Book Review: The Last Magician

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

Released: July 18, 2017

Read: July 2017

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format: ARC, 498 pages

Series: The Last Magician #1

Description on Goodreads:

Stop the Magician. Steal the book. Save the future.

In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

Review:

    The Last Magician had a slow start but it picked up right away. I think it was slow just because I didn't  really understand where the plot would take me yet. And the beginning confused me a little too, because of the back and forth between different time periods. I didn't realize Dolph's time was when Esta was going to travel to. It was smooth sailing from then though, as soon as the puzzle pieces fit together.

    The idea for the novel was clearly well developed. I loved how the plot lines intertwined and left me almost completely shocked and numb. Every new development felt like an exciting surprise and I honestly couldn't wait to read more.

    And it helped that Esta was a complete badass. She was witty, smart and daring, and clearly a feminist. It was funny and interesting to see how she interacted with Harte Darrigan. It's like she always had the upper hand and knew how to get underneath his skin. Her backstory was just as depressing as Darrigan's, and it really suited the thief she would later become.

    Meanwhile, Harte Darrigan was just a product of many betrayals. He acted the way he did because of how people treated him as he grew up, and because he knew just how cruel people could be. To me he was just a misunderstood and broken man who did what he could to survive. I loved reading about the metaphorical masks he wore when he was surrounded by people he couldn't trust. He played the people around him and put on one of the best performances I've read about in ages.

    And speaking of manipulators, Dolph was definitely one of the most dynamic and complex characters that you meet. He had so many different sides to him: the busy, all-knowing boss, the caring gentleman, the power-hungry beast and the loyal friend. Just like Darrigan, he wore each expression and attitude like a mask that could be swapped out at any moment, depending on who he was with.

     The time period Lisa Maxwell picked was perfect as well. I liked that the book depicted all of the different gangs and their turf's. It truly felt like I was in the 1900's with Esta from the way the characters dressed, to the transportation, to the clubs and the views on women. It was different from other novels I've read, where the authors pick the same old settings. It was quite refreshing.

    The only thing I didn't particularly like about the Last Magician is the ending. I know the author had to leave some questions unanswered and put out an idea what the sequel will be about, but I'd actually much rather have this be a standalone. The concept and idea were only enough to be one long book for me. I believe it would have been a bit better if Lisa Maxwell had tied up all the loose-ends and altered the ending. Of course, I'm still going to read the sequel. I just don't see how she's going to be able to write another full book on this. Other than that, the novel was beautifully written and I'm still excited to see where Esta goes from here in the next book!

Favourite Quotes:

• "Steal me the night."-Dolph Saunders
• "He wasn't sorry for using their fears and their hopes, their prejudices and their sense of righteousness against them. For distracting them from the truth. He was simply surviving in a world that hated what he was." -Harte Darrigan
• "Change your feathers often enough, and the mark won't recognize the bird."-Esta
• "There's always a choice. The question is which one you're willing to live with."
• "He'd wanted an ace in his pocket and had chosen a serpent instead."
• "After all, Harte Darrigan might be a bastard, he might be a double-crossing lowlife scoundrel, but he wasn't so low as to leave."

Rating: 8.5/10

Recommended if you like: historical fiction, fantasy, magic, romance, manipulation

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: Bull

Bull by David Elliott

Released (or TO BE on...): March 28, 2017 

Read: January 2017

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books 

Format: ARC, 200 pages

Series: Stand-alone

Description on Goodreads:

    SEE THE STORY OF THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR

IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

Minos thought he could

Pull a fast one

On me,

Poseidon!

God of the Sea!

But I’m the last one

On whom you

Should try such a thing.

The nerve of that guy.

The balls. The audacity.

I AM THE OCEAN!

I got capacity!

Depths! Darkness! Delphic power!

So his sweet little plan

Went big-time sour

And his wife had a son

Born with horns and a muzzle

Who ended up

In an underground puzzle.

What is it with you mortals?

You just can’t seem to learn:

If you play with fire, babies,

You’re gonna get burned.

    Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers reevaluating one of mythology's most infamous monsters.

