The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Mara Dyer #2
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: Borrowed
Rating: All Time Favourite

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next? - Goodreads

If you've been following me for a while then you'll know that I am basically in love with the first book in this series, which I read back in February of this year. If you haven't, then you know now.

I was a bit nervous going into this because, while I was REALLY EXCITED, a lot of YA series have that second book syndrome. This syndrome basically means that the second book in the series or trilogy is a filler book, and only there to bridge the gap between books one and three. However, Evolution was not like that in the slightest!

I loved this one just as much as I loved the first book, and that's a whole freakin' lot. Mara and Noah were back as their awesome selves, there was creepiness, there were cute scenes and mysteries and it was all fabulous.

The main source of the creepiness in Evolution was the whole home invasion thing. Mara discovers that things are either going missing or appearing or changing around the house, and it's BLOODY SPINE-TINGLING. I don't know about you, but home invasion is one of the scariest things to me. The thought of someone entering your house - and your bedroom! - while you're sleeping just makes me want to cry. There were also parts where Mara didn't realise what she was doing, where she was sleepwalking, and the whole thing was just a whole bunch of creepy. AND I LOVED IT.

Mara was a BAMF in this book. She went through so much and still managed to hold herself together and not be driven totally insane. If I was in her position, I'd be checking myself into a hospital, not figuring out ways to get out.

Noah made me cry with his dedication to Mara. He was the only person who believed she wasn't losing her mind. Flawless love interest is flawless.

There were some flashbacks to... I'm not going to tell you when or where, you're going to have to see for yourself, but there were flashbacks that gave us the tiniest insight into what Mara's power could possibly be and why she might have it before pulling the curtain back over our eyes again.

This book was full of twists and turns and awesome moments. Jamie is back in it, and he is perfect. I'm actually REALLY interested in leaning more about him because of something that happened towards the end of the book.

Are we ever going to meet Noah's dad? I have a feeling he's behind something. I'm not sure what, but I'm suspicious of Mr Shaw. I've got my eye on him... well, I would have if he ever made an appearance.

I loved the glimpse we got of Mara's power, but I NEED to know more! Michelle Hodkin did a wonderful job of hinting at things and just giving us the tiniest look at what she can do before the end of the book.

I don't know what else to say because I don't want to give anything away in case I ruin anything for you. But really, this book was the best and I adored it. I'm so glad that Michelle Hodkin planned everything so well, because you can tell she had things planned from book one. *happy tears*

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
Unwind #2
Release Date: September 27, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books 
Source: Publisher
Rating: All Time Favourite

Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa — and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp — people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simultaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.

Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.

Rife with action and suspense, this riveting companion to the perennially popular Unwind challenges assumptions about where life begins and ends—and what it means to live. - Goodreads

How do I even begin to review such an amazing book?

As well as Risa, Connor and Lev, there are some new characters that are introduced. There are new antagonists, as well as some old ones. Starkey is one of the new antagonists, and he is the absolute worst. I don't think I've ever hated (or loved to hate) a character as much as him. He is pure evil and he makes me so angry.

There was only one character in this book that I neither liked or loved to hate and that was Cam. I think he'll probably be in the third book, so I am kind of looking forward to what trouble he can cause for Roberta, and he was all right, but I didn't feel connected to him. I often wanted to punch him because he was a spoilt brat. I guess that's not totally his fault, though.

The ending is AMAZING. There was so much action and I was holding my breath. It was like an episode of Spartacus which, by the way, usually give me panic attacks. It was told from several points of view, and that meant that we got to see it from many different angles. It was honestly the most brilliant ending.

I'm so sad because my favourite new character didn't make it. I won't mention this character at all because I don't want to spoil anyone. Just know that someone dies and it made me cry because this someone was flawless.

How on earth is the third book going to bring everything together? I have no doubt that Neal Shusterman will pull it off flawlessly, but I just don't know how. Can I have the next book NOW, please?

Has anyone else read this? I NEEEEEED to find someone to talk about it with, so if you have then leave a comment. This is set to become one of my all time favourite trilogies!

The Unwind trilogy: 

1. Unwind

1.5 UnStrung

2. UnWholly

3. UnSouled

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Unwind #1
Release Date: June 2, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books
Source: Bought
Rating: All Time Favourite

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them.

Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.

