Book Review: All The Crooked Saints

 All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Released: October 10th, 2017

Read: October 2017

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Format: ARC, 311 pages

Series: n/a

Description from GoodReads: Here is a thing everyone wants: a miracle.
Here is a thing everyone fears: what it takes to get one.
   Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.
   At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.
   They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

Review: This book is kind of like a bedtime story. The narrator meanders and builds the world and characters so you can fall in love with each of them in turn. I don't mean it as an insult when I say that there's no pulse-pounding, gut-wrenching action. It's something I haven't seen before, and I really like it. There's a lot of character. If you can picture a bunch of characters standing out in the desert, you are about halfway to the amount of characters in the story, and you didn't even count the desert as one. Sometimes, like a true bedtime storyteller, the names or backstories get a little confusing. (#itsDarlenesRooster) But all the characters are lovely, with complex but simple wants and fears that are developed through clear story arcs. Like I said, the narrator meanders. The book describes side character's side characters background stories. It compares radio waves to miracles, and informs us in detail of a plant that takes over its environment. The intricate details set the storybook tone throughout the book. Altogether, the novel has a languid, bedtime storyteller feel that may bore some people, but I found it interesting and relaxing.

Book Review: Crooked Kingdom

 Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Released: September 20th, 2016

Read: August 2017

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Format: E-Book, 536 pages

Series: Six of Crows #2

Description from GoodReads: When you can't beat the odds, change the game.
Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.


Review: Just like Six of Crows, the ending to this duology hits every note right and kept me at the edge of my seat with every single jaw-dropping twist and turn. The gang returns with a vengeance, reminding at least me why I loved them the first time around. The book delved deeper into the backstories and life-changing moments that shape their decisions until the very end. Comparitively the side characters fall vaguely flat, but their scenes hint at more things that we just didn't have the chance to discover. 
   It was also really fun to read characters so close to each other that you almost learn more about one character from someone else's perspective than you do from their own. The gang is written so tightly-knit that it's almost like I am personally friends with all of them.
   Leigh Bardugo also keeps up the beautiful descriptions and dedicated world-building from the first book. I may be biased because she's one of my favourite authors, but I adore her writing.
   All in all, the book kept the pace, feeling, and excitement going from one end to the other and wrapped the duology up well enough for it to be over. But hopefully, maybe just maybe, there will be a follow-up.

Quoteable Quotes:
- "You like things that you can see. Like piles of snow and benevolent tree gods."
- "Fear is a phoenix. You can watch it burn a thousand times and still it will return."
- "You aren't a flower, you're every blossom in the wood blooming at once. You are a tidal wave. You're a stampede. You are overwhelming."
- "But if you couldn't open a door, you just had to make a new one."
- "It's shame that lines my pockets, shame that keeps the Barrel teeming with fools ready to put on a mask just so they can have what they want with no one the wiser for it. We can endure all kinds of pain. It's shame that eats men whole."
- "That's where you're wrong, I don't hold a grudge. I cradle it. I coddle it. I feed it fine cuts of meat and send it to the best schools. I nurture my grudges, Rollins."
- "When one plan was blown, you made a new one. When they backed you into a corner, you cut a hole into the roof."
- "And that was what destroyed you in the end: the longing for something you could never have."
- "But just as surely as life connected everything, so did death. It was that endless, fast-running river. She'd dipped her fingers into its current, heldthe eddy of its power in her hands. She was the Queen of Mourning, and in its depths, she would never drown."

Rating: 10/10

Read if You like: crime novels, bank heists, the Grisha trilogy, well built worlds.

Optimistically yours, Ola

Book Review: Three Dark Crowns

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Released: September 20, 2016
Read: September 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen 
Format: ARC, 416 pages
Series: Three Dark Crowns #1


Description on Goodreads:

    Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Bloodwill devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen. 

    In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
    But becoming the Queen crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose...it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.
    The last queen standing gets the crown.