Review:
    I'm not used to reading poetry, I prefer YA fantasy/thriller novels, but I wanted to read Bull based on the fact that it's greek mythology. AND of course, it has a lovely cover. I mean, just look at it! The bull's head is sketched beautifully with emphasis on the bright oval eyes and the midnight black words. Such a masterpiece.
    Now on to the book itself... Poseidon was absolutely hilarious; and I don't mean the Laughs-In-Head-But-Smirking funny, I mean the So-Funny-I-Have-To-Make-Everyone-Around-Me-Read-This-Right-Now funny. I couldn't put it down. The way Poseidon explained everything and could read your mind ( how he calls you out on thinking he should sound more old fashioned), it was extremely entertaining.
    The rest of the characters felt like just that: characters. It felt like Poseidon was the narrator, the main pulling all the strings, and could decide the fate of all the mortals at a flick of his wrist. This was actually more exciting than it probably sounds. It seemed like I was with a storyteller and I couldn't help but be in awe of every twist and turn of the plot. I was the small obedient child listening intently while my elder told me of the old ways. It was fascinating!
    Anyway, the story itself was intriguing. Each character's point of view really added to how the tale was perceived. By showing how Minos felt, I was easily able to understand why he acted the way he did, and the same goes for Pasiphae, Asterion, Ariadne, and Poseidon.
    In this case, the story was indeed incredibly short but that's all I needed. If it was any longer, if the author had tried to expand a scene any further, it might've felt boring at some point. Overall, I would definitely recommend Bull to anyone that likes greek mythology, the story of the Minotaur, or comedic poetry.

Favourite Quotes (When reading them, don't forget to rhyme it in your head, and the capitals start a new line in the poem!):

• " So he wonders, If I'd give the people And omen, A sign, Something impressive, He says, something divine. Anything to prove He's the man For the royal job. So what the fuck, I think. I'm gonna help this slob."-Poseidon
• " Be glad that I did! If I hadn't? No story. You know the drill: No guts. No glory. Now you're grossed out? Well, Life's not for wimps. Sometimes gods are gods And sometimes they're pimps." -Poseidon
• "You'll argue he was just Putting into practice The philosophy of eye for eye. Say what you will. I don't mind; But now we know Why Justice is blind."-Poseidon
• "Maybe we should call a hotline. But it's such a yummy plot line..." -Poseidon

Rating: 8/10

Recommended if you like: greek mythology, modernly-written poetry, comedies, poetry in general, short-but-sweet stories, the story of the Minotaur

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: Things I Should Have Known

 Things I Should Have Known
by Claire LaZebnik

Released: March 28th, 2017

Read: January 2017

Publisher: HMH Books For Young Readers

Format: ARC, 311 pages
Series: n/a

Description from Goodreads: From the author of Epic Fail comes the story of Chloe Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl on a quest to find love for her autistic sister, Ivy. Ethan, from Ivy’s class, seems like the perfect match. It’s unfortunate that his older brother, David, is one of Chloe’s least favorite people, but Chloe can deal, especially when she realizes that David is just as devoted to Ethan as she is to Ivy.
   Uncommonly honest and refreshingly funny, this is a story about sisterhood, autism, and first love. Chloe, Ivy, David, and Ethan, who form a quirky and lovable circle, will steal readers’ hearts and remind us all that it’s okay to be a different kind of normal.

Review: I almost didn't read this book, because contemporaries aren't really my kind of books, but because of Marianne's cupcake, here we are. And I am so glad! This book was great!
   This book was full of growing up. Everyone changes and understand themselves a bit better by the end, everything is closed up neatly, nicely and not too quickly.
   I'm also such a sucker for simple romances that are the backdrop for larger plots and character arcs. And if one of the people has opened up to the other? I'm dead. This book is so full of positivity it was almost blinding. Yet somehow, despite the cliches, it remained realistically open to not ending well. Or not ending at all, in that sort of lingering, closed-chapter-of-life kind of way.
   Altogether, the characters are lovely, the plot is great, and if you need a pick-me-up, this relatively short book is right up your alley!

Quotable Quotes:
"Why are you asking me? I'm seventeen and don't know anything about what to do when you're autistic and gay."

Rating: 9/10

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Wax

Wax by Gina Damico

Released: August 2, 2016

Read: August 2016

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 

Format: ARC, 368 pages

Series: Stand-alone

Description on Goodreads:

    Paraffin, Vermont, is known the world over as home to the Grosholtz Candle Factory. But behind the sunny retail space bursting with overwhelming scents and homemade fudge, seventeen-year-old Poppy Palladino discovers something dark and unsettling: a back room filled with dozens of startlingly life-like wax sculptures, crafted by one very strange old lady. Poppy hightails it home, only to be shocked when one of the figures—a teenage boy who doesn’t seem to know what he is—jumps naked and screaming out of the trunk of her car. She tries to return him to the candle factory, but before she can, a fire destroys the mysterious workshop—and the old woman is nowhere to be seen.

    With the help of the wax boy, who answers to the name Dud, Poppy resolves to find out who was behind the fire. But in the course of her investigation, she discovers that things in Paraffin aren’t always as they seem, that the Grosholtz Candle Factory isn’t as pure as its reputation—and that some of the townspeople she’s known her entire life may not be as human as they once were. In fact, they’re starting to look a little . . . waxy. Can Poppy and Dud extinguish the evil that's taking hold of their town before it’s too late?

Review:

     Wax by Gina Damico is a comedic thriller about wax sculptures, stardom and immortality. The main character, Poppy, is a strong-willed aspiring actress and singer who is beyond perky and optimistic. Maybe a little TOO perky at times. With The List in hand, she could rule the world... in an organized fashion of course. The other characters, Jill, Dud, Blake, Connor, Jesus and even Greg, have something special about them: little quirks and opinions and actions that make them who they are. Greg has his ice cream jokes, Connor has his cape, and Jesus has his need to take things into his own hands. All of these traits lead to a wildly hilarious and fun novel. 

    As events passed a few discoveries were predictable, but the way the author announced and dealt with the issues was entirely new to me. Wax is a nice summer or light read that will keep you entertained and laughing until the last page. 

Favourite Quotes:

• "The machine told me to scan my coupons, so I did. Then it beeped. Then it scolded me. Then it stopped talking altogether and decided to have an existential crisis instead."
• " Good question, Dud! A gym quiz is a thing that should not be. Because the height of a basketball hoop is a piece of knowledge that will NEVER ASSIST ME IN MY DAILY LIFE." 

Rating: 7/10

Recommended if you like: contemporaries with slight fantasy, high school drama, the movie House of Wax (but this is waaaaaay more of a comedy). 

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: 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: Tell the Wind and Fire

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

Released: April 5th 2016
Read: April 2016
Publisher: Clarion Books
Format: Paperback ARC, 368 pages

Description from Goodreads:
In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets. 
Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own—one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised.
Lucie alone knows of the deadly connection the young men share, and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth.
Blood and secrets alike spill out when revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy—or herself?

Review: 
What I liked about “Tell the Wind and Fire”, was that it was a unique retelling of a particularly famous novel. It seems that most retellings are simply told in the modern day, or well into the future. This book tried to tell “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens in an alternate reality where magic is the law of the land. It was interesting to say the least, the idea extremely clever. Who wouldn’t  want to read about Light and Dark magicians battling it out in two halves of New York, both needing the other because the Dark use the blood of the Light for magic, and the Light need the Dark to do so because they may overuse their magic and die? But the Dark are kept in their own faction and are ostracized by the Light, while the Light live in luxury. And the Dark can make doppelgängers that are made to save someone from death, but only when they are almost dead, and those creatures are forced to wear hoods and to stay away from their real counterparts. Are you a little confused? Because I certainly was. The novel was built on a fantastic idea, and it kept carrying it to halfway through the book. However, then the world building and history came into play and it got confusing. It didn’t help that it seemed as if the world building went on and on for chapters. Yes, whole chapters at the very beginning devoted to building the world. Brennan tried to explain this in easy terms, but it came across as weird and forced. Had it been explained over time as the story progressed, it would have been more organic than stuffy and forced. And I have to say that the main character had very little emotional range, as when she was speaking of the time she saved her dad it sounded very insincere. Almost like a narrator telling the story, not a girl who had to risk her life to save her loved one. This book was really great to start off with, and it just unfortunately didn’t pan out. 

Favorite Quote: 
“I wasn’t showing what I really felt. Real grief is ugly and uncomfortable. People look away from grief the same way they look away from severed limbs or gaping wounds. What they want is pain like death on a stage: beautiful, bloodless, presented for their entertainment” 
- Sarah Rees Brennan

Rating: 4.5/10 Stars

Reccommended for people who enjoy: romance, magic, paranormal

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Stonefield

Taken from Goodreads
(how pretty is this cover??)

Stonefield by Christy Lenzi

Released: March 29th, 2016
Read: February 2016
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Format: Paperback ARC, 320 pages
Series: N/A
Source: McNally Robinson Two Thumbs Up Program

Description from Goodreads:
In a small town on the brink of the Civil War, Catrina finds a man making strange patterns in her family’s sorghum crop. He’s mad with fever, naked, and strikingly beautiful. He has no memory of who he is or what he’s done before Catrina found him in Stone Field. But that doesn’t bother Catrina because she doesn’t like thinking about the things she’s done before either.
Catrina and Stonefield fall passionately, dangerously, in love. All they want is to live with each other, in harmony with the land and away from Cat’s protective brother, the new fanatical preacher, and the neighbors who are scandalized by their relationship. But Stonefield can’t escape the truth about who he is, and the conflict tearing apart the country demands that everyone take a side before the bloodbath reaches their doorstep.

Review:

I chose this book because I absolutely love retellings of classic novels. This one is a retelling of Wuthering Heights, but not in the here and now (as most retellings are), but during the Civil War. I was excited, and so eager to read the result. But I was disappointed. Although the plot was sort of already written, it felt mish-mashed, and a little overwhelming. You could tell that the author was trying to emulate the writing style of Bronte, but it came across as forced, and almost sarcastic. It was a struggle trying to interpret what was actually being said. Another thing, was that the characters had very little development, (especially the main character)  so you never really connected with Cat. I wasn’t rooting for her to be happy in the end. I also had a problem with the romance in it. I love reading books where the main characters fall slowly in love. But SLOWLY! They literally were totally in love by page 50. Not even kidding. It was so fast! It was way too quick, and then Bible verses were added to make it sound as if it was less promiscuous. It was weird.  I also didn’t like the fact that they were able to somehow speak telepathically. That was never really explained. It was a weird book, all in all and unfortunately, not my favorite.  

Rating: 4.5/10

Reccomended for people who enjoy: retellings, romance, lots of descriptive language

Happy Reading,

Mari

Book Review: Wolf By Wolf

Taken from Goodreads

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Released: October 20th, 2015
Read: February 2016
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Borrowed ARC, Paperback, 388 pages
Series: Wolf by Wolf #1
Source: Borrowed from the lovely Ohana Reads

Description from Goodreads:
The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

Review:
I read this book, as it was literally forced on me by Laurens sister (who runs Ohana Reads). I'm soooooo glad she made me read it!! This book is everything I look for, be it fantasy, historical fiction or strong female characters. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every page of Wolf by Wolf. Yael is such an interesting character, and the "skinshift" quality of hers is just so cool. I kept worrying that she would accidentally reveal herself to Felix (the brother of Adele) or Luka (the former love interest of Adele). Both guys are eager to help Yael but are really suspicious of this "new" Adele. I have to say, I was more partial to Luka. He was just so.. so.. handsome? And suave? It's hard to describe but he was the epitome of an annoying bad boy, who just steals your heart. You hate to like him, that kind of thing. Whereas  That aside, I loved how Yael was able to develop from a young girl (through flashbacks) to a powerful young woman right before our eyes. Although she is perceived by the other characters as someone who is "made of steel", she has her vulnerabilities. The tattoos of wolves (hence the name of the book) represent the people she lost, so her grief and loneliness is always with her. That is what drives her desire to get revenge, and make the leaders of the Third Reich pay for what they did. Because of this she gets drawn into this revolution, and it's the reason she enters the race. This book had a minor "Hunger Games" feel, what with the competition and all. It really moved the plot forward, and filled any parts that normally would've been too long and boring. Right until the very end there is the tension of "will she win or won't she??" It's a surprise ending, and I couldn't stop babbling about it. I won't give it away, but let's just say I CANNOT wait until the sequel is out (Blood for Blood)! 

Favorite Quotes:
“So she traced and she named. She hurt and she raged. She remembered.” 

― Ryan Graudin, Wolf By Wolf

Rating: 9/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: fantasy, historical fiction, alternate retellings, romance, strong female leads

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: H.E.A.R.

H.E.A.R by Robin Epstein

Release Date: December 29th, 2015
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Soho Teen
Format: Paperback ARC, 272 pages 

Description from Goodreads:
Expelled from high school months shy of graduation—her acceptance to Columbia revoked due to vigilante justice gone awry—Kassandra Black is sent to work in her great-uncle Brian’s lab at Henley University. She’s helping with his HEAR (Henley Engineering Anomalies Research) program, and hopefully getting him to put in a good word for her to attend Henley instead. She’s got to go somewhere, after all.But as she gets to know the other HEAR students, it becomes clear that she overlooked the “Anomalies” part of their acronym—these kids are here to help Brian run experiments that gauge ESP capacity. They’ve each been selected and recruited, including, to her astonishment, Kass herself. But ESP? She doesn’t buy any of it. And even if it were real, she definitely isn’t psychic.Yet with each new test, she finds herself more frightened. Kass really can communicate telepathically; she can even glimpse the future. When one of her fellow HEAR students is murdered, Kass must try to forget everything she knows about herself and her family and learn to trust those who share her remarkable gift.


Review:
What really got me into this book was the main character. Kassandra is strong, and doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. I loved the growth of her powers, and it feels realistic (well as realistic as supernatural powers can be!). I loved that she did what she wanted, when she wanted, and said what she wanted. She is the type of girl everyone wants to know, and everyone wants to be. This book was a refreshing break from the normal dystopian/supernatural genre. It wasn't just about saving the world. It had a deeper story line and plot to it. I really liked getting to know the other recruits of the program. It was almost like X-Men or something. It even had the history to it, about shady ex-colleagues and an untrustworthy government agency. Everyone's power was unique to them, and their character development was interesting, and never dull. Of course the romance between two of the characters (won't say which ones, spoilers!) is a great addition to the story, and adds depth to the characters involved. One of the best parts of the story was the twist at the end. It came out of nowhere, and finished the story perfectly! I can't wait to get my hands on book number two!

Favorite Quote: "Keep my mind open. Keep an open mind. How hard could it be?" -H.E.A.R. by Robin Epstein

Rating: 8/10 Stars

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

Happy Reading,
Mari