In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive. - Goodreads

I. Adore. This. Book.

Things I Loved:

- The characters. Each of the main characters is flawlessly (expect to see the word 'flawless' used several times in this review) developed and thought out. Connor, Risa and Lev are all characters I fell in love with, and I love that we got to spend lots of time with each of them.

- The writing style. Honestly, Neal Shusterman's writing is unlike any I've ever read. He's definitely one of the best, and after reading this book I'm definitely compelled to read everything else he's ever written or will ever write. The man is supremely gifted, pure and simple.

- The action. This book was INSANE. There was so much going on, and there isn't any point in which you could put the book down to take a break. Whenever it seems like there isn't going to be anything happening, something explodes.

- The way Shusterman connected everything at the end. It's not often that I read a book in which there are clues and references thrown around form the very beginning. At least, not unless it's in a totally obvious way which doesn't leave me surprised at all. In Unwind, the author puts things in and you don't even realise they are important until later on in the book.

- The dystopian society. Guys. GUYS. This could totally happen in real life if we had the resources to do it! It was creepily realistic in some ways, and like I said I could totally see the government banning abortion. I don't see them allowing kids to be unwound (i.e. pulled apart and donated to needy people), but who knows what people could be pushed into doing?

Things I Hated:

- NOTHING AT ALL BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS FLAWLESS.

What You Should Do:

- BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW. FLAWLESS.

The Unwind trilogy: 

1. Unwind

1.5 UnStrung

2. UnWholly

3. UnSouled

*Note: They've changed the covers because they enjoy causing me pain. I've chosen to feature the old cover because that's what copy I own, but the new ones are awesome and you can see the new cover for Unwind in the Amazon link above!

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent
Soul Screamers #6
Release Date: July 6, 2012 (UK)
Publisher: Mira ink
Rating: All Time Favourite

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.
The good news? He didn’t get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much
harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent
“recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life…. - Goodreads

If you've been reading my posts and tweets for a while, you're probably aware by now that this is one of my favourite series of all time. That hasn't changed in the year between releases, and I am so happy about that. Before I Wake was just as amazing as its predecessor, which I think was the best book in the series to date.

I'm going to keep this review short(ish) and sweet, because I tend to repeat myself in my reviews for this series and I don't need to keep doing that.

Firstly, OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. I did NOT expect any of this awesome stuff to happen, and I didn't expect Rachel Vincent to bring me to tears in yet another book. I don't know why I wasn't expecting these things, because after reading all of Rachel's releases to date, I should really have learnt by now.

Kaylee is just as amazing as always. *cheers* She struggles to come to terms with her afterlife, and this takes up a good portion of the book. It made me feel so sad for her, but I also admired her because she kept getting back up when she was knocked down. Of course, her family and friends and her boyfriend helped, but it was mostly down to Kaylee and her badassery.

What else? Oh yes, KAYLEE AND TOD!!! <333 Love them. They have so many great scenes in Before I Wake, and I'm not tired of these two at all. Sometimes I find when characters get together in the middle of a series they are put through trials that are meant to break them up again and I get bored with all the backwards and forwards. However, KAYLEE AND TOD <333333

And finally, I am DYING to read the next book. I know, I say this in every review, but I really am. I don't think I can wait another year. Has anyone invented time travel yet? *sobs*

So. There's my gushy, rather embarrassing 'review' on the sixth Soul Screamers book. I can't believe there's only one left. Someone hand me a tissue.

Soul Screamers series:

1. My Soul to Take

2. My Soul to Save

3. My Soul to Keep

4. My Soul to Steal

5. If I Die

6. Before I Wake

7. With All My Soul (2013)

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Release Date: June 7, 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK
Rating: All Time Favourite

Taylor's family might not be the closest-knit – everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled – but for the most part, they get along fine. Then they get news that changes everything: Her father has pancreatic cancer, and it's stage four – meaning that there is basically nothing to be done. Her parents decide that the family will spend his last months together at their old summerhouse in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her former summer best friend is suddenly around, as is her first boyfriend. . . and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses, the Edwards become more of a family, and closer than they've ever been before. But all of them very aware that they're battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance – with family, with friends, and with love. - Goodreads

This is going to be a difficult review to write, and I honestly don't think I can put my feelings across very well when it comes to Second Chance Summer. I loved it so much, and it really touched my heart. I'll try not to get all sappy, because that would just be uncomfortable for you to read!

