Book Review: We Were Liars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Published: May 13th 2014, Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Pages: 242

3 STARS

The Plot:

"A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth." - Goodreads

Review:

An extremely emotional, beautifully written story.

I really can't say much about this book without giving away the entire story. I can tell you one thing though, the twist is one that will rip your heart out. However, I guessed what was going to happen so I didn't find it as horrifying as some other readers did, but it still filled me with genuine upset!

I enjoyed the way the book was written, it felt like we were discovering what happened that summer on the island along with Cady, and that we were part of her distressing journey to unearth the truth. I also liked the short fairytales and the way it felt like Cady's reality; the truth was too painful to remember so she made up stories to make it seem less real.

The writing is also rather unique and meaningful, some things you find yourself having to read several times to discover the true meaning behind it, as Cady likes to twist the meaning of things.

We Were Liars is a short, disturbing tale, it is absolutely beautifully written, really engrosses you and makes you want to find out what truly happened that summer.

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Book Review: Sinner

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Published: July 3rd 2014, Scholastic
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 386

4 STARS

The Plot:

"found.
Cole St. Clair has come to California for one reason: to get Isabel Culpeper back. She fled from his damaged, drained life, and damaged and drained it even more. He doesn't just want her. He needs her.

lost.
Isabel is trying to build herself a life in Los Angeles. It's not really working. She can play the game as well as all the other fakes...but what's the point? What is there to win?

sinner.
Cole and Isabel share a past that never seemed to have a future. They have the power to save each other and the power to tear each other apart. The only thing for certain is that they cannot let go." - Goodreads

Review:

I fell in love with Maggie Stiefvater's writing style the moment I picked up Shiver. She has a unique way of making everything sound so unbelievably lyrical, and Sinner is no different. As soon as I started the first page I knew it was going to be memorable.

The book was so different from the Shiver trilogy, which is only fitting considering Shiver was more Sam and Grace's story, and Sinner follows Isabel and Cole who are their polar opposites.

The story takes place in L.A, where Isabel appears perfectly at home. She's bossy, high-maintenance and at times a complete bitch, not to mention her sky high heels and perfectly manicured nails never looked at home in Minnesota anyway.

Cole on the other hand, is a troubled recovering drug addict/rock star who is thrust back into the limelight when he follows Isabel to L.A, when she is sent to live with her mother at the end of Forever. I absolutely loved the way Cole was written, his inner thoughts are described in such vivid detail that you can really grasp what it feels like to be in his head. To feel like no matter what you do, or how much you try to change, to everyone else you're still going to be that messed up kid who fell down on stage and never got back up.

Another thing I liked was the way she described the shift for Cole as a drug. Those of you who remember The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy will remember that Cole had found a way to chemically generate the shift. It makes you realise that he still hasn't completely given up on his addict lifestyle and he's still clinging onto something from his old life by shifting. Whenever he shoots up, for a few minutes he gets to escape from his own body and mind and gets to become the wolf. Everything that matters fades away and he just sees the world for what it truly is, a collection of images.

I believe the book is more about Cole growing and evolving to realise he doesn't need the shift and he doesn't need another high to try and distract him from being himself. This realisation is helped by Isabel, who is equally as damaged as Cole. She's lost people and grew up with a completely messed up family, which is enough to mess with anyone's head.

I wouldn't describe Sinner as a love story, it's more a tale of two broken people trying to find a way to survive in this world, and not go completely insane in the process. That's not to say there isn't your fair share of romance, which is evidently accompanied by a considerable amount of bust ups and make ups.

I absolutely loved Sinner, it's thought-provoking, moving and above everything extremely memorable.

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Book Review: Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Published: January 30th 2014, Pan Macmillan
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 461

5 STARS

The Plot:

"Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life.

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realising that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible." - Goodreads

Review:

I LOVED this book! It was so wonderfully written and all the characters were just adorable and delightful.

Cath was certainly my favourite character. She was so witty, amusing and a complete worrier, which I think we all can relate to in some aspects. I found her to be an especially relatable character having suffered from social anxiety myself. When she was saying things about how nervous things made her I found myself nodding along, agreeing all the way.

Levi is another character I particularly enjoyed, I liked the fact that he wasn't the typical smoking hot unattainable guy you read about in most romance stories. Instead he was this incredibly sweet, funny guy, the kind that you didn't have to feel awkward around and you can just be yourself, which is kind of perfect for Cath.

I really enjoyed the way Rainbow tied the Simon Snow stories in, and that they subtly referred to what happened in the chapters. Actually, I really enjoyed the Simon Snow stories full stop. They reminded me a hell of a lot of Harry Potter, which can only be a good thing.

The humour was splendid! Often I found myself bursting out into fits of giggles (followed by stares from family members.)

I honestly can say that there was nothing I didn't like about this book, apart from maybe Levi's receding hairline.. Plus the fact that Cath noticed it so much and commented about it, that was kinda awkward. But other than that this book was an absolute delight to read. I would definitely read it again and you can count on the fact that I will be looking for other Rainbow Rowell books to indulge in.

Perfect light hearted reading!

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Book Review: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Published: August 31st 2010, Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 479

5 STARS

The Plot:

"In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series. 

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them..." - Goodreads

Review:

After reading the Mortal Instruments series I was hungry for more, so when I discovered the prequel series, I simply had to have it.

This book was simply everything I could possibly want in a novel.

Romance, fantasy and exciting tension all wrapped up in one. Not to mention the book is set in the extraordinary Victorian London, which Cassandra Clare has researched impeccably. Her writing enables you to paint a lavishly detailed picture of what this particular version of London looked like, from the grotty banks of the river Thames crawling with mudlarks, to the picturesque Hyde park with it's secret goblin grounds!

Clare once again brings a bevy of inspiringly strong characters forward, which are both incredibly well written and awe inspiring.

It was also incredibly fascinating to meet the ancestors of some of the characters from the mortal instruments series! (you can definitely see the similarities with Will and Jace.)

I recommend this for fans of fantasy and all things magical, also if you like gothic fiction this could be worth a try!

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Book Review: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Published: March 27th 2007, Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 485

4 STARS

The Plot:

"When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know..." - Goodreads

Review:

This book draws you in right from the first page, and before you know it you're sucked into Clary's mysterious supernatural world.

I absolutely loved the setting for it, Cassandra Clare has created this whole different world tangled up within our own, faeries in central park, werewolves and vampires roaming the streets, it's guaranteed to make you look at New York in an entirely different light.

The characters also captivate you, I don't think there was a single character that I didn't like at least a little bit. Sure, Clary can get a little annoying at times, but she does get a hell of a lot more bearable as the series go on and she starts to get more daring. However, Jace really made the book for me, and not just because of his devilishly handsome good looks - although that is a perk. But his sassy attitude keeps you chuckling all the way through.

The character I really fell in love with was Magnus Bane, the fabulous gay high warlock of Brooklyn. He's cheeky and full of breathtaking flair, and his outfits, just wow. Talk about loving glitter.

Overall, a fabulously captivating read, I highly recommend it.

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Book Review: The Assassin's Blade (A Throne of Glass Novella)

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
Published: March 4th 2014, Bloomsbury
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 448

4 STARS

The Plot:

"Celaena Sardothien owes her reputation to Arobynn Hamel. He gave her a home at the Assassins' Guild and taught her the skills she needed to survive.

Arobynn's enemies stretch far and wide - from Adarlan's rooftops and its filthy dens, to remote islands and hostile deserts. Celaena is duty-bound to hunt them down. But behind her assignments lies a dark truth that will seal her fate - and cut her heart in two forever..." - Goodreads

Review:

The Assassin's Blade gives us a glimpse into Celaena's life before the events of Throne of Glass. It shows us what it was like for her to be Adarlan's most notorious assassin and how she and Sam fell in love. *sobs*

I enjoyed these novella's as it brought about an explanation as to why Celaena is the way she is. She's had to deal with so much betrayal and heartbreak throughout her young life, it's truly a wonder how she can find it within her heart to trust, yet alone love someone ever again. There's the father figure who manipulates, betrays and beats her to a pulp, her first true female friend broke her trust, her first love was brutally murdered, then to top it all off she was shipped off to the slavery camp Endovier for her crimes of murder. Just one of these horrific events would be enough to render most individuals unable to face another day, but Celaena Sardothien finds the strength to get back up and face her enemies, which is one of the main reasons I love her so much. She's a truly strong, inspiring character who walks into hell and straight out the other side stronger than ever, and still finds it in herself to open up to new people and experiences.

I am forever thankful to authors such as Sarah J. Maas who brings us such strong, powerful, interesting lead female characters that make me genuinely proud to be a woman. Not only is Celaena a role model for girls everywhere, so is Sarah for showing us that when we put our minds to it, we can achieve anything.

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Book Review: Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass Series #4)

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Published: September 1st 2015, Bloomsbury
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 645

5 STARS

The Plot:

"The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return." - Goodreads.

Review:

Oh my god. Queen of Shadows was absolutely jam packed full of twists and turns, some of which I did not see coming at all! It was so wonderfully written and gripping that I devoured every single page as fast as I could. I really liked the fact that everything seems to be coming together now and you can just feel that something big is coming in the next two books. I'm so excited I need the fifth book already, I don't know how I'm going to survive!

Now it's time for the nitty gritty. Yes that's right, I'm talking about Rowan and Aelin. At first I didn't want them to be together because I liked their friendship too much, and part of me still clung onto hope for her and Chaol. But throughout this book as their relationship blossomed and they realised their feelings for one another I soon changed my mind. Talk about sexual tension though, Christ. They're both huge teases and the next book better have a Rowan and Aelin scene or else I'll explode.

I also really enjoyed the character development from Manon and her thirteen. When we were first introduced to them we were led to believe that they were just soulless killers, but in this book they started to reveal their softer sides and are starting to refuse to be blindly obedient. There's a real sense of girl power with the witch covens that I just love. I really hope that she ends up teaming up with Aelin, could you imagine the badassery?

I adore Sarah J Maas's writing style, she writes action so well that you just can't help but turn the page and yearn for more. Her characters are so unique and well written that you can't help but care about them. The amount of times I was terrified that Aedion or Rowan were going to die and leave Aelin, not cool. I don't think my heart would be able to handle that.

I cannot wait for the fifth book to come out and find out what happens next, something big is coming I can feel it.

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Book Review: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass Series #3)

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Published: September 11th 2014, Bloomsbury
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 562

5 STARS

The Plot:

"She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever. 

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed." - Goodreads

Review:

HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE THE WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK?! 

Sarah J. Maas has done it again and produced another incredible sequel in the Throne of Glass series.

Heir of Fire had me holding on to the edge of my seat, and at times covering my body in goosebumps. Yes guys, it's just that good.

I loved the relationship development between Rowan and Celaena throughout this book. I liked the fact that she finally found someone so like herself that she could open up to, and that he finally helped her recognise the person she needed to be for her people. I'm not sure if I ship them together romantically or not, because part of me still clings on to the hope that she and Chaol will be able to resolve things, because I really did love them being together In Crown of Midnight. I think what she really needs right now is someone who appreciates her and cares for her, without the added pressure of a romantic relationship. Plus their friendship and mutual respect they share for each other is just beautiful.

I also enjoyed the added view point of the Blackbeak witch Manon, and we finally got to see what was occurring with the Wyvern's. Plus the witches were all completely bad ass.

The last few chapters in this book things got INSANE. I was yelling at the pages, turning them with such excitement that I swear I nearly ripped the book in two! I can't wait to read the next instalment in this incredible series and see where it picks up. Aedion better be reunited with Celaena though, because my heart kind of broke when he was being hauled off to the dungeons and all he wanted was to see his cousin/queen one last time. Also, he's basically the only real family she has left and I want nothing more than to see them reunite and fight side by side for their home!

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Book Review: Insurgent (Divergent Series #2)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Published: May 1st 2012, HarperCollins
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Pages: 525

4 STARS

The Plot:

"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so." - Goodreads

Review:

First things first, Tobias and Tris really needed to sort their crap out in this book, pretty much every scene they were in they were arguing about something or lying to each other. I adore their relationship so I found that to be quite annoying to say the least.

Insurgent gets off to quite a slow start, however, towards the end this book finally did start to give us answers to many of the questions raised in Divergent, including the burning question of what's outside the fence?!

There were plenty of hair pulling incredibly frustrating moments, but I am really looking forward to reading Allegiant, and seeing what happens now they know the truth as to why the factions exist. I just hope that Tris and Tobias resolve things, I don't think I'd be able to handle another book of consistent bickering!

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Book Review: Divergent (Divergent Series #1)

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Published: February 2nd 2012, HarperCollins
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Pages: 489

5 STARS.

The Plot:

"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. 

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her." - Goodreads

Review:

How do I even begin to review this book?!

Firstly, I LOVED Tris, I absolutely adore a good strong female lead and Tris was most certainly just that. She was strong, took absolutely no nonsense and frequently felt like punching people and often did, which was just fabulous.

Another aspect I adored was Tris and Tobias' relationship. He's an incredibly strong guy, not used to showing his emotions, but he allows himself to become so completely vulnerable around Tris and let's her see parts of him that he's never showed to anyone before. I also like the fact that their relationship is not one of those where he's constantly having to save her. He knows Tris is strong and brave and it's one of the many reasons why he falls for her so hard. Okay, I'm going to stop gushing about how much I love them now.

The plot was absolutely awesome and engaging. The idea of the factions and how they're set up to keep the peace and prevent war, and how you have some people who are so much more than just one faction and that they're feared because they cannot be controlled. Was such an interesting concept, one that has never truly been explored before.

This book was the perfect blend of action, thriller and suspense, with even a hint of romance!

Recommended for fans of: 

The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner

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Book Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
Published: May 10th 2012, Penguin Books Ltd
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 308

4.5 STARS

The Plot:

"Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers are about to cross paths. From that moment on, their world will collide and lives intertwine. It's not that far from Evanston to Naperville, but Chicago suburbanites Will Grayson and Will Grayson might as well live on different planets. When fate delivers them both to the same surprising crossroads, the Will Graysons find their lives overlapping and hurtling in new and unexpected directions. With a push from friends new and old - including the massive, and massively fabulous, Tiny Cooper, offensive lineman and musical theater auteur extraordinaire - Will and Will begin building toward respective romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most awesome high school musical." - Goodreads

Review:

This book follows two guys both with the name Will Grayson but each living entirely different lives. My favourite WG was most definitely David Levithan's one, he was funny, honest and a complete breath of fresh air as he just told it like it is, often rather humorously at that!
John Green's WG on the other hand seemed a bit too similar to all the other male characters he's written in the past. Don't get me wrong I thoroughly enjoy John Green's books, but I just feel like he's recycling similar characters over and over again and it is getting a little tiresome. However, I did throughly enjoy this book. I loved the alternating chapters from the different authors and how it wasn't disruptive at all. John Green and David Levithan complemented each other really well and I loved the contrast between how different they were, and how two people from entirely different worlds can come together and unite.
I did enjoy the flamboyantly gay character Tiny, who is really the main component as he ties both of the Will's together, appearing as JG's WGs best friend and DL's WGs short time boyfriend. The entire story has a really strong theme of the importance of friendship and appreciating those who are there for you, which is an extremely valuable lesson to learn in life.

Overall, I found this book to be both incredibly entertaining and enjoyable and I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy either David Levithan or John Green books.

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Book Review: The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Published: May 24th 2012, Vintage Books, Random House
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 490

5 STARS.

The Plot:

"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway--a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead." - Goodreads

Review:

This book completely sucked me in to a truly incredible world. The description in this book is to put it simply, absolutely divine. You could smell the caramel in the air, feel the chill of the ice garden, hear the bustle of patrons, all the tiniest details were accounted for, which truly enabled you to experience the circus as if you were there, and at times it even felt as though the circus were a living thing.

I adored Celia and Marco, their love story was so heart wrenching and sad, yet so incredibly beautiful. I wished for them to overcome the odds and eventually be together so much. However, I was a bit disappointed, as we didn't get to see as much of them as I would have liked, but I devoured every single Celia and Marco moment that I could possibly get!

I really enjoyed how it was written, how elements of Widget's story were entwined with the actual story, which gave you a real sense of the circus and enabled the reader to get a true sense of the scene. The Night Circus is an incredibly well written piece of work, packed full of elaborate details and rich characters that you find yourself never wanting to say goodbye to. After reading this book, I found myself desperately wanting to go there and visit the circus for myself. It's just too damn bad that it's only fictional, though I suppose a truly magical circus is a bit out of this worlds abilities.

If you adore gothic fiction, with a touch of magic and a hint of romance then I most certainly recommend The Night Circus. I genuinely could not put this one down and it will definitely be a world I will be returning to for many years to come.

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