Review of The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight

Imagine if you could see inside the minds of everyone around you – your best friend, your boyfriend, your enemies…? Imagine how valuable you'd be… Imagine how much danger you'd be in… Imagine being an Outlier.

Wylie hasn't heard from her best friend, Cassie, since their fight. That doesn't matter when she gets a text from her, asking for help. But as Cassie's messages become increasingly strange, Wylie has a growing sense that something is REALLY wrong. What isn't Cassie telling her? And could finding her be just the beginning?

-----------------------------------

I was absolutely convinced that by the mid way point of this book, I would have thrown it in a corner, never to be read again. The amount of infodumping we have to go through for 150 pages with the plot moving at a snail's pace inbetween, was enough to make me want to scream. However, we suddenly hit a turning point of this book which made it go from a infodumping, poorly written slog to a heart pounding sci-fi novel novel that constantly kept me guessing. And it all started with this line:

"Boom, boom, boom, goes my heart as I push my hand one last time, deep into the center of the car seat. And inside, I do not find the warm body of a baby. But i do not find a cold baby either. Inside, I find nothing at all."

I really enjoyed the depiction of mental health. I lost my mother when I was Wylie's age, the same as Wylie and I know that it completely shifts the world around you and makes you do some pretty crazy things. I went with holing myself up in my room for months, not washing and binge watching Buffy over and over and over. Wylie did pretty much the same, only with a drastic hair cut.

This story is a little... fantastical but I'm always willing to give fiction a little more leeway in favour of a good story, especially one like this that kept me guessing. I can't even make a single guess about what will happen in the future books but I can't wait to read them - this one ended on cliffhanger.

Review of Picnic At Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

It was a cloudless summer day in the year nineteen hundred.

Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After lunch, a group of three of the girls climbed into the blaze of the afternoon sun, pressing on through the scrub into the shadows of Hanging Rock. Further, higher, till at last they disappeared.

They never returned.

Picnic At Hanging Rock is a mystery classic, a surreal novel that takes place at a boarding school in Australia. When 4 people vanish, the town is ablaze with gossip about the fates of these three girls and their teacher. The book tells the stories of many of the people connected to the story and the aftermath of this devastating event.

The prose in this is quite lovely, it has a dreamlike quality that is perfect. However I did often get confused about whose viewpoint we'd just switched to and who was doing what, due to the book very rapidly switching people from paragraph to paragraph.

I loved the friendship between Albert and Mike. Polar opposites in that Mike is a wealthy toff and Albert grew up in an orphanage, his tattoos making him look 'rough', their two personalities compliment one another and I always felt at ease when in their presence.

I did find it strange that this entire story centers around a boarding school but after the girls and the teacher disappears, we hardly ever see the world from the girl's viewpoints, more often the teachers. It did make me realise that a book released last year, Wilder Girls, is shockingly similar to the point where I wonder if it was a retelling.

Review of The Wind In The Wall by Sally Gardner

'I have no idea how long I have been incarcerated in these ancient walls . . . Let me explain how I find myself in this predicament . . .'

Set in the hot houses of a stately home in eighteenth century England, a gardener falls from grace when the Duke sets him the impossible task of growing prize pineapples fit to show off in high society.The gardener's star falls further when he is replaced by Mr Amicus, a pineapple 'specialist', whom he believes to be a charlatan and a trickster - but nevertheless miraculously produces fruit to delight the Duke. 

Determined to uncover Mr Amicus's tricks, the gardener sneaks into the pineapple house to uncover the mysterious shrouded birdcage Mr Amicus carries with him. And what he finds changes his life for ever...

A cautionary tale with echoes of myth and fairy tale, this bewitching fable will make you careful what you wish for.

I found this one at the library and seeing how short it was, decided to plonk myself down on a bean bag and read the whole thing. Growing up on Grimm and Andersen, I'm a sucker for stories like these, the creepier and more melancholic the better. The Wind In The Wall has that old feel of those stories, while creating something entirely new.