Firstly, this is a perfect summer read. It's set in Pennsylvania, and while I don't know much about it, it would seem that it has wonderful weather, mountains, scenery and lakes! Morgan Matson does an excellent job of describing the setting, and I felt like I was there on the dock with Taylor and her family.

Taylor was an amazing main character, and I don't often say this about female protagonists, as they often get on my nerves. Her personality shined through the pages, and it was a wonderful personality at that. She wasn't one of those FMCs that whinged and whined. She dealt with everything that was thrown at her, and I have so much respect for her for doing so.

Her relationship with Henry was perfect. I don't know what else to say about it. Their scenes were flawless. Henry was wonderful, and everything that I love in a MMC and love interest.

So, onto the tougher stuff. Taylor's dad has pancreatic cancer, and it's untreatable. He's been given just a few months to live. I was a bit hesitant about requesting and reading this book, because my Nanny died of cancer and it is a subject that almost always affects me when I read about it, or experience it through movies or TV. That said, Morgan Matson dealt with it brilliantly. I couldn't have asked for more.

I sobbed throughout the last forty or so pages. My heart broke for Taylor and her family, and I'm tearing up* a bit just thinking of it now. Not many books have this effect on me, but this one seemed to evoke such feelings in me... I can't explain it.

Obviously, the whole theme of this book is second chances, and I loved the way that this tied in with absolutely everything. Friendships, relationships, life, time with family and everything else and more.

Morgan Matson is such a gifted writer. I now know why everyone guses about Amy & Roger, because her writing style is brilliant, and the way she creates and tells a story is just... She is someone that I now greatly look up to, and someone who, as a novice writer, I would aspire to be like.

I'm not sure if this is a book that I would read again and again, but it's definitely one that I would recommend to every single one of you.

*Tearing up 'a bit' is one hell of an understatement. I just full on burst into tears.

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman
The Klaatu Diskos #1
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Rating: All Time Favourite

The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished - only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing - one right on top of the roof - hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he's launched on a time-twisting journey
- from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker's actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever. - Goodreads

I can't believe The Obsidian Blade is rated under 4 stars on Goodreads! It's one of the best books I've read so far this year. I absolutely adored this book!

The Obsidian Blade has such a complicated and well thought out plot, it kept me hooked from the very beginning because I need to know more about what was happening. I was drawn in from the very beginning, when Tucker's father disappears for the first time. After that, I couldn't put the book down.

The world building was my favourite part of The Obsidian Blade. It was complicated and so well written that it's probably one of my favourite science fiction worlds! The whole thing about the diskos was fantastic, the history behind it and the different rules were things that I loved reading about.

There were so many plot twists thrown into this book, I had no idea what would happen next. I was totally gripped as I was trying to figure everything out before it happened, but I was proved wrong again and again.

I loved all the characters, even the antagonists. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Tucker, Lahlia and Kosh if/when the next book comes out. I'm wondering if we'll see Tucker mature more after everything that's happened to him and... Well, that would be a spoiler!

Pete Hautman's prose is flawless. Like I said, I was kept completely hooked, and I think a lot of that had to do with the writing style. There is one scene in which Tucker goes through a disko and is thrown into a situation in which he could well have died. I was holding my breath through the whole thing because the descriptions were so vivid.

This is an AMAZING book, and I think everyone should read it because I'm sure you would really enjoy it too. If you're a fan of sci-fi then definitely give it a go!

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Source: Bought/Gifted
Rating: All Time Favourite

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. - Goodreads

The DUFF was one truly amazing read that I wasn’t expecting. I cannot describe my love for this book in just words, so you’re going to have to imagine me doing a happy dance slash binding ritual because I am in love.

The plot sounds fairly simple when you read the synopsis, but Kody Keplinger has thrown in many, many elements to make this story a lot more complex that it is made out to be. This book has serious depth as well as tonnes of humour mixed with serious topics. The DUFF is a relatable story and managed to grasp my interest from the first page. I cannot speak highly enough about this book.