Review:
    I read Three Dark Crowns such a long time ago, but it's not until now that I FINALLY figured out exactly what I want to say. Being one of my utmost favourite novels, I didn't know how to start this review and I didn't want to screw it up. So here goes nothing.
   Katharine, Mirabella and Arsinoe are each fierce and riveting in their own way. It is clear right from the start that the people who raised each child had a massive impact on their behaviour and attitude. Arsinoe is a wild child that lives for the moment and ignores her queenly duties as much as possible. She doesn't like rules and is more interested in going on adventures than winning the crown. Jules, and the rest of her family, treated Arsinoe like a child (as she was) and not like the future queen. And rightly so. She got to have fun before she was forced to grow up, and that's an important perspective to have. Knowing how the villagers think and feel will bring Fennbirn into a better state of peace, making Arsinoe an accomplished queen. 
    Katharine on the other hand was raised to take what was hers and stomp on those who got in her way. She's somewhat blood thirsty, as she tries to be as ruthless as Genevieve and Natalia want her to be, but has a kind heart at times. She's more of a weakling and is intimidated easily, although she has put up with emotional and physical abuse most of her life. She's a strongly built character, and I don't mean physically. When you read about her, you feel like she's a real person and you come to learn how she'll react to certain situations. 
   Mirabella was definitely my favourite of the queens. I found her the most relatable and such a badass when it came to her gift. Her powers over wind, lightning, water and fire give her an advantage over her sisters, along with the lengthy amount of practice she's had over he years. Meanwhile, her home life is a lot healthier than Katharine's. She has a nice reliable foster family and friends that would do anything for her. I liked reading from Mira's point of view so much because of her curious nature. She was told all her life that her sisters were monsters and that when the time came, they'd slaughter her if she hesitates to kill them. Of course she'd doubt this and want to know more. That's what I admired; she didn't just believe what everyone said, she wanted to know herself what Katharine and Arsinoe were like. 
    The events of the book were enticing and I loved that you could read what was happening with one sister while knowing exactly what another was doing on the other side of Fennbirn. 
    Now about the romances... there was a LOT going on. I don't want to spoil too much, because it's not obvious who ends up with who, but I liked that the love triangles criss-crossed between the Elementalists, Naturalists, and Poisoners.
    Overall I would DEFINITELY recommend Three Dark Crowns, not just for the epic plot line and extravagant characters, but for the beautiful cover as well.

Favourite Quotes:

• “Queens do not remember these things,"

          "Saying so does not make it true."
          "You will need it to be true, for it is too cruel otherwise, to force a Queen to kill what she loves. Her own sisters. And for her to see that which she loves come at her door like wolves, seeking her head.”

• “His eyes, when they meet hers, are like the storm. Perhaps he is not a boy at all, but some elemental thing, made by the crashing water and the endless thunder.” 
• "We are all dual-natured, Queen Mirabella. Every gift is light and dark. We naturalists can make things grow, but we also coax lobsters into pots, and our families tear rabbits to shreds."
• "I could never hate you, but if you do not leave now, my cat will tear your throat out."

Rating: 9.5/10

Recommended if you like: witchcraft, powers, nature, finding the evil within characters, making a new OTP, unexpected endings, the elements (as in air, fire, water, earth), other novels by Kendare Blake, competitions to the death, reading about close relationships between people and their 'pets', adventure, slight romance (the book doesn't get very mushy)

Keep flipping pages,
Lauren

Book Review: A Darkly Beating Heart

A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith

Released: October 25th, 2016
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Format: ARC, 272 pages
Read: September/October 2016

Description from GoodReads: A time-travel story that alternates between modern day and 19th century Japan as one girl confronts the darkness lurking in her soul.
   No one knows what to do with Reiko. She is full of hatred. All she can think about is how to best hurt herself and the people closest to her. After a failed suicide attempt, Reiko’s parents send her from their Seattle home to spend the summer with family in Japan to learn to control her emotions. But while visiting Kuramagi, a historic village preserved to reflect the nineteenth-century Edo period, Reiko finds herself slipping back in time into the life of Miyu, a young woman even more bent on revenge than Reiko herself. Reiko loves being Miyu, until she discovers the secret of Kuramagi village, and must face down Miyu’s demons as well as her own.

Review: Time travelling thriller about bitter teenagers in Japan? Sign me right up! This book was exactly what I'd hoped it would be, without me knowing what was about to happen at every twist and turn.
   Miyu is a wonderfully deep character who contrasts well with Reiko, who seems to only want revenge. Along with this, I found Reikos subtle "Hi I'm bi" attitude refreshing. There was no "Wow maybe I'm not straight" moment that seems to accompany her romance with Jiro.
   The way we discover important plot points in the book is a work of art. There is no foreseeable plot twists here (or maybe I'm just oblivious!) and they all clicked wonderfully. There were parts that creeped and grossed me out in a good way. They were tasteful, if that's possible, and all added to the plot.
   However, this novel is just under 300 pages. About 250 pages (not literally) build the plot and characters up beautifully, making me care, and interested me in what would happen to these dark darlings. The last 50 pages was left to make a complete ending. I was pretty sure that no author could wrap up a book in a neat bow in a mere 50 pages. And oh boy... was I right. The ending didn't fit the novel. You would find this kind of ending in a book aimed at 12 year olds. (Is that too mean?)
   But I did love the book. I adored it! Give me more, Lindsay Smith! I would like a follow-up!

Quotable Quotes:

• "I have mastered the path of hatred, and I know now where it ends. It ends with my revenge."
• "I'm tired of walking around with these memories in me, throbbing like a knife I never bothered to pull from my back."
• "Your mindset creates your reality, no matter what you believe."
• "We are all defined by our past, our choices and circumstances have made us who we are. It's all there, carved into us indelibly. But... it is not our present. Or our future. That's what we control. It's what we choose to do with the past that is entirely up to us."

Rating: 8/10

Read if You Liked: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, confusing but generally ok time travel, Ink by Amanda Sun, Japan?

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Christmas Wednesdays: 12 Days of Dash and Lily

12 Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Released: October 18th, 2016

Read: November 2016

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Format: ARC, 215 pages

Series: Dash & Lily #2

Description from Goodreads: Dash and Lily have had a tough year since readers first watched the couple fall in love. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.
  With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the holiday magic of New York City in December.

Review: This book was more depressing than I thought it would be, especially considering how sweet and simple the first book was. Although it did have some funny parts, it was mostly sadness and coming to terms with change.
   I am glad that Dash finally ditched his fedora, but it worried me a little that there was a noticeable change in times between the last book and this one. For instance Trump was mentioned more than once, which is way too many times for a YA novel of any kind.
   Also, out of the two, Lily definitely changed the most between books and during this one. She went from cute teenage shut-in to over serious young-adult, but still makes mistakes and risks that don't particularly fit this new stage of her life. The end brings back most of her cheerfulness but she's still different, which is good. Because she can't remain the same forever, but it also seems like too drastic of a change in one short year. I mean, she's barely seventeen.
   Altogether, a weird and slightly disappointing sequel, but a realistic disappointment... if that makes sense.

Quotable Quotes:
- "What an idiot Santa is for flying around alone. Because who would want to travel the world without another person's heartbeat beside him?"
- "The minute she left the apartment, I missed having her there. But as with all loves, I supposed, the consolation was in the fact that she'd be back."

Rating: 6/10

Read if You Liked: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, adventures, romance, i'm not sure

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Paper Girls

 Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson

Released: April 5th, 2016

Read: October 2016

Publisher: Image Comics

Format: Paperback, 144 pages
Series: Paper Girls (#1-5)

Description from GoodReads: In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

Review: I had just gotten off a Stranger Things high when we hit up a bookstore and I found this beautiful gem. So imagine my surprise when the book is pretty much Stranger Things with an all-girl cast.
   Of course, the story is different. It's clever and weird and feels like something out of a dark episode of Doctor Who. Needless to say, I loved it. It's hard to love characters from comics unless the comic is 400-500 pages long, but this book successfully had me hoping these rough-and-tumble girls would save the day. Not to mention these girls are the coolest 12 year olds ever. (Except the smoking. Smoking doesn't make you cool.)
   It's even harder to make a group of tween girls the main characters in a YA/adult comic. Again, this book succeeded while still keeping a sense of youth and not just adults in tiny child bodies. That was a weird image. I'm sorry.

Quotable Quotes:
“I'm not going to stand here and be eaten by some bitch's dinosaur. I am finally doing something with my life.”

 “I hated being twelve. Back in '65, I just wanted to grow up fast so everything would finally be good, you know? But truth is, life was actually way better back then. Turns out, the older you get... the more everything just turns to shit.”

Rating: 9/10

Read if You Liked: Stranger Things, Doctor Who, (a grown up sorta version of) Babysitters Club, I don't think I've read another book like this

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Replica

Replica by Lauren Oliver

Released: October 4, 2016

Read: September 2016

Publisher: HarperCollins

Format: ARC, 544 pages

Series: Replica #1

Description on Goodreads:
    Gemma has been in and out of hospitals since she was born. 'A sickly child', her lonely life to date has revolved around her home, school and one best friend, Alice. But when she discovers her father's connection to the top secret Haven research facility, currently hitting the headlines and under siege by religious fanatics, Gemma decides to leave the sanctuary she's always known to find the institute and determine what is going on there and why her father's name seems inextricably linked to it.
    Amidst the frenzy outside the institute's walls, Lyra - or number 24 as she is known as at Haven - and a fellow experimental subject known only as 72, manage to escape. Encountering a world they never knew existed outside the walls of their secluded upbringing , they meet Gemma and, as they try to understand Haven's purpose together, they uncover some earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls forever... 

Review: 

    When I started this book, I had two main theories:

1. Lyra was a clone version of Gemma. So when Gemma was born, her parents allowed Haven to extract part of her DNA and implant it into a willing mother to create Model 24.

2. Gemma herself was also a clone, and that's why she has heart problems (because the clones are still not perfected). She's called Frankenstein not for the reasons Gemma believes, but because she's unnatural and was created instead of born, just like Frankenstein. 

    Obviously I'm not going to say what happened with my theories, if one of them was true or if they were both failures. But I like the way it turned out. 

    Replica  by Lauren Oliver is not like other books. For one, the main plot is told through two different perspectives, each a separate story, that ends the same way. But the POV switch isn't every chapter or every three chapters. When holding a physical copy of the novel, let's say with Lyra's side on top, you could read until about halfway through the novel, and then the printing is upside down. If you reverse the book (as in physically flip it over), you could read Gemma's side of the story until halfway through the book where you yet again hit where the printing is upside down. It's literally two stories in one. 

    Now because of the two stories in one, you can read it many different ways:

1. All of one story and then all of the other.

2. One chapter of one story then one chapter of the other.

3. Like #2, but instead of only chapter by chapter, you could read multiple chapters of each at a time before switching. 

    As it turns out, I read three chapters of each before flipping, with the exception of reading a few extra chapters of one of them when I got distracted. It's really interesting that Lauren Oliver wrote Replica this way. I mean, it's never been done before and it can change the way you view the book by reading it a different way.
    The content itself I have a back and forth opinion on. I like the idea of the novel, the whole description, but the way it was written was kind of bland to me. I was left anticipating a huge revelation throughout the entire novel, but that feeling was never satisfied. I mean, come on, shouldn't all books end with a bang? Overall, it was worth reading, but I hope the sequel can grab (and hold on to) my attention. 

Favourite Quotes:

• "On very still nights sometimes we can hear them chanting, calling for us to die." -Lyra
• "Monsters, they call us. Demons. Sometimes, on sleepless nights, we wonder if they're right."   -Lyra
• "All the words she could ever want: words to stuff herself on until she was full, until her eyes burst." -Lyra
• "She wanted to say: We don't exist. She wanted to say: We have no choice. But even as she reached for the words, the cord tethering her thoughts snapped, and she was bobbing, wordless, mindless, into the dark." -Lyra
• "She didn't know what she was waiting for or looking for anymore. Only that out there, in the real world, there were no answers- nothing but vastness and things she'd never seen in real life and experiences she couldn't understand and strangers who didn't know what she was and would hate her if they did." -Lyra
• "Something leapt to life in her chest, a force beyond the guilt and the fear. It was like she'd been living in a cartoon, in two dimensions, her whole life, and had just fought free of the page." -Gemma
• "And in that second she knew, she truly understood, what Pete had said to her outside. Monsters weren't made, at least not by birth or fate or circumstance. Monsters chose to be monsters. That was the only terrible birth, the kind that happened again and again, every day."      -Gemma
• "All these people on their way to something, on their way from something. All these stories and lives, all of them orbiting temporarily around the same parking lot before spinning away from one another again." -Gemma

Rating: 6/10

Recommended if you like: fantasy, fiction, Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy, mystery 

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren 

Book Review: Daughters of Ruin

Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner

Released: April 5th 2016
Read: May 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Paperback ARC, 320 pages

Description from Goodreads:
Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren have lived together since they were children. They are called sisters. They are not. They are called equals. They are not. They are princesses. And they are enemies.
A brutal war ravaged their kingdoms, and Rhea’s father was the victor. As a gesture of peace, King Declan brought the daughters of his rivals to live under his protection—and his ever-watchful eye.
For ten years they have trained together as diplomats and warriors, raised to accept their thrones and unite their kingdoms in peace. But there is no peace among sisters, and all plans shatter when the palace is attacked. As their intended future lies in ashes, Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren must decide where their loyalties lie: to their nations, or to each other.

Review:
This novel was one that I really thought I enjoy. However this book fell just slightly off the mark. I felt that there should've been a more loving connection between the 'sisters'. They were (quite frankly) total enemies. But the rest of the book had an almost medieval twist to it, and I really liked it. But the parenthesis were OVERWHELMING! The youngest sister queen is a mere 14 years old, and is an extremely chatty person. Since the book is told from alternating POV's, her chapters were filled with ideas coming from ideas, coming from ideas. At the end of one such 'rant' I counted NINE brackets! NINE! It felt a little ridiculous.. But all in all it had an engaging story, and you couldn't have helped but feel a little attached to at least one of the queens (I quite liked Iren!). It was a nice read, but I don't see how there can be a sequel, or how this is the beginning to a whole series.

Favourite Quote:
"She knew now they would never truly be sisters, the way her father wanted."
- K.D. Castner

Rating: 6/10

Recommended for people who enjoy: fantasy, historical fiction, sister stories, female heroines

Happy Reading,
Mari 

Book Review: I Am Princess X

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest
(with art by Kali Ciesemier)

Released: May 26th, 2015

Read: August 2016

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Format: Hardcover, 232 pages

Series: n/a

Description from GoodReads: Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons and scaled all the mountains their imaginations could conjure.
   Once upon a few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her.
   Once upon a now: May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window.
   Princess X?
   When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere: Stickers. Patches. Graffiti. There's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon - her best friend, Libby, who lives.

Review: This book was so good! Oh man I could talk about this book for ages! I mean, a book told partially through comics? A YA novel without romance? Girl power off the charts? This book has it all!
   It's pretty short, but honestly it could've been pulled out a little longer. I wouldn't have minded another hundred pages or so. The clues to unraveling the mystery were very well written and it kept me interested until the very end.
   May, while being pretty generic, is still a nice character. She can handle herself, and is constantly helpful and faithful to Libby throughout the book. Not to mention, she has relatable issues like forgetting to charge her laptop in crucial moments, and over-analysing things.
   Libby, who we only really see in the last few chapters is wonderfully clever, and seems to be a nice match for May.
   Oh and I forgot to mention, the art is amazing.

Quotable Quotes:
"Which meant he had about eight weeks to pull something amazing out of his butt. His butt was not being terribly helpful."
"I’d eat some pizza, if anybody decided to order one. You know. Hypothetically."
"She was a decent storyteller, but a crap liar, for all the sense that made."

Rating: 11/10

Read if You Liked: the Mysterious Benedict Society, Pretty Little Liars, Wildwood

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Altered

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Released: January 1, 2013

Read: August 2016

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Format: Hardcover, 323 pages

Series: Altered #1

Description on Goodreads:

    When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

    Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who has stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 

    Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

    Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Review:

    Wow. Just wow. The entire time I read Altered, I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters. Can, the outgoing prankster; Trev, the realistic genius; Nick, the bad-tempered badass; Sam, the controlling yet slightly endearing leader; and Anna, the shy yet aggressive tag along. The combination was explosive and extremely interesting. Whenever Nick pissed someone off, Cas or Trev would always be there to calm everyone down. Oddly, Cas was the only one Nick put up with, even though they are polar opposites. Nick and Sam seemed the most complex of the characters for obvious reasons. Nick, with his glares and snide remarks, made me believe he was hiding his insecurities and issues behind his aggravating disguise, and Sam never talked about himself. He didn't want to say too much about what he remembered, which gave off a mysterious feel about him. Clearly Anna was lured by this but I missed out on the charm. 

    Anna herself I didn't particularly like. She was needy and clingy, and had to have everyone make sure she was okay 24/7. I mean, I get it. The boys were altered so there was no way she could be as awesome, intelligent or fit as them. But she could've made things less difficult for them.

    The story itself made me think. Not because I was trying to figure out what was going to happen next, but because I didn't understand what was happening presently. How did one event lead to the next? How did they know to do what they were doing? It was just a bit too confusing for me, and I wish it was more clearly written. 

Favourite Quotes:

• "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." -Mark Twain
• I poked him in the knee. "What would we do without you?" "Die of boredom." "Or prosper in the silence."
• "You and I are the sum of a void left by the absence of someone we love." 

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended if you like: science experiments involving people, warfare, genetically modified human beings, fantasy, government-induced problems, adventure, action

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: The Forgetting

The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

Released: September 13, 2016

Read: July 2016

Publisher: Scholastic

Format: ARC, 416 pages

Series: Stand-alone

Description on Goodreads:

    What isn't written, isn't remembered. Even your crimes.
    Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person's memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.
    In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn't written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.
    But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.



Review:
    "I am made of my memories". Nadia, the Dyer's daughter lives in the city of Canaan, where life is simple and everything is not as it seems. Every twelve years, the citizens of Canaan forget who they are, who they love, and everything that once mattered to them. But not Nadia. She remembers everything that the people around her don't. It's quite fascinating to read about how having memories isn't always a good thing, and that sometimes it's better to forget.
   The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron is filled with bright, enthusiastic characters, who leave who throbbing to meet them by the end of the novel. As for the city, it's as if you're actually there, walking the streets along side Nadia and Gray. Each house and each occupation is described beautifully, so is beyond the wall. I'd recommend this novel to anyone that likes Divergent by Veronica Roth or the Giver by Lois Lowry, for it is a combination of both and leaves you wanting more.

Favourite Quotes:

• “It's my choice today that is the memory of tomorrow. It's my choice that determines what I will become. Not the memories of the past.” 
• “The past is never really gone. It only lies in wait for you, remembered or forgotten.” 
• “Truth can look so flimsy and feeble sometimes. It's one of the things I hold against it.” 
• "I am made of my memories."
• "Knowing the truth makes me alone. I wrote that once, but I think I was wrong. Fear of pain is what has made me alone. But today I realized that pain and love have a balance. I can feel so much of one only because I feel so much of the other." 
• "No one could take as many risks as I do and never be caught. I know this. But when my day comes, I will never say I'm sorry. Because I have been taught to say the truth in Canaan."

Rating: 9/10

Recommended if you like: the Giver, Divergent, dystopian, revenge, novels about memory loss

Keep flipping pages,
Lauren 

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Released: June 7th 2011
Read: June 2013 (for the first time), July 2016
Publisher: Quirk
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Series: Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #1

Description from Goodreads:
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.
A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Review:
Story time! I received this book for my 13th birthday, as my family and I were on our way to a cabin of a family friends. Being an exciting and creepy book, I devoured it on my way there. By the time we arrived, I was a quarter of the way through, and (honestly) a little scared. What made matters worse, was that the cabin was extremely old and used to be a vacation place for many kids (and families). Because of this, the entire yard was strewn with old and abandoned toys, rusting with age. That and coupled with the overgrown forest and yard all around the toys scared me out of mind! When it came that I had to sleep in a old furnished room by myself, I'll admit I started crying. I was completely convinced that the wights (the blank eyed bad guys) would pop out at me during the night! Reading it now older and wiser (only three years later) made me realize that perhaps it wasn't quite as scary as I thought. Even though it scared the crap out of me when I was younger, this is one book that I keep recommending over and over. In fact, I have one friend who hates reading (I know, I know, how am I friends with her?! Love you any ways Lor!) but she absolutely adores this book/series. What I enjoy about it are the vintage photograph that add a whole extra dimension to the plot. From start to finish, the book held my attention, and I finished rereading this in a day. I found the characters wholly formed, and finding out what each persons power was, was one of the best parts of the book. I thought that the plot was executed to a tee, and it left me wanting more. Even though it was mildly terrifying, it makes for a story that is unforgettable to say the least. The only critique I have, is that there should have been more photos included. I felt like that for of book of that size, more pictures could've been added. But it was still a fantastic read!!

Favourite Quote: 
“I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was. Likewise, I never imagined that home might be something I would miss.” 

― Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Rating: 8.5/10 

Recommended for people who enjoy: suspense, eerie mysteries, thrillers, mixed media books

Happy Reading,
Mari

P.S. Keep a look out for my reviews of the last two books in the trilogy!

Book Review: Vango

Vango: Between Sky and Earth by Timothée de Fombelle

Released: October 14, 2014

Read: July 2016

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Format: Hardcover, 432 pages

Series: Vango #1

Description from Goodreads:  A breathless adventure from international award winner Timothée de Fombelle charts a desperate search for identity across the vast expanses of Europe.
   In a world between wars, a young man on the cusp of taking priestly vows is suddenly made a fugitive. Fleeing the accusations of police who blame him for a murder, as well as more sinister forces with darker intentions, Vango attempts to trace the secrets of his shrouded past and prove his innocence before all is lost. As he crisscrosses the continent via train, boat, and even the Graf Zeppelin airship, his adventures take him from Parisian rooftops to Mediterranean islands to Scottish forests. A mysterious, unforgettable, and romantic protagonist, Vango tells a thrilling story sure to captivate lovers of daring escapades and subversive heroes.

Review: This book is a piece of art, and that only partially includes the cover. The characters are beautifully intertwined, and the way new clues are introduced make you discovered them.
  Vango is a paranoid almost-priest being chased by multiple people and countries. When have you ever heard a plot summary like that? Throughout the novel, the hunt is told from many, many interesting perspectives, and across many, many different countries. Oh boy, don't get me started on the well-crafted romance. A better love story than Romeo and Juliet (which honestly, is pretty easy to do). Vango and Ethel are madly in love but haven't seen each other since the summer they spent on the Graf Zeppelin. Ah, it's amazing.
   I was hooked from the very first, very confusing chapter, but the end left me wanting more from this novel. Not in an incomplete storytelling way, but in a "There better be a second book!!" way.
   The only issue with this book is that it's a bit slow sometimes. If you want non-stop, adrenaline high action from every scene, this is not your book. It's more of a slow thriller, and it's worth it, but it isn't high speed.

Quotable Quotes:
-"'I'm claustrophobic.''Nice to meet you! I'm paranoid.'"
-"'The shot has gone under my rib, Boulard my boy, so it must have been the shortest one who fired.' Even his final sigh was a police investigation."
-"Perhaps it was because of his wife that Pippo the farmer dreamt of becoming a sailor. There are certain people on this earth who make you want to sail very far away, and above all for a very long time."

Rating: 10/10

Read if You Liked: the 1930s in Europe, art, Paris, there are no books that I've read like this, the Leviathan (?)

