughout the novel. 

You can never forget that Daisy has a time limit and a seemingly endless to-do list. That is what drives this novel, and is essentially what the main story line is built around. The way this novel is broken up makes you aware of how much time Daisy has left at any given point in the novel. Daisy is aware of it, we are aware of it too. As events get more heated and tensions rise, the urgency of the time limit increases and things seem more and more hopeless for our unfortunate protagonist, Daisy.

Tensions rise, relationships falter and although the road was filled with tears, laughter and frustration, readers are satisfied as Colleen Oakley leaves us with a conclusion that makes us cry and yet still leaves us with an inexplicable feeling of warmth inside. That was what it was like reading this book, and I would not have changed a single thing about it.

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: P.A.W.S by Debbie Manber Kupfer

"Pride, love and... fear. There was an undercurrent of deep, deep fear."

The thing that managed to grasp my attention about this book was in the very beginning within the first few words of the prologue. The story begins with Miri's grandmother hiding out in Vienna during the 1940s whilst the Nazis raided the house, looking to capture them. This high tension and historical setting set the scene for a truly spectacular narrative and left me eager for the rest of the book. As I paged through the first couple of chapters though, I found that the repetition of words that worked so well in the prologue began to lose some of their effect. It was unfortunate, as this was a technique that complimented the beginning of the story perfectly and became worn out soon afterward. However, this did not stop me from enjoying this novel.

The prose used for this novel is written in a traditional storytelling style of which I am quite fond of, whilst this simplistic style of writing did seem a bit started towards the beginning of the novel, I found that soon enough I was enveloped in the story line to the point where the narrative was able to flow seamlessly later on. Although this may seem like an issue for readers who have just started the novel, I can assure you that this will pose no problems as you continue reading. It is a minor issue that I can look past in the scheme of things. In fact, as the story progresses, you find that this particular writing prose works perfectly for this kind of novel in which world building is prominent and rules and lore need to be established and instilled rather effectively.

Often in this novel you will come across chapters that refer back to individual characters' pasts, it is these flashbacks that were able to envelop me into the story and the world of this particular book so much. I loved these chapters and found myself delving into them wanting to know more and more about these characters, even the simple side characters of whom I didn't garner much attention to in the beginning can quickly become a couple of my favourites thanks to these chapters. The flashbacks fleshed out the pacing in this novel; something of which I found very unique in this novel. Truly something that Debbie Manber Kupfer should be commended on, especially considering this was both her debut novel and written during NaNoWriMo.

Bringing us back again to the world building in this novel, there is no doubt that the concept of shape shifters and werewolves certainly isn't something new, however, this does not mean that these concepts cannot be revamped. This is exactly what Debbie Manber Kupfer does as she sheds a new light on myths such as vampires and the concept of immortality, instead linking immortality with werewolves and the way in which they gain strength and power over their pack. I feel that this fresh take on old themes brings a new depth to this novel and makes room for some elaborate world building of which is executed well here.

As I was reading this novel, I consistently found that not only Miri's, but other characters such as Mandy, Cynthia and David's thoughts were communicated very clearly throughout this book. This is not so easily accomplished using third person retrospective narrative stance and was used sparingly enough for the reader not to be bombarded with several of the characters' inner thoughts. The romance in this novel was confusing at times, our protagonist not meeting her main love interest until half way through the novel. Once we are introduced to Danny, he is shown as a distant character of which Miri is barely able to approach and is often spoken of as someone of whom Miri wishes to know or is going to become friends with later on. It is for these reasons that Miri's abrupt attraction to Danny bothered me a little for a good portion of this book. I only wish that their relationship could have been developed for a little bit longer, or Danny was introduced to our protagonist earlier, so we are able to clearly see a definitively fleshed out development of this relationship. Otherwise, I found the initial attraction to Danny to be entirely superficial and possibly linked to the fact that they were both feline shape shifters. Nonetheless, their relationship was a bit of a sore spot for me in this novel.

The elaboration of alchemy and ancient magic, whilst seeming to have been written too late in the novel, serves for a fantastic battle near the end of the novel which establishes a good set up for the second novel in the series, Argentum. This epic battle was captivating, and was part of the reason why I found the ending somewhat lacklustre compared to how I initially thought the novel would end. 

Despite this, I would have to say that this novel is definitely worth the read, especially if you are an animal lover.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

"In stories you simply said, 'They lived happily ever after,' and that was it. But in real life people had to keep on living, day after day, year after year."