The story lends itself to surrealism with it's slightly bizarre tale of pineapple growing, a mysterious birdcage and an unhappy marriage. What I did take from this story was that men are stupid, and should not be left to their own devices because they can and will do stupid things.

I did rate this down a little due to major unanswered questions about pineapples, something which has never happened to me before. When our gardener cannot produce decent pineapples, someone finds someone else that does it better and the gardener can't understand how. Sneaking into the... pineapple keeping place... he discovers a big secret that doesn't help us understand the pineapple dilemma at all.

Review of The Dark And Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Honestly, this book made slogging through the first two worth it. While Mary and Annah's twin sister Gabry spend most of their time whining and letting everyone else fix things for them, Annah seemed much more independent after being left in the Dark City by Elias three years ago. She's by far my favourite character of the three girls and really made the read worthwhile, particularly towards the final pages.

Elias and Gabry did not come across as well however. There was one particularly memorable scene where Annah asks Gabry how she's okay with Elias essentially handing over people to be tortured to death and she's like... Yeah but the dick is really good *shrug* Plus Elias decided that fucking off and leaving a teenage girl in a city with no law enforcement and a fuck ton of zombies was actually an okay idea.

We spend most of our time on an island of soldiers trying not to get raped, which was just lovely. It did give some good bonding moments between Gabry and Annah, and Catcher and Annah which I did really enjoy. The first and last parts of the book were quite fast paced and binge worthy, but the middle did slog.

Review of Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

After fourteen years of Day comes fourteen years of Night. Be sure not to get left in the dark.

On Marin's island, sunrise doesn't come every twenty-four hours - it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold. The shadows are growing long. The dark is rising. And soon it will be Night.

The eerie Evening sunset is causing the tide to begin its slow roll out hundreds of miles, and so Marin, along with her twin brother Kana and the rest of the islanders, must frantically begin preparations to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night. But first the house must be made ready for their departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged just so. Tables must be set as if for dinner. The rituals are bizzare - unnerving, even - but none of the adults will discuss why things must be this way. And then just as the ships are about to sail, the twins' friend Line goes missing. Marin and Kana know where he has gone, and that the only way to rescue him is to do it themselves. And surely the ships will wait?

Because Night is falling. Their island is changing. And something is stirring in the dark.

This Halloween I'm all about Creepy Books About Trees, so after Beware The Wild didn't quite creep me out enough, I thought this mysterious island would do it. Every 14 years, the entire entire packs up their belongings, cleans every house and leaves no trace of their existence. Nothing is discussed as to why everything has to be so exact, leaving the younger residents with a lot of questions that the adults refuse to answer.

"THE HOUSES MUST BE WITHOUT STAIN"

This has some good world building, even outside of the island itself is well described to Marin and the reader. Once the action starts and Marin, Line and Kana start piecing clues together as to why the islanders leave every 14 years, it just gets scarier. The story is kept fairly simple but what is going on is (kinda roughly) explained, which I appreciated.

“Night has fallen. And it will last for a very long time.”

The only thing that prevented me from rating this a full five stars was that it felt a little unfinished. There was a lot of unanswered questions about Marin, Line and Kana's life that warranted a sequel, likely set in 13/14 years from the point of view of their own children. I have no idea if this will ever be made.

Edit: The sequel is called Edgeland! It's not attached to this book so we can presume it's one of those "set in the same world but we don't call it a sequel" things.

Review of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Series: Harry Potter #3
Genres: Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 462
Publisher:Bloomsbury
Release Date: 08/06/1999
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When the Knight Bus crashes through the darkness and screeches to a halt in front of him, it's the start of another far from ordinary year at Hogwarts for Harry Potter. Sirius Black, escaped mass-murderer and follower of Lord Voldemort, is on the run - and they say he is coming after Harry. In his first ever Divination class, Professor Trelawney sees an omen of death in Harry's tea leaves... But perhaps most terrifying of all are the Dementors patrolling the school grounds, with their soul-sucking kiss... 

 

I chose to rate this one lower because to be honest it was a bit of a mess and then the ending was basically "now this person has arrived!". The time-turner was genius but made me realise just how much Hermione was basically written as "likes studying" and little else. She needs some serious character development.