Alcoholism, absent parents, teen sex, friendships, divorce and more all play a role in this book. I applaud Kody for creating such a fantastic novel that many, many young adults will be able to relate to. I must also add that I found it wonderfully refreshing that Kody didn’t create a main protagonist – or group of characters – who was a virgin, or afraid of sex. Too many books in the YA genre do that, and it was great to read about the other sides of the spectrum as teens are having sex, despite what Young Adult literature is leading you to believe. Not everyone is saving themselves for the perfect person, or for marriage.

I loved Bianca as a main protagonist in this story. She had huge flaws, certainly, and I loved seeing her overcome them and work them out with the help of Wesly and her friends. Bianca was a strong female lead and she wasn’t at all whiny. Two huge pluses in my book. She was interesting to read about, and had a lot going on in her life that made me feel for her, and also relate.

Then there is Wesly, who I have developed a HUGE crush on. He may be up there with Dimitri and Tod now. Wesly was charming and I completely fell head over heels in love with him as the story progressed. He started off as the school ‘man-slut’ but as we got to know him more and more, it was revealed that he also had a lot going on with his family and he wasn’t one dimensional in the slightest. I was totally rooting for Bianca and Wesly!

Kody Keplinger has a fantastic writing style that draws you in and doesn’t let you go. I will pick up anything this woman writes in the future because she’s simply out of this world.  

Dark Life by Kat Falls

Dark Life by Kat Falls
Dark Life #1
Release Date: May 1, 2010 (US)
Publisher: Scholastic
Rating: All Time Favourite

Dive deep into the vivid underwater world of Dark Life!

The oceans rose, swallowing the lowlands. Earthquakes shattered the continents, toppling entire regions into the rising water. Now, humans live packed into stack cities. The only ones with any space of their own are those who live on the ocean floor: the Dark Life.

Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea. When outlaws attack his homestead, he finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from Topside, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything. - Goodreads

Dark Life is action packed, and it wasn’t slow for a second. There was very little romance, which I enjoyed, although there was still some there. Kat Falls does an amazing job with describing the world, and I was so intrigued by how people were living after the oceans had risen. There are lots of new inventions, and the science fiction of the aspect of the book works really well with the main plot line.

There are also lots of twists and turns in this book, a couple of which I guessed and a few that I didn't. Even though I already knew a couple of the twists, it didn't ruin the story for me at all because it has amazing build up and the action doesn't stop.

Dark Life is told from Ty’s point of view, which I think is a brilliant decision by Kat Falls. I think he was a really good protagonist – brave, loyal, intelligent – and he had a great voice. He was really mature for his age, which I enjoyed because it helped lead the story.

I liked Gemma as a character too. She was very scared of a lot of things under the ocean, as it was a whole new world to her, but she battled her fears in order to find her brother. She was a strong character, yet she also had flaws and fears, which I enjoyed.

One of the things I most enjoyed about the book was the villain, Shade. He’s the leader of a group of outlaws, and he was everything that a villain should be. He was pretty scary, rough and mysterious and he had an incredible back story that we’re told about and I loved reading about him so, so much. I hope this back story comes up some more in the next books in the series too, because I’d love to know more.

This book has climbed to the top of my favourites pile, and I cannot wait to check out Rip Tide which is the next book in the series. I highly recommend this to just about everybody. Although this book is classed as middle grade, it does have a more mature feel to it and I think that anyone can enjoy it.  

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

If I Die by Rachel Vincent
Soul Screamers #5
Release Date: September 27, 2011 (US)
Publisher: Harlequin
Rating: All Time Favourite 

The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee. 

Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either. 

But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life.

Anything. - Goodreads

I really shouldn't write reviews for this series, because I end up squealing over it and never get across the points that I wanted to make. Nonetheless, I just had to jot down my thoughts on Rachel Vincent’s new book, as it’s my favourite series and I must share the love. Please don’t take this review too seriously, like I said, I’m just jotting! There will be no spoilers in this review. I may actually record a video review containing spoilers, because I need to discuss this book!

As always, the newest book in the Soul Screamers series totally tops its predecessor in so many ways. The plot is amazing, the characters are swoon worthy slash lovable slash people I want to kill, and the writing was – of course – incredible.

If you’ve read the synopsis then you know that Kaylee finds out she’s going to die. This book would not be complete without even more complications that come in the form of Kaylee and Emma’s teach, Mr Beck, who isn’t really human. There are also weird things happening with young girls in and around the town. Sound complicated, right? That’s because it is. There are so many things going on in this book, and yet it never seems to get ‘crowded’, for want of a better word. The plot is perfect, along with the pacing.

Kaylee is awesome, as always. I love her so, so much, and I loved reading about her coming to terms with her death – kind of – whilst also trying to figure out a number of mysteries at the same time. Kaylee is definitely one of my favourite characters in YA, she’s just fantastic! She’s also pretty badass in this book with all the fighting and punching she does!

I don’t think I even need to go into what I think about Tod. You should all know he’s amazing, and that I am in love with him. He was so, so sweet in this book! He does so much for Kaylee in this book, while his brother just stands around being useless. I love him *happy tears* He is the most adorable thing on the planet, he really is. *swoons*

As for Nash... I hate him. Nothing has changed since my last review so I don’t need to go into detail, but as far as I’m concerned Sabine can have him. Oh! I really liked Sabine in this book! She’s not as bad as I once thought.

The ending was definitely the best part of the book. It starts to really pick up with around 100 pages to go, and just keeps building. I will warn you, you are going to cry. I had to go to school with puffy eyes because I had been crying so much the night before after finishing this book. No, I won’t tell you why I was crying – you’ll have to go and buy the book, because it just won’t be the same coming from me!

I was so nervous about reading this book after reading some of the non-spoilery reviews that are on Goodreads. So. Nervous. But I shouldn’t have worried, because the whole thing was incredible and mind-blowing. It’s my favourite book in the series so far! I don’t know if Before I Wake and the final book will be able to compare. Oh, this was great.

If you haven’t picked up this series yet, I seriously don’t know what you’re waiting for. It’s my favourite series ever, and definitely compares with Vampire Academy and The Hunger Games’ qualities. Go get it!

Favourite Quotes:

“Why are you dressed like a mad scientist?”

“You just say the word, and I’ll make the rest of the world go away. I’ll take you someplace safe where no one else can reach us.”

“I’m every bit as good as you think I am.”

“I’m dead, not impotent. Nasty rumours like that must be quashed before they gain momentum. Feel free to emphasise how very functional I am.”

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: December 2, 2010
Publisher: Dutton
Rating: 5 out of 5 
Recommended? Highly!
Buy the Book: Amazon US

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited? - Goodreads Page

This. Was. AWESOME! That is all you really need to know, but I will go into more detail. 

AatFK starts out with Anna, our main character, being shipped off to a boarding school in Paris, very much against her will. Straight away, she meets new friends - one of those being a certain Étienne St. Claire. After this, the book pretty much follows that standard new school storyline, with Anna settling into her classes and going out with her friends. 

There are so many different things that I loved about this book, and I am trying my hardest to keep from gushing and giving away spoilers. Let's just say that this book had me laughing out loud, and it had me crying as a certain subject hits very close to home. 

That being said, however much I loved this book, Anna frustrated me. I know, I know. I don't really get along with female characters, but I had to mention this anyway. I can't say much without spoiling you all, but I will say that Anna was selfish, and very immature at times. So. Frustrating. Luckily, with Perkins' amazing writing skills, I was able to overlook it! 

I cannot believe that this book was a debut for Ms. Perkins. I was left SPEECHLESS by the writing, and this is definitely the main draw of the book. I love how much research went into the setting, Paris, and all of the fantastic descriptions of the city. I haven't been to Paris, but I felt like I was there along with Anna and St. Claire.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! I know most of you have probably read this already, but if you haven't then go and pick it up! Anna and the French Kiss definitely deserves the hype.

Book Review: Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

Poison Study by Maria V Snyder
Release Date: September 21st, 2007 (UK)
Publisher: MIRA
Rating: 10 out of 10
Recommended? YES!!!!
Buy the Book: Amazon US

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear… - Goodreads Page

Oh. My. God. I’ve read Maria V Snyder’s other series, Inside Out, so I knew her writing and storytelling skills were great, but this was just incredible! Why has no one forced me to pick this up before? *glares* I loved it! So, as you can probably tell, this review is going to be full of gush. And swooning over Valek. Just a warning ;)

Our main protagonist Yelena is about to be executed for killing a General’s son, when she is taken to meet a man who offers her the choice to become the Commander’s poison tester. Yelena, not wanting to die quite yet, accepts, and from there we see her go through her training, tests and getting into lots of trouble.

The characters were, for me, the main draw of this book. There’s Yelena, who is a strong protagonist and looks out for herself really well. Then there’s Valek, the Commander, Janco, Ari, Rand, Brazell and more who are all incredibly well developed characters with more sides than a tetracontagon. I don’t know how Snyder does it, but she always makes me fall in love with (almost) every single character in her stories. Sheer brilliance, ‘tis.

Move over Dimitri Belikov, and create a space on that 1^st place podium you’re currently standing on, for *drum roll* Valek! Oh my goodness. *swoons* How is it possible to hate a character so much in the beginning, only to love him at the end? Okay, I’ll be honest, I saw what Snyder was doing, and I never hated Valek. Yeah, I may have been a bit weary of him and scared, but I could never hate him. He’s badass. He’s incredibly intelligent, he’s a badass fighter, he’s good looking, he’s the Commander’s second in command... I could do this all day. I love him.

Need I say more? I think you get the gist from all of this gushing. This book was fantastic, and has soared to the top spot of my list of favourites. I’ve read the second book as well, which is also brilliant. I highly recommend buying this RIGHT. NOW. and if you have  it sitting on your bookshelf waiting to be read, then what are you waiting for? Bring this to the top of your TBR piles, because this is TOP PRIORITY. *breathes* Yeah, read it ;)  

Book Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Release Date: April 7, 2011 (UK)

Publisher: Philomel Books

Rating: 10 out of 10

Recommended? Yes. You’d be crazy not to read this.

Buy the Book: Amazon US

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart. - Goodreads Page

The book starts off with Lina and her family being taken from their home in Lithuania by Soviet guards and deported to Siberia. The beginning gripped me, as there was no slow starts, and I was immediately thrown into the story and captivated.

A lot of the book takes place in very, very confined spaces, and the descriptions during these scenes – as well as throughout the book – were horrifically vivid. I felt so connected with this story that I felt enclosed, even claustrophobic, and I had to keep putting the book down to give myself a chance to calm down.

In the four schools I have been to, during history classes, we learnt a lot about Hitler. I think that’s a given, no matter where you are from. What we didn’t learn, however, was anything at all about Stalin. Or the Soviet Union. Or the millions upon millions of people who were deported from countries such as Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. If we wanted to know about that aspect of WW2, then we had to research for ourselves. Reading this book gave me such a fantastic first person account (albeit fictional) of what it was like to be one of those people who were deported, shoved into crammed cattle cars, and forced to work for the Soviets. It has made me realise that despite researching on the internet, I know next to nothing about what went on in those years. I am horrified that while we were being taught about Hitler’s new education system, and the Brits saving the day, that is barely touching the surface.

The main characters in this book were all amazing. They had so many different sides to them, and they weren’t boring in the slightest. Each and every one of them touched my heart. I am amazed that no matter how bad things got – and believe me, things got terrifying – they managed to pull through, and look out for each other in ways that that I could never have imagined.

If you don’t pick this book up, you’re crazy. This is one of the first historical that I have read in years,  and it’s definitely one of the best out there. From what I’ve seen, anyway. The story is truly heartbreaking, and I applaud Ruta Sepetys for writing such an honest and gripping novel. It left my speechless.

Book Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: March 1st, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion Books CH
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Recommended? Definitely, yes!
Buy the Book: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. 

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.
But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she? - Goodreads Page

 Warning: This review contains spoilers from Hex Hall. I do not suggest reading this review until you've read the first book. Unless, of course, you love spoilers!

Demonglass takes place a few weeks after Hex Hall ended, with Sophie still dreading what her powers can do and as a result, wanting to go through the Removal – the process that strips her of her powers, and that could potentially kill her. Of course, Sophie’s father isn’t about to let that happen. Padre – sorry! Ehem,  Sophie’s dad – persuades Sophie to take a trip to his home in England for the summer, to give her a chance to reconsider her options. Sophie agrees, and sets off for London, along with her good vampire friend Jenna and the handsome groundskeeper, Cal. Oh, and did I mention that she happens to be betrothed to the latter? ;)

The plot takes off quickly, with several major events happening throughout the novel. I won’t go into too much detail, but I will say that certain events lead Sophie right – quite literally – into the arms of a certain super-sexy Archer Cross. Remember him from the first book? Oh, I bet you do! More on him later.

As a reader, you can instantly see that Sophie has matured a lot after her run-in with her demonic great grandmother in Hex Hall. She has grown more confident with herself, and instead of just thinking snarky remarks towards her superiors, she actually goes ahead and says them. I love it!

Sophie also discovers that she’s betrothed to the brooding groundskeeper, Cal. Understandably, she’s rather annoyed about not being in on this. That said, she does seem to get over this rather quickly. I know if it was me then I’d be going on some sort of demonic rampage across the English countryside. Still, I’m not Sophie, am I?

Which brings me nicely onto Archer, the third point on this newly blossomed love triangle. Oh, how I’ve missed him! In this book Archer remains just as much of a mystery to us as he was in the first. However, we do learn some more on his back story. Which is lovely, but what I really wanted to see was some incredible Archer/Sophie romance scenes. Did we get them? I’ll neither confirm nor deny the rumours. You’ll have to see for yourself!

There’s a lot of mystery going on in this book. Everyone is trying to find out who these new demons (mentioned in the summary) are, and why they are actually demons to begin with. I had a lot of fun putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and I’m happy to announce that my Sherlock-ing record remains unscathed. Then again, I was suspicious of everyone, from Jenna to Cal to Archer and even Padre.

Demonglass was, for me, so much better than Hex Hall! It seems that Rachel Hawkins has really gotten used to writing her characters, as the dialogue is a million times better. The teenagers actually speak like real teens, not like something from The Tweenies. (UK Children’s TV reference, do ignore!)

I loved this book so so much, even the cliff-hanger ending! Bah, Humbug. Now I have to wait a long time for the final instalment in the trilogy! And wait I shall.

For those who have read Demonglass already, what did you think of it? Did you prefer it to Hex Hall? Are you guys worried about the people in the house at the end? I'm trying to stay spoiler-free here, but it's so hard with this ending! Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Release Date: April 10, 2008
Publisher: Razorbill
Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
Recommended? Yes.
Buy the Book: Amazon US| Amazon UK

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price… - Goodreads Page

Warning: This review contains spoilers from Vampire Academy, so if you haven’t read it then I don’t suggest reading this review. However, feel free to check out my spoiler free Vampire Academy review and choose to read the book! ;)

Okay, so, if you’ve been following me for a while now, you’ve probably all read my gushing review of Vampire Academy, book one in the series. This review probably isn’t going to be any different, so I’m just going to say now that I thought this book was amazing, brilliant, flawless… so pick it up if you loved Vampire Academy and want to read the rest of Rose’s story!


Those of you that are still with me, let’s begin. The book picks up a few weeks after Vampire Academy has ended, with Victor now locked up for his kidnapping of the Dragomir princess. Of course, that does not mean that Rose and her friends can now live in peace! There’s a Strigoi attack on one branch of the royal families, leaving no one alive, and so St. Vlad’s Academy decides it would be nice to ship its students off to a fancy ski resort for the winter break. 


The action kicks off right from the beginning, with the family I mentioned earlier being attacked by Strigoi and murdered, leaving their bodies to be discovered by Dimitri and Rose. Of course, who else would walk right into a murder scene? Rose is just full of luck. It is discovered that the Strigoi are getting clever, and are now recruiting humans to do their dirty work. Scary, huh? Now the Moroi and dhampirs can be reached in the day as well. 


So, off to the ski resort they go, and that is when Adrian is introduced. Adrian. He’s snarky, he smokes, he’s dark and gloomy.. He’s rather hilarious, actually. A brilliant addition to the Vampire Academy cast *wink wink*.


Rose still hasn’t gotten over her feelings for Dimitri, and so she spends a lot of her time pondering over those. I love reading about their scenes together. *swoonsqueeomgsigh* Rose also thinks that Dimitri may be in love with a Moroi royal, and that spawns a whole load of jealous and juicy scenes. 


The ending is just incredible. It’s action packed, and we get a chance to really see what the Strigoi can do. It’s pretty scary and creepy. Rose and her friends are badass. It also makes you really sad, for reasons I won’t go into. 


Overall, this book is made of win, just as the rest of the series is. The series does honestly keep getting better and better, so if you - for whatever reason - didn’t enjoy book one, then I highly suggest continuing to book two. And book three, four, five and six.