Having heard so much about this novel, as soon as I opened up the first page, I began devouring it to no end. The two stories of Darcy Patel and Lizzie that spanned over the course of about 600 pages took me less than a day to read, and then it was up to me todecide how I felt about this book exactly. Let me begin by saying this: Scott Westerfeld is a literary mastermind. The book, whilst being rather large and if you choose to read the page count, intimidating, was a book that I was able to breeze through despite its thickness. It was only afterwards that I began to wonder why I was so engrossed in this novel. The answer to that became very clear very quickly. It was informative.

Now, this may seem like a sort of gray area when it comes to novels. Often, you are supposed to be driven to finish the book because of either characters, setting, narrative or a combination of the three, however, upon reading this book, I felt that those three elements took backstage to the insight into the life of a young adult novelist. In fact, Lizzie's section of the novel barely held my attention, and I often found myself anxiously waiting for the next installment of Darcy's story. This novel read more like a documentary to me; Darcy's chapters were more educational than anything, and although I enjoyed them thoroughly, it did bother me a bit that the narrative aspect of the story wasn't encouraging me to finish this book. 

Despite this, Scott Westerfeld manages to capture his audience's attention with this captivating writing style that effectively envelops the reader into the protagonist's thoughts. During each and every scene in this novel, there was no question as to how either Darcy or Lizzie felt about a situation and often readers are given enough information as to understand the reasons behind the characters' actions and reactions. It is an extremely involved experience and a difficult technique that Scott Westerfeld executes masterfully. Truly something to be commended and respected in one of the New York Times #1 best-selling authors. 

The romances in this novel were a contrast for me. Whilst Lizzie's love interest was apparent from the very first chapter, Darcy's love interest took me by surprise. I have to say that Darcy's romance definitely read as something more realistic and heartfelt than Lizzie's; however, as Lizzie's story is subject to several of the young adult fiction tropes, I cannot blame Scott Westerfeld for writing it as such. Darcy's life overall in this novel is realism accelerated. Her novel is published much faster than the average rate at publishing houses and she is able to become comfortable in the world of a debut author quite quickly. Despite this though, readers are able to gain a deep enough understanding of the publishing business to realise that no aspect of publishing a book is easy. Drafts and rewrites will consume a lot of your time and often, you will be criticised on the smallest of things in your novel. This book is essentially a wake-up call for aspiring authors and debut novelists who are struggling to comprehend their new lifestyle. This is particularly true of larger publishing companies that choose to undertake new and upcoming authors for publication.

There is no doubt that this novel certainly served its purpose well. It read well and captivated its readers all the way through, however, there were a few aspects of fiction writing (ironically, mentioned in the book) that this novel fell shy of, which left me slightly disappointed as I see Scott Westerfeld as a wonderful fiction writer. However, if I were to be asked whether or not this book is worth the read, I would definitely say that it is. Especially for any of those who wish to become published one day, or even anyone who is remotely interested in this field of work. For those people, this novel will become an invaluable source of knowledge and inspiration. One thing left to consider, though. 

Is it necessarily a good thing if I am able to compare a young adult fiction novel to a book on writing craft?

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: The Other Inheritance by Rebecca Jaycox

"I pretend things are normal and hide the truth from everyone. But they know."

There are many things that I could say about this novel, but there is something I would like to establish straight away: This novel surprised me. All through out the year of 2014, I unfortunately hadn't had the chance to read very many debut novels. The very few that I had read were lacking and had failed to fully capture my attention. When I began reading this novel though, I was pleasantly surprised by the pacing.

Rebecca Jaycox's writing style reminds me greatly of Cassandra Clare; a critically acclaimed and world-renowned storyteller. Her seamless narration was what urged me to continue flipping the pages of this book. As I read through this novel, I often found myself noting that not a single moment felt wasted. Each and every sentence pushed the story forward and the novel was all the more engaging for it. This was a light, enjoyable read with a surprising story line and well structured world building that does not leave readers confused. Mythology and lore is incorporated skillfully, as you read on, you begin to piece together the 3 intriguing realities that Rebecca Jaycox has set this novel in: The Dream, the Real and the Other. Often with fantasy novels, there will always be lulls in which I feel as if there has been too much information thrown at me at once, or that I have grown exhausted of certain aspects of the fantasy world. However, in this novel, I was able to stay completely engrossed for the entirety of the 309 pages. For me, The Other Inheritance was the definition of 'short and sweet.'

As this was a shorter novel, the romance did develop quickly. This, however, was not an issue for me as Rebecca Jaycox's writing style was able to draw me in; making the romance seem naturally developed, although the entirety of the interactions between Asher and Reggie before they became romantically involved spanned over only 150 pages. Still, this small amount of lead up was enough to make me believe that a relationship between the two of them was plausible. Truly a mark of a writer's craft if they are able to make their readers believe the next to impossible.