I can't write a 'proper' review of Harry Potter. I'm 26, so when Harry Potter was released I was right at the age it was marketed towards. I remember starting to notice the hype around Harry Potter when the third book was released (I was 8) and I bought all three books for my holiday. I didn't have a great childhood to be honest and these books were very much my escape. I would beg and beg to get a copy on the release date and my Gran would literally have to fight crowds to get them, I've never seen so much hype around any other book since. So basically, I can't review something that was my entire childhood - here's everything I loved during this re-read (the rating for this one is lower, explained above) instead (also I'm presuming that you've read the book, so potential spoilers) 

• Just how jealous I am that Harry got an essay titled "Witch-Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless - discuss." because I already have an ENTIRE PAGE I could write about that.
• "Wendelin the Weird enjoyed burning so much that she allowed herself to be caught no fewer than forty-seven times in various disguises."
• Harry picking the lock to his cupboard which must have meant that Fred and George taught him, a scene I desperately need to read.
• The Weasleys going on holiday was just adorable.
• The pocket sneakoscope lighting up and me screeching "IT'S THE GODDAMN RAT" only every single time
• "Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase..." I've literally never seen a staircase described as handsome before but I feel like if Gaston was turned into the Beast's furniture this would be him right?
• P.S. After reading Harry's future thoughts about Tom and his handsomeness I can only conclude that the wooden staircase was some sort of euphemism...
• P.P.S. I'm making a dick joke 
• Harry's mirror throwing shade at his general appearance
• The Monster Book Of Monsters in the cage basically recreating Robot Wars in paper
• Just Crookshanks in general 
• "Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, 'Harry. How nice to see you.' 'Hello, Percy,' said Harry, trying not to laugh. 'I hope you're well?' said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor. 'Very well, thanks -' 'Harry!' said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. 'Simply spendid to see you old boy -' 'Marvellous,' said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. 'Absolutely spiffing.' Percy scowled. 'Mum!' said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her, and seized her hand, too. 'How really corking to see you-' 'I said, that's enough,' said Mrs Weasley."
• The use of said is way overdone in these books but I can forgive.
• 'Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs.'
• "He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals)" Harry how the fuck do you catch a snitch you can't see what's right in front of your stupid face most days
• Professor McGonagall getting miffed because no-one applauded when she turned into a cat
• Snape getting the entire class to learn about werewolves because he's a shady bitch

• Diggory wanting a rematch after he realised that Harry fell because he's a precious bean and deserves many blankets
• Dumbledore wearing a large pointed witches hat topped with a stuffed vulture because he just bloody loves hats
• 'Professor Severus Snape, master of this school' Snape hun you're getting ahead of yourself a little bit
• Hermione straight up smacking Draco in the face
• Hermione saying everything shrilly
• 'YOU CHEATING SCUM!' Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. 'YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B-' Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off."  wow strongest word in Potter yet
• Professor McGonagall sobbing over a Quidditch match win and wiping her eyes on an enormous Griffindor flag
• the giant squid in general
• Dumbledore on Trelawney 'That brings her total number of predictions up to two.' and Harry NEVER BOTHERING TO ASK WHAT THE FIRST ONE WAS

 

Review of The Company Of Eight by Harriet Whitehorn

Genres: Childrens, Adventure
Pages: 208
Publisher: Stripes Publishing
Release Date: 03/05/2018
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(Received free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

When Ravellous's Circus Ship comes to Minaris, Cass is determined to audition despite her guardian Mrs Potts's disapproval. But when her chance is snatched away from her, Cass refuses to give up. She sets out to follow the Circus Ship and the journey leads her into dangers that challenge even her adventurous spirit. Will she succeed in following her dream, or is her destiny something altogether different?

A beautifully written adventure story for fans of The Girl of Ink and Stars from Harriet Whitehorn, award-winning author of the Violet series.

If I could go back in time and recommend books to myself as a child, this would be near the top of my list. The Company Of Eight is a pretty fantastic fantasy adventure story with old-London themes, pirates and mysterious spies. Cass is a girl trapped in a world of tight dresses and afternoon teas when she decides to run away to become an acrobat - a journey that will take her across many countries, many ships and right into danger.

The world building here wasn't too bad, I got a solid picture of what the world was like and the different countries. However I wished we had the time to stop and really discover the places we landed in, as it seemed like we were there at the start of the chapter and gone by the end. The Island Of Women was my favourite, I would have chosen to live there.

There's a few interesting themes from our own history that are recognisable - I got the vibe of old Dickens London at the start, when Cass's guardian was trying to pressure her into becoming an older lady's companion. I didn't quite understand why she skated so many places, so I went with guessing that it might be similar to the London Winter Fayres, when the Thames was frozen over. There's a fantastic episode of Doctor Who that covers this.

 There's magic here too, something that I'm hoping is explored better in potetial future books. Cass's friend Lin seems to go into trances a lot and reads people's fortunes, I think, while it's said that magic does not affect Cass at all, something that is almost magical itself. This wasn't fully covered, so that's why I'm hoping it comes up later. It's a really fun story of pirates and thieves, acrobats, spies and magic. Harriet created a world which I really loved and I really want to go back there.

Review of Lifeblood by Gena Showalter

Series: Everlife #2
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 443
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 28/02/2017
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My Firstlife is over, but my Everlife is only now beginning. 

With her last living breath, Tenley "Ten" Lockwood made her choice and picked her realm in the Everlife. Now, as the war between Troika and Myriad rages, she must face the consequences. 

Because Ten possesses a rare supernatural ability to absorb and share light, the Powers That Be have the highest expectations for her future—and the enemy wants her neutralized. Fighting to save her Secondlife, she must learn about her realm from the ground up while launching her first mission: convincing a select group of humans to join her side before they die. No pressure, right? 

But Ten's competition is Killian, the boy she can't forget—the one who gave up everything for her happiness. He has only one shot at redemption: beating Ten at a game she's never even played. As their throw-downs heat up, so do their undeniable feelings, and soon, Ten will have to make another choice. Love…or victory.

I read this one so fast I'm not even sure what happened but it was a GOOD read. 2018 so far has been the year of sequel let downs to the point where I'm almost considering just ditching series books altogether. Thankfully this sequel really upped it's game and managed to be a lot less trope-y than the first book. It was still just as unique and introduced new characters at just the right moments, keeping the pace up.

While the last one was dedicated to Tenley travelling from place to place, this one is dedicated to her learning to battle in Troika. Again I know that this series isn't going to win a Man Booker prize but quite frankly I will appreciate the heck out of any writer who can write a second book without it feeling like filler. Even if the Irish guy is speaking with a Scottish accent.

Tenley is seperated from Killian and Archer for the majority of the book - Archer more so because he's you know... dead. It really gave Tenley room to actually become a person rather than a muscle bro's side ho and I did really enjoy following her on her journey, learning how to fight and watching her baby brother growing up. While I was originally hoping to explore Many Ends further, I do think that this was a much better way of continuing the story.

Ten's still number counting of course, consistently. Almost too consistently because I found myself skimming the random number facts (maybe that's why I finished so fast!) - however I did come to a jarring stop when Tenley started talking about holes. And I mean birth and toilet related holes, which Tenley thinks there's two of. No-one tell her where you pee out of ok.

Review of Firstlife by Gena Showalter

Series: Everlife #1
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 467
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 23/02/2016
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ONE CHOICE. TWO REALMS. NO SECOND CHANCE. 

Tenley "Ten" Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live — after she dies. There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death. 

 In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, long-time enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms that will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she's drawn to isn't where the boy she's falling for lives? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision…

I blitzed through this one way, way quicker than I was expecting and I was surprised that I really enjoyed it. It's complete trash in the nicest way, one of those guilty pleasure books that brought me right back to the days of Twilight and Fallen. There are so many bad tropes but I couldn't help but completely love this strange little book. I'm unsure if it's a fantasy, high fantasy, dystopia or something else entirely though. It's worth noting that I too, am complete trash for books that are so bad they're good. I've previously loved books with a cliched zombie romance, vampires having armpit sex and a girl falling in love with an angel. I'm really weird like that.

I was a bit confused as to the details of the world at first, I was convinced that the story they were told - that you pick Myriad or Troika or you go to the Many Ends, a world where birds will peck you to death repeatedly - was actually just a dystopian version of Christianity and both realms and Many Ends would be revealed to be utter lies. Uh, I was really wrong. This is somewhere between fantasy and dystopia but I'm just not sure which.

“Hate is like drinking a vial of poison and expecting it to harm the other person, You’re not hurting the guy, only yourself.”

When we first meet Tenley she's in an asylum, tortured daily because her parents want her to choose Myriad and she isn't ready to pick. Lovely people. Then Bow and Killian arrives and she finds out she's super special as usual. This isn't a spoiler because if you didn't see this coming you clearly have never read a book before. Killian the Irishman was completely baffling because he spent his whole time speaking with a Scottish accent. I have no idea how the editor didn't pick up on this mistake.

 I liked the whole darkness versus light, super brutal battle thing. This book really doesn't care if you're squeamish. The head is coming off. Actually a lot of heads. The concept is actually truly unique, even if it was bogged down a bit by the tropes and I understood what was going on completely by the end of the book.

Review of When The Mountains Roared by Jess Butterworth

Genres: Childrens, Mystery

Pages: 282

Publisher: Orion

Release Date: 05/04/2018

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(Received free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

I thought we'd live here forever. But then I thought Mum would be here forever too. 

When Ruby's dad uproots her from Australia to set up a hotel in the mountains of India, Ruby is devastated. Not only are they living in a run-down building in the middle of the wilderness surrounded by scorpions, bears and leopards, but Ruby is sure that India will never truly feel like home - not without her mum there.

Ever since her mum died, Ruby has been afraid. Of cars. Of the dark. Of going to sleep and never waking up. But then the last remaining leopards of the mountain are threatened and everything changes. Ruby vows to do all she can to protect them - if she can only overcome her fears... 

I'm trying to read books with different cultures this year, because I'm tired of being an English-person stuck in America where all the main characters are white and middle class. This one is a children's book set in India and is a fantastic introduction to Indian culture for anyone wanting to learn more about it. The author has used her own experiences in life and written them into Ruby's story, creating vivid characters and a great mystery.

There's some great themes here - a love of animals, poaching, respect of other cultures and loss of a parent. Ruby travels with her Dad to live in the Indian mountains, running a direlict hotel that the locals shy away from. Greiving the death of her mother and a move to another country would take it's toll on anyone and we see glimpses of that from flashbacks that Ruby has.

Poaching is the main theme and it's devastating effects on the environment. When Ruby discovers that the owners of the hotel are up to something, she enlists her new friend Paveen and her Grandmother to help her investigate, discovering more about her new home of India along the way. I do wish that we had learnt more about Ruby's home of Australia, as it wasn't mentioned that much.

Review of Stranger by Keren David

Genres: Historical, Mystery

Pages: 368

Publisher: Atom

Release Date: 05/04/2018

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(Received free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Astor, Ontario. 1904. 

A boy staggers out of the forest covered in blood and collapses at the feet of 16-year-old Emmy. While others are suspicious and afraid, Emmy is drawn to him. Is he really the monster the townsfolk say he is? 

Astor, Ontario. 1994. 

Megan arrives from London for her great grandmother Emmy’s 105th birthday. It should be a happy family occasion, but Megan is nursing a broken heart and carrying a secret she fears might consume her. 

When I started this book I realised that one of my favourite tropes is a dual point of view across history. In this book we meet Emmy in 1904, when a strange boy covered in filth runs out of the woods holding a gun. Switching to Emmy's descendent Megan in 1994 we start to solve the mystery of who this boy is and what happened to his family.

 I felt that 1904 was better written than 1994, in the sense that I could feel that it was 1904. I had to keep reminding myself that it was supposed to be 1994 as I really wasn't getting any strong 90s vibes, which was a shame. I did enjoy seeing how the town changed over time though. The story is set in Canada, a place I don't get to read about often, so that was a nice change for me.

The book is absolutely about women, the relationships between relatives and loss. Megan doesn't connect well with her mother, they seem like different people whereas Emmy's mother is a practical, intelligent doctor and they seem to have a close relationship. When we meet Megan she's just left her life in London after choosing to have an abortion and is dealing with the sense of loss from that.

The book is kind of a mystery story but doesn't have the feel of one, there's no twists and turns that I can think of, no surprising moments. We just slowly learn what happened through the use of the dual POV but it was a great story all the same. The choices Emmy made for her life at the end of the story I completely understood and it was exactly what a girl would have done at that time.

Review of The Astonishing Colour Of After by Emily X. R. Pan

Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy

Pages: 480

Publisher: Orion Children's Books

Release Date: 22/03/2018

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(Received free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Leigh Chen Sanders is sixteen when her mother dies by suicide, leaving only a scribbled note: 'I want you to remember'. Leigh doesn't know what it means, but when a red bird appears with a message, she finds herself travelling to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. 

Leigh is far away from home and far away from Axel, her best friend, who she stupidly kissed on the night her mother died - leaving her with a swell of guilt that she wasn't home, and a heavy heart, thinking she may have destroyed the one good thing left in her life. 

Overwhelmed by grief and the burden of fulfilling her mother's last wish, Leigh retreats into her art and into her memories, where colours collide and the rules of reality are broken. The only thing Leigh is certain about is that she must find out the truth. She must remember.

This is a pretty amazing book that deals with mental illness and loss. It's also a story of navigating your way around a culture that isn't your own and handles that so spectactularly that even though I'm not familiar with Taiwan as an English reader, I could picture it all perfectly and learnt about life there without feeling like I was being beaten with a history book. It's a pretty incredible debut novel.

After Leigh's mother commits suicide, Leigh finds it impossible to connect with her father and make him understand that her mother isn't gone - she's a bird, and wants Leigh to go to her home country and remember. Remember what, Leigh doesn't know but she heads there anyway, leaving behind her friend Axel and the confusing feelings she was developing for him.

“Here is my mother, with wings instead of hands, and feathers instead of hair. Here is my mother, the reddest of brilliant reds, the color of my love and my fear, all of my fiercest feelings trailing after her in the sky like the tail of a comet.” 

 I didn't want to but I did relate to Leigh's mother. I suffer from severe depression myself and this book convinced me to start talking about it more (I'm on Twitter if you want to stop by, @vee_ramage). The author clearly understood suicide and depression and I really thank her for it. This shows you that depression isn't always a constant dark fog, you can have great days and you can have days where you can't even get out of bed on a morning.

This is somewhere between a contemporary novel and a fantasy but definitely feels like a contemporary. Following what she believes her mother's wishes are, Leigh travels to Taiwan and is shown old memories, via the incense she finds in her room. Flashbacks are used often and very well here, we see old memories from various characters that even Leigh has not seen.

“Once upon a time we were the standard colors of a rainbow, cheery and certain of ourselves. At some point, we all began to stumble into the in-betweens, the murky colors made dark and complicated by resentment and quiet anger. At some point, my mother slid so off track she sank into hues of gray, a world drawn only in shadows.” 

 The romance side of it is all told in flashbacks, as the present day Leigh is in Taiwan. It's actually weird to remember that the majority of what we know of Axel was all present memories, as he was such a dominant character. He's artistic, creative and the perfect counterpart for Leigh. I loved following them growing up and realising that their friendship was something more.

 Overall I think this book is truly something special and the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was simply that at nearly 500 pages, it did feel a little too long. The middle dragged but it picked itself back up again and the ending was just perfect, making me want to stay just a little longer.

Review of The Selection by Keira Cass

Series: The Selection #1

Genres: Dystopia, Romance

Pages: 336

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: 24/04/2012

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For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. 

 But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. 

 Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I think I'm onto my second re-read of this book, simply because I can't resist going back to the glittering world of ball gowns, royalty and food so good, you might just cry. This book is cheesy, the world building is shaky at best and there's a goddamn love triangle but I just really really love it. Sometimes you just need a book that isn't perfect.

The story is literally Dystopian Bachelor and at the end you might get a Prince so that's pretty cool. The world has a caste system, a One being Royalty and an Eight being slum-worthy, essentially. America is a Five, which I think is the artistic types. Music, singing, that sort of thing. I know that Six are essentially cleaners but past that it escapes me.

“I’ve met nearly every woman in this room, and I can’t think of one who would make a better friend. I’d be glad to have you stay." My relief was inexpressible. "Do you think," Maxon asked, "That I could still call you ‘my dear’?" "Not a chance." I whispered.”

The love triangle admittedly, does make sense here. America fell in love with a boy from her home town who was a lower caste than she was (her parents expect her to marry up, not down). Due to a multitude of reasons including a chance of real money for her family, she signs up for The Selection, not expecting to be picked out of hundreds of girls. Of course, she is.

Aspen is the boy from her home town and at first I totally got their relationship, she'd sneak out at night and bring food and they'd sit and talk, it was pretty sweet. However, Aspen has qualities that I really hate in a guy. Acting nice and sweet one minute then blowing up at her because he has to be the "provider" apparently. It borders on gaslighting and it's just not cute.

“I love you, America Singer. As long as I live, I'll love you." There was some deep emotion in his voice, and it caught me off guard. "I love you, Aspen. You'll always be my prince.”

Meanwhile, Maxon is sweet, funny, drop dead gorgeous and completely in love with America. I found myself wishing throughout most of the book that America would just drop Aspen already and move on but I can see why that wouldn't be easy, moving on from your first love that easily. Especially in Bachelor-like circumstances.

I think what really attracts me to the story above all is Maxon and America's relationship. I completely got why they clicked so quickly, I laughed when they did and my heart broke when they argued. I loved how he became a better person when he was with America, less the Prince that has to somehow run an entire country. They're one of my favourite book couples and always will be.

Review of The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Series: The Hazel Wood #1

Genres: Fairytales, Mystery
Pages: 368
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: 30/01/2018
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Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic 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 Hinterland, 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.” 

 Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

This is a story of fairy tales but not your perfect Disney prince and princesses. This is a much darker tale, drawing inspiration from the original Grimm stories while creating completely new tales that are utterly brilliant and completely terrifying. I actually had nightmares so bad after reading this book that they woke me up in the middle of the night, and I had to keep reminding myself that in was in my own bed, in England, and I really needed to get my shit together.

Alice and her mother Ella have travelled for as long as Alice can remember. Every time they start settling in a new place, something bad happens and they pack up and leave for a new place every day. Finally her mother marries rich and Alice starts settling in a new place - but not for long. Suddenly, her mother in kidnapped and the only person that can help her is a rich boy from her school, Finch.

"The story opened on a young bride travelling a long way to her new husband's house, and arriving to find it all lit up, but empty. I'd read a few paragraphs - the bride, the journey, the opulent, lonely house - when the light of my laptop cam switched on. I'd stared at its apple-green eye for two hot beats, then slammed the laptop shut."

Finch knows Alice's history well, because he read the stories that Alice's grandmother created. Alice has never met her Grandmother and has never learnt why, all she has is an article from Vanity Fair. She's searched for the stories her whole life but has never been able to read them, as the books are slowly vanishing from the world. They band together in search of The Hinterland and with not a whole lot to go on, set out on a road trip to find Ella.

Alice is insufferable for the majority of the time so you have to just kinda go with it and try to not want to strangle her every time she moans about Finch being rich, as if that somehow makes him different from her and beneath her notice. Presuming we're diving back into that world for the second book, I really, really, need a POV switch to Finch or literally any other character, my second choice would easily be Twice-Killed Katherine.

"Look until the leaves turn red, sew the worlds up with thread. If your journey's left undone, fear the rising of the sun."

After setting up such an amazing concept for the story, when we finally got to the part we were all waiting for, it was as if time sped up. The whole second half of the story felt so rushed, cramming in every detail in order to finish as soon as possible. The ideas for the second half were so rich and literally everything I could want in a book, I felt like the book was literally dragging me by the arm when I wanted to stay. It's not a long book by far and I don't know why we couldn't have kept the perfect pacing of the first half by simply adding 100 pages.

It was a pretty disappointing ending to be honest, especially as this is listed as part of a series. If anything this felt like two books crammed into one and the second half could have been a book all by itself. The fairytale ideas that Melissa has could rival Holly Black, they're just so, so good. I devoured every tale of Alice-Three-Times, Twice-Killed Katherine and That-One-With-The-Door-Whose-Title-Escapes-Me. Those stories could be a whole book of their own and actually, that's not a bad idea. I hope Melissa does publish a whole standalone book of those because they're perfect for fans of Grimm.

Review of Lady Mary by Lucy Worsley

Genres: Historical

Pages: 384

Publisher: Bloomsbury 

Release Date: 05/04/2018

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(Received from NetGalley for review)

By turns thrilling, dramatic and touching, this is the story of Henry the Eighth and Catherine of

Aragon's divorce as you've never heard it before - from the eyes of their daughter, Princess Mary. 

More than anything Mary just wants her family to stay together; for her mother and her father - and for her - to all be in the same place at once. But when her father announces that his marriage to her mother was void and by turns that Mary doesn't really count as his child, she realises things will never be as she hoped. 

 Things only get worse when her father marries again. Separated from her mother and forced to work as a servant for her new sister, Mary must dig deep to find the strength to stand up against those who wish to bring her down. Despite what anyone says, she will always be a princess. She has the blood of a princess and she is ready to fight for what is rightfully hers. 

 The Tudor "thing" in portraits was to hide subtle messages and clues for the viewer, in fact Elizabeth The First often hid a pelican in her portraits, which was a sign of motherly love for all her subjects. This idea is cleverly continued in the cover of Lady Mary, where you can see knives, birds, coins and poison amongst the leafy background, all things that give subtle clues as to what you will be reading in the book.

The writing in this book kept well to the period, sometimes too well. I was trying to read this from a children's perspective as it's stated that this is what it's marketed towards and I had to look up a few words - forswear for one and obsequious, which apparently means "obedient or attentive to an excessive degree".

"She knew that her mother would insist that she should detest this baby girl. And yet how could she hate something so weak and powerless. How could God really want her to do that?"

The Mary we know as Bloody is a vicious, violent woman, obsessive in her Christian beliefs and she took the throne by force in 1553. She was known for her hatred of Protestants and history paints her as a truly evil Queen. The Mary we meet here however, is a teenager, watching her parents marriage fall apart before almost becoming a servant under Anne Boleyn, a woman who is shown to have a truly cruel side in this book, that I've never seen before.

I love books that takes people from history that have become characters, or caricatures in Thomas Cromwell's case, and shows us a different side to the one we know. We know that Mary takes the throne eventually, but watching her suffer as she slowly starves to the brink of death after refusing to sign away her rights to the throne is gut wrenching. She ends up completely alone, in a house she does not know, with servants she does not know.

"'They should not use you this way in their quarrels. You are a girl. They must let you be a girl!' 'But,' Mary whispered, 'I'm not just a girl. I'm a princess.'"

We visit Mary at key points in her life from a young age up to young adulthood, showing us her relationships with her mother, her father and her servants. She comes across as a kind girl, while refusing to act below her station she treats everyone with equal respect and sees no problem with sitting down for dinner with her trusted servants. We also see her relationship with her father, from when she saw him as truly perfect until she started to see him as he truly was.

What really shines though, is her strength. She decides she would rather starve than compromise her faith and she knows how much it will disappoint her mother. After being shipped from house to house and losing everyone she loves she comes away with a steely determination that has to be admired. As Lucy points out at the end of the story, Mary's actions against Protestants weren't any different to what Kings before her had done, she was mostly a victim of Catholic propaganda.