Optimistically yours,
Ola

Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Released: May 3rd, 2016
Read: June 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Format: Hardcover, 640 pages
Seiries: A Court of Thorns and Roses #2

Description from Goodreads:
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

Review:
I was lucky enough to be able to read this book right after the first one, and not have to wait a year as many other readers had to do. Can I just say that I am so glad I did? Reading the stories back to back really made you believe in the world. I'm sorry to say, but this book made me hate some of the characters I previously had loved. Like a LOT. No spoilers, but I did scream a little whenever they were mentioned... Unlike most sequels, this one managed to build on what the first created. It also managed to introduce new characters without it feeling forced. Among the new characters that I loved was Rhysand. Although he has a role towards the end of the end of the first novel, we really get to know him in this one. I'm really upset that I said no spoilers before, because I'd really like to spoil right now! But I'll restrain myself. Let's just say that Rhys is one of my favourite characters now, and probably will be yours too... Oh, and Feyre really develops into a heroine who doesn't need any men to conquer the world. I really love how she acts in the Night Court! Way different from the Spring Court. If you read my review for the first book, you'll recall that I wanted more exposure to the other courts. Well I got my wish in this book. From the courts that are visited (Spring, Night and Summer) we got to find out about the 'special powers' were for each court, as well as their fashions and palaces. This book kept twisting and winding, all I could do was keep reading. I really could not put this book down. That twist in the end was AMAZING! Completely took me by surprise. I was screaming out loud in class, and everyone was looking at me strangely! You would not believe the book-hangover I had after this one. Unbelievable. But I was so impressed with this one that I decided to start on Maass' other series, Throne of Glass. I thought this book was simply amazing, and I can't wait until book three!

Favourite Quote:
“I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belong to you.” 

― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

Rating:
9/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: high fantasy, romance, strong female leads, adventure

Note: This novel really is for MATURE readers only. Some scenes are inappropriate for young readers. So be careful who you recommend this to.

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Lair of Dreams

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Released: August 25th 2015
Read: May 2016
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover, 613 pages
Series: The Diviners #2, here's my review of the first book.

Description from Goodreads:
After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people’s secrets, she’s become a media darling, earning the title “America’s Sweetheart Seer.” Everyone’s in love with the city’s newest It Girl…everyone except the other Diviners.
Piano-playing Henry DuBois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers a secret—for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City.
As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess…As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city?


Review:
Holy cow! I thought that like most sequels, this one would fail to capture the magic that the first one did. I was happily proven wrong. This book (while not QUITE so scary) managed to keep the suspense from the reader until the very end. While I thought that it would be hard to follow the plot from the first book, she managed to create a mystery with the same excitement as the last one. In this novel, the old characters were developed upon, and new ones introduced. In many series, it sometimes feels like the existing characters are almost forgotten, or set aside. Not in this one. Although we got to know the new people, the old were still very much there. Goodness... this is actually such a good sequel! I couldn't stop gushing about it while I was reading, because there were many twists and turns that came from nowhere. The only thing that could've been improved was the "horror" element. It could've been scarier, like the first one was. But still an AMAZING read! And luckily there are still two more books to go!

Favorite Quote:
“We are made by what we are asked to bear, Ling Chan,” 

― Libba Bray, Lair of Dreams

Rating: 8/10

Recommended for people who love: mystery, horror, romance, suspense, supernatural, strong female leads, historical fiction

Happy reading!
Mari

Book Review: The Raven King

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Released: April 26, 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Format: Hardcover, 439 pages

Series: The Raven Cycle #4

Description from GoodReads: Nothing living is safe. Nothing dead is to be trusted.
   For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey… and is certain she is destined to kill him.
   Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path.

Review: I normally dislike books that get dark and ruined until the last half of the book, but this one did it so well that I loved it. Almost everyone gets their stories wrapped up nicely enough to make me happy, but loosely enough to keep it realistic and open.
   It was also treated as not only an ending, but as just another book in the series, although things were getting progressively worse (not like bad-worse, but like plot-thickening-worse). New characters were introduced, old characters were built upon, the story continued.
   The ending was so good, I just can't get over it! Oh man I don't want to spoil anything, but it wasn't as welsh-kingy as I expected! Problems weren't solved with a flick of a wrist or a snap of a finger, it was real! It was personal and touching, more than I thought it would be. I felt like I was intruding on something deep and dark that I wasn't supposed to see. Whoo boy am I going on a rant.
   All in all, I adored this series, and this, the final book was just as good.

Quotable Quotes:
"His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he'd let them overflow and now there wasn't a damn place in the ocean that wouldn't catch fire if he dropped a match."

"What a strange constellation they all were."

"It wasn't that Henry was less of himself in English. He was less of himself out loud. His native language was thought."

"Richard Gansey III had forgotten how many times he had been told he was destined for greatness."

Rating: 10/10

Read if You Liked: the deeper aspects of Harry Potter, teenagers finding themselves, (screaming)

Optimistically yours, Ola <3
(now off to read the other novel titled the Raven King)

Book Review: The Glittering Court

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Released: April 5th. 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Borrowed, hardcover, 416 pages

Description from Goodreads:

Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.
Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.
When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.
But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Review:
This book was certainly not what I expected. It started in one spot, and ended in another. Staring it, it was almost like a historical version of the Selection, with the main character very similar to America Singer. Both were headstrong and independent, wanting a better life for themselves. So Elizabeth (later Adelaide) decides to take her maids place in a finishing school, and is TOTALLY prepared to be sold of like an object. Hmm. That doesn't sound like America to me. I had many issues with this novel, among them the patriarchal (almost sexist) undertone to the plot and the school she attends. Also, it started as this "princess" story and ended up in the wild west. Yes, the wild west. She ends up panning for gold in the "New World". Not even kidding. The plot felt forced, and rushed. Starting it, I would never have guessed that it would end up there.. Another is the love interest, Cedric. He was a two-dimensional at best. Mead tried to make him less so, by revealing his "dark secret". I won't spoil, but it was not juicy in the least. It's kinda boring, and really didn't make him a better character. Lastly, I'd like to point out that this is billed as "fantasy". THERE IS NO FANTASY! Part of the appeal for me was this supposed fantastical element, but there was literally none! I have no idea who labeled this book, but they did wrong. Not sure how someone could make a mistake like that. All in all, this book had high expectations, and sadly it didn't meet them.

Favorite Quote:
“Do you think my being someone else's wife will change anything? Don't you know that I'd lie with you in the groves, under the light of the moon? That I'd defy the laws of gods and men for you?”
― Richelle Mead

Rating: 5/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: romance, frontier lands, "The Selection"

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Illuminae

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Released: October 20th, 2015
Read: December 2015
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: Paperback ARC, 599 pages (borrowed from the lovely Ohana Reads)

Description from Goodreads:
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Review: Reading this book was unlike anything I've ever read before. This was such an interesting and refreshing take on the normal scifi genre. Instead of having the story be told by the protagonists, it took a multimedia approach. The plot was told through emails, reports, schematics, files, medical reports and interviews. It was exciting to turn the page, not knowing what would be on the other side. I have to say, I liked this book. Like a lot. Kady (one of the two main characters) is so ballsy and cool! She does what she wants, when she wants and doesn't care if she clashes with the people in charge. I loved reading the reports on her, where she breaks into secret rooms and then waves at the camera to the people watching. In a book that is ultimately about survival in the deep, dark space, reading about Kady was refreshing and a tension relief to say the least. Her relationship with Ezra was SO CUTE, and you were hoping that they'd rekindle their relationship by the end. The tension over "will Ezra get away from the infected crazies?" really kept the plot driving forward, and kept you turning the page to see what would happen. And don't get me started on AIDEN, the AI (artificial intelligence)  on the ship. Reading about what he was "thinking" was so incredibly unique, and it was a testament to the authors talent on how well they wrote his scenes. I would think that it's hard to write about a character who really isn't alive, but is still "feeling". The authors approach this with poise, and although this is a computer talking, it feels like a human voice. It was actually quite beautiful. Reading the scenes of his was almost like reading poetry turned into art. Confusing to write down, but if you read it, you'll understand. In a weird way, this book was basically a mash up of a "zombie survival" story (the infection that breaks out and that is SUPER contagious), a rouge computer (AIDEN) and a wild space adventure wrapped up into one. So cool... This novel ended on a cliffhanger, so I will definitely be watching for book two come October!  

Favorite Quotes:
 “I am frequently underestimated. I think it's because I'm short.” 

“The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is to do something worth remembrance.” 


“All he cares about here on the edge of forever, is her. He does not want to die. Not because he is afraid. Simply because he cannot bear the thought of leaving her behind.” 


Rating: 9/10

Recommended for people who enjoy: scifi, romance, adventure, survival stories

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Seconds

Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Release date: July 14th, 2014

Read: January 2016

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: Hardcover, 323 pages

Series: stand-alone

Source: owned

Description from GoodReads: Katie’s got it pretty good. She’s a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie’s life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all—but they don’t come easy. Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over:

1. Write your mistake
2. Ingest one mushroom
3. Go to sleep
4. Wake anew

Review: First things first, the art in this book is gorgeous in all its details and expressions. Not to mention Hazel's outfits are to die for.

   The plot, while generally done before, had many interesting plot twists that made it a unique and surprising story. It's characters were flawed and realistic, if a little annoying at times. Just like actual humans. Katie was definitely a little off-kilter, but that's what made the story possible.

   Altogether it was a great read, and way worth the purchase.

Quotable Quotes:

"Adult life is terrible, Hazel. Never grow up."

"There are somethings we can't change, and we just have to accept that. And maybe that's some sort of grace."

Rating: 9/10

Read if You Liked: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Eleanor & Park, All Our Yesterdays, quirks

Optimistically yours, Ola <3