If I were to commend Rebecca Jaycox on nothing else, I would certainly have to congratulate the author on her respect for her world building. In the Other, issues such as slavery and cruel and unusual punishment are very prominent and are not sugar-coated. Rebecca Jaycox writes these heavier issues in, making them known instead of trying to cover them up to make for a more child-friendly story. It is this lack of euphemistic language that allowed me to become so engrossed in this world. These were real issues, they were affecting the lives of the main characters deeply and they could not be ignored. In fact, if not for this harsh realism, characters such as Asher would have been severely lacking in terms of a proper back story and emotional baggage. The truth of Asher's struggles were what made him such an interesting character, instead of a mere one-dimensional love interest of which seemed to be manufactured by the thousands in young adult novels today.

Characters such as Asher and Reggie; who are entertaining and lovable in their own right; are accompanied by a cast of entertaining side characters. Brwyn being my overall favourite of the bunch. Near the end of the novel, we are able to gain a more in-depth analysis of this character and if this book is turned into a series, I hope to see more of him. Brwyn really brought light to some of the darker and more serious scenes in this novel. The dialogue and interactions between these characters, making witty observations of their world left me grinning like an idiot at my book. Something I had so wished I was alone for. The only real fault I could find with this novel was that I felt, at the end, that I did not get a sufficient amount of time to spend in this world. 

A brilliant debut novel that left me aching for a sequel. However, if Rocking Horse Publishing can deliver narratives of this calibre, then I certainly wouldn't put it past them to deliver.

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

"But isn't it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? Before someone else can break your heart? Isn't it better to break it yourself?"

Stephanie Perkins has dazzled us with Anna and the French Kiss, blown us away with Lola and the Boy Next Door and unfortunately, left us slightly disappointed with Isla and the Happily Ever After. Now, before I delve any further into this, I want to let you know that this was a fantastic book; amazing, in fact; but nowhere near as much of a must-read as both Anna and Lola were. Isla and the Happily Ever After is the companion novel to these two books, and continues with the story of a shy, redheaded girl named Isla. This may sound perfectly fine for any contemporary romance novel aimed at young adults, however, what is certainly not fine is that Isla was not a shy character; she was a self-loathing character.

I have read many books in which the main protagonist is constantly blaming herself for the simplest of things and often blows situations out of proportion. Isla and the Happily Ever After was a similar case to this, which left me in mourning for the perfectly balanced character dynamics that Stephanie Perkins had written in the first two books. It was truly unfortunate because, other than this, there were next to no aspects of this novel that I could fault. It was truly a masterpiece with a regrettably noticeable flaw.

Normally, one small flaw in any given novel would not be enough to affect the rating I choose to give to the book, however, due to the entire story being written in first person retrospective narrative stance, readers could not avoid attention being drawn to Isla's persistent self-pitying monologues. This was not a small flaw for me, and it took a series of debates with myself as to whether I should have let it slide and give this book a 5 star rating. In the end, I settled for 4.

Despite the admittedly irritating narration, Stephanie Perkins is able to paint a gorgeous picture for readers as she brings us back to Paris, reminding us just why we fell in love with Anna and the French Kiss. As always, Perkins delivers a romantic setting on astounding levels and whilst character interactions were still witty and adorable; reminiscent of her previous novels; they are lacking on Isla's side. Isla is somewhat of a nervous wreck throughout this novel, luckily enough, Josh's charming confidence and fleshed out back story were able to keep me flipping the pages. Even Isla's childhood friend Kurt became intriguing and a good source of drama during several scenes.

The dramatic elements were still present in this novel, Stephanie Perkins taking turning over a new leaf and introducing more parental drama was refreshing and well appreciated. This was a contrast to the other companion novels, creating a fairy tale romance with little tension and establishing the main conflict after both Isla and Josh had become committed to one another. It was this that opened up the door for an incredible amount of new possibilities for the story of which Stephanie Perkins makes use of quite well in her execution of writing this novel.

Fans of this series will find solace in the conclusion, however, as Stephanie Perkins ties everything together quite nicely. It is definitely worth reading Anna and Lola before attempting this novel. If you have picked up this novel and struggled to page through it, the first two books will motivate you to finish this one as well. I did have minor issues with this novel, but I was still very much in love with this book. Stephanie Perkins is an amazing author whose unique style of writing envelops her readers in a reality we all strive for. A reality that at times, seems just out of reach but is a tad sweet enough for us to persevere, aiming for it again and again.

Fantastic author, fantastic book. Definitely worth the read.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Noughts & Crosses Quartet by Malorie Blackman

"Was that all love did for you? Made you give up and give in? Left you open to pain and hurt?"

It was a bleak October and I had been in search of something that could satisfy my needs for a good, engaging book series. It was during that month that I found the Noughts & Crosses quartet lined up neatly on the shelves of my local library. Ah, to be young and in love. That was how I felt reading this series. Opening the front cover of the book revealed that I was the first to have borrowed the series, and I felt as though my reading experience was even more unique for it. I had been the first person to flip through these pages, and I had been the first person to be left hanging on each and every one of Malorie Blackman's words in those paperbacks.

The story line for these novels takes place over the course of 16-17 years. Readers are exposed to the reality of a young girl growing up and falling love along with all the harshness of the betrayals and pain that result from that love. The first book is not a light read, nor are any of the books in this series. As themes of racism and political corruption are introduced in Noughts & Crosses, you soon begin to realise that the dystopian setting in this novel is far darker than readers are led to believe. However, this book is not dark in the way of ghosts, demons or any other paranormal being. No, none of these books are fantasy by any means. This is real life. This is the world we live in. Malorie Blackman artfully explores the horrid truths of modern society and exposes them for what they are. Themes from this book can be seen in our everyday life, in the news and all over worldwide media. Noughts & Crosses emphasises what most people fail to see is wrong with society, and I commend Malorie Blackman for it. Even without the underlying morals, objectively, this is a fantastic first book in the series. The characters deal with their own personal struggles which is shown through the extensive use of dual and multiple point of views. I will forever remember the ending to this book, as it left me praying for the main characters, and hoping against hope that the next addition to the story would somehow resolve the end that left me hanging by a thread in Noughts & Crosses.

"When did we stop being people, being human?"

That's a good question. By the time readers reach the second book in this series, Knife Edge, they may be asking themselves this exact question. Whilst the first book sets up so many questions about modern society, this second addition to the series delves even further into the dark crevices of a corrupt way of thinking. Finally, we are able to get some further character development for Jude; Callum's older brother. Noughts & Crosses had written Jude as a malicious, selfish man who's clouded views of justice began affecting his judgement. Knife Edge proves every single one of these to be true of Jude, however, due to Malorie Blackman giving us an insight into Jude's mind and his way of thinking, we are also exposed to Jude's weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I was surprised as I was reading this book, half-tempted to call Jude a 'mama's boy'. The story hits us right where it hurts, once again proving Malorie Blackman's uncanny ability to take the aspects of human nature, and twist them in a way that can make us both love and hate a character at the same time. 

"You have the same smile, the same shaped eyes, the same way of tilting your head to listen, the same stubborn streak, the same common sense. Lots of things about you and him are the same."

So much has happened since the first book by this point. The family tree has changed noticeably, both deaths and births have occurred and here we are, left with the remains of two of possibly the most tragic and heartfelt novels I have ever read. At the beginning of Checkmate, Callie Rose is already 16 years old. Along with that 16 years of knowledge, Callie Rose is shown to have a long standing grudge against her mother, Sephy. I'll be honest. For a majority of this book, I could barely stand Callie Rose. This was, of course, because I had grown so attached to Sephy over the course of the first two books. Throughout the course of this novel, Malorie Blackman sprinkles bits and pieces of Callie Rose's life prior to the dramatic series of events that open Checkmate. This does give us a bit of background information in terms of Callie Rose's grudge against Sephy, however, it did not allow me to fully sympathise with Callie Rose as a character until the very end of the book. Sephy, however, is shown trying to piece her life back together and the development of her romantic relationships after Callum's death. Every time I read one of Sephy's point of view chapters I was left just as much of an emotional mess that Sephy was in this book.

"I hadn't realized until this moment how loneliness could eat away at you so much that it actually hurt."

The thrilling conclusion to the highly acclaimed Noughts & Crosses quartet. A thrilling conclusion filled with lies, deceit and all the tragic drama you've come to love from this series? Check, check and check. With Checkmate bringing all the big questions sparked in the first  two books to a close, I was pretty satisfied with this series being a trilogy. But then came the fourth book. Then came Double Cross. This novel was such a win for me. I could not have been happier to revisit characters such as Sephy and Jude in this epic conclusion to an epic tale. This time we are following Tobey; Callie Rose's adoring boyfriend; as he finds himself caught up in the dark and dangerous black market trade in an attempt to make enough money to buy his girlfriend a proper present. Tobey's development as a character can be seen so clearly throughout this book, him being a less prominent character in Checkmate, I was glad that we were finally able to see things from his point of view. 

The drama is present, the conflict is palpable and the fans of this series finally get their happy ending